The New Community of The Episcopal Church

WELCOME TO HOLY TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH, HICKSVILLE, NEW YORK VIRTUAL WORSHIP ON SUNDAYS AT 10AM EASTERN. #vergarasermons. Here's my TEACHING ON WORSHIP, rep...rinted from Advent Word Series (Dec, 18, 2019) in the Episcopal Church website: www.episcopalchurch.org Worship is an integral part in the life and mission of the church. We are an ecclesia because we gather together to worship and we go and spread out into the world to serve. I consider worship as a high priority. As Asiamerica Missioner in the Episcopal Church, I encourage my diverse ethnic constituencies: Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Filipino, South Asian, Southeast Asian, Pacific Islander, Arab/Middle East and Asian American youth and young adults (Convocations of Episcopal Asiamerica Ministries) as well as the many parishes I am connected with, especially Holy Trinity in Hicksville (a multiracial parish), to do the same: prioritize worship. "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matthew 6:33). PRAISE AND WORSHIP What is the difference between praise and worship? Praise is thanking God for what God has done. The doxology we sing (from Greek doxa" or glory) says: Praise God from whom all blessings flow When God blesses us, we praise God. God indeed has endowed us with countless blessings. Worship, on the other hand, is thanking God for Who God is. With its English root of worth-ship, worship is thanking God for Who God is---God is worthy. An apt example was Job. God blessed him tremendously and he praised God. But when trial came and he lost everything, Job arose, tore his robe, shaved his head, fell to the ground and worshipped God saying, 'The Lord giveth, the Lord taketh away, blessed be the name of the Lord! (Job 1:20-21). In times of trials and tribulations, we shall not cease to worship God. THE EUCHARIST Eucharist in the early Church began as a two-part Passover celebration: a Jewish Family meal on Friday night followed by the Breaking of the Bread on the Sabbath (Saturday). To deal with gluttony, drunkenness and the selfishness of rich (not sharing their meal to the poor), the elders took the Eucharist from the Sabbath and placed it on a Sunday to celebrate Christ’s resurrection. The first context of the Eucharist were the synagogues. Most of the first Christians were Jewish and familiar with a simple meeting room designed for teaching, the breaking of the bread and prayers (Acts 2:42). When we were in Israel on pilgrimage to Holy Land we took part in a Jewish family meal, the "seder," celebrating the "Pesah" (Passover). Passover is the celebration of the historical moment when the Hebrews led by Moses and about to be liberated from slavery were saved when the "angel of death passed over" their houses painted with the blood of the lamb. Christians borrowed the concept with Christ being the Passover Lamb, the sacrificial Lamb who taketh away the sins of the world. Through Christ, we are saved and passed from death to life. The second context of the Eucharist were the house churches. The letters to 7 churches in the Book of Revelation were addressed to 7 communities in the 7 cities inside the 7 house churches worshipping God and celebrating the agape meal. The third context of the Eucharist were the catacombs. These were networks of underground tunnels that became worship and burial places for Christians during the centuries of persecutions in the Roman Empire. Today, it may be hard to imagine an Episcopalian or any other Christian in America being martyred for the sake of the Eucharist but there were times when Christians were willing to die for it. In 304 A.D., 49 Abilene Christians defied Emperor Diocletian by holding a Eucharist. When asked of their martyrdom, they replied We cannot live without the Eucharist. It is better for us to die than not to have Eucharists. When churches and basilicas were allowed during the Constantine Era, these relics of saints and martyrs were moved to side chapels and the Eucharists became well established and popularly accepted in main sanctuaries. Holy Eucharist (Holy Mass, Holy Communion, Divine Liturgy) becomes the central point of worship in catholic (universal) churches. Derived from the Greek word "Eucharistia," meaning thanksgiving, Eucharistic celebration commemorates Christ's death and resurrection and affirms our faith until His coming again. WORSHIP AND WORK One Asian hymn (Sri Lankan) translated in English says, Worship and Work Must be One. As faith seeks understanding, worship must influence our work. In worship, we are bathed in prayer, nourished by the sacraments, and share fellowship in Christ’s Body. History is a continuum of generations of people who worship God, love one another and care for the world. God is one and we are one in the Spirit and one in the Lord. We are one Body and Christ is the Head. The Episcopal Church’s Book of Common Prayer provides a variety of worship services and liturgical forms. Throughout the Church worldwide, we worship God in the language of our hearts and the voices of diverse tongues. The Episcopal Church is multiracial, multicultural, multi-lingual, multi-ethnic, multinational, ecumenical and global. Our history is a continuum of generations who seek to worship God, love one another and serve the world---in any place, climate or circumstances. Whether I am in the simple Philippine barrio chapel of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (in Pili, Ajuy, Iloilo where I grew up) or at the National Cathedral of the Episcopal Church in Washington, DC (where newly-elected U.S. Presidents are inaugurated and prayed for), my worship of God remains the same---in spirit and in truth.. *Note: This article was written and published last December 18, 2019 prior to us hearing about the COVID19 pandemic. The current situation challenges us to re-think how we do worship. Virtual liturgy and in-person Eucharist intersect with how we worship God, love one another and care for the world God has made. The last photos (see photos) are some of the virtual worship services we do from the safety of our homes. Due to the pandemic, many churches of the Episcopal Church are shut down in compliance with recommendation from state and city authorities. We comply with social distancing, wearing face masks, wash hands and strict physical hygiene not only to protect ourselves from the invisible enemy, the Corona Virus, but also to mitigate its spread and therefore save others. It is loving our neighbor as ourselves. This gives us a new understanding that we can "gather to worship in spirit" via the internet (Zoom, Facebook Live, You Tube, Instagram, etc.), even when we cannot gather in person. God is Spirit and we worship God in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). As we pray as one Body, united in Spirit and in the Truth of Christ, we shall soon see this virus banish from the face of the earth. Therefore, the redeemed shall return and come with singing and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads. They shall obtain gladness and joy and sorrow and mourning shall flee away!"(Isaiah51:11). (I preach virtually on Sundays at 10AM Eastern Standard Time) via Zoom (ID 8190180364 Passcode 1950. This is simultaneously broadcast on Facebook Live of "Fred Vergara." Hope to see you via Zoom or Facebook. Keep hope alive and share the faith.)

CHRIST THE KING: POLITICS OF GOD’S KINGDOM Sermon of the Rev. Dr. Fred Vergara, missioner for Asiamerica Ministries in the Episcopal church. Delivered at Holy T...rinity Episcopal Church, 130 Jerusalem Avenue, Hicksville, NY 11801 last Sunday, November 22, 2020) Today we celebrate Christ the King Sunday. In the scriptures, Jesus, the Son of God is pictured as a prophet, a priest and a king. What is Jesus like as a King? There are three elements of His kingship I wish to share: His character, His politics and His moral vision. A. THE CHARACTER OF KING JESUS The prophecy about Jesus as king is not about an army that could conquer the evils of this world. The prophecy about Jesus as King of kings and Lord of lords is about his character. The prophet Isaiah prophesied the birth of this God-King: Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given and the government shall be upon His shoulders. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, everlasting Father, Prince of Peace(Isaiah 9:6). The name of Jesus reveals the character of this ruler of the universe. Jesus is Emmanuel (God-with-us). He lives among us. He is above us to enlighten us; below us to undergird us; before us to lead us; behind us to protect us; beside us to comfort us; and within us to empower us. A gospel hymn says it this way: He walks with me and talks with me along life’s narrow way. He lives, He lives Christ Jesus lives today. You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart. As King, Jesus is also Provider, Protector and Savior. Isaiah 40:11 He will feed his flock like a shepherd, he will gather the lambs close to his heart and he will gently lead those that have young (Isaiah 40:11). A bruised reed he will not break; a flickering candle he will not extinguish; he will faithfully bring forth justice. (Isaiah 42:3) So from Isaiah’s prophecy, we get a glimpse of how this leader will govern us. He is like no other king, He is like no other ruler, He is like no other emperor. The musical Jesus Christ Superstar has the character of King Herod mocking Jesus You look so small not a king at all. But indeed He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. The stone which the builders rejected is the Head of the Corner. (Psalm 118:22) B. THE POLITICAL JESUS As a king, what is the politics of Jesus? Let me first differentiate what is government and what it politics. Government is the machinery that runs the governance of a country; politics is the process for such a governance. In an autocratic government, power emanates from despot who makes decision based on a one-man rule. In a democratic government resides in the people who elect representatives to govern and decide for them. The people in a democracy often elect their leaders hoping they would work for their best interest. In a democracy, the role of the president for instance is to provide vision, protection, order and direction. When the leader fails to provide these basic functions, the task of the people is to express their will through a clean, orderly and peaceful elections. And when the government becomes oppressive, the people have the right to speak and to peacefully assemble for redress of grievances. Freedom of speech and assembly is one of the freedoms guaranteed in a constitutional democracy. A peaceful transition of the power to govern following an honest and peaceful elections is one of the hallmarks of a healthy democracy. It is incumbent for the incumbent regime to participate and cooperate in a smooth transition. That is why politics is sometimes called the art of compromise. It is making sense of human power that works for the good and welfare of the people on earth. Earthly politics has flaws and imperfection but it is a compromise for the ideal world. The penultimate government is made in heaven; that is theocracy, the rule of God. But we are not there yet. The prayer, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven is already here but not yet. In the United States we long for a more perfect union. In another way of saying, politics is the art of making sense of the context in which we find ourselves. Jesus will rule a kingdom of peace, love and unity but before we reach there, we have to make sense of the evils of this world. Evil, like Corona Virus, will not disappear even when the vaccine is already here. Evil will simply slip into the darkness waiting for the right moment to strike. And evil also lurks within the human heart. That is why before the politics of unity, there will first be the politics of division. St. Paul wrote in 1st Corinthians 11:19 it is necessary that there be divisions among you so the genuine will be recognized. Shakespeare, in Hamlet, wrote: so foul a sky clears not without a storm. Sometimes, a clear demarcation line must be drawn to know who’s on the Lord’s side. Joshua challenged the Israelites: Choose you this day whom you will serve; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord (Joshua 24:15). So the gospel today (Matthew 25:31-46) speaks of the division between the goats and the sheep, between the righteous and the unrighteous, between the truth and the lies. The righteous are those who feed the hungry, clothed the naked, welcome the stranger, visit the prisoners; the unrighteous are those who do otherwise. If you do these to the least among your brethren, you do it to the King of all kings. Conversely, if you do not do these things to the least, you do not do it to the King of all kings. In other words, the politics of Jesus has a preferential option to the poor, the oppressed and the marginalized. Therefore if a government is to be judged from the politics of Jesus, it has to be judged on how it takes care of the least among them. The political Jesus therefore gives hope, inspiration and strength to the weak. He gives light to those in darkness and in the shadow of death. Today, hundreds and thousands of those infected with COVID19 will find the words of Jesus a source of healing grace: Be not afraid for I am with you. Even though you walk in the valley of the shadow of death, do not fear because I am with you. Fear not, rejoice and be glad; the Lord has done a great thing. In a world that is in crisis, politically and socially, in a nation divided and falling apart, the politics of Jesus gives voice to the voiceless, comfort to the afflicted and deliverance to the oppressed. The politics of Jesus gives hope in our struggles, provides answers to our deepest needs and points us to the way of peace. The Magnificat of Mother Mary spoke about this: He has cast down the mighty from their thrones and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty. The political Jesus is our resistance to injustice and oppression, the joy of the Lord is our resistance to our sorrows and pains, the love of the Lord is our resistance to the selfishness and coldness of the human heart. C. CHRISTIAN MORAL VISION And so the moral vision of Jesus is shalom, the peace that surpasses understanding. The vision is a new day, a new world, a new heaven and a new earth. Behold, I make all things new (Revelations 21:5). If you are in Christ, there is a new creation; the old has passed away; the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17). Yes, God is working his purpose out even in the crisis of our time. If we hold on together, if we take this moment to strengthen our faith, lengthen our patience and deepen our discipline, we shall make it through. The pandemic times and the way in which an unscrupulous government has misled us have widened the tear in our moral fabric which will take time to heal. The vestiges of the old is still clinging like a leech trying to suck the blood out of our moral values. But today, we must proclaim Jesus as our King who is far above all rule and authority, power and dominion. All earthly kingdoms will always die; only the Kingdom of God will remain forever. An ancient Cherokee says of a wise man who told his grandson that two wolves constantly fighting within us: one is good, the other evil. The grandson asked, then Grandpa; who will win? The wise man replied, the one you feed the most. Therefore, let us not grow tired and weary in doing good for in the proper time, we will reap a good harvest if we do not give up (Galatians 6:9). Let us continue to live, love, pray, hope and believe that the day is drawing near when this nation and this whole world will be filled with the glory of God as the waters cover the sea. Amen.

Rev Katie Nakamura Rengers is one of the plenary speakers in the New Community Conference which starts tomorrow

Registration still open for New Community Conference which starts tomorrow

Rev Altagracia Perez Bullard is one of the Plenary Speakers representing Latino Hispanic ministry in the Nee Community Conference starting tomorrow.

Rev Peter Huang is one of the Workshop Leaders representing Asian Americans in the New Community Conference starting tomorrow

New Community Conference starts tomorrow

The Rev. Melanie Mullen will present us with a workshop entitled: Social justice in the age of COVID-19: how do we advocate and challenge systems of oppression without putting our bodies at risk. (e.g. protests prohibit social distancing). Rev. Melanie Mullen serves as Episcopal Church’s Director of Reconciliation, Justice & Creation Care charged with bringing the Jesus Movement to the concerns of the world. Prior to joining the Presiding Bishop’s staff she was the Downt...own Missioner at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Richmond, leading a historic southern congregation’s missional, civic, and reconciliation ministries. Before the ministry, Melanie worked in campaign fundraising and development, raising more than $10 million for leadership PACs, the Congressional Black Caucus, and US Congressional and gubernatorial races from Louisiana to Connecticut; and she served as Development Associate for the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, with a focus on poverty advocacy. She is a graduate of Virginia Theological Seminary with a Masters of Divinity; and the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, with a Bachelors in History.

The Rev. Katie Nakamura Rengers will also serve as a speaker during this weekends conference and bringing us a thought-provoking plenary entitled: "Is there a place for me here? Reflections on being an Asian-American "Anglican"" The Rev. Katie Nakamura Rengers serves as the Presiding Bishop’s Staff Officer for Church Planting. Katie is the founder of The Abbey and Church in the Park, new missional communities in Birmingham, AL. The diverse neighborhoods surrounding these ...church plants gave her a deep appreciation for ministry with younger adults, people experiencing addiction or mental illness, and religious nones. She is passionate about walking alongside new communities that are actively responding to our multi-cultural reality, and that value the spiritual experiences of people who have been historically underrepresented in The Episcopal Church. Katie has a Bachelor of Music from Northwestern University, and earned a Master of Divinity from Virginia Theological Seminary in 2011. See more

NEW COMMUNITY 2020 VIRTUAL CONFERENCE SCHEDULE (Subject to change) FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2020... 6:00 pm 6:20 pm Festival of Music 6:20 pm 6:50 pm Welcome from The Rev. Canon Stephanie Spellers, Canon to the Presiding Bishop Greetings from The Most Rev. Michael B. Curry, Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church 6:50 pm 7:10 pm Plenary Is there a place for me here? Reflections on being an Asian-American Anglican - The Rev. Katie Nakamura Rengers, Staff Officer for Church Planting, Presiding Bishop’s Staff 7:10 pm 7:25 pm Questions and Answers 7:25 pm 7:35 pm Break Workshops / Holy Huddle 7:35 pm 8:20 pm 1. Social justice in the age of COVID-19 The Rev. Melanie Mullen, Director of Reconciliation, Justice and Creation Care, Presiding Bishop’s Staff 2. Working through grief and loss as Beloved Community The Rev. Peter Huang, Missioner for Asian American Ministries in the Diocese of Los Angeles 3. Power and strength of the Black/Brown church to work in unity The Rev. Dr. Gayle Fischer-Stewart, Interim Rector of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Washington, DC 4. Telling the truth about the church and race The Mission Institute represented by Luke Abdow, Donna Bivens, Rev. Katie Ernst, Elizabeth Mae Magill 8:20 pm 8-30 pm Transition/Housekeeping Healing Service 8:30 pm 9:00 pm Officiant: The Ven. Paul Sneve (Please see email sent regarding building an altar and regarding the oil.) NEW COMMUNITY 2020 VIRTUAL CONFERENCE (cont’d.) SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2020 Zoom Link is Here (Meeting ID: 925 4452 2496; PW: 120466) 3:00 pm 3:20 pm Festival of Music 3:20 pm 3:35 pm Plenary Good news in bad times: Saints living in this Kairos moment - The Rev. Altagracia Perez-Bullard, PhD, Director of Contextual Ministry & Assistant Professor of Practical Theology at Virginia Theological Seminary 3:35 pm 3:50 pm Questions and Answers 3:50 pm 4:00 pm Transition Break Workshops / Holy Huddle (repeat of Friday's workshops) 4:00 pm 4:45 pm 1. Social Justice in the Age of COVID-19 The Rev. Melanie Mullen, Director of Reconciliation, Justice and Creation Care, Presiding Bishop’s Staff 2. Working Through Grief and Loss as Beloved Community The Rev. Peter Huang, Missioner for Asian American Ministries in the Diocese of Los Angeles 3. Power and Strength of the Black/Brown church to work in unity The Rev. Dr. Gayle Fischer-Stewart, Interim Rector of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Washington, DC 4. Telling the Truth about the Church and Race The Mission Institute represented by Luke Abdow, Donna Bivens, Rev. Katie Ernest, Elizabeth Mae Magill 4:45 pm 5:00 pm Transition Break Closing Thoughts & Commissioning Service 5:00 pm 5:30 pm Closing thoughts 5:30 pm 6:30 pm Officiant: The Rev. Brad Hauff with the other Ethnic Missioners

Continuing our series of introducing our speakers and workshop presenters for this years conference, we bring you The Rev. Dr. Gayle Fisher-Stewart. Rev. Dr. Stewart will a facilitate workshop focused on the Power and Strength of the Black and Brown church to work in unity. The Rev. Dr. Gayle Fisher-Stewart was ordained in 2015 and currently serves as the interim rector of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Washington, DC. A native Washingtonian, prior to accepting the call to... ordained ministry, she retired from the Metropolitan Police Department as a captain and then taught at the university level. She is the president for the Washington, DC, chapter of the Union of Black Episcopalians and also serves as the chaplain for the Takoma Park Police Department (MD). Rev. Fisher-Stewart is a graduate of the University of Maryland University College (BS), the University of Maryland( MS, Ph.D), the American University (MS), the University of the District of Columbia (MA), and Wesley Theological Seminary (MTS). She was the 2015 recipient of the Director’s Award, Episcopal Evangelism Society and in 2017, she was awarded an honorary doctorate of divinity from Colgate University. She has written on race, policing and the Episcopal Church; To Serve and Protect: Race, the Police and the Episcopal Church in the Black Lives Matter Era was published in the Summer (2017) edition of the Anglican Theological Review. Her recently published book, Preaching Black Lives (Matter) asks and answers the question, what would the church look like if black lives mattered? And in response to the recent uprisings over the police murder of Mr. George Floyd, she has developed and offered the curriculum: To Serve and Protect: Bridging the Gap Between the Police and the Black Community. See more

https://dfms.formstack.com//new_community_2020_virtual_con Please click the link above to register for our 2020 New Community Conference October 30 and 31st!

This years New Community Conference will provide, as part of our offerings, a workshop facilitated by the the Mission Institute entitled: Telling the Truth about Race. The Mission Institute has been engaged in an audit of race and racism in TEC. They surveyed the House of Bishops, House of Deputies, Executive Council, TEC Staff, and a stratified sample of Diocesan staff and volunteers. Join us to hear early learnings from the draft study and to contribute to reflection on th...e theological implications of this work. Luke Abdow is a community organizer, fundraiser, and cook who lives in an Episcopal intentional community in Boston, MA. Elizabeth Mae Magill (EDS ’02) is an author, pastor, and racial justice activist teaching workshops in small church, evangelism, and total ministry. She lives in Berlin, MA. Rev. Katie Ernst is the Co-Director and a priest located in Minneapolis. They are committed to creating liberated communities and racial justice. Donna Bivens is an anti-racism consultant, trainer and coach who focuses on the connection between social justice and spiritual leadership.

Join us next Friday and Saturday for the New Community conference. We are looking forward to having you join us. Register Now: https://dfms.formstack.com//new_community_2020_virtual_con

Espero que puedan asistir conmigo a esta conferencia del Departamento de Ministerios Étnicos de la Iglesia Episcopal. Los espero!

Our 2020 New Community Conference speaker The Rev. Altagracia Perez-Bullard, will bring us a plenary presentation entitled: "Good News in Bad Times: Saints Living in this Karios Moment". Rev. Perez-Bullard will seek to preach and teach about the critical issues we are experiencing in this time, and the opportune moments we are currently presented with. Join us Oct. 30th and 31st to experience this powerful presentation. .............................. The Rev. Altagracia Pérez-Bullard, Ph.D., is the Director of Contextual Ministry and Assistant Professor of Practical Theology at Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria. Before joining the VTS faculty, she served as the Canon for Congregational Vitality in the Episcopal Diocese of New York. Through church leadership development, both lay and clergy, she assisted congregations as they engaged and collaborated with their changing contexts to bring new life to their communities. She has served the Church for over thirty years as a youth minister, community leader, and priest in the Dioceses of New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Dr. Pérez-Bullard has brought leadership to the issues of HIV/AIDS, youth violence, worker justice and a living wage, health disparities in communities of color, housing, and community empowerment. In each of these areas, she has sought to build bridges and create alliances between communities across lines of difference, whether they are characterized by race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexuality, or physical and mental abilities. Altagracia holds a Ph.D. in Practical Theology from Claremont School of Theology, CA, an M.Div. and STM from Union Theological Seminary, New York and B.S. in Educational Psychology from New York University.

As we collectively experience the effects of Covid 19 in this time, our presenter Fr. Peter Huang will bring us a workshop entitled: "Working through grief and loss as Beloved Community". We look forward to this candid and though-provoking workshop during our conference. The Rev. Peter Huang, of Taiwanese and Japanese descent, was born in Taiwan and grew up in Taiwan, Japan, Hong Kong and the United States. He has a co-vocational call as a licensed marriage and family therap...ist in private practice in Pasadena, CA, as well as an ordained priest serving the Diocese of Los Angeles. Exploring multicultural identity and helping one explore the multiple aspects of one's identity to reflect the image of God in oneself and others are significant aspects of his ministries. In the Diocese of Los Angeles, Peter serves as the Missioner for Asian American Ministries and as one of the leaders of The Gathering - a Space for Asian Pacific American Spirituality. He is a graduate of MIT, Fuller Seminary, and Bloy House, The Episcopal Theological School in Los Angeles. He enjoys cycling, watching Sumo, binge-watching Korean dramas, traveling to Asia (pre-pandemic) and lives in Pasadena with his spouse. See more

As we prepare for our New Community Conference we would like to introduce (or re-introduce) our speakers and workshop leaders for the conference. Please stay tuned over the next few days as we bring you short bio's, pic's and introductions of our presenters!!!

https://mailchi.mp//registration-now-open-for-new-communit

"ELECTIONS 2020: A CALL TO VOTE AND DISCERN THE RIGHT LEADER FOR OUR TIME." Sermon by the Rev. Dr. Fred Vergara. Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, 130 Jerusalem Avenue, Hicksville, NY 11801. Sunday, October 11, 2020.

POWER, AUTHORITY AND OBEDIENCE Sermon of the Rev Dr Fred Vergara at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, 130 Jerusalem Avenue, Hicksville, New York. Sunday Worship a...t 10AM, September 27,2020). The gospel this morning speaks of three interrelated issues: power, authority and obedience. How Jesus combined these three significant themes into one is beyond me. I can only echo what the prophet Isaiah said: God’s thoughts are not my thoughts and His ways are not my ways. For as the heavens are higher than the earth so are His thoughts higher than my thoughts and His ways are higher than my ways (Is. 55:8-9). This passage from Matthew 21:23-32 needs to be understood in the context of verses that precede it, particularly Matthew 21: 12-17. In that passage. Jesus entered the Temple and found merchants buying and selling, making the Temple more like a flea market than a religious place. So Jesus was filled with righteous indignation and He overturned the tables of the money changers and those selling pigeons screaming, My house shall be called a house of prayer but you have made it a den of thieves. Thereafter the blind and the lame came over and Jesus healed them. The children also came singing, Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. This incident of Jesus cleansing the Temple enraged the chief priests and the elders of the Temple who obviously were deprived of their commissions from the thievery and profiteering of the merchants. They were also jealous of Jesus who was gaining popularity among the masses. So they hounded on Jesus and questioned him, By whose authority are you doing these things and who give you the authority? They saw that Jesus had the power but on whose authority did he derived that power, they wanted to know. Jesus did not answer their question directly but asked them whose authority they thought John the Baptist derived his power, from human or from God, and they likewise refused to answer. Then He told them a parable of the two sons whom their father commanded to work the vineyard: the first said he won’t but later he did; while the second said he would, but later did not. Jesus then asked, who did the will of the father? and they answered the first. Jesus then concluded that the sinners who repented would go to God’s kingdom than those who called themselves righteous but would not repent. There is another title for this parable: The Son who is Headache in the Morning but Joy in the Evening and the Son who is a Joy in the Morning but a Headache in the Evening. I’m certain some of you may have kids who fit into that parable. So what is power? What is authority? And how does obedience come into play? 1. POWER Power is defined as the ability to influence others or to control their actions. There are many kinds of power. In the context of a nation, there are three most important powers: military power, economic power and political power. Whenever a nation’s security is threatened, those who hold positions of leadership can invoke military power. For instance, they may parade their tanks and artillery and all in their military arsenals not necessarily to fight but as a show of force. This is what Kim Jung Oon of North Korea often does. Whenever, there is economic recession they may invoke their economic power. They may bring out their financial reserves in order to cushion the deleterious effects to their people. This is what former Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore often did. No wonder Singaporeans seldom suffer from hardships that other nations do during recessions. And whenever there is need to change a political system, they may incite, motivate or influence the people to a revolution. During China’s cultural revolution, Mao Tse Tung inspired the peasants to revolt against the capitalist system and gave them arms, giving way for his dictum that political power grows out of the barrel of a gun. In contrast to the violent Maoist revolution, the People Power Movement of the Philippines which toppled the dictatorial and martial law government of Ferdinand Marcos in a peaceful manner, is also an example of political power. Power is a volatile issue. British politician Lord Acton said this famous quote, power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Power can be addicting like drugs and many can be drunk with power. Abraham Lincoln was said to have spoken, Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power. Power either makes or breaks a leader. Power in the hands of a good person, or a person of noble character can be a formidable force for good. But power in the hands of an evil person, a person of an ignoble character can be deadly. History is replete with men who were given power and destroyed humanity, manipulated people and wrecked civilizations. One could only think of the various Roman Emperors who declared themselves as gods and who wielded absolute powers for evil. One example is Emperor Nero who ordered the burning of Rome, played the fiddle while the city was burning and then blamed the Christians to signal one of the most heinous persecutions of Christians. And who can forget Adolph Hitler of Nazi Germany who caused the gas chamber mass murder of over six million Jews? Or Pol Pot of Cambodia who caused the genocide of over two million or a quarter of his nation’s population to die in the killing fields? That is the reason why in a democracy likes ours, where the people have the power to vote, and we have a choice on who shall lead us, we must choose persons of good character, who have the right moral and ethical framework---because the consequences would be horrible. The wrong president can push this country into the brink of a civil war; a wrong president can push the nuclear button precipitously and threaten the world’s survival. On the other hand, the right president can heal and unite a divided nation and become an instrument of peace in a broken world. 2. AUTHORITY So that is power. What about authority? Authority is the legal and formal right to give orders, issue commands, and take decisions. Authority is what often legitimizes the use of power. In a sense, authority is stronger than power. A six-wheeler truck speeding in a California Highway has tremendous power. Every living thing on its path may have no chance of survival. But a traffic policeman, in full uniform, with gun in his holster and raising his palm up, can order the driver to put a brake and the truck will stop! In the world today, the United States is considered the most powerful nation. And the president of the United States is consequentially the most powerful person in the world. If our security is threatened, all the president needs to do is to boast of our nuclear capability (which Trump often does), and the nation threatening us would reconsider their position. But the power of the president is only legitimized by the authority vested by the Constitution which is based on the ideas and ideals of a democracy. And what is democracy? It is a combination of two Greek words, demos (people) and kratos, (rule). Democracy is the rule of the people. The preamble of the Constitution states "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution. This Constitution gives authority for the legitimate and proper use of power for the common good. John Adams, the second President of the United States (next to George Washington) famously said, We are a government of laws and not of men. It means that laws are to be made understandable to average citizens and cannot just be changed by the whims and caprices of men, even presidents. And who can forget the famous definition of democracy by no less than the father of this nation, Abraham Lincoln? In his Gettysburg address, Lincoln proclaimed that this government of the people, by the people and for the people shall not perish from the earth. So this is what is meant by authority. Authority legitimizes power. Before Trump, President Barrack Obama was the powerful person in the world. When he finished his two terms as president, there was a peaceful transition of power. Now it is President Donald Trump. The powers Trump has are vested by the Constitution through delegated authority as a duly elected president in a representational democracy. But should the people decide otherwise in the coming elections of November 3, 2020, he loses the right to that authority and therefore the right to such powers. 3.OBEDIENCE This brings us to the third issue which this gospel speaks of---obedience. In the context of the Roman occupation of Israel at the time of Jesus, the Roman soldiers exercised military power, the Sanhedrin or the Jewish Council composed of the chief priest and the scribes and Pharisees occupied the political power and the economic power. At the outset, it appeared that Jesus had no such power but within Himself, He had the power that can vanquish all the military, the economic and the political powers of this world. He had the power of God, the penultimate, the utmost and the highest power. He bolds the power of life and death! Who can stand the power of God? The prophet Isaiah says: Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, and are accounted as the dust on the scales; behold, God takes up the coastlands like fine dust (Isaiah 40:15). People are like grass and like the flowers of the fields. The grass withers, the flowers fall, only God remains forever. Who can stand the authority of God? Job says: He stretches the northern sky over empty space and hangs the earth on nothing. He wraps the rain in his thick clouds, and the clouds don’t burst with the weight. He covers the face of the moon, shrouding it with his clouds. He created the horizon when he separated the waters: he set the boundary between day and night. The foundations of heaven tremble; they shudder at his rebuke. By his power the sea grew calm. By his skill he crushed the great sea monster. His Spirit made the heavens beautiful, and his power pierced the gliding serpent. These are just the beginning of all that he does, merely a whisper of his power. Who, then, can comprehend the thunder of his power? (Job 26:7-14) And all these powers and authority have been given to Jesus, God’s only Son. But how did Jesus used power and authority? Not for Himself but for our salvation. Instead of using His power to vanquish His enemies, Jesus used the power of love to forgive his enemies. He became obedient to His mission of love and reconciliation. He was not corrupted by the tremendous and absolute power before Him. Instead, He embraced the power of powerlessness in order to change the values of the world. That they may no longer live for themselves alone but for Him who died and rose again. (2 Corinthians 5:15) In the words of St. Paul, Jesus was in the form of God but did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped. Instead, he emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. The truly powerful Person is one who refused to be corrupted by the temptation of and addiction to power but one who transforms power for good and embraced powerlessness to save and reconciled the world. He is Jesus, our Lord. Amen.

"THE LAST WILL BE FIRST: A PARABLE FOR CHURCH WORKERS" (Matthew 20:1-16) By Fred Vergara Virtual sermon 9/20/2020 When I was in college taking Bachelor in Poli...tical Science and Journalism in the Philippines, I was a working student. I studied in the daytime and work at night. And what was my work? I was a janitor of a building. At that time, the job of janitor was a lowly job so when my crush asked me what work I was doing, I was ashamed to tell her, so I said, I work as the Floor Manager! LOL. A friend of mine immigrated to the United States at the time of economic recession. He was a well-known priest in the Philippines but at that time there was no vacancy in the U.S. Diocese where he was so in order to make both ends meet, he decided to take on a secular job but alas, the only job he found was being a salesman of vacuum cleaners. He was taught that once you knock on the door and the resident opens it, straight away you stretch your leg to prevent him from closing the door, then look for the electric socket and immediately plug the cleaner. At one time, an irate resident screamed at him in broken English, You has to get out! You has to get out! It was a humbling job but he had no choice but to do it. So at one Clergy Meeting he attended, a fellow priest asked him what his job was and he enthusiastically said, my wife is a nurse! In the county of Queens, New York where we reside for the past 15 years now, there are many day laborers waiting for someone to hire them. Most of them are Hispanic-Latino immigrants; some skilled and others unskilled, many are undocumented. People can hire them for an hour or a day to clean their houses, shovel the snow or do some minor home repairs. Every time I drive by and see them, I am reminded of this parable of Jesus about workers. In this parable of Jesus in Matthew 20:1-16, a landowner went out in the morning and hired laborers for a day’s wage. At noontime, he saw some more workers and hired them also to work at his vineyard. Then in the afternoon, he saw more jobless people and he hired them as well. When evening came and it was pay time, they were all paid the same money. The first hired complained because they worked all day and hoped to be paid more. But the landowner said he was simply honoring the agreement even as he appeared to be more generous to those who worked last. Jesus then summarized the parable saying, so the last will be first and the first last. What is the meaning of all this? Is the landowner being unjust and unfair? It is important to understand that the parables of Jesus were earthly stories with heavenly meanings. Jesus was speaking about the entrance to the kingdom of God and based on the context and content of the parable, all believers (whether they are ahead or late) have the same and equal opportunity to enter the kingdom of God. Jesus was particularly implying to the self-righteous scribes and Pharisees who despised the Samaritans and the Gentiles, that they are mistaken if they thought that they alone have the entitlement to the Kingdom of God. There are three pitfalls we must watch if we are to judge other people’s spirituality or holiness. First, we do not enter God’s Kingdom ahead of others simply because we are the first who heard the Good News. We enter God’s Kingdom because we heared the Good News, received it and practiced it. It is one thing to hear the Word and it is another to do the Word. James 1:22 says, Be ye doers of the Word and not hearers only, deceiving yourself. Jesus lamented the Jews who heard the message first but did not believe it. Instead they killed the prophets who spoke the Word. Jesus lamented over Jerusalem because the people heard the Good News but did not practice it. This is also the pitfall of many judgmental Christians, those who think that because they were first in hearing God’s message, they are entitled to judge others. Sometime in the 1960’s Western missionaries went to Asia, Africa and Latin America and even before their arrival in those places, they already made judgment that the people they wanted to convert were already damned. An American televangelist came to Thailand and when interviewed said that the (then 60 million) Thais steeped in Buddhism were doomed to hell because they do not believe in Christ. He labeled his crusade as evangelism explosion. evangelism invasion and evangelism offensive. How presumptuous! Is Jesus on the cross or is He in Pentagon? We, missionaries do not bring Christ to a country or a place. Christ is already there ahead of us. The task of true Christian missionaries is to acknowledge the presence of Christ in the cultures of the people. St. Paul spoke to the Athenians on the Aeropagus who were then non-Christians, People of Athens, I perceived that in every way, you are religious. For as I walked around your city, I saw an inscription, ‘To an Unknown God.’ Now what you call ‘unknown’, I proclaim to you He is Jesus Christ (Acts 17:16-34). Today, all of Greece are Christians: Catholic, Orthodox and Protestants. Second, we do not enter God’s Kingdom ahead of the others because we work harder; we enter God’s kingdom because of the sincerity and purity of our faith. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God, said Jesus in His sermon on the mount. God blesses our industry, our efforts, but God also sees what’s inside of us. People look on the outside but God looks in the heart. US Presidential candidate Joe Biden was right when he said we could not judge people’s motives. Indeed we only see what’s outside, only God can see the inside; we can only see the actions but we could not see the motivations. Years ago, I was educated that it is not really good to try to get ahead of others. My wife and I visited Disneyland and Universal Studios in Southern California for the first time. Now those of you who have been there understand that in every show, there is always a line, and people try to line up first to get the best seat for the show, and also to be able to see as many shows as possible. Now I had wanted to see the show Back Draft. It was a show about firefighters and how they were able to survive and succeed in fighting the forest fires in California. When we arrived at the building where the show was, there were two lines: one was a very long line and the other was a shorter line. Now thinking that we would be able to get ahead, we chose to line up to the shorter line. I figured it would take us some thirty minutes if we go to the long line and only fifteen minutes for the shorter line. So we were so excited as we were nearing the end of the line but when we finally got there, it was not the line for Back Draft show. It was the line for the hot dog stand! It turned out for us, that the first became the last. Third, we do not enter God’s Kingdom because we deserve it; we enter God’s Kingdom only because of grace. Entrance to God’s kingdom is entirely God’s gift; we do not deserve it. Even the ability to serve Christ is not an entitlement; it is a gift of grace. One of the prayers that is engraved in the Episcopal Church Center building in 815 Second Avenue, New York is this to know (God) is eternal life, to serve (God) is perfect freedom. It is part of the prayer for protection in the Prayer Book. To ability to serve Christ, the privilege of entering God’s kingdom is God’s gift of grace. We do not deserve it; we are not entitled to it. It is simply a divine prerogative. Success in the ministry maybe aided by our human strivings but the accomplishment of it is wholly of the Lord. St. Paul wrote, I planted, Apollos watered but it is God who gives the growth (I Corinthians 3:6). Success of our vocation, success of our church, success of our homes, success of our cities are also of God’s grace. Psalm 127 says: Unless the Lord builds the house, all who labor, labor in vain. Unless the Lord guards the city, the watchmen watches in vain. Zechariah 4:6 says, Not by might, nor by power but by the Spirit of the Lord. That is why Saint Teresa of Calcutta said, God does not expect us to be successful; God expects us to be faithful And not all of us can do great things but all of us can do small things with great love. Yes, it is this faithfulness, it is this great love, and not our being first or ahead that ensures our place in the Kingdom of God. And not everyone who calls Lord, Lord could enter the kingdom of God but those who do the will of God (Matthew 7:21). Ultimately, the decision of opening the door to the Kingdom of God belongs to the King. Nothing we do merits the right; even our self-righteousness is as filthy as rags. Being saved and belonging to God’s Kingdom are a free grace, a gift freely given, and all we can do is to receive it by faith. Let me end with the Prayer attributed to Archbishop Oscar Romero of El Salvador who was martyred for his faith: It helps, now and then, to step back and take a long view. The Kingdom is not only beyond our efforts, it is even beyond our vision. We accomplish in our lifetime only a tiny fraction of the magnificent enterprise that is God’s work. Nothing we do is complete which is a way of saying that the Kingdom always lies beyond us. No statement says all that could be said. No prayer fully expresses our faith. No confession brings perfection. No pastoral visit brings wholeness. No program accomplishes the Church’s mission. No set of goals and objectives includes everything. This is what we are about. We plant the seeds that one day will grow. We water seeds already planted, knowing they hold future promise. We lay foundations that will need further improvement. We provide yeast that produces far beyond our capabilities. We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of liberation in realizing that. This enables us to do something, and to do it very well. It maybe incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way. We may never see the end results, but that is the difference between the master builder and the worker. We are workers, not master builders; ministers, not messiahs. We are prophets of a future not our own. AMEN. (*The Rev. Canon Dr. Winfred B. Vergara is Asiamerica Missioner of The Episcopal Church and based in New York City. He is also priest at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, 130 Jerusalem Avenue, Hicksville, NY 11801. The church will re-open on Sunday, September 27, 2020 at 10AM after hibernating for quite sometime due to COVID pandemic.)