Grace
Episcopal Church
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
Grace
Notes
8 December 2016
As I write this the news is full of
commemorations of the attack on Pearl Harbor, seventy-five years ago. I well remember being in Portsmouth, England
on 31 May 1991, 75th anniversary of the Battle of Jutland, and
witnessing the few living survivors (men in their 90’s, who had each served as
a junior rating or “ship’s boy” during the battle) struggle to maintain a
position of attention at the playing of The
Last Post (a British parallel to Taps)
and God Save the Queen. Those men, like the survivors of Pearl Harbor
who stand in commemoration of those who died, are linked intimately with
life-changing, world-shaking events that began a train of history that changed
everyday life.
And the rest of us so stand. We were not at Jutland, or Pearl Harbor. We may be, actually, veterans of war, or may
know someone who was at Pearl Harbor, or have met a veteran of another
battle. In knowing one with first-hand
experience we participate in his or her experience, which means that in knowing
those who know Jesus Christ we participate in each other’s experience of
God. We meet God anew in each worship,
but we also commemorate all that Jesus did when He walked on this earth in
first century Palestine.
In a fascinating, difficult, award-winning
work, Jesus and the Eyewitnesses: The
Gospels as Eyewitness Testimony (2006)the New Testament scholar, Richard
Bauckham reviews in forensic detail the evidence for a chain of testimony by
those who walked beside Jesus in His earthly ministry. What is of prime importance in how the
written gospels came together lies in how people shared their own
recollections, their own experiences.
Even though Jesus had been crucified decades before the first gospel was
written down, even though almost a century had passed by the time the last work
contained in the New Testament was written, even though almost three centuries
had passed before the Church had agreed what written works—based on personal
experiences and testimonies—actually comprise the New Testament, the witness
continued and continues. We stand in the
same chain of eyewitness testimony, of direct experience. In fact, at our Baptism we vow that we will
“continue in the apostles’ teaching,” in this living chain of both
commemoration and life which is continually new.
Every time you pause to remember and recall
an important event, remember both how you experienced it and shared this
experience, or how you came to participate in the experience of another because
he or she shared it with you. When we
“continue in the apostles’ teaching” our separate vow to “proclaim by word and example the Good
News of God in Christ” will be all the more alive.
Grace
abounds: Please thank:
§ Jessica Ambelang for
the Sunday coffee hours.
§ Ed & Mary
Clabots, Christie Ehler and Mary Tasche for service at the Emmaus Meal at The
Salvation Army.
§ All who provided
savories, set up and cleanup for the Advent Lessons & Carols festival
reception!
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.
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.
Music
this Week: The
Third Sunday of Advent
Organist: Ben Dobey
Choir
Direction: Sandie Palmer
Prelude Choral Preludes on Savior of the Nations, Come
Dietrich Buxtehude
& Helmut Walcha
Entrance
Hymn 59 “Wakened
by the solemn warning,”
Merton
Offertory
Hymn
444 “Blessed be the God of Israel” Thornbury
Communion
Motet Rejoice, O Jerusalem Healey Willan
Comm.
Hymn 615 “Thy Kingdom Come!” St.
Flavian
Closing
Hymn
65 “Prepare the way, O Zion” Bereden
vag for Herran
Postlude Prepare the way, O Zion Dale Wood
Parish Notices
§ The Art of Neighboring: On Sunday, December
11th at 9:00 a.m., we continue with the last session of a three-part course on
how we can better reach out into our immediate community by using simple skills
and methods of how to meet and engage our actual neighbors. This course will use
discussion materials from http://www.artofneighboring.com/ a ministry of Dave
Runyon and Jay Pathak, pastors in Colorado. Dave Runyon was the recent
headliner at the Fall event sponsored by Love INC, and those who attended came
away impressed enough to want to focus on practical follow-through.
§ Cookware Fundraiser: Featuring cookware and kitchen
essentials from Vollrath. These are heavy duty items made to excellent quality
standards. Grace Church will receive 20% of listed prices on all items ordered
by December 14th. Catalogues
and order sheets can be found in the Narthex.
§ Ordination of Michele
Whitford: God Willing and the People Consenting, Bishop
Matthew Gunter shall ordain Archdeacon Michele Whitford to the Sacred Order of
Priests in Christ’s One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church on Saturday,
December 17th at 10:00 a.m., St. Paul’s Cathedral in Fond du Lac.
Your prayers and presence are requested. A reception will follow.
§ Youth and Children’s Choir: Youth and
Children’s choir rehearsals for Christmas Eve service continue on Wednesday,
December 14th, in the choir room at 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. The final rehearsal
will be Wednesday, December 21st at 5:30 p.m. only. The choir is
open to 2nd graders through high school, and will sing for the 4pm
service on Christmas Eve. A sign-up sheet is in the Narthex.
§ Christmas Pageant Rehearsals: are
held during Sunday School classes at 9:00 a.m. Participation is open to youth
of all ages. The Pageant will take place during the 4:00pm Christmas Eve Mass.
§ Meals On Wheels Christmas
Cookies: Volunteers will deliver a box of homemade cookies
to their clients again this Christmas season. (As many of you know, for
some, this is the only gift they will receive). Boxes have already been donated, so now all they need are the
cookies! If you would like to donate cookies, please call
Maureen at Meals On Wheels at 451-7011. Drop off sites are in both Sheboygan
and Plymouth and cookies will be packaged on December 20th. Your
response in the past has been overwhelming and they cannot thank you enough for
your continued support.
§ Salvation Army Adopt
a Family Gift Drop-Off: Please return all gifts unwrapped, with value attached,
to Grace Church by Monday, December 19th. Distribution to families
is Thursday, December 22nd. Any questions, please call Nancy Yurk at
453-9948.
§ Christmas (Castle) Sort and Shop: On Monday, December
19th, 10:00 - 1:00 p.m., volunteers are needed to sort and organize
all toy donations. This will be at 710 Pennsylvania Ave, Sheboygan. And on
Wednesday, December 21st, 10:00 – 1:00 p.m., volunteers are needed
to shop for each member of the families using the lists provided by the
parents. Sign-up sheets can be found on the table in the Narthex. If you have
any questions, please contact Nancy Yurk at 453-9948.
§ Christmas Gifts Distribution Volunteers! On Thursday,
December 22nd, 8:30 – 11:30 a.m., at 710 Pennsylvania Ave, Sheboygan
you can assist local families pick gifts from the Toy Shop. This gives those in
need an opportunity to “shop” for Christmas gifts for their families. A Sign-up
sheet can be found on the table in the Narthex. If you have any questions,
please contact Nancy Yurk at 453-9948.
§ Christmas Joy: is scheduled to meet on Thursday, December 22 at 11:00 am in the church
kitchen. At that time, we will assemble winter greens and flowers and bag
cookies, and then make deliveries. A sign-up sheet is in the Narthex We need
helping hands. Can you bake, make a delivery and/or help arrange? Please join
us for this fulfilling and fun ministry to our home-bound and elderly. They
will appreciate it. Questions, please call Barb MacEwen at 920-912-4505.
§ Love Buckets: is a GAP Ministry of Love INC organized by our neighbors, St. Luke’s
Methodist Church. As other churches have donated to our own GAP Ministry –
Martha & Mary Cooking Guild – St. Luke’s is asking for donations to their
Love Buckets Ministry. A list of supplies needed is posted on the notice board,
and a large grey bin for donations can be found in the Narthex. This drive will
run until the end of January.
§ 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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