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December 9, 2017
Dear Ascension Parish,
Thank you so very much for all of your love and care around the celebration of my 50th birthday. I could not feel more blessed - by my amazing and wonderful wife Jennifer, three terrific children, and all of you - a true parish family.
Advent is intended to be a season of peace in midst of turmoil, hope in the midst of worry, and light in the midst of darkness. What a gift to all of us, this advent - this season - this blessing of Christ in our lives, and in our hearts.
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The Bishop's Visitation
On December 3, the First Sunday of Advent, we were honored to have Bishop Michael Hanley with us for his biennial visitation. Bishop Michael officiated the 8:00 A.M. and 10:00 A.M. Masses, and he also met with our Vestry between the services. It was a joyous and encouraging occasion!
Thank you to Darroch Cahan for the photos!
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In the spirit of giving back, and coinciding with the Feast of St. Nicholas, we are collecting "new and unused" toys to deliver to our local fire station, Station #15.
Bring them by anytime and on Sunday, December 17 we will deliver them after the 10am Mass. For more information, here is a link:
Please resist the urge to wrap them so they know what the toys are and drop them off in the blue bin under the guest book table.
Thank you and take care during this busy season of Advent,
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Happy Birthday, Father Phillip!
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On November 26, it was a joy for our parish family to celebrate Father Phillip Craig's fiftieth birthday in Reinhart Hall, together with his family.
Father Phillip, we are very thankful for you and for all you do! May the Lord continue to bless you and watch over you as your years increase.
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Dear Parish family,
Amid the busyness of our Advent season, I invite you to join me for some fun and reflection and lovely music from Marion and Eddie Edens this Sunday afternoon.
A couple of weeks ago Eddie came by while I was working my office hours on a Friday, to "show me some music." Before I knew it I had agreed to accompany him and Marion in a whole concert!
It's a treat for me to get to play something other than organ music at Christmas - in fact, in our little show I get to try my hand at some improvising and a couple of jazz arrangements. I'll never be our dear Brad Mersereau, but it will be worth the effort to hear Marion's virtuosic Antipodean version of "The Twelve Days of Christmas," and to hear Eddie channel Nat King Cole in "The Christmas Song."
And looking ahead, I hope all of you will join us for one of our two Christmas Eve services. The 5:00 P.M. service will center around the participation of our young people, and the 9:00 P.M. service will be a reflective time in the tradition of Lessons and Carols. Please come support our young readers, our soloists and our choristers this Christmas Eve!
Soli Deo gloria,
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Holiday Classics Afternoon Concert
December 10, 2017
4:00 P.M.
On the afternoon of December 10, you are welcome to join us for a relaxed afternoon of Christmas music for voice and piano. Singers
Marion and Eddie Edens
, parishioners of Ascension, will offer this fun afternoon of music to us as a special Christmas gift to the parish!
The concert will take place in our parlor, and will feature favorites like "The Twelve Days of Christmas," "Sweet Little Jesus Boy," and "White Christmas."
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Upcoming Events
Dec. 10, 9:00 A.M.: Advent Choir Rehearsal
Dec. 10, 11:00 A.M.: Vestry Meeting
Dec. 10, 4:00 P.M.: Holiday Classics Afternoon Concert
Dec. 17, 9:00 A.M.: Advent Choir Rehearsal
Dec. 17, 10:00 A.M.: Youth Art Class
Dec. 24, 10:00 A.M.: One Combined Mass for Advent IV
Dec. 24, 5:00 P.M.: Christmas Eve Family Mass
Dec. 24, 9:00 P.M.: Christmas Eve Festival of Lessons & Carols
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Christmas Greenery for the Chapel
Our annual Greening of the Chapel will take place on Saturday, December 23. Please please bring
greens, like
fir, spruce, cedar, juniper, holly, etc., to the church on
Saturday the 23
, and the Altar Guild will use these to green the parish for the Christmas season.
You may also use the Memorial Christmas Offering slips in your Advent bulletins to make donations for Christmas flowers and greenery in memory of a loved one or in thanksgiving for blessings in your life.
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Christmas at Ascension
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One Combined Said Mass for the Fourth Sunday of Advent
Sunday, December 24, 10:00 A.M.
There will be only one morning service on December 24. This Mass will take place in the Requiem Chapel.
Christmas Eve Family Mass
Sunday, December 24, 5:00 P.M.
A family-friendly service of lessons and carols with Eucharist, in which our parish children participate.
Christmas Eve Festival of Lessons & Carols
Sunday, December 24, 9:00 P.M.
A traditional festival of Lessons and Carols led by our Advent Choir, who will sing works by Yon, Willcocks, Cleobury and more. The Eucharist will follow the Lessons and Carols.
Christmas Day Said Mass with Carols
Monday, December 25, 10:00 A.M.
A joyful Mass with carols in celebration of the Nativity.
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Reflection
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Not everyone can wait: neither the sated nor the satisfied nor those without respect can wait. The only ones who can wait are people who carry restlessness around with them and people who look up with reverence to the greatest in the world.
Thus Advent can be celebrated only by those whose souls give them no peace, who know they are poor and incomplete, and who sense something of the greatness that is supposed to come, before which they can only bow in humble timidity, waiting until he inclines himself toward us - the Holy One himself, God in the child in the manger.
God is coming; the Lord Jesus is coming; Christmas is coming. Rejoice O Christendom.
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945)
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If you have a quotation you'd like to suggest for a future Reflection in The View, please email it to Emma Riggle at music@ascensionepiscopalparish.org.
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Prayer Requests
for Father Steve Norcross
as he recovers from surgery
for Janet Mersereau
beloved wife of Brad
Today in the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer:
Gardiner: St. Mary.
PRAY for the communities of Gardiner and Reedsport and for us as we strive to be active witnesses of God's love. Pray that we can celebrate the Holy Eucharist together, live the covenant of baptism in our daily lives and inspirit one another in ministry.
Gold Beach: St. Matthew.
PRAY for a vision of the Gospel that will empower our mission with strength of purpose and active outreach.
Grants Pass: St. Luke.
Mary Piper, interim rector; Joani Bristol, deacon.
PRAY for our Jubilee ministries, our ecumenical ministry with the "Church of the Valley", and the work of our Master Plan Committee. Give thanks for the blessing of worship week by week, and the many who make it possible.
Collect for the Second Sunday of Advent:
Merciful God, who sent your messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation: Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins, that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
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