Three Verses

Grace Episcopal Church

Sheboygan, Wisconsin

Grace Notes

4 December 2014

Here is an interesting exercise.  Without spending more than two minutes, pick three verses of Scripture you would cite to a friend to summarize your understanding of faith.  To do this you must have some familiarity with the Bible, but think about those verses that have spoken to you in worship or in your own reading and prayer.  Pick three and write them down.  Then think about why you remember them, about how they speak to you.  Then think about how in sharing these verses with another person you would be making a statement about God and about your own understanding of the faith.  Two clergy in the parish tried this without forewarning and came up with the following:

1. Genesis 1.1:  In the beginning God created ...
2. Ecclesiastes 12.13:  The end of the matter; all has been heard.  Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.
3. John 3.16:  For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

AND/OR

4. Psalm 103.12:  As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our sins from us.
5. John 1.14:  And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us ...
6. Romans 8.1:  There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Without too much speculation and sifting, you can probably form an opinion about which clergy picked nos. 1 to 3, and who picked 4 to 5.  We are shaped in interaction with our understanding of the faith, our experience of God, our theology.  We express our individual identities in Christ in how we seek to understand and express to another what the faith is.  This does not mean that the understanding of God and His will for us expressed in nos. 1 to 3 is “better” than that expressed in 4 to 5, or vice versa.  It means that God interacts with each one of us as He has formed us, as we are each an individual, and it means that each one of us has a unique perspective to offer to the worshipping community.

Too much of the history of Christianity involves people arguing on an either/or basis, when our experience of God’s love is not either/or but yes/and.  A notorious example involves how Christians have argued over what St. Paul means by “the righteousness of God” in Romans 1.17.  When Paul speaks of the righteousness of God, is he describing an attribute of God, i.e.,  righteousness that belongs to God?  Or is he describing a status imparted to the believer, i.e., righteousness that God gives?  Or is he describing action, i.e., righteousness that God exercises in bringing salvation and rectifying wrong?  Major theological arguments turn on how the genitive case is interpreted, and denominations have split over this issue.  But a close reading of all of Romans (and not just one verse) makes it clear that the answer is “all of the above”!

A close study of God’s Word, a life which is immersed in His Word, allows us as a community to live into the blessing of “all of the above” in our experience and understanding of the faith.  Offer your own theology as expressed in the three verses exercise described above.  Let’s build our common understanding together.

Grace abounds:  Please thank:

§  Jane Hanson, Scott Fabiano and Bryan Stenz for the Sunday coffee hours. 

§  Members of ther Altar Guild for the extra work attendant on the beginning of Advent.

§  The youth group, including Jessica Ambelang, Nick and Jennie Whitford, Pat Ford Smith, Scott Fabiano, Bryan Stenz for their work in selling savouries at the city holiday parade.  Over $126 was raised for Episcopcal Relief and Development funding.

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.

Puzzle Pieces  While reading the book, "Crash Course, The Life Lessons My Students Taught Me", by Kim Bearden,  I came across the following passage and thought this is something we can all read and reflect on about who we are and where we fit in this life. Good symbolism that we can all understand and easily remember.  I quote: 

This all came to light for me one night when my daughter Madison and I put together a jigsaw puzzle.  As we laid each piece out on the table, I thought about how every piece was jagged, misshaped, and even ugly when studied in isolation.  However, as the picture began to take shape, I thought about how every piece had its own purpose and place.  When each piece was placed where it belonged, it became a beautiful, integral part of a big picture, and its flaws were much less visible.

We are like those puzzle pieces; each of us is uniquely created to be part of a bigger picture where we can bring beauty to the world around us.  None of us is perfect, but when we find where we fit, our sense of purpose begins to take shape.  Often the biggest problem is that we are trying to fit into the wrong place or to connect to another piece that isn't meant for us.  Some of us don't even get started making the puzzle-we are still rattling around in our boxes, afraid to see the wonder that we can help create.  We must seek to nurture our gifts and use them to their fullest.  There is no one on the planet exactly like you.  Each of us is a one-of-a-kind limited edition.

[Submitted by Ed Clabots]

Ministry Opportunities:  At a recent parish forum questions were raised about how people are asked to serve in specific ministries.  The long and short answer is that people are not asked; rather, they ask to serve.  A complete list of parish ministries is found on the parish website, www.gracesheboygan.com.  Ministry opportunities are listed under the following headings (found in the pull-down menu in the top banner):

• Worship:  Ministry Opportunities  Descriptions include those of lector, acolyte, altar guild, greeter, lay eucharistic minister, usher, verger.
• Outreach:  Separate headings are found for Our Community, Our Nation, and Our World.  Under each heading ministries are described, such as work with The Salvation Army.  Contact information is provided, or, if it is left undefined you can always contact the parish office.
• Grace Ministries and Spiritual Gifts:  A lengthy menu allows you to explore an inventory and description of spiritual gifts and how these gifts relate to ministries of the parish.

Don’t forget the choir!  Singers are needed.  You can contact Dr. Benjamin Dobey for more details about the music ministries of the parish.

What’s not on the list?  What is not on the list is what Our Lord is calling you to offer as a ministry.  If you believe you are called to a ministry not listed, please come forward so that we can recruit others to serve with you.

Faith and Paradox:  There is a new book out about faith, in which the author attempts to characterize the debates between believers as the so-called New Atheists as often focusing on the wrong questions and the wrong outcomes.  David Skeel argues for how God reveals Himself in the paradoxes of human experience.  An informative review is found in The Wall Street Journal here:  http://online.wsj.com/articles/book-review-true-paradox-by-david-skeel-1416607499?KEYWORDS=Skeel

Music this week:  The Second Sunday of Advent

Solemn Mass, 10:15 a.m.

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                  O Lord, how shall I meet you                                      Crueger          

Communion 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, 4 p.m.

Prelude                           Now be thou welcome, Jesus, dear Savior                           Peeters

Introit                             I look from afar                                                                    Palestrina

Entrance Hymn             “O come, O come, Emmanuel” verses 1-4

Genesis 3:8-15, 22-14

Choir                              O Sapientia                                                                          Plainsong

                                       Adam lay ybounden                                                             Ord

Hymn                           “Creator of the stars of night”

Isaiah 40:1-11

Choir                           Behold, a Star from Jacob shining                                          Mendelssohn

Hymn 75                     “There’s a voice in the wilderness crying”

Jeremiah 31:31-34      

Choir                             E’en so, Lord Jesus, quickly come                                        Manz

Hymn 67                    “Comfort, comfort ye my people”

Isaiah11:1-9

Choir                              Isaiah the Prophet                                                              Early American

Hymn 73                      “The King shall come when morning dawns”

Zechariah 9:9-10

Choir                              O Oriens                                                                              Dobey

Hymn 444                     “Blessed be the God of Israel”

1 Thessalonians 5:5-11

Choir                              Come, thou Redeemer of the earth                                       arr. Willcocks

Hymn 61                       “Sleepers, wake”

Luke 1:26-38

Choir                              Ave Maria                                                                            Arcadelt

Hymn 265                     “The angel Gabriel from heaven came”

Matthew 1:18-23

Choir                              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                         Rhapsody on ‘Helmsley’                                                      Webber

Parish Notices

§  Advent Lessons and Carols: On Sunday, 7 December, a festival of Advent Lessons and Carols will be offered at Grace Episcopal 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.

§  Emmaus Meal: December 6^th from 10:30am-1:00pm at the Salvation Army, the Tripartite Covenant Parishes are providing the Emmaus Meal at Salvation Army. We are in need of ONE more pan of bars to be served that day. Please call the office if you can help. Thank you for your service.

§  Youth and Children’s Choir: Youth and Children’s choir rehearsals for the Christmas Eve service are at 5:30-6:00pm beginning Wednesday December 3^rd, downstairs in the choir room. Additional rehearsals will be on December 10^th and 17^th these will be just before the Pageant rehearsals.  The final rehearsal will be Sunday, December 21^st at 9:00am. The choir is open to 2^nd graders through high school, and will sing for the 4pm service on Christmas Eve.

§  Christmas Pageant Rehearsals: will be on Wednesday December 3^rd, December 10^th and 17^th 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.

§  Meals On Wheels Christmas Cookies: “Every Christmas season Meals On Wheels delivers a box of homemade cookies to those receiving meals. (For some this is the only gift they will receive.) We have the boxes and the tissue paper, now all we need are the cookies! If you would like to donate some of your home baked goodies the Sheboygan donation drop off site is at Meals on Wheels, 1004 S. Taylor Dr. (across from Aldi’s), December 15^th from 9:00am-3:00pm and December 16^th 9:00am-Noon. If you have questions please call or email Maureen at Meals On Wheels at 451-7011 (ext. 102) or client1@shebmow.org. Your response in the past has been overwhelming and we cannot thank you enough for your continued support.

§  Christmas Joy: is scheduled to meet on Monday, December 22 at 11:00am 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 and fun ministry to our shut-ins. They will appreciate it. If you have questions please call Barb MacEwen at 467-6909.