Title: "Can We Sing That New Song?" by Rev. James W. Crawford 10/25/2009

" Then and I. Bring you awards reading this morning. We're pleased to be among who participated in -- worship. -- this wonderful congregation. -- We miss him greatly announced it and abuse and a few old timers and so many new and radiant faces. Thank you for welcoming us. It was wonderful church home. -- And to Nancy Taylor -- sparkling -- We -- seven years in self determined exiled. And rarely exposed over the years -- liturgical. Elements. As ratings went Nancy. Graham. Residences Johnson. With Harry and acquire. This exciting. These. -- Challenging. In -- And you know I suspect how fortunate we find out to citizens defeat. Of these fine well prepared. Thoughtful. And gives it past. Leaders. As I contemplate especially. Quinton. And Elizabeth. And from time to time jobs and I seek vigorously -- YouTube's. Recall an incident in the early minutes we have -- your mind then both of us. And our first -- My friend -- a memorial service -- a very elderly man. Without family or acquaintances. For a graveside service. And because it is known as the town's cemeteries exact location. Mystified at some parts of we drove in -- cemeteries general direction. Making several speculative tartans. And of course. Gotten. -- eventually rise in hourly rate did he know curse. -- back home rests next in the open holes. And -- under a nearby tree. Eating. If I'm glad to be open grave and -- of all -- already in the days. Little guilty I suspect because it -- tardiness opened his worship and Bible to be appropriate passages. Reverently read them. Operative touching homily prayers and addiction. Going all out in behalf. Of his. Parishioners. The Tony -- was Hariri who wanted to learn Wednesday to the other. I've been putting in septic tanks for twenty years. And I had never seen anything like that. -- and I are glad to beat. Among them again this morning. Please let us. In the words of my mouth. And meditations of our hearts. Be acceptable to you our strengths and American. I'm man it's. I thank you -- in your hands this morning. The result of a series of visionary and principled stands. -- and in the gospel of love and justice grace and peace. Taken over decades by the united -- Christ. -- him -- higher location interpreting. -- Praying proclaiming. Meditating on acting full. He should know. Our symbols represent something special. And wonderful. Opinions and their face faithfully. Use use of the prayer. -- It is baptists Presbyterians. You seek patents. We -- marketplace and articulated by sending it. We rally our faith boot attacks that -- Harry played one of those prime -- And tunes in the trailer remember. Jesus loves me yes I know for the Bible tells us. -- as we -- over time from our founding spiritual communities. That affirmation that. And who was -- resolutely in our spiritual home memory acts. -- is I was me yes I know for the Bible --"

" And guess what. It."

" This ordering -- spiritual memory banks. Choosing him for a -- him. Threatens the -- the cool. Stuff. Anyone who messes around with terrorists spiritual foundations. As -- and ultimately it. Tends to unleashed -- combination of warfare. In the -- was eat at home. -- in my case it came from choir directors music committees. Is iTunes. He acknowledges -- emissions poets those -- the perfect pitch. Those with ten years. Those who plays bass the end Spinner. Pipe organs. And those who make music on the triggering -- right. In the middle seat goes fine and you can't tighten things are cracking sounds more. Like these letters. Of course they -- recommended him -- that would sell. Here it --"

" Yeah."

" The actual dimensions argue. Avoid the inaugural. Include the rock around. Skip the alzheimer's. The music and it is not Barack. Treasure that our girl. -- corrales. Give us the -- time. The -- of course expressed their usual supreme confidence in -- the logical competence and the people of god. Those melodies will remember not all people are great years. Is any of us need reminding. A brilliant technologist recommended -- our committee vote every him. Rating each on a scale of fine. Two. Five. You can keep. A one. That killed fifty. And of course that's solitary correspondent from -- hardware insisted on this quality control. Who could deny its its case. And a tiny current -- wrote. Make him -- level. Amid chaotic and -- race. We select its 617. Hands from a pool of 10000. And as you might suspect with the mandates of our generals and and denominations. Are constituencies. Demanding we made -- includes. -- Christians turn frenzy how. -- hot pursuit of their litmus test holy and good game. Peppard writes the alarms lobbying for every him text and informed them -- scene clean. This does not make unnecessarily schools. And who makes us. Among -- supposedly. Has cystic hidden keys. Such an idealistic heated disputes contentions. Friction over the eyes in -- integration tears please I think. Extended treatises shouting matches. Poison pens -- this posturing inflexibility. Intransigence. Odyssey -- versus these government. Wrong headed because. And just plain stupidity. Present company not excluded. Convincing anyone who years ago and that -- completed and those -- are the truth. Two primary Christian doctrine. Doctrine of original sin. And that brought us news. Let's just a moment ago I engaged in only one in -- aren't. The education secretary support homeland ministry responsible for publishing mishandled and easily post not Norton. Our quarrel. The inclusion of -- particular acts. In the end. The title that acts -- him. Drop kicked me Jesus political -- of life."

" I want yeah."

" She didn't. It's not. Now mostly on the very first page it is them. The luminous affirmation from the author of that exquisite. Early disarm them. We call he -- You'll see the affirmation. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday today. And forever. I believe that went on my car. Worship here testifies that path. Our Bible studies witness -- We design our trip to it was pretty --"

" Lies behind that statement. What do we mean. -- reassert Jesus Christ -- yesterday -- four. I cannot exhaust is meaningful. But I'm in shorthand. Unfortunately. In -- deadly. It Clinton. That's -- the total event of jesus' price. We try this creation the rest of the hands of one who loves us support. Hundreds of -- triumph and tragedy. Never lets us grow. One who sustains our journeys -- who -- parents. We witness in our wounds burns for us when we -- rejoices with them for us when we find our way. This everlasting Jesus Christ. -- and across headings. From the head of irony. Demonstrates how far level risks itself to embrace him lovable. And this triumph over the grave. Our friends -- A person's. A person. Who's indefatigable. Indomitable. -- hearing what I'm trying I'm ultimately who -- we do to one another accident ultimately. Light and darkness. Life. Over death. Hope. -- I believe that god reveals to us. That. Christ Jesus. Is the same yesterday. Today. And for a that supersedes a problem. You just heard my stumbling and fumbling reach for the meaning. Of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ may be the -- yesterday and for -- today and -- but the way we hawk about Jesus Christ. The -- wouldn't embarrass him but god -- son Jesus Christ. Is not. Today. Nancy would -- price. Differently. Queen. Elizabeth. Everyone of you would find a different herbal formula to express your confidence in the promises of we will need to go to the Museum of Fine Arts studio right. The paintings and drawings of Jesus. The holy hand. From different continents and different -- into ancient and -- to -- Jesus rendered sometimes to -- Barely recognizable. Through various static lenses. Jesus Christ may -- this. -- statements about Jesus Christ. Are not. -- and -- report. Came out last week. Maria Shriver entitled it. A woman's nation changes. Everything. NBC and time magazine featured its findings this week it's. You can get it -- Ultra -- us the apple. And begin to reflect this. At a convention and Akron Ohio and 1852. Where some -- truth of former slaves whom aren't right so. So -- zoom -- I consider one of my great mentors. Gathered to get their -- suggests asking pleading and fighting for the right to vote. Can -- the teens who. Then CE. Sojourner. A proud six foot tall Amazon like figure walked up to the podium and said. We all children. When there is a much threat. There must be something out of kilter. I think it's great to meet those of -- south and women at the Norris. All talking about Wright's. -- white man will be and I think it's pretty certain. But across all of us here talking about. It the first woman ever made was strong enough to turn the world -- write down all alone. These -- again ought to be able to turn it back and get it and writes I don't. I."

" Well. 167. Years later. -- Cried. After so much -- The new century and don't try to get God's world out of kilter. Right on top again. It is simple. Then inform. Expressions regardless do not limit our perception. And understanding of god to exclusively. -- categories. She. Is. Him. Lord. Came. NASCAR."

" Boston college's Mary Daly claimed many years ago where god is male. -- Is. This in the -- Well. Don't you -- out of it for years. And those of you know true. This -- and Texas -- favorite memory bank and we'll. This was just a few minutes ago. Nice father's world chains to Claude Rains or hole leader. Concurrent users -- text and -- she. Behind -- marvelous video production and national parks. And then -- You'll find Peter gentleman who -- program. The answers in the balance and metaphors and his tax. Mother I thought. Comfort creative. -- he -- the owner rock route that many many more. Some people accuse him -- destroying the aesthetic integrity and Isaac watts and Charles Wesley. Our committee did just that. Whereas tennis went up against the Chrysler just. Me chose. Just. The -- well. Tones down battle warrantless. It thinks -- Chester. -- lord Jesus. Why aren't. Fierce and Xavier. And we sang it this morning translating the German literally. Beautiful. Jesus. They also is a very sensitive triumphal christianity. Propping every other religion or nation under its feet. It makes every effort to embrace and include those with varying abilities. By offering an alternative now owns and our sport and in the him. I my feed line from -- an additional -- training. Wheels. -- Reminding us that not everyone runs crisis. On who."

" Of course we -- accusations of being politically correct. Well I sure hope so well. -- politics. Isn't now that this person and distribution of power. Fortunately on the expressions regard over the centuries. -- but we can only call political incorrect -- The on equal the original power. Just -- fighting God's name. In general between males and seen and others on the Martins. Are. -- To discover ways of talking and sing about god. For you -- And human beings in a way that result in social. And political. Equality. I hope. It's exactly."

" Before we finish this morning. I wanna put in a good words and upcoming series that's are theologian and residents. Don well. Actually it will begin moving through short collections homilies. I did yeah -- truth is entitled. God has a dream."

" That many of the Texas in the new century and they regard as pretty as this too and they. This. Includes rights. God says I have a dream. Please help me realize. Is it dreamed of a world where ugliness and squalor and poverty. And war and hostility. It's greed and hearts competitiveness. Alienation and disharmony are changed. To their glorious counterparts. And there will be more laughter and story counties. Where there will be justice couldn't compassion and love and caring and sharing. I had a dream or easily beat in the shares and spears into pruning hooks. That my children below they are members of one hand me that humans apparently -- Stanley. Knife yeah. Joining -- Response to this vision with a summons to the hypothesis. Amid the new dimensions -- about a moment. From the flood starving people. Warring factions and this. Who lifts the olive branches who -- The flame."

" You don't. You and me."

" The old south and our social justice -- religious. Also continues with the Australian who writes in God's help me there are no outs. All our inspire. Black and quite. -- and cool. And Jew and Palestinian and Israeli. Roman Catholics and Protestants urban -- Sunni and Shiite Muslim and Christian Buddhist and Hindu Indian and Pakistani. And yes they might add to their dream Ahmadinejad then Netanyahu. Osama bin Laden and Barack Obama. Is even Rush Limbaugh and -- policy. From pole -- pole. A seminary classmate. Cash's God's dream and gift of this -- human diapers. Recognized as as we undertook a minute ago. God changed and won't. -- one to -- he's taking. I don't know many colors. Photos many times. You had to make us different blasting mean. In our discipline is -- From diversity we raised one give her one word ones who -- gone down. In any case."

" It. Right -- and one thought known in many ways. And served with militant. Patients. And parents. This signals is the line the -- humans pretty. And I dropped. How fortunate we are here hurdles both. Nancy and Harry and said. -- and Elizabeth Johnson and our wonderful staff and robust quarter this grand congregation in my experience. You confessed. And yeah. --"

" Do remember some us this morning in full voice resulting. -- I don't song. For god has done marvelous thing."

" And -- is bad news on here. -- It may be the sole."

" Yeah."

" gracious god he broke into our world and our human flesh. -- heavenly hosts and glory to god in the highest and on -- peace among those with whom it was please."

" Yeah yeah."

" We reverence and celebrate -- this morning asking. Every instrument -- whom for praise. That all rejoice who have a voice to race and may you give us states suing always. How they do yeah."