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Thursday, April 9, 2015

He is risen!

Grace Episcopal Church
Sheboygan, Wisconsin

Grace Notes
9 April 2015

Alleluia!  The Lord is risen!  The Lord is risen, indeed!  We love to make this proclamation in Eastertide, as well we should.  (And as well we should at all times).  Against the reality of this one most important fact in all of creation and history all else pales.  But Eastertide is always a good time to focus on particulars, on what the reality of resurrection means in my life.
As human beings we are each a person created in the image and likeness of God.  Each is composed and comprised of soul, body, and mind.  The soul exists by virtue of the grace of God, and the body and mind receive life from the soul.  Consequently, in resurrection the soul arises to God from the state to which it has fallen, and it is with this resurrection of the soul that the body and mind rise.  It is as a complete and unique person that each arises.  In resurrection I will not be absorbed into a great “world soul”, but will remain the “me” created by God, except that all the faults that have accrued to that “me” by virtue of my own disordered will (a will that has allowed me to substitute my own will for God’s) are forgiven when I am so identified with the risen Christ that I am clothed in His righteousness.  It is by virtue of Jesus’ resurrection that I may walk in newness of life.  It is by Jesus’ resurrection and my participation in His life that I may face judgment.
In Eastertide it is common to sing the hymn “Now the green blade riseth” (No. 204).  We sing that the green blade riseth from the buried grain, in other words that new life comes forth from the seed which has been planted.  The seed which has been planted in each of us is the image and likeness of God.  In Jesus’ resurrection this “green blade”, this eternal newness of Life in God, is revealed.  Let the life of each one of us be manifest to others as eternally new in God!

Grace abounds:  Please thank:
§  All who have served throughout Holy Week and Easter Week!

Podcasts!   Podcasts are found on the website under “Media”.  You can also subscribe on ITunes or with RSS full feed at:

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 Second Sunday of Easter, year B

Prelude                         Fantasy in G Major                                                            J. S. Bach
Entrance Hymn 193                  “That Easter day with joy was bright”                      Puer nobis
Gloria in excelsis                       Communion Service                                                 William Mathias
Offertory Hymn 206                 “O sons and daughters, let us sing”                                    Filii et filiae
Sanctus                                                                                  Mathias
Communion Motet                    This joyful Eastertide                             Dutch melody, harm. Wood
Communion Hymn 209 “We walk by faith, and not by sight”                                    St. Botolph
Closing Hymn 180                    “He is risen, He is risen”                                                          Neander
Postlude                                   Ofertoire sur le chant O filii et filiae            Jean-Francois Dandrieu

Parish Notices

§  Adult Formation: Beginning on Sunday, 12 April, we will 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.

§  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.

§  Stay Connected! There are many ways to stay connected and find all the latest announcements. Grace Church can be found by “liking” us on Facebook. You can also sign up for the Grace Notes blog at http://gracechurchgracenotes.blogspot.com/ on the right hand side there is a place to sign up and receive the blog by email. You can find the Grace Church website at www.gracesheboygan.com. At the end of each bulletin there is QR code that you can scan with your smart phone and it will take you directly to the website. If you have an email address you can receive the Angelus electronically and save the church some printing and postage costs as well as receive any gentle reminders that may pop up between Angelus publications. If you have questions about any of these things please call the office.

§  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.



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