God Loves Your Life

Grace Episcopal Church

Sheboygan, Wisconsin

Grace Notes

8 November 2018

God loves Your Life; Shouldn’t You?  This isn’t a question I’ve heard in recent memory. It’s a question the author, Dallas Willard, asks in his book, Life Without Lack.  I wonder if the prisoners with whom I speak love their lives? “Why should they?”, you may ask.  Well, they are a part of God's creation. They have done good in their lives and have the potential to do more.  They’ve experienced love, giving and receiving. They can read of our Lord’s faithfulness in Scripture.  Having claimed his offer of forgiveness, they can experience his joy and innumerable possibilities in this life and the one to come.

How about you? Do you love your life? Surely there are things to hate. No doubt you have a list that quickly comes to mind.  However, can you thank God you are not alone wherever you are? That he is with you; that you can cast all your cares upon him?  That he is in control of this world. That Satan is on a leash.  Surely our lives leave much to be desired, but there is so much for which to be thankful.

Do you think Jesus loved his life? You could think that he didn’t.  How could he? Think about taking your brain, miniaturizing it, and installing it in the head of a grasshopper. You get the idea but it is silly. God is so much better at incarnation than we can fathom. After all, there is Jesus.  And, the image of God somehow did get planted in us.

Think about how you would be if you hated your life. You would likely be a nasty person; angry, bored, cynical, full of self-pity, discontented, irritable, depressed, and the list goes on. That is not the Jesus we know. Remember, too, some of the things he said while on this earth:

I came that you might have life and have it abundantly.  As the Father has loved me so have I loved you; abide in my love.  I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. 

This does not sound like someone who hates his life; he is no Pollyanna either. He is emotionally steady and in control. Far superior to anyone I've ever met.

I think that we ought to pray every morning declaring dependency on God, and asking him to remove all our fear and to fill us with his love for all we encounter. At least that’s what the aforementioned author recommends. He also suggested the daily use of the following rendition of the Celtic prayer:

The Opening Door

Enter, Lord Christ—
I have joy in Your coming.
You have given me life;
and I welcome Your coming.

I turn now to face You,
I lift up my eyes.
Be blessing my face, Lord;
be blessing my eyes.

May all my eye looks upon
be blessed and be bright,
my neighbors, my loved ones
be blessed in Your sight.

You have given me life
and I welcome Your coming.
Be with me, Lord,
I have joy, I have joy.

May you love your life as God does and have abundant joy,

Fr. John

Grace abounds:  Please thank: 

§  Bill and Deb Gagin, and Bobbie May for the Sunday coffee hours.

§  Ben Dobey for gardening.

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-fifth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 27B)

                                      Dr. R. Benjamin Dobey, Music Director

Prelude        Lento                                         Charles Villiers Stanford

Entrance Hymn 375         “Give praise and glory unto God”                Du Lebensbrot

Offertory Hymn 388        “O worship the King”                                         Hanover

Commununion Motet       Lead us, O Father                                 Orlando Gibbons                                

Communion Hymn 302    “Father, we thank the who hast planted”    Rendez a Dieu                

Closing Hymn 686           “Come, thou font of every blessing”                   Nettelton

Postlude                         Toccata in D                                          Johann Pachelbel

                                                              

Parish Notices:

§  Salvation Army Bell Ringing: Members are invited to sign up to ring the bells at two locations this season: Woodlake Market in Kohler on November 16, 24, December 18 and 22, and North side Piggy Wiggly on November 24. The sign-up sheet can be found on the Narthex table.

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

On Sunday, the Sunday School classes will be filling shoeboxes for the annual Operation Christmas Child program at 9:00 a.m. in St. Nicholas Hall. Please join us!

§  Donations Pick-Up/Delivery Volunteer needed: Jim Gardner has faithfully delivered the offertory Holy Roller wagon food donations to the Salvation Army; however, due to a change in his work schedule, he will no longer be able to participate in this ministry.  Please prayerfully consider if you might be called to deliver food donations from Sunday’s Masses to the Salvation Army on Mondays. 

§  Tripartite Thanksgiving Eve Worship: Join the Celebration on Wednesday, November 21 at 7:00pm at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church. Join in the Tripartite Combined Choir and enjoy fellowship and deserts following the worship. The Thanksgiving Offering will benefit the Salvation Army. We need two people to serve as ushers and a reader; if you feel called to participate, please call the office.

§  Thanksgiving Day Community Meal: A free turkey dinner will be offered on Thanksgiving Day at Immaculate Conception Parish Hall, 2722 Henry Street in Sheboygan. Take-outs will be available. Everyone welcome.

§  Holiday Parade: Grace Church will be selling treats before and during the Sheboygan Holiday Parade on Sunday November 25. The money raised goes to outreach projects both near and far. Please come by the front of the church and enjoy a warm treat as you enjoy the parade. Be sure to bring your friends!

§  Emmaus Meal Volunteers Needed: The Tripartite Emmaus Meal will be Saturday, December 1 at the Salvation Army Center. We will need 8 people to serve the meal, greet the guests and clean up from 10:30-1:15 There is more information on the sign-up sheet on the table in the Narthex.

§  St Nicholas’ Visitation: St. Nicholas will visit Grace Church on Sunday, December 2 at the 10:15 service. We invite all children to come and receive a special treat.

§  Advent Lessons and Carols: On Sunday, December 2, a festival of Advent Lessons and Carols will be offered at Grace Episcopal Church, beginning at 4:00 p.m. and features Dr. R. Benjamin Dobey, Organist and the Grace Episcopal Church choir. The service is followed by an Afternoon Tea reception. If you are interested in volunteering for food and/or clean-up, a sign-up sheet is in Narthex.

§  Advent Meditations: Our book of meditations, written by parishioners, has become a treasured tradition to enter into the Advent season. To participate:

Choose from the scripture readings on the Narthex table. All are welcome to choose more than one.

Read and reflect on the scripture for the scripture(s) chosen.

Write a meditation based on what resonated with you, or you feel called to share based upon the readings. The meditation can be 10 words or 300 words (maximum, please); there are no rules and no right or wrong ways.

Submit your meditation to the office, office@gracesheboygan.com by November 26 to allow production time. These meditations will be published in print and online before Advent begins. In addition, meditations can be read aloud on Grace Abounds, as part of our podcast series.

§  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.