Grace Episcopal Church
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
Grace Notes
2 October 2014
On some Church calendars today is
observed as the feast of the Holy Guardian Angels, and last Monday was the feast of St. Michael and all
Angels. So, it is an “angelic” week, which
raises the question of what we really know about angels.
The Greek word “angel” means
messenger. Angels are supernatural
created beings (not gods, Col. 1.16).
They are pure spirit (Heb. 1.7, 14), lacking any physical body. As such, they can assume different forms
(normally as a human being) to act as agents of God’s will, and are generally
described with terms that refer to bright light, precious stones, and shining
fire, i.e. as reflecting God’s glory
(Dan. 10.5-6), and as dressed in white (Dan. 12.6). Angels lack gender and transcend time (Mtt.
22.30ff.) Their knowledge is superior to that of
humans, but not unlimited (1 Pet. 1.12).
Their strength is greater than that of humans (2 Thess. 1.7), and they
speak a language of their own (1 Cor. 13.1), but can speak to humans.
The Bible says there are seven
ranks of angels. These are angels, archangels, thrones, powers,
dominions, cherubim and seraphim. Lucifer was the highest seraph, i.e.,
the highest created being, before he fell, and he can appear disguised as an
angel of light (2 Cor. 11.14).
The three archangels named in
Scripture include Michael (the name means “Who is like God?”), the captain of
the host of heaven, as described in Revelation, Gabriel (the name means
“Messenger of God”), mentioned, e.g., in the Annunciation to Mary in
Luke 1, and Raphael (the name means “God has healed”), who is in The Book
of Tobit. Tobit is found in the Apocrypha in Protestant bibles.
This raises the issue of the fourth archangel, Uriel (“the light of
God”). Uriel is not found in the Bible, but in a deuterocanonical work of
the Old Testament period, The Book of Enoch, and is recognized in
Judaism. His name is invoked in the version of hymn 282 (“Christ, the
fair glory”—an eighth century hymn) found in The English Hymnal, but not
in our hymnal. This may be because he was recognized by Pope Gregory the
Great, who sermonized about the four archangels in the context of the four
cardinal points of creation.
No archangel is thought to rank
the others. Michael is generally thought of first because of his being
described as the captain of the army fighting Satan. Note, as well, that
the archangels are not the highest order, but the second lowest. We have
no names for any in the other orders, other than Lucifer/Satan.
In terms of angels who interact
with us, the rank is not defined. We think of them as ordinary angels,
but remember that the word angel just means “messenger” (making Gabriel’s name
rather redundant). Angels have free
will, with those in heaven chosing to obey God (Mtt. 6.10). Angels worship Jesus Christ (Heb. 1.6). Most importantly, as we pray in the collect
for the feast of St, Michael, God ordains that His angels work together with
us:
Everlasting God, you have ordained
and constituted in a wonderful order the ministries of angels and mortals: Mercifully
grant that, as your holy angels always serve and worship you in heaven, so by
your appointment they may help and defend us here on earth; through Jesus
Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God,
for ever and ever. Amen.
Grace Abounds: Please thank:
§
Bernie Markevitch and
Martha Shad for preparing the Saturday funeral luncheon.
§
Ben Dobey, and Bill and Deb
Gagin for the Sunday coffee hours.
§
Hannah Sanders for help on
the floor refinishing project.
§
Terry Kohler for donating
new light fixtures to the church.
§
John Davis for fixing the
icemaker.
Call for
Contributions: If 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.
V. 2 of the hymn Christ,
the fair glory of the holy angels
(No. 282, The Hymnal 1982):
Send thine archangel Michael to our succor; peace-maker blessèd,
may he banish from us striving
and hatred,
so that for the peaceful all things may
prosper. ―Rabanus Maurus (d. 856)
Music this week: Proper 22A
Prelude Jesu,
dulcis memoria Walford Davies
Entrance Hymn 495 “Hail, thou once despised Jesus” In Babilone
Offertory Hymn 448 “O love, how deep, how broad, how high” Deus tuorum militum
Communion Motet Ave
verum Corpus W. A. Mozart
Communion Hymn 313
“Let thy Blood in mercy poured” Jesu, meine Zuversicht
Closing Hymn 598 “Lord Christ, when first thou cam’st to
earth” Mit Freuden zart
Postlude Prelude & Fugue in F Minor J. K. F. Fischer
Parish Notices
Our Lady of Walsingham Pilgrimage
Friday, October 10, 2014
Quiet Day of Prayer and Meditation.
12:00pm Service for Noonday and Meditation
3:00pm Service of Prayer and Meditation
6:00pm Solemn Evensong and Meditation
The Meditations will be led by Mother Miriam, CSM
Superior of the
Eastern Province of The Community of St. Mary
Saturday, October 11, 2014
10:30 am Solemn Pontifical Mass
Celebrant is The
Right Reverend Matthew A. Gunter,
Eighth Bishop of Fond du Lac.
The preacher is Mother Miriam, CSM
Superior of the
Eastern Province of The Community of St. Mary
Dr. R. Benjamin
Dobey Organist and Choirmaster
and the Gaudete Brass of Chicago.
12:00 pm Harvest Lunch. The cost is $15.00.
Please make
reservations by October 8, 2014.
2:00pm Anointing with Walsingham water and Healing Prayer,
musical offering, and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.
§ Care & Share Groups: This Sunday, October 5th following the 8 am service, the
"Care & Share" small groups will meet, if need be we will divide
into two groups during the coffee hour.
§ Simple Potluck Supper and Compline: Sunday, October 5th we will have
our first Sunday of the month Simple Potluck Supper at 6:30pm. Come and enjoy
the fellowship then stay for Compline at 8:00pm. The Schola Cantorum will be
singing Compline which is the night time prayers said or sung just before
retiring. It is a wonderful and peaceful way to end the day.
§ Coffee Hour there are still a few openings: Thank you to all who have volunteered for
coffee hour and all who have stepped in and made coffee and put out snacks. We
do have a sign-up sheet in the white binder on the Narthex table. Several of
the upcoming Sundays have taken but we are in need of more volunteers. The
weeks that are open are 8:00am: 9/28, 11/16, 11/30, 12/21 and 12/28. For
10:15am: 9/28, 10/12, 11/16, 11/23, 12/28. If you can help please sign
up on the green sheets in the white binder on the Narthex table. Thank you so
much.
§ Coats for Kids:
is a community service campaign. Area residents are asked to donate clean coats
in good repair. We accept coats of all sizes for people of all ages, with the
need being greatest for children’s coats. These coats will be distributed to
Sheboygan county residents who would otherwise go without. Drop off
location: Reinbold-Novak Funeral Home, 1535 S. 12 St. Sheboygan. September 2
–October 3 Monday–Friday 8:30am–4:00 pm. Distribution Location: Salvation
Army, 710 Pennsylvania Ave. Sheboygan, Tuesday, October 7th, from 9:00am–1:00pm
and Thursday, October 9th from 2:00–6:00pm.
§ New Time for Men’s Everyone’s Breakfast: The parish breakfast will be Tuesdays at 7
a.m., Fountain Park. This is open to everyone to gather for a bite of
breakfast and conversation before the day begins.
§ Walsingham Volunteers Needed: There are many opportunities to help with hospitality for the Walsingham
Pilgrimage. We will need volunteers to greet pilgrims as they arrive for both
the quiet day on Friday as well as Saturday morning for the Solemn Mass and for
the musical offering, healing prayer and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament,
We will need help with the set up of St. Nicholas Hall for lunch and especially
for clean-up after lunch. Please sign up on the sheet on the Narthex table.
§ Walsingham Pilgrimage Music and Flowers: The Walsingham Pilgrimage is just around the
corner and preparations are being made. We will have a quiet day with
meditations at 12:00 and 3:00pm concluding with Solemn Evensong at 6:00pm on
Friday, October 10th. The meditations will be led by Mother Miriam,
CSM, Superior of the Eastern Province of The Community of St. Mary. On
Saturday, October 11th the Rt. Rev. Matthew A. Gunter, eighth Bishop
of Fond du Lac, will celebrate at the Procession and Solemn Pontifical Mass at
10:30am. Mother Miriam, CSM, will preach. Music will include the Gaudete Brass
again this year. As you are able, please donate so we can once again offer
beautiful music that has become so much a part of the pilgrimage and the
flowers that add so much to the beauty of holiness. Please make you check out
to Grace Church with Walsingham music or flowers or both in the memo. Reservations
are required for lunch at a cost of $15 per person and will be served at noon
on Saturday. Thank you.
§ Introduction to Essential Oils Class: October 14, 6:30 pm at Grace Church. Invite
your friends, and join us for an Intro to Essential Oils Class. You’ll learn
what essential oils are and some of the ways they can be used in your
life—health and wellness concerns, toxin free cleaning, first aid, emotional
needs, and pet care.
§ 12 Oils of Ancient Scripture Class: Would you like to know a little more about essential oils and their
history? Learn about the twelve most
significant oils of the Bible, their scripture references, and some of their
uses—both ancient and modern. You’ll be able to smell the oils of spikenard,
myrrh, myrtle, Rose of Sharon, and more. Bring a guest! October 28, 6:30 pm at
Grace Church, for more information please call Sandie Palmer at 920-980-1770 or
www.facebook.com/sandpiperartsoils.
§ St. Paul’s New Book Club: Will meet on the 2nd Thursday of each month beginning on October 9,2014 at
11am at St Paul's Episcopal Church in Plymouth. They will be reading, viewing,
and discussing books, movies, and documentaries that have a spiritual element
to them. The books, movies,
documentaries will not be heavy but encourage, challenge and motivate rewarding
discussions and impress us in some way. They
will also have quest speakers now and then. A list of suggestions for books and
movies will be presented; however, every participant is welcome to suggest their
own ideas. Everyone is welcome to join. You don't have to be a member to join
us, just a love of learning and child-like curiosity. Contact Pat at
920-400-0048
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