Grace Episcopal Church
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
Grace Notes
18 April 2013
In recent statistics published by The Barna Group, fifty-seven per cent of all American adults are self-identified as never having read the Bible—and that means any part of the Bible, let alone the entire book! What’s interesting (and distressing) is to compare this measure with the percentages of adults who self-identify as atheists or agnostics, or who state they have never prayed, or who believe the Bible is “inaccurate” or that “Jesus committed sins”. If they have never read the Bible, how would they know?
There are different ways to read, interpret, understand, and preach what is revealed in the Bible, and some of them are not at all healthy, but if I say that something or someone doesn't exist, and refuse to engage the data, can I claim to be anything more than self-referential?
The Barna study can be found here: http://www.barna.org/culture-articles/613-how-post-christian-is-us-society . Data are presented about the degree to which Americans in various age groups can be classified as “post Christian,” and the numbers are scary. In the aggregate, 46% of all American adults would now qualify as “post Christian” (which in many cases is a reversion to paganism). Before we who do seek to follow Jesus cast any stones at unbelief, let’s focus on the numbers in the Barna study not as measures of what is wrong in our society but as reflecting what is wrong in the Church. If close to half of the nation have in some sense opted out of faith, are we doing what we are called to do? Are we being who we are called to be? If a business lost a huge percentage of its customers, wouldn't there be consequences for its management and workers?
Space here does not permit an extended discussion about the ways in which the Church is failing in mission, but whatever specifics can be agreed upon it is pretty obvious that when the Church is faithful she will fulfill the mission to which God calls her. So, when we see the decline in faith in America, let’s focus on who we are called to be as the Church; on how we are called to follow our Lord; on how we are called to proclaim the Good News of salvation to a world in which many people do not believe they need a Savior. Let’s focus on who God calls us to be first. It is only when we are faithful that we can then focus on those who are not, and reach out to them in the ways God calls us to.
Grace Abounds: Please thank Barb MacEwen and Nicci Beeck for cleaning and organizing the kitchen. We have a lot of different users of the kitchen (and, recently, clean-up has been in need of improvement), and it’s a big job to get things organized. A kitchen operations manual is being developed.
Please thank Terry and Mary Kohler for the donation of a new induction heating pot for the kitchen. This will allow soups and similar offerings to be heated without the need to use the stove.
Adult Christian Education: During Eastertide we will keep adult education simple. This will involve a Bible study session at 9 a.m. on Sundays, in which we will examine in detail the lessons used in worship on that day. Bible Study will not meet on Thursdays until Ascension Day.
Nashotah House Graduation will take place on Thursday, 16 May. Graduates include our seminarian, Charleston Wilson. A van will leave Grace at 8 a.m., with expected return about 4 p.m. If you want to attend, we need numbers by 26 April, in order both to alert the seminary and to insure travel arrangements. Contact the parish office.
Charleston Wilson is to be ordained to the diaconate in The Episcopal Diocese of Springfield (Illinois), at Nashotah House on the 14th of May, with Bp. Daniel Martins of Springfield as ordaining bishop. Check with the parish office about the time of the service and about carpooling possibilities.
Musical Outreach: Two CD’s exist of anthems and hymns recorded by our fine choir, under the direction of Ben Dobey. These CD’s are available for sale, but consider just taking some without paying for them. Why? The CD’s are intended to be a form of outreach, to facilitate how we can invite people to join us in worship at Grace. If you have thought about asking someone to visit the parish with you, then go ahead and give them a CD so they can get a little foretaste of worship here. If you do this, just let the office know, so that we can keep apprised of inventory, but don’t hesitate to use the CD’s whenever you think it might be helpful. Consider, as well, using parish note cards in outreach and invitation.
Episcopal Youth Community: Recently, my family has been celebrating several milestones. My wife and I turn 30 this April, and we just celebrated our 6th anniversary, for which we had one party and reveled in the love of our friends and family. And, this May we will be celebrating our daughter’s first birthday! We are blessed to have someone to teach us humility, and patience, and love.
This time of year we are also preparing to celebrate other milestones. As we near the end of the school year, we take note of the things we have accomplished throughout the year. We have graduations to celebrate, we have middle schoolers becoming high schoolers, and so on and so forth.
We also have people who have been preparing for their Confirmation, and others for their First Communion. These are the kinds of things I feel that we in the Church, as the Body of Christ, need to be prepared to celebrate, and to do it with gusto! These people have taken the time, to learn, understand, and decide that they will take a step, or even a leap, of faith into bigger promises, and a wider, deeper understanding of who God is, and who they are. This is important, these are Hallelujah moments, these are milestones marking the path of our lives.
―Nick
Music this week:
Prelude Prelude on St. Columba Vintner
Entrance Hymn 205 “Good Christians all, rejoice and sing” Gelobt sei Gott
Offertory Hymn 645 “The King of love my shepherd is” St. Columba
Communion Motet Brother James’s Air arr. Jacob
Communion Hymn 312 “Strengthen for service, Lord” Malabar
Closing Hymn 194 “Jesus lives! Thy terrors now” St. Albinus
Postlude Festal Flourish Jacob
Parish Notices
Public Lecture: The Rev. Dr. James Trainor, physicist, Episcopal priest, and author, will be speaking on the subject of his book, “Grasp: Making Sense of Science & Spirituality”; at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Sheboygan Falls on Saturday April 20, 6:00pm. This will be a public lecture with opportunities to ask questions.The lecture is open to the public free of charge. Dr. Trainor worked as an experimental physicist (PhD. D., University of California) and served at some of the world's leading research organizations for over 25 years before answering the call to ordained ministry. After serving congregations in New Mexico, Texas, and Wisconsin, Dr. Trainor continues to explore the intersection of modern physics with the claims of an ancient Judeo-Christian faith, bringing together the thoughts of great scientific and religious thinkers with the real-life stories of people who have grasped for the truth. Please join us for this exciting event. Dr. Trainor will also preach at St. Peter’s worship services at 8:00am & 10:00am on Sunday April 21. For more on Dr. Jim Trainor, please visit his website at: www.rjtrainor.com
Life Line Screening: Grace Church is sponsoring Life Line Screening Wednesday, April 24th from 8:30-5:30. This is a community event offering the “Helping Hands” program which can save your life and the lives of your loved ones through simple, painless, preventive health screenings. Special $10 discount for our members and their families PLUS a matching $10 donation to Grace Church for everyone who preregisters. There are registration forms in this bulletin or on the Narthex table or in the church office. You may sign up by calling 1-800-324-9458. They will ask for source code HSC5603.
Bishop’s Visitation: May 5th we welcome Bishop Jacobus for his last visitation. The Bishop will preach and celebrate at both 8 and 10:15 services. We will celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation and First Communions at the 10:15 am service. Please join us for a gala reception to welcome Bishop Jacobus and honor the Confirmed. Please sign up to bring sweets and savories and to clean up.
Ascension Solemn Evensong and Dinner: Please join the Tripartite Covenant Parishes in celebrating Ascension Day. Grace Church, will host Solemn Evensong Thursday, May 9th at 6:00pm. Evensong is a beautiful service of sung evening prayer. This will be followed by dinner in St. Nicholas Hall. Please sign up on the sheet in the Narthex.
Great Marriages of Sheboygan County invites you to a “Celebration of Marriage” on Saturday, May 4, 2013 at The Bull at Pinehurst Farms, Sheboygan Falls. Social-Cash bar at 5:30 pm, Dinner & Silent Auction at 6 pm and Program and Dance to follow. Dress code is coat & tie. Cost: $60 per person. Please reserve your ticket by April 22, 2013. For more information please call: (920) 783-3660. Thank you.
SCIO Silent Auction: Jessica Ambelang and Pat Ford Smith have volunteered to provide a Fourth of July themed basket to be added to the silent auction at the Spring Luncheon & Fundraiser. If anyone has Fourth of July type items to be added to the basket for Grace Church Please contact Jessica at 452-5667.
Come in the Sweet By & Bye! Grace Sunday School’s Plant & Bake Sale will be Saturday April 27th from 9:00am -3:00pm. The Proceeds go to the Sunday School’s mission projects which include Heifer Project, Food for the Poor and Hannah Project in Rwanda. Please drop off bakery donations Friday, April 26th in the Church office or Saturday in the Narthex. Please label donations with any special ingredients such as gluten free, egg free, contains nuts, etc. Suggested donations are pies, cookies, tarts, specialty breads, muffins, decorated cupcakes. House plants are also welcome to be added to the sale, please be sure they are disease free. This sale is in conjunction with St. Luke Methodist rummage sale, you are encouraged to donate items for sale there as well.
Bishop Search: For all information concerning the search for the eighth Bishop of Fond du Lac please go to bishopsearch.info.
Bishop Search: For all information concerning the search for the eighth Bishop of Fond du Lac please go to bishopsearch.info.
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