<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><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: 5/20/17 6:03 PM (GMT-05:00) </div><div>To: Propertalk <propertalk.topic@ecunet.org> </div><div>Subject: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Easter 6A: "How Strong Is Your Connection?" </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;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">Dear
Friends,</font></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><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"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">This
Sunday’s sermon is entitled “</font><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">How Strong Is Your Connection?”<b> </b></span><font size="3">and deals with the gospel
(John 15:1-8).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here it is: </font></font></font></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><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">The section of the
gospel we just heard is part of Jesus’ last instructions to his beloved
disciples.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We just heard Jesus teach his
disciples how important it is to stay connected with Him, because Jesus knows
they have huge trials, frustrations, and difficulties to face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He also knows that the future of God’s
Kingdom depends on them, so he’s trying to prepare them for what comes next-
his torture, execution, rising, ascending, and the coming of the Holy Spirit.. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus knows how important it is that they
avoid getting disconnected from their source of strength.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That wasn’t just true for the disciples back
then- it’s just as true for us today, and it’s the theme of our Gospel reading
today (John 15: 1-8).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In it, we heard
Jesus describe himself as the vine, with us as the branches.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the altar area, you’ll see three kinds of
plants- some very dead dandelions, a flower from our meditation/healing garden-
it’s sitting in some water, and our beautiful altar plants. As you look at
these plants, I challenge you to ask yourself- which one represents you in your
life?</font></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><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">We’ll start with the
altar plants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are green, vibrant,
and healthy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Compare them to these dead
dandelion flowers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What’s the basic
difference between them?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The lovely
altar plants are strongly connected to their root systems, so they’re flooded
with life-giving moisture and nutrients.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Their green leaves are open to the bright sunlight, so the chlorophyll
can easily turn all the brilliant light into energy for food and growth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their stems are flexible, so they can
withstand wind and harsh weather (if we put them outside)- then bounce right
back up again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The presence of these
plants on the altar is a lovely reminder of the beauty and power of God’s
creation.</font></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><font color="#000000"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">What about the
dandelions?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were really pretty when
I picked them earlier, that is they were pretty if you like dandelions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What happened between when I picked them and
now? You know as well as I do- they were disconnected from their root systems,
so they have lost their source of nutrients and moisture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’re disconnected from their green leaves,
so they can’t turn the bright sunlight into energy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Separated from the rest of the plant, they
were pretty for a while, but they soon withered and died.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before long, they’ll be brittle and dried up-
like the palms just before Ash Wednesday last year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My friends, we are all at risk of this
happening to us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus says,
disconnected from him- we can do nothing, and that’s true.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The longer we stay disconnected- the more
self-centered, the more confused, the more attracted we are to the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The problem is- even the best of us can get
disconnected from Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes it
happens all at once (a new job, a new baby, a new relationship, depression or
hurt feelings by a former friend) and...snip!!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Jesus is put on the back burner- we’re too busy or involved or upset to
take time for church or prayers or Bible-reading or helping others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Other times the process is slow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We just gradually drift away with other cares
or concerns or worries or loves crowding Jesus out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s like the frog in the stew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If he had simply jumped into the hot pot, he
would have let his little toe touch that burning liquid and he would have
jumped right out again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It didn’t happen
that way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead, he sat in that cool,
pleasant water in the pot- not noticing that someone had turned on the fire
under the pan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because the water
temperature increased so slowly, he didn’t notice it until it was too late and
he was cooked frog’s legs!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font></font></font></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><font color="#000000"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">What are some other
things that can crowd Jesus out of our lives and disconnect us from the
vine?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the biggest is television
and radio.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How can God’s still, small
voice break into our hard-headed brain if he’s got to get through constant
noise?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Watch what you choose to see,
listen to what you choose to hear, then shut it off and have some silence in
your life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t miss church- it’s a
holy habit, and when you miss- it’s so easy to slowly drift away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m sure that’s why the commandment says,
“Honor the Sabbath Day and keep it holy.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The usual advice- say your prayers at least five times a day and read
your Bible or Bible-based literature daily still holds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font></font></font></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><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">What else can
disconnect us from Jesus?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A
three-letter-word: SIN!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A sinful attitude
(“I can’t,” “I won’t,”); selfish greediness (“Me first!” and “Gimme!”), sinful
relationships, prejudices, love of things (money, substances, clothes, cars,
etc.); an unforgiving spirit; a “better-than-thou” or “I’m-no-good” attitude.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let God prune them out of your life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They stand in the way of true happiness for
you and those you love.</font></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><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">Did you notice- there’s
one more flower?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s the flower from
the garden- looking healthy enough and sitting in a vase of water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How long is it going to last?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not long.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It can keep going for a while, but there are not enough nutrients in the
water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not connected to any leaves
to produce energy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not rooted
deeply in God’s earth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s how we are
when we depend on money, jobs, alcohol, sports, friends to get us through.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They last for a while, but they’re not strong
enough in the tough times.</font><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0px; line-height: normal;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">Did you hear the story
of the man who ordered a new computer?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
was so very excited when it finally came!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He got it out of the box, hooked up all the cables, found the perfect
spot on his desk, stood back and admired it, then turned it on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nothing happened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He flipped the switch back and forth-
NOTHING!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His brand new computer looked
dead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was about to put it back in the
box and return it to the store when his little son walked in the room and
exclaimed: “Wow, Daddy!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What a great
computer!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Aren’t you going to plug it
in?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s what God is telling us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wow!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What a potentially beautiful life- you have so much to enjoy and
accomplish!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Aren’t you going to plug
yourself in?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Think about it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Amen.</font><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font></p><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><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font></p><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>
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