Category: Newsletter

The First Sunday of Advent

The last Sunday of Pentecost is also known as “Christ the King Sunday,” and the scripture lessons and music all address the reign of Christ on earth and for all time. This week, with the ingathering of our annual pledges to be good stewards of this community in the year ahead and the U.S. celebration of Thanksgiving, the rector also reflects on gratitude.

Also: Sunday evening in-person worship resumes next week with the first Sunday of Advent, at 6 p.m. (not 7 p.m.)

This Sunday, in-person worship (masks required) at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m., and for our online worshipers, an improved experience using a professional webcasting service called “Local Live.” You can watch the webcast of the 11 a.m. service by going to ascensionnyc.org/webcasts — or continue to join a community of online worshipers at 11 a.m. via Zoom by going to ascensionnyc.org/sunday.

This Sunday, we celebrate the Feast of All Saints. This past week, we celebrated All Souls, known in Latin American cultures as Dia de los Muertos. In this week’s newsletter, Mother Posey shares a picture of the quilt displayed as a pulpit hanging that day and gives us some background on how it came to be.

The rector writes: “From November 1-12, leaders from all over the world are gathering in Glasgow, Scotland for COP26, the UN Conference on Climate. For the next two weeks, I invite you to join me in praying every day for those gathered in Glasgow.” Also: News about our neighborhood Halloween festivities, a Wednesday Eucharist commemorating All Souls, and much more!

This week: commissioning of Stewardship Campaign canvassers, iced tea and lemonade in the Fifth Avenue garden after church, our annual Harvest Dinner on Wednesday (to be held again via Zoom, which turned out to be a fun approach last year), and a special, spooky coffee hour for our neighbors next Sunday!

The rector writes: “Where our treasure is our hearts will be also, as Jesus said. Sometimes what we do with our treasure changes our hearts — and vice versa! How do we care for our hearts, our time, our resources of skill, education, health, privilege, support? How do we honor, preserve, use and give away what has been passed down to us?”
 
Also: a memorial concert with mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade; our upcoming communal-but-safe Harvest Dinner; and more!

In this week’s newsletter: a poem to celebrate Indigenous People’s Day; news about Ascension’s upcoming Harvest Dinner; an invitation to join weekly Bible study; and information about the Racial Justice Discussion Group’s next meeting to discuss Clint Smith’s How the Word is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America.

In this week’s newsletter: a poem to commemorate St. Francis of Assisi and the blessing of the animals, which we’ll be celebrating immediately following the 11 a.m. service. Also: Updates on upcoming changes for our online worshippers and the move from Zoom to Local Live for our streaming services.

In this week’s newsletter: Blessing of the Animals is next week, October 3! Also: Congratulations to parishioner Stanley Weinberg for a new article published in The Episcopal New Yorker. And information about how to help those affected by Hurricane Ida and the refugees affected by the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.