Believe Out Loud

Words and Music by David Lohman
© 2010 Welcome Song Music

REFRAIN
It’s time to believe out loud –
no more staying silent!
It’s time to proclaim aloud
the faith that we hold dear.
It’s time to reach out to the rejected.
It’s time to stand up and say, “No more!”
It’s time to create a church in this day
where everyone’s welcomed in the door.
It’s time to believe out loud,
It’s time to be strong and proud,
It’s time to believe, believe out loud.

VERSE 1
Our God remains unchanging,
yet in so many ways
the Holy One’s still speaking,
for this we offer praise.
Yet God’s all-loving guidance
too often goes unheard.
But there is yet more wisdom
to break forth from God’s Word!

VERSE 2
If thoughts like love and justice
are more than hollow words,
we’ll listen for the Spirit
and let our hearts be stirred.
We’ll learn to think in new ways,
the doors we’ll open wide.
The table’s set and ready,
bring everyone inside!

VERSE 3
The love of God is boundless,
we're never turned away.
So we try to be faithful,
to shepherd in the day
when everyone is welcomed,
this is our sacred goal;
when we can say together,
“The Body must be whole!”

VERSE 4
It’s not enough to keep this
locked tight inside my heart
while hiding in the shadows,
afraid to do my part.
I’ve got to stand with millions
who’ve heard the Gospel’s call,
and shout it from the mountains:
“God’s love is meant for all!”

The Emmaus Road - another walk in progress

I recently found the book, Now We Are Six by A.A. Milne, the author of Winnie the Pooh. Of course, I had to buy a copy for Gloria’s and my two 6 year old grandchildren. The other day when I was reading it to one of them  we came across this poem. In the reading of it I somehow found another Emmaus Road… another walk in progress.

Explained      By A. A. Milne

Elizabeth Ann
Said to her Nan:
"Please will you tell me how God began?
Somebody must have made Him. So
Who could it be, 'cos I want to know?"
And Nurse said, "Well!"
And Ann said, "Well?
I know you know, and I wish you'd tell."
And Nurse took pins from her mouth, and said,
"Now then, darling, it's time for bed."

Elizabeth Ann
Had a wonderful plan:
She would run round the world till she found a man
Who knew exactly how God began.

She got up early, she dressed, and ran
Trying to find an Important Man.
She ran to London and knocked at the door
Of the Lord High Doodleum's coach-and-four.
"Please, sir (if there's anyone in),
However-and-ever did God begin?"

But out of the window, large and red,
Came the Lord High Coachman's face instead.
And the Lord High Coachman laughed and said:
"Well, what put that in your quaint little head?"

Elizabeth Ann went home again
And took from the ottoman Jennifer Jane.
"Jenniferjane," said Elizabeth Ann,
"Tell me at once how God began."
And Jane, who didn't much care for speaking,
Replied in her usual way by squeaking.

What did it mean? Well, to be quite candid,
I don't know, but Elizabeth Ann did.
Elizabeth Ann said softly, "Oh!
Thank you Jennifer. Now I know."