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
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 20th. 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 5th. Eleanor Roos (Rose) weighed 6 lbs 13 oz. Jenny and Nick Whitford welcomed their daughter, Eowyn, into this world on May 9th.
§ 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 20th 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.
§ 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! 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 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.
§ 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.
§ 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.
§ 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.
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