Grace
Episcopal Church
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
Grace
Notes
11 May 2017
This past Monday was the feast of Dame Julian
of Norwich, a fourteenth century English mystic famous for her work, Revelations of Divine Love. (This work is sometimes known simply as Showings.) Julian’s writing bears close study and prompts
much prayer, but the excerpt best remembered includes God’s words, “I can make
all things well; I will make all things well; I shall make all things well; and
thou canst see for thyself that all manner of things shall be well.” This revelation is sometimes dismissed. It is dismissed either as wishful thinking,
as Pollyannish, or as an abdication of personal agency/responsibility to a
simplified “Let go, and let God” worldview.
People who dismiss this revelation are not
really paying attention, or are too focused on their own resources. When we pay attention we understand that “all
manner of things shall be well” does not
mean that all manner of things shall be easy, or shall go the way I might
desire. But, when we recognize that in
all things and at all times God is sovereign, then we can begin to experience
life differently. We can begin to live
in real relationship with God, in which all things are well because all things
are part of God’s will.
When I am in all things conscious of, and
immersed in God’s will, all manner of things shall be well even if I am
afflicted. I will know that no disease,
no distress can in any way diminish God’s love for me, His presence. And when I experience this presence and
love—when I experience life-everlasting now
and in all things—then I can “let go and let God”. I can live in trust, that even in the midst
of affliction I am blessed by God’s unfailing love, and that God will use any
affliction (which God never sends) to His purpose, to His purpose which
includes my participation in His very life and being.
Julian would not have been considered “well”
from a modern physical health perspective.
But all manner of things were indeed well with her in how she came to be
so available to God that she could be filled with His presence. May we in all things ever seek to so present
to God that we experience His presence in all things.
Grace
abounds: Please thank:
§ Polly Schmeiser for
organizing and setting up the reception for the bishop’s visitation, and all
who provided savories. Please thank, as
well, helpers for cleanup, including Julie Davidson and Steve Larson.
§ Sunday coffee hour
hosts: Kevan and Traci Revis; Wayne and
Pat Sather.
§ Pat Ford Smith for
help in the office.
§ Bobbie may for
gardening help, and for help in church cleaning and setup.
§ Pat Sather for
pastoral care.
§ Ed Clabots for lawn
care.
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.
Taking
God’s Mercy and Delight into the Neighborhood:
The Diocese has a new website (www.diofdl.org). One link you can find is for the 13 May
conference which will take place in Waupaca, at http://www.diofdl.org/sc.html . Please check out the details and register. We will plan to carpool.
Music this Week: The Fifth Sunday of Easter
Prelude Chorale
Variations on Lord Jesus Christ, be
present now Walther
Entrance Hymn 525 “The Church’s one foundation” Aurelia
Mass setting
Mathias
Offertory Hymn 523 “Glorious things of thee are spoken” Abbott’s
Leigh
Communion Motet The Call Vaughan Williams
Communion Hymn 488 “Be thou my vision” Slane
Closing Hymn 457 “Thou
art the Way, to thee alone” St.
James
Postlude Toccata
in A Kuhnau
Parish
Notices
§ Adult Formation: May
14th at 9:00am will be led by Mary Kohler who will
provide a practical guide to prayer book usage in daily religious practice,
including an exploration of the prayers we don’t encounter on Sundays.
§ Sunday School:
This will be the last day of Sunday School for pre-K -5th grade. The
middle and high school class will finish on May 21st. The last
regularly scheduled Youth Group will be Sunday evening May 21st.
Please see Nick Whitford for details.
§ Please keep both Ellen and Bill in
prayer: It is anticipated that Ellen
Aparicio will be at home for the balance of May. Weekly sign-up sheets
are being posted for volunteers to help in the office. There will be times
when there is no office coverage (e.g., when I am away at a
meeting). At these times the office door is locked.
§ Bill May
has been diagnosed with a compression fracture in a vertebra. This means
that he will likely be out for some time, and on restricted duties for a
separate or additional period. We have established a volunteer rota for
items such as: fellowship hall set-up and take down; restroom cleaning;
trash removal; floor cleaning; lawn care. Sign-up sheets are on the Narthex
table. Thank you.
§ Thy Kingdom Come –
Global Wave of Prayer: Bishop Matt invites
you to join the global wave of prayer 25th May - 4th June. Thy Kingdom Come is
a global prayer movement, which invites Christians around the world to pray
between Ascension and Pentecost for more people to come to know Jesus Christ.
What started out as an invitation from the Archbishops’ of Canterbury and York
in 2016 to the Church of England has grown into an international and ecumenical
call to prayer. More at www.thykingdomcome.global.
§ Father Phil Reifenberg farewell: Fr.
Phil’s last day at St. Dominic Parish will be June 10th. Mass will
be at 5:00pm with a farewell reception following at 2133 N 22nd St.
Sheboygan.
§ Summer Camp:
Diocese of Fond du Lac Summer Camp is for kids age 4 through graduating 12th
graders. Camp is an opportunity for campers and staff to learn more about God,
about community, about themselves and have fun! There are application forms on
the Narthex table. Deadline for
registration is May 22, 2017. If you have
§ questions
about what camp is like please speak with Nick Whitford at the coffee hour
following this mass. Scholarships
are available.
o
Senior Camp (completed grades 9-12) June 11
(Sun 3pm) – June 17 (Sat 12noon)
o
Middler Camp (completed grades 6-8) June 18
(Sun 3pm) – June 22 (Thu 12noon)
o
Junior Camp (completed grades 2-5) June 18
(Sun 3pm) – June 22 (Thu 12noon)
o
KinderCamp (parent & kids ages 4-7)
June 22 (Thu 4pm) – June 24 (Sat 12noon)
§ Eucharistic Festival:
Plan to attend the Annual Diocesan Eucharistic Festival at 11:00 a.m. on
Saturday, June 24th, at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Fond du Lac. The Homilist is the Rt. Rev. Dorsey F.
Henderson, retired Bishop of Upper South Carolina. He serves as
Superior-General of the the Confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament and as
episcopal visitor to a fledgling religious community centered in the Diocese of
Atlanta. A picnic lunch and a time of fellowship will follow the
Eucharist. At 3:00pm there will be afternoon prayer with Adoration and
Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.
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