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Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Stephen's Witness

Grace Episcopal Church
Sheboygan, Wisconsin

Grace Notes
26 December 2013
[posted 12-25-2013]

We remember, this day, St. Stephen the Protomartyr.  Stephen is remembered for his witness and martyrdom, recounted at Acts 6 & 7, and is called “protomartyr” (which means “first witness”) for being the first person killed for witnessing to the lordship of Jesus Christ.
In this Christmas season, looking a little more closely at Stephen’s story reminds us of what we are called to witness to.  Stephen is brought to trial because he is doing God’s work.  This reminds us that if what we are doing in God’s name is pleasing to the world around us, we have to ask whether it is pleasing to God.  At his trial, Stephen’s defense is to recount the entire history of salvation, to testify to how God has acted throughout creation to bring about His purpose, and how this purpose finds its fulfillment in the salvation offered by and through Jesus Christ.  This testimony is the testimony we must ever be ready to give!
Stephen did not testify to people without faith.  He testified to people who did not believe in Jesus Christ—that God has acted uniquely and universally through Jesus Christ.  We are not surrounded by people who do not have faith, even though many profess not to.  But to be a confirmed atheist, or materialist—or to believe “that it is all just random, that chaos is chaos”—requires an enormous leap of faith in each case.  It requires the atheist or materialist to believe that things “just are,” without any first cause.  It requires the atheist or materialist to believe that he or she can aspire to be a “good person” in the absence of any standard outside of him/herself.  (In other words, it requires supreme faith that “It’s all about me.”)  We are called to point others to the truth (in fact to the truth that you cannot believe anything at all to be good unless it is measured by Truth).
Stephen was not surrounded by people lacking faith, but many who surrounded him had faith in no more than what they knew.  They were going through the motions of religion without having a real relationship with the living God.  We, too, know many who claim to be religious, but do not understand that we are called to know God, and not just to give lip service to belief in Him.
Testify.  Testify at all times, but particularly during a holiday season in which people are drawn to celebration without really knowing why.  Now is the time to be as clear as Stephen:  When God came among us and became one of us, all Creation changed.  We are saved by God’s action in Jesus Christ.  There is none other.

Grace Abounds:  Please thank:
§  Paul Aparicio for fixing the Ontario Avenue east wing entrance doors.  The doors were not locking properly, and Paul has saved us hundred of dollars in effecting repair.
§  Bill & Deb Gagin, Leslie Kohler, and Mary Snyder for service during the recent funeral provided to a member of the community.
§  Bob and Anne Hanlon, and Steve and Katy Larson, for the Sunday coffee hours.
§  Jim Gardner for help in snow removal this past Sunday.
§  Nicci Beeck, Pat Ford Smith and Jessica Ambelang for organizing and directing the childrens’ Christmas Pageant.
§  Scott Fabiano, Bernie Markevitch, Bryan Stenz and Jon Whitford for decorating the church for Christmas!
§  Ben Dobey and the choir for our Christmas music.  Sutton Cecil, Lindsay Fischer, and Sandie Palmer for instrumental offerings.

Call for ContributionsIf you have a spiritual reflection to share, or want to point your fellow worshippers toward a resource, submit your contributions to Fr. Karl (by email) by Wednesday in the week of publication.

Episcopal Youth Community:   

Music this week:

Music for Sunday, December 29th, 2013:  First Sunday after Christmas

Entrance Hymn 102                “Once in royal David’s city”
Offertory Hymn 82                 “Of the Father’s love begotten”
Communion Hymn 115          “What child is this”
Closing Hymn 100                  “Joy to the world”

Parish Notices

§  Interested in joining a local CHURCH VOLLEYBALL LEAGUE ?
Several area churches are involved in a volleyball league made up of church members age 14 and above. Play is Sunday afternoons, 1-4 p.m., Jan 5 - Feb 16, exclusive of Feb 2, at the Sheboygan Falls YMCA.  Teams can have up to 10 players, team cost is $100.  Sign up deadline is Dec 31st.  Anyone interested in playing or wanting more information contact Ed Clabots, 762-0500 or clabots@wildblue.net.

§  Office Closed: The office will be closed December 26-28 and January 1-3. If you have a pastoral emergency please call Father Karl at 889-7190 or Deacon Michele at 918-1230.

§  The Feast of the Epiphany: We will celebrate the Feast of Epiphany Monday, January 6th. Parishioners and their guests are invited to Solemn Mass beginning at 6:00 p.m. followed by a Potluck Dinner. Please sign up in the narthex or by calling the church office at 452-9659.

§  The Annual Financial Meeting: This year’s Annual Meeting will take place on Sunday January 26, 2014.  We will have one Mass at 9:00am followed by the Annual Meeting held in the Nave 10:30am. The agenda of the meeting will include, 2013 financial review and 2014 budget, election of new Vestry members, and an overall review of the 2014 calendar. Please make every effort to attend and participate.

§  Flower Schedule for 2014: Giving the gift of flowers is a wonderful way to remember a loved one or to offer thanksgiving for your blessings. If you wish to sign up for a specific Sunday, the Flower Schedule is available on the table in the narthex. More than one person can sign up for each Sunday.

§  End of Year Pledge Reminder: Please make every effort to pay the remainder of your pledge before the end of the year. If you need to know your balance, please call the office at 452-9659. If you want tax credit for your pledge paid in 2013, you must have the payment in the office by Monday, December 30th. A check dated the 30th, but arriving later cannot be counted as paid in 2013. All payments received after the 30th will be credited in 2014. Thank you so much.


Thursday, December 19, 2013

Come Among Us

Grace Episcopal Church
Sheboygan, Wisconsin

Grace Notes
19 December 2013

We began this third week of Advent with the famous “stir up”collect:

Stir up thy power, O Lord, and with great might come among us; and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins, let thy bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be honor and glory, world without end.  Amen.

I have used the traditional language, here, to highlight the age of this collect (which first arose in the 8th century) and to highlight the stark contrast between the viewpoint of those who turn to and rely on God, and those who do not.  Note that in the collect we acknowledge that we need help, and that our help is in God.  (The collect echoes the piety expressed in Ps. 80 and Heb. 12.)  The collect expresses the hope that is fulfilled in Christmas:  that God will come among us and deliver us.
What about the other viewpoint, that of the world?  Those who do not know God usually want to better themselves and the world.  They recognize that there is manifold dysfunction in the world, even if they do not acknowledge that we are fallen.  They recognize dysfunction, but believe that any solution lies in human agency.  But what’s the problem with this thinking?  The problem lies in the truth that any improvement we seek to effect is improvement only as measured against some standard of goodness, and if we don’t have an objective standard—and rely only on what we humans try to determine to be goo—then we add to dysfunction, because in a “relative” system we are each either “one up” or “one down”.  We can’t make the world better on our own, but we can coöperate with God as He makes creation new.
And God does make creation new!  He comes among us—the Word made flesh!  Our Advent petition and hope is fulfilled in our Christmas joy.  We pray that God may come among us, and at Christmas sing “Joy to the world!” because “the Lord is come!”  Let earth proclaim her King!

Grace Abounds:  Please thank:

  • Beth and Cory Bouck for a wonderful coffee hour.
  • The participants in our Christmas Cheer program (who visit our shut-ins with Christmas treats, flowers, and fellowship):  Jessica Ambelang, Darlene Bain, Mary Clabots, Debbie Gagin, Mary Gallimore, Mary Hafner, Anne Hanlon, Jennifer Keller, Leslie Kohler, Bobbi Kraft, Scott Lubbers, Barb MacEwen, Bernie Markevitch, Francoise Pietzner, Pat Sather, Mary Beth Snyder, Joyce Wessel, Michele Whitford, Danie Wilson, and Nacy Yurk.
  • Please thank Barb MacEwen for organizing Christmas Cheer.
  • Nancy Yurk for organizing the parish response to the Christmas Castle campaign for The Salvation Army.

Call for ContributionsIf you have a spiritual reflection to share, or want to point your fellow worshippers toward a resource, submit your contributions to Fr. Karl (by email) by Wednesday in the week of publication.

Episcopal Youth Community:   

Music this week:

Sunday, December 22nd
Advent 4A

Prelude                                    Two Magnificat Antiphons                                           Dupré
Entrance Hymn 72                  “Hark! the glad sound!  The Savior comes”
Trisagion S-102                                                                                                        Archangelsky
Offertory Hymn 56                 “O come, O come, Emmanuel”
Communion Motet                  O Lord, how shall I meet you                                      Crueger
Communion Hymn 60            “Creator of the stars of night”
Closing Hymn 436                  “Lift up your heads, ye mighty gates”
Postlude                                  Chant de Paix                                                             Langlais

December 24th
Christmas Eve at 4pm

Prelude                                    Lindsay Fischer, cello
Processional Hymn                 “O come, all ye faithful”
Gloria                                      New English Folk Mass                                         Timms & Warrell
Sequence Hymn                      “Away in a manger”
Carols during the Pageant:
                                                “O little town of Bethlehem”
                                                “The first Nowell”
                                                “Joy to the world”
Offertory Hymns 110             “The snow lay on the ground”
                             115             “What child is this”
Communion Hymn 111          “Silent night”
Closing Hymn 96                    “Angels we have heard on high”
Postlude                                  In dulci jubilo                                                              Bach

Prelude of Christmas Music at 10:30pm

Choir                                       Unto us is born a Son                                                  arr. Willcocks
Organ                                      In dulci jubilo                                                              Bach
Choir                                       Coventry Carol                                                           arr. Shaw
Organ                                      Interlude on the Coventry Carol                                 Webber
Hymn 81                                 “Lo, how a Rose e’er blooming”
Flute duet                                Sinfonia from the Christmas Oratorio                          Bach
                                                            Sandie Palmer & Sutton Cecil, flutes
                                                            Lindsay fischer, cello
Hymn 105                               “God rest ye merry, gentlemen”
Organ                                      The shepherds at the manger                                      Liszt
                                                Prelude on Shepherds come, their praises bringing    Walcha

Solemn Mass at 11:00pm

Introit                                      Dominus dixit                                                              Plainsong
Processional Hymn 83            “O come, all ye faithful”
Gloria in excelsis                                                                                                        Willan
Offertory Hymn 79                 “O little town of Bethlehem”
Sanctus                                                                                                                       Willan
Agnus Dei                               Missa de Angelis                                                         Plainsong
Communion Anthems             In the bleak midwinter                                                  Darke
                                                Manger Carol                                                             arr. Sowerby
Communion Hymn 111          “Silent night”
Closing Hymn 96                    “Angels we have heard on high”
Postlude                                  In dulci jubilo                                                              Bach

December 25th
Christmas Day at 9am

Entrance Hymn 83                  “O come, all ye faithful”
Offertory Hymn 87                 “Hark! the herald angels sing”
Communion Hymn 115          “What child is this”
Closing Hymn 96                    “Angels we have heard on high”


Parish Notices

§  Interested in joining a local CHURCH VOLLEYBALL LEAGUE ?
Several area churches are involved in a volleyball league made up of church members age 14 and above. Play is Sunday afternoons, 1-4 p.m., Jan 5 - Feb 16, exclusive of Feb 2, at the Sheboygan Falls YMCA.  Teams can have up to 10 players, team cost is $100.  Sign up deadline is Dec 31st.  Anyone interested in playing or wanting more information contact Ed Clabots, 762-0500 or clabots@wildblue.net.

§  Small Groups: On the fourth Sunday of November, at 9 am between services, several small group discussions were begun to add to our life together here at Grace.  This coming Sunday, the fourth Sunday of December, is an opportunity for these groups to meet again to continue the conversations & firm up the establishment of these groups.  You are invited whether or not you were in attendance last month to come & join them.  The groups that will be meeting this Sunday are these:
o   Caregiver’s Support Group with Mary Snyder & Scott Gedemer as facilitators & organizers
o   Healing Team & Ministry with Dc Mike Burg
o   Grace Adult Group with Tasha & Tom Crouse
o   English as a Secondary Language with Scott Lubbers
            The other groups who won't be meeting Sunday but remain open to further interest are
o   The Film Study Group is facilitated by Jane Hanson.  The series will restart on Wednesday, 15January, 6 p.m., with the 2011 release For Greater Glory
o   The Depression Support Group won't be meeting this Sunday as Ed Clabots has to be absent.The Galatians Bible Study is meeting next on January 5th in the Conference room following the 2nd Service – Talk to Mary Massey or John Ambelang
If you have any questions, please talk to the people listed with the group.

§  End of Year Pledge Reminder: Please make every effort to pay the remainder of your pledge before the end of the year. If you need to know your balance, please call the office at 452-9659. If you want tax credit for your pledge paid in 2013, you must have the payment in the office by Monday, December 30th. A check dated the 30th, but arriving later cannot be counted as paid in 2013. All payments received after the 30th will be credited in 2014. Thank you so much.

§  Stewardship: Thank you for supporting Grace Church with your generous pledges. If you still have a pledge card and plan to pledge please return it at your earliest convenience. It will be helpful even if your response is you are unable to pledge that we hear from you as we are in the process of assembling the 2014 budget and need all the information. Thank you so much.

§  Youth and Children’s Choir: The last Youth and Children’s choir rehearsal for the Christmas Eve service is today, Sunday, December 22nd at 9:00am. downstairs in the choir room. The choir is open to 2nd graders through high school, and will sing for the 4pm service on Christmas Eve.

§  Christmas Pageant Rehearsals: today, Sunday, December 22 at 9:00am will be the final rehearsal for the Christmas Pageant. The rehearsals will begin in the church and then go downstairs for costumes. Participation is open to youth of all ages. The Pageant will take place during the 4:00 p.m. Christmas Eve Mass. If your child would like to participate but cannot make rehearsals please come to church at 3:00pm on Christmas Eve and they will get a costume and part in the pageant. All are welcome and encouraged to participate.




Thursday, December 12, 2013

A Posture of the Heart

Grace Episcopal Church
Sheboygan, Wisconsin

Grace Notes
12 December 2013

Last week we received a powerful witness from Bobbi Kraft, in an Advent meditation featured on this page.  In small part, she reflected on how we cope with “the holiday season” when we might not feel like celebrating.  This seeming dissonance between the (often forced) happiness which surrounds us, and how we may feel, points to the fact that happiness involves how we feel, but joy—the joy to which we are called in Scripture—is a posture of the heart.  We can experience joy regardless of how we feel, because joy involves how we choose to look upon creation.  Do we look upon (and even experience) loss or boredom, danger, drudgery, and small earthly hope of change, as evidence that “life stinks and then you die,” or do we look upon creation as the wonderful, daily, present, ongoing gift of God.  We may be able to describe God using words which include His reality as the source and summation of all Being, all Love, Beauty, Truth, and Good, but when when (for example) we are open to His love we experience that, despite how we may feel, there is Love and we are loved. 
In our gospel lesson for this coming Sunday (Mtt. 11.2-11), John the Baptist sends word to Jesus, asking the question, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?”  John knows the answer.  (He baptized Jesus!)  His question is rhetorical, eliciting Jesus’ response in which He describes the works and signs of the Messiah.  In other words, His answer is “This is what the Messiah does.”  Despite how we may feel, whether we are happy, when our heart is in the “posture” of joy—when we are oriented to God—then we experience what faith does, and the world sees in us what faith does.  The season and all seasons are joyous despite whatever losses and disappointments we may experience, for the season and all seasons are experienced as the gifts that God gives us.  “Behold, I make all things new” (Rev. 21.5), as in now, as in all times when our spirit and heart is oriented to God.

Grace Abounds:  Please thank:
§  Jessica Ameblang for the wonderful coffee hour this past Sunday. 
§  Nicci Beeck, Barb and Bob MacEwen, and Bernie Markevitch for the preparation of and clean-up from the Lessons & Carols reception. 
§  Ben Dobey and all of the choir for all of their extra work in preparing and offering the festival of Lessons & Carols. 
§  Ben Dobey and Fr. Karl for unscheduled organ maintenance.
§  Julie Davidson for volunteering to serve on the Altar Guild.
P Pat Ford Smith and Jane Hanson for providing office help.
§  Nancy Yurk for volunteering to sing in the choir.
§  Nancy Yurk for organizing the parish response to the Christmas Castle campaign for The Salvation Army.

Call for ContributionsIf you have a spiritual reflection to share, or want to point your fellow worshippers toward a resource, submit your contributions to Fr. Karl (by email) by Wednesday (

Episcopal Youth Community:   Maybe it's the snow talking, or maybe it's the sub-zero wind chills, but when I saw this blog post floating around my fellow campers (and staff) I had a sudden and unrelenting urge to share it. This viewpoint is consistent with my own, and many of the people who have been sharing it. Please read it, and take a little insight into what it means for me to say "I LOVE going to camp!" Maybe then you'll see why those of us who have been there are so passionate about telling you about it, or encouraging you to go (especially our camp aged youth).
And for your information here is the current information regarding our own diocesan camp program. This really is the best thing the diocese does with youth. We talk about it all year long, we plan it, dream it, pray about it, and then we show up, and let God take us where He is leading us to be.
Here is the diocesan Summer Camp page: www.diofdl.org/org.asp?page=SummerCamp
Registration is not open yet, but please consider what it can mean to the youth of our parish to have the type of experience that they will talk about for the rest of their lives. And who knows, maybe some of you are being called to participate in this ministry too!
Grace and peace,                                                                                                               ―Nick
P.S.:  I'm always willing to talk about camp, if you have questions please let me know.

Music this week:

Prelude                        Savior of the Nations, Come                           Buxtehude & Walcha
Entrance Hymn 59      “Hark! A thrilling voice is sounding”             Merton
Trisagion S-102                                                                                   A. Archangelsky
Offertory Hymn 444   “Blessed be the God of Israel”                       Thornbury
Sanctus S-114                                                                                     H. Willan
Agnus Dei S-158                                                                                H. Willan
Communion Motet      Rejoice, O Jerusalem                                      H. Willan
Comm. Hymn 615      “Thy kingdom come! on bended knee”          St. Flavian
Closing Hymn 65        “Prepare the way, O Zion”                             Beredan väg för Herran
Postlude                      Prepare the way, O Zion                                 C. Wood

Parish Notices

§  Interested in joining a local CHURCH VOLLEYBALL LEAGUE ?
Several area churches are involved in a volleyball league made up of church members age 14 and above. Play is Sunday afternoons, 1-4 p.m., Jan 5 - Feb 16, exclusive of Feb 2, at the Sheboygan Falls YMCA.  Teams can have up to 10 players, team cost is $100.  Sign up deadline is Dec 31st.  Anyone interested in playing or wanting more information contact Ed Clabots, 762-0500 or clabots@wildblue.net.

§  Study/Discussion Group: This group is studying the book of Galatians. They to meet after the 10:15 service on December 15, the group meets every two weeks in the conference room.  Contact people are Mary Massey and Fr. John Ambelang.

§  End of Year Pledge Reminder: Please make every effort to pay the remainder of your pledge before the end of the year. If you need to know your balance, please call the office at 452-9659. If you want tax credit for your pledge paid in 2013, you must have the payment in the office by Monday, December 30th. A check dated the 30th, but arriving later cannot be counted as paid in 2013. All payments received after the 30th will be credited in 2014. Thank you so much.

§  Stewardship: Thank you for supporting Grace Church with your generous pledges. If you still have a pledge card and plan to pledge please return it at your earliest convenience. It will be helpful even if your response is you are unable to pledge that we hear from you as we are in the process of assembling the 2014 budget and need all the information. Thank you so much.

§  Youth and Children’s Choir: Youth and Children’s choir rehearsals for the Christmas Eve service are at 5:30-6:00pm on Wednesday December 18th, downstairs in the choir room. Rehearsals are just before the Pageant rehearsals. The final rehearsal will be Sunday, December 22nd at 9:00am. The choir is open to 2nd graders through high school, and will sing for the 4pm service on Christmas Eve.

§  Christmas Pageant Rehearsals: on Wednesday December 18th starting at 6:00p.m. The rehearsals will begin in the church and then go downstairs for costumes. Participation is open to youth of all ages. The Pageant will take place during the 4:00 p.m. Christmas Eve Mass. Please sign up on the sheet in the Narthex. If your child would like to participate but cannot make rehearsals please note that on the sheet or call the office.

§  Christmas Joy: is scheduled to meet on Thursday, December 19th at 11:00 AM in the church kitchen. At that time we will assemble winter greens and flowers and bag cookies, and then make deliveries (there is a sign up sheet in the narthex.) We need helping hands and money (to buy for packaging supplies and flowers.) Can you bake, make a delivery or help arrange? Please join us for this fulfilling ministry to our shut-ins. They will appreciate it. If you have questions please call Barb MacEwen at 467-6909. 

§  To whom it may concern: I wish to thank my Christmas Angel (Angels?) and all who have deeply blessed me through the years. I am frustrated as I do not know “whom or why” but as Bernie would say “get over it”. The blessings have always been timely needed, and “in the nick of time”. I can sincerely say that this church has been my real family, my comfort, making up for anything lacking in my life. I send all my love in return, Julie Davidson
§  Special thanks to all of you for being the special people that you are. You again made our Salvation Army --Adopt a Family a huge success. A special thanks to Jessica Ambelang for her help with the tags. Also to Bob Hanlon, Anne Hanlon and Bev Evans for all their help with the delivery of the gifts. Blessings, Nancy

§  Meals On Wheels Christmas Cookies: Meals On Wheels volunteers will be delivering a box of homemade cookies to our clients again this Christmas season. (As many of you know, for some clients, this is the only gift they will receive). So all we need are the cookies.  If you would like to donate some of your goodies to our project please call or email Maureen at Meals On Wheels at 451-7011 or client1@shebmow.org. We have cookie drop off sites in both Sheboygan and Plymouth and we will be packaging cookies on the 17th of December.  Your response in the past has been overwhelming and we cannot thank you enough for your continued support.




Thursday, December 5, 2013

The Christ Himself the Cornerstone

Grace Episcopal Church
Sheboygan, Wisconsin

Grace Notes
5 December 2013

Unless the Lord build the house,
they labor in vain that build it.
But, built on the sure foundation
of the apostles and prophets,
the household is joined and rises,
a holy temple to the Lord.
With Christ Himself the cornerstone,
blessed are they that dwell in the house.
They will evermore praise Him, and say
“His mercy endures, forever!”

These words (paraphrased from Scripture) were set to music twelve years ago in connection with the celebration of the centennial of a parish.  But the words instruct us here and now, as well.  When we discern God’s will, and do it, He will bless us.  Unless we do our Lord’s will, we labor in vain. 
In this Advent season, in a time when we pray that, by God’s grace, we may so turn to Him that we may greet His coming with joy, may we be so Christ-centered that any and all other matters and worries are encountered only through the lens of grace.  As we gather this Sunday to revisit in lesson and song the record of God coming among us, let us keep Christ as our one focus.  May this be a blessed Advent!  May Jesus Christ ever be our sure foundation!

Grace Abounds:  Please thank Mary Massey for the wonderful coffee hour this past Sunday.

Call for ContributionsIf you have a spiritual reflection to share, or want to point your fellow worshippers toward a resource, submit your contributions to Fr. Karl (by email) by Wednesday (noon) each week.
An Advent Meditation from Bobbi Kraft:  Being joyful at this time of year is hard for me.  It used to be easy.  As a kid, I remember baking cookies, making gifts, wrapping them, practicing for the Christmas pageant…so much excitement and anticipation.  As a parent, I remember baking cookies with my girls, making gifts with them, reading Christmas stories each night to them…so much excitement and anticipation seen by me through their eyes.  “Traditions”.  Then one day five years ago it all changed for my girls and me when our family was broken apart. Suddenly, our “traditions” were cast asunder. 
We’re not alone.  There are many who find this season of Advent difficult for a variety of reasons; death, divorce, health crisis, joblessness, financial hardships.  They too want to be joyful, but it’s not easy.  Finding ways to accept the “new” or “current” when we hunger for “tradition” is difficult.  We all just want it to be easy.  In response, some get depressed, others get angry.  Personally, I struggle with “Advent Anger”.
How wondrous that Advent is the beginning of our church year.  Wondrous too that morning prayer for Monday and Tuesday of this week had us reading Psalms 1, 2, 3, 5, & 6.  If you haven’t read them yet, please do.  So much strife, hunger, anger, and yearning found in them.  “Hearken to my cry for help, my King and my God, for I make my prayer to you.  In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; early in the morning I make my appeal and watch for you.” Psalm 5:1-2.
It’s given me great comfort to know that our church year and advent begins with our cries for help.  Suddenly, I’m reminded that it’s okay to occasionally feel angry at what is gone from our lives because I can, as found in so many psalms, cry to my Lord for help.  We each make our appeals to God and watch.
In the collect, we are instructed to “cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light”.  Such wondrous instructions for each of us as we begin this new church year, this Advent, this new life.  For those of us who struggle with depression and anger during this season, casting away the darkness can be difficult.  Yet we yearn to put on the armor of light so that we can not only make it through the season, but also be joyful and joyous at the knowledge that we have a risen Lord who hears our voice. 
We have each other…the body of Christ on earth is His church.  Pray for one another.  Pray for those who are suffering with depression and anger that they may be able to cast away the darkness and put on the armor of light.

Advent Lessons & Carols will be offered, again, this year on Sunday, 8 December, at 4 p.m., followed by High Tea.  This is an ideal introduction to Anglican piety, as well as just a wonderful opportunity to gather in worship.  This year we are inviting community leaders from outside the parish to serve as our readers.  Please invite your friends to join us!

Small Group Discussions:  Small Groups with questions reflecting on the lessons for the Day will be held between services and after the 10:15 Service this Sunday, the Second Sunday of the Month, as usual. 

Episcopal Youth Community:   In film school we will be finishing Apollo 13, and with it our discussion of courage in the face of danger, team work, and dealing with disappointments. In the last weeks of this calendar year we will finish our film, and then we will have a service project and team building exercise, and we will finish with my own compilation of "A Very YouTube Christmas" and we will discuss the way Christmas is being portrayed in our culture with both Christian and secular examples.
Have a happy Advent!                                    ―Nick

Music this week:

Prelude                        Partita on ‘Comfort, comfort ye my people’               Pachelbel
Entrance Hymn 76      “On Jordan’s bank the Baptist’s cry”
Offertory Hymn 75     “There’s a voice in the wilderness crying”
Communion Motet      Isaiah the Prophet                                                       Early American
Comm. Hymn 67        “Comfort, comfort ye my people”
Closing Hymn 73        “The King shall come when morning dawns”
Postlude                      Toccata on ‘Winchester New’                                     Neswick

Lessons & Carols at 4 p.m.

Prelude                        Benedictus                                                                   Karg-Elert
Introit                          I look from afar                                                           Palestrina
Entrance Hymn           “O come, O come, Emmanuel” verses 1-4
Genesis 3:8-15, 22-14 O Sapientia                                                     Plainsong
                                    Adam lay ybounden                                        Ord
Hymn                          “Creator of the stars of night”

Isaiah 40:1-11             Behold, a Star from Jacob shining                  Mendelssohn
Hymn 75                     “There’s a voice in the wilderness crying”

Jeremiah 31:31-34       O radix Jesse                                                   Dobey
                                    E’en so, Lord Jesus, quickly come                  Manz

Isaiah11:1-9                Isaiah the Prophet                                           Early American
Hymn 73                     “The King shall come when morning dawns”

Zechariah 9:9-10         O Oriens                                                         Dobey
Hymn 444                   “Blessed be the God of Israel”

1 Thess. 5:5-11            O Rex Gentium                                               Dobey
                                    Come, thou Redeemer of the earth                  arr. Willcocks

Luke 1:26-38               The Blessings of Mary                                     Appalachian carol
Hymn 265                   “The angel Gabriel from heaven came”

Matthew 1:18-23        O Virgo Virginum                                           Dobey
Hymn 59                     “Hark! A thrilling voice is sounding”

Mark 1:1-15               
Hymn 56                     “O come, O come Emmanuel” verses 5-8
Hymn 57                     “Lo, he comes with clouds descending”
Postlude                      Toccata on ‘Veni Emmanuel’                         Carter

Parish Notices

§  Second Sunday Small Groups: Small groups will meet between services at 9:00am and after the 10:15 service on Sunday. Questions will be provided to reflect on the lessons for the Day. Please meet in St. Nicholas Hall and the groups will be divided up and rooms will be assigned.

§  Advent Lessons and Carols: Sunday, 8 December, a festival of Advent Lessons and Carols will be offered at Grace Church, beginning at 4:00 p.m. The festival prepares us for the coming of the Messiah by following the scriptural record through nine lessons, each followed by a seasonal carol offered by choir and congregation. The choir will also offer seasonal anthems, and music will include Dr. R. Benjamin Dobey on organ. The service is followed immediately by a High Tea reception. The offering taken will go towards the Salvation Army Emmaus meals. There will be works of art by emerging artists in Croatia on display. Proceeds from the sale of this art will go towards the ministry to at-risk teens in Osijek, Croatia. Missionaries Aaron Horvat and Winnie Coleman-Horvat are with us today to enjoy fellowship and answer questions about this ministry.

§  Stewardship: If you received a pledge card and haven't responded yet, please do so. Even if your response is that you don't have a 2014 pledge, we still need to hear from you as soon as possible. We are in the process of assembling the 2014 budget and need your pledge information. Starting the week of December 1, members of the Vestry will be personally contacting parishioners who haven't responded. Thanks in advance for your assistance and for supporting Grace Church.

§  Salvation Army Adopt a Family Gift tags: Thank you to all who participated in Adopting a Family, the response has been overwhelming and there are many families who will benefit.  Please return the gifts to Grace Church by today, December 8th. If you have any questions please call Nancy Yurk at 453-9948.

§  Youth and Children’s Choir: Youth and Children’s choir rehearsals for the Christmas Eve service are at 5:30-6:00pm beginning this Wednesday December 4th, downstairs in the choir room. Additional rehearsals will be on December 11th and 18th these will be just before the Pageant rehearsals.  The final rehearsal will be Sunday, December 22nd at 9:00am. The choir is open to 2nd graders through high school, and will sing for the 4pm service on Christmas Eve.

§  Christmas Pageant Rehearsals: will be on Wednesday December 4th, December 11th and 18th starting at 6:00p.m. The rehearsals will begin in the church and then go downstairs for costumes. Participation is open to youth of all ages. The Pageant will take place during the 4:00 p.m. Christmas Eve Mass. Please sign up on the sheet in the Narthex. If your child would like to participate but cannot make rehearsals please note that on the sheet or call the office.

§  Director Needed: If you would like to spend some time with shepherds and angels have I got a job for you! A volunteer or two are needed to direct the Christmas Pageant. The more help keeping little feet in place the better. Please speak with Pat Ford Smith or Nicci Beeck.

§  Christmas Castle Volunteers: Tuesday, December 17th from 1:00 – 3:30pm help make Christmas merry for hundreds of children this year by volunteering. As a volunteer you will have the opportunity to walk the aisles of the “toy store” with clients to help them find the perfect gift. The Christmas Castle is located on the west side of Memorial Mall in the old Walgreens’s. Please sign up on the sheet in the Narthex.

§  Christmas Joy: is scheduled to meet on Thursday, December 19th at 11:00 AM in the church kitchen. At that time we will assemble winter greens and flowers and bag cookies, and then make deliveries (there is a sign up sheet in the narthex.) We need helping hands and money (to buy for packaging supplies and flowers.) Can you bake, make a delivery or help arrange? Please join us for this fulfilling ministry to our shut-ins. They will appreciate it. If you have questions please call Barb MacEwen at 467-6909. 

§  Study/Discussion Group: This group decided to study of Galatians. They plan to meet after the 10:15 service starting December 1, hoping to meet every two weeks in the conference room.  Contact people are Mary Massey and Fr. John Ambelang.

§  Canticle of Christmas: Mark your calendars for the Lakeshore Chorale & Lakeshore Youth Chorale Christmas Concert. Sunday, December 8, 2013, 2:00 p.m. at St. Peter Claver Church, 1444 South 11th Street, Sheboygan. Lakeshore Chorale & Youth Chorale celebrate the Christmas season with a variety of holiday music, an audience sing-along, and conclude with a reception of punch and Christmas cookies! $15.00 adults; $8.00 students OR included in Season Ticket.

§  Meals On Wheels Christmas Cookies: Meals On Wheels volunteers will be delivering a box of homemade cookies to our clients again this Christmas season. (As many of you know, for some clients, this is the only gift they will receive). So all we need are the cookies.  If you would like to donate some of your goodies to our project please call or email Maureen at Meals On Wheels at 451-7011 or client1@shebmow.org. We have cookie drop off sites in both Sheboygan and Plymouth and we will be packaging cookies on the 17th of December.  Your response in the past has been overwhelming and we cannot thank you enough for your continued support.