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.
There are a number of special programs at Ascension this season, including forums, dinners, classes, films, quiet day, a farm day and retreat. On February 28th after the 11 o’clock service Eliza Griswold will present a forum on the plight of Christians and other religious minorities fleeing Isis, and other existential threats in the larger Middle East. Ms. Griswold is an award-winning journalist and
Listen to the third session of Clay Williams’ Science and Theology forum, Bios, which he led at Ascension on January 10, 2016. Here is a link to the handout he prepared for this forum.
“THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING”, a new film (2015) about capitalism vs. climate will be shown in our free film series on Tuesday, February 2nd, 7pm, at the Church of the Ascension Parish House, 12 West 11th Street. Based on Naomi Klein’s book of the same name, it explores whether the climate crisis can be addressed in the current era of reckless consumption and market fundamentalism.
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, 2016, immediately following the 11 a.m. service, for the purpose of electing a Warden for a term of two years, one Vestry member to the Class of 2018 and four Vestry members to the Class of 2019, and for the conduct of such other business as should come before the Parish. Polls will open after the 9:00 a.m. service to allow voting for members attending that service. Be sure to stay for the full meeting as many important things are discussed!
How does one capture, in words, a life in love with God? That’s a great part of what I love about our faith experience. I like to think of religion as a framework upon which we have relationship with God. And, as in any relationship, how we express ourselves – the words we use and how they shape what we mean – bear the potential for great excitement. Words are vessels of creation. Take our gospel lesson for today.
Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ is the light of the world: Grant that your people, illumined by your Word and Sacraments, may shine with the radiance of Christ’s glory, that he may be known, worshipped, and obeyed to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Volume 1 tells us that, “Water is the element naturally used for cleansing the body, and its symbolical use entered into almost every cult, and into none more completely than the Jewish, whose ceremonial washings were proverbial.” The Dead Sea Scrolls also depict different kinds of baptism ritual as something practiced by much of Jewry. To this day in Judaism…
The next meeting of the Ascension Book Club is Wednesday, February 3, at 7:00 pm the Rectory parlor. Enter through the office/library from the Parish Hall. The February selection is Rascal by Sterling North. For those of you who want to get a head start on the selection for the March 3 meeting, the book is The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton. Along
O God, who wonderfully created, and yet more wonderfully restored, the dignity of human nature: Grant that we may share the divine life of him who humbled himself to share our humanity, your Son Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.