Grace Episcopal Church
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
Grace Notes
31 October 2013
A lot is going on at Grace! Take
a look at the details included below on the formation of focused ministries in
small groups. These activities are
evidence of the Holy Spirit moving within the parish. What we do is important. How we communicate is, as well. One of the things that we can take pride in
at Grace is a parish website that is second to none. The look, feel, interface, and content are at
a level far beyond what can be found for most church congregations, and we can
be grateful to the many ongoing efforts of Jon Whitford and Joanne Otte,
assisted by Michele Whitford and Bobbi Kraft.
Our blog (this blog) is also quite good, but can certainly be
better. It can become better as we
involve more people making contributions to the content. (See
the call for contributions, below.)
One way in which this blog can be
improved is in how it cross-links to other resources. For example, Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi, the really superior blog of St. George’s
Episcopal Church, Ardmore, Pennsylvania (http://stgeorgesardmore.wordpress.com/
) was discovered as a link on Creedal
Christian, http://creedalchristian.blogspot.com/
. In particular, take a look at the page
at St. George’s on which is provided a tutorial for how to pray the Daily
Office (Morning Prayer, Noonday, Evening Prayer, Compline): http://stgeorgesardmore.wordpress.com/the-daily-office-tutorial/
. One of the things we discovered at our
last session of Being the Body was
that many people don’t know how to use the prayer book to pray the office.
We will keep looking for and
providing useful links. Please share
your own. As a community of disciples we
can grow in faith through how we share knowledge, how we are a Body which
learns together. If you have a contribution
to make (of your own thoughts or of a link), send them on. This means that pieces may be posted that we
don’t all agree with, but part of being a living Body is the reality that we
will not always agree. We will seek to
avoid debates over issues. We want to
focus on matters of faith—on Christ centeredness—and not on agendas, but as
well feel our way forward, please pray about how you can add to mix!
FALL BACK! Don’t
forget to set your clocks back one hour when you go to bed this Saturday!
Grace Abounds: Please thank Jessica and Tom Ambelang for the
wonderful coffee hours this past Sunday, and Jack Britton and Jennifer Pawlus
for helping to clean up. At the Fessler
funeral this past Saturday, food was provided by Bernie Markevitch and Mary
Snyder, who also cleaned up, assisted by Ed Clabots.
Call for
Contributions: If you have a spiritual reflection to share,
or want to point your fellow worshippers toward a resource, submit your
contributions to Fr. Karl (by email) by Wednesday (noon) each week.
Small Group
Ministries: The response to the call
to form more focused ministry groups has been very good. Following a 27 October organizational
meeting, the following details have emerged:
1.
Depression support group: This is a group to offer support for those
who suffer from depression, and for their family members.
The participants will include non-professional local contact/resources
for parishioners who might develop symptoms of depression in the future.
The group will meet on the fourth Sunday after the early service in the
rector's office. Contact people are: Ed Clabots and Martha Shad.
2.
Caregiver support group: This group intends to offer emotional and
spiritual mutual support for those of us who are responsible for or who
are caregivers for elderly or ill family and friends. Many members
of our parish are caregivers in one way or another. The first goal is to
contact individuals who fit into this category, in order to identify who wants
to belong to the group. At that point the group will be able to determine
a meeting time and place. The leader is Scott Gedemer; please contact him
if you are interested.
3.
Study/discussion group: This group decided to start with a study of
Galatians. They (six people so far) plan to meet after the 10:15 service
starting Nov. 17th, hoping to meet every two weeks in the church
library. Contact people are Mary Massey and Fr. John Ambelang.
4.
Order of St. Luke/ healing prayer team: This group will learn about healing and
praying for those needing any kind of healing. Contacts will be Dcn. Mike
Burg, Dcn. Michele Whitford and Jane Hanson. Tentative meeting place and
time will be Tuesdays, 5:30 at Jane Hanson's condo.
5.
Film study: Jane Hanson has agreed to facilitate a
monthly film discussion. This will be called “Soup and Cinema”. The
first session will be on Wednesday, 13 November, at 6 p.m., St. Nicholas
Hall. The second Wednesday of the month will be the default timing. The plan is the start at 6, with a light
supper of soup, salad, and bread. As people are seated, the film will
begin. It will be projected on our large screen. Afterward, Jane
will facilitate a discussion.
The first film in
the series is the 2005 feature (based on a true story), End of the Spear. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/End_of_the_Spear
Other films which may be used include Get
Low (Robert Duvall), Tender Mercies
(Robert Duvall), The Mission (Robert
Deniro and Jeremy Irons), Of Gods and Men
(Lambert Wilson, in French with subtitles). Suggestions for future titles
will be solicited from participants.
6.
Society of Mary: The fundamental Mission is to foster devotion
to Mary, Mother of God, at Grace Episcopal Church. The Society will be revived, to qualify as an
internationally-recognized named cell.
Focuses will include: (a) Revitalize
attendance at the celebration of the four annual commemorations of Mary on the
Church Calendar; (b) Increase attendance support of the Walsingham protoshrine daily
prayers, and for the corporate Rosary recited on Mondays at 5:30 p.m.; (c) Improve
communication in the broader community of our intended missions.
Normal meeting
time will be after the first service on the fourth Sunday of the
month in the church library. However, this coming Sunday, Nov. 3, there
will be a special follow-up meeting led by Paul Aparicio at 9:00 in
the library. Contact person is Mary Kohler.
7.
Social group: This group will plan activities for the
family on an informal basis. Details are being discussed. Contact
persons are Tom and Tasha Crouse.
8.
ESL teaching group: This group will help immigrants learn the
English language to better their lives and job prospects. Members will
individually decide when and where the teaching can be done. Contact
person is Scott Lubbers.
New Consecration
Sunday: Our stewardship Sunday will
be on 10 November, with one service
at 10 a.m., followed by a parish luncheon.
Thank you, Kaleigh Kraft, for speaking this past Sunday! We will have speakers at both services on 27
October and 3 November, to share with us what the Church means to them, and how
we can all participate in the gift of being the Body of Christ.
Special stewardship opportunity:
Whichever person has the greatest increase in a 2014 pledge, over their
paid 2013 pledge amount (calculated at close of the giving year), or who has
the highest new pledge for 2014 (for any person who has not pledged
previously), will receive a complimentary stay at a Hyatt-managed timeshare apartment
in Key West, Florida (occupancy dates are 2 March to a 9 March check-out. These dates include Mardi Gras.) Go To: www.hyattwindwardpointe.hyatt.com You can find all the amenities and room
pictures there.
The unit is on the 3rd level,
set way back on the property, with a virtual private lani looking straight out
on the grounds, pool and ocean. Cuba 70
miles straight south. The unit is about
a 2 mile walk to the southern most point in the lower 48, on the east and quiet
side of the Key, about 1 ½ mile walk to Duval St. St. Paul's Episcopal Church is on Duval, a great
place for Ash Wednesday services.
This timeshare opportunity is the
gift of Bill and Debbie Gagin.
Episcopal Youth
Community This past week 50
students went to the Diocesan Fall Lock-In! They talked about Story, that is
what makes a good story, and what makes your story a good one. Unfortunately I
wasn't able to be there, but we had four of our youth there, and they had a
great time. I know because I asked them. Please find one of the youth that went
on the lock-in and ask them about it.
This Sunday at St. Thomas, Menasha
their youth group is hosting Terminator Night (it's a game), our youth group is
planning on carpooling with the St. Peter's, Falls youth group. We will need to
be on the road at around 5pm and will return at approximately 9:30pm. More
details to come (especially for traveling arrangements).
Happening is coming soon for all
9-12th graders. Register online at www.diofdl.org.
Please register soon, so we can make proper preparations for you!
Grace and peace to you, ―Nick
Happening - November 15-17 - St.
Thomas, Menasha - is for all students grades 9-12 - http://diofdl.org/Happening
New Beginnings - December 7-8 -
Grace Church, Sheboygan - is for all students grades 6-8 - http://diofdl.org/newbeginnings
Each of these is unique in style,
delivery, and experience, and each one is a great way to learn more about God
and our faith, as well as connect to the wider community of Christian youth in
our diocese; many people have made life-long friends with those around the
diocese and have stayed connected through events like these, camp and others.
Please contact me or the office
with questions, but remember to sign up!
Grace and peace, Nick
Sung Compline: This Sunday at 6:30 p.m. we will gather in
St. Nicholas Hall for a light supper (pot luck), to be followed at 8 p.m. for
Compline, sung in the nave. The service
is offered in a darkened, candlelit church, and is ideal way to introduce
friends to a contemplative form of prayer.
Please join us!
Music this week: All Saints’ Sunday
Prelude Elegy Elgar
Entrance Hymn 287 “For all the saints” Sine Nomine
Offertory Anthem Give
us the wings of faith Bullock
Communion Motet The
souls of the righteous Thiman
Communion Hymn 620 “Jerusalem,
my happy home” Land of Rest
Closing Hymn 293 “I sing a song of the saints of God” Grand Isle
Postlude Toccata
on ‘Christe Redemptor Omnium’ Benoit
Parish Notices
§ New
Parish Directory updates: Please
find a draft copy of a new parish directory on the table in the Narthex
at Grace Church. If you would please look at your entry and make any changes
necessary and then initial it so we know it is correct. We are trying to have
as many email addresses as possible, it saves postage and much of the
communication of the church is done electronically. We never give them out but.
Thank you.
§ Grace
Kids and Youth: and even teachers
or anyone that is so moved should come to church Sunday, November 3rd
in a depiction of their favorite saint or biblical character in honor of All
Saint's and All Soul's days. Come and join in the Communion of Saints right
here at Grace Church.
§ Christmas
Shoe Boxes: Please consider
bringing toothpaste and individually wrapped toothbrushes, and mild soap bars
and wash cloths to church for the Christmas shoe boxes. We will also be looking
for these items in the coming weeks: pencils, colored pencils, erasers
and pencil sharpeners, paper to write on. These items must be able to fit into
a shoe box. Thank you so much. Pat Ford Smith
§ Operation
Christmas Child: Miss Pat's Sunday
School class is spearheading the effort to put together shoe boxes for
Operation Christmas Child, and would like to invite the whole parish to
participate by donating small items for the shoe boxes, or if you desire a
monetary donation that will be spent to get shoe box gift items. The goal is to
have this be a parish outreach lead by the youth and children of the parish.
Please participate as you can, including prayers for this to be a successful
project. The drop off date is in mid November (before Thanksgiving), and there
will be more information in the next couple of weeks.
§ Formation
Youth Group: St. Dominic, Holy Name
and St. Clement Parishes invite you to their North side Faith Formation Youth
Group which will be held on the first and third Fridays of Nov. and Dec. from
6:00-8:00 in the Youth Room on the second floor of the Faith Formation Center
(old St. Dominic school building). Join
us for games, faith sharing and snacks. Contact Dianne Marshall at 458-5390 or marshalld@archmil.org for more
information.
§ Salvation
Army Bell Ringing: Grace Church is
signed up to ring bells for the Salvation Army on November 9th in
two different locations. At the Piggly Wiggly on the north side from
1:30-7:00pm and at the Pick & Save on the south side from 1:30-7:00pm. Both
of the locations are inside. The bells and kettle will be there, & a sign
in sheet. Please sign up on the sheet in the Narthex. If you have any questions
please call Nancy Yurk at 453-9948.
§ Raking
Leaves Fundraiser: If raking
your yard this year seems like too much of a task, then our Boy Scout Troop is
here to help. They will be raking leaves on the following dates: November
2nd, 9th, and 16th. If you are interested please contact Paul Aparicio (paac92399@yahoo.com). A sign-up
sheet will be available in the narthex.
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