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Wednesday, February 7, 2018

Offerings in the Wilderness


Grace Episcopal Church
Sheboygan, Wisconsin

Grace Notes
8 February 2018

Ash Wednesday falls this year on 14 February.  At the clergy retreat we just completed, our speaker noted the happy correspondence between the date and the biblical verse discussed at one point, Hosea 2.14, in which the Lord speaks to His people by the prophet, saying, “Therefore, I will now allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her.”  Let this soak into you as you prepare for Lent, for Lent is a time in which we go into the wilderness, and it is in the wilderness that God comes to His people.  Throughout scripture, whether to Moses, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Elijah, etc., it is in the wilderness that God is made manifest. 
When we think of Lenten disciplines—whether these be disciplines involving renunciations or the doing of extra devotions—we tend to think of what we do or do not do.  But any discipline must be intended to allow us to focus better on God’s presence.  If I deny myself something this must be not just a work for which I can maybe congratulate myself, and “earn points”, but the denial must be one that allows me to better experience my hunger for God.  If I take on an extra work of service or devotion this must be to allow better focus on where Jesus leads.  Lenten disciplines can never be about me; they must be about God.
I want to suggest one possible discipline:  Pray about this model.  For every day in Lent think of one thing in your life (not a necessity) that you can give away.  It should be something that is not trivial; something that you actually will in some way miss.  For example, I could decide on a given day to give away a book, or I could give away a non-trivial amount of money.  To do this, I have to decide what to part with, and to whom, but not with reference to whether the recipient is in any way “worthy” of the gift, for the point of the gift is that it is not merited (just as are all of God’s gifts to all of us).  So, if I give away a book, it should be a book that I’ll miss, and I should not worry about whether the one receiving the book will appreciate it in the ways I have.  If I give away money—say a $20 bill (not a trivial amount to me!)—I can’t worry about whether or not the recipient will put the money to a “good use”.  I need to leave that up to God.  The gift is an offering.
If I do this, one additional effect in how I enter the wilderness (i.e., places outside of my comfort zone) to be allured by God will be in how God chooses to manifest Himself in the people I give things to.  Suppose I give a $20 bill to a stranger?  What glimpse of the Christ we pledge “to seek and serve … in all persons” will I see?  If I give a book, what question will the recipient raise that may be what God wants to ask me?
Whatever you do in Lent, be intentional.  Don’t approach Lenten devotions as a duty, but as an offering.

Grace abounds:  Please thank: 
§  Bob and Anne Hanlon, and Steve and Katy Larson, and Elizabeth Schaffenburg, for the Sunday coffee hours.

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. 

Lenten Series:  In addition to the Lenten Meditations which will allow you to make your own pilgrimage through Lent with the insights of Scripture, prayer, and the devotional meditations offered by your fellow parishioners, please plan to gather on Friday evenings, 23 February—23 March.  We’ll begin with Stations of the Cross at 5:30, followed by a simple supper at 6 p.m.  (Please sign up if you can help with a supper.)  We’ll continue 6:30—7:30 with a program in which we’ll explore the ministries the parish shares in in the wider community, and how you can help.  Presentations will be made by:
§  LoveINC:  opportunities to serve; service which is ongoing; the vision for 2018—19; questions and answers.
§  Sheboygan County Interfaith Organization:  opportunities to serve; service which is ongoing; the vision for 2018—19; questions and answers.
§  Freedom Cry:  the sexual trafficking problem in Sheboygan; how to help.
§  Samaritan’s Hand:  the opioid abuse epidemic in Sheboygan; how to help.
§  Good News Jail and Prison Ministry:  opportunities to serve.
Come to pray!  Come enjoy fellowship!  Come to learn!

Music this Week:          The Last Sunday after the Epiphany
                                      Music Director:  R. Benjamin Dobey

Prelude                           Prelude on the plainsong Hymn Coelestis Gloriae                                                                                                                  Geoffery Vintner

Entrance Hymn 7             "Christ whose glory fills the skies"                       Ratisbon
Offertory Anthem             Christ whose glory fills the skies                                                                                                                                T. Frederick H. Candlyn
Communion Motet           O Everlasting Light                                       John E. West
Communion Hymn 137   "O wondrous type! O vision fair”                         Wareham
Closing Hymn                  "Alleluia, song of gladness"          alt. tune: Dulce Carmen
Postlude                          Paean on Divinum Mysterium                           John Cook
                  
Parish Notices:
§  Shrove Tuesday Feast before the Fast: February 13 is Shrove Tuesday. We will be having a Parish Potluck Supper following the 5:30pm Mass. The Potluck Sign-up is on the table in the Narthex.
§  Ash Wednesday: February 14, is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, a day of fasting and penitence. We will observe this day with Mass and Imposition of Ashes at 12:10 p.m., and Solemn Mass with Imposition of Ashes at 6:00 p.m. This is a holy day and a wonderful way to begin your Lenten observance.
§  Lenten Booklet: Copies are now 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 and a meditation written by a parishioner. After each meditation, space is allowed for you to note your own reflections.
§  Book Study on Redemptive Compassion: The group study of the book Redemptive Compassion: The Defining Difference has begun. The eight-week class will meet on Sunday mornings at 9:00 a.m. consecutively, through March 4; however, there will be no class today because of the Parish Annual Meeting.
§  Stations of the Cross, Simple Suppers and Presentations: Beginning on the second Friday in Lent (February 23) we will meet each Friday at 5:30 p.m. for Stations of the Cross, followed by a simple supper and Christian formation. Our program this year will feature the following presenters from community organizations that Grace Church supports:
·         February 23, Good News Jail Ministry
·         March 2, Samaritan’s Hand
·         March 9, Freedom Cry
·         March 16, Sheboygan County Interfaith Organization (SCIO)
·         March 23, Love INC.
Please sign up on the sheets in the Narthex so we can share with the presenters and know 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 sheets in the Narthex. Thank you for your willingness to serve in this ministry!
§  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 is 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. 
§  Deacon School:  The diocesan Deacon School courses in Old Testament (taught by Fr. Glen Kanestrom of St. Paul’s, Marinette) and Church History (taught by Fr. Karl Schaffenburg of Grace, Sheboygan) have begun. Classes meet 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the second Saturday of each month, January – May, and September – December.
Auditors are welcome. If you wish to audit deacon school, contact Fr. Karl to receive details. 
Note:  Those in formation for the diaconate pay tuition.  Auditors are requested to contribute to the cost of the school, but if the offering of a donation would restrict your attendance be assured that a donation is voluntary.
§  A Note from Meals On Wheels:
Thank you to everyone who donated their homemade baked goods for our annual Meals On Wheels cookie distribution to our clients.  Those who receive this special delivery are truly thrilled.  Many notes of gratitude have been received. 
Special thanks also to the youth groups who decorated the box tops, they were beautiful. 
A quote from one client note: “I want to thank you for all the Christmas treats.  The box was so pretty and what I found inside were delicious”.
We would not be able to do this without the help from all of you.   From the bottom of our hearts, Thank You from the Staff at Meals On Wheels.”
§  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!!!


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