Grace
Episcopal Church
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
Grace
Notes
26 October 2017
Fall colors have
been fleeting this year. The combination
of a dry Summer, late warmth, and then sudden change in the weather, with much
wind, has meant that as the leaves on the trees have at last assumed their full
brightness, they are leaving (no pun intended) quickly. Regardless, it is presently glorious, and a
time to remind ourselves of the glories of God’s creation.
In his poem, Pièd
Beauty, the English poet Gerard Manley Hopkins (1844—1889) wrote:
Glory be to God for dappled things –
For skies of couple-colour as a brinded cow;
For rose-moles all in stipple upon
trout that swim;
Fresh-firecoal chestnut-falls; finches’ wings;
Landscape plotted and pieced – fold, fallow, and
plough;
And áll trádes, their gear and tackle
and trim.
All things counter, original, spare, strange;
Whatever is fickle, freckled (who knows how?)
With swift, slow; sweet, sour;
adazzle, dim;
He fathers-forth whose beauty is past change:
Praise him.
We certainly
experience the dappled things that Hopkins writes of in the first stanza: leaves, clouds, landscape (certainly cows, in
these parts!) But we must not forget the
variety of which he writes that are “dappled” not in their appearance, but in
being “counter, original, spare, strange”, i.e. unconventional, “out on
the curve” of society. When we don’t
forget the wideness of God’s creation, then we can begin to experience those on
the margins in our society, in the Church, in our lives, as those in whom God
delights as much as He delights in all of His creation, all of His creatures.
Our experience of
what is counter, original, spare, strange can certainly stretch us. In contemplating the bright colors of the
Fall landscape on a cool and damp day we may be challenged in how far we can
walk. We may be challenged in how far we
can walk alongside those outside of the margins to which we are
accustomed. And yet the pied beauty of
creation is all of things which God “fathers-forth whose beauty is past
change”. God’s beauty does not
change. We get little glimpses of this
beauty in this life, in the experience of a glorious Fall day, and in the
experience of a fellow son or daughter of God in whom we are to experience the
image and likeness of God; to seek and serve Christ.
May our experiences
of beauty in this world—however fleeting they may be—ever be knit together in
in the oneness of creation realized when God is praised.
Guest
Column
(Adwoa Lewis-Wilson): We human beings
are so fragile. Though created in the
image of God, we feel our vulnerability keenly.
The vulnerability sways our choices; we need anchors to soothe that
pain. We feel the desire that knits us
to the Relationship for which we are created; we seek affection to soothe our
loneliness. All this is natural to our
state and of no moral freight on its own.
Yet it is also the source of much that gets
us in trouble. We seek after idols –
money, sex, knowledge, busyness, distractions, success and worldly
outcomes. Our fearfulness makes us
usurious, or perhaps just stingy, or perhaps just blind to the needs and
fragility out of which others act. Our
pride makes us inclined to forget the value in others, to speak of them as
objects, or as though our works were their Savior and our perceptions their Judge.
In Chapter 19 of Leviticus, we read a collection
of commandments designed to help us cultivate holiness. Of course, any one of us who is honest knows
that it is beyond our strength and effort to obey fully. As we have in the prayer book, O God, because without you we are not able
to please you...
And so, nearly as many times as Leviticus 19
gives us a commandment, it also gives us an anchor.
I am
the Lord
Except for the first two verses, God does not
say because I said so nor because this is what I, the Lord, am like. God simply says, like a lullaby, I am the Lord. God gives us a command... and He swaddles us
with the strength of His Name.
But in this Name, God says so much: I Am
here. I am All. I fill the hole and hunger you feel. I Am, the All-Sufficient One. Why hoard your gleaning when others are
hungry? I Am, your companionship and
love, why take the spouse of your neighbor?
I Am, the All-Powerful, receive my sabbath rest and trust in my
provision.
Think of the child going to bed in fear of
the boogey man or the youth trying to climb the high rope course. He is afraid and looks to his mother, “I
can’t do this.” She does not say, “You
better, because I would.” “You have to, in order to do me honor.” “I won’t
believe your love for me, son, if you aren’t brave.” She says with love, I am your mom, I am with you, I love you.
This is the strength that precedes and enables the work that
youngster has ahead of him.
I am
the Lord.
I am
the Lord.
I am
the Lord.
It is
my own Nature that will inspire, strengthen, and guide you. Let my Name be your
heartbeat; let it be your guiding song.
I am
the Lord.
Don’t forget
stewardship! Our stewardship ingathering, at which we will bless all gifts offered,
will be on Sunday, 12 November. Please
remain in prayer about how you are called to give to further the mission of the
Church!
Grace
abounds: Please thank:
§ The
Aparicio family for the Sunday coffee hour.
§ Justin
Panske for lawn care.
§ 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
Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 25A)
Organist: R. Benjamin Dobey
Prelude Chorale Prelude on Lord Jesus
Christ, thou living Bread Max Reger
Entrance 450
“All hail the power of Jesus’ Name!”
Coronation
Offertory 517
“How lovely is thy dwelling-place” Brother James’ Air
Communion
Motet As
pants the hart Early American Folk Hymn
Paraphrase by Tate & Brady (1696) of
Psalm 42
Communion
336 “Come with us, O blessèd Jesus,” St. Christopher
Closing 551
“Rise up, ye saints of God!” Werde munter
Postlude Prelude & Ricercar in B flat Johann Krieger
Parish Notices
§ Fall
Cleanup: We
will gather this Saturday, October 28th. Start time is 8:30 a.m., and we
expect to finish early afternoon. Coffee and donuts will be provided and a
sandwich lunch around 11:45 a.m. Cleanup will take place inside and outside the
church - outside landscape, inside housekeeping, clean refrigerators,
touch up painting, few minor repairs. If you plan to work with the indoor
crew, please bring cleaning materials. If you plan to work outdoors,
please bring extra tools (rake, pruner, etc.) A sign-up sheet is in the
Narthex. Let’s have fun together as we spruce up our beautiful physical plant
and build community together!
§ All Saints’ Day: All Saints’ Day is
Wednesday, November 1st. We will celebrate with a Solemn Mass at
6:00 p.m. followed by a pot-luck supper.
§ All Souls’ Day: All Soul’s Day is
Thursday, November 2nd. We will celebrate the Commemoration of the
Faithful Departed at the 9:00 a.m. mass.
§ Compline: Next Sunday, November
5th at 8:00pm, the Schola Cantorum will sing Compline, a beautiful
restful service full of candles and music.
§ Defibrillator Training: The training
is scheduled for Saturday, November 4th at 9:45 in St Nicholas Hall. It will take about an
hour. Grace Church has received a donated defibrillator. We have contacted Pat
Nicholaus, chief of the fire department EMS group to come and help us get
acquainted with the defibrillator, and answer questions we might have.
§ Judging
by the response at the late service on Sept 30th, very few of us know how to
use one. Who knows the day or the hour when we might need it? There are
directions on the equipment, but reading them in an emergency would take up
critical time.
§ While
this is mainly intended for the ushers and vestry, ALL interested people are
welcome and encouraged to attend. Please put this on your calendar!
§ Happening: The next Happening
will be held at All Saints Episcopal Church, Appleton, Wisconsin, November 10-12, 2017. Activities begin
with Check-in on Friday at 7:00 pm. Please eat dinner before you arrive.
Participants must attend the entire weekend. If you are unable to stay on site
for the entire weekend, then plan to attend the next Happening. Happening ends
on Sunday, following a celebration service that starts at 2:00 p.m. Family and
friends are encouraged to attend the service.
§ Happening
is a unique Christian experience for youth who are in grades 9 through 12 as
well as the adults who work with them. The weekend is a one-time experience of
God and the way God can be a part of our everyday lives. On the weekend there
will be singing, fellowship, surprises, prayer, fun and friendship. Individuals
are given the chance to discover more about themselves, God, Jesus, the Holy
Spirit, their families and their world. Led by young people and adults who have
attended Happening before, participants hear talks on many subjects and discuss
in small groups.
§ 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.
§ Horvats in Croatia: Aaron and Winnie, our
missionaries in Hrvatska, Croatia, have sent us their Summer newsletter. Copies
are available in the Narthex.
§ Love INC Monthly Bulletin is now available
online at:
§ Grace Notes is here: http://gracechurchgracenotes.blogspot.com/. You can sign
up to receive the blog every Thursday
§ Like
Grace Church on Facebook:
@gracesheboygan
§ We
Are on Itunes! Check out the
new podcast!!!
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