This Week at Ascension + September 22, 2021
"Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness." - Psalm 96
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"We should talk … about Refugees"
With RefugeeOne
This evening, 5:15 - 5:55 p.m. via Zoom
See additional information below.
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This evening: Wednesday, Sept. 22
Saint Matthew (transf.)
5:15 p.m. "We should talk ..."
6:30 p.m. In-person & Live-streamed Mass
Image: The Inspiration of St. Matthew, Caravaggio
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Sunday, September 26, 2021
The Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost
10:00 a.m. In-person & Live-streamed Sung Mass
Image below: Moses elects the Council of Seventy Elders, Jacob de Wit
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Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Dear Friends,
At this time of year when autumn is upon us, I always find myself rejoicing and feeling especially grateful. The trees are shedding leaves but reveling in lovely shades of yellow, orange, and red; summer weather continues but with cooler temps and less humidity; upcoming Feasts for Michaelmas and All Saints mean Ascension will be festive with beautiful liturgy, choral music, and some of my favorite hymns. And Thanksgiving will bring a celebration of food, family, and friends.
Nonetheless, this year of pandemic has brought struggles, doubts, sadness, and lots of change. The admonition to “pray continually” is one that I have taken seriously — as have many of you. We pray for our health, we pray for our relationships, we pray for our work and study, we pray for sufficient funds, we pray for less division and more unity. Our prayer lists keep growing!
In the coming weeks, I ask you to pray steadily and faithfully for our parish — to find peace and purpose in our worship, to rejoice in our fellowship together, to express God’s will through love and mission to our neighbors. We are all called as stewards of God’s kingdom here on earth, sharing our thankfulness for his grace and mercy in both word and deed.
Beyond prayers, can you be counted on by your fellow parishioners? By our guests, newcomers, and neighbors in need? By the Holy Spirit?
• Make a pledge of financial support or increase your current pledge.
• Volunteer to be trained as an usher, a greeter, an acolyte, a gardener.
• Host a coffee hour or organize a brunch for our newcomers.
• Reach out to our neighbors and communicate with the home bound.
• Participate in educational programs and help sustain them.
Thank you in advance for your energy and commitment — and your REJOICING! Contact the church office or connect with me directly to learn more. Submit a pledge by sending your information in an email to Finance@ascensionchicago.org.
Yours in Christ,
Cheryl Peterson, Sr. Warden
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Wednesday, September 22
“We should talk … about refugees.”
With Sara Spoonheim, RefugeeONE
This evening, 5:15 - 5:55 p.m. via Zoom
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Sara Spoonheim, a friend of Ascension and Development Director for Refugee One in Chicago, will give us an on-the-ground-in-Chicago view of refugee circumstances and stories, including but not limited to Afghan refugees and share with this community how we can respond with hospitality. RefugeeOne is a former partner agency of Episcopal Migration Ministries and often helps smaller church congregations to collaborate with others in supporting refugee households. |
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Join us this evening, 5:15 - 5:55 p.m. via Zoom
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Food Pantry Help Needed
If you’ve been at the church in the last week, you have probably noticed the pallets of the non-perishable food in the hallway near the restrooms. These are recently delivered items in preparation for our food pantry. Deacon Charles Farrell and I could really use your help unpacking these pallets and storing the items in our pantry. If you’re available during the week, please call the church or email me and we can schedule time to work together this week. Whatever doesn’t get done then, we’ll finish this Sunday after Mass. Don’t forget: the next Food Pantry will take place on Saturday, October 2 starting at 9 am.
—Deacon Meghan
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St. Peter’s Returns to Belmont
Let us join together in prayers of thanksgiving for the return of the community of Saint Peter’s in Lakeview to their worship space on Belmont Ave. Fr. Shane Gormley, Saint Peter’s Priest-in-Charge, is a former curate of Ascension and most recently joined us as the preacher on Feast of the Ascension in May. Read more about their return here.
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Chicago Marathon Sunday October 10
The Chicago Marathon will run down La Salle Street and pass Church of the Ascension Sunday, October 10. (Plan your travel to church accordingly!) Let’s provide some hospitality to the runners as they make their 26.2-miles trek through Chicago. Please sign up here if you're able to help hand out snacks before or after mass.
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Christmas at Sea
Beth Hall recently shared with us a presentation that was given in the Diocese of Northern Indiana on Christmas at Sea, a ministry of the Seamen’s Church Institute, which supplies Christmas packages that include handmade hats, scarves, toiletries, snacks and a card to mariners who are on the water, whether oceans or rivers, at Christmas time. (Beth is a skilled crocheter and spouse of Vestry member Samuel Sommers and can often be seen co-hosting with Sam Evening Prayer on Zoom.) A recording of the presentation can be viewed here. If you are a knitter or crocheter or would like to participate in this ministry by sending a card, learn more here.
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THIS WEEK’S WORSHIP SCHEDULE
Wednesday 9/22
6:30 pm: Mass (In Person and livestreamed
Sunday 9/26
10 am: Solemn High Mass (In person and livestreamed
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UPCOMING EVENTS
Wednesday 9/22
5:15 pm We Should Talk about
Wednesday 9/29
5:15 pm We Should Talk about
Saturday 10/2
9 am Food Pantry
Sunday 10/10
Chicago Marathon
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Also Upcoming at (or via) Ascension
Solemnity of Michaelmas Sunday, October 3
Procession and Solemn High Mass, 10:00 a.m.
Organ Recital, 3:30 p.m.
Choral Evensong and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, 4:00 p.m.
All Souls Day, November 2
Requiem Mass TBA
Solemnity of All Saints Sunday, November 7
Procession and Solemn High Mass, 10:00 a.m.
Organ Recital, 3:30 p.m.
Choral Evensong and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, 4:00 p.m.
If you anticipate or wish to inquire about Holy Baptism
on the Solemnity of All Saints, please inquire with
any member of the Ascension clergy.
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Mask Reminders ...
- Yes, they are or can be miserable to wear.
- Yes, our cultural imbroglio about masks is disheartening.
- Yes, we all wish we could all be mask-free all the time.
AND
- Yes, we ask you to honor the best intentions of our own parochial mask requirements (those intentions being your best health + the best health of others) by wearing an appropriate mask and by appropriately wearing it.
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Deacon Meghan Murphy-Gill's sermon for the Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost, 9/19/21, may be read here.
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Organ Repertoire for September 26, 2021 |
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ORGAN
Prélude, Chaconne, and Soliloque, op. 58
Rachel Laurin (b. 1961)
At the Entrance Procession
Hymn 552 PENTECOST
At the Offertory
Hymn 597 JERUSALEM
At the Communion
Hymn 549 ST. ANDREW
At the Retiring Procession
Hymn 388 HANOVER
ORGAN
O Gott, du frommer Gott [ca. 1912]
Dame Ethel Smyth (1858-1944)
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About our 2021 Repertoire
As I develop a long-range plan for repertoire each year, I choose a theme or area of emphasis, often complete works or a complete large-scale work by one composer. During 2021, organ music by women composers and African-American composers is being and will be featured in voluntaries and recitals throughout the year. There are some little-known gems waiting to be discovered, as well as music by major composers, with whom works for the organ are not generally associated. Enjoy!
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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
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Ascension Connections
(with your click and God's help)
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Meeting ID:
792 031 7452
Password: 1133
Join-by-Phone Option: (312) 626-6799
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Weekly Ascension Schedule
For connections:
except for Morning Prayer, Mon-Fri,
SUNDAYS
9:30 a.m. Virtual Morning Prayer
10:00 a.m. Live-Streamed Mass
11:00 a.m. Virtual Coffee Hour
MONDAY-FRIDAY
6:00 p.m. Evening Prayer via Zoom
WEDNESDAYS
6:30 p.m. Low Mass
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Please give generously as you are able.
Treasurer Susan Schlough has asked me to remind you of Ascension's ongoing expenses at this time. To the extent that you are able, payment on your pledges or the offering of Holy Day or other special gifts will be greatly appreciated. You may still write a check and mail it to the church, or online payment is possible through the buttons at various places on our website. Thank you!
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For our prayers: August 'Augie' Alonzo, Jim Berger, Sarah Ponder, Taffy Wehe,
The Rev. Canon Paula Clark, Andrew McLean and family, Beth Hall, Steven Upmeyer,
Sue Lenz, Ben, Thom Ehlen, David D. Jones, Carys and Joshua Williams, Mike Rieman and Alexandra Olsavsky, Chris and Beth Cole, Fr. Laurence Larson
Birthdays: Christian Lopac, 9/19; Marjorie Lofgreen, 9/20; Thomas Patrick Johnston, 9/20/2002; Michael Paul Clark, Jr. 9/20; J. Patrick Donnell, 9/20; Lindsay Hammer, 9/21; George Dante M. Pineda, 9/22; Ellie Roberts Simpson, 9/24
Anniversaries: Brooke & Patrick Raymond, Marriage, 9/21/1991; The Rev. Patrick Raymond, Priesthood, 9/21/1987
Requiescat in pace:
Gertrude Stentiford, Religious, 9/25/1983; William L. (Bill) Flodin, 9/8/2021
Prayers are requested for the repose of the soul of Rey Labasan Famanas.
Prayers are requested for the repose of the soul of Sarah Susman, niece of Barbara Susman.
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.
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The Rev. Patrick Raymond, Rector
The Rev. Meghan Murphy-Gill, Curate
Susan Schlough, Treasurer
Br. Nathanael Deward Rahm BSG, Parish Office
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Vestry of Church of the Ascension
Cheryl Peterson, Sr. Warden; Kenneth Kelling, Jr. Warden; Kelly Colomberti, Marilyn Evans, Lynette Hector, Jim Lo Bello, George Pineda, David Reeves, Samuel Sommers, Enrique Vilaseco, Amber Zelazny
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.
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