Search This Blog

Wednesday, August 16, 2017

Building on Our Shared Past

Grace Episcopal Church
Sheboygan, Wisconsin

Grace Notes
17 August 2017

In this weekly column I often write about our current state, and the future to which we are called.  In who we are, and in who we are called to be, we build upon the witness of many who have come before us, and live in this witness by virtue of the dedication of all who have worked on this project.  In looking to our foundation, we can thank Betty Potter and a large team of volunteers for the project described in Betty’s report, below.

After almost one year of scanning and entering data for the parish archives, the archival material is entirely posted on one web site and almost completely posted on two other web sites.  All of the scanned material and metadata have also been saved a church owned, portable hard drive.
Sheboygan's Eastern Shores Library System has posted the material on a monthly basis.  However, Recollection Wisconsin and the Digital Public Library of America take longer to post material, usually on a quarterly basis.  Therefore, those site listings have yet to be fully completed.
For now, 699 items can be found at Ozaukee and Sheboygan Memories (ozaukeesheboyganmemories.org/jsp/RcWebBrowse.jsp)  Or, when Digital Public Library of America is Googled, 569 items come up.  If Recollection Wisconsin is Googled, 407 items will appear. 
The easiest way to bring up all the material on the Ozaukee/Sheboygan Memories site is to: 
  1. Open the Simple Search drop down box at the top of the page;
  2. Type Grace Episcopal Church in the search box;
  3. Check only the Sheboygan location; and,
  4. Hit the search button.
Specific categories can be found by typing a term other than Grace Episcopal Church in the search box, like All Saints Chapel, Angelus, annual reports, clergy names, choir, pilgrimage, youth organizations (for Boy Scouts), windows, etc.
This project has been managed by Betty Potter, the parish archivist.  In this project she was assisted by:
 The archivist was assisted in this task by volunteer photographers, scanners, and typists of metadata.  Digital photographs were provided by Paul Aparicio (Boy Scout Artifacts), Bill Gagin (All Saints’ Chapel), Jim Gardner (Grace Church Windows and Boy Scout Glass Lantern Slides), and Calvin Potter (Grace Church Artifacts).
The scanners were Sutton Cecil (Boy Scout Scrapbooks), Julie Davidson (Guild Material), Deb and Bill Gagin (Boy Scout Material), Anne and Bob Hanlon (Angeluses, Minutes, Photographs, Programs), Bobbie May (Church Registries), Jennifer Pawlus (Boy Scout Scrapbooks), Pat Sather (Books, Newspaper Clippings, Pamphlets), Connie Schneider (Church Scrapbooks), Jon Whitford (Guild Material, Journals, Manuals, Newspaper Clippings, Boy Scout Material), Betty Potter (Annual Reports, Correspondence, Documents, Photographs, Programs, Sermons).
The typists were Pat Sather, Connie Schneider, and Betty Potter.

Grace aboundsPlease thank: 
§  All who helped in the birthday reception:  Ellen and Paul Aparicio, Mary Snyder.
§  Bobbie May for gardening, and for janitorial help.
§  Randie Barrows for extensive maintenance work in the parish (3 days’ work!), including plumbing changes to meet new code, and floor cleaning.
§  Bryan Stenz and Nick Whitford for cleaning the nursery and youth room.

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 ContributionsIf 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 Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 15A)
                                       Organist:  R. Benjamin Dobey

Prelude:     Intermezzo Melodia                                                Max Reger
Entrance      390 – “Praise to the Lord,”                                     Lobe den Herren
Offertory     544 – “Jesus shall reign wher-e’er the sun,”            Duke Street
Communion 470 – “There’s a wideness in God’s mercy,”            Beecher
Closing        551 – “Rise up, ye saints of God,”                          Festal Song
Postlude    Chorale Prelude on Lobe den Herrn                         Reger
                  
Parish Notices    

§  Mission Field in Iraq: On Wednesday, August 23rd following 5:30 pm mass there will be a simple supper with a presentation given by Bobbi Kraft on her mission field in Iraq. Please sign up on the sheet in the Narthex so that we will have an estimate of how much food to provide.
§  Church Projects Day: Volunteers are needed for inside and outside projects on Saturday, August 26th 8:30 a.m. – early afternoon. Lunch will be provided. A sign-up sheet can be found on the table in the Narthex.
§  Blessing of the Backpacks! We will be blessing all the backpacks and school children as well as all the teachers, on August 27th at both 8:00 and 10:15 services. We will invite everyone, young and old, who are starting school to come forward with their backpacks for a blessing. We will also ask all the teachers to come forward to be blessed in their important work as well.
§  Choir: Choir rehearsals begin Wednesday, September 6th at 6:00 pm. All voices are welcome, but we especially need tenors and basses. You don’t need to be a trained singer, an opera star, or a Broadway sensation – you just need a desire to share the love of Christ through music!  “Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord.” Ephesians 5:19
§  Biblical Greek to be offered:  Join us on Thursday evenings, beginning on Thursday, September 7th. (Classes will meet 7—9 p.m.) This is not a course about learning to speak Greek, and it is unlikely that you will become fully literate in the biblical language but, what you will learn is how to really dive deeply into the Bible by using a myriad of resources (online and in print) that will allow you to study the words in the original and what the grammar in the original may point to in meaning. There is a cost: $100—hence, the early notice. There will be limited scholarships available. We are opening this course to other churches, and will limit overall class size, so if you are curious explore your interest with Fr. Karl or Mthr. Michele.
§  Believing God: A Women’s Bible Study by Beth Moore will be held every Monday in Nicholas Hall 10:00-11:00 a.m., September 11th through November 13th. Do you believe that God has a plan for your life? Come and find out the power and promises that are yours.  A sign-up sheet can be found on the table in the Narthex.
§  Sunday School Begins: We are getting excited about Sunday School! The teachers are making plans for another wonderful year of learning about the love of Jesus Christ! Sunday School will begin on September 17th at 9:00am. Registration will take place at Mass in the Grass on September 10th.
§  How to be Holy! Will be the subject of Adult Formation beginning September 17th.  Come and discover how you can become holy as we read Peter Kreeft’s How to be Holy: First Steps in Becoming a Saint. Jerry Molitor will facilitate this course. The book is easy to read, and we will limit the weekly reading to 20—25 pages. We will gather for seven weeks from 9—10 a.m. in the fellowship hall, beginning Sunday, September 17th, to discuss this spiritual guide. Do you wish to be holy? Do you want to see yourself as a saint? If so, let’s explore this together. We hope to see you here!  Bring friends! Please let us know if you wish to attend by signing up on the sheet in the Narthex so that we can order enough copies of the book. Copies can be purchased at the discounted price of $10, from the parish office. (Mark checks “Adult Ed”.) If you need a scholarship for this, just ask.
§  Catechumenate will begin: Catechumenate is a nine-month course in the basics of the Faith and its practice. It is a period of training and instruction in Christian understandings about God, human relationships, and the meaning of life. It includes the Sacrament of Baptism, if you are not already baptized, and culminates in Confirmation, Reception, or Renewal of Baptismal Vows. The Catechumenate will meet on an evening each week starting at 6:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. The class will begin in late September and will continue until May when Bishop Matthew Gunter makes his annual visitation. The study is led by Mother Michele Whitford, the Parish Catechist. If you would like to be a part of this exciting study and fellowship or would like more information, please call the office 452-9659 or email Mthr. Michele at
§  mwhitford@gracesheboygan.com. There is a sign-up sheet on the table in the Narthex.
§  Something Extra for Grace: Envelopes are available in the pews if you are moved to 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.
§  Love INC Monthly Bulletin is now available online at:
§  Grace Notes is here: http://gracechurchgracenotes.blogspot.com/.  You can sign up to receive the blog every Thursday
§  Grace Abounds: http://www.graceabounds.online Sermons, podcasts, the Bible Challenge
§  Like Grace Church on Facebook: @gracesheboygan
§  We Are on Itunes! Check out the new podcast!!!



No comments:

Post a Comment