This Week at Ascension + September 7, 2022

"Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness." - Psalm 96

Wednesday, September 7

Commemoration of Kassiani,

Poet and Hymnographer, 865

Evening Prayer at 6:00 p.m. via ZOOM

In-person and Live-streamed Said Mass at 6:30 p.m.

Unction will be offered for those who desire it.

VIA YOUTUBE or FACEBOOK LIVE



Sunday, September 11, 2022

The Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Proper 19C

8:30 a.m. Morning Prayer via ZOOM

9:00 a.m. In-person Sung Mass

with Organ and Hymns

11:00 a.m. In-person & Live-streamed

Solemn High Mass

Click to join us VIA YOUTUBE or VIA FACEBOOK LIVE

The 11 a.m. Order of Worship may be found here

Image: Parable of the Lost Coin, Domenico Fetti, 1589-1623,

Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, Dresden, Germany

From the Curate

I am always amazed (and, frankly, a bit intimidated!) whenever I am reminded of just how educated our members are at Church of the Ascension. I am not even talking about the percentage who hold degrees in higher education, though that, too, amazes (and intimidates) me. Every time I find myself in conversation with one of you, I learn something new, not just about each of you, but about the history, art, music, psychology, you name it.

Officially, stewardship or “pledge season,” as you NPR listeners better know it as, has not begun. But is that true? The Christian life is one of constant self-offering, though I hesitate to call it a perpetual “pledge season” as that sounds awful. Christian giving should always be joyful. (If it’s not, I’d begin to question what is standing in the way of that joy. Perhaps it’s not yourself you’re offering but a sense of obligation.) We are always being called to good stewardship, whether of our own lives or our church, our world. Ideally, when we are good stewards of the gifts of our own lives, we are also enabled to care well for our community. It's a particularly Ignatian idea, summarized well in Frederick Buechner’s description of vocation: “The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.”

I’m currently getting planning education and spiritual formation opportunities for 2023 and am eager to receive input and support. And so, I ask, what is your deep gladness? What talents has God given you to steward? How might you share your gladness, your talents with our community? Perhaps there is an author or a poet who has offered you a glimpse into the divine. Would you be willing to lead a conversation on that person’s works? Or maybe you know a thing or two about church architecture. Could you talk to us about the myriad pathways it can offer to contemplate our relationship to God?

If you have the tiniest inkling of an idea, let’s talk and dream up how you might offer your talents to this community in the coming program year.

—Mtr. Murphy-Gill

Bible Study, This Friday at 10 am

We begin our study of the Book of Revelation this Friday at 10 am via Zoom with the group from St. Chrysostom’s.



Life of the Beloved Half Day Retreat, Saturday, Sept 24

Mtr. Murphy-Gill will lead a retreat inspired by Fr. Henri Nouwen’s book, Life of the Beloved: Spiritual Living in a Secular World, Saturday, Sept 24, from 8:30 am – 12:30 pm. Come be reminded that you are God’s beloved child in whom he is well pleased and reflect on how to better rest in that knowledge every day. A light breakfast and snacks will be provided. We will begin our retreat with a short Examen in the Ignatian tradition and end with noonday prayer.

Delegates to Diocesan Convention

The Vestry will elect delegates to our diocesan convention at it’s September meeting. If you are interested in being considered to serve the parish in this important ministry, please contact one of the Vestry or one of the clergy and make your interest known.

Ascension Heritage Conversations

The interim and transition work in a parish begins with an exploration of the history and heritage of the institution. We are the culmination of our beginning and the development of the culture that has brought us from that first Sunday of 1857 to who and where we are today. Our beginning was rocky, and beset with difficulties as well as triumphs. Through the years, the events in the life of Ascension have formed us, and at the same time, burdened us with recollections of the difficult times.

Beginning in September, we’ll combine the 9 o’clock coffee hour with a time to talk through what’s happened in the past and think about how it shapes us today. In Saint Michael Hall, with folks from the 11 o’clock, I invite you to come, learn, and share in exploring our history. We’ll start on 4 September with an introduction and overview. We’ll take the 11th off, as I will be out-of-town, and resume on the 18th and 25th. I hope our time together will be a spark for more conversations as we think about who we, as the people of Ascension, are called to be and do for the advancement of the Kingdom of God.

—Fr. Heard

This Month in History at Ascension

September 5, 1892

Article in "The Evening Post" stated that the Ascension was one of the few parish churches in the city whose doors were open all day.

September 9, 1857

The first Vestry was elected.

September 18, 1863

The Rev. L. Russell James became the fifth Rector of the Ascension.

September 1865

Members of the vestry purchased the lots on Elm and LaSalle where the church now stands for $8,640.00.

September 26, 1875

Fr. Arthur Ritchie (pictured above right) resumed the use of Altar candles.

September 1953

Ascension Parochial School opened for children, Grades K-4.

from History of the Church of the Ascension, George Giles, Jr.

The Church of the Ascension has been invited to participate once again in Open House Chicago. This event, Saturday October 15 and Sunday October 16, is sponsored by the Chicago Architecture Center. It’s a free festival that offers access to hundreds of sites across Chicago.

In 2019, in our first experience with Open House Chicago, we had 500 visitors. We provided explanatory signs throughout the church, a timeline exhibit in St Michael Hall and pictures from our archives. We also offered cookies. There were several pipe organ demonstrations and the opportunity to listen to a choir rehearsal.

This is an invitation to parishioners who would like to participate in this year’s Open House Chicago at Ascension. Volunteers mainly direct visitors and answer questions. Please contact Cynthia Perrizo at [email protected] or Jay Jacot at [email protected] if you have questions and/or would like to volunteer.

Coffee Hour Hospitality

Many thanks to all of our coffee hour hosts for 9:00 and 11:00 on Sundays! The sign-up sheets in Wheeler Hall are filling up with names, and your participation on a regular or occasional basis is much appreciated.  

In order to streamline the preparation effort for coffee hour hosts, the church will be ordering some supplies of cold beverages and pastries to amplify our regular stock of coffee, tea, sugar, creamer, and paper products. Orange juice, lemonade, and iced tea will be stored on the right-hand side of the refrigerator, top shelf. We will also stock some half-and-half for coffee. Pastries and bakery items will be placed in the freezer and can be easily thawed for use as needed. There will typically be danish coffeecakes, donuts, cinnamon rolls, cookies, and cake. Items will be ordered from Mariano's at the beginning of each month.  

This arrangement is not meant to discourage you from bringing other treats that you want to share. Home baked goodies as well as fruit and vegetables are always welcome. The hosts at 9:00 have been making a full pot of coffee and this has lasted us through the 11:00 coffee hour as well. Should you need help to find items you need, just ask!! More information is posted in the kitchen. Happy hosting and hospitality to all throughout the fall. 

—Cheryl Peterson

Rector Search Committee News

You may have been expecting to see the parish profile by now. The search committee has been working hard to prepare the profile and thanks all the parishioners who offered their opinions in the small group meetings. The committee is working to incorporate those ideas into a document that reflects who and what Ascension is. Once they complete the profile, it will have to be approved by both the Vestry and the Diocese. We appreciate your patience and hope to have a result soon that the committee and the parish can be proud of.

Prayer Requests

Organ and Choral Repertoire for September 11, 2022

For our prayers: Irma, Burton Nelson, Winslow, Pablo Illás, Victor Fernandez, Beth Hall,

Sue Lenz, Brenda Martins, Lee Gould, Gertrude Isaac, Marty Stenson, Paula Clark, Bishop-elect

Birthdays: Edward Minieka, 9/8, Joel Forsstrom, 9/9; Duncan DuClos, 9/10;

Timothy Kowalski, 9/10

Requiescat in pace: Stephen L. Taylor, 9/4/2006; James Albert FitzSimmons, 9/10/1991

Rest eternal grant unto them, O Lord, and let light perpetual shine upon them;

May their souls and the souls of all the departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.



Vestry of Church of the Ascension

Ken Kelling, Sr. Warden; LaVerne Rollé Saunders, Jr. Warden;

Ian Barillas-McEntee, Jim Lo Bello, Ken Cozette, Marlea Edinger, Sean Hansen, George Pineda, Joshua Simpson, Sam Sommers, Clerk, Enrique Vilaseco

Susan Schlough, Treasurer

[email protected]

Br. Nathanael Deward Rahm BSG, Parish Office

[email protected]

Approved minutes of Vestry meetings are always available online to parishioners who request the link. If you would like Internet access to these Vestry Minutes, please email the Parish Office and request the link. Once you access the web page, you can read all recent Vestry meeting minutes.

The link remains live indefinitely. Any parishioner who has the link will not need to request a new link from month to month.