Grace Episcopal Church
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
Grace Notes
10 January 2013
Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you.
For I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. (Isaiah 43.2-3a)
In Isaiah’s prophecy (which we will hear this coming Sunday) these words are addressed to Jacob/Israel, but of course at the time of Isaiah’s prophecy Jacob has long been dead. The prophet speaks, therefore, to Israel as a people. But by the prophet God speaks to us as well, for it is by Israel that all shall be blessed (Gen. 28.14). God tells each of us that He has called us by name. We are each created in God’s image and likeness (Gen. 1.26). He knows us better than we know ourselves (Mtt. 10.30), and there is no place we can be where God is not with us (Ps. 139). When we realize and trust in this presence; when we are open to God’s will being paramount to our own, we have nothing to fear.
At the start of a new year it is traditional to wish happiness upon each other, and to look forward in hope, that what is to come will be a blessing. When we realize God’s presence in our lives, and trust in Him, we realize that regardless of what comes our hope is never confounded, for God is with us. God calls us each by name. Later this month we will look forward using a formal process. We will discuss a parish budget, and what the plans are for parish initiatives in 2013. There is much to grateful for, and much to be optimistic about, but gratitude and optimism meet in the common hope in Christ. Let us live this hope together, recalling the Lord’s words by Isaiah, and in how these words are echoed in hymn 637 (How firm a foundation):
The soul that to Jesus hath fled for repose,
I will not, I will not, desert to its foes;
that soul, though all hell shall endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake.
Change in Worship Schedule: The December experiment to change worship times did not bear fruit, and we will therefore revert to the original schedule, modified slightly to accommodate those who have difficulty attending Evening Prayer. The schedule is as follows:
Morning Prayer Mass Evening Prayer
Monday 8:45 a.m. 12:10 p.m. 5:10 p.m.
Tuesday 8:45 a.m. 5:30 p.m. 5:10 p.m.
Wednesday 8:45 a.m. 5:30 p.m. 5:10 p.m.
Thursday 8:45 a.m. 9:00 a.m. 5:10 p.m.
Friday 7:00 a.m. 7:15 a.m. 5:10 p.m.
Saturday 8:45 a.m. 9:00 a.m.
No changes to the Sunday schedule are made.
Grace Abounds: Please thank Bernie Markevitch for preparing the Epiphany luncheon. Please thank Hans Graf for coffee hour. Please thank Pat Ford Smith for providing hospitality during the deanery clergy meeting.
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.
The Bible Challenge: The reading schedule is now independent of the Sunday lectionary, so as of 1 January you can start any Monday of the year. If you began in 2012 (I Lent), 2013 will begin at week 46. Study summaries for all 52 weeks are posted on the parish website (Christian Formation: The Bible Challenge).
Almost 10% of the parish has participated in The Bible Challenge. If you are interested, ask who has, and listen to their insights.
Bible study meets on Thursdays at 9:30 a.m. to review the lessons for the coming Sunday.
EYC Update:
Adult Christian Education: Adult Education meets on Sundays at 9 a.m., in St. Nicholas Hall. Adult Education will resume on Sunday, 13 January. On that date we will restart with a review of how we came to have the Bible in English. On 20 January a multi-week course will begin, facilitated by Dcn. Michele Whitford and Mary Clabots, focused on spiritual gifts—their identification and expression.
It’s all Greek to me! On Thursday, 10 January, our course in New Testament Greek will begin. Classes will be held on Thursday evenings, from 7 to 9 p.m.
The Search Process for our Next Bishop: Updates on the search process can be found at http://www.diofdl.org/org.asp?page=sc . You may ask questions and provide comments to the Standing Committee of the diocese at bishopsearch.info
Music this week:
Prelude Chorale Prelude on How brightly shines the Morning Star Buxtehude
Entrance Hymn 124 “What star is this, with beams so bright”
Offertory Hymn 497 “How bright appears the Morning Star”
Communion Motet Christ, when for us you were baptized Drimmens
Comm. Hymn 120 “The sinless one to Jordan came”
Closing Hymn 119 “As with gladness men of old”
Postlude Improvisation on ‘How brightly shines the Morning Star’ Paul Manz
Parish Notices
Offering Envelopes: Offering envelopes will be available this Sunday. If you do not see one with your name on it, it could be an oversight or you checked the box indicating that you did not desire to have envelopes or that you have not pledged yet. If it is the latter please feel free to take a pledge card and fill it out, it is not too late. You may return it to any of the clergy or send it to the church office.
Tripartite Family Game Night: January 13, 2013 will be a Tripartite Family Game night hosted here at Grace Church from 5:00pm-7:00pm. in St. Nicholas Hall. Come and get to know each other better and play some games. There will be a wide variety to choose from.
Being the Body: Our fourth session of Being the Body: Beyond Church Membership will be held on Saturday, January 19, 2013 from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. The program will once again feature Dr. Walter C. Kaiser, Jr., President Emeritus of Gordon-Conwell College. Dr. Kaiser is a world renowned Old Testament scholar, who’s more than twenty books have been translated into more than six languages. He will lead us in the exploration of God’s Holy Word as a “roadmap” guiding us to know and follow our Lord. Please do not stay away if you have missed the previous sessions. Each session can stand on its own and community is formed.
It's Girl Scout Cookie Time! We have several Girl Scouts at Grace Church who are selling Girl Scout Cookies this year! On Sunday, January 20, 2013, they will be hosting a cookie-order booth from 7:30 a.m. - noon right outside of St. Nicholas Hall. If you would like to order cookies, please stop by! Cookies are $3.50 per box and we will host a Delivery Booth on Sunday, February 24 - you do not pay until delivery day! We will have extra cookies at our Delivery Booth, but please consider placing an order to ensure you get what you want! If you are unable to visit the girls on 1/20, please call Katy Prange at 920-889-1252 or email katyprange@gmail.com to order.
The Annual Financial Meeting: This year’s Financial meeting will take place on Sunday January 27, 2013. We will have one Mass at 9:00am followed by the Financial meeting held in the Nave 10:30am. The agenda of the meeting will include, 2012 financial review and 2013 budget, Recent Vestry actions, and an overall review of the 2013 calendar. Please make every effort to attend and participate.
Flower Schedule for 2012: Giving the gift of flowers is a wonderful way to remember a loved one or to offer thanksgiving for your blessings. If you wish to sign up for a specific Sunday, the Flower Schedule is really available on the table in the narthex. More than one person can sign up for each Sunday.
Hosting the Seminarian and His Family: Please consider hosting our seminarian Ryan Delaney and his family for a Saturday evening meal or Sunday Brunch. Ryan and his lovely wife Melanie and children Brenna and Bremen will be staying most Saturday evenings in preparation for services on Sunday morning. This will give the parish an opportunity to get to know them and for the Delaney’s to get to know the parish. Please find a sign-up sheet on the table in the Narthex for dinner Saturday evening and brunch Sunday after the service.
Bishop Search: For all information concerning the search for the eighth Bishop of Fond du Lac please go to bishopsearch.info
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