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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 <propertalk.topic@ecunet.org><br>
Sent: Sat, Aug 1, 2015 5:59 pm<br>
Subject: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Proper 13B<br>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">Dear Friends,</font></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">This Sunday’s sermon is entitled “Food for the Body vs. Food for the Soul” and deals with all the lessons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here it is:</font></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman">This morning in our Old Testament lesson (Exodus 16: 2-4, 5, 9-15) we heard how God provided the Israelites with very badly needed food for their hungry bodies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As you recall, God used Moses to work a mighty miracle by leading them out of Egypt- the land of slavery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the Egyptian army followed them to bring them back, remember how God parted the Red Sea (Sea of Reeds) when they were trapped- so they could escape.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the Egyptian army tried to follow, God allowed the Sea to close in on them, and God’s people were safe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Next he gave them the Ten Commandments and made a covenant with them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then on they traveled walking to the Promised Land.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was one problem, however.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s pretty hard to find food in the desert, and they got hungrier and hungrier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In Exodus 16:2-3 we heard the people complaining about Moses, saying they were better off in Egypt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did you hear the story of the little boy whose mother had just come home from the hospital with a new baby sister?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That baby cried and cried- nobody in the family could get any sleep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally the little boy asked where they got that new baby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His mother replied, “From heaven.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Listen to her cry!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>he exclaimed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’ll bet even God couldn’t shut her up!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No wonder they threw her out and she landed down here!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s how the Israelites were- loud, crying, and complaining, until God had pity on them and sent them food (manna).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every morning when they woke up, there was this bread-like substance on the ground- enough for one day’s food for everyone (two days before the Sabbath so they wouldn’t break the fourth commandment).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Manna, plus the occasional quail that foolishly landed where they could be caught, made an amazingly nutritious diet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Manna provided food for the body- sustenance to keep them going mile after mile to the Promised Land.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font></font></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000"><font face="Times New Roman">In today’s Gospel (John 6:24-35) we heard Jesus describe how God provides food for the soul.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In verse 35 we hear Jesus say about himself: “I am the Bread of Life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No one who comes to me will ever be hungry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No one who has faith in me will ever be thirsty.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now we’re talking soul food.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Billy D. Strayhorn, in Bread of Heaven, describes it this way: “Steven Morris was a special needs child in Mrs. Bernaducci's class. Steven was a thin African-American boy who was blind. His handicap negatively impacted his self-esteem. However, over a period of time, the teacher realized that Steven had exceptional hearing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One day she put the class mascot, a mouse, into the trash can. The scratching noise created a minor panic until Steven located the mouse. Mrs. Bernaducci exclaimed: "Steven, you are truly a wonder." The nickname caught on. The next year little Stevie Wonder, full of a sense of his own value, began playing the piano. Stevie 'Wonder' would go on to influence and change American music all because of Mrs. Bernaducci's faith and encouragement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We all need that kind of encouragement. Especially in times like this. Times that try our souls. Times that cause stress and uncertainty. Times when we want of word of direction from God but God seems to be silent. We need a word of encouragement. And that's what we get when we come to this table. A little bit of bread and a little bit of wine remind us that Christ died for us to prove God's love for us.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></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">Our problem comes when we know we’re hungry, but we think we need strength for our body, but we really need strength for our souls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you remember the story of the pastor who wanted to convince his children not to smoke, drink, or eat too many sweets?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He got four jars and four worms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Next he filled one jar with cigarette smoke, one jar with cheap whisky, one jar with a hot fudge sundae, and one jar with good moist soil.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally he placed a worm in each jar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course, you know what happened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All the worms died except the one in the jar with soil.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“There,” he said to the children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Look at all these dead worms- only one lived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What can you learn about life from these worms?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“That’s easy!” said Sally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“If you smoke, drink whisky, and eat hot fudge sundaes- you won’t get worms!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She surely missed the point!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The trouble is- we miss the point too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We misdiagnose our hunger- just like the child misdiagnosed the purpose of the pastor’s experiment.</font></span></div>
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<ul style="list-style-type: disc; direction: ltr;">
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<div style="line-height: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; punctuation-wrap: simple; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">So- when you have a hunger that you think you must fill, but you know it’s not good for you- try Jesus!</span></div>
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<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: normal; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; punctuation-wrap: simple; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">When that cigarette cough is making you begin to worry- try Jesus!</span></div>
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<li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: normal; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; punctuation-wrap: simple; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">When you need that drink to get you started in the morning- try Jesus!</span></div>
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<li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: normal; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; punctuation-wrap: simple; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">When you need the TV on to be able to fall asleep- try Jesus!</span></div>
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<li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">
<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: normal; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; punctuation-wrap: simple; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">When that sexual partner who’s not good for you comes knocking- try Jesus!</span></div>
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<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: normal; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; punctuation-wrap: simple; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">When you can’t shut the worries off in your brain- try Jesus!</span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: normal; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: normal; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">The Holy Bread He offers you today at our altar will be in every cell in your body claiming life and health and joy for you.</span></div>
<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: normal; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"> </div>
<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: normal; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; mso-mirror-indents: yes; tab-stops: .25in;">For anyone who is interested, this sermon and updated African-American wisdom statements are posted on our parish’s web site under “Sermons & Stuff”. The address is: <a target="_blank" href="http://www.stpaulsepisag.org/"><u><font color="#0000ff"></font></u></a><u><font color="#0000ff"><a href="http://www.stpaulsepisag.org" target="_blank">http://www.stpaulsepisag.org</a></font></u> .</div>
<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: normal; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"> </div>
<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: normal; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; mso-mirror-indents: yes;">Blessed preaching,</div>
<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: normal; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; mso-mirror-indents: yes;">Judy Boli</div>
<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: normal; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; mso-mirror-indents: yes;">St. Paul's Episcopal Church</div>
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