Grace
Episcopal Church
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
Grace
Notes
18 May 2017
Tomorrow and Saturday comprise feasts of two
important saints, Dunstan (d. 988) and Alcuin (d. 804). Both were important figures in the history of
the Church, and in particular in the Church of England, but their juxtaposition
on the calendar provides for an interesting contrast between lives of action
and learning.
Action and learning or not in conflict, and
may be combined in a single life, just as the active life and the contemplative
life (“Martha and Mary”) are not mutually exclusive. Despite the lack of conflict, we experience
that different gifts and emphases arise in our own lives. Dunstan was more of a doer; Alcuin more of a
thinker/teacher. Dunstan was the most
popular saint in England prior to the rise of the cult of Thomas à Becket. He was famously reputed to have nailed a
horseshoe upon one of the devil’s hooves, giving rise to the folk rhyme:
St Dunstan, as the
story goes,
Once pull'd the devil by the nose
With red-hot tongs, which made him roar,
That he was heard three miles or more (11-12th C.)
Once pull'd the devil by the nose
With red-hot tongs, which made him roar,
That he was heard three miles or more (11-12th C.)
Supposedly,
Dunstan only agreed to remove the horseshoe from the devil in return for his
promise to never enter a dwelling wherein was found the sign of the horseshoe—hence the origin of the
horseshoe as a token of “good luck”.
Alcuin’s life did not give rise to
legend. He wrote too much, and his
writings were better known than the man.
Alcuin was, in fact, instrumental in the revival of learning under
Charlemagne
Were we able to interrogate either man, it is
doubtful that either would characterize himself to not be a man of action or a
man of learning. Much more likely would
be their simple reflection that each sought to serve God in the ways that best
allowed the gifts they had each received from God to bear fruit.
In our own lives of faith we do well to
enquire about our own gifts, and to seek to offer these gifts. But we must not worry over the gifts we do
not have, or those that are secondary.
Dunstan has been called, in fact, a “contemplative in action”, and
Alcuin—while remembered as a teacher and theologian—was focused enough on his
administrative skills that he implemented Charlemagne’s school founding
program, and developed the curricula for these schools. One fruit of this work was the preservation
of much ancient learning and liturgy.
The Collect for Purity that we pray at the beginning of Holy Eucharist
is known to us because of Alcuin’s study.
Between this prayer, and Dunstan seizing the devil with tongs and
nailing a horseshoe to him, may we pray to offer learning and action together!
Grace
abounds: Please thank:
§ Kevan and Traci
Revis, Leslie Kohler and Mary Kohler for the Sunday coffee hours.
§ Andrea Beeck, Claudia
Fischer, Cathy Green and Pat Ford Smith for help in the office.
§ Ed Clabots, Julie
Davidson, Claudia Fischer and Pat Ford Smith for janitorial help.
§ Mary Massey and
Elizabeth Schaffenburg for pastoral care.
§ Mary Kohler for the
donation of an icon of the Holy Family (now hanging on the east wall in the
fellowship hall).
§ Ben Dobey for
gardening.
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.
Music this Week: The Sixth Sunday of Easter (rogation Sunday)
Prelude Andantino;
Elevation
Eugene Gigout
Entrance Hymn 405 “All things bright and beautiful” Royal Oak
Mass Setting William Mathias
Offertory Hymn 400 “All creatures of our God and King” Lasst
uns erfreuen
Communion Motet: If
ye love me Thomas Tallis
If ye love me, keep my commandments,
And I will pray the Father,
And he shall give you another
Comforter,
That he may bide with you forever,
Even the Spirit of Truth.
Communion Hymn 292 “O Jesus, crowned with all renown” Kingsfold
Closing Hymn 432 “O praise ye the Lord” Laudate Dominum
Postlude Offertoire
pour un Jour de Fête Gigout
Parish
Notices
§ Please keep both Ellen and Bill in
prayer: It is anticipated that Ellen
Aparicio will be at home for the balance of May. Weekly sign-up sheets
are being posted for volunteers to help in the office. There will be times
when there is no office coverage (e.g., when I am away at a
meeting). At these times the office door is locked.
§ Bill May
has been diagnosed with a compression fracture in a vertebra. This means
that he will likely be out for some time, and on restricted duties for a
separate or additional period. We have established a volunteer rota for
items such as: fellowship hall set-up and take down; restroom cleaning;
trash removal; floor cleaning; lawn care. Sign-up sheets are on the Narthex
table. Thank you.
§ Thy Kingdom Come –
Global Wave of Prayer: Bishop Matt invites
you to join the global wave of prayer 25th May - 4th June. Thy Kingdom Come is
a global prayer movement, which invites Christians around the world to pray
between Ascension and Pentecost for more people to come to know Jesus Christ.
What started out as an invitation from the Archbishops’ of Canterbury and York
in 2016 to the Church of England has grown into an international and ecumenical
call to prayer. More at www.thykingdomcome.global.
§ Father Phil Reifenberg farewell: Fr.
Phil’s last day at St. Dominic Parish will be June 10th. Mass will
be at 5:00pm with a farewell reception following at 2133 N 22nd St.
Sheboygan.
§ 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)
§ Eucharistic Festival:
Plan to attend the Annual Diocesan Eucharistic Festival at 11:00 a.m. on
Saturday, June 24th, at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Fond du Lac. The Homilist is the Rt. Rev. Dorsey F.
Henderson, retired Bishop of Upper South Carolina. He serves as Superior-General
of the the Confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament and as episcopal visitor
to a fledgling religious community centered in the Diocese of Atlanta. A picnic
lunch and a time of fellowship will follow the Eucharist. At 3:00pm there will
be afternoon prayer with Adoration and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.
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