TheseasonofPentecost19thAugust2018

Whengreatsoulsdie…

CalltothoughtfulnessOnVirtuePhillisWheatley1753-1784

OThoubrightjewelinmyaimIstriveTocomprehendthee.ThineownwordsdeclareWisdomishigherthanafoolcanreach.Iceasetowonder,andnomoreattemptThineheightt’explore,orfathomthyprofound.But,Omysoul,sinknotintodespair,Virtueisnearthee,andwithgentlehandWouldnowembracethee,hoverso’erthinehead.Fainwouldtheheav’n-bornsoulwithherconverse,Thenseek,thencourtherforherpromis’dbliss.Auspiciousqueen,thineheav’nlypinionsspread,AndleadcelestialChastityalong;Lo!nowhersacredretinuedescends,Array’dingloryfromtheorbsabove.Attendme,Virtue,thro’myyouthfulyears!Oleavemenottothefalsejoysoftime!Butguidemystepstoendlesslifeandbliss.Greatness,orGoodness,saywhatIshallcallthee,Togivemeanhigherappellationstill,Teachmeabetterstrain,anoblerlay,Othou,enthron’dwithCherubsintherealmsofday.

PhillisWheatleywasborninSenegal,thentakenasaslavetotheUnitedStatesattheageofeight(1761).ThereshewaspurchasedbyaBostontailor,JohnWheatley,whosedaughtertaughtPhillistoreadEnglish,Latin,andGreek.Herfirstandonlybookofpoetry,acompilationofthirty-ninepoems,wasentitledPoemsonVariousSubjects,ReligiousandMoral(1773),andpublishedinLondon.WheatleywasthefirstAfricanAmericantopublishabookofpoetry,andthefirstwomanofanyracetopublishabookinAmerica.ShediedinBostoninextremepovertyattheageofthirty-one.(journeywithjesus.net)

PROCESSIONALHYMN71(Psalm107)GivethanksuntotheLordourGodTuneRowanTree540

ArethaFranklinandKofiAnnantheyservedinthemidstofthepeopleWelcomeandthegatheringprayer

WhenIfindmyselfintimesoftrouble,MotherMarycomestomespeakingwordsofwisdom:LetitbeArethaFranklinwiththeRoyalPhilharmonicOrchestra

PROVERBS822–36beforealltime,thefirstgreatact,thecreationofwisdomHYMNThejourneyWordsJoyDineTuneLewisfolkmelody716(Piano) Godwhosetsusonajourneytodiscover,dreamandgrow, leadusasyouledyourpeopleinthedesertlongago; journeyinward,journeyoutward,stirthespirit,stretchthemind, loveforGodandselfandneighbourmarksthewaythatChristdefined. Explorationbringsnewinsights,changes,choiceswemustface; giveuswisdomindeciding,mindfulalwaysofyourgrace; shouldwestumble,loseourbearings,findithardtoknowwhat'sright, weregainourtruedirectionfocusedontheJesuslight. Endourlongingfortheolddays,grantthevisionthatwelack- oncewe'vestartedonthisjourneytherecanbenoturningback; letustravellight,discardingexcessbaggagefromourpast, cherishonlywhat'sessential,choosingtreasurethatwilllast. Whenwesetupcampandsettletoavoidlove'sriskandpain, youdisturbcomplacentcomfort,pullthetentpegsupagain; keepustravellingintheknowledgeyouarealwaysatourside; giveuscourageforthejourney,ChristourgoalandChristourguide.HymnQuestID:43567 1KINGSCh2vs10-12andCh3vs3-14yourservantisinthemidstofyourpeoplePrayerSogivemethewisdomIneedURCp81LambofGod,youtakeawaythesinsoftheworld,havemercyonusLambofGod,youtakeawaythesinsoftheworld,havemercyonusLambofGod,youtakeawaythesinsoftheworld,havemercyonus,giveusyourpeace!

UllyssesAlfredLordTennyson1809-1892Itlittleprofitsthatanidleking,bythisstillhearth,amongthesebarrencrags,Matchedwithanagedwife,Imeteanddoleunequallawsuntoasavagerace,thathoard,andsleep,andfeed,andknownotme.Icannotrestfromtravel;Iwilldrinklifetothelees.AlltimesIhaveenjoyedgreatly,havesufferedgreatly,bothwiththosethatlovedme,andalone;onshore,andwhenthroughscuddingdriftstherainyHyadesvextthedimsea.Iambecomeaname;ForalwaysroamingwithahungryheartmuchhaveIseenandknown—citiesofmenandmanners,climates,councils,governments,myselfnotleast,buthonouredofthemall,—anddrunkdelightofbattlewithmypeers,farontheringingplainsofwindyTroy.IamapartofallthatIhavemet;yetallexperienceisanarchwherethroughgleamsthatuntraveledworldwhosemarginfadesforeverandforeverwhenImove.Howdullitistopause,tomakeanend,torustunburnished,nottoshineinuse!Asthoughtobreathewerelife!Lifepiledonlifewerealltoolittle,andofonetomelittleremains;buteveryhourissavedfromthateternalsilence,somethingmore,abringerofnewthings;andvileitwereforsomethreesunstostoreandhoardmyself,andthisgrayspirityearningindesiretofollowknowledgelikeasinkingstar,beyondtheutmostboundofhumanthought.Mymariners,soulsthathavetoiled,andwrought,andthoughtwithme,Thateverwithafrolicwelcometookthethunderandthesunshine,andopposedfreehearts,freeforeheads—youandIareold;Oldagehathyethishonourandhistoil.Deathclosesall;butsomethingeretheend,someworkofnoblenote,mayyetbedone,notunbecomingmenthatstrovewithgods.Thelightsbegintotwinklefromtherocks;Thelongdaywanes;theslowmoonclimbs;thedeepmoansroundwithmanyvoices.Come,myfriends,Tisnottoolatetoseekanewerworld.Pushoff,andsittingwellinordersmitethesoundingfurrows;formypurposeholdsTosailbeyondthesunset,andthebathsofallthewesternstars,untilIdie.Itmaybethatthegulfswillwashusdown;ItmaybeweshalltouchtheHappyIsles,andseethegreatAchilles,whomweknew.Thoughmuchistaken,muchabides;andthoughwearenotnowthatstrengthwhichinolddaysMovedearthandheaven,thatwhichweare,weare,oneequaltemperofheroichearts,Madeweakbytimeandfate,butstronginwilltostrive,toseek,tofind,andnottoyield.

HYMN704Ivowtothee,mycountry,allearthlythingsabove

UlyssesListeningforthesongsoftheSirensbronzebyRobinBellAswemakeourofferingswelistento“GoodNews”sungbyArethaFrankinExtra,ReadallaboutitExtra,extraWeheardthegoodnewsWe'vecomethisfarbyfaith.Pickupyourpaceanddon'tyoubelateI'mheretotellyouaboutthegoodnews.There'ssomethingaboutthepaththatwechooseWisdomhasbuiltthishousenow.IntegritywillbringyourprideoutIfyouknowhowtopraythesituationoutyou'llgetananswer,andthereain'tnodoubtMonday,weheldittogetherandWednesday,wehadstormyweatherandFriday,weprayeditallbetterAndSunday,weheardthegoodnewsHewon'tstopblessingyou.Lookhere,whatHe'lldoiskeeptestingyouAndabeggar'snolessthanyou'causeonedayitcouldbeyouSogetyourfolkstogetherforsomechurch,somegoodmusic,prayer,andservicewon'thurtEvenifyoudon'tlikethepreacherthere'sboundtobeathingortwohecanteachyouChorusDeceitisintheheartofthemwhoimagineevil.RighteousnessisthefruitofthetreeofallpeopleAndifyouwanttoliveyourlifeuprightpraythattheLordwillholdupthelightWhatyouneedisloveonyourside.Thepoweroflovewon'tbedeniedIfeelcomfortablegivingyouthisadvice.Don'tmakethesamemistaketwiceChorusThesearethegreatestdaysofourtestoftime.Weneedtobewalkingwithamade-upmindWalkbyfaith,notbysight,thenallyourbattles,youknowHewillfight

Iftheskychangescoloursthere'ssomanywaysthisworld'sgonnabeabetterplacesomedayIfloveandunity,youjustbelievethenallyourblessingsIknowyou'llreceiveGlorytoGodintheHighestGlory,Glory,GloryJesus,manwhowalkedonwaterJesus,He'salright,He'salrightMonday,weheldittogetherandWednesday,wehadstormyweatherandFriday,weprayeditallbetterAndSunday,weheardthegoodnewsHYMN453Christ,ofGod,unseentheimage(ColossiansCh115-20)HymnofPromise727Atryst(Spokentogether)Lord,setyourblessinguponusaswebeginthisnewweektogetherConfirmusinthetruthbywhichwerightlylive;confrontuswiththetruthfromwhichwewronglyturnWeasknotforwhatwewant,butforwhatyouknowweneedAsweofferourselvesandthedaysaheadforyouandtoyouMayourfaith,unboundfromfear,prideoranxiety,speakofyourboundlessgrace,forgivenessandlove.Makeusyourdisciples,faithfuldisciples,opentotherushofyourbreathandthedepthofyourloveHelpusrisetothejourneyaspeopleofthewayTheBlessingafterwhichwesing786

Educationisahumanrightwithimmensepowertotransform.Onitsfoundationrestthecornerstonesoffreedom,democracyandsustainablehumandevelopment.

TheLordhadthewonderfuladvantageofbeingabletoworkalone

KofiAnnan1938-2018