Grace Notes

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Labor Pains

Grace Episcopal Church

Sheboygan, Wisconsin

Grace Notes

17 May 2012

Hail thee, festinal day! We sing hymn 216 this night, at the offertory in our 6 p.m. solemn Mass for Acension Day. The service will be followed by a parish pot-luck supper. It is well that we follow our celebration of Jesus’ ascension to heaven, to reign on high, with community fellowship, for in the lessons for the feast we are instructed (in part) about what it means to be the Church, about who we are called to be.

We are called to be witnesses “... to the end of the earth” (Acts 1.8), but to do this we must live together and witness together as one Body. As vital as a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior is, it is incomplete if I ever seek to live this alone. “My” relationship with God is only complete if it is “our” relationship, the status, calling, and blessing of being the Church.

Our bishop will be with us this coming Sunday, to confirm and receive new members as those fully incorporated into the Body. The timing of his visitation is indeed fortuitous (or, better yet, providential), for the time between Ascension Day (when Jesus charges us with who we are to be) and Pentecost (which is the birthday of the Church, when the Holy Spirit is poured forth on all believers) is the the birth process. At Romans 8.22 St. Paul writes that the whole of creation “has been groaning in travail”. This can also be understood to refer to groaning in labor, in the birthing process, knowing that after this travail comes the joy of new birth, new life, and the unique status that we enjoy as the Church is that we are both being born and are the midwife to this delivery.

God’s will happens not just by God’s direct action but by the actions undertaken by His disciples because He has commanded them. God acts directly, as when He sends His Holy Spirit on the Church at Pentecost, and He acts through us (His witnesses) when we obey His commands. As the apostle John writes, “Those who believe in the Son of God have the testimony [of God] in their hearts. ... Whoever has the Son has life ...” (1 John 5.10, 12).

We have life, the life everlasting which Jesus brings, but in bringing this life He makes it clear that we can’t just sit here, happy about ourselves. We’ve got work to do. Jesus prays to the Father, “As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world” (John 17.18). We’ve got work to do. Those of us who have life because we have Jesus, now must assist in the birth process. We’re called out on a dark night, to throw light on the way, to make all the preparations for new birth which the midwife (the Church) and the great physician of souls (the Son) will allow the mother (God’s Spirit) to bring forth. It’s a birth process, and so it is accomplished with labor pains, by anxiety and danger, but in hope and in the expectation of the joy of new life.

Thanksgivings: We have thanks them before, but please take the opportunity to thank Wes and Barb Jung for their work on the grounds. This past week they worked for days in trimmin the ground cover on Ontario Ave. Please also thank Bobbie May and Elizabeth Schaffenburg for their work on the grounds.

Please take the opportunity to notify the office of any member or friend of the parish to whom we owe thanks, in order that we can publicize this in the weekly newsletter.

Biblical Literacy: The Bible Challenge review session on Tuesday, 22 May, will review Week 12 readings. There will be no bible study on Thursday, 24 May, due to Fr. Karl’s participation in the graduation ceremony at Nashotah House.

Music this week:

Prelude Two Chorale Preludes on Blessed Jesus, at thy word J. S. Bach

Entrance Hymn 495 “Hail, thou once despised Jesus”

Offertory Hymn 307 “Lord, enthroned in heavenly splendor”

Communion Motet If ye love me, keep my commandments Philip Wilby

Comm. Hymn 603 “When Christ was lifted from the earth”

Closing Hymn 473 “Lift high the Cross”

Postlude Trumpet Tune in C D. N. Johnson

Parish Notices

§ Spring Cheer Committee will deliver flowers and goodies to the parish shut-ins on Thursday, May 24^th. We will gather in the church kitchen at 11:00 AM to assemble flower arrangements and bag cookies. There is a sign up sheet in the narthex for you to indicate who you would like to visit. If you would like to contribute money towards flowers make sure to indicate Spring Cheer in the memo. If you would like to bake cookies please contact Barb MacEwen (467-6909 or bmacewen@charter.net). Thank you for considering helping this worthwhile ministry.

§ Bishop Visitation & Confirmation: We welcome Bishop Jacobus this Sunday for his annual visitation. He will celebrate and preach at both Masses and administer the Sacrament of Confirmation at the 10:15 a.m. liturgy. There will be a reception honoring the Bishop and the newly confirmed after the 10:15 service.

§ The Bishop’s Discretionary Fund: The undesignated offering this Sunday goes to the Bishop’s Discretionary Fund which provides for the pastoral emergencies and other unplanned pastoral expenses. Please be generous as you are able.

§ Christian Formation: For adult formation at 9:00 a.m. we will have the second half of a two week course on “Waking the Slumbering Church”. This is a preview of the Acts 29 Sure Foundation program that we will launch next September, and is designed to stimulate prayer and thought throughout the Summer about what we are called to, and who we are called to be as a the Church.

§ Summer Camp: Diocese of Fond du Lac Summer Camp is for kids age 4 through graduating 12^th graders. Camp is an opportunity for campers and staff to learn more about God, about community, about themselves and have fun! If you have questions about what camp is like please call Michele at the office. Scholarships are available.

§ Senior Camp (completed grades 9-12) June 10 (Sun. 3 p.m.)–June 16 (Sat. 12 noon); Middler Camp (completed grades 6-8) June 17 (Sun. 3 p.m.)–June 21 (Thu. 5 p.m.); Junior Camp (completed grades 2-5) June 17 (Sun. 3 p.m.)–June 21 (Thu. 5 p.m.); KinderCamp (parent & kids ages 4-7) June 21 (Thu. 3 p.m.)–June 23 (Sat. 12 noon). There are application forms on the Narthex table.

§ Sign-Up to Host Coffee Hour in 2013: A sign-up sheet for hosting coffee hour in 2013 is on the table in the narthex. Please sign-up for dates you would like to host. A final schedule and reminders will be generated from the sign-up sheet and distributed in November 2012. Please consider signing up for 2-3 Sundays to help us cover the year! Contact Katy Prange at 920-889-1252 or katyprange@hotmail.com with questions.

§ Mission Opportunity: Kairos Inside Prison Ministry is a lay-led ecumenical Christian ministry which conducts a highly structured program designed for use in male and female medium to maximum security correctional institutions. Kairos Inside is based on Cursillo and is a 3 ½ day weekend of talks, discussion, chapel meditations and music led by volunteers. The website is http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001pWlnd4cV05DUBwx4bP-2-V1I2_8rxE6hbsHBaG7r0NhWLrZhpWSDHTdg2tO4k_iH49OaQ7k4o7wXW7lFPxGuxgcumzgdIIY6juIk9n1TURI=. The Kairos of Wisconsin State Chapter is hosting a potential volunteer information day on Saturday, May 19th from 10am to 2pm at Portage United Methodist Church, 1804 New Pinery Rd in Portage. If you are interested in this vital and rewarding ministry, please plan to attend. Please e-mail the Rev. Vicki Natzke at vnatzke@wctc.net if you plan to attend or desire more information.

§ Stewardship/Fundraising Committee: The Vestry has approved the creation of an on-going Stewardship/Fundraising committee that will be responsible for our annual pledge campaign as well as developing multiple fundraising events. The goal is to charter this committee at the May Vestry meeting. If you are interested in serving on this committee or have suggestions or comments please contact a Vestry member. We appreciate your consideration.

Thursday, May 10, 2012

"Suffer the little children ..."

Grace Episcopal Church

Sheboygan, Wisconsin

Grace Notes

10 May 2012

This past Sunday all of the children of the parish were invited to stand around the altar when we celebrated the canon of the Mass. This invitation followed on what had happened the prior Tuesday evening, when we ran out of room in the chapel of Christ the King, and moved the celebration to the high altar. At that celebration, the people in the attendance all gathered around the altar, and a number of them spoke afterward about how meaningful to them this was. So we decided to see how the children would react, keeping in mind the visual nature of learning and experience in young children.

The experiment was quite a success, at least from the perspective of the clergy and congregation. (We need feedback from children and parents.) All of the children (even some with a history of being quite “active” during worship), were quiet and attentive. For me, elevating the Body and Blood of our Lord while surrounded by small heads at altar level was a new experience, and seeing these small members of the Body of Christ concentrate and participate was a further revelation of how God reaches all.

We are note going to make a common practice of having the altar party expanded, but what happened last Sunday reinforces the need to focus on how children participate in worship. It is common for congregations to struggle with how to “do youth ministry,” but the reality is that by the teenaged years, children have already fallen into a pattern (good or bad) with respect to worship, and so we need to start early. We often hear it said that “children are the future of the Church,” but this is false: They are part of the Church now. They are part of the Body, and we need to live into this reality by being very intentional about how to involve children in worship. This can involve, for example, periodic musical offerings by a children’s choir, or special ways in which children can participate in worship processions. It can involve families with young children sitting up front, where they can see better. It can involve occasional worship services in which children are assigned more public roles.

Please pray about how we can build on the type of success we had last Sunday. Please remember, too, that arguing with a teenager about attending worship is pointless if you have not set a family pattern many years before that worship is a priority. When we are all intentional about worship God is glorified. he is glorified when the little children come unto Him.

Thanksgivings: Thanksgivings are offered to all (twenty-two people) who worked to clean the parish buildings and grounds on Saturday, 5 May. More than 60 hours of hard work saw every part of this place cleaned, straightened, pruned, polished–you get the idea. We have an able sexton you provides ongoing cleaning, but a semi-annual group effort is needed to keep this place which we have set aside for God as worthy an offering as we can make it.

Please take the opportunity to notify the office of any member or friend of the parish to whom we owe thanks, in order that we can publicize this in the weekly newsletter.

Biblical Literacy: The Bible Challenge review session on Tuesday, 15 May, will review Week 11 readings. Bible study on Thursday, 17 May, will review the lessons for Sunday, 20 May (Easter 6B). All lessons are listed on the website, with links to the texts.

Music this week:

Prelude Andantino; Elevation Eugène Gigout

Entrance Hymn #405 “All things bright and beautiful” Royal Oak

Offertory Hymn #400 “All creatures of our God and King” Lasst uns erfreuen

Communion Motet Christ hath a garden English folk song, arr. Gerald Near

Christ hath a garden walled around,

A paradise of fruitful ground,

Chosen by love and fenced by grace

From out the world’s wide wilderness.

Like trees of spice his servants stand,

There planted by his mighty hand;

By Eden’s gracious streams, that flow

To feed their beauty where they grow.

Awake, O wind of heav’n, and bear

Their sweetest perfume through the air:

Stir up, O south, the boughs that bloom,

Till the beloved Master come:

That he may come, and linger yet

Among the trees that he hath set;

That he may evermore be seen

To walk amid the springing green.

—Robert Bridges, after Isaac Watts

Closing Hymn #535 “Ye servants of God” Paderborn

Postlude Offertoire pour un Jour de Fête Eugène Gigout

Parish Notices

§ Ascension Day is the day Our Lord Jesus ascended into heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father, and is observed as a Principal feast of the Christian year. We will celebrate Ascension Day 17May with a Solemn Mass at 6:00 p.m. We will continue with an Parish Potluck Dinner in St. Nicholas hall immediately following mass. Please plan to attend this celebration.

§ Bishop’s Visitation: Bishop Jacobus will make his annual visitation to Grace Church next Sunday May 20^th. We will celebrate with the Sacrament of Confirmation and will have receptions, reaffirmations and First Communions at the 10:15 service. We will follow this with a reception. Please sign up on the sheet in the narthex to bring sweets or savories and to clean up. Thank you.

§ Glad tidings: Christy Clabots & her husband Matthieu Permentier had their baby last Saturday, May 5^th. Eleanor Roos (Rose) weighed 6 lbs 13 oz. Jenny and Nick Whitford welcomed their daughter, Eowyn, into this world on May 9^th.

§ Sad tidings: Long time parishioner Shirley Hansen died this week, and will be buried this Friday, 11 May. Visitation will be in St. Nicholas Hall from noon until the funeral, which is scheduled as a Mass of Christian Burial commencing at 1 p.m.

§ First Communion Instruction: will continue at 9:00 a.m. during Sunday School, for children ages 4-7 who are ready to receive Holy Communion. This is a good refresher for those who already receive and a good introduction for those who may not yet receive. First Communions will take place May 20^th during the Bishop’s Visitation.

§ Christian Formation: For adult formation at 9:00 a.m. we will have a two week course on “Waking the Slumbering Church”. This is a preview of the Acts 29 Sure Foundation program that we will launch next September, and is designed to stimulate prayer and thought throughout the Summer about what we are called to, and who we are called to be as the Church.

§ Senior Camp (completed grades 9-12) June 10 (Sun 3pm) – June 16 (Sat 12noon) Middler Camp (completed grades 6-8) June 17 (Sun 3pm) – June 21 (Thu 5pm) Junior Camp (completed grades 2-5) June 17 (Sun 3pm) – June 21 (Thu 5pm) KinderCamp (parent & kids ages 4-7) June 21 (Thu 3pm) – June 23 (Sat 12noon) There are application forms on the Narthex table.

§ The Bible Challenge: The Tuesday evening study will follow the weekly readings from The Bible Challenge. We begin with 5:30 p.m. Mass, followed by a light, pot-luck supper, with study commencing at 6:30 p.m. Lesson summaries for both the Bible Challenge readings and for the weekly lectionary lessons continue to be posted on the parish website.

§ Mission Opportunity: Kairos Inside Prison Ministry is a lay-led ecumenical Christian ministry which conducts a highly structured program designed for use in male and female medium to maximum security correctional institutions. Kairos Inside is based on Cursillo and is a 3 ½ day weekend of talks, discussion, chapel meditations and music led by volunteers. The website is http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001pWlnd4cV05DUBwx4bP-2-V1I2_8rxE6hbsHBaG7r0NhWLrZhpWSDHTdg2tO4k_iH49OaQ7k4o7wXW7lFPxGuxgcumzgdIIY6juIk9n1TURI=. The Kairos of Wisconsin State Chapter is hosting a potential volunteer information day on Saturday, May 19th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Portage United Methodist Church, 1804 New Pinery Rd in Portage. If you are interested in this vital and rewarding ministry, please plan to attend. Please e-mail the Rev. Vicki Natzke at vnatzke@wctc.net if you plan to attend or desire more information.

§ Eucharistic Festival: Please mark your calendars and plan to attend the Eucharistic Festival Saturday, June 2, 2012 at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Fond du Lac. The day begins at 11:00 a.m. with Eucharist followed by Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament and a picnic lunch will be served. It is always a wonderful day.

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Reaching Forth

Grace Episcopal Church

Sheboygan, Wisconsin

Grace Notes

3 May 2012

Holy Cross day is 14 September, but today is the commemoration of the finding of Jesus’ cross (a relic of which is held in this parish). During the reign of Constantine, first Roman Emperor to profess the Christian faith, his mother Helena went to Jerusalem and there undertook to find the places especially significant to Christians. (She was helped in this by the fact that in the destructions of 135, the Romans had built pagan shrines over many of these sites.) Having located, close together, what she believed to be the sites of the Crucifixion and of the Burial (at locations that modern archaeologists believe to be correct), she then had built over them the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which was dedicated on 14 September 335. 14 September has become a day for recognizing the Cross (in a festal atmosphere that would be inappropriate on Good Friday) as a symbol of triumph, as a sign of Christ's victory over death, and a reminder of His promise, "And when I am lifted up, I will draw all men unto me." (John 12:32)

What is the significance of the sign of the cross? Well, in the first place, we often place our initials or other personal mark on something to show that it belongs to us. The Cross is the personal mark of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and we mark it on ourselves as a sign that we belong to Him, just as at Revelation 7:2–4; 9:4; 14:1 the servants of God are sealed or marked on their foreheads as a sign that they are His.

As one preacher has said, if you were telling someone how to make a cross, you might say (at least to an English speaker), "Draw an I and then cross it out." As we make the sign, we first draw a vertical stroke, as if to say to God, "Lord, here am I." Then we cancel it with a horizontal stroke, as if to say, "Help me, Lord, to abandon my self-centeredness and self-will, and to make you the center of my life instead. Fix all my attention and all my desire on you, Lord, that I may forget my self, cancel my self, abandon myself completely to your love and service."

Let’s notice another thing about the Cross. It is obvious to say that it is not a circle, but think about the implication. A circle is a closed system, in which either something is found within the circle or without it. The Cross, on the other hand, reaches outward, just as we recite in a mission prayer found in Morning Prayer:

Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of your Name. Amen.

Notice that in this prayer we pray that by God’s Spirit we may be His arms which reach out from the Cross. As we commemorate the Finding of the True Cross, let us so dedicate ourselves in prayer that by God’s grace we may do His will, and may be called to an active faith, that we may live into the reality described by St. Teresa of Avila:

Christ has no body now, but yours.
No hands, no feet on earth, but yours.
Yours are the eyes through which
Christ looks compassion into the world.
Yours are the feet
with which Christ walks to do good.
Yours are the hands
with which Christ blesses the world.

Thanksgivings:

Please thank Bernie Markevitch, Wes and Barb Jung, and Ben Dobey, for the flowers in the nave, sanctuary, and chapels. The amount of time spent in arranging flowers, and in tending the cutting garden, is enormous. Bernie arranges the flowers in the nave and sanctuary. Wes and Barb cultivate the cutting garden. Ben cuts flowers from the garden and arranges them in the chapels. Flowers from the garden are also used at All saints’ Chapel in Elkhart Lake.
The bake sale and plant sale raised more than $400 for the Sunday School. Many thanks to the Jungs (plant sale) and to the Fabianos, and Mike Heck (bake sale) for organization.

Please take the opportunity to notify the office of any member or friend of the parish to whom we owe thanks, in order that we can publicize this in the weekly newsletter.

Biblical Literacy: The Bible Challenge review session on Tuesday, 8 May, will review Week 10 readings. Bible study on Thursday, 10 May, will review the lessons for Sunday, 13 May (Easter 6B). All lessons are listed on the website, with links to the texts.

Music this week:

Prelude Trois Élévations Marcel Dupré

Entrance Hymn 182 “Christ is alive” Truro

Offertory Hymn 477 “All praise to thee, O King divine” Engelberg

Communion Motet Come, my Way, my Truth, my Life Harold Friedell

Comm. Hymn 512 “Come, gracious Spirit, heavenly Dove” Mendon

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

Postlude Toccata in F Dietrich Buxtehude

Parish Notices

§ Parish clean-up: Mark your calendars for parish clean-up day on Saturday, 5 May, beginning at 9 a.m. A Cinco de Mayo taco and snack bar will be available starting at noon.

§ Lakeshore Chorale’s final concert: Join us for “Echoes,” Lakeshore Chorale’s final concert of the 2011-2012 Tapestry season! Lakeshore Chorale is joined by the Youth Chorale Chamber Choir in a performance of Mozart’s “Missa brevis in C Major.” Also featured are the rich textures of Benjamin Britten’s “Rejoice in the Lamb,” John Rutter’s triumphant “Gloria,” and the premier performance of David Thompson’s “Magnificat.” Accompanying the pieces on organ is renowned Milwaukee musician, Jayne Latva, as well as additional outstanding instrumentalists on brass, strings, and percussion. The concert will be held Saturday, May 5th, 7:30 pm, at Zion Covenant Church, 1125 North Sixth Street, Sheboygan. Tickets are $15.00 for adults and $8.00 for students. They are available from members, from the web http://www.lakeshorechorale.org/, or at the door.

§ SCIO Spring Luncheon & Fundraiser: Sheboygan County Interfaith Organization is once again honoring women at their Spring Luncheon & Fundraiser which will include Social, Silent Auction, Lunch and Program. Saturday, May 5, 2012 from 11:00am -1:00pm at Pine Hills Country Club, 4914 Superior Ave. Sheboygan. The cost is $40 per person or $320 for a table of eight. Please contact SCIO at 457-7272 ext. 14 for reservations.

§ SCIO Silent Auction: Each member church is asked to provide a themed basket to be added to the silent auction at the Spring Luncheon & Fundraiser. If anyone is interested in putting together a basket for Grace Church there is additional information and basket ideas on the bulletin board in the narthex or please contact the office.

§ First Communion Instruction: will continue at 9:00am during Sunday School, for children ages 4-7 who are ready to receive Holy Communion. This is a good refresher for those who already receive and a good introduction for those who may not yet receive. First Communions will take place May 20^th during the Bishop’s Visitation.

§ Christian Formation: Adult formation at 9:00am continues with “liturgics show and tell,” in which we will tour the parish for instructed discussion in matters such as the origin and significance of church architecture, vestments and vessels, the iconography of stained glass, statuary, and Church customs.

§ Celebration of Marriage Banquet - Great Marriages will be hosting its annual “Celebration of Marriage Banquet” as an opportunity to honor and celebrate marriage! Some couples will renew their vows or honor marriages of friends and family. The evening will be filled with entertainment, dinner, and dancing! In addition, you will have an opportunity to bid on a variety of silent auction items. Special “church discount” of $95 per couple. Please join us at the “Celebration of Marriage Banquet” on Saturday, May 12th, 2012 at The Bull. Call (920) 783-3660 for an invitation and for more information or to make your reservations today! Please RSVP by May 1^st.

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Thursday, May 17, 2012

Labor Pains

Thursday, May 10, 2012

"Suffer the little children ..."

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Reaching Forth