All things are connected
And everything is one,
The cells within our flesh,
The Moon, the stars, the Sun.
Great Life-Force, God of all nurture;
Honor and praise to you.
Your peace and justice fill the Earth;
Honor and praise to you.
Which code can assist us
Uncover the fullness
Of living and loving
Which our spirits need?
Call of the songbird rising to Heaven,
Movement of bird wings rainbows enshrining,
Color of sunset painting the evening,
Scent of the forest fragrance displaying
Inspired by the Occupy movement and the Arab Spring, it is an echo of these and a call for something larger.
Come on- brothers and sisters West to East
Don’t let these corporate suit and ties disrespect the streets
Lets be more than outsiders with an angry speech
It’s time to occupy, speak your peace, let’s go!
The energy of God,
Like yeast within the dough,
Can take a sterile life
And give it strength to grow.
Jesus Christ is alive and lives in me
As I touch the Christ within,
As I open my life
To the power of God’s love
I obey the Risen Christ.
King David was a man of fire
Who sang and danced for God.
The raptures of his heart’s desire
Were sacred gifts from God.
Abraham had stirring dreams
That called for emigration.
Steadfast faith sustained his search
Despite its worst privation.
As wind that dances lightly round the clouds,
As sighs that come from loving’s warm caress,
As rising air that lofts the soaring bird
God’s Spirit can empower what we express.
Within our life we have two homes,
Known in our minds, and in our bones.
To one who often will return.
For one our spirits ever yearn.
For one our spirits ever yearn.
To our winters Jesus brings
Light and warmth and dancing,
Melting frozen lives and hearts,
Freeing and enhancing.
God’s dearest work of art
we long have called the heart,
The depth within from which begin
the prayers that we impart.
Prophetic wind gust through our cobwebbed minds,
With cleansing rain caress our dormant seed.
Let night transform our barren thoughts
And silence heal our every need.
Jesus, you were born at Christmas,
like us, a child of God.
This is Bishop Spong’s first lecture in the “Future of the Progressive Church” conference held on August 3, 2013 at the Community Christian Church in Springfield, MO
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As well as a bed
We need an inner space where stillness lives.
As well as a roof
We need the shelter loving gives.
Beneath my skin
I’m flesh and bone;
There’s more to me than you can see.
