Daily Lectionary in Poetry Sunday 11th December 2015

Genesis 1:1-5

1:1 In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, 2 the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. 3 Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. 4 And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

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In the beginning
God started from a clean sheet
He commanded the world into being
From the darkness of the deep

God said "let their be light"
God saw the light was good
He called the light Day 
and the darkness light

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Psalm 29

The Voice of God in a Great Storm
A Psalm of David.

1 Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings,[a]
    ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name;
    worship the Lord in holy splendor.
3 The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
    the God of glory thunders,
    the Lord, over mighty waters.
4 The voice of the Lord is powerful;
    the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.
5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
    the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon.
6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf,
    and Sirion like a young wild ox.
7 The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire.
8 The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;
    the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
9 The voice of the Lord causes the oaks to whirl,[b]
    and strips the forest bare;
    and in his temple all say, “Glory!”
10 The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;
    the Lord sits enthroned as king forever.
11 May the Lord give strength to his people!
    May the Lord bless his people with peace!

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God is heavenly
Full of glory
Strong and splendid
God is God

God speaks over the waters
Thunders through the sky
It is powerful and majestic
God is God

God's voice flames
It shakes the wilderness
It makes all say "glory"
God is God

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Acts 19:1-7

19:1 While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul passed through the interior regions and came to Ephesus, where he found some disciples.  2 He said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?" They replied, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." 3 Then he said, "Into what then were you baptised?" They answered, "Into John's baptism." 4 Paul said, "John baptised with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus."

5 On hearing this, they were baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied 7 altogether there were about twelve of them.


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Paul journeyed to Ephesus
He found disciples at work there
Did you receive the Holy Spirit?
was the question that he asked
No, they replied, we have not heard of this
How were you baptised? he asked
Through John, they responded
Be Baptised through the name of Jesus
that was what he commanded
The Holy Spirit came upon them
They spoke in tongues
They prophesised

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Mark 1:4-11

1:4 John the baptiser appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptised by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 Now John was clothed with camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 He proclaimed, "The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. 8 I have baptised you with water; but he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit." 9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptised by John in the Jordan. 10 And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him.  11 And a voice came from heaven, "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased."

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John appeared in the wilderness
He proclaimed baptism of repentance
People came from all over
They were baptised in the river Jordan

John was clothed with camel
He ate locusts and wild honey
He told of the one to follow him
How he would baptise with the spirit

Then Jesus came to the river
He came to be baptised by John
But John did not feel himself worthy
Jesus told him that this was his calling

John the baptist baptised Jesus
And the sky opened
And a dove came down
And God said "this is my son, the beloved"

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