Disturb us, Lord

Grace Episcopal Church

Sheboygan, Wisconsin

Grace Notes

1 March 2018

At our most recent Vestry meeting I used the following prayer, written by Sir Francis Drake in 1577.

Disturb us, Lord, when
We are too pleased with ourselves,
When our dreams have come true
Because we dreamed too little,
When we arrived safely
Because we sailed too close to the shore.

Disturb us, Lord,

when with the abundance of things we possess
We have lost our thirst
For the waters of life;
Having fallen in love with life,
We have ceased to dream of eternity
And in our efforts to build a new earth,
We have allowed our vision
Of the new Heaven to dim.

Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly,
To venture on wilder seas
Where storms will show Your mastery;
Where losing sight of land,
We shall find the stars.

We ask you to push back
The horizons of our hopes;
And to push back the future
In strength, courage, hope, and love.

This we ask in the name of our Captain,
Who is Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Drake was essentially a pirate (known to the Spanish, upon whom he preyed, as “El Draque”, with the alliteration to a dragon being intentional), but he was also the second person to circumnavigate the world, in a three year voyage beginning in 1577.

Why use this prayer?  It is because we can become too comfortable in who we are as a church, how we do things, what we consider to be “normal”.  Where God is going to call us is not a place we will have necessarily thought of.  And when God calls our first reaction may be that the “where” is strange, even threatening, in part because we have not thought of it.  It is at those times that we must remember that in being “disturbed” we may, in fact, be experiencing God’s presence and call in ways that will not fit neatly into our expectations.  May we add, therefore, to Drake’s prayer, our own:  that our hearts and minds may be so open to God, that being filled with the Holy Spirit we may ever discern God’s will—and do it!  Oh, and lest we forget, the motto of our diocese is Duc in Altum, "Put out into the Deep".

Grace abounds:  Please thank: 

§  Rachel Boland and Susan McIntosh for the Sunday coffee hour.

§  Jessica Ambelang for the Lenten supper, with set-up and cleanup by:  John and Tom Ambelang, Ed and Mary Clabots, Julie Davidson, Susan McIntosh, and Elizabeth Schaffenburg.

§  Bobbie May and Karl Schaffenburg for janitorial help.

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. 

Lenten Series:  In addition to the Lenten Meditations which will allow you to make your own pilgrimage through Lent with the insights of Scripture, prayer, and the devotional meditations offered by your fellow parishioners, please plan to gather on Friday evenings, 23 February—23 March.  We’ll begin with Stations of the Cross at 5:30, followed by a simple supper at 6 p.m.  (Please sign up if you can help with a supper.)  We’ll continue 6:30—7:30 with a program in which we’ll explore the ministries the parish shares in in the wider community, and how you can help.  Presentations will be made by:

§  This week:  Samaritan’s Hand. 

Come to pray!  Come enjoy fellowship!  Come to learn!

Music this Week:          The Third Sunday in Lent

                                      Music Director:  R. Benjamin Dobey

Prelude                          Meditation on ‘Let they Blood in mercy poured        

Leo Sowerby

Entrance Hymn 657         “Love divine, all loves excelling”                          Hyfrydol

Offertory Hymn 598        “Lord Christ, when first thou cam’st to earth”

    Mit Freuden zart            

Communion Motet           O for a closer walk with God        Charles Villiers Stanford

Communion Hymn 313    “Let the Blood in mercy poured”   Jesus, meine Zuversicht

Closing Hymn 637           “How firm a foundation”                                        Lyons

Postlude                         Toccata & Fugue in E Minor                        George Muffat

         

Parish Notices:

§  Stations of the Cross, Simple Supper and Presentation: Beginning on the second Friday in Lent (23 February) we will meet each Friday at 5:30 p.m. for Stations of the Cross, followed by a simple supper and Christian formation. Our program this year will feature the following presenters from community organizations that Grace Church supports:

·         23 February, Good News Jail Ministry

·         2 March, Samaritan’s Hand

·         9 March, Freedom Cry

·         16 March, Sheboygan County Interfaith Organization (SCIO)

·         23 March, Love INC.

Please sign up on the sheets in the Narthex so we can share the number of attendees with the presenters and know 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, please sign-up on sheets in the Narthex. Thank you for your willingness to serve in this ministry!

§  Adult Formation-Parallel Passions: Have you ever wondered how Jesus must have felt as he stood in front of Pontius Pilate? What was it like for him as he carried his cross through the streets of Jerusalem to the place of execution? Did he know it was going to end like this?  How does this speak to us as we carry our crosses through the trials of life? We will walk with Jesus’ in his final days through his arrest and execution as seen through the eyes of the evangelists, Mark and John. Please join Facilitator Jerry Molitor on 11 and 18 March at 9:00 a.m. in St. Nicholas Hall to seek how Mark and John’s accounts of Jesus’ passion can inspire us to live in the hope of the Resurrection on Easter Sunday. All are welcome! Bring a friend!

§  Adult Formation-Sacramental Life (Holy Eucharist): Please join Leslie Kohler on April 22, 29, May 6, 13, 20 as she finishes guiding us through the sacrament of Holy Eucharist using the book Sacramental Life by David DeSilva. This book explores spiritual formation through the Book of Common Prayer. “Those that have participated before know that this is a fairly freeform guided discussion. I am as interested in learning from you, as I am teaching you.” -Leslie

§  Scout Appreciation "Pancake Breakfast": Sunday, 11 March. Please mark your calendars to stay a few minutes, after each service, to savor a down home Pancake Breakfast. Scouts will supply all the know-how for the event. As an added bonus, Maple Syrup will be supplied by the Drewry Farms of Plymouth. This award-winning Maple Syrup is served at all the major restaurants in the area and beyond. The Scouts will also have available Maple Syrup gift assortments.

§  Bible Challenge: Videos for all 52 weeks of the year are now available on Grace Abounds. If you take this challenge, you will find that in one year you will read all of the Bible! This will require less than an hour of your time, six days a week.

A schedule of readings is provided on the parish website, along with weekly study summaries and a weekly video summary of the readings.

If you need a good study bible for the challenge, contact the parish office. When we immerse ourselves in Scripture, the mantle of the Lord does fall upon us. We are equipped to discern God’s will and to lead others to know and love and serve the Lord.     

§  Deacon School:  The diocesan Deacon School courses in Old Testament (taught by Fr. Glen Kanestrom of St. Paul’s, Marinette) and Church History (taught by Fr. Karl Schaffenburg of Grace, Sheboygan) have begun. Classes meet 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the second Saturday of each month, January – May, and September – December.

Auditors are welcome. If you wish to audit deacon school, contact Fr. Karl to receive details. 

Note:  Those in formation for the diaconate pay tuition.  Auditors are requested to contribute to the cost of the school, but if the offering of a donation would restrict your attendance be assured that a donation is voluntary.

§  Ushers Needed: Ushers are often the first people seen by newcomers, visitors, and even regular parishioners when coming to Grace Church. People enjoy being greeted by a smile; Ushers welcome parishioners and visitors, distribute bulletins, and ensure that the worship service runs smoothly.  They provide directions and answer questions for newcomers as needed, collect the congregation’s offering, and bear the alms to the altar. They also maintain an attendance record for parochial reports. Did you realize that Ushers do so many wonderful things? Become a part of this ministry today! Interested Parishioners can contact Nicci in the office: nbeeck@gracesheboygan.com.

§  Save the Date-Chrism Mass: Saturday, 24 March, 11:00 a.m. at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Fond du Lac. In the early church bishops baptized catechumens at the Easter Vigil with blessed oils. Over time this blessing was made earlier so oils could be used at the local level. This tradition includes blessing the oil of catechumens (adults preparing for baptism), oil of the sick (for anointing) and chrism (for baptism, confirmation, ordination of clergy, and consecration of altars). 

Parishioners interested in carpooling can contact Nicci in the office: nbeeck@gracesheboygan.com.

§  Spring Conference 2018: Faithful Innovation in a Disruptive Age, Saturday April 28, 9:00 am-3:00 pm, Liberty Hall in Kimberly.  https://www.diofdl.org/eventsblog/spring-conference-apr-28

Registration fee of $30 per person, includes breakfast, lunch speaker and supplies.  If you are interested in attending, but are challenged by the fee, contact the Parish office.

§  Lost and Found: If you have ever lost anything while at Grace Church, it may be in the office lost and found box.  Please email the office nbeeck@gracesheboygan.com to identify and claim.

§  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!!!

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/grace-church-sheboygan/id982836791