<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"></head><body ><div>Forwarded: </div><div><br></div><div>(Part 2, continued from Part 1)</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:05/21/2016 6:08 PM (GMT-05:00) <br>To: Propertalk <propertalk.topic@ecunet.org> <br>Subject: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Trinity Sunday <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;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">Dear Friends,</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;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman"> </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;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font color="#000000">This Sunday’s sermon is entitled “Trinity Sunday” </font></font></span></p><p style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14.666666984558105px; "> </span></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font color="#000000">SECOND- It’s not just the
earth we are supposed to manage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font><font color="#000000">If you
look at Psalm 8 again, you’ll notice we’re also supposed to care for the
animals on this planet.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">In terms of animals,
let’s check out our knowledge base.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">What
did God give us to eat when we were first created?</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">(Take answers.)</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Sure- plants- fruits, grain, greens.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">At that time, did God give humans permission
to eat animals?</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">No.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">It was only AFTER the fall- when Adam and Eve
had to kill animals to cover their nakedness; when humankind had to sacrifice a
lamb or other animal so its blood could cover their sins- only then were we
given permission to take animal life for our own food.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Relax- I’m not trying to turn us all into
vegetarians- we can all go home and picnic and eat our barbecue!</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">After all- we constantly heard of Jesus
eating fish and performing miracles with them; and many of his disciples were
fisherman.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">But there is a message, a
principle for us in this.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">The Israelites
respected all forms of life.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Their
practices were very much like those of the American Indians.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Any animal life they killed, especially
domesticated animals, was considered a sacrifice.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">The blood was drained (like orthodox Jews do
today and then mark the meat as “kosher”), and what they considered the best
part- the fat- was offered to God at the altar.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000">
</font></span><font color="#000000">That’s why we read in the Bible of a “sweet-smelling sacrifice”- a smell
like the outside of Kentucky Fried Chicken wafting up to God.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Only the rich gorged themselves day after day
on huge amounts of animal meat- and the prophets scorned them in God’s name as
being wasteful.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">The common people ate
meat sparingly- a little meat and a lot of fruits, vegetables, and grains.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">What amazes me is this- doctors have
discovered that is the healthiest way to eat- it’s the way our digestive tract
must have been designed by our Master Creator.</font></font></span></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman"> </font></span></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font color="#000000">Now that we’ve got the
facts, test yourself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font><font color="#000000">Do you respect all
animal life like God taught the Israelites?</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000">
</font></span><font color="#000000">Do you buy more meat than you can possible use and then let it spoil, or
do you give away what you cannot use?</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Do
you gorge yourself day after day on meat?</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000">
</font></span><font color="#000000">When your meal includes meat or fish, do you remember to thank God for
the animal life that was sacrificed so you can have health and energy
yourself?</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">If you hunt or fish, do you
kill as quickly and painlessly as possible and then only kill what you can
eat?</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Have you ever seen someone
purposely aim their car to hit a squirrel, a cat, or another of God’s
creatures?</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">If so, do you speak up- even
if it costs you a friend or makes you look stupid in someone’s eyes?</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Do you speak up against cruelty in all its
forms?</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">If you own a pet, do you care for
it well even if doing so is inconvenient?</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000">
</font></span><font color="#000000">Do you let your dog run wild to run in traffic and possibly attack
children or animals?</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Do you speak up
against dog and rooster fights?</font></font></span></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman"> </font></span></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font color="#000000">I know you’re about to say- Rev. Judy, you’re expecting a lot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font><font color="#000000">No, I’m not- GOD is expecting a lot.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Did you notice the thought for the week on
the back page of the bulletin…“People may doubt what you say, but they will
believe what you do” (Anonymous).</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">What’s
true about people is also true of God- God may doubt what you say (especially
since he knows our hearts), but he will believe what we do.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">So, start today to show God you love
him.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Check out your yard.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Plant some flowers.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Pick up some paper.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Shut off the water while you’re brushing you
teeth.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">Take care of all of God’s
creatures.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">May God bless us all as we
nourish and care for this beautiful planet Earth, beloved by God- Father, Son,
and Holy Spirit.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font color="#000000"> </font></span><font color="#000000">I challenge you to
think up one way (small or large) that you can show God you appreciate the
lovely world he made by caring for it in a new way, then take it to the altar.</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; tab-stops: .25in;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman"> </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; 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 web site under “Sermons & Stuff”. The address is: </font><a 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></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman"> </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;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">Blessed preaching,</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;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">Judy Boli</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;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">St. Paul's Episcopal Church</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;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">Saginaw, Michigan</font></span></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font></div>
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