Grace notes November 2013
OUR TEAM
Stan McKinnon Rector
Lora Walsh Curate, Director of Christian Formation
& Youth Ministries [email protected]
OFFICE Bay GreenHill
Office Administrator Hope Johnstone
Communications Administrator Anne Jones
Financial Administrator
CHILDREN Ben Bergstrom
9am Children’s Chapel Coordinator Meredith Bergstrom, Godly Play Director
Angie Chaney Kitchen and Nursery Coordinator
Travis Chaney 11am Children’s Chapel Coordinator
MUSIC Liesl Dromi
Assistant Choirmaster Dr. Jan Wubbena
Director of Music & Organist Terri Wubbena
Children’s Choir School Director
MINISTRIES Altar Guild
Episcopal Church Women Episcopal Peace Fellowship
Meals on Wheels Prayer Chain
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
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
A NEW PERSPECTIVE Sometimes we need to see things differently in order to see them at all. I’m sure you’ve
seen those pictures that can look like two completely different images depending on your
perspective: Is this a picture of a young woman or an old woman? Yes, it is both.
In the same way, we need a shift in how we view this time of year known in most Episcopal
churches as stewardship month. That season when we ask you to make a commitment to
the church in the form of a pledge for the next calendar year in order to plan our ministry
together.
But this year, rather than looking at our giving as a way to primarily fund our budget, I’d like
for you to consider a paradigm shift - to look at what you give not as something the church
needs in order for us to worship and serve together, but as something you need in order to
grow in your love for God and your neighbor. Yes, the church needs your gifts in order to
“make our budget,” but that is secondary to our need to give as an expression of our
gratitude and dependence on God for everything we have and are. As the Psalmist says,
With a freewill-offering I will sacrifice to you;
I will give thanks to your name, O Lord, for it is good. Psalm 54:6
This week, many of you will receive a stewardship packet in the mail. Look at the materials
with new eyes and see if you can see your need in the midst of the church’s needs. Then,
make your pledge as an offering of thanks to the Lord.
Peace,
Rector’s Reflections
NOTES FROM THE MUSIC STAFF Perhaps you will recall that my column last month was a partial answer to the question, “Why does the choir
sometimes sing a piece in a foreign language? What’s the point?” I wrote of the difficulty of writing a
translation that both fits the music (with regard to the number of syllables and the placement of accents that
coincide with the accents in the music) and is a translation in idiomatic English that does not alter the meaning.
Perhaps you will recall trying to sing Fe-liz cum-ple-a-ños a usted [or tu], querido Juan to our “Happy birthday”
tune – and struggling.
Perhaps you will also recall my promise to complete the story this month. This time, let’s think about the music
that the composer designed for the text. This point is as applicable to texts in the vernacular language as it is to
those in another language.
Composers aspire to enhance the meaning of the text through their music. They have the desire (some would
say, the “conceit”) to think that the text may carry more weight, be more memorable, if set to appropriate music.
They give careful thought to the shape of the text, beginning with the big picture. They ask questions: How is
this text organized? Are there any changes of topic, of point of view? Were this written as prose, would it be
broken into more than one paragraph? (In long pieces, those suggest new sections in the music.) If it’s written
as poetry, what is the structure? Quatrains, couplets, or other organization of lines? Rhyme scheme? Any
rhyme within a particular line (as there are in limericks)?
Composers pay attention to the possibility of writing a melodic line to reflect some aspect of specific words, and
it’s called word painting. E.g., caeli et terra and “heaven and earth” are common phrases in Latin and English,
respectively. Caeli/heaven is always set to higher pitches than terra/earth: the heavens are above the earth, in
music as well as in our physical reality. Word painting is a device sometimes not noticed even by the performer,
for it may have meaning only to the composer, and, as such, hold deeply personal significance.
An example I often use in the classroom is the German metrical paraphrase of Psalm 130, Aus tiefer Nöth. I think
the German literally means “In deep need,” whereas our common English translation of the psalm is “Out of the
depths.” Already you can identify some change in meaning, however slight. The word tiefer means “deep,” with
the accent on the first syllable. It’s the second syllable of the German phrase, whereas the English equivalent is
the fourth syllable of the English version. The Reformation-era tune composed for this text has a rather large
downward skip for the second note – it truly is “deep”! – and then it skips back to the first note for the third
note, and then moves up again for the fourth note. When that text is translated into English as “Out of the
depths,” the word “depths” is on the highest note in the melody, not the lowest! The music contradicts the
meaning of the text when translated into idiomatic English, whereas it reinforced the meaning in the original
language.
So what are we to do? If we really want to perform a specific piece of music, we usually opt to honor the
composer’s intent by singing it as he conceived it, including the language which he set to music. And so that all
of us might know its meaning, we offer as literal a translation in idiomatic English as can be found.
The legacy of choral music for worship left to us includes much music in Latin and other languages of
extraordinarily fine quality. It is coincidental that I am writing this for the newsletter for November, the first day
of which is All Saints’ Day – but this point is particularly apropos for this month. Using music in other languages
(indeed, any music of the past) also serves to connect us to the communion of saints, that is, the whole Church,
the entire body of Christ, both the living and the dead. It’s not inconceivable that at least one of us here at
Grace Church is descended from a singer in Palestrina’s choir at the Sistine Chapel, Bach’s choir at the
Thomaskirche in Leipzig, or the Chapel Royal in the time of Elizabeth I, led by William Byrd and Thomas Tallis.
When we sing music by these composers or dozens of others, we might be singing something first sung by an
ancestor.
At the very least, we are singing something composed and sung by Christians of a former time and often a very
different culture. We are connected! May our singing a text in a different language always serve to remind us
of that.
Jan Wubbena
Acciaccaturas
All Saints’ November 3
Our choir will sing a litany of our loved ones on All Saints’ Day,
Sunday, November 3rd
. This day stems from Ancient
Mediterranean communities who did not record birthdays. This
made death dates, especially of notable persons, more likely to
be remembered. On the anniversary of the death, loved ones
would gather at the tomb and give thanks for the person’s life.
The early church adopted this custom of remembrance
celebrating a feast day known as All Saints’ Day.
To lead worship on November 3rd
at 9:00 a.m.
The Grace Children's Choir School (GCCS) will lead worship
this Sunday, November 3rd, at the early service under the direction of
Terri Wubbena. GCCS is comprised of 2nd
-8th
graders in our
community. Join us Nov. 3rd
to support these young choristers.
There will be a small reception after the program, all are welcome
to attend!
GCCS takes a very educationally-focused approach, giving its young
choristers musical skills and an understanding of worship that will
last a lifetime. Through its participation in the Royal School of
Church Music (RSCM), the GCCS provides a structured and leveled
learning environment individualized to each chorister's heart and
voice.
GRACE CHILDREN’S CHOIR SCHOOL
November 3rd
at 2:00 a.m.
Remember to adjust your clocks this Saturday night before you
go to sleep in order to account for Daylight Savings. We will
"Fall back" and gain an hour so move your clocks back one hour
in preparation for the new time table.
Holiday Scheduling
Will you be available
to serve during the
Thanksgiving and
Christmas holidays?
Please let the office
know of any
scheduling
preferences or unavailability. Requests for serving in special
holiday services will also be accommodated. Thank you!
November 24th
at 6:00 p.m.
Join us for a special service of Evensong on November 24th
,
Christ the King Sunday, at 6:00 p.m. We invite you to celebrate
with a heart thankful for the past and present, and a heart
hopeful for the future.
Thanksgiving Office Hours
The Grace Church Office will be closed from Nov. 27-29 for the
Thanksgiving Holiday. We will still have our Holy Eucharist and
Healing service on Nov. 27th
at 12:10 p.m. Choir will not meet on
Nov. 27th
. Please contact the office before those dates if you
need anything.
OFFICE HOURS
DAYLIGHT SAVINGS
TIME & TALENT
EVENSONG
“Each of you must
give as you have made
up your own mind, not reluctantly or under
compulsion”
2 Cor. 9:7
November 10th
at 9:45 a.m., Stewardship
Potluck Brunch
Our annual stewardship potluck is Sunday,
November 10th
at 9:45 a.m.. Stewardship
packets will be mailed to you and are also
available in the church office. We look forward
to fellowship as well as learning more about
being good "Stewards of God's Grace". Please
bring an entree, side dish, or salad and join us
at 9:45am, all are welcome!"
This is also a great time to update or take a
photo for the directory board. Please see Hope
if you would like to be included on the photo
directory wall.
The holidays are a difficult time for the children and youth at the NWA Children’s Shelter (14100 Vaughn Road,
Bentonville, AR 72712) . Many are not able to return home to their families or a home environment during the
holiday season.
With your help, NWA Children’s Shelter’s staff and volunteers can provide a warm and happy holiday season to the
children in their care. To individuals or companies who would like to help: listed below are the items that would be
greatly appreciated for the holidays especially support in the form of gift cards from any of the following businesses:
Walmart
Old Navy
Target
Kohl’s
Payless Shoes
You may also make a donation by sending a text message. Text CHILD10 to 20222, to donate $10 to NWA Children’s
Shelter (standard texting rates apply) If you choose to provide an actual gift item (rather than a gift card), some age-
appropriate suggestions are listed below. (NOTE: If more gifts are received than can be used this holiday season, we
may utilize your gift to help celebrate birthdays or other special occasions throughout the year — but it will be used
to help the children at the shelter.)
Infant & Pre-school Wing (ages birth to 4)
Super hero toys (for under age 3)
Imaginext toys
Dress-up clothes (for boys & girls)
Dora toys
Thomas the Tank Engine toys
Puzzles & games
Girls’ Wing (ages 5 -12)
Littlest Pet Shop toys
Tinkerbell toys
Disney princess toys
Dress-up clothes & shoes
Barbie clothes
Kitchen & cooking toys
Monster High dolls
My Little Pony toys
Care Bears toys
One Direction toys
Electronics: MP3 players, digital cameras, karaoke
machines
Science kits
Puzzles & games
Any new movies released in 2013
Boys’ Wing (ages 5-12)
Legos
Dress-up clothes
Action figures (especially super heroes)
Pokémon Toys
Spiderman toys
Remote-control vehicles (cars, helicopters, etc.)
Beyblades
Star Wars toys
Sports equipment: rollerblades, skateboards,
basketballs, footballs, etc.
Science kits
Puzzles & games
Teen Wing (ages 13-17)
Perfume & body spray
Flat irons, Hair dryers
Purses
Jewelry sets
Art sets (appropriate for adults)
Craft kits (knitting, scrapbooking, etc.)
CDs: (must be edited versions) Taylor Swift, One
Direction, Justin Bieber, Lady GaGa, Katy Perry,
Justin Timberlake, Selena Gomez, Bruno Mars,
Mumford & Sons, Pink, etc.
Science kits
Puzzles & games
MINISTRY OF THE MONTH
Holiday Donation hours:
8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Monday – Friday
We would like to have all holiday gifts delivered to the Shelter by Dec. 17th.
www.nwacs.org
Save the Date: February 2014
Winterstar, the Episcopal Diocese of Arkansas’
annual winter retreat for Jr. and Sr. High
students, will take place on two different
weekends at Camp Mitchell: Senior high
Winterstar will be Feb. 24–26; junior high
Winterstar, March 2–4. Both weekends will
begin on Friday evening, with registration at 8
p.m., and end Sunday morning, with a closing
service at 10:30 a.m. For more information or
to register, visit the Winterstar website.
Feb. 7th-9th Jr. High Winterstar
Feb. 28th-March 2nd Sr. High WInterstar
Click here to visit a link from the previous Winterstar
camp with photos so you can see what to expect.
Sunday evenings at 5:00 p.m. from December 1st – 22
nd
Advent begins Sunday, December 1st! We will have evening
prayer services at 5:00 p.m. each Sunday in Advent, Dec. 1st –
22nd
. Evening prayers are a great way to steady our hearts and
minds in the face of the holiday bustle. Childcare will be
provided.
WINTERSTAR 2014
ADVENT EVENING PRAYER
Additional details will be available closer to each 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
NOVEMBER 3RD
Daniel 7:1-3,15-18
Psalm 149
Ephesians 1:11-23
Luke 6:20-31
NOVEMBER 10TH
Job 19:23-27a
Psalm 17:1-9
2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17
Luke 20:27-38
NOVEMBER 17
TH
Malachi 4:1-2a
Psalm 98
2 Thessalonians 3:6-13
Luke 21:5-19
NOVEMBER 24TH
Jeremiah 23:1-6
Psalm 46
Colossians 1:11-20
Luke 23:33-43
2013/2014 POTLUCK SCHEDULE
LECTIONARY READINGS
Our building is 34 years old this month!
“…through the dedicated support of some 26 charter members,
the Rt. Reverend Christoph Keller, bishop of Arkansas, officiated
at a ground breaking service for a new church building on
December 10, 1978, and also officiated at the dedication and
consecration of the building on November 11, 1979..”
Siloam Springs Music Festival, Nov. 16th
at 7:00 p.m.
Fall Concert produced by the Siloam Music Festival Series,
headlined by internationally known saxophonist Grady Nichols,
a Siloam native, with two gospel choirs and over 50 local
talented musicians. Great variety, this is a must-see event.
Saturday night, November 16th, 7:00 PM, Camp Siloam
Auditorium (formerly the Baptist Assembly). Please
visit http://SiloamMusicFestival.com/ for more details.
DID YOU KNOW?
FALL CONCERT