Grace Episcopal Church
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
Grace Notes
25 September 2014
It has been said that the definition
of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different outcome. With this truism in mind we are going to
change the parish breakfast model. In
the past we have had a breakfast for men, with the intention being to be
agenda-free, and to just allow building of community. This model was extended to include all
comers, and we have certainly enjoyed some good fellowship together, but the
staying power of the model is questionable, so we will try something different.
Parish breakfasts will continue to
meet at 7 a.m. on Tuesdays, at Fountain Park Restaurant. (Anyone who is concerned about the cost of
the meal should plan on being the guest of the rector.) What will be different is that we will not be
agenda-free. We will meet to enjoy
fellowship and build community, to be sure, but this will be done in the
context of discussion of the application of Scripture to our lives.
How will this work? We have actually heard more preaching in this
parish that takes account of the lesson from the Old Testament, than in many,
but to emphasize the wholeness of all of Scripture, on Tuesdays our breakfasts
will include a discussion focused on the O.T. lesson for the coming
Sunday. We’ll talk about the lesson
itself, the author, the context, and what in this biblical revelation resonates
in our lives and world today. What is
God revealing about Himself and His will for us? How does this revelation guide us in life
decisions today, whether they are large or small, in a world that is vastly
different from that of the Old Testament?
How does better understanding O.T. revelation allow us to better
understand and participate in the life of Jesus Christ, who revealed in the
Sermon on the Mount that He had come to fulfill the law and the teachings of
the prophets (Mtt. 5.17)?
When Jesus spoke to His listeners
and said “[You] have Moses and the prophets ...” (Lk. 16.29) He referred to
what His listeners understood Scripture to be.
There was no New Testament!
Paying attention to the Old Testament was important to Jesus, and so it
must be important to us. Life in Christ,
life in the Spirit, is life informed by all of God’s revelation. Join with us on Tuesday mornings to explore
this, and to enjoy good company and food!
Grace Abounds: Please thank:
§
Danie Wilson and the Boland
family for the Sunday coffee hours.
§
Paul Aparicio for helping
with Sunday School.
§
Bobbie May for gradening.
§
John Davis for fixing the
kitchen stove.
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.
Youth and Family updates:
Music this week: Proper 21A
Prelude Prelude
on Strengthen for service, Lord
Leo Sowerby
Entrance Hymn 477 “All
praise to thee, for thou, O King divine” Engelberg
Offertory Hymn 435 “At
the Name of Jesus” King’s
Weston
Communion Motet O thou who camest from above S. S. Wesley
Comm. Hymn 312 “Strengthen
for service, Lord” Malabar
Closing Hymn 564 “He
who would valiant be” St. Dunstan’s
Postlude Toccata
in G Johann Speth
Parish Notices
§ Love for the Least: On 28 September at 9:00am we will be joined by a priest active in mission
in areas of the world in which Islam is the dominant faith and culture, and
militant Islam is active. This priest (who cannot be named in a public
communication)
§ had his church burned
last year, and will be with us following a mission planned to an area subject
to ISIS attack. He will speak about witnessing to the faith in an alien and
hostile environment.
§ Coffee Hour there are still a few openings: Thank you to all who have volunteered for
coffee hour and all who have stepped in and made coffee and put out snacks. We
do have a sign-up sheet in the white binder on the Narthex table. Several of
the upcoming Sundays have taken but we are in need of more volunteers. The
weeks that are open are 8:00am: 9/28, 11/16, 11/30, 12/21 and 12/28. For
10:15am: 9/28, 10/12, 11/16, 11/23, 12/28. If you can help please sign
up on the green sheets in the white binder on the Narthex table. Thank you so
much.
§ Coats for Kids:
is a community service campaign. Area residents are asked to donate clean coats
in good repair. We accept coats of all sizes for people of all ages, with the
need being greatest for children’s coats. These coats will be distributed to
Sheboygan county residents who would otherwise go without. Drop off
location: Reinbold-Novak Funeral Home, 1535 S. 12 St. Sheboygan. September
2 –October 3 Monday–Friday 8:30am–4:00 pm. Distribution Location: Salvation
Army, 710 Pennsylvania Ave. Sheboygan, Tuesday, October 7th, from
9:00am–1:00pm and Thursday, October 9th from 2:00–6:00pm.
§ New Time for Men’s Everyone’s Breakfast: The parish breakfast will be Tuesdays at 7
a.m., Fountain Park. This is open to everyone to gather for a bite of
breakfast and conversation before the day begins.
§ Walsingham Volunteers Needed: There are many opportunities to help with hospitality for the Walsingham
Pilgrimage. We will need volunteers to greet pilgrims as they arrive for both
the quiet day on Friday as well as Saturday morning for the Solemn Mass and for
the musical offering, healing prayer and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament,
We will need help with the set up of St. Nicholas Hall for lunch and especially
for clean-up after lunch. Please sign up on the sheet on the Narthex table.
§ Walsingham Pilgrimage Music and Flowers: The Walsingham Pilgrimage is just around the
corner and preparations are being made. We will have a quiet day with
meditations at 12:00 and 3:00pm concluding with Solemn Evensong at 6:00pm on
Friday, October 10th. The meditations will be led by Mother Miriam,
CSM, Superior of the Eastern Province of The Community of St. Mary. On
Saturday, October 11th the Rt. Rev. Matthew A. Gunter, eighth Bishop
of Fond du Lac, will celebrate at the Procession and Solemn Pontifical Mass at
10:30am. Mother Miriam, CSM, will preach. Music will include the Gaudete Brass
again this year. As you are able, please donate so we can once again offer
beautiful music that has become so much a part of the pilgrimage and the
flowers that add so much to the beauty of holiness. Please make you check out
to Grace Church with Walsingham music or flowers or both in the memo.
Reservations are required for lunch at a cost of $15 per person and will be
served at noon on Saturday. Thank you.
§ SCIO – Sheboygan County Interfaith Organization: We have been a member of SCIO for many
years. We have donated time and money for the outreach to the community,
especially for women and children. There
is a sign up sheet on the table in the Narthex to receive the newsletter which
will give many ideas about how to help. If you have questions please talk to
Mary Ann Neuses.
§ St. Paul’s New Book Club: Will meet on the 2nd Thursday of each month beginning on October 9, 2014
at 11am at St Paul's Episcopal Church in Plymouth. They will be reading,
viewing, and discussing books, movies, and documentaries that have a spiritual
element to them. The books, movies,
documentaries will not be heavy but encourage, challenge and motivate rewarding
discussions and impress us in some way.
They will also have quest speakers now and then. A list of suggestions
for books and movies will be presented; however, every participant is welcome
to suggest their own ideas. Everyone is welcome to join. You don't have to be a
member to join us, just a love of learning and child-like curiosity. Contact
Pat at 920-400-0048
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