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.

§  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.

§  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.

§  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.