August 13, 2022

Dear Road Church Friends,

Last week I was in Boston as a co-leader of a five-day seminar for ministers in training and lay leaders. We spent an entire day at Plimoth Patuxet Museums, a second day walking the Freedom Trail, and boarding the Mayflower II for a guided tour, and two more days at the Congregational Library teaching Congregational history and spirituality. Each day we enjoyed lunch and dinner at a variety of many fine Boston restaurants. Perhaps it was foolhardy to think that we could do all this without at least one of us contracting Covid. That one turned out to be me!  Since my return from Boston, I have followed standard protocols and self-quarantined in my own quarters at home so as to avoid infecting Barbara. My isolation is over,--Barbara is Covid free, and thankfully my symptoms were very mild. I am grateful to Rev. Stan White for filling the pulpit for me last Sunday. Although I was not seriously ill, a line from scripture lodged in my mind that became a seed thought for this week’s message: “Can these bones live?” It’s about hope against impossible odds and a strong reminder that our faith can move mountains. Join us Sunday at 10 am to hear more.

   SCRIPTURE:  Ezekiel 37:1-14   SERMON: “Can These Bones Live?”

GOD’s Spirit took me up and set me down in the middle of an old battlefield strewn with bones. They were very dry bones and bleached by the sun. 3 The Spirit said, “Prophet, can these bones live?” I said, “only you know.” 4 Then he said, “I want you to preach to these bones: say to them, ‘Listen you dry bones, GOD is going to put meat and muscle back on you. He’ll cover you with skin, and breathe life into you. You’ll become the living persons you once were.” 7-8 So I preached just as I’d been told to do. While I was speaking, the bones began to move and came together. As I kept watching, meat and muscles began to cover the bones, then skin stretched over them. Soon there were bodies all around but none were breathing. 9 Then the Spirit said to me, “Tell the breath of life to come from the four winds and breathe on these dead bodies.” 10 So I did what he said, and the bodies began to breathe. Suddenly they were alive and stood up on their feet!

11 Then I heard God say, “the bones you saw are the people of Israel in captivity. They are saying: ‘Our bones are dried up, our hope is gone, we have no future.’ 12-14 “Listen Ezekiel, I want you to go to the Israelites and say, ‘GOD will dig you out of the grave you are now in. God will breathe new life into you and you will live again. God will lead you back to your homeland, and then you will realize that GOD is for you and not against you.’ “

HYMN: “How Can I Keep from Singing?”

POEM FOR TODAY

God does do such wonderful things!

How can we doubt he’ll see us through?

He has proved himself through a million springs,

Yet still we wonder: “What shall we do?”

The world is black with war and woe—

But look where the pussy willows grow,

And hear the songs and see the wings…

God does do such wonderful things!

by Angela Morgan

Blessings to all from Pastor Norm

Our posting on YouTube: https://youtu.be/bXxxxtnpDdg