Grace
Episcopal Church
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
Grace
Notes
27 April 2017
In an old joke the following questions and
answers are posed and given: (1) What do
you call a person who speaks three languages?
Trilingual. (2) What do you call a person who speaks two
languages? Bilingual. (3) What do you
call a person who speaks one language?
An American. (This joke is usually told by
Europeans!) The reality is, however,
that most of us speak more than one language even when we do not realize
this. For example, if at announcement
time in Sunday worship you are told that there is a sign-up sheet in the
“narthex,” what do you do if you don’t know what a narthex is?
The example given is fairly harmless, but it
is common (perhaps more so in The Episcopal Church than in some others) that we
use “church language”, jargon. There’s
nothing wrong with this provided we
don’t slip into jargon to remain at some unconscious level “in the know” or an
“insider”. The Church is to incarnate
Jesus Christ, and His arms reach outward.
In sharing our faith we can also fall into
the trap of using theological language (e.g.,
salvation, anointed, …) that those who do not have faith do not
understand. We need to be very conscious
of the reality that we are surrounded by people who do not speak “Church”. If we are to live into our faith in ways that
bring the faith to others, we have to be conscious of what they speak. For example, we need to understand what it is
that people are attempting to express when they speak of “seeking”, of “being
spiritual”, of whatever, before we just start spouting our own language. This means we must listen before proclaiming,
walk alongside before redirecting, show caring in ways that first focus on the
person cared for and not upon the faith that compels this care.
Listening does not involve us changing the
message. It involves understanding
better how the message can best be communicated. And, about all those technical terms? Explore our glossary at:
Grace
abounds: Please thank:
§ Bob and Barb MacEwen,
and Gary and Elaine Dinstuhl for the Sunday coffee hours.
§ Cathy Green, Dale
Massey and Bobbie May for help in the office.
§ Julie Davidson,
Elaine Dinstuhl, Jennifer Pawlus and Elizabeth Schaffenburg for pastoral care
provided to sick or shut-in parishioners.
§ All who worked to
prepare and offer the Easter gala reception:
Julie Davidson, Elaine and Gary Dinstuhl, Anne and Bob Hanlon, Art Imig,
Bernie Markevitch, Bobbie May, Jennifer Pawlus, Elizabeth Schaffenburg, Polly Schmeiser,
Mary Snyder.
§ All who worked in the
parish cleanup: Randie Barrows, Nicci
Beeck, Sutton Cecil, Julie Davidson, John David, Gary Dinstuhl, Anne Hanlon,
Dale Massey, Ty Massey, Bobbie May, Jennifer Pawlus, Elizabeth Schaffenburg.
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 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.
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.
Registration deadline in Monday, 1 May.
Music this Week: The Third Sunday of Easter
Prelude Chorale on Haec dies (This is the day the Lord hath
made)
Charles-Marie Widor
Opening Hymn 199 “Come,
ye faithful, raise the strain” St.
Kevin
Offertory Hymn 305 “Come, risen Lord, and deign to be our guest” Rosedale
Communion Motet Most Glorious Lord of Life William H. Harris
Comm. Hymn 343 “Shepherd of souls, refresh and bless” St.
Agnes
Closing Hymn 194 “Jesus lives! thy terrors now” St.
Albinus
Postlude Trumpet
Tune in B Flat David
N. Johnson
Parish
Notices
§ Adult Formation: Today 30 April our adult education hour will include a presentation by
Det. Tamara Remington, of the Sheboygan Police Department, about the dimensions
of the human trafficking problem in our city. Fr. Karl will also speak
about the outreach and ministry efforts of the parish in working with
trafficking victims, and in working with those at high risk for trafficking.
§ Bishop’s Visitation: May 7th we welcome Bishop Matthew Gunter for his annual
visitation. The Bishop will preach and celebrate at both 8 and 10:15 services.
We will celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation and First Communions at the
10:15 am service. Please join us for a gala reception to welcome Bishop Gunter
and honor those Received and Confirmed. Please sign up to bring sweets and
savories and to clean up. Thank you.
§ First Communion
Instruction: Pat Ford Smith will be providing Communion Lessons
during the month of April in preparation for the Bishop's visit on Sunday May
7th, 2017. Classes will be held 2-3:30 pm on the following Sundays: April
23rd and Sunday April 30th.
§ 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 are needed on the following photo days
to assist with smooth appointment flow:
o 2:00 – 9:00 p.m. Wednesday, May 10th, Thursday, May 11th,
and Friday May 12th,
o and
o 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.
§ Women’s Bible Study: on Monday, May 22nd, at 10:am at Grace Church we will begin Believing God: Experiencing a Fresh
Explosion of Faith –by Beth Moore. Please sign up on the sheet on the
narthex table so we know how many workbooks to order. Workbooks are $15.99. The
Bible study provides personal study five days a week plus viewer guides for the
group video sessions. This in-depth women’s Bible study is based on Isaiah
43:10 that explores what it means not only “to believe in God” but “to believe
Him.” Please call with any questions Mary Massey 920-208-9685 & Jane
Hanson.
§ 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! There are
application forms on the Narthex table.
Deadline for registration is May 22, 2017. If you have questions about
what camp is like please speak with Nick Whitford at the coffee hour following
this mass. Scholarships are available.
o Senior Camp (completed grades 9-12) June 11 (Sun 3pm) – June 17 (Sat 12noon)
o Middler Camp (completed grades 6-8) June 18 (Sun 3pm) – June 22 (Thu 12noon)
o Junior Camp (completed grades 2-5) June 18 (Sun 3pm) – June 22 (Thu 12noon)
o KinderCamp (parent & kids ages 4-7) June 22 (Thu 4pm) – June 24 (Sat 12noon)
§ Grace Notes is here: http://gracechurchgracenotes.blogspot.com/.
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