Of Episcopacy and Unity

Grace Episcopal Church

Sheboygan, Wisconsin

Grace Notes

17 October 2013

“The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.”  This famous observation of the 2^nd century Christian apologist, Tertullian, may be rememberd this day, for this is the feast of St. Ignatius of Antioch (died 107).  Tertullian was arrested and condemned under the persecution of the emperor Trajan.  While being transported to Rome for death in the arena, he both met with and wrote to numerous Christianc congregations in Asia Minor, and his letters are considered to be of an authority close to that of Scritpure.  But, we remember him today not because of any focus on martyrdom, but because of his early role in emphasizing the role of the clergy—specifically the bishop—in the unity of the Christians.

In the vows made by a bishop at his or her consecration, one vow is made that is additional to that made by a priest.  The bishop vows to “guard the ... unity ... of the Church”.  The bishop is to serve as a focus for how the diocese lives out its vocation as one Body joined to the greater whole which is the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.  For example, as members of a broader church which is part of the world-wide Anglican Communion (The Episcopal Church is one of 38 provinces in the Anglican Communion) our union is mediated by and through our bishop, not by “the national church”.  At a local level, our union is mediated by and through the bishop, as the one in whom all the congregations and peoples of this diocese are to come together.  In God’s plan, the place of the bishop is very important, and so it is very important for all of us to pray continually throughout the coming election process, that our Lord may identify to us the person whom He calls to lead this diocese.  Keep praying, and may God be praised that He will bring to us that person whom He will anoint as Eighth Bishop of the Diocse of Fond du Lac!

Grace Abounds:  Please thank Bobbi and Kaleigh Kraft for the wonderful coffee hours hits past Sunday.

Walsingham:  The entire festival was a HUGE success!  This result can be attributed to our Lord’s blessing, but also to the hard work and dedication of many:

Altar Guild:  Bev Evans, Claudia Fischer, Bobbi & Kaleigh Kraft, Mary Snyder

Meals:  Ellen Apparicio, Barb MacEwen, Bernie Markevitch

Wine at the luncheon:  Mary and Terry Kohler

Meals clean-up:  Ellen Apparicio, Ed Clabots, Mary Clabots, Barb MacEwen

Music:  Ben Dobey and the choir

Acolytes and procession team:  Beth, Emily & Rachel Boland; Ben, Dee, Tasha & Tom Crouse; Annette & Scott Fabiano, Kaleigh Kraft

Service programs and “management”:  Mike Burg and Michele Whitford

Welcome and merchandise ministry:  Pat Ford Smith

Greeters:  Ed Clabots, John Keller, Mary Kohler, Steve Larson, Jon Whitford

Ministry to the Nashotah House Choir:  Elizabeth and Karl Schaffenburg

Seminarian housing:  Mary Snyder and Tom Wright

Parish clean-up:  Bill May

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.

We realized very quickly after the “Faith Alive” Weekend  that the Spirit is at work among us here at Grace.  You may not have realized that it is also hard at work in the minds of our Sunday School children!  I have the joy of teaching the 2^nd-5^th graders and I’d like to share how the Spirit is at work in my classroom of “Grace kids”.  Let me tell you, they are doing a lot of thinking about God…

―On a stained glass window search to find the Episcopal Shield, we passed the Confessional room.  “What do you do in there?  How do you do it?  Why do you do it?  Can we learn how to do it?” 

[A plan for Father Karl to teach them this during Lent is in on the agenda.]

―On a window search for Michael the Archangel defeating Satan,  we passed through the Walsingham Chapel.   “Can we light a candle and pray?” (YES, of course!)  “How does a rosary work?  When do we say it?  Why do we say it?    Can we learn how to say it?” 

[A plan for this with Mrs. Pat and anyone else interested in on our minds.]

―A lesson about Jacob’s Dream and the ladder up to Heaven, with angels ascending/descending led to, “Aren’t there levels of angels?  How many levels?  What do they do?  Do they have names?  What kind is my Guardian angel? How many angels are there?”

[Father Karl came into our classrooms this past Sunday, and taught us all about the 7 levels of angels and their roles and then took both Mrs. Pat’s class and mine up to  Church to search for angels in the stained glass.  The questions/conversations had that morning were amazing and THANK YOU Father Karl for coming in to share your angel wisdom!]

I have no doubt that the Spirit will keep working and their questions will keep coming.  If you would be so kind, please pray that the minds and hearts of our “Grace kids” will always remain so open to what God’s Word.

―Nicci Beeck

Faith Alive Following Up on the Weekend

 Our first follow-up meeting was “Talk & Share,” held during the Education Hour on Sunday, 13 October.  This format will continue between services the second week of the month, running between 9:10ish & 10:00 am.  (In November the meeting will be on the first Sunday, the 3^rd, to avolid a conflict with our stewardship luncheon on the 10^th.)  It consists of a process much like the FA weekend; counting off & going off in small groups to discuss several open-ended questions that would encourage people to share on a Spiritual Level.  The same expectations are in effect:  begin with introductions; there should be no attempts to 'fix'; listening with non-judgmental attitudes; permission given not to share; maintaining confidentiality, & possible closing prayer(s) of some nature.  It’s a new beginning, open to anyone.  There are facilitators & a few questions to guide the small group discussions.

 The Second meeting will be held the last weekend of October the 27^th, at the same time between the services, but will be of a different nature.  At the follow-up meeting concluding the weekend there were a number of very focused suggestions for small groups aloud & in the evaluations: among them were book studies, mutual support groups, service (outreach) groups, entertainment (social groups) as well as others.  This meeting will help facilitate the establishing of these groups & be a one-time event. People interested in these groups would get a chance to meet & plan how to proceed with organizing themselves.

Music this week: 

Prelude                                    Meditation on ‘Christe sanctorum’                 Vintner

Entrance Hymn 1                    “Father, we praise thee”                                  Christe sanctorum      

Psalm 121                                Anglican chant                                                Davies

Offertory Hymn 632               “O Christ, the Word incarnate”                      Munich

Communion Motet                  Jesus, my Lord, my God, my all                      Barnby

Communion Hymn 345          “Savior, again to thy dear Name we raise”     Ellers

Closing Hymn 535                  “Ye servants of God, your Master proclaim” Paderborn

Postlude                                  Prelude & Fugue in G                                     Fischer

Parish Notices

·         Office Closed: The office will be closed Tuesday and Wednesday, October 22-23.  The clergy have been busy every weekend with Faith Alive, Being the Body, Walsingham Pilgrimage and Diocesan Convention and are in need of rest and relaxation. There will be no services on those days. We will transfer the Feast of St. James of Jerusalem to Thursday, October 24^th at 9:00am. In case of a pastoral emergency please do not hesitate to call Fr. Karl at the number in the directory.

·         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.

·         Small Group Meeting: All parishioners are invited to attend a small group organizational meeting on Sunday, October 27, at 9:00am in St. Nicholas Hall. The meeting will be used to discuss and organize small gatherings. These small gatherings could be study, discussion or support groups. They are separate from the 2nd Sunday of the month small groups that are currently meeting. After the Faith Alive weekend, parishioners expressed interest in the following topics:

1) Depression support group

2) Caregiver support group - particularly caregivers for elderly parents or spouses

3) Study/discussion group - Bible study group or a book club

4) "Order of St. Luke"/healing prayer group

5) "Call the Midwife" BBC series discussion group

Please join us to help in establishing and organizing one or more of the above groups you might be interested in joining. People interested in establishing a group will be defining the group, when and where the group will meet, and what resources the group might need.

Joining one of these small groups will give you the opportunity to support, share and better get to know your fellow parishioners. Join us on the October 27. If you are unable to make the meeting on the 27th, please look for the small group sign up sheet in the entryway of church to let us know of your interest in particular group. (Or contact information will be published once the groups are organized.)

·         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.

·         Organ Recital: FR. THOMAS LIJEWSKI will give an organ recital at St. Peter Claver in honor of the parish's 125th anniversary celebration, which is this year.

Sunday, October 20^th at 3:00 pm. The concert is free and open to the public.

·         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.  You are also invited to join us at a corn maze on Oct. 19th from 4:00-6:00.  Contact Dianne Marshall at 458-5390 or marshalld@archmil.org for more information.

·         Ryan Delaney’s Ordination to the Diaconate: Our former Seminarian Ryan Delaney will be ordained to the Transitional Diaconate Friday, October 25, 2013 at 6:00pm. at Nashotah House. If you would like to attend please call the office to arrange to carpool.

·         Salvation Army Bell Ringing: Grace Church is signed up to ring bells for the Salvation Army on November 9^th 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.