Grace Episcopal Church
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
Grace Notes
19 June 2014
Today is the Feast of Corpus Christi, a feast
set aside to commemorate the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the
Eucharist. The feast always falls on the Thursday which follows Trinity
Sunday, with this placement on the calendar arising from our need to remind
ourselves that the transcendent godhead dwells among us, and abides with us.
The feast commemorates the Real Presence, but
this raises the questions of how this presence “happens” and how we experience
it? Speaking very broadly, there are
three approaches in theology. In the
first, transubstantiation, the substance of the bread becomes the substance of Jesus’
body (and so for the wine/blood), with “substance” being the underlying reality
of the thing and the outward appearance, tastes, etc., being “accidents” (i.e.,
not the thing itself). This is the Roman
Catholic view which is also held by many Anglicans. A person who believes in transubstantiation
will genuflect before the tabernacle, for example, because he/she believes that
Jesus is present.
The second approach is consubstantiation (a
predominantly Lutheran view), which posits that the substance of the bread (for
example) does not change, but that the substance of Jesus’ body becomes present
within the bread. The third approach,
memorialism (dominant in Baptist and Reformed traditions) says that the bread
is bread, the wine in wine, but that the sacrament memorializes and symbolizes
what Jesus did. Memorialism
denies the Real Presence.
In Anglicanism one is not required to
subscribe to a particular theory of Presence; merely to believe that Jesus is
present. This leads to a final approach,
that of “spiritual presence,” in which the Real Presence is deemed to inhere in
the assembly of God’s people, independent of the elements of bread and wine.
These debates come across as academic, but the
underlying reality is that in Holy Eucharist we receive Jesus into our persons,
and this poses the question we need to focus on: How do we incarnate Jesus’ presence in and to
the world? The Church—we—are the Body of
Christ. How do we make this Body present
in the world, to those who do not know God?
We cannot do this when we focus only on ourselves. We must look outward in mission. A church which is not in mission is in
decline.
Grace Abounds: Please thank:
§
Pat Ford Smith for the Sunday coffee hour.
§
Jane Hanson and Pat Ford Smith for help in the
office.
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 in the week of publication.
Episcopal Youth
Community: Community
Naturally there is a delay between
the writing of an article and its publication, often times it is ignored
because the article doesn't require we know the time of its writing.
However, I am writing this from camp on Tuesday morning (before wake up) of our
Senior High week.
It is simply amazing that anything like this can happen: in a mere 30 hours of time together, we have formed community. I don't mean that we all just happen to be together, sharing the same space and eating at the same time. I mean community. People who are learning about each other; our fears, our joys, who we are, where we've been, our biggest dreams, our biggest challenges.
We listened to each other without needing to have anything to say back, but affirming what we see in them even if we've only known them for 30 hours. A group of people being intentional about knowing each other and helping each other. To quote one of the campers during a recap exercise, "it feels like we've been here for a week already" (in a good way).
This is why camp is so successful. In a matter of hours we, through God's goodness, can break barriers, build trust, open communication, and voice our inner needs as a church. A church that doesn't meet together in the same way, ever. When we are done this week we will remember our time together. When we go home we will only keep in touch with some of these people regularly. And those friendships can last a lifetime, as they have for me. But together we are a church. A group of Christians striving to learn about their Savior, in order to be more like Him, and do the things He does.
It is simply amazing that anything like this can happen: in a mere 30 hours of time together, we have formed community. I don't mean that we all just happen to be together, sharing the same space and eating at the same time. I mean community. People who are learning about each other; our fears, our joys, who we are, where we've been, our biggest dreams, our biggest challenges.
We listened to each other without needing to have anything to say back, but affirming what we see in them even if we've only known them for 30 hours. A group of people being intentional about knowing each other and helping each other. To quote one of the campers during a recap exercise, "it feels like we've been here for a week already" (in a good way).
This is why camp is so successful. In a matter of hours we, through God's goodness, can break barriers, build trust, open communication, and voice our inner needs as a church. A church that doesn't meet together in the same way, ever. When we are done this week we will remember our time together. When we go home we will only keep in touch with some of these people regularly. And those friendships can last a lifetime, as they have for me. But together we are a church. A group of Christians striving to learn about their Savior, in order to be more like Him, and do the things He does.
This is church camp, a powerful
place where learning and healing can happen, where God is present, and is
strangely and wonderfully tangible (very much like walking into the sanctuary
of Grace for me).
Please pray for us at camp, if
you're reading this on Thursday then we are getting into the climax of our
week. Pray that the Holy Spirit is present, pray for wisdom and comfort and
peace for us as we listen, learn, and teach.
Thank you for your support, and
for lifting us up in prayer.
―Nick
LoveINC kick-off: The kick-off celebration for LoveINC (Love in
the Name of Christ) Sheboygan is this coming Tuesday, 24 June, from 4 to 5:30
at The Bull, on Hwy. 32 just South of Hwy. 28.
Good news! There are now 23
churches participating, and we will meet the new Executive Director, Katy
Popp. If you think you might be interested in volunteering,
come on the 24th to get more information.
Music this week: Proper 7A
Prelude Aria Paul Manz
Entrance Hymn 410 “Praise,
my soul, the King of heaven” Lauda
anima
Mass setting – Schubert
Offertory Hymn 594 “God
of grace and God of glory Cwm
Rhondda
Communion Hymn 655 “O
Jesus, I have promised” Nyland
Closing Hymn 564 “He
who would valiant be” St.
Dunstan’s
Postlude Prelude
& Fugue in G major Dietrich Buxtehude
Grace Episcopal Church is pleased to present an antiques
and collectibles appraisal event featuring expert Mark F. Moran on Thursday,
July 24, 2014 from 4:00 to 7:00 PM.
Moran bought and sold antiques for
more than 30 years, specializing in vintage folk art, Americana , and fine art. He has been active
as an appraiser of antiques and fine art for more than 20 years.
Formerly senior editor of Antiques
and Collectibles Books for Krause Publications in Iola , Wis. Atlantique City ,
an antique show held in Atlantic City , N.J. ; and as editorial director of F+W
Media 's Antiques Group.
He is the author or co-author of
more than 25 books on antiques and collectibles, including three editions of
the 800-page annual Warman's Antiques & Collectibles.
Pre-registration and payment is required. Cost is $15 per item. Cash, check or MC/VISA will be accepted. You
may sign up for a maximum of 3 items. Please call 920-912-4505 to schedule your
appointment.
Categories of objects for appraisal may include:
Fine art, including
paintings, drawings, prints and statuary.
Furniture (usually smaller
pieces are best).
Ceramics, including figural
pottery, vases, dishes, kitchenware and stoneware.
Glassware, including
lighting, marbles and souvenir items.
Vintage photographs,
including snapshots, tintypes, ambrotypes and daguerreotypes.
Advertising, including
posters, lithographed tin, paper and
figural objects.
Folk art, including
carvings, quilts, weathervanes, windmill weights and "outsider" art.
Assorted toys, including dolls
(bisque, composition and plastic), windups and mechanical banks.
Metalware, including iron,
bronze, brass, pot metal, silver, silver plate.
Clocks, including mantel,
hanging and figural.
Costume jewelry, including
brooches, bracelets, earrings.
Musical Instruments,
including string, wind and reed instruments.
Books.
Sports Memorabilia.
Excluded items: all weapons, including swords
and knives (though folding knives with advertising are accepted); Nazi
memorabilia; coins and paper money; fine jewelry, including precious gems;
Beanie Babies.
Interest in this
event is already starting to build and this is exciting. Parishioners have already started to register
to have their valuable evaluated and volunteers are stepping forward to help on
this date. Won’t you consider donating
one to two hours of your time that day?
A sign up in the narthex is available.
Proceeds from this fund-raiser goes towards youth outreach.
Parish Notices
§ Adult
Education this Sunday: Fr. Ambelang will lead a session at 9 a.m. this
Sunday on that most mysterious of biblical books, Revelation. His presentation will examine thematic
elements in the book and what this thematic structure reveals about God, His
will for Creation, and our ultimate end.
§ Deacon Michele at Camp: Michele will be
at Senior Camp all week returning on Saturday, June 21. The office will be open
from 9:00 – Noon every day. Fr. Karl will be available all week in the office
and by cell phone. Please keep
Diocesan Summer Camp in your prayers.
§ Meet
the Gunters: Please join us at one
of the following informal events to get to know Bishop Matt and Leslie. It is
an opportunity for you to engage in conversation with the Gunters in order to
get to know them a little better and for them to get to know you and your
congregation better. Beverages and light snacks will be served.
- Sunday June 22 - St. Paul's Suamico 1-3pm
We look forward to seeing you!
§ The
Sixth Annual “Good Stock” Music Festival: will be held on Saturday, June 21st at the Fountain Park band shell in
downtown Sheboygan. Music featuring praise bands from all over Sheboygan
County, a kid's activity area and good food will all begin at 11:00 am and run
until 8:30pm. Admission is free. For more information visit our website at www.goodstocksheboygancounty.com
§ Eucharistic
Festival: Plan to attend the 55th
Annual Diocesan Eucharistic Festival at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 28th, at
the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Fond du Lac. The Homilist will be the Rt.
Rev. Matthew A. Gunter, Eighth Bishop of Fond du Lac. Picnic to follow.
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