1377

Sunday morning shouldn't be a pain;

After all, you've been with me each day

And every time I've stopped to talk to you

You've always listened, as if what I say

Matters, and you'll give it some thought

Before you answer, even when you see

Me wayward, selfish, childish, or what's worse

The opposite of what you've hoped for me.

But Sunday - oh dear, here we go again

Pious thoughts and pious intonation

As prayers and hymns and words regurgitate

Drowning out your voice through invocation.

Maybe I should go to my own room

To find your light within its gentle gloom.

Brian Hick July 2014

©copyright Sally Hick 3.9.25

 1375

I cannot go on giving; I need to get

Some sustenance, some spiritual grace,

Some word of hope to offset this debt.

I cannot go on giving.

Day by day and week by week this place

Drains all my energy and won't let

Me stop, unless it needs me to face

Another mountain to be climbed, or vet

My latest failures.  Maybe I should brace

Myself for change, escape from this net?

I cannot go on giving.

Brian Hick August 2014

(leaving the church he was involved with. Sally)

©Copyright Sally Hick 29.8.25

 1290

What do I do now, as I have tried

To follow all that seemed to be the Way

As openly as anyone alive?

What do I do now?

It seems that what I gave was not enough

Or wasn't what was wanted by the few

Who kept their counsel till things turned out rough

And change was needed, a new point of view,

To meet the needs of those whose lives are tough

Requiring more than coffee-time in lieu.

What do I do now?

Brian Hick July 2013

On leaving the Unitarian Church (Sally Hick)

©copyright Sally Hick 4.7.25

 1288

Changes? What  changes?

No one wants to argue, we want to stay the same,

Keep it as it used to be, no need to complain -

Of course we're losing members, one by one they die,

But long as we enjoy ourselves, there's no reason why

We should make any changes to the things we do

After all they're good enough, right now, for me and you.

Brian Hick June 2013 after church meetings.

©copyright Sally Hick 30.6.25

 1276

Handel from the organ;

A hum of voices across the church.

I sit, once more,

Trusting you are here

Hoping, as each Sunday comes around,

That even if I do not hear your voice

In the silence of this time

That promised peace

Will speak through everything

Filing this moment

And the week ahead

With more than music's joy.

Brian Hick May 2013

©copyright Sally Hick 24.5.25

 Come on, tell me what to do?

I know I'm not alone

But, face it, I've had enough

I'd rather be at home

Sitting in the garden

Listening to the birds

For church on Sunday norning

Is getting too absurd.

Here we are, the people

Who all have our own seat

Talk over tea or coffee -

With a little cake to eat -

But ignore any input

Which might disturb our ease

From week to week or time to time

Yet accepting those which please

Like turning all our problems

Over to the Lord

Rather than doing them ourselves

Which, of course, we can't afford

Hoping that some others

Will feel that they're inspired

For after all we've been to church

What else has God required?

In a world that's failing

Where everything seems mad

Our Sunday morning sanity

Is surely not that bad?

And just because we're choosing

To leave things up to God

Letting him clean up the mess

Who'd think that that was odd?

For after two millennia

Of churches in the world

What difference have you noticed

Of better lives unfurled?

Unless you're counting science

And philosophical thought

Which fought against theology

To create the world it bought

By standing up for humans

Ignoring all the kant

Of patriachal power

And the constant puerile rant

But now even the science

Is ignored by those who claim

Conspiricy theatricals

Though children die in pain.

Jesus said I am the Truth

But until we are clear

What truth this is, I much regret

We'll never find it here.

Brian Hick

©copyright Sally HIck 16.4.22

I spoke to Nanny Matkin

When  I was Oscar's age

Querying the Bible's facts

And though she didn't rage

She said you simply must believe -

But didn't tell me why -

The story written in The Book

That came out of the sky.

And sixty-five years later

Wandering from church to church

My mind is no clearer

I feel left in the lurch

By those demanding faithfulness

To what they cannot prove

Yet all the time ignoring

The transforming power of love.

If church is not the answer - 

For two thousand years it's failed -

Then why continue following

A Way which has entailed

So much contradiction

So many bloody ends

So many dead-end cul-de-sacs

So many dead friends?

If love is the answer

The question must be wrong

For although we go on singing

We're singing the wrong song.

Brian Hick 

©copyright Sally Hick 1.4.22

How to be a Christian

               when the  church gets in the way

And services and rituals

            demand that we obey

The rules and regulations

            of a patriarchal clique

Clinging to their power-base

            while we are left to seek

The life Jesus has taught us

            of giving and of love

Which is in the here and now

            not in the heavens above.

But we all sit meekly

            for hour after hour

Of superficial niceness

            not the galvanising power

He promised to his followers -

            a world turned upside down

Where love leads on to service

            and the poorest wear the crown.

If the church were Christian

            we wouldn't meet each week

To worship, we'd be out there,

            feeding sheep.

If the church were Christian

            there'd be no buildings left

They'd all be sold for housing

            for the poor and the bereft.

If the church were Christian

            it would hear the voice

Of prophets of this day and age

            and wouldn't have a choice

For driven by the Spirit

            it would upend the world

And the Banner of the Kingdom

            would this day be unfurled

Not in pomp and power

            or politicians guile,

The banner would be written

            in the welcome of a smile

The hand upon the shoulder,

            the sandwich for the man

Who shelters in the doorway

            with his dog and lager can,

I want to be a Christian

            for the way we live today

In the world and striving

            to change things as I pray

That more and more will realise

            the joy of serving you

Is not limited to Sundays

            and the folks who fill the pew.

It is filling every moment

            every hour and every day

With all the power you gave us

            to draw others to the Way;

And anyone who does so -

            who cares what they believe? -

Will be a follower of Jesus

            comforting the souls who grieve,

Feeding those in hunger,

            bringing healing to the lost

Visiting the prisons

            and never count the cost.

If the church were Christian

            I would not need to write

For we'd be out there doing

            Now the things we know are right.

Brian Hick 2020 (?)

©copyright Sally Hick March 2022