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Thursday, July 17, 2014

Just Do It

Grace Episcopal Church
Sheboygan, Wisconsin

Grace Notes
17 July 2014

A common refrain heard among long-standing members in just about all church congregations relates to those things that “we used to do ourselves, and now pay for”.  Examples include maintenance and cleaning projects, whether publications are out-sourced, how people are active in outreach v. donating money for outreach, etc.  To be fair, we hear similar observations about society in general, but it is always a danger sign when a congregation starts expecting somebody else to get done what needs doing, or that the money to pay for something is just going to materialize.
Grace has not been immune from the broader trend away from active discipleship, but that trend line is reversing here!  If you pay attention to what is recited in this weekly web log, you have noted how many names are listed under our “Grace Abounds” thanksgivings.  People are giving of their time and talent.  The whole idea behind the ongoing project to refinish the floor is that we will do this ourselves, and that in doing this together will show each other what ministry looks like.  In the process we will certainly save a lot of money, money that can be deployed to support ministry rather than maintenance.  In the process we will, as well, have plenty of time for prayer and to get to know each other better, to learn about each other in the stories told between people as they work side-by-side on an otherwise tedious project.
Those of us who are working on the floor may soon see hexagonal patterns in our sleep, but we will also have spent hours in our Lord’s presence together.  We will have had hours on our knees together in the type of prayer that is just being present and making an offering of self.  We will have hours to listen to God, to understand better what He is calling us to in ministry, what He is calling us to in mission and outreach and how we are going to do this.
Most people in the parish won’t work on the floor, but most are active in some ministry or project.  No matter what you are involved in (or want to be), when we spend time together working together we have time to listen to God in the words of each other, and time to listen to God in the silences of our own work.  Let us listen both with ears, and with hearts and minds!
A final point:  Part of the forces at work that have moved many in church life away from “what we used to do ourselves” is the idea that any of us needs permission for ministry, permission to get done what needs doing.  We don’t, none of us.  It is our Lord who calls us to ministry and equips us for ministry.  When you are called, when you see something that needs doing, do it.  You don’t need to ask if it’s OK.  The Church is not a permission-granting organization.  If your initiative  is godly it will bear fruit!

Grace Abounds:  Please thank:
§  Bev Evans, Bobbi Kraft and Dcn. Michele Whitford for the Sunday coffee hours.
§  Jane Hanson and Pat Ford Smith for help in the office.
§  Ben Dobey and Bobbie May for gardening.
§  Bill and Deb Gagin, Shepherd Goodenow, Pat Ford Smith and Mary Snyder for work on the floor refinishing project, and Bill and Deb for donating a steam mop to the parish.
§  Martha Shad for donating a floor cleaner.

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.

The Healthy Habit of Worship:  (Fr. Jeff Reich, St. John’s Episcopal Church, Laurel, MS—used with permission.)

[To the people of St. John’s]:  I hope and pray all are well.  Yesterday I read an article that proposed that the greatest cause of church decline was not people leaving the Church, but rather it was an issue of frequency of attendance.  I found the idea very interesting… especially in that the English word frequency has is origins in the Latin word frequins, which means crowded or a crowd of people.
The idea is that is if there is a congregation of 200 people, and every person comes to Church on Sunday- the average Sunday attendance is 200.  But, 100 of those people miss once a month, the average Sunday attendance drops to 175 people.  Here at Saint John’s, according to our latest survey, the largest group of our parish family only attends twice in a month.  So, we have around 300 members, and our average Sunday attendance around 150. 
The author of the article argued that there are some very serious and severe consequences to a decrease in attendance frequency- the most severe being a decline in commitment.  That is to say, when average attendance drops from frequency change, two things happen: 1) morale and commitment fades in the parish- if you see your church family with a decreasing frequency, bonds of affection stretch, and you yourself feel less compelled to be there for others.  2) And if people notice these shifts in frequency, they feel more liberty themselves to attend less frequently.  So, a decline in frequency leads to a decline in morale and commitment- as you go about your week, consider frequency… your attendance habits have a direct impact on your parish family- either encouraging or discouraging them.  So, when you miss church with increasing frequency, it is not just your family who is effected, but the whole parish family, and when you attend church with greater frequency you do much to help encourage the parish family. 
No man is an island entire of itself;
every man is a piece of the continent,
a part of the main;
if a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were,
as well as any manner of thy friends
or of thine own were;
any man's death diminishes me,
because I am involved in mankind.
And therefore never send to know
for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.
―John Donne

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.

Summer adult formation:  In the 17 June web publication of the journal First Things: A Journal of Religion and Public Life is found the article “Why Do People Become Catholic?”, in which R. R. Reno examines the phenomenon and reasoning of conversion of Protestants to Roman Catholicism.  See http://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2014/06/why-do-people-become-catholic R. R. Reno (a Roman Catholic) celebrates the catholicity of the Church, and enumerates the following realities about the Church Catholic, 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.  Our discussions will focus on these eight realities of the Church, and 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!  This class will meet beginning on Sunday, 20 July, at 9 a.m.

Music this week:  Proper 11A

Prelude                         Andantino; Larghetto                                        Charles Tournemire
Entrance Hymn 375                  “Give praise and glory unto God”                                  Du Lebensbrot
Offertory Hymn 686                 “Come, thou fount of every blessing”                                      Nettleton
Communion Hymn 620 “Jerusalem, my happy home”                                           Land of Rest
Closing Hymn 625                    “Ye holy angels bright”                                    Darwall’s 148th
Postlude                                   Sortie                                                                                Tournemire

Parish Notices

§  Antiques and Collectibles Appraisal Event: featuring expert Mark F. Moran on Thursday, July 24, 2014 from 4:00 to 7:00 PM. 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. 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 to schedule your appointment or for further information and if you would like to help on this event please contact Barb MacEwen at 920-912-4505. Proceeds from this fund-raiser goes towards youth outreach.

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

§  “Before and After”:  The floors in the church have not been cleaned since April of 2006. Through the help of many parishioners Christ the King Chapel is nearing complete and the difference is remarkable. 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.

§  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.

§  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.

§  4th Annual Rummage Sale Blessed Trinity Parish: Friday, July 18 & Saturday, July 19, 2014 from 8:00 am – 2:00 pm Blessed Trinity Parish (in Church Basement) 319 Giddings Avenue, Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin will have a rummage sale which will include household items, toys, children’s clothes and small appliances. Please plan to attend our 4th Annual Rummage Sale.



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