Buy Less - Poem by Raymond A. Foss

The seduction of the season
Christmas time of year
ads on the TV, calling us to spend less
that is true, but that misses the point
the lesson in the scripture
Buying more, accumulating, gathering in
these are the things that the Christ child
told was the sin, the storing up the evil
when others are in need

Affluence, abundance,
our cups overflowing
these are charges to keep,
to care for our neighbors
not to hoard and to keep,
the things of this earth
To trust in the creator,
the sustainer, provider is he

Less buying, consumption
that others may have enough
giving of ourselves
servants to our fellow man
following the example of the king
giving all we have
Not storing up, giving away instead
following the way of love
lending a helping hand

November 19, 2009
http://www.adventconspiracy.org/
Advent Conspiracy
&
Psalm 23 (KJV, United Methodist Hymnal, #137b)
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
Luke 10:25-28
and sermon by Reverend Huntley Halvorson
http://www.suncookumc.org
Suncook United Methodist Church
Suncook, NH
November 18, 2009
service after
http://www.suncookumc.org/OurFamilysTable.dsp
Our Family’s Table
&
Luke 12:15-21
and Psalm 16
and “The Prayer of St. Francis”,
United Methodist Hymnal #481;
and sermon, “I Want It All . . .”,
by Pastor Ruth L. Foss,
http://www.suncookumc.org
Suncook United Methodist Church
Suncook, NH
November 15, 2009
Her sermon is the third of a four-part series based in part on
Reverend Adam Hamilton (http://www.cor.org/about-resurrection/adam/)’s book,
“Enough: Discovering Joy Through Simplicity and Generosity” (http://www.cokesbury.com/forms/ProductDetail.aspx?pid=9781426702334)