grace notes | september 2014
DESCRIPTION
Grace Episcopal Church Siloam Springs, AR Monthly NewsletterTRANSCRIPT
notes September 2014
Grace
OUR TEAM
OFFICE OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR
Bay GreenHill COMMUNICATIONS ADMINISTRATOR
Hope Johnstone FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATOR
Anne Jones PASTORAL INTERN
Mark Harris
CHILDREN 9 A.M. CHILDREN’S CHAPEL COORDINATOR
Ben Bergstrom GODLY PLAY DIRECTOR Meredith Bergstrom
KITCHEN AND NURSERY COORDINATOR Angie Chaney
11 A.M. CHILDREN’S CHAPEL COORDINATOR Travis Chaney
MUSIC ASSISTANT CHOIRMASTER
Liesl Dromi DIRECTOR OF MUSIC & ORGANIST
Dr. Jan Wubbena CHILDREN’S CHOIR SCHOOL DIRECTOR
Terri Wubbena
MINISTRIES Altar Guild Outreach
Episcopal Peace Fellowship / G.A.P.P. Meals on Wheels
Prayer Chain
VESTRY Meredith Bergstrom
Andy Bossler Ben Hill
Rob Lambert Amanda Orcutt
Debi Selby Curtis Smith Robert Smith
Mike Moss, Treasurer Hope Johnstone, Clerk
COMMITTEES Building & Grounds Christian Formation
Community Life Finance
Outreach Worship
Stan McKinnon RECTOR
Lora Walsh CURATE
Larry R. Benfield BISHOP
WORSHIP SCHEDULE SUN Holy Eucharist, 9:00 A.M. Christian Formation (all ages), 10:00 A.M. Holy Eucharist, 11:15 A.M. WED Holy Eucharist & Healing, 12:10 P.M. MON-FRI Yoga Morning Prayer at Studio, 7:00 A.M.
CHURCH OFFICE HOURS Monday – Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
AN EXPERIMENT IN FOLLOWING JESUS TOGETHER This Fall I’d like to invite you to be part of an experiment of sorts.
Remember from your fifth grade science class that a science experiment involves coming up
with a hypothesis, an idea about how something might work, and then developing a plan to
test that hypothesis.
So, here’s the hypothesis:
Followers of Jesus at Grace Church become spiritually and emotionally healthier (more
whole) when they take time to read the scriptures, pray, and talk with each other about
what God would have them do with their lives.
And here’s the experiment:
1) Read a passage of scripture each week along with a short (3-4 pages) explanation of
what you’ve read and listen for what God might be saying to you. (By the way, this can
be done with your spouse and children as well as roommates or anyone with whom
you see on a weekly basis and they don’t even have to be members at Grace!)
2) Then, come together once a month with several of those who are reading the same
passages each week and talk about what this might mean for our life together.
It’s a rather simple experiment, but like most experiments it does require at least one
essential element or it won’t work: your participation – both 1) in doing the weekly reading
and reflection and 2) in attending the monthly meetings.
The following passage from the book of Acts describes the earliest followers of Jesus’ own
experiment:
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread
and the prayers. Acts 2:42
Our experiment is simply patterned on those first followers of Jesus.
We will have an informational meeting and orientation on Sunday, September 14 at 10:00
a.m. in the Parish Hall.
I hope you will join me in this experiment of following Jesus together.
Peace,
NOTES FROM THE MUSIC STAFF by Jan Wubbena In the July and August Acciaccaturas columns I wrote about the music to which we sing our hymns, i.e., hymn
tunes. They have names apart from the texts with which they are commonly associated, and the origin of any
specific hymn tune name is often an interesting story. This month the topic is the interchangeability of hymn
tunes.
I am writing this on Saturday, August 23, and I’m thinking about the opening hymn at the services tomorrow,
No. 399, “To God with gladness sing,” a paraphrase of Psalm 95, “Come, let us sing to the Lord; let us shout for
joy to the Rock of our salvation.” I have been second-guessing my choice of this hymn, not because of the text,
but because of the tune, Camano. We’ve never sung it, and it’s a bit unpredictable: most measures have four
beats, but three measures have three beats, and these are positioned between measures of four. One line of
text encompasses a measure of four, and then a measure of three – that line of text is set to a tune seven beats
in length. It’s irregular.
The choir picked it up well enough on Wednesday night, but the choristers are used to reading new music and
whatever challenges are therein, metrical (as is the case with No. 399) or something else a bit problematic. I
don’t recall anyone saying after we went through it, “What a nice new tune – why haven’t we done this before?”
And I sit here pondering the wisdom of having made this choice, even though our parishioners always seem
game to try anything, and they don’t complain to me afterwards. Still, will it fly tomorrow? Or will it bomb?
Were there alternative tunes that would have fit this text?
If you will turn to that hymn…. In the lower right corner you will observe “66. 66. 44. 44” – that’s the “meter.”
Count on your fingers the syllables in the first phrase of text: “To God with glad-ness sing” – 6 syllables.
Continue on: “your Rock and Sa-vior bless” – 6 syllables. In a sense these two lines are paired together, and
there is a kind of closure at that point, thus the period after the first double-6 on the lower right. There follows
another double-6-period: “in-to his tem-ple bring” and “your songs of thank-ful-ness!” And the stanza is
concluded with two double-4s: “O God of might,” “to you we sing” (period after this
double-4), and “en-throned as King” and “on hea-ven’s height!” (the second
double-4).
A hymn tune for this text must accommodate six syllables, then another six,
yet another six, and still yet six, and then four, four, four, and four. In
consideration of the challenges presented by an unfamiliar tune, coupled with
the irregular number of beats, I am wondering if there might be another hymn
tune in the hymnal that would have also fit this text, i.e., a tune that also
is in the meter 66. 66. 44. 44 .
The hymnal committee chose not to share this privileged
information in the pew edition – “Why would someone in the
pew need to know that?!” – but the accompaniment edition
does indeed have a “Metrical Index of Tunes.” And now I
know.
Space limitations prevent me from continuing on – this
month! So I leave you with this cliff-hanger. And in the
October newsletter you will learn the answer – and more.
And now I wish you well in singing No. 399 tomorrow
morning .
Ted & Toni…
Congratulations to
Ted & Toni Barnett on their
marriage on August 30, 2014.
Eternal God, grant that their
wills may be so knit together
in your will, and their spirits in
your Spirit, that they may
grow in love and peace with
you and one another all the
days of their life. Amen.
~BCP 429
Enroll Now! Rehearsals begin September 8th
…
The GCCS, under the direction of Terri R. Wubbena, will start its
fifth season here in Siloam Springs. The choir is open for enrollment
and would love for YOUR child to be a part of it! This choir school
takes a very educationally-focused approach, giving its young
choristers musical skills and an understanding of worship that will
last a lifetime. The choir will rehearse on Monday afternoons 4:00-
5:00 p.m. starting, September 8th
. Through its participation in the
Royal School of Church Music (RSCM), it will provide a structured
and leveled learning environment individualized to each
chorister's heart and voice. Enrollment is for 2nd
-8th
graders. To enroll or for more information
contact [email protected] or call
479-524-8782.
Sundays at 4:00 p.m.…
Are you interested in
learning more about Grace
Church or maybe becoming
a member? Inquirer's Class
(IC) is the place for you! IC
will begin on Sunday,
August 31st, at 4:00 p.m. All are welcome to attend to learn more
about the Episcopal Church, the Anglican Communion, and our
Liturgical tradition. It is encouraged, but not required to attend
every week, join anytime! Childcare will be provided.
Starting Soon, Sign-Up Now!
The purpose of Grace Church’s Cottage Groups is to provide an
opportunity for our parishioners to gather in a more intimate
setting to get to know each other (connect), to reflect on what God
is doing in our lives individually and collectively (reflect), and to
worship together using the Book of Common Prayer form for
Compline (pray). This year we will be using Brian McLaren’s new
book, We Make the Road by Walking: A Year-Long Quest for
Spiritual Formation, Reorientation, and Activation. Cottage Groups
will meet monthly beginning in September and will be facilitated by
Stan and Lora. There will be an orientation to this study on
September 14th
during Christian Formation at 10:00 a.m. To sign up,
please copy and paste this link:
https://docs.google.com/a/gracesiloam.org/forms/d/1mugNJqus3l8bK
8_Gzow52RFN5b-SlKg2LhmYVLacGo8/viewform?usp=send_form
90th
Birthday Celebration!
The Moss Family would like to
invite the congregation of Grace
Church to help celebrate the 90th
birthday of Lorraine Moss during
the late coffee hour on Sunday,
September 7th
All are welcome!
September 18th
, Women of Grace
The Vineyard (formerly Fine Wine Women of Grace), will meet on
Thursday, September 18th
, at 7:00 p.m. at the home of Mary
Benjamin. This is an opportunity for the women of Grace to meet
once a month and share drinks, eats, and laughter! Please bring a
beverage and/or snack to share. If you would like to host a
Vineyard gathering, please contact Morgan Scholz at 918-766-2985.
Upcoming dates:
September 18th
, 7:00 p.m. | Mary Benjamin’s home
October 9th
, 7:00 p.m. | Traci Letellier’s home
November 13th
, 7:00 p.m. | Kathy Moss’ home
September 19-20th
…
Vestry members will travel to Eureka Springs on Friday and
Saturday, September 19-20th
for a Vestry retreat.
Sign Up Now…
Are you interested in participating in a ministry role? We will have a
volunteer on hand after both services on September 7th
to answer
questions or assist with sign-ups. There are a multitude of ministry
roles available. Trainings for these roles will occur later in
September.
September 21st...
Please join us on Sunday, September 21st at 10:00 a.m. (during
Christian Formation) for a Children's Ministry Open House. Our
Children's Ministry Director, Meredith Bergstrom, will give a brief
description and tour of the various programs we offer at Grace for
children ages 10 and under. We will then explore Children's Chapel
with our Children's Chapel Directors, Travis Chaney and Ben
Bergstrom. All are encouraged to come and experience the
programs that help guide the future generation on their spiritual
path!
Lora Walsh, Welcome Back!
We welcome our Curate Lora Walsh back from maternity leave. She
will return on Sunday, September 7th
.
Kaitlyn Russell
& Seth Long…
The 2014 choral scholars are
Kaitlyn Russell and Seth Long.
We are delighted to have
such talented individuals join
the Grace choir.
OCTOBER | MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
October 3-5th, Sign Up Now…
The Arkansas Youth Event (AYE) will be held at Camp Mitchell
October 3-5. This event is open to all youth 6th
-12th
grade. Enjoy a
weekend of fun and fellowship! Scholarships available. Please
contact Mark Harris ([email protected]) for information on
scholarships. To see images from last year's event, visit
http://eycarkansas.org/the-arkansas-youth-event-is-almost-here
Cheryl Kester, October 4th
…
On Saturday, October 4th
, we're going to have a work day to help
Cheryl with some organizing, repairs, and clean-up at her house. All
are welcome to help. Please RSVP to Bay in the office if you would
like to help!
October 5th
at 5:00 p.m…
There will be an instructed Eucharist on Sunday, October 5th
at 5:00
p.m. in the nave. This Eucharist takes an educational approach to
worship and gives real-time worship commentary to shed light on
the various elements of the service as they occur. This is an
opportunity to learn while participating in Eucharist. All are
welcome to attend!
October 12th
…
The Right Reverend Larry Benfield, Bishop of
the Diocese of Arkansas, will be visiting Grace
on October 12th at both the 9:00 and 11:15
a.m. services. This is the annual service at
Grace to join the Episcopal Church and be
confirmed or received by the Bishop of the
Diocese. Please talk to Stan or Lora if you
would like more information.
Sept 7 Sept 14 Track 2
Isaiah 55:1-5
Psalm 145: 8-9, 15-22
Romans 9:1-5
Matthew 14:13-21
Track 2
1 Kings 19:9-18
Psalm 85:8-13
Romans 10:5-15
Matthew 14:22-33
Sept 21 Sept 28 Track 2
Isaiah 56:1, 6-8
Psalm 67
Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32
Matthew 15: (10-20), 21-28
Track 2
Isaiah 51:1-6
Psalm 138
Romans 12:1-8
Matthew 16:13-20
PO BOX 767 (mailing) | 617 N. Mt. Olive St (physical)
Siloam Springs, AR 72761
479-524-8782 (main) | 479-524-6452 (fax)
www.gracesiloam.org
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