{\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\deff0\deflang1033{\fonttbl{\f0\fswiss\fcharset0 Calibri;}} {\*\generator Msftedit 5.41.15.1515;}\viewkind4\uc1\pard\sl480\slmult1\tqc\tx4680\b\f0\fs28 GRACE CHURCH\line AUGUST 3, 2008\par \pard\b0\fs24 I\rquote M NOT GOING TO STAND HERE THIS MORNING AND TALK ABOUT ONE OF THE\line LESSONS WE HAVE JUST HEARD....I HAVE BEEN THINKING LATELY ABOUT THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH\endash THIS EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF WHICH YOU AND I ARE MEMBERS...AND I HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT IT FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS.....\par \fs28\line\b\fs24 LAMBETH\b0 IS WINDING UP AS WE GATHER THIS MORNING... OUR BISHOP AND HUNDREDS OF OTHER BISHOPS HAVE BEEN MEETING IN COUNCIL MAKING DECISIONS THAT WILL HAVE SOME EFFECT ON EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US HERE.....\par \par ALSO, EACH ONE OF US IN OUR OWN WAY, HAS HAD STRUGGLES WITH THIS CHURCH OF OURS\endash STRUGGLES WHICH HAVE CAUSED SOME TO QUESTION AND SEARCH WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A PART OF THIS CHURCH\emdash WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A CHRISTIAN\endash WHAT IT MEANS TO BE AN EPISCOPALIAN AND HOW WE LIVE OUT OUR FAITH...\par \par SOME HAVE LEFT THIS CHURCH... I PERSONALLY WISH THEY HADN\rquote T AND HOPE THEY\rquote LL BE BACK SOMEDAY.. WE\rquote RE LESS WITHOUT THEM..WE NEED THEM AND THEY NEED US...\par \par WITH ALL THIS IN MIND, I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU WHAT MY FAITH MEANS TO ME----WHY I\rquote M A \b CHRISTIAN\b0\endash WHY I LOVE THIS CHURCH THAT YOU AND I CALL \b EPISCOPAL...\b0 AND WHY I\rquote M GLAD I\rquote M AN EPISCOPALIAN AND COULD BE NOTHING ELSE...\b\par \par \b0 THE \b EPISCOPAL CHURCH\b0 IS OFTEN CALLED \b THE REPUBLICAN PARTY AT PRAYER.....\b0 AND I WILL HAVE TO ADD TODAY----SOMETIMES LED IN THAT PRAYER BY A \b DEMOCRAT......\b0 MOST PERSONS SITTING IN THE PEW IN THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH ARE REPUBLICANS AND MANY EPISCOPAL CLERGY ARE DEMOCRATS..... THIS SPEAKS TO A TRADITION WE CHERISH VERY VERY MUCH---THE \b FREEDOM OF THOUGHT--THE FREEDOM TO DISAGREE\emdash THE FREEDOM TO QUESTION AND TO SEARCH.....\b0\par WE ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING THIS FREEDOM TODAY... I HOPE TO GOD WE NEVER DO..\b\par \par \b0 NO TWO EPISCOPALIANS ARE ALIKE... NO TWO EPISCOPALIANS BELIEVE EXACTLY THE SAME THING.. WE ARE THE BROADEST CHURCH IN ALL CHRISTENDOM AND WE MUST CHERISH THAT TRADITION...\b WHERE TWO OR THREE EPISCOPALIANS ARE GATHERED TOGETHER\endash THERE WILL BE DISAGREEMENT.....\par \par \b0 WE ARE \b INCLUSIVE--NOT EXCLUSIVE... THERE IS ROOM IN THIS CHURCH FOR \ldblquote ALL SORTS AND CONDITIONS OF PERSONS..\rdblquote \b0 AND I HOPE THIS NEVER CHANGES.....\b\par \par \b0 WE BELIEVE IN A BALANCE OF \b SCRIPTURE--TRADITION--AND REASON.....\b0 AT OUR ROOTS IN \b ANGLICANISM\b0 , THERE IS AN ABSENCE OF LEGALISM AND LITERALISM IN INTERPRETING SCRIPTURE...\b\par \b0 AND FOR THIS, WE CAN BE THANKFUL....\par \par WE BELIEVE IN INTERPRETING SCRIPTURE--WE MUST FIRST SEE AND UNDERSTAND WHAT THE \b SCRIPTURE\b0 MEANT TO THOSE TO WHOM IT WAS FIRST WRITTEN--THEN LOOK AT WHAT \b TRADITION\b0 --WHAT THE CHURCH HAS HAD TO SAY ABOUT IT OVER THE CENTURIES--AND THEN USE OUR OWN MIND--OUR OWN \b REASON\b0 TO MAKE IT MEANINGFUL TO US...... GOD HAS GIVEN US OUR MINDS AND OUR FREE WILL AND GOD INTENDS FOR US TO USE THEM....\par \par WE BELIEVE IN THE \b GOODNESS OF GOD\rquote S CREATION....\b0 WHEN GOD COMPLETED CREATION, GOD LOOKED AND SAID---\b BEHOLD IT IS GOOD...\b0 EVERY SINGLE THING GOD CREATED\endash EVERY SINGLE THING GOD CREATED--GOD CREATED GOOD---ONLY HUMAN BEINGS MESS IT UP...\par \par WE BELIEVE IN \b ORIGINAL SIN----\b0 AND IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH SEX OR SEXUALITY\b .....\b0 BY THIS I MEAN THAT YOU AND I ARE INHERENTLY BORN WITH A TENDENCY TO LOOK OUT FOR OURSELVES... WHEN THE CHIPS ARE DOWN--I\rquote M GOING TO LOOK OUT FOR MYSELF FIRST\endash STAND UP FOR MYSELF FIRST---SOMETIMES TO THE DETRIMENT OF OTHERS\emdash SOMETIMES EVEN THOSE WE LOVE..... I DON\rquote T LIKE IT, BUT IT\rquote S HERE...\par \par I DID AN EXPERIMENT ON \b ORIGINAL SIN\b0 WHEN I TAUGHT AT ALL SAINTS\rquote SCHOOL.....THERE WERE FOURTEEN STUDENTS IN CLASS AND WE HAD BEEN DISCUSSING ORIGINAL SIN... THEY SAID THEY DIDN\rquote T BELIEVE IN IT... IF SOMEONE WERE THEIR FRIEND, THEY SAID THEY WOULD GIVE UP THEIR LIFE FOR THEM AND NOT LOOK OUT FOR THEMSELVES....\par \par AND SO I SAID\endash\ldblquote PRETEND YOU\rquote RE ON A SPACESHIP THAT IS STRANDED ON THE MOON....ONLY EIGHT PEOPLE CAN GET ON AND GET SAFELY BACK TO EARTH... THE OTHERS WILL STAY ON THE MOON AND DIE.... NOW YOU HAVE TEN MINUTES TO DECIDE WHO GETS ON\endash WHO LIVES AND WHO DIES\rdblquote .... \par \par WHOEVER IS LEFT ON THE MOON HAS TO STAY AFTER SCHOOL AND DO STUDY HALL FOR TWO HOURS--\endash THAT\rquote S DEATH..... THE OTHERS WHO GET ON THE SHIP LIVE---I WILL GIVE TWO DOLLARS TO EACH OF YOU\endash THAT\rquote S LIFE.....WELL THESE NICE WONDERFUL YOUNG CHILDREN STARTED FIGHTING\endash AND I MEAN FIGHTING\endash HITTING EACH OTHER\endash TAKING DESKS UPSIDE DOWN AND HITTING OTHERS\rquote HEADS ON THE FLOOR.. IT WAS BRUTAL\endash IT WAS SCARY...IT WAS EVEN BLOODY......BUT IT PROVED A POINT\endash\b WHEN PUSHED, WE LOOK OUT FOR OURSELVES\endash LOOK OUT FOR NUMBER ONE-- AND THAT\rquote S ORIGINAL SIN....\b0 WE DON\rquote T STOP THERE THOUGH....WE BELIEVE ALSO THAT WE ARE BORN WITH AN INHERENT TENDENCY TO DO GOOD--TO LOVE--AND TO SHARE....THIS IS IN US TOO AND THIS IS WHAT GOD THROUGH CHRIST WORKS WITH...\par \par WE DO NOT BELIEVE IN THE \b TOTAL DEPRAVITY\b0 OF HUMAN BEINGS AS SOME OTHER CHURCHES DO..\par \par WE DO NOT BELIEVE IN \b PREDESTINATION....\b0 WITH THE FREE WILL GOD HAS GIVEN EACH OF US, THIS IS NOT POSSIBLE..\par \par WE BELIEVE IN TAKING THIS \b WORLD \b0 IN WHICH WE LIVE SERIOUSLY... GOD HAS GIVEN US THIS WORLD AND IT\rquote S UP TO US TO MAKE IT MORE LOVING--MORE LIVABLE THAN IT IS TODAY...\par \par WE BELIEVE IN TAKING STANDS AND TRYING TO DEAL AS BEST WE CAN WITH HOMELESSNESS--POVERTY--HUNGER\endash WAR---RACISM\endash SEXUALITY AND INJUSTICE...THIS HAS GOTTEN US IN TROUBLE SOMETIMES\emdash BUT IT IS OUR CALL....\par \par WE TAKE SERIOUSLY THE TWO GREAT COMMANDMENTS----\b YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GODS WITH ALL YOUR HEART\endash WITH ALL YOUR SOUL\endash WITH ALL YOUR MIND AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH----\i AND LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF....\b0\i0 WE BELIEVE IN REACHING OUT TO THE DISPOSSESSED--THE DOWNTRODDEN--AND THE POOR...\par \par AS OUR \b BAPTISMAL VOWS\b0 STATE\endash\b WILL YOU STRIVE FOR JUSTICE AND PEACE AMONG \ul\i ALL\ulnone\i0 PEOPLE AND RESPECT THE DIGNITY OF \ul\i EVERY \ulnone\i0 HUMAN BEING\endash AND THANK GOD, WE DO....\b0\par WE ARE A \b SACRAMENTAL CHURCH\b0 --BELIEVING THAT ALL OF LIFE HAS BEEN MADE SACRAMENTAL--BEEN MADE HOLY BY THE INCARNATION OF GOD IN JESUS CHRIST...\b WE ARE AN INCARNATIONAL CHURCH EUCHARISTICALLY CENTERED IN THANKSGIVING TO GOD FOR ALL GOD HAS DONE FOR US IN JESUS CHRIST..\par \par \b0 WE ARE A \b LITURGICAL CHURCH--\b0 FOLLOWING A SET FORM OF WORSHIP EACH TIME WE GATHER TOGETHER... YOU CAN GO FROM ONE EPISCOPAL CHURCH TO ANOTHER THROUGHOUT THIS COUNTRY AND FIND BASICALLY THE SAME WORSHIP..\par \par WE BELIEVE IN LIVING TOGETHER IN \b COMMUNITY....\b0 WHEN A CHILD IS BORN AND BAPTIZED--A SON OR DAUGHTER MARRIED--A SPOUSE DIES--OUR JOY IS INCREASED AND OUR SORROW IS EASED WHEN WE SHARE IT TOGETHER... THERE IS PERHAPS NOTHING SADDER IN ALL THE WORLD THAN EXPERIENCING INTENSE JOY OR INTENSE GRIEF--AND HAVING NO ONE WITH WHOM TO SHARE IT...\par \par \b THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH BELIEVES IN HOLDING THESE TIMES UP TO GOD--IN SHARING THESE TIMES--THESE CRITICAL, EMOTIONAL TIMES TOGETHER IN COMMUNITY..\par \par YOU CANNOT BEAT OUR BAPTISMS\endash WEDDINGS\endash OR FUNERALS..\b0 WE DO THEM AND DO THEM RIGHT!!!\b\par \par \b0 WE ARE \b EPISCOPAL\b0 --BEING PRESIDED OVER BY A BISHOP---AND WE ARE \b CATHOLIC---ANGLO CATHOLIC--NOT ROMAN CATHOLIC....\par \par MOST EPISCOPALIANS ENJOY THEIR FAITH---LOVE THEIR CHURCH--AND \b0 AS I SAID EARLIER, \b DISAGREE WITH ONE ANOTHER WHENEVER TWO OR THREE ARE GATHERED TOGETHER....\par \par \b0 AT A CLERGY CONFERENCE YEARS AGO, WE HAD AN AMERICAN BAPTIST MINISTER SPEAK TO US AND HE GAVE US SOME WORDS OF WISDOM I HAVE NEVER FORGOTTEN.... HE SAID----\b YOU WILL NEVER BE A HUGE CHURCH--YOU WILL NEVER BE A MAJORITY OF THE POPULATION--FOR TWO REASONS.......... ONE--YOU ENJOY THE LIFE GOD HAS GIVEN YOU TO LIVE AND YOU LIVE IT TO THE FULLEST... AND SECOND--YOU DON\rquote T MAKE PEOPLE FEEL \i GUILTY\i0 WHEN THEY COME TO CHURCH--AND MANY PEOPLE WANT TO FEEL GUILTY... I\rquote M GLAD I\rquote M AN EPISCOPALIAN!!!\par \par \b0 IN CLOSING, LET ME SAY TO YOU THIS DAY....WHEN SOMEONE ASKS YOU WHAT WE BELIEVE---TELL THEM WHAT AN OLD FRIEND ONCE SAID....\par \par \b\i WE\rquote RE A CHURCH OF LOVE RATHER THAN LAW---OF FORGIVENESS AND GRACE RATHER THAN DISCIPLINE--OF FREEDOM UNDER GOD, RATHER THAN RESTRICTIONS--AND A CHURCH WHO HAS A HIGH SENSE OF WORTH OF EACH AND EVERY INDIVIDUAL....... THIS IS WHO WE ARE.....THIS IS WHAT WE BELIEVE.....AND FOR THIS WE CAN SAY \ldblquote THANKS BE TO GOD...\rdblquote\b0\i0\par \par \pard\sl480\slmult1\b\i\fs28\par \par \par \pard\par \par \b0\i0\par \b\par \par \b0 \par }