St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Saginaw, MI, a Jubilee Ministry Center, is an inclusive, thinking person's church where everybody is somebody and Jesus Christ is Lord. We are a Gospel Community of Christians committed to building strong, holy lives; reaching out in love to others; strengthening justice and compassion throughout our community; and winning souls for Christ and his Church.
A Center for Jubilee Ministry Un Centro de Liberacion
Rector: The Rev. Judith Boli Deacon: The Rev. Joan Kemp Parish Administrator: Mrs. Ellen Williams Sr. Warden: Ms. Donna Motton Jr.Warden: Mr. Richard Vaughn Clerk of the Vestry: Dr. Jim Benjamin Director of Outreach Ministries: Mr. Grady Holmes Outreach Minister: Dr. Jim Benjamin
Thoughts for Sermons:
Draft sermon for Sunday, February 7, 2010, is at the end of this web page.
Do you want to make your sermons more inclusive? Short, thought-provoking wisdom statements by African-Americans are near the end of this web page.
For additions to the above statements, sermon feedback, etc., please e-mail me at:
Thought for the Week: “Just going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in your garage makes you a car.” (Anonymous)
Schedule
Sunday
8 & 11 A.M.: Holy Communion Services
9:30 A.M.: Sunday School for children, teens, and adults
1 P.M.: Dinner at St. Paul's- we feed the hungry.
2nd Sunday at 9:20 AM- vestry meetings
1 P.M.: Healthy Futures- every last Sunday of the month (a health clinic for the un and under-insured)
Weekdays
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday: Sandwich Ministry (2 P.M. until bag lunches are gone)
Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday: Pantry Ministry (10AM- 3 PM)
Wednesday (noon): Holy Eucharist with healing and adult Bible study- all welcome!
Saturday: Intergenerational Choir- "Voices of Joy" (12:30)
Transportation is available for all worship and fellowship activities by calling (989)799-2189.
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OUTREACH MINISTRY OPPORTUNITIES
Each month, St. Paul's Church feeds approximately 1,000 people and distributes groceries to about 300 families. Our food costs average about $400 per month.
Ministry Needs:
Food or the money to buy it. (Every penny donated goes to feed the hungry. None goes for overhead. Checks can be made out to Dinner-at-St.Paul's.)
Volunteers- Church or business groups to host a Sunday (4-5 people needed plusfood to feed about 125 people from 1-2 PM).
Your prayers for our ministry and the people we serve!
If you would like to participate with us in this ministry, please call me at 989-799-2189 or e-mail me at: jboli@charter.net
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Thought-provoking Wisdom Statements by African-Americans:
“AGAPE love is not discussion love. It is more than mere words that sound good. Agape love is always DEMONSTRATED love.” (Dr. Tony Evans)
“Your crown has already been bought and paid for. All you have to do is put it on your head.” (James Baldwin)
“When spiderwebs unite, they can tie up a lion.” (African proverb)
“It's easy to be independent when you've got money. But to be independent when you haven't got a thing--that's the Lord's test.” (Mahalia Jackson)
Sermon for Sunday, February 7, 2010
Title: "Gideon"
Did you hear the about the little boy who was reading the story when God used the prophet Moses to lead the children of Israel from Egypt through the Red Sea to the Promised Land? There he was, sitting on a park bench (it was springtime) reading his Bible, when a man sat down beside him. “What are you reading?” the man asked. “Oh,” answered the child, “I’m reading in my Bible how God opened up the waves of the Red Sea and led the whole nation of Israel right through the middle to save them from the Egyptians.” “You don’t still believe that stuff in the Bible, do you?” asked the man. “Why science shows that the Red Sea in the area your talking about was only 10-inches deep at that time of year. You can see that it was no problem for the Israelites to wade across. That was no miracle!” The boy thought for a moment and then exclaimed, “Wow! God is greater even than I thought! Not only did he save the Israelites, but he drowned the entire Egyptian army in ten inches of water!” (Religious Joke of the Day)
Actually, we all remember how God let the Israelites from Egypt through the desert to the Promised Land. As you recall, they conquered the land under Joshua. You’ve seen the book of “Judges” in the Bible? Right after the people settled in the Promised Land, when a problem arose, God appointed one specific person to lead the people in solving the problem. This person was called a judge. Today we heard the story of one of the greatest judges (i.e. leaders) in the Old Testament- Gideon. You heard the situation. The Midianites were creating a huge problem for the Israelites, because they were on the warpath. The Midianites ate their crops (and destroyed what they couldn’t eat), stole their livestock, terrorized their wives and children, and destroyed their land. The Israelites prayed; God heard; and God called Gideon to be the leader.
Gideon’s response when God called him was something else again! As you know, an angel from God told Gideon he had been chosen to lead the Israelites in conquering the Midianites. Gideon’s response: “I can’t do a job like that! I am the least important member of the smallest clan, and besides- I’m too young.” Now Gideon knew the angel of the Lord needed to be treated with great hospitality, so he brought him some meat and bread, but when the angel’s staff touched the food, that bread and meat were consumed by fire. I’m here to tell you that would be enough for me! I’d do anything that angel said! Maybe it would be enough for me, but was it enough for Gideon? Oh no! He put the Lord to two more tests:
Gideon told the angel that he would believe God was really calling him to lead the Israelites if a sheepskin left on the ground overnight was soaking wet with dew in the morning but the ground around it was dry. Not only was the ground dry and the sheepskin wet- there was enough water wrung out of that sheepskin to fill a bowl with dew- i.e. water! Was that enough to convince Gideon? Nope! He asked the angel for one more test. This time Gideon wanted the sheepskin to be dry but the ground to be wet with dew. Again, it happened. Finally that was enough for Gideon. He issued a call for volunteers to form an army to defeat the Midianites. 30,000 soldiers responded. God said there were too many soldiers- God wanted it clearly understood by everyone that it wasn’t by might that the Midianites were defeated, but that God had done it. God told Gideon to sent home anyone who was afraid. 20,000 soldiers left and 10,000 remained. (I would make a guess that Gideon was not too happy- losing all those soldiers!) Next, God told Gideon that 10,000 soldiers were still too many (for the above reason). God told Gideon to take the 10,000 soldiers down to a stream to drink. As they drank, Gideon was to watch and see if they got their water by drinking it directly from the stream or by forming a cup with their hands and drinking from their hands. Then, God told Gideon to keep only those soldiers who drank from their hands. This put him down to only 300 soldiers for the army to fight against the Midianites. You KNOW Gideon wasn’t happy then, but at least he obeyed the Lord. We all know the end of the story. God instructed Gideon to have the Israelite army surround the Midianites in the dead of night. They hid their torches in clay pots so they couldn’t be seen; then on Gideon’s signal- they broke their clay pots flooding the area with light, shouted, and blew their trumpets. The Midianites panicked and killed each other; thus freeing the Israelites to once again live in peace.
What can we learn from this ancient story? First: never say what can’t be done, because your attitude will destroy the possibilities for success. If God wants something done and he wants you to do it, you will be able to overcome all adversity unless you allow a negative attitude to get in the way.
Second: don’t worry about who’s against you. Gideon faced the entire army of the Midianites with only 300 soldiers. It doesn’t make any difference who’s against you as long as God is for you. If you are on God’s side, the battle is already won; victory is just a matter of timing- waiting on God. This second life lesson might help those friends of yours who worry about someone doing voodoo on them or casting a spell on them. Assure them that there is no evil that can penetrate God’s protection through our entire bodies when we have eaten the blessed Body and Blood of our Lord.
Finally, stop putting yourself down! This “I’m not important enough, strong enough, smart enough, young enough, old enough, experienced enough, educated enough, etc.” doesn’t cut it with God. God doesn’t call the qualified; God qualifies the called. You’re not qualified to do what God wants you to do? That’s easy- get qualified. Remember Gideon. God chooses the weak, so they have to rely on him and it’s clear that the victory is the Lord’s. Examples: David, Peter, Paul, Mary, even Jesus (Nathaniel’s statement- “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?!) So don’t depend on your own power or strength.” If not you, who? If not now, when? Therefore: Don’t say “I can’t.” Instead, say- “By God’s grace, I will!” So... what is it you are putting off, afraid to do, avoiding? Join the crowd of David, Peter, Paul, Mary, Gideon, and be a winner for God. Look around and see what God needs done, and then do it. Listen to the advice of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., on this first Sunday of Black History Month, quoted from his “Drum Major for Justice” sermon: If I can help somebody as I pass along; If I can cheer somebody with a word or song; If I can show somebody that they’re traveling wrong; Then my living will not be in vain.
If I can do my duty as a Christian ought; If I can bring salvation to a world once wrought; If I can spread the message as the Master taught; Then my living will not be in vain. Amen.
