Grace Episcopal Church
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
Grace Notes
16 February 2012
In the Old Testament (2 Kgs. 2.1-12) lesson for the Last Sunday of Epiphany we hear of the prophet Elijah being taken up in a whirlwind into heaven. His disciple Elisha is left standing, crying after Elijah as father. And so our lesson ends, but the story does not, for in the very next verse we read “And [Elisha] took up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him ...” (2 Kgs. 2.13). This is the same mantle which Elijah had cast upon Elisha when he first called him (1 Kgs. 19.19). By his discipleship and by receiving the mantle, Elisha receives the office of Elijah, as “man of God” to speak for the Lord.
Who among us has received prophetic mantle? Well, perhaps the evidence is not so direct as in Elisha’s case, but the fact remains that in speaking for God any one of us must seek God’s word. And we don’t have to look far. God’s holy word is available to us in Scripture when we in fact study what God has to teach us, and how we are to discern His message in the Bible.
Biblical interpretation is fraught with pitfalls which can be traced to human pride. If I read the Bible to find what I want it to say, am I really listening? If I pick out a single verse or passage as “what the Bible teaches” about any topic, am I paying attention? If, however, I drink deeply and regularly from the well of Scripture, I will find that not only am I refreshed and guided, but that I am equipped to guide and encourage others, that they too may come to know that God is with them.
In order to discern God’s word, and to speak for God, this requires that we seek His word. At Grace Episcopal Church we will launch The Bible Challenge on the First Sunday in Lent (26 February). 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. During Lent we want to focus on parish participation, and so our Sunday morning adult education hour will involve review and discussion of the Bible readings for the week. After Lent we will revert to our education hour covering a variety of topics, with the first focus being on how to defend our faith against worldly attacks.
If you need a good study bible for the challenge, contact the parish office. We will order bibles in quantity to earn the available discounts. Generous scholarship assistance is available, if the price of participation forms any barrier for you.
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.
Thanksgivings: Thanksgivings are offered to Dcn. Michele Whitford for her extra work in printing and copying the lengthy Mass booklets used at our instructed eucharist on 12 February.
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.
Lenten study: On Friday, 24 February, we will begin our Lenten study suppers. Stations of the Cross will be offered at 5:30 p.m. in the nave, followed by a simple supper and discussion in St. Nicholas Hall. Study will follow Richard Foster’s book Celebration of Discipline. This is an easily-readable and yet profound to the practice of spiritual discipline, of putting God first. Many of you have this book. If you do not, please alert the parish office, so we can order the necessary number of copies. If you are interested in cooking and hosting a dinner those sign-up sheets are also available in the Narthex.
Music this week:
Prelude: Chorale Prelude on O Lamb of God, pure, sinless J. S. Bach
Entrance Hymn 7 “Christ, whose glory fills the skies”
Offertory Anthem Christ, whose glory fills the skies Candlyn
Communion Motet O everlasting light John E. West
Communion Hymn 137 “O wondrous type! O vision fair”
Closing Hymn 122 “Alleluia! song of gladness”
Postlude Paean on ‘Divinum Mysterium’ Cook
Parish Notices
· Shrove Tuesday Feast before the Fast: Shrove Tuesday is February 21st we will be having a Potluck dinner following a 6:00pm Mass. Please mark your calendars and plan to attend this festive occasion. There is a sign-up sheet in the Narthex, please indicate a dish to pass and please volunteer to help clean up.
· Ash Wednesday: February 22nd is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, it is a day of fasting and penitence. We will observe this day with Mass and Imposition of Ashes at 12:10 p.m., and Solemn Mass with Imposition of Ashes at 6:00 p.m. This is a holy day and a wonderful way to begin your Lenten observance.
§ Vacation Bible School: VBS will be offered this summer in coöperation with St. Dominic Catholic Church and St. Peter Lutheran Church, our partners in the Tripartite Ministry. If you interested in further details, or can assist in any way, please plan on attending a meeting at St. Peter (2104 Geele Ave.) this Friday, 17 February, at 4 p.m.
§ Ministry Expansion Committee Needs Your Help: In addition to your prayers, the MEC also needs to hear from you about what local assistance you are aware of in the community. One major goal of the MEC is to compile a list of community resources so that if Grace church cannot meet a particular need, we are able to quickly reference someone who does. There are a few criteria to keep the list manageable, but if it is a program that meets a need, no matter how small, the MEC would like to know about it. An example could be a local laundromat that offers a free laundry day once a month. Please help out if you can and leave written information with the Grace Church office or contact an MEC member directly. CRITERIA: (1) must be offered on a regular schedule and at least once monthly (2) is at no cost or obligation to the recipient.
§ Scout Appreciation "Pancake Breakfast": Sunday March 4th Please mark your calendars to stay a few minutes, after each service, to savor a down home Pancake Breakfast. Scouts will supply all the know how for the event. As an added bonus, Maple Syrup will be supplied by the Drewry Farms of Plymouth. This award winning Maple Syrup is served at all the major restaurants in the area and beyond. The Scouts will also have available Maple Syrup gift assortments.
§ Love Bowls: will be held on Sunday, February 19th from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm in The Commons at Sheboygan South High School -3128 South 12th Street. Love Bowls is a fun, family-oriented event where patrons buy a beautiful bowl for $16 and sample as many soups as they wish. Over 60 local restaurants donate their signature soups. Local talent will entertain throughout the day. All proceeds from Love Bowls stay in Sheboygan County and help defray the cost of meals for our elderly, homebound and disabled neighbors.
§ The Discerning Our Future Task Force: is working to help the diocese discern its future direction. On Saturday, February 25th, 10am-12noon, there will be a diocesan-wide meeting hosted in each deanery. Each congregation is asked to send lay representatives who will answer the same questions used at the Clergy Day with answers compiled and posted on the website. Please volunteer to do this important work as we move forward as the Diocese of Fond du Lac.
Ø The meeting for this deanery will take place at St. Paul’s Cathedral, Fond du Lac.
Ø Please contact Fr. Karl to express interest in serving.
· NEEDED: Bernie and Jessica are looking for some BADLY NEEDED shelving or storage units to better organize two rooms in the basement. Does anybody have some unused ones sitting around anywhere? Please contact them or Ed Clabots if you do.
· Women’s Bible Study: A women’s Bible study will begin on Wednesday February 29th and run for 6 weeks. The class will meet at Grace Church on Wednesday evenings from 6:30 until 8:00pm. The class will study Beth Moore’s “Stepping Up: A Journey Through the Psalms of Assent” a study of Psalms 120 through 134. This is an educational journey tying the Old Testament to the New by relating events of prophetic fulfillment from Jesus’ life with the ancient pilgrims. Two days worth of study is spent on each Psalm, offering a decent and rich overview. The video teaching is by Beth Moore delivering truth that can change lives and accompany the written material beautifully. This is an excellent study to be experienced each day through personal study and through participation in the group discussion each Wednesday evening. Please call the office at 452-9659 to register.
No comments:
Post a Comment