Grace Episcopal Church
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
Grace Notes
16 August 2012
Be prepared is an old and useful motto. We may keep this in mind when we consider whether or not we are prepared to participate in Holy Communion. In this respect, I can but refer you to a wonderful (and brief) sermon preached by The Rev. Dr. Bryan Owen of St. Andrew’s Cathedral, Jackson, Mississippi, on this past Sunday. The sermon can be found here: http://creedalchristian.blogspot.com/2012/08/sermon-for-11th-sunday-after-pentecost.html . Fr. Owen preached this in the context of the recent debates in the Church over whether Communion should be “open,” i.e., available to the unbaptized. This requirement has not been changed, but even for those of us who are baptized, it is always necessary to consider in what spiritual state we find ourselves in coming to our Lord’s table. Let us never take participation in our Lord’s Body and Blood as something that can be done casually. As St. Paul teaches us, if we partake of the Body and Blood in an unworthy manner, we eat and drink judgment upon ourselves (1 Cor. 11.27-29). This is why we offer a confession before receiving, and remember, saying the prayer is not in itself a complete confession. In addition to saying the prayer we must call to mind and offer to God the sins we have committed. That’s why the deacon pauses before invoking the confession and starting the prayer.
Take God seriously! He is serious enough about you that He sent His only-begotten to die for us while we were yet sinner (Rom 5.8).
Fr. Karl is on vacation: Fr. Karl will be away 20 through 26 August. Morning and Evening Prayer will be offered each day, but Holy Eucharist will be offered only on Wednesday (5:30 p.m.) and Friday (12.:10 p.m.), through the offices of Fr. Okkerse. There will be no meetings for The Bible Challenge or for Bible study.
Discipleship: Beyond Church membership: An 18 month program in discipleship launches on Saturday, 15 September, as a county-wide Episcopalian ministry with St. Peter’s, Sheboygan Falls, and St. Paul’s, Plymouth. This program is entitled Being the Body: Beyond Church Membership. To avoid confusion with how we have referred to thanksgivings for service on this blog, the weekly thanksgivings will now be know as Grace Abounds.
Being the Body is a program to equip the faithful in discipleship. Being the Body is an eighteen month program, comprised on an introduction and twelve sessions.
- Knowing: Content will focus on how God reveals Himself to us, and His will for us.
- How do we gain knowledge and experience of God?
- How does God’s holy word inform and guide us?
- How do prayer and worship reveal and form faith?
- Being: Content will focus on who we are as members of the one Body of our risen Lord.
- Exploring our roots: Confessional faith and Anglican identity.
- Participating in grace: sacramental life and the life of prayer.
- Embodying grace: covenantal life with each other and in the world.
- Doing: Content will focus on equipping disciples to reclaim the world for Jesus Christ.
- Work–Study–Prayer: Holy living.
- Defense of the faith: Getting a skeptical world to listen.
- Proclamation of the faith: testimony and evangelism.
- Call and response: discerning a call to serve; living in service by the Holy Spirit.
Call for Vestry Nominations: Vestry elections will be held on Sunday, 30 September, at the parish annual meeting. We need at least six nominees, with names provided to the parish office by 16 September. You can nominate another person or yourself. To run for Vestry you must be a qualified elector of the parish, which means that: (1) You are regular in your attendance on worship; (2) You have received Holy Eucharist at least once in the prior year; (3) You are active in your support of the parish through a pledge or some other form of giving; and (4) Your are at least sixteen years of age.
Vestry members are called to lead. Be prepared in the election process to provide a brief biographical sketch which allows your fellow parishioners to better understand your relationship with God and His Church, and your call to lead. Vestry members are called to commitment, and are expected to attend twelve meetings throughout the year (once per month).
Pictorial Directory: The pictorial directory photographic sessions are scheduled for 21 and 22 September. Please visit the parish website to schedule your appointment. You will also receive an automated telephone call from the parish, which will provide details of how to schedule your appointment.
Grace Abounds: Yesterday we buried Jeanette Raymond. A solemn service mid-week, on minimal notice doesn’t just happen. Please thank all those who we rely on to make our liturgies come together, including Scot Fabiano (as acolyte master and thurifer), Claudia Fischer and the members of the Altar Guild, Bill Gagin and Kaleigh Kraft. In fact, consider that our regular Sunday worship could not happen the way it does but for the dedicated service of all of the altar party, including teenagers. When you see someone in a cotta and cassock, please thank them! This certainly goes, as well, for Ben Dobey. Please thank him for the music provided both on Sundays and at special services (e.g., two funerals and Assumption within the past week).
At Barbara Jung’s funeral last week, the luncheon happened as a results of a lot of work by Bernie Markevitch, assisted by Barb and Bob MacEwen, Scot Gedemer, Fred and Gail Tyska, Elizabeth Schaffenburg, and Mary Snyder. Bill May has certainly been busy with set-ups and take-down’s for the hall!
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.
Biblical Literacy: The Bible Challenge and the weekly Bible study session will not meet next week, due to Fr. Karl being on vacation.
All Saints’, Elkhart Lake: Throughout the Summer, please be intentional about two things (whether or not you attend All Saints’): (1) Pray for this ministry, and for those who serve in it, that they may serve our Lord by bringing more to know, love, and serve Him; (2) Engage in mission yourself. You may know or meet people who you can ask to join you in worship, and All Saints’ can serve as a less formal setting that is more user-friendly in outreach. Invite seekers to worship with you.
Music this week:
Prelude Adagio in E Flat John Stainer
Proc. Hymn #390 “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty” Lobe den Herren
Off. Hymn #477 “All praise to thee, for thou, O King divine” Engelberg
Comm. Hymn #324 “Let all mortal flesh keep silence” Picardy
Closing Hymn #542 “Christ is the world’s true light” St. Joan
Postlude Two Chorale Preludes on ‘Lobe den Herren’ Max Reger
Parish Notices
§ Pictorial Directory: The pictorial directory photographic sessions are scheduled for 21 and 22 September. Please visit the parish website to schedule your appointment. You will also receive an automated telephone call from the parish, which will provide details of how to schedule your appointment.
§ New Parish Directory updates: Please find a draft copy of a new parish directory on the table in the Narthex at Grace Church. If you would please look at your entry and make any changes necessary and then initial it so we know it is correct. We are trying to have as many email addresses as possible, it saves postage and much of the communication of the church is done electronically. We never give them out but. Thank you.
§ Sunday School Begins: We have a terrific new curriculum, several new teachers and a renewed commitment to enrich all of our children (and maybe some newcomers) with the love of Jesus Christ! Sunday School will begin on September 9th at 9:00am. Please watch for more information.
§ Acolyte Training: If you have been an acolyte for years or would like to come and see what it is all about we will have a training Saturday August 18, 10:00-11:00 am. All children entering 3rd grade or older are invited to become an acolyte! This is a great way to serve during worship and become an active member of our parish family! We will teach the basics of each position and learn to work as a team. Scott Fabiano, Father Karl and I will be providing a training and refresher for all acolytes. If your child is unable to make it, but would like to participate, please call or email the office.
§ Call for Vestry Nominations: Vestry elections will be held on Sunday, 30 September, at the parish annual meeting. We need at least six nominees, with names provided to the parish office by 16 September. You can nominate another person or yourself. To run for Vestry you must be a qualified elector of the parish, which means that: (1) You are regular in your attendance on worship;(2) You have received Holy Eucharist at least once in the prior year;(3) You are active in your support of the parish through a pledge or some other form of giving; and (4) Your are at least sixteen years of age. Vestry members are called to lead. Be prepared in the election process to provide a brief biographical sketch which allows your fellow parishioners to better understand your relationship with God and His Church, and your call to lead. Vestry members are called to commitment, and are expected to attend twelve meetings throughout the year (once per month).
§ Youth participation is requested: As full members of the Body of Christ the youth of the parish are encouraged to participate in all areas of parish life. This includes: being a lector-reading the lessons, bringing up the gifts, both in the Holy Roller (the red wagon) and collecting the offering. A musical offering will be made by the youth on September 23rd. Please contact Deacon Michele at mwhitford@gracesheboygan.com or Nick Whitford at njwhitford@gmail.com if your children are interested in participating.
§ Please Help fill up the Holy Roller: Our red wagon is brought forward every Sunday by the children filled with food for the Salvation Army and individual sized toiletries for Repairers of the Breach. Please remember to bring these items every Sunday for these worthy causes.
§ Help the Local Schools: The schools can receive up to $10,000 in Target giftcards for books or any supplies they need. Wouldn't that be great? All you need to do is vote for a school each week until September 8. For every 25 votes the school receives, Target will send the school a $25 gift card. Visit the Give with Target app at Facebook.com/Target. And Vote!
§ The Commemoration of Blessed Charles Chapman Grafton is observed as a Feast Day of the Diocese of Fond du Lac at the Cathedral of St. Paul, Fond du Lac. It is included in "Holy Men, Holy Women" by the Standing Committee on Liturgy and Music of the Episcopal Church. The Feast Day is August 30th, although the Commemoration liturgy may be translated to another day. The 2012 Commemoration will take place Saturday, August 25th at the Cathedral of St. Paul the Apostle, Fond du Lac. For more information and to register go to diofdl.org/grafton.
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