Learning and Delighting

Grace Episcopal Church

Sheboygan, Wisconsin

Grace Notes

25 October 2018

“Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your father's pleasure to give you the Kingdom.”  Jesus tells us this in the Gospel of Luke.  It’s a precious promise. 

We can live in the Kingdom today, however imperfectly.  There is that idea that comes as somewhat of a shock; every morning I wake up in the King’s palace.  And I look around; it doesn't seem to be much of a palace.  I have to struggle to see my surroundings in that perspective.  But it’s true, if I can see through the eyes of Christ empowered by His Spirit.  And, of course, it will be true in its fullness in the resurrected life.  We hold on to that living hope in the resurrected One as Peter urges us.  It's in our relationship with Jesus, tenuous as it sometimes is, that we connect with this truth.

But there is fear.  Fear that is always lurking around the edges ready to take control of our being.  I was shocked a while back when I read that this world is a perfectly safe place.  My reaction was, as likely yours would be, a safe place? You've got to be kidding.  Tell that to survivors of the too common mass shootings.  Go try that out in the hospital oncology ward.  Or, go proclaim such in a Middle Eastern refugee camp. I don't think so. 

I think we need to spend more time with the One who said our Father is the one who has counted the hairs on our heads.  Is the Lord that bored?   No, He obviously knows us far better than we know ourselves.  So, when Jesus told his disciples that some of them would be put to death by their enemies but not to fear, not a hair on their heads would be lost, He didn't mean this literally. Rather they were to realize that nothing making them precious in His sight would be lost. 

However, we don't have to be executed by enemies to lose our lives.  Jesus promises us that those who lose their lives for His sake will save them.  We are to deny ourselves.  We will lose our selfishness and sin, but not the selves whom God had in mind when we were created.  In the Kingdom of God here, and more so in the future, we’ll approach our potential.  We will become those true, fully mature, Sons and Daughters of God. 

For example, think of the realm of music. Imagine the great composer, Handel, entering the Kingdom of God and being told he’s written his last note of music.  Really?  More likely he would be told:

Here’s five more talents; here are instruments you’ve never seen with sounds you’ve never heard; and here’s an orchestra whose talents have similarly been doubled, who likewise no longer suffers sin’s corruption, doesn’t miss a beat, makes its instruments sing; and soloists, whose voices effortlessly shatter glass.  Go, compose to the glory of God, then come back and lead us to heights of worship and awe we’ve never experienced before. 

To hear such a performance, much more play an instrument, brings us into one of heaven’s continuing and infinite joys.  Now granted, this is a figment of my imagination, but not beyond plausibility. 

That’s just a small part of the music world, much less innumerable other worlds: Mathematics, Architecture, Gardening, the Arts, and others yet undiscovered. Whether we lead or serve we’ll always be stretched; learning and delighting in new joy.   There in the Kingdom, we’ll fulfill the potential poured into us at our creation.  It’s likely that heaven’s perfection isn’t static, frozen.  But rather dynamic, active.  There’s today’s perfection and then a higher perfection tomorrow, if we can talk about days.  The goal posts, as is said, are always moving, but that can be a good thing. 

Thanks be to God.

Fr. John Ambelang

Grace abounds:  Please thank: 

§  Wayne and Pat Sather, and Dcn. Paul and Andrea Aparicio for the Sunday coffee hours.

§  Jack Britton for building maintenance.

§  For our lay delegates to diocesan convention:  Nicci Beeck, Katy Larson, Bobbie May, Elizabeth Schaffenburg, and Bryan Stenz.

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-third Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 25B)

                                      Dr. R. Benjamin Dobey, Music Director

Prelude                           Offertoire                                          Charles Tournemire

Entrance Hymn 655         “All my hope on God is founded”                         Michael

Offertory Hymn 523        “Glorious things of thee are spoken”               St. Thomas

Communion Motet           Eternal Light, shine in my heart               Samuel Scheidt

Communion Hymn 336    “Come with us, O blessèd Jesus”                Werde munter

Closing Hymn 493           “O for a thousand tongues to sing”                        Azmon

Postlude                         Toccata in C                              Johann Gottfired Walther

                                                              

Parish Notices:

§  Operation Christmas Child: Our Annual “Shoebox” Drive begins:

The leaves are beginning to change colors, temperatures are finally beginning to drop, and before we know it, we will be upon the Christmas season!  This year, the Sunday School classes will once again be filling shoeboxes for the annual Operation Christmas Child program powered by Samaritan’s Purse.  As you shop over the coming weeks, consider adding a few items to bring to church for our drive, including shoebox size plastic bins, stuffed animals, small toys, deflated soccer balls with air pumps, hair accessories, children’s outfits and socks, school supplies, craft and art supplies, and personal care items.  Just a note: we cannot include food including candy or gum, used items, war related items such as toy guns, liquids or lotions, or breakable items such as snow globes.  Please bring any items to the office.  Find additional ideas here: https://www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child/what-goes-in-my-shoebox-suggestions/

§  Blessed Trinity Parish Autumn Blessings Parish Fundraiser on Saturday, November 3: Mass at 4 PM, Autumn Blessings will start at 5 PM in the parish’s Church Hall (basement). Free Admission, Appetizers, Cash Bar, Musical Entertainment by “The Honeygoats”, Raffles, and Silent Auction all evening. For more information on the Autumn Blessings Parish Fundraiser or directions to the parish, please visit our website: www.btsje.org

§  Annual Sheboygan County Caregiver Conference: The Dementia Care Network and the Alzheimer’s Association partner to announce that 'We're All in This Together' on Thursday, November 15 from 9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. at Acuity. Family and professional caregivers are invited to attend. The event only costs $5 if you sign up before November 1 and $10 after that date. The price INCLUDES LUNCH. Contact Ginny Nyhuis at 800.272.3900 or gnyhuis@alz.org for additional information.

§  Coats For Kids: Reinbold-Novak Funeral Home, in conjunction with The Sheboygan Press, for the past 27 years, runs from September through November 1st. Area residents are asked to donate clean coats in good repair. Accepted are: coats of all sizes for people of all ages, with the need being greatest for children’s coats.

Location:	Reinbold-Novak Funeral Home,1535 S. 12th Street, Sheboygan, WI
Dates/Times:	Tuesday, September 4 to Thursday, November 1, 2018 8:30 am - 4:00 pm (Monday – Friday)

§  Raffle to benefit Bridgeway: Choose Your Own Adventure 2018:

The goal of this raffle is to support Women and Children living at Bridgeway and assist them in gaining the skills and support that will allow them to become independent. 

The winner can choose between a $3000 gift certificate to Fox World Travel, or $2500 cash payout.

What is Bridgeway? It is a residential transitional living program for single women with children who are homeless or living in vulnerable situations. Upon entry into our residential program, mothers commit to living at Bridgeway for 3-6 months, and are able to reside at Bridgeway for up to two years.

§  Coats For Kids: Reinbold-Novak Funeral Home, in conjunction with The Sheboygan Press, for the past 27 years, runs from September through November 1st. Area residents are asked to donate clean coats in good repair. Accepted are: coats of all sizes for people of all ages, with the need being greatest for children’s coats.

Location:	§  Reinbold-Novak Funeral Home,1535 S. 12th Street, Sheboygan, WI
Dates/Times:	§  Tuesday, September 4 to Thursday, November 1, 2018 8:30 am - 4:00 pm (Monday – Friday)

§  Bulletin Prayer List and our Grace Church Prayer Team: The Episcopal Church believes in the power of prayer. Grace Church regularly prays for the needs of our own members, as well as the needs of the country, and our world.  We would be honored to pray for your needs, and the needs of your friends and relatives if they or you are in a state of trouble, sorrow, pain, or are experiencing any other adversity. Please call the Parish office at (920) 452-9659 or email office@gracesheboygan.com.