This Week at Ascension + November 17, 2021
"Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness." - Psalm 96
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"We should talk … about Sunday masses, Advent and beyond"
This evening, 5:15 - 5:55 p.m. via Zoom, with Father Raymond
See additional information below.
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This evening:
Wednesday, November 17
Hugh, Bishop of Lincoln
5:15 p.m. "We should talk ...
6:30 p.m. In-person & Live-streamed Mass
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Sunday, November 21
Last Sunday after Pentecost:
Feast of Christ the King
10:00 a.m. In-person &
Live-streamed Solemn High Mass
Mass setting: Herbert Howells (1892-1983)
Office of Holy Communion “Collegium Regale”
Image: Entry into Jerusalem, from T'oros Roslin Gospels, 1262, Manuscript illumination, The Walters Museum, Baltimore
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Te Deum
We praise thee, O God; we acknowledge thee to be the Lord.
All the earth doth worship thee; the Father everlasting.
To thee all angels cry aloud' the Heavens and all the powers therein.
To thee Cherubim and Seraphim continually do cry,
Holy, Holy, Holy; Lord God of Sabaoth;
Heaven and earth are full of the Majesty of thy glory.
- from the Te Deum laudamus, 4th c.
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Dear people of Ascension,
The coming Sunday will be our last in Ordinary Time. Since the early-to-mid-20th century, it has been designated on calendars in diverse traditions as the Feast of Christ the King. By Ascension tradition, our choir's last offering in Ordinary Time has been and will be the Church's ancient Te Deum laudamus (on Sunday, the English Collegium Regale setting by Herbert Howells: 'We praise thee, O God,').
Other than the Magnificat, the Te Deum is my favorite among the Church's oft-used ancient texts. In addition to my own devotional attraction, I believe that the majesty and dominion of God that it conveys provide the right context for any of us to contemplate and take action on the stewardship of our talents, time and treasure.
Just this morning Br. Nathanael left for a nearby mailbox with the 2022 financial stewardship appeal, headed your way. I thank the wardens for their heartfelt letter and know the many ways that they, too, have taken the Te deum laudamus to heart. The photos included on two pages capture just some of the inklings of Christ's kingdom that we've glimpsed in 2021 and for which we can all give thanks.
Those of you who have given money in faith for years or who tithe, as my wife Brooke and I do, will have come to recognize the resulting blessings and gratitude. The gist of giving in faith is well conveyed, I believe, in a line toward the end of the Te Deum: Day by day we magnify thee; And we worship thy Name ever, world without end.
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If you only skimmed my letter above, you may ...
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Can you help with the greening of the church for Advent and Christmas poinsettias? - Part I
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Can you help with the greening of the church for Advent and Christmas poinsettias? - Part II
Flower Guild chair Claire Green, pictured here Christmas Eve 2019, is concerned about enough HELP on Saturday, November 27, to adequately, beautifully and appropriately 'green' the church for Advent. Even if you're not a guild member, please reach out to Claire by email ASAP, as our greening will need to be scaled to available help.
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And ...
The Vestry meeting originally planned for this coming Thursday has been moved, due to some calendar conflicts, to Thursday, December 2, 6:30 p.m.
The conversation about Sunday masses in Advent and beyond that was scheduled for the Vestry meeting on Thursday will still take place via Zoom at 6:30 p.m. I'll be waiting! But only until 6:45 p.m. You may also join the conversation this afternoon at 5:15 p.m.
Thanksgiving Day Masses will be offered on Wednesday evening, November 24, 6:30 p.m., and on Thanksgiving Day, November 25, 10:00 a.m. (with hymns). I've asked our hard working tech ministers to take a break, and they responded with ... thanksgiving. Neither Thanksgiving mass will be live-streamed.
On the First Sunday of Advent, November 28, we will be blessed to welcome (back) Joshua Heath as guest preacher. New mass times will be 9 am and 11 am unless some unexpected obstacle arises.
Advent Lessons & Carols will be offered on the Second Sunday of Advent, December 5, at 4:00 p.m.
Christmas mass times will likely be familiar but will be communicated when I can compare notes with others and confirm plans.
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Plan Ahead for
Spiritual Formation in Advent
Mondays at 7:30 p.m. via Zoom and ending with Compline at 8:30 p.m.
Advent is a holy period of preparation and waiting. This year, Mother Murphy-Gill will lead us in reflection and discussion of Amy-Jill Levine’s book, Light of the Word: A Beginners Guide to Advent. Levine is a Jewish rabbi and New Testament scholar and the first Jewish person to teach at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome. By way of her book, we’ll explore the stories from Scripture of Zechariah and Elizabeth, Mary, the journey to Bethlehem, and the visit from the Magi and reflect on how these ancient stories inform our own lives today. Click the link above to learn more about the book.
Copies of the book are available for $5 at the parish. We don’t want financial hardship to prevent anyone from participating, so please reach out to Mother Murphy-Gill if this is the case.
Advent Quiet Morning December 11
Find some rest and respite from the holiday rush December 11. We’ll pray, reflect, and enjoy some fellowship with one another as we make our hearts ready for the coming of the newborn king. A light breakfast will be provided and we’ll end with Mass at noon. If you’d like to help set up that morning, please reach out to Mother Murphy-Gill or Cheryl Peterson. More details to follow ...
Advent Outreach Opportunity:
Give a calendar/help our refugee neighbors
With more refugee families arriving from across the globe in the New Year, RefugeeOne will be helping them adjust to life here in Chicago. This will include adapting to a new schedule and new time commitments. A simple way our community can assist them with this transition is to donate 2022 calendars to equip refugees with an important tool for managing their schedules. If you have calendars you’ve received from nonprofits or businesses that you don’t need, please bring them to church on Sundays through December and drop them off in the basket in the narthex. Calendars will be delivered to RefugeeOne before the New Year. Contact Mother Murphy-Gill for more information.
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Organ Repertoire for November 21 , 2021 |
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Opening Voluntary
Fugue, Chorale, and Epilogue [1939]
Herbert Howells (1892-1983)
At the Solemn Procession
450 CORONATION
At the Offertory
614 CHRISTUS REX
At the Communion
WAREHAM
At the Retiring Procession
494 DIADEMATA
Closing Voluntary
Sonata [1911]
III. Poco lento and Fugue
Herbert Howells
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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: The Rev. Canon Paula Clark, Andrew McLean and family,
August 'Augie' Alonzo, Jim Berger, Sarah Ponder, Taffy Wehe, Beth Hall, Steven Upmeyer,
Sue Lenz, Ben, Thom Ehlen, David D. Jones, Carys and Joshua Benjamin, Mike Rieman and Alexandra Olsavsky, Lawrence Cox, James Hampton and family, Victor Robertson, Gina,
Tom Baer
Birthdays: Jett McAlister, 11/14; Shakira Malone, 11/15; Andrew Abbott, 11/16; Jana Holt, 11/17; Cheryl Peterson, 11/18
Requiescat in pace: Jean Waterhouse, 11/14/2017; Alvin Joyner, 11/17/2006;
Mary Margaret Skanes, Religious, 11/17/2009; Richard Earl Pistole, Priest, 11/18/2008;
John C. Hedley, 11/19/2002; Juanita Mitchell
Prayers are especially requested for the repose of the soul of Patricia M. Cramer, 11/04/2021, aunt of Jenna Jones.
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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