January 27, 2008 Sermon
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Epiphany 3 - A (Annual Parish Meeting Day)
January 27, 2008 Emmanuel, San Angelo
Given that today is the Annual Parish Meeting (and I suppose if truth be told that I have been back from Central America less than 72 hours) I have decided to treat the congregation to something rarely experienced in church: a short sermon. Actually I do this every year, hoping to encourage everybody to stay and attend. As always, we will be serving lunch. And since there are no playoff games and it is still too cold to work in the yard, there is really no reason not to attend. We will elect new vestry members, appoint some new committee members, talk about the budget and lay out the course for 2008. As you have heard me say many times this is a great time to be a Christian and an Episcopalian in San Angelo. Emmanuel is a vibrant center for worship and witness in the Concho Valley. We may not be the biggest church in town, but I think we are the best, and I trust God to guide our way into another year.
Anyway, about the sermon, we hear Jesus call Peter and Andrew to be his disciples. "Follow me, and I will make you fish for people," or to put it another way, "You are working for me now."
Someone once said, "It is hard to hear the voice of God when we are busy speaking to ourselves." What is meant here is that in the day to day living of our lives it is often hard to know what God wants, let alone follow. Furthermore as Paul says in 1 Corinthians we don't always agree on things. When it comes right down to it we have the tendency to want God to answer to us rather than the other way around.
Yet we are reminded today that this enterprise is not about us rather it is about our following, our reaching out to others in the name the One whom we are called to serve. In Jesus Christ is found wholeness, health and ultimate meaning. In Christ also is the challenge to go beyond ourselves and our own interests, to share in the common life and build up God's kingdom. That's why we gather in worship; that is why we have an annual meeting. That is why we offer our building to community organizations, and give of our time and resources. We need each other, and God needs us as his hands, feet and voice.
"Follow me..." Jesus says, and that is what we intend to do. Period. End of sermon.
Good things happen and people come, as we respond today.
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Revised: 02/11/08