Grace Episcopal Church
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
Grace Notes
1 Aug 2013
In the catechism found in our prayer book, we are instructed that Scripture is the Word of God “... because God inspired [the] human authors and because God still speaks through the Bible.” The question becomes how we hear this Word, and in this we find two diametrically opposed approaches in Anglican Christianity. Remember, this is within an Anglican prayer book understanding, and so these opposed approaches are not what might otherwise be characterized as biblical literalism (a Fundamentalist perspective) or mere literary criticism. The approaches may, rather, be characterized with reference to two verses found within Scripture, Jude 3 and John 16.13.
At Jude 3 the apostle writes that he is instructing regarding “the faith which was once delivered for all to the saints.” The “Jude 3 perspective” is one in which God has revealed Himself and His will for us to us. The boundaries of our discipleship and conduct are specified, and cannot change from how they are specified in Scripture.
At John 16.13, Jesus reveals that the Holy Spirit “... will guide you into all the truth. The “John 16.13 perspective” is one in which revelation is an ongoing process, and God can take us in a direction which is new, even when this newness is defined by being different from what has been revealed in Scripture.
The two approaches are not really compatible, and so many in the Church talk past each other, using the same words but understanding these words to mean different things. But—and this is a really crucial qualifier—this difference in our understanding of God’s will doesn’t really matter when all concerned remain Christ-centered. It matters, and is destructive, when we focus on an agenda (our own) or an issue (i.e., with each other). When we are centered on the presence of our risen Lord in our midst; when we abide in Him as He abides in us in the blessed sacrament of His Body and Blood, then our differences become secondary at best, and if I disagree with your understanding of the faith, I can still recognize you to be one who seeks to know, and love and serve the Lord. Let all dialogue be centered in this love.
Grace Abounds: Please thank Jennifer Pawlus and Jack Britton for providing coffee hour this week. We had a good turnout for clean-up, including: Ellen Aparicio, Paul Aparicio, Jack Britton, Sutton Cecil, Tom and Ben Crouse, John Davis, Ben Dobey, Scott Gedemer,Bobbi and Kaleigh Kraft, Steve Larson, Dale Massey, Bill Munns, Mary Ann Neuses, Pat Sather and Elizabeth Schaffenburg.
Faith Alive:
Faith Alive: “More About the Visitors” Friday – Sunday (Sept. 20-22)
A quick look at the visitors being initially invited reveals that we have 2 adults & a teenager from Wisconsin, 2 college students from Illinois, 2 adults from MI across the Big Lake, 4 adults from Indiana, 2 adults & a teenager from Ohio, 2 adults from West Virginia, & 2 couples both from far away, Florida & Colorado. Two are children’s coordinators, at least one a musician, a youth leader, and the two teenagers & college students to work with youth. Wow; this is going to be an impressive investment of time & effort.
John
Episcopal Youth Community:
Grace and peace to you.
Who wants to ride the roller-coasters? Or bash each other up on the bumper cars? Or maybe go to the water park, and get totally soaked (any hopefully not sun burned)?
This Tuesday (8-6-13) our Diocese is hosting the annual Diocesan Day at Six Flags Great America, and I wanted to make sure you were directly invited to join in.
There is a bus that will be leaving from Neenah at 6:30 am and returning at 11:00 pm. The bus will make a pick up/drop off stop in Fond du Lac also for anyone who would find that convenient. Otherwise we can drive ourselves.
The cost of tickets at the group rate is $40 with the bus and $32 without the bus. If you would like to go, but cost is an issue, please contact me, and we will try to make arrangements.
The cost of tickets at the group rate is $40 with the bus and $32 without the bus. If you would like to go, but cost is an issue, please contact me, and we will try to make arrangements.
Here is the link for info and to buy tickets: https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?oeidk=a07e7qtqnsg95a116a6&oseq=&c=&ch=
And here is the link to the Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/650490624980220/?ref=22
If you can let me know if you have any interest or questions so I know who might be going along, and we can go from there!
Thanks,
Nick
Music this week:
Proper 13 C
August 4, 2013
Prelude Cantabile Joseph Jongen
Entrance Hymn 408 “Sing praise to God, who reigns above” Mit Freuden zart
Offertory Hymn 594 “God of grace and God of glory” Cwm Rhondda
Communion Hymn 302 “Father, we thank thee who hast planted” Rendez a Dieu
Closing Hymn 555 “Lead on, O King eternal” Lancashire
Postlude Prelude and Fugue in C Johann Krieger
Parish Notices
Transfiguration of Our Lord: On Tuesday, August 6th at 6:00pm we will celebrate The Transfiguration of Our Lord with a Solemn Mass. Please plan on worshiping with the Grace Church family and meeting with Jesus as his glory is revealed on the mountain top.
Faith Alive is a church retreat! On September 20-22 Grace will be hosting a Faith Alive event. Faith Alive is a church retreat held in the comfort of our own church and city. Witnesses, who are fellow Episcopalians, will be travelling here from around the country at their own expense to lead impactful activities and discussions to bring us to a greater understanding and appreciation of our relationship to God and the power of his love. We hope to have everyone at Grace participate and come closer as a church family and will be supporting this through activities for all age groups from nursery to adulthood consistently throughout the weekend.
Education for Ministry: How do I learn to make the Bible stories become my stories? How do I learn how God wants to bless me with more than I can imagine? Join an EfM (Education for Ministry) group that is starting on Tuesday, September 9th. The 9:00-11:45 am group will meet at St. Paul’s in Plymouth. A 6:00-8:45 pm group is also forming with starting date and place to be determined. Scholarships are available, so don’t let the cost of $350 for this college credited class, stop you from joining. This year starts the use of all new materials and textbooks, so anyone who has taken any of the classes before can repeat them. Registrations are due by August 10th so materials can be received before the first class. Contact Barb Drewry-Zimmerman at bzimmy@excel.net or 920-893-5189 for registration materials.
Summer Lunch Volunteers Needed: By day two, Sheboygan County Interfaith Organization’s summer lunch program had already served over 900 children in four Sheboygan Elementary Schools. They are in desperate need of volunteers to help as there are an additional 300 children who could benefit from the lunch program. They are looking primarily for individuals and families to help distribute lunches at the schools during the lunch hour from 11:15 – 12:30pm. June 24th through August 15th. You can register at the volunteer center website, which is: www.volunteersheboygan.com or please call Kristin Blanchard at 920-457-7272 x 12 or email www.sheboygancountyinterfaith.org if you are interested in helping.
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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