The Church of the Ascension
in the City of New York
12 West 11th Street, New York, NY 10011
212-254-8620 | info@ascensionnyc.org | www.ascensionnyc.org
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"Strengthen your hearts, beloved, for the coming of the Lord is near." (James 5:8)
Dear People of Ascension,
How do you strengthen your heart? In this third week of Advent, one answer might be to prioritize joy. This coming Sunday is "Gaudete", or "rejoice" Sunday, a time of refreshment and focus on the joy of this season, even as we pay attention, prepare and practice repentance.
At this moment for me, there are many reasons to rejoice- much prayed for election results, good times with friends, small opportunities to help others, the particular quality of the light on my morning walk, and the wonderful news that basketball champion Brittney Griner has been released from prison in Russia and is heading home to her wife and family after many months of unjust and frightening confinement.
It is not always thus, and in every case it is possible to see the lack as well as the grace. Sometimes the results are very disappointing, people act meanly, the weather is dreadful and injustice endures. And yet, joy is both gift and discipline. We stretch and strengthen our hearts by noticing signs of the Coming- in hard times and happy ones. Most times are a mix of both, but all along the way, the Lord is near- the source and sustenance of our life.
What joys are nourishing you in these days?
Advent blessings,
Liz
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How to Watch Our Live Stream Services |
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How to Watch Our On Line Services |
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From your computer, laptop, pad, smart phone, or other device, click this link:
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Say Thank You. If you watch our services online you may notice in the lower left-had corner you'll see the name of our producer, Jasmine B. She has been our producer a little over a month now and is doing a great job! Next time you're watching, be sure to give her 5 stars! |
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How to Add Prayer Requests Online for Sunday Service - Go to Ascensionnyc.org/Prayers and type in your prayer request. Be sure to add them before the end of the sermon. |
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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.
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Join us for Coffee Hour
in the Front Garden (weather permitting)
after the service.
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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.
To call in (voice, no camera), dial 929-205-6099; the meeting ID is 770 597 201.
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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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Our Mask Policy
As the COVID numbers drop and the city and state relax restrictions, we no longer require attendees to wear a mask – although we do strongly encourage everyone to be masked when indoors, and to be sensitive to the concerns of others. Clergy, servers, and choir will remain masked during services.
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Christmas Eve, Dec. 24
- Family Service, 5:00 p.m.
- Prelude Music for Christmas, 9:30 p.m.
- Festival Eucharist, 10:00 p.m.
Christmas Day, Dec. 25
- Holy Eucharist & Hymns; 11:00 a.m. (Since Christmas is on a Sunday, there are no other services on that day.)
1st Sunday after Christmas, Jan. 1
- Holy Eucharist, 9:00 a.m.
- Lessons and Carols, 11:00 a.m.
- Meditation & Sacrament, 6:00 p.m.
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Christmas Flower Offering- Help us decorate the church for Christmas with flowers and greenery. Please submit your memorials and thanksgivings to the Parish Office. To submit names:
- Go to the electronic form here. (Using the electronic form significantly streamlines the process for the office.)
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Email the office. or
- Call us at 212-254-8620
Names must be received by Monday, December 19. To make a donation, please go online to our Abundant Giving page to make your donation and designate your memorial names and thanksgivings. |
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Ascension Forum This Sunday: Traditional Icons & the Mystery of the Incarnation – Join us this Sunday, December 11 after the 11:00 service as Dr. Dennis Raverty, PhD, Art Historian leads us in a discussion of icons and the mystery of the incarnation.
Unfortunately, our limitations in providing streaming capabilities in the parish hall prevent this from being streaming this forum via Zoom. We apologize for the inconvenience.
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Bishop Coadjutor Elect: The Rev. Matthew Heyd - This past Saturday in a special convention at the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine in Manhattan, the Rev. Matthew Foster Heyd, the rector of the Church of the Heavenly Rest in Manhattan, was elected Bishop Coadjutor-elect of the Diocese of New York.
To be complete, the election must now receive the consent, delivered to the Presiding Bishop, of a majority of Bishops of the Episcopal Church exercising jurisdiction, and the consent of a majority of the standing committees of the dioceses of the Episcopal Church, delivered to the Standing Committee of the Diocese of New York.
The consecration of the Bishop Coadjutor is scheduled for Saturday, May 20th at the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine.
- For extensive information about the Bishop Elect and the full slate of candidates, please visit bishopsearch.dioceseny.org.
- To hear The Rev. Matthew Heyd's address to the convention, please visit vimeo.com/777677636.
- To see the tabulation of voting, please click here.
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Good and gracious God, we stand on the threshold of a new time for our diocese. As we cross that threshold hand in hand in thankfulness with our new Bishop-elect, Matthew Heyd, pour upon us an abundance of your grace and guidance that together we may seek to be about building your Beloved Community in this place. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. |
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Have you seen our Ascension Advent Calendar? – Check us out every day on our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/ascensionnyc) for a daily Advent visual meditation.
Monday, December 5- “When these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”- Luke 21:28
(photo Mary Gossy)
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Come One Come All for the Greening of the Church! We’re looking for several energetic helpers to join us on Sunday 12/18 after the 11am service. We’ll be “greening the church”, which involves setting up pine trees on either side of the high altar, decorating various spaces with pine rope, hanging some wreaths, and adorning the pulpit and baptismal font with evergreens! Your kind assistance will be most appreciated! Speak to Fr. Ed if you are interested. |
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Have you made your pledge for 2023? Thanks to all who have pledged to support Ascension in the coming year. If you have not yet pledged, please prayerfully consider doing so. We need everyone's participation, and depend on your commitments for our budget planning. Thank you for your generosity and care for our church!
To make or pay your pledge online, please check us out at Ascensionnyc.org/Give to find out how easy and secure it is to give. You can also download the Abundant app for iOS or Android. When donating, please choose whichever purpose you intend for your contribution.
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Help Us Repair & Restore Our Tower Brownstone |
Ascension is making urgently needed repairs and restoration on the historic masonry & copings of our tower brownstone. We have received a generous matching grant from the Manton Foundation for this important work. Now we need your help make our space secure for the next generation!
Every dollar you give will be matched up to $200,000. You can pledge to this campaign online at ascensionnyc.org/matchinggrant, or scan the QR code above, or contact the parish office at 212-254-8620. Payments can be made by check payable to the Church of the Ascension (remember to put “Tower Brownstone” in the memo line) or online through Abundant ( Ascensionnyc.org/Give – select “Manton Matching Grant” from the drop-down menu). If you have any questions about this campaign or the tower, please call the parish office.
Thank you for your generosity!
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From The Rev. Posey Krakowsky - Day of the Dead Quilt - Speaker/Author/ Art Historian Dennis Raverty recently wrote an article about The Day of the Dead quilt, which I made for my husband in 2005. The article was published in The Living Church this month. (For a link to the article, click here.)
Spirit Driven Stitching: Quilts by Posey Krakowsky: On View at the Heavenly Rest Undercroft Gallery (1085 5th Ave, New York, NY), through December 31; The Rev. Posey Krakowsky, Priest Associate at Ascension, is also an artist, theologian, and writer. A lifelong fiber artist, Posey's specialty is quilting, but she also knits, weaves, paints, sews, and works with beads. Posey's quilting pieces are multi-layered and rich and take months to complete. Of her work Posey says, “We are Spirit-driven beings on an earthly, incarnate journey. God walks beside us every step. The ways we use our hands inform our hearts, our minds, and our souls: leading them deeper and deeper into Love.”
To watch Episcopal Journal's interview with Mother Posey, click here. |
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Help Asylum Seekers - Our friends at Judson Church (239 Thompson St.) have created a respite and mutual aid center for asylum seekers who have been bussed to New York from Texas. They are open every Monday from 10 am to 7 pm. You can help by volunteering time (Spanish speakers and those with medical, legal or social work training especially welcome), or by donating supplies. They need new (or like new) winter coats (men’s, women’s, & children’s), underwear (boxers preferably), and backpacks.
To learn more about volunteering, please contact the Rev. Micah Bucey at micah@judson.org. Donated supplies can be brought to Ascension, marked "mutual aid for migrants" and we will see that they get to Judson. Thank you!
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Anyone entering the church is encouraged to wear a mask. Please utilize the hand sanitizer stations. |
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Sunday – December 11 – Third Sunday of Advent
Holy Eucharist (Church) 9:00 a.m.
Holy Eucharist w/ Music; (Church & Live Stream) 11:00 a.m.
Ascension Forum (Parish Hall) 12:30pm
In person and online (Ascensionnyc.org/Sunday)
Join us for Coffee Hour following the Service
Meditation & Sacrament (Church) 6:00 p.m.
Monday – December 12
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.
Finance Committee Meeting (Zoom) 6:45 p.m.
Tuesday – December 13
Church open for prayer & meditation; Noon to 3:00 p.m.
Evening Prayer (Zoom) 5:30 p.m.
Voices of Ascension Christmas Concert (Church) 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday – December 14
Church open for prayer & meditation; Noon to 3:00 p.m.
Evening Prayer (Zoom) 5:30 p.m.
Holy Eucharist (Church) 6:00 p.m.
Thursday – December 15
Church open for prayer & meditation; Noon to 3:00 p.m.
Evening Prayer (Zoom) 5:30 p.m.
Racial Justice Discussion Group (Zoom) 6:30 p.m.
Voices of Ascension Christmas Concert (Church) 7:30 p.m.
Friday – December 16
Church open for prayer & meditation; Noon to 3:00 p.m.
Evening Prayer (Zoom) 5:30 p.m.
Saturday – December 17
Food pantry is available the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month. For assistance or to volunteer, please contact Amy Shaw at amyqshaw@gmail.com.
Sunday – December 18 – Fourth Sunday of Advent
Holy Eucharist (Church) 9:00 a.m.
Holy Eucharist w/ Music; (Church & Live Stream) 11:00 a.m.
Greening of the Church – after the service
In person and online (Ascensionnyc.org/Sunday)
Join us for Coffee Hour following the 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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212-254-8620 | info@ascensionnyc.org | www.ascensionnyc.org
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