Dear People of Ascension,

I am delighted to confirm that this Sunday we will return to in person worship at all three services- 9am, 11am and 6 pm. The 11 am service will continue to be offered in a hybrid format via livestream. We hope you will join us as you are able! I especially look forward to seeing, praying and singing with many of you in our beloved church building.

It will be chilly this weekend, but weather permitting we will gather outdoors in our heated tent for coffee hour in the garden after the 11 am service. During our omicron pause, I realized anew how much I enjoy checking in regularly with online worshippers too. One of the clergy will join the online coffee hour on Zoom each week. 

I am grateful to our Reopening Committee for their wisdom and support in making the difficult decision to return to worship online from Christmas through January. As the numbers of new Covid cases in New York drop, I believe that we did the right thing, and contributed to limiting the spread of the virus. We will continue to wear masks, practice distancing and urge that you get vaccinated and boosted if you have not already. We will press forward to find more ways of opening to our community, being together and being Church.

This is an exciting time, and also an uncertain one. As we explore how God is calling us now, let us be gentle with ourselves and with each other. Let us be patient with our mistakes, our not knowing, our learning curves. Let us always remember to give thanks for the gift of community and of one another.

See you in church, Beloved!

Liz
How to Watch Our Live Stream Services
As the Covid situation changes, so does our ability to meet the needs of the parish. Thank you all for your prayers, patience, and flexibility! We are happy to provide two ways you can watch our services online and participate in the worship:

  1. Via Zoom - You can meet your co-worshippers online, watch the service, and stay for our online coffee hour, or
  2. Via our Webcasts page - You can watch our services on your own at a time convenient to you. After the service, you can click the link to join our online coffee hour.
Via Zoom
Via our Webcast Link
From your computer, laptop, pad, smart phone, or other device, click this link:

Our Zoom host will great you and broadcast the service.

Please stay online after the service and join our online coffee hour.
From your computer, laptop, pad, smart phone, or other device, click this link:


After the service (approximately 12:30), join our online Coffee Hour at:
How to Add Prayer Requests Online for Sunday Service - Go to Ascensionnyc.org/Prayers and type in your prayer request. Be sure to add them before the end of the sermon.
Please join us for Coffee Hour after the service!

If you're present in-person, please join us for coffee hour in our heated tent in the front garden (weather permitting.)
If you watched us via Zoom, then just remain online (or grab a cup of coffee first!) If you watched via the webcast, grab that coffee and click the Ascensionnyc.org/Sunday link.
A Prayer for Spiritual Communion

If you are attending any of our services online, we invite you to use this prayer at communion.

In union, O Lord, with your faithful people at every altar of your Church, where the Holy Eucharist is now being celebrated, I desire to offer to you praise and thanksgiving. I remember your death, Lord Christ; I proclaim your resurrection; I await your coming in glory. Since I cannot receive you today in the Sacrament of your Body and Blood, I beseech you to come spiritually into my heart. Cleanse and strengthen me with your grace, Lord Jesus, and let me never be separated from you. May I live in you, and you in me, in this life and in the life to come. Amen.
Quiet on the Set!

Our cameras and sound go live anywhere between 20 and 30 minutes before the service. Please be aware that sounds and conversations are picked up and broadcast during the pre-service time.
Welcome Back to Our Regular Worship Schedule

Sunday
9:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist (Side Altar)
11:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist w/ Music (Church & Livestream)

6:00 p.m. Meditation & Sacrament (Church)

Wednesday
6:00 p.m. Holy Eucharist (Church)
Safety Protocols for indoors services:
Masks must be worn at all times while indoors
A 6' distance must be maintained at all times while indoors
Vaccination is strongly encouraged.
Everyone serving at the altar, choir members, and all volunteers are required to be vaccinated.
Evening Prayer Every Weekday Evening via Zoom

Join us each weeknight at 5:30 for Evening Prayer & discussion.
Click this link to join: ascensionnyc.org/eveningprayer.
To call in (voice, no camera), dial 929-205-6099; the meeting ID is 770 597 201.
Open Church Schedule
Open Church - Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, Noon to 3pm. If you would like to volunteer for this ministry, please contact Sirkka Kyle or contact the church office (info@ascensionnyc.org or 212-254-8620
A word about paper. Apparently copy paper - especially the beige color we use for bulletins - is the latest victim of the supply-chain crunch. Our normal brand is just not available and what is available is over 3-times the cost. So for the duration, we are switching to plain white 20lbs paper for our printing needs.
Welcome to our newest Vestry Members:

David Cholcher - Warden
Elizabeth Adams
John Grimes
Steve Hubbard
Madonna Stack-Barker
Click here to access the Annual Report which contains the meeting agenda, last year's minutes and parish reports.
Announcements
It's Phishing Season Again!

Please know, the parish leadership will never ask you to send money or purchase gift cards to help out in a need.

Recently some parishioners received a fake text (or email) that appeared to be from a member of the clergy or parish lay leaders. If you received such a message, do not reply, just delete it or move it to your spam folder. What is Phishing? Unscrupulous people send out an email or text pretending to be someone you know and trust. Usually they ask for money or to buy gift cards for some urgent need they are experiencing.

How to recognize Phishing –The first thing you’ll notice is that it doesn’t “sound” like the person you know. Their phrasing and choice of words are just a little “off”. Second, if you look closely at the sender’s actual email address or phone number it will be something strange and will not be any contact information you know for this person. What to do? The most important thing is do not reply. The best thing to do is to delete it or move it to your junk/spam folder. If you receive a Phishing text or email feel free to let the parish administrator know (212-254-8620 or apjones@ascensionnyc.org). Check out bit.ly/2TJwAYx for more tips.
Coat Drive for Afghan Refugees - Thanks to all who contributed and helped with the coat drive for Afghan refugees at Ft. Dix! We heard from the Rev. Chloe Breyer that all donations have been delivered, and as you can see from the photo, it was a great undertaking involving the Federation of Business and Professional Women, the Muslim Officers' Association of the NYPD, the Interfaith Center of New York, and many congregations and people of good will. On behalf of our new neighbors from Afghanistan, thank you!
Haiti Project: Suffering Produces Perseverance. Following the recent 5.3 magnitude earthquakes in Haiti, We have an update from Fr. Sam on how things are faring at the school in Martel. Click here to read his newsletter.
Episcopal New Yorker: Against All Odds: Hope In Dark Times, By Stanley Weinberg, LCSW, BCD, You can read Stanley's article here. Click here to go to the article in "The Episcopal New Yorker."
The Roman Catholic/Episcopal dialogue subgroup of the Diocesan Ecumenical and Interfaith Commission continues the series of discussions on Zoom about “God’s Gift of the Eucharist”. The next two sessions are on February 8, starting at 7:00 p.m. Our own Elizabeth Adams will be hosting along with Fr. Bob Flanagan, a priest in our diocese, and Fr. Brian McWeeney of the Catholic archdiocese of New York. Please do join in this fascinating and lively discussion of the sacrament that is central to our identity as Christians. The event is free but space is limited. For information, please contact Fr. Brian at brian.mcweeney@archny.org, or Fr. Robert at (growingasoul@gmail.com)
Monday Evening Lectionary Bible Study -- Join us Monday evenings at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom. This is an opportunity to read and discuss the readings for the upcoming Sunday. If you are interested in joining, please contact Sibyl Piccone.
[New Date] Needlecraft Guild—Due to Ash Wednesday the Needlecraft Guild’s March meeting will be moved to Wednesday, March 9, 6:30 p.m.
Racial Justice Group, Thursday, February 17 at 6:30pm - We are continue reading Resurrection Hope: A Future Where Black Lives Matter by the Rev. Dr. Kelly Brown Douglas. Dr. Douglas is President of Episcopal Divinity School at Union Theological Seminary, Canon Theologian at the Washington National Cathedral, and a leading authority on womanist theology and racial justice. The author of many books, she wrote this deeply personal one in the aftermath of George Floyd's murder, responding to conversations with her son about how to persevere in hope for a just future.

For this session, read chapters 2-3, pp.56-136. Please join us!

Join the Zoom Meeting

Meeting ID: 822 0773 6415
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Meeting ID: 822 0773 6415
A Celebration of Blessed Absalom Jones; Saturday, February 12 - The celebration of the Holy Eucharist begins at 10:30 a.m. will be held at St. Philip’s Church, Harlem, 204 West 134th Street, Manhattan. The service will held in-person at the church and simultaneously accessed via Zoom. In-person attendance will be limited to 185 people who will be required to provide proof of vaccination and be masked.
The Rt. Rev. Andrew ML Dietsche
Bishop of New York
Presider
The Most Rev. Michael B. Curry
Presiding Bishop and Primate of the Episcopal Church
Preacher
Click here for more information
A Memorial Service for Archbishop Desmond Tutu; Sunday, February 13, 4:00-6:00 p.m. at The Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine. Online and In-Person (In-person seating extremely limited). In honor of his legacy and memory, the Cathedral of St. John the Divine will host a memorial service for the global community in honor of the Most Rev. Desmond Tutu (1931-2021). Click here for more information.

The Most Rev. Michael B. Curry
Presiding Bishop and Primate of the Episcopal Church
Preacher
The Rt. Rev. Andrew ML Dietsche
Bishop of New York
Presider
The Rt. Rev. Clifton Daniel III
Dean of the Cathedral
Welcome and Introductions of Speakers
Reparations Committee Fellowship - The Reparations Committee of the Diocese of New York invites applications for a yearlong paid fellowship to assist in their work to establish a fund for reparations. Please click here to view/download details, including application information. 
Support the Parish! Please check us out at ascensionnyc.org/give to find out how easy and secure it is. Click the envelope on the right to go the Ascension Website for more information and to give, whether a one-time donation, pledge payment, or make a new pledge.

Our parish can only continue its mission and ministry because of the generosity of parishioners, visitors, and friends of the parish and we are working hard to make our online giving as easy and seamless as possible.

(If you experience any issues with Abundant Giving, please email us at websexton@ascensionnyc.org)

A Note about Using Abundant Giving: When you donate and pledge through the Abundant Giving app or go through the website, you need to direct your donation to the correct category. There are multiple categories to choose from:
  • Offering Plate
  • Stewardship Pledge 2021
  • Rector's Fund
  • Memorial Gift
These categories change as we update categories during the year. (An example would be when we delete the Easter flowers category after Easter and add Christmas flowers for the weeks leading up to Christmas.)

To donate through your app or the website, click the link above. The next screen will prompt you: "How Much Do You Want To Give?" Next to that, is a drop-down list of categories. Offering plate is always listed first. Click on the little arrow and the list will appear. Click on which ever category you want your donation to be credited. It is important to identify which category you are donating to so that your year end statement will be correct.
This Week at Ascension
Sunday – February 6– Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany 
Holy Eucharist (Side Altar) 9:00 a.m. 
Holy Eucharist w/ Music; 11:00 a.m. (Church & Online) 
Join us for Coffee Hour following the Service 
In person and online (Ascensionnyc.org/Sunday) 
Meditation & Sacrament (Church) 6:00 p.m.

Monday – February 7
Church open for prayer & meditation; Noon to 3:00 p.m. 
Evening Prayer (Zoom) 5:30 p.m. 
Lectionary Bible Study (Zoom) 6:30 p.m. If interested, please contact Sibyl Piccone 

Tuesday – February 8 
Evening Prayer (Zoom) 5:30 p.m. 
EfM (Zoom) 6:00 p.m. 

Wednesday – February 9
Church open for prayer & meditation; Noon to 3:00 p.m. 
Finance Committee (Zoom) 4:00 p.m.
Evening Prayer (Zoom) 5:30 p.m. 
Midweek Eucharist (Church) 6:00 p.m. 

Thursday – February 10
Evening Prayer (Zoom) 5:30 p.m. 

Friday – February 11
Church open for prayer & meditation; Noon to 3:00 p.m. 
Evening Prayer (Zoom) 5:30 p.m. 

Saturday – February 12
A Celebration of Blessed Absalom Jones (St. Philip's Church, Harlem, 204 West 134th St,) 10:30 a.m.
The Food Pantry meets the 1st & 3rd Saturdays of the month. If you are in need of assistance or would like to volunteer, please contact Fr. Ed (fatherchinery@ascensionnyc.org) 

Sunday – February 13– Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany 
Holy Eucharist (Side Altar) 9:00 a.m. 
Holy Eucharist w/ Music; 11:00 a.m. (Church & Online) 
Join us for Coffee Hour following the Service 
In person and online (Ascensionnyc.org/Sunday) 
Meditation & Sacrament (Church) 6:00 p.m.
Anyone entering the church must wear a mask and maintain appropriate physical distance. Please utilize the hand sanitizer stations.

If you need information to connect to one of our Zoom events please call the church office at 212-254-8620 or email us at info@ascensionnyc.org
Contact us
The Church of the Ascension -- Fifth Avenue and Tenth Street
212-254-8620 | info@ascensionnyc.org | www.ascensionnyc.org