Grace Episcopal Church
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
Grace Notes
6 September 2012
Kick-off. Rally Day. Different congregations have different names for the Fall Sunday when full programming resumes. Ours is this Sunday. Details on new programming were published in our second August edition of The Angelus, and in our September edition, as well. Details can also be found on the new edition of our parish website at www.gracesheboygan.com.
Take a look at the new website! The new look, feel and utility result from a lot of thought and effort brought to the project by Jon Whitford and Joann Otte. Please take the time to thank them, and to thank them for all the work that goes in on a weekly basis to keep the site current. Thank, as well, Bobbi Kraft and Dcn. Michele Whitford for getting the parish calendar current and interactive, and Sherri Smies and Joann Otte for the extra work on The Angelus. We recently received a communication from the diocese praising our newsletter as a model for other parishes, both in terms of content and layout.
Not to take away anything from all these thanksgivings (and those below), remember that the life of faith, the life of following Jesus Christ, is something that we do together. We are called not just to gather in worship, but to new life in Jesus Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit, and this new life means that our faith is lived at all times, not just during Sunday worship. One “size,” of course, does not fit all, and that is why we are offering a variety of programs throughout the Fall.
The Sunday School curriculum is new. Teachers are new. Adult Education will begin with a five week course on The New Atheism and the Defense of the Faith, which will meet on Sundays at 9 a.m. Ideally, we will have course offerings taught by a number of people, both clergy and lay, so please consider what you would like to study, and what you would like to teach.
Leave-taking for Fr. Ken and Grace Okkerse: Save the date! On Sunday, 16 September, following the 10:15 service, we will hold a reception honoring Fr. Ken and Grace Okkerse for their years of grace-filled service in this parish, both in Sheboygan and at Elkhart Lake.
Parish Library: Our parish library needs help. The collection is more extensive than that found in many congregations. (How many of you knew that we have the collected works of Bl. Charles Chapman Grafton, our local saint?) There is some overlap, and some culling needed, complicated by recent donations.
If you are willing to work on cataloguing and arrangement, please contact the parish office. Ideally, if we have two or three people, we can complete the project quickly.
Grounds and Garden Care: For many years this parish has relied on the good offices of Wes and Barbara Jung in caring for the grounds and garden. Barbara–may she rest in peace–now tends another garden, and Wes has moved to Massachusetts to be with his son. We need to form a Grounds Committee. In order to jump start the process, we recently hired a professional landscaping company to provide a major trim on ornamental plants. But now we need to maintain the plants. We need people who know plants, and can work on a rotating schedule to keep the grounds and gardens in order. Please pray about how you are called to serve, and contact Ed Clabots, junior warden, to explore interest.
Pictorial Directory: The pictorial directory photographic sessions are scheduled for 21 and 22 September. Please visit the parish website to schedule your appointment. You will also receive an automated telephone call from the parish, which will provide details of how to schedule your appointment.
Grace Abounds: Please thank Katy and Nina Prange in getting the “Busy Bags” for children restocked and prepared for our kick-off Sunday next week. Nina came up with the ideas for the contents, including clipboards for coloring art, instead of coloring books that get filled up quickly. She and her mother have worked hard to consider how to provide for young children during Sundays, and Nina also came up with the idea of a basket to keep all the bags together.
Please thank, as well, Ed Clabots for the time he put in in managing our recent safety audit, and the thoroughness of his follow-up on physical plant issues, including saving the parish money by recently effecting repairs at the rectory himself. Please thank Pat Ford Smith for her work in preparing the ice cream social for Sunday School sign-up.
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.
Episcopal Youth Community: D-Group (as in discipleship). For the first couple of weeks we are going to be doing some group building and introductions, so that we can work on becoming a community–a community that can work and play together, trust and pray together. We will begin our work as a Discipleship Group by defining what a disciple is, what a disciple does, who can be a disciple, and who Jesus called to be his closest followers. Along with dinner, and prayer and a couple of fun games, I trust this to be an excellent first couple of weeks for our youth.
Please remember the youth of all ages in your prayers, as they are the rising stars, the future leaders, and they are the church now. In our parish we have 69 youth from birth to age 18 who are members of the parish or family of members in the parish. I thank you for your support and look forward to where the Spirit guides us. —Nick Whitford
Electronic Devices: Worship involves focus on God, on being present for God who is at all times present for you. Please exercise spiritual discipline, and consider as well the worship focus of those around you, and do not use any electronic device in the nave. A cell call, an email, a text message, a Tweet, can wait on God’s timelessness.
A Need for Shelves: In our recent safety audit one finding related to the need to install shelves in several storage areas in the parish, to cure a degree of floor clutter. If you have serviceable and sturdy shelves please contact the parish office.
Angelus Bells: Three times every day, at 7 a.m., noon, and 5 p.m. the bells of this parish ring in a set pattern as a summons to pray the Angelus prayer. This practice is a witness to the community around, a reminder of the loving protection of our patron, Our Lady of Walsingham, and a discipline that allows us to engage in intercessory prayer on a regular schedule.
The bell-ringing controller has failed. Parts are not made for this 42 year-old piece of equipment, and the manufacturer can only offer to install a new controller. With installation the cost will total $3,250! This is not in the budget. Please pray about and consider whether you are called to make a designated offering, that the Angelus may continue to sound.
Biblical Literacy: The Bible Challenge will meet on Tuesday, 11 September, following the 5:30 p.m. Mass an 6 o’clock pot-luck. Readings will be for week 28. Bible study for the Sunday lessons meets on Thursdays, following the 9 a.m. Mass.
Being the Body: Knowing, Being Doing: This discipleship program (which will be offered in conjunction with St. Paul’s, Plymouth and St. Peter’s, Sheboygan Falls) begins on Saturday, 15 September, at 9 a.m., here at Grace. Our first session will focus on a diagnosis of where we are in the Church now, and we will then build from there. As a preview, consider that our first two speakers this Fall will be The Rev. Dr. Steven A. Peay, Academic Dean at Nashotah House, and Dr. Walter C. Kaiser, Jr., retired president of Gordon Conwell College, and a world-know author of more than 25 books on scripture.
Please sign-up at the parish offcie, so that we can have a reasonable headcount estimate for logistical planning.
Music this week:
Prelude Chorale Partita on ‘What God decrees is always good’ J. Pachelbel
Entrance Hymn 377 “All people that on earth do dwell” Old 100th
Offertory Anthem O how amiable are thy dwellings R. Vaughan Williams
Communion Motet Here, O my Lord, I see thee face to face Gill
Comm. Hymn 567 “Thine arm, O Lord, in days of old” St. Matthew
Closing Hymn 562 “Onward, Christian soldiers” St. Gertrude
Postlude Prelude & Fugue in C Major J. S. Bach
Parish Notices
· It’s Kick Off Sunday! September 9th we Kick Off a new academic year here at Grace Church. The Sunday School includes 4K-8th grade will meet at 9:00am. They will be Weaving God’s Promises throughout the year with lessons in Old Testament, New Testament and the Church Year. The High School Group will be meeting Sunday evenings from 5-7pm and will be practicing all aspects of Discipleship. The Sunday morning adult class will be looking at The New Atheism led by Fr. Schaffenburg. Catechumenate will begin Monday, September 17 at 6:00pm. If you are interested in Catechumenate there is a sign-up sheet in the Narthex.
· Farewell to Fr. Ken & Grace Okkerse: Sunday, September 16th after the 10:15am service. We will be celebrating the ministry of Fr. Ken & Grace and sending them off to a new life with gratitude for all they have done here at Grace Church. They moved to Menasha on September 4th to be closer to family. Please join in the celebration by signing up to bring sweets or savories for a Gala Reception and then stay to help clean up. There is a sign-up sheet on the Narthex table.
· Pictorial Directory Update: We have had a very good response to date and Sept 21 and 22 are now fully booked. There are openings still available for Monday, October 1 for later in the afternoon and evening so please call Barb MacEwen (920.467.6909) to make your appointment now or go on line at the church website and book it yourself. We want and need all of you to participate. Thank you.
· Please Check your Entry: An “almost final” draft is located on the narthex table. If you have not checked your entry, please do so as soon as possible. We plan to have the new non-pictorial directory available at the annual meeting on September 30. This is different from the pictorial directory, which will be distributed sometime early in the new year. Thank you for helping keep our records up to date.
· Annual Meeting Reports: If you are in charge of anything, please write a short report to be included in the Annual Report and send it to the office office@gracesheboygan.com by Thursday September 20th. Thank you so much.
· Parish Annual Meeting: Our Annual meeting will be September 30, 2012. We will begin with Low Mass with hymns at 9:00am followed by the meeting in the church at 10:15. We will conclude the morning with an all parish potluck at 11:45. If you are in charge of anything, please write a short report to be included in the Annual Report and send it to the office. There is a sign-up sheet on the table in the Narthex. We will also need a team of people to clean up. Please mark your calendars now.
· Call for Vestry Nominations: Vestry elections will be held on Sunday, 30 September, at the parish annual meeting. We need at least six nominees, with names provided to the parish office by 16 September. You can nominate another person or yourself. To run for Vestry you must be a qualified elector of the parish, which means that: (1) You are regular in your attendance on worship;(2) You have received Holy Eucharist at least once in the prior year;(3) You are active in your support of the parish through a pledge or some other form of giving; and (4) Your are at least sixteen years of age. Vestry members are called to lead. Be prepared in the election process to provide a brief biographical sketch which allows your fellow parishioners to better understand your relationship with God and His Church, and your call to lead. Vestry members are called to commitment, and are expected to attend twelve meetings throughout the year (once per month).
· Walsingham Pilgrimage: This is the 61st Annual Pilgrimage to the American Proto-Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham. On Friday, October 12th there will be a Quiet Day with meditations at 12:00 and 3:00pm concluding with Solemn Evensong at 6:00pm. The Rev. Arnold W. Klukas will lead the meditations. On Saturday, October 13th The Rt. Rev. Russell E. Jacobus will celebrate at the Procession and Solemn Pontifical Mass at 10:30am. The Rt. Rev. Lindsay G. Urwin, OGS will preach. Bishop Urwin is the, Administrator of the Anglican Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham, Walsingham, England. If you can help with the cost of the Pilgrimage by donating for music and for flowers please make you check out to Grace Church with “Pilgrimage music and flowers” in the memo. Thank you so much.
· Coats for Kids: is a community service campaign. Area residents are asked to donate clean coats in good repair. We accept coats of all sizes for people of all ages, with the need being greatest for children’s coats. These coats will be distributed to Sheboygan county residents who would otherwise go without. Drop off location: Reinbold-Novak Funeral Home, 1535 S. 12 St. Sheboygan. September 4 –October 24 Monday–Friday 8:30am–4:00 pm. Distribution Location: Salvation Army, 710 Pennsylvania Ave. Sheboygan. Friday, October 26, from 9:00am–1:00pm and Thursday, November 1 from 2:00–6:00pm.
· Break the Language Barrier: He gives you flowers when what you really want is a hug. She spends time with you but what you really need is a home-cooked meal. The problem isn’t a lack of love, it’s your love language! Join us as we discover the five different ways that people express and receive love. Apply the right principles and soon you’ll know the joy of being able to express your love-and feel truly loved in return. Based on the book The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman. Registration is required for this free program. Join us at Great Marriages 612 Center Avenue, Sheboygan Saturday, October 13, 2012, 9:30am – noon Call GMSC at 920-783-3660 to register.
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