Chuck SpanglerGrace Memorial Parishioner and former Youth Christian Formation Teacher “This Is Now” Album: Thrive Artist: Casting Crowns Casting Crowns was established in 1999 under the direction of Mark Hall (lead singer and primary songwriter). 13 million of their 9 albums have been sold…6 of have gone platinum. They have received 15 Dove Awards, 1 Grammy, 2 American Music Academy (AMA) and 2 Billboard Music awards for “Favorite Contemporary Inspirational Artist”. Casting Crowns’ music was a frequent subject of Grace Memorial’s Christian Formation group…as a result we travelled to 2 Casting Crowns concerts (Lafayette-Apr., 2017 and at the Smoothie King Center in Nov., 2019). As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea—for they were fishers. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of people.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him. Immediately he made the disciples get into a boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. And early in the morning he came walking toward them on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.” Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus. But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. "This is Now" Lyrics: Standing at the water’s edge…I dropped my dreams when I dropped my nets. No hesitation, no regrets, I followed You, but that was then…this is now You washed my feet and You changed my name, I swore I’d never be the same Just like the tides I guess people change, cause that was then and this is now. I wish I could go back but I don’t know how, I remember when I stood my ground, I swore I’d never let You down, I want to be that man again, but that was then…and this is now. I watched the blind man lift his head…and look his savior in the eyes. I heard a dead man take a breath…dropped to my knees as I watched him rise. I felt the sea beneath my feet as I stepped out on the angry waves, But You saw the storm raging within, You reached out and caught me then…but this now. I wish I could go back but I don’t know how I remember when I stood my ground, I swore I’d never let you down…I want to be that man again, But that was then…and this is now. Just when I thought my sin had closed the door, I see my savior standing on the shore, With arms wide open, just like the first time You called my name, You said “that was then…and this is now. “My child I bore your cross I wore your crown. “When you couldn’t come to Me, My love came down. So take My hand I’ll lead you out, “cause that was then…and this is now. “My child I bore your cross, I wore your crown…you couldn’t come to Me, “so My love came down. “Take My hand I’ll lead you out, Cause that was then…and this is now.” Scripture readings are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV), Copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission. All rights reserved.
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Chuck SpanglerGrace Memorial Parishioner and former Youth Christian Formation Teacher “The Altar and the Door” Artist: Casting Crowns Album: The Altar and the Door As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet such a person has no root but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away. Casting Crowns was established in 1999 under the direction of Mark Hall (lead singer and primary songwriter). 13 million of their 9 albums have been sold…6 of have gone platinum. They have received 15 Dove Awards, 1 Grammy, 2 American Music Academy (AMA) and 2 Billboard Music awards for “Favorite Contemporary Inspirational Artist”. Casting Crowns’ music was a frequent subject of Grace Memorial’s Christian Formation group, as a result we travelled to 2 Casting Crowns concerts (Lafayette-April 20, 2017 and at the Smoothie King Center in November, 2019). The “YouTube intro” below gives insight to the message of “The Altar and the Door”. "The Altar and the Door" Lyrics: Careless…I am reckless. I’m a wrong way traveling slowly unraveling shell of a man. Burned out… I’m so numb now. Let the fires just an ember way down in the corner of my old cold heart. Lord this time I make it right here at the altar I lay my life. Your kingdom come, but my will was done, my heart is broken. As I cry like so many time before…but my eyes are dry before I leave the floor. Oh Lord I tried but this time Jesus how can I be sure I would not loose my follow through Between the altar and the door. Here at the altar oh my world so black and white… how could I ever falter what You’ve shown me to be right. Lord this time I’ll make it right, here at the altar I’ll lay it my life. Your kingdom come, but my will was done, my heart is broken. As I cry like so many time before…but my eyes are dry before I leave the floor. Oh Lord I tried but this time Jesus how can I be sure I would not loose my follow through Between the altar and the door. I’m trying so hard to stop trying so hard. Just let You be who You are…Lord who You are in me. Jesus I’m trying so hard to stop trying so hard. Just let You be who You are…Lord who You are in me. Oh Lord I cried like so many times before…but my eyes are dry before I leave the floor. Oh Lord I tried but this time Jesus how can I be sure I would not loose my follow through Between the altar and the door. Like so many times before… but my eyes are dry before I leave the floor. Oh Lord I tried but this time Jesus how can I be sure I would not loose my follow through Between the altar and the door. …Like so many times before… Scripture readings are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV), Copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission. All rights reserved.
Chuck SpanglerGrace Memorial Parishioner and Former Youth Christian Formation Teacher Over my several decades of leading youth Christian Formation, I resorted to any number of “enticements”, “behavioral modification”, and outright bribery to reach our kids (boys and girls, ages 12-17). And I must admit, it’s no small feat to attract 14 year olds with wildly fluctuating hormones.
What seemed to do the trick was the introduction of contemporary Christian music (aka “Praise Music”). I must confess that a caramel latte and a blueberry muffin from PJ’s didn’t diminish the youth’s interest! The evolution of the “Christian “Praise” Music Reflection” began by my listening to hours of YouTube videos by scores of artists and settled on a dozen or so of my favorites. Once I settled on a cut that I felt would be enjoyed, I went through my Scofield Bible looking for scripture that was reasonably related to the song lyrics, putting them all together on a single sheet. Guess what? Our fabulous sons and daughters responded. I then began each Sunday tying each individual cut to closely related scripture and made the scripture the focus of each session, supplemented by the song. The typical presentation begins with a specific scripture reading. We challenge each other to read directly from the Bible…if one is not handy, the text is included with the handout. We then discuss the Christian music group that is upcoming. We discussed their origin, history, and resume (one might be surprised at the accolades earned by some of those groups by the professional music industry). We then share the YouTube video on my iPad while keeping up with the music by referencing the typed lyrics. After the music video concludes, we revisit the selected scripture and try to draw analogies between the video and the Scripture reading. While I’m uncertain if our youth gained much from this type of lesson, I am 100% certain it helped me grow and discern scripture more deeply. Hope you enjoy the upcoming offerings which are presented here as they were shared with Grace Memorial youth over the past 8-10 years.  Joining with our siblings at First Christian Church and First Presbyterian, we prayed for our planet and gave thanks for God’s creation on Tuesday, April 23. The annual meeting of Grace Memorial Episcopal Church will be held on Sunday, February 25, 2024, in the parish hall at Grace Memorial Episcopal Church, 100 West Church Street, Hammond, immediately following the 10:00 o’clock AM Holy Eucharist.
At the annual meeting, the election of Vestry members shall take place. Click here to see the nominees. The membership will also be called upon to vote on amended and restated Articles of Incorporation of Grace Memorial Episcopal Church, which are recommended by the Vestry. The substance of the changes from the existing articles are as follows: (a) To split the former Articles of Incorporation into separate sets of Articles and By-Laws, by removing from the Articles several provisions that ordinarily are included in by-laws. (b) To provide that the annual meeting of the membership will be held on the Second Sunday after the Epiphany each year, unless the Vestry determines otherwise. (c) To provide for limitation of liability of Vestry members and officers to the fullest extent allowed by Louisiana law. (d) To bring the articles in conformity with the Model Articles of Incorporation that were drafted by the Chancellor of the Diocese, and which are available on the web site of the Diocese. (e) To renumber, restate, clarify, and otherwise revise the Articles of Incorporation as is set forth in the proposed Amended and Restated Articles. Copies of the proposed Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation are linked below. If you would like to see the existing set of Articles of Incorporation, which were last revised in 1988, please contact Mtr. Liz here and a copy will be sent to you. If the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation are approved by the membership on February 25, at its next meeting the Vestry will vote on a set of proposed By-Laws. Although the membership will not be voting on the proposed By-Laws, copies of the proposed By-Laws are also linked below. The Rev. Liz Embler-Beazley Mtr. Liz is the Priest-in-Charge at Grace Memorial Episcopal Church in Hammond,LA During college, I studied abroad for a semester at Rhodes University in Grahamstown, South Africa. This was not my first international trip, but it was the first time I was away from home for so long. It was in South Africa that I heard one of my first and clearest calls to ordained ministry and it was there that I experienced the church from a non-Western perspective for the first time. I had a friend in college who had studied abroad at this same university the year before me and she helped to connect me with a Baptist missionary couple, the Morrises, who became an important lifeline for me. Mr. Morris would pick me up and bring me to their home for dinner a few times per month and I used their webcam to Skype and actually see my parents. Mrs. Morris taught me a lot about the local culture and customs. They provided a much needed connection to home when I was some 13,000 miles away.
As part of their work, Mr. and Mrs. Morris would travel to different churches in and around Grahamstown to speak and support the local communities. Occasionally, they would invite me to go with them. I remember on one such trip we visited a rural town that had a simple cinderblock church. Mr. and Mrs. Morris spoke to the congregation in the local Xhosa language, one of the eleven national languages of South Africa. And I have a clear memory of attempting to introduce myself to the congregation in Xhosa, which was ambitious on my part as I was only a few weeks into a Xhosa language course at the University. The congregation was very kind and patient with me. I remember how the congregation sang with such beauty and passion. And I remember that when it came time for the offering, the people of this church did not simply put their gifts in a passed offering plate, they danced their gifts down the aisle. DANCED! They had such joy on their faces as they brought forth for God from what God had given to them. I will never forget how it felt to watch these faithful Christians praise God in this way. And I have never again seen this happen in another faith community. Whenever I remember this church, I think of 2 Corinthians 9:7 "Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." On Sunday, January 28, we too will have an opportunity to give of the gifts God has given us. And while I do not expect any of us to dance down the aisle at Grace Memorial, we will have the chance to bring our gifts to the altar, to give our pledges directly to God. Bringing our pledge cards to the altar may feel a bit strange, especially as it is not something that has been done in our church before. And I pray that we all might prayerfully consider that bringing our pledge cards to the altar is like how we bring ourselves to the altar for communion seeking union with our loving, creating, and life-sustaining God. When we understand stewardship as a spiritual discipline, as a means of deepening our relationship with God, we understand that our pledges, our gifts, are like the prayers we offer at the altar. These gifts help to grow the mission and ministry of our church and the Kingdom of God. I pray that our hearts are filled with cheer and joy as we gather on Sunday, January 28 and offer our own gifts to God. This year Grace Memorial is partnering with St. Michael's Episcopal Church in Mandeville to host a Blue Christmas Service. Blue Christmas is a service for Anyone who is, or ever has been, brokenhearted during the "most wonderful time of the year." It is a place and a space to pause, to lean into our sorrow, and to be reminded that the light of Christ shines even in the darkest parts of our lives. In a busy season, we hope you can join us as we hold space for quiet, grief, and to meet God.  |
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