Grace
Episcopal Church
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
Grace
Notes
28 December 2017
Thirty-three years
ago today I walked into an Episcopal church in Oxford, Mississippi because,
walking by on a dark and rainy night, I noticed a little sign that said
“Evening Prayer, 5:30 p.m.” It turned
out I was the only person there other than the priest for what was a weekday
service on a night in which the weather had suddenly turned nasty, and thus I
was put to work in reading aloud. But
before I read I first listened, and so I first encountered the Anglican collect
for the Feast of the Holy Innocents, this feast which commemorates the massacre
(recorded in Matthew 2) of the youngest male children in Bethlehem, killed at
Herod’s order in an effort by him to eliminate a threat to his kingship.
The innocent
children killed have always been honored as martyrs, that is as witnesses to
God’s truth. At first blush this may
appear curious, for infants do not testify using words, and their choices are
not considered legally to be informed.
And yet innocents are in fact witnesses, for innocence is itself a
testimony against the cruel utilitarian calculus of the world (as found in
Herod) that “might is right” and that “whatever works” is the best choice.
The cross is the
ultimate testimony that right (righteousness) is, in fact might (the power of
the all-powerful God), and that the expectations of the world are
reversed. The cross is the ultimate
testimony that God will use means beyond our imagining to accomplish His
purpose. This testimony compels us to
look upon innocence with something close to awe, for the truly innocent, those
without guile or hidden motive, are those who are open to the blessedness which
God offers us in creation when we will but pay attention.
As we approach the
new year it is common to take stock of the old, and to look to the new with an
admixture of both hope and apprehension.
Let us, as innocents, focus on hope, for when we are without guile we
recognize that God rules in time favorable and unfavorable. The king may look like Herod and act like
Herod, but the true King has been born and rules.
Grace
abounds: Please thank:
§ Bill and Deb Gagin,
and Leslie Kohler for the Sunday coffee
hour.
§ The Guild of the
Little Flower and The Altar Guild for all of the extra work to make the church
ready from Christmas!
§ The Sunday School
teachers and children for preparing the Christmas Pageant.
§ Ben Dobey and the
choir for the extra work attendant on Christmas.
Special “Thank You’ s” : A supply of Thank You note cards can be found
on the table at the back of church nave.
When someone in the parish does something special, take the time to
write them a personal note. Also, from
time to time, think about who you might want to thank for ongoing service, and
let them know you have noticed!
Call
for Contributions: If you
have a spiritual reflection to share, or want to point your fellow worshipers
toward a resource, submit your contributions to Fr. Karl (by email) by
Wednesday in the week of publication.
Don’t forget
“Something Extra for Grace”: Supplemental
giving envelopes can be found in pews.
If you want to give something extra, please use an envelope to ensure
that you are credited. Please
prayerfully consider a year end gift.
Deacons’ Discretionary
Funds: Please give
generously to the newly-ordained deacons, Paul Aparicio and Roberta (Bobbi)
Kraft, ordained on Saturday, 12/16. If
you wish to give either make a donation separately or in the Sunday collection
in a marked envelope. If you wish to
give to the discretionary fund for one or both deacons, mark this on the
envelope or check. (You need to include
your name and address with any cash donation, if you want credit for tax
purposes.) If you want to give directly
to the benefit of the deacon (as a purse), this is encouraged, but not
tax-deductible.
Don’t forget
stewardship! Plan on giving: Pray now about the priorities God sets
before you, and take the next step up in giving.
- Giving—offering
to God—is not optional. It is commanded by God that we offer Him our
first fruits. The biblical standard for giving is the tithe.
If you tithe you will never be poor! The offering to God is pleasing
to Him.
- All
things are God’s, not only because He creates them but because He redeems
them. The only thing that creatures can claim as their own is evil.
- Stewardship
extends to every aspect of life and work in the world. Giving money
to the Church is but one aspect of how we relate to our Creator.
- The
giving of alms means literally “to do acts of mercy” (Mtt. 6.2 in the
original Greek). A merciful heart is pleasing to God.
- God
commands His people to express their faith and love in active works of
mercy (Jas. 2.15-17; 1 Jn. 3.17-18).
- The
alternative to giving always involves the words “me” and “mine”.
Substitute the word “God’s”!
Music this Week: The First
Sunday After Christmas Day
Music Director: R. Benjamin Dobey
Entrance 102 “Once
in royal David’s City” Irby
Offertory 82 “Of the Father’s love begotten” Divinum mysterium
Communion
Motet What is this lovely fragrance Healy Willan
Communion
112 “In
the bleak midwinter” Cranham
Closing 100
“Joy to
the world! The Lord is come” Cradle
Song
Parish Notices:
§
Christian Formation: There is no Christian
Formation on Sunday. Classes begin again for adults and children at 9:00 a.m.,
next Sunday, January 7, 2018.
§ Father Karl Schaffenburg
is travelling: between the dates of December 26 and January 2nd.
During this time, the Church and office will be closed. In case of an
emergency, please contact Mthr. Michele Whitford (920-918-1230) or Paul
Aparicio (920-912-6009).
§ Book Study on Redemptive Compassion: In January, we will
begin a group study of the book Redemptive
Compassion: The Defining Difference by Lois Tupyi, director of Love INC of
Treasure Valley in Idaho. The book and class will help educate us on how we are
biblically called to help people in need. The eight-week class will meet on
Sunday mornings at 9:00. Beginning January 7, the classes will run consecutive
Sundays through March 4 with the exception of January 28. (There will be no class that day because of
the annual meeting.) If you find the following questions unsettling, Redemptive Compassion is for you:
Why do so many of the
commonly used methods seem so ineffective in reducing or alleviating ongoing
need?
Why have good
intentions to help others produced such devastating results?
Is the crippling lifestyle
in which thousands of individuals find themselves trapped all that God desires
for them?
The class will be facilitated by Pat Sather. Cost of the
book is $15. Please make payment to the church office. Limited book
scholarships are available. Books will be distributed at the first meeting. If
you are interested in joining this study, please sign up on the sheet in the
narthex so we’ll know how many books to order.
§ The
Eve of The Epiphany Solemn Mass: will
be held on Saturday, January 6th, 2018 at 10:00 a.m.
§ The Annual Meeting: This year’s Annual
Meeting will take place on Sunday, January 28, 2018. 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. You are encouraged
to make every effort to attend, as your participation is valued.
§ Bible Challenge: Videos for all 52
weeks of the year are now available on Grace
Abounds. 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 are provided on the parish website, along
with weekly study summaries and a weekly video summary 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.
§ Diocesan Deacons’ School: Begins Saturday, January 13, 2018 at Grace, Sheboygan. This presents an additional and in-depth
education opportunity even if you are not in formation to become a deacon. Classes will meet every second Saturday, from
9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. during the months of from January-May and
September-December 2018. Two courses will be offered for instruction and open
to auditors in 2018: Old Testament and
Church History. If you are interested,
please request a copy of the syllabus for either or both courses from the
office.
§
Flower
Schedule for 2018: 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.
§ Coffee Hour Schedule:
There is a new sign-up sheet for hosting coffee hour
in 2018. If you would like to host, please sign up for either 8:00 a.m. or
10:15 a.m. If you have any questions, please see Katy Larson. Thank you so
much.
§ HSHS St. Nicholas Hospice: Needs volunteers to
join their team! In as little as four hours per month, you can be a part
of a team that brings quality to the lives of patients at the end of their
life. Volunteers fill a variety of roles, such as being a companion,
assisting with tasks around the house, praying the rosary, and relieving
caregivers for a short time. The hours and assignments vary and can be
flexible to your schedule.
§ Please contact
Stephanie at SHSH St. Nicholas Hospice, 920-457-5770 for more details on how
you could be part of making a difference in the lives of others.”
§ Grace Notes is here: http://gracechurchgracenotes.blogspot.com/. You can sign
up to receive the blog every Thursday
§ Like
Grace Church on Facebook:
@gracesheboygan
§ We Are on Itunes! Check out the new
podcast!!!
§ Love INC Monthly Bulletin is now available
online at:
