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<div style="font-family:arial,helvetica;font-size:10pt;color:black">-----Original Message-----<br>
From: Judy <judy_boli@ecunet.org><br>
To: propertalk.topic <propertalk.topic@ecunet.org><br>
Sent: Sat, Sep 20, 2014 5:48 pm<br>
Subject: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Proper 20A<br>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">Dear Friends,</font></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font color="#000000">This Sunday’s sermon is entitled “Workers in the Vineyard” or “That’s
Not FAIR!” and deals with all the lessons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></font><font color="#000000">Here it is:</font></font></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font color="#000000">We just heard one of the strangest stories in the Bible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font><font color="#000000">We heard Jesus tell the parable of how all
the grape-pickers hired to work in a vineyard got the same pay, even though
some had worked through the hottest parts of the day- from </font><font color="#000000">6 AM</font><font color="#000000"> to </font><font color="#000000">6
PM</font><font color="#000000">, while others had just worked from </font><font color="#000000">5</font><font color="#000000"> to </font><font color="#000000">6 PM-</font><font color="#000000">
one hour.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">If that wasn’t bad enough, the
owner made those who had worked the longest also wait the longest for their
pay.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">And if THAT wasn’t bad enough, the
owner seemed annoyed when the workers who had worked the longest
complained.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Jesus reminds us that the
kingdom of heaven is like this parable.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000">
</font></span><font color="#000000">What in the world is going on?</font></font></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font color="#000000">After all these years, I think I finally understand the implications of
this parable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font><font color="#000000">The Rev. Ann Fontaine (an
Episcopal priest from </font><font color="#000000">Wyoming</font><font color="#000000">)
tells about her experiences picking beans and strawberries in the </font><font color="#000000">Portland</font><font color="#000000">, </font><font color="#000000">Oregon</font><font color="#000000">,
area when she was a teen-ager.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Ann was
just trying to make a little money, but many of those hoping to work had
families to feed and rent to pay.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">She
said that when the field owner’s busses came to the corner where everyone who
wanted work had gathered, the strong were chosen first.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">If the field owners needed more help, only
then would those who looked weaker be invited to work.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">All of a sudden, I realized that I’d
experienced this kind of waiting and hoping and disappointment and
embarrassment before.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">When I was in
elementary school, I hated gym class during the spring because we would go out
to the playground and play softball.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">The
gym teacher would choose two of the most popular kids as captains, then each captain
would take turns picking his/her team.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000">
</font></span><font color="#000000">The first chosen would be the popular kids who could hit home runs and
catch well.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">As you probably remember,
the choosing went down-hill from there, until finally the one or two kids who
were afraid of the ball and so near-sighted that they couldn’t see it coming
were left.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">You know who was in that
group, don’t you!</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">ME!</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">That’s probably what was happening in the
market.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">All the peasants needed work, so
they could feed their families.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">The pay
was minimum wage- enough to care for a family for one day.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">So, you see, it was important to work every
single day.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">A day without work meant a
family without enough food.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">However,
when the owner came, he probably hired the strongest.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Then when he found more workers were needed,
he hired the next strongest, and so on.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000">
</font></span><font color="#000000">It probably wasn’t until the </font><font color="#000000">5
PM</font><font color="#000000"> hiring that those who were near-sighted, or weak, or crippled
were hired.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">When pay-time came, the last
hired were the first paid.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Why?</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Maybe because the owner felt sorry for them
because they had spent such a long time agonizing and wondering if they would
have anything for their families.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000">
</font></span><font color="#000000">Perhaps because he wanted to teach the stronger that they must care for
those more vulnerable.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">(Matthew 25;
“Whatever you do to the least of these, my brothers and sisters, you do to
me”)</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">That’s really the first life-lesson
from this parable.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">What else is in this
ancient parable of Jesus for us?</font></font></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font color="#000000">Did you hear the story of the new boss who had just been hired to
replace a manager who had been too soft on his employees?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font><font color="#000000">The new boss watched as everyone worked
steadily, everyone- that is- except one person who was just standing, leaning
against a wall.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">“Young man,” said the
supervisor, “how much do you make a week?”</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000">
</font></span><font color="#000000">“$200,” was the answer.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">“Well,”
said the boss as he pulled $200 from his pocket- “Take this $200 and get out of
here!</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">You’re fired!”</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">“Oh, O.K.” said the man, and he left.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">“Who was that man?” asked the boss.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">“The pizza delivery person,” was the
reply.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">NOT FAIR!</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">That’s what I’d previously disliked about
this parable.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">It seemed like God was
unfair.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">But life as a child of God is
not based on output, it’s based on God’s love.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000">
</font></span><font color="#000000">God’s kingdom is not a business, it’s a family with God as our dad.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">In a family- if one child needs a pair of
shoes, everyone doesn’t get a pair of shoes.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000">
</font></span><font color="#000000">If another child needs a new coat- that child gets a coat.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Our needs are met, not our entitlements
granted.</font></font></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font color="#000000">Did you notice- everyone gets one denarius- enough for one day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font><font color="#000000">This is exactly what God did with the
Israelites in the dessert- provided them with enough bread for only one day (2
days on the Sabbath).</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">That’s how God
expects us to live- by faith- one day at a time, one problem at a time, one joy
at a time.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">When we say “Give us this day
our daily bread,” we are asking for power and endurance and grace for one day
at a time.</font></font></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font color="#000000">Finally, the latecomers are as loved as those who were there
first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font><font color="#000000">In Matthew’s church, the
newcomers were usually Gentiles- barely accepted and not considered as
deserving as Jews.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">How many churches do
you know who are glad to welcome newcomers to help pay the bills as long as
those new people don’t try to change anything or get in positions of power or
decision-making?</font></font></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">May God bless us as we attempt to live out the implications of this
parable.</font></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal; tab-stops: .25in;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">For anyone who is interested, this sermon and updated
African-American wisdom statements are posted on our parish’s NEW WEB SITE
under “Sermons & Stuff”. The address is: </font><a target="_blank" href="http://www.stpaulsepisag.org/"><u><font color="#0000ff" face="Times New Roman">http://www.stpaulsepisag.org</font></u></a><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman"> .</font></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">Blessed preaching,</font></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">Judy Boli</font></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">St. Paul's Episcopal Church</font></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">Saginaw, Michigan</font></span></div>
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