Grace
Episcopal Church
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
Grace
Notes
1 June 2017
Today is the feast of St. Justin (d. ca. 167), an early witness to the faith in Rome, who is generally remembered as
“Justin Martyr” (as if this title were his surname). Justin was a prominent apologist, addressing
arguments to the Roman emperor about the truth of the faith. His witness involved both his arguments and
his death, and his “surname” recognizes that the meaning of the Greek word martyr is “witness”.
By God’s grace we
are unlikely to suffer the persecution and martyrdom which Justin underwent,
but this does not mean that we can ever ignore the ways in which we are called
to witness. Consider the following: Many years ago more than 5,000 clergy at all
levels of the Church, and in different denominations, actually completed an
academic survey of some 500(!) questions intended to tease out what is required
to make the ministries of the Church “effective”. When the academic researchers finally tabulated
all of the responses, they were able to reach no real consensus about “skills”,
“gifts”, “core competencies”, “training”, etc.
The lead researched finally concluded that he could identify really only
three important realities in how people—both inside and outside the Church—came
to either connect with God through the ministries of the Church, or not:
1.
Is the clergy person seen/experienced to have a deep
love of God?
2.
Is the clergy person seen/experienced to have a real
love for people?
3.
Oops! I
forget the third! (The results of this
research were related to me in a casual conversation over a meal.)
I probably have forgotten
the third because if 1 and 2 are not present no one ever really gets to what
third factor may affect ministry. The
first two factors are bedrock in terms of how people experience
relationship. If the clergy person is
not seen to have a deep love of God, those who he/she may attempt to reach will
never reach the level of relationship that will allow them to experience a real
love for people. The absence of an
abiding grace in the clergy person will defeat ministry.
And it’s the same
for all of us. Clergy and lay! We can
only witness to the Good News of God in Christ Jesus when we are seen/experienced
to have a deep love of God. This will be
manifested in different ways by different people, but it will involve being
changed by God’s grace, to be used by Him to express a real love for people—His
real love for people.
Cultivate
love. Do this by being as present to God
as He is always present to you. Do this
in prayer, in worship, in quiet, in fasting.
Do this that you may be so filled with God’s grace that His love will
flow through you to those who do not know Him.
Grace
abounds: Please thank:
§ Mary Snyder for the
Sunday coffee hour.
§ Ed Clabots, Julie
Davidson, John Davis and Justin Panske for a for janitorial help.
§ Sandie Palmer and
Mary Snyder for administrative help.
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.
Music this Week: The Day of Pentecost
Organist/Choir Director: Ben Dobey
Prelude Prelude
on “Down Ampney” R.
Benjamin Dobey
Mass Setting English Folk Mass
Entrance Hymn 225 “Hail thee, festival day!” Salve
festa dies
Sequence Hymn 503 “Come Holy Ghost, our souls inspire”
Veni
Creator Spiritus
Offertory Hymn 509 “Spirit divine, attend our prayers”
Nun
danket all and bringet Ehr
Communion Anthem Listen,
sweet dove Grayston Ives,
Words
by George Herbert
Comm. Hymn 512 “Come, gracious Spirit, heavenly Dove” Mendon
Closing Hymn 516 “Come down, O Love divine”
Down
Ampney
Postlude Chorale
Prelude on Come, Holy Ghost, Lord God
J. S. Bach
Parish
Notices
§ Love INC is
hiring: Love in the Name of Christ Sheboygan is recruiting Clearinghouse
Coordinator. This is a 25 hour per week position central to LoveINC
ministry operations. Job specifications
are available at the parish office.
Application deadline is 23 June.
§ Please keep both
Ellen and Bill in prayer: It is anticipated that Ellen
Aparicio will return to administrative duties on 20 June. Weekly
sign-up sheets are being posted for volunteers to help in the
office. There will be times when there is no office coverage (e.g.,
when I am away at a meeting). At these times the office door is locked.
§ Bill May has been diagnosed with a compression fracture in a vertebra. This
means that he will be on restricted duties. We have established a
volunteer rota for items such as: fellowship hall set-up and take down;
restroom cleaning; trash removal; floor cleaning; lawn care. Sign-up sheets are
on the Narthex table. Thank you.
§ Please Pray: Leslie Kohler, Bobbi Kraft, Deacon Mike, Mother Michele, Jon Whitford
Jeanna Werbeckes will be joining a group from St. Paul’s Episcopal Church,
Bellingham, WA on pilgrimage May 25 – June 12 to Greece studying “The
Footsteps of Paul” under The Rev. Dr. Kamal Farah. Please hold the pilgrims in
prayer.
§ 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 on the clipboard on the
Narthex table or by calling the office at 452-9659 with dates you are
available. Thank you.
§ Eucharistic Festival: Plan to attend the Annual Diocesan Eucharistic Festival at 11:00 a.m. on
Saturday, June 24th, at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Fond du Lac. The
Homilist is the Rt. Rev. Dorsey F. Henderson, retired Bishop of Upper
South Carolina. He serves as Superior-General of the Confraternity of the
Blessed Sacrament and as episcopal visitor to a fledgling religious community
centered in the Diocese of Atlanta. A picnic lunch and a time of fellowship
will follow the Eucharist. At 3:00pm there will be afternoon prayer with
Adoration and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.
§ Brat Fry and Bake
Sale: is July 1, 2017 at Miesfeld’s. There are many
opportunities to help with this fundraiser! We will need brat fryers, brat
stand attendants, bake sale attendants and homemade baked goods. Can’t fry,
bake or volunteer? No problem, we also need monetary donations for condiments,
paper products, etc. Any contribution make the check out to Grace Church, memo
brat fry. In 2015 we made $1300, let’s set our goal at $2000. All sign-up
sheets including working at the brat fry are in the narthex or call Barb
MacEwen at 920-912-4505. Be sure to stop out for lunch at Miesfeld’s on July 1st
and bring your friends! Thank you so much for your participation.
§ 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! There are
application forms on the Narthex table.
Deadline for registration is May 22, 2017. If you have questions about
what camp is like please speak with Nick Whitford at the coffee hour following
this mass. Scholarships are available.
o Senior Camp (completed grades 9-12) June 11 (Sun 3pm) – June 17 (Sat 12noon)
o Middler Camp (completed grades 6-8) June 18 (Sun 3pm) – June 22 (Thu 12noon)
o Junior Camp (completed grades 2-5) June 18 (Sun 3pm) – June 22 (Thu 12noon)
o KinderCamp (parent & kids ages 4-7) June 22 (Thu 4pm) – June 24 (Sat 12noon)
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