Fifth Sunday After Pentecost
Happy LGBTQ+ Pride, beloved People of Ascension!

Here is a blessing for you this day, and always.

May the blessing of the triune God,
Whose nature is loving relationship,
Whose being transcends and transforms gender,
Who strives ceaselessly for justice
And calls us to the dance,
Creator of infinite diversity,
Embodied grace and goodness,
Energy of liberation
One God who is becoming whoever they will become
Be among you and remain with you always.
Amen.

Liz
How to Join the Service
From your computer, laptop, pad, smart phone, or other device, click this link:

or

If you do not have a device with a camera, you can still join with your phone by dialing the following number: 929-205-6099, and enter the meeting ID: 322 793 633.

All of our online services, with their links, can be found on our public calendar, and are listed below.
Click this link to read up on some best practices for Zoom meetings.
Please be Alert!

Online phishing emails are becoming more and more rampant these days and the church is not exempt from vulnerability. Please read our notice below in the announcement for ways to protect yourself and others.
Prelude Music
Romance (from Symphonie IV)
Louis Vierne
Worship With Us
Introit and Bell
Chant
Welcome
Hymn
Please join in the singing as you are able.
#429 I’ll praise my Maker while I’ve breath
Old 113th
I’ll praise my Maker while I’ve breath;
and when my voice is lost in death,
praise shall employ my nobler powers.
My days of praise shall ne’er be past
while life and thought and being last,
or immortality endures.

How happy they whose hopes rely
on Israel’s God, who made the sky
and earth and seas with all their train;
whose truth for ever stands secure,
who saves the oppressed, and feeds the poor.
And none shall find his promise vain.
The Lord pours eyesight on the blind;
the Lord supports the fainting mind
and sends the laboring conscience peace.
He helps the stranger in distress,
the widowed and the fatherless,
and grants the prisoner sweet release.

I’ll praise him while he lends me breath;
and when my voice is lost in death,
praise shall employ my nobler powers.
My days of praise shall ne’er be past
while life and thought and being last,
or immortality endures.
Opening Acclamation
Celebrant:   Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
People:   And blessed be God's kingdom, now and for ever. Amen
Collect of the Day
Almighty God, you have built your Church upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone: Grant us so to be joined together in unity of spirit by their teaching, that we may be made a holy temple acceptable to you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Liturgy of the Word
Wisdom of Solomon 1:13-15; 2:23-24
Reader: Stanley Weinberg

God did not make death,
And he does not delight in the death of the living.
For he created all things so that they might exist;
the generative forces of the world are wholesome,
and there is no destructive poison in them,
and the dominion of Hades is not on earth.
For righteousness is immortal.
God created us for incorruption,
and made us in the image of his own eternity,
but through the devil’s envy death entered the world,
and those who belong to his company experience it.

Lamentations 3:21-33

This I call to mind,
   and therefore I have hope:
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases,
   his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
   great is your faithfulness.
“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
   “therefore I will hope in him.”
The Lord is good to those who wait for him,
   to the soul that seeks him.
It is good that one should wait quietly
   for the salvation of the Lord.
It is good for one to bear
   the yoke in youth,
to sit alone in silence
   when the Lord has imposed it,
to put one’s mouth to the dust
   (there may yet be hope),
to give one’s cheek to the smiter,
   and be filled with insults.
For the Lord will not
   reject for ever.
Although he causes grief, he will have compassion
   according to the abundance of his steadfast love;
for he does not willingly afflict
   or grieve anyone.

2 Corinthians 8:7-15
Reader: June Fait

As you excel in everything-- in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in utmost eagerness, and in our love for you-- so we want you to excel also in this generous undertaking. I do not say this as a command, but I am testing the genuineness of your love against the earnestness of others. For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich. And in this matter I am giving my advice: it is appropriate for you who began last year not only to do something but even to desire to do something-- now finish doing it, so that your eagerness may be matched by completing it according to your means. For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has-- not according to what one does not have. I do not mean that there should be relief for others and pressure on you, but it is a question of a fair balance between your present abundance and their need, so that their abundance may be for your need, in order that there may be a fair balance. As it is written, “The one who had much did not have too much, and the one who had little did not have too little.”
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark.
Mark 5:21-43

When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered around him; and he was by the sea. Then one of the leaders of the synagogue named Jairus came and, when he saw him, fell at his feet and begged him repeatedly, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live.” So he went with him. And a large crowd followed him and pressed in on him. Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years. She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse. She had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, for she said, “If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well.” Immediately her hemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my clothes?” And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, ‘Who touched me?’” He looked all around to see who had done it. But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.” While he was still speaking, some people came from the leader’s house to say, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?” But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the leader of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” He allowed no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. When they came to the house of the leader of the synagogue, he saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. When he had entered, he said to them, “Why do you make a commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. Then he put them all outside, and took the child’s father and mother and those who were with him, and went in where the child was. He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha cum,” which means, “Little girl, get up!” And immediately the girl got up and began to walk about (she was twelve years of age). At this they were overcome with amazement. He strictly ordered them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.
Sermon
The Rt. Rev. Mary Glasspool
Anthem
Laudate Nomen Domini
Christopher Tye
Laudate nomen Domini, vos servi Domini;
ab ortu solis usque ad occasum ejus.
Decreta Dei justa sunt, et cor exhilarant:
laudate Deum principes et omnes populi.

Praise the name of the Lord, you servants of the Lord;
from the rising of the sun to its setting.
The decrees of God are just, and delight the heart:
praise God, rulers and all people.
Psalm 112: 1, 3 (paraphrase)
Prayers of the People
New Zealand Prayer Book
God of heaven and earth, through Jesus Christ you promise to hear us when we pray to you in faith with thanksgiving.

We pray for one another, for our families and friends, through whom we learn to love and to be loved. Thank you for all who care for us. ​On this Pride Sunday, we give special thanks for the lives and ministries of the LGBTQ members of the Church of the Ascension. Give us grace to serve Christ by serving our neighbors and our community, loving others as he loves us.

Silence

Bless all whose lives are closely linked with ours, and grant that we may serve Christ in them, and love one another as he loves us. We pray for all affected by COVID-19: for the frightened and the sick, for the dying and those who mourn; for all who have lost jobs and livelihood as a result of this pandemic; for all healthcare workers, especially Scarlett, Madonna, Trudie, Nancy, Anna, Sarah, Endine, Terese, and AJ, for all whose labor supports our common life; for those developing and distributing vaccines, for those charged with making decisions about public health and public policy.

Silence

We thank you for the unfailing love you hold out to everyone in Jesus Christ. Comfort and heal those in sorrow, need, sickness or any other trouble, especially Robert, Ed, Janet, Ellen, Joseph, Brielle, Lucas, Holly, Allejandro and Jesus, Nancy, Barbara, Dorothy, Stewart, Patricia, Judith, Harold, Hannah, Jurek, Alice, Michael, Todd, Suzanne, Nancy, Sonia, Seely, Katherine, Elizabeth, and Anne. Give them courage and hope in their distress, and bless those who minister to them.

Silence

We remember with gratitude your many gifts to us in creation and the rich heritage of this land. Help us and people everywhere to share with justice and peace the resources of the earth. Give wisdom to those in authority among us and to all leaders of the nations. We pray especially for those seeking to end white supremacy and establish racial justice.

Silence

We pray for your Church throughout the world, thanking you for all who serve Christ and his kingdom; today we give you special thanks for the baptism of John Crick. By your Spirit strengthen your people for their work and witness in the world. Unite us in your truth and love, that we who confess your name may also reflect your glory.

Silence

We remember with thanksgiving all who have died in Christ, especially Wayne Smith, Cristena Rubio, Curtis Kekahbah, and Jason Kazor. We rejoice at the faithful witness of your saints in every age, praying that we may enter with them into the unending joy of your heavenly kingdom.

Silence

Priest Merciful God, you look with compassion on all who turn to you. Hear the prayers of your people.

People Grant that what we have asked in faith we may by your grace receive; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Confession and Absolution

God of all mercy,
we confess that we have sinned against you,
opposing your will in our lives.
We have denied your goodness in each other,
in ourselves, and in the world you have created. We repent of the evil that enslaves us,
the evil we have done,
and the evil done on our behalf.
Forgive, restore, and strengthen us through our Savior Jesus Christ, that we may abide in your love and serve only your will. Amen.
The Lord's Prayer

 Our Father, who art in heaven,
     hallowed be thy Name,
     thy kingdom come,
     thy will be done,
          on earth as it is in heaven.
 Give us this day our daily bread.
 And forgive us our trespasses,
     as we forgive those
          who trespass against us.
 And lead us not into temptation,
     but deliver us from evil.
 For thine is the kingdom,
     and the power, and the glory,
     for ever and ever. Amen.
Announcements
Blessing
Hymn
#567 Thine arm, O Lord, in days of old
St. Matthew
Thine arm, O Lord, in days of old
was strong to heal and save;
it triumphed o’er disease and death,
o’er darkness and the grave.
To thee they went, the blind, the deaf,
the palsied, and the lame,
the leper set apart and shunned,
the sick with fevered frame.

And lo! thy touch brought life and health,
gave hearing, strength, and sight;
and youth renewed and frenzy calmed
owned thee, the Lord of light:
and now, O Lord, be near to bless,
almighty as of yore,
in crowded street, by restless couch,
as by Gennesaret’s shore.

Be thou our great deliverer still,
thou Lord of life and death;
restore and quicken, soothe and bless,
with thine almighty breath:
to hands that work and eyes that see,
give wisdom’s heavenly lore,
that whole and sick, and weak and strong,
may praise thee evermore.
Dismissal
The people respond:
Thanks be to God.
Pour yourself a cup of coffee, tea, or your favorite juice, grab a slice of banana bread, piece of fruit, or a peanut butter & jelly sandwich, and feel free to "hang out" with us online to chat!
We are delighted to welcome The Rt. Rev. Mary Glasspool. Join us Sunday at 11:00 a.m. on Zoom for our Pride Sunday worship as we welcome the Rt. Rev. Mary Glasspool, Assisting Bishop of the Diocese of New York, as our guest preacher at Ascension. Bishop Glasspool will also lead a discussion about Pride and her experience as the first openly lesbian Bishop in the Episcopal Church. Don't miss it!.
The Church Cracked Open - our forum series - will conclude on Sundays, July 18 & 25.. This Sunday, June 20. This new book is a gift to the Episcopal Church in this particular historical moment, and we encourage everyone to read and participate! it is widely available from Church Publishing and from Amazon.
Support Your Parish!
Go to ascensionnyc.org/give to give online
Please check us out at ascensionnyc.org/give to find out how easy and secure it is. Click the envelope on the right to go the Ascension Website for more information and to give, whether a one-time donation, pledge payment, or make a new pledge.

Our parish can only continue its mission and ministry because of the generosity of parishioners, visitors, and friends of the parish and we are working hard to make our online giving as easy and seamless as possible.

(If you experience any issues with Abundant Giving, please email us at websexton@ascensionnyc.org)
A Note about Using Abundant Giving: When you donate and pledge through the Abundant Giving app or go through the website, you need to direct your donation to the correct category. There are multiple categories to choose from:
  • Offering Plate
  • Stewardship Pledge 2021
  • Sexton's Retirement Gift
  • Rector's Fund
  • Memorial Gift
These categories change as we update categories during the year. (An example would be when we delete the Easter flowers category after Easter and add Christmas flowers for the weeks leading up to Christmas.)

To donate through your app or the website, click the link above. The next screen will prompt you: "How Much Do You Want To Give?" Next to that, is a drop-down list of categories. Offering plate is always listed first. Click on the little arrow and the list will appear. Click on which ever category you want your donation to be credited. It is important to identify which category you are donating to so that your year end statement will be correct.

You should have received your year-end statement for 2020. Please review it carefully and contact the parish office immediately if there are any issues.
In-Person Services
& Open Church
In-Person Sunday Morning Eucharist, 9:00 a.m. We will have in-person Holy Eucharist at 9:00 a.m. in the church. To reserve a seat, please click the button to the left, or visit us at Ascensionnyc.org/Reservations. If you have problems making a reservation, please contact the church office.
In-Person Midweek Eucharist - We are celebrating the Eucharist in person on Wednesday evenings. To reserve a seat, please click the button to the left, or visit us at Ascensionnyc.org/Reservations. If you have problems making a reservation, please contact the church office.
Tuesdays and Fridays - The Church is open from prayer and meditation; Noon to 3:00 p.m.
Announcements
Len Bowman's Retirement Party, This Saturday, June 26. Please join us in the front garden (5th Avenue and 10th Street, from 4:00 -- 7:00 p.m. If you would like to contribute to a farewell gift for Len, you can do so through Abundant Giving (select "Sexton's Retirement Gift" from the Fund menu), or by sending a check to the parish office with "Sexton's retirement gift" in the memo line. Please keep Len and Sandra in your prayers in this time of transition.
Racial Justice Discussion Presents, Thursday, July 8, 6:30 p.m.:
Vicksburg Project

Sites of famous battles are often memorialized by statues of men, by memoirs of commanders, by street names honoring generals. But war impacts everyone, male and female, black and white, soldiers and civilians. The Vicksburg Project looks at the storied Civil War town from the eyes of women and gender-complex people, black and white, from the time of the Civil War, and every fifty years thereafter, in an attempt to understand where we have been and where we are going.

Collaborators Karen Kandel, Mallory Catlett, and our own Eve Beglarian will present excerpts of the work in progress (scheduled to premiere at Mabou Mines in New York in Spring 2022) and lead a discussion around the issues it raises.
or Dial by your location
    +1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
    +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
    +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
    +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
    +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
    +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
Meeting ID: 993 3293 9318
... Of Interest: Books, Seminars, Meetings, Etc...

Voices Heard - A Diocese Explores Pathways Toward Reparations. A series of panel discussions sponsored by the Reparations Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of New York. Click here for more information.

  • The Awakening of Unwoke People, July 6
  • Rectors of Color, July 20
DON'T FALL FOR IT!

Fraudulent emails, Facebook accounts, instagram and Messenger accounts are on the rise! These annoying and scary intrusions into our lives go by many names, but most commonly they are referred to as spoofing, phishing, or cloning. They usually start out friendly enough - enough to lure you in - but sooner or later they will ask you for money.

It seems there is little you can do to stop someone from spoofing your account, but you can be smart about it if you are on the receiving end. Here are some things you should know and look out for:
  • First off, don't panic.
  • No one from the church (or Diocese, for that matter) will send you a personal message asking for money or gift cards.
  • Trust your gut! If you have even a hint that the message might be fake, don't respond.
  • Do NOT send money or gift cards.
  • If you are in doubt about the veracity of the message, contact your friend via another means (such as a phone call) to verify.
  • If it comes to you via email, always check the sender's email address - 99.99% of the time it will be some weird email address that has no association to your friend,.
  • Notify your friend who has been spoofed so they can alert others.
Sunday Meditation with Prayers & Music
is available on our
Facebook page:

Stay Connected in Prayer.
Join us each weeknight at 5:30 for Evening Prayer & discussion. Click this link to join: ascensionnyc.org/eveningprayer. To call in (voice, no camera), dial 929-205-6099; the meeting ID is 770 597 201.
This Week at Ascension
Our Open Church continues to be suspended due to the installation of our fire alarm system. 
Please watch this space for updates.
Sunday – June 27  Fifth Sunday after Pentecost
Pride Sunday
In-Person Holy Eucharist (Church) 9:00 a.m. (Reservations)
Sunday Service, (Zoom) 11:00 a.m.
Coffee Hour & Forum (following the 11:00 service)
Meditation with Prayers and Music (Facebook.com/AscensionNYC)

Monday – June 28
Evening Prayer (Zoom) 5:30 p.m. 
Lectionary Bible Study (Zoom) 6:30 p.m.
(Speak to Sibyl Piccone if you are interested in this group)

Tuesday – June 29
Church open for Prayer and Meditation, Noon to 3:00 p.m.
Evening Prayer (Zoom) 5:30 p.m.

Wednesday – June 30
Midweek Eucharist (Reservations) 6:00 p.m.
Evening Prayer (Zoom) 5:30 p.m.

Thursday – July 1
Stewardship Meeting (Zoom) 3:30 p.m.
Evening Prayer (Zoom) 5:30 p.m.

Friday – July 2
Church open for Prayer and Meditation, Noon to 3:00 p.m.
Evening Prayer (Zoom) 5:30 p.m.

Saturday – July 3
Food Pantry (12 West 11th Street) 8:30 a.m.

Sunday – July 4  Sixth Sunday after Pentecost
In-Person Holy Eucharist (Church) 9:00 a.m. (Reservations)
Sunday Service, (Zoom) 11:00 a.m.
Coffee Hour & Forum (following the 11:00 service)
Meditation with Prayers and Music (Facebook.com/AscensionNYC)

The Church and Parish Office will be closed on Monday, July 5th, in honor of Independence Day.

* Anyone entering the church must wear a mask, maintain appropriate physical distance, and utilize the hand sanitizer stations. Anyone with a temperature of 99.9 or over will not be admitted and will be instructed to quarantine and contact their doctor.

If you need information to connect to one of our Zoom events please call the church office at 212-254-8620 or email us at info@ascensionnyc.org
Contact us
The Church of the Ascension -- Fifth Avenue and Tenth Street
212-254-8620 | info@ascensionnyc.org | www.ascensionnyc.org
We are working from home, but we will respond to emails and phone calls