Grace notes October 2013

OUR TEAM

Stan McKinnon Rector

stan@gracesiloam.or

Lora Walsh Curate, Director of Christian Formation and Youth Ministries

lora@gracesiloam.org

Angie Chaney, Kitchen and Nursery Coordinator Liesl Dromi, Assistant Choirmaster Bay GreenHill, Office Administrator

Hope Johnstone, Communications Administrator Anne Jones, Financial Administrator

Dr. Jan Wubbena, Director of Music & Organist Terri Wubbena, Children’s Choir School Director

VESTRY Shereen West, Sr. Warden (2013)

Ben Rhoads, Jr. Warden (2013) Meredith Bergstrom (2014)

Curtis Smith (2014) Grace Davis (2015)

Rob Lambert (2015) Mike Moss, Treasurer

Hope Johnstone, Clerk

MINISTRIES Altar Guild

Episcopal Church Women Episcopal Peace Fellowship

Meals on Wheels Prayer Chain

COMMITTEES Building & Grounds Christian Formation

Community Life Finance

Outreach Worship

WORSHIP SCHEDULE SUN Holy Eucharist, 9:00 AM Christian Formation (all ages), 10:00 AM Holy Eucharist, 11:00 AM

WED Holy Eucharist & Healing, 12:10 pm

MON Morning Prayer, 7:15 AM

CHURCH OFFICE HOURS Monday – Friday, 9:00 am to 12:00 pm

It's 10am. Do You Know Where Your Youth Are? In case you haven't noticed, Grace Episcopal Church has been

overflowing at 10am. We've expanded our Christian formation

programs, and we don't have space for all of the new age

groups! Thankfully, Chris Moore offered us the key to Pour Jon's so

that the youth can meet there until we transition to a more

permanent place. (Thanks, Chris!) So, for the past few Sundays, I

've been dashing out of the 9am service, driving to Pour Jon's, and

getting back just in time for the 11am service. Miraculously, I

haven't gotten a speeding ticket. Grace Youth manage to pack a lot

into their brief time together. Most people come to youth group a

bit sleepy, so we start with a warm-up game or two. I learned most

of these games from improv teachers in Chicago. You may know that Chicago is famous for improv—a

form of comedy performance. Although improv is an unscripted art form, it still takes a lot of

rehearsal. The purpose of rehearsal is to build a community of trust that you can rely on to support you

and laugh with you in unexpected situations. I use several improv rehearsal games with the youth to help

us build a community with that level of trust and joy. We spend other time exploring the Bible in different

ways. For the next several weeks, we're reading a graphic novel based on the gospel of Mark—"Marked,"

by Steve Ross. (A graphic novel is like a high-quality comic book.) The book has some arresting images

and interesting angles on the basic gospel story. For example, instead of eating locusts and wild honey,

John the Baptist eats out of the dumpster. Satan pulls up in a slick limousine to tempt Jesus. The demons

that possess the people look like a cross between dinosaurs and goblins. What's especially interesting so

far is that Jesus seems less sure of himself than we usually expect. When he hears John the Baptist

preaching over the radio, he runs to be baptized. Then, when he's waiting in line for baptism, he starts to

question what he's doing there. As his thought bubble says, "This isn't like me to get swept up in some

crackpot fad." When the Holy Spirit descends on him, it comes in the form of a gigantic dove that grabs

Jesus by the ankles and flies off with him, while he calls out "Heeeelp!" I hope that this book helps us to

see Jesus with fresh eyes, and that the images impress themselves on our imaginations. We're all looking

for ways that God can mark us as his own forever.

Lora Walsh

Curate’s Corner

Christine & Scott Blaha Brad Gambill Clark Scholz Morgan Honnold Robert & Verna

Smith Nancy Efurd Tucker Gambill Patty Gambill David & Jayme Amonsen Jessica

Day Bryson & Mandy Moore Matt & Meghan Feyerabend LaNeece White Charlie &

Lois Hicks Edith Bossler Ted Barnett Amanda & Matt Orcutt David Pierson

Jacob Little Alyssa Milroy Taylor & Wes Vanlandingham

Thanks to everyone who participated in the Sept. 29th Bishop’s Visit to Grace! We had a

record breaking Sunday with a class of 29 confirmands (12 was the previous high) and 202

total attendees (this is the highest we've ever had for an Episcopal visit)! Welcome to all new

members!

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS

NOTES FROM THE MUSIC STAFF At a recent rehearsal, one of our newest choristers asked, “Why does the choir sometimes sing a piece in a foreign

language? What’s the point?” That’s a very good question, just possibly one that you have formed but never voiced

aloud.

I just went through the “Anthems” folder of Word documents on the computer here in the church office, each

document containing an anthem text so that it’s easy to copy and paste the anthem text into the service booklet. The

texts of all anthem texts sung by the Choir since 1985 are in this folder. Of the 214 pieces therein, 31 – one in every

seven – are in Latin, German, or Russian. I would have guessed that that number might be even higher. With some

frequency you hear us sing in a language that you – and we – cannot understand. Each of these 31 Word documents

contains not only the foreign language text but also an English translation (as literal as possible, yet still in idiomatic

English) in a parallel column. By following the translation you, the listener, may know the meaning of what we are

singing.

Still, if it can be translated, why not sing it in translation? “What’s the point?” There are several reasons, and in this

month’s column I will address one of those.

First, this is essentially a technical matter. The composer set a text in a tongue other than English, and his music was

conceived to fit that text. It doesn’t follow that his music would also fit a translation.

This is particularly true of rhyming, metrical poetry. It is almost impossible to compose a translation that 1) preserves

the original rhyme scheme, 2) has the same number of syllables per line, and 3) has the same pattern of accented

and unaccented syllables – and to do so without altering the meaning of the text, however subtly.

I dare you to sing the Spanish for “Happy birthday to you, dear John” to the tune to which we sing this text. (The

accented syllables are underlined – they must be placed on the accents in the music.) Fe-liz cum-ple-a-ños a usted

[or tu], querido Juan. That’s a pretty close translation, but, if you accepted my challenge, you probably had a good

laugh. You’d have to omit something, squeeze in some extra notes, do something.

Even this translation alters the literal meaning of “birthday” in some respect. Feliz cumpleaños is what Spanish

speakers may say when English speakers would say “Happy birthday,” but cumpleaños does not literally mean

“birthday.” Años means “years,” and cumple looks very much like a Spanish cognate of “complete.” Literally,

cumpleaños would seem to be something like “completion of [yet another] year.”

“Birth” and “day” (“day of birth”) would literally be dia de nacimiento. A Spanish speaker would catch the meaning –

and also have a good laugh at this translation by a hack. Have you ever chuckled over English subtitles to a foreign

language film in decidedly non-idiomatic English?

Enough! You grasp the point, yes? Stay tuned for “the rest of the story” (to borrow from Paul Harvey) in November’s

Acciaccatura.

Jan Wubbena

Acciaccaturas

October 6th

at 3:00 p.m.

Join us for the annual Blessing of the Animals at 3:00

p.m. on the north lawn of the church. All of our

animal friends are welcome for a short prayer service

and blessing from Stan. This year Tailwaggers will

join us, bringing adoptable shelter dogs for a

blessing. They are in need of collars and bags of

treats for both cats and dogs; we will be accepting

donations on Sunday.

October 6th at 10:00 am...

Children of all ages may bring stuffed animals to

Christian Formation at 10:00 am to receive a blessing.

Eucharistic Minister and Acolyte Training

If you are interested in becoming a Eucharistic

Minister (EM) or Acolyte, please attend the

following training:

EM/Acolyte – Oct. 6th (during late coffee

hour)

BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS

TIME & TALENT TRAINING

Monday, Oct. 7th

at 7:00 p.m.

Join us as we start the 2013-2014 season of Rector's

Reading Group. On October 7th, at 7:00 p.m., we will

study Bob Ekblad's Reading the Bible with the Damned.

This reading was chosen by our Curate Lora Walsh.

Books are available for purchase from Bay GreenHill,

through the church office, for $10 ($10.28 if using a

charge card, see article below). We will meet at Pour

Jon's.

Now Accepting Card Payments for Merchandise

Join We now have a Square reader, a small card

reader that allows us to accept charge card payments

for items like Rector’s Reading Group books and

other similar materials. By using a card reader, there

is convenience fee for each transaction of 2.75% (ex.

If you purchase a $10 book the total will be $10.28).

We hope this will make it easier for those who do not

usually carry checks or cash. Any donations made

with square reader will also incur the 2.75% fee.

RECTOR’S READING GROUP

SQUARE CARD READER

Genesis House Event, Oct. 19th

at 6:30 p.m.

Genesis House presents "Home for the

Holidays," a fundraising event on Oct. 19th at

6:30 p.m. with a silent auction, reception,

dinner, and music. Please email Genesis House

for more information Genesis3438@gmail.com.

We collect donations year-round for

organizations such as the Genesis House. Click

here to download a list of specific needs. This

list is also on the Outreach table in the Parish

Hall.

Grace Directory on You Smartphone

Access to the Grace Directory is now at your fingertips! The ACS

Church Life app allows easy access to the Access Grace directory

on your iphone or android smartphone. You can search contacts

and even save the number! Search “ACS Church Life” in your app

store and look for the navy and gold icon for a free download.

Sign in to the Church Life App using your Access Grace username

and password.

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS

ACCESS GRACE APP

Fall Gathering in Helena, AR

Arkansas Episcopal Church

Women (ECW) invite you to

enjoy Southern Hospitality,

Helena Style at the annual Fall

Gathering on Oct. 25-26. Click

here to download brochure and

registration form, or pick one up

at Grace.

Leading worship Nov. 3rd

The Grace Children's Choir

School will lead worship on

November 3rd at the early

service. There will be a small

reception after the program.

Please come out and support

our young singers!

EPISCOPAL CHURCH WOMEN

GRACE CHILDREN’S CHOIR SCHOOL

New Venue for Grace Gatherings

Vestry approved the use of The Benjamin house for Christian Formation use. Thank you

George and Mary for facilitating the needs of our growing congregation! This new venue

will facilitate the growth of our congregational needs. Starting this Sunday, EYC and ECY, Jr.

will meet at the Grace House.

GRACE HOUSE

Submit names to be included in The Litany of Remembrance

The litany of remembrance will be sung during the All Saints’ service on November 3rd. If you would like to have a loved one remembered please put their name on the signup sheet in the Parish Hall no later than October 27th . You may also email Bay in the church office (bay@gracesiloam.org).

Additional details will be available closer to the date

Nov. 10, 2013 Stewardship Sunday, 10:00 a.m.

Jan. 06, 2014 Epiphany Pageant & Chili Supper

Apr. 19-20, 2014 Champagne Breakfast & Easter Sunday

July 2014 Summer Potluck & BBQ

Aug. 14, 2014

Rally Day Potluck

2013/2014 POTLUCK SCHEDULE

ALL SAINTS DAY

OCTOBER 6T H

Habakkuk 1:1-4, 2:1-4

Psalm 37:1-10

2 Timothy 1:1-14

Luke 17:5-10

OCTOBER 13T H

2 Kings 5:1-3, 7-15c

Psalm 111

2 Timothy 2:8-15

Luke 17:11-19

OCTOBER 20T H

Genesis 32:22-31

Psalm 121

2 Timothy 3:14-4:5

Luke 18:1-8

OCTOBER 27T H

Sirach 35:12-17

or Jeremiah 14:7-10, 19-22

Psalm 84:1-6

2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18

Luke 18:9-14

LECTIONARY READINGS