This Week at Ascension + April 3, 2024

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

Wednesday, April 3

Wednesday in Easter Week

Evening Prayer on ZOOM at 6 p.m.

In-person and Live-streamed

Said Mass at 6:30 p.m.

VIA YOUTUBE or FACEBOOK LIVE

FOOD PANTRY

Saturday, April 6th



We will again gather to assemble bags of shelf-stable groceries and personal items for our neighbors in need. We begin filling bags in St. Michael Hall at 9 a.m. and start distributing them at 11 a.m. We need the most help between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m., but welcome your help for however long you are able to stay.

Come be the hands, heart, and feet of Christ in our own neighborhood, following in the wake of the Cross, and enjoy some fellowship as well.

The Second Sunday of Easter

April 7, 2024

7:30 a.m. Morning Prayer via Zoom

9 a.m. Sung Mass

10 a.m. Confession Available

11 a.m. Solemn Mass,

In-person & Live-streamed

The 11 a.m. bulletin may be found here.

Click to join us VIA YOUTUBE

or VIA FACEBOOK LIVE

Image: Doubting Thomas, Emmanuel Tzanes (1610-1690)



And in the Afternoon at 4 p.m.

Join us for

The Great Paschal Vespers

with the Choir of the Ascension

4 p.m. bulletin may be found here.

Featuring

Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924)

Cantique de Jean Racine

and the Evening Canticles setting

Healey Willan (1880-1968)

Magnificat and Nunc dimittis, Tones VIII and III

(Pub. 1948) 

Two Masses on

Monday, April 8

The Annunciation of Our Lord

Usual Monday Low Mass at 12 p.m.

Sung Mass with Schola at 7 p.m.

VIA YOUTUBE or FACEBOOK LIVE

From the Organist

Happy Easter to one and all! 

Our congregational Mass setting at 9 a.m. and our Gloria setting at 11 a.m. switches this Sunday to that of composer Robert Powell (b. 1932) as our liturgical seasons change. We have sung and enjoyed this setting for several years, as do parishes all over the English-speaking world. When Dr. Powell, prolific composer of choir and organ works, as well as Organist and Choirmaster of Christ Church, Greenville (SC) for more than 35 years, now retired, was asked, in 1980, to compose this simple, direct, and effective setting for the then-new Hymnal 1982, he eagerly participated, but included neither the Kyrie nor the Nicene Creed.  

On request from Fr. Raymond, and then, later from Fr. Heard, I composed short settings of those missing sections of the Ordinary, in Powell’s style, intended to be sung with his rich setting, which is ostensibly in the key of D Minor. We have used my setting of the standard nine-fold Kyrie for the last five years, and now will add to our repertoire the setting of the Nicene Creed.

When I composed my first published piece for liturgical use at age 17, I didn't think I would ever have the honor of serving a parish such as ours, which values excellence in music and liturgy so highly, and prepares so exactingly for the offerings to the glory of God of the same. I hope that you will be blessed by this new setting, singing it at Mass, and make it ours.  

I have always been what is termed on “occasional composer.” I've almost never written a piece, from operas to hymn-tunes, which it was my idea to write. If there is a need or a desire somewhere, I do my humble best to fill it. (That's why I have so many settings of the Evening Service – Magnificat and Nunc dimittis – in my catalogue! - they were needed for one place or another, one occasion or another ...) I write music for specific people to sing or play at specific occasions and in specific places. I so enjoy writing congregational and choral things for the Ascension, with our tradition not only of world-class choral singing, but of fine and robust and involved congregational singing, as well. Many are the times I will reduce the organ during a hymn to be thrilled to hear a hymn being sung in four parts, led by the experienced musicians in our parish - or a descant being sung by a couple of our brilliant 9 a.m. sopranos!

With all my heart, I wish you every blessing during the Great Fifty Days – don't forget the Paschal Vespers this Sunday at 4 p.m. – and let's hear those Alleluias!

David R. White

Art and Faith Eastertide Formation Series begins April 14 

Come join us for a 3-week series following the Solemn High Mass where we’ll explore how visual art can deepen our spiritual understanding of what it means to be an Easter people who worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. A light lunch will be provided. 

April 14: Art, Ambiguity, and Resurrection

That Jesus rose from the dead is plain, but even the disciples themselves struggle with Jesus’ post-Resurrection appearances. Using the meditations offered in three distinct paintings we’ll reflect on how Jesus is calling each of us to live into his Resurrection today.

April 21: Our Lady of Chicago

Professor Matthew Milliner, an art historian who teaches at Wheaton College, will present a talk on appearances of Marian imagery in Chicago. Prof. Milliner is the author of a 4-part series of articles about local Marian images. Click on the following links to read part 1, part 2, part 3, and part 4.

April 28: He Ascended in Heaven

Often in fine art, the Resurrection and Ascension are depicted in a single moment. We’ll view paintings—that you can even visit in person in Chicago—to uncover and understand themes of the Ascension and its meaning for us.

ESL at Ascension 

Following in the tradition of Sister Barbara, OSA, who for decades offered ESL courses at the convent, Emily Bange will begin to offer a free ESL class on Wednesdays at 12 p.m. at Church of the Ascension. The class will mainly serve Spanish-speaking newcomers who are clients at St. Chrysostom’s Closet, which is also open on Wednesdays. The initial class will run for 10 weeks and serve 14 students. Emily is a newcomer as well, a new parishioner at Church of the Ascension, and she has become involved as a volunteer at Chrys’ Closet. As a Spanish and ESL teacher, she hopes that this ESL class will be another way for her to utilize her skills to serve the wider community.

Expanded Columbarium Survey 

Hopefully by now you have already received a letter explaining some of the exploratory work being done to expand our columbarium space indoors. With that survey is a short survey inviting your feedback and interest in the project. Whether or not you have made plans for when you depart from this life, we hope you will complete the survey. Your feedback is essential to this project. You can complete the paper survey you received in the mail and return it to the church to the attention of Mtr. Murphy-Gill. Or, you can fill out the survey online.

Read a PDF of the columbarium letter here.

Complete the online columbarium survey here.

Consider being a Coffee Hour host

There are spots available for hosting Coffee Hour after either Sunday Mass! Look for the MAY & JUNE sign-up sheets in Wheeler Hall.

If you are leary of what hosting a Coffee Hour might entail, speak to Hospitality Committee members Josh or Ellie Simpson, David Reeves, LaVerne Saunders or Carol Noren. They will be glad to help.



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.



For our prayers

Malik Gillani, Marlea Edinger, Terrence Kumro, John Barry, Jeanne Fitzsimmons, Mary Sliwinski, Neha Nikita Andrade, Ken McPhillips, Elizabeth McLaughlin, Marilyn Labkon, Lee Gould, Robert Pischke, Florence Jones Clanton, Rachel Smolinski, Suzanne Dines, MB Hwang, Juanita Malone, David S. Jones, Richard Francis Tracz, Victor Fernandez, Claire Green, Beth Hall, Sue Lenz, Brenda Martins

Birthday

Jay Peterson, 4/1; Victor Lofgreen, 4/4

Requiescat in pace

Henry Klages Jr., 2/11/2024; Josephine Boitse, Sue Smedley

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

April 7, 2024

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

Ascension Connections

(with your click and God's help)

Our website home page --

often with up-to-date info/links.

Participate in Ascension masses at our YouTube Channel. (Look for other connections options soon.)

Our Facebook page:

Videos, upcoming events and more.

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

7:30 a.m. Morning Prayer via Zoom

6:00 p.m. Evening Prayer via Zoom

Weekday Mass Schedule

12 p.m. on Monday & Friday

8 a.m. on Tuesday & Thursday

6:30 p.m. on Wednesday

View the Wednesday Mass here

VIA YOUTUBE or FACEBOOK LIVE

Wardens

David Reeves, Sr. Warden

David Reeves, Sr. Warden

David A. Robertson, Jr. Warden

David A. Robertson Jr. Warden

Vestry

Ian Barillas-McEntee, Jay Peterson, Joshua Simpson

Ken Cozette, Elizabeth Simpson, Samuel Sommers (Clerk)

Vicki Dvonch, Nancy Pardee, DiAnne Walsh



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.