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“Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed.” (1John 3:2a)
Dear People of Ascension,
This weekend we celebrate Halloween, All Saints Day, and then (transferred to next Wednesday) All Souls. Many call it a time when the veil between the worlds- between this life and whatever is beyond this life- is thin. We dress up in scary costumes as if to concretize, confront and laugh at our biggest fears (and soothe them with chocolate). We give thanks for the great exemplars of our faith, like Mary Magdalene, Bridget, Francis of Assisi and Oscar Romero, whose stories inspire and encourage us. We remember “those we love but see no longer”, our own beloved dead, including some with whom we may have unfinished business in our loss. The Day of the Dead tradition invites them to come near.
The veil is thin but the time is thick with meaning, feeling, mystery. We ponder the mystery of death and the wonder of communion. We journey together, connected with those we know and those we will never know. We are dependent on those who have gone before us, those among whom we live now. We draw our strength from community and sometimes we also struggle deeply in our life with one another and with God. Together, we are called to take our part in God’s great work of reconciling, healing and blessing the world, that those who come after us may live.
The verse from 1 John is an evocative one for me. We are God’s children now- loved, claimed and held in the everlasting arms. We are also called to grow more fully into Christ, sharing in the work of justice and mercy, formed into a body to do together what we could never do in isolation. We are on the way, on the journey, in the mystery. It does not yet appear what we will be, but God is working with us, in us and through us. Let us open our hearts and pay attention, with thanksgiving.
Blessings of this tender time, dear friends.
Liz
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Daylight Savings Time Ends!
Set Your Clocks Back
One Hour on Saturday Night!
| | Do you like to color? Especially for children and their families- we have copies of “the Sunday Paper” a cartoon version of our gospel each Sunday, along with crayons and clipboards available from the ushers. Please ask for one if your child would enjoy this during the service. | | | |
Regular Service Schedule
SUNDAY
9:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist (Side Altar)
11:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist w/ Music
(Church & Livestream)
6:00 p.m. Meditation & Sacrament (Church)
WEDNESDAY
6:00 p.m. Holy Eucharist (Church)
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Evening Prayer Every Weekday Evening
via Zoom
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 880 1981 1224.
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Long Term Prayers
Pray for: Allejandro and Jesus, Barbara, Brielle, Dorothy, Elaine, Ellen, Judith, Jurek, Lucas, Stewart, Jen, Bishop Gretchen, Alice & the Kisiya family, Jennifer, Ketty, Sara, William Wynter, Eric, Eileen, Rural & Migrant Ministry, all detained at Delaney Hall, all refugees and asylum seekers, and New York Haiti Project and the St. Luke’s Episcopal School in Martel. We remember all who have been killed by ICE, or died in custody this year: Alex Pretti, Renee Good, Keith Porter, Geraldo Lunas Campos, Victor Manuel Diaz, Heber Sánchez Domínguez, Parady La, Luis Beltrán Yáñez-Cruz, Luis Gustavo Núñez Cáceres, Lorth Sim, Jairo Garcia-Hernandez, Alberto Gutierrez-Reyes, Emmanuel Clifford Damas, Pejman Karshenas Najafabadi, Mohammad Nazeer Paktyawal, Royer Perez-Jimenez, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, and Joan Sebastian Guerrero. We pray especially for a just peace in Iran, Lebanon, Palestine, Israel, Ukraine, Russia, Sudan, Cuba, Ethiopia, and in our own country.
Please keep these people and intentions from our long-term prayer list in your own prayers. We hope to keep our intercessions in the liturgy both faithful and fresh, as we persist in prayer for those who need it.
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Prayers! Did you know you can submit your prayer requests online? Go to ascensionnyc.org/prayers and type in your prayer request. Be sure to add them. Requests submitted by noon on Thursday will be included in the Sunday bulletin. (Any requests after that will be included in the following Sunday bulletin.) | |
A Prayer for Spiritual Communion
If you are attending any of our services online, we invite you to use this prayer at communion.
In union, O Lord, with your faithful people at every altar of your Church, where the Holy Eucharist is now being celebrated, I desire to offer to you praise and thanksgiving. I remember your death, Lord Christ; I proclaim your resurrection; I await your coming in glory. Since I cannot receive you today in the Sacrament of your Body and Blood, I beseech you to come spiritually into my heart. Cleanse and strengthen me with your grace, Lord Jesus, and let me never be separated from you. May I live in you, and you in me, in this life and in the life to come. Amen.
| | If you’d like to volunteer to set up or clean up, or just to be a ghost, goblin or assorted haint, please contact Fr. Ed. | | Pray for the Soul of the Nation: The church will be open on Election Day, Tuesday, November 3 from 9am-5pm. All seeking a quiet, hospitable space to pray, reflect, or rest are most welcome. Thank you to everyone who is helping us keep the doors open for extended hours on this important and possibly anxious day. Prayers for our country, for all who seek and serve in public office, and for the integrity of our elections will be available. | | |
All Souls Day- Celebrated on Wednesday, November 4 at 6 pm. Please join us for the commemoration of all the faithful departed, our own beloved dead. We will set up an altar for photos or other tokens of those we have loved and lost, have a time for short reflections, sing some hymns and share the Eucharist together. In this season when the veil between the worlds is thin, please join us to remember “those we love but see no longer."
| | People Who Lunch, Wednesday November 4; 12:30 p.m. - Are you at home during the day or working near the church? Please join us for lunch on the first Wednesday of every month for some simple food and good conversation. Please let us know you are coming (info@ascensionnyc.org or 212-254-8620) so we know how much food to prepare! (You are also welcome to bring your own lunch if you prefer; we will have coffee, tea and water on hand.) We hope to see you there! | | |
Funeral for Sirkka Kyle – Saturday, November 7, 3:00 p.m.
Reception to follow.
The service will be livestreamed at Ascensionnyc.org/webcasts.
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Next Sunday’s Forum, November 8: Being Human in the Age of AI. This is will be the final forum on Artificial intelligence (AI), led by Clay Williams.
Clay Williams has a PhD in computer science and an MA in theology. His doctoral work used AI in computational models of the immune system. Clay brings these interests together to offer insights into how AI works, contrast AI with human thinking, and help spiritual communities reflect theologically on the place of AI in our world.
| | Harvest Dinner: Thursday, November 12. Please plan to join us at 6:30 in the parish hall to celebrate our life together at Ascension with delicious food and great conversation. As we look towards our bicentennial, the program this year will also feature a sampling of the music that has been part of our parish life (or its environs) over the last 200 years, including some chances to sing along! Don’t miss it! | | |
Tuesday Zoom Small Group, Our next Small Group call will be Tuesday, November 3, 8:00 - 9:30 p.m. Join us as we read and discuss Rowan Williams’ Being Christian: Baptism, Bible, Eucharist, and Prayer. All are welcome! To join, contact Yunjeong at yjseol726@gmail.com. Join the conversation on Zoom at //us06web.zoom.us/j/83695829125. We will meet every Tuesday.
| | Open Church Ministry – Do you have some free time and want to meet interesting people from the neighborhood, congregation and world? If so, consider volunteering with the Open Door team. We have a need for people to spend as little as 1 shift (1 1/2 hours each) per month or more, during the hours of 12-3p.m. Monday- Friday to keep our church doors open. We welcome people to our space, answer questions about the Church and our activities, and are available as they walk around, sit, or pray. Sometimes you get to enjoy hearing a Voices of Ascension concert rehearsal or organ practice as an added bonus! Training with be provided. If interested in exploring further, please contact Madonna Stack Barker at (m.stack@rcn.com) or the Church office (212-254-8620 or info@ascensionnyc.org). | | |
Immigration Legal Support Fund – Recently our diocese announced a new Immigration Legal Support Fund to support immigrant families in our congregations and neighborhoods throughout the Diocese of New York. The Legal Fund will help those navigating immigration under urgent and vulnerable circumstances to access legal resources. We're starting with a $50,000 contribution from the Bishop’s discretionary funds. Help us to match this amount to keep families together. With your support, we can do more so that no one faces the system alone. Your contribution makes possible same-day response, family preparedness, limited-scope appearances, and urgent filings. You can contribute here. To learn more about the Immigration Legal Support Fund Click here.
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Your Pantry Needs You!
Ascension Outreach Inc. needs additional volunteer participation. The program is robust and developing in some great ways- and we need more hands-on help. Won’t you consider helping strengthen our service to our neighbors?
Saturday opportunity: 8 to 9:30 am on the first and third Saturday of each month.
Upcoming Dates: October 17 & November 7 & 21. If you have questions or wish to join us, please contact Fr. Ed: fatherchinery@ascensionnyc.org, or 732-910-7017.
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Open Church Schedule
Open Church - Mondays through Fridays, Noon to 3pm. If you would like to volunteer for this ministry, please contact Gretchen Dumler or contact the church office (info@ascensionnyc.org or 212-254-8620.
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Sunday – November 1 – All Saints’ Day
Holy Eucharist (Side Altar) 9:00 a.m.
Holy Eucharist with Music (Church) 11:00 a.m.
In person and online (Ascensionnyc.org/Sunday)
Meditation & Sacrament (Church) 6:00 p.m.
Monday – November 2
Church open for prayer & meditation; Noon to 3:00 p.m.
Evening Prayer (Zoom) 5:30 p.m.
Lectionary Bible Study (Zoom) 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday – November 3 – Election Day
Church open for prayer & meditation; 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Evening Prayer (Zoom) 5:30 p.m.
Small Group Zoom (Zoom) 8:00 p.m.
Wednesday – November 4 – All Souls Day
Church open for prayer & meditation; Noon to 3:00 p.m.
People Who Lunch (Parish Hall) 12:30 p.m.
Evening Prayer (Zoom) 5:30 p.m.
Holy Eucharist (Church) 6:00 p.m. -All Souls Day Service
Building & Grounds (Hybrid) 7:15 p.m.
Thursday – November 5
Church open for prayer & meditation; Noon to 3:00 p.m.
Evening Prayer (Zoom) 5:30 p.m.
Friday – November 6
Church open for prayer & meditation; Noon to 3:00 p.m.
Evening Prayer (Zoom) 5:30 p.m.
Saturday – November 7
Food Pantry (12 W 11th st.) 8:30 a.m.
For food assistance or to volunteer, please contact Fr. Ed (fatherchinery@ascensionyc.org).
Funeral for Sirkka Kyle, Reception to follow (Church) 3:00 p.m.
Sunday – November 8
Holy Eucharist (Side Altar) 9:00 a.m.
Holy Eucharist with Music (Church) 11:00 a.m.
In person and online (Ascensionnyc.org/Sunday)
Ascension Forum (Parish Hall) Following the 11:00 service
Meditation & Sacrament (Church) 6:00 p.m.
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If you need information to connect to one of our Zoom events please call the church office at 212-254-8620 or email us at info@ascensionnyc.org
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