WEBVTT 00:03:09.039 --> 00:03:12.719 Blessed be God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 00:03:13.280 --> 00:03:17.439 And blessed be God, now and forever. 00:03:17.680 --> 00:03:18.319 Amen. 00:03:18.639 --> 00:03:19.919 Let's pray together. 00:03:20.159 --> 00:03:28.479 Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no spirits are hidden. 00:03:28.800 --> 00:03:33.520 Blend the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit. 00:03:34.080 --> 00:03:39.439 That we may perfectly love you and worthily magnify your holy name. 00:05:35.600 --> 00:05:36.800 And also with you. 00:05:37.279 --> 00:05:38.639 Let us pray. 00:05:39.839 --> 00:05:45.120 Grant us, Lord, not to be anxious about earthly things, but to love things heavenly. 00:05:45.360 --> 00:05:51.759 And even now, while we are placed among things that are passing away, to hold fast to those that shall endure. 00:05:52.480 --> 00:05:58.079 Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, the one God, forever and ever. 00:05:59.680 --> 00:06:00.639 Please be seated. 00:06:09.839 --> 00:06:11.279 Reading from Exodus. 00:06:12.240 --> 00:06:17.759 The whole congregation of the Israelites complained against Moses and they are in the wilderness. 00:06:18.079 --> 00:06:28.160 The Israelites said to them, If only Hadri had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots and ate our fill of bread. 00:06:28.480 --> 00:06:33.439 For you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger. 00:06:34.399 --> 00:06:43.680 Then the Lord said to Moses, I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day. 00:06:44.079 --> 00:06:49.360 In that way I will test them, whether they will follow my instruction or not. 00:06:50.240 --> 00:06:57.040 On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather on other days. 00:06:57.759 --> 00:07:05.439 So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, In the evening you shall know that it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt. 00:07:05.600 --> 00:07:12.079 And in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your complaining against the Lord. 00:07:12.560 --> 00:07:15.600 For what are we that you complain against us? 00:07:15.839 --> 00:07:26.800 And Moses said, When the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening and your fill of bread in the morning, because the Lord has heard the complaining that you utter against him, what are we? 00:07:27.439 --> 00:07:31.040 Your complaining is not against us, but against the Lord. 00:07:31.759 --> 00:07:40.160 Then Moses said to Aaron, Say to the whole congregation of the Israelites, Draw near to the Lord, for he has heard your complaint. 00:07:40.879 --> 00:07:49.439 And as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the Israelites, they looked toward the wilderness, and the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. 00:07:49.920 --> 00:07:55.040 The Lord spoke to Moses and said, I have heard the complaining of the Israelites. 00:07:55.279 --> 00:08:04.480 Say to them, At twilight you shall eat me, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread, and you shall know that I am the Lord your God. 00:08:05.439 --> 00:08:08.560 In the evening quails came up and covered the camp. 00:08:08.800 --> 00:08:12.079 And in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. 00:08:12.639 --> 00:08:18.160 When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine, flaky substance. 00:08:18.399 --> 00:08:20.639 As fine as frost on the ground. 00:08:21.279 --> 00:08:25.040 When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, What is it? 00:08:25.519 --> 00:08:27.360 And they did not know what it was. 00:08:28.079 --> 00:08:32.480 Moses said to them, It is the bread that the Lord has given you to give. 00:08:36.960 --> 00:08:38.399 Thanks to be to God. 00:08:45.279 --> 00:08:48.320 We will read responsibly by the half verse. 00:08:49.200 --> 00:08:52.399 Give thanks to the Lord and call upon God's name. 00:08:52.799 --> 00:08:55.679 May known the deeds of the Lord among the people. 00:08:56.639 --> 00:08:57.600 Sing to the Lord. 00:08:57.840 --> 00:08:58.720 Sing praises. 00:08:59.200 --> 00:09:02.320 And speak of all God's marvelous works. 00:09:02.639 --> 00:09:04.639 Glory in God's holy name. 00:09:04.960 --> 00:09:08.480 Let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. 00:09:08.799 --> 00:09:11.519 Search for the Lord and the strength of the Lord. 00:09:11.919 --> 00:09:14.480 Continually seek the faith of God. 00:09:14.799 --> 00:09:17.200 Remember the marvels God has done. 00:09:17.600 --> 00:09:20.879 The wonders and the judgments of God's mouth. 00:09:21.200 --> 00:09:24.240 O offspring of Abraham, God's servant. 00:09:24.639 --> 00:09:27.759 O children of Jacob, God's chosen. 00:09:28.240 --> 00:09:31.600 God let out the chosen people with silver and gold. 00:09:31.919 --> 00:09:35.279 In all their tribes there was not one in trouble. 00:09:36.240 --> 00:09:38.320 Egypt was glad of their going. 00:09:38.799 --> 00:09:41.120 Because they were afraid of them. 00:09:41.600 --> 00:09:44.240 God spread out a cloud for recovery. 00:09:44.559 --> 00:09:47.840 And the fires gave light in the night season. 00:09:48.159 --> 00:09:50.799 They asked, and quails appeared. 00:09:51.279 --> 00:09:54.639 And God satisfied them with bread from heaven. 00:09:54.960 --> 00:09:57.519 God opened the rock and water flowed. 00:09:57.840 --> 00:10:00.639 So the river ran in the dry places. 00:10:01.120 --> 00:10:03.279 For God remembered the holy promise. 00:10:03.600 --> 00:10:06.080 And Abraham chose to deserve. 00:10:06.720 --> 00:10:09.519 So God let forth the people with gladness. 00:10:09.840 --> 00:10:12.399 The chosen ones with joy. 00:10:13.200 --> 00:10:16.399 God gave the chosen people the lands of the nations. 00:10:16.720 --> 00:10:19.360 And they took the fruit of the holy soil. 00:10:19.840 --> 00:10:21.840 That they might keep God's statutes. 00:10:22.399 --> 00:10:24.720 And observe the laws of the Lord. 00:11:01.840 --> 00:11:04.399 Living in Christ and dying is a game. 00:11:04.960 --> 00:11:09.279 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. 00:11:09.519 --> 00:11:11.840 And I do not know which I prefer. 00:11:12.320 --> 00:11:14.720 I am hard pressed between the two. 00:11:15.200 --> 00:11:18.240 My desire is to depart and be with Christ. 00:11:18.559 --> 00:11:20.399 For that is far better. 00:11:20.960 --> 00:11:24.240 But to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you. 00:11:25.279 --> 00:11:39.360 Since I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy and faith, so that I may share abundantly in your boasting in Christ Jesus when I come to you again. 00:11:40.320 --> 00:11:44.399 Only live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. 00:11:45.200 --> 00:12:02.159 So that whether I come and see you or am absent and hear about you, I will know that you are standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel, and are in no way intimidated by your opponents. 00:12:03.519 --> 00:12:08.320 For them, this is evidence of their destruction, but of your salvation. 00:12:08.639 --> 00:12:10.480 And this is God's doing. 00:12:10.960 --> 00:12:19.120 For he has graciously granted you the privilege not only of believing in Christ, but of suffering for him as well. 00:12:19.600 --> 00:12:26.240 Since you are having the same struggle that you saw I had, and now hear that I will have. 00:15:47.840 --> 00:15:49.039 So they went. 00:16:02.720 --> 00:16:05.120 He said to them, You also go into the vineyard. 00:16:05.840 --> 00:16:14.159 When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, Call the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first. 00:16:14.799 --> 00:16:19.440 When those hired about five o'clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. 00:16:19.919 --> 00:16:22.960 Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more. 00:16:23.679 --> 00:16:26.320 Each of them also received the usual daily wage. 00:16:26.480 --> 00:16:37.600 And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, saying, These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat. 00:16:41.600 --> 00:16:44.240 Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? 00:16:44.639 --> 00:16:49.679 Take what belongs to you and go, I choose to give this last the same as I give to you. 00:16:50.080 --> 00:16:53.440 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? 00:16:53.759 --> 00:16:56.799 Or are you envious because I am generous? 00:16:58.080 --> 00:17:01.200 The last will be first, and the first will be last. 00:17:34.960 --> 00:17:35.599 I am. 00:17:36.400 --> 00:17:37.039 I am. 00:17:37.680 --> 00:17:41.920 I'm one of those guys that started working at like six thirty in the morning. 00:17:42.480 --> 00:17:44.240 Many of you are too. 00:17:44.799 --> 00:17:46.400 Or maybe you got here at nine. 00:17:46.559 --> 00:17:47.119 That's fine. 00:17:47.200 --> 00:17:50.880 But if you know the story, right, uh, what is there to do at five o'clock? 00:17:51.039 --> 00:17:58.160 Like sweep, put away the tools, and those folks get paid the same? 00:17:59.519 --> 00:18:03.440 I guess it's a cute story, but how many of you would work for that guy tomorrow? 00:18:03.839 --> 00:18:08.079 Or if you did, how many of you would go at 6.30 to work for that guy tomorrow? 00:18:08.240 --> 00:18:10.160 I mean, you know, you could kind of game the system. 00:18:10.319 --> 00:18:17.920 I'll show up at 5.30, I'll show up at 5.30, I'll put a couple brooms away, let's call it a day, and I'll take the daily wage. 00:18:18.480 --> 00:18:30.400 Um, to be honest, uh, this is a tough one for me, uh, and uh it's particularly tough uh because um, I mean, this is how we live our civil lives, right? 00:18:30.559 --> 00:18:33.759 You you work, you put things away, and you can retire. 00:18:34.079 --> 00:18:38.720 I've got a 401B, 403B, that's like a 401k, right? 00:18:38.799 --> 00:18:39.680 Like I do that. 00:18:39.920 --> 00:18:46.640 Want to store up, so boy, it's really hard to hear that everybody gets the same. 00:18:48.880 --> 00:18:51.279 You notice what they say when they object. 00:18:51.759 --> 00:19:06.880 You have made these people the same as us, which we don't like, because we know that they're lazy, or they could have gone to school, they could have got better grades, or they could have done something like we did. 00:19:08.160 --> 00:19:20.400 Uh and I hope this is a really hard parable to hear, uh, because, like I say, I think that this describes how we live our lives in capitalist society, and I don't know that I want to change that. 00:19:21.440 --> 00:19:35.359 The problem is when we take the way we live our common life civilly and we map that on to God, then all of a sudden we get these really strange ideas about who's more important in the church and who's more important in the kingdom of heaven. 00:19:35.759 --> 00:19:38.240 Who's more important? 00:19:38.640 --> 00:19:39.519 Well, of course I am. 00:19:39.759 --> 00:19:41.119 Of course you are, you're here. 00:19:41.279 --> 00:19:43.279 You're more important than folks that aren't here. 00:19:43.359 --> 00:19:45.920 And this is the parable pushing us on that. 00:19:46.319 --> 00:19:48.000 It's pushing us on that. 00:19:48.240 --> 00:19:50.480 Am I envious because God's generous? 00:19:50.640 --> 00:19:51.519 I sure am. 00:19:52.000 --> 00:19:56.880 If I'm honest, I'm envious that God is generous. 00:20:00.000 --> 00:20:04.160 I don't know what the people of the lectionary were thinking when they put this together. 00:20:04.240 --> 00:20:06.240 Um, but they I you never know, right? 00:20:06.400 --> 00:20:09.680 But they put this together with this story about bread from heaven, right? 00:20:09.759 --> 00:20:10.640 And you know the word for that. 00:20:10.720 --> 00:20:12.319 The bread from heaven, you know what it is? 00:20:13.119 --> 00:20:13.839 It's manna, right? 00:20:13.920 --> 00:20:15.920 And do you know what manna means in Hebrew? 00:20:16.799 --> 00:20:18.400 It means what is it? 00:20:18.960 --> 00:20:20.480 So, right, that's what they say. 00:20:20.640 --> 00:20:21.839 The people say, what is it? 00:20:21.920 --> 00:20:23.839 In Hebrew, they say, manna. 00:20:24.799 --> 00:20:25.119 Right? 00:20:25.279 --> 00:20:28.319 I mean, this is God's grace given to folk in the middle of the desert. 00:20:28.400 --> 00:20:36.480 Now, I just want to point out really fast, I grew up hearing these people have low faith in God because they're out there complaining about food after God just delivered them. 00:20:36.559 --> 00:20:41.039 But look, you go spend a week in the desert, and I guarantee you you'll be complaining about food too. 00:20:41.279 --> 00:20:43.119 So they're out complaining about food. 00:20:43.200 --> 00:20:44.799 Did God bring us out here to die? 00:20:44.960 --> 00:20:49.039 And then they're promised the bread from heaven, and when it comes, they don't know what it is. 00:20:50.319 --> 00:20:51.839 Did you notice the description? 00:20:52.079 --> 00:20:54.079 It's like frost on the ground. 00:20:54.240 --> 00:20:57.039 Does that sound like any bread you've had before? 00:20:58.960 --> 00:21:13.279 They don't even recognize what the bread of heaven is, and if I'm honest about my own spiritual journey, a lot of times when I see God's grace, I also say, What is it? 00:21:14.640 --> 00:21:15.519 What is it? 00:21:15.839 --> 00:21:17.279 This is not what I expected. 00:21:17.440 --> 00:21:19.200 I was expecting a loaf. 00:21:20.000 --> 00:21:22.000 I was expecting a contract. 00:21:22.400 --> 00:21:27.759 I was expecting what you get in is gonna be rewarded proportionally later. 00:21:28.000 --> 00:21:29.359 That's what I was expecting. 00:21:29.519 --> 00:21:34.559 So when grace chose uh, I usually find myself with what is it? 00:21:35.359 --> 00:21:39.119 Now I want to push on the parable a little bit because I think it's pushing on us. 00:21:39.200 --> 00:21:45.359 And the first thing I want to mention to you is that this is a parable about not somebody growing apples or peaches. 00:21:45.680 --> 00:21:47.519 This is somebody with a vineyard. 00:21:48.640 --> 00:21:50.799 Really uncomfortable in the tradition I grew up in. 00:21:51.039 --> 00:21:56.079 Of course, they were gonna take those grapes and they were gonna pasteurize them to make grape juice, because we shouldn't drink wine. 00:21:56.160 --> 00:21:57.279 That leads to dancing. 00:21:57.440 --> 00:22:01.599 So um I thought that was funny. 00:22:01.759 --> 00:22:06.400 Anyway, um, it's not just about grace. 00:22:06.799 --> 00:22:10.160 What we often miss is that in the Hebrew Bible there's two things happening here. 00:22:10.319 --> 00:22:12.240 Wine is a symbol for joy. 00:22:12.880 --> 00:22:14.960 Wine equals joy symbolically. 00:22:15.119 --> 00:22:21.759 And then the other symbol that we get in the story is that the people of Israel consider themselves the vineyard of God. 00:22:22.400 --> 00:22:24.880 So this is very much for church folk, right? 00:22:25.119 --> 00:22:33.759 Church folk are there working and they're here to gather in the grapes so that they can make God's joy, God's wine for the world. 00:22:33.920 --> 00:22:40.880 Now we don't know the rush, but it is true agriculturally that if there's a freeze coming and you don't get the grapes, then they're useless. 00:22:41.119 --> 00:22:41.440 Right? 00:22:41.599 --> 00:22:46.000 So it is very possible that a freeze is imminent. 00:22:46.160 --> 00:22:51.039 So they need to get all the grapes they can before they are categorically worth nothing. 00:22:51.200 --> 00:23:02.079 Hence the laborer keeps going back and going back and going back to try to get folks to bring in this joy for the world, lest it perish on a tree. 00:23:04.480 --> 00:23:11.680 And I think one way for me to push on it is to think this is not about the workers, it's about the harvest. 00:23:13.039 --> 00:23:22.240 So a lot of times I want to identify with the worker and the wage, the landowner just cares about joy for the world. 00:23:22.880 --> 00:23:25.519 And not leaving any of that undone. 00:23:25.599 --> 00:23:33.839 And honestly, I tell you, if I hear the story that way, I often leave grapes on the tree because I'm too worried about my own wages. 00:23:34.880 --> 00:23:44.160 I leave joy out there that could be harvested because I'm worried I'm gonna, what's in it for me, am I gonna get the whatever I'm supposed to get out of this? 00:23:47.839 --> 00:24:01.039 I don't know where you are in the story, but I will tell you, having been around church a lot, this is a story that I think pushes us to think about people who have been old hands in church and people who are new. 00:24:01.519 --> 00:24:02.720 Old hands. 00:24:04.240 --> 00:24:07.359 I mean, we've been doing it a long time, and let's just be real honest. 00:24:07.440 --> 00:24:14.480 If you're an old hand at church, you may find yourself thinking, man, you know, I'm just so tired of doing this ministry. 00:24:14.559 --> 00:24:16.160 I've been doing it for 20 years. 00:24:16.319 --> 00:24:18.000 When is somebody going to come help? 00:24:18.079 --> 00:24:20.640 And then when they do, they do it wrong. 00:24:21.599 --> 00:24:23.440 Why'd you do it that way? 00:24:24.079 --> 00:24:34.400 I wanted you to give me relief to do it exactly like I did it or said it had to be right so that I can be vindicated and how I've been doing it for 40 years. 00:24:34.720 --> 00:24:36.000 That could be you. 00:24:36.960 --> 00:24:41.920 If that's you, uh, the what is it is also a word about grace. 00:24:42.160 --> 00:24:45.200 Let's just think through how self-defeating that strategy is. 00:24:45.440 --> 00:24:48.559 I employ it all the time as a clergy person. 00:24:49.519 --> 00:24:52.000 I know what's gonna work, you don't, so just do it. 00:24:52.079 --> 00:24:53.920 What do you mean you don't want to do it my way? 00:24:55.920 --> 00:24:58.079 If you're a new person, right? 00:24:58.160 --> 00:24:59.759 Here's the good news. 00:25:00.319 --> 00:25:03.759 God isn't worried whether you start working at the 6th a.m. 00:25:04.079 --> 00:25:05.680 or the 5th hour. 00:25:08.079 --> 00:25:13.119 Now, you may say, Mike, if you say that, then people are just gonna come in in the 11th hour. 00:25:13.279 --> 00:25:14.640 That's fine, you can do that. 00:25:14.880 --> 00:25:16.400 God's not worried by that. 00:25:16.640 --> 00:25:19.519 I mean, the story says God is not worried about that. 00:25:20.240 --> 00:25:25.839 And if we're thinking about working harder or, hey, why would I do that extra work when we all get the same wage? 00:25:25.920 --> 00:25:29.839 It's because, frankly, harvesting God's joy for the world is a privilege. 00:25:30.079 --> 00:25:30.960 It's a privilege. 00:25:31.039 --> 00:25:37.200 And if we look at it as an economic transaction, I'd say when we look at grace, we're always gonna say, what is it? 00:25:38.480 --> 00:25:39.599 What is it? 00:25:40.640 --> 00:25:46.960 Now, many of you know, Hal and I went uh climbing training uh with the Boy Scouts of America this past week. 00:25:47.119 --> 00:25:51.279 We were in West Virginia for the week, and I'm gonna tell you, I've probably been in Episcopalian too long. 00:25:51.359 --> 00:26:00.319 So here we are at their flagship property, it's right in Beckley, West Virginia, next to the New River Gorge, and we're there for something called National Camp School. 00:26:00.400 --> 00:26:17.359 And the goal for us, the section we took, is called climbing director training, which means they're training folks to run a climbing program in a scout council, like the towers, the outdoor climbing, how much gear do you need, how do you tie it off, how do you supervise other people belaying and setting this up? 00:26:17.680 --> 00:26:20.160 I thought I was going just to like have good skills. 00:26:20.319 --> 00:26:25.599 Turns out it's geared at administering the whole program in addition to, I should have read ahead. 00:26:25.680 --> 00:26:29.359 Uh in addition to getting the skills, it's administering the whole thing. 00:26:29.519 --> 00:26:39.440 And um, it was a really interesting bit because the instructors were from Massachusetts and from Los Angeles and from uh Charlotte. 00:26:39.519 --> 00:26:43.119 Those were our three, and they all paid their own way to get there. 00:26:43.279 --> 00:26:54.000 They bought their plane ticket, they drove themselves, and uh, of course they got compensated none for teaching us for 14 hours a day how to do this. 00:26:54.240 --> 00:26:58.720 Even more interesting, again, this is really how I know I've been in Episcopalian too long. 00:26:58.799 --> 00:27:03.599 Uh, one of them was talking about how that they had served the summer at the Scout Jamboree. 00:27:03.759 --> 00:27:13.039 Now, I didn't grow up scouting, so Jamboree happens every year, and it's when scouts all over the country are invited to come camp together in one big old property. 00:27:13.200 --> 00:27:19.279 They often have it at Philmont out in New Mexico, but since they built the summit, they've been having it there at least every other year. 00:27:19.440 --> 00:27:20.720 So, how many scouts is that? 00:27:20.799 --> 00:27:24.400 That's 30,000 scouts are gonna be there for a week. 00:27:24.720 --> 00:27:35.119 And we have a little time program here in our district that has 80 helmets, so that it can accommodate 80 kids roundabout in a day during a summer camp. 00:27:35.359 --> 00:27:40.319 At the summit, they have 3,000 helmets? 00:27:41.839 --> 00:27:44.799 Because you got 30,000 kids there for a week, right? 00:27:45.279 --> 00:27:50.319 When they do an international jamboree, they have 60,000 campers. 00:27:50.640 --> 00:27:58.160 Now, the real interesting thing is one of my instructors uh from Massachusetts had chosen to work the jamboree this summer. 00:27:58.240 --> 00:28:11.680 And part of our training was, hey, look, sometimes it gets real hot, and during a 14-hour day, somebody belaying a kid, like supporting them on a climb or hotel, actually can kind of get a little bit of uh heat, exhaustion, and maybe even pass out. 00:28:11.759 --> 00:28:13.599 So, how do you keep the kid safe, right? 00:28:13.839 --> 00:28:15.519 So I just want to make sure you get the scene. 00:28:15.599 --> 00:28:19.519 These are like long days for volunteers, and here's the real kicker. 00:28:19.599 --> 00:28:20.240 Are you ready? 00:28:20.480 --> 00:28:30.240 If you wanted to work at the Scout Jamboree, not only did you drive yourself there and you brought all your own camping stuff, you paid them to work there. 00:28:31.359 --> 00:28:33.599 Like a thousand dollars a week. 00:28:33.759 --> 00:28:39.119 You paid them so that you could work 12-hour days in the heat. 00:28:39.200 --> 00:28:43.440 Now, I heard that and I thought, boy, that is unjust labor practices. 00:28:43.599 --> 00:28:44.720 That is so wild. 00:28:44.799 --> 00:28:46.960 You know, again, I've been a pistol tag too long. 00:28:47.920 --> 00:28:52.640 And while I want to say that's an interesting thing to hold on to, I don't want to lose that completely. 00:28:52.720 --> 00:28:57.359 It turns out scouts are having a hard time uh filling the ranks with this requirement. 00:28:57.519 --> 00:28:59.599 I mean, it's actually cost prohibitive. 00:29:00.880 --> 00:29:31.039 It was this interesting model that these people believed in the harvest of joy through something so regular and superfluous and sort of niche hobby is introducing a kid how to climb an artificial rock face that they would spend a thousand dollars of their own money in 12-hour working days so that they could harvest a little bit of joy. 00:29:33.519 --> 00:29:36.319 It's pretty darn inspiring to me. 00:29:37.039 --> 00:29:38.559 Pretty inspiring. 00:29:39.680 --> 00:29:43.920 Even more so than one of our instructors doesn't have kids. 00:29:45.200 --> 00:29:54.720 I don't know if you know what this is like, but when you don't have kids and you work with you, you get to deal with this kind of bias against you. 00:29:55.359 --> 00:29:59.359 It must be because you want to do something wrong. 00:30:00.160 --> 00:30:04.079 As if having a spouse made you not do something like that. 00:30:07.039 --> 00:30:24.960 That particular instructor, who was arguably the most level-headed, decent, and kind person I was around all week, the one with no kid, who'd paid$1,000 to the lay scout for 12 hours. 00:30:25.200 --> 00:30:30.160 Because he believed that there was a harvest of joy to be had in doing that. 00:30:30.400 --> 00:30:38.240 He poured himself into that just for the small chance that a kid would say, if I can do this, I can do something hard at school. 00:30:38.400 --> 00:30:41.759 If I can do this, I can handle something hard at home. 00:30:42.000 --> 00:30:43.759 That's why he does that. 00:30:47.359 --> 00:30:54.240 Now I don't I want you to know when the pledge card comes out next week, I'm not gonna ask you to pay to be on the altar the old. 00:30:56.160 --> 00:30:58.240 I'm not gonna ask you to do that. 00:30:59.039 --> 00:31:05.519 And I just wonder if that isn't what Jesus is getting at a little bit here. 00:31:06.880 --> 00:31:16.400 Sometimes we can just get so caught up in what this is doing for me that we forgot why we were doing it to begin. 00:31:17.440 --> 00:31:30.720 Sometimes we can go get so caught up in counting grapes that we forget about the wine that they're supposed to make that is meant to be joy for the world. 00:31:31.519 --> 00:31:44.079 Sometimes we can get so caught up in whether our neighbor is working the hardest as hard as we are, that we can forget that the whole point of the harvest is joy. 00:31:46.240 --> 00:31:49.200 Now I'm not preaching at you because you get this already. 00:31:49.440 --> 00:31:50.480 You do get this. 00:31:50.880 --> 00:31:51.440 We do. 00:31:52.160 --> 00:31:55.200 I just think it's the time of year when we get this reminder. 00:31:55.519 --> 00:31:59.759 Sometimes we get around church folk, and I'm a church folk, right? 00:32:00.319 --> 00:32:03.279 And we ask the wrong question. 00:32:03.680 --> 00:32:05.759 We ask, what is it you're doing? 00:32:05.920 --> 00:32:07.359 Why aren't you doing it my way? 00:32:07.519 --> 00:32:12.799 And again, I think the whole readings this week are funneling us toward what is it about grace? 00:32:13.279 --> 00:32:18.559 And are we calling something grace when really it's just about wages? 00:32:19.200 --> 00:32:25.599 Are we calling something grace that is really just about, frankly, social economics? 00:32:27.839 --> 00:32:36.160 If the bread of heaven, whether that's a tangible thing or that's God's grace came in front of us, would we see it for what it is? 00:32:36.480 --> 00:32:38.880 Or would we be scratching our heads? 00:32:39.359 --> 00:32:42.720 That's what the parable is asking me this week. 00:32:43.119 --> 00:32:45.680 I don't think it's asking me to do more. 00:32:46.240 --> 00:32:48.640 I don't think it's asking me to do less. 00:32:48.880 --> 00:32:51.599 I think it's asking me to pay attention to the harvest. 00:32:52.400 --> 00:32:59.039 Because God can't stand for a grateful joy to die on a vine. 00:33:00.559 --> 00:33:03.200 So we're gonna talk about pledging the next couple of weeks. 00:33:03.359 --> 00:33:04.559 Is that what we do? 00:33:04.720 --> 00:33:13.839 Um, but as you know, right, what we do here is we ask God to bless our labor and our prayers and our intention and our money too. 00:33:13.920 --> 00:33:15.200 Sure, we ask for that too. 00:33:15.359 --> 00:33:21.599 But all of that comes together because without it all, grapes are dying on the vine. 00:33:22.079 --> 00:33:23.440 Grapes are dying on the vine. 00:33:23.599 --> 00:33:28.559 And I'll tell you, when my head's right, it's a privilege to work that vineyard here. 00:33:43.519 --> 00:33:47.359 Please join me as we pray our faith in the words of the Nicene III. 00:33:48.960 --> 00:34:34.480 We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all living and we believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, the eternally the Father, God and from God, life from light, through God and from true God, begotten and made of the being with the Father, through all things were made, for us from our salvation, he came down from heaven, by the power of the Holy Spirit, he began from the Virgin Mary, and was made of man, for our he was crucified under the fire, he suffered the mother of marriage. 00:34:34.719 --> 00:34:43.599 On the third day he rose again according to the scriptures, he ascended into heaven, and he had God and the Father. 00:34:43.840 --> 00:34:49.840 He will come and glory to God, the living and the dead, and in his kingdom will have no end. 00:34:50.480 --> 00:34:57.199 We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord gives, who proceedeth the Father and the Son. 00:34:57.440 --> 00:35:01.039 With the Father and the Son, he is worshiped and glorified. 00:35:01.280 --> 00:35:03.519 He has spoken through the prophets. 00:35:03.679 --> 00:35:07.280 We believe in the Holy Catholic and Church. 00:35:07.599 --> 00:35:10.960 We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. 00:35:11.360 --> 00:35:15.920 We look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. 00:35:16.239 --> 00:35:16.880 Amen. 00:35:29.920 --> 00:35:39.360 The prayers of the people, for the community we live in, for clean air to breathe, and safe water to drink. 00:35:39.679 --> 00:35:50.400 We very surely thank you, O Lord, for the courage to protect creation and the persistence to make informed decisions every day. 00:35:53.039 --> 00:36:02.639 For the victims of oppression throughout the world, especially those who have been silenced by government, abuse, and poverty. 00:36:03.039 --> 00:36:06.480 Empower their voices and our ears to hear them. 00:36:07.119 --> 00:36:12.800 For refugees and those displaced by war or strife. 00:36:16.320 --> 00:36:18.320 For those who hunger. 00:36:28.559 --> 00:36:32.239 And that they might do God with compassion. 00:36:32.719 --> 00:36:38.639 For 43 years of female clergy shining your light in the Episcopal Church. 00:36:42.400 --> 00:36:52.239 Enable our laity, deacons, priests, and bishops to discern your work in the world and boldly join it. 00:36:52.559 --> 00:36:55.599 May your church come to us one body. 00:36:56.000 --> 00:37:16.800 We praise you for the constant love, compassion, diligence, kindness, and guidance of spouses, siblings, parents, friends, and extended families who have put us and others before themselves. 00:37:17.119 --> 00:37:20.239 May we rejoice you in making Christ visible. 00:37:21.199 --> 00:37:26.000 Mend broken relationships and comfort those who are alone. 00:37:26.320 --> 00:37:30.079 Strengthen our patience and embolden our forgiveness. 00:37:30.400 --> 00:37:35.280 Equip us to empathize even when we are in pain. 00:37:38.800 --> 00:37:56.800 Protect the dignity of those who are in physical decline or hardship, remembering especially those on our parish prayer list and the celebration or petitions the congregation wishes tonight at this time, silently or aloud. 00:38:08.400 --> 00:38:10.719 We pray for all who have died. 00:38:14.719 --> 00:38:20.880 Compassionate God, make your healing and peaceful presence known to the world. 00:38:21.199 --> 00:38:32.000 Comfort those who mourn, strengthen those who are weary, encourage those in despair, and lead us all to fullness of life. 00:38:32.400 --> 00:38:34.400 Lord, hear our prayer. 00:38:35.840 --> 00:38:42.480 All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, so let us confess our sin against God and our neighbor. 00:38:43.920 --> 00:38:49.119 The hatred that divides nation from nation, race from race, class from class. 00:38:49.760 --> 00:38:50.800 Father forgive. 00:38:51.360 --> 00:38:55.840 Covetous desires of people and nations to possess what is not their own. 00:38:56.239 --> 00:38:57.440 Father forgive. 00:38:57.840 --> 00:39:02.159 The greed which exploits the work of human hands and lays waste the earth. 00:39:02.480 --> 00:39:03.679 Father, forgive. 00:39:03.920 --> 00:39:06.880 Our envy of the welfare and happiness of others. 00:39:07.280 --> 00:39:08.480 Father, forgive. 00:39:08.880 --> 00:39:13.679 Our indifference to the plight of the imprisoned, the homeless, the refugee. 00:39:14.079 --> 00:39:15.280 Father, forgive. 00:39:15.679 --> 00:39:19.360 The lust which dishonors the bodies of women, children, and men. 00:39:19.920 --> 00:39:21.199 Father, forgive. 00:39:21.440 --> 00:39:25.519 And the pride which leads us to trust in ourselves and not in God. 00:39:26.079 --> 00:39:27.039 Father, forgive. 00:39:27.440 --> 00:39:32.159 The Almighty and Compassate God grant you absolution and remission of all your sin. 00:39:32.800 --> 00:39:34.239 True repentance. 00:39:34.639 --> 00:39:38.480 Amendment of life and the grace and consolation of the Holy Spirit. 00:39:38.800 --> 00:39:39.280 Amen. 00:39:39.760 --> 00:39:45.360 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another as God in Christ forgave you. 00:39:45.920 --> 00:39:48.880 May the peace of the Lord always be with you. 00:40:23.360 --> 00:40:24.320 Good morning, Keith. 00:40:24.559 --> 00:40:26.000 And thanks for worshiping with us at St. 00:40:26.159 --> 00:40:26.639 Thomas today. 00:40:26.880 --> 00:40:39.760 If you're moved to this or haven't done this before in the little room right behind one we're sitting in, we call it an artifact, there's these little cards that say welcome, and we'd be tremendously grateful if you'd fill one out and put it in a little blue basket so we have a record of your visit. 00:40:39.840 --> 00:40:41.840 And thanks for worshiping with us today. 00:40:42.239 --> 00:40:43.679 There are a lot going on. 00:40:43.760 --> 00:40:45.920 This is the time of year where there's a lot going on. 00:40:46.079 --> 00:40:47.920 So buckle your seatbelt. 00:40:48.000 --> 00:40:55.840 Most of this is in the e-news, but I do I do want to highlight it because, well, I don't want us to I don't want us to miss out because there's some really lovely things. 00:40:55.920 --> 00:41:07.360 So one thing coming up is that on October the 8th, that's two Sundays from today, we got a really good deal on group tickets to see the Houston Dash. 00:41:07.519 --> 00:41:09.679 That's the women's professional soccer game. 00:41:09.760 --> 00:41:14.320 So if you're interested in joining us for the Houston Dash, these are$10 seats. 00:41:14.639 --> 00:41:16.719 Um I do need to know tomorrow. 00:41:16.880 --> 00:41:20.320 You can email, call, or just let me know, and I will get you a Dash ticket. 00:41:20.400 --> 00:41:21.039 And we'll have St. 00:41:21.119 --> 00:41:25.519 Thomas Night at the Dash on October the 8th at 6 p.m. 00:41:25.679 --> 00:41:26.320 is that game. 00:41:26.480 --> 00:41:27.679 So uh it'll go from 6. 00:41:28.000 --> 00:41:30.639 Usually it's done by uh 7:45, 8 o'clock. 00:41:30.800 --> 00:41:33.760 If you've never been to a Dash game, it's a treat. 00:41:33.840 --> 00:41:34.719 It's really a lot of fun. 00:41:34.880 --> 00:41:37.760 Uh great stadium, great seats, and lovely to go together. 00:41:37.920 --> 00:41:43.039 Um, okay, this week, Katie Carmine's turning 100 years old. 00:41:43.280 --> 00:41:51.199 So Kitty Carmine is one of our founding members, and uh, this is okay to share, because she shared this publicly, but a lot of you didn't know her. 00:41:52.159 --> 00:42:05.039 Kitty's daughter had a rare form of uh leukemia, uh, and they lived through that in the late 60s and early 70s before Catherine, who's ever in the call and burial, she died pretty young. 00:42:05.280 --> 00:42:29.760 And um not only did Kitty and her husband were the founding members here, but um Joe Johnson, the vicar of the time, the first vicar here, right after that tragedy, well not right after, he gave her a couple of months, he said, you know, Kitty, I just really think that the love you have for your daughter, that you don't have a venue to express, I just think you could really express that here at our day school. 00:42:30.000 --> 00:42:31.920 And so Kitty taught at the day school for years. 00:42:32.000 --> 00:42:35.920 There's a picture of her doing it out there in the wall, and Kitty said it saved her life. 00:42:36.159 --> 00:42:40.239 Being able to share the love she had for her daughter with other kids. 00:42:40.880 --> 00:42:44.559 It's a beautiful story, and if you've not met her, she's a treat. 00:42:44.800 --> 00:42:46.239 I mean, she is a treat. 00:42:46.400 --> 00:42:51.920 So she's turning a hundred, and um, the ask is I'd like to bring her a hundred birthday cards. 00:42:52.000 --> 00:42:52.320 I wouldn't. 00:42:52.480 --> 00:42:54.000 I'd like to bring her a hundred birthday cards. 00:42:54.079 --> 00:42:55.119 It's okay if you don't know her. 00:42:55.199 --> 00:42:58.480 You can say the priest said you were a nice lady and hope you have a good birthday. 00:42:58.559 --> 00:43:02.559 Um, but uh she is a sweet, wise woman. 00:43:02.719 --> 00:43:05.760 Uh I've told you a few stories along the years from visiting her. 00:43:05.840 --> 00:43:10.800 She's mostly been kind of shut in since COVID, uh, mainly because it's just hard to get over here. 00:43:10.880 --> 00:43:15.199 Um but she'll be a hundred and uh, we're taking cards through Wednesday. 00:43:15.360 --> 00:43:19.440 You can drop them in the mailbox, like the one outside, or hand them off. 00:43:19.519 --> 00:43:23.840 But I like I said, it's just a real treat to celebrate a fine woman. 00:43:23.920 --> 00:43:25.119 And that's that's who she is. 00:43:25.199 --> 00:43:26.639 She's a fine woman. 00:43:27.039 --> 00:43:29.599 Um some of you know her as well, some of you don't. 00:43:29.760 --> 00:43:32.960 Rosemary Anderson moved away about four years ago to North Carolina. 00:43:33.119 --> 00:43:34.800 She was mostly worshiped at the clock. 00:43:35.039 --> 00:43:36.320 Another fine woman. 00:43:36.480 --> 00:43:37.360 And I mean that. 00:43:37.599 --> 00:43:40.480 Like these are she rose in mine, both of them. 00:43:40.639 --> 00:43:43.599 And she died about a month ago, and her funeral is this Friday. 00:43:43.679 --> 00:43:50.320 So just as a reminder, we'll be celebrating Rosemary Anderson this Friday at two o'clock here at St. 00:43:50.559 --> 00:43:51.119 Thomas. 00:43:51.679 --> 00:43:53.679 Okay, a couple of things coming up. 00:43:53.760 --> 00:43:56.559 Uh really that first week of October. 00:43:56.639 --> 00:43:59.760 Uh, many of you know that our regular food distribution happens the first. 00:44:00.079 --> 00:44:01.920 Saturday, that'll be October the 7th. 00:44:02.159 --> 00:44:08.000 We're gonna do an out here in the circle driveway because that same day we're hosting a 5K race. 00:44:08.400 --> 00:44:11.920 So you don't have to run an app, but if you're interested, it's a pet-friendly race. 00:44:12.000 --> 00:44:14.239 It's also wheelchair friendly, so you can do both. 00:44:14.320 --> 00:44:14.719 I do. 00:44:14.880 --> 00:44:18.800 You do the race, and then you kind of run over here and start serving food to cars. 00:44:19.119 --> 00:44:21.920 That's on October the 7th. 00:44:22.639 --> 00:44:27.760 On October the 4th, I'm backing up, I'm doing this little out sequence. 00:44:27.840 --> 00:44:28.639