May 2008

From the Rector

Dear friends,

Over the past few months, I've been collecting your feedback and thoughts about our Family Service on the first Sunday of the month. Since this "collecting" has happened both formally and informally, I wanted to share with you what folks have shared with me about how it's working for our parish.

First, though, it might be useful to explain why we started the Family Service at all. When I came to Grace, there was a tradition already established of having no Sunday school on the first Sunday, and trying to use more contemporary music for that service. The idea was both to give the Sunday school teachers a day off, and to help the children learn how to be part of worship. However, the rest of the service was just as it is on all the other Sundays - our regular Rite II Holy Eucharist.

When our worship committee began thinking about how to improve the contemporary/family worship, the first thing we noticed was that attendance was very low on that day. It seemed that all the families with children in Sunday school took the opportunity of having no Sunday school that day to take a Sunday off from church. And no wonder, as many pointed out that it was very hard to get small children to sit through a service that was longer than an hour and somewhat boring from a child's point of view.

So, the worship committee agreed that we needed to make the Family Worship something families would actually want to come to - rather than stay away from, as they were doing at that point. We definitely succeeded - our Sunday attendance now actually goes UP on Family Sunday, instead of going down as it used to (it's about 10-15% higher for Family Worship than for regular 10am services).

But that doesn't mean the service was all it could be. So we asked you all for feedback in Grace Notes, invited the whole congregation to a forum, and surveyed Sunday school parents by email (and just chatted at coffee hour with lots of folks, too).

Obviously folks without small children had different thoughts about the service than folks with small children. Those without children at home tended to say "It's not my favorite service, but I totally believe that we need to be doing something to bring in children and families if we want our church to have a future, so I support it." I was really, really impressed with the number of folks who said this or something like it (or wrote it on their feedback forms) - it was by far the most frequent comment.

Families with small children had more specific comments: most all of them felt their kids got a lot out of having a Eucharist that was geared towards kids' attention and understanding. More than one person said their kids were "more engaged" in the worship. Their most common constructive criticism was: 1) "please keep it short!" 2) "I'm not sure my kids are really understanding the skit - it's so hard to hear - what about having one storyteller tell the story instead?" and 3) "Can we have music that's easier for kids to sing?" We are already working towards these three very helpful suggestions in the Family Worship.

But, of course, the most concrete feedback is that more people are coming to this service than to any of our other regular worship services. So, it seems that it is fulfilling the purpose of spiritually feeding our younger parishioners and attracting new families to our church. I often have to remind myself (since I had to take classes on "good liturgy" in seminary, and also because I was brought up in the high church tradition) that our purpose in worship is not to produce a beautiful example of a particular form of worship, but simply to bring people closer to God and to help them know Jesus Christ better. Our family service seems to be doing that so far. If you have any ideas on how our worship (at any service) might do a better job of bringing people closer to God and helping them know Jesus better, please don't keep them to yourself! The worship committee and I would love to hear them.

Kate

Mother's Day Brunch, Sunday May 11th

Mark your calendar! The Grace Youth Group will once again be preparing a delicious Mother's Day Brunch on Sunday, May 11th at 9 am. Hope to see you all there!

Seminarian Madelyn Betz' last Sunday May 4

Please join us on Sunday, May 4 to say a fond farewell to our seminarian Madelyn Betz. Madelyn has been a huge part of our parish for the past nine months - teaching Bible study, leading the Lenten program, preaching, and just generally sharing her warm presence with us all. She will be missed!

Madelyn will go home to New Hampshire to serve a parish there and be ordained this spring or summer.

Many thanks to our Teaching Parish Committee who met with Madelyn each month to reflect on her learning at Grace Church: John Forbes, Brian McTeague, Jacki Bedard, David Folsom, and chair Karen Stanley.

Be sure you get a chance to wish Madelyn well in her ordained ministry before she leaves - although we certainly hope she'll be back to visit!

Parish Clean-Up Day May 4

Wear your blue jeans to church on May 4th! And bring a rake or your favorite yard implement. After the 10am service, pitch in and help rake up leaves and make the church grounds beautiful for the fair and our spring events.

Many hands make light work, so if we have a good turnout it should only take an hour or two at most.

Mothers' Day Plant Sale at Church of the Advent benefits B-SAFE

On Saturday, May 10th Church of the Advent will hold its annual Mothers' Day Plant Sale featuring beautiful annuals, perennials, and hanging baskets from one of New England's premiere nurseries, Mahoney's of Winchester. Come celebrate Mom and do your garden shopping from 9 am -2 pm at Church of the Advent, 28 Pleasant Street, Medfield. All proceeds from the plant sale will benefit B-SAFE.

 

Pentecost is also Mother's Day and Graduate Recognition on May 11

Did you know that Pentecost is the second most important day of the church year (after Easter)? On this day we celebrate the beginning of the church and the gift of the Holy Spirit. In remembrance of how the Gospel was preached in many languages by the miracle of the Holy Spirit, we will read the story of the first Pentecost in as many languages as we can find. (If you speak a language other than English, let Rev. Kate know!)

Also, please wear red - the symbolic color of the Holy Spirit, which came to the first disciples as a tongue of fire.

Coincidentally, this year Pentecost is also Mother's Day, which is when we have traditionally recognized those graduating from High School in our congregation. On this day we award the Grace Church Scholarships. This year we have just one graduating senior: Matt Bravo. Matt has been very active in our parish in the youth group, as an acolyte, and was appointed by Bishop Shaw to the Diocesan Youth Council in recognition of his active part in the life of the church. And yes, that was Matt in the dunk tank at the fair last year! Matt wrote a wonderful essay as part of his application for the Grace Church Scholarship, and he will be our guest preacher on May 11, sharing what Grace Church has meant to him and what he has learned about faith in this community.

Project Bread's Walk for Hunger

Do we have any enthusiastic walkers at Grace Church? This year's Walk for Hunger is scheduled for Sunday, May 4, 2008 and Project Bread is seeking walkers, sponsors and volunteers. The walk route is 20 miles so some of our athletic members may want to form a Grace Church team and "Walk for Hunger". You can walk one mile or 20 miles; all walkers are welcome to participate. If you're unable to join the walk, volunteers automatically get credit for walking the 20 miles. Registration forms can be found on the Project Bread website at www.projectbread.org. In you walk, don't forget to fill your sponsor sheet with Grace Church sponsors!

 

Norwood Schools Art Department Sculpture Show on May 17

The Norwood Schools Art Department will exhibit a sculpture art display of grades 6-12 at the Grace Church historic sunken garden on Saturday, May 17 from 11 -1. The exhibit will include sculpture art work. This is the third year that the Norwood schools have exhibited their art work and we're pleased they have chosen Grace Church as a venue to show off their talent. Please come and show your support of Norwood's young artists. The rain date is May 18.

Ads for Fair Program Guide

Each year we solicit ads for the Feast of Grace Family Fair program guide. Ads range from business card ($30), 1/6 page ($45), quarter page ($50), half page ($90) to full page ($170). If you or your business would like to place an ad, mail the ad and check, made payable to Grace Episcopal Church, to the church address, attention Deborah Terry. If there are businesses that you think may like to place ads in the program guide, be a fair sponsor, or donate a silent auction item, please pass along the letter and sponsorship form to them. A supply of letters and forms can be found on the media tables near the sacristy and in the vestibule. Businesses and individuals who donate to the Silent Auction will be given a free business size ad. There are many opportunities to support this year's fair and program guide!

Bakers Needed!!

Grace Church bakers are needed once again to help fill up the bake sale table at the fair on May 31st. Any and all donations are greatly appreciated. If you can bake for the fair, please contact Robyn Currier at rbcurrier@comcast.net, phone her, or just sign up in the undercroft. Thank you.

Grace Fair Book Sale

We'll be having a book table at the church fair on May 31. We'll use books from the weekly book sales as well as sell CDs/tapes, DVD/videos and records. All donations for the fair can be placed at the book table in the undercroft. Proceeds from the book table will benefit the B-SAFE program.

From our Seminarian

Dear friends at Grace,
I want to thank you for giving me a year of warmth and learning. You welcomed me into your midst in September, when May seemed so very far away. Here it is already, with graduation coming for me on May 15th. I am thankful for the opportunities I have had this year to preach and teach, to participate in Fall Fest and Annual Meeting, to share my story with you and hear your stories as well.
Grace Church is on the move through your focus on a clear mission and I know that God is at work in this place. I have enjoyed worshipping with both the 8am and 10am congregations and I will miss being with you on Sunday mornings. I am particularly glad to have been able to participate in your ecumenical Easter Vigil. It stands out as a good example of an inclusive, welcoming service which reaches out into the community.
From a seminary student's perspective, I can tell you that the commitment you make each year to be a Field Education site for an EDS student is a valuable contribution to the larger Church. As I go out into the world, I will bring with me your model for outreach, for caring for one another, and your commitment to deeper faith.
Thank you for your hospitality to me, even knowing that I would only be staying for a short while. I believe that the Spirit which knits you together is the same Spirit which brought me to you. As the Spirit now sends me out, I pray that God would continue to bless Grace Church and your ministries in Norwood and beyond.
With affection,
Madelyn

Father Hollis Plimpton with us Sunday May 25th

Our priest emeritus, Father Hollis Plimpton, will be here to celebrate and preach at both the 8am and 10am services on Sunday, May 25th during Memorial Day weekend. Rev. Kate will be away for one last vacation day. (Unlike past summers, Rev. Kate will be here right through the summer until she leaves for her sabbatical in mid-August.) Please give Father Hollis a warm Grace Church welcome on May 25th.

 

Rector's Sabbatical: Question & Answer Forum on May 18th

On Sunday, May 18th at 11:15 there will be a forum at Coffee Hour to answer any questions you may have about Rev. Kate's upcoming sabbatical, which will take place August 9 through November 10.

Who is going to be visiting the sick, leading Sunday worship, making up the Sunday school curriculum, etc., while Rev Kate is away? Can I call Rev. Kate if I need to talk to her while she is away? What exactly is she going to be doing? What is a sabbatical for, anyway? These and many other questions will be addressed at the May 18th forum.

The vestry has been doing a lot of work to prepare for a smooth sabbatical, including looking ahead to plan all the aspects of church life for the fall. On May 11th, the vestry will meet with the Rev. Heidi Fieldston, who, along with Father Hollis Plimpton, will be filling in while Rev. Kate is away. Some Grace Church parishioners already know Rev. Fieldston as the former associate rector at St. Paul's in Dedham; more recently she has been involved in college chaplaincy as well as interim ministry.

Brochures with much more information about the sabbatical will be available at the forum, and for those who can't attend. But if you have any questions or concerns, please come on May 18th so we can make sure we are aware of everything necessary to make sure that this sabbatical time is a time of spiritual renewal and growth for both Rev. Kate and for all of Grace Church.

Is the Ministry of Altar Guild for You?

Saint Faith's Altar Guild is looking for a few new members. This quiet ministry is ideal for those busy women or men who don't like fanfare and may have limited time to offer. The altar guild maintains the altar and sets up for worship services. This usually is for an hour on Saturday and one of the Sunday services every 4th weekend and then sharing in help with the major celebrations. If you are interested please contact Cori Loescher at: cloescher@partners.org or Robyn Currier at: rbcurrier@comcast.net

 

Feast of Grace Family Fair, May 31st

A fun day is being planned for the annual Feast of Grace Family Fair. We'll have a Silent Auction, Bake Sale, Plant Sale and Book Sale and food table. The kids will enjoy the Dunk Tank and the Petting Zoo. And make sure you check out the antique car show. But the most excitement will be happening at the youth competitions including the School Tug-of-War. The winning school will be awarded a dollar prize.

For more information and how YOU can help, please speak with Eric Bedard, Margaret Donabed, or Lisa McTeague.

Letter Carrier Food Drive, May 10th

Please leave a non-perishable item by your mail box to support the Norwood Food Pantry on Saturday, May 10th. Make sure the bag is clearly labeled "food drive."

Volunteers are needed to help sort the donations. If you can help, meet at the Parish House of the Baptist Church on Bond Street, Monday, May 12, 9-12 noon or Tuesday, May 13, 6-9 pm.

Weekly Book Sale

We have a lot of readers at Grace Church so please take advantage of checking out the weekly book sales that will benefit a different ministry each month. All book donations are welcome throughout the year now - not just for the fair. Recycle and donate your used paperback and hardcover books or swap with a book that's already in the cart. Suggested prices are hardcover $2 and paperback $1. May and June book sales will benefit the B-SAFE outreach program that Grace will participate July 14-17. All donations - both book-wise and monetary are welcome. (Books will also be used for the fair book sale.)

 

Results of Hymn Fest 2008

Thanks to all who voted for their favorite hymns in "HymnFest 2008"! It turns out that we have quite eclectic tastes at Grace Church, in that everyone likes different hymns. Only three hymns received more than one vote. Those top vote getters were:

Hymn 96 "Angels we have heard on high"
Hymn 473 "Lift High the Cross"
Hymn 558 "Faith of our Fathers"

We will be sure to sing hymns 473 and 558 in the next few weeks, and you can count on hearing the hymn 96, a Christmas carol, at all our Christmas services in December.

It was interesting to see that people mostly have different favorite hymns - we have a wide variety of musical tastes at our parish. That's not surprising, since we all come from different backgrounds and churches and bring all those musical memories and favorite hymns with us. The following are all the hymns that got one vote each. We are really grateful to everyone who participated, and will try to work all these favorite hymns into our worship service as much as possible.

1982 Hymnal

8 Morning has broken
362 Holy holy holy, Lord God Almighty
423 Immortal, Invisible
427 When morning gilds the skies
433 We gather together
451 All hail the power of Jesus' Name
544 Jesus shall reign where'er the sun
549 Jesus calls us
562 Onward Christian Soldiers
645 The King of Love my Shepherd is
662 Abide with me
671 Amazing Grace
693 Just as I am

"Lift Every Voice and Sing"
Episcopal Hymnal Supplement

LEVAS 38 "The Old Rugged Cross"
LEVAS 54 Nearer my God to thee
LEVAS 60 "How great thou art"
LEVAS 69 "In the Garden"
LEVAS 109 "What a friend we have in Jesus"

"Wonder Love and Praise"
Episcopal Hymnal Supplement

WLP 812 Here I am Lord
Let there be peace on earth

 

Why do we sing? Reena Linke Music Director

The Worship Committee recently surveyed the congregation, asking for favorite hymns. I thought it might be nice to share a few words about hymnody, its purpose and use within the context of the liturgy, and by what qualifications it is measured.

From its earliest roots, hymnody has been a powerful vehicle for the proclamation of Gospel, the spread of theology, and the faithful response to the gifts of God. We see examples in the Old Testament, including the recounting of the Israelites being delivered from the Egyptians at the Red Sea - "Then they believed His words; they sang His praise" (Psalm 106:12). Faith and response go hand in hand, and one of our responses is that of hymnody.

As the ancient church professed, "Lex orandi, lex credendi," meaning the rule of prayer [constitutes] the rule of believing. Through our hymnody we proclaim our belief, our theology; this can be either good or bad. Unfortunately, some have used hymnody as a vehicle for heresy, such as the Arians' spreading heresy against the eternal divinity of Christ. This problem is still alive today, prompting the Church to be thoughtful and faithful to true doctrine through its hymnody.

The placement of a hymn in the liturgy directs the type of hymn used, integrating the hymn into the liturgy. This might mean a hymn asking God to open our ears to His Word for the gradual hymn or a hymn describing the presence of Christ's body and blood in the Eucharist for the communion hymn. This places a hymn within the service, distinguishing it from an insertion that might distract or detract from the flow and direction of the liturgy.

The Rev. Chad L. Bird gives us some direction when thinking about the purpose of hymnody and gives a few very good guidelines when choosing hymnody.
Hymnody:

* Aims not to create the right atmosphere or mood for worship, but serves as a vehicle for the Spirit-filled Word of God
* Is not entertainment but proclamation
* Is not bound merely to paraphrase the biblical text; rather, it interprets the Scriptures in reference to Christ
* Is bound to no culture save the culture of the church catholic

With this brief background, we are able to build the beginnings of a foundation for why we sing what we sing and the importance of thoughtful and faithful choices in the song of the church. I hope to write more on music and hymnody in worship in the coming months. If you have questions or topics you would like me to cover, please let me know, and I will do my best to address them.

 

B-Safe 2008 Summer Camp of the Episcopal Church

B-SAFE is an inner-city summer camp created & organized by St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Boston. Over 450 youth in the Boston area will attend this 6-week day camp which provides academic enrichment, sports, field trips, food, community and a safe place to spend the day. The program is being expanded this year to six sites: St. Stephen's Church, St. Mary's Church, Epiphany School, St. Augustine & St. Martin's, Holy Spirit and St. Luke's/San Lucas in Chelsea - and runs from June 30 - Aug 8.
Grace Church will again partner with Epiphany, Walpole and Church of the Advent, Medfield to sponsor a week. Our week is July 14-17 at Holy Spirit Episcopal Church in Mattapan. Sponsorships include providing a week of food (lunch and snack) plus a Friday field trip. Daily lunch requirements include making & serving 65 lunches, raising money for Friday's field trip transportation ($400), planning the field trip and paying for any costs, and spending 30 minutes after each lunch for DEAR time (Drop Everything And Read). The daily program runs from 8:30 - 4 every day and lunch is served at noon sharp. Volunteers need only be on site to prepare/serve the lunches and participate in DEAR from Monday through Thursday and the Friday field trip.
It's a wonderful opportunity for our parish to do some hands-on outreach work in our own state. Partnering with Epiphany and Advent helps defray the cost of the sponsorship and lessens the time commitment for each church. If you can give us a day of your time this summer or help prepare or contribute meals, we would love to hear from you! Please fill out the commitment form below and let us know how you can help! Questions regarding the program can be directed to Sarah Malneritch (slm06@comcast.net) or Deborah Terry (dterry@ifb.org).

Can You Help Keep a Child Safe This Summer?
I Commit to:
Name __________________________________phone/email_______________
_____ Volunteer for a day (July 14-17) to make and serve lunches and spend 30 minutes for DEAR at Holy Spirit Episcopal Church/Mattapan
_____ Volunteer for a morning/afternoon or full day Friday field trip
_____ Help make lunches for 65 kids
_____ Bake cookies/brownies/other treat (for 65 kids)
_____ Purchase snacks (no chips please) or fruit (for 65 kids)
_____ Sponsor a child for $25
_____ To donate a gift card from Costco, BJ's, etc. (helps defray food costs)

 

In Thinking About Things: Pentecost
By Jim Moher

The month of May brings to a close the Jesus story. We began in November listening to John the Baptizer proclaim the advent of the messiah, then the beauty of the babe brightened our winter days. In January, kings homaged a child who later grew and astounded his elders in the temple. A young man went to the wilderness and returned to teach and cure his people on the way to a cross and empty tomb. A new man returned to his brethren to cast aside their doubt and help guide them on their mission before he gloriously bid them farewell to return to his father, the creator of us all.

From the First Sunday of Advent until Whitsunday: Pentecost, the church calendar tells us the story of Jesus and for the remaining six months it relates the teachings of the master. The church vestments are a pastoral green and liturgical life is humdrum as Gospel parables drone through our minds as lazily as the bees visiting the flowers below the sanctuary windows.

What is Pentecost exactly? How does it impact our lives?

The story itself is simple enough. Left alone the disciples gathered, where they were "filled with the Holy Spirit." Tiny flames descended upon them, they knew wisdom and received the gift of tongues that they could spread the story of, and teachings, of Jesus.

To understand the event we must understand the Holy Spirit, which for our purposes here can best be said to be the inspiration and connection of life.

This connection and inspiration, often defined as God's grace, binds us to our creator, the redeemer, and most importantly each other. This last point is critical, for without a bond with our fellow humans, we will always fall short of the goodness we naturally seek in our collective as well as individual lives.

Pentecost is a definition of that inspiration and connection in two senses. First of all, the story of Pentecost itself, of the events that took place in that upper room is a memorable piece of history that demonstrates how God works in the world. We learn through what the followers of Jesus experienced what we might expect to undergo as we ourselves are touched by grace.

Pentecost also serves as a model which shows us what we must do with our own lives and faith. It is not enough for us to learn the story of the first followers of Jesus, we must emulate the disciples as we confront the world.

In other words, we too, must harness the power of the Holy Spirit and go forth to preach, teach and heal.

How can we, contemporary men and women, follow in the path of the disciples?
How can we dare to equate ourselves with those first saints?

We need to simply be ourselves.

If we believe in God, and accept Jesus, then we have the tools to become valid as disciples as those men and women of twenty centuries ago. All that is required of us is that we recognize our personal ministries and act honestly on them. Few people are called to be evangelists or martyrs, but all folks are enjoined to be genuine.

It is the inspiration and connection of the Holy Spirit, working right now amongst us, that permits us to carry out the legacy of the first Christians. Our understanding of our individual roles and personalities, and how they work in concert will enable us to teach and heal. Teach by our example and heal by our presence.

So, now, let us go among the nations and spread the word of Jesus and make Pentecost a part of our experience.
Reprinted with permission

 

Grace Notes Deadline

The deadline for the June issue of Grace Notes is May 18. Please be sure to submit all articles and schedules on time. Communication is key to all relationships, including your relationship with your church family.

 

VESTRY SUMMARY April 14, 2008
" Pledges should be at 27%, we're at 26%.
" Fair planning is underway.
" We have one graduate this year - Matt Bravo - he will receive a scholarship.
" A Funeral Cloak for the minister has been given as a memorial for Arthur Gleichauf.
" Book club is reading Three Cups of Tea, next month is movie month.
" Bible study is moving forward.
" We send 32 packages of socks into Boston.
" Only 3 people expressed an interest in going to St. Paul's Brockton.
" The Art show is May 17th.
" B-Safe is July 14 - 17. Deb will attend a meeting in April - 8-9 commitment forms have been received.
" Coffee hour is still having problems.
" Western night was a good time.
" Property - cabinets were repaired in the kitchen, 1 light has been fixed, 3 more to go, Brian built shelves for downstairs for storage, the back entrance - only 1 quote has been received, waiting for more, lawnmower has been serviced, fountain needs to be fixed, Clean up day is May 4th.
" A walkthrough the rectory has been done - minor things need to be done.
" Storm windows need to be taken down.
" Only 12 Time and Talent forms have been returned.
" Worship meeting is April 20th.
" Youth group will be camping June 27 - 29 - everyone is welcome.
" Youth group will host the Mother's Day brunch.
" Sabbatical planning will be at the next vestry meeting.
" Heidi Fieldston will be interim minister.
" Hollis will be here in August.
" There will be a forum on May 18th to discuss the sabbatical.
" Maureen Whitney, Jean Folsom and Manny Bravo are retiring from Youth and Sunday school leadership - Meredith Sabourin is working with youth. Polly Keister is also retiring.
" Charlene Vincent is leaving in May - small congregation group - it just didn't work out for Grace Church.
" The Task Force will report on June 8th.