Grace Episcopal Church
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
Grace Notes
31 January 2013
Word and blessing: We cannot separate the two. In the lessons for this past Sunday, we heard from Nehemiah ch. 8, how when the scrolls of the Law were discovered after the people of Israel returned from captivity in Babylon, the people gathered and heard this Law, as read to them by the scribe Ezra. On hearing God’s Law the people wept, for they recognized the distance between who they were and who God called them to be. This reaction is one often seen in those who seek to avoid the Bible out of some kind of fear that the Word is condemnatory, and that they won’t “measure up”. But look at what happens next in the biblical account. The people are told, “Go your way, eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions of them to those for whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy to our LORD; and do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength" (Neh. 8.10).
God takes joy in us, and when we pay attention to His holy Word this becomes evident. It is true that when we come to know the Bible better we understand that there is a large distance between who we are and who God calls us to be, but when we come to know this same Bible—when we pay attention to what God is saying to us—we realize that the distance is bridged by God. We cannot “close the gap” and earn our own salvation, but God closes this gap by giving His Son “... that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (Jn. 3.16). God sends His Holy Spirit to comfort and to guide us, to lead us into all truth and to remind us of all that Jesus has revealed to us (Jn. 14.25). This same Spirit guides us to follow the Son who is Himself the Way (Jn. 14.6).
God’s Word is life-giving. If we don’t know the Bible we “know” it only by the cultural baggage that has accumulated around it, and may think of it only as a series of rules, of “Thou shalt not.” There are rules, but they are rules which give life, rules which proclaim God’s love for us. More importantly, in God’s Word we find revelation of who He is and what His will is for us. When we pay attention we find that in conforming our lives to God’s truth, we find new life, new blessing, and may “eat the fat and drink the sweet wine”. We find that God takes joy in us, and that this joy is our strength.
Grace Abounds: Please thank Bernie Markevitch, Nicci Beeck and Bobbi Kraft for providing for funeral hospitality this past Saturday, and this same crew, plus Deb Gagin, Michele Whitford, Beth and Rachel Boland, and Elizabeth Schaffenburg for clean-up.
Please thank Elizabeth Schaffenburgfor laundering the table cloths used at the reception. Others have performed this service in the past, but have not been thanked in this newsletter because their service was not brought to anyone’s attention. Therefore, 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.
If you are sick we need to hear from you! HIPAA (The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996) rules apply to hospitals and medical caregivers, but not to churches. If you are hospitalized or sick, the hospital will not inform us that you are a patient unless you request them to. Unless we are informed by you, the hospital (per your request) or a family member of friend, we will not know of your illness and cannot provide pastoral visitation. If we are contacted, we will, of course, come to see you. We will also need to know whether or not you will allow us to share the information that you are sick with others in the parish, so that they may pray for you.
Prayer Warrior recruiting: When we offer the Prayers of the People at a celebration of Mass, people are prayed for under general categories, such as those who are sick. Many people are uncomfortable sharing the particulars of their prayers needs at a public worship service (although we should feel free so to share, for we are members of the same Body). Therefore, we wish to recruit people willing to serve in a dedicated prayer chain. These prayers will be offered in addition to those which are included in the shrine of Our Lady.
If you are a member of the prayer chain, you will be contacted with details of a prayer request(s): Who to pray for an for what, and for how long the prayers are to continue.
If you are called to this ministry, please contact Dcn. Michele Whitford.
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 49. Study summaries for all 52 weeks are posted on the parish website (Christian Formation: The Bible Challenge).
A Swell Project: A swell engine (a device which controls the volume of sound) in the organ needs to be replaced. The approximate cost if $3,500, and this amount is not inicluded in the 2013 budget. Our goal is to raise the necessary funds, to allow for installation of the device prior to Holy Week. If you wish to contribute to this project, please contact the parish office.
Bible study meets on Thursdays at 9:30 a.m. to review the lessons for the coming Sunday.
Adult Christian Education: Adult Education meets on Sundays at 9 a.m., in St. Nicholas Hall. On 20 January a multi-week course began, facilitated by Dcn. Michele Whitford and Mary Clabots, focused on spiritual gifts—their identification and expression. The course will not meet on 27 January. There will be no adult education that day, to allow for the annual financial meeting. Adult education resumes this Sunday, 3 February.
Music this week:
Prelude Psalm-Prelude (Psalm 139 v.11) Herbert Howells
Yea, the darkness is no darkness with thee, but the night is as clear as the day:
the darkness and light to Thee are both alike.
Entrance Hymn 598 “Lord Christ, when first thou cam’st to earth” Mit Freuden zart
Offertory Hymn 444 “Blessed be the God of Israel” Thornbury
Communion Motet Jesus, Sun of Life G. F. Handel
Comm. Hymn 302 “Father, we thank thee who hast planted” Rendez a Dieu
Closing Hymn 438 “Tell out, my soul” Woodlands
Postlude Trumpet Voluntary in D William Boyce
Parish Notices
Boy Scout Sunday: Please welcome Troop 801 (formerly Post 1, Troop 1) the first Boy Scout Troop in Wisconsin. They will be worshiping with us at the 10:15 mass on Sunday.
Potluck Dinner and Compline: Bring a dish to pass and join us this evening Sunday, February 3rd at 6:30pm, for a potluck dinner and fellowship. At 8:00pm the Schola Cantorum will sing Compline, a beautiful restful service full of candles and music.
Office Closed: Next week Monday through Thursday, February 4-7th is the Diocesan Clergy Retreat. On those days the office will be closed and there will be no Daily Office or Masses.
Rector’s Discretionary Fund: On the first Sunday of the month, any undesignated offering goes to the Rector’s Discretionary Fund which provides for the pastoral emergencies and other unplanned pastoral expenses. During the cold weather months, there is special demand on these funds. Please be generous as you are able.
Spiritual Gifts Class: We will continue this week and next with the Spiritual Gifts class. This course will discuss what Spiritual Gifts are, (and what they are not). You will get an assessment tool to do at home. The group will learn a little about each gift and how they can be used. We will discuss how our gifts fit into various ministries at Grace Church. This course is for those who have never considered their Spiritual Gifts as well as those who want to look at how their gifts match the ministries they are in. Please join us in St. Nicholas Hall at 9:00am.
Shrove Tuesday Feast before the Fast: Shrove Tuesday is February 12th we will be having a Potluck dinner following a 5:30pm Mass. Please mark your calendars and plan to attend this festive occasion. There is a sign-up sheet in the Narthex, please indicate a dish to pass and please volunteer to help clean up.
Ash Wednesday: February 13th is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, it is a day of fasting and penitence. We will observe this day with Mass and Imposition of Ashes at 12:10 p.m., and Solemn Mass with Imposition of Ashes at 6:00 p.m. This is a holy day and a wonderful way to begin your Lenten observance.
Women’s Bible Study: Believing God: Experiencing a Fresh Explosion of Faith - We are starting a women's bible study in February. We will be using "Believing God" a study by Beth Moore The study includes a workbook for individual study five days a week plus meeting together 1 day a week for in-depth discussion based on Isaiah 43:10 that explores what it means not only "to believe in God" but "to believe Him." "Believing God" challenges' women to take God at his word, believe his promises and as a result, live fuller lives. Join us and experience the great blessings this study offers as well as meeting each week with other women who want a deeper walk with God. The class will begin Monday, February 18. We will meet at Grace Church from 1-3 PM. This is a 10 week study. However, the women's Bible class will be a continuing class, as long as there is an interest. Pray and ask God for direction for you as a women of God and if this class might be a fit for you.
Lakeshore Chorale Valentine’s Day Gala! “Isn’t It Romantic” will be held on Thursday, February 14th, 7:00 pm, at Grace Church. Featured will be love songs of “The Great American Song Book” including pieces from “My Fair Lady, “Camelot,” The King and I”, and (of course) “Isn’t It Romantic” by Rogers and Hart! The Chorale will present the first portion of the concert in the church’s nave, then move to the fellowship hall, where the evening continues with a cabaret of solos and ensembles, champagne punch, and an assortment of Valentine sweets and savories. Seating is limited Reserve/ purchase your tickets today! Tickets are $20.00 and are available from Chorale members, at www.lakeshorechorale.org, or by calling the chorale office 920-451-1863.
Songs of the Seasons Choral Concert: You are cordially invited to attend this year’s choral concert of music through the church year. The first concert will be held on Feb. 10 at 1st Congregational Church (310 Bluff Ave.) beginning at 2:00 P.M. accompanied by piano and organ. The second concert will be held at Bethlehem Lutheran Church (12th and Georgia Avenue.) on Feb. 17, also beginning at 2:00 P.M. This concert will be accompanied by orchestral instruments and a hand-bell choir. Directed by Sandra Kasten and accompanied by Bill Born, this concert specializes in unique, east-to-listen-to sacred music sung by a 48-voice choir. A free-will offering will be taken to help defray costs.
Love Bowls: will be held on Sunday, February 17th from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm in The Commons at Sheboygan South High School -3128 South 12th Street. Love Bowls is a fun, family-oriented event where patrons buy a beautiful bowl for $20 and sample as many soups as they wish. Over 70 local restaurants donate their signature soups. Local talent will entertain throughout the day. All proceeds from Love Bowls stay in Sheboygan County and help defray the cost of meals for our elderly, homebound and disabled neighbors.
Adult Christian Education in Lent: In Lent our Sunday morning Adult Education program will focus on Christian Testimony. We will hear each week from members of the parish leadership team (ordained and lay) about how a person came to be a Christian, and Episcopalian, a member of Grace. We will then have opportunity in small groups to reflect on our own faith journeys and testimonies. We will share by doing it, as we grow in our appreciation of how we are formed by each other.
Stations of the Cross, Simple Suppers and Teaching: Beginning on the first Friday in Lent (15 February) we will meet each Friday at 5:30 p.m. for Stations of the Cross, followed by a simple supper and Christian formation. Our formation program this year will focus on testimony in faith. How do we share our faith with each other? Lent allows us to focus on how we have separated ourselves from God, but in this context we need to look at how we are separated from each other, when Jesus wills that we be one. (What He says at John 10.16 is not merely a suggestion.) We will combine an examination of separation with the experience of testimony, and are blessed that we will be joined each Friday by the pastor of another church in Sheboygan. Each pastor will testify to his own or her own experience of the Christian faith, and what it is about his or her identity in a particular faith tradition (e.g., Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist, Reformed) that informs their faith and the practice of their faith. We will then have the opportunity to share with each other our own reactions to such testimonies, and to learn how to testify to faith by experiencing the testimony of others.
Cooking on Friday Evenings in Lent: If you are interested in cooking and hosting a dinner on the Fridays during Lent, please sign-up on sheets in the Narthex. All of the Fridays are still open except the first one. Thank you for your willingness to serve in this manner.
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.
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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