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Thursday, March 23, 2017

Foster Parenthood

Grace Episcopal Church
Sheboygan, Wisconsin

Grace Notes
23 March 2017

This past Monday we celebrated the feast of St. Joseph, earthly father of Our Lord.  In the Roman Catholic Church, Joseph is venerated as patron saint of the Church.  In this, I believe the Catholics to be very wise, for Joseph provides an apt illustration of ministry and of leadership in ministry.
Joseph is Jesus’ foster father.  He knows that God is in charge, and yet he must provide care, protection, instruction to his child.  He packs his family up and flees to Egypt.  He provides an earthly home for Jesus and Mary, and for Jesus’ siblings.  He participates in his son’s maturation (for how long we don’t really know).  In all of these ways in which Joseph is a father, he can work to protect, preserve, instruct, but he can never really effect the outcome.  The plan is God’s, and Joseph can but coöperate with God’s will. 
I write as clergy, but the model of faithfulness and leadership exemplified in Joseph is one that all leaders in the Church can look to.  We cannot “manage” the result we desire for any ministry.  The outcomes in ministry are determined by God’s will.  We can and must however, be faithful, and trust that when we are faithful God will use us as instruments of His will.  We can be faithful in recognizing and accepting that it is God who has placed us in a particular place, with particular people, in particular circumstances, for a particular time frame (like in Nazareth, Bethlehem, Egypt, and Nazareth), and our focus must be to provide care for the precious charge that God has entrusted us with.
It can be a true a joy for a parent to participate in how a child becomes an adult, in how he or she shows forth the realization of the God-given potential lying within, and the realization of the nurturing and education a parent has provided.  The biblical record strongly indicates, however, that Joseph never participated in this joy.  The last mention we have of him in connection with Jesus is when Jesus is twelve years old, a time when Joseph was probably almost sick with fear to find his missing son, only to find Him in the Temple, instructing the doctors of the law (Lk. 2.41—52).  He never got to see the boy as a man, and—while Mary kept “these things” (her especial connection as God-bearer with the Son) “in her heart” (Lk. 2.50)—Joseph could do no more than to continue to minister as a father, to protect, preserve and instruct.  He didn’t get to really see his ministry bear its ultimate fruit, and neither can we.  But, like Joseph, we can remain faithful, and we can put in the work of ministry, day-in and day-out.
As you are called to lead in ministry, do not expect to manage results.  Do expect the blessing of service.  Do expect the blessing of gathering with God’s Son.  Do expect that—like the child Jesus—what is entrusted to your care will increase in stature (Lk. 2.52), by God’s will.

Grace aboundsPlease thank: 
§  Wayne and Pat Sather, and Bob and Barb MacEwen for the Sunday coffee hours.
§  Dale Massey for help in the office.
Special “Thank You’ s” :  A supply of Thank You note cards can be found on the table at the back of church nave.  When someone in the parish does something special, take the time to write them a personal note.  Also, from time to time, think about who you might want to thank for ongoing service, and let them know you have noticed!

Call for ContributionsIf 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.

Taking God’s Mercy and Delight into the Neighborhood:  The Diocese has a new website (www.diofdl.org).  One link you can find is for the 13 May conference which will take place in Waupaca, at http://www.diofdl.org/sc.html .  Please check out the details and register.  We will plan to carpool.  With enough people we’ll take a van.  Limited scholarship funds are available for registration.
This is a conference focused on equipping you to reach out.  For details, please ask Fr. Karl.

Music this Week:          The Fourth Sunday in Lent
                                      Organist:  Ben Dobey

Prelude                         Three Elevations (from Heures Mystiques)   
                                                                                                      Léon Boëllman
Entrance Hymn  427     “When morning gilds the skies”                 Laudes Domini
Sequence Hymn 646     The King of love my shepherd is”          Dominis regit me
Offertory Hymn 690     “Guide me, O thou great Jehovah”                   Cwm Rhondda
Communion Motet        “My Spirit long for Thee”                     Trad. Irish melody,
                                                                                                    arr. Leopold Dix
Comm. Hymn: 470        “There’s a wideness in God’s mercy                    Beecher
Closing Hymn 411         “O bless the Lord, my soul!                                     St. Thomas
Postlude                      Prelude in G Major                                   Johann Kuhnau
                            
Parish Notices


§  Adult Education: On Sunday, March 26th at 9:00 a.m. we continue the course on Sacramental Identity – Holy Eucharist.  This course follows the scheme set forth in the 2008 book of David A. deSilva, Sacramental Life: Spiritual Formation Through The Book of Common Prayer, exploring how liturgies of The Book of Common Prayer give us a language and a context for encountering God. 
§  Sunday School Snacks: We are in need of some healthy snacks for our Sunday School classes. Each class has a moment of prayer followed by fellowship with snacks and a drink. The kids have fun serving each other as well. If you are able, we would appreciate donations of snacks and juice boxes to be placed on the desk of our craft supply room in the basement. We have some children who have gluten allergies so including a few options without gluten would also be appreciated. Thank you!
§  Stations of the Cross, Simple Suppers and Teaching:  We will meet each Friday at 5:15 pm for a Prelude of Lenten Organ Music and Stations of the Cross at 5:30 p.m., followed by a simple supper and Christian formation. Our formation program this year will be Bishop Matt’s Lenten series for parishes focusing on the Diocesan Vision for us to be communities of God’s mercy and light. This is not a study but rather a time of listening to God and one another; a time for storytelling and reflecting on our stories; a time of beginning or continuing discernment, both for ourselves and for our community of faith. Please sign up on the sheets in the Narthex so we will know how much food needs to be prepared.
§  Cooking on Friday Evenings in Lent: If you are interested in cooking and hosting a dinner on the Fridays during Lent, April 7th is still open - please sign-up on the sheet in the Narthex. Thank you for your willingness to serve in this manner.
§  Easter Flowers and Music: Please donate for Easter Flowers & Music. We enjoy the Beauty of Holiness in both the flowers that adorn the church and the special music which includes strings at the Solemn Mass on Easter morning. Please be as generous as you are able and call the office or fill out the slip found in this mass booklet to indicate your wish for memorials and/or thanksgivings. Deadline is April 10th at noon.
§  Easter Vigil Dinner: The first Mass of the Resurrection is on Saturday, April 15th, at 7:00 p.m. The Easter celebration then continues at Trattoria Stefano, 522 South 8th Street, at 9:30 p.m. The actual cost of the meal is a gift to the parish, so you not only get a delicious meal but you help the church by purchasing a ticket for the dinner. Tickets can be bought in the parish office or in the narthex after mass for $50 a person. Everyone is invited, but seats are limited. There are scholarships for anyone wishing to attend but are unable to donate.
§  Easter Gala Reception: We will continue our Easter celebration with a Gala Reception after the 10:15 a.m. Mass on Sunday, April 16th. Please sign up to bring sweets or savories and to help clean up afterwards. There is a sign-up sheet on the table in the Narthex.
§  Sew Caring: A new product drive from Love INC.  Gibbsville Reformed Church is collecting new bath towels to be cut and sewn as full length bibs for local nursing homes and care agencies. Standard sized bibs do not keep residents’ clothes clean as food will often fall into their laps. For more info. please see the notice board and large grey collection bin in the Narthex. This drive runs March 14 – April 14, 2017.
§  Volunteer needed to organize Annual Bake/Plant Sale: This annual event takes place, in conjunction with St. Luke United Methodist Church Rummage Sale, on Friday, April 28th (noon–3:00 p.m.) and Saturday, April 29th (9:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.) – the first weekend after Easter. As well as an organizer we need volunteers to bake brownies (Jessica Ambelang will provide pans, ingredients and instructions), and help set-up and take down. Anyone interested in organizing/helping in this event, please call the office at 920-452-9659 or call/text Jessica Ambelang on 920-918-5667.
§  Rummage Sale: In the past, a rummage sale has taken place in conjunction with the Annual Bake/Plant Sale. Anyone interested in organizing a rummage sale, please call the office at 920-452-9659 or call/text Jessica Ambelang on 920-918-5667.
§  Grace Church Photo Directory: Life Touch will be scheduling photographic sessions from May 10, 2017 through May 13, 2017. These photographs will be used in a new Grace Church photo directory. Volunteers will be needed on the following photo days to assist with smooth appointment flow:
2:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Wednesday, May 10th, Thursday, May 11th, and Friday May 12th, and 10:00 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 13th. Please call the office if you are available to volunteer at any time on these days.
§  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!
Scholarships are available.
§  Senior Camp (completed grades 9-12) June 11 (Sun 3pm) – June 17 (Sat 12noon)
§  Middler Camp (completed grades 6-8) June 18 (Sun 3pm) – June 22 (Thu 12noon)
§  Junior Camp (completed grades 2-5) June 18 (Sun 3pm) – June 22 (Thu 12noon)
§  KinderCamp (parent & kids ages 4-7) June 22 (Thu 4pm) – June 24 (Sat 12noon)
§  There are application forms on the Narthex table.
§  Something Extra for Grace: Envelopes are available in the pews if you are moved to give an extra gift, beyond your pledge or regular plate donation, toward the life of the church. Gifts are tax deductible if you write your name on the envelope.
§  Like Grace Episcopal Church on Facebook
§  Follow Grace Church on Twitter: @gracesheboygan
§  Follow Grace Church on Instagram: @gracesheboygan
§  We Are on Itunes! Check out the new podcast!!!


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