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Thursday, April 2, 2015

Shadows and Light

Grace Episcopal Church
Sheboygan, Wisconsin

Grace Notes
2 April 2015

Shadows and light.  This evening, at the end of the celebration of Maundy Thursday, the altar is stripped, the tabernacle emptied, all church decorations are removed, the lights are extinguished, and the people leave in darkness and in silence.  This darkness is anticipated, in some places, with a Wednesday service of Tenebrae (Latin for “shadows”), which is comprised of three nocturnes (each with three lessons), plus antiphons (verses recited or sung with the lessons) and psalms.  In these lessons, the lamentations over loss, as expressed in Scripture and in meditations from the Church Fathers, are recited.  With each lesson a candle is extinguished from a set of fifteen candles, with the service ending in complete darkness, accompanied, as well, by a loud noise (made by slamming a book on the floor) which symbolizes the earthquake which occurred at Jesus’ death.
In this parish we do not hold the service of Tenebrae (which is not in the prayer book), but we should nonetheless pay attention to how darkness and light are prominent throughout Holy Week and Easter.  The great triduum of Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter begins with the darkness with which Maundy Thursday ended.  In the Passion we participate in the descent of darkness, and we keep vigil in this darkness until the new light of Easter is kindled at the Great Vigil of Easter, on Saturday night.  When this fire is kindled in the dark church the deacon will light the paschal candle and three times intone “The light of Christ!”, to which the people respond “Thanks be to God!”  She will then place the candle before the people and into the ancient prayer Exsultet:

Rejoice now, heavenly hosts and choirs of angels,
and let your trumpets shout Salvation
for the victory of our mighty King.

Rejoice and sing now, all the round earth,
bright with a glorious splendor,
for darkness has been vanquished by our eternal King.

Rejoice and be glad now, Mother Church,
and let your holy courts, in radiant light,
resound with the praises of your people.

All you who stand near this marvelous and holy flame,
pray with me to God the Almighty
for the grace to sing the worthy praise of this great light;
through Jesus Christ his Son our Lord,
who lives and reigns with him,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.

The deacon goes on for another five minutes of singing, recounting the history of salvation, but notice int he initial prayer that the light of Christ is invoked as triumphing over death, and we rejoice in heaven and on earth as the universal Church, the Church Militant (on earth) and the Church Triumphant (in heaven), that meet in the Holy Eucharist, when we pray “... with angels and archangels and all the company of heaven ...”  Light, truth, love triumph over death.  Rejoice indeed, and let the drama of the triumph envelop you.

Grace abounds:  Please thank:
§  Mary Snyder and Mary Ann Neuses for the Friday simple supper.
§  Anne and Bob Hanlon, and Mary and Terry Kohler for the Sunday coffee hours (with hot cross buns!), assisted by Barb MacEwen and Leslie Kohler..
§  Altar Guild members Beverly Evans,  Steve Fischer and Barb MacEwen extra work in preparation for Holy Week services.
§  Acolyte Master Scot Fabbiano and all of the altar servers for all of the extra work in Holy Week.
§  Ben Dobey and the choir for all of the extra work in Holy Week.
§  Jon and Nick Whitford for additions to the website and podcasts.
§  Michele Whitford for 4 extra service bulletins this week!

Podcasts!  The parish is blessed with many gifts that allow for more effective communication and outreach.  We have a truly superior website (thanks to Jon!), with many useful links; there is a weekly blog; and starting tomorrow we will add podcasts.  A podcast is a short audio and video broadcast received over an internet connection, on your smart phone or computer or tablet.  We will begin on a Mon—Wed—Fri schedule, with links posted to the blog and website.  On Mondays we will simply post the Sunday sermon as an audio file.  Wednesdays will feature a brief talk that might involve teaching or discussion of a current issue.  Fridays will feature a broadcast of evensong.
Podcasts are found on the website under “Media”.

Youth and Family MinistryWorn Out, Beat Up, and Tired
As we close out Lent and Holy Week and everyone has their eye on the "prize" (Easter) I sympathize with those who are so very busy during this week. My own tiredness is partly due to a lack of discipline regarding my sleep schedule, but it also is a reflection of the fact that I am trying to do more in the day, and finding it difficult.
For our clergy here at Grace, and most definitely all over Christendom, Holy Week is a frantic chase to make sure everything gets done, on time. On top of a work week thrown into overdrive, is the other work that goes on in the week, daily services.
At Grace, this is not unusual in-and-of itself, we have daily mass and morning and evening prayer, and sometimes more, but the drama of the week is wounding. And no matter your strength, adding wounds will wear you down, and you'll feel more and more beat up.
At Grace we are starting something sort-of new. For years we have been posting recordings of the Sunday sermons on our website ( www.gracesheboygan.com ), and now we are adding to that. We have started posting three audio files to the website per week, now going on two weeks.
There are three separate series running simultaneously; all together these make the GEC podcast. First is the Sunday Sermons. Second is called "Voices of Grace" which will be conversations, articles, parish life, and other news. And Third is called "Sounds of Grace" which will be sung daily offices and musical offerings.
This is a Grace Church ministry, this is not a Fr. Karl or a Nick Whitford ministry. If you have something that you want to discuss, present, or offer. Or if you have ideas or suggestions please let us know; the more voices the better.
If you want to know more about why Holy Week is so tiring, please listen to the newest "Voices of Grace" where I sit down with Fr. Karl and ask him questions about Holy Week. In it you will hear more about the drama of Holy Week and why we are all waiting for dusk on Saturday.
Please check it out, let us know what you think, and enjoy your Holy Week!
―Nick
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

Maundy Thursday

Prelude                        Meditation on ‘Ubi caritas’                                                        Maleingreau
Opening Hymn           “Zion, praise thy Savior, singing”       (Lauda Sion)
Gloria in excelsis         Gregorian Mass X                                                                 adapt. Wildman
At the Foot Washing: Ubi caritas                                                                                         Durufle
                                    God is love, and where true love is                                                      Proulx
Offertory Hymn 315   “Thou, who at thy first Eucharist didst pray”
Communion Motet      Ave verum                                                                                       Plainsong
Comm. Hymn 204      “Humbly I adore thee”
Procession to the Altar of Repose: Hymn 329 “Now, my tongue the mystery telling”

Good Friday

Sung Passion Gospel                                                                                                           Plainsong
Veneration of the Cross          Adoramus te, Christe                                                              Mozart
                                                Behold the Lamb of God                                                         Willan
                                                Cross of Jesus                                                                         Stainer
                                                God so loved the world                                                           Stainer
                                               
Easter Vigil

(with Brass Quintet)
Gloria                          Communion Service                                                                           Mathias
Offertory                     Christus vincit (Christ has conquered)                                                Noyon
Communion Motet      Most glorious Lord of Life                                                                     Harris
Comm. Hymn 305      “Come, risen Lord”
Closing Hymn 208      “The strife is o’er”
Postlude                      Toccata (Symphonie V)                                                                       Widor

Easter Day

(with String Quartet)
Prelude                                    Organ Concerto in F, op. 4 no. 5                                            Handel
Entrance Hymn 207                “Jesus Christ is risen today”
Mass Setting                           Missa in C (‘Organ Solo Mass’)                                             Mozart
Offertory Anthem                   Regina Coeli                                                                           Mozart
Communion Motet                  Jesus, Sun of Life                                                                     Handel
Communion Hymn 174          “At the Lamb’s high feast we sing”
Closing Hymn 210                  “The day of resurrection”
Postlude                                  Prelude & Fugue in A Major                                                     Bach

Parish Notices

§  Sacrament of Reconciliation: Lent is a time of self-examination preparing for the death and resurrection of our Lord. The Sacrament of Reconciliation will be offered by appointment. Please contact Fr. Schaffenburg to set up an appointment to make your confession.

§  Maundy Thursday Foot Washing: Everyone will have the opportunity to have their feet washed and to wash someone else’s feet following the example of Jesus washing his disciple’s feet. Please wear socks and shoes that are easily removed.

§  Vigil before the Altar of Repose: Please sign up to watch and pray for an hour at the Altar of Repose beginning immediately following the Maundy Thursday Mass April 17th and concluding Friday, April 18th as the Good Friday Liturgy begins. There is a sign-up sheet on the table in the Narthex, more than one person can sign up for any given hour.

§  Good Friday Offering: Every year since 1922 the church has taken a collection for the Church in the Middle East during Holy Week. This year our loose plate offering on Good Friday will go to support the church efforts in Jerusalem and throughout the Middle East. Please be generous as you are able.

§  The Holy Noise:  It is an ancient custom that parishioners bring bells from home to make the Holy Noise during the singing of the Gloria in exclesis at the Easter Vigil and to symbolize the waking of the dead in Christ because of His resurrection, as well as the proclamation to the entire world that Christ is risen from the dead.

§  Easter Gala Reception: We will continue our Easter celebration with a Gala Reception after the 10:15 a.m. Mass on Sunday, April 5th. All are welcome.

§  Christian Formation: there will be no Christian Formation for adults or children on Easter, April 5th. Christian formation for children will begin on April 12th for all ages.

§  Office Closed: The office will be closed Monday and Tuesday, April 6th & 7th. There will be no Daily Offices or Mass either of those days.

§  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.

§  Maundy Thursday, April 2, 2015
§  8:45 a.m. Morning Prayer
§  9:30 a.m. AA Meeting in St. Mark’s Room
§  5:10 p.m. Evening Prayer & Shrine Prayers
§  6:00 p.m. Solemn Mass with Foot Washing,
§  Stripping of the Altar, and Procession to the Altar of Repose
§  7:00 p.m. Beginning of the Vigil before the Altar of Repose

§  Good Friday, April 3, 2015
§  7:00 a.m. Morning Prayer
§  1:00 p.m. Liturgy of Good Friday with
§  Veneration of the Sacred Cross and Mass of the Pre-Sanctified
§  5:10 p.m. Evening Prayer and Shrine Prayers

§  Holy Saturday, April 4, 2015
§  8:45 a.m. Morning Prayer
§  9:00 a.m. Holy Saturday Liturgy
§  7:00 p.m. The GREAT VIGIL OF EASTER

§  The Sunday of the Resurrection: Easter
§  April 5, 2015
§  8:00 a.m. Mass
§  8:00 a.m. Nursery Open
§  10:15 a.m. Solemn Mass
§  followed by the Easter Gala Reception


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