Grace Episcopal Church
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
Grace Notes
5 April 2012
Merciful God, creator of all the peoples of the earth and lover of souls: Have compassion on all who do not know you as you are revealed in your Son Jesus Christ; let your Gospel be preached with grace and power to those who have not heard it; turn the hearts of those who resist it; and bring home to your fold those who have gone astray; that there may be one flock under one shepherd, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
So we pray in one of the solemn collects of Good Friday. In this collect we both petition our Lord and remind ourselves that God reaches out always; He reaches out to those who do not know Him, to those who fight against or turn from Him, and he reaches out using us. We are confronted daily, and a Church and as individuals, with people who have yet to receive the Good News, with people who are at best indifferent to it, and with people who oppose their wills to God’s. In this outreach we have much work to do, but notice that the end sought is not just that people will receive the Gospel but live it as “one flock under one shepherd”. The answer to our prayer involves us accepting all those who are not now members of the Church, and in accepting them we cannot just look at ourselves to see the model of those who God seeks.
In our Passion account (John’s) heard on Good Friday, we encounter not the Jesus who agonizes over His Passion (as He does in Matthew, Mark and Luke), but the Jesus who exercises power; the Jesus who lays down His life knowing that He will take it back up. We have to combine these accounts to get a full picture, but when we do we see that the Jesus “... who was numbered among the transgressors” (Mk. 15.28) is the same Jesus depicted in John as crucified between two others (Jn. 19.32). In other words, the Jesus who acts in power in John is numbered among the transgressors because this is His will. This does not mean that God invites and then cares not over the response. One thief turns to Jesus, the other rejects Him (Lk. 23.39-43). It is the first who is saved, because he turns to God and accepts Jesus as his shepherd.
When we look outward from the Church to those who do not know God, we often don’t like those whom we see. But we are still called to love them as ourselves. Love involves transformation, but it always involves giving of self. As we relive the supreme self-giving of God, let us renew our commitment to express God’s love to all. Some will choose God; some will reject Him. In calling them He cares not where their hearts are now, but to where they turn, and He keeps calling them even when they turn away. Let the knowledge and love of God arise in all hearts, that all hearts may with joy cry, “Alleluia! the Lord is risen, indeed!”
Thanksgivings: There are many people to thank this week!
- Thanksgivings are offered to the deacons of this parish, who do so much extra work in service that is often unseen. In this busy time of the Church year the work of Dcn. Mike and Dcn. Michele is a little more visible, but consider all that they do that you may not see (e.g., visits to shut-ins, instructing the Catechumenate) and take the opportunity to offer thanks.
- Please thank, as well, Ben Dobey and all of the choir for all of the extra work (and fine offerings) in preparation for and throughout Holy Week and Easter.
- Please thank all of the members of the Altar Guild for the work they do throughout the year, but especially at this time, to support the offering of worship in the parish. Members include Claudia Fischer, Bev Evans, Bobbi Kraft, Katie Maki, Mary Snyder and Gail Tyska.
Please take the opportunity to notify the office of any member or friend of the parish to whom we owe thanks, in order that we can publicize this in the weekly newsletter.
Vacation Bible School: No one has stepped forward to coördinate VBS. VBS will therefore, not happen unless we identify a coördinator not later than 13 April. We cannot as a parish claim to consider children and youth to be a priority, and then fail to treat them as a priority.
Music this week:
Maundy Thursday
Prelude Prelude on ‘Sacramentum Unitatis’ Sowerby
Opening Hymn “Zion, praise thy Savior, singing” (Lauda Sion)
Gloria in excelsis Gregorian Mass X adapt. Wildman
At the Foot Washing: Ubi caritas Durufle
God is love, and where true love is Proulx
Offertory Hymn 315 “Thou, who at thy first Eucharist didst pray”
Communion Motet Ave verum Plainsong
Comm. Hymn 204 “Humbly I adore thee”
Procession to the Altar of Repose:
Hymn 329 “Now, my tongue the mystery telling”
Good Friday
Sung Passion Gospel Plainsong
Veneration of the Cross:
The Reproaches Vittoria
Crux fidelis John of the Cross
Easter Vigil
Gloria Mathias
Offertory Christus vincit (Christ has conquered) Noyon
Communion Motet Most glorious Lord of Life Harris
Comm. Hymn 305 “Come, risen Lord”
Closing Hymn 208 “The strife is o’er”
Postlude Grand Choeur Dialogue Gigout
Easter
Prelude Air from the Orchestral Suite in D J. S. Bach
Processional Jesus Christ is Risen Today
Gloria in excelsis (choir) Missa in C (the ‘Organ Solo Mass’) W. A. Mozart
Sequence (choir) Victimae Paschali Plainsong
Offertory Anthem Regina Coeli W. A. Mozart
Sanctus & Benedictus (choir) W. A. Mozart
Fraction Anthem Agnus Dei W. A. Mozart
Communion Motet Jesus, Sun of Life G. F. Handel
Communion Hymn 174 At the Lamb’s High Feast
Closing Hymn 210 The Day of Resurrection!
Postlude Toccata from Symphonie V Charles-Marie Widor
Holy Week Schedule (remaining):
April 5 6:00 pm Maundy Thursday Solemn Mass with foot washing and vigil
April 6 1:00 pm Good Friday
April 7 9:00 am Holy Saturday Liturgy
April 7 7:00 pm Easter Vigil
April 8 8:00 am Easter Mass
10:15 am Easter Solemn Mass and Gala Reception
Parish Notices
§ Maundy Thursday Foot Washing: Everyone will have the opportunity to have their feet washed following the example of Jesus washing his disciple’s feet. Please wear socks and shoes that are easily removed.
§ Good Friday Offering: Every year since 1922 the Church has taken a collection for the Church in the Middle East during Holy Week. This year our loose plate offering on Maundy Thursday will go to support the church efforts in Jerusalem and throughout the Middle East. Please be generous as you are able.
§ Vigil before the Altar of Repose: Please sign up to watch and pray for an hour at the Altar of Repose beginning immediately following the Maundy Thursday Mass April 5 and concluding Friday, April 6 as the Good Friday Liturgy begins. There is a sign-up sheet on the table in the Narthex, more than one person can sign up for any given hour.
§ Easter Gala Reception: We will continue our Easter celebration with a Gala Reception after the 10:15 a.m. Mass on Sunday, April 8th. Please sign up to bring sweets or savories and to help clean up afterwards. There is a sign-up sheet on the table in the Narthex.
§ Office Closed: The office will be closed Monday, April 9. There will be no Mass that day.
§ Christian Formation: There will be no Christian Formation for adults or children on Easter, April 8th. Christian formation for children will begin on April 15th for all ages. Adult formation will begin April 22nd at 9:00am.
§ First Communion Instruction will begin April 15th for children ages 4-7 who are ready to receive Holy Communion. This is a good refresher for those who already receive and a good introduction for those who may not yet receive. First Communions will take place May 20th during the Bishop’s Visitation.
§ Sunday School Bake Sale: Saturday, April 28, 2012 from 9:00-3:00, in conjunction with St. Luke Methodist rummage sale, the Sunday School will be selling baked goods with proceeds going to outreach.
§ Plant Sale: Needed: flower pots to be used for the Grace Church Plant Sale Saturday, April 28, in conjunction with the Bake Sale. The following plants will be available for Sale: Hydrangea, Sedum, Iris, Primrose, Obedient Plant, Gooseneck Loosestrife, and more. All plants to be sold have been grown in the Grace Church Cutting Garden located between the Church and the Rectory.
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