tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61589086501790812472024-03-23T06:13:52.085-04:00Travelin' AsianReflections of an Asian American EpiscopalianAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01654925995456576921noreply@blogger.comBlogger181125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6158908650179081247.post-57475849348922705852017-04-21T11:29:00.003-04:002017-04-21T11:33:40.605-04:00TOWARDS BEING AN EASTER CHURCH<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">TOWARDS EASTER
CHURCH: HOW DO WE LIVE AGAIN?<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></b></div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">(Sermon by the Rev. Canon Dr. Winfred B. Vergara, Presiding
Bishop’s Staff as Missioner for Asiamerica Ministries in the Episcopal Church &
Priest-in-Charge of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, 130 Jerusalem Avenue, Hicksville,
NY 11801. Easter Sunday, April 19, 2017)</span></span></i></b><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></span></i></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4YKnFcugm9WlUYZV570H00hmIXNmKXtY2GzPl40x2idCmnfw1eDl_pBWJFQXx8X0W1cIUzUmD1snH1Zfc6jpKhjgtZ-HuSoTXYKG5jYQCVQB2Q5IHJyZYicyin4ebx7nfSGg8Y9xT0i0/s1600/easter+communion+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4YKnFcugm9WlUYZV570H00hmIXNmKXtY2GzPl40x2idCmnfw1eDl_pBWJFQXx8X0W1cIUzUmD1snH1Zfc6jpKhjgtZ-HuSoTXYKG5jYQCVQB2Q5IHJyZYicyin4ebx7nfSGg8Y9xT0i0/s1600/easter+communion+%25281%2529.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6qx_7R-f4vSfNSPehZ7TW2YPgjqnpgIInlFnt3UKtKm7hN3CY0kgl-ueMo3kmawSJIYoMVFCoXRIpsOLlHofyrMNgkd1q36niYYQ5wEZL2OpqG_BNhnDyEeq1X-1fBgqLd5jKvQVPceg/s1600/easter+multiracial.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6qx_7R-f4vSfNSPehZ7TW2YPgjqnpgIInlFnt3UKtKm7hN3CY0kgl-ueMo3kmawSJIYoMVFCoXRIpsOLlHofyrMNgkd1q36niYYQ5wEZL2OpqG_BNhnDyEeq1X-1fBgqLd5jKvQVPceg/s320/easter+multiracial.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4P_mUlnIORJWphTgtOdyaUNaoIA5UUo_87dUlm1FHT2Fanxl5_lsr2RV34gVrvN6nyFj1DJkQRt5iLRLo5nANXqbYjpZHixVwDB2JZKA4EBZMIGQLZexSN1vSfIsFmrr4qTU3GT0FqVE/s1600/easter+singing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4P_mUlnIORJWphTgtOdyaUNaoIA5UUo_87dUlm1FHT2Fanxl5_lsr2RV34gVrvN6nyFj1DJkQRt5iLRLo5nANXqbYjpZHixVwDB2JZKA4EBZMIGQLZexSN1vSfIsFmrr4qTU3GT0FqVE/s320/easter+singing.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl3fR9pWOlsG1ddCzqUF5twQtyx3B72GBqkP42MehzDAcgn8HVJy4ycfCVnB3i3dI-BFy2JSSJCvwOuvpeRQnXr4y6wIuFj2Ui0QYSa8ia2nyUFoR6t2j3P2SJtzQPhJ5ljnk1TFei-tM/s1600/Multicultural+church.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl3fR9pWOlsG1ddCzqUF5twQtyx3B72GBqkP42MehzDAcgn8HVJy4ycfCVnB3i3dI-BFy2JSSJCvwOuvpeRQnXr4y6wIuFj2Ui0QYSa8ia2nyUFoR6t2j3P2SJtzQPhJ5ljnk1TFei-tM/s320/Multicultural+church.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Life is full of surprises.</span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> As Forrest Gump once said, “Life is
like a box of chocolates. You’ll never know what’s inside until you open it.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Early Sunday
morning, the Virgin Mary, Mary Magdalene and Mary Salome went to the tomb of
Jesus. They brought with them spices to anoint his body. He died on the cross last
Friday and placed into the tomb owned by Joseph of Arimathea. As the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tres Marias</i> were walking towards the
tomb, they said to one another, “Who will roll the stone away from the tomb?”
But surprise of all surprises! When they arrived, the stone had already been
rolled away, and the tomb was empty: Jesus has risen from the dead. Alleluia!
He is risen indeed! Alleluia!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">The story of
Easter is a story of faith, hope, love and life. It is a story of faith
overcoming fear; hope overcoming despair; love overcoming hate---and life overcoming
death. The essence of this message for us is captured in the gospel song which
says, “Because He lives, I can face tomorrow. Because He lives, all fear is
gone. Because I know, He holds the future. My life is worth living because He
lives!” <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">On this
Easter Sunday, I thank God for a new hope, a new life and a new spiritual
awakening at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Hicksville. Our church is transforming
from being an aging, declining and monochromatic church into a thriving
multiracial, multicultural and multi-generational church. Our Program RED---Revival,
Evangelism and Discipleship---is being blessed by God as we see our church
becoming a better reflection of the diversity of our community.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I hope you would
all get excited with this new life bursting forth in our Church. And I thank
you from the bottom of my heart that you allowed me to be your leader in this
task of revival. Many things are improving in our church and there is indeed a
great hope that we shall not only survive but will prevail as a strong church,
able to fund our ministries and become a light of Christ in Hicksville. Like
the resurrection of Christ, Holy Trinity Episcopal Church will rise again!
Alleluia.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Since this
is my first Easter Sunday as your priest, I would like to preach on the vision
of the Easter Church. By calling “Holy Trinity is an Easter Church,” I do not
mean a people who come only during Easter. I mean a people who have come to
understand that the resurrection of Jesus is the foundation of our faith. As
St. Paul said in 1<sup>st</sup> Corinthians 15 <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a><span style="font-family: "calibri";">“If Christ has not been
raised, then our preaching is useless and our faith is futile. If only for this
life we have hope in Christ, we are of most people to be pitied. But indeed,
Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruit of those who have fallen
asleep.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">So what is
meant by an Easter Church? How do we live as an Easter Church?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">A.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">THE EASTER CHURCH LIVES TO GIVE THAN TO RECEIVE <o:p></o:p></span></span></u></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">So many best-selling
books today tell us how you can get the most out of this world. That is not the
essence of the Easter Church; that is not the essence of the resurrection.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">The essence
of the Easter Church is not how much you can get from this world but what you
can give to this world. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He
gave His only Son.” Our resurrected life is not meant to be on the receiving
end; our resurrected life is meant to be on the giving end. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Jesus said:
“If you save your life, you will lose it. But if you lose your life for my sake
and the Gospel, you will save it.” This must have been a very important lesson
because it was written in the Bible five times.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">So what really
matters to God is not the duration of our life but the donation of our life. It’s
not how long you have lived on earth but what difference did you make when you
lived on earth. </span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Methuselah was the oldest man in the Bible. He lived to
be 969 years old but nothing much was spoken about him, other than that he was
“the son of Enoch, the father of Lamech and the grandfather of Noah.” In
contrast, Jesus lived to be only 33 years old but the whole Bible is devoted to
Him, and the impact of His life and teachings reverberates from generation to
generation.</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">We are all
pilgrims on this world and prophets of a future not our own. What have you
given from your life to make this world a better place than when you first saw
it?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">The Dead Sea
versus the Sea of Galilee is an ever-present example of the difference between
a receiving life and a giving life. The Dead Sea receives water but it does not
give out water, so nothing lives in it. On the other hand, the Sea of Galilee
receives water but also gives out water, so it is full of life and abundant of
fish. The Easter Church is a giving Church!</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span></o:p></span></u></b><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">B. AN EASTER CHURCH LIVES TO SERVE
THAN BE SERVED<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">When I was
first called by the Vestry to be your priest-in-charge in June last year, they
told me about their predicament. The church has been in decline: “We do not
have enough money, the church roof is leaking, the steps to the church gate is
shaky, there are many things that need repair and we do not have enough members
and our attendance is low.” I asked your Senior Warden, Sandy Brunson: “And
what do you expect from me?” She replied, “Can you make miracles?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Well of
course, my name is not Jesus Christ. My name is Fred Vergara. I do not make
miracles but I know Who can make miracles. Jesus Christ is the Head of the
Church and the Church is the Body of Christ. If the Body listens and follows
the Head and if all the parts of the Body function, then miracles will happen.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Today, in less
than a year we have together fixed our leaking roof, repaired our broken steps,
repainted the ceiling and walls, fixed our classrooms, repainted our
rectory---and we have sparkling new signage. Alleluia! Praise God who makes miracles
in His time.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Yes, we have
made a lot of progress, but we still have many things to do. We have yet to
grow into maturity in Christ. And what is spiritual maturity? Spiritual
maturity is when we no longer live for ourselves but for Christ and for His
service. Spiritual maturity is when we no longer ask, “Does this church meet my
needs?” but instead we ask, “Does this church challenge me enough to serve
Christ and neighbors?” <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">One of the
lessons of Maundy Thursday was when Jesus took a towel, knelt down and washed
the disciples’ feet and saying, “The Son of Man came not to be served but to
serve and to give His life for many.” Christian leadership is not a profession;
it is a vocation. A vocation is when your greatest joy meets the world’s
greatest need. Christianity is not a religion; it is a way of life lived in the
service of God and neighbors.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">So many
local churches today are dying because the members are unwilling to serve. There
are three kinds of church members common to many churches: 10% are those who
makes things happen; 10% are those who criticize what happens; and 80% are
those who watch things happen. Most Christians think and act as if Church is a
spectator sport.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">If the parts
of the Body do not function as they should, then that Body will soon die. If we
do not parish, we will perish. To borrow President John F. Kennedy in his
challenge to Americans: “Ask not what you church can do for you, but ask what
you can do for your church.” We are the Church, we are the Children, we are the
Body of Christ!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I am happy
that since I came to this church, there are already many members who have stepped
up and asked me the question, “Father, what should I do? What task do you want
me to do in church? Which area can I serve?” Now I am in trouble thinking where
to assign them. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">C. AN EASTER CHURCH LIVES TO LOVE
THAN BE LOVED</span></u></b><u><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Mother Teresa,
the diminutive saint who gave her life in service to the lepers, the poor and
the oppressed in Calcutta, India once said: “Holy living consists in doing
God’s work with a smile…Not all of us can do great things but all of us can do
small things with great love.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">If you love
what you are doing, it ceases to be work. It becomes a joy. If you truly love
God and neighbor, God will show you the ministry reserved for you---and your
life will be filled with joy. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">And God is
no respecter of persons. It does not matter who and what you are. God does not
look at your outside appearance. God looks at your heart. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Actually, if
you study the Bible very carefully, there is no excuse for anyone not to be able
to do God’s work: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Abraham was old, Jacob
was insecure, Leah was unattractive, Joseph was child-abused, Moses stammered,
Gideon was poor, Samson was henpecked, Rahab was immoral, David had an affair
and Solomon had 300 wives and 700 ‘porcupines’ (concubines)!<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Elijah was suicidal, Jeremiah was depressed,
Jonah was a deserter, Naomi was a widow, John the Baptist was eccentric, Peter
was hot-tempered, Martha was a worrier, the Woman at the Well had seven failed
marriages,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Zacchaeus was short, St. Paul
had a thorn in the flesh and Timothy was shy and timid. <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Now if God was able to make use of
these “misfits,” would God not be able to make use of you? And you’re from New
York---so what is your excuse?</span></i><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">If you live
with love and not with hate, then God will never leave you nor forsake you,
because God is Love. As the Latin song says, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Ubi caritas et amor; ubi caritas. Deus ibi est.”</i> Where charity and
love are, God is there.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Today, there
are many hate groups existing in the world. And with the propensity of current
world leaders to demonize their perceived enemies, the number of hate groups
have multiplied. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">In the
United States alone, there are over 1,000 social organizations identified as
“hate groups.” According to Wikipedia, “a hate group is a social group that
advocates</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> and practices hatred, hostility or violence towards
members of another race, ethnicity, nation, religion, gender, gender identity,
sexual orientation or any other designated sector of society.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">The Easter Church,
the Body of Christ must never be counted as a “hate group.” If the light of
Christ stops shining, it is no longer a church; if salt has lost its taste, it
will become useless; If love flies out of the window and hate enters our door,
then we’re no longer worthy to be called the Church of Christ. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">In the final
analysis, God is not so much interested in what we do as in what we are
becoming:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are we becoming a giving
Church? Are we becoming a serving Church? Are we becoming a loving Church? In
other words, are we becoming an Easter Church?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">In answering
this question, I remember an old story about a boy who came to his grandpa with
a little bird hidden in his fist. He asked, “Grandpa, if you are wise would you
be able to tell if the bird is dead or alive?” The old man thought for a
moment. If he says it’s alive, then the boy will squeeze the bird to death. And
if he says it’s dead, then the boy will just open his hand and the bird will fly.
The old man looked with love at the boy and said, “Young man, the answer is in
your hand.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">My
friends: Is Holy Trinity in Hicksville becoming an Easter Church? Are we being
challenged to give like Jesus? As we being challenged to serve like Jesus? Are
being challenged to love like Jesus? The answer is in your hands---and your
heart. Amen</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01654925995456576921noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6158908650179081247.post-16962328149192165402017-04-02T23:31:00.001-04:002017-04-02T23:35:12.636-04:00THE RAISING OF LAZARUS (John 11:1-45)<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">THE
RAISING OF LAZARUS (John 11:1-45)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">The
Rev. Dr. Fred Vergara. Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Hicksville, New York.
04/02/2017)</span></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFgsM7kJskxJALiH3l4cmzaMtVrf7hckPX-uNK9VvRuUhfrJALoflErMlleZLNVilapB8Tlfv84drdA2VS3jpzletZGD38mC8R4VTO2NcnZ5LmYlhhr2D89tlYDd9KJRU5qs40JyHU8l4/s1600/HTEC+TODAY04022017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFgsM7kJskxJALiH3l4cmzaMtVrf7hckPX-uNK9VvRuUhfrJALoflErMlleZLNVilapB8Tlfv84drdA2VS3jpzletZGD38mC8R4VTO2NcnZ5LmYlhhr2D89tlYDd9KJRU5qs40JyHU8l4/s320/HTEC+TODAY04022017.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></i> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">The life of a Christian minister---and all of us are
ministers by virtue of our baptism--- is like that of a roller coaster; one
moment you are up, another moment you are down; up again, down again. Last Friday,
I buried a 100 year-old church woman, Bernice Clock, who died a natural death ---and
my heart was lifted. Yes, we can live that long. The following day, however, we
had a funeral of an 11-year old, Shawn Handwerker, my former acolyte who died
in an accident. My heart was broken because he had so much of life ahead of
him. Died too soon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">As a priest, I minister to all sorts and conditions of
people, and sometimes in their lowest and highest state. One moment I am down with
people weeping at funerals or divorce and another moment rejoicing with people
at baptism and weddings. In the afternoon, I may cry with a victim of human
trafficking and in the evening I may lead a hilarious “Chicken Dance” among the
immigrants.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">There are times when my faith sinks down in the gutter
especially when I see Christians backslide in their walk with God; and there
are times when my faith rises up when someone repents and returns to the Lord.
There was even a time that I thought I was able to raise the dead to life. It
happened years ago when I was preaching in a large church. The attendance was
great and the people were very responsive. I was reading the gospel about the
raising of Lazarus and to make an emphasis, I shouted on the microphone,
reading the words of Jesus, “Lazarus, come out!” From the basement of the
church, down where their columbarium was located, there was a voice that said,
“Yes, Father; I am coming out!” Well, that happened to be the janitor and his
name was Lazarus!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Now this happens to be the gospel this morning and I don’t
expect to shout it out. And I don’t expect to raise the dead down in our
basement columbarium. But I hope however that this gospel will help lift up
your spirits, revive your faith and give you enthusiasm to tell others of the
Good News of Jesus, of Jesus who alone can truly answer our deepest needs, who
alone can heal our broken hearts, who alone can truly wipe the tears from our
eyes and who alone can raise the dead to life!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">THE
STORY OF LAZARUS<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">This
is a beautiful story about friendship, about family, about the ministry. It
appears from the Bible that this is a family of orphans: two sisters, Martha
and Mary and a brother named Lazarus. Jesus had many friends and he had twelve
apostles and seventy other disciples. But these siblings seemed to be the best
friends of Jesus. Jesus was like a brother to them. When Jesus comes to their
house, Martha would be too busy preparing a meal, Mary would sit down to listen
to his stories and pour perfume on his feet and wipe it with her hair---and I
don’t exactly know what Lazarus would be doing. He might have been playing with
his Nintendo or fidgeting with his iPhone and doing Facebook or Twitter for all
I know. It appears that the House of Martha has become a resting place for
Jesus in their many journeys but I do not see Lazarus joining the preaching,
healing and exorcism ministries of Jesus. It is possible that Lazarus had some
health issues or had some disability but whatever his state was, it seems very
clear that the disciples and the people in Bethany village believe that Jesus
loved Lazarus like a brother. And so when Lazarus died, everyone was wondering
what would Jesus do! How would he react?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">These are some of the observations I get from the gospel:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Jesus exhibited a non-anxious presence on
the news about Lazarus’ death. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Jesus cared so much about Lazarus that he
wept.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Jesus exercised his authority over death and
restored the faith of the people of Bethany.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">A.HOW
DO YOU KEEP A “NON-ANXIOUS PRESENCE” IN TIMES OF EMERGENCY? HOW DO YOU MAINTAIN
“STABILITY UNDER PRESSURE?” HOW DO YOU HAVE PEACE IN THE MIDST OF TUMULT? HOW
DO YOU DEAL WITH STRESS?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">It was Thursday morning when Shawn had met an accident and
was brought to the hospital. On Friday morning, I received the news from
Millissa, his mother that his condition was very bad. Even though we live in
Queens, I wanted to rush to Stony Brook Hospital in Suffolk to pray for healing
but it so happened that the day before, my car which was parked in the sides
street was hit by the snow plow of the Sanitation Truck and I brought it to the
body shop for repair. So I called Fr. Henry and Fr. Isaias and the three of us
traveled by Long Island Train from Woodside to Massapequa Station where
Christine would pick us up and drive us to the hospital. There we learned that
Shawn was already brain-dead when he reached the hospital and that he had already
been given last rites by the deacon but that his heart was being kept beating
by the respirator so that his organs can be harvested and donated. It was a
terrible situation, and I could barely understand how such a young life can end
just like that. And so the goal of my ministry in that situation was how to
maintain a “non-anxious presence” so that Millissa and Rob, the shocked and
grief-stricken parents, would be helped to find comfort and strength.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It appeared that
when Jesus heard that Lazarus was gravely ill, He did not panic. He did not
rush; instead he completed his ministry and stayed around Judea for two more
days. So when he finally returned to Bethany, Lazarus was already dead and he
was in the tomb four days. Martha welcomed Jesus with the words, “Lord, if you
had been here, my brother would not have died.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">B. HOW
DO YOU DEAL WITH GRIEF AND SORROW OVER THE DEATH OF YOUR LOVED ONE? ALL OF US
HAVE EXPERIENCED LOSING SOMEONE OR LOSING SOMETHING. HOW DO EXPRESS YOUR GRIEF
IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT CAN BE LIBERATING AND LIFE-GIVING?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">It is amazing that the shortest verse in the Bible is also
the most profound verse that explains the true humanity of Jesus. This verse is
found in this gospel of John 11:35 and it says, “Jesus wept.” In this shortest
verse, we see the clearest evidence that Jesus was fully God and fully human.
And he has shown us the power of tears. In the Old Testament, we learned of a
distant God who saw our tears and heard our cries; in the New Testament we saw
a God who shed our tears and carried our sorrows---and by His stripes, we are
healed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">When I was a
child, my father who was a soldier, kind of prohibited me and my three other
brothers from crying in public. “Boys and men don’t cry,” he said. In his
military training, it seemed they considered that crying was only for the
girls, so when my grandfather died, and my grandmother died, and even when my
father died, I did not cry. Although I was bursting with grief inside, I tried
to control my tears. My two sisters cried openly but we four brothers, were
restraining ourselves from crying. So it was only when I became a seminarian
and read in the Bible that Jesus wept that I discovered how healing, liberating
and life-giving it was to cry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When you
are grieving, when you are in pain, when you are bearing your sorrow, it is
natural and human and even Christ-like to cry. If Jesus wept, then it is okay
to weep.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Weeping is not
only a healthy release of pain and sorrow; it is also a sign of the gift of
compassion. Someone once said that in Christian ministry, “people don’t care
how much you know until they know how much you care.” When Jesus wept, the Jews
who had come to the village to mourn with Martha and Mary, said “See how he
loved him! So he who could heal the sick, can he not also raise the dead?” <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Compassion is
the mark of a Christian leader. Compassion releases a spiritual power more than
we can imagine. In the ordained ministry, if you do not have compassion, you
better seek another profession, for you will not last long, because dealing
with people in all sorts and conditions is not easy. You need compassion to
endure frustrations. This was best expressed in a poem attributed to Mother
Teresa that says:<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">P<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">eople
are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them
anyway. </span>I<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">f you are kind, people
may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.</span> I<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">f you are successful, you will win some
unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. </span> <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Succeed anyway. </span>I<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">f you are honest and sincere, people may
deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway. </span>W<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">hat you spend years creating, others could
destroy overnight. Create anyway. </span>I<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">f you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy
anyway. </span>T<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">he good you do today,
will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.</span> G<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">ive the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best
anyway. </span>I<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">n the final analysis,
it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.</span><o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">C.
FINALLY, HOW DO YOU MOVE ON AFTER A TRAGEDY? HOW DO YOU MOVE ON FROM SORROW TO
JOY? FROM GRIEF TO GRACE?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Jesus said to Martha, “Your brother will rise again.”
Martha replied, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last
day.” And Jesus answered, “I am the resurrection and the life. They who believe
in me, even though they die, will live, and whoever lives and believes in me
will never die” (John 25).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Faith in the living God is the answer to our confounding
longings. One of the hymns of Easter says, “Because He lives I can face to
tomorrow; Because He lives, all fear is gone. Because I know, I know He holds
the future, and life is worth the living just because He lives.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Yes, there is so much unpredictability about life. We do
not know the future. But if we know Who holds the future, then don’t worry. Be
happy. In this world, there will always be tribulations but be of good cheer,
Jesus has overcome the world. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01654925995456576921noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6158908650179081247.post-46241850613288670592017-03-28T12:25:00.003-04:002017-03-28T12:29:21.625-04:00GUEST COLUMN: KARATE CHOPS AND KICKS TO OPEN DOORS OF BLINDNESS BY IRENE MALIAMAN+<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs_LnEQCw__2rlCoiU-rl_QNWuGIdJ_aI1DFOXleKAenOGAM0di9GXJt9DE5AJRTIWRkmYuudUqe-dXvhDZmmNwAjPoUPtz7Rx6GV7tHLlrhaac4ailVXIfjEPeYU2qoYKw895cuPh6UY/s1600/IRENE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs_LnEQCw__2rlCoiU-rl_QNWuGIdJ_aI1DFOXleKAenOGAM0di9GXJt9DE5AJRTIWRkmYuudUqe-dXvhDZmmNwAjPoUPtz7Rx6GV7tHLlrhaac4ailVXIfjEPeYU2qoYKw895cuPh6UY/s320/IRENE.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">KARATE CHOPS & KICKS TO BREAK OPEN DARK
DOORS<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<o:p> </o:p><em>(Editor’s
Note: The following sermon was delivered by the Venerable Irene Maliaman Igmalis as
Guest Preacher at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, 130 Jerusalem Avenue,
Hicksville, New York 11801 last March 26, 2017. Based in Guam, the Rev.
</em><em>Irene M is Archdeacon of Micronesia which is currently under the Episcopal
Diocese of Hawaii. Holy Trinity’ Hicksville in the Diocese of Long Island is a
traditional parish emerging into an intercultural and multiracial church operating
on a new vision of Revival, Evangelism and Discipleship.– Fred Vergara+)<o:p></o:p></em></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> <strong>GOSPEL LESSON: JOHN 9:1-41</strong></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">The gospel lesson is a happy story with a
tragic twist. A grand miracle happened. Jesus healed a man born blind. I imagine
him dancing up and down and shouting: “I once was blind, but now I see.” One
would expect that his family, neighbors and religious leaders share his joy and
celebrate this wondrous healing. But the only person who is happy is the
healed man. Not only are the</span><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">neighbors
and Pharisees unable to share his joy, they also had a hard time believing that
the healed man was the same man they knew as the blind man before. As the story
unfolds we glean that this unbelief come from the notion of the Jews esp. the
Pharisees that if God were to show up, and if the miraculous healing were God’s
work, the Pharisees would know for sure because they would recognize God’s way
of doing things. In the mind of the Pharisee, God looks just like them, acts
like them, thinks like them and follow their rules. They were certain that
God is not present in this Jesus fellow because he healed during the Sabbath. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="background: white; color: black;">God
would never heal on the Sabbath, they claim. Healing from God occurs only in
prescribed ways and times and anything else cannot come from God. The </span>Pharisees
were blinded by their hard core adherence to their traditions and perceptions
of what God does, and how God works and what God looks like<span style="background: white; color: black;">. They could not think of God and God’s
work outside of their preconceptions and rules. And so they drove the man out
from the synagogue. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">This passage reminds me of the Allegory of the
cave by the 4<sup>th</sup> century philosopher Plato. Plato tells of prisoners
chained inside a cave with their backs toward the entrance. All their lives, these
prisoners can only see the wall in front of them. Unable to turn their heads all
they could see are shadows on the wall. The prisoners name these shadows and discuss
among themselves what these objects are. They see shadows of dogs, cats, and
people walking and believe the shadows are real. One day a prisoner breaks out
of his chain and went outside of the cave for the first time. Initially the
light hurts his eyes and finds the new environment outside the cave
disorienting. When told that the things around him are real and the shadows in
the cave are just reflections, he cannot believe it. The shadows appeared much
clearer and more real to him. But gradually his eyes adjust, and he was able to
distinguish reflection from the real thing. He returns to the cave to share his
discovery to the prisoners. The prisoners thought the journey outside the cave
has made him stupid and blind and they started to laugh at him thinking him
crazy. They violently resist any attempts of the freed prisoner to free them from
their chains so they too can go outside and look and enjoy the beauty of the
real world. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Plato used this story to make the point that
most people are not just comfortable in their ignorance, they are also hostile
to anyone who points it out. That is actually happened to the teacher of Plato,
Socrates, who was imprisoned for disrupting the social order in Greece and
corrupting the youth because of his philosophy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">I think that one of the ways we are blind to the
new things God is doing in our midst is through stereotyping. Stereotyping is
our tendency to define people and put them in certain categories or boxes for our
convenience. <span style="color: black;">In the gospel lesson, the neighbors of
the healed man knew him only as “the blind man” and when he became a seeing
man, they could not recognize him. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">The past two weeks I was with 19 other women
from the Episcopal Church as one of many Non-Government Organization
participants to the United Nation’s Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The UNCSW is the largest gathering of women around
the globe to advocate for gender equality and empowerment of women. Women hold
one half of the globe, yet they are often rendered invisible, nameless, and voiceless,
by “blind” society which does not treat women as equal human beings with men and
does not include women in the decision making tables. Let me cite to you some
UN data about the marginalized and disadvantaged status of women: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">For
an equal work, women earn 23 cents lower than men to a dollar. The UNCSW calls this
the 23% robbery. According to research the pay gap moved closer by 2 points only
from 2004 to 2014, and at this rate, parity will be reached by 2059. As
Patricia Arquette has pointed out, an ambassador to the UN, a lot of things
have changed in the world i.e. cellphones, self-driving cars and yet, women
still get paid lesser than men for an equal work. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">Women
are also over represented in the care economy otherwise known as domestic work which
are mostly unpaid or underpaid. And because caregiving work is mostly done by
women, and are not monetized, many women do not get the benefits of regular
employees such as health insurance, pension or social security which also make
them vulnerable. Many women stay in abusive relationships because they do not
have economic means and social security. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">Worldwide,
1 in 3 women experience sexual abuse mostly from their partners. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">15
M girls are married off before the age of 18. This means every 2 seconds a girl
is given away for marriage. But a marriage of a 10 years old girl to an adult
man three times her age is not actually a marriage, it is legalized rape of a
child. That is a lot of girls. And this will continue if it will not be stopped.
(If you want to know more about the status of women in the world and the
advocacy work of UN on this matter, google UN women). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Many people remain oblivious to the plight of
women, pointing out that women’s status have improved a great deal. They trivialize
and ridicule the advocacy for women’s rights as human rights. Indeed a lot have
changed since women were allowed to vote, ordained as priests and bishops,
became military generals and walked on the moon, but there are still many
unnecessary barriers that prevent women from flourishing. There are traditions,
stereotypes and norms that box women to certain roles in life. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">The gospel makes the point that
although we have eyes to see, there are things that blind us and prevent us
from seeing even what is obvious. We all have blinders. These blinders draw
lines around what is of God and not of God, or what women can and cannot do, or
what men can and cannot do. It helps to be aware of our blinders and see beyond
these so as not to remain in the dark.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Additionally, we learn that change is
disruptive is therefore uncomfortable and painful as it challenges old models
and old views of seeing things. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">As we continue our
journey this season of Lent, the gospel challenges us to come out of the
darkness, come out from shadows of the past, of old images of ourselves, and of
things that keep us in chains. Let us come out of the shadows of biases and
stereotypes that degrade other people and that prevent us from celebrating the
new things God continues to create in the world. And just like Jesus opened the
eyes of the blind man that he might see, we pray that God opens our eyes,
remove our blinders that we may see clearly as God sees. Amen. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">I could end here,
but just for emphasis, and also just for fun and for kicks in this cold
morning, I invite you to stand and let us do a karate chop as our act of
kicking open the prison doors that keep us in the dark. At the count of three,
let us do the karate chop and shout “hee ya! Hee ya! Hee ya! three times. Amen.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<strong>PHOTOS BY ANGELA VINLUAN VERGARA</strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ynXHhgJokG-_HYDM_3FqI2dzCfiOlj0t3wHLutOjBkNNbOrniiRsljeqKCtXyWVh3nwzcETiMsauD7C8eKGh4fwivJmdgrLNyhBKFtfPUiZYRaUdacDiGprmb2NnTarie0M_svxIPuA/s1600/IRENE+W+SANDY.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ynXHhgJokG-_HYDM_3FqI2dzCfiOlj0t3wHLutOjBkNNbOrniiRsljeqKCtXyWVh3nwzcETiMsauD7C8eKGh4fwivJmdgrLNyhBKFtfPUiZYRaUdacDiGprmb2NnTarie0M_svxIPuA/s320/IRENE+W+SANDY.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkilip5yoV50Vr9Zach69fkZcoSg8vZ4tfyGbEQIWxFiHb5VPxxQFZy-OlMiciV1yH1T4NP6VvFVc78t-sZprDI9XqH_B94hBAc32OlhspINMQhVgpin34T4OZyuMgsAWXVBBaRtZsgMY/s1600/HTEC+PEOPLE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkilip5yoV50Vr9Zach69fkZcoSg8vZ4tfyGbEQIWxFiHb5VPxxQFZy-OlMiciV1yH1T4NP6VvFVc78t-sZprDI9XqH_B94hBAc32OlhspINMQhVgpin34T4OZyuMgsAWXVBBaRtZsgMY/s1600/HTEC+PEOPLE.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQnaORXUVsyWk9mIJ6-PrMuDtuz0f7uVRrEA3c0RZ8KZl1BoPgKIsSSzP4lhKohhQ7Zsz5-ki2uR4ww2ZiZOmMak3dId37n7HR9-URuRj_AmqG8YyBgG82MdpT4WSkpySudc9rO_VIAhM/s1600/IRENE+M1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQnaORXUVsyWk9mIJ6-PrMuDtuz0f7uVRrEA3c0RZ8KZl1BoPgKIsSSzP4lhKohhQ7Zsz5-ki2uR4ww2ZiZOmMak3dId37n7HR9-URuRj_AmqG8YyBgG82MdpT4WSkpySudc9rO_VIAhM/s320/IRENE+M1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjixWcMLWAXCVwLq_iDD5GRcVKAr9WjTnvdtjJsuERrzhy7hGeLo5X3yBdQpyas6GtwDXMd9FYmNCTE-RMSegGXvXDggdVQImjtFf58TTIklz1s2cZAfmgLbO3tyXl8qxZs82Gf0RZUomQ/s1600/IRENE+M3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjixWcMLWAXCVwLq_iDD5GRcVKAr9WjTnvdtjJsuERrzhy7hGeLo5X3yBdQpyas6GtwDXMd9FYmNCTE-RMSegGXvXDggdVQImjtFf58TTIklz1s2cZAfmgLbO3tyXl8qxZs82Gf0RZUomQ/s320/IRENE+M3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim61oSJoBgbJM5KtBdP6TDBACXU5ZXvmsZSUxSCjeyY3NOGE4LKrPwfAqinpIgWjMYnIC-1TQnGBmAPFuqQkH2pvXYWrntFsUQXWJWApr_zoIDGI5HWSbyyFRISYH3ADpF_JcgbuKHNgs/s1600/HT+FACADE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim61oSJoBgbJM5KtBdP6TDBACXU5ZXvmsZSUxSCjeyY3NOGE4LKrPwfAqinpIgWjMYnIC-1TQnGBmAPFuqQkH2pvXYWrntFsUQXWJWApr_zoIDGI5HWSbyyFRISYH3ADpF_JcgbuKHNgs/s320/HT+FACADE.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01654925995456576921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6158908650179081247.post-90329516729109609772017-03-18T22:11:00.000-04:002017-03-18T22:11:02.902-04:00WOMAN AT THE WELL: WATER, WORSHIP AND WITNESS
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">WOMAN AT THE WELL: WATER, WORSHIP AND WITNESS<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 600px;">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 130.5pt; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td style="background-color: transparent; border: rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 130.5pt; padding: 0in; width: 6.25in;" valign="top" width="600">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">(Delivered by the Rev. Canon Dr. Winfred B. Vergara at Holy
Trinity Episcopal Church, Hicksville, New York, 03/19/2017. Text: John 4:4-54)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBAEi10JPPnG9AIOoJmIRk45s8KqVgT71-ZN9AtCVv_xDoIDOD1VxF1asSa1vZEXkr7nn13HbUzvPQnHlP1PZvBUGvNysjywWe338wHdsyid3zQ8khCnJfaEjRJwKchOVbxMlFTH3CWaY/s1600/woman3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBAEi10JPPnG9AIOoJmIRk45s8KqVgT71-ZN9AtCVv_xDoIDOD1VxF1asSa1vZEXkr7nn13HbUzvPQnHlP1PZvBUGvNysjywWe338wHdsyid3zQ8khCnJfaEjRJwKchOVbxMlFTH3CWaY/s320/woman3.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGz5O903BfX3AhMwOamvf9TdmvIN-VZU8epjEhCZEJ4rMDEyWg5a_BvKgkgRuwKpviu_iqVnMCZ0s0TZuvxKTapl6VhXfObjWYYBNvT83DfHKY260N2EoQnYLcGFsHrwFdK3z1uSeF1AY/s1600/woman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGz5O903BfX3AhMwOamvf9TdmvIN-VZU8epjEhCZEJ4rMDEyWg5a_BvKgkgRuwKpviu_iqVnMCZ0s0TZuvxKTapl6VhXfObjWYYBNvT83DfHKY260N2EoQnYLcGFsHrwFdK3z1uSeF1AY/s320/woman.jpg" width="311" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It is amazing how wonderful things can happen even in the most
mundane of places. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We live in an
apartment building in Queens, New York and one of the places in our
neighborhood I frequently hang out is the nearby Laundry Mat. New Yorkers live
very busy lives and frenetic lifestyles. We seldom have time for
socialization. So it is in the laundry mat where I meet my neighbors and have
the opportunity to chat with them. Even Mayor De Blasio go to the Landry Mat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In the Laundry Mat,
you have the chance to meet and talk with men, women, and even children. From
the time we load up our clothes to the washer, to the time we transfer them to
the dryer and fold them up on the table, it’s a good couple of hours. I have
had great conversations with people in the laundry mat, gained many friends
and in some cases was successful inviting them to church.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">During the time of
Jesus, such places of meeting was not the Laundry Mat but the Well. It is
still true in many rural areas in Asia and Africa where people do not have
running water. In rural Philippines, for instance, it is common for men to
carry two jugs of water suspended on a bamboo pole. In rural India or Africa,
it is common to see women carry a jar of water on their heads.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Like my Laundry Mat,
it is at the Well that people, especially women, come and meet. Such is the
case of this Samaritan woman in the gospel today. There was nothing
extraordinary with what she intended to do. She thought she would simply draw
the water, fill her jar and then trudge back home. But at this ordinary well,
she met a man who told her extraordinary things; or shall we say, she found
extraordinary meanings to very ordinary things through an ordinary encounter
with an extraordinary man. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The conversation she
had with Jesus gave her tremendous insights into three W’s: Water, Worship
and Witness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">WATER<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We take water for
granted, but we couldn’t survive without it. We drink it, bathe in it, swim
in it. We nurture our plants with it and even put it in our cars. Most of us in
the city, have no trouble obtaining it for we have steady, running water. We
also have drinking fountains and bottled water and for those with money and luxurious
houses, they even have Olympic size swimming pools.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But the well in
biblical history has so much similarity to my Laundry Mat. Significant
relationships started at the wells. Abraham’s servant found Rebekah at a
well, and brought her home for Isaac.<sup> </sup>Jacob met Rachel at a well.<sup>
</sup>Moses met his wife, Zipporah at the well. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And Jesus, taught his first woman evangelist
at the well. The encounter began with Jesus asking the woman, “Will you give
me a drink?,” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It seemed like an
ordinary a request, but for the Samaritan woman, there was something strange.
So she said, “Sir, you are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask
me for a drink?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The question gives an
insight into the racial and cultural discrimination of that time. The
puritanical Jews had nothing to do with the Samaritans, whom they called
dogs. Although the Samaritans were direct descendants of the Joseph tribes of
Ephraim and Manasseh, the Jews believed they are mongrels, mixed-race people,
a product of people living in Samaria and other peoples at the time of the
conquest by Assyria. In other words, they were not pure Jews. A typical Jew
would wake up in the morning and thank God saying, “O God, thank you that I
am a Jew, not a Samaritan; a man and not a woman.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So when Jesus asked
water from a Samaritan woman, He actually broke the racial, ethnic, religious
and gender barriers! The water by the well became the contact point by which
God and human exchanged common needs. “Will you give me a drink?” became a
profound request from the incarnate Son of God who would later utter on the
cross, “I thirst.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Then Jesus said to the
woman: “Everyone who drinks this water will become thirsty again but whoever
drinks the water I give, will never thirst again, because it will become a
spring to eternal life.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Jesus was speaking
heavenly things but the woman was earthy: ”Sir, give me this water so I won’t
be thirsty and don’t need to come here to draw from the well.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Go call your husband,”
Jesus said and the woman replied, “I have no husband.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And Jesus said, “Yes, you have had five
husbands and the man you now have is not your husband,” Instead of being
embarrassed, the woman marveled at Jesus for she believed He was a prophet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">WORSHIP<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The conversation then turned
to worship. Between the Jews and the Samaritans, the point of contention was
the place where God ought to be worshipped. To the Jews, it was in Mount Zion
in Jerusalem where God ought to be worshipped; to the Samaritans, it was in
Mount Gerizim in Shechem, Palestine. But Jesus again shattered the myth when
He said: “Believe me, Woman, the time is coming when you will worship the
Father, neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. The time is coming when
the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth. God is
Spirit and those who worship must worship in spirit and in truth!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The English worship
comes from two words, “worth” and “ship.” It means God is worthy of our
worship. Last Thursday, one of my former acolytes in another church I once
served, met a terrible accident. She was “brain dead” when we visited him at
the hospital and the parents were greatly devastated. Shawn was only 11 years
old; he was handsome, very smart and so much promise ahead of him. But he was
cut off from life at this young age. Being my former acolyte, I felt so
attached to Shawn and my heart was breaking as I saw the pain and agony that
his mother and father were feeling. It is definitely an experience no one
needs to go through. In our culture, children are supposed to bury their
parents and not the other way around. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It reminds me of the
difference between Praise and Worship. Praise is thanking God for what He has
done and all the blessings He has given us. But there are times in our lives
when misfortune knocks us down, when pain and misery almost crush us to the
ground, when suffering becomes intolerable. When you are in this position, it
is hard to praise God. It is at this point that worship takes over, because
worship is thanking God for Who God is. God is worthy of our worship----in
any circumstances we are in. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The story of Job was a
perfect illustration. Job was a righteous man and lived in total obedience to
God. But one day, Satan said to God, “Job, your servant is righteous because
you have given him everything: good family, wealth and fortune. Take them
away and he will curse you.” God said, “do anything to him but just spare his
life and we shall see.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">From that point on,
God removed the wedge that covered Job. One after another, misfortune came to
Job. He lost his cattle on a thousand hills, he lost his crops, he lost his
family, and lastly he was afflicted with boils all over his body. All his
friends expected Job to curse God and die but Job but Job, the paragon of
patience and long-suffering, took off his robe, filled his body with ashes
and knelt before the Lord, saying ”Naked I came from my mother’s womb and
naked I return to my Maker. The Lord giveth, the Lord taketh away, blessed be
the name of the Lord.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Now, that is true
worship! Blessing or no blessing, God is worshipped and adored.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">WITNESS<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The amazing encounter
with Jesus transformed the woman into a witness to the Good News. All her
life she was seeking for things that could not satisfy. Then she heard the
Savior talked about the well that never runs dry, of the water that will
spring into everlasting life. And she became the first woman evangelist, the bringer
of the Good News to the Samaritans.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">She went back to her
community, the village in Samaria and told everyone about his amazing
encounter----and many believed in her story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If John the Baptist was the forerunner of Jesus to the Jews; then this
unnamed Samaritan woman was the forerunner of the Jesus to the Samaritans.
And when Jesus finally came to Samaria, the Samaritans urged him to stay
longer and he stayed two days, teaching them and performing miracles they
have never seen before, to the point that they finally said to the woman, “We
no longer believe just because of what you said; now, we have heard for
ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.” Amen
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<sup><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 9.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></sup></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01654925995456576921noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6158908650179081247.post-82991897694478544262017-03-07T23:49:00.001-05:002017-03-07T23:49:24.908-05:00LENTEN SERMONS: TEMPTATIONS (Lent 1)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpmvR4b53e-nCR3xpJ4T_hyRohjXtB0cr0c3qDiJbuSt9VCOXhKz43s9bg8TaZe-x9xdxXCrQBuAD7ji7IAyTFP4_QYYqV_qZHj7FqqqAp9Z6m5VjNbOCg9HHdoMXz3grLgBA4O9LOEvA/s1600/TEMPTATION.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpmvR4b53e-nCR3xpJ4T_hyRohjXtB0cr0c3qDiJbuSt9VCOXhKz43s9bg8TaZe-x9xdxXCrQBuAD7ji7IAyTFP4_QYYqV_qZHj7FqqqAp9Z6m5VjNbOCg9HHdoMXz3grLgBA4O9LOEvA/s1600/TEMPTATION.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">THE
TEMPTATION (Matthew 4:1-11) </span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">The Rev. Dr. Winfred B. Vergara, Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, 130 Jerusalem Avenue, Hicksville, NY 11801 </span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">March 5,2017- 1st Sunday of Lent</span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">A man was circling the city block looking for a place to
park. He drove around several times but could not find a spot. Finally, he gave
up and decided to leave his car at the No Parking Zone. Before leaving, he
wrote a note on the windshield with these words. “Dear Parking Officer, I
circled this block many times but could not find a place to park. Now, I know I
parked illegally but I must report to my boss or else I’ll be in trouble; so I
hope you will find it in your heart to forgive me and not give me a ticket.
After all, the Lord’s Prayer says, “Forgive us our trespasses.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">A couple of hours later, he came back and found a ticket
on his car with these words. “Sir, I understand your predicament, but you see I
also must perform my duty or else, I would also be in trouble. So I hope you will
find it in your heart to understand. After all, the Lord’s Prayer says, “And
lead us not into temptation.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">“Lead us not into temptation” is probably the part of the
Lord’s Prayer that is hard to understand. “Forgive us our trespasses” is OK;
after all God is a God of forgiveness. But lead us not into temptation? Why
would God lead us into temptation? Isn’t temptation the work of the devil? Why
would God lead us first into temptation and then deliver us from evil? What is
the point of all this exercise?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">BOOK OF TEMPTATIONS<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">It has been suggested that maybe one of the
good subtitles for the Bible would be "The Book of Temptations." First,
the Bible opens with the story of Adam and Eve being tempted to eat the
forbidden fruit; then it proceeded to tell that Cain being tempted to kill his
brother. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Then Noah being tempted; and Abraham being
tempted; and Moses being tempted; and King David being tempted; and the
prophets being tempted; and the Apostles being tempted…and now in this Gospel
of Matthew, it is Jesus being tempted. Matthew’s narrative began by saying
“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit out into the wilderness to be tempted by the
devil" (Matthew 4:1). <br />
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">What is the nature of temptation? Where
does temptation happen?<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">First, temptation happens everywhere. It is
possible you can run from temptation but you can’t hide. It is present in the
city, it is present in the countryside, it is present in the air, it is present
in the open air, it is present in a closed door. Here, in this gospel of Matthew,
Jesus was tempted in the desert, a place of nothingness, a dry and arid place.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Second, temptation is a test of our will; how
strong or how weak our will is. And oftentimes, the testing of our will happens
when we are weakest and vulnerable. It seems that Satan knows our blind spot,
our weak point, and that is where he would launch his attack. Judas was tempted
on his weak point, money. As treasurer of the apostles, he was always counting
the money. So he was tempted with 30 pieces of silver to betray his Lord. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Third, it seems that temptation is a way of
helping us to make choices. God did not give us only one choice. God gave us
two choices: life or death; light or darkness; good and evil. Temptation gives
us a stress of making the hard or the right choice. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Making the right choice is not easy and the
more choices you are presented, the harder it gets. When I was a child, when I
sat on the breakfast table, I had only once choice of bread, we call pandesal,
that was the only bread available. Nowadays, I had to make a choice from a
white bread, a wheat bread, a rye bread, a corn bread, a sweet bread, a ginger
bread, a croissant, a bagel or a doughnut.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">So let us examine what kind of temptations
Jesus experienced and what kind of choices did he make:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">The first temptation of Jesus</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> was
this: “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of
bread.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Now this temptation comes at a time when
Jesus was vulnerable to eat bread. He had fasted for forty days and forty
nights. Any ordinary human being would have perished by then. Satan was testing
the identity of Jesus as the Son of God. If there is nothing impossible with
God, then certainly Jesus can make loaves out of rocks. But would He make that
choice?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Jesus did not yield to the temptation to
materialism and instead uttered these spiritual words: “It is written; Man does
not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">By not yielding to this temptation, Jesus was
establishing the identity that man is more than the beast. St. Teresa de Avila
wrote, “Human beings are not material beings with spirits. Human beings are
spiritual beings with bodies.” That’s what distinguishes us from the animals,
from the birds and the bees, and the flowers and the trees. As the crown of
God’s creation, we are firstly spiritual beings. We do not live by bread
alone…someone said but also with butter and orange marmalade.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">The second temptation of Jesus was about pride</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">. While the first temptation was about his physical vulnerability,
the second temptation was about his popularity. The devil took him to a high
point on the temple and said, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down
and the angels will lift you up so that you will not strike your foot against a
stone.” That would be a great sensational news! It is like superman falling
from the air and being carried by invisible wings! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Again Jesus did not yield to that temptation
and replied, “It is written: Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” By not
yielding to the temptation of pride, arrogance or sensationalism, he
underscored the virtue of humility.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">The third temptation was about power. </span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">While the first temptation was about physical vulnerability, the
second was about spiritual pride, the third temptation was about moral
ascendancy. Can Jesus be corrupted by power? If power corrupts and absolute
power corrupts absolutely, could He be tempted to accumulate more power? Is
this not what every man wants: wealth, fortune, economic, social political
power?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">So the devil took Him to a very high mountain
and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world. “All this I would give you,”
Satan said, “if you will bow down to worship me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">But again, Jesus did not yield to the
temptation. The choice of riches and power is at the expense of His loyalty to
God, the Father. At this point, Jesus exercised His God-given authority by
rebuking the devil a saying, “Away from me, Satan! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For it is written, “Worship the Lord your God,
and serve him only.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">At this point, the devil left Him and the
angels ministered to him. When you resist temptation, the tempter flees away!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">WHAT LESSONS CAN WE GET FROM JESUS WHEN WE ARE FACED WITH OUR OWN
TEMPTATIONS?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">First lesson is that we must establish our
identity in Christ, the Son of God. By faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, we
become adopted children of God. The Bible says, in John 1:12, “To as many have
received Jesus, who believed in His name, He gave power to become children of
God.” The word Christian can be divided into two words “Christ and Ian.” If you
remove Christ from your life, then Christian becomes IAN- “I Am Nothing.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Second lesson is that Jesus was tempted in
every way as we are yet, He did not sin. He overcame temptation by making right
choices. Every day of our life we make choices: our marriage, our job, our
vocation, our health. The gift of “free will” is what makes us human. God did
not make like robots who had no choice. Rather, God made us in His own image,
so that we may use that freedom for good. But the choice is ours to make. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">In 1973. the novel “The Exorcist” was made
into a movie. It was a very scary movie. It tells the story a cute and innocent
12-year-old girl named Reagan. She was possessed by the devil, who took control
of her body. Sometimes the body would have a terrible convulsion and at other
time her head would spin. Her mother was an actress and an intellectual; she
might have believed in God but was never religious. She considered demon
possession as a product of a wild imagination. But as the situation of their
daughter became worse, and after submitting her daughter to several unsuccessful
psychiatric and medical treatments, she was forced to consult with a young
Jesuit priest from Georgetown University, named Fr. Karras. Fr. Karras was himself
experiencing a crisis of faith. Brought about by the loss of his own mother and
the troubles happening in his ministry, he was beginning to doubt the existence
of a loving God. Nevertheless, he arranged for an exorcist, an elderly priest,
Fr. Merrin, played by Max von Sydow, to perform the exorcism.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">The exorcism became a terrifying contest
between the demon and the exorcist and it was in that contest that Fr. Damien
saw that the devil was very powerful but that the power of God was far more
superior than the power of the devil. It was in that deliverance ministry that
the faith of Fr. Karras was restored and the healing of the girl Reagan
happened. The devil was expelled and the good triumphed in the end.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">It was a movie that generated so much
controversy because of the portrayal of the devil possessing a child. When
asked what was the role of the devil in this story, the author William Peter
Blatty, said “In the age of unbelief, God can even use the devil to accomplish
God’s purpose.” It was the deliverance from evil that faith was restored, first
to Karras the priest, and then to Regan’s family.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">In the final analysis, when temptation has
overcome us and the testing of our faith reached to a point of us making the
wrong choice, the is still the third lesson. So long as you hold on to that
even a minutiae of the point of faith, God’s love is always there waiting for
you, when we repent. Like the Prodigal Son returning home, the Father is there
waiting. Or even like the thief on the Cross with Jesus, there is the promise,
“Today, you will be with me in paradise.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Today, is the first Sunday of Lent: 40 days
and 40 nights of opportunities for prayer, penitence and spiritual renewal. “Lead
us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.” Amen.<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--></span><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01654925995456576921noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6158908650179081247.post-14660019278128010832016-12-17T10:48:00.002-05:002016-12-17T10:48:31.284-05:00JOSEPH THE HUSBAND OF MARY<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="text"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">JOSEPH,
THE HUSBAND OF MARY (Matthew 1:18-25)<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="text"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The
Rev. Canon Dr. Winfred Vergara, Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Hicksville,
New York. December 18, 2016)<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4R5jxea_mPzeQs0yObXdewtAsoKCiKuyo8WtDjrFYarnrqYxSdUMn6eX6uzUeOOYD5MYnqlrrp7YbbWKFTnIo5fvqNUnyuRdzD1n2iYM2in70DeAJPmR1NtLuRMArEP9BFII4G8saukw/s1600/FLED+TO+EGYPT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4R5jxea_mPzeQs0yObXdewtAsoKCiKuyo8WtDjrFYarnrqYxSdUMn6eX6uzUeOOYD5MYnqlrrp7YbbWKFTnIo5fvqNUnyuRdzD1n2iYM2in70DeAJPmR1NtLuRMArEP9BFII4G8saukw/s320/FLED+TO+EGYPT.jpg" width="232" /></a></div>
<br />
<span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">In
the town of Irisan near Baguio City, Philippines there is an Episcopal Church named
“Joseph, the Husband of Mary.” This was the first time I heard of such a parish
in the Episcopal Church in the Philippines (ECP) and so I googled and found a
number of Roman Catholic Churches named “Joseph, the Husband of Mary” including
a huge church in Las Vegas, Nevada.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The
name honors the role that Joseph played as husband of the Virgin Mary and foster
father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Unlike
in some Christian quarters where Joseph is de-emphasized, in the rural Philippines
Joseph is quite popular. At some point of time, during my childhood in
predominantly Roman Catholic Philippines, I thought that the Holy Trinity means
“Jesus, Mary and Joseph.” </span></span><br />
<span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"></span></span><br />
<span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">When I sneezed my devout grandmother, a folk Catholic, would quickly make a sign of the cross and utter
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Susmariasep”</i> which is the murdered pidgin
version of “Jesus Mary and Joseph!” She also told us to pray this Ilonggo
prayer before we take a bath: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Susmaryasep,
apok masakit, kadto sa manggaranon,may sarang galastuhon.”</i> (Jesus, Mary and
Joseph; take my sickness away and let it go to the rich, they have the bucks to pay
the docs.” ) I guess it might have worked for I seem to outhealth my richer schoolmates, but that's another matter.<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--></span></span><br />
<span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">So what
exactly is the role of St. Joseph in the history of our salvation? What sacrifices
did he make to protect his wife, Mary and the Holy Child of God? How did he
serve as mentor to Jesus? There are three things which was unique to Joseph,
the husband of Mary:<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div style="margin-left: 0.75in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.5in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="text"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family: Verdana;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">I.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b></span><!--[endif]--><span class="text"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Joseph
loved Mary to the point of self-sacrifice. <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<br />
<span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The
Gospel this morning begins: “This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came
about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they
came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.</span></span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"> <span class="text">Because
Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet<sup> </sup>did not want to
expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.”<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Before
they came together, Mary was found to be pregnant. Can you imagine what this means
to Joseph? Can you imagine what this means in the context of patriarchal,
conservative, small town of Nazareth where they lived? <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Walls in
small towns have ears and this was an invitation for gossip. Young Mary must
have relations with another man prior to her engagement to old man Joseph! The
Bible further says, “Because Joseph was faithful to the law and yet did not
want to expose her to public disgrace so he had in mind to divorce her
quietly.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you know what was the law
operating in the mindset of that time? It was no different from the fundamentalist,
Islamic jihadist ISIS. The punishment is death!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span class="reftext"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The
Book of Deuteronomy says about the law on sexual promiscuity: “If the man finds
out that her bride is not a virgin and no proof of her virginity can be found, </span></span><span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">she
shall be brought to the door of her father’s house and there the men of her
town shall stone her to death” (Deuteronomy 22:21). The groom himself shall
participate in the stoning, even the father of the young woman will participate
in the stoning.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">So
it was a very serious situation. The Bible did not highlight this danger
because it was more concerned with establishing the fulfillment of the prophecy
that a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, but the gospel of Luke gives us a
hint when it says:“At that time, Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the
hill country of Judah” (Lk.1:39)<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">That
hill country is the village of Ein Karem, around five miles from Jerusalem and
quite a long distance from Nazareth. And “hurried” means escape! It is my hunch
and the hunch of many biblical scholars that Joseph and Mary had to escape, to flee
from Nazareth and hide in Ein Karem in the house of Zechariah and Elizabeth,
Mary’s cousin. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">In
2010, I had the privilege of traveling to Israel and Palestine and went to Ein Karem.
It was in that place that Mary sung the song Magnificat “My soul proclaims the
greatness of the Lord” and where Elizabeth sang what would later be a Roman
Catholic angelus “Hail Mary full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed are
you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.”<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">II. Joseph
Protected Jesus from Herod<o:p></o:p></span></b></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">When
Jesus was born, Israel was ruled by wicked King Herod I. He was Herod, the
Great who would not want another king of the Jews. Herod I was the father of an
equally wicked Herod Antipas. Antipas was the King who himself would later
order the crucifixion of Jesus, the Man. Jesus, the Child would have already been
killed by Herod I had it not for Joseph.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Joseph
named the Son of God “Jesus,” in the Hebrew word “Yoshua” which means ”God
Saves.” This name would be a prophetic word for the Messiah who comes to save
the world. But this Savior of the world must first be saved---and that role
belongs to Joseph.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The
Bible tells us that when the Three Magi went to see Jesus, they passed by Herod
I who told them once they see Jesus the Child, they should return and make
their report. They disobeyed Herod because they sensed that he had something
else in mind so they went on another route. But when they left, Joseph had a
dream. In that dream, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph and said, “Get
up, take the Child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stayed there until I
tell you to come back for Herod was searching for you and he wants to kill the
child.”<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Joseph
bundled Jesus again and left with Mary to escape to Egypt. They stayed in Egypt
as “undocumented immigrants” until King Herod died (Cf. Matthew 2:13-15.) So
now that you know, you should tell President-Elect Donald Trump that Jesus was
also an also an undocumented immigrant, a Refugee seeking asylum hoping for a
safe world. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">It
is a divine irony that the One who owns the world and everything in it, has to
be a Refugee in the land He made. Perhaps it is to show us to be kind to
strangers. And so when we welcome the undocumented immigrants and refugees, we
may be welcoming Jesus unaware!<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">III. Joseph was
Mentor to Jesus<o:p></o:p></span></b></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">When
Herod died, the Holy Family went back to Nazareth, their hometown. There Joseph
worked as a carpenter. It was said that Joseph manufactured best yokes in town.
A yoke is a wooden beam used to fit the neck of an ox to enable it to pull a
heavy load or to plow a field. A good yoke is one that is neither too loose nor
too tight but one that perfectly fits the neck of an ox---and the yokes made by
Joseph was of good quality that oxen found it easy to carry their load.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">That
is why when Jesus talked about resting in God, He must have made reference to
the yoke of Joseph. He called out to the workers, the laborers, those who are
stressed out, those who are harassed and helpless, those who are about to give
up and said: “Come to me, all you that labor and are heavy-laden and I will
give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me; for I am gentle and
humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls; for my yoke is easy and
my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Yes,
the yoke made by Joseph, the carpenter, was easy and will make your burdens
light. Where Jesus learned to memorize the Word of God, the psalms and the
proverbs from his mother Mary, He learned of the practical matters of ministry
from his foster father, Joseph.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The
impact of Joseph upon Jesus was so great that when He was speaking about being
the Bread of Life and all the amazing parables of life, accompanied by the
miracles from His hand, the people in the synagogues would say, “Where did this
Man get His wisdom and these miraculous powers? Isn’t He the carpenter’s son?”<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">CONCLUSION:<o:p></o:p></span></b></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">So
today, we honor Joseph the Husband of Mary and the foster father of Jesus
Christ, our Savior and Lord. Jesus is not only the only-begotten Son of God; He
is also the carpenter’s son. May the tribe of Joseph increase among us. Amen.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01654925995456576921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6158908650179081247.post-64821549765670624062016-11-18T18:58:00.000-05:002016-11-18T19:03:43.043-05:00COMPASSIONATE EVANGELISM: A Non-Judgemental Approach to Sharing the Christian Faith<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">COMPASSIONATE EVANGELISM: A NON-JUDGMENTAL APPROACH TO SHARING OUR FAITH<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">(The Rev. Canon Dr. Winfred B. Vergara. Evangelism Summit. Dallas, TX.
11/18/2016)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">INTRODUCTION:
<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I will
begin with a testimony: I believe all of us, children of God, have been given
spiritual gifts to be used for God’s glory. As priest in the Episcopal Church,
I believe my gift-mix is pastor-missionary-evangelist. With God’s grace, I use
this spiritual gift-mix when I pastor a church, plant a church, revive a church
or grow a church.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">In the
national church level, I serve as Missioner for Asiamerica and Pacific
Islanders Ministries. One of the new things we want to do is ANDREWS –a
mentoring program for our diverse constituencies, the 7 ethnic convocations:
Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Filipino, South Asian, Southeast Asian and Pacific
Islanders.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">ANDREWS means “Asiamerica Network of Disciples, Revivalists,
Evangelists, Witnesses and Saints.” I have a booklet for you to explain what it
means.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">In the
local level, I serve as a very part-time revivalist of declining parishes. Three
years ago, even as full-time missioner in the Episcopal Church, I was used by
the Lord to revive a declining parish in Queens, New York. When I first came to
St. James in Elmhurst, New York the average Sunday attendance was 20 and they
had $93,000 deficit. The church was a candidate for closure as some churches
had been. By God’s grace, I led the church to a revival and evangelism program.
After my three-year contract, I left the church with 150 Sunday attendance,
$43,000 surplus and a clear plan for continued development. Today, I am at Holy
Trinity in Hicksville, Long Island addressing a program called RED-Revival,
Evangelism, Discipleship.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">One of my evangelism stories involved Seema. She came
from a Hindu background, a Brahmin, the highest class in the Indian caste
system. It was Christmas Eve of 2015. Seema and two other Hindu friends stopped
by to listen to our Christmas pageant. After the midnight mass that followed,
she stayed behind to ask me one question, “Father Fred, I listened to your
sermon and I want to become a Christian. How do I become one?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">One thing I learned in India’s history was about Mahatma
Gandhi. He was fascinated by Christianity but as a Hindu, he “could not put
Christ on a solitary throne.” So I told Seema that I respect her religious
background and make no judgment on the Hindu religion. As a Christian however,
I told her I believe that Jesus is “the way, the truth and the life.” Then I
shared with her a brief narrative on the life and person of Jesus Christ and
prayed for her. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I gave her a copy of the
Bible and gave some specific scriptures to meditate upon. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">A month later, Seema came back and accepted Jesus Christ as
Lord and Saviour. Together with a few<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>others,
she joined the Baptism Class and learned the ”Baptismal Vows” in the Book of
Common Prayer. I baptized her on Easter Sunday of 2016. She continues to be an
active member in the Episcopal Church, even when I am no longer a priest in that
congregation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">DUTY AND JOY:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">As Christians, it is our bounden duty and joy to share our
faith, to call people to repentance, and when they are receptive to our
message, to lead them to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But how many of us know how to share our
faith and lead others to Christ?<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Looking back to the conversion of Seema, I kept on
wondering. What if she did not wait for me and asked an average church member
the question, ”How do I accept Christ?.” What answer would they have said? I
can only imagine one thing they would say to Seema: ”Let’s go to Father Fred.”
This is because I have not taught them how to evangelize, I have not taught
them how to share their faith, I have not taught them how to lead others to
Christ.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Many of our typical Episcopalian members are “sacramentalized”
but not evangelized. When asked, why are you a Christian, they respond with “I
am a cradle Episcopalian; I was born a Christian.” Well, the fact that you were
born in a garage does not make you a car. So even if your father and mother
were Christians and you were baptized Episcopalian, these do not mean that you
know your faith and consistently growing up into the full measure of the
stature of Christ.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">There are three imperatives in the Christian journey: “You
must be born again;” “you must be filled with the Holy Spirit”; and “you must
be a servant of the church.” This is a progressive step towards discipleship in
Christ.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Christianity is a journey, a journey of relationship, a
journey towards the ultimate destination, our union with God in Christ, the doctrine of atonement of "at-one-ment." In another
way of saying, we are under construction. As Presiding Bishop Michael Curry
said, ”God is not finished with me yet.” As we journey in faith, we beckon
others to join us. Jesus said in his prayer for his disciples, “And I have
other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will
listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.” (John 10:16)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">SO HOW DO YOU SHARE YOUR FAITH?<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">First, you must develop compassion. </span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Matthew
9:36-38 says: “When Jesus saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because
they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to
his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord
of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What is compassion? </span>Compassion
literally means “to suffer together.” In Greek, the word compassion gives the
image of being gripped in the guts, in the intestines. Among emotion
researchers, it is defined as “the feeling that arises when you are confronted
with another’s suffering and feel motivated to relieve that suffering.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">In India, there is a proverb that says, “You can never know
what someone is carrying until she is bumped.” The image is a woman in a village
carrying a jar on her head; you don’t know what’s inside, milk or water. Then
there are children who were playing around and accidentally bumped the woman
and the content of the jar spilled. Now everyone knows what she has been
carrying. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Yes, we can know what burdens people carry but only in the
context of interaction, of relationship. We can program our action but we
cannot program our reaction. That is why we need to have compassion, not just
empathy to understand their burdens they carry but also a desire to help carry
that burden.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The poet George Elliot wrote, “<span class="algo-summary">If
we had a keen vision and feeling of all ordinary human life, it would be like
hearing the grass grow and the squirrel's heartbeat, and we should die of that
roar which lies on the other side of silence.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span class="algo-summary"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Today, how many of us feel the
pains and heartaches of millions of undocumented immigrants who fear that
anytime soon, there will be knocks on their doors and they would be rounded up
and deported? The President-elect Donald Trump has made mass deportation as one
of the hallmarks of his presidential campaign and now that he won, the stigma
of his words cut deep into the hearts of this section of the population. Are
they not the massa perditiones, the ochlos, the crowds whom the bible describes
as “harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd?”.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span class="algo-summary"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">How many of us feel the fear of
their children, who were born here and who know no other country and yet being
part of the threat to their survival? How many of us feel their dreams fading,
their hopes dropping and their despair rising? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span class="algo-summary"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">How many of feel the pains and
heartaches of the Native Americans in Standing Rock, fighting for one of the
few lands left to them. They are fighting and appealing for one basic
commodity, water, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>clear and clean water
being threatened by the proposed oil pipeline. Their ancestors were the first
peoples who lived here for thousands of years. Every one of us--- white, black,
brown, yellow or what have you--- who come after are simply immigrants. They
deserve our gratitude and respect and the remains of their ancestors buried in
their land do not deserve the desecration. It is sacred ground, holy land. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span class="algo-summary"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">How many of us feel the pains and
heartaches of our neighbors: a single mother struggling to keep her children
while working and going to school dreaming they could make it one day. A
businessman so successful materially but empty of spiritual meaning; who
surrounded himself with things money can buy but unable to find joy and
satisfaction in what he does?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span class="algo-summary"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">How many of us feel the pain and
heartaches of dysfunctional family, whose relationships are ruptured by alcohol
and drug addiction, unable to free themselves from the quagmire of poverty and
destitution?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">There is so much pain and so much heart aches in the world
and there are people who constantly live in the shadow of oppression and
despair. Our compassion should move us to share our faith and be creative with
our desire to help. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">As Christians, we believe the grace of God is sufficient. For
somewhere in this universe there is a place where all the heartaches and pains
of humanity are funneled into---and that place is the heart of God. And if our
hearts are too small for God, God’s heart is too large for ours. Then that
compassion of Christ would also move us to share our faith.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<o:p> </o:p><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Second, we
must share our faith with humility</b>. D.T. Niles, pastor and theologian from
Sri Lanka wrote this famous definition of evangelism. “Evangelism is a beggar,
telling another beggar where to find bread.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">In the economy of God, we are all sinners in God’s
redeeming. If God takes his hand from my life, my lips will turn into clay.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Maya de Angelou, the poet laureate wrote:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">When I say... "I
am a Christian "I'm not shouting "I'm clean livin'." I'm
whispering "I was lost,<br />
Now I'm found and forgiven." When I say... "I am a Christian" I
don't speak of this with pride. I'm confessing that I stumble and need Christ
to be my guide. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">When I say... "I
am a Christian" I'm not trying to be strong. I'm professing that I'm weak<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and need His strength to carry on. When I
say... "I am a Christian “I’m not bragging of success. I’m admitting I
have failed and need God to clean my mess.<br />
<br />
When I say... "I am a Christian “I’m not claiming to be perfect, my flaws
are far too visible<br />
But, God believes I am worth it. When I say... "I am a Christian “I still
feel the sting of pain. I have my share of heartaches so I call upon His name. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">When I say... "I
am a Christian “I’m not holier than thou, I'm just a simple sinner who received
God's good grace, somehow!</i><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Third, we
must practice non-violence in our speech and actions. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The saying “stick and stones will break my bones but words
will never hurt me.” That is not true. Violent words, vitriolic words, negative
words can hurt our souls and crush our spirits.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">In this country, we have free speech but we have taken them
as license to bully, to insult, to discourage, and to break the spirits of
others. The recent election was filled with vitriolic words, lying words,
threatening words, insulting words, hate words, violent words. Their
deleterious effects are still felt even today. We have heard of the increase of
children being traumatized by the threats they heard on television.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Words have power and energy. They can inspire us, comfort
us, and enliven us. Or they can hurt us, maim us, even kill us. <span style="color: #333333;">We need to use our words to better the world, not make it
more miserable. Even a simple “Good Morning” or “Thank You” can make someone
feel like they are worth something.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
I like the words from the Book of Proverbs 25;11 which say, ”Words aptly
spoken are like apples of gold in a setting of silver.”<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 11pt;">So,
what comes out of your mouth? </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Are you quick to make a rude remark?<br />
Do your words fluctuate with your moods?<br />
Do you defend what you like and attack things you don’t?<br />
Are your words made up of gossip, negativity, and complaint? <br />
Do you use words like loser, stupid, and idiot, imbecile? <br />
Do your sentences end with a sneer and rolled eyes?</span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> We have the
power to bless people or to curse.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">The Book of
James say,” T</span></span><em><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">he
tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a
great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a
world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets
the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.</span></em><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><em><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and
creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can
tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue
we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in
God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers,
this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same
spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs?
Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water. Who is wise and understanding
among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that
comes from wisdom.” - James 3: 2-13</span></em><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">So if
you want to be used by God as the bearer of the Good News, you must develop a
"golden tongue." “How lovely on the mountains are the feet of them who bring Good
News, Good News, announcing peace, proclaiming news of happiness, Our God
reigns, our God reigns!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Seek
God for healing and forgiveness, and your heart will blossom with the love of
Jesus Christ. Only when we truly walk in the Spirit of God, will our words
reflect what is in God’s heart.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<o:p> </o:p><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">EVANGELISM PRESENTATION OR LEADING OTHERS TO CHRIST<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></b></div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">So having
cleansed your heart with malice and wrong intentions, having rid your tongue
from all manner of aggressive, judgmental and arrogant words, you are ready to
become bearers of the Good News of salvation. This is evangelism with no value
judgment of others but only with compassion, humility and graceful words.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I’m still in
the process of working out a formula for faith sharing but from what I learned
in the past, the following outline has worked. I call this the ABCDE. When a
person has expressed a desire to become a Christian I help him or her to work
through ABCDP (Accept, Believe, Confess, Decide, Pray):<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">ACCEPT:</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"> Accept that there is a God who
loves you and cares for you. He loved you so much that He gave His only
begotten Son (John 3:16). This God is not a tribal God but a universal
God. He has no partiality because He created all human beings unique but
also equal before Him. Accept that you need God. St. Augustine said,
“There is a God-shaped vacuum in human hearts that cannot be filled except
by God Himself.” Jesus said "I am the vine; you are the branches. If
you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; but apart from
me, you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)<o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">BELIEVE:</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. In John
10:10 Jesus says, “I come to give you life and have it abundantly.” And in
John 14:6, he says “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to
the Father except through me.” In Acts 4:12, Peter declared: “Salvation is
found in no one else, but in Jesus, and there is no other name under heaven
given to men.” The name “Jesus” means Savior.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b><o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">CONFESS:</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"> Romans 10:9 says, “If you confess
with your mouth that ‘Jesus is Lord’ and believe in your heart that God
raised him from the dead, you will be saved. The central affirmation of
the Christian faith says: “Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will
come again.” The resurrection is central to the Christian faith. Because
Jesus lives again, we can face tomorrow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If we confess our sins to God in the name of Jesus Christ, we will
be forgiven and move on to live a transformed life.<o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">DECIDE: </span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">Make a decision that will
transform your life by accepting Jesus Christ as Savior, Redeemer and
Lord. Decide to be baptized in the name of God: Father, Son and Holy
Spirit and become a member of the Church, the Body of Christ in the world.
Then talk to your priest or pastor about Baptism.<o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">PRAY: </span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">Lead the person to this prayer: </span></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Heavenly Father, thank you for loving
me so much. You gave Your Son Jesus Christ to suffer and die for me on the
cross; and because He lives, I can face tomorrow. I confess that I have sinned
and fall short of the glory of God and now desire to receive Jesus as Saviour
and Lord. Give me your Holy Spirit to be with me forever and to guide me along
the path of new life and growth. Lead me to a church that shall help me to grow
in my faith. I freely give myself to your leading, O my God: Father, Son and
Holy Spirit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Amen. <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></li>
</ol>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">CONCLUDING REMARKS<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Let me now
conclude my presentation with at least three reminders about the nature of
evangelism:<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">First, evangelism involves the sovereignty of God and
the responsibility of persons.</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Ultimately,
we are simply instruments in the hands of God. Evangelism, the proclamation of
the Good News by words and deeds----and sometimes silence--- is a divine-human
cooperation. God calls and we respond; God initiates and we follow; God leads
and we act. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">There was a
story of a little boy who found a lot in his neighborhood. It was full of
weeds, junks and garbage. He felt the call to clean it up, to cultivate it and to
plant a rose garden. And he did it. In due time, the roses grew and the flowers
bloom. As he stood there admiring the work of his hands, a priest came by and
equally admiring, said: “Wow, Young man, look what God and you have done for
this garden. It’s so beautiful!” The little boy replied, “Yes, Father; but you
should have seen it when it was left to God alone.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">In Romans
10:14, the Bible says: “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not
believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And
how shall they hear without a preacher?” Brothers and sisters, we are entrusted
with a holy task, to preach the Good News.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Secondly, the supremacy and uniqueness of Jesus
Christ.</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Christianity
is inclusive but its claim is exclusive: “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life;
no one comes to the Father but by me” (John 14:6). We must respect all
religions and be sympathetic to other faiths but we must affirm what was handed
down to us from generation to generation. Peter and John, in the face of
persecution and threat of death, affirmed that “there is salvation in no one
else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by
which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As St. Paul to the people of Athens in his
famous sermon in Aeropagus, “I <span class="reftext">see that in every way you
are very religious. </span>For as I walked around and examined your objects of
worship, I even found an altar with the inscription: ‘To an unknown God.’
Therefore what you worship as something unknown, I now proclaim to you.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">St. Paul urges
“that entreaties <i>and</i> prayers, petitions <i>and</i> thanksgivings, be
made on behalf of all people, for kings and all who are in authority, so that
we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is
good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all to be saved
and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:1-4).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Thirdly and finally, Christ is the
ultimate Reality, the final answer to our confounded longings.</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> To illustrate my point let me tell
you a couple of stories; one from rural Asia and the other one from urban
America.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">In Asia,
there’s a popular folk tale of a loving mother, a widow, who lived with his
only son. They lived as farmers in a typical agricultural village. Now her son
had a face that, to use a figure of speech, “only a mother could love.” In
other words, he was not attractive. Now he fell in love with a woman on the
other side of the mountain, who said to him, “I would reciprocate your love if
you can give me the heart of your mother.” Maybe it was just a figure of speech
or that the woman was wicked but the man thought about it quite a lot. He was
deeply and fatally infatuated and the fantasy that he can have this woman
tormented him. And one day, in one moment of madness, he killed his mother, took
her heart out and hurried to offer this heart to the object of his infatuation.
He ran through the fields and rice paddies and accidentally stumbled upon a
rock. The heart flung into the muddy field and he recovered it. As he was
cleaning up the heart, blooded and muddied, the heart spoke, “My son, my son,
are you hurt?”<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">The bible
says that Christ did not wait for us to be good “but when we were yet sinners,
Christ died for us.” If I consider my own sinfulness and disobedience, my
frailty, my weaknesses, my wretchedness and imperfections, I can not but thank
Jesus who suffered and died for me on the cross. I cannot save myself. I need a
Saviour and He is Jesus. This Jesus is what I proclaim to you.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Now I shift
to another story in the setting of urban America. There was a new immigrant
woman who was lucky enough to marry a rich businessman in Wall Street, New
York.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After the wedding, he brought her
to his plush apartment in Manhattan where they lived for quite a while.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Being a busy man, the husband would often come
home very late and when he does, having had dinner meetings, he would simply go
right to bed and sleep. This went on for quite a while so this young bride had
been starving for physical affection. It was at this point that a youthful
sexual fantasy invaded her mind. This is a fantasy that she can actualize
because she had money, she was attractive and she had opportunity. So one
night, while he husband was fast asleep, she slipped out of their room, got
dressed and hurried to a nearby nightclub and indulged herself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After a couple of hours, she went back to
their apartment, slipped back to the cover of their blanket and she began to
sob. She was crying quietly but so deeply. And her husband asked, “Honey,
what’s wrong?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And she replied, “Nothing…just
nothing.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">My friends,
the most empty feeling, my theological professor would say, ”the most
difficult existential vacuum” is when you realize that what you thought was the ultimate,
turns out to be nothing!<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Yes my friends,
Jesus alone is the Ultimate Reality, the Ultimate Answer, the Absolute of
Absolutes. Jesus alone can truly answer our deepest needs, he alone can truly
mend our broken hearts, he alone can truly wipe the tears from our eyes, and he
alone can truly give us new and abundant lives. Jesus is the Alpha and the
Omega, the beginning and the end. In Him we live and move and have our being.
If Christ takes His hand from my life, these lips shall turn into clay; if
Jesus removes Himself from my Church, we shall be like the chicken who lost its
head. We would circle around with much activity but in the end fall down and
breathless and dead.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">So our message to the world is, "turn,
turn, to the Lord Jesus Christ. Turn to Him now with all of your heart!"<o:p></o:p></span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">And the message to us, the Church, bearers of the Good News, is this 2<sup>nd</sup> Letter of St. Paul to Timothy, chapter 4:verses 1-4:<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I solemnly charge <i>you</i> in the presence
of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His
appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season <i>and</i> out
of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For
the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but <i>wanting</i>
to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in
accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth
and will turn aside to myths. But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship,
<u><strong>DO THE WORK OF AN EVANGELIST,</strong></u> fulfill your ministry.” Amen and Amen!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">For more information, contact:
wvergara@episcopalchurch.org<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01654925995456576921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6158908650179081247.post-17500830421153175452016-10-31T22:15:00.003-04:002016-10-31T22:19:15.992-04:00INTERCULTURAL CHURCH IN A MULTICULTURAL WORLD: EVANGELISM AND RECONCILIATION<strong><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></strong><br />
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><u>INTERCULTURAL CHURCH IN
A MULTICULTURAL WORLD</u></span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES IN EVANGELISM AND
RECONCILIATION<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<em><strong>(Keynote speech of the Rev. Canon Dr. Winfred B. Vergara at the 1st Intercultural Ministry Summit of the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia held at Aquia Church, Stafford, Virginia, USA 10/29/2016)</strong></em><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5HlfEeQm1bRtVV4yf7INUE_LarH6PxAG4GNQvIUATr9LlhOS5dS0eHuW9Gp6DVKLeRGwQ7vyRfMJt_kpPHC53WTNPBVq-p9ZXg7MHSdsNfzqqcTjdW2wTpqCrgBRAdDYg1Y9t14WZrbE/s1600/Multiracial+America.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5HlfEeQm1bRtVV4yf7INUE_LarH6PxAG4GNQvIUATr9LlhOS5dS0eHuW9Gp6DVKLeRGwQ7vyRfMJt_kpPHC53WTNPBVq-p9ZXg7MHSdsNfzqqcTjdW2wTpqCrgBRAdDYg1Y9t14WZrbE/s400/Multiracial+America.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><strong></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><strong>We are standing on the threshold of the most revolutionary period of American history</strong><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">. America has become a truly multi-racial, multiracial and multicultural nation. Demographers project that by 2050, if the population trend continues there will no longer be a dominant majority and we shall all learn to live as a majority of minorities.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><strong><em>To many of us, this is a beautiful
thing.</em></strong></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><em> A story is told of an
extra-terrestrial bird that flew from outer space and landed in Virginia. The Native
Americans welcomed the bird, the Anglo Americans studied the bird, the African
Americans sang songs and played sports with the bird, the Hispanic/Latino
Americans had a fiesta on the bird, and finally the Asian Americans cooked the
bird!<o:p></o:p></em></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">A BEAUTIFUL THING<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">So it is a beautiful
thing when we learn to live together as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“e
pluribus unum,”</i> from many to one. The vision in the Book of Revelation,
Chapter 7, verse 9 says, “After this I looked, and there before me was a great
multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and
language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were…holding palm
branches in their hands.” Peoples from many nations, tongues and cultures
coming together holding palm branches is a vision of peace; part of the Kingdom
of heaven, realized on earth. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">We shall learn
from each other, we shall be enriched by the sharing of our cultures and
traditions. What a great celebration! </span></span></div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">A TERRIFYING THING<o:p></o:p></span></span></b><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">But while
this intercultural vision is a wonderful thing to some, to others it is a frightening
scenario. According to Census projection, from 2010-2050, the Hispanic/Latino
population will grow over 167%,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the
Asians will grow 142%, the Blacks will grow 56% and the White will grow by only
1%. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">So there is
a fear on some members of the current dominant culture that the white men will no longer run
the show, will no longer be in control. It is no wonder that this fear is being
played up in the current political rhetoric: “let us build a great wall and close our
borders, let us deport all the undocumented aliens, let us not welcome refugees
anymore.”</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></o:p></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">STATUE OF LIBERTY<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">My wife and
I recently escorted our visitors to the Statue of Liberty. Believe it or not, I
saw the Statue of Liberty crying. Why? Because beneath the Statue of Liberty is
the poem by Emma Lazarus that says, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">"Give
me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The
wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost
to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" </i>And now so many
Americans want to put this poem into the dustbin of history. So the first time
I saw the Statue of Liberty, it was like standing up proudly; recently she
became depressed. </span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">SO MY
QUESTION TODAY IS HOW DO WE AS A CHURCH RESPOND TO THIS DEMOGRAPHIC REVOLUTION
AND WHAT DOES THIS IMPLY THE WAY WE BELIEVE, AND THE WAY WE PROCLAIM AND LIVE
OUT THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">HOW DO WE
ENGAGE? IF CULTURES ARE “FINGERS OF GOD POINTING TO CHRIST,” AS ASIAN
THEOLOGIAN KOSUKE KOYAMA WROTE, HOW DO WE BEAR WITNESS AS CHRISTIANS A
MULTICULTURAL WORLD? AND DO WE BECOME AN INTERCULTURAL CHURCH?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">In 2004, I
wrote an article in the Witness Magazine entitled “From Billiard Balls to Salad
Bowl. Towards an Intercultural Church in a Multicultural Society” In that
article, I differentiated “Multicultural” from “Intercultural.” ( I REPRINTED
COPIES OF THIS FOR YOU) </span></span></div>
<br />
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Multicultural
</span></i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">is when mono-cultural and ethnic-specific congregations
are allowed equal and separate existence but with neither intention nor
vision for interaction. The image of “billiard balls spread on the table”
comes to mind. In that pluralistic and multicultural setting, various
racial-ethnic peoples exist independent of each other and having no desire
for a larger community bonding – unless you hit one ball to strike
another. There is a high level of tolerance for pockets of specific
community organizations (i.e. Filipino associations, Greek organizations,
Kenyan associations, etc.) and even local villages (e.g. Koreatown,
Chinatown, Mexican barrio, kosher village, etc.) but there is no movement
for a greater circle of friendship. The silent but accepted rules are
“mind your own business,” “live and let live,” and “don't ask,
don't tell.” <o:p></o:p></span></i></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">In the context of a church, this image is true with a
diocese where there are many ethnic congregations (including Anglo ethnic
churches) but with no inter-church relationship. Every congregation is its own
silo; there is no active reaching out to one another, no opportunity for
communication; no common activities where members can get to know one another. St.
Paul said that the church is a Body with many parts so “when one member
suffers, all suffer together; when one member rejoices, all rejoice together.”
In a multicultural diocese, the church is not one body with many parts but a
“Body with many bodies.” When one member suffers, he suffers alone; when one
member rejoices, he rejoices alone</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Intercultural
</span></i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">is when racial-ethnic, cultural, language and
generational congregations (parishes and missions) do intentional “unity
in diversity” in the context of a diocese which considers itself as the
basic missionary unit of the church. The image of “salad bowl” comes to
mind. In this image, there is a mixing up or a gathering of various and
diverse cultures (colors) each retaining its own color and striving for unity
and harmony like a rainbow in the sky. This is the ideal vision of a
Christian church in a multicultural society, an <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">avante garde </span>of “a community of communities” where the
values of equality, fairness, justice and solidarity are actualized by the
people in the life they lead and in the relationship that they create. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 5pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">SO WHAT IS
AN INTERCULTURAL DIOCESE?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">An “intercultural church” is a diocese where love and
justice reign and where ethnic parishes and missions share common experiences
of pain, common struggle and see a common vision of hope. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">In an intercultural diocese, parishes develop “missionary
partnerships” to plant a new ethnic, bicultural or multi-ethnic congregation
and assist in the growth and development of smaller congregations. They do not consider
their financial assistance to struggling congregations as a “dole out” or an
“outreach” because they feel ownership of every congregation that declines or
thrives. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">In an intercultural diocese, no one congregation claims sole
ownership of a parish building (because every congregation is a mission
outreach of the diocese). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">In an intercultural diocese, parishes develop “missionary
partnerships” to plant a new ethnic or intercultural congregation and assist in
the growth and development of smaller congregations. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">In an intercultural diocese, well-to-do parishes do not
consider their financial assistance to struggling congregations as a “dole out”
or an “outreach” because they feel ownership of every congregation that
declines or thrives. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">In an intercultural diocese, the bishop is a healer,
reconciler and enabler subordinates his natural bias his/her racial-ethnic
heritage in order to become a bishop for all of God's people. Like the Greek
concept of <i>diakonia </i>(someone who is sandwiched between the dust), the
intercultural Bishop is in between God and God's peoples. What breaks his heart
is racism in all its protean forms and what warms his heart is unconditional
love being embraced by all. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">In an intercultural diocese, the Bishop is an arbiter of
truth and a dispenser of justice. She speaks the truth in love and harmonizes
the various opposites (<i>yin </i>and <i>yang)</i> so they complement each
other, not competes against each other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She learns and teaches new vocabulary like <i>gotong-royong </i>(Indonesian
for “pulling heavy loads together”) and <i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A Luta Continua </i>(Zaire/Portuguese for
“continue the struggle”) when she rallies the clergy and faithful towards the
intercultural vision.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">NOW I BELIEVE, YOUR VISION AS A DIOCESE IS TO BECOME AN
INTERCULTURAL DIOCESE, NOT JUST A MULTICULTURAL DIOCESE. WHAT ARE REQUIRED OF
LEADERS INVOLVED IN INTERCULTURAL CHURCH? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">The prophet
Micah in the Old Testament told Israel<span class="algo-summary">, “He has showed
you, O people, what is good. And <b>what does</b> the LORD <b>require of you</b>?
To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your <b>God</b>.</span>
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span class="algo-summary"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">What are the virtues,
the values of an Intercultural Church?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span class="algo-summary"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">The first virtue of an
Intercultural Church is hospitality.<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></span></div>
<span class="algo-summary"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Hospitality –In the Beginning was the
word and the word was with God and the word was hospitality. </span></span></b></span><br />
<br />
<span class="algo-summary"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">The Hmong are jungle people in the mountains of Laos and
China. They were nomadic and had no country of their own. During the Vietnam
War, they became allies with the United States. When the War ended, they were
marked for genocide by the Viet Cong. So they were repatriated to the United
States as refugees, many of them in Minnesota. That was in the 70’s. Now many
of them have become US citizens. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span class="algo-summary"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Holy Apostles in St. Paul, Minnesota was a dying church. By
demographic change, retirement and relocation, the church had declined. The
vicar Bill Bulson was sent there basically to perform the last rites, to
channel the remaining dozen members to other churches. But one Episcopalian who
happened to befriend a Hmong, told him there was a Hmong tribe looking for a
spiritual community. Bulson opened the doors of the church and the remnants of
the Church opened the doors of their hearts. He thought there were only 50
people: it turned out there were 75 families, large families. On Pentecost
Sunday of 2005, I was invited to preached at that church and join in welcoming
the new Episcopalians. Standing room with hundreds of people! Indeed, the Hmong
are among us!<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span class="algo-summary"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">On September of that year, I was invited again to preach at
the Cathedral in Minneapolis. I was standing on tip toes with excitement (well,
the pulpit was taller than me) as more than 300 Hmong adults were confirmed! It
took three bishops and over three hours to lay hands on the confirmands. The
Holy Spirit was moving mightily!<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span class="algo-summary"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Ten years have passed and the Hmong Episcopalians have now
produced seven ordained clergy---including a first Hmong female priest, Rev.
Bao. They have become the first and largest Hmong congregation in the worldwide
Anglican Communion.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span class="algo-summary"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Yes, hospitality is the key to reviving or re-peopling our
declining parishes.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span class="algo-summary"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">HUMILITY:</span></b></span><span class="algo-summary"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> These days
are election fever days so allow me to give a political joke. Story is told
that three weeks ago, Donald Trump, greatly bothered by the polls, went to St.
Patrick’s Cathedral in New York in the middle of the night and confessed to
Timothy Cardinal Dolan. The Donald said, “Your Eminence, I can’t sleep, I can’t
eat, I can’t tweet. Many people are saying---the Clinton campaign, the media,
even some of my fellow Republicans---that I am a racist, a sexist, a
misogynist. On top of it, they call me a bigot and a narcissist. And I don’t
get it. Is it a sin if I think that I am the most amazing and wonderful person
in the world? The Cardinal looked at him with love and said, “No Donald; it’s
not a sin; it’s a mistake!” <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span class="algo-summary"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">So the second virtue of
an Intercultural Church is Humility. </span></b></span><span class="algo-summary"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">D. T. Niles,
a Sri Lankan theologian and pastor said, “Evangelism is a beggar telling
another beggar where to find bread.” Episcopal Asiamerica Ministries adopted
this Nestorian Cross, with lotus flower (symbol of Christ) at the center of the
cross. </span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span class="algo-summary"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">History tells us that during the persecution, the early
Christians scattered from Jerusalem, to Judea, to Samaria and to the ends of
the world. St Thomas went as far as India and planted churches there until he
was martyred in Madras in 52 AD. Another group of Christians known as the Nestorians
went as far as China and adopted Chinese cultures, putting the Lotus
symbolizing Christ in the middle of the cross. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span class="algo-summary"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Evangelism began at the foot of the Cross when Jesus said to
the Romans, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do” and to the repentant
thief, “Today, you will be with me in paradise.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span class="algo-summary"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">We are all flawed sinners in need of God’s redemption. If God
takes His hand from my life, my lips will turn into clay.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span class="algo-summary"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">COMPASSION: </span></b></span><span class="algo-summary"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Now I hope I
did not offend the Republicans with my Trump joke; but just be fair, I have
also a Hillary joke for the democrats. Now a story is to be told that three
powerful Christian women in the world prayed to their God about reconciliation.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span class="algo-summary"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">England’s new Prime Minister Theresa May, being Anglican
prayed: “God, when will you reconcile Great Britain back with all European
nations? God said, “In 20 years.” And Prime Minister May sadly replied, “I may
not be here by then.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span class="algo-summary"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">South Korea’s first female president Park Gyun-Hye, being
Roman Catholic prayed: “God when will you reconcile North Korea and South
Korea?” God said, “In 30 years.” And President Park sadly replied, “I may not
be here by then.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span class="algo-summary"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">USA’s first female president Hillary Clinton (assuming she
wins next week), being a Methodist, and realizing the magnitude of divisiveness
and vitriols in the election process, also prayed: “Lord, when will you
reconcile and reunite the peoples of the United States of America?” And God
sadly replied, “I may not be here by then.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span class="algo-summary"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Yes, whoever next week,
Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton will have a gargantuan task of reuniting this
divined states. That is why Christ will call the Church, His Body to become <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“agents of reconciliation.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: #181818; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">St. Theresa De Avila wrote: “Christ has no body now
but yours. No hands, no feet on earth but yours. Yours are the eyes through
which he looks compassion on this world. Yours are the feet with which he walks
to do good. Yours are the hands through which he blesses all the world. Yours
are the hands, yours are the feet, yours are the eyes, you are His body. Christ
has no body now on earth but yours.”</span><span class="algo-summary"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span class="algo-summary"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">And for that, we need
the third virtue of the intercultural Church, Compassion!<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span class="algo-summary"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">There is a saying in India that says, “No one knows what
someone is carrying unless they are bumped.” The image is that of a woman in
the typical village in India carrying a jar atop their heads. You don’t know
what she is carrying, milk or water. Then there are children playing around and
bumped on the woman and her jar spilled. Now you know what she’s carrying.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Yes, we can
know what burdens people carry but only in the context of interaction, of
relationship. We can program our action but we cannot program our reaction. That
is why we need to have empathy, to have compassion and to nourish empathy in
our hearts.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">The poet
George Elliot wrote, “<span class="algo-summary">If <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">we</span> had a keen vision and feeling of all ordinary human life, it
would be like hearing the <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">grass grow</span>
and the <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">squirrel's heart beat</span>,
and <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">we</span> should <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">die</span> of that <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">roar</span> which <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">lies</span> on
the <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">other</span> <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">side</span> of <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">silence.”<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">There is so
much pain and so much heart aches in the world and there are people who
constantly live in the shadow of use and abuse, of bullying and shaming, of
oppression and suppression---and in some ways these dark shadows get into the
limelight of the current political rhetoric. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">There is so
many reasons to despair, so many reasons to give up on humanity. When powerful
adult leaders display their values we wonder if there is a good future for the
next generation. We wonder if we still have many role models to follow. And
when we see the intolerable human suffering, we wonder how long we stay as
bridges over troubled waters. But as Christians, we believe the grace of God is
sufficient, for somewhere in this universe there is a place where all the
heartaches and pains of humanity are funneled into---and that place is the
heart of God. And if our hearts are too small for God, God’s heart is too large
for ours. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">When Jesus
saw the crowd, he was filled with compassion for they were like sheep without a
shepherd and he taught his disciples many things. Miracles happened that broke
opened their hearts to God and they responded by the quality of the lives they
lead and the beauty of the relationship they made. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">In the final
analysis, we are evangelists of attraction, not confrontation. Mahatma Gandhi
said, “If your rose garden is so fragrant and attractive, people will jump the
fence to smell the roses.” Our Presiding Bishop Michael Curry said that the
Jesus Movement means we are to be caught up with Jesus to the point that our
lives would look like His. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">For me this
is the major challenge that we should address ourselves to—how to be more like
Jesus in his passion for the lost and his compassion for the oppressed. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Grace is
free but it is not cheap; Jesus paid the price with his own blood. And so when
we address ourselves to human sin in all its protean forms, when we address
ourselves to calling people to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, we must do
so as a divine-human interaction. God calls, we respond. This world is worth
saving because God so loves it He gave His only Son. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">People who
only believe in the “pie in the sky” and who care only for the “end times” may
not do their part in climate change, in environmental stewardship. But we who
are Anglicans or Episcopalians are “passionately cool” because we believe in
the resurrection but also care for the here and now. We are a both/and people
of God. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">People who
believe only in the spiritualist understanding of the kingdom of God would be
passive audience in the political arena. But we who believe as Jesus said that
the “kingdom is in our midst” know that participation in the political system
is an integral part of faith, that fighting to change unjust structures and
challenging structures of injustice is an integral part of peace---and that our
mission as an Intercultural Church is “to reconcile all people to unity with
God and each other in Christ.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">May the
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the
Holy Spirit be with us now and ever more. Amen.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01654925995456576921noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6158908650179081247.post-33192943151924999692016-10-22T19:47:00.002-04:002016-10-22T23:44:29.851-04:00WOMAN AT THE WELL IN INDIA, GRACE, AND THE POLITICAL RHETORIC OF OUR TIME: A REFLECTION OF THE ASIAMERICAN MISSIONER AT EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETING OF THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:RelyOnVML/>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">WOMAN AT THE WELL IN
INDIA, GRACE, AND THE POLITICAL RHETORIC OF OUR TIME: A REFLECTION OF THE ASIAMERICAN
MISSIONER AT EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETING OF THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH</span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></u></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">(The Rev. Canon Dr.
Winfred Vergara. New Jersey 10/21/2016)</span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfosb3riq7VGbBHRlG_njQ5r1jgiPNijAuvknrID0RGN_0ov_uxTx8N32PiHwn9jrxV_7SVzrabDRUwTKyS_6uf0Zl27hzrxFXMvardFKnVrcfC3gcoYAXe6O5h0pI6A1BEjkZ_UA8uP8/s1600/WOMAN+IN+INDIA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfosb3riq7VGbBHRlG_njQ5r1jgiPNijAuvknrID0RGN_0ov_uxTx8N32PiHwn9jrxV_7SVzrabDRUwTKyS_6uf0Zl27hzrxFXMvardFKnVrcfC3gcoYAXe6O5h0pI6A1BEjkZ_UA8uP8/s320/WOMAN+IN+INDIA.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLmHdD_2s56b4Nd59IaqGmuItokRiORl7CJ6FNxeluBF-WE6mchritdsW_37ccaH_0bXRvWXx1dXGXZ8UduFq6y3CaefcBHqAoCKB2K0sJeJAXly4gwQOTOlB7MWiqMqG5dpW_og4mFBQ/s1600/election.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLmHdD_2s56b4Nd59IaqGmuItokRiORl7CJ6FNxeluBF-WE6mchritdsW_37ccaH_0bXRvWXx1dXGXZ8UduFq6y3CaefcBHqAoCKB2K0sJeJAXly4gwQOTOlB7MWiqMqG5dpW_og4mFBQ/s320/election.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">All these
years I tried to live with the thought that I cannot lighten anyone’s burden
unless I bear the pressure in my own soul. My job as Missioner for Asiamerica
and Pacific Islanders Ministries of the Episcopal Church has enabled me to
engage with people in this country, across Asia and Pacific and even around the
world and I am amazed at the grace of God. I have come face to face with God in
people; I rejoiced with those who were honored and cried with those who were
oppressed and I have transcended my presumption that simply because someone
looks happy, that he or she is. For behind the smiles and the laughter is the
human drama, that when the curtain falls, the comedian weeps, and deep within
the mask of the warrior is a child.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In India,
there is saying which says “You can never know what someone is carrying until
she is bumped.” The image is a woman in a village carrying a jar on her head;
you don’t know what’s inside, milk or water. Then there are children who were
playing and accidentally bumped the woman and the content of the jar spilled. Now
everyone knows what she has been carrying all along. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Yes, we can know
what burdens people carry but only in the context of interaction, of relationship.
We can program our action but we cannot program our reaction. That is why we
need to have empathy, to have compassion and to nourish it in our
hearts.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The poet
George Elliot wrote, “<span class="algo-summary">If <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">we</span> had a keen vision and feeling of all ordinary human life, it
would be like hearing the <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">grass grow</span>
and the <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">squirrel's heart beat</span>,
and <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">we</span> should <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">die</span> of that <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">roar</span> which <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">lies</span> on
the <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">other</span> <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">side</span> of <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">silence.”</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">There are so
much pains and so much heart aches in the world and there are people who
constantly live in the shadow of use and abuse, of bullying and shaming, of
oppression and suppression---and in some ways these dark shadows get into the
limelight of the current political rhetoric. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">There many reasons to despair, many reasons to give up on humanity, even on civility. When powerful
adults display their misplaced values we wonder if there is a good future for the next
generation. And when we see the sea of humanity in crises, such as those refugees of war and refuse of their countries, we wonder how long we stay as
bridges over troubled waters. But as Christians, we believe the grace of God is
sufficient, for somewhere in this universe there is a place where all the
heartaches and pains of humanity are funneled into---and that place is the
heart of God. And if our hearts are too small for God, God’s heart is too large
for ours. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">When Jesus
saw the crowd, he was filled with compassion for they were like sheep without a
shepherd and he taught them many things. Miracles broke
open their hearts to believe but we wonder if they were able to translate their
compassion to the real world. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I learned
that as missioner, I can teach the skills of evangelism, pastoral care, revival
and church growth but passion and compassion are more caught than taught. Like
charisma, you either you have it or you don’t. For his age, some people wonder
the kind of energy our Presiding Bishop Michael Curry exudes, especially when
he is proclaiming the gospel. There is so much excitement, like standing on tip toes. For me, this is the major challenge of the Jesus
Movement that we should address ourselves to—how to be more like Jesus in his
passion for the lost and his compassion for the oppressed, how this virus of empathy and love can be viral as the Korean pop Gangnam Style.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Grace is
free but it is not cheap; Jesus paid the price with his own blood. And so when
we address ourselves to human sin in all its protean forms, when we call people to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, we must do
so as a divine-human interaction. God calls, we respond. This world is worth
saving because God so loves it He gave His only Son. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">People who
only believe in the “pie in the sky” and who care only for the “end times” may
not do their part in climate change or get engaged in environmental stewardship. But we who
are Anglicans or Episcopalians are “passionately cool” because not only that we believe in
the resurrection but also care for the here and now. We are a both/and People
of God. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">People who
believe only in the spiritualist understanding of the kingdom of God would be
passive audience in the political arena. But we who listened to what Jesus said, that
the “kingdom is in your midst,” know that participation in the political system
is an integral part of faith, that fighting to change unjust structures or challenging structures of injustice are an integral part of peace making.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Yes, the Jesus Movement ("Evangelism and Racial Reconciliation" as the Presiding Bishop so defined) is a spirituality in action, a theology of engagement. May we live out the Jesus Movement in the lives we lead and the relationships we create in our churches, in our homes, in our neighborhood. May the grace
of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy
Spirit be with us now and ever more. Amen</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01654925995456576921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6158908650179081247.post-600591442176179342016-10-22T19:26:00.001-04:002016-10-22T19:26:20.507-04:00<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:RelyOnVML/>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">WOMAN AT THE WELL IN INDIA, GRACE AND POLITICAL RHETORIC OF OUR TIME</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">: REFLECTION OF THE ASIAMERICAN MISSIONER </span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">(</span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">By the Rev. Canon Dr. Winfred Vergara at the meeting of the Executive
Council of the Episcopal Church, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>New
Jersey, USA 10.21.2016)</span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFqkstl4oi4zr8eO5JJXgXOsZSHCCOffuMb0VAiX0PEj7JTH7hrgfQ_RRTYlgnh6mK2D7TGibomxHndP3ijVuK87b6Wog1piMiEJlK4hsh5XS24nnkRCeY2FX2u25FOoI-WsCd0XzIQug/s1600/WOMAN+IN+INDIA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFqkstl4oi4zr8eO5JJXgXOsZSHCCOffuMb0VAiX0PEj7JTH7hrgfQ_RRTYlgnh6mK2D7TGibomxHndP3ijVuK87b6Wog1piMiEJlK4hsh5XS24nnkRCeY2FX2u25FOoI-WsCd0XzIQug/s320/WOMAN+IN+INDIA.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHV6zzpyn-rv48wpnFOCPrR6xV38VvU6-5h1nWqo8hOTNa_MYYkPfrgjcwQvyFxVPfMvzbXEha_HXYC6EfeaHm-dVDN-TXM6cadipHdE8109movcozsO8dRvtoRBUhlCIX5t28eCNYR_Q/s1600/election.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHV6zzpyn-rv48wpnFOCPrR6xV38VvU6-5h1nWqo8hOTNa_MYYkPfrgjcwQvyFxVPfMvzbXEha_HXYC6EfeaHm-dVDN-TXM6cadipHdE8109movcozsO8dRvtoRBUhlCIX5t28eCNYR_Q/s320/election.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">All these
years I tried to live with the thought that I cannot lighten anyone’s burden
unless I bear the pressure in my own soul. My job as Missioner for Asiamerican
and Pacific Islanders in the Episcopal Church has enabled me to engage with
people in this country, across Asia and Pacific and even around the world and I
am amazed at the grace of God.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>I have come face to face with God in people; I
rejoiced with those who were honored and cried with those who were oppressed
and I have transcended my presumption that simply because someone looks happy,
that he or she is. For behind the smiles and the laughter is the human drama,
that when the curtain falls, the comedian weeps, and deep within the mask of a
warrior is a child.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In India,
there is saying which says “You can never know what someone is carrying until
she is bumped.” The image is a woman in a village carrying a jar on her head;
you don’t know what’s inside, milk or water. Then there are children who were
playing and accidentally bumped the woman and the content of the jar spilled.
We can program our action but we cannot program our reaction and that is why,
we need to listen to our hearts, and that is why we need to have empathy or
compassion.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:RelyOnVML/>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The poet
George Elliot wrote, “<span class="algo-summary">If <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">we</span> had a keen vision and feeling of all ordinary human life, it
would be like hearing the <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">grass grow</span>
and the <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">squirrel's heart beat</span>,
and <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">we</span> should <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">die</span> of that <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">roar</span> which <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">lies</span> on
the <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">other</span> <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">side</span> of <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">silence.”</span></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">There is so much pain and heartaches in the world and
there are people who constantly live in the shadow of use and abuse, of
bullying and shaming, of oppression and suppression---and in some ways these
dark shadows get into the limelight of political rhetoric. But the grace of God
is sufficient, for somewhere<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>in this
universe there is a place where all the heartaches and pains of humanity are
funneled into---and that place is the heart of God. And if our hearts are too
small to contain God, God’s heart is large enough to contain ours. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">When Jesus
saw the crowd, he was filled with compassion for they were like sheep without a
shepherd and he taught his disciples many things. Miracles broke their hearts open but I wondered if they were moved enough to help change their world.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I learned
that as missioner, I can teach the skills of evangelism and revival and church
growth but passion and compassion are more caught than taught. Like charisma,
you either you have it or you don’t. For his age, some people wonder the kind
of energy our Presiding Bishop exudes especially when he is proclaiming the
gospel. For me this is the major challenge of the Jesus Movement that we should
address ourselves to—how to be more like Jesus in his passion for the lost and his
compassion for the oppressed. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Grace is
free but it is not cheap; Jesus paid the price with his own blood. And so when
we address ourselves to human sin in all its protean forms, when we address
ourselves to calling people to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, we must do
so as a divine-human interaction. God calls, we respond. This world is worth
saving because God so loves it He gave His only Son. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">People who
only believe in the “pie in the sky” and who care only for the “end times” may
not do their part in climate change, in environmental stewardship. But we who
are Anglicans or Episcopalians are “passionately cool” because we believe in
the resurrection but also care for the here and now. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">We are a both/and people
of God. People who
believe only in the spiritualist understanding of the kingdom of God would be
passive audience in the political arena. But we who believe as Jesus said that
the “kingdom is in our midst” know that participation in the political system
is an integral part of faith, that fighting to change unjust structures and
challenging structures of injustice is an integral part of peace.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">May the grace
of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy
Spirit be with us now and ever more. Amen</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01654925995456576921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6158908650179081247.post-36126482207382748682016-08-08T14:30:00.002-04:002016-08-08T14:30:23.299-04:00FILIPINO AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM: FEAR NOT, GET READY AND TAKE RISKS
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">FILIPINO AMERICAN
EXCEPTIONALISM: FEAR NOT, GET READY AND TAKE RISKS<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">(The Rev. Canon Dr.
Winfred Vergara, Holy Trinity & St. Benedict’s Episcopal Church,412
Garfield Avenue, Alhambra, California. August 7, 2016 )<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHIa_XkP_YvbwW10YEn2tpFScog5AGNH9as6V_a4S70_fZiNZKxUdKyZ3s-x3TRDBAOrpfnH39DKUN6ltPj7i2uT2nm_iK9lYSF34ZGDByqbmhuEcyItMTgbju5MYl9nBkIMUn6JEFTqU/s1600/filcon+16.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHIa_XkP_YvbwW10YEn2tpFScog5AGNH9as6V_a4S70_fZiNZKxUdKyZ3s-x3TRDBAOrpfnH39DKUN6ltPj7i2uT2nm_iK9lYSF34ZGDByqbmhuEcyItMTgbju5MYl9nBkIMUn6JEFTqU/s640/filcon+16.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">INTRODUCTION<o:p></o:p></span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A
Pentecostal preacher was invited to the Episcopal Church. He asked, “Brother,
how long do I preach?” The Episcopal priest replied, “You can preach as long as
you like but at 12noon, we’re out of the church.”<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The acolyte
asked the Vicar, “Father, do you make holy water?” The priest replied, “I boil
the hell out of it.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The rector
made an announcement: ”Brothers and sisters, I have good news and bad news. The
good news is we now have money to fix our leaking roof; the bad news is the
money is still in your pocket.”<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Joking aside
now, let me thank you for inviting me to be your preacher today. We just
concluded the EAM Filipino Convocation and without appearing bias, I would like
to say that this convocation was the happiest, the funniest, the craziest and
the largest of all the convocations I have attended!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I also would
like to congratulate your vicar, the Rev. Brent Quines, Jr. for being elected,
along with the Rev. Gerry Engnan, as the co-conveners of this Convocation.
Thank you Holy Trinity & St. Benedict’s for sharing his gifts to us, in the
Episcopal Asiamerica Ministry.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">THE GOSPEL</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The gospel this morning, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Luke 12: 32-40</b> speaks to me of three
things: <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Be not afraid; Get Ready; and
Take risks.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">A.BE NOT AFRAID: </span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Jesus
said:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Be not afraid, little flock, for
your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. <sup> </sup>Sell
your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will
not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes
near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be
also.”</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Story is told of a selfish billionaire
who died and the embalmers could not find his heart. They searched in every
place and they finally found his heart on top of his treasure chest. The
question oft-repeated: “Where is your heart?” “What motivates you to do what
you do?” “Why are you hoarding stuff?” “Are you afraid of the future?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Be not afraid,” was the hallmark of
God’s message to His people that has rung though the ages. In the Old
Testament, God spoke through the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 43): “Fear not for I
have redeemed you, I have called you by name. When you walk through the rivers I
will be with you and the waters will not overflow you; when you walk through
the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not consume you.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Be not afraid” because “I love you”
and “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In the New Testament, “Be not afraid”
was the hallmark of the Christian message of salvation. The angels said to the
shepherds watching their flocks by night, “Be not afraid for I bring you Good
News: A Child was born today on the manger.” <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Jesus to his disciples, “Be not afraid;
come follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” Jesus to the faithful “Be
not afraid; my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Come follow me and I will
give you rest.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Be not afraid was the word that has
given God’s people with tremendous inspiration, courage and strength in times
of need and in times of persecution. Many have given their lives and their
treasures in exchange of riches that cannot be counted or measured by time and
space.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">When I was a child, poor and needy, I
knew that the little beautiful island in the Philippines where I was born was
not enough to contain my dreams. When I looked at the horizon of the sea, I
wondered, “What is beyond that shining sea?” When I looked up the mountain, I
wondered, “What’s on the other side of the mountain?” I wanted to travel, I
wanted to discover the unknown, I wanted to have higher education, which my
family could not afford.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So at age 13, I run away from home,
stowed away on a ship to Manila, to risk an adventure of my life. Since then,
this priest who ran away from home has never looked back. My adventure has
enabled me to travel the distance in life, in ministry, and in outlook in life.
I obtained higher education, my wife and I have practically traveled the world,
and my ministry in the church had been a tremendous blessing. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And the word that has sustained me all
these chapters of my life is “Be not afraid.” “Where God guides, God provides.
God’s work, done in God’s way, in God’s time, will never lack provision.”Where
God calls, he enables; where he enables, he equips; where he equips, he
empowers; and where he empowers, he sustains. If today, you worry about the
present and the future, listen to his voice, “Be not afraid.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">B. GET READY<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The second word of God today is “Get
Ready.” Get ready because God has something for you to do. In the context of
this gospel, Christ is coming soon so get dressed and get ready.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sometime ago, I did a Bible Study to a
group of Filipino immigrants and I asked the question, “If you know Christ is
coming soon, what are you going to do today?” I received so many noble and
spiritual answers but one that surprised me was from a mother who said,
“Father, I will max out my credit cards and give my children all they want.
Then I will eat, drink and be merry for I would be ready to die---and I don’t
need to worry about paying the bills.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The other side of that answer of
course, when thinking about the end of the world and death, is to say “I pass
through this world only once and so whatever good I can do or give to my fellow
human beings, I will do it now for I will not pass through this world again.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In June 2010, billionaire
Bill Gates and Warren Buffett announced a new charity initiative for
billionaires: the Giving Pledge. So far, Gates and Buffett have received
pledges from 137 billionaires from around the world who have pledged to donate
at least half of their fortunes to charity. Five years in, a total of 365
billion dollars has been pledged.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">These are
tremendous and noble achievement which can be measured by facts and figures but
they cannot erase the gross inequality in the world. Dom Helder Camara once
said, “When I give money to the poor, they call me a saint; but when I ask why
there are so many poor and few who are filthy rich, they call me a communist.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The fact of the
matter is that the best system we can think of, the capitalist system, has
always benefited the 10% percent who are rich and leaving the rest 90% poor.
The capitalist system and free enterprise seems beneficial as a form of
superior wealth to the fittest and bare survival to the rest.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Kingdom of God
that Jesus has inaugurated is world where no one is wallowing in poverty, where
no one is sweltering in the heat of injustice, and where everyone enjoys shalom
or peace. This is the world that God is asking us to get ready for---and we are
called upon to get ready. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="text"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">God
speaks through Isaiah 43, “Forget the former things;</span></span><span class="indent-1-breaks"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span><span class="text"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">do not dwell on the past.<sup> </sup>See,
I am doing a new thing!</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> <span class="text">Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the
wilderness</span><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text">and
streams in the wasteland. because I provide water in the wilderness</span><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text">and streams in the
wasteland, to give drink to my people, my chosen,</span><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text">the people I formed for
myself</span><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text">that they may
proclaim my praise.”</span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">C. TAKE RISKS: </span></b><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Take risks for the kingdom of God; take risks for the gospel of
peace; take risks for the ministry of love and reconciliation.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Kingdom
of God is not a pie in the sky that we get by and by. The Kingdom is right here
and right now. The Kingdom of God is in our midst. People who take the Kingdom
as only realized in heaven will not take care of the environment, will not take
care of the planet earth, will not struggle to improve the quality of life,
will not fight for equality and justice for all.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">But we learned
from the Lord’s Prayer what Jesus want us to pray “Thy Kingdom come, thy will
be done on earth as it is in heaven.” While we are on earth, we must pray and
work that this Kingdom be on earth, as it is in heaven, where peace and justice
and love are realized, not only in the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">eschaton,</i>
on the last day, but now, right now.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">At this
point, let me address myself to Filipino-Americans, the immigrant Filipinos in
America and especially those who, like me, have chosen to become citizens of
the United States of America. I would like to point to the special calling and
destiny which God has prepared for Filipinos in America.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To borrow an oft-repeated word in American
politics, I would like to call this the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Filipino
American</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Exceptionalism.</i> This
Filipino American Exceptionalism” is founded on three things: <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">First, among
Asians, the Filipinos share the birthright of being the first to set foot on
American soil. It was way back in 1587 when the first Filipinos jumped ship
from the Spanish Galleon Trade and settled in New Orleans in Louisiana. They
were called the “shrimp people” because they swam the sea and crawled on the
mud and as they built the “Malong Village” and intermarried with the Mexicans
and Native Americans, they became pioneers of the shrimp drying industry in
Louisiana.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Second, the
Philippines is the first nation in Asia to have a special relationship with the
United States. Shortly after Philippine Independence from Spain in 1898, we
fell under the tutelage of American democracy and were at some point called
“the brown Americans.” It was of course an unflattering comment at that time,
referring to our “colonial mentality” and “internalized oppression.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">But in
reality, so much of what Filipinos know about politics, about higher education,
about social affairs, about entertainment, the owe to America.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The famous playwright Nick Joaquin says,
“Filipinos were under the Spanish convent for 300 years and under Hollywood for
50 years.” I say, even more years than that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Philippines was, in fact, as author Stanley Karnow called, “created in
the American image.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Third, in
the greater Asia-Pacific basin,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the
Philippines is the first and only predominantly Christian country. Of course,
there is South Korea which has now around 33% of its population being Christians;
there is East Timor, which is predominantly Roman Catholic. But when it comes
to the size of population and length of its Christian history, Philippines ranks
as “the first and only Christian nation in Asia.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Filipinos are also the most traveled people in
the world, with many of its people traveling overseas as migrant workers, as
crewmen in the ships, as nannies and care givers in urban centers. Go to
Europe, go to the Middle East, go to other parts of Asia and Africa and you
will find Filipinos in the factories, in construction industry, in hotel
industry. One captain of a European liner was once quoted as saying, “If all
the Filipinos in my ship refuse to work or jump ship, we cannot move.” That is
why Filipino chaplains to seafarers are needed because there so many Filipino
men in the maritime industry.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">These
Filipino diaspora have innate and imbedded Christian values. When a Filipino
nanny in Singapore or Saudi Arabia or Amsterdam hears her baby cry, (i.e., the
baby of her employer) she pacifies him with a Christian song she learns from
childhood. “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. I
once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see.” These nannies are
what I call the cryptic missionaries. They can penetrate a Muslim home, a
Buddhist temple, an atheist enclave. I have seen Filipino nannies in Hong Kong
and Singapore introducing their employers to the Anglican Church.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So we,
Filipinos in America have also the innate gift as well as nascent and insipient
ability to lead in what Presiding Bishop Michael B. Curry says as “The Jesus
Movement,” the movement for compassionate evangelism and racial reconciliation.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We should
not be content to follow but to lead. So I will call on you to move from being
followers to being leaders, from disciples to disciple-makers---and to take
risks for God.</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhacit-Uj1GpgssYx4I9fwRrF5ZoZY9S0EQUAUh8YTOtnI9OAF5upUMAA8iyNiY_5Il92phzp-rdff8cSdG8jZ0NGv1FRaD4uKGZmhRNrm3-SxAq7P9i8UxfW7W-u8xHuJcclAxW9_juIY/s1600/Filcon+priests+HTSB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhacit-Uj1GpgssYx4I9fwRrF5ZoZY9S0EQUAUh8YTOtnI9OAF5upUMAA8iyNiY_5Il92phzp-rdff8cSdG8jZ0NGv1FRaD4uKGZmhRNrm3-SxAq7P9i8UxfW7W-u8xHuJcclAxW9_juIY/s400/Filcon+priests+HTSB.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span> </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I will call
on you to take risks in the ministry. If you are a Filipino American clergy, I
challenge you to be creative and let your imaginations run wild. Do not be
content on staying by the sidelines. Get into the arena.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t stay on the river bank, jump into the
river because you know how to swim. Don’t stay on the shores, let down your
sails and ride the waves because you are a sailor and a fisher of people. Life
is an adventure----and the Christian faith is full of surprises!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you are a lay leader, I call on you to take
risks in politics. I was appalled to learn that there are many Filipinos who
have been U.S. citizens for a long time but have never voted. They have not
exercised their right of suffrage. When asked why, they said “the politicians
are all the same” and “I do not want to get involved.” Well, this coming
presidential election on November is quite different. The stakes couldn’t be
higher. The outcome of the elections may determine whether there will be a new
resurgence of racism and hostility against new immigrants or a continued march
to inclusion and multiracial unity.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The talk
about building walls, deporting 12 million undocumented immigrants and banning
Muslims is frightening not because it cannot be done without a having a constitutional
and social crises, but because it can be done and had been done in the past. Racism
is no respecter of persons. It has caused so much suffering not only on the
Native Americans, the Black Community, the Latino/Hispanic community but also
on the Asian cmmunity!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">U.S. history
is replete with racism against Asians. In 1882, after they helped build the California
mining industry and the transcontinental railroads, the Chinese Exclusion Act
was promulgated. As Ellis Island in New York City was welcoming new immigrants
from Europe, Angel Island in San Francisco became the clearing house of mass
deportation of the Chinese whom American racists demonized as “the yellow peril.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In the
1930’s while the Philippines was still a vassal of the United States, Filipinos
were sent to America for two reasons. Some were sent to American universities
to study and to return to Philippines to institute American democracy. They
were called the “fountain pen boys.” But the others were sent to farm the field
of California and to work the canneries in Alaska. They were called the
“Manongs” as most of them were Ilocano males. They were not allowed to bring
their wives or petition their girlfriends and were not allowed to marry by
virtue of the “anti-miscegenation laws.” This whole generation of Manongs lived
and died as the bachelor society.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In 1942,
following the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the onset of the Pacific War, over250,000
Japanese in the West Coast, many of them US citizens, were imprisoned in
Internment Camps, just because they looked like the enemy. Some were able to
return after the war to their homes but many of their properties destroyed,
their lives shattered and their spirits crushed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So if we do
not want a repeat of this bad US history, we Filipinos and Asians should shake
off our complacency and get ourselves wet in this equal struggle for “life,
liberty and the pursuit of happiness” which are the foundations of American society.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqenqzVKaG_u3TeKPnKD_NDpR6VXmtRgC2fPx60LqW8gkcRtz8f08WZKXMd7-YSyz3x4_T0WU3JxyNi8jwW03GxzV0C1lo3LN59brGhRWb0ys15xxxwyCuEeNReJ_SoTIZwkL8zYzYgIU/s1600/HTSB.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqenqzVKaG_u3TeKPnKD_NDpR6VXmtRgC2fPx60LqW8gkcRtz8f08WZKXMd7-YSyz3x4_T0WU3JxyNi8jwW03GxzV0C1lo3LN59brGhRWb0ys15xxxwyCuEeNReJ_SoTIZwkL8zYzYgIU/s400/HTSB.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">If you are a community leader in your own right, I would even
challenge you to run for public office. When I was a priest in San Jose,
California in the 1990’s, I served as spiritual adviser to the Filipino
American Council and get to know some leaders who made a difference in the
community. I was encouraged by their faith and concerned of their blunders,
especially when they fought among themselves. But I particularly remember seeing
the victory of the first Filipino mayor in Milpitas, Henry Manayan. Then he was
followed by another Filipino, Mayor Jose Estevez.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I had invited Mayor Manayan as guest preacher at the church
I founded, Holy Child Episcopal Church, and in one of his visits, Manayan preached:
“There are three equalizers in American society: first, hard work; second,
education; and third, politics.” So if you are a Filipino American, and if you
have the gift and skill of leadership, and if you have a “high moral compass
and empathy for people,”(as the famous South Asian American, Mr. Kassir Khan
would say), get into politics! Start by being involved in your local community
as what Mayors Manayan and Estevez had done, then affiliate yourself with a political
party that speaks of Christian values and morality and finally run and win an
election! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">CONCLUSION<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So this is the challenge I’m giving you today. And let me
sound a warning. If you have a talent and you do not use it, it will be taken
away from you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you have a calling and
you do not respond, God’s judgment will be upon you. In the Old Testament, God
said to Israel: “Of all the people in the world, you only have I known, you
only have chosen, therefore I will punish you for your disobedience.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">God’s calling is irrevocable, and to us Filipino Americans,
God’s calling for us, bearing our Christian history and upbringing, is to
become ministers of love and reconciliation. We must work for justice and
peace, we must preach of love and forgiveness and we must call people to
repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. As “beggars who found bread,” let us tell
others beggars where and how to find this Bread of life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let us therefore, rise up to the<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>challenge of the Jesus Movement!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Now, we seldom do it in the Episcopal Church, but today, I
ask you: If the Holy Spirit is convicting you to this message, if the Holy
Spirit is asking you to respond to God’s calling, I ask you to stand and I will
pray a special prayer. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(Note: Around 2/3 of
the congregation stood up and responded to the call. The Rev. Dr. Winfred
Vergara<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>prayed extemporaneously for the
Holy Spirit to guide and govern the lives and ministry of those who responded.)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01654925995456576921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6158908650179081247.post-77111394274774252122016-06-09T15:06:00.002-04:002016-06-09T15:22:25.613-04:00ST. COLUMBA, ABBOT OF IONA<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:RelyOnVML/>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">ST.
COLUMBA, ABBOT OF IONA</span></u></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">(Homily
of the Rev. Canon Dr.Winfred B. Vergaran. Episcopal Chapel of Christ the Lord,
New York City. June 9,2016)</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Today we commemorate St. Columba, the Abbot of Iona. He
was a monk, an abbot and missionary credited to have spread the gospel in Ireland
and Scotland. He founded several<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>monasteries, the most important being the abbey in Iona which became <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a dominant religious and political institution
for centuries. The patron saint of Derry, he is remembered today as one of the three
chief saints of Ireland, along with Saint Patrick and St. Brigit.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-b7qe1zllv9umHFz2MaYapkQUFN6N71YfP_4ivLTGpQUjHQcJqGc6AnV_sRm1vJDsHOlng997fx9J1pyGzdEYt44y5Jv3hipxH0CDWgZUG8wAGNNgNwbykTifEQYlxdAOBPUY8kz5QJA/s1600/SATS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-b7qe1zllv9umHFz2MaYapkQUFN6N71YfP_4ivLTGpQUjHQcJqGc6AnV_sRm1vJDsHOlng997fx9J1pyGzdEYt44y5Jv3hipxH0CDWgZUG8wAGNNgNwbykTifEQYlxdAOBPUY8kz5QJA/s320/SATS.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>St. Andrew's Theological Seminary in MetroManila where I first preached about St. Columba.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Come to think of it, “St. Columba” was the topic of my
very first homily as seminarian at St. Andrew’s Theological Seminary in the
Philippines.The reason why I can’t forget was that I was called to the Dean’s
Office right after that sermon and was not given another chance to preach in
the chapel again. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In that homily, I spoke highly of Columba </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">as
an ascetic. At that time in the early ‘70’s, there were some faculty members in
our seminary (as in the whole Philippines) who were chain-smokers and heavy drinkers and their examples were
being emulated by seminarians. <i>(Not anymore. I think SATS is now a non-smoking zone)</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So after having defined an ascetic as “a person who
dedicates his life to the pursuit of contemplative ideals and practices self-denial
or self-mortification for religious reasons,” I added in a snide remark. I
said, “St. Columba never smoked and was not fond of drinking alcohol---unlike
some of our faculty members!” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">There was a brief but deafening silence in the chapel and
the amiable Dean Charles Clark, motioned me to follow him to his office. I was
a rookie and a wet-in-the-ears preacher and learned a lesson or two on how not
to offend your hearers…and not to pontificate on your professors---if you wish
to receive a “faculty award,” which of course I did not get. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But on the other hand, I might have saved some from lung
cancer and liver disease, if they followed my advice. But that’s another
matter…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Columbarium</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Another reason I can’t forget Columba is because of “columbarium,”</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> a
structure of vaults lined with recesses for cinerary urns holding the cremains
of the dead.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Columbaria had been a fixture in many cemeteries and now also in
many churches since cremation has become a popular alternative to burial. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Columba which is the Latin (as well as Irish) word for
“dove” and columbarium is derived from “dovecote,” a compartmentalized housing
for doves and pigeons. Columba’s original name was Crimthan, meaning “Fox” and
for some reason, change into “Dove.” </span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJAvLTNFNM2HYkw5x9_PX8pIzhCGEXTfxTXHYs0-bL7TVwVB8xQpEN-1UF4bT5A9gCngXMVxQNuUFI3nr-Gez_ayAmXIc6BqBy0_HoKmJekLmNhv2Xvb2UTe1ucJO1O-WhlSg0BqX-e8g/s1600/COLUMBA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJAvLTNFNM2HYkw5x9_PX8pIzhCGEXTfxTXHYs0-bL7TVwVB8xQpEN-1UF4bT5A9gCngXMVxQNuUFI3nr-Gez_ayAmXIc6BqBy0_HoKmJekLmNhv2Xvb2UTe1ucJO1O-WhlSg0BqX-e8g/s1600/COLUMBA.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>ST. COLUMBA, ABBOT ("FATHER") OF IONA</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> The name "Dove" speaks not only of
his disciplined, abstemious and ascetic character but also of his life, a
sinner saved by God’s grace and thereafter, a life lived in the power of the
Holy Spirit---a far-cry from the meaning of "Fox." </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Born and raised in
Ireland, Columba was a striking figure of great stature and powerful build,
with a loud but melodious voice which could be heard from one hilltop to
another. He used that gift to enhance his evangelistic and missionary skills which
covered the multitude of his sins.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Tradition says that sometime around 560, Columba
became involved in a quarrel with <span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finnian_of_Moville" title="Finnian of Moville"><span style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">Saint Finnian</span></a> of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Movilla_Abbey" title="Movilla Abbey"><span style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">Movilla Abbey</span></a> over a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psalter" title="Psalter"><span style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">psalter</span></a>. Interesting how ancient saints quarrel over a psalm
as modern saints quarrel over a laptop. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Saint Finnian disputed
his right to keep the copy that eventually led to the pitched in battle, during
which many men belonging to each of their clans were killed. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The second grievance
that led him to incite the clan Neill to rise and engage in battle against King
Diarmait at Cooldrevny in 561 was the king's violation of the right of
sanctuary. Prince Curnan of Connaught, who happened to be Columba’s kinsman, had
fatally injured a rival in a hurling match and had taken refuge with Columba,
was dragged from his protector's arms and slain by Diarmaid's men, in defiance
of the rights of sanctuary. Another battle ensued and again many men died. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synod" title="Synod"><span style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">synod</span></a> of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clerics" title="Clerics"><span style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">clerics</span></a> and scholars threatened to <u><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Excommunication" title="Excommunication"><span style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">excommunicate</span></a> </u>Columba for these deaths, but St. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brendan_of_Birr" title="Brendan of Birr"><span style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">Brendan of Birr</span></a></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">
spoke on his behalf, pleading that he be exiled instead. Columba was
bothered but on advice from an aged hermit, Molaise, he pledged to expiate his
offences by going into exile voluntarily and win for Christ as many souls equal or more in
number as those that had perished in the battles he was involved in. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">He left Ireland and </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">traveled to <span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotland" title="Scotland"><span style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">Scotland</span></a> </span>with twelve companions in a wicker <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Currach" title="Currach"><span style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">currach</span></a></span></i> (Irish boat) covered with leather. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">According to
legend he first landed on the <u><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mull_of_Kintyre" title="Mull of Kintyre"><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">Kintyre</span></a> </span></u>Peninsula
but he could still see Ireland (just as Sarah Palin could see Russia from
Alaska, just joking) so he moved north to the west coast, where the island was
given to him as his headquarters. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">It was in Iona that his abbey was
established to become the “mission center” where monks and missionaries would
be trained, empowered and sent all over Scotland and Ireland.</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC4to4r7MMZbY7gmkKKd7CmrTfpBROnqljlM0cJpt0NJuMIC83xxxWI1Gpg4GvUnK7k7jw3zO9yoa-Fy3Nvsb0lFF9UaVjZicvNOIIBP9sJrmSncSJsTM1TVsdYMEwXmK9O71w_-Q_Suo/s1600/aBBEY+OF+iONA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC4to4r7MMZbY7gmkKKd7CmrTfpBROnqljlM0cJpt0NJuMIC83xxxWI1Gpg4GvUnK7k7jw3zO9yoa-Fy3Nvsb0lFF9UaVjZicvNOIIBP9sJrmSncSJsTM1TVsdYMEwXmK9O71w_-Q_Suo/s1600/aBBEY+OF+iONA.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ABBEY OF IONA</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Aside from the missionary and literacy services his abbey
provided, his reputation as a “holy man” led to his role as a diplomat among
the tribes. There are many stories of miracles which he performed during his
work among the Scots and the Picts, the most famous (and outrageous) was his supposed to be victorious
encounter with an unidentified animal that some equated with the “Lock Ness
Monster!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Aside from his physical prowess, Columba was a renowned <span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_of_letters" title="Man of letters"><span style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">man of letters</span></a>, </span>having written several <span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hymns" title="Hymns"><span style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">hymns</span></a></span>
and having <span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calligraphy" title="Calligraphy"><span style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">transcribed</span></a></span> 300 books.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Columba died in Iona and was buried in 597 by his <span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monk" title="Monk"><span style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">monks</span></a></span>
in the <span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abbey" title="Abbey"><span style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">abbey</span></a></span>
he founded. In 794 the Vikings descended on Iona. Columba's relics were finally
removed in 849 and divided between Scotland and Ireland. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Today St. Columba is venerated all over Christendom particularly
in Ireland, Scotland and Canada which until 2011 has the largest ethnic group
coming from Scottish ancestry. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The name “St. Columba” became attached to many
Roman Catholic, Anglican, Episcopal, Presbyterian and even Orthodox churches
worldwide. Not a bad legacy from the man whose name transformed from a “fox” to
a “dove.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Amen.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01654925995456576921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6158908650179081247.post-68645577640541098342016-06-07T22:12:00.001-04:002016-06-08T09:24:56.025-04:00THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN BRAZIL: PIONEER AND PIONEERING IN MISSION<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;">
<b><u><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN BRAZIL: PIONEER
AND PIONEERING IN MISSION</span></u></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> (Homily
of The Rev. Canon Dr.Winfred B. Vergara at the Chapel of Christ the Lord, 815
Second Avenue, New York City, June 7,2016)</span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Today, we celebrate and
honor the pioneers of the Episcopal Anglican Church of Brazil. It was on June
1890 when two Episcopal missionaries from Virginia: Lucien Lee Kinsolving and
James Watson Morris) came to Brazil. They were followed by three more: William
Cabell Brown, John Gaw Meem and Mary Packard. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">These five Americans
partnered with six Brazilians: </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Vicente Brande, Américo Vespúcio Cabral, Antônio Machado
Fraga, Bonaventura de Souza Oliveira, Júlio de Almeida Coelho, and Carl Henry
Clement Sergel. Together, they founded, </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">organized and established <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Igreja Episcopal Anglicana du Brazil (IEAB).</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">The partnership in mission bore fruit. In
1899, Kinsolving became its first bishop, and in 1907, the Igreja was declared
a missionary district of The Episcopal Church and 58 years later, in 1965, it
became an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">What lessons can we learn from the missionary
enterprise of the Episcopal Anglican Church in Brazil?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">A few years ago, I had the privilege of
meeting Primate Bishop The Most Rev. Francisco de Assis Da Silva in the
Episcopal Church Center in New York City. He had just come down from a meeting
with then Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori and my colleague, Canon
Peter Ng, introduced him to me. We had a wonderful conversation. Among other
things, he mentioned he had a couple of priests who have the same surnames as
mine, “Vergara.”</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3a5nP1-O0Ps3twOSQ_5dYeXcZ9t0k0fgKOiVB1MFIn-sef6AlLcAYYDtGiTfunPIpdlYvZIaCzaONP6AlNnVqVmPJHTZZeCNK1ktZRpgoHbzrbLEpGq2ct9wT6tW38r-iEa92kcCspgs/s1600/Silva+Ng+Vergara.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3a5nP1-O0Ps3twOSQ_5dYeXcZ9t0k0fgKOiVB1MFIn-sef6AlLcAYYDtGiTfunPIpdlYvZIaCzaONP6AlNnVqVmPJHTZZeCNK1ktZRpgoHbzrbLEpGq2ct9wT6tW38r-iEa92kcCspgs/s400/Silva+Ng+Vergara.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">Bishop Francisco is a dynamic leader, an
energetic evangelist and a great conversationalist. In just 15 minutes or so, I
learned much about Brazil and the Episcopal Church there. I learned three
things that are distinctive of the Church in Brazil:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: normal; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">Commitment to partnership between missionaries and
indigenous people</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">Right from the start, the five
missionaries from Virginia Theological Seminary engaged in partnership in
mission with the six local Brazilians to organize the church. They were
advanced in years with regards to missionary thinking that we don’t bring
Christ to the local context for Christ is already there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our task as missionaries is to affirm and
discover Christ from the context in which we find ourselves. Japanese
theologian Kosuke Koyama wrote that “Cultures are whatever is good, whatever is
lovely, whatever is worthy of praise… and cultures are fingers of God pointing
to Christ.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">Portuguese and Spanish missionaries brought
“the cross and the sword” as Christianization and colonization came hand in hand.
Other European missionaries brought “both guns and ointment” as ambiguous
characters of Western civilization. Missionaries preached Christ garbed in Western
culture with very little regard to the cultural dignity of indigenous people of
their mission fields. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">The Episcopal missionaries distinguished
themselves from their English Anglican counterparts in that at the early stage
they coalesced with local leaders and celebrated worship services in the lingua
franca of the Brazilians post colonialization, Portuguese.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: normal; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">Commitment to the Social Gospel</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Evangelism and
Social Action are the two wings of the Christian enterprise. Christians,
following the Great Commission of Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:19) and Jesus
mission statement (Luke 4:18) are to save the lost and defend the oppressed.
They are to preach the gospel to the poor and to proclaim the acceptance time
of God. Often, this dichotomizes churches into evangelical and social gospel
adherents.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Brazil is the
fifth largest country in the world, with over 200 million members. It is a
member of the “BRIC nations” (Brazil, Russia, India and China) whose economies
are advancing rapidly. Despite its economic advances, however, the chasm
between the rich and poor widens.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Due to the
predominance of the “liberal” theologians in the Episcopal Church of Brazil, a
preferential option to the plight of the poor and marginalized found resonance
among Brazilian Episcopalians. IEAB rejected religious “fanaticism” and
advocated that the church should be “an instrument of social change, seeking to
engage congregations and communities in debates still considered taboo in
Brazilian society,” such as those involving land concentration, domestic
violence, sexism, racism, homophobia and xenophobia. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: normal; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: -.25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Commitment to
Inclusion</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Episcopal
Church in Brazil is ahead of its time with regards to the theology of
inclusion. It welcomes and embraces people from historically marginalized
groups such as LGBT, women, indigenous people and the landless. Enshrined in
their canons is a statement "As Christians, we bear the promise of the
Holy Spirit, which leads us to the Word made flesh, who welcomes the oppressed,
the neglected, the misunderstood and the marginalized".</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">IEAB ordains
women and LGBT. It is vocal </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Income_inequality_in_Brazil" title="Income inequality in Brazil"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; text-decoration: none;">social
inequality</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">, </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_reform" title="Land reform"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; text-decoration: none;">land concentration</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">, </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domestic_violence_in_Brazil" title="Domestic violence in Brazil"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; text-decoration: none;">domestic
violence</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">, </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racism_in_Brazil" title="Racism in Brazil"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; text-decoration: none;">racism</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">, </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_rights_in_Brazil#Anti-LGBT_violence" title="LGBT rights in Brazil"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; text-decoration: none;">homophobia</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> and </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xenophobia" title="Xenophobia"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; text-decoration: none;">xenophobia</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">. Its stance as an </span><u><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inclusive_Church" title="Inclusive Church"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Inclusive Church</span></a></u><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> has caused schisms and conflicts with conservative
segments of the church and society, a price they have to pray for committed
discipleship. Separated Roman Catholics and marginalized Evangelicals and those
belonging LGBT community however, have found acceptance in the IEAB.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">So back to
Bishop Francisco da Silva: He came to us in New York, with an invitation to a
celebration of mission in Brazil. In 2015, that celebration was held in Porto
Alegre, the birthplace of IEAB. It was not one, not two, but three
celebrations: their125<sup>th</sup> Founding Anniversary; their 50<sup>th</sup>
Year of Autonomy; and their 30<sup>th</sup> Year Women’s Ordination. What began as a
mission station of the U.S based Episcopal Church has expanded into a great Province in the worldwide Anglican Communion and continues to reverberate in missionary fervor even into the remote
corners of the Amazons and to every nook and corner of what is now the largest
country in South America, BRAZIL!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">May God
continue to guide and provide for the life and mission of Igreja Episcopal
Anglicana du Brazil. Amen.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(Note: The Chapel of
Christ the Lord is located at the ground floor of the Episcopal Church Center,
815 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10017. Morning Prayer is at 8:45 AM and
Eucharist at 12:10 P.M. and it is open to the public.)</i></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01654925995456576921noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6158908650179081247.post-82985599345630958202016-06-05T19:21:00.000-04:002016-06-05T19:21:01.425-04:00REVIVE US, O LORD: Revival, Evangelism, Discipleship<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">REVIVE US, O LORD:
Revival, Evangelism, Discipleship</span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">(The Rev. Canon Dr. Winfred B.
Vergara. Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, 130 Jerusalem Ave. Hicksville, NY.
6/5/2016. This is the Rev. Vergara’s first sermon as part-time Revivalist/Priest-in-Charge
of Holy Trinity Hicksville) </span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDuj-WahaBJ9eSdEWZMW-VeYx5TQISIsDxpHiRjFFTfdz9q3-w5PSRGrF3r1NXWK7EuQWPR8_iRPNBwVumU57If3N8ogZJJMKgorwVWw2DEm22f9Z6JzLEAkHBhoochuxrsjJESjsp6i0/s1600/13254358_10154234635748827_6375064592878484163_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDuj-WahaBJ9eSdEWZMW-VeYx5TQISIsDxpHiRjFFTfdz9q3-w5PSRGrF3r1NXWK7EuQWPR8_iRPNBwVumU57If3N8ogZJJMKgorwVWw2DEm22f9Z6JzLEAkHBhoochuxrsjJESjsp6i0/s320/13254358_10154234635748827_6375064592878484163_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></b><div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Today, I call for the revival of this
Church.</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> I have
studied the history of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, Hicksville, New York.
Just like many other typical churches, it has experienced its golden years. It
has experienced ups and downs. And like so many other declining churches of our
time, it is now in need of a new revival. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Revival begins with prayer.</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> So I would like to introduce to you
a prayer with some action; a prayer I composed and called “The Christian Tai
Chi.” I invite you to join and follow what I do and say:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I am a child of God; I stand on His
holy word. I breathe the Holy Spirit. I can do all things through Christ who
strengthens me. I push out negative thoughts; I take in positive thoughts. I
push out sickness; I take in good health. I push out poverty; I take in
prosperity. I push out hate; I take in love. I push out despair; I take in
hope. I push out sadness; I take in joy. And now, I will share the Good News to
my family, to my friends, to my neighbors, here and all over the world. In
Jesus’ Name. Amen</span></i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">That is right. Revival begins with
making the right choice.</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> As people of the resurrection, we choose positive instead of negative, good
instead of evil, light instead darkness, life instead of death. As people of the
resurrection, we can even turn a negative into a positive.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The other day,
Muhammad Ali died at age 74. I was a seminarian in 1975 when Ali defeated Joe
Frazer in the Thrilla in Manila, to become the undisputed Heavyweight Boxing
Champion of the world, for the third time. I remember the whole Philippines and
the world stopped and stared at the television to see this guy who “floats like
a butterfly and stings like a bee.” What made Ali so popular was that he
combined boxing with poetry and comedy. Everybody loved Ali not only because he
could box but also because he could dance and could speak in rhymes and reasons
all at the same time. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">At his death,
we learned more about his life. His rise from a humble beginning as Cassius
Clay to become one of the most admired Mohammad Ali began when, as a child, his
bicycle was stolen. He vowed to box the person who stole it but someone said to
him, you must first learn how to box. So at age 12, he began his boxing career
that eventually catapulted him to become the greatest athlete of all time. He
also became an icon of inspiration for those who love freedom, respect for
dignity, struggle against racism and bigotry and the courage to fight for what
you believe.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Some years
ago, I was in Hong Kong and Macau for my Sabbatical. One of the things I did
was to help bless the world famous “Lord Stow Egg Tart.” Everyday in Macau,
thousands of egg tarts with darkened top, are packaged and sent to various
parts of the world for export. I had quite a good taste of that delicious egg tart
of Macau.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
discovery of “Lord Stow Egg Tart” was accidental, or shall we say providential.
Mr. Andrew Stow who was an Anglican and his wife, Eileen, a Chinese were
cooking the tart and they forgot to remove it from the oven so it was burnt.
Instead of throwing them away, they ate some and they tasted so good. From then
on, the egg tart with the burnt top, became the icon of the best egg tart in
the world.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The life of
Mohammad Ali and the story of Lord Stow Egg Tart are just a couple of examples
of how we can turn negative into positive.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Scriptures</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> In the Bible readings for today,
there are two examples of revival and reawakening. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In the Old
Testament, the prophet Elijah, with God’s help, turned the widow’s sorrow into
joy when he raised her dead child to life. In the New Testament, Jesus turned a
funeral into a celebration when he raised the dead man to life.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Because of
the miracle, the widow came to believe that Elijah was a true prophet of God.
Because of the miracle, the whole funeral party believed in God and the news of
this miracle spread throughout Judea and the surrounding country. The miracle
of turning negative into positive, of turning darkness into light, of turning
death into life is an amazing work of God and breaks open the heart of the
people to God. (1 Kings 17:17-24; Luke 7:11-17)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I’ll tell you something:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">There was a time that I thought I can also raise the dead. It
happened in one of the churches I preached and I was reading the gospel about
the raising of Lazarus from the dead. In order to make my point clear, I read the
verse where Jesus called Lazarus from the tomb , “Lazarus, come out!” I spoke
loudly at the microphone, which incidentally, was wired all over the building
and I shouted, ”Lazarus, come out!” From the basement of the Church, there was
a louder shout, “I’m coming out!” It was the janitor of the church and his name
is Lazarus!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So as your
new priest-in-charge, what is your expectation of me?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I asked that question to the vestry, and
Sandy our Sr. Warden, replied “a miracle.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I read a
book on parish revitalization and one comment says, “Parish </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Revitalization is one of the most difficult endeavors a
priest can undertake. In fact the most common prescription is to simply close
down and start a new one. It is easier to have a new baby than to raise the
dead!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Another comment says, “Revitalization
is a full-time job and it takes between 4-7 years and the longer the decline,
the longer the time for revitalization.” I am a part-time priest and my
contract is only for three years. How can I make it to revitalize Holy Trinity
which has been in decline for over ten years? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Obviously, I
can’t make a miracle; I can’t raise the dead; I can’t make this Church alive
again. But I know God can! Amen! All things are possible with God. Without God,
there is nothing we can do; but with God, greater things we can do.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So I prayed
for a vision and God showed me the color RED. Firstly, Red is the color of
love. The poet Robert Burns wrote, “My love is like a red, red rose that newly
sprung in June.” Love will help revitalize this Church. Jesus says, “they will
know we are Christians by your love.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Red is the
color of blood, the blood of Jesus which washes away our sins and
unrighteousness. The blood of Jesus protects us, so that the angel of death,
will pass over our doors and life, instead of death shall come in. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Red is the
color of Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit, like flames of fire resting
upon the apostles and empowering them for ministry. Prior to the Holy Spirit,
Peter preached 3,000 sermons but converted only one, himself. But when the Holy
Spirit came, Peter preached one sermon and he converted over 3,000 people.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Such is the
power of RED. For the next three years, as your priest, pastor and teacher, I
will help you know about the power of the color Red: love, blood and Pentecost.
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But red is
not just a color. RED is the acronym for three priorities that we shall address
ourselves. RED means “Revival, Evangelism and Discipleship.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">For the next
three years, we shall address ourselves towards Revival: reviving our faith in
God who makes all things possible. Let us renew our love and commitment to
Jesus Christ.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">For the next
years, we shall address ourselves to Evangelism. As a local part of the new
Jesus Movement which our new Presiding Bishop, The Most Rev. Michael Curry
inaugurated, let us be evangelists, calling people to repentance and faith in
Jesus Christ.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">For the next
three years, we shall address ourselves into “making disciples of all nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching
them to obey everything God commanded” (Matthew 28:19).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My friends,
we owe it to the memory of our predecessors, particularly the Rev. Canon
Dominic Cianella and Mother Joan Grimm Frazer, who passed away recently, that
we make the church alive, that we keep the legacy of those before us alive and
active in the world.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My friends
at Holy Trinity Hicksville, these are exciting times. Let us move forward; let
us move forward in seeing RED; in achieving RED; that God will enable, equip
and empower us in reviving this parish; in evangelizing the Hicksville community;
and in making disciples among all nations.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Alleluia! Thine the glory. Alleluia
Amen. Alleuia, thine the glory. Revive us again. Yes, Lord, revive us again. Amen.</span></i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01654925995456576921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6158908650179081247.post-6163736195438408182016-05-21T12:58:00.003-04:002016-06-19T10:51:51.893-04:00VISION ANDREWS-"Asiamerica Network of Disciples Revivalists Evangelists Witnessess & Saints."<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:RelyOnVML/>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">VISION
“ANDREWS”: FIRST DRAFT</span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">(The
Rev. Canon Dr. Winfred B. Vergara, Missioner for Asiamerica Ministries, The
Episcopal Church, 815 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10017. Presented at the Bay
Area Clergy and Lay Leaders gathered at Holy Child & St. Martin’s Episcopal
Church, Daly City, California last May 18, 2016)</span></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4zIhigCdiHweXOjX3Q0bnKxybmcC9eSzbkbk_st-vU1hYF3NRnZN9jqm9c0YwRye_Fh_SaUCEDMgVDkVLjPxqyvTQQ3GYFRFPk5AEh2x_mt_OVOyDrXpM3Vct5GUbAfEUpAlSx7bpCu0/s1600/BAY+AREA+20160518_151940_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4zIhigCdiHweXOjX3Q0bnKxybmcC9eSzbkbk_st-vU1hYF3NRnZN9jqm9c0YwRye_Fh_SaUCEDMgVDkVLjPxqyvTQQ3GYFRFPk5AEh2x_mt_OVOyDrXpM3Vct5GUbAfEUpAlSx7bpCu0/s320/BAY+AREA+20160518_151940_resized.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I envision “ANDREWS”
to be a mentoring/coaching program for clergy and lay leaders of Asiamerican and Pacific
Islanders in The Episcopal Church. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Churches in concordat with TEC such as Iglesia Filipina
Independiente, Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Church of South India,
Church of North India and Mar Thoma Church may also join ANDREWS but priority
in scholarship support will given to TEC. ANDREWS will also be open to the newly-formed Anglican CanAsian Ministries (ACAM).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The vision is to train the Baby Boomer Generation (born
between 1946-1964), the Generation X (born from 1965-1979) and the Millenials (born between 1980-2000) in a
relationship of mentors and mentees (discipler and disciple).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Although it is
expected that the mentors may have more knowledge and experience, it is also a
process of give and take, as the mentees may have ideas that will enrich an
intergenerational relationship.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As a rule, it is good to pair the intergenerational partnership
within their racial-ethnic category but exception will be based on availability
of mentors and when the context of ministry is multiracial, multiethnic and
multicultural.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The strategic purpose of ANDREWS is to recruit, train
and develop a cadre of outstanding leaders that shall help renew the church, evangelize the nations (panta ta ethne) and
transform the world. In the Episcopal Church today, there are many declining
parishes and missions and many congregations are stuck in stagnation.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">The visible goal within three years is to have seventy
(70) well-trained mentors, leaders who are equipped to revitalize declining churches, strengthen
and grow existing churches and plant new churches or create new ministries.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In the Old Testament, Moses developed seventy(70)
leaders who assisted him in the exodus. In the New Testament, Jesus called the
70 disciples to go two by two as an advance party to where he was going. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The funding of ANDREWS will be a triad partnership of
(1) the Asiamerica Ministries Office of the Domestic & Foreign Missionary
Society, (2) the Mission Enterprise Zone of DFMS and (3) the Diocese/Parish
where the ANDREW mentoring program operates.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">ANDREWS will provide three areas of development: (1)
Training seminars and conferences, (2) Coaching techniques and (3) Resources in
books and digital technology. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Provision for these developmental training will be in
the form of scholarships and access to free or affordable resources. For
example, if ANDREWS participants travel to Israel and participate in the course
“Palestine of Jesus” at St. George College in Jerusalem, scholarships will be
provided for travel and/or tuition. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Production of contextual training programs and
publication of resources in local levels will be encouraged.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Missioner for Asiamerica Ministries (of DFMS) will
provide the vision, direction and decision-making with the assistance of the
Episcopal Asiamerica Ministry Council Executive Committee. The EAMC Execom is
the Subcommittee on Scholarships. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8zcW7ueMllDszKYfE7EkdAFioVdsKPhn8zGh8qzfGTrfwCYtzWQjthHDtmGAaqcsd1tD8juarGukKklLtDQGKcc0HPXc8Pf5hEDw5VwhsKejBWZkpO0sUgie_-qmicpDtafIlaH-hyk8/s1600/ANDREWS+BAY+AREA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8zcW7ueMllDszKYfE7EkdAFioVdsKPhn8zGh8qzfGTrfwCYtzWQjthHDtmGAaqcsd1tD8juarGukKklLtDQGKcc0HPXc8Pf5hEDw5VwhsKejBWZkpO0sUgie_-qmicpDtafIlaH-hyk8/s320/ANDREWS+BAY+AREA.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What is the meaning of ANDREWS? The following terms describe
the scope of the vision:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">A.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">ASIAMERICA<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Participation in ANDREWS will be coming from the
following EAM Ethnic Convocations: Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Filipino, South
Asian and Southeast Asian and Pacific Islanders. If the initial goal is to
train seventy (70) leaders, it would mean we will be recruiting at least ten
leaders (mentors) from each ethnic convocation.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What will be the criteria of recruitment? I need your
input on this matter. It is my hope that the EAM Ethnic Convocations will
assist in identifying, discerning and recommending at least ten exemplary
leaders from each of their constituency. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">B.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">NETWORK:</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What is a network? Episcopal Bishop Steven Charleston gave me an
idea of what a network is when he discussed Facebook and Social Networking. He
wrote, “One of the realities of post-modern media is that it is like playing a
connect-the-dots game. If one person sends something to another person, and
that person sends it on to two more people, and those two send it to four more,
then exponentially, organically, a network begins to form.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">While it is true that our initial goal is to create 70
mentors in three years, the network of their influence will spread
exponentially. If the 70 are able to disciple at least 70 others, that 70
others will also disciple 70 others and in time, we multiply the mentors
exponentially.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">C.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">DISCIPLES</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Mentorship is the contemporary term for discipleship and
mentor is the disciple-maker. Some words such as “coach,” and “role model” are
also appropriate but “mentor” has a definite ring that goes beyond coaching and
role-playing. Perhaps it is closer “big brother/big sister.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">One of the interfaith mentoring program is called <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Panim El Panim”(</i>Hebrew for “Face to
Face”). One of the PEP testimonies read something like this:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Frank
was born in Ghana. A very gifted child, he was given full scholarship to attend
a good school but his father, an abusive alcoholic prevented him. So he ran
away at age 15 and worked in a merchant ship and landed in New Jersey where he
finished high school and worked as a welder for 10 years and as taxicab driver
for 15 years. During this time he got married but his marriage failed and he
lost his way and struggled with depression. At Panim El Panim, he was given a mentor
who has a heart deep and big enough to listen to Frank and to finally led him
to renewal. He just graduated Nursing. At graduation, with his arm around his
mentor’s shoulder, Frank said ‘All my life I had been seeking my father’s
approval…now I found my father.’ He plans to return to Ghana and serve as nurse
there.”</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></i><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Disciple-making changes character and transforms lives as Jesus has
done with his disciples.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">REVIVALISTS</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">New York Times recently published that dozens of Roman
Catholic Churches in the New York archdiocese were recently closed due to
shortage of clergy, declining membership and church giving. The Episcopal
Church is no exception. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The dioceses in New York, Long Island and other dioceses
have been struggling with how to deal with membership and income decline. Some
dioceses respond to the decline by closing churches, merging parishes and
promoting bi-vocational clergy who work part-time in church and part-time in
secular jobs.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This situation in our churches calls for clergy who have
the gift and skill of a church revivalist or parish revitalizer. Three years
ago, I served very part-time, as a weekend Priest-in-Charge of St. James
Episcopal Church in Elmhurst, Queens experiencing a steep decline. When I
started on April 2013, the Sunday attendance was 25 and deficit was $93,000;
when I ended my term last Easter 2016, the attendance was 150and surplus was
$31,000. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">How did I do it or how did it happen? I certainly have a gift of
leading a church to revival and so with some of you. We need to impart that
gift and skill to mentor clergy who have the passion to revive declining
parishes.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">One of the things that we, Episcopalians need to learn more
is the power of the Holy Spirit to revive churches. Christianity Today reported
that for every Anglican Church in London that closes, three Pentecostal
churches rise up. What can we learn from our Pentecostal brothers and sisters
with regards to the revival fire? How can we allow the Holy Spirit not only to
reside but also to preside in our congregations? The task of spiritual revival
and parish revitalization is urgent now more than ever.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">EVANGELISTS</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">When we were students at St. Andrew’s Theological
Seminary in Manila, we were called “Andresitos and Andresitas” or “little
Andrews.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In Greek St. Andrew was the “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">protokletos,”</i> the first apostle to be called by Jesus. He led his
own brother, Simon Peter with the words that he learned from Jesus Himself
“Come and see.” "Come and see Jesus" would mark the ANDREWS mentoring program.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">It is very
heartwarming that the rallying vision of our Presiding Bishop, The Most Rev.
Michael Curry is the “Jesus Movement” whom he defined as “evangelism and racial
reconciliation.” In his recent speech in Puerto Rico, Bishop Curry said that
“the Jesus Movement is a movement of people who are so wrapped up with Jesus
that their lives start looking like his.”</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">St. Paul as
a mentor reminded his mentee Timothy, “Preach the word; be prepared in season
and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and
careful instruction…Do the work of an evangelist” (2 Timothy 4). Evangelism is
a priority.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">ANDREWS style of evangelism will be marked by humility. Sri Lankan evangelist, D. T. Niles said, "Evangelism is a beggar telling another beggar where to find bread." It is an evangelism of attraction not confrontation. Mahatma Gandhi once said something like this, "If your rose garden is so attractive, people will climb the fence or cross the lawn to smell and appreciate it."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">WITNESSES</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Jesus said
to the apostles before he ascended to heaven: “And you shall receive power when
the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you will be my witnesses from Jerusalem
to Judea to Samaria and to the ends of the earth”(Acts 1:8). </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The Holy Spirit
descended upon them on the Day of Pentecost and they become witnesses for
Christ in the life they lead and in the relationships they create.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Our
organization Episcopal Asiamerica Ministry is a witness to the reconciling work of God. It is an umbrella of convocation of congregations: Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Filipino, Southeast Asia and South Asia---and Pacific Islanders. Historically in Asia, we were embroiled in wars and conflicts but in EAM we became brothers and sisters. Because we are able to be in harmony in our diversity, we are able to transcend this harmonious relationships in the greater multiracial and multicultural church and society.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">The AMEMS
(Asiamerica Mission to End Modern Slavery) is a ministry of witness to the victims
of human trafficking. We need entrepreneurial skills and creativity in
promoting the ministry of witness to the poor, the oppressed and the
marginalized in our society.</span><br />
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">SAINTS</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The loose
definition of saints is being “set apart” and all Christians are in a sense set
apart for God. 1Peter 2:9 says “But you are a chosen people, a holy nation, a
people belonging to God. That you may declare the praises of Him who called you
out of darkness into His marvelous light.”</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">John
Wesley, the Anglican priest once told his fellow clergy, “You have nothing to
do but to save souls. Therefore spend and be spent on it. It is not so much to
do this and to do that or to become a members of society but to save as many as
you can and to bring them up to the holiness, without which they cannot see the
Lord.” The Holiness Movement paved the way for the formation of the United
Methodist Church.</span><br />
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">CONCLUSION</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">So the name
of our mentoring program is ANDREWS---Asiamerica Network of Disciples
Revivalists Evangelists Witnesses and Saints. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "tahoma" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">May God bless this vision to the
praise and glory of His Son, in the power of the Holy Spirit and in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01654925995456576921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6158908650179081247.post-83619646588630814792016-05-09T16:59:00.001-04:002016-05-09T19:33:00.615-04:00CAN GOD BE A MOTHER?<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:RelyOnVML/>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">CAN GOD BE A MOTHER?</span></u></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">(Sermon by The Rev.
Canon Dr. Winfred Vergara at Grace Episcopal Church, Massapequa, New York on
Mothers’ Sunday, 5/8/2016)</span></b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7rDsXEDbtTxtrv6z4d3ocEpFUtZLtu0dY5wxxghYy6OI9O5PmxuFxSc5jgmrxdAsDCtkNYqgyOb3T40z62ShNXyWS8GXxpen6OmKGLid1MbrsSMxsHt3M-gfy2Tt66Tl9AIL9dl48bQ4/s1600/Fred+at+Grace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7rDsXEDbtTxtrv6z4d3ocEpFUtZLtu0dY5wxxghYy6OI9O5PmxuFxSc5jgmrxdAsDCtkNYqgyOb3T40z62ShNXyWS8GXxpen6OmKGLid1MbrsSMxsHt3M-gfy2Tt66Tl9AIL9dl48bQ4/s320/Fred+at+Grace.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:RelyOnVML/>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Since this
is my first time speak here, I would like to teach you an Affirmation Prayer
which I named The Episcopal Tai Chi:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">TAI CHI:</span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: accent1;"> </span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I am a child of God; I
stand on His holy word. I breathe the Holy Spirit. I can do all things through
Christ who strengthens me. I push out negative thoughts; I take in positive
thoughts. I push out sickness; I take in good health. I push out poverty; I
take in prosperity. I push out hatred; I take in love. I push out despair; I
take in hope. I push out sadness; I take in joy. And now, I will share the Good
News to my family, to my friends, to my neighbors, here and all over the world.
In Jesus’ Name. Amen</span></i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #4f81bd; mso-themecolor: accent1;"></span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">This week, I
received an email from a famous Department Store and it reads: “Dear Winfred,
congratulations for being an excellent mother. Now click here for your reward.”
When I clicked I was given options for several ladies cosmetic products. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">I bet they
emailed it to millions of their customers indiscriminately and maybe they
thought Winfred is a female name, but it kept me thinking: “Is motherhood a
gender identity or a character identity?” If so, what makes for an “excellent
mother?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I shared
this news to Facebook and there were many who got interested with the issue. One
friend said that she had a bad experience of her earthly father so that
affected her imaging of God as Father.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So she suggested that that since it is Mothers’ Sunday, that I preach on
God as Mother. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiupBJhde5kaKHln_xerxycupVmOdIokePIjrefKfjOo9zzzWoLRy_CqpXHWnZQiPDV2LSlZ60F345ZTC7FL17g-hjAzeuAUDZmC42PTZK2fYgI7OhxgmCU7TzvzVcPQvkPajpIIJzeTaE/s1600/mothers+day+2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiupBJhde5kaKHln_xerxycupVmOdIokePIjrefKfjOo9zzzWoLRy_CqpXHWnZQiPDV2LSlZ60F345ZTC7FL17g-hjAzeuAUDZmC42PTZK2fYgI7OhxgmCU7TzvzVcPQvkPajpIIJzeTaE/s320/mothers+day+2016.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I am not
here to define God’s identity but let me cite at least three characters of God
as closer to my characterization of a mother: </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">[ </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">God Cares like a Mother cares</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">I think the
first character that I associate with mother is the quality of care. I do not
mean that fathers don’t care. I simply mean that mother’s caring is often
called TLC – tender loving care. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">When I was a child, I remember my father as a
strict disciplinarian, always reminding me of the rules. And whenever we,
children, break the rules he set, he did not hesitate to use the rod. I guess
he believed in the saying, “spare the rod and spoil the child.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I appreciated being taught the laws but I
seldom cherish the punishment, so where do I go for comfort? My mother! She
would often enfold me in her arms and hide me under the shadow of her wings.</span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In the
Bible, the prophet Isaiah spoke of God’s motherly care when God said, “Can a
woman forget her nursing child and have no compassion on the child of her
womb? Even these may forget, but I will not forget you”( Isaiah
49:15) and again in Isaiah 66:13, God assured God’s people, “As a mother
comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over
Jerusalem."</span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">When I was a
child, one of the songs I learned sound like this, “I once had a dear old
mother, who loves me tenderly for when I was a baby she took good care of me.”
Someone said, “A caring mother is sweeter than homemade bread.” The caring mother
is like a magnet that attracts even erring children to return home. So when God
beckons His people to return, God acts as a mother. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">The prophets often warned the nations saying,
“When the Lord speaks concerning a nation that He will destroy it because of its sins, but when that nation repent of their evil, God will forgive and
bring blessings again.” Destruction and punishment seem to be God’s male image,
the image of fatherly discipline. But after warning of destruction, the prophets would suddenly shift to the
Mother image and cry ”Turn, turn, turn to the Lord; turn to him now with all of
your heart. Turn now with weeping, fasting and mourning, then will His spirit
move over your land. Then will his spirit move over your land.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Turn to God
with weeping and mourning. I could not turn to my father weeping…he would belt
me up for he did not want me to cry. But I would run toward Mother with weeping
and she will dry my tears away! Yes, when God wipes away your tears, as in the
Book of Revelation, God is acting like a Mother.</span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">God Protects as a Mother Protects </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In Exodus 3,
God compares himself with the mother eagle, fiercely protecting her young. “Moses
went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain, saying, ‘Thus you
shall say to the house of Jacob and tell the sons of Israel: </span><a href="http://biblehub.com/hebrew/864b.htm" style="color: black;" title="864b"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">You <u>yourselves</u></span></a><u><span class="highl" style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><a href="http://biblehub.com/hebrew/7200.htm" style="color: black;" title="7200. ra'ah (raw-aw') -- to see"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">have seen</span></a><span class="highl" style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><a href="http://biblehub.com/hebrew/834.htm" style="color: black;" title="834. 'aher (ash-er') -- who, which, that"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">what</span></a><span class="highl" style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><a href="http://biblehub.com/hebrew/6213a.htm" style="color: black;" title="6213a"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I did</span></a><span class="highl" style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><a href="http://biblehub.com/hebrew/4714.htm" style="color: black;" title="4714. Mitsrayim (mits-rah'-yim) -- a son of Ham, also his desc. and their country in N.W. Africa"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">to the Egyptians,</span></a><span class="highl" style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><a href="http://biblehub.com/hebrew/5375.htm" style="color: black;" title="5375. nasa' (naw-saw') -- to lift, carry, take"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">and how I bore</span></a><span class="highl" style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><a href="http://biblehub.com/hebrew/5404.htm" style="color: black;" title="5404. nesher (neh'-sher) -- an eagle"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">you on eagles'</span></a><span class="highl" style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><a href="http://biblehub.com/hebrew/3671.htm" style="color: black;" title="3671. kanaph (kaw-nawf') -- wing, extremity"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">wings,</span></a><span class="highl" style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><a href="http://biblehub.com/hebrew/935.htm" style="color: black;" title="935. bow' (bo) -- to come in, come, go in, go"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">and brought</span></a><span class="highl" style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><a href="http://biblehub.com/strongs.htm" style="color: black;" title="Strong's"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">you to Myself.</span></a></u><span class="highl" style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><u>”</u>(Exodus 19:4) </span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="highl" style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">How does a mother
eagle protect her young?</span></span><span class="highl"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> Moses himself answered this question. In the Book of Deuteronomy, chapter
32 a “Song of Moses” says of God: </span></span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"For the LORD'S portion is His people; Jacob is the
allotment of His inheritance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He found </span><a href="http://biblehub.com/hebrew/4057b.htm" title="4057b"><span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">him in a desert</span></a><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">
</span><a href="http://biblehub.com/hebrew/776.htm" title="776. 'erets (eh'-rets) -- earth, land"><span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">land,</span></a><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><a href="http://biblehub.com/hebrew/3214.htm" title="3214. ylel (yel-ale') -- a howling"><span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">And
in the howling</span></a><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><a href="http://biblehub.com/hebrew/8414.htm" title="8414. tohuw (to'-hoo) -- formlessness, confusion, unreality, emptiness"><span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">waste</span></a><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><a href="http://biblehub.com/hebrew/3452.htm" title="3452. yshiymown (yesh-ee-mone') -- waste, wilderness"><span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">of a wilderness;</span></a><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><a href="http://biblehub.com/hebrew/5437.htm" title="5437. cabab (saw-bab') -- to turn about, go around, surround"><span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">He encircled</span></a><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><a href="http://biblehub.com/hebrew/995.htm" title="995. biyn (bene) -- to discern"><span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">him,
He cared</span></a><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><a href="http://biblehub.com/hebrew/5431.htm" title="5431. ca'an (saw-an') -- to tread, tramp"><span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">for
him, He guarded</span></a><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><a href="http://biblehub.com/hebrew/380.htm" title="380. 'iyshown (ee-shone') -- the pupil (of the eye)"><span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">him as the pupil</span></a><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><a href="http://biblehub.com/hebrew/5869.htm" title="5869. ayin (ah'-yin) -- an eye"><span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">of
His eye.</span></a><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> "Like
an eagle that stirs up its nest, That hovers over its young, He spread His
wings and caught them, He carried them on His pinions.<span class="highl">” That was the Mother Eagle!</span></span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="highl"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Perhaps this was the motherly image that was imprinted in Jesus, when
beholding the apostasy and hypocrisy of the scribes and the Pharisees and the
disobedience of God’s people, Jesus cried, “</span></span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill
the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather
your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you
were not willing.”</span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Yes, God
cares and protects us like a mother. Because of that motherly protection, God
will never leave us nor forsake us, because He has looked upon us like the
apple of His eyes.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="highl"></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">God loves like a Mother loves </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We often
quote John 3:16 that says “For God so loved the world that He gave His only
begotten Son, that whoever lives and believes in him will not perish but have
everlasting life.” God’s love is unconditional, self-giving and boundless. It
is boundless and universal. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">In the gospel today God’s people are not only those
who openly confess His name. God’s sheep are not only the flock within the
boundaries of the hills and valleys. “And I have other flocks which are not of
this fold, I will call them also so there would be one flock and one shepherd.”</span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In the Book
of Hosea, there is a poignant story of God who was experiencing pain in
decision-making. God wanted to destroy His people as in the Noah’s Flood for
their sinfulness. But God’s righteous judgment <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>was being tempered by his motherly love. And
so God was suffering and in extreme agony. In Hosea 11:8, God wept saying,”How can I give
you up, Ephraim? How can I destroy you like Admah or demolish you like Zeboiim?
My heart is torn within me and my compassion overflows.”</span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I remember an Asian story about a
mother and her son. She was a loving mother but he was a stupid son. Not only that he was stupid; he also had a face "only a mother can love." He became infatuated with a woman on the other side of the mountain who told him, “I would
accept your offer of love if you can give me the heart of your mother.” Maybe
it was just a figure of speech or that the woman was wicked. The boy however
thought about it and in a moment of stupidity and madness, took a knife, stabbed his mother
and took her heart out. He then ran towards the mountain to offer the heart to
his object of affection but he stumbled on the rice paddies and the heart fell down
in the mud. He scooped the heart and as he was wiping it, the heart spoke:”
Son, are you hurt?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Jesus says, “Greater love hath no man
than this that a man lays down his life for his love.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The mother’s love in a way illustrates the
extraordinary, lavish and self-sacrificial love of God. God also forgave our
stupidity in that “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
Christ’s suffering and death (like that of the mother’s) was
substitutionary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The prophet Isaiah
aptly said, “He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, He was wounded
for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities, upon Him was the
chastisements that made us whole and by His stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53). </span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-T7zyBOHW6GgQxSdhrZ5rmhJWZT7IWuLDOYyEvCjCkRA5tQk53KdO_nh-MAxID4ds5v7c5ZH7-p-QIAZwPMUo_BAS0G0hQQPWmeUfBJpe9FYWcHPl4FUAYG-T_ExHZz71hBDL6gX568g/s1600/Mothers+Day+photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-T7zyBOHW6GgQxSdhrZ5rmhJWZT7IWuLDOYyEvCjCkRA5tQk53KdO_nh-MAxID4ds5v7c5ZH7-p-QIAZwPMUo_BAS0G0hQQPWmeUfBJpe9FYWcHPl4FUAYG-T_ExHZz71hBDL6gX568g/s320/Mothers+Day+photo.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">I remember how my own
mother suffered every time one of us children got in trouble or got sick. When I
was a child, I got sick with dysentery and as I lay very ill and almost dying,
I overheard my Mom prayed, “God, let the sickness be upon me, for I can’t bear
to see my son die.” That was a terrible prayer and thank God, that prayer was
not answered but it motivated me much to take bitter medicine and cooperated
with my healing. Mom taught<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>me faith, hope
and love but most of all, unconditional and <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>sacrificial love.</span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So today I honor all
of you mothers, grandmothers, god mothers to be, mothers to and wanna be
mothers----both male and female---like God and you and me. Amen.</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01654925995456576921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6158908650179081247.post-12567596486303114692016-05-08T17:19:00.001-04:002016-05-08T17:19:38.113-04:00FR FRED TALK- CAN GOD BE A MOTHER?<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QOrRKlJvdVs" width="459"></iframe>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01654925995456576921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6158908650179081247.post-28485446440275029732016-04-26T18:51:00.001-04:002016-04-26T18:51:33.131-04:00Rev. Robert Hunt:HowGod Transform Sinners into Saints<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:RelyOnVML/>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><u><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">ROBERT HUNT: HOW GOD
TRANSFORM “SINNERS” INTO “SAINTS”</span></u></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(Homily by the Rev. Canon Dr. Winfred B. Vergara ,missioner for
Asiamerica Ministries of the Episcopal Church at Chapel of Christ the Lord, 815
Second Avenue, New York, NY 10017, April 26,2016)</i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
God works in mysterious, amazing and wonderful ways and
sometimes more than we can ever hope or imagine. God is a God of miracles,
transforming our lives from ordinary to extraordinary.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One of these great miracles of God <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>is how He makes holy out of the unholy, saints
out of sinners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God makes use
of even our frailties and weaknesses to accomplish great things. Sometimes God
uses even wretched sinners <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>for His greater purpose and glory.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Such is the life and works of The Rev. Robert Hunt, the
person we honor today, one of the “Holy Women, Holy Men.” Hunt was vicar of the
Reculver, Kent in the Church of England in 1602 but was forced to leave his
wife Elizabeth and their two children owing to his wife’s adulterous relations.
Then in 1606, he was again forced to leave his second parish, at Old Heathfield
in Sussex, where he himself was accused of having his own adulterous affair
with his servant, Thomasina. In connection with his adulterous affairs, he was
also accused by his congregation with related charge of “absenteeism and
neglect of his congregation.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He must be
pretty busy with something else, than preaching, teaching and performing the
sacraments.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Nowadays we hear the words “sexual misconduct by clergy” and
the manner in which bishops and archbishops dealt with it in their churches. In
the Roman Catholic Church, there had been many cases where the whole church was
put on trial because instead of dealing with the offenders, the bishops would
take the easy way by transferring them from context to another. They would
excardinate the offenders from their diocese and ask their colleagues to
incardinate them into their dioceses, where sometimes they reformed but at most
times, they would repeat the same offense under new circumstances.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Well, it was a kind of unholy practice that dates back time
immemorial in the history of the church---and the Church of England is no
exception. So that was the main reason why Robert Hunt was “recruited” by then
Archbishop of Canterbury, The Most Rev. Richard Bancroft, to be chaplain of the
expedition to the New World by the London Virginia Company. He wanted to get
rid of the adulterous Hunt from England and “punish” him by sending him to
another world, to be chaplain of an expedition of only boys and young men. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtbe5ycdGaos9XIYECdwDMjrvJTndNfzgLThd1YtzrfVIzPuppjKxXGO7wawVxcF5hl5cCxInldhvsTLgw3AkxJwN0wsyfDdklS_krq69V2ol-10DquSg097e-51-BdEWc3XtA6WFNpvs/s1600/Jamestown.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtbe5ycdGaos9XIYECdwDMjrvJTndNfzgLThd1YtzrfVIzPuppjKxXGO7wawVxcF5hl5cCxInldhvsTLgw3AkxJwN0wsyfDdklS_krq69V2ol-10DquSg097e-51-BdEWc3XtA6WFNpvs/s1600/Jamestown.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Hunt sailed with the English colonists to America in order
to serve the Virginia Expedition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was
accompanied by Richard Hakluyt, Jr., the geographer priest, and Edward Maria
Wingfield. Together, they would become the missionaries and spiritual
counselors to provide spiritual comfort and encouragement to the colonists. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On April26, 1607 after a long voyage of 144 days, the three
ships and 105 men and boys made landfall at the southern edge of the mouth of
Chesapeake Bay at the Atlantic Ocean.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They named the location Cape Henry in honor of Henry Frederick Prince of
Wales. There Hunt preached what would be the first Anglican-Protestant
or non-Roman Catholic sermon in America since Sir Francis Drake’s landfall at
California in 1579. In addition to his encouraging sermon, Fr. Robert Hunt
planted a memorial cross in Jamestown, which remains up to this day.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcKt61FBKZYIKFKzMD0zNn1SmpILzHIUoPdZ9eQxZEv-EHjTBishW8Gw1e9vcaULHRs3iJCQyV83TuwoA32Wj6YSVd5JkT3_rvQ50gAQQ9RB-jtDFlA37WnbK99Rz5D18XYyJtVjY7zLw/s1600/Cape-henry-memorial.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcKt61FBKZYIKFKzMD0zNn1SmpILzHIUoPdZ9eQxZEv-EHjTBishW8Gw1e9vcaULHRs3iJCQyV83TuwoA32Wj6YSVd5JkT3_rvQ50gAQQ9RB-jtDFlA37WnbK99Rz5D18XYyJtVjY7zLw/s1600/Cape-henry-memorial.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Jamestown, named in honor of then English King James 1 would
become the first settlement colony of the British Isles and the progenitor of
English colonial churches in America. From this beginning, Christianity
Anglican style would flourish and would later give birth to the Episcopal
Church that we know today. On June 21, 1607 the Rev. Hunt celebrated what would
probably be the first known Service of Holy Communion in what is now today the
United States of America.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have no time to research what were the contributions of
Fr. Ricard Hakluyt, Jr. and Fr. Edward Maria Wingfield to the new settlement
but for Hunt, he was credited to be a “peace maker,” an arbiter of petty quarrels
and religious schisms in the camp.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
the midst of terrible living conditions in Jamestown Island and their struggle
for sheer survival, Hunt would often rise to the occasion by exhorting the
colonists, young men and boys, to move on and persevere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many of them would die the first year.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
From the words of his colleague, Rev. Wingfield: “ Robert
was a man not in any way to be touched with the rebellious spirit of a popish
spirit, not blemished with the least suspicion of a factious schismatic, whereof
I had a special care.” In other words, The Rev. Robert Hunt became a man of
peace, of goodwill and an agent of reconciliation.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8IlOPdgEYWjA5wQ3ZQPmSkhd-je_DckQWoW-wyu4LxsnIzBCT8UXgFDOWa4UbulhoGm842tsdqbknVk8llEOSW8FzFOOdTW80zXoB0yyPZO9W_x9m019bYEGBWrBfadyNy93296QbYds/s1600/HuntShrine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8IlOPdgEYWjA5wQ3ZQPmSkhd-je_DckQWoW-wyu4LxsnIzBCT8UXgFDOWa4UbulhoGm842tsdqbknVk8llEOSW8FzFOOdTW80zXoB0yyPZO9W_x9m019bYEGBWrBfadyNy93296QbYds/s1600/HuntShrine.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">What can we learn
from Hunt’s <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>life and example?</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>First, that we are all sinners in God’s sight but God can
transform our sinfulness to accomplish His glory, even the sin related to sex.</b>
Jesus said, “the poor you always have with you." In a sense, “the issue of sex
will always be with us” as well, as <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>it
was from the beginning of time. We are born from the first Adam and Eve, east
of Eden and there is no perfection in us, until the last day, when God will
raise us up in glory. Without sugar coating the crime of sexual misconduct,
this<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>awareness <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>should sober us up from condemnation of those
who have fallen from sexual disgrace. In the economy of God, we hate the sin
but love the sinner.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Second, God is no respecter of persons and if you are
willing, you can be used as a mighty instrument in the hand of God.</b> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Saul was a persecutor of Christians but when
God called him out, he would turn to become the evangelist and missionary to
the Gentiles par excellence. John Newton, the slave trader transformed by God
composed the song “Amazing Grace” which described his journey from sin. In one
undying hymn amazing Grace, Newton wrote: “Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound;
that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now am found; was blind but
now I see.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Third, as Christians our identity is found in Jesus Christ.</b> Recently, a <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>shocker in our more liberal and
modern world was brought about by the paternity test involving<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>our present Archbishop of Canterbury and
primate of the Anglican Communion, The Most Rev. Justin Welby. It was found
that Bishop Welby is not<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the son of
Gabin Welby,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the husband of his mother.
It was revealed in the paternity test that his biological father was actually Sir
Anthony Montague Browne, the last private secretary to Winston Churchill. Welby's
mother, Jane Williams, also revealed that her romantic encounter with
Browne was "fueled by a large amount of alcohol on both sides,"
shortly before her marriage to Gavin Welby.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
The world waited with bated breath what would Welby’s <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>reaction. In other eras and places and
circumstances, it would be met as “shame and scandal in the family.” But Welby
spoke with candor and said, <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"My identity is in Jesus
Christ: I know that I find who I am in Jesus Christ, not in genetics, and my
identity in Him never changes.. People will judge me on who I am and on what I
do, not my genetic makeup." </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Yes, like ABC Welby, Hunt’s identity
as a Christian----and our identities as well----is truly found, not in genetics and not in history of sin,but in Jesus Christ,
who called us out of the darkness into His marvelous light. Amen.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01654925995456576921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6158908650179081247.post-29645624751961335442016-01-17T20:20:00.003-05:002016-01-17T20:36:50.669-05:00MIRACLE IN CANA:WEDDING FEAST PAR EXCELLENCE<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:RelyOnVML/>
<o:AllowPNG/>
<o:TargetScreenSize>800x600</o:TargetScreenSize>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">MIRACLE IN CANA:
WEDDING FEAST PAR EXCELLENCE (John 2:1-11)</span></u></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">(The Rev. Canon Dr.
Winfred B. Vergara. St. James’ Elmhurst.1/17/16)</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBvydhe3J6dPAmE0h9s8n3twQbeZedr7-Uaq3p93RWeIQ1rZ7rePTx6QbpnTCrYL4TEd6D6vK57C0_CFBEeRPTkEPvm_o78sfyGx1mxiCaBWcqlPW8vyg_0ZO-YRmv7q-Uni9_82QEELs/s1600/untitled.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBvydhe3J6dPAmE0h9s8n3twQbeZedr7-Uaq3p93RWeIQ1rZ7rePTx6QbpnTCrYL4TEd6D6vK57C0_CFBEeRPTkEPvm_o78sfyGx1mxiCaBWcqlPW8vyg_0ZO-YRmv7q-Uni9_82QEELs/s400/untitled.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">It is
amazing that the first miracle of Jesus, that of turning water into wine, happened at a marriage in Cana of
Galilee. It may have been coincidental that the wine ran out during the wedding
reception and Mother Mary had to tell his Son Jesus to save the day. It may
have been coincidental that the wedding planners underestimated the party; that
there are more wine drinkers than there are wine. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But if we believe
that nothing in this world happens for a reason, then there are at least three
reasons why the first miracle of Jesus happened in the context of marriage.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">MARRIAGE IS A CELEBRATION OF HUMAN CULTURE</span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Culture is
defined as a sum total of human values, habits, beliefs, traditions and arts of
a people or group of peoples. Japanese theologian Kosuke Koyama defines
cultures as “fingers of God pointing to Christ.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Culture in
Galilee, as in most rural villages, are often characterized by five
“f’s”---family, friends, food, festivals and faith---and wedding ceremony is
one of the celebrations in which these five f’s converge.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This is the first
reason why the first miracle of Jesus, that of turning water into wine, became significant.
Can you imagine what kind of festival is that going to be if there was no wine?
Unlike in Vegas, what happens in Cana would not stay in Cana. It would spread
throughout Galilee and the bad news would be “The wedding feast ran out of wine--and
it was a dry and boring festival!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It turned
out however, that Jesus, the Nazarene who would later become the Savior of the
world would begin his salvific ministry by saving a family from utter
embarrassment! Instead of the bad news, the Good News came out from Cana: “Some
hosts serve the good wine first and then the bad; but in this festival, the
finest wine was served at the end!” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">When Jesus is in your party, you expect a great
celebration! Amen?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">2. MARRIAGE IS THE HIGHEST FORM OF
FRIENDSHIP</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">To be
acquainted with one another is great, to be girlfriends and boyfriends is
greater but to be husband and wife is the greatest, highest and deepest form of
friendship. You can be close to your acquaintance, you can be closer to your
friends, but you can only be closest and most intimate with your spouse.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In marriage,
you share the deepest form of companionship. In marriage, you are called to
“leave father and mother and be joined to your wife or husband and the two
shall become one.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This leaving
and cleaving has to do with far more than sexual or physical. Marriage is a
spiritual union of husband and wife. The injunction in the marriage ceremony
says, “for richer, for poorer; in sickness and in health; to love and to
cherish till death do us part.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">That is why
marriage is not easy, and so many married couples which began as plain romance
have ended up in divorce or separation because marriage is hard. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Are you able
to look beyond each other’s imperfections and complement each other’s
inadequacies? Are you able to live together, day and night, knowing that you
will always have things to work through? When you fight, as most couples do, are
you able to let go and let God; to forgive and forget; to make up and start all
over again?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">In our
refrigerator, there is a poster that says: “10 Rules for a Happy Marriage.” Let
me read them to you:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Never
both angry at the same time</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Never
yell at each other unless the house is on fire</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">If
one of you has to win an argument, let it be your mate</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">If
you have to criticize, do it lovingly</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Never
bring up mistakes of the past</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Neglect
the whole world but not each other</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Never
go to sleep with an argument not settled</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">At
least once every day say one kind word or compliment to your mate</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">9.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">When
you have done something wrong, be brave to admit it and ask forgiveness</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">10.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(This is the one I life best!) It takes two to
make a quarrel and the one in the wrong is the one who does the most talking!</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We’ll these
are great rules to live by but they are easier said than done. As human beings
we are subject to human frailties. So in most instances, it is only by God’s
grace that many marriages last.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">3. MARRIAGE IS THE FORETASTE OF THE
UNION BETWEEN CHRIST AND THE CHURCH</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Because of
its intimacy, sacredness and mutuality marriage has become the symbol of the mystical
union between Christ and His Church. St. Paul said, “Husband love your wife as Christ
loved the Church and gave Himself up for her.” “Wife, see to it that you
respect your husband.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In the
analogy of heavenly marriage, Christ is the Groom and the Church is the Bride. And
the value that binds Christ and the Church is love.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">You know, as
human beings, we are all imperfect. Even how much we try to do our best, we
still make mistakes. We are all sinners. Even those who are considered saints,
they were also sinners. St. Paul said, “The good that I want to do, I do not
do; the bad that I do not want to do, I do.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Book of
Hebrews tells us that God is a God of love and mercy, more than a God of <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>judgment. If God is all judgment, who can
stand? All of us will fall down; our feet will turn to clay. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">That is why we
should not judge people lest we be judged. Instead of judgment or criticism, we
should be generous with praise and encouragement because we are all imperfect
human beings.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I am now
married for 37 years and been a priest for 38 years. I find that marriage and
priesthood are similar. They are a calling, a vocation. And the relationships that
exist in marriage and in church are similar. Where mutual love, respect,
generosity, patience, forgiveness exist in marriage that marriage will last. But
if love flies off the window, that relationship will end.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I have been
to churches where members are so loving and so appreciative of their priests
and of one another. Where there is love, the church grows spiritually and in
numbers. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have also seen some churches
where members are so critical, so disrespectful and so unappreciative of their
priests and of one another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In a church
where there is no love, relationships do not last and the church declines and
dies. You may have a beautiful building but if there is no love in that church,
that church will become empty.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So whether
in marriage or in church, the cord that binds people together is love. Money
has nothing to do with it. It does not matter if the couple are rich or poor.
They are happy if they love each other. The same is true with church. It also
does not matter if the church is rich or poor; if they have a good building or
just rent a hall. Where there is love, that church is happy and it will grow.
This is because God is love and when people love, God is there. And if God is
there, the Church is alive!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Conclusion</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">There was a story of a little boy who wanted to
see God. So he packed food and drinks in his back pack and went on a journey.
At the park, he saw an old woman staring at some pigeons. She looked hungry so
he decided to share his sandwich. She gratefully accepted it and smiled at him.
Her smile was so pretty that he wanted to see it again so he decided to share
his root beer as well. They ate together at the park, smiling at each other. As
the day wears on the boy decided it was time to go home but before he left, he
turned around and gave the old woman a hug. She gave him her biggest smile
ever.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Lucida Grande","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">At home, the boy’s
mother was surprised to see the look of joy on his face. She asked, “Son, what
did you do today that made you so happy?” He replied, “Mom, you won’t believe
it but I had lunch with God! And you know what? She’s got the most beautiful
smile I’ve ever seen!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Lucida Grande","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Meanwhile, the old woman
also returned home, radiant with joy. Her son, stunned at the look of her face,
asked, “Mother, what did you do today that made you so happy?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She replied, ”Son, you won’t believe it but I
had lunch with God at the park. And you know what?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s so much younger than I expected.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Lucida Grande","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Is God in you? Yes, if
love is in your heart. The Bible says, </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“God
is love; and everyone who lives in love, lives in God and God is in him.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">PRAYER:</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">A.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Let
me pray first for all the married people who are here May I request all you who
are married, to stand where you are. Even if your husband or wife is not with
you, please stand. Everyone please close your eyes. Let us pray:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Almighty God, who
consecrated the covenant of marriage that in it is represented the spiritual
unity between Christ and His Church; bless these married couples that they may
so love, honor and cherish each other in faithfulness<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and patience, in wisdom and true godliness,
that their home maybe a haven of love and peace through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen. (BCP 431)</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6158908650179081247" name="_GoBack"></a><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">B.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And now, everybody please stand.
Close your eyes and I will pray for the church. </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Almighty Father, whose blessed Son
before his passion prayed that his disciples that they might be one, as you and
he are one. Grant that your Church, being bound together in love, maybe united
in One Body and One Spirit, that the world may believe in Him whom you have
sent, your son Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, one God
now and forever. Amen.”(BCP 255)</span></i></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01654925995456576921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6158908650179081247.post-92155898001936993742016-01-03T17:18:00.002-05:002016-01-03T17:18:33.590-05:00NEW YEAR MESSAGE: WHAT'S LIFE GOING TO BE IN 2016?<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:RelyOnVML/>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">NEW
YEAR MESSAGE: WHAT'S LIFE GOING TO BE IN 2016?</span></u></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><u><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></u></b><i><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">(The Rev. Dr. Winfred B. Vergara. St. James Episcopal Church, Elmhurst, New York. 01/03/2016)</span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<b>
</b><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>What is life going to be in 2016?</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In the Gregorian Calendar 2016 is a leap year:
February will have 29 days instead 28. This happens every four years to account
for the extra time that the earth orbits the sun. In other words, we shall have
one more day to enjoy or to worry---whatever the case maybe.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In the Chinese Lunar Calendar, 2016 is the “Year
of the Monkey.” According to Chinese Zodiac, this is a year of playfulness,
opportunity, ingenuity, and inventiveness. So go and try new ways, be an entrepreneur.
It is also a year of deception and trickery. So better watch out for clever
politicians and sleek business persons. They may pull your leg in 2016!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">There will be “fortune tellers” who will give you
convincing human insights to the future and exciting predictions. The truth of
the matter is, we do not know the future. The world holds so much mystery and life
is always full of surprises and unpredictability.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So how do we journey into 2016?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">First,
what will happen to you begins with what happens inside you.</span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif";">I’m talking about your
faith, your hopes and dreams. The Bible says “faith is the assurance of things
hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11). What is that
assurance within you? What is it that you carry within you? As you journey externally,
examine first your internal journey. Listen to this parable from <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Your
Sacred Self”</i> </b>by Dr. Dwayne Dyer:</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgMIvWG-HM-J1_CQH7PHdbHnGLlQLjTPyhibAv2mrGhoJoyLeOARCO7pWGp2bIRpvDd04a4cJx8ZADjUBdVco2SZDOiZGlkiztH3vRAfQD95_2H-Fl0GXUFv4_PFCmV09MNr_Exr1Fxb8/s1600/twin+babies+in+the+womb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgMIvWG-HM-J1_CQH7PHdbHnGLlQLjTPyhibAv2mrGhoJoyLeOARCO7pWGp2bIRpvDd04a4cJx8ZADjUBdVco2SZDOiZGlkiztH3vRAfQD95_2H-Fl0GXUFv4_PFCmV09MNr_Exr1Fxb8/s1600/twin+babies+in+the+womb.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif";"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif";">In
a mother’s womb were two babies. Baby One: Do you believe in life after
delivery? Baby Two: Why, of course. There has to be something after delivery.
Maybe we are here to prepare ourselves for what we will be later.</span></i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif";">Baby
One: Nonsense! There is no life after delivery. And if there is, what kind of
life would that be?</span></i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif";">Baby
Two: I don’t know, but there will be more light there. Maybe we will walk with
our legs and eat from our mouths. Maybe we’ll have other senses we’ve not yet
known.”</span></i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif";">Baby
One: That’s absurd! Walking is impossible. And eating with our mouths?
Ridiculous! The umbilical cord supplies nutrition and everything we need. But
the umbilical cord is so short. Life after delivery is to be logically
excluded.”</span></i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif";">Baby
Two: Well I think there is something and maybe it’s different than it is here.
Maybe we won’t need this umbilical cord anymore.</span></i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif";">Baby
One: Nonsense! And moreover if there is life out there, then why has no one has
ever come back? Delivery is the end of life, and in the after-delivery there is
nothing but darkness and silence and oblivion. It takes us nowhere.</span></i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif";">Baby
Two: Well, I don’t know, but certainly we will meet Mother and she will take
care of us.</span></i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif";">Baby
One: Mother? You actually believe in Mother? That’s laughable. If Mother exists
then where is she now?</span></i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif";">Baby
Two: Mother is all around us. We are surrounded by her. We are of hers. It is
in her that we live and move and have our being. Without her this world would
not and could not exist.</span></i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif";">Baby
One: Well I don’t see her, so it is only logical that she doesn’t exist.</span></i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif";">Baby
Two: Sometimes, when I’m in silence and really try to listen, I can perceive
Her presence, I can hear Her loving voice, calling me by name. Why don’t you
try doing that and see what happen? </span></i><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The lesson we learn from this parable is that if
we must face the future in faith, let us learn to let go and let God. Whatever
we do here now is preparation for the future. Let us trek into with courage and
Mother, The Force, God will be with us! So listen to the stirring within your
soul and let your spirit commune with the Holy Spirit.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Second,
what will happen to you is destined by the One who is above you.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Our destiny is already written in the heavenly
book. God said: “For I know the plans I have for you…plans to give you a good
hope and future” (Jeremiah 29:11).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>St.
Paul declared that God has “destined us for adoption as children through Jesus
Christ.” But we must learn to commit our plans to God’s plan, our dreams to God’s
dreams. We must learn to acknowledge God in all our ways and God will direct
our paths.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This is true in the life of Joseph, the Dreamer. Joseph’s
journey had twists and turns: sold as a slave by his envious brothers, falsely
accused by Potiphar’s wife and imprisoned, became a sought-after interpreter of
dreams and finally governor in Egypt. In all his sufferings, Joseph’s dream connected
with God’s dream. He became an instrument in the salvation of his family and
his people Israel.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This is true with the Holy Family. With the threat
on the life of the Baby Jesus, Joseph and Mary fled from King Herod and became refugees
in Egypt. They returned to Palestine and settled in Nazareth of Galilee when
Herod passed away. This compelling image of the Holy Family as refugees
continues to be played again and again in our modern world. Yes, I believe the
plight of Syrian refugees seeking entry in the United States is within God’s
divine plan. God continues to work in mysterious ways but in the end, God works
for the good of those who love Him. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In our world there are two words: the word of man and
the word of God. The word of man will always die; but the word of God will never
die. So if we are to act on the word of man based on fear, we will reject the
refugees. But if we act on the Word of God based on compassion, we will offer
the refugees our hospitality. No, we do not know the future but our security is
anchored on our faith to know the One who holds the future.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Thirdly,
what will happen to you will determined by how you integrate the <br />
“Above You” into “Inside You.”</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Man proposes and God disposes. Responsibility is the part of the human;
sovereignty is the part of the divine. We are authors of our prayer and God is
the editor. There is a sense of human-divine cooperation. If we do our best,
God will do the rest.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">There was a piece of land filled with weeds and piles
of dirt. A boy took interest in cleaning it up and cultivating it. Then he
planted roses and in a few months, the once useless land became a beautiful
rose garden. An old man passed by said, “Young man, what a beautiful garden you
and God have made!” The boy replied, ”Indeed! But you should have seen it when
it was left to God alone!” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Human striving and God’s grace met at the Table of
the Lord. The Holy Communion is an integration of the most fundamental human
culture (eating and drinking) and the most lavish love and mercy (the sacrifice
of his life). At the Holy Communion, man and God sat down at the table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At Holy Communion, we have a face to face
dinner conversation with God! Mortal Bread and Wine became the sacraments of divine
reconciliation!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So our future on earth as in heaven is finally
determined by how we integrate this divine grace into the graciousness of our
own lives. Grace is offered to us free, but it is not cheap. It is a pearl of
great price. We cannot just give it to the dogs or throw it to the pigs. We
have to internalize God’s grace. This is another way of saying that if God is
love, then we must love; if God is peace, then we must be a people of peace; if
God is compassionate, we must be compassionate.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">One of the divine values that we must integrate
into our human lives is Christian <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>service. The most compelling image that Jesus
showed before the Last Supper was this: He took the towel, washed the apostles’
feet and said, “As I have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s
feet.” Being a servant of God in the world integrates the love, peace,
compassion and humility of God.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Conclusion:
A Renewal of Covenant</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">As we begin this New Year 2016, let us renew this
Covenant of Service in Jesus Christ. As in the Covenant made with Noah, Abraham
and David in the Old Testament, a covenant is an agreement between God and
God’s People.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The New Testament is also
called a New Covenant between God and the Church, the New People of God. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This
following Rite of Renewal of Covenant was started by John Wesley of the
Holiness Movement in 1781 and it has been edited, adapted and updated time and
again</span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><u><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;">RENEWAL OF
COVENANT (Stand)</span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;">Leader:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"> And now let
us bind ourselves with willing bonds to a Covenant of Service and take the yoke
of Christ upon us. Christ has many services for us to be done. Some are easy;
others, difficult. Some bring honor, others bring reproach; some are suitable
to our natural inclinations and materials interests; others contrary to both.
In some we may please God and please others; in others, we cannot please God
except by denying ourselves. Yet the power to do all these things is given us
in Christ who strengthens us. Therefore, let us make the covenant of God our
own and give ourselves anew to Him trusting in his promises and relying on his
grace.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;">ALL:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"> Lord God,
Holy Father, since you have called us through Christ to share in this gracious
covenant, we take upon ourselves with joy, the yoke or obedience. And for of
you, we will endeavor to seek and do your will. We are no longer our own but
yours. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;">Lord, I am no longer my own but yours</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;">Put me to what you will, rank me with whom you will</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;">Put me to doing, put me to suffering</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;">Let me employed for your or laid aside for you;
exalted for you or brought low for you. Let me be full, let me be empty; let me
have all things, let me have nothing. I freely and wholeheartedly yield myself
at your service. </span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;">And now glorious and blessed God: Father, Son and
Holy Spirit. Thou art mine and I am thine. So be it. The covenant now made on
earth, let it be ratified in heaven<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">.
Amen</b>.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01654925995456576921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6158908650179081247.post-44759277759046817352015-12-31T23:53:00.000-05:002016-01-01T00:37:00.435-05:00MY TOP TEN HIGHLIGHTS IN 2015<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:RelyOnVML/>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">My Top Ten Highlights
in 2015</b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><b>1.</b><b><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></b></span></span><b>I beat cancer!</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjemursnTzQhwP6Jx3C0XNWu8l7fCsrad-JRSsGPir_0bEUU1N-gzJMOovc1vY4HgLJVLN4Aq9cLkoOC-bxABTrINLdMgrW5DLOktexsngI-oKW31lAkd2lFLER1GarzrZa__r_K_2tG-8/s1600/10898194_10204263113551759_8988763691329176161_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjemursnTzQhwP6Jx3C0XNWu8l7fCsrad-JRSsGPir_0bEUU1N-gzJMOovc1vY4HgLJVLN4Aq9cLkoOC-bxABTrINLdMgrW5DLOktexsngI-oKW31lAkd2lFLER1GarzrZa__r_K_2tG-8/s320/10898194_10204263113551759_8988763691329176161_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>General Convention approved Rev. Hisanori Kano
for “Holy Women, Holy Men.”</b><br />
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWYEsSALbI_kLAXcj5BHagB1JGTAiKYCi8pa4in9SSuayjpbLuzr3uDoOsaILu5GOPvHP6kgrvf_HGKg0xPNtoWa9JHc9Tb4TgUaoPqklQK1X4I6vYv1Y-v7sM2vNjbJ1crnAXioBy4PE/s1600/10502275_10205614821463612_8314594889937138211_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWYEsSALbI_kLAXcj5BHagB1JGTAiKYCi8pa4in9SSuayjpbLuzr3uDoOsaILu5GOPvHP6kgrvf_HGKg0xPNtoWa9JHc9Tb4TgUaoPqklQK1X4I6vYv1Y-v7sM2vNjbJ1crnAXioBy4PE/s320/10502275_10205614821463612_8314594889937138211_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>My 5<sup>th</sup> book “Let God’s Light" was
published and available in Amazon.</b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS4i-kuULzC5-auPW6YRFycxWjTmuWkLtJ-Wvz6zQBUXGfFUOg3cAqnWbkhxqLQznYiqNQrVktd57tbV5c0GzCSTqIq9NiCNjSMyT_Yqm8D30NuAD4_j4IXUiiJNwD_UXlPb_Lt3sliFI/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS4i-kuULzC5-auPW6YRFycxWjTmuWkLtJ-Wvz6zQBUXGfFUOg3cAqnWbkhxqLQznYiqNQrVktd57tbV5c0GzCSTqIq9NiCNjSMyT_Yqm8D30NuAD4_j4IXUiiJNwD_UXlPb_Lt3sliFI/s1600/photo.JPG" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Episcopal Asiamerica Consultation in Korea a
great success</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8bXEEFF9dBcRu_HpRw_Pjkglbpu5Kg2k7KvSH6cyvhrX_7n6NJPGmpj1fbZ8TGidVasTt91phZ2AUxQ0dzU6bg-zNNHHVHqU5vkmszWIYtPQNl9FTe7sSlmcPVs1nhC8Zbk6t8bf1uqM/s1600/12115661_10206314706440299_7626631019589268860_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8bXEEFF9dBcRu_HpRw_Pjkglbpu5Kg2k7KvSH6cyvhrX_7n6NJPGmpj1fbZ8TGidVasTt91phZ2AUxQ0dzU6bg-zNNHHVHqU5vkmszWIYtPQNl9FTe7sSlmcPVs1nhC8Zbk6t8bf1uqM/s400/12115661_10206314706440299_7626631019589268860_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtCxHUrjAmXO9BuFab1D-X3T29QMn3Fdu-VcF0GwOax5Dlbxs-xZP4N5J-gR8qzD_IqAjVs34S2RbUIirj_rmqb4foyKWQ9OlfhtMecXujH-0g45K-PWPOni3Qo8zjIBKBjrqdo7H8Joc/s1600/12079266_10207290844286432_3548640032697744741_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Anglican Church of Korea celebrated 125th
anniversary in pomp, pageantry and great liturgy.</b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtCxHUrjAmXO9BuFab1D-X3T29QMn3Fdu-VcF0GwOax5Dlbxs-xZP4N5J-gR8qzD_IqAjVs34S2RbUIirj_rmqb4foyKWQ9OlfhtMecXujH-0g45K-PWPOni3Qo8zjIBKBjrqdo7H8Joc/s1600/12079266_10207290844286432_3548640032697744741_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtCxHUrjAmXO9BuFab1D-X3T29QMn3Fdu-VcF0GwOax5Dlbxs-xZP4N5J-gR8qzD_IqAjVs34S2RbUIirj_rmqb4foyKWQ9OlfhtMecXujH-0g45K-PWPOni3Qo8zjIBKBjrqdo7H8Joc/s400/12079266_10207290844286432_3548640032697744741_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>North Carolina Bishop Michael Curry became the first African
American Presiding Bishop.</b> </div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAbEW_DGV3HWM-bDmq76Ezyx6ihJwQjDQOzwqs1Y_yvoC7HrX6p_6quQSDX4nsrgTpemMwzZbKoC3j4uthG4AfejtqqUiApcDKEqIE55-XkI57ZzFDotCG2uDWp8k_AZMWtlS3Y2Bn0pQ/s1600/12195982_10206396401082614_8663571943620392204_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAbEW_DGV3HWM-bDmq76Ezyx6ihJwQjDQOzwqs1Y_yvoC7HrX6p_6quQSDX4nsrgTpemMwzZbKoC3j4uthG4AfejtqqUiApcDKEqIE55-XkI57ZzFDotCG2uDWp8k_AZMWtlS3Y2Bn0pQ/s320/12195982_10206396401082614_8663571943620392204_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>“Asiamerica Mission to End Modern Slavery” granted
funding byTrinity Wall Street.</b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDhLkMnMVyVEEAp6JJI8Svsvz324cYUI8TM8fQ0671-oFxF3XgSczcvy6mstBadQOpCjcuVEKV_3y9WehpA2VpgBCyXlIuMIp_O4rI44FKukkTwGk2sdbZbtaEY8UgbXiHKdrXsj53nTw/s1600/11083627_10206180833540350_9011388594948739589_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDhLkMnMVyVEEAp6JJI8Svsvz324cYUI8TM8fQ0671-oFxF3XgSczcvy6mstBadQOpCjcuVEKV_3y9WehpA2VpgBCyXlIuMIp_O4rI44FKukkTwGk2sdbZbtaEY8UgbXiHKdrXsj53nTw/s320/11083627_10206180833540350_9011388594948739589_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiM0_f9PE0J4bftfCy-QOqunonBR2ArNxg8P6_Z0wd6SPEC6wvApsT3hd_qUkyX7h84rERgMum2ecKrR8K1R3Oo0fT_Qq7ow6mdVwKfpm42onVaiM_fayhTnB1aI3vBC0W0Uza5PuuhZc/s1600/12115661_10206314706440299_7626631019589268860_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>St. James Episcopal Church in Elmhurst, New York more than quadrupled in three
years.</b><br />
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7e96JWdZ8n0i2coKHivqlxS-XCPyE6nMRtHMZJKPMh2-cpiGaa0OsD6jFqXJclVOz6xIkdWEZfHvGxdoapfQhNvmOO0NaxUeaEj-0zvlOUPAc4uPNJrVQni-91GGwluWTxHl-E3yQ_vY/s1600/0867857aa0bb246b0e1ac807a24940d7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7e96JWdZ8n0i2coKHivqlxS-XCPyE6nMRtHMZJKPMh2-cpiGaa0OsD6jFqXJclVOz6xIkdWEZfHvGxdoapfQhNvmOO0NaxUeaEj-0zvlOUPAc4uPNJrVQni-91GGwluWTxHl-E3yQ_vY/s400/0867857aa0bb246b0e1ac807a24940d7.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">9.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Hmong Ministry in the Diocese of Minnesota celebrated 10<sup>th</sup>
anniversary with the presence of former and current bishops and hundreds of Hmong celebrants.</b><br />
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBF_Vq8IMg18VmyZhcgPjbolYUnmaudBCpVlb10il5nL73H1CvnIPjBr7dqZIs3ST7wv5l88BTQVEEP0aZMDB7ejmWkSJ6_RFMx659SHYMLMozRhg2VI7uN_YMwaV2paEjZJ3kinem3PQ/s1600/12391009_10206626042743512_7607323720415397911_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBF_Vq8IMg18VmyZhcgPjbolYUnmaudBCpVlb10il5nL73H1CvnIPjBr7dqZIs3ST7wv5l88BTQVEEP0aZMDB7ejmWkSJ6_RFMx659SHYMLMozRhg2VI7uN_YMwaV2paEjZJ3kinem3PQ/s320/12391009_10206626042743512_7607323720415397911_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlmatiW0dgnb0ZkNl9xZnfJJQJslAk_wJsczutr9QOYhArRRKGgIETlNk_zhzHiYHi-_v5gw0ITfYFicIM6Id_4-qDFrwzPgtmph89R2x3UXSwAY1KO4c4V942Ad6xVMxQEtJapD_GbXM/s1600/12360270_10206626076464355_6890228269359536618_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlmatiW0dgnb0ZkNl9xZnfJJQJslAk_wJsczutr9QOYhArRRKGgIETlNk_zhzHiYHi-_v5gw0ITfYFicIM6Id_4-qDFrwzPgtmph89R2x3UXSwAY1KO4c4V942Ad6xVMxQEtJapD_GbXM/s320/12360270_10206626076464355_6890228269359536618_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">10.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>I reached retirement age healthy, strong and
ready for the New Year and, hopefully, many more years of active ministry! To God be the glory!<br />
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUS-rWApurJk5U9zRk7QX7yclbdJ-ziQXqbB-5nHsUKQtFQxZxAd3SAwuV8nnKbQ4NCv1w3NBZS3c3P0rjawB-1-uDzbnS4sgjUaBy-8LoDlOkp5AMNG6dXl7dRxn84ikC_BtZbotgzC0/s1600/CHRISTMAS+CARD+2015.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUS-rWApurJk5U9zRk7QX7yclbdJ-ziQXqbB-5nHsUKQtFQxZxAd3SAwuV8nnKbQ4NCv1w3NBZS3c3P0rjawB-1-uDzbnS4sgjUaBy-8LoDlOkp5AMNG6dXl7dRxn84ikC_BtZbotgzC0/s320/CHRISTMAS+CARD+2015.jpeg" width="309" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01654925995456576921noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6158908650179081247.post-64559080574244516252015-12-27T21:50:00.002-05:002015-12-27T22:16:12.273-05:00LEAP OF FAITH- KNOWING JESUS AS GOD<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:TargetScreenSize>800x600</o:TargetScreenSize>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><u>THOMAS’ LEAP OF FAITH: LEVELS IN KNOWING
JESUS</u><u> AS GOD</u> </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6yjKNGeFlQl9P_YWuwsOYgXdSNei4d6ZguOC3xvw8Zz6wuLJeKf0EoN9jOYR0_ptWffYEfjGASh6LbrPbfwwjrr3dof6F1jpINSx_2J9vhsBiMCq8xB2sZdW6bgNBG6Rg_z6xHq3GDv0/s1600/sjec13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6yjKNGeFlQl9P_YWuwsOYgXdSNei4d6ZguOC3xvw8Zz6wuLJeKf0EoN9jOYR0_ptWffYEfjGASh6LbrPbfwwjrr3dof6F1jpINSx_2J9vhsBiMCq8xB2sZdW6bgNBG6Rg_z6xHq3GDv0/s400/sjec13.jpg" width="400" /></a></b></div>
<b> <span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">(The following is the inaugural Sermon of The Rev. Dr. Fred Vergara,
missioner for Asiamerica Ministry in the Episcopal Church when he accepted to
help revive St. James Episcopal Church, 84-07 Broadway, Elmhurst, New York. Founded
in 1704 in what was then Newtown, a Dutch neighborhood, St. James is now
finding its place in the 21<sup>st</sup> century.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Elmhurst is now one of the most racially,
culturally and ethnically diverse communities in Queens, NY. In 2005, its
theologically conservative congregation voted to separate from the Episcopal
Diocese of Long Island. In 2008, the Diocese regained the church properties but
the congregation departed, leaving a small remnant. Subsequent efforts from
succeeding leadership failed to revive the parish which has reverted into
mission status. In April 1, 2013 Bishop Lawrence Provenzano asked the help of
the Asiamerica Missioner to help revitalize St. James. This sermon last April 7,
2013 was the precursor of exciting events in the unfolding redevelopment of St.
James. To God be the glory)</span></i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Introduction</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A summary of
our Gospel reading (John 20:19-31):<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The doubting Thomas, seeing and hearing the
risen Christ, exclaimed “My Lord and my God!”</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“My Lord and
my God!”<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b>What a screaming expression of Thomas’ leap
of faith! A moment ago, he did not believe that Jesus rose from the dead. Now
he believes---and more. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He confesses
that Jesus is Lord and God!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A moment
ago, he was not ready to follow Jesus up to death. Now he is ready to go where
He leads him to go. At the death of Jesus, his faith drooped and his hope
faded. But at the rising of Jesus, his faith is revived and his hope springs up.
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Journey in faith</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
faith-journey of Thomas mirrors our own. There are moments of glory, there are
moments of doubts. At some points, we soar above in the heights of faith; at
other points, we backslide and down. My father, who was a war veteran and a tailor
used to say, our journey with God is like Singer Sewing Machine---it is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“atras avante.”</i> Or at best, like the
dictum of Mao Tse Tung, “two steps forward, one step backward.” It is never
continuous.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">That was
exactly what happened to Thomas and the apostles. At the miracles that Jesus wrought,
their faith rose to highest heights. At the death of Jesus on the cross, their
faith sunk to lowest depths. But just when they would totally dim the lights, a
new light shines forth. By the grace of God, a new revelation comes and propels
them to move on. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">At the death
of Jesus, the apostles when back fishing, the job they were accustomed to doing
and not so excellently. At the rising of Jesus again, they renewed their
commitment to be “fishers of men,” the ministry that they were trained to be,
and to do it excellently. Do you know the difference between “fishermen and
fishers of men?” The fishermen catch fish alive and put them down dead. The
fishers of men catch men dead and put them down alive.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So from
reluctance to total commitment, Thomas, like the other revived apostles,
traveled from Jerusalem, to Samaria and to the ends of the world. It is said
that Thomas became an apostle to India, where he introduced Christianity and
planted churches until he was martyred in Madras (now Chennai). Today, Mar
Thoma Church is one of the churches in India, who claim their origin from the
missionary work of Thomas.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What lessons
can we learn from the journey of St. Thomas?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In old Israel,
the prophet Hosea said (Hosea 4:6):<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“My
people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was not that the people of Israel in Hosea’s
time did not know God; they simply did not know the true God. The key to Thomas’
commitment as apostle lies in his enlightenment of Jesus as the true God. This
faith commitment grew from one degree of glory to another as he began to know
Jesus as God.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Levels of Knowing Jesus as God</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Danish
philosopher Soren Kierkegaard, the father of “existentialism,” wrote that there
are three levels of knowing Jesus: the aesthetic level, the ethical level and the
spiritual level.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At what level of faith
are you on? Will you be willing to take a leap of faith and move forward?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">By the way, since
this is my first sermon in this congregation, I must say to you, at the outset,
that I am a three-point preacher. No matter what scriptures, I read, I always
find three points. One time, a youth member of my former parish asked “Father Fred,
why do you always have three points? “ and I replied, three reasons: one, I am
a Trinitarian; two, I am the third child in my family; and three, survey said
that the most that people can remember in a sermon is three points. And I told
the young man, “When you grow old like me, there are three things you will
lose. First is your memory, the other two, I could not remember.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The best
three point sermon was done by John Wesley, the Anglican priest who founded the
Holiness Movement which paved the way for the Methodist Church. It was a three-point
sermon on money. Wesley said, “First point, we must earn as much money as we
can.” And all Anglicans said, “Amen!” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Second point, Wesley said, “we must save as
much money as we can.” And all Anglicans said, “Amen!” Third point, Wesley
said, “we must give as much money as we can.” And all Anglicans said, “Lord,
have mercy.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">First Level- The Aesthetic Level</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Aesthetic means cosmetics or the
external beauty. If you want to have a facial, you go for cosmetology. If you
want to change your face and make your lips look like Angelina Jolie’s, you go
to cosmetic surgery. External beauty is called aesthetics.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">To know
Jesus in the aesthetic level is to see him as the image of God. Colossians 1:15
says, “Jesus is the image of the invisible God; the first born of all
creation.” This is the most elementary way of knowing Jesus. Jesus is the
image, the icon, the representation of God.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In India,
the predominant religion is Hinduism. There are over 33 million gods in the
Hindu religion. When you walk in Calcutta, most likely you would bump into a
god. Jesus is one of their gods, one of their avatars, one of the icons of God.
He can be placed alongside any god and no one will notice his uniqueness. He
could just be one of the 33 million models of God.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I was once
wondering why fashion designers often choose slim or thin ladies to model their
signature dresses. Later I learned from one couturier that the reason why he
chose thin ladies was this: “models do not express themselves; they express the
clothes. In other words, they have to be thin because they serve as hangers!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Well that
was logical, though a bit dehumanizing. The problem in knowing Jesus simply as
a hanger or a model of God is that models change. Take for example the model of
courtship. During my father’s time, the men were expressive of their love. They
sang songs like this (Frank Sinatra):</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">“<i>My love is deep as the sea that flows forever;<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>You ask me when
will it end? I tell you never. </i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">During my
time, we were a bit subdued, but nevertheless poetic. And we sang songs like
this:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">No, I never meant to love you; <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No I
never meant to care. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">But have you ever noticed; Just how often I was there?</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Today, the
model of courtship has changed. It’s like “Gangnam style.” The young people
simply say like this (Justin Beiber): </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Baby,
baby, baby Oh; Like baby, baby, baby Oh!”</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">So to know
Jesus simply on the aesthetic level is not enough. It opens up the doubt as
expressed by John the Baptist to his cousin, Jesus: “Are you He who is to come or
shall we wait for another?” (Luke 7:19)</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Second Level- The Ethical Level</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The second level of knowing Jesus is
the ethical level. This means knowing Jesus not only as a model of God but the
reality of God. Being co-equal with the Father-God and the Spirit-God is the
uniqueness of Jesus, the Son-God. Models may change but the reality does not.
Jesus as God is the same “yesterday, today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and
the end.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Knowing Jesus in the ethical level
leads to commitment. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thomas learned that
the power within him was greater than that of the world. But it was only head
knowledge. His behavior did not change. Faced with pressures in life, he
rationalizes. This is called paralysis of analysis. But when he saw Jesus' body penetrating the closed door and heard him speak and saw the marks of the nails, he made a leap of faith. The miracle
of the resurrected body broke open his heart to believe. Then he
decided to obey Him even unto death. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In 1517, the
German monk named Martin Luther, nailed down a piece of paper on the door of
the church in Wittenberg. The paper contained 95 theses or reasons condemning
the corrupt practices of the Roman Catholic Church of his time. These theses
set the stage for the Protestant Reformation. When he was excommunicated and
condemned by the papacy of his time, Luther said, “Here I stand, I can do no
other.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I’m sorry
that I could not remember those 95 theses of Luther. Had he broken them down to
only three theses, I might have remembered, but that’s another story. The point
I am driving at, is that ethics (behavior) and faith intersect. We are supposed
to<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>practice what we preach because if we
do not practice what we preach, we become superficial and hypocrites. If we say
we love God and hate our brothers and sisters, St. John wrote (1 John 4:20), we
lie. For how can we say we love God whom we cannot see and hate our neighbors
whom we can see?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In other words, worship and work must be one.
When we talk about Christian unity, we talk about solidarity in the secular
world as well as unity in the spiritual world. If we cannot be one in sharing pan
de sal and a cup of coffee at the fellowship hall, how can we truly be one in
sharing the Body and Blood of Christ in the holy altar?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So if you
know that Jesus is not just one model of 33 million gods but the one, unique,
solitary God, then your ethics should change. You make a decision. Like Luther,
you make a stand. Someone said that if you don’t stand on something, you will
fall for anything. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Third Level---The Spiritual Level</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This is the highest level of faith,
the faith that surpasses human understanding, the gift and virtue of the
mystics. The spiritual level means knowing Jesus not only as the aesthetic
model of God, not only as the reality of God but as the experience of God.
Jesus told his apostles prior to his departure, “Those who believe in me will
do the works that I do and will even do greater deeds, because I go to the
Father” (John 14:12). </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Are you able to believe that you will
experience the power that Jesus had given the apostles? Will there be signs and
wonders when you proclaim the message of God? Will there be healing of the
sick, recovery of sight to the blind, freedom for the captives, liberation of
the oppressed and hope for the poor? </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Will you, like St. Peter on the Day of
Pentecost, be able to preach one sermon and cause repentance and faith of 3,000 people? Will
you, like St. Paul be able to establish churches and strengthen Christians by
way of writing letters (or now emails and social media?) Will you be able to pray
for the sick and they will recover?</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">When Jesus died, the apostles went
back fishing<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">.</b> This is called
“backsliding.” From being “fishers of men” that Jesus called them to be, they
returned to being fishermen. But when they experienced the power of the Holy
Spirit, their lives completely changed. They became true to their mission. The
experience of the Holy Spirit became the wind beneath their wings. They
proclaimed Jesus in passion and compassion. As fire is for burning, their
passion for evangelism energized their ministries. The spiritual level of
knowing Jesus makes us to experience the power of the Holy Spirit in moving
mountains of despair and obstacles and achieving the fecundity or fruitfulness of our lives and character.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Questions</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This is my first sermon here as your
new priest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was appointed by the Bishop
last April 1, otherwise known as “All Fools Day.” Through this week, as I went through
transition, I meditated on what it means to be a “fool for Christ” and asked
myself these foolish questions: “Are you he who is to come or shall they wait
for another?” “What makes you different than the priests before you?” “Are you
able to turn this church around?” “Are you able to revive this church?” “Are
you able to move this church from decline to survival; from maintenance to
growth?” "And can you do it as a weekend priest-in-charge"(my full-time job is missioner for Asiamerica Ministries and staff of the Presiding Bishop).</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My answer was and is, “No, I am not a
messiah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I cannot revive this church; I cannot
turn this church around. But I will help the people of God at St. James Church
to know Jesus more and more. So that knowing Him, they may love Him; and by
loving Him, they may serve Him. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By
knowing Jesus, by loving Jesus and by serving Jesus, the Holy Spirit will empower
us together, to turn this Church around!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Conclusion</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Like St.
Thomas, St. James, St. Peter, St. John, St. James and all the apostles, may we all know Jesus, the crucified
and risen Lord. The true and living God. He is the Christ who cannot be buried below the ground. He is
the Christ who got out of the tomb. He is the Christ who rose on high and
ascended to the Father. He is the Christ who spoke peace and said, “Fear not...Peace be with you.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I will help
you to know Jesus as the image of God, the reality of God and the experience of
God. Today, at St. James Church in Elmhurst, a new journey begins. Because Jesus lives, we all
can face tomorrow. Yes, Lord. Do it again. Revive us again. Allelluia! Thine the glory. Revive us again!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">(Post note: Attendance at St. James has more than quadrupled in just over 2 years, with new and
innovative ministries and has become financially viable again. The Church is working on its Long-Term Plan for becoming a Parish again.) </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01654925995456576921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6158908650179081247.post-34280724735420331182015-12-17T23:54:00.002-05:002015-12-17T23:55:37.015-05:00IN THE BEGINNING WAS FRIENDHIP - THE HMONG STORY<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:RelyOnVML/>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<w:DoNotOptimizeForBrowser/>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Cambria","serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 14.0pt;">GUEST BLOG: In the beginning… there
was a friendship: Genesis of Hmong Episcopal Ministry</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 14pt;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdb4Zok3fYRmOLXerJjcDvqJLj_xdi3CjW_bj-1CiYqEau7thlOnHybZq0FADJOqIhFkpjE9_wluDAiUBnvq7C8P_E2Nhbm3APXPVLVqQN85u73NF81nl-6FP1XmyDHmF2NQzerIcw160/s1600/SyVangLoStory+cloth.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdb4Zok3fYRmOLXerJjcDvqJLj_xdi3CjW_bj-1CiYqEau7thlOnHybZq0FADJOqIhFkpjE9_wluDAiUBnvq7C8P_E2Nhbm3APXPVLVqQN85u73NF81nl-6FP1XmyDHmF2NQzerIcw160/s400/SyVangLoStory+cloth.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Story Cloth by Sy Vang Lo whose friendship with the Rev. Susan Moss became the contact point for the Hmong to know about the Episcopal Church.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwy4T0336aPlbLwX-ZhwphFMLX3H96C5Dwnh8c3qE7s391UUDnBrsgb3ogWwac1rVZP2SU9bY2FpU7rJr0Fk6dceYBjmB_4japygE9uBcgPJlCwB76v-3mWaavyhlUgnMVp6sc0JFAiP8/s1600/SueSy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwy4T0336aPlbLwX-ZhwphFMLX3H96C5Dwnh8c3qE7s391UUDnBrsgb3ogWwac1rVZP2SU9bY2FpU7rJr0Fk6dceYBjmB_4japygE9uBcgPJlCwB76v-3mWaavyhlUgnMVp6sc0JFAiP8/s400/SueSy.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Susan Maetzold Moss (center) with her friend, Sy Vang Lo</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 14.0pt;">(Editor's Note: The Hmong congregation at Holy Apostles Church in Minnesota celebrate dthier 10th anniversary last December 13, 2015. Following is the address of of <b>The Rev. Susan
Maetzold Moss,</b> missioner of the Episcopal Diocese in Minnesota in 2005 when the Hmong were received in the Episcopal Church. This is one of the ten stories shared at the gathering.)</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Father
Fred Vergara, noticing the line up of this evening’s speakers wrote on his FB
page that it was a little like a message relay for the church, each holding the
baton for a while and passing it on to the next.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I
like this image. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want to also offer
another one that fits our message relay: The image of the mustard seed from
Jesus’ parable of the mustard seed.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when
it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the
birds come and perch in its branches.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">For me the mustard seed is the day I met Sy Vang
Lo 34 years ago. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I was a seminarian working at Children’s Hospital
in Minneapolis. One day on my way home I stopped by Sy’s first shop on 24<sup>th</sup>
and Hennepin Avenue pulled in by the magnetic beauty of the Hmong folk art I
saw in her shop window. Sy and I became friends that day. Not long after she would
make a beautiful chasuble for my ordination to the priesthood in 1985 with a pa
ndau Hmong symbol as the focal point.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A year or so later, Sy’s Hmong Folk Art shop
moved into my neighborhood. While strolling my babies I would stop in to say Hi
and sometimes help with the translation of her orders, talk about our children
or meet members of her extended family. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I learned about pa ndau and story cloths, I
begin to learn why Sy, her husband <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Deacon Va Thai, their children and extended <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>family came to MN from the Ban Vinai refugee
camp in Thailand.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Other Episcopalians had discovered the Hmong Folk
Art Shop and began to learn the story of how and why Hmong people were<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>coming to MN after the Viet Nam war. Mary
Anderson and Bishop Bob Anderson, The Rev Dick Smith and Marcia Smith, Deacon
Lyn Lawyer to name a few were fans. When I visited Bishop Anderson to say good
bye, as he was dying of cancer, I brought him one of Sy’s Hmong Hearts</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We all encouraged her to bring her work and the
textile work of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>other Hmong women to the
fall <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Minnesota Episcopal Church conventions
where she met more of us.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">One day in 1988 Sy asked: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sue how can I get to the Episcopal</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Church General Convention in Detroit. I want to go</i>. I’ve heard
there <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">are a lot of people there</i>. I
said, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">No don’t go! The Detroit Labor</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Unions will rob you with fees for even
changing a light bulb or getting you a chair to sit on.</i> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But determined she got on the bus with several
suitcases of Hmong folk art and not only sold thousands of dollars of merchandise
but made even more friends in The Episcopal Church.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">She has attended every convention since that year
in Detroit.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Over time Sy told me many stories of St. Vincent’s
Church, of the untimely death of their first beloved pastor followed by the
very <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>serious <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>subsequent conflicts with the Archdiocese. So
it was not surprising to me to receive her phone call one day in my office at
the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Episcopal Center where I was the
Metro Area Canon Missioner.</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sue, we are ready to leave St Vincent’ s Catholic Church.</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We are ready to visit the Episcopal Church</span></i><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">To come and see. </i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">To meet your Bishop. Where can we go? </span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What are we talking about Sy? I asked </span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Several hundred people. She replied, Where can we go?</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Are you sure about this? Yes.</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Holy Apostles Episcopal Church. I want you to meet their
priest Father Bill Bulson, I replied.</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">As it happened, the MN Episcopal Church
convention was scheduled to meet not long after our phone conversation. Of
course Sy was going to be there.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I’m guessing it was the fall of 1999 that I had
the honor and the pleasure to introduce Sy Vang Lo to Father William Bulson right
there at the Hmong Folk Art table.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">As I walked away another friendship began; yet another
sprout of the mustard seed began to grow.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">And now 10 years later we are celebrating the 10<sup>th</sup>
year anniversary of the Hmong faithful becoming Episcopalians.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Jesus said: “Though it is the smallest of all
seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a
tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01654925995456576921noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6158908650179081247.post-15754426265822153992015-12-08T11:26:00.002-05:002015-12-08T11:26:59.800-05:00JAPAN CHURCH ON MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGDifsWIDdtEqf3Gps25987sKuTMLZ8bXiyBNBH3GaUPHXL_4UOlLCzPs75GPcKGlGSvIeJB92-ZUOwAsKhryb2Xclm8SovZhbVMftxQiBhXzA4pfdwjAb9fREQIVCIGT-4QrI5GszZFM/s1600/UEMATSU+AT+GC1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGDifsWIDdtEqf3Gps25987sKuTMLZ8bXiyBNBH3GaUPHXL_4UOlLCzPs75GPcKGlGSvIeJB92-ZUOwAsKhryb2Xclm8SovZhbVMftxQiBhXzA4pfdwjAb9fREQIVCIGT-4QrI5GszZFM/s400/UEMATSU+AT+GC1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ARCHBISHOP NATHANIEL UEMATSU WITH EPISCOPAL ASIAMERICA MINISTRIES AT THE 2015 GENERAL CONVENTION OF THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Editor’s
Note:</span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Most Rev.
Nathaniel Uematsu, archbishop and primate of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Nippon Sei Ko Kai</b> (NSKK) was one of the keynote speaker at the
recent Episcopal Asiamerica Consultation held in Korea. I took the liberty of
sharing these excerpts in light of current world situation. Nowhere in our
generation is the urgent need for the Church to become ministers of
reconciliation, which Archbishop Uematsu calls for:</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Wartime
Japan:</span></i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “The church,
lacking a clear understanding of the Christian faith and the Gospel…prayed for (Japan
War) victory and proved unable to speak out against (militarization) …and thus approved
the occupation of other nations and contributed to the war in the name of
Christianity.”</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Post
War Japan:</span></i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “There was a
period when Christianity attracted the hearts of many Japanese people, and the
Church once again found a role as a means of contact with Western culture.
However, as the nation rallied the populace toward accelerated economic growth,
and with the emergence of a materialistic consumer society, the identity of the
church, too, underwent a dramatic transformation.”</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">21st
Century:</span></i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “We felt called
to repent and seek reconciliation and deeper engagement with our</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> neighbors</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> in countries throughout Asia (e.g. Taiwan, China,
the Philippines, Papua New Guinea) who had first suffered under Japanese
occupation and</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> colonization</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">,
and then been made subject to economic control under Japan's post-war
development…. and</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> apologized</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">
for the Japan’s role in the colonization of the Korean</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> peninsula</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">.”</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; letter-spacing: -.1pt;">Church Mission:</span></i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; letter-spacing: -.1pt;"> “We believe God is asking us to walk together with the
worldwide Anglican family, with all its diverse gifts. We must be willing to
share with one another, willing to take the time to listen to one another's
different experiences. We believe this is the shape our church must take in the
21<sup>st</sup> century. “</span> PLEASE READ THE ENTIRE
ARTICLE. – Fred Vergara</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i> </i><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:TargetScreenSize>800x600</o:TargetScreenSize>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" Name="footer"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" Name="page number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Century","serif";}
</style>
<![endif]-->
</div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">JAPAN AND THE CHURCH
IN JAPAN:</span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">MISSION OF RECONCILIATION</span></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The Most Rev. Nathaniel
Uematsu, Archbishop and Primate,</span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The Nippon Sei
Ko Kai (NSKK, Anglican Church in Japan)</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></i></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Nippon Sei
Ko Kai (NSKK = the Anglican Church in Japan) was among the first Protestant
churches established after Japan was re-opened to the world in 1854, ending 200
years of isolation. </span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In June 1859,
the Rev. Channing Moore Williams, missionary priest and later missionary bishop
of the Episcopal Church, landed at Nagasaki, in southwestern Japan. Williams
joined the Rev. John Riggins, who had docked at Nagasaki one month earlier, and
the Anglican mission in Japan began.</span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Six years ago,
we celebrated the 150<sup>th</sup> anniversary of that beginning. For the 150<sup>th</sup>
Anniversary celebration services and events held in Tokyo, we had a great
pleasure to have your Presiding Bishop, Katharine Jefferts Schori, with other
distinguished guests like the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Rt. Honorable Rowan
Williams, and the Primate of Anglican Church of Korea, Archbishop Paul Keun
Sang Kim. </span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
foundations of the Anglican church throughout the country were laid by four organizations:
The Episcopal Church Board of Missions in the United States which sent John
Riggins and Channing Moore Williams and many more to Japan; the Church
Missionary Society (CMS) and the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel
(SPG), both from England; and later the Anglican Church of Canada. These
missionaries helped establish a rich and broadly catholic and evangelical
tradition within the NSKK. </span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The common
vision of the missionaries was always the formation of an independent Japanese
church supported by Japanese Anglicans. Owing to their insights and efforts,
the first General Synod of the NSKK was held in Osaka in 1887. Now formally</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> organised</span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">, the NSKK began pioneering work
throughout Japan, in an environment of still considerable misunderstanding and
prejudice against Christianity. In addition to planting churches, the NSSK was
active in the fields of preschool child-care, secondary education, medicine,
and social welfare. This work continues to this day, thanks to the efforts of
the overseas missionaries as well as countless Japanese clergy and lay people.
We express our heartfelt gratitude for their dedication.</span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Roughly fifty
years after Channing Williams' arrival, Japan began a marked turn towards
becoming a militaristic nation, as</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">
symbolised </span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">by
the forced annexation of Korea by Japan in 1910. The flow of events during this
period was indeed overwhelming, as Japan engaged in armed conflict and
undertook a program of occupying and</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> colonizing
neighbouring</span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">
Asian countries. The church, lacking a clear understanding of the Christian
faith and the Gospel, using the form of “Special Prayer Service for Shina-Jihen
(China Incident)” and “Special Prayer for Dai-Towa War (Great Asia War)” prayed
for victory and proved unable to speak out against these events. Thus the NSKK
approved the occupation of other nations and contributed to the war in the name
of Christianity. </span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">(China-Incident:
total scale China-Japan war provoked by the July 7<sup>th</sup> battle near
Beijing. Japan called the wars “incidents” in China because it did not declare
them officially as “Great Asia War:” naming of the Asia Pacific War by the
Imperial Japanese government. It implies the understanding of the character of
the war as “liberating Asian nations from the colonization of the West”. The
word is being used even today by those who deny the historical fact of Japan’s
aggression.)</span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Moreover, in
1941, the Japanese government expelled all foreign clergy and missionaries from
the country, and the unity of the NSKK itself was shaken by the desparate reactions
to the government's attempt to force all Protestant churches together into a
single umbrella</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> organisation</span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">. Even as we
are mindful of the hardships faced by our brothers and sisters in the church
during that period, we must also continue to remember this painful history. </span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">After Japan's
defeat in 1945, the country entered a period of rebuilding "from the
ashes." Free at last from long years of oppression under a militaristic
government, there was a period when Christianity attracted the hearts of many
Japanese people, and the Church once again found a role as a means of contact
with Western culture. However, as the nation rallied the populace toward
accelerated economic growth, and with the emergence of a materialistic consumer
society, the identity of the church, too, underwent a dramatic transformation</span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
Pan-Anglican Congress held in 1963 in Toronto, Canada proposed to the Anglican
world the idea of the "mutual responsibility and interdependence" of
the various Anglican churches worldwide. By 1970, missionaries from overseas
Anglican churches, who had contributed so much to the work of</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> evangelization</span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> in Japan, had nearly all returned to
their home countries. The NSKK, both as a province and at the parish level, was
no longer a "receiving church" dependent on overseas support, but
rather was called to bear mutual responsibility and become a spiritually,
administratively and financially independent church among many in the global
Anglican Communion. The NAKK became a self-supporting province in 1972.</span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; letter-spacing: -.1pt;">At the same time, influenced by ongoing changes in the world social
order as well as in thinking about mission, the NSKK searched for a renewed
ecclesiological shape. A new Prayer Book (1990) and Hymnal (2006) arose out of
this quest. Also during this period, while respecting the differences in
theological convictions, the NSKK also</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; letter-spacing: -.1pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> recognised</span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; letter-spacing: -.1pt;"> the ordination of women to the priesthood (1998). The NSKK
today is made up of nearly 280</span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; letter-spacing: -.1pt;">Churches in 11 dioceses, claiming roughly 51,000 members, including over
220 active clergy.</span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">At the same
time, the NSKK began to look back over the events leading up to the
Asia-Pacific War. We especially felt called to repent and seek reconciliation
and deeper engagement with our</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> neighbours</span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> in countries
throughout Asia who had first suffered under Japanese occupation and</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> colonization</span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">, and then been made subject to
economic control under Japan's post-war development. </span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">We were
especially blessed by our fellow Anglicans in the Anglican Church of Korea
(ACK), who opened their hearts to us even before Japan had come to terms with
and</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> apologised</span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> for its role in the colonization of
the Korean</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> peninsula</span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">. As brothers and sisters sharing the
same faith, even as the ACK drew our attention to the inadequacies and errors
of Japan's historical awareness, they also opened the door to exchanges between
individuals, churches, dioceses, and at the provincial level. Last year the
NSKK and the Anglican Church of Korea together celebrated the 30<sup>th</sup>
anniversary of Korea-Japan Anglican Mission Partnership in Jeju Island, Korea. Since
2007, through an inter-provincial agreement, clergy from the Anglican Church of
Korea who sense a calling to evangelism in Japan are now serving in areas
throughout Japan. We have welcomed over 20 such missioners to date. </span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">With regard to
Taiwan, China, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, and other countries which
also suffered under Japanese wartime occupation, the NSKK has sought
reconciliation and a restoration of our bonds under the same Lord, Jesus Christ.
At the same time, we have been blessed by the wealth of faith-filled
experiences of our brothers and sisters in these countries. </span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In 1972, after
walking a path of suffering separated from the Japanese mainland for 27 years,
Okinawa was returned to Japanese control, and the Diocese of Okinawa became
part of the NSKK. Even now, though, the Okinawan people continue to suffer
under the intense strain of the presence of U.S. military bases. We take
seriously the challenges to peace pointed up by their struggle, and are keenly
aware of being called to work toward</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> realizing</span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> the peace
that is in Jesus Christ. </span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Let me go back
to the issue of NSKK’s repentance and reconciliation in relation to the
partnership with the Anglican Church of Korea, because I believe it is the most
crucial and turning point for making a new vision of the mission of the NSKK. This
year of 2015 is the 70<sup>th</sup> anniversary of the end of the WW2. For
Japan, it is the 70<sup>th</sup> year of the defeat, but for Korea, it is the
70<sup>th</sup> anniversary of the liberation and emancipation from Japanese
colonization. As I said, last year, the NSKK and the Anglican Church of Korea
celebrated the 30<sup>th</sup> anniversary of our mission partnership together.
Before we began official partnership in 1984, both churches had experienced
very difficult time, in which we were suffering from the scars and pain caused
by the war. Atrocities committed by Japan during the invasion of Korean
Peninsula by Japanese Army and forced Annexation of Korea to Japan caused among
the Koreans pain, grudge, sorrow and humiliation. Before our two churches
agreed to begin the official relationship, only few people had been trying to
build the bridge between Korean church and Japanese church. Although we were
neighbors and Anglicans, we simply could not come close to each other for 40
years. Even after we started the official relationship, we admit that the work
of reconciliation between two churches was not easy. There have been a lot of
tension, torment, embarrassment, disappointment, and even anger in the course
of making new relationship. Sometimes, our joint programs came to a deadlock.</span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">But now, we
can tell you many stories of grace which we rejoice and celebrate as a result
of walking together the path of reconciliation. Bishops of two churches are all
good friends, and if the consecration of bishop takes place either in Japan or
in Korea, most of bishops likely participate in the laying of hands.</span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Youth seminars
and camps are jointly held, and they learn from each other and become friends. Some
Japanese youth go to college or seminary in Korea. In the NSKK, now about 20
Korean priests are working. Four years ago, when the Great East-Japan
Earthquake struck north-east part of Japan, many Korean clergy including
Archbishop Paul Kim and lay persons and youth groups visited the affected areas
to help those victims, churches, and church activities. It was a sign of our
good relationship and solidarity. Because two churches experienced the war and
its aftermath, now we are launching together to make ourselves to be the
instrument of peace.</span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">We have
co-hosted the Anglican Peace Conference twice: one in Paju, Korea, and one in
Okinawa, Japan.</span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Last December,
on one Sunday, I was a preacher at the Cathedral in Seoul. It was the first
time that a Japanese bishop preached at the Seoul Cathedral after the war. It
took 70 years to make it happen, but it was a definite progress of our
reconciliation process</span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In order to
engage in the work of reconciliation with our neighbors, especially with the
Korean Church, there needed the scrutiny of our history and church’s
involvement in that history. It was the most difficult task for us. However,
without this process, we could not have gone forward. In 1995, the year of the
50<sup>th</sup> Anniversary of the end of the Asia-Pacific War, the NSKK held
the Mission Consultation to discuss and evaluate our past as the church in
Japan. Under the theme of “Responsibility for History and Prospects for the 21<sup>st</sup>
Century,” we admitted our war responsibility; based on repentance and looking
toward the 21<sup>st</sup> century, we determined to walk with those who were
historically persecuted and victimized during the war and still discriminated
against, including Koreans in Japan. Furthermore, at the NSKK 49<sup>th</sup>
General Synod held in the following year, 1996, we adopted the Nippon Sei Ko
Kai’s Statement on War Responsibility” and all churches agreed to collectively
share NSKK’s war responsibility, convey an apology in the name of NSKK to the
churches in the countries which Japan had invaded, and to start and continue a
program in each diocese and parish to review the historical facts and deepen
our understanding of the Gospel. Admitting our own guilt and sin is always the
most difficult thing. However then, only from then, we can go on repentance and
then we can experience the blessing that we are forgiven.</span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Four years
have passed since the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami struck on March
11, 2011. The NSKK immediately organized a project called “Issho ni aruko”,
which means “Let us walk together” to help the victims. As the NSKK had decided
in the War Responsibility Statement, we have been trying to live and to be with
those who are marginalized or have been forced to live in very difficult
conditions because of the disaster. We are very appreciative that many people
overseas contributed for the work of “Let us walk together.” I would like to
say on this occasion thank you to our friends in the Episcopal Church and the
Anglican Church of Korea. Presiding Bishop Katharine and Archbishop Paul Kim
were among many people who actually visited the affected area to be with the
victims, to pray for them, and to cry with them.</span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The aftermath
of the accident of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station is still going
on. We have not resolved nor yet found a certain direction to resolve the
problem. Even now, people were forced to leave their homes, and families were
broken up while suffering from the fear of health-harming radioactive
contamination. The NSKK have decided to walk together with the nuclear victims
and to establish the No-Nuke Project. </span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">As we mark
this 156<sup>th</sup> year of an Anglican presence in Japan, in many ways it
seems that we have failed to adequately sustain the tremendous energy that the
missionaries first brought to mission and</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> evangelization</span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">
in this country. It seems we have not yet been able to give adequate expression
to our faith as those who live in Japanese society. We face declines in the
numbers of both lay members and clergy, and our congregations as a whole are
ageing—problems which cannot be solved overnight. Throughout the country, in
spite of the lack of priests at many churches, Sunday worship has continued to
be carried out by a small number of lay people. We give thanks for the
dedicated service of these people, and ask for the Lord's special blessing on
them. </span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">And yet, in
the midst of these conditions, there have continued to be enthusiastic,
energetic gatherings of young people in our church, both locally and at
National Youth Conferences.</span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></b></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">As we have
looked back over the great blessings God has bestowed on the NSKK over the past
156 years, we have reflected on what this church has accomplished, on what we
intended but failed to do, and on many things we simply did not consider. </span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Just as
worship is called "the work of the people" </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">(<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">leitourgia</i></span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">), the church
is above all the community of the people of God. We are called to be
instruments carrying the Good News and the love of Christ to the world. As
such, wherever we might be, we are gathered together in worship, nourished by
the Word and the Eucharist, and sent out into society. The work of the laity is
therefore equally as important as that of the clergy. The church does not exist
only for its own sake, but is also called to seek the presence and action of
God in the world, particularly among the least in society, and to serve the
world. This work is carried out not only within the NSKK, but also in dialogue
and mission collaboration with churches in other traditions. </span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; letter-spacing: -.1pt;">Even though the NSKK is a small flock, in the midst of a world
experiencing deep pain and division, the rest of the Anglican Communion looks
to us to continue proclaiming a message of peace and reconciliation, grounded
in our own</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; letter-spacing: -.1pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> repentance</span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; letter-spacing: -.1pt;">. At the same time, as we saw at the </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; letter-spacing: -.1pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Lambeth</span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; letter-spacing: -.1pt;"> Conference in
2008, we believe God is asking us to walk together with the worldwide Anglican
family, with all its diverse gifts. We must be willing to share with one
another, willing to take the time to listen to one another's different
experiences. We believe this is the shape our church must take in the 21<sup>st</sup>
century. </span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 418.5pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01654925995456576921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6158908650179081247.post-8603261692417469942015-12-07T12:18:00.001-05:002015-12-07T12:18:22.751-05:00PREACHING CHRIST IN A GODLESS WORLD<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:TargetScreenSize>800x600</o:TargetScreenSize>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">PREACHING CHRIST IN
A GODLESS WORLD</span></u></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(The Rev. Dr. Winfred B. Vergara, St. James Church, Elmhurst, New York,
12.5.2015)</i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL3HIkIDXCGX98iW_yfQihqqDDWK64-oDUWP5AEdWWe94sPdeSmSsyo-pX87Yivt_SbGHkqHYHl1fDh9oxwWFvOs98kBoZ6M8Qtuj6VwfBhA3K2gCPHe3tQdpNqO5yJlPKudIe7Wv7R1Y/s1600/JB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL3HIkIDXCGX98iW_yfQihqqDDWK64-oDUWP5AEdWWe94sPdeSmSsyo-pX87Yivt_SbGHkqHYHl1fDh9oxwWFvOs98kBoZ6M8Qtuj6VwfBhA3K2gCPHe3tQdpNqO5yJlPKudIe7Wv7R1Y/s320/JB.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="text"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“A
voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord,</i></span><span class="indent-1-breaks"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i></span><span class="text"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">make his paths straight.<sup> </sup>Every
valley shall be lifted up,</i></span><span class="indent-1-breaks"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i></span><span class="text"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">every mountain and hill be made low. The
crooked roads shall become straight,</i></span><span class="indent-1-breaks"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i></span><span class="text"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the rough ways smooth---and all people will
see the salvation of God.’”(</i></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Luke
3:1-6)</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Today, we hear the voice of John the Baptist, calling people
to repent and prepare the way for Christ. John was the fearless, selfless and passionate
prophet who became the forerunner of Jesus Christ. Jesus said there is no other
prophet greater than John the Baptist (Luke 7:28) and he came to be baptized by
him in the Jordan. John told the crowd, “I baptize with water but this One, the
thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie, will baptize you with the Holy
Spirit and with fire” (Mark 1:8). When Jesus was baptized, heavens opened, the
Holy Spirit came in the form of a dove and the voice of God said, “This is my
beloved Son!” (Matthew3:17).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The title of this sermon is “Preaching Christ in a Godless
World.” What is a Godless world? It is a world where God is remote; a world
where people do not dream God’s dream, do not think God’s thoughts, do not do
God’s will. It is a world where people do not know the true God (Hosea 4:6); or
if they once knew God, they now have forgotten Him. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Recently, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev. Justin
Welby came to a realization that the England which he once knew is longer the
same. This realization came when the Anglican Church produced an advertising of
the Lord’s Prayer and the cinemas in London rejected it saying that it may
offend the British people who belong to other faiths or those with no faith.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There was a time when England was a Christian nation and English
missionaries spread throughout the world. That was a time when England was
known as “the empire where the sun never sets”--- because when the sun sets on
their colonies in the west, it rises on their colonies in the east. Today, England
is no longer the same. The demise of British Empire has long ended and the British
people no longer know where the sun has gone.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There was also a time when the Anglican Church was
predominant in England. Reformation started in Germany and spread across the British
Isles in the form of Anglicanism. Anglicanism was like the air that the British
people breathe. Former Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Robert Runcie, was asked why
he was an Anglican and he replied, “I am an Anglican because I was born in
England; had I been born in India I might have been a Hindu.” Today, the Church
of England has waned and waxed and its power is no longer recognized.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As Germany, England and much of Europe, Christianity in the
United States is also in crisis. The competitors of Christianity are not Islam,
Judaism, Hinduism and Buddhism but secularism. In New York City alone, the
number of those who profess no faith has exceeded the mainline denominations.
Even those who claim to be “spiritual but not religious” are actually atheists
or agnostics. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The consumerism and other secular values have been deeply
embedded in American culture. We’ve just finished Thanksgiving and are now
preparing for Christmas and you can see the flurry of commercial activities. As
someone said, “Christmas is another season when Americans buy things they do
not need, with the money they do not have, to impress the people they do not
like.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We have been secularized in our thinking. We put our trust
in our government, in our military, in our economy than on God. We worship
money, entertainment and power. There are more people who turn up for sports
than for church; there are more people glued on their television sets, computers
and cellphones than praying or reading the scriptures. There are more people
shopping during Black Friday than those who worship on Good Friday. Even family
times are no longer quality times for bonding because we now fiddle with our
cellphones by the dinner table.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Honestly speaking, even as Christian people, we act
secularly. We have devalued the Word of God. Congregations cannot sit for long
sermons. In many of our churches, people come to church but are anxious to
leave even before the service is over, but they would line up for Broadway
Shows and spend hours in sporting events. Many churches, including
Episcopalian, accommodate this lukewarm interest in hearing the Word of God by
shortening the sermons into five or seven minutes. Someone said, “because we
preach sermonettes, we grow Christianettes!” We grow members who are “neither
hot not cold” but lukewarm in the faith.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When we listen to our political leaders, we do not hear an
appeal to God who guides our destiny as a people and as nation. What we hear is
an appeal to the secular god of money, might and power. One cartoonist puts it
this way: “We are suffering from a ‘military industrial complex.’ We have 1,800
nuclear missiles, 283 battleships and 9,400 planes. We spend more in military
than the incomes of twelve nations combined and we increase military spending
year after year---and yet we still feel insecure.” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The values of the godless world is akin to the values of the
Roman Empire, the context<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>of John the
Baptist preaching, the context on which Herod ruled: gold on top and human
beings at the bottom. Conscience was wanting, human life was devalued and the
rule of the thumb was “might is right.” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So how do we preach Christ in this godless world? Let us
draw inspiration from John the Baptist.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Preach Christ with
passion!</span></b></li>
</ol>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">John the Baptist
preached with passion. Like the Old Testament prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah,
Ezekiel, Amos and Joel, John called people to repent and turn to the Lord. When
some lukewarm Hebrews came for his baptism, he rebuked them saying, “Who warned
you of the wrath of God that is to come?” Change your life, changed your
conduct, rend your hearts and not your garments because even now, “the ax of
judgment is laid on the roots of the trees.” Because he preaches with passion,
John attracted so many people---even in the wilderness.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">That’s what
I like with our new presiding bishop, Michael Curry. He preaches with passion,
with energy. You are electrified with his energy. Samuel Chadwick once wrote,
“Preaching is never a profession; it must always be a passion.” St. Paul said,
“Woe unto me if I preach not the gospel” (1 Corinthians 9:16). </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">John the
Baptist saw that His people have forgotten God. They have placed their hopes in
human achievements. They were lost. They were no different from the pagan
people around them. So he preached with passion to prepare the way for Christ!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">2.</span></u></b><u><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Preach
Christ with compassion!</b> </span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Although
John the Baptist was often pictured as an ascetic who preached hell, fire and
brimstone, he was actually a compassionate prophet. His parents were devout
Jews: father Zechariah was a priest and mother Elizabeth was cousin of the
Virgin Mary. In other words, John and Jesus were second cousins.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">John’s birth
was a miracle, an answer to Zechariah’s prayer, because Elizabeth was past
child-bearing when she got pregnant. And so when the child was born, they named
him John, derived from the Hebrew term meaning “God is gracious.” As he was passionate,
John was also compassionate---the reason why many people came to listen to
him---even in the desert. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Compassion
in Greek brings the image of being gripped in the intestine. Being
compassionate is to feel the pain of people, bodily within yourself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have you ever tried looking at the homeless
people shivering in cold, hungry and thirsty and not feel their pain? Have you
ever been to the slums in some Third World countries and see the poverty and
squalor of those who sift through the garbage dump looking for something they
can live on and not feel their suffering? Have you ever visited the sick or
those in prison and not feel their suffering and agony? Have you ever heard the
cries of the widows and orphans of those who died in wars and those who
recently lost their lives in terrorism and senseless violence and not feel
their anguish?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Indian
evangelist Ravi Zacharias said that “somewhere in the universe, there is a
place where all the heartaches in the world are funneled into.” That place is in
the heart of God who aches in love and compassion for the world which He made.
The pain of God is expressed by Hosea who suffered pain from the faithlessness
of His people, “How can I give you up Ephraim? My heart recoils within me and
my compassion was stirred.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And when
Jesus saw the poor and the oppressed he was filled with compassion because they
were like sheep without a shepherd! And when he looked at the disunity of God’s
people, He said, “How often would I wish I were a hen gathering her chicks
under the shadow of her wings but you would not!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Have you
seen the movie Gandhi? There was a scene, in which Mahatma Gandhi was asked by Anglican
missionary Earl Stanley Jones what advice he would give to Christians so the
Indian people would accept it as an Indian religion and Gandhi said (Year
1919).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">First, you
who are Christians or who call yourselves Christians, must live more like
Jesus. Make him alive in your life.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Second, you
must practice your religion, without adulterating or toning it down. Do not
tone down the name of Jesus just because you may offend other people. No, the
essential offense is not in proclaiming your faith but in toning it down. It is
strange that many American Christians, in their desire to be inclusive, do not
want to mention the word Jesus anymore and others wanted to abolish “Christ”
from Christmas tree, Merry Christmas, etc.. Gandhi said, “Do not tone Jesus
down but present Him as He really is.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Third,
emphasize love and make it the center of your proclamation because Jesus is
love.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Fourth,
study other religions more sympathetically.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">One of the
things that bother me with the escalating violence and terrorism is the
pervading reaction of many, including those who profess to be Christians. And
the reaction is aimed at demonizing Islam. While it is true that the fanatical
ISIS claim they do their evil deeds “in the name of Islam,” they do not necessarily
speak for the Muslim community in the same manner that Ku Klux Klan do not
represent the Christian community or the anti-abortionist terrorists do not
represent the evangelical prolife movement.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Furthermore
the political rhetoric does not sympathetically ask the question why these
people devalue lives? Why? Do we really stop, look and listen? Why do this
couple in San Bernardino would leave their six-month old baby to commit a
killing spree on innocent civilians, some of whom are the husband’s friends? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">With all the
fears from terrorism, there is an upsurge of civilians, including those who
purport to be Christians, buying their own guns and training to shoot in order
to defend themselves, maybe to the delight of the NRA (National Rifle
Association). What? Don’t we remember what Christ said, “Those who live by the
sword will die by the sword?” Violence begets violence; more violence begets
more violence---and the cycle never ends! As Martin Luther King, Jr. said,
“Darkness cannot be overcome by darkness; only light can. Hate can not be
overcome by hate; only love can.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In 1966
Simon and Garfunkel debuted a song, “Hello darkness my old friend, I come to
talk with you again…people talking without speaking, people hearing without
listening.” Some asked the question, “Where is God in all of these? Why is God
silent?” The poet Charlotte Elliot once wrote, “If we have a keen sensitivity
like God, we can hear the blade of grass grow and the squirrel’s heartbeat and
we will die from the roar that lies at the other side of silence.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe the silence of God can be deafening and
if God speaks, we may die by the sound of it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<ol start="3" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Preach Christ for transformation!</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></li>
</ol>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Stanley
Jones wrote in one of his books, “Christianity has its creeds but it is not a
creed; it has its doctrines and documents but it is not a doctrine or document;
it has its rites and ceremonies but it is not a rite or a ceremony; it has its
buildings and institutions but it is not a building or an institution. It has
at its center the Person of Jesus Christ.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">St. Paul
wrote to the Corinthians, “The Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom but we
preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the
Gentiles” (1Corinthians 1:23). To us, Christians, the Cross, the Calvary love
of God in Christ, is the power and the wisdom of God.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Therefore,
the ultimate purpose of preaching Christ is a revolution of values, a
revolution of love that leads to reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:19). God has
acted in coming down from heaven and became incarnate in Jesus Christ to
reconcile us to God and to one another. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">John the
Baptist was the reformer but Christ is the transformer. John baptized with
water that we may be cleansed from sin but Christ baptizes with the Holy Spirit
that we may change our hearts. There can be no new person without new heart; no
new society without new humanity. Corruption is like a fish. When removed from
water it dies and begins to decay. What is the solution? A new creation! Jesus
said, “Behold I make all things new” (Revelations 21:5). When <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>you are in Christ, you are a new creation; the
old has passed away, behold the new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17) Your values,
your thinking, your actions must change. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Preaching
Christ must therefore aim to change the value system. Revelations 21:21 speaks
about the streets of the City of God paved with gold. This is a reversal of
value system. In the kingdom of Herod, gold was on top and human being beneath.
Gold steps on human beings. But in the kingdom of God, human beings are on top,
gold beneath. In the kingdom of Herod, gold steps on human beings but in the
Kingdom of God, human being walk on gold. The power that comes from the barrel
of the gun is transformed by the power of love!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">CONCLUSION</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Let me end
my sermon with a story on allegiance. I do not mean the Broadway Musical
starring my favorite singer, Leah Salonga. I still have to see it sometime. But
this story on allegiance was set in the Middle East, a story from the Muslim
context. I heard it many years ago spoken by an Indian evangelical leader, Sam
Kamaleson:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In the era
of the Caliphates, there was a Caliphate (king) who was so self-centered, so
jealous and so insecure. He was secretly disliked by many people. Unlucky for
him, a new prime minister was elected who was so popular, so selfless and so
magnanimous and he was well-liked by everybody. His name was Jaffar. So the
king, unable to accept a competition, had Jaffar killed. Then he issued an
edict that whoever mentions the name of Jaffar would have his head cut off. In
the middle of the marketplace, a former Ethiopian slave, shouted “God bless
Jaffar.” The guards arrested him and brought him to the king. The king said, “Are
you a fool, trying to disobey my command? Now the guards will put you in chains,
torture you and then cut your head off.” The Ethiopian smiled and said, “O
King, I was in so many chains and Jaffar set me free.” Then he looked up to
heaven and said, “O Jaffar, even these chains I offer to you.” It appeared to
the king that nothing could break this man’s spirit, so he ordered his guards
to cut the chains and offer the slave gold and silver to win him over. The
guard untied him saying “I don’t know what happened to the king but he wants
you free and also to have these gold and silver. Now to whom does your
allegiance belong?” The slave raised up the gold and silver on his hands and
said, “O Jaffar, even these, I offer to you.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Because of
his allegiance to Jesus, John the Baptist head was cut off by King Herod. Allegiance to Christ is costly. Salvation is free
but it is not cheap. Christian discipleship is costly. But when we commit to
follow Christ, preaching love and reconciliation, He will set us free from every chain that binds us---even from
fear and death. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Amen.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01654925995456576921noreply@blogger.com1