Grace
Episcopal Church
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
Grace
Notes
6 October 2016
Today is the feast of Bl. William Tyndale (d.
1536). Tyndale was a pioneer in the
translation of the Bible from the original Hebrew and Greek into English, and a
lot of what we know as the King James Bible can be traced back to his work. Tyndale was executed as an heretic, with his
dying words being “Lord, open the eyes of the king of England.”
Tyndale’s prayer that eyes might be opened
can be a prayer we apply to ourselves every time we engage—or intend to
engage—Scripture. In the women’s bible
study (currently focused in Esther) which takes place in the parish on Mondays,
the instruction format is intended to allow participants to experience the
Bible as a living word, and to relate this living presence to their own lives
today. This is another way of asking
that eyes might be opened. How do we
allow a living presence of God to speak to us through His holy word?
A common struggle is one about what the Bible
means. Formally, the issue presented is what is
called “hermeneutics”, the study of the principles of interpretation of the
text, and “exegesis”, the interpretation arrived at for a given text. Formally, as well, we can speak of principles
as they are applied in particular faith traditions, e.g., Catholic Hermeneutic or Orthodox Hermeneutic. Nuances and arguments abound, and most people
when they encounter this type of discussion or dispute over the Bible just
check out. They certainly do if they are
on the outside of the Church looking in.
We can’t just discard all principles of
interpretation, so how do we, in fact, “keep it simple,” make it user-friendly,
and foster both our own experience of God’s word and the engagement that those
who do not know His word might have?
I’ll propose a base line test (call this “Karlmenuetics” if you
like!): What the word means is what the word does. Let’s be careful. When I refer to the “word” I am talking about
all of Scripture, not just isolated verses.
And, let’s be careful in another way, too. What the word does will depend on how you
engage it. If you exposure to God’s word
in piecemeal or casual, if you avoid the many parts of the Bible that seem
obscure or difficult, you will not be one who allows his or her eyes to be
opened by all of what God has given us in the canon of Scripture. If you engage all of God’s word (perhaps in a
disciplined program like The Bible
Challenge) you can only do so with your eyes open to the reality that what
the word does will change you. You will
be changed because you will be engaging a living word, a living presence.
As we remember the witness of William
Tyndale, may we pray that our own eyes may be opened, that we may work to
foster the opening of all eyes.
Grace
abounds: Please thank:
§ Bob and Anne Hanlon,
and Mary Massey and Mary Ann Neuses for the Sunday coffee hours.
§ Bobbie May for
gardening.
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.
Energy
Conservation! Please treat Grace as
your home. If you turn something on,
turn it off! Don’t assume anyone else
will lock or turn off.
Don’t forget
“Something Extra for Grace”: Supplemental
giving envelopes can be found in pews.
If you want to give something extra, please use an envelope to ensure
that you are credited.
Special appeal: Later this Fall we will have a grounds
cleanup day that will include ground cover and shrubbery trimming. We are, however, overdue for major reshaping
of shrubbery, and the arbor vitae which flank the church entrance are
out-of-control. Quotations for shrub
reshaping and removal/replacement of the arbor vitae run into the thousands of
dollars. Major work will not be a 2016 initiative, but we are
appealing for your donations now, to build a fund for work in the Spring of
2017. Keep Grace beautiful! Give
“Something Extra”.
Update: The Processional Cross will be restored. This will begin next Monday, and while the
cross is out for repair (which will take some months) we are blessed with a
cross made by Scot Fabiano. If you wish
to help, please us a “Something Extra for Grace” envelope and mark
“Processional Cross” on the envelope or in a check memo. line.
Music
this Week: The
Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 23C)
Organist: Ben Dobey.
Entrance Hymn 390 Praise to the Lord, the Almighty Lobe den Herren
Offertory Hymn 493 O,
for a thousand tongues to sing Azmon
Communion Motet O For a Closer Walk William Cowper
Closing Hymn 544 Jesus shall reign where’er the sun Duke
Street
Parish
Notices
§
Adult
Christian Formation: Sunday, at 9:00 a.m. we continue with the third
session of a six-week course, The
Christian Worldview Through the Artists’ Eyes, taught by Christi Jentz, a
professional artist, illuminator and inconographer resident at St. Josaphat’s
Basilica in Milwaukee.
§
Catechumenate: The Catechumenate began last Tuesday
evening and will continue each Tuesday evening at 6:00 p.m. until 8:00
p.m. This is a nine-month course in the
basics of the Faith and its practice. It is a period of training and
instruction in Christian understandings about God, human relationships, and the
meaning of life. It includes the Sacrament of Baptism, if you are not already
baptized, and culminates in Confirmation, Reception, or Renewal of Baptismal
Vows. The class will continue until May when Bishop Matthew Gunter makes his
annual visitation. Please call the office 452-9659 or e -mail Deacon Michele at
mwhitford@gracesheboygan.com.
§
26th
Annual Coats for Kids: is a community service campaign that over that last
25 years the community has donated 20,000 coats to those in need. 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, Tuesday, September 6th – Wednesday,
October 19th, Monday–Friday 8:30am–4:00 pm. Distribution
Location: Salvation Army, 710 Pennsylvania Ave. Sheboygan, Friday, October
21st, from noon to 6:00 p.m.
§
Walsingham Pilgrimage Music and
Flowers: The
Walsingham Pilgrimage is next week. 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 your check out to Grace Church
with Walsingham music or flowers or both in the memo. Reservations are required
for lunch at a cost of $20 per person and will be served at noon on Saturday.
Please make your reservations by using the sign-up sheet on the table in the
Narthex or by calling Grace office at 452-9659.
§
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 Accommodation: Seven young male choral scholars from
Nashotah House will need accommodation for the night of Friday, October 14th.
For those of you who have available accommodation in your homes please see the
sign-up sheet on the table in the Narthex.
§
Our Lady of Walsingham Pilgrimage
§ Friday, October 14, 2016
o
Quiet Day of Prayer and Meditation.
o 12:00pm
Service for Noonday and Meditation
o 3:00pm
Service of Prayer and Meditation
o 5:00pm
Holy Rosary
o 6:00pm
Solemn Evensong and Meditation
o
The Meditations will be led by The Rev. Dr. Thomas L. Holtzen
o
Professor
of Historical & Systematic Theology at Nashotah House
o Musical offering by the combined choirs
of Nashotah House Seminary and the parish.
§ Saturday, October 15, 2016
§ Pilgrimage
§
10:30 am Solemn Pontifical Mass with
procession of Our Lady
§
Celebrant is The Right Reverend Matthew A. Gunter,
§
Eighth Bishop of Fond du Lac.
§ The
preacher is The Rev. Dr. Thomas L. Holtzen
§ Professor of Historical & Systematic
Theology at Nashotah House
§
Choral
and organ music will include Dr. R. Benjamin Dobey Organist
and the Gaudete Brass Quintet of Chicago.
§
12:00 pm Harvest Lunch. The cost is
$20.00.
§
Please make reservations by October 7,
2016.
§
2:00pm Anointing with Walsingham water
and Healing Prayer,
§
musical offering, and Benediction of
the Blessed Sacrament.
§ To register and for more
information:
§
Like Grace Church on
Facebook
§ Follow Grace Church on Twitter: @GEC_Sheboygan
§ Follow Grace Church on Instagram: @GEC_Sheboygan
§ We Are on
Itunes! Check out the
new podcast!!!
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