This Week at Ascension + July 7, 2021

"Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness." - Psalm 96

This evening,
Wednesday, July 7

Saints Aquila & Priscilla,
Martyrs

6:00 p.m.

6:30 p.m.
In-person &
Live-streamed Mass





St. Paul in the House of Aquila and Priscilla, Museum Plantin-Moretus, Antwerp

Sunday, July 11, 2021 + The Seventh Sunday after Pentecost

9:30 a.m. - Morning Prayer via ZOOM
10:00 a.m. In-person & Live-streamed Mass



Image: The prophet Amos, late 15th c.,
att. Francesco Rosselli, Art Institute of Chicago



From the Rector
Taking Attendance

Dear people of Ascension,

Did you know that Episcopal parishes keep a record of attendance for all worship services? Not only every mass but each Daily Office, Evensong, Stations of the Cross, Benediction, wedding, requiem ... you get the idea. We compile the data after the end of each calendar year to include in a required Parochial Report to our Bishop and the Episcopal Church.

The pandemic turned attendance tracking into a conjectural quagmire. In what sense are remote participants 'attending' a mass? What if they only stay online through the sermon -- or only join us after the sermon ends? (And are they 'attending' if they are also shaving or texting or reading the New York Times? How would we know?)

Here at Ascension, those of us responsible for this record-keeping have received plausible starter-guidance from the diocese and elsewhere, and we are developing our own protocols. We've chosen to be conservative with regard to counting remote participation. We don't include all 'views' or add those who view a mass after the fact. We do include the peak number of viewers during the mass itself. For example, our Facebook and YouTube sites presently show a combined total of 137 'viewers' for the mass this past Sunday. We included 16 in our records -- the peak number of viewers during the live-stream.

Whatever the course of the pandemic or emerging from it, attendance questions will persist. Record-keeping norms will evolve. Some parishes have already discontinued live-streaming, returning to in-person worship as the only option (and thereby simplifying attendance taking!). Here at Ascension, our 2020 investment in technology was partly based on a long-term commitment to live-streaming. Positive feedback that we consistently receive suggests we should continue.

Special thanks: to the significantly increased number of parishioners now taking part in taking attendance and adapting to new protocols. And thanks to all who attend and who are counted, whether in person or from afar.

Patrick +
Also from the Rector
A few extra notes on attendance
The main photo above shows our new attendance-taking sheet (with separate in-person and remote tallies). Numbers from the sheet are recorded in the permanent 'Register of Church Services' kept in the sacristy. When full, the registers become part of our permanent archives. The bottom photos above show detail from a 1950 register: Ninety-four souls attended two masses on Sunday, December 10, the Second Sunday of Advent. The 'Preacher' columns in all registers at the time were used instead to record number of persons taking part in sacramental confession prior to masses.
While we were sleeping ...
the 125 W Maple proposal evolved.
I'm unaware of anyone at Ascension who's been tracking progress on the proposed new high rise at the southwest corner of Maple and LaSalle, but the developer has persisted in plans to go forward, with some modifications since a first public presentation in July 2020. Two public meetings on the proposed project will take place in the coming eight days, and following are some related links.




For better or worse, pandemic conditions have made it difficult to assess Ascension's interests with regard to this plan. Junior Warden Ken Kelling did initiate contact with the developer (Fifield) after the July 2020 meeting. Also, Ken and others joined me in a Zoom meeting with a developer-consultant not associated with the project, in order to better understand our interests, nearby development in general, and what questions we should be asking. Any presently interested parishioners are encouraged both to take part in the meetings described and to share thoughts, concerns and questions with me or the Wardens.
A lovely goodbye to Fr. Arceneaux
and his wife Fiona Chisolm was enjoyed by all who took part in the mass and garden reception this past Sunday, July 4. Thanks for all who contributed to a joyful send-off. To see a short video from the reception, click on the photo or here.
(The same document was shared in last week's newsletters and in the bulletins for Sunday, July 13.)
Please be familiar with this revised guidance if planning to participate in person at Ascension for mass and fellowship.
Organ Repertoire for July 11, 2021
The Fifth Sunday after Pentecost
ORGAN
Ad coenam Agni providi
Jehan Titelouze (1562/3-1633)
David Schrader, Organist Emeritus
 
At the Entrance Procession
Hymn 410 LAUDA ANIMA
 
At the Offertory
Hymn 686 NETTLETON
 
At the Communion
Hymn GARMOND CHAPEL
 
At the Retiring Procession
Hymn 688 EIN FESTE BURG
 
ORGAN
Fantaisie
Charles Racquet (1597-1664)
David Schrader, Organist Emeritus
About our 2021 Repertoire
As I develop a long-range plan for repertoire each year, I choose a theme or area of emphasis, often complete works or a complete large-scale work by one composer. During 2021, organ music by women composers and African-American composers is being and will be featured in voluntaries and recitals throughout the year. There are some little-known gems waiting to be discovered, as well as music by major composers, with whom works for the organ are not generally associated. Enjoy!
From Benjamin Rivera

Dear friends,

Our vocal music has returned to its usual (pre-COVID) summer format:
-congregational Mass Ordinary, hymns, and service
music
-chanted propers, solos, and/or motets sung by the
Schola

If you haven’t attended a summer Mass for a while, you may not be aware that many of these Masses feature a quartet or quintet of mixed voices. We hope you’ll join us in the building, or online if you’re unable to attend in person.

Peace be with you!
Benjamin

Between Masses, please don’t forget that our choir has recorded upwards of 60 tracks that you can listen to anywhere you have an internet connection. They can be found here: https://soundcloud.com/choir-of-the-ascension

The Treasurer and Bookkeeper continue to limit time in the parish offices. All checks received at Ascension via the United States Postal Service, not always a reliable service in our area, will be bank deposited approximately every 3 weeks. You may contact the Treasurer by email anytime at Finance@AscensionChicago.org. 
Ascension Connections
(with your click and God's help)
Participate in Ascension masses at our YouTube Channel. (Look for other connections options soon.)
Meeting ID:
792 031 7452
Password: 1133
Join-by-Phone Option: (312) 626-6799

Weekly Ascension Schedule

For connections:
via Zoom (click here)
except for Morning Prayer,
via Facebook (click here).

SUNDAYS
9:30 a.m. Virtual Morning Prayer
10:00 a.m. Live-Streamed Mass
11:00 a.m. Virtual Coffee Hour

MONDAY-FRIDAY
6:00 p.m. Evening Prayer via Zoom

WEDNESDAYS
6:30 p.m. Low Mass
Please give generously as you are able.
Treasurer Susan Schlough has asked me to remind you of Ascension's ongoing expenses at this time. To the extent that you are able, payment on your pledges or the offering of Holy Day or other special gifts will be greatly appreciated. You may still write a check and mail it to the church, or online payment is possible through the buttons at various places on our website. Thank you!
THE PARISH PRAYER LIST
For our prayers: August 'Augie' Alonzo, Jim Berger, David Byerly, Steven Wallis, Sarah Ponder, Taffy Wehe, Carnola Malone, Marvin Files, Amy Peterson, Stephanie, Gwen Clark-Mason,
Barbara Wischmeier, The Rev. Canon Paula Clark, Lee Gould, Maria, Beth Hall, Alfred Raby, Claire, Inez Bahena, Gina, Catherine C.
 
Birthdays: Jahari Sean Moore, 7/4; William Ford, 7/5; Judy Di Zhao, 7/6
 
Requiescat in pace: Doris Mae Horne, 7/6/1980; Raymond E. Harkness, 7/8/1995

Rest eternal grant unto them, O Lord, and let light perpetual shine upon them;
May their souls and the souls of all the departed through the mercy of God rest in peace.

The Rev. Patrick Raymond, Rector

Susan Schlough, Treasurer

Br. Nathanael Deward Rahm BSG, Parish Office
Vestry of Church of the Ascension
Cheryl Peterson, Sr. Warden; Kenneth Kelling, Jr. Warden; Kelly Colomberti, Marilyn Evans, Lynette Hector, Jim Lo Bello, George Pineda, David Reeves, Samuel Sommers, Enrique Vilaseco, Amber Zelazny

Approved minutes of Vestry meetings are always available online to parishioners who request the link. If you would like Internet access to these Vestry Minutes, please email the Parish Office and request the link. Once you access the web page, you can read all recent Vestry meeting minutes.
The link remains live indefinitely. Any parishioner who has the link will not need to request a new link from month to month.