Grace Episcopal Church
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
Grace Notes
16 April 2015
“Ah, now
you are speaking plainly, not in any figure!” (Jn. 16.29) Jesus’ disciples at last seem to “get it”
when they realize that He “knows all things”.
Clearly, He does, and His powerful personal presence has a impact on
those gathered at the Last Supper, but the disciples’ statement can also be
read as a complaint, i.e., that Jesus has not spoken plainly
before.
In
John’s gospel Jesus does not use parables the way He does in Matthew, Mark and
Luke. He tends to teach propositionally,
stating what the truth is. This contrast
between gospel accounts may reflect how John heard Jesus, and translated all
that He said into teaching founded more in faith statements. But we need both faith statements and
parables, for it is in the combination that our lives are affected more
powerfully and permanently.
The most
common form of Christian teaching many receive in self-study is apologetics and
world-view based arguments for the faith. There are benefits, certainly, to
being able to state clearly the propositions of faith (“This I believe.”), but
one of the downsides is that the Christianity of the apologists can often take
on a rather arid quality, in which faith becomes reducible to arguments and
defined positions on specific issues. Worse, human beings themselves can become
reducible to which set of propositional arguments they affirm. This can raise barriers between people, and
can allow us to construct our own mental walls between how the Christian faith
is thought of in the life of an individual Christian and how it is lived out in
normal, daily life where no one quite fits into ideological boxes quite so
well as they do in study.
What
Jesus does, however, when He does not “speak plainly,” but teaches in parables,
is to hit you with image after image, quip after quip, and you are drawn into
the faith. You start to see the world
differently, and discover new depths to the faith, turning over ideas or
scriptural texts in your mind that Jesus has helped you to see in a new way.
When a
reality can be presented in a way that resonates with the listener/reader on a
level deeper than his or her mind alone, then reality is experienced in a far
more powerful way than if a person is just bludgeoned over the head with
arguments. We cannot be reduced down to
what we know or what we believe, and in His teaching Jesus focuses very much on
who we are. He pulls us in, and helps us to see the faith not
simply as a mere fact, but as something to love, as the experience of love of
God and of each other.
In this
Eastertide may we be so formed by our experience of the faith—by how we have
been seduced!—that we will be seen in ways that will challenge any label anyone
else wants to put on us. Let our lives
the so reflect God’s light that others may come to see faith not as just a set
of beliefs and arguments, but as a reality that transcends all worldly ideas
and arguments. The Lord is risen,
indeed!, and we’re the ones to show this.
Grace abounds:
Please thank:
§
Kevan and Traci Revis, and Steve and Mary Gallimore
for the Sunday coffee hours.
§
Pat Ford Smith and Jane Hanson for help in the
office.
§ John Davis and family, Ed Clabots, Bill and Deb Gagin, Paul
Aparicio, and Troop 801 for cleaning and preparing All Saints Chapel for the
upcoming season.
Podcasts! Podcasts
are found on the website under “Media”.
You can also subscribe on ITunes or with RSS full feed at:
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.
Postulant Update! To my
Grace Family, This past Sunday morning I shared an update
of my discernment process at the 10:15 service. Over the past six weeks:
·
4
seminaries visited
·
8,000
miles traveled
·
8
vacation days used
·
12 days
away from Grace during Lent
In the end, it has been determined that my
formation should take place at Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, VA.
I interviewed there April 1st, received an acceptance letter last
week, and will start there this August.
Thank
you for all of your prayers and support. I wouldn’t be at this point in the
journey without. As I said on Sunday, one answer now opens up a thousand new
questions, and your prayers are still needed!! Over the course of the next
three months, we’ll need to find renters for our house, decide what items will
move with us (or be sold) into a 2-bedroom apartment, celebrate Kaleigh’s high
school graduation, take part at General Convention in Salt Lake City for 2
weeks in June, leave my job, pack, move to DC, and then move Kaleigh into the
dorms at Milwaukee School of Engineering. We are both so thankful for our Grace
and Diocese of Fond du Lac family. Kaleigh is thankful that God has provided a
way for her to start college and still have “family” close at hand even though
her Mom is not. We are truly blessed by you all!
With thanksgiving,
―Bobbi
Spring cleanup is this Saturday! We will
assemble at 8:30 a.m. and be finished by noon.
Breakfast snacks will be provided, as will lunch. We will work rain or shine. Bring a rake, trimming tools, etc. for
outdoor work, or cleaning supplies for indoor work. Thank you!
Music this week: The
Third Sunday of Easter
Prelude Chorale on ‘Haec dies’ Widor
Entrance Hymn 199 “Come, ye faithful, raise the strain” St. Kevin
Gloria S-278 Communion Service Mathias
Offertory Hymn 305 “Come, risen Lord, and deign to be our guest” Rosedale
Sanctus & Benedictus S-128 Mathias
Fraction Anthem Christ, our Passover Hurd
Communion Motet Most glorious Lord of life Harris
Communion Hymn 343 “Shepherd of souls, refresh and bless” St. Agnes
Closing Hymn 194 “Jesus lives! Thy terrors now” St. Albinus
Postlude Prelude
& Fugue in G Major Bach
Parish Notices
§ Adult
Formation: we will continue to offer a six week course
on the nuts-and bolts of the Old Testament and how God’s Word continues to
speak to us through this living testimony. Classes will meet on Sunday mornings
at 9 a.m. in the fellowship hall, and will be facilitated by Fr. Karl.
§ Bake
Sale/Plant Sale/Rummage Sale:
Friday, April 24th from 12:00-3:00pm and Saturday, April 25, from
9:00-2:00, in conjunction with St. Luke Methodist rummage sale, Grace will be
selling baked goods with proceeds going to Sunday School’s outreach projects. Baked goods will be accepted by anyone who
would like to bake: pies, breads, muffins, cookies or anything you would like
to donate. Baked goods can be dropped off at the church anytime before
Friday at noon. We will be once again selling plants from our cutting garden.
Proceeds go to maintain the garden. Grace will also have a small rummage.
Please bring your items pre-priced. The proceeds will go to Grace Church fund
raising. Please contact Jessica Ambelang if you have questions.
§ Spring Cheer: is coming to the
parish elderly and shut ins on Thursday,
April 30. We will meet in the kitchen at 11:00 to assemble bouquets of
daffodils and bags of cookies. Won't you join us and plan on making a
delivery or two? Sign up sheet for delivery and cookie baking is on the
table in the narthex. Our home bound parishioners and elderly will
appreciate you! Thank you for volunteering. Questions?, please call Barb MacEwen at
467-6909.
§ Bishop’s Visitation: May 17th
we welcome Bishop Matthew Gunter for his first visitation. The Bishop will
preach and celebrate at both 8 and 10:15 services. We will have a First
Communions celebration at 8:00am. We will celebrate the Sacrament of
Confirmation and First Communions at the 10:15 am service. Please join us for a
gala reception to welcome Bishop Gunter and honor the Confirmed. Please sign up
to bring sweets and savories and to clean up.
§ Summer
Camp: Diocese of Fond du Lac Summer Camp is for
kids age 4 through graduating 12th graders. Camp is an opportunity
for campers and staff to learn more about God, about community, about
themselves and have fun! If you have questions about what camp is like please
call Michele at the office. Scholarships are available.
o
Senior
Camp (completed grades 9-12) June 14 (Sun 3pm) –
June 20 (Sat 12noon)
o
Middler
Camp (completed grades 6-8) June 21 (Sun 3pm) – June
25 (Thu 5pm)
o
Junior
Camp (completed grades 2-5) June 21 (Sun 3pm) – June
25 (Thu 5pm)
o
KinderCamp
(parent & kids ages 4-7) June 25 (Thu 2pm)
– June 27 (Sat 12noon) There are application forms on the Narthex table.
§
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