Grace Episcopal Church
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
Grace Notes
17 January 2013
Today is the feast of St. Antony of Egypt, a fourth century hermit. Antony went into the desert as a young man, and spent his life struggling to understand God by removing everything that obscured his experience of God. His spiritual approach was one in which the believer seeks to experience God by recognizing what God is not. Instead of saying, for example, “God is love,” the believer recognizes that God is not be found in (for example) the exercise of personal power.
As a desert saint, Antony stood in the “wilderness” tradition of spiritual understanding. A wilderness is by definition a place not filled with the hustle and bustle of human activity. It is not a place apart from human care, but by going into the wilderness one relinquishes human society and control, and depends on God alone. God speaks at all times in Scripture and in the testimonies and acts of those in the world who do His will, yet it is in a quiet place that most often the Lord can be best heard: the still, small voice can be heard when storms and tumult (or mere “background noise”) do not pervade. Thus, Antony, in retreating to the wilderness, had to confront his own thoughts, doubts and fears, and had to focus on God to conquer such doubts and fears.
Throughout Scripture, God reveals Himself in the wilderness—on Sinai, in the desert, away from the populated centers. A wilderness need to be barren, but it is by definition still/quiet compared to the everyday life. Where is the quiet space for you? Where do you go to listen better to God? Is this in a private place in prayer, or in a practice of prayer, or at a particular time? Is it in nature? Wherever it is, however it is experienced, when we will that we will shut off the distractions of life in order to better pay attention to God, we find that He speaks to us, for He is speaking to us always. It is when we focus on listening that we can best experience God’s love and truth. Tune out the background noise.
Grant, O Lord, such stillness of soul that our ears may ever be open to your voice, and that our hearts may ever be open to your presence; that we might follow not our call but yours, and in following your call we may ever walk in your way, to the glory of your Name and the salvation of our souls; this we pray in the name of your Son, our blessed Savior, Jesus Christ.
Grace Abounds: Please thank Nick Whitford for organizing the family game night this past week. Please thank Bernie Markevitch for his work is removing the Christmas/Epiphany decorations.
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 47. Study summaries for all 52 weeks are posted on the parish website (Christian Formation: The Bible Challenge).
Children’s Sunday: Each child can bring a small object (to fit in a hat box). The hat box will be opened during worship, so we can examine the objects and relate them to how God participant’s in the child’s life.
Bible study meets on Thursdays at 9:30 a.m. to review the lessons for the coming Sunday.
Bible resource: Many good Bible study resources are now available online and on e-readers. By the far the best encountered recently is www.biblos.com, which include a treasure trove of study materials, cross references, reference tools, language resources—you name it. If you have ever wondered, for example, about a particular word or phrase in the Bible, you can look it up in many different English translations, and look at the word (in the original and transliterated) in the Hebrew or Greek, seeing how that word is used elsewhere in the Bible. You can find maps, genealogies, topical indices, etc. Explore!
Adult Christian Education: Adult Education meets on Sundays at 9 a.m., in St. Nicholas Hall. 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.
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
Family Game Night This past Sunday we gathered parents, children, friends, and strangers who became new friends, together to play games. Having brought many games, myself, to be used and played with, still others brought some games that even I (and I thought I knew a lot of games) haven’t played nor heard of. We had a great time, all 20 of us, and I look forward to doing this again! This was one of the events that the youth leaders of St. Dominic, St. Peter and Grace planned to try and get our groups together. Please stay tuned for more!
Music this week:
Prelude Duo & Adagio on All glory be to God on high Bach
Entrance Hymn 135 “Songs of thankfulness and praise”
Offertory Anthem Behold a star from Jacob shining Mendelssohn
Communion Motet Eternal light, shine in my heart Scheidt
Comm. Hymn 126 “The people who in darkness walked”
Closing Hymn 542 “Christ is the world’s true light”
Postlude In thee is gladness Bach
Parish Notices
This is a gentle reminder that this evening Thursday, January 17 we will celebrate The Confession of St. Peter at 6:00pm. Please plan to attend as you are able.
The Annual Financial Meeting: This year’s Financial meeting will take place on Sunday January 27, 2013. We will have one Mass at 9:00 am followed by the Financial meeting held in the Nave 10:15am. 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.
All Parish Potluck Lunch: Following the Financial Meeting we will have and All Parish Potluck Lunch. Please bring a dish to pass and share in fellowship. Please sign up on the sheet in the Narthex.
Offering Envelopes: Please pick up your offering envelopes. 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.
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.
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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