This Week at Ascension + November 15, 2023

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

Wednesday, November 15

Commemoration of Albert the Great

Evening Prayer on ZOOM at 6 p.m.

In-person and Live-streamed

Said Mass at 6:30 p.m.

Unction is available to those who wish it.

VIA YOUTUBE or FACEBOOK LIVE

Image: Albert the Great by Joos van Gent, Urbino, c. 1475

The Twenty-fifth Sunday after Pentecost

Sunday, November 19, 2023

7:30 a.m. Morning Prayer via Zoom

9 a.m. Sung Mass

11 a.m. Solemn Mass -

In-person & Live-streamed

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

Image: Parable of the Talents, Willem de Poorter (1608-1648),

National Gallery, Prague, Czech Republic

Click to join us VIA YOUTUBE

or VIA FACEBOOK LIVE

Thanksgiving Day

Thursday, November 23, 2023

8 a.m. Morning Prayer via Zoom

10 a.m. Sung Mass

In-person & Live-streamed

Click to join us VIA YOUTUBE

or VIA FACEBOOK LIVE

Join us for

A Service of

Advent Lessons & Carols

4 p.m. on Sunday,

December 3, 2023

Click to join us VIA YOUTUBE

or VIA FACEBOOK LIVE

From Parishioner James Baran

Reflections on Christian Stewardship

Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines stewardship as “the conducting, supervising, or managing of something, especially : the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one’s care.”

David and I give annually to a number of national charitable organizations focused on food inequality, water access, homelessness, and child abuse—big-name groups doing good things in the world. But they often also have high administrative costs that diminish the money where it’s needed most.

I wonder how many other Ascension parishioners make donations outside of their regular pledges to a variety of charities that address homelessness, the refugee crisis that is visible, palpable, right here in Chicago. And how many of us do that because Ascension hadn’t developed an expansive, formal commitment to such worthy causes?

Well, the times, they are a-changin’. The Vestry is contemplating expanding Ascension’s dedicated Outreach budget with a goal to broaden the Church’s charitable activities to make a bigger impact right here in Chicago. In support of this new charitable outreach plan, David and I are preparing to redirect our external charitable giving to Ascension, where we feel it will do the most good. This will effectively double our annual pledge.

We invite you to consider your own circumstances and find your own way to increase your pledge. Be assured that your contributions will be well managed with little or no overhead/administrative costs and will make a real difference in people’s lives—whether in St. Michael’s Hall or in other charitable partnerships with Ascension throughout Chicago. So, ask yourself what stewardship means to you. Consider the blessings you receive here in this wonderful parish, and remind yourself that we are all living members of the Body of Christ. Together, we can continue to do the work He has given us to do, right here, close to home.

As we embark on our 2024 Stewardship Campaign, please consider submitting a pledge card to support the work of our parish by or on the First Sunday of Advent, December 3, 2023. Thank you for your unwavering care and support.

—The Stewardship Committee of the Church of the Ascension

Community Thanksgiving Dinner

Sunday, November 19

Last year we reinstituted our Community Thanksgiving Dinner. Based on what we learned in 2022 and in keeping with previous practices, the Outreach Committee wants to invite the entire parish to support this central outreach offering.

The Community Thanksgiving Dinner will take place on Sunday, November 19 from 3 - 4:30 PM. Guests will enter through the garden into Wheeler Hall, where dinner will be served in take-out containers. Please note that there are three distinct ways for you to support the Community Thanksgiving Dinner:

·         Sunday, November 19 from 10 AM – 1 PM Help prepare side dishes (mashed potatoes and green beans) and pre-pack desserts

·         Sunday, November 19 from 2 – 5PM Help set up, serve, and clean up from dinner service

·         Any time until Sunday, November 19 Make a monetary donation to help cover our dinner costs. Please include a memo on your check, envelope, or online donation indicating your contribution to the Thanksgiving Dinner.

If you have any questions or wish to learn more about the dinner, please contact

Father de la Torre.

Vestry Nominating Committee Meeting

Sunday, November 19

The vestry nominating committee will be meeting on Sunday, November 19, following the 11 AM Mass. The committee will gather to nominate candidates to begin serving on vestry starting in 2024. We are presently looking for one parishioner to serve on the nominating committee.

In 2024, there will be five vestry positions to fill:

·         3 three-year term positions

·         1 two-year term position

·         1 one-year term position

If you’re interested in serving on the nominating committee or you are interested in serving on vestry, please contact LaVerne Saunders: lavernerollesaunders@gmail.com



World AIDS Day, December 1

In honor and remembrance of an important ministry to those with HIV/AIDS that took place at Ascension in the 1980s and 1990s as well as those whom we lost, a Mass will be celebrated at noon on World AIDS Day, December 1, followed by lunch and conversation. 

In order to know how much lunch to order, we need people to register ahead of time. You can do so by clicking this link and signing up online or by signing up during coffee hour following one of the masses on Sunday. (A sign up sheet will be available in Wheeler Hall for the next two Sundays.)

Ascension Parishioner

at United Nations Climate Change Conference

Ascension parishioner Sean Hansen has been asked to serve as an Episcopal Church delegate at this year's United Nations Climate Change Conference. He recently shared with clergy, " I've been asked by Presiding Bishop Curry to serve as a delegate to COP28. I'll be working with international leaders and people of other faith traditions to develop policies that can help people and our planet in the face of climate-related crises." Sean has created a GoFundMe page (https://www.gofundme.com/f/send-sean-to-cop28) to help him meet his fundraising goals. Please consider making a contribution.



The Prayers of the People

As part of our Sunday offering of the Mass, we bring to God our petitions and thanksgivings. As a community, we do this by bidding the parish’s intentions in the Prayers of the People. If you wish to have someone added to the Prayers of the People, please email Father de la Torre or Mother Murphy-Gill. You can also fill out the prayer request form in the link below. Names will remain on the prayer list for three weeks, unless otherwise requested.

Lord, hear the prayers of thy people; and what we have asked faithfully, grant that we may obtain effectually, to the glory of thy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Share your prayer requests here.



Did you know that you can donate flowers for Sunday’s Mass? 

Donations may be given in memory of departed loved ones or in thanksgiving for a birthday, anniversary, or an important milestone. Flowers may be donated at the High Altar, the Shrine of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Shrine of St. Michael, and the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham. If you’re interested in donating flowers, please see the sign-up sheet in its new location: on the table in the back of the church closest to the door. 

You can also make a flower donations online by visiting Ascension's PayPal page. Once you’ve made your donation, please email the parish office any personal dedications.

The donation amount to cover the cost of flowers on the High Altar is $50 and for flowers on any one of the Shrines the amount is $30.

Winter Coats Needed

With temperatures dropping, migrants newly arriving in the city are in much need of warm coats. Consider this your cue to rummage through your coat closets and discern what you no longer need. We can take coats of all sizes and for all genders.

To arrange a drop off, please contact Liz Kohlbeck, coordinator of Chrys’ Closet at 920-254-4735.



For our prayers

Lee Gould, Lillian Alexander, Stephanie Henderson, Charlie Boemer, Robert Pischke,

Derek Petite, Florence Jones Clanton, David Schrader, Leslie Smebak Gormley,

Jim Drury, Rachel Smolinski, Sarah Reece Glanman, Suzanne Dines, MB Hwang, Juanita Malone, David S. Jones, Richard Francis Tracz, Victor Fernandez,

Claire Green, Beth Hall, Sue Lenz, Brenda Martins

Birthdays

Roberta Dawson, 11/12; Juan Soria, 11/13;

James Jimason Robinson, 11/13; Shakira Malone, 11/15;

Andrew Abbott, 11/16; Jana Holt, 11/17; Cheryl R. Peterson, 11/18

Requiescat in pace

Earmy Nailor, 10/31/2023; Jean Waterhouse, 11/14/2017; Alvin Joyner, 11/17/2006;

Mary Margaret Skanes, Religious, 11/17/2009;

Richard Earl Pistole, Priest, 11/18/2008

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.



Organ and Choral Repertoire for November 19, 2023

Between Masses, please don’t forget that The Choir of the Ascension has recorded upwards of 60 tracks that you can listen to anywhere you have an internet connection. They can be found here: https://soundcloud.com/choir-of-the-ascension

Weekly Ascension Schedule

For connections:

via Zoom (click here)

SUNDAYS

7:30 a.m. Morning Prayer via Zoom

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

11:00 a.m. In-person and Live-Streamed Solemn High Mass

VIA YOUTUBE or FACEBOOK LIVE

MONDAY-FRIDAY

8:00 a.m. Morning Prayer via Zoom

6:00 p.m. Evening Prayer via Zoom

WEDNESDAYS

6:30 p.m. Said Mass

VIA YOUTUBE or FACEBOOK LIVE

Wardens and Vestry of Church of the Ascension

LaVerne Rollé Saunders, Sr. Warden;

SeniorWarden@AscensionChicago.org

David Reeves, Jr. Warden;

JuniorWarden@AscensionChicago.org

Ian Barillas-McEntee, Jim Lo Bello, Ken Cozette, Marlea Edinger, Sean Hansen,

David A. Robertson, Elizabeth Simpson, Joshua Simpson, Samuel Sommers, Clerk



Susan Schlough, Treasurer

Finance@ascensionchicago.org

Br. Nathanael Deward Rahm BSG, Parish Office

Office@ascensionchicago.org

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.