Grace Episcopal Church
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
Grace Notes
10 April 2014
On Palm Sunday we will enter the church nave
singing “All glory, laud, and honor to thee, Redeemer, King!” (Hymn 154) We
will sing that our praises are to echo the praises of the angels, and in the
canon of the Eucharist we will do that.
If our hearts are focused on praise and worship, if our hearts are open
to receive our Lord and to allow Him to rule, then our words are genuine. But, if we’re just going through the motions,
and our hearts do not burn within with the fire of the Spirit, then we won’t
recognize who God is because He won’t meet our expectations. That’s what happened in the people who cried
“Crucify him!” They were ready to
celebrate the arrival of someone whom they thought would kick the Romans out,
but when it became clear that the house He was going to clean was not the house
of Jerusalem but the house of their own hearts, then it was all too easy to
first say “Wait a minute!” and then to join in with those who wanted to get rid
of this trouble-maker.
We have to be open to Jesus, rather than focus
on what we want and how He might accomplish this for us. Our song giving glory to Jesus must be from
the heart. This will only happen when we
open our hearts to receive God, and when expectations are defined by Jesus’ own
words to the Father, “… thy will be done …” (Mtt. 26.42) We de not gather to welcome God into our
lives because of all the great things He has done, is doing, and will do for
us. We gather because we are grateful,
and are to offer thanksgiving and praise for the fact that God loves us so much
that He has given His only Son for us (John 3.16). Our expectations have been exceeded,
that while we were yet sinners God gave His Son to die for us (Rom. 5.16), and
when we realize this and live it, then we will give all glory, laud, and honor to
our Redeemer, King, not in singing only, but every day of our lives in who we
are.
Grace Abounds: Please thank:
§
Nick Whitford and the youth group for the Friday
night lenten meditations.
§
The Boland family for the Friday night lenten
supper.
§
Jeremy and Emily Williams, and the Yang family
for the Sunday coffee hours.
§ Nicci
Beeck and Bernie Markevitch for the Sunday tea reception.
Call for
Contributions: If you have a spiritual reflection to share,
or want to point your fellow worshipers toward a resource, submit your
contributions to Fr. Karl (by email) by Wednesday in the week of publication.
Music this week:
Blessing of the Palms Hosanna
in the highest Dobey
Processional Hymns: 154 “All
glory, laud and honor” Valet will
156
“Ride on! Ride on in majesty” Winchester New
Psalm 22:1-11 (responsorial) Dobey
Tract: Ps. 22:26-30 Plainsong
Offertory Hymn 162 “The
royal banners forward go” Vexilla Regis
Communion Motet Daughters
of Zion Mendelssohn
Communion Hymn 168 “O sacred head, sore wounded” Passion Chorale
Postlude Chorale
Prelude on ‘O sacred head, now wounded’
Brahms
Parish Notices
Holy Week Schedule
Monday 11:00am Chrism Mass, The Cathedral, Fond du Lac
Monday 5:30pm Mass
Tuesday 5:30pm Mass
Wednesday 5:30pm Mass
Maundy Thursday 6:00pm Solemn
Mass with Foot Washing
Prayer Vigil 7:00pm
Thursday – 12:00pm Friday
Good Friday 1:00pm Service
Holy Saturday 9:00am Service
Easter Vigil
Saturday 7:00pm Solemn Mass
Easter Sunday 8:00am Mass
Easter Sunday 10:15am Solemn Mass
§ Stations
of the Cross, Simple Suppers and Teaching: This is the last Friday in Lent that we will meet at 5:30 p.m.
for Stations of the Cross, followed by a simple supper and Christian
program. The program will consist of facilitated discussion which will
focus on particular stations of the cross in the context of our own spiritual
§ lives. Such a testimony will be followed by
facilitated small group discussions. Please sign up to attend on the sheets in
the Narthex so enough food will be prepared. Thank you.
§ Spring
Clean-up! We will gather for
Spring clean-up on Saturday, 12 April. This will allow us to get the
parish in top shape before the start of Holy Week. Please sign up to work
on the indoor crew, which will focus on cleaning and painting, or the outdoor
crew, which will focus on garden and grounds clean-up. In the event of
bad weather, the outdoor clean-up will be rescheduled, but the indoor crew will
meet. The day will begin at 8:30 a.m., to be concluded by 12:30
p.m. Morning snacks will be provided. If you can’t help with
clean-up, sign up to provide help with the lunch that will conclude the
effort! Contact the office to sign up.
§ Easter
Flowers and Music: It is not too
late to donate for Easter Flowers and Music. We enjoy the Beauty of Holiness in
both the flowers that adorn the church and the special music which includes
brass at the Easter Vigil and strings at the Solemn Mass on Easter morning.
Please be generous at you are able. Please call the office or fill out a pink
slip to indication your wish for memorials and/or thanksgivings. The deadline is Monday, April 14th
at noon.
§ Sacrament
of Reconciliation: Lent is a time
of self-examination preparing for the death and resurrection of our Lord. The
Sacrament of Reconciliation will be offered by appointment. Please contact Fr.
Schaffenburg to set up an appointment to make your confession.
§ Maundy
Thursday Foot Washing: Everyone
will have the opportunity to have their feet washed and to wash someone else’s
feet following the example of Jesus washing his disciple’s feet. Please wear
socks and shoes that are easily removed.
§ Vigil
before the Altar of Repose: Please
sign up to watch and pray for an hour at the Altar of Repose beginning
immediately following the Maundy Thursday Mass April 17th and
concluding Friday, April 18th
as the Good Friday Liturgy begins. There is a sign-up sheet on the table
in the Narthex, more than one person can sign up for any given hour.
§ Good
Friday Offering: Every year since
1922 the church has taken a collection for the Church in the Middle East during
Holy Week. This year our loose plate offering on Maundy Thursday will go to
support the church efforts in Jerusalem and throughout the Middle East. Please
be generous as you are able.
§ Easter
Vigil Dinner: The first Mass of the
Resurrection is on Saturday, April 19, at 7:00 p.m. The Easter celebration then
continues at Trattoria Stefano, 522 South 8th Street, at 9:30 p.m. The
actual cost of the meal is a gift to the parish, so you not only get a
delicious meal but you help the coffers of the church by purchasing a ticket
for the dinner. Tickets can be bought in the parish office or in the narthex
after mass for $50 a person. Everyone is invited, but seats are limited. There
are scholarships for anyone wishing to attend but are unable to donate. The deadline is Monday April 14th.
§ Easter
Gala Reception: We will continue
our Easter celebration with a Gala Reception after the 10:15 a.m. Mass on
Sunday, April 20. Please sign up to bring sweets or savories and to help clean
up afterwards. There is a sign-up sheet on the table in the Narthex.
§ Abuse Prevention Training: In the coming
months, there will be opportunities to work with our youth as well as those
from around the area and Diocese. Among these opportunities will be our
parish hosting the Diocesan Middle School kids for New Beginnings. The Diocesan
office provides Abuse Prevention Training for all adults to help us better identify
situations that could be troublesome. A flyer with details of who should
take courses and hot to enroll can be found here. If you are interested or have questions,
please talk to Fr. Karl, Dcn. Michele, or any member of the Vestry.
§ Stay Connected! There are many
ways to stay connected and find all the latest announcements. Grace Church can
be found by “liking” us on Facebook. You can also sign up for the Grace Notes
blog at http://gracechurchgracenotes.blogspot.com/ on the right hand
side there is a place to sign up and receive the blog by email. You can find
the Grace Church website at www.gracesheboygan.com. At the end of
each bulletin there is QR code that you can scan with your smart phone and it
will take you directly to the website. If you have an email address you can receive
the Angelus electronically and save the church some printing and postage costs
as well as receive any gentle reminders that may pop up between Angelus
publications. If you have questions about any of these things please call the
office.
§ Bishop
Consecration Volunteer Opportunities: Voices in all ranges are requested to sing with the choir. Music will be
available in advance and there will be a rehearsal from 8:30-10:00am on
Saturday morning. Please bring along a choir robe if you have one. There are many
other volunteer opportunities on Friday and Saturday including greeters,
collecting vessels arriving from congregations, helping with refreshments on
Friday and the reception on Saturday, being a gofer or being an usher. Please
go to
Click the purple volunteer button to see times and descriptions. Or ask
Michele about the many ways you can be included in this historic event.
§ Sunday
School Bake Sale: Friday, April 25th
from 12:00-3:00pm and Saturday, April 26, from 9:00-2:00, in conjunction with
St. Luke Methodist rummage sale, Grace will be selling baked goods with
proceeds going to Sunday School’s outreach projects. Baked goods will be accepted by anyone who would like to bake: pies,
breads, muffins, cookies or anything you would like to donate. Baked goods
can be dropped off at the church anytime before Friday at noon. If you have
anything you would like to donate to the St. Luke’s rummage sale you can drop
it off at St. Luke’s now until April 22nd.
You are invited to attend the
Chrism Mass
With Renewal of Ordination Vows
11:00am, April 14, 2014
being the Monday of Holy Week
Cathedral Church of St. Paul
the Apostle, Fond du Lac
Followed by a simple lunch in
the Cathedral’s Trakel Hall
The Chrism Mass gathers the faithful of the diocese at their mother
church with their shepherd to prepare for celebrations of Christ’s Resurrection
in all our congregations. It is one of the most solemn liturgies of the Church.
Chrism is a Greek word meaning “an anointing”.
In the early church bishops baptized catechumens at the Easter Vigil with
blessed oils. Over time this blessing moved to Holy Thursday so oils could be
transported to congregations for use by clergy at the local level. Recently
this blessing has moved to Tuesday in Holy Week so more people could attend the
liturgy.
A Bishop will continue this tradition of the church and bless the oil of catechumens
(for adult catechumens preparing for baptism), oil of the sick (for
anointing) and chrism (for baptism, confirmation, ordination of clergy,
and consecration of altars) at the Chrism Mass. The oils are prepared with
olive oil, balsam and other ingredients.
The Chrism Mass also highlights ordained ministry. A bishop’s apostolic
ministry is extended symbolically by the chrism priests and deacons use in
baptism and other rites. Clergy also may take fermentum (consecrated Eucharistic bread from the Mass) as a sign
of the communion between the bishop and congregations of the diocese.
We hope you can attend this liturgy with special intention to support the
ministry of our priests and deacons. During the service all clergy renew their
commitment to ordained ministry, receiving the prayers and support of the
laity. A diocesan clergy photo is taken immediately following the Mass.
The Cathedral Church of St.
Paul the Apostle is located at
51 West Division Street near
downtown Fond du Lac.
For directions, visit stpaulsfdl.org
or call (920) 921-3363.
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