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Thursday, December 24, 2015

"The Grace of God has Appeared"


Grace Episcopal Church

Sheboygan, Wisconsin



Grace Notes

24 December 2015



It’s the Eve of the Nativity of Our Lord.  Following ancient practice, in which the day begins at sundown, we will celebrate the first Mass of Christmas this evening.  When this meditation publishes we will be daylight hours away from our annual celebration that God is with us, that He took on our flesh.  Jesus redeems us.  He saves us, and on this Feast of the Nativity we celebrate that salvation happens this day.  In the words of St. Paul in the Christmas lesson from the Letter to Titus, “The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all ...”  God has appeared.  God appears.  He is with us.  “He it is who gave himself for us ...”   In the words of psalm 96:

Sing to the LORD and bless his Name;

     proclaim the good news of his salvation from day to day.



Declare his glory among the nations

     and his wonders among all peoples.



We celebrate that salvation happens this day, that God is with us.  We celebrate that God has so loved us that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him might not die but live eternally.  We celebrate that in taking on our flesh, in being born to us as the child in a manger, God shares in the way of all flesh, and yet calls us to Himself and blazes a trail that no flesh could walk—that no flesh can walk absent God’s saving power; a trail which leads beyond the death of the body to the kingdom of heaven, in which the God who suffers with us is the great God in who’s beauty and love and joy we may share.  The God who consoles us here, who is with us in our aloneness, is the God who calls us to be one with Him, that the consolatio—the suffering with—given us in this world may become the joy of redemption in heaven.



Grace abounds:  Please thank:

§  Wayne and Pat Sather, and  the Aparicio family for the Sunday coffee hours.

§  All who participated in the Christmas Castle gift distribution:  Bev Evans, Art Imig, Bob MacEwen, Pat Sather, Nancy Yurk.

§  Those who helped in baking, flower arranging, packaging and delivering Christmas Joy to elderly and shut-in parishioners:  Mrs. Aparicio's Sunday School class, Katy Larson , Jessica's Ambelang, Joyce Wessel, Jennifer Pawlus, Claudia Fischer, Traci Revis, Mary Kohler, Mary Snyder, Deb Gagin Polly Schmeiser, Pat Sather, Bev Evans, Mary Ann Neuses, Bernie Markevitch and Barb MacEwen.

§  Those who decorated the church for Christmas, including:  Rachel Boland, Scott Fabiano, Susan McIntosh, Bernie Markevitch, Bryan Stenz, and Jon Whitford.







Education Alert!  Diocesan Deacons’ School will begin on Saturday, 9 January 2016 at Grace, Sheboygan!  This presents an additional and in-depth educational opportunity even if you are not in formation to become a deacon.  Classes will meet every second Saturday, from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. (gathering for worship at 8:15, and ending with prayer at 3 p.m., with a lunch in common).  Two courses will be offered for instruction in 2016:

§  Old Testament:  3 contact hours.  An in-depth survey of the origins, composition, canonization, contents and theology of the Old Testament.

§  Church History:  3 contact hours.  The history of the Church from the apostolic age to today, with specific focus on theological development.

The courses will not result in any educational credit, but will be taught at a college level.  There will be no required tests or papers for any participants not in formation for ordination.  Approximately one to two hours study per day will be necessary to keep current in the courses.

It is not necessary that you attend all sections of either course, i.e., if you want to dive deeper in particular parts of the Old Testament or Church History you can attend only those sessions.

There will be no cost to attend, except for the cost of textbooks (approximately $80-100).  A free will offering will be collected to help defray meal costs.

If you are curious, please request a copy of a detailed syllabus for either or both courses from the office.  It is necessary to act quickly (a lot of reading prior to 9 January!)



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.



Music this Week:



December 24th, Christmas Eve at 4pm



Prelude                           Lindsay Fischer, cello

Processional Hymn          “O come, all ye faithful”

Gloria                              New English Folk Mass

Sequence Hymn              “Away in a manger”

Carols during the Pageant:

                                       “O little town of Bethlehem”

                                       “The first Nowell”

                                       “Joy to the world”

Offertory Hymns              “The snow lay on the ground”

                                       “What child is this”

Communion Hymn           “Silent night”

Closing Hymn                  “Angels we have heard on high”

Postlude                          Allegro giocoso from the Christmas Concerto          Liberti



Prelude at 10:30pm



Ding, dong, merrily on high                          Traditional English Carol, arr. Willcocks

Adagio from Concerto in G Minor                                            Georg Matthias Monn

                             Lindsay Fischer, cello

In the bleak midwinter                                                                       Harold Darke

Hymn 105:            “God rest ye merry, gentlemen”

Sinfonia from the Christmas Oratorio                                                       J. S. Bach

          Sandie Palmer and Sutton Cecil, flutes; Lindsay Fischer, cello

Sicilienne                                                                                          Gabriel Fauré

Berceuse (Lullaby)                                                                                       Fauré

                             Lindsay Fischer, cello



Solemn Mass at 11pm



Introit                             Dominus dixit                                                                Plainsong

Processional Hymn 83      “O come, all ye faithful”

Gloria in excelsis S-202                                                                                Willan

Offertory Hymn 79          “O little town of Bethlehem”

Sanctus S-114                                                                                             Willan

Agnus Dei                       Missa de Angelis                                                Plainsong

Communion Anthems      “As Joseph was a-walking”                15th century English

        carol, arr. Wells

                                      Manger Carol                                    13th century French

                                                                                            carol, arr. Sowerby

Communion Hymn 111    “Silent night”

Recessional Hymn 96       “Angels we have heard on high”

Postlude                         In dulci jubilo                                                   J. S. Bach



December 25th at 9am



Entrance Hymn 83           “O come, all ye faithful”

Gloria in excelsis             New English Folk Mass

Offertory Hymn 87          “Hark! the herald angels sing”

Sanctus & Agnus Dei       New English Folk Mass

Communion Hymn 115    “What child is this”

Closing Hymn 96             “Angels we have heard on high”



Sunday, December 27th at 10:15



Entrance Hymn 102         “Once in royal David’s city”

Gloria S-202                                                                                                Willan

Te Deum S-205                                                                                      Plainsong

Offertory Hymn 82          “Of the Father’s love begotten”

Choir Motet                     What is this lovely fragrance        French carol, arr. Willan

Closing Hymn 100           “Joy to the world”



Parish Notices



§  End of Year Pledge Reminder: Please make every effort to pay the remainder of your pledge before the end of the year. If you need to know your balance, please call the office at 452-9659. If you want tax credit for your pledge paid in 2015, you must have the payment in the office by Wednesday, December 30th. A check dated the 30th, but arriving later cannot be counted as paid in 2015. All payments received after the 30th will be credited in 2016. Thank you so much.

§  Christmas Pageant: will take place during the 4:00 p.m. Family Christmas Eve Mass. Please be at the church for costuming at 3:00pm December 24th.

§  Fr. Schaffenburg will be on Vacation: Fr. Karl & Elizabeth will be on vacation December 28, 2015 through January 2, 2016. If you have a pastoral emergency, please call Deacon Mike Burg at 918-9944 or Deacon Michele Whitford at 918-1230 or the office 452-9659.

§  Something Extra for Grace: Envelopes are available in the pews if you are movedto give an extra gift, beyond your pledge or regular plate donation, toward the life of the church.  Gifts are tax deductible if you write your name on the envelope.

§  The Feast of the Epiphany: We will celebrate the Eve of the Feast of Epiphany Tuesday, January 5th. Parishioners and their guests are invited to Solemn Mass beginning at 6:00 p.m. followed by Twelfth Night Reception. Please sign up in the narthex or by calling the church office at 452-9659.

§  Bible Challenge: Grace Abounds will launch The Bible Challenge on the First Monday of 2016, January 4th. If you take this challenge, you will find that in one year you will read all of the Bible! This will require less than an hour of your time, six days a week. A schedule of readings will be provided on the parish website, along with weekly study summaries and a weekly video summery of the readings. If you need a good study bible for the challenge, contact the parish office. When we immerse ourselves in Scripture, the mantle of the Lord does fall upon us. We are equipped to discern God’s will and to lead others to know and love and serve the Lord.

§  Resting in the Heart: On Saturday, January 9, 2016, 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m, the Rev. Paul Feider, nationally known author and speaker, will be presenting a Healing Conference called “Resting in the Heart – a search for inner peace.” This conference is for those who are searching for inner healing or those who seek to help others find inner healing. There will be a Healing Eucharist at 1pm with time for healing prayer. All are welcome to share in this conference which takes place at St. Thomas Church, 226 Washington St, Menasha. Please register online at www.stthomaswi.com or by calling (920) 725-5601.

§  The Annual Meeting: This year’s Annual Meeting will take place on Sunday, January 31, 2016. We will have one Mass at 9:00am followed by the Annual Meeting at 10:15am. If you have been in leadership of any group or committee please submit an annual report to the office@gracesheboygan.com. Please make every effort to attend and participate.

§  Flower Schedule for 2016: Giving the gift of flowers is a wonderful way to remember a loved one or to offer thanksgiving for your blessings. If you wish to sign up for a specific Sunday, the Flower Schedule is available on the table in the narthex. More than one person can sign up for each Sunday.

§  Like Grace Church on Facebook

§  Follow Grace Church on Twitter: @GEC_Sheboygan

§  We Are on Itunes! Check out the new podcast!!!





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