<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"></head><body><div>Forwarded Part 2: </div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div id="composer_signature"><div style="font-size:85%;color:#575757" dir="auto">Sent from my T-Mobile 4G LTE Device</div></div><div><br></div><div style="font-size:100%;color:#000000"><!-- originalMessage --><div>-------- Original message --------</div><div>From: Judy <judy_boli@ecunet.org> </div><div>Date: 2/25/17 9:12 PM (GMT-05:00) </div><div>To: Propertalk <propertalk.topic@ecunet.org> </div><div>Subject: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Epiphany- Last A </div><div><br></div></div><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 color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">This Sunday’s sermon is entitled “‘You Cannot Shake
Hands with a Clenched Fist.’ (Indira Gandhi)” and deals with the beginning of
Lent this Wednesday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here is Part 2: </font></span></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt; line-height: normal;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">Each one of the Bible lessons
for today offers guidance in how to live this Lent- so by Easter we come to
God’s altar holier, more fulfilled, and living life to its fullest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Old Testament lesson tells about Moses
getting the Ten Commandments- good guides for us to follow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each of the commandments warns of a
particular kind of sin that will separate us from God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(1) God first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(2) No idols- not even money or family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(3) Don’t treat God’s name lightly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(4) Keep the Sabbath Day holy- i.e.100%
church attendance every Sunday unless you’re sick or working- and that doesn’t
count cooking or entertaining relatives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>(5) Honor your parents and those in authority.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(6) No murder or hatred.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(7) No adultery- married means
off-limits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Period!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(8) No stealing- not even “borrowing” because
they owe it to us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(9) No lying about
someone or ruining another’s reputation with gossip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(10) Don’t be jealous of something or someone
your neighbor has.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you’re doing any
of those things- don’t be surprised if your life is a mess.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did you hear about the grandmother who mailed
the family Bible to her son in another city?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When she took the package to the post office, the clerk asked, “Anything
breakable in there?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Not really,”
replied the woman, just the Ten Commandments- and people don’t seem to follow
them anyway these days!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sin blocks us
from God and his blessings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Follow
them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lent is a perfect time to shape up
and clean up our lives.</font></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><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;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">In
both the epistle and the Gospel lessons, we see Peter so amazed at his
experience of watching Jesus transfigured before his eyes- that he tries to
hold it forever by building altars.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His
understandable mistake offers excellent Lenten guidance for fullness of life-
don’t try to hold on to the past.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Live
in the present.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only things that
don’t change are dead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Choose life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So check out your life:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What’s holding you back?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Any bad habits?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Any grudges, desires for revenge, negative
thought patterns?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Any negative
companions?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are you using your time the
way you really want, or do you simply allow life to happen to you?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How much time do you spend hypnotized in
front of the TV set or half- aware because you’re into the alcohol or another
mind-blurring substance?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How much are
you shortening the gift of life God gave you with those cigarettes?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Get real.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Claim life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This Lent, see that
garbage for what it is and get rid of it.</font></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><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;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">So
this Wednesday is decision time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Will it
be easy?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is it possible?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>YES!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With
God, all things are possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Start this
Wednesday, then make a firm decision to stick with it all Lent through.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every Sunday, bring your progress and defeats
to the altar.</font></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><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;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">In
closing, here’s a poem that sums up what’s possible as we strive to be the best
we can be:</font></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 1em 0px 1em 0.5in; line-height: normal; mso-add-space: auto;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">Two frogs fell into a deep cream bowl;</font></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 1em 0px 1em 0.5in; line-height: normal; mso-add-space: auto;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">The one was wise, and a cheery soul.</font></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 1em 0px 1em 0.5in; line-height: normal; mso-add-space: auto;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">The other one took a gloomy view</font></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 1em 0px 1em 0.5in; line-height: normal; mso-add-space: auto;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">And bade his friend a sad adieu.</font></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 1em 0px 1em 0.5in; line-height: normal; mso-add-space: auto;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">Said the other frog with a merry grin,</font></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 1em 0px 1em 0.5in; line-height: normal; mso-add-space: auto;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">"I can't get out, but I won't give
in;</font></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 1em 0px 1em 0.5in; line-height: normal; mso-add-space: auto;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">I'll swim around till my strength is
spent,</font></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 1em 0px 1em 0.5in; line-height: normal; mso-add-space: auto;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">Then I will die the more content."</font></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 1em 0px 1em 0.5in; line-height: normal; mso-add-space: auto;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">And as he swam, though ever it seemed,</font></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 1em 0px 1em 0.5in; line-height: normal; mso-add-space: auto;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">His struggling began to churn the cream</font></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 1em 0px 1em 0.5in; line-height: normal; mso-add-space: auto;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">Until on top of pure butter he stopped,</font></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 1em 0px 1em 0.5in; line-height: normal; mso-add-space: auto;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">And out of the bowl he quickly hopped.</font></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 1em 0px 1em 0.5in; line-height: normal; mso-add-space: auto;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">The moral, you ask? Oh, it's easily
found!</font></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 1em 0px 1em 0.5in; line-height: normal; mso-add-space: auto;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">If you can't get out, keep swimming
around.</font></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 1em 0px 1em 0.5in; line-height: normal; mso-add-space: auto;"><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 1em 0.5in; line-height: normal; mso-add-space: auto;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">In other words, don’t give up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By God’s grace- we will overcome!</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;"><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>
<p></p>
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