Our ABC series is meant to break open familiar Bible stories in new ways–the way the poetic language of the scriptures often offers its gifts. "Surely goodness and mercy pursue me." "If I take the wings of the morning and fly to the outermost edge of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me." "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." Jesus recognized good poetic language also.
Mary Oliver says a poem is a confession of faith. "Whatever skill or beauty it has, it contains something beyond language devices, and it has a purpose other than itself. . . . for poems are not words after all, but fires for the cold, ropes let down to the lost, something as necessary as bread in the pockets of the hungry." (A Poetry Handbook: A Prose Guide to Understanding Writing Poetry)
Anna Carter Florence says "the world is waiting for us to be poets–or use words as poets do–and speak our faith against the tired cliches of this world. There are plenty of defeated words out there, plenty of defensive words, plenty of killing words, laced with bombs. But there are other words too. And they make us think twice and turn around, and repent and believe, and begin again." (A is for Alabaster)
[This Sunday, the Green Team takes over worship to give witness to their retreat experience in Maine with other congregations seeking climate justice. They've chosen "H" is for heart to guide us in putting into practice the radical intent of being a Green Church.]
Blessings,
Rev Kelly
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