ÿWPCC L¯",Ë~ö1Ɇ•ß]ð.N(t0 OÂSôŸù„A±×·‰`^Ùðg”$~Xºi/¶ÂtÎ/“n¸IQ~œnÞT¢äk ƒ`” ïÉ5Ä“F±€û4Jº<\v¸`Œ-#»¨dŠ•º¶çüY;Mkµiq®\ÈÄ…—¸Àä€EPe`Ÿ&‡³ÑÎOf©^ÿ´/ÂMK ï·åJî”¶09°–c|Á©é½E¾#ŽU‘‚É'b›õ±fÎ8Yà{.Lù‹];uÔÿøÃªˆ{ .O·j]¦œ)q|¨°‰žñüvnJ‚íDîÌ‘òæq¬‡<¸„¾\Rc5yö E2š Éš(Xü¤¸Q½ƒß_áëšž…ƒÜÝ<‹#_ãÚhùK õË+À7b  ?ã´¸ì'Õáe&&gÒBÚøLÎÆt õ”’tÒC¾áácòËQÉ+ —¥Bg& .Ó‚?*#J¢w%Ý™è|M¬‰"Í^)+œ6$#Áø 1u¹ %. 0r4U8¦@ ÞoèUDi 72­ 0cß^ BwN4Rfu mwœŽ 0w* 0Š¡ 0 + 0´Ë 0Ç 0ÛF 0ï! 0D 1‹T 72ß 1‰ 72šNÌ D+Î A¡ù@ šo¤b%˜EPSON Stylus COLOR 800ŒŒ——ŒŒ03#37=CIQYag­­1.a.i.(1)(a)(i)1)a)„(J‹c$¡¡Òo°ÒÒo°ÒÑooÑÑooÑÔUSUS.,Ôô\  `‹ GoudyOlSt BT ÿWPC°°àrÂT51ÿÿÿ3%)+.- €*¤*(wF˜ Z‹,GoudyOlSt BT Romani)(;3£$´´Ô2#ÔÚ  Ú0Ú  Ú.Ô3  Ôà0  àby¾* ã¶*cuments3|xÿU‹ÿÀÀÀ placematantichristsna5veunganglikeSedroWoolleyvegging(Oé;$µµà0  àÔ2#ÔÚ  ÚaÚ  Ú.Ô3  Ôà0` (#(#à(b·¤$¶¶à0  àà0` (#(#àÔ2#ÔÚ  ÚÚ  Ú.Ô3  Ôà0¸ ` (#` (#à(xir$··à0  àà0` (#(#àà0¸ ` (#` (#àÔ2#Ô(Ú  Ú0Ú  Ú)Ô3  Ôà0¸ (#¸ (#à(ŒÜ$¸¸à0  àà0` (#(#àà0¸ ` (#` (#àà0¸ (#¸ (#àÔ2#Ô(Ú  ÚaÚ  Ú)Ô3  Ôà0h(#(#à(ŸF$¹¹à0  àà0` (#(#àà0¸ ` (#` (#àà0¸ (#¸ (#àà0h(#(#àÔ2#Ô(Ú  ÚÚ  Ú)Ô3  Ôà0Àh(#h(#à(³Àô$ººà0  àà0` (#(#àà0¸ ` (#` (#àà0¸ (#¸ (#àà0h(#(#àà0Àh(#h(#àÔ2#ÔÚ  Ú0Ú  Ú)Ô3  Ôà0À(#À(#à(ǵ{$»»à0  àà0` (#(#àà0¸ ` (#` (#àà0¸ (#¸ (#àà0h(#(#àà0Àh(#h(#àà0À(#À(#àÔ2#ÔÚ  ÚaÚ  Ú)Ô3  Ôà0p(#(#à(F$ïïà0  àà0` (#(#àà0¸ ` (#` (#àà0¸ (#¸ (#àà0h(#(#àà0Àh(#h(#àà0À(#À(#àà0p(#(#àÔ2#ÔÙ ÙÚ  ÚÚ  ÚÙ Ù)Ô3  Ôà0Èp(#p(#àÙ Ù xä"Icgkosw{Large BulletLarge Bullet x@ìGaeimquy}Bullet ListBullets List'dxd›&Draw Object <<=8ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿCÿÿ HKKKK" ÿWPC°°àrÂT51ÿÿÿ3%)+.- €*¤*[Page ù of &ù]Ý ƒ‹c!ÝÒo°ÒÒo°ÒÑo°ÑÑo°ÑÔUSUS.,ÔÝ  ÝÔ_ÔÔ‡„C5„„„ÔÓ  ÓÑ€#ÑÑ8€C5„„dhdÈ8ÑA€sermon€preached€by€Intern€Pastor€Bob€SchaeferÐ o ÐFir„Conway€Lutheran€ChurchÐ ×h Ðat€Bethlehem€Lutheran€Church,€Sedro„Woolley,€WashingtonÐ ?Ð ÐThe€Seventh€Sunday€of€Easter€ð!ð€May€27,€2000Ð §8 ÐText:€John17.20„26Ð    ÐÓ”Óߣ€ !o_[$â€~ÛÿÂTpÀ°°@ÿ"0ªxdx ÂTEJ~ ÂTÂTÿ3 Xê£ßÌÔ#†„C5„„„C5u#ÔÌÔ‡Xì²X„„C5ÔBrothers€and€sisters€in€Christ:€Grace,€mercy€and€peace€from€God€the€Father€and€Christ€Jesus€ourÐ GØ  ÐLord.€Amen.Ð 7È  ÐÌI€bring€you€greetings€from€your€brothers€and€sisters€at€Fir„Conway€Lutheran,€who€join€with€us€inÐ ¨  Ðspirit,€worshiping€our€Lord,€hearing€his€word€and€celebrating€his€Supper€this€morning.€On€a€SundayÐ ˜  Ðin€which€we€read€Jesusðð€prayer€for€unity€among€his€followers,€I€feel€especially€privileged€to€representÐ ÷ˆ  Ðone€small€stitch€of€the€unity€of€believers€everywhere,€the€unity€shared€by€Bethlehem€and€Fir„Ð çx  ÐConway.Ð ×h ÐÌMy€text€for€preaching€this€morning€is€the€Gospel,€which€records€Jesusðð€impassioned€prayer€for€hisÐ ·H Ðdisciples€and€everyone€who€would€come€to€trust€in€him€after€the€disciples.€He€has€just€shared€hisÐ §8 Ðlast€meal€with€those€disciples,€and€has€taught€them€at€length...a€series€of€teachings€that€feels€notÐ —( Ðunlike€the€parting€words€of€a€loving€parent,€leaving€the€children€with€a€babysitter:€These€are€theÐ ‡ Ðthings€you€òòneedóó€to€know€before€I€leave.€Be€good.€òòBehaveóó.€You€are€mine.€I€love€you.€Iððll€be€backÐ w Ðsoon.Ð gø ÐÌFinally€comes€this€lengthy€prayer,€apparently€spoken€openly€before€the€disciples.€ThatððsÐ GØ Ðappropriate,€since€it€is€especially€for€them€that€Jesus€prays,€and€he€wants€them€to€know€it.€ð ðLet€allÐ 7È Ðof€them€be€one,€Father,€just€as€you€are€in€me€and€I€am€in€you.€May€they€also€be€in€us.€May€they€beÐ '¸ Ðbrought€to€complete€unity€to€let€the€world€know€that€you€sent€me€and€have€loved€them€even€asÐ  ¨ Ðyou€have€loved€me.ðð€Jesus€asks€that€all€of€those€the€Father€has€given€him€might€be€one.€And,€to€beÐ !˜ Ðtrue,€countless€Christians€have€echoed€his€prayer€for€oneness.€Yet,€our€prayers€and€our€efforts€atÐ ÷!ˆ Ðbeing€one€with€each€other€too€often€seem€to€come€up€short.€Our€world€is€one€of€òòdisóóunity,€andÐ ç"x ÐJesusðð€words€may€seem€a€tad€nað5ðve€to€us,€if€not€outright€misguided.Ð ×#h ÐÌWhat€kind€of€oneness€can€we€have€when€people€within€our€country€are€split€right€down€the€middleÐ ·%H!  Ðin€their€opinions€about€practically€every€major€issue?€When€weððre€so€divided€that€one€personððsÐ §&8"! Ðchange€of€conscienceð!ðand€partisan€loyaltiesð!ðcan€drastically€alter€the€political€landscape€overnight?Ð —'(#" ÐÌTravelers€this€holiday€weekend€know€a€thing€or€two€about€disunity.€As€they€drive€from€state€toÐ w)%$ Ðstate,€they€will€encounter€different€road€signs€and€traffic€laws.€They€will€pass€through€different€timeÐ g*ø%% Ðzones,€through€places€which€observe€daylight€savings€time,€and€through€places€which€do€not.Ð W+è&& ÐWithin€one€single€state,€let€alone€a€whole€country,€the€simple€question,€ð ðWhat€time€is€it?ðð€mightÐ o Ðjust€produce€a€not„so„simple€answer.Ð _ð ÐÌWhat€sort€of€oneness€can€Jesus€possible€be€talking€about?€There€are€three€types,€I€propose,€thatÐ ?Ð ÐChristians€have€tried€out€for€size.€Their€names€sound€very€close€to€the€same,€so€weððll€have€toÐ /À Ðconsider€very€carefully€which€one€is€really€what€Jesus€was€praying€for€that€night.€The€three€differentÐ  ° Ðkinds€of€oneness€I€would€like€to€talk€about€are€òòuniformityóó,€òòunionóó,€and€òòunityóó.Ð    ÐÌFirst€of€all,€we€have€òòuniformityóó.€Imagine€for€a€second€a€classroom€in€a€private€high€school.€There€isÐ ï € Ða€dress€code;€uniforms€are€required.€Navy€blazers,€white€Oxfords,€striped€ties,€khakis€for€the€boys,Ð ß p  Ðplaid€skirts€for€the€girls,€shoes€polished€to€a€shine.€Most€likely€there€are€many€good€reasons€for€thisÐ Ï `  Ðschoolððs€dress€code.€Itððs€probably€a€long„held€tradition,€for€starters.€Perhaps€it€helps€minimize€theÐ ¿P  Ðeffects€of€high€schoolððs€social€caste€system,€where€kids€are€defined€by€the€cost€of€the€clothing€onÐ ¯@  Ðtheir€backs.€Maybe€the€dress€code€was€implemented€to€curb€the€effect€of€gangs€in€that€town€byÐ Ÿ0  Ðrequiring€decidedly€òòunóóganglike€outfits.Ð   ÐÌBut€go€back€to€that€mental€image,€the€classroom€full€of€kids€in€uniforms,€for€a€moment.€Do€you€seeÐ o Ðthe€kids?€Or€do€you€see€their€uniforms?€Whatever€a€uniformððs€òòreasonóó€for€being,€itððs€òòpurposeóó€is€toÐ _ð Ðmake€many€different€people€identical,€to€make€them€uniform€in€appearance.€In€our€classroomÐ Oà Ðthere€are€probably€kids€of€several€different€colors€and€complexions.€There€are€boys€and€there€areÐ ?Ð Ðgirls.€There€are€tall€kids€and€short€kids,€fat€kids€and€skinny€kids,€kids€with€tons€of€money,€and€kidsÐ /À Ðwith€somewhat€less.€But€their€uniforms€give€them€a€kind€of€oneness€to€the€eye€that,€in€the€end,Ð ° Ðdenies€their€individuality.Ð   ÐÌOr€imagine€a€football€game€at€Sedro„Woolley€high€school.€Your€kid€is€down€there€somewhere€onÐ ï€ Ðthe€sidelines,€but€youððre€stuck€in€the€farthest„back€bleacher...nosebleed€section.€From€thisÐ ßp Ðdistance,€the€only€real€way€to€tell€the€kids€on€the€team€apart€is€by€the€huge€numbers€silk„screenedÐ Ï` Ðonto€their€jerseys.€Other€than€those€numbers,€the€kids€are€all€more€or€less€identical€blotches€ofÐ ¿P Ðcolor€out€on€the€field.€The€uniforms€show€you€at€a€glance€which€team€is€which,€but€they€hide€forÐ ¯@ Ðthe€moment€all€of€the€individual€charm€and€endearing€idiosyncracies€that€make€your€kid€soÐ Ÿ0 Ðprecious€to€you.Ð   ÐÌIn€the€church,€we€certainly€have€considerable€uniformity.€I€can€guarantee€you€that€my€people€backÐ o"  Ðat€Fir„Conway€will€hear€a€sermon€this€morning.€They€will€pray€the€Lordððs€Prayer€using€the€sameÐ _#ð! Ðwords€as€other€Christians.€The€will€confess€their€faith€with€the€very€same€creed€weððll€use€here€atÐ O$à" ÐBethlehem.€You€could€go€to€Fir„Conway,€in€fact,€and€feel€right€at€home€from€the€very€first€hymnÐ ?%Ð # Ðbecause€of€how€uniform€our€congregations€are.€Butð!ðand€hereððs€the€important€partð!ðunderneathÐ /&À!$ Ðthose€ð ðuniformsðð€we€wear,€each€of€our€congregations€has€its€own€personality,€and€those€areÐ '°"% Ðimportant€to€Christ.€He€would€not€ask€the€salt€of€the€earth€to€give€up€the€very€unique€flavor€thatÐ ( #& Ðmakes€it€valuable,€would€he?€Not€at€all!€In€fact,€he€says€that€when€salt€loses€its€zing,€the€only€thingÐ ÿ($' Ðitððs€good€for€is€to€be€tossed€out€and€walked€upon.€Jesus€wants€his€followers€to€be€one,€but€not€at€theÐ ï)€%( Ðexpense€of€their€individuality.€After€all,€Jesus€died€to€save€individuals,€not€the€uniforms€they€wear.Ð ß*p&) ÐÐ Ï+`'* ÐSo€if€uniformity€is€not€the€thing,€what€about€òòunionóó?€As€I€drove€to€work€one€morning€this€last€week,Ð o ÐI€was€surprised€to€encounter€a€handful€of€people€picketing€on€the€overpass€near€Conway.€TheyÐ _ð Ðwere€state€employees,€their€signs€said,€and€they€were€protesting€what€they€considered€unfairÐ Oà Ðtreatment€by€their€employer.€Now,€these€people€were€not€wearing€any€uniforms.€Perhaps€on€theÐ ?Ð Ðjob€the€put€on€the€caps€and€slacks€and€shirts€of€a€uniform,€but€on€that€overpass€their€oneness€cameÐ /À Ðfrom€something€other€than€their€clothes.€They€shared€a€common€purpose;€they€were€standingÐ  ° Ðtogether€to€achieve€a€goal;€they€had€a€oneness€we€call€òòunionóó.Ð    ÐÌNow,€union€is€a€much€better€thing€for€Christians€to€be€striving€for€than€uniformity.€People€inÐ ï € Ðunion€with€each€other€probably€have€different€tastes€in€clothing.€They€almost€certainly€watchÐ ß p  Ðdifferent€programs€when€they€settle€into€the€sofa€for€an€evening€of€vegging€out.€Some€are€probablyÐ Ï `  Ðpretty€laid€back;€others€are€likely€to€be€more€organized€about€things.€They€never€lose€their€sense€ofÐ ¿P  Ðbeing€individuals,€but€they€do€gain€something€by€drawing€together.€People€in€union€discover€thatÐ ¯@  Ðthey€are€stronger€together€than€the€sum€of€their€parts.€Their€collective€voice€is€louder€than€theirÐ Ÿ0  Ðisolated€voices.€When€there€is€a€mission€or€a€goal,€many€individuals€in€union€together€are€what€youÐ   Ðneed€to€get€the€job€done.Ð  ÐÌThe€tricky€thing€about€union€is€that€we€may€not€really€care€all€that€much€for€our€teammateððsÐ _ð Ðpersonal€hygiene.€Or€her€taste€in€music.€Or€his€rather€obnoxious€humor.€In€short,€we€might€notÐ Oà Ðlike€many€of€the€things€about€the€individuals€who€are€part€of€our€cause.€We€might€even€wish€forÐ ?Ð Ðsome€uniformity...as€long€as€all€the€members€of€our€union€were€uniformly€like€òòusóó.€But€the€strengthÐ /À Ðof€union€comes€precisely€from€all€those€different€abilities,€all€those€different€styles,€all€thoseÐ ° Ðdifferent€gifts€being€put€toward€the€common€goal.€Union€is€not€about€ð ðme€times€a€thousand.ðð€It€isÐ   Ðabout€ð ðall€of€us,€together.ððÐ ÿ ÐÌThis€is€not€the€oneness€that€our€church€naturally€has.€We€have€to€work€at€it,€and€work€hard€forÐ ßp Ðunion€with€each€other.€But€we€òòareóó€on€a€mission€for€Christ,€and€we€òòdoóó€share€a€common€goal€ofÐ Ï` Ðproclaiming€his€good€news.€Our€challenge€is€always€to€put€aside€our€differences€in€order€to€workÐ ¿P Ðtogether€toward€our€mission€in€this€world,€to€take€a€standð!ðlike€those€picketers€didð!ðfor€somethingÐ ¯@ Ðwe€all€believe€in.Ð Ÿ0 ÐÌBut€even€this€union€among€believers€is€not€what€Jesus€prayed€for,€I€think.€Jesus€asked€the€FatherÐ ! Ðthat€evening€to€make€his€followers€one,€and€I€have€to€believe€that€the€Father€did€indeed€answerÐ o"  ÐJesusðð€prayer,€that€very€evening.€Clearly€he€did€notð!ðand€would€not!ð!ðsimply€make€us€all€uniform.Ð _#ð! ÐUnion€is€not€the€thing,€either,€since€our€track€record€with€this€noble€goal€is€rather€less€thanÐ O$à" Ðimpressive.€No,€what€Jesus€asked€for,€and€what€the€Father€granted€that€night€was€òòunityóó€amongÐ ?%Ð # Ðbelievers€everywhere.Ð /&À!$ ÐÌThink€of€òòunityóó€like€a€family€tree.€My€name€is€Bob€Schaefer.€ð ðBobðð€identifies€my€individual€littleÐ ( #& Ðbranch€of€the€larger€ð ðSchaeferðð€tree.€Now,€looking€back€on€generations€of€Schaefers,€it€quicklyÐ ÿ($' Ðbecomes€clear€that€we€are€not€in€the€least€bit€uniform.€Sure,€there€is€a€certain€family€resemblance,Ð ï)€%( Ðbut€if€you€were€to€take€some€Schaefer€from€five€generations€back€and€stand€him€next€to€me€in€thisÐ ß*p&) Ðpulpit,€the€lack€of€uniformity€would€be€clear.€Even€less€so€do€we€Schaefers€have€union!€I€suspectÐ Ï+`'* Ðthat€we€would€be€largely€unable€to€decide€on€what€sort€of€topping€to€put€on€our€ice€creamð!ðmuchÐ o Ðless€who€should€be€president,€or€anything€else€of€great€importance.€But€despite€the€lack€ofÐ _ð Ðuniformity€and€union€in€my€family,€I€still€have€such€a€sense€of€oneness€with€this€people€that€I€wearÐ Oà Ðtheir€name€with€my€own:€ð ðBob€Schaefer.ðð€Thatððs€me.€My€oneness€with€them€has€nothing€to€doÐ ?Ð Ðwith€appearance€or€purpose...itððs€all€about€identity.€We€Schaefers€have€unity€with€each€other.Ð /À ÐÌChristian€unity€is€like€that.€God€has€made€us€family,€adopting€each€of€us€as€his€own.€Godððs€action,Ð    Ðhis€free€gift€of€grace,€has€given€us€a€new€identityð!ðð ðchild€of€Godððð!ðand€has€put€us€on€the€same€familyÐ ÿ  Ðtree.€If€you€doubt€this,€consider€one€of€the€ð ðgoing€awayðð€lessons€Jesus€taught€his€disciples€rightÐ ï € Ðbefore€praying€for€their€unity:€Jesus€is€a€vine,€and€we€are€the€branches€of€the€vine.€Or,€if€you€will,Ð ß p  ÐJesus€is€a€great€oak€tree,€and€we€are€boughs€and€branches€and€twigs€and€leaves.Ð Ï `  ÐÌThis€is€a€unity€that€we€have€regardless€of€how€well€we€all€play€together.€Itððs€the€most€basic€part€ofÐ ¯@  Ðwho€we€areòòóó,€the€most€real€thing€you€could€ever€say€about€Christians:€We€are€all€one,€because€GodÐ Ÿ0  Ðhas€made€us€family.€When€we€squabble,€when€we€disagree,€when€we€donððt€want€to€look€each€otherÐ   Ðin€the€eye...those€are€the€times€to€look€to€the€Vine€to€which€we€were€all€grafted€and€remember€theÐ  Ðname€he€gave€each€of€us:€ð ðChild€of€God.ððÐ o ÐÌSo,€we€have€three€different€kinds€of€ð ðonenessðð.€òòUniformityóó€is€about€appearances,€and€it€isÐ Oà Ðsomething€that€Christððs€followers€should€pursue€only€to€the€extent€that€it€is€helpful.€òòUnionóó€is€aboutÐ ?Ð Ðacting€together€on€a€common€belief,€and€unity€with€each€other€is€something€that€all€ChristiansÐ /À Ðeverywhere€are€called€to€strive€toward,€even€(and€especially!)€when€itððs€hard€to€do€so.€òòUnityóó€isÐ ° ÐGodððs€gift€to€us,€his€answer€to€Jesusðð€prayer,€his€forming€us€into€one€familyð!ðòòhisóó€family.Ð   ÐÌToday,€during€our€sacrament€of€unityð!ðthe€Lordððs€Supperð!ðlet€us€lift€up€our€hearts€in€gladness€withÐ ï€ Ðour€brothers€and€sisters€in€Christ,€those€at€Fir„Conway€and€those€throughout€the€earth,€thankingÐ ßp Ðour€Lord€for€the€unity€with€which€he€has€so€richly€blessed€us.€Amen.Ô#†„C5„XXì²è#Ô