Grace Episcopal Church
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
Grace Notes
28 May 2015
In the
current “culture wars” a major focus relates to sexuality. Yesterday, in commenting on the Irish vote to
legalize same gender unions, the Secretary of State of the Vatican described
the vote as a “defeat for humanity”.
This viewpoint is obviously at odds with that held by many people,
including faithful members of the Church, who applaud what has happened. The issue relates to whether or not we assign
any moral dimension to our physicality, and the reality is that the Church does
not speak with one voice in this matter.
But, recognizing that we do not speak with one voice, how do we reach
people who look upon the culture wars and decide that their best option is to
opt out; people who won’t or can’t listen to what the Church says about anything
because they see only disagreements, and because they don’t speak the language
of faith.
We have
to first recognize that we are surrounded by people who long for something outside
of themselves. They long for something
that they may characterize as “spiritual” or as “being themselves”, but which
they can’t really name as the longing to be in union with the source and
summation of all that is good, and beautiful, and true, and love, and
being. They can’t name God, or when they
do they engage in what is at best caricature.
We are
not going to help them to come to know God by speaking only in a language which
is code to them!
Speaking of faith without a shared language serves only to reinforce
alienation. We must, rather, focus first
on building community. Let’s get to know
those in the world around us who do not know God. Let’s let them share in community with people
who are seen to be changed by our relationship with Jesus Christ. As we build community we build
understanding. As we build understanding
we build trust and mutual love. As we
build mutual love we grow together in the love found in Jesus Christ, that
together we may each become more Christ-like.
Talking
to anyone about moral dimensions in life, or about theological insights, gets
us nowhere. God wants to use us to reach
others. To do this we must be vulnerable
to them. They must see how faith makes a
difference in our own lives, first in how we are other-oriented. It’s only then that we can mutually describe
things like real intimacy (as opposed to physicality only), and it’s only then
that we can together experience the intimacy which in known in “the peace which
passeth understanding”.
If you
are speaking with someone who has never tasted pistachio ice cream, how can you
describe it? You won’t get very far
saying “It tastes like chicken”! But
that’s what a lot of what passes for outreach and evangelism in our world amounts
to—positions taken in culture wars, and described in language which doesn’t
make sense to a lot of listeners. So
they tune us out. But when we are
genuine in inviting them to be with us they might try “pistachio ice
cream”. They might learn about faith,
about the beauty of holiness, about the peace which passeth understanding. People do long for more; let’s invite them to
try it.
Grace abounds:
Please thank:
§
Kevan and Traci Revis, and Barb MacEwen for the
Sunday coffee hours.
§
Jack Britton and John Davis for help in the
floor refinishing project. Please thank
John, as well, for fixing the kitchen stove.
§
Ed and Mary Clabots for researching the
identities of U.S. armed forces veterans buried in the columbarium, and
commemorating their service with flags for Memorial Day.
Podcasts! Podcasts
are found on the website under “Media”.
You can also subscribe on ITunes or with RSS full feed at:
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.
Music this week: Trinity
Sunday
Prelude Kyrie, God the
Father in eternity J. S. Bach
Christ,
Redeemer of the World
Kyrie,
God the Holy Ghost
Entrance Hymn 362 “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God
Almighty” Nicaea
Mass Setting: Deutsche Messe Schubert, arr. Proulx
Offertory Hymn 370 “I bind unto myself today” St. Patrick’s Breastplate
Communion Motet From the Rising of the Sun Tomblings
Communion Hymn 365 “Come, thou Almighty King” Moscow
Closing Hymn 368 “Holy Father, great Creator” Regent
Square
Postlude Verses
on the Te Deum Guilmant
Parish Notices
§ Elkhart
Lake Chapel: The Chapel will have services every Sunday
through Labor Day weekend. We are in need of help for each Sunday. This would
include: picking up the box of bulletins at Grace Church, arriving a little
early to open the buildings, finding readers for the lessons and the prayers of
the people, lighting candles, greeting the visiting priest, various other
tasks, locking up at the end and returning the box to Grace Church. There are
instructions printed and several people who would be able to help if you have
questions. Please sign up for a Sunday or two by calling the office at 452-9659
with dates you are available. Thank you.
§ Adult
Formation: We begin a series on Prayer at Grace Church
at 9:00am in St. Nicholas Hall. We will discuss how Jesus prayed and how he
healed; what the Bible says about prayer; the history of prayer here at Grace
Church, including the Walsingham Pilgrimage and the healing ministry. This will
be led by Deacons Michele and Mike.
§ Altar
Guild: The Altar Guild is a very important ministry in
the life of the church. This is the team that gets the vestments and the holy
vessels ready for each service and then cleans up after each service. As the
deacon, I will tell you that this team of people enables the clergy and people
to worship in a seemingly effortless fashion. There are several members of the
Altar guild who are moving away. We are in great need of a few more
willing to take on a new ministry. This can be a weekday, or weekend, there
will be training and support in all areas. Please speak with Claudia Fischer or
Deacon Michele if you even think you may want to try it out.
§ Grohmann
Art Museum: There are a couple of parishioners who are
planning a trip to the Grohmann Art Museum at the Milwaukee School of
Engineering on Tuesday June 9, departing Sheboygan at 10 am. The Grohmann
Museum features more than 1,000 paintings and sculptures representing the
evolution of human work. It is 4 floors with a rooftop sculpture garden.
Afterwards they will be going out to lunch. The cost of admission
to the museum is $5, plus whatever one wants to spend on lunch. If you are
interested please sign up on the sheet on the Narthex table or call the office.
§ Save the
Date: Thursday, July 23, 2015, 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM,
St. Nicholas Hall: Back by popular
demand we will again host What’s it Worth
Antiques Appraisal Event Hosted by Mark F. Moran. (Contact Barb MacEwen to
find out how you can help!) [920-912-4505,
More news to follow next month.]
§ Summer
Camp: Diocese of Fond du Lac Summer Camp is for
kids age 4 through graduating 12th graders. Camp is an opportunity
for campers and staff to learn more about God, about community, about
themselves and have fun! If you have questions about what camp is like please
call Michele at the office. Scholarships
are available.
o
Senior
Camp (completed grades 9-12) June 14 (Sun 3pm) –
June 20 (Sat 12noon)
o
Middler
Camp (completed grades 6-8) June 21 (Sun 3pm) – June
25 (Thu 5pm)
o
Junior
Camp (completed grades 2-5) June 21 (Sun 3pm) – June
25 (Thu 5pm)
o
KinderCamp
(parent & kids ages 4-7) June 25 (Thu 2pm)
– June 27 (Sat 12noon) There are application forms on the Narthex table.
§ Follow
Grace Church on Twitter:
@GEC_Sheboygan
§
We Are on Itunes! Check out the new podcast!!!
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