Grace
Episcopal Church
Sheboygan,
Wisconsin
Grace
Notes
20 August 2015
Seventy-five
years ago today Winston Churchill gave a speech in the British Parliament. It was the fourth of his famous wartime
speeches, and was given one week after the German air force had begun its
series of “Eagle Attacks” in what became known as The Battle of Britain. The survival of Britain was at stake when
Churchill spoke, and in speaking he magnified the role of the fighter pilots in
the Royal Air Force (RAF), saying “Never in the field of human conflict was so
much owed by so many to so few.” The
speech became know as the “never was so much owed by so many to so few” speech,
and Fighter Command of RAF became known as “the few”.
This was all
very dramatic, and Churchill certainly had a gift for drama, but seventy-five
years ago the drama was very real. The
drama was much more real two thousand fifteen years ago. The drama was, literally, cosmic, and remains
so. For
God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him
should not perish but have eternal life (John
3.16). One of the reasons John 3.16 is
the best known verse in all of the Bible is that it embodies the most dramatic
reality of all time and creation. The
verse reveals God’s love and His will.
We all know that
in drama depicted in media such as film or TV the tension and our interest is
highest when the hero is in danger of destruction. Churchill certainly understood that by
focusing on the heroes of Fighter Command he could mobilize his people to work
and fight all the harder to ensure victory, and he knew, as well, that he had
to focus his people on victory, for there were more than a few (including
members of his own government) who were ready to cut a deal with Nazis. They were ready to accept the terms that
Hitler had already offered—to stop the war and give Germany a free hand in
Europe, in exchange for Germany agreeing to not further interfere with the
British Empire.
Where would we
be seventy-five years later if the British government had agreed to Hitler’s
terms? It would make for an interesting
drama to consider a counterfactual history based on this possibility. (This has been done in fiction, such as in
Robert Harris’ Fatherland or Len Deighton’s SS-GB.) But far more importantly and
dramatically, where would we be if Jesus had looked into the “cup” of His
Passion in Gethsemane (Lk. 22.42), and rather than saying that the Father’s
will must control had sought a “way out”?
We would be lost! How’s that for
drama?
The British
people in 1940 desperately needed “the few”.
We desperately need the Savior.
Let the cosmic drama of salvation keep us focused not only on all that
God calls us to but, as well, on the very real danger of ignoring His call.
Grace
abounds: Please thank:
§
Bob
and Barb MacEwen for the Sunday coffee hour.
§
Jack
Britton and Jennifer Pawlus for the Society of Mary ice cream social which
followed the feast of the Assumption celebration this past Monday.
§
Andrea
Beeck for cleaning and reorganizing the children’s library.
Music
this Week: The Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost, Proper
16B
Prelude Chorale Partita on Blessed Jesus, we are here
Johann Gottfried Walther
Entrance Hymn 388 “O worship the King” Hanover
Offertory Hymn 460 “Alleluia, sing to Jesus” Hyfrydol
Communion Hymn 691 “My faith looks up to thee” Olivet
Closing Hymn 561 “Stand up, stand up for Jesus” Morning Light
Postlude Prelude
and Fugue in A Major Walther
Call for
Contributions: If you
have a spiritual reflection to share, or want to point your fellow worshipers toward
a resource, submit your contributions to Fr. Karl (by email) by Wednesday in
the week of publication.
Parish
Notices
§ Volunteers Needed for Ecumenical
Thanksgiving Dinner: Grace
Church is hosting the dinner this year and an informational meeting will be
held on August 26 at 6PM. Volunteers are
needed for cooking, serving and clean-up.
§ Blessing
of the Backpacks! We
will be blessing all the backpacks and school children as well as all the
teachers, on August 30th at both 8:00 and 10:15 services. We will
invite everyone, young and old, who are starting school to come forward with
their backpacks for a blessing. We will also ask all the teachers to come
forward to be blessed in their important work as well.
§ Fundraising
for All Saint's Chapel: We are in the
process of replacing the roof for All Saint's Chapel. In recent years its age
has started to show where shingles are missing and some leakage is occurring.
Our hope is that funding will be available from a private foundation but
nothing is guaranteed especially if the funding will be available this year.
Would you be interested in contributing towards this project? We are looking to
start work on this project before winter before more damage occurs. If funding
does come from the foundation your donations will be dedicated to other
maintenance items at the chapel and St. Hubertus Hall. Feel free to make
donations in the offering plate, noting “Roof” in the memo, or contact our main
office at office@gracesheboygan.com. Thank you so much
for your generosity.
§ Eucharistic
Festival:
August 29, 11AM-2PM at Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Fond du Lac, WI. A
traditional celebration of the Sacrament, with an outdoor procession &
adoration. Homilist is Archdeacon Michele Whitford. Picnic meal follows. All
are welcome to this diocesan family celebration. Sign up online to help or sing
in the choir. Visit diofdl.org for more info.
§ Commemoration
of Blessed Charles Chapman Grafton: August 29, 2:00-6:30PM at Episcopal Cathedral
Church of St. Paul in Fond du Lac, WI. An event honoring a former bishop of our
diocese. Includes presentation by Nashotah House Dean Steven A. Peay at 2:30PM,
Evening Prayer at 3:45PM, Holy Eucharist at 4:15PM, and Garden Party. Visit
diofdl.org for more info.
§ Mass
in the Grass:
Please join us Sunday, September 13, 2015 for an outdoor Mass and All Church
Picnic at Deland Community Center, 901 Broughton Dr., Sheboygan, the Mass will
begin at 10:15 a.m. with lunch following. There will be games and activities
for our children’s enjoyment. Inviting guests is encouraged. There will be ONE
MASS only that day. We will be asking for donations of cookies/bars,
potato chips, water and monetary donations to defray the cost. Please sign up
on the sheet on the Narthex table.
§ Sunday
School Begins:
We are getting excited about Sunday School! The teachers are making plans for
another wonderful year of learning about the love of Jesus Christ! Sunday
School will begin on September 20th at 9:00am. Please watch for
more information.
§ Pastoral
Letter on Same Sex Unions: Bishop Matthew Gunter has issued a pastoral
letter, dated 6 August 2015, announcing diocesan policy on the blessing of
lifelong unions between same sex couples. Copies of this letter are
available in the parish (narthex table and office).
The policy provides
that unions may be blessed only in those congregations where the priest and 2/3
of the Vestry agree that such unions may be blessed. The policy also
provides: (a) congregations must engage in an open forum discussion of
matters relating to the blessing of same sex unions, using the *Study Guides
for Congregational Use* (see below); and (b) if a priest/congregation decide
that blessings will not take place in a given congregation, those members
seeking blessing will be directed to another congregation in the diocese for
pastoral ministration.
A parish forum will
be held on Thursday, 8 October, from 6:30 to 8 p.m., in St. Nicholas
Hall. This forum will be facilitated by the Senior Warden, Paul Aparicio.
Fr. Schaffenburg
has communicated to the Vestry that he will not participate in the blessing of
same sex unions.
§ *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.
§ Like
Grace
Church on Facebook
§ Follow
Grace
Church on Twitter: @GEC_Sheboygan
§ We
Are on Itunes! Check
out the new podcast!!!
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