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Thursday, March 5, 2015

Apostolic Times

Grace Episcopal Church
Sheboygan, Wisconsin

Grace Notes
5 March 2015

I have elsewhere referred to those 21 Coptic Christians murdered recently in Libya as The Martyrs of Derna.  News reports now indicate that they died praying, and that one of them was not a Coptic Christian but a man from Chad who had befriended the Copts and was attracted to their faith.  He, too, confessed Christ and was killed.  His death is what is known in theology as a “baptism of blood”.  He is now in Christ.
What must be remarked upon in the case of these martyrs, and in the cases of all persecuted for the faith, is the reality that we live in apostolic times.  It is common to think of the “age of the apostles” as that time period described in Acts, and also including the centuries of persecution leading up to the official toleration of Christians announced by the Roman emperor in A.D. 312.  Indeed, some have even argued that the miracles described in Scripture ceased with the end of the time of the original apostles.  But accounts such as those of the martyrdom in Derna speak loudly to the reality that all times are apostolic; all times include the call to witness to the faith; all times include miracles.
Before He ascends to heaven to inaugurate His reign, at Acts 1.8 Jesus tells His disciples, “[Y]ou shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth.”  This is the programmatic verse for all of Acts.  Luke’s Gospel (volume one of his writing) tells the story of the coming of the Christ, of His passion, death and resurrection.  Volume two (Acts) tells of the birth and spread of the Church against all obstacles.  The Holy Spirit comes upon the disciples at Pentecost.  They witness first in Jerusalem and Judea, then in Samaria, then (through Paul) to the end of the earth (Rome).  No matter what opposes the Gospel—martyrdom, persecution, shipwreck, disease, imprisonment, indifference, mocking—the Gospel prevails.
The Good News of God in Christ Jesus prevails.  It prevails in Acts and it prevails now.  In Acts it prevails by the mighty acts of God and by the faith of His followers,  In our age it prevails by God’s mighty acts and by our faith.  When we realize that we live in apostolic times we are more ready to recognize and put upon on the mantle of power that God gives us by His Holy Spirit.
This Lent go back and reread Acts.  In reading the story of the birth of the Church, remind yourself that she is born anew in you, in us.  Put on the mantle of God’s power. 

Grace abounds:  Please thank:
§  Anne and Bob Hanlon, Mary Snyder and Tom Wright for the coffee hours on Sunday.
§  Elizabeth Schaffenburg for the Friday simple supper.
§  Ben Dobey and the Schola Cantorum for sung Compline.

Adult Education:  We recently completed a course on the Psalms.  Here is a related article about the place of lament in prayer:  http://www.relevantmagazine.com/god/practical-faith/are-we-missing-something-important-about-prayer?utm_source&utm_medium=Email&utm_content=1%20Title&utm_campaign=RELEVANT%20Newsletter
For the next two Sundays adult education will focus on the “how to’s” of praying the Daily Office.

Youth and Family MinistryInward focus, outward love.  As Lent continues and we focus on our faith with inward reflection, we can't lose sight of each other. This is at the heart of the last week and next couple of weeks within the youth ministries of the Diocese. As part of the plan to have a Diocesan wide youth event every month.
In February we had an event called "30 Hour Famine" in which youth and adults in attendance deliberately fast for approximately 30 hours, in order to raise awareness in ourselves about what it means to be hungry, and to raise money and awareness in the community about world hunger. There were around 40 people in attendance, and everyone had a lot of fun together, even if they were hungry.
Simultaneously, the staff for Happening #69, met for training. Happening is a high school lock-in/retreat that focuses on faith, Jesus, and refection. On March 13-15 they will be meeting, and sharing, and there is an outpouring of love that goes into a Happening. Caritas, is one way for us as a community to share the love with those participating. If you are a Happener (have participated in Happening) or if you are part of the Cursillo community you have experienced this kind of love.
As our Lent continues, perhaps you would like to take a couple of moments and share the love with each other. If you would like to learn how to participate with Happening in this way, please contact Nick or the Office, and they can give you more details.
―Nick

Thank you:  I want to thank the parish for all their prayers over the last week.  I am very blessed.  The first blessing was that i was at church when my condition worsened and that Dcn Michele quickly took me to Express Care, then to the ER, notified Ed and stayed with me.  Once i decided i needed medical help, i really was not frightened, a true expression of God's love.  I had surgery on Wednesday and I came home Saturday evening.  I have been improving everyday.  (If you haven't heard the medical report, i had a sudden onset of severe abdominal pain.  Tests showed i had two ovarian cysts, and the larger one had twisted cutting off its blood supply, which is what caused the pain.)  Thank you again for all the prayers.
―Mary Clabots

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.

Music this week:  The Third Sunday in Lent

Prelude             Meditation onLet thy Blood in mercy poured’                               Sowerby  
Introit                           My eyes are ever looking unto the Lord                                         Plainsong
Mass Setting                 Gregorian Mass X (Alme Pater)                          Plainsong, adapt. Wildman
Offertory Hymn 598     “Lord Christ, when first thou cam’st to earth”            Mit Freuden zart
Communion Motet        O. for a closer walk with God                                                                      Stanford
Comm. Hymn 313        “Let thy Blood in mercy poured”                                  Jesu, meine Zuversicht
Closing Hymn 594        “God of grace and God of glory”                                             Cwm Rhondda
Postlude                       Toccata & Fugue in E Minor                                                                 Muffat

Parish Notices

§  Adult Education: For the next two Sundays adult education will focus on the “how to’s” of praying the Daily Office.

§  Scout Appreciation "Pancake Breakfast": Sunday March 8th Please mark your calendars to stay a few minutes, after each service, to savor a down home Pancake Breakfast. Scouts will supply all the know how for the event. As an added bonus, Maple Syrup will be supplied by the Drewry Farms of Plymouth. This award winning Maple Syrup is served at all the major restaurants in the area and beyond. The Scouts will also have available Maple Syrup gift assortments.

§  Stations of the Cross, Simple Suppers and Teaching:  Beginning on the first Friday in Lent (February 20th) we will meet each Friday at 5:30 p.m. for Stations of the Cross, followed by a simple supper and Christian formation.  Our formation program this year will be looking at our Parish Meditations for the week. Please sign up to attend on the sheets in the Narthex so the people who are providing the meal will know how much food needs to be prepared.

§  Service of Reconciliation: Please join Grace Church, Sheboygan, and St. Paul’s, Plymouth on Wednesday, March 15th at 6:00pm. The evening will include Holy Eucharist and self-examination. There will also be opportunity for both corporate and private confession. Please come for an evening of hope and forgiveness. The service will take place at St. Paul’s, 312 Main St. Plymouth.

§  The Feast of the Annunciation: We celebrate on 24 March at 6:00 p.m. the Eve of the Feast of the Annunciation, which commemorates the annunciation by the archangel Gabriel to Mary that she will bear the Messiah (Luke 1.26-38) On this day the liturgical colors change in Lent, i.e., the feast takes precedence over the season. It was, in the West, New Year’s Day until 1582. Please come and join the festivities.

§  Soup-d’-Do: Pizza Soup is back and available for purchase!! The single $4.00 and double $7.00 serving containers are frozen and are ready for purchase. The soups offered are Sicilian Chicken, Pizza, Bean & Ham and Vegetarian Vegetable.



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