Grace
Episcopal Church
Sheboygan,
Wisconsin
Grace
Notes
2 July 2015
This weekend Americans will celebrate the
anniversary of the declaration of our independence. It is worthwhile, at this time of national remembrance and of rapid shifts in legal policy to revisit basic assumptions of
the declaration, to wit: that certain
named rights are given to us by our Creator; that governments exist to secure
rights, not to grant them; and that just governments derive their powers from
the consent of the governed. So what do
we do, as people of faith, when we live in an environment and polity in which
we do not have agreement on what we consent to, and on whether rights derive
from the Creator or are in themselves granted by the government?
As Christians our best guide in times of
disagreement must be Our Lord, and so when Jesus famously says “Render
therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that
are God’s” (Mtt. 22.21) we may apply this teaching as much to things like
consent and approval as to things like taxes.
We will not, as a parish or as a Church, or
as a society, agree on many matters. But
one of the ways in which we must render unto God the things that are God’s is
to give God the worship due His Name.
This means that as we have been made into one Body in Christ in our
baptism, we must honor that we are each members of the other even when we
disagree. The honor that those around us
will see us render unto God will include that we gather in communion with each
other when we cannot agree about many things.
The honor will include that we can talk about things over which we will
disagree (like the blessing of same sex unions), and yet remain in this talk as
those who are each a part of the other, those who can put aside disagreements
when it comes to praying together, worshiping together, participating in our
risen Lord’s Body and Blood together.
At Romans 5.6 St. Paul famously states that
Jesus died for the ungodly, i.e., God gave His Son for us while
we were His enemies, those who did not do His will. In other words, while we were in disagreement
with God over our own lives, God still gave His Son for us. As people redeemed by this greatest and
freest gift, we must focus not on what separates us from each other, but on
what binds us together in Christ.
We may agree with the Founders of this nation
that government derives its legitimacy from consent of the governed, but such
agreement relates to the power we have granted the government to govern, not to
how we are as created and redeemed by God.
Consent to, therefore—even active support of—any government policy is
something separate from the recognition of God’s will and of God’s love, and of
how this will and love are embodied in the mutuality of being in Christ in His
Church. Don’t expect to agree with many
around you, including those in the Church, but strive to love them, and strive
to build up the Body of Christ and the witness of this Body to the world in how
you live in love and communion even absent agreement, even absent consent.
Grace
abounds: Please thank:
§
Kevan
and Traci Revis, Steve and Polly Schmeiser, and Ed and Mary Clabots for the
Sunday coffee hours.
§
Bryan
Stenz for cleaning all of the parish carpeting!
§
Ben
Dobey for extensive garden maintenance.
Podcasts! Podcasts
are found on the website under “Media”.
You can also subscribe on ITunes or with RSS full feed at:
Music
this Week: The Sixth Sunday after Pentecost, 5 July,
Proper 9B
Prelude Two
Preludes on Early American Hymn Tunes
Dale Wood
Entrance Hymn 718 “God of our fathers” National Hymn
Offertory Hymn #359 “God of the prophets” Toulon
Comm. Hymn #321 “My
God, thy table now is spread” Rockingham
Closing Hymn 717 “My
country, ‘tis of thee” America
Postlude Trumpet Tune in F David
N. Johnson
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.
[A shared email]: Harvard Professor: 90 seconds you
won't regret seeing! Now here is something that absolutely everyone
should see—often!! This could be used in so many ways, in so many places
... it is stunningly simple, and so totally profound...! Note that at the
bottom of the clip it gives permission to use this clip provided it is not
altered. Harvard Professor: 90 seconds you won't regret seeing!
Parish
Notices
§ Community Thanksgiving Dinner: The community dinner is planning
to move forward in 2015 on a networked basis, using different churches to
provide different parts of the meal. For
example, Grace could decide to provide potatoes (prepared here and delivered to
the dinner site), but any such example can only happen if we have a team of
people interested in working in this kind of service ministry. Interested?
See Fr. Karl for details, and also see www.gobble-gobble.org
§ Study Guides for Congregational Use: Bishop Gunter has released two study guides for use by
congregations and individuals of the Diocese of Fond du Lac. The King
or a Fox: Configuring the Mosaic of Scripture is a 14-page document as
a guide to understanding and interpreting Scripture. It was used by clergy
during deanery clericus gatherings. In Dialogue With Each Other is
a Study Guide created to aid congregations in studying and discussing the topic
of same-sex unions. Clergy may want to encourage individuals to make use these
resources or use them as a basis for forums or other study series. Downloads
are available both as PDF and Word files. Visit diofdl.org.
§ Same Sex Unions: The study guides authored by Bp.
Gunter, referred to above, are for use in preparing to discuss evolving
diocesan policy in relation to the blessing of same sex unions. The parish will hold discussion forums on
this topic in the Fall.
§ It’s Coming! Save the date: Saturday, August 8,
2015, Brat Fry at Miesfeld’s!! (More news to follow, we need your help!) Brat fryers,
stand attendants, baked goods attendants, bakers!! Contact Bob MacEwen at
467-6909 to lend a hand now!
§ Follow Grace Church on Twitter: @GEC_Sheboygan
We Are on Itunes! Check out the new podcast!!!
§ We are in need of help for August 9th at Elkhart Lake Chapel. 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 call the
office at 452-9659. Thank you.
§ Love
INC’s very first “Product Drive”: Grace
Church is partnered with Love INC and Love INC is partnered up with Anti Sex
Trafficking Coalition and all Law Enforcement of Sheboygan County to
provide 20 “Restoration Bags” for survivors of Human Trafficking.
Here are the
details!
·
Love INC
will send an email with specific pictures of the products that
Grace Church has volunteered to provide. We have to be very sensitive to
triggers for the survivors so we have pulled the information from the FBI and
we would like to give you the specifics on the product style and color. When
the specifics are available that information will be distributed with pictures.
·
The drive
needs to be in July and all products need to be arranged for drop off by July
27th.
Events like the Super bowl and PGA are prime events
that girls and women are trafficked. Did you know that Sheboygan is 2nd
highest in the State for Sex Trafficking. Stay tuned for more ways the
Churches are looking at getting involved to bring awareness to our Community!
- What's it
Worth Antiques and Appraisal Event: Back
by popular demand Grace Church is hosting What's it Worth Antiques and
Appraisal Event on Thursday,
July 23, 4-7 PM.
Mark F. Moran, antique author and appraisal expert
featured on the popular PBS Series, Antiques Roadshow will return to
appraise your valued item as well as discuss his experience in buying and
selling antiques for more than 30 years. Pre- Registration is required and
is now open (at $15 per item) and can be made by calling Barb MacEwen at
920-912-4505. Spread the word among your friends, flyers available in the
narthex and in the Angelus. Spectators are also welcomed. It promises to
be a very entertaining time. This is one of our fundraisers for the
church. Want to work? Sign up sheet is in the narthex.
- Join us for the 2nd Annual Salvation
Ride, July 11, 2015. This is a charity
ride, not a race, benefiting The Salvation Army's-Sheboygan programs.
The ride offers five route options from 10, 25, 50, 62.5, and 100
miles. All routes head south from Blue Harbor area. All riders
receive a pair of Wigwam socks and lunch is provided by Pizza Ranch.
Please help us meet our goal of 300+ riders. It's a great way to
spend a Saturday. More information
is available at www.thesalvationride.org.
Registration Information: Individual $35.00, Family $25.00,
Corporate* $30.00 *Team's of 5 riders or more. Tee Shirts $15.00, Jersey's
$75.00. Thank you in advance for your help and if you have any questions,
please don't hesitate to contact me. Jeanne M. Jentsch, Development
Director.
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