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Thursday, July 24, 2014

Experience and Understanding

Grace Episcopal Church
Sheboygan, Wisconsin

Grace Notes
24 July 2014

Experience and Understanding:  The original meaning of “mystery” is “that which must be experienced that it might be understood”.  This certainly applies in the case of the mysteries of the Holy Sacraments, but recent experience reinforces, yet again, how this works in life in Christ together.
About a year ago in a newsletter article a member of the parish wrote about how working with others in the kitchen in connection with parish meals allowed her to experience godly life in a new way.  This is what happens when we gather and serve together.  The people who helped at the brat fry fundraiser this past weekend spent hours together, and while most certainly knew each other at some level—perhaps a profound level—each also learned something knew about somebody.  Working side-by-side involves sharing and give-and-take.  For example, in the past week I have spent hours working with two different members of the parish on the floor project.  I learned a lot about them as people—about their history, families, outlook, etc.  I am certain they learned some things about me, because some of the things I had to say were in response to questions.
In working on the floor this past week we were behind the high altar, right in front of the tabernacle.  I was certainly conscious of being physically before Jesus, but I also experienced His Presence differently by being present with another person, working together.  I am sure that the people who gathered at the brat fry were not necessarily thinking about being before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament—they were miles from the tabernacle.  But they were people gathered “two or three” in Jesus’ Name, in His service, and thus He was present.
We experience God’s presence and are equipped by the Holy Spirit when we gather.  We experience God’s presence as we get to know each other, and it is in the process of our getting to know each other that God is active in revealing to us His will, and in revealing to us who He calls us to be—together.
Let us thank God that He calls us into fellowship and common service, and by this reveals Himself as we reveal a little bit at a time about ourselves to each other.

Grace Abounds:  Please thank:
§  The Crouse Family for the Sunday coffee hour.
§  Jane Hanson for help in the office.
§  Ben Dobey for gardening, and for cleaning the columbarium courtyard.
§  Randie Barrows and Shepherd Goodenow for work on the floor refinishing project, and to Randie for donating the use of a steam cleaner.
§  Dcn. Mike Burg and Caleb Werbeckes for power-washing the columbarium paving stones.
§  Pat von Rautenkranz for sewing deacon vestments.

Call for ContributionsIf 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.

Brat Fry and Outreach:  A huge thank you to all those who helped at or visited the Festival Brat stand on July 19th.
Many have asked, “How’d we do?” The “nuts & bolts” answer is that in total we went through.
130 brats and 81 burgers. We had $530 in sales with $324 in costs for a profit of $206. In addition, another $28 in coin donations was received for the 20 Liters fund.
There is, however, another way to answer the question, “How’d we do?” Seventeen individuals were the face of Grace Church at Festival Foods.  They interacted with the staff of the store and the patrons who both purchased food or didn’t.  They worked with and supported one another in a “foreign” enterprise all in an effort to raise awareness, raise funds, and gain knowledge for future events.
We are scheduled to play host at Miesfeld's next year. At Miesfeld's we will be allowed to have donated baked goods be available for sale as well.  We learned a lot from this sale for staffing purposes, product handling, & the additional outreach materials we want to have on hand. We look forward to next year's sale.
How’d we do?  We did great!!!  Thanks be to God! 
Please thank those who spent time grilling or volunteering to work the Brat Barn:
Paul Aparicio
Randie Barrows
Sutton Cecil
Tom, Tasha, & Ben Crouse
Julie Davidson
Caleb Klinzing
Bobbi & Kaleigh Kraft
Steve Larson
Elizabeth Chapman Orr
Kevan & Traci Revis
McKenna & Katie Schumacher
Bryan Stenz

"Have You Ever Wondered?"

We got this guy, this foreigner who was in prison, who has interpreted my dream which no one else was able to interpret.  In some sense I can't be sure it is the right interpretation because all I have is his interpretation, but it feels right; I'm confident that it is correct, or am I?
Anyway, I have appointed him 2nd in command in my country.  I have put this man, this foreigner, this man who has spent his life as a slave and a prisoner, I have put him in charge of preparing for what I'm sure is coming, a seven year famine.  My other councilors must think I'm nuts but are too afraid to say much. 
It's a wonder that I can sleep at night!     Genesis 41       [Fr. John Ambelang]

Summer adult formation:  This Sunday at 9 a.m. we will continue our discussion of how the catholic (universal) nature of the Church is embodied in Anglicanism.  We confess in the Creed that the Church is “one, holy, catholic and apostolic”.  Our discussion focusses on catholicity, as well as on Anglicanism as a model for the future of the Church.  Join us in St. Nicholas Hall!

Hebrew:  After two years of study of New Testament Greek we will offer a course in biblical Hebrew.  Classes will meet from 7 to 9 p.m. on Thursdays, beginning on 11 September.  There is a cost of $100 for materials, but this can be supported through a generous scholarship fund.  The class is open to people who are not members of the parish, so feel free to invite friends from the community or other churches.
This class does not assume that you have any particular ability in learning a language.  The goal is not to learn to speak and write Hebrew, but to be able to work in the biblical text using written and online aids.  We want to be able to work in the text to gain insights into the message of the Bible, insights that may not be apparent in English.  For example, how verbs work is vastly different in Hebrew.  The concept of time is very different.  What can we learn about God and His will for us by exploring these differences?  Our discussions will be more theological than linguistic, as they were in our Greek class.
If you are interested, or know someone who is, contact Fr. Karl.


Music this week:  Proper 12A

Prelude                                    Benedictus                                                   Charles Villiers Stanford
Entrance Hymn 388                “O worship the King, all glorious above”                             Hanover
Offertory Hymn 419               “Lord of all being, throned afar”                                          Mendon
Communion Hymn 655          “O Jesus, I have promised”                                                     Nyland
Closing Hymn 613                  “Thy kingdom come, O God”                                                       St. Cecilia
Postlude                      Allegro molto e ritmico (Sonata Britannica)                                     Stanford

Parish Notices

§  Vacation! Fr. Karl and Elizabeth will be taking a few days of vacation this week. They will be gone starting Sunday, July 27th after the Vestry meeting and will be back in town on Thursday July 31st. Please call Deacon Mike Burg at 918-9944 or Deacon Michele Whitford at 918-1230 in case of a pastoral need. There will be no masses Monday – Thursday. The Daily Office will continue as scheduled.

§  Talk on Revelation: Fr. John Ambelang will be giving a talk on the Book of Revelation this evening at All Saints Chapel, Elkhart Lake, from 6:30 to 7:30 pm. It will deal with a few of the symbols and visions. The Book raises many questions, but also provides us with some wonderful answers. 

§  Summer adult formation at Grace Church: will continue on Sunday, July 27th –August 10th, at 9 a.m. Our discussions will focus on eight realities of the Church, that she is: 1. visible; 2. universal; 3. enduring; 4. possessed of authority; 5. embodies beauty; 6. hierarchical; 7. in communion with the saints; and 8. a moral witness. We will examine particularly how these are embodied in Anglicanism. In other words, we are going to talk about how and why the Church matters, and how we participate in how she matters!  

§  Picnic Committee: will meet at 9:00am in St. Mark’s room on the lower level, today Sunday, July 27th. Logistics and assignments will be discussed. If you cannot attend, please call Barbara Knauf at 457-5414.

§  Coffee Hour a time of gathering for Fellowship: There is now a green sheet on the table in the narthex for people to sign up. There are many open dates. Please consider taking one of the Sunday services. Tom and Tasha Crouse have signed up for the 20th of July for 10;15 service and Paul and Andrea have signed up for the 3rd of August 10:15 service. This does not need to be anything elaborate, just the willingness to make coffee and supply some simple cookies, etc. This “get together” is about community, meeting, greeting and checking in with each other on how we our week has been. Please come and join the fun, if you have never done it sign up with someone who has and learn how simple it can be.

§  “Before and After”:  The floor cleaning project to well underway! The Chapel of Christ the King is complete and the floors behind the high altar are finished with the help from many people. If you are interested in participating, see Fr. Karl. This is tough, physical labor, so if you are challenged in working on hands and knees, consider whether you want to help with material costs, with a gift outside of your regular giving to the parish. Thank you to all who are helping.

§  EfM or Education for Ministry: was created to help you find your vocation and ministry with a trusted group of friends. By studying scripture, history and reading other people’s writings, we discover more about God’s wonderful plan for our lives.  Two groups are starting September 8, 2014. The Monday group meets at 6 pm and the Tuesday group meets at 9 am. Sign up by August 1st in order to get your books before the first class. Cost is $350 and this includes college credits and all your materials. Scholarships are available, so don’t let the cost keep you from participating. You can go to the EfM website at: www.sewanee.edu/EFM and print your registration materials or if you have questions, don’t hesitate to contact Barb Drewry-Zimmerman at: bzimmy@excel.net or call her at 920-893-5189.



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