On how we create the Mercy Seat of the Ark of the Covenant when we live out the teachings of Jesus with another Child of God. We have to grow up and actually begin to see how what we do embodies the kingdom/rule of God or not. And not just for ourselves but for others.

Deuteronomy 18:15-20
Psalm 111
1 Corinthians 8:1-13
Mark 1:21-28




*images taken from public domain and assumed to be free.

Grace Life, January 26, 2012

Grace Life: Grace Episcopal Church Schedule of Events What new way can you welcome, worship, study and serve in and around Grace Church? See below for new adult formation opportunities on Sunday mornings. This Week/Weekend Meals for Vanderbush/Kelly Family: On December 24, 2011, Lisa Kelly & Brooks Vanderbush and children welcomed Archer to the family. If you are able to provide a meal for this family of 5, please contact Amy Richards at 409.8615. The food restrictions are: no pork, nuts or berries. Thanks for helping with this important ministry! Epiphany Play: The last rehearsal is Friday, January 29 at 6:30 p.m. We will dress in costume. Sunday morning, the 29th, the children will attend Sunday School as usual. I will pull them from their classes to get in their costumes on shortly before coming down to perform. The play will be after the sermon! Join the Bread of Life classes : Sun│ Through Feb. 19 │9 a.m.│LL 1 Learn the basic little daily practices of faith in small classes and with a cup of coffee on Sunday mornings. Led by Rosemary Hagan, D. Min., director of Adult Formation, and The Very Reverend Daniel Richards, a series of adult formation classes will be held during the season of Epiphany. Childcare is available upon request; please call the office by the Thursday before. The Story of Your Life: Writing a Spiritual Autobiography Sunday│January 29│ 9 a.m. │Jubilee House This year during Epiphany, Linnea Stifler, our seminary intern, will lead a class. It will meet on Sunday mornings between services in Jubilee House. Materials will be provided, but pre-registration is requested. All sessions will include time dedicated to writing, as well as time for discussion and sharing (as desired). Registration is limited to 8. Ministry of the Week-Jubilee House: "The House Next Door", is one of Grace Church Jubilee Center's ministries where the Gospel of Matthew 25:35 is followed each and everyday for all of God's children. Contribution Envelopes: Envelopes for 2012 are available in the commons and in the Parish Hall. Contribution Statements: Year-end 2011 contribution statements are available to be picked up in the commons this weekend. Please save us a stamp and pick them up! Altar Flowers Donation Schedule for 2012: A new schedule for altar flowers is on the sign-up board in the Parish Hall. All arrangements for the altar will be done by our florist. The fee is $45 (or more) to cover the florist and delivery costs. Please have your wording to the office before Wednesday. Please contact Nancy Templeton at 947.2063 or Maxcie Latimer at 947.6376 with any questions. Sanctuary Lamp Donations: The 2012 schedule is posted in the Parish Hall. The cost for the lamp is $5. Please sign up in the Parish Hall with your verbiage that will be in the bulletin! Bulletin/E.update Items: If your group will not meet, be sure to contact Erika in the office so she can adjust the calendar. We want to be sure your group/ministry is getting the exposure you want. If you have blurbs you would like in the bulletin or e.update, be sure to send those along to Erika early in the week. Group Cancellation Policy: The staff may send out a cancellation email for groups of more than 25 members, but we would like groups with less then 25 members to directly contact their ministry or groups. Thanks for your cooperation! Looking Ahead Staff Calendar Meeting: The office staff will be holding a calendar meeting on Tuesday, January 31. If you have any events or meetings on the horizon, we ask that you get the details to Erika in the office no later than January 27 to be put on the church calendar. Please note: If you do not submit your dates, we may not be able to provide a space for your event. Daughters of the King: Five Sat. in Lent (beginning Feb. 25)│9-11 a.m. DOK will sponsor a Lenten 2012 series focusing on prayer. Mark your calendars for five Saturdays in Lent (February 25, March 3, 17, 24, and 31) to learn about different ways to pray. Different presenters will provide the background and process for each topic, a chance to practice the method of prayer, and then an opportunity to clarify the practice. Look for additional information in the coming weeks. If you have questions, please contact Candice Westerfield at 947-9485. Other Volunteer Opportunity with LOVE Inc.: Would you like to be a Love INC volunteer and help our neighbors in need in Grand Traverse County? A special overview and orientation session will be held Thursday, Feb. 2 at the Love INC office beginning at 3 p.m. This opportunity to serve involves gathering information through telephone conversations with clients at the Love INC clearinghouse. Volunteers typically work from 6 to 12 hours per month. Please call Zeke Fleet at (231) 933-0041 or email him at zeke.fleet@gmail.com for more information. Snow Day Closures Please Note: Through the winter, we will follow NMC's winter cancellation policy. If NMC is closed so are we! You may find out by following this link: NMC Grace: It's Our Way of Life As Episcopal Christians we: Worship at home daily and together weekly; Serve our families, our parish, and our world in the name of Christ. Study the Scriptures, our tradition, and what it means to be a disciple today; Everything we do is done with an ethic of Welcome because we are only here by Grace. Clergy Appointment Hours The Very Rev. Daniel P. Richards: Mon-Wed 1-4 p.m. (by Appointment) Thursday 12-3 (Rector Study Day) The Rev. Katheryn King: Friday 10-12 Weekly Readings January 28 & 29 Deuteronomy 18:15-20 Psalm 111 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 Mark 1:21-28 February 4 & 5 Isaiah 40:21-31 Psalm 147:1-12, 21c 1 Corinthians 9:16-23 Mark 1:29-39 Service Participants January 28 & 29 2012 Sat., Jan. 28- 5 p.m. Greg Hagan, Lay Eucharistic Minister Kerry Nelson, Lector Vince & Kerry Nelson, Ushers Sun., Jan. 29 - 8 a.m. Barbara Klugh, Lay Eucharistic Minister MaryLee Pakieser & Bill Fowle, Lectors MaryLee Pakieser & Bill Fowle, Ushers Sun., Jan. 29 - 10 a.m. Connie Riopelle, Linnea Stifler & Denny Meyers, Lay Eucharistic Ministers Elizabeth Black & Steve Wade, Lectors Chris Black, Intercessor Rick & Bobbie Garner, Ushers Christ Black, Welcomer Brooks Holland & Katie Meyers, Nursery Care February 4 & 5 2012 Sat., Feb. 4 - 5 pm Nancy Brannan, Lay Eucharistic Minister Kerry Nelson, Lector Vince & Kerry Nelson, Ushers Sun., Feb 5 - 8 am Bill Foster, Lay Eucharistic Ministers Barbara Klugh & Charlene Allen, Lectors Maxcie Latimer, Usher Sun., Feb. 5 - 10 am Bob Foote, Denny Meyers & Linnea Stifler, Lay Eucharistic Ministers John & Betty Lewis, Lectors Emily Hittner & Ella Bruining, Acolytes Brad Will, Intercessor Adam Gahn & Steve Wade, Ushers John & Betty Lewis, Welcomers Karen Libby, Nursery Care
Contact Information Grace Episcopal Church 341 Washington St. Traverse City, MI 49684 Phone: 231.947.2330 Website: www.gracetc.org Blogspot: gracetc.blogspot.com Scripture 202 class: http://gracefullbible.com Grace on Facebook

Sermon, Epiphany III, Year B, 22 January 2012 - Holy Dispassion or Seeing the Call above it All

Sermon in which the Very Rev. Daniel P. Richards retells the story of Jonah (hilarious) as a bad example of Holy Dispassion, or not getting caught up in the swirl of emotions or other or lesser obligations. Once we can hear God, then we can follow where God in Christ calls us, leaving the nets behind.

Jonah 3:1-5, 10
Psalm 62: 6-14
1 Corinthians 7: 29-31
Mark 1:14-20


*Copyright Source: http://www.heqiarts.com/
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Attribution: He, Qi. Calling Disciples, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=46099 [retrieved January 22, 2012].
Record Number: 46099 Last Updated: 2010-11-14 18:51:35 Record Created: 2006-06-24 00:00:00
Institution: Vanderbilt University Unit: Collection: Art in the Christian Tradition

Sermon, Epiphany II, Year B, 15 Jan 2012 - Listening, Laughing, and Being Attuned

Young Samuel finds the high priest Eli asleep in the temple
Harmenszoon van Rijn REMBRANDT
C.1635-40



Sermon in which we are reminded to stop and take the time to listen to God, deep listening that goes beyond the laundry list and chit-chat prayers, that not all laughter is good and how to look for what is really wise and good, and finally that God is calling deep within us if we are attuned.

1 Samuel 3:1-20 Samuel and Eli, Samuel hears the voice of God for the first time
Psalm 139:1-5, 12-17
1 Corinthians 6:12-20 All things are lawful, but not all things are beneficial.
John 1:43-51 Jesus calls Philip and meets Nathanael.

Sermon, First Sunday of Epiphany, Year B, 2012 - Three Priniciples of the Life - Magi, John, and the Holy Spirit

Baptism of Jesus, Mosaic, Arian Baptistry in Ravenna, 500's.

Sermon in which the Very Rev. Daniel P. Richards explores three spiritual life principles for the life of the disciples of Jesus. The first principle is the Magi principle: You have to Go (and don't be Herod). The second principle is the John the Baptizer principle: you can work for a long time and see no results. The third principle is the Spirit principle: the Spirit does come and when she does, the heavens are torn open and everything is changed. And then, God speaks, and you are made new, given a new name, and sent out with a purpose: to be a part of the work of Christ, binding up the broken-hearted, healing the lame, setting captives free, and proclaiming the day of the Lord's Favor.


Genesis 1:1-5
Psalm 29
Acts 19:1-7
Mark 1:4-11


The Readings for the Epiphany on 6 January were:

Isaiah 60:1-6
Ephesians 3:1-12
Matthew 2:1-12
Psalm 72:1-7,10-14

Sermon, Christmas Day, Year B, 25 December 2011 - Saint John's Christmas Gospel

The Rev. Katheryn King explores John's Gospel Christmas story, the prologue. One of the most beautiful hymns in Scripture it lays out what the deep meaning of Christmas is. Rev. King shows us how that affects our Christmas and our lives.

Isaiah 52:7-10
Hebrews 1:1-4, (5-12)
John 1:1-14
Psalm 98

Christmas Eve Sermons from 7pm and 10pm

Christmas Eve Sermon at 7pm in which we are reminded that Christ comes into the backdoor of history like a small light into a darkened room, and our perception of the room is changed forever.

Isaiah 9:2-7
Titus 2:11-14
Luke 2:1-14(15-20)
Psalm 96


Christmas Eve Sermon at 10pm, the "real" sermon now that the kids are in bed about how having a baby changes everything like a light in a darkened room.

Sermon on the Virgin Mary as not meek and mild Mary, but the prophet and hinge of history. From one side she accepts the Holy Spirit coming upon her and prophesies, and from the other side of history she is the first Christian and mother of the church because she bore the Holy Spirit and so Christ. And Jesus probably wasn't born in a barn.

2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16
Canticle 3 or Canticle 15
or Psalm 89:1-4, 19-26
Romans 16: 25-27
Luke 1: 26-38

Sermon, Advent III, Year B, 11 December 2011 - Not a Roman god but Emmanuel

Sermon from Grace Episcopal Church in Traverse City, Michigan, for the Third Sunday of Advent. The Very Rev. Daniel P. Richards brings unearths our roman god who is distant and perfect and judging and names it and then calls us to the Hebrew God, the God of the prophets and of Jesus Christ who has a dream of humanity, but is close, intimate, and impassioned and merciful. A God in love. Then reminds of our call to the light of that God in the world, witnesses to that light and love.

Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11
Psalm 126
1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
John 1:6-8, 19-28

Sermon, Advent II, Year B, 4 December 2011 - Baptism of Water, Baptism of the Holy Spirit

Sermon in which the Very Rev. Daniel Richards interprets John the Baptizer to be saying: "I can change your mind (metanoia/repent), but he will change who you are." The baptism of repentance is about change of mind and life (noia), but Jesus is offering a new Spirit abiding within, the Holy Spirit. All we do in our life of Worship, Study, and Service is preparing the way for the Spirit to come in, in the Name of Jesus Christ, to transform who we are.

Isaiah 40:1-11
Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13
2 Peter 3:8-15a
Mark 1:1-8

Next week's readings are:

Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11
Psalm 126 or Canticle 3 or Canticle 15
1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
John 1:6-8, 19-28