Volume 10, Issue #19 - May 7, 2020
In the name of Christ, we embrace all people to be nourished and empowered by the Holy Spirit to love and serve the world.
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I am delighted that Bishop Mark will be meeting with us this Sunday at 11:00 a.m. via Zoom (see details below). He had planned to be with us in person on May 24 to celebrate Ascension Day, but of course the Coronavirus changed these plans.
He and other diocesan leaders are working with our state government, the Kentucky Council of Churches, and others to plan the best way(s) to reopen our church. This will certainly be a gradual process, whatever it looks like, and calls for continued prayer and patience by all of us. Please remember to hold him and his staff up in prayer as they labor to help us worship in safety.
Please join us if you are able. Bishop Mark will doubtless have some helpful information to share and also will want to hear your thoughts, feelings, and experiences.
With Joy,
Peter+
cell
502-661-2742
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This week!
SUNDAY, MAY 10 - 11:00 a.m.
Fifth Sunday of Easter
Coffee Hour with Bishop Mark!
Bishop Mark Van Koevering invites all Ascension parishioners to attend a virtual Coffee Hour with him on Sunday, May 10, at 11:00 a.m. - online via ZOOM.
First, check out his comments below on the Way Forward for the Diocese in Covidtide.
Then on Sunday, bring your own snack and settle in front of your computer, phone, or other device, to hear Bishop Mark's comments, ask questions, and even socialize with each other a bit.
Spread the word - everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend!
The ZOOM invitation/link for this meeting was sent to you earlier this week, and for security reasons is not being reprinted here, in this more public newsletter. If you need the link again, please email Mona at
info@ascensionfrankfort.org
, or contact Father Peter (see above), to request the link for the Zoom Coffee Hour with Bishop Mark.
(This meeting will FOLLOW Morning Prayer with Father Peter (on Facebook), starting at the usual time of 9:30 a.m. This meeting will REPLACE his usual Sunday morning online Bible Study class.)
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A Pastoral Letter from Bishop Mark
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
Last night, we gathered online as clergy, senior wardens, Executive Council and Standing Committee members, staff, officers of our church, and youth representatives to discuss a Way Forward for our Diocese in Covidtide. It was heartening to see your faces on screen, hear your comments, and witness your passion for our Church. In summary, this is what we agreed last evening:
1. We accepted the proposed phased approach. Even though it does not give us a date
certain, we go forward together in hope with a clear vision.
2. Now is not yet the time to return to in-person worship. The threat remains for those we love: our friends, our families and our neighbors. We accept patiently enduring this time of fasting from in-person worship and will focus on the many creative ways we have discovered to express our faith. For the moment, this is our primary spiritual work.
3. We agreed to a collegial approach, which recognizes the uniqueness of each faith community and the responsibility of clergy-in-charge, and, at the same time, we recommit ourselves to our common life as one Church. We will not act independently.
4. Mission House will provide guidelines to facilitate each faith community's action planning and the collegial review process. We will only act after mutual agreement.
In making these decisions, I believe we are being faithful to God's call on us to be a distinctive community. We will not make the false choice of either opening our buildings or keeping our people safe. Our trust is in the name of the Lord and our priority is the flourishing of all God's people; we believe that we can be the Church, even in Covidtide.
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
+Mark
The Rt Rev Mark Van Koevering
Bishop
The Episcopal Diocese of Lexington
P.O. Box 610 Lexington KY 40588-0610
859-252-6527
Per The Episcopal Church Canon III.12.3(b) Bishop Mark asks that all Clergy and Wardens in Charge share this Pastoral Letter with their faith communities.
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Sunday, May 10, is Mother's Day. For all mothers:
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CENTERING PRAYER
meetings are restarting online via ZOOM beginning Saturday, May 16, at 10:00 a.m., led by Scott Kimbel.
Everyone is invited and welcome, whether you are new or practiced with this technique. If you would like to attend, please contact Father Peter (see above) for the meeting link and password.
Centering Prayer is a receptive method of silent prayer that prepares us to receive the gift of contemplative prayer, prayer in which we experience God's presence within us, closer than breathing, closer than thinking, closer than consciousness itself. This method of prayer is both a relationship with God and a discipline to foster that relationship. Centering Prayer is not meant to replace other kinds of prayer. Rather, it adds depth of meaning to all prayer and facilitates the movement from more active modes of prayer - verbal, mental or affective prayer - into a receptive prayer of resting in God. Centering Prayer emphasizes prayer as a personal relationship with God and as a movement beyond conversation with Christ to communion with Christ.
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CALLING ALL GRADUATES!
Let us know who “our” graduates are this year, whether from high school, college, or other significant program. We are compiling a list, and need your help to let us know if Ascension parishioners or family members are graduating in 2020. Tell us the graduate’s name, school/program/degree, and if desired, plans for future school or work, and name(s) of their parents or connection to Ascension.
This has been a very different year for these graduates, because of COVID-19. Help us acknowledge and celebrate their hard work and accomplishments!
Please include a favorite photo of the graduate, if possible.
Email to
info@ascensionfrankfort.org
, or leave a message for the office at 502-223-0557.
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COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, direction from government officials, and leadership from our bishops, there will be no worship services or any group meetings in the church building until further notice.
If you have questions, concerns, ideas or suggestions to share, or if you have needs that your church family might help to meet, please contact Father Peter to discuss (email
fatherpeter@ascensionfrankfort.org
, or call
502-661-2742
).
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ONLINE WORSHIP @ ASCENSION
- Sundays: Check out Ascension's Facebook page on Sundays at 9:30 a.m. Father Peter will lead Morning Prayer (live from his home) OR there there will be an increasing number of recorded video services (in the church, with clergy and organist). Please log in if you're able and invite others to "attend" as well: we can all use a little prayer and community during this time!
- Father Peter is continuing to lead Sunday morning Bible study (currently the Gospel of Matthew) through ZOOM, starting at 11:00 a.m. Please text or email him (contact info is above) if you want to be added to this group, providing your preferred email address.
- Daily: Father Peter is leading Evening Prayer at 6:30 p.m. on our Facebook page, beginning with any announcements as needed. All are welcome!
- Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays: Deacon Sue is leading Compline at 8:00 p.m. on our Facebook page. Join her and say hello!
FACEBOOK:
Check it out, and comment to let others know you're watching! We also post announcements, articles, and links of interest on this page, so check it often.
ZOOM:
After contacting the group leader to sign up, you will receive a specific email invitation for EACH meeting, containing a link to click from your computer or smart device for voice and video, or alternately, a number to call from any phone for voice only.
VIDEOS:
Videos started in March 2020 with "What is Lent?" and "Explaining Holy Week and Easter Services," followed by recordings of Holy Week services inside the church with Ascension clergy and organist. Additional service videos will be posted here as they are created.
Other videos of topical interest will be presented occasionally. In April, which was Autism Awareness Month, Father Peter interviewed his wife, social worker Nicole Doddema, and parishioner Kristi Buffenmyer, to help develop a better understanding of this topic.
ONLINE RESOURCES
- Free Resources for Our Elderly and Homebound Members from Hometouch Ministry: "Our homebound members have been on our minds through this trying time, including those who live alone or are unable to leave their homes due to the ever increasing shelter at home orders. As a way to try and stay connected, we are providing 4 days worth of devotions and activities to send to the loved ones in your lives. We've also included a template that you may want to send to families in your congregation who would like to color a picture and send a note to those who might feel isolated. You may download these free resources for unrestricted, re-distributable use."
From Church Publishing:
"
Drawn to the Gospels: An Illustrated Lectionary
"
- For each Sunday during Easter, Jay Sidebotham offers a color-able cartoon and text of the gospel for individual reflection, virtual group settings, or at home with your family. These amusing and original reflections will deepen scriptural engagement among members of the Episcopal Church, including youth groups, and will inspire some fun in the process.
From Church Next:
Just Launched — New FREE Course: A Covid-19 Spiritual Survival Kit.
This course is ideal for anyone who wants to learn coping skills as we go through the Covid-19 experience, t
o help people maintain self-care and community care as the epidemic progresses, four instructors have graciously offered their time and knowledge to help people cope.
Find more resources listed on Ascension's web site, here:
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MEETINGS & OFFICE HOURS
Regular office hours are suspended until further notice.
Group meetings of three or more people should NOT be held on church grounds during this time. Investigate using cell phone conferencing, Facebook Live, ZOOM, or other remote meeting options.
Having a key does NOT mean that you are authorized to enter/use the building during this period of mandatory closure. If your group "needs to meet" - CHECK FIRST with Father Peter for authorization or options. Building traffic should be absolutely minimal.
Father Peter, Mona Proctor, and other clergy and staff may sometimes be working from home, or may be in and out of the office occasionally. Our Sexton, David Gierlach, and cleaning person, Anita Rogers, will continue their duties on their own schedules.
Other people are asked not to visit the office/church building without prior authorization from Father Peter. If you do enter the building for any authorized purpose, remember the six-foot social distancing rule at all times. Soap and hand sanitizer is readily available throughout the building - use it!
Our clergy team continues to work to stay in touch with our members who are sick or homebound, but in-person visits will be kept to a minimum during this time.
Please note: Our antiquated phone system will not allow us to update the 'outgoing announcement' voicemail messages! We hope to have the problem corrected at some point, but even if the message you hear is outdated, you may still leave a message. We will hear it the next time we are in the building, whenever that may be. If your message needs immediate attention, please contact Father Peter directly
(email
fatherpeter@ascensionfrankfort.org
, or call
502-661-2742
).
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CHILDREN
For families with children, consider having them create a scrapbook or journal about this historic event. Teach them to pray, to look for the helpers, and to express their questions, their fears, and their gratitude.
Send a photo of your project(s) to Father Peter to share on our Facebook page!
OUTREACH
While the church is closed, our tradition of serving breakfast on Sunday morning is also suspended. However, there are still many other ways that we can continue our mission of outreach.
Always in mind is
Simon House
, which we work to support throughout the year. They are in desperate need of household supplies and food items. Here is their current wishlist:
https://www.simonhouseonline.org/Our_Wishlist.htm
Note: During this critical time, donations should go directly to Simon House, NOT to the church.
Always call first to arrange a drop-off: 502-223-2138.
With all three of the city’s homeless shelters at or near capacity, Simon House is also coordinating a
new temporary emergency shelter
that can house up to 40 people - now up running at F.D. Wilkinson Gymnasium at 315 Ewing St.
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FRANKLIN COUNTY COVID-19 RESPONSE FUND
A local COVID-19 relief fund is now live. In partnership with the Blue Grass Community Foundation, “The Franklin County COVID-19 Response Fund, a charitable fund established by the Franklin County Community Fund, will provide critical support to vulnerable populations in Franklin County who are adversely affected by the coronavirus pandemic,” their web site reads. Your donations to this charitable fund will provide grants to nonprofit organizations with strong experience delivering services related to food, healthcare, childcare, transportation and the elderly.
As you are able, please consider supporting this fund to help local non-profits in meeting the immediate need in our community. Following is a link to their web site and a State Journal article with more details.
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FOR THE EMERGENCY COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY
OF FRANKLIN COUNTY
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Typically in May, the Emergency Community Food Pantry of Franklin County has two large food drives, but because of social distancing guidelines to protect people from COVID-19, the drives are canceled, causing organizers to come up with a new plan to get people the food they need. One of the two drives canceled was through the U.S. Postal Service while the other was an Interfaith Food Drive, in which local churches of all denominations collected food for the pantry.
“In order to replace those two drives, we’re going to do a virtual drive,” said Regina Wink-Swinford, board president for food pantry. The drive will collect monetary donations through the food pantry’s website,
www.frankfortfoodpantry.org
.
Donations are already being collected, but on May 1 the pantry will launch a social media and advertising campaign urging people to donate.
Donors can contribute as much or as little as they can, but to offer perspective, Wink-Swinford explained that a single donation of $32 feeds a family of two for a week.
Wink-Swinford said monetary donations actually go further because it allows the organization to purchase food in bulk.
The pandemic has also affected the food pantry’s operations. Those requesting food used to be able to get their orders filled the same day, but now they have to wait until the next day so that food pantry volunteers have time to fill the request. “We used to staff 12 volunteers at a time,” Wink-Swinford said. “Now, we have no more than four volunteers at a time filling orders. The fewer people that handle the food, the better.”
The drive will last the entire month of May. Wink-Swinford said the pantry’s goal is to raise $24,000, which should be enough to purchase two months of groceries, however demands on the food pantry have increased substantially because of the pandemic.
Wink-Swinford said the pantry already had a record year as far as how many people it helped in 2019, and so far in 2020, is again experiencing record-breaking months.
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MONTHLY RECEIPTS
5/1/20: $1,860
We hope that our continuing video-produced and live services are providing you some spiritual fulfillment during these difficult times. Please note the schedule for our continuing services on Facebook and our web site. We commend all clergy, staff, and lay parishioners who are generously giving their time and talents to these digital endeavors.
We know this is a time of uncertainty and difficulty for all of us. As you take care of yourselves now, physically and financially, you will be able to help others later.
If you have lost a job, need money for groceries or housing, or face some other hardship due to the pandemic, please feel free to talk with Father Peter, Deacon Rebecca, or Deacon Sue. They are 'plugged in' to channels for finding assistance that you might not know.
Please note that during this critical time, obligations of your Parish continue. We must continue to pay for payroll, utilities, facility maintenance, insurance, and more. We want to make sure that our doors can reopen when this crisis is eased. Our 2020 budget is already quite lean, and your gifts of time and treasure are crucial to the mission of the Episcopal Church of Ascension, Frankfort, Kentucky.
In recent years we worked and prayed together to meet serious financial challenges. Please continue your pledge payments and make other donations as you are able.
Address any payments sent by U.S. Mail to Church of the Ascension, 311 Washington Street, Frankfort KY 40601. If you are out of envelopes or stamps to send a paper check, we will be glad to mail you a supply. Email info@ascensionfrankfort.org or call 502-223-0557.
You may drop offerings and other paperwork, contained in an envelope, into the locked church mailbox. It is a brass box located on the parish hall porch that is nearest the main church door, mounted on the brick wall to the right of the steps.
If you would like to give "automatically" by authorizing a regular monthly deduction from your bank account, contact the office to get that started.
You may also donate to Ascension online: using a credit card at
https://www.paypal.com/paypalme2/ascensionfrankfort
(You do NOT need a PayPal account to do this - just a credit card. Only PayPal sees your credit card number, not anyone at Ascension. This is considered to be a very safe, secure way to give online.)
If you have questions about the church budget or expenses, talk to any 2020 Vestry member, or to William Legg, Treasurer, or Mike Oder, Assistant Treasurer, or Jim King, Finance Committee Chair.
Please take care of yourselves and shepherd your resources. May God bless us all.
William Legg
Treasurer
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for Summer 2020 has been cancelled due to COVID-19.
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May 10, 2020
Daily Office Lectionary
Week of Five Easter, Year Two - BCP 963
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Intercessions for the Church:
The Church of the Ascension, Mount Sterling - The Rev. Rob Slocum,
Priest-In-Partnership.
Recently in need of prayers:
Barbara; Bill; Candy & Tony; Daneen; Donnie; Edith & Marion; Fran & Doug; Ginni; Gus; Heidi & Ian; Greg; Jon; Josh;
Lara;
Linda; Madonna; Marie.
Continuing concern:
Betty; Carrie & Shawn; Collin; Dan; Darlene; David; Debbie; Dillard; Doris; the Duncan Family; Erika; Faye & Steve; Gillian; Holly; Isaiah; James & Stella; Janet; Janice; Jean; Jinks; John; Julia; June; Linda; Mac; Marilyn; Mary; Melissa; Mike & Susie; Natalie; Polly; Scott & Kathy; Sherri; and Tom. We also pray for those on active duty in the military: Daniel, Houston, Mary Jo, Nick, Seth, Tanner, and Walter.
Birthdays:
5/13 - Abbey Van Dyk, Bob Bullock Jr.
Anniversaries:
5/16 - Don & Rebecca Saager.
Recently Departed:
Ruth Saager
(sister of Don Saager).
NOTICE:
Part of the strength of this congregation is our care and concern for each other. Please help us to do this by letting the church office know when you are ill, hospitalized, or otherwise in need of prayer and/or visitation. We especially want to serve you during these times.
Also, if we don’t have your birthday or anniversary on file, or if it appears incorrectly, please let us know!
Call the office at
502-223-0557
(messages are checked periodically), or email
curate@ascensionfrankfort.org
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Pre-Planning for End of Life
Rite I or Rite II? Eucharist or no? Burial service in the church, or only a graveside committal? Special music, songs, readings, people? Please consider writing your preferences on a “Funeral Information and Burial Instructions” form, for secure long-term storage in the parish office. This confidential information will serve as a guide to the church and your family after your death. A 'Kentucky Living Will Directive and Health Care Surrogate Designation' Form is also available.
Return the completed form(s) to Deacon Rebecca, Deacon Sue, or to the parish office.
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Clergy and Staff
- The Rev. Peter Doddema, Priest
- The Rev. Dr. William G. Brown, Associate Priest Emeritus
- The Rev. Deacon Rebecca A. Saager, Curate
- The Rev. Deacon Susan E. Kurtz, Deacon
- Mr. John B. Martin, Director of Music & Organist
- Ms. Mona Landrum Proctor, Parish & Financial Administrator
- Mr. David Gierlach, Sexton
Copyright © 2020 Church of the Ascension. All Rights Reserved.
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