<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"></head><body ><div>Forwarded:</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><div style="font-size:8px;color:#575757">From my Android phone on T-Mobile. The first nationwide 4G network.</div></div><br><br>-------- Original message --------<br>From: Judy <judy_boli@ecunet.org> <br>Date:12/26/2015 10:19 PM (GMT-05:00) <br>To: Propertalk <propertalk.topic@ecunet.org> <br>Subject: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Christmas 1C <br><br><div dir="ltr"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">Dear
Friends,</font></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3"><font color="#000000">This
Sunday’s sermon is entitled “Happy New Year!” and deals with the opportunities
of the new year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font></font><font color="#000000" size="3">Here it is:</font></font></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0.5in; tab-stops: 463.5pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font color="#000000">Happy New Year!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font><font color="#000000">It’s almost that time, isn’t it!</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Are you going to a party?</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Are you just going to have a quiet evening at
home and watch the ball drop?</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Have you
had it, and are you just going to bed?</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000">
</font></span><font color="#000000">Whatever, today’s Bible lessons offer wonderful wisdom for 2015.</font></font></span></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0.5in; tab-stops: 463.5pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font color="#000000">First of all, did you notice
when Jesus’ parents asked him why he stayed behind in the temple, we hear him
say, “Didn't you know that I would be in my Father's house?’ (Luke 2:49).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font><font color="#000000">Some translations say, “Didn’t you know I
must be about my Father’s business?”</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000">
</font></span><font color="#000000">That’s not just an imperative for Jesus; it’s what God wants from us as
well.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">And before we worry about doing things
and get busy, busy, busy--- we need to be sure we are in process of becoming
who God created us to be.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">One of the
best portions of scripture to advise us how to do this is today’s epistle
(Colossians 3: 12-17).</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Let’s look at it
together: Paul wrote: 12 “God loves you and has chosen you as his own special
people.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">So be gentle, kind, humble,
meek, and patient.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">13 Put up with each
other, and forgive anyone who does you wrong, just as Christ has forgiven
you.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">14 Love is more important than
anything else.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">It is what ties
everything completely together.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">15 Each
one 2015Christ control your thoughts.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000">
</font></span><font color="#000000">And be grateful.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">16 Let the
message about Christ completely fill your lives, while you use all your wisdom
to teach and instruct each other.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">With
thankful hearts, sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">17 Whatever you say or do should be done in
the name of the Lord Jesus, as you give thanks to God the Father because of
him.”</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Easier said than done, but a
wonderful vision of who we are becoming for the new year.</font></font></span></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0.5in; tab-stops: 463.5pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font color="#000000">The most important thing to
remember about our new year 2015 (or whenever) is that God is in charge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font><font color="#000000">What’s going to happen to me in 2015?</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Will I live or die?</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Will wonderful or terrible things happen to
me this year?</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Will I win the lottery? (I
doubt it since I don’t buy tickets.)</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">The
truth is, we really don’t know what life will throw at us this coming
year.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Does anyone remember “David, the
Bubble Boy?”</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">He was born with a terrible
birth defect- no immune system.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">The
least significant germ could kill him.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000">
</font></span><font color="#000000">To allow David to survive, he lived his life in a plastic bubble- with
no human touch.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">I think the bubble had
built-in gloves so someone could reach into his bubble for the basic
necessities.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">I have no idea how all this
worked- how he got food or a bath or whatever.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000">
</font></span><font color="#000000">What I do know is that many Christians think that’s how God does with
Christians- keeps evil away from us as if we are in a bubble.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">That’s not how life is.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">God doesn’t spare his children, but he
strengthens and supports us.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">You’ve
heard the saying, “People are like tea bags-you have to put them in hot water
before you know how strong they are.”</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000">
</font></span><font color="#000000">With God, we can take anything this new year dishes out!</font></font></span></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0.5in; tab-stops: 463.5pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font color="#000000">Unfortunately, sometimes it’s
not by chance that the new year dishes out troubles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font><font color="#000000">We do it to ourselves.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">You know I’m an animal lover, so when our
children were little, we frequently went to the Detroit Zoo.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">It always amazed me how those mighty
elephants could be chained by just a peg in the ground.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">I knew those huge elephants could easily pull
out that peg.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">What happened?</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">When they were little, they were tied to a
huge stake that they could not pull out.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000">
</font></span><font color="#000000">I’m sure those little elephants pulled and tugged, but to no avail.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">They were conditioned to think breaking free
was impossible, so now they don’t even try.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000">
</font></span><font color="#000000">With the Lord’s help, you’re mighty like those huge elephants.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Don’t let Satan convince you you’re helpless
against those habits you’d like to break.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000">
</font></span><font color="#000000">Claim God’s power in 2015 to break free.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000">
</font></span></font></span></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0.5in; tab-stops: 463.5pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font color="#000000">The trick to overcoming,
whether we’re talking about what life throws at us or what we’ve done to
ourselves is putting God first in 2015.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></font><font color="#000000">You know the usual advice- don’t miss church, receive Holy Communion
weekly, start and close every day with God, bless every single bite of food you
put in your mouth, do spiritual reading consistently.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">I can hear you now---Rev. Judy, I don’t have
time.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">We get so busy, busy, busy- that
we end up squeezing God out of our lives.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000">
</font></span><font color="#000000">How is it possible to get it all done?</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000">
</font></span><font color="#000000">I’ll tell you how- give God his time first.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Do you remember the story of the father who was
discussing the time problem with his teen-age son?</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">The teen’s problem was not God time, but
homework time.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">The father got a gallon
jar and filled it with large rocks, then asked his son if it was full.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">“Sure is!” said the son- that’s how my life
is before I have my homework done.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">So
the father took some medium sized rocks and added them.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">“Full now?” asked the father?</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">“Now it’s full,” answered his son.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">You know what happened next, the father added
small rocks, then gravel, and finally water.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000">
</font></span><font color="#000000">“That’s how you organize your life, son,” said the father.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">You put the big important things in
first.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Good advice!</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Take care of your responsibilities to God
first: church, Bible reading, prayer, and let the other things fit as they
may.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Your life will have power like you
wouldn’t believe possible.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">It was Martin
Luther who said that the busier his day, the more important it was that he
start it with prayer- true.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span></font></span></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0.5in; tab-stops: 463.5pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font color="#000000">Did you hear about the man,
I’ll call him “George,” who decided to make some changes in his life?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font><font color="#000000">He was bragging to a friend: “There's nothing
like getting up at six in the morning, going for a run around the park, and
taking a brisk shower before breakfast.”</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000">
</font></span><font color="#000000">His friend replied, “How long have you been doing this?”</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">George answered: “I start tomorrow.”</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Tomorrow won’t work.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Start today, now, at God’s altar.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">By God’s grace, you will overcome.</font></font></span></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal; mso-mirror-indents: yes; tab-stops: .25in;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">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: </font><a href="http://www.stpaulsepisag.org/"><u><font color="#0000ff" face="Times New Roman" size="3">http://www.stpaulsepisag.org</font></u></a><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
.</font></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">Blessed
preaching,</font></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">Judy
Boli</font></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">St.
Paul's Episcopal Church</font></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">Saginaw,
Michigan</font></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font></div>
<p></p>
-- <br>
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Propertalk" group.<br>
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to <a href="mailto:propertalk.topic+unsubscribe@ecunet.org">propertalk.topic+unsubscribe@ecunet.org</a>.<br>
</body>