Sunday Services: 8:30AM and 10:30AM

Wednesday Service: 9:30AM
Bread and Bette
September 8, 2018 by Jennifer Adams 0

The Rev. Jennifer Adams – August 19, 2018 – Proper 15, Year B: John 6:51-58

I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” So Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever.” (John 6:51-58)

“I am the living bread that came down from heaven,” Jesus said. Which makes this the fourth of five weeks we’re hearing about bread, and the third of four weeks in a row that comes directly from the gospel of John, chapter 6: “Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh. … Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me.”

Last week the oldest member of Grace Episcopal Church, Holland passed away. And I’m going to tell you a bit about her, because it pertains to bread. Trust me on that. I promise to bring it around.

Bette Comport, age 95, died very peacefully last Sunday at Holland Hospital after being sick for only a few of days. In a way that very few, (but Bette Comport among them) are able to pull off, she decided just about a week before her death, that she was ready to go. And according to Bette, she let God know that. Bette then acquired bronchitis about Wednesday which became pneumonia by about Thursday. She was taken to the hospital and was admitted, and from that point on, Bette pretty much guided her family and the hospital staff through a meaningful and peaceful process of dying.

Now those who knew Bette, knew her to be a feisty and faithful soul. She was a “Rosie the Riveter” in World War II, who although having come from this area, riveted planes for Douglas Aircraft in California. She worked for years for West Ottawa Schools. And in her “retirement,” Bette became a world champion golfer. She won the gold medal in the Senior Olympics at the very-senior-even-for-Senior-Olympics age of what she described as, “in her 80’s.”

Bette had two sons, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. She lived her final forty years as a widow and stayed in the house in which she and Warren had raised their family. Life wasn’t necessarily easy for Bette, but she never said anything like that. She was as feisty and as faithful as they come, right up to her final hours.

I shared last Sunday morning that I had just seen Bette the night before, and while I visited her in the ICU, I spoke a little with her. But mostly, since she seemed to be unconscious, and unlikely to come to again, I sat with her in silence. Bette’s family had left for the night. And I allowed myself to fill with memories and with prayers. It was holy time.

And then at one point I said, “Well, Bette, you’ve had an amazing life. 94 years.” To which much to my surprise she responded, “95!” And that scared me nearly to death because I didn’t really think Bette would speak again. But that was so very Bette. She then smiled a little and received my apology for not adding that final year. She opened her eyes a bit and added, “That’s almost a century.” Which is if you’re doing the math is almost two thirds of Grace’s 150 years.

After setting me straight, Bette went on quietly and slowly to very beautifully speak of her gratitude for Grace Church. Now it’s a profound privilege for me to share those kinds of moments with people, but I am very aware that those moments aren’t mine, they’re ours. And so sometimes you should hear them too. Bette was thankful for what she referred to as “her pew” which was her spot for decades. Two or three or four pews up from the back, and right on the aisle. Bette, while here every Sunday, was not a front row type.

And then Bette went on and talked about how grateful she was for visits over these past few years when it had gotten harder for her to leave home. She was grateful for St Martha’s Guild, St Mary’s members, Eucharistic visitors, neighbors, various Grace clergy, and her Stephens Minister who saw her almost every week for years. And as sort of a summary statement, Bette was thankful for communion. Which made sense because over the years, I think that was her most important lesson to me – the value that this bread has in the lives of so many.

Which isn’t to say that I didn’t value it already. I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing if I didn’t value and find meaning in this bread. But Bette was adamant that she needed this bread and in some ways she made it clear that she also deserved it on a very regular basis. If there had been too many weeks between visits, Bette let us know, and we needed to hear that. Now she wasn’t deserving in a privileged or even righteous way, but in a clearly “I’m hungry for this bread,” way. In a “this-meal-is-central-to-our-life-together-and-it-gives-me-something,”way. Bette wanted and needed this meal and the church that offers it present to her. And she wasn’t shy about letting us know that. And that clarity helped us serve her.

There was nothing magical about any of this for Bette, she was far too sensible and practical for that. But in ways that none of us can explain for Bette, or ourselves, the bread was Christ for her and so were we. The holiness that we lean into and that shapes us here was present for her there, wherever her there happened to be, which was usually her home. And that holiness brought things and people together that otherwise wouldn’t be one. Bette Comport among them. Bette Comport among us.

In the Eucharistic meal–the community that housed the pew, that mourned Bette’s husband’s death with her, that cared for her kids, that was present no matter the weather or the wartime or the peacetime, that encouraged the golfer to gold, that looked at pictures of the grand-twins whom she loved so very much, that prayed and served the world about which she cared deeply, that visited her right up literally until her final day – in all of that, Christ was with her. In the Eucharistic meal, that bread and those people that gathered and visited were the Body of Christ, the presence of God.

And so Bette Comport, Riveter, wife, mother, grandmother, educator, gold medalist, back pew sitter, taught us all something about the life that comes when we share this bread. She reminded us that when we offer this bread, bless it, break it, share it, become it, and then go out into the world nourished and transformed by it, we are Christ for the world! We become able to acknowledge our own hunger here, which is in itself gift. We are nourished and we are formed. We allow ourselves to be fed and in that become more able to feed others too with the holiness we have been offered.

And so here, our response is thanksgiving. Which is what “Eucharist” means. Thankful not because we understand what’s happening here or because we control what’s happening here. Thankful not because John Chapter 6 makes sense to us. We give thanks because all of this makes bread into life for us. Which makes us into life for each other. And which in ways that are both mysterious and tangibly experiential, we then give life to the world. We’re thankful because all of this helps God be here among us in ways that gather, nourish, strengthen, sustain and send us out to the work God has given us to do. Scattered and yet one Body.

So today, or sometime soon, be sure to walk out into Resurrection Garden which is out the door by the baptismal font and just down the steps from the courtyard. Resurrection Garden is the place of interment for generations of Grace folks. And on Wednesday, Bette’s ashes will be put into the ground there.

Go down there today or someday soon and notice the statue of Jesus there. Christ is there – arms open, alive, open to and resurrected for all! And when you look, see that the statue was given to Grace by Bette Comport, many years ago. And know that in a literal but not always so literal way, that’s how it works. Christ is given. Christ is received. Christ is present. Christ is visible, shared, and taken in. And through it all we become a Body that offers Christ’s gifts to others, generation after generation. Bread of Life and hope for the world.

Amen.

“Members Of One Another”
September 8, 2018 by Jennifer Adams 0

The Rev. Jennifer Adams – August 12, 2018 – Proper 14, Year B: Ephesians 4:25 – 5:2, John 6:35-51

So then, putting away falsehood, let all of us speak the truth to our neighbors, for we are members of one another. Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not make room for the devil. Thieves must give up stealing; rather let them labor and work honestly with their own hands, so as to have something to share with the needy. Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were marked with a seal for the day of redemption. Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. (Ephesians 4:25 – 5:2)

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life… Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and anyone who comes to me I will never drive away…Then the Jews began to complain about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” They were saying, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” Jesus answered them, “Do not complain among yourselves..Very truly, I tell you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” (John 6:35-51) 

 

Every now and then we get a passage that I think I should just stand up here and read over and over again a few times and then sit back down. Some passages speak for themselves so easily. And we hear them so quickly that they’re easy to miss or we forget about them by the time we get to this point in the service, especially at the second service where there’s a few hymns woven in here too.  The passage from Ephesians is one of those passages, and so I want to give you a bit of background on the passage itself, repeat most of it again, and see if it has anything so speak to us.

First a little background.  The letter was written for the people of Ephesus but it was probably also sent to many of the Christian communities in that region, because they were all struggling with similar issues. Everywhere from Rome to Ephesus to Galatia, to Jerusalem and throughout budding Christendom, the people were struggling with how to be a multicultural and diverse church – no kidding.  The wrestle is not new to us and it’s important for us to remember that we are not the first age of church to struggle with Christian identity or Christian unity. The particular triggering issues might be different in each day, but the challenge itself is not.

In the context of the Letter to the Ephesians, they were working through how to integrate Jewish, Hellenistic, and Christian thought and in doing that, how to bring a breadth of people with various cultural backgrounds and beliefs together as community, one which would at least at times be recognized as the Body of Christ.

And so in this letter, the author who was Paul or a student of his, addressed things like division and self-interest, greed, the need to let go of many things and to occasionally make personal sacrifices for the good of the whole. He spoke a lot about “unity” and the call to “come together.” “Made alive together,” he wrote. “Raised up together,” “sitting together,” “built together” and so on.  He repeated phrases like “one body,” and “one spirit,” and “one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism” and he emphasized the unity of the church.

And in this letter he also offered the kinds of behaviors that would help unity happen.  Behaviors like we heard spoken of in today’s passage: kindness, forgiveness, tenderheartedness, sharing, and speaking truth, (thus differentiating between the things that make for good community and rocket science.)  And apparently because this letter spoke to the heart of the people’s hopes and needs, it went the first century’s version of viral.

“So then, putting away falsehood,” we heard today, “let all of us speak the truth to our neighbors, for we are members of one another.” What a beautiful phrase – we are members of one another. “Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not make room for the devil. Thieves must give up stealing; rather let them labor and work honestly with their own hands, so as to have something to share with the needy. Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear.” So that your words may give grace to those who hear… Do not grieve the Holy Spirit (meaning don’t make the Holy Spirit sad…Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.

Simply put, the passage concludes: Be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Paul’s point is that church is where we are to practice all of that, not because we have it down, but because even Christian’s don’t. And the worlds needs it – togetherness, unity, love.

And so our work here is to receive these gifts of God and create the kind of environment that fosters such grace.  We are to practice a broad and multi-many-things kind of unity as church.  This is where we make room for forgiveness, kindness, and tenderheartedness.  It’s the means by which we give this world some of the together it so desperately needs.

And we practice this way of being every time we worship, in part because this kind of “together” is the gift which our liturgy gives us.  We gather, we sing, we pray, we pass the peace and then share in a feast which is open to and receiving of all who come, a rarity in the first century and a rarity still today.

In here we re-become those people who are “members of one another” in intentional and sometimes surprising ways.  This place brings me into communion not only with God but with people whom I would not otherwise ever share a table, with whom I would never otherwise pass the peace, for and with whom I would not otherwise be able to pray.

This is where we are working out the hopes and vision of Paul’s letter.  This is where we offer to God the works of our hands and our hearts too.  This is where the needy (which on some level is all of us) are fed. No evil comes out of our mouths and we try to make all of the words we speak, words that are for building up so that our words may give grace to those who hear.

And not for the sake of this place alone, by any means, but for the sake of the world too.  We practice here to get better at things needed everywhere. We let go.  We offer. We receive. We become a Body that longs to be grace. And in that sense, this place is like no other place. But only so other places more closely resemble this in terms of the kindness shared, the forgiveness offered, the tenderheartedness encouraged.

So that may we help these actions themselves go viral and as beloved children learn to live in love.  Amen.

 

Kickoff Sunday!
September 5, 2018 by AdminAccount 0

September 9 is Kick Off:  We’ll celebrate with a kids’ sermon and Blessing of the Backpacks at the 10:00 service followed by our annual parish photo on the front lawn and a picnic, kick-ball game and drumming at Moran Park (22nd and Pine.) Bring your packs and school supply donations to the 10:00 service. Wear comfy clothes, bring a picnic blanket, and/or chairs and drums if you have’m. Lunch will be provided by Church Family and Fellowship. All are welcome!

September 5, 2018 by AdminAccount 0

As summer comes to an end and head into kick-off Sunday, we are beginning a new season of Christian Education at Grace Church! Below are some of the opportunities we will be offering:

Sunday Morning Education Hour (9:15-10:15)

Activate Faith ( 4yrs – 5th grade): An exploration of Biblical stories through storytelling, art, science, food, drama and music.

Holy Ground (MS & HS): A place for our youth to find quiet in their busy lives through journaling, art and other self-directed activities.

Sunday Forum (MS, HS and Adults): This year we will be guided by the thoughts, writings and teachings of our Presiding Bishop Michael Curry.  Watch the bulletin insert for details!

 

Growing Into Worship (10:30 – Announcements): A time for our youngest members to share in a worship service geared to them in preparation for joining their families for the Eucharist.

Youth Group (As scheduled): A gathering time and place for our youth and friends to continue on their journey of pilgrimage.

Grace Reads (approximately monthly): An opportunity for Grace members and friends  to share in a common read and come together for learning and discussion.

Men’s Bible Study (every other Monday 4:14-5:15pm): This group reads through a book of Scripture and shares questions, insights and reflections.

St Mary’s Guild (Monthly on Second Mondays 7:15-8:45pm): This group comes together monthly for shared fellowship and often a guest speaker.

Pints and Perspectives: A monthly offering of our Church Family and Fellowship Commission.  Grace folks and friends are invited to gather at Big Lake Brewing for food, drinks and conversation on a shared topic.

Education for Ministry (EFM): A four-year program out of the Seminary of the South that explores personal spirituality, Scripture, Theology and Church History in a small group setting.  Registration is open every summer.

EFM 5th year: A setting for EFM graduates to come together in a small group and further learning and spiritual integration using an EFM model of theological reflection and readings chosen by the group.

The Episcopal Life: A class for newcomers to the Episcopal tradition and for old timers or middle timers too, ages 16 and up.  It is for those who just want to know more, are seeking Confirmation or Reception into the Episcopal Church.

Pop-Ups: What are you exploring or reading that you’d like to sit with others to talk about or wrestle with?  Let us know and we’ll help you Pop-Up the offer of a one-time or short-term conversation around a topic, book, or other issue of interest.

 

Welcome to Rev. Jim Steen
August 30, 2018 by AdminAccount 0

Rev. Steen will be coming on staff at Grace starting September 3 in the second clergy position. He’ll be working about twenty hours per week, including two Sundays per month. He’ll preach and preside with Rev. Jen, offer leadership support to various ministries, and provide pastoral care and counsel as needed.

A brief Bio: Following 40 Years of work as a parish priest, Rev. Steen joined the Bishop’s Staff in the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago in 2010 where he served as Director of Ministries. He had oversight of clergy deployment and mentoring, and with his staff, was responsible for congregational and leadership development in the Diocese’s 130 congregations. Prior to joining the diocesan staff, Rev. Steen served parishes in several major cities, including Seattle, New York, Washington, DC, and Chicago and was the Executive Director of Prism Parishes, an organization he founded to support vitality in congregations with diverse constituencies. Rev. Steen retired recently from full-time ministry and now lives in Saugatuck with his partner of twenty-six years, Tom.

Rev. Jim has a son, Daughter-in-law and two grandchildren all of whom live in Boulder, Colorado. Jim says, “I continue to be fascinated by all aspects of organizational leadership and am currently drawn to a deeper exploration of contemplative spirituality. Cooking is my favorite hobby.” Be sure to introduce yourselves to him and welcome Rev. Jim to Grace Church!

Grace Church Infant Care Center
August 30, 2018 by AdminAccount 0

In 1984, Grace Church undertook major renovations to the buildings. This idea was to enlarge the interior space to accommodate new office space, add a choir room, and provide a commons area. The Sanctuary was also reversed by placing the altar to the north, opening space for a Chapel at the South end and expanding the altar area. An elevator was also installed in the building to allow all three stories to be accessible.

Father Bob North, Rector, was very interested in having Grace Church provide outreach to both parishioners and townspeople by utilizing some of our new “vacant” rooms.  The vision was to open a day care center for young children. A task force was appointed by the vestry, and the origins of Grace Church Infant Care Center were put in motion. As the task force moved forward, it was our intent to open as a day care center for infants as well as toddlers. There were no centers in Holland at the time that provided care for babies as young as six weeks of age given that there was some community resistance to mothers working outside of the home.  Grace saw a need and responded.

Grace Church Infant Care Center opened with Denise Riley as the first director, and quickly grew into Grace Church Child Care Center (G4C) with a new director, Nancy Passimore. The Center grew from serving only infants and toddlers to accepting kids up through preschool age.  Much work went into funding, furnishing, hiring, and training of staff to ensure inspections by health and safety experts were passed, and that laws governing everything from food service to the the placement of the outdoor play area were met. Enrollment continued to grow.

We received accreditation from the NAEYC (North Association for Education of Young Children) and were recognized by the Episcopal Church as a Jubilee Ministry in 2001. The G4C always offered scholarships for up to 30% of the enrollees. We consistently offered caregiver to child ratios of 1 to 3 for infants, 1 to 4 for toddlers up to 3 years, and 1 to 5 for preschoolers; the best standards for child care centers.

Early board members Bev Plagenhof, Treecy Borgman, Linda Elder, Paul Klenbaum, Peggy Keegin, Cindy Light, David Meier, Mary Rinks, Diane Christofferson, and Val McCoy were instrumental in supervising the core aspects of this outreach in its early years. High quality results were achieved by paying close attention to safety, staffing, interaction with children and parents, daily programing success, accountability, and accessibility between the staff and the G4C board.

The Grace Church Child Care Center was a first in the Holland community, reaching out to working moms when we saw a need, and supporting them for many years. As other centers began to open, the market got competitive and the need lessened. The cost of keeping up with Center building codes outpaced our ability to keep up and the church’s programs and Center were both growing in a building that could not expand.  And so in 2006, we knew it was time to let go. The daycare center launched off site as its own non-profit separate from the ministries of Grace Church.

The G4C is something for which Grace can always be proud.  Hundreds of infants, children, and families were served for over two decades by this important ministry.

Submitted by: Peg Keegin

 

August 22, 2018 by AdminAccount 0

My name is Dan Aument and my wife Sharlene and I are members of the 8:15 congregation from May to mid October. We live in our cottage on the upper boardwalk at Ottawa Beach for five months of the year. We feel very welcome at the 8:15 service at Grace. Within the past few years, we joined the post-service breakfast group and then we began to help out with the Feeding America program and we discovered that many of our new church friends  assisted with that program.

I am an Episcopalian from birth. My  I have worked as a distributor of non theatrical and Christian 16mm films, managed a small format  digital printing facility and finally was self employed as an interior and exterior residential painter. My wife Shar was raised Christian Reformed, and I enjoy her view of the Bible and Christianity in general. She and I started to attend Grace Episcopal Church Holland about seven or eight years ago.

Shar worked in mid level management for Sears retail for 23 years, then she taught first grade for about 13 years. All her first grade students were Latinos, monolingual in Spanish, and she taught them in Spanish. We vacation in Central America for six weeks of the year, returning to our Grand Rapids home in time for Advent 2.

With Shar’s help, I started to learn Spanish about 12 years ago. She and I read the daily lectionary passages after breakfast, and then we read from “Dia a Dia” the Spanish version of  the “Day by Day” booklet of meditations.

Shar is an excellent cook and is what I would describe as an extreme knitter. I am a watercolorist, a film archivist. I’ve graduated from EFM, Disciples of Christ in Community (DOCC) and  the Stephen Ministry program.

We like Pastor Jen’s style very much – both her solid preaching and her gracious friendly and welcoming manner. We appreciate the liturgical service which is centered around Holy Eucharist, and we like the strong emphasis on outreach and mission work.

 

Submitted by: Dan Aument

Raise the Roof
August 17, 2018 by AdminAccount 0

It’s a challenge to make roofs interesting because much like toilet paper, both are generally ignored until the obvious happens. So I’ll give this a try by touching on composition of the tiles, history, and general installation approaches. But first a few quotes I’ve heard over the years:

“We built this in ‘54 and the leaks commenced in ‘55.”

“Well, we have a strong wind and a heavy rain and it’s just like holidays and the in-laws. We know what to expect”

“Do you building and grounds folks ever get used to chasing your tail?

The tiles are actually made of terra-cotta (clay) material. This material has several advantages over a concrete tile. The color is consistent through the whole tile and not a surface coating so a little surface wear, say from a branch, won’t show up. The moisture absorption is about half of a concrete tile so you get less damage from our freeze/thaw cycles. This means less cracking. The life of a terra-cotta tile is over 100 years. Now a big thing is they are lighter. This means you can cover much larger roof areas with less reinforcement. The modern clay tiles manufactured today have a clear coat that prevents moisture absorption. We don’t have that feature due to age of our roof.

As you might guess terra-cotta tiles have been around for some time. They have been  found in some Greek village excavations that date back to 3rd millennium BCE . Their usage rapidly grew and spread around to and through Asia Minor, and would have replaced thatched roofs for 2 major reasons. They didn’t need annual maintenance and the family cooking fire couldn’t ash the village. This is a good thing, in any millennium. They have been very popular across Europe through today.

The general construction method follows one of two methods with the only difference being the use of a plywood sheeting under the felting sheet. A lot of European structures are built by run the felting across the open rafters, then batten strips are placed perpendicular to the rafters for the tiles to be nailed to, and they form their own self supporting structure. The the other method uses plywood underlay for the felting to lay on. The advantage of no plywood is that the felting can sag slightly so water that gets thru the tiles simply runs down to the gutter. This is the more common method. The felting generally has about 30 year life, which explains our need to replace ours. Hence we kicked off the “Raise the Roof” fundraising campaign this year. and we are so very grateful for all your generosity.

Thanks for your attention, if you have any questions don’t hesitate to ask me.

Submitted by Ron Brown, Junior Warden 

A Grace Journey
August 8, 2018 by AdminAccount 0

My journey with Grace Episcopal Church began sometime in the year of 1972. I started attending church with my future mother-in-law, Frances Linn, who had been a member of Grace for awhile. I had been raised in the Reformed Church in Holland, so Grace was a breath of fresh air for me. Father Bill O’Brien’s sermons were refreshing, relatable, and inspiring–I had found a home! A real seal on the deal was the wonderful way children of all ages were welcome at the communion rail–so different in my previous church. “Come unto Me”.

Rick and I were married at Grace in December, l972. Our children Erin, Sarah, Rob and Andrew soon followed, and all are baptized members of Grace. I started teaching Sunday School at elementary level when my children were of that age and taught for 15 odd years–in every space that was available–choir robe room, space in undercroft, day care center–so wonderful to finally see a future of designated Sunday School rooms! Remembering all of the fund raisers–Valentine’s Day Lunch, Tulip Time meals, Rummage sales, Christmas Bazaars. I feel that we are now more focused on outreach at Grace, and I love that.

When Jen Adams arrived on the scene, our youth education needed a lift–and she was it! My girls were older, but the boys benefited from this new influx of energy–my Rob came home from a youth group meeting and said, WOW, can she play soccer! My youngest, Andrew, was part of the first mission trip the group took–to Jamaica, to do work on the church that the Christofferson’s attended there. Very exciting for our young people.

And then, as life happens, we were thrown for a loop–we lost Rick in an accident. The girls were in college, Rob, 16, and Andrew 13. Tough at any age. We were upheld by Father Tom Toeller-Novak and Jen. The children wanted Jen to do Rick’s service and we were blessed to sit with her and share tears, laughter and stories about our husband, father. The homily Jen gave was spot on and so comforting–more of Grace giving grace.

A few years after Rick’s death, the Stephen Ministry was starting up again at Grace and I thought I might be able to give back through this ministry–I am so glad I made that decision as it has been a gift for me. I started taking my grandson, Dawson, to church  with me a couple years ago and now my daughter-in-law, Megan, and I are teaching Sunday School–full circle!

Andrew and Megan, my daughter Sarah and Brian were married in Grace church. All four grandchildren, Dawson-7, Eli-almost 3, Pierce-1, and Eleanor-4, have been baptized at Grace. We are now fourth generation and I cannot be more pleased and happy.

I am proud to say I am a member of Grace Episcopal Church–I believe we have been a constant in our commitment of inclusiveness–early on. We are finding ways to help make life a little easier for those in need. Rev. Jen has been a beacon in our Holland community with her activism in the LGBT area–I am so excited about this mission! This church of grace, this family of Grace, has been a constant in my life. I have been blessed by being a member of this community. It seems there is nothing we can’t accomplish with the power of God’s love with us and in us…Go Grace!! Another 150 years!!

Submitted by Judy Linn

Growing up at Grace
August 3, 2018 by AdminAccount 0

In celebration of 150 years of Grace, I wanted to write a little about all the joys being involved at Grace, for even a sliver of that time, has brought me. I was born and raised here in Holland and started attending Grace Church when I was ten years old. Grace provides many great ways for a ten year old to get involved in the community. I was an acolyte for several years, helping the service run smoothly. I sang in the youth choir directed by the ever-wonderful Jen Wolfe. I went to Sunday school, eventually joined youth group, and volunteered with Feeding America. Grace gave me simple things, like friends outside of school, but also fostered my curiosity about the bigger questions in life.

One of the highlights of my time at Grace was going on the youth pilgrimage in the summer of 2012. Pilgrimage allows high school students to travel to England, backpack a portion of the Canterbury Trail for a week, and end up at the Canterbury Cathedral.  The trip provides an avenue for spiritual growth through historical education and self-reflection. There were days when we all felt deeply connected to each other and days when we would have given anything to be alone, as happens when you spend a lot of time in close quarters. There were days when travel went smoothly, and there were days when we got horribly lost. Many of the trails were unmarked or had us cutting through sheep fields while hoping not to anger any sheep or shepherds.

I particularly remember one day when we got lost in a town and had to cut through a shopping center to find the trail again. It was the first time we had seen a densely populated area in a while. The experience of lugging our packs through a large hallway under the harsh fluorescent lights while people around us went about their shopping was so strange that we later decided we must have collectively dreamt that it happened.

Throughout the trip we spent time with many other congregations, visited sites important to the history of our church, and learned as much about our faith and ourselves as we could. Most nights we were hosted by another church for Eucharist, but some nights we held a service by the campfire. The communion bread was the same white bread we’d used to make sandwiches for lunch, but the adults somehow made sure there was always real wine…

Four years ago I moved to the East Coast for college. There I joined my campus’ Episcopal chaplaincy where I met so many lovely people who shared my beliefs and values. Grace is an incredible representation of the Episcopal Church, and because of this I have been able to connect with people no matter where I’m living. However, I am always excited to come back to Grace when I’m in Holland. It is a place where I have always felt welcomed, wanted, and loved. I will be forever grateful that I found a home at Grace.

 

Submitted by Katie Polik

 

With a Little Hope and a Touch of Grace
July 29, 2018 by Jennifer Adams 0

The Rev. Jennifer Adams – Sermon preached at Hope Reformed Church on July 29, 2018

Proper 12, Year B: Ephesians 3:14-21, John 6:1-21

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name. I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:14-21)

After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias. A large crowd kept following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick. Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples. Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near. When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?” He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. Philip answered him, “Six months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.” One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?” Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was a great deal of grass in the place; so they sat down, about five thousand in all.Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. When they were satisfied, he told his disciples, “Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost.” So they gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets. When the people saw the sign that he had done, they began to say, “This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world.”

When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself. When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were terrified. But he said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” Then they wanted to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the land toward which they were going. (John 6:1-21)

THANK YOU, Pastor Jill and thank you Hope Church! As I told the kids a few minutes ago, that’s our message today. We’re here with you this morning because just over 150 years ago, you gave us room to meet and to worship. And we as Grace Church are so very, very grateful. We began celebrating our sesquicentennial on June 10 and will continue through June 9, 2019. Part of the celebration is giving thanks for all that has helped us become and be Grace Church. And so we are here to say, “Thank you.”

Pastor Gordon has referred to Hope and Grace as “Best Friend churches.” And as it turns out, that relationship is part of our DNA. The people who were to become Grace Church began right here in your building. In 1866 those who were Hope Church (2nd Reformed at the time) provided space for some local yet relatively new to the area Episcopalians to worship and to meet to discern their way forward.

In fact the very first Episcopal worship service that ever happened in Holland, Michigan happened right here. Now the very second Episcopal worship service that ever happened was held at the Select School, so I’m not sure what went on at the first service… but through that entire phase of Grace Church’s beginning, Hope Church members and leaders provided friendship and support. Our congregation’s leaders worked together at the Select School which became the first of Grace Church’s four sites and we worked together in the larger community on various efforts we valued. We were apparently BFFs from the very beginning.

Hope Church, you gave us space and encouragement to become. And I’m not sure there’s a greater gift to be given. And so today, about seven thousand nine hundred and four Sunday services later, we’ve returned to say Thank You.

And to do that we’ve brought a preacher, a few Grace folks to share in worship, and we’re also providing coffee hour. And for that we’ve brought five loaves and two fish (just to see what you guys really have going on here.)

Now I’m personally excited to be here not only because of the shared history and the good colleagues and good friends that you are, but also because in the Episcopal Church, (unless it’s Michael Curry preaching,) we only give about 12-15 minutes for the sermon. And to be in a Reformed church where rumor has it the average is about 45, is an absolute thrill for me! Episcopalians would NEVER let me talk this long and so I’m truly grateful for this opportunity.

No worries, Jill has reigned me in earlier this week when I let it slip that I thought that was the timeframe. But given these time constraints, just so you know, I’m not going to touch David and Bathsheba about whom we heard in the first passage. I’ll leave that up to my fine colleagues as the David story continues to unfold through the lectionary texts this summer.

Now there are also many among us who have worked on the histories of our congregations, Judy Parr, Paul Trap and Charles Huttar to name a few, and so I’ll also leave the history detail to them. This morning, I simply want to touch on the gospel which provides a beautiful approach to gratitude and offers a glimpse into what can happen when good things are allowed to multiply.

Again there were crowds following Jesus, we just heard from the gospel passage. We’ve been hearing from the gospel of Mark over the last many weeks that Jesus had been traveling with his disciples back and forth and all around the Sea of Galilee and there were always crowds. The disciples had “crossed over” many times, traveled among villages, cities and farms, teaching, feeding, and healing. And in this dip into the gospel of John we hear those themes continued in a truly Johanine, but consistent way.

“A large crowd kept following him,” John said, “because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick.” And so these people had come with hope. It was hope that got them to the hillside that day or they wouldn’t have been there at all. Hope for healing. Hope for blessing. Hope for something new.

Now the feast of the Passover was near. John unlike the other gospel authors makes a point to tell us that. This is the Jewish festival which commemorates liberation and freedom and also the festival at which people offered the first fruits of grain.

And so when Jesus saw the crowd, you can bet that liberation and freedom were in his heart and on his mind and that his first thought was bread. And so, Jesus ran by Philip the challenge to feed the people. And Philip responded rather matter of factly that there was nowhere to buy bread, nor among them did they possibly have enough money to buy the quantity it would take to feed 5000 people. (As if Jesus didn’t know that already.)

But, and this is a big BUT – there was a kid with five barley loaves and two fish. “And what are they among so many people?” Andrew asked. What are those among so many people? A question we ask all too often. Because what the 5 loaves and 2 fish were was enough, enough to allow a miracle, or depending on how your ready it many miracles to happen.

Jesus received the bread and fish from the child. Then he had the people sit down, he gave thanks, and then they distributed the food to everyone who was there. And everyone ate “as much as they wanted,” the gospel says. And not only that, but there were twelve baskets left over. Enough for the tribes. Enough for those who hadn’t been able to make it to the hillside.

And then, the gospel continues there was a storm. We’ll get to that in a minute.

First, I think the very brave person in this story (besides Jesus, he usually wins on that count,) the very brave person in this story was the kid, right? He was the first person to take a miracle-unfolding cue from Christ. While the disciples were still worried about the mileage to the nearest store and the cost of the bread, the child let go of his own bread and his own fish. And that letting go was a big deal because at that point there were no guarantees about outcome. The child just offered what he had. And so perhaps even more than courage, this kid simply had hope, hope that something bigger than five loaves and two fish could happen. He had enough hope to let go and to trust.

Then there were those first people who sat down, those first people who rather than racing down the hill to be the first ones on the boat or the first people back to their village took the risk of settling in in grass on the hillside. And then they passed the baskets – sharing the food that had been made for them. Nobody hoarding. Nobody worried about with whom they were eating – which was a big deal in itself. And so perhaps these people believed that there could be grace, hospitality and food enough for all.

And in the end, the gospel tells us about 5000 people had eaten all that they wanted and there were 12 baskets left. There was enough for everyone to take home to their people, their people who were scattered as tribes, divided by historical circumstance and some long running family feuds, but a people now united by this shared and I’d go so far as to say “holy” meal.

A holy meal that started with a child’s five loaves and two fish. And with thanks offered, and with some hope and a little grace tossed in, there was food for all. There was a miracle!

Which is apparently how this works. For us too. Thank you, Hope Church for allowing a few Episcopalians to come forward in this community with what was in the eyes of many a rather measly offering. And thank you for receiving what was not only measly but threatening to some. Sacramental, liturgical worship with a Book of Common Prayer that had only recently let go of prayers to the Queen wasn’t exactly a welcome guest in most circles in these parts in 1866. And these Episcopalians not only wanted to speak English, but most of them did not know Dutch. Nevertheless, you allowed us to sit down here. You allowed us to sit in circles and share bread here.

And in Christ, with Christ, that was transformed from “measly” and “threatening,” into “enough.” Enough to gather around. Enough to pray with. Enough to feed people through. The presence of Hope with a touch of Grace allowed gifts to be multiplied in ways that are still feeding many. In ways that have fed way over 5000 in fact. And so I think we experienced something like a miracle.

Often in this world, people are too afraid to allow others space to become. Too often, we’re too afraid to allow gifts to multiply. We depend on scarcity for power rather than trusting goodness in abundance. And we see that dynamic play out all the time. What happens if we hold human rights in a place of gratitude and offer them, multiply and share them rather than allowing them to be held tightly by a fearful few? What happens if we hold healthcare with a spirit of gratitude and allow it to be multiplied and shared? What about shelter, affordable shelter. How about citizenship? How about forgiveness, creativity, mercy, good news? That’s the rhythm of this story: there is an offering. There is thanksgiving. There is hope and there is grace. Gifts are multiplied and a miracle comes to be. And sure, there’s often a storm that follows, but according to this gospel, we, with Christ can handle that too.

There is so much more to be given, so much more to be shared, and it’s all just a miracle away. Which means that it’s only one offering away. It’s only five loaves and two fish away. Which isn’t that far at all. With a little hope and a touch of grace, anything is possible.

In the words of the Epistle this morning: May Christ dwell in our hearts as we are being rooted and grounded in love. May we have the power to comprehend, the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge (and calculations of mileage and cost,) so that we may be filled (not only with bread) but with all the fullness of God. And to him who by the power at work within us, (through our at times measly but hope and grace-filled offerings) is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever.

Thank you, Hope Church. Amen.

 

The Power of the Fringe
July 28, 2018 by Jennifer Adams 0

The Rev. Jennifer Adams – Sermon preached at Grace, Holland on July 22, 2018 – Proper 11, Year B: Mark 6:30-34, 53-56

The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. He said to them, “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they hurried there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things…

When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored the boat. When they got out of the boat, people at once recognized him, and rushed about that whole region and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he went, into villages or cities or farms, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed. (Mark 6:30-34, 53-56)

What if that were true? The healing part. What if everyone who touched even the fringe of the cloak of the Body of Christ experienced healing?

It’s a high bar, isn’t it? People were rushing around the whole region and they brought the sick on mats to wherever Jesus was. And there were crowds. “In villages and cities and farms,” the gospel says. “They laid the sick in the marketplaces and “all who touched even the fringe of his cloak were healed.” Everyone. “Even the fringe.” “All were healed,” the gospel says.

What if it’s true?

And what if we very 21st century, intelligent, reasonable, grounded, modernly-faithful people expected it to happen? Now. And what if we presented in such a way as to confidently communicate this expectation? What if we, as Body of Christ, made the very bold statement that everyone who touched even the fringes of this place would be healed?

It would mean that we believed in that kind of power. It would mean that we allowed ourselves to believe that healing happens. It would probably also mean that we’d experienced healing in some ways ourselves. And it would mean that we as Body would honor and respect even the power of the fringe.

All of which is a lot to ask, frankly. Because (realistically speaking) we already do just fine in this place. Our list of accomplishments in any given year is really quite incredible. We have committed clergy and lay people, a community that is changing and working to be attentive to our growing edges and our weaknesses too. We offer good care here at Grace. We strive to welcome all. We pray together well, and we manage projects relatively well too. We even give beyond ourselves!

But maybe as Body of Christ, we’re capable of more than we think we are. According to this gospel, we’re called to believe that everyone who touches even the fringes is not only welcomed but healed. And those are two very related but different things. This gospel says to expect that everyone who touches the fringes experiences not only welcome, but also a new form of wholeness.

I was thinking this week that that would make for quite an Annual Report wouldn’t it, as we looked back over the year and shared our experiences of it? Perhaps a new slot could be added to the Parochial Report that we send into the Diocese annually: Parking lot completed. One hundred twenty home Eucharists shared. Twenty-five new members incorporated. Youth mission trip a success! Roof raised. And EVERYONE who touched even the fringes of this place was healed!

According to this gospel that should be our vision, our goal. According to this gospel, we can carry people into this place on mats, or be carried in ourselves when we need it and healing will happen, if we let it. I think we focus in on so many other dimensions of church life that we sometimes forget the power that is already here. And I can own that, I can focus in on so many other dimensions of church life that I sometimes forget the power that is already here. Which is the power to heal.

In all of our faithful busyness which is not bad in itself, but it can get in the way. Because we can forget to tend to and foster the power that exists among us simply by virtue of our being the Body of Christ. Even if we are “the fringe” of that Body which sometimes we are, God’s power is here. And people who might not be able to reach or grab ahold of anywhere else, will reach out to us and healing will come to them! And probably to us too.

The Body of Christ is capable of more than we think we are.

And to keep that from feeling overwhelming, or perhaps a bit intimidating for we modest Episcopalians, it might help us to remember where and how these miracles begin in the gospel, because it’s a starting point that can be ours too. These miracles begin with compassion. I’ll point to that in the text in a minute but the good news is that compassion abounds in this place! Honestly, I think it’s one of our strongest ties to each other and this world. Grace doesn’t tend to be a people who agree one hundred percent on anything, really. But I do think that we are a people of compassion, one hundred percent. And so maybe that high bar for healing is one that is within even our fringy reach.

Note that the gospel didn’t say that “only those without doubts” were healed or could heal. Or that Jesus met with each person to discern whether or not they had faith enough to experience transformation or to offer it. It didn’t say that only those who were devoted members of the community of faith were healed or could share in the healing. In fact, Jesus and the disciples were constantly “crossing over” in this gospel, moving among Jews and Gentiles alike to the point that it didn’t even matter who the crowd was, or how it was made up. In the Letter to the Ephesians, Paul event went so far as to talk about one humanity, where the divisions that existed among the various “thems” were abolished. None of that mattered anymore.

What mattered was that people were hungry. And what mattered was that people were hurting. Jesus looked out over the crowds and at various points in this gospel “he had compassion for them.” Compassion was his very first reaction. It was his guiding instinct, leading principle, perhaps one of his greatest powers. And you can bet the crowds felt that.

Before anything else happened in these stories, Jesus communicated compassion for them. Whoever the “them” happened to be, Jesus showed concern for their suffering, he communicated empathy, and then God did something. Miracles happened. Teachings transformed people, bread multiplied, mass feedings filled deep and hungry places, storms were calmed, and bodies, minds and souls were healed.

In Greek, the word for compassion is splagnizomai and it means something felt deep in your gut. It’s work to say it, and often it’s work to allow that dimension of ourselves to surface, and let alone lead us. You know how sometimes compassion can actually feel like your stomach is turning? I think that’s what this is about. “Splagnizomai,” is a deep movement inside that turns us, opens us to the suffering of another. It is perhaps itself a miracle, a bit of grace, maybe part of what it means to be created in the image of God. Jesus had it. And we do too. It’s not as gentle sounding as compassion but it is what opens our hearts, and our doors, and our very selves to the power of God. It is perhaps God’ power working in us.

So let your splagnizomai flow, Grace Church! It’s where miracles begin. Share your stories of healing – how it’s come, where you need it in your life, how healing has surprised you. And listen as the stories come our way. God will do something with our compassion if we simply take the risk of letting it flow. Healing will come in ways that pass our expectations and our understandings too. According to this gospel passage, we can trust that healing will come.

The Body of Christ is capable of more than we often allow it to be. Among us lives the power to transform. The power to feed. The power to calm. The power to heal. And everyone who touches even the fringes of this place, will be healed. May we help it be so.

Amen.

 

 

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