Grace
Episcopal Church
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
Grace
Notes
24 January 2019
Last week I wrote about Christian unity and
about what separates us. This week let’s
focus upon what unites us. As we heard
in the epistle last Sunday, “[N]o one can say "Jesus is Lord" except
by the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor. 12.3). We
must, of course, read this teaching together with Jesus’ word, “Not every one
who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who
does the will of my Father who is in heaven” (Mtt. 7.21). But we must also read both of these teachings
together with our Lord’s teaching that it is His word that will judge the
unbeliever on the last day (Jn. 12.48).
In other words, lacking the perfect knowledge of Jesus what we can
judge about others is restricted to things like: Is a person’s behavior consistent with God’s
revelation?, and Is the professed belief of a person consistent with the
teaching of the apostles? What we cannot
judge is whether any person may be saved.
We must trust in God’s mercy and pray all the more for those with whom
we disagree.
I well recall a clergy colleague in another
diocese. We agreed about almost nothing,
and spent many hours in dispute over after-hours libations at clergy
conferences. We were very different people. He was about three decades my junior.
His churchmanship was much more at the “can’t we just get along and
sing” end of the spectrum, and his life experience involved a career as a rock
musician. But—and this is crucial—I came
to know him (and he to know me) as a person who not only proclaimed “Jesus is
Lord” but sought in his own way to follow Jesus.
What unites us is a common confession that
Jesus is Lord. What unites us is the
common profession and practice of seeking to follow Jesus, which no one of us
does perfectly. There are and will be
many times when differences in dogma, doctrine and, discipline will be
apparent. Differences in dogma are
material. Differences in doctrine can be
very illuminating. Differences in
discipline may be classified, in general, as adiaphora—which wonderful
Greek term may be translated as “those things not necessary to salvation”.
What is necessary to salvation is to
turn to God. The effectiveness of our
turning and following—as individuals and as churches—will always be
imperfect. The gap between our holiness
and the holiness to which we are called cannot be bridge by us. But this gap can be bridged, and is, by and
through Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead in His infinite
mercy. In this world, let us focus
especially on following together.
Grace abounds: Please thank:
§ All who worked to prepare and serve the brunch offered at
the parish annual meeting: Mary Snyder
(overall coördination and setup, plus cooking); Jessica Ambelang, Nicci Beeck
and Polly Schmeiser (food); Elizabeth Schaffenburg, Polly Schmeiser and
Elizabeth Schaffenburg (setup); and cleanup by Beth and Rachel Boland, and
Joann and Zack Sorensen.
§ Barb MacEwen for organizing the emergency fundraiser for
the local Coast Guard.
§ Ellen Aparicio for help in the office.
§ Nicci Beeck for all of the extra work she performed to
make the parish annual meeting a success.
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.
Emergency Coast Guard appeal: Many thanks to the generosity
of our parishioners we were able to present the Sheboygan based US Coast Guard
with $1000 in grocery gift cards on Monday, January 21st. Thank you Grace
Church for reaching out to our military personnel in their time of great need.
It is greatly appreciated.
On Wednesday,
January 23rd we learned that all the cards have been distributed to the 31
guardsmen/women, 75% of whom have families (one family has five children). Our local Semper
Paratus servants are extremely appreciative of this
outpouring of generosity and concern.
Thank you for supporting our military in their time of great need.
Music this Week: The Third Sunday after the Epiphany
(Baptism of Our Lord)
Dr. R. Benjamin Dobey, Music Director
Prelude Chorale Partita on All glory be to God on high
Johann
Gottfried Walther
Entrance Hymn 616 “Hail to the Lord’s Anointed”
Es flog ein kleins Waldvögelein
Offertory Hymn 544 “Jesus shall reign
where’er the sun ” Duke
Street
Communion Motet Eternal light, shine in my heart Samuel Scheidt
Communion Hymn 632 “O Christ the Word Incarnate” Munich
Closing Hymn 539 “O Zion haste, thy mission high fulfilling” Tidings
Postlude Carillon Herbert Murrill
Parish Notices:
§
Adult Formation: The Language of Faith: Class continues at 9:00 a.m. in St.
Nicholas Hall, exploring the language of faith. What words do we use to
describe faith? How do the words we use shape our own understanding? How do
words we use present barriers to those who have no experience of faith, or
whose experience is different? All are welcome.
§
Boy Scout Sunday: The Boy Scouts of America designates the Sunday that falls
before February 8 (Scouting Anniversary Day) as Scout Sunday, to recognize the contributions of young people and
adults to Scouting. Therefore, Grace Church will welcome Troop 801, Pack 3801 and
their families on Sunday, February 3. Please
greet our Boy Scouts and let them know how much we appreciate their service. If
you are willing to bring extra coffee hour treats, please contact the office;
there will be a larger than usual crowd.
§ Signing of the Tripartite
Covenant: We need four lay members of the parish to attend mass on Sunday,
February 3 at St. Dominic and St. Peter Lutheran Church (two members at each
church) as representatives of Grace Church to sign the Tripartite Covenant.
Mass at both churches begins at 10:30 a.m. Please call the parish office if you
are willing to participate in this Ministry.
§ Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple: Please mark your calendars and plan to attend this
Solemn Mass on February 6 at 6:00 p.m. This holy day is also known as Candlemas
in which all the candles used for the year are blessed. You are welcome to
bring in your own candles to be blessed during this service.
§ Candlemas Lasagna Supper: On Wednesday, February
6 after the Solemn Mass, there will be a shared supper in St. Nicholas Hall.
Lasagna will be served; please bring a dish to pass and share in fellowship. A
sign-up sheet is on the Narthex table.
§
Bible Challenge:
Grace Abounds launched The
Bible Challenge on Monday, January 4, 2016. 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 will be
provided on the parish website, along with weekly study summaries and a weekly
video summery 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.
§ Coffee Hour
Schedule: There is a new sign-up sheet for hosting coffee hour in 2016. If you
would like to host, please sign up for either 8:00 a.m. or 10:15 a.m. If you
have any questions, please see Mary Massey. Thank you so much.
§ 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.
§ Flower Schedule for 2016: Giving the gift of flowers is a wonderful way to
remember a loved one or to offer thanksgiving for your blessings. If you wish
to sign up for a specific Sunday, the Flower Schedule is available on the table
in the narthex. More than one person can sign up for each Sunday.
§
The 19th Annual Love Bowls
event: benefiting Fresh Meals On
Wheels of Sheboygan County will be held at Sheboygan South High School on
February 17 from 10 am to 3 pm. Featuring nearly 70 different soups, breads and
cookies, as well as musical entertainment and a silent auction. Tickets can be purchased at the door the day of the
event for $25 per person. Please call (920) 451-7011 for more information or
visit www.freshmealsonwheel.org/love-bowls
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