Dear People of Ascension,

What a year this has been! As I have prepared for our annual meeting over the past few weeks, it has hit me all over again that none of us could have imagined at this time last year all that would transpire in 2020. At Ascension, we have known a lot of grief and wrestling, and also so much grace. By your prayers, your generosity, your truth-telling and your kindness, you have borne that grace to me, to each other and to those beyond our parish. I am very grateful for each one of you.

Please come to the meeting this Sunday whether or not you are a voting member of the parish. Our election took place online, thanks to the hard work of Derek Baker, and results will be announced at the meeting. It's surely a sign of the vitality of our community that even in this difficult year we had such excellent candidates offer themselves for leadership. Thanks to teach of them, and to the nominating committee.

On Sunday, we will hear about the state of the parish, both financial and otherwise. We'll have a chance to remember the year we've had, and to reflect on what we learned and what we want to take into the future. Your participation and voice are both welcome and needed.

The full annual report is attached here, and hard copies are available from the parish office on request. I look forward to seeing you this Sunday.

Many blessings,

Liz

If you do not have a device with a camera, you can still join with your phone by dialing the following number and enter the meeting ID: 929-205-6099 Meeting ID: 322 793 633

All of our online services, with their links, can be found on our public calendar, and are listed below.

Click this link to read up on some best practices for Zoom meetings.

Rondeau (from Symphonies des Fanfares)

I’ll praise my Maker while I’ve breath;

and when my voice is lost in death,

praise shall employ my nobler powers.

My days of praise shall ne’er be past

while life and thought and being last,

or immortality endures.

How happy they whose hopes rely

on Israel’s God, who made the sky

and earth and seas with all their train;

whose truth for ever stands secure,

who saves the oppressed, and feeds the poor.

And none shall find his promise vain.

The Lord pours eyesight on the blind;

the Lord supports the fainting mind

and sends the laboring conscience peace.

He helps the stranger in distress,

the widowed and the fatherless,

and grants the prisoner sweet release.

I’ll praise him while he lends me breath;

and when my voice is lost in death,

praise shall employ my nobler powers.

My days of praise shall ne’er be past

while life and thought and being last,

or immortality endures.

Almighty and everlasting God, you govern all things both in heaven and on earth: Mercifully hear the supplications of your people, and in our time grant us your peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Moses said: The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you shall heed such a prophet. This is what you requested of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said: “If I hear the voice of the Lord my God any more, or ever again see this great fire, I will die.” Then the Lord replied to me: “They are right in what they have said. I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their own people; I will put my words in the mouth of the prophet, who shall speak to them everything that I command. Anyone who does not heed the words that the prophet shall speak in my name, I myself will hold accountable. But any prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, or who presumes to speak in my name a word that I have not commanded the prophet to speak—that prophet shall die.”

Psalm 111  (St. Helena Psalter)

Alleluia! I will give thanks to you, O God, with my whole heart, *

in the assembly of the upright, in the congregation.

Great are your deeds, O God; *

they are studied by all who delight in them.

Your work is full of majesty and splendor, *

and your righteousness endures for ever.

You make your marvelous works to be remembered; *

you are gracious and full of compassion.

You give food to those who fear you; *

you are ever mindful of your covenant.

You have shown your people the power of your works *

in giving them the lands of the nations.

The works of your hands are faithfulness and justice; *

all your commandments are sure.

They stand fast for ever and ever, *

because they are done in truth and equity.

You sent redemption to your people;

you commanded your covenant for ever; *

holy and awesome is your Name.

The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom; *

those who act accordingly have a good understanding;

God’s praise endures for ever.

Now concerning food sacrificed to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. Anyone who claims to know something does not yet have the necessary knowledge; but anyone who loves God is known by him. Hence, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “no idol in the world really exists,” and that “there is no God but one.” Indeed, even though there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as in fact there are many gods and many lords— yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. It is not everyone, however, who has this knowledge. Since some have become so accustomed to idols until now, they still think of the food they eat as food offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. “Food will not bring us close to God.” We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. For if others see you, who possess knowledge, eating in the temple of an idol, might they not, since their conscience is weak, be encouraged to the point of eating food sacrificed to idols? So by your knowledge those weak believers for whom Christ died are destroyed. But when you thus sin against members of your family, and wound their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food is a cause of their falling, I will never eat meat, so that I may not cause one of them to fall.

Jesus and his disciples went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, “What is this? A new teaching—with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.

The Rev. Elizabeth G. Maxwell

O sing joyfully unto God our strength: make a cheerful noise unto the God of Jacob. Take the song, bring hither the tabret: the merry harp with the lute. Blow up the trumpet in the new moon: ev’n in the time appointed, and upon our solemn feast day. For this was made a statute for Israel: and a law of the God of Jacob.

Leader Let us pray for the Church and for the world.

Grant, Almighty God, that all who confess your Name may be united in your truth, live together in your love, and reveal your glory in the world. We pray for Michael our Presiding Bishop, for Andrew, Allen and Mary our own Bishops. On this day of our annual parish meeting, we pray for the Church of the Ascension: our clergy, wardens, vestry, and congregation.

Leader Lord, in your mercy

People Hear our prayer.

Leader Guide the people of this land, and of all the nations, in the ways of justice and peace, especially Joe our President, Kamala our Vice-President, and the members of congress; that we may honor one another and serve the common good. We pray for the people of Nagorno-Karabakh, Ethiopia, Yemen, and Uganda; for all laboring to end racism and white supremacy and establish racial justice in our country.

Leader Lord, in your mercy

People Hear our prayer.

Leader Give us all a reverence for the earth as your own creation, that we may use its resources rightly in the service of others and to your honor and glory.

Leader Lord, in your mercy

People Hear our prayer.

Leader Bless all whose lives are closely linked with ours, and grant that we may serve Christ in them, and love one another as he loves us. We pray for all affected by COVID-19: for the frightened and the sick, for the dying and those who mourn; for all who have lost jobs and livelihood as a result of this pandemic; for all healthcare workers, especially Scarlett, Madonna, Trudie, Nancy, Anna, Sarah, Endine, Terese, and AJ, for all whose labor supports our common life; for those developing and distributing vaccines, for those charged with making decisions about public health and public policy

Leader Lord, in your mercy

People Hear our prayer.

Leader Comfort and heal all those who suffer in body, mind, or spirit, especially Robert, Ed, Janet, Ellen, Joseph, Brielle, Lucas, Holly, Allejandro and Jesus, Nancy, Barbara, Dorothy, Stewart, Patricia, Judith, Marco, Hannah, Jurek, Alice, Michael, Len, Liz, Gary, Jonathan and family, and Deacon Luis, give them courage and hope in their troubles, and bring them the joy of your salvation.

Leader Lord, in your mercy

People Hear our prayer.

Leader We commend to your mercy all who have died, especially Grace Knowlton, Stacy Title, Tina Keker, David Lougee, Ernest Ryder, and the more than 430,000 Americans who have died of COVID-19, as well as others around the world that your will for them may be fulfilled; and we pray that we may share with all your saints in your eternal kingdom.

Leader Lord, in your mercy

People Hear our prayer.

 Our Father, who art in heaven,

     hallowed be thy Name,

     thy kingdom come,

     thy will be done,

          on earth as it is in heaven.

 Give us this day our daily bread.

 And forgive us our trespasses,

     as we forgive those

          who trespass against us.

 And lead us not into temptation,

     but deliver us from evil.

 For thine is the kingdom,

     and the power, and the glory,

     for ever and ever. Amen.

A mighty fortress is our God,

a bulwark never failing;

our helper he amid the flood

of mortal ills prevailing:

for still our ancient foe

doth seek to work us woe;

his craft and power are great,

and, armed with cruel hate,

on earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide,

our striving would be losing;

were not the right man on our side,

the man of God’s own choosing:

dost ask who that may be?

Christ Jesus, it is he;

Lord Sabaoth his Name,

from age to age the same,

and he must win the battle.

And though this world, with devils filled,

should threaten to undo us;

we will not fear, for God hath willed

his truth to triumph through us;

the prince of darkness grim,

we tremble not for him;

his rage we can endure,

for lo! his doom is sure,

one little word shall fell him.

That word above all earthly powers,

no thanks to them, abideth;

the Spirit and the gifts are ours

through him who with us sideth:

let goods and kindred go,

this mortal life also;

the body they may kill:

God’s truth abideth still,

his kingdom is for ever.

In accordance with the Religious Corporations Law of the State of New York, the Annual Meeting of The Church of the Ascension in the City of New York will be held on Sunday, January 31, 2021, immediately following the 11 a.m. service, for the purpose of electing a Warden for a term of two years and four Vestry members to the Class of 2024, and for the conduct of such other business as should come before the Parish.

Please stay online after the service to attend the Annual Meeting. The Zoom link for the meeting is the same link used for the service. If you wish to attend only the Annual meeting, please click on the link at the top of this eBulletin.

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.

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

Ascension Forum Next Sunday, February 5- Understanding the COVID-19 Vaccines. Please join us as we welcome Dr. Clay Williams back to Ascension! This forum will provide an overview of how vaccines work against COVID-19, discuss the variety of vaccines that are in use (or soon will be), and explore ethical issues related to distribution and vaccination of the public.

Clay Williams is the founder and CEO of Medaptive Health, a company which is transforming clinical trials with their cloud-based platform for participant support and remote monitoring. He is a computer scientist and theologian, and in both disciplines his interests are grounded in complex systems research and how it helps uncover deep connections between seemingly unrelated biological, physical, and social systems. We look forward to having him with us at Ascension once again.

Looking ahead- What Shall We do for Lent? Our forum on February 14 will be a conversation about Lenten practices for this time of Covid, both individual and communal. Please join us!

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.

For Your Daily Prayers - "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) During this time of global crisis and personal anxiety, we offer you this prayer form to include in your daily prayers.

Sunday Paper Junior - The lectionary, our yearly schedule of Bible readings, carries us through Jesus’s life and teachings. The Church of The Ascension subscribes to the Sunday Paper Junior and we offer it to you and your family as a fun, creative way to study the lessons each week. Click here to access this week's paper. Please feel free to print out the pages each week and use as you desire. Check out this section each week for the current Sunday Paper Junior!

This panel will discuss the importance of Absalom Jones' work during the yellow fever epidemic of 1793 when he and Richard Allen worked tirelessly to nurse the sick and bury the dead in Philadelphia. Fast-forward to the current COVID-19 pandemic: The participants will build a bridge between 1793 and 2020, discussing Jones' responses to the overall crisis and lessons learned, while examining essential opportunities for strengthening community ties during these trying times.

Click here for more information

To register for this event, click here

Visit the Diocese Facebook page to view the livestream.

Officiant: The Rt. Rev. Andrew M. L. Dietsche, Bishop of New York

Sermon: The Hon. Byron Rushing, Vice President of the House of Deputies

Click here tor more information

Space Use at Ascension - While the church is closed and not in general use, occasionally someone in the church will want to use one of our spaces. (Please note, that such uses are strongly discouraged.) During the pandemic we must be extra careful to coordinate these things so there is no overlap, and to schedule plenty of time for cleaning. If you think you might need the space for something, please coordinate via the church office - contact Br. Andrew at info@ascensionnyc.org or 212-254-8620.

Open Church, Tuesdays & Fridays, Noon to 3. The church is open for private prayer and meditation. Attendance is limited to a maximum of 20 people at one time and all safety precautions (properly worn masks, physical distancing, hand sanitizing, and contact tracing) will be followed.

In-Person Midweek Eucharists Remain Suspended. In light of the rising infection rates in New York City, we continue to suspend our Wednesday evening in person Eucharists.We will revisit the question early in the new year.

By the Rt. Rev. Mary D. Glasspool

Bishop Assistant

Beware of Fraudulent Emails Purporting to be from the Ascension clergy! Several people received scam emails today pretending to be from Fr. Ed, using a Gmail account under a user name that appears to be him. Click here to read more and learn what you can do.

Organ Prelude (Zoom) 10:55 a.m.

Church Service (Zoom) 11:00 a.m.

Meditation with Prayers and Music (Available on our Facebook page)

Evening Prayer (Zoom) 5:30 p.m.

(Speak to Sibyl Piccone if you are interested in this group)

Evening Prayer (Zoom) 5:30 p.m.

Evening Prayer (Zoom) 5:30 p.m.

Evening Prayer (Zoom) 5:30 p.m.

Evening Prayer (Zoom) 5:30 p.m.

Food Pantry (12 West 11th St.) 8:30 a.m.

(If you are in need or would like to volunteer, please contact Fr. Ed)

Rehearsal for Sunday Service (Zoom) 2:00 p.m.

Organ Prelude (Zoom)

Church Service (Zoom) 11:00 a.m.

Meditation with Prayers and Music (Available on our Facebook page)

The Church of the Ascension -- Fifth Avenue and Tenth Street

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