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Thursday, May 26, 2016

The Holy Spirit Speaks

Grace Episcopal Church
Sheboygan, Wisconsin

Grace Notes
26 May 2016

The past two weeks, beginning with the run-up to Pentecost, we have spoken about the eternal Persons of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  This week we will focus on Jesus, the Son, and on how we experience the power of God in how each of His Persons reinforces our knowledge of God.
Once we recognize that God send His Holy Spirit to instruct us, the question becomes how do we pay attention?  We can only listen to the Holy Spirit when we recognize His voice:  In order to recognize God’s promptings in our lives, and to respond to them, we must know who it is who speaks to us and calls us.  If a stranger calls to you and tells you to do something, you will likely dismiss what he/she says, even if it might otherwise make some sense.  But if a loved one or trusted friend calls you and counsels action you are much more likely to:  (a) pay attention and listen; and (b) consider what to do and how to respond.  This means that in order the hear God’s voice we need to focus on how He reveals Himself to us, and this revelation is made in the Person of Jesus Christ.
Focusing on Jesus to experience the Holy Spirit sounds counterintuitive.  But consider how Jesus describes the equation:
  1. At John 10.1-16 Jesus describes Himself as the Good Shepherd.  He states that His sheep will follow Him because they hear His voice as He calls to each of them by name.
God knows and calls each one of us, but we must recognize His voice, and we can only do this by walking with Him.  To do this we must focus on Jesus, for He is the complete revelation of God:  “He who has seen me has seen the Father ... I am in the Father and the Father in me ...” (Jn. 14.9). 
  1. Jesus reveals the truth of His identity with the Father right before He promises that we will receive the Holy Spirit (Jn. 14.15-20), continuing this revelation by teaching, “He who has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me; and he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him” (Jn. 14.21).
We need to pay attention to this sequence in revelation, for against it most of modern culture speaks, and much of the Church is silent in her testimony.  It means that who we are and what we do matters.  It is not enough to just be “spiritual” and to seek God; we must also walk in His way.  We must strive for righteousness, to do His will, and the more we do this the more we will recognize His voice that we might respond to it.  (Amos 3.3:  “Do two walk together unless they have made an appointment?”)  This means we cannot consider God to be insurance, and we cannot just be “social Christians”.  It means we have to commit to obeying God; we need to know Jesus not just as our Savior and Redeemer, but obey Him as Lord and expect Him as Judge. 
We do this by focusing on Jesus, seeking always to follow Him, honor Him, and to walk in His way.  The closer we get to know God, the more we will recognize His voice. 

Wandering in mental meadows after Trinity Sunday

The Trinity sometimes seems to me the metaphysical version of  Churchill’s “Russia is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma.” In a simpler statement, which I pray is not blasphemous,  it is as an ethereal moebius strip.  When I am in the weeds about it I try to quickly get back to my faith and  yet remember the sheer beauty of the Trinity  Itself.


Dale Massey

Grace aboundsPlease thank: Elaine & Gary Dinstuhl and Mary & Ed Clabots for coffee hour.
Thank you to all who participated in the Celebration of Ministries! It was a wonderful example of how we at Grace Church are active and working in the Kingdom of God.
§ 
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 after Pentecost (Proper 4)

Prelude   Andante tranquillo     Edward Hopkins    
Entrance Hymn 372  “Praise to the living God”   Leoni
Offertory Hymn 523  “Glorious things of thee are spoken”   Abbot’s Leigh
Communion Motet Tantum ergo R. Benjamin Dobey (based on a sketch by Don Frazee)
Communion Hymn 567  “Thine arm, O Lord, in days of old”   St. Matthew
Closing Hymn 579  “Almighty Father, strong to save”   Melita

Postlude   Toccata in C Major   Johann Pachelbel

Parish Notices

§  The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary: We will celebrate the Virgin Mary’s visitation to her cousin Elizabeth on Tuesday, May 31st at 6:00pm with a Solemn Mass. Please come and celebrate with the parish family.

§  Coffee Hour: Currently we have no-one signed up for next Sunday’s coffee hour or for the Sundays on 6/26 through 8/28. If you feel moved to serve in this capacity, please see the sign-up book on the table in the Narthex.

§  Elkhart Lake Chapel: The Chapel will have services every Sunday through Labor Day weekend. We are in need of help for each Sunday. This would include: picking up the box of bulletins at Grace Church, arriving a little early to open the buildings, finding readers for the lessons and the prayers of the people, lighting candles, greeting the visiting priest, various other tasks, locking up at the end and returning the box to Grace Church. There are instructions printed and several people who would be able to help if you have questions. Please sign up for a Sunday or two by calling the office at 452-9659 with dates you are available. Thank you.

§  Parish Life Survey: During this season of Eastertide your parish has been in celebration and examination of the love that God offers to us all. To further the examination, please take a moment to participate in the Parish Life Survey.  In conjunction with the "What's My Gift?" sessions in Adult Formation each week and the Commission on Congregational Vitality event held last week, this survey will continue our efforts to live as members of the Body of Christ. Printed copies of the survey can be found in the Narthex or to complete the survey electronically go to https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/K2PT7KF.
§  Parish Music Survey:  We have concluded our open forums and the Music Committee is working towards forming a proposal of what this ministry is called to be after Dr. Dobey's retirement.  An additional aid in that effort is the following survey:  https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RDMKWB8.  Please take a few minutes and offer your thoughts so that we as a family can best listen to how our Lord is guiding us.  

§  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. There are application forms on the Narthex table.
§  Scholarships are available.
§  Senior Camp (completed grades 9-12) June 12 (Sun 3pm) – June 18 (Sat 12noon)
§  Middler Camp (completed grades 6-8) June 19 (Sun 3pm) – June 23 (Thu 5pm)
§  Junior Camp (completed grades 2-5) June 19 (Sun 3pm) – June 23 (Thu 5pm)
§  KinderCamp (parent & kids ages 4-7) June 9 (Thu 2pm) – June 11 (Sat 12noon)

§  Like Grace Church on Facebook
§  Follow Grace Church on Twitter: @GEC_Sheboygan
§  Follow Grace Church on Instagram: @GEC_Sheboygan
§  We Are on Itunes! Check out the new podcast!!!
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/grace-church-sheboygan/id982836791

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