Grace
Episcopal Church
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
Grace
Notes
9 March 2017
“If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how
can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?” (Jn. 3.12). In the gospel lesson for this coming
Sunday we encounter what is probably the best-known verse in all of Scripture,
Jn. 3.16. But let’s encounter this verse
having first focused on Jesus’ question in the same discourse (highlighted
above). Jesus asks this question of
Nicodemus in the context of speaking about new life, of new life in the
Spirit. At first blush, Nicodemus’
questions are not unreasonable, and for Jesus to characterize being born into
new life in the Spirit as an “earthly thing” is puzzling. It is certainly puzzling for Nicodemus, and
for us as well, unless and until we perceive that what Jesus describes as
earthly is what can be experienced.
We can, in fact, experience new life, and in this experience of new life
we can participate in the heavenly things of which Jesus then speaks, such as
the love of God being so all-encompassing as to merit the infinite price of His
only Son.
A heavenly thing involves what God
reveals—how He reveals Himself and His will.
In Jesus’ words, we cannot believe in this revelation if we do not first
experience God at work in our lives. Is
belief, then, a “chicken or the egg” problem?
Let’s go back to those two verses from the gospel lesson. 3.12 is above. 3.16 is “For God so loved the world that he
gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have
eternal life.” The heavenly things to be
believed in in this revelation include God’s love, His will to salvation, and
His call to all persons to respond to Him in order to participate in eternal
life. What are the earthly things that I
must first believe in order to respond to this revelation? I must first believe: (1) This life is not all there is. (2) My life is not lived in a vacuum. (3) I
am not “in charge”. I cannot determine
the trajectory of my life just through my own willpower.
The earthly things of which Jesus speaks all
involve experiencing life as a miracle, as a whole which is far greater than
whatever part I might seek to define and have pretended dominion over. I must “turn,” i.e., away from the conviction that I am sovereign. I must be born into a new awareness. I must be open to the reality that I won’t
just “figure out” life. It is then that
I can be open to the heavenly things God reveals. I can participate in and respond to this
revelation. I can believe in heavenly
things.
Let’s get practical in Lent. If I can come to understand the three earthly
things numbered above, I can be open to turning. I can be open to God’s love, and in this
love—in this relationship—I can come to experience and know how much greater
life is than whatever I can imagine or fantasize about. The greatest love that Jesus reveals is a reality
I can truly believe in, because I will begin to experience it.
Grace
abounds: Please thank:
§ Kevan and Traci
Revis, and Leslie Kohler for the Sunday coffee hours.
§ Bobbie May for help
in the library.
§ Dale Massey for help
in the office.
Last Sunday before the class between masses started, I asked
Jim Gardner his opinion about a procedure for scanning family photos. It was an either/or question. He promptly gave me the answer, and I was
happy to have that information. A while
later Jim handed me a page of information he had jotted down—information about
scanner settings to use to get the best results. Jim gave me very beneficial information I
hadn’t even known enough to ask for.
I was quite taken aback by Jim’s generosity. And my mind went to the thought that God
wants to give us so much more than we even know or dare to ask for.
Thank you, Jim, for very helpful information and for the
reminder to be open to God’s abundance. (Pat Sather)
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.
Music
this Week: The
Second Sunday in lent
Organist: Ben Dobey
Prelude Exc. from Seven Sketches on Verses from the Psalms
Percy Whitlock
Introit Call to remembrance …
Tract (choir) Psalm 106.1—5
Offertory
Hymn 448 “O love, how deep, how broad, how high” Deus
tuorum
militum
Communion
Motet Dear Lord and Father of Mankind C. Hubert H. Parry
Closing
Hymn
142 “Lord, who throughout these
forty days” St.
Flavian
Postlude Fantasia in C Minor รก 5 cinque voci J. S. Bach
Parish
Notices
§
Please join us for a Scout Appreciation "Pancake Breakfast": We invite you to stay a few minutes after each service on Sunday.
March 12th, to savor a down home Pancake Breakfast prepared by the Boy Scouts.
Maple Syrup will be supplied by the Drewry Farms of Plymouth. This award
winning Maple Syrup is served at all the major restaurants in the area and
beyond. The Scouts will also have available Maple Syrup gift assortments.
§ Adult
Education: On Sunday, March 12th, at 9:00 a.m. we continue the course on Sacramental
Identity – Holy Eucharist. This course follows the scheme set forth
in the 2008 book of David A. deSilva, Sacramental Life: Spiritual Formation
Through The Book of Common Prayer, exploring how liturgies of The Book
of Common Prayer give us a language and a context for encountering
God.
§ Compline:
On Sunday, March 12th we will meet at 6:30 p.m. in St. Nicholas Hall
for a potluck supper followed at 8:00 pm. with Compline sung by the Schola
Cantorum. This is a beautiful restful service full of candles and music. A
sign-up sheet for the supper can be found on the table in the Narthex.
§ Sunday School Snacks: We are in need of some healthy snacks for our Sunday School
classes. Each class has a moment of prayer followed by fellowship with snacks
and a drink. The kids have fun serving each other as well. If you
are able, we would appreciate donations of snacks and juice boxes to be placed
on the desk of our craft supply room in the basement. We have some
children who have gluten allergies so including a few options without gluten
would also be appreciated. Thank you!
§ Lenten Booklet:
Copies are available on the table in the Narthex and on our parish website
www.gracesheboygan.com For each of the forty days of the Lenten season, this
booklet contains a Gospel lesson taken from the Eucharistic lectionary for the
weekdays in Lent, plus the Sunday Eucharistic lectionary. Following each Gospel
lesson is the Collect prayer for the celebration of Eucharist on each day. Then
follows the meditations written by parishioners. After each meditation, space
is allowed for you to note your own reflections.
§ Stations
of the Cross, Simple Suppers and Teaching: We will meet
each Friday at 5:30 p.m. for Stations of the Cross, followed by a simple supper
and Christian formation. Our formation program this year will be Bishop
Matt’s Lenten series for parishes focusing on the Diocesan Vision for us to be
communities of God’s mercy and light. This is not a study but rather a time of
listening to God and one another; a time for storytelling and reflecting on our
stories; a time of beginning or continuing discernment, both for ourselves and
for our community of faith. Please sign up on the sheets in the Narthex so we
will know how much food needs to be prepared.
§ Cooking on Friday Evenings in Lent: If you are interested in cooking and hosting a dinner on the
Fridays during Lent, please sign-up on the sheets in the Narthex. Next week, March 17th and April
7th are still open. Thank you for your willingness to serve in
this manner.
§ Happening #73: Happening #73 will take place Friday evening, March 31 through
Sunday afternoon April 2, 2017 at All Saints Appleton. This is a unique
Christian experience for youth who are in grade 9 through 12 - a weekend of
singing, fellowship, surprises, prayer, fun and friendship. Deadline to
register is March 24, 2017. For more information or to discuss financial assistance
go to happening@diofdl.org.
Also see the brochures on the table in the Narthex.
§ Volunteer needed to organize the Annual
Bake/Plant Sale: This annual event takes place, in
conjunction with St. Luke United Methodist Church Rummage Sale, on Friday,
April 28th (noon – 3:00 p.m.) and Saturday, April 29th
(9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.) – the first weekend after Easter. As well as an
organizer we will need volunteers to bake brownies (Jessica Ambelang will
provide pans, ingredients and instructions), and help set-up and take down.
Anyone interested in organizing or helping in this event, please call the
office at 920-452-9659 or call/text Jessica Ambelang on 920-918-5667.
§ Rummage Sale: In the past a rummage sale has always taken place
in conjunction with the Annual Bake/Plant Sale. If anyone is interested in
organizing a rummage sale, please call the office at 920-452-9659
or call/text Jessica Ambelang on 920-918-5667.
§ Like Grace Episcopal Church on Facebook: @gracesheboygan
§ Follow Grace Church on Twitter: @gracesheboygan
§ Follow Grace
Church on Instagram: @gracesheboygan
§ We Are on Itunes! Check
out the new podcast!!!
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