Grace
Episcopal Church
Sheboygan,
Wisconsin
Grace
Notes
27 August 2015
“See how [these
Christians] love one another” is the usual translation given for a famous
saying of the theologian Tertulllian (d. A.D. 220), made in the defense of the faith he gave during a time a serious
persecution. Tertullian pointed out that
even the pagans who stood by while the imperial government persecuted the
Church recognized that there was something different about being a follower of Jesus
Christ. This observation poses to us the
question: “What do people see about us
that distinguishes us from the world?”
An answer might be as simple as the fact that we attend on worship when
many others do not, but in asking the question let’s not forget that we can be
in danger of becoming too worldly in our own view of ourselves.
This danger was
highlighted in a recent week in which a lot of pastoral care was needed and
provided within the parish. Three
different hospitalizations were involved, with clinic visits as well. Care was provided by both lay persons and
clergy, and involved transport, presence, food, physical help, etc. There is nothing unusual in this, but what
stood out was a comment made by one person who received care, who said words to
the effect that the person providing the care was doing something special. But when we consider what it means to embody
Christ, and recall Tertullian’s famous words, we should be struck by the fact
that what Christians do should somehow be considered “special” by a fellow Christian!
In caring for
each other we are not doing any special work of righteousness. We are simply living in our vocations as
followers of Jesus Christ. When a member
of the Body needs help our faith informs us that it is the norm that this help
be provided.
But here is the
sneaky little secret of recognizing and living out our vocation of mutual
self-giving love. When we live out our
vocation as followers of Jesus the Body is built up, and we—as members of this
Body—are ourselves strengthened, both in our faith and in our persons. This is because faith is so much more than an
idea, or set of ideas, with which we agree.
Faith is so much more than the individual trust each one of us must have
in God’s promises and in His presence.
Faith is about all that God makes new in His continual creation and
re-creation of the world.
In all that we
say and do with and for each other, and with and within the world, when we
recognize that our very identities as individuals, and our identity in Christ
as one Body, must always involve community (gathering), cross (following), and
new creation (renewal), then the norm of self-giving will never surprise us,
and we will never hesitate to give of ourselves. This reality is, in fact, summed up in the
“tag line” or saying found on most of our parish publications: Christ—Community—Compassion. We identify as members of Christ together,
and in this identity we share in each other’s passions and joys. Let this reality ever be recognized as the
norm for all who follow Our Lord.
Grace
abounds: Please thank:
§
Jessica
and Tom Ambelang for the Sunday coffee hour.
§
Elizabeth
Schaffenburg for reupholstering an office chair.
Music
this Week: The Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost, Proper
17B
Prelude Pastorale Marco Enrico Bossi
Entrance
Hymn 377 “All people that on earth
do dwell” Old
100th
Offertory
Hymn 556 “Rejoice, ye pure in
heart” Marion
Communion
Hymn 660 “O Master, let me walk with
thee” Maryton
Closing
Hymn 470 “There’s
a wideness in God’s mercy” Beecher
Postlude Sortie Cesar
Franck
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.
Worthwhile reading: A blog worth visiting
regularly is one described as “place of dialogue between Catholics and
atheists”. http://www.strangenotions.com This
is the blog of philosopher/theologian Peter Kreeft, and other contributors, and
the discussions are not limited to a Christian identity founded in Roman
Catholicism. The discussions are lively,
and involve real people asking real questions, but they are also very
thoughtful, and beg us to go deeper.
Parish
Notices
§ Sunday
School Needs: Please bring small, smooth stones (about the
size of a child’s palm) to the 2nd—5th grade classroom,
for use in a prayer project. Also, a
large serving bowl is needed, something that can be painted. If you have questions, ask Nicci Beeck.
§ Blessing
of the Backpacks! We
will be blessing all the backpacks and school children as well as all the
teachers, on August 30th at both 8:00 and 10:15 services. We will
invite everyone, young and old, who are starting school to come forward with
their backpacks for a blessing. We will also ask all the teachers to come
forward to be blessed in their important work as well.
§ Sunday
School registration:
Yea, it’s almost time for Sunday School to begin! The teachers have
missed those familiar faces and are looking forward to some new ones, too. Look
for the Sunday School table Sunday, August 30th. Registration
paperwork, classroom lesson schedules, Christmas pageant practice schedules,
Operation Christmas Child information and snack ideas will be on hand.
See you for sign up!
o
Grace offers classes for children of
all ages at 9 am on Sundays:
―3-k through 1st Grade
with Mrs. Andrea (Aparicio), Ms. MaryAnn (Portz) and Mrs. Danielle (Whitford).
―2nd through
5th Grade with Mrs. Nicci (Beeck) and 6th-12th with
Mr. Nick (Whitford)
o
If you don’t have children to
register, how about your grandkids? How about your neighbors’ kids or
grandkids? Help us teach the little children how much Jesus loves them,
by bringing them to Grace’s Sunday School beginning September 20th!
§ Catechumenate will begin: Catechumenate is a
nine-month course in the basics of the Faith and its practice. It is a period
of training and instruction in Christian understandings about God, human
relationships, and the meaning of life.
It includes the Sacrament of Baptism, if you are not already baptized,
and culminates in Confirmation, Reception, or Renewal of Baptismal Vows. The
Catechumenate will meet on an evening each week starting at 6:30 p.m. until
8:30 p.m. The class will begin in September and will continue until May when
Bishop Matthew Gunter makes his annual visitation. The study is led by Deacon
Michele Whitford, the Parish Catechist. If you would like to be a part of this
exciting study and fellowship or would like more information, please call the
office 452-9659 or e -mail Deacon Michele at mwhitford@gracesheboygan.com. There is a
sign-up sheet on the table in the Narthex.
§ Fundraising
for All Saint's Chapel: We are in the
process of replacing the roof for All Saint's Chapel. In recent years its age
has started to show where shingles are missing and some leakage is occurring.
Our hope is that funding will be available from a private foundation but
nothing is guaranteed especially if the funding will be available this year.
Would you be interested in contributing towards this project? We are looking to
start work on this project before winter before more damage occurs. If funding
does come from the foundation your donations will be dedicated to other
maintenance items at the chapel and St. Hubertus Hall. Feel free to make
donations in the offering plate, noting “Roof” in the memo, or contact our main
office at office@gracesheboygan.com. Thank you so much
for your generosity.
§ Mass
in the Grass:
Please join us Sunday, September 13, 2015 for an outdoor Mass and All Church
Picnic at Deland Community Center, 901 Broughton Dr., Sheboygan, the Mass will
begin at 10:15 a.m. with lunch following. There will be games and activities
for our children’s enjoyment. Inviting guests is encouraged. There will be ONE
MASS only that day. We will be asking for donations of cookies/bars,
potato chips, water and monetary donations to defray the cost. Please sign up
on the sheet on the Narthex table.
§ Pastoral
Letter on Same Sex Unions: Bishop Matthew Gunter has issued a pastoral
letter, dated 6 August 2015, announcing diocesan policy on the blessing of
lifelong unions between same sex couples. Copies of this letter are
available in the parish (narthex table and office).
o
The policy provides that unions may
be blessed only in those congregations where the priest and 2/3 of the Vestry
agree that such unions may be blessed. The policy also provides:
(a) congregations must engage in an open forum discussion of matters relating
to the blessing of same sex unions, using the *Study Guides for Congregational
Use* (see below); and (b) if a priest/congregation decide that blessings will
not take place in a given congregation, those members seeking blessing will be
directed to another congregation in the diocese for pastoral ministration.
o
A parish forum will be held on
Thursday, 8 October, from 6:30 to 8 p.m., in St. Nicholas Hall. This
forum will be facilitated by the Senior Warden, Paul Aparicio.
o
Fr. Schaffenburg has communicated to
the Vestry that he will not participate in the blessing of same sex unions.
§ *Study
Guides for Congregational Use*: Bishop Gunter has released two study guides
for use by congregations and individuals of the Diocese of Fond du
Lac. The King or a Fox: Configuring the Mosaic of Scripture is a
14-page document as a guide to understanding and interpreting Scripture. It was
used by clergy during deanery clericus gatherings. In Dialogue With Each
Other is a Study Guide created to aid congregations in studying and discussing
the topic of same-sex unions. Clergy may want to encourage individuals to make
use these resources or use them as a basis for forums or other study series.
Downloads are available both as PDF and Word files. Visit diofdl.org.
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Grace
Church on Facebook
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Grace
Church on Twitter: @GEC_Sheboygan
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Are on Itunes! Check
out the new podcast!!!
