THIS WEEK AT ASCENSION + December 23, 2020
CHRISTMAS 2020 EDITION
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This evening, Wednesday, Dec. 23
Commemoration of St. Thomas, Apostle
Evening Prayer - 6:00 p.m. Low Mass: - 6:30 p.m.
The Order of Worship for this evening's Mass
Image: St. Thomas the Apostle, painting by Paul Armesto, 2016
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Masses, Daily Offices & Fellowship remain online/virtual only, until further notice. Connection information and links are below.
Thank you for keeping up-to-date with changes that may arise and that will be shared through our parish newsletter and website.
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Christmas Masses & Music
Christmas Eve, December 24
3:30 p.m. Musical offering, including
carols, vocal solos and organ.
4:00 p.m. Mass with carols, organ, and
choir motet.
5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. The Sacrament will be exposed and, with the crèche, will be available for devotional viewing via Zoom and Facebook Live.
10:00 p.m. Compline
Christmas Day, December 25
9:30 a.m. Morning Prayer
10:00 a.m. Mass with carols, organ,
choir motet, schola
6:00 p.m. Evening Prayer
Sunday, December 27, Christmas I
Sunday, January 3, Christmas II
9:30 a.m. Morning Prayer
10:00 a.m. Mass with carol(s), organ, and
choir motet.
11:05 a.m. Virtual Coffee Hour
For all masses:
First Sunday after Christmas Day Order of Worship, click here
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Wednesday, December 30
6:00 p.m. Evening Prayer
6:30 p.m. Praying in the Wilderness: A Mass for Healing.
Biddings, Scriptures, poetry and prayers in the Liturgy of the Word for this mass are selected to acknowledge and edify the grieving, the discouraged and those for whom, for whatever reason, the ‘holiday season’ may be difficult.
Plans for Holy Name Day, January 1, and the Feast of the Epiphany, January 6, will be shared in the newsletter and on our website when available.
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Sunday, December 27
The First Sunday after Christmas Day
Sunday Morning Schedule
with links for Virtual Worship
& Fellowship
9:30 a.m. - Morning Prayer
10:00 a.m. - Live-Streamed Mass with carol(s), organ, and choir motet
11:05 a.m. - Virtual Coffee Hour
ALL VIA ZOOM
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Image: Mystical Nativity, Sandro Boticelli, ca. 1500, National Gallery, London
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(Our) Four Calling Birds
On the fourth day of Christmas my true love sent to me: Four Calling Birds ...
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Dear people of Ascension,
How do you imagine the Four Calling Birds? Are they all the same species, or all different? Sophisticated or playful?
Don’t fret if you’ve never wondered. But do briefly consider the diversity of the Four Calling Birds, as imagined by others in the accompanying illustrations. Might these crazily diverse representations be emblematic of our crazily diverse perceptions, memories and expectations of all things ‘holidays’?
We know the Four Calling Birds from the Twelve Days of Christmas. Research on this popular carol yields a quirky range of theories about its origins and meanings. Some of these theories are religious in nature, and some are found, upon scrutiny, to be far-fetched.
I’m guessing that some of my own longstanding holiday tunes may also rely on far-fetched notions. Some of my holiday notions, traditions and expectations ring true to and nourish my faith. Others are old baggage or frilly, costly distractions. What about you?
You may or may not wish to devote time or interest to the Four Calling Birds or the origins of the Twelve Days of Christmas. But I pray you may devote some time and interest to at least some features of ‘the holidays’ as you have known or know them. If you do so, I pray a blessing may be waiting for you — a discovery, insight, question or delight that may feel like a gift from our newborn Savior.
Fr. Patrick Raymond, Rector
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Yes! We will have poinsettias! Lots of them. |
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Flowers and other arrangements for Christmas masses will take place after this evening's mass. Regrettably, due to pandemic restrictions, we will not be able to have a big crew. But four of us who will be taking part will do our best to provide the pleasing and edifying visual spectacle that we all appreciate at Christmas. To the left are poinsettias now in St. Michael Hall, awaiting deployment.
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Good news/Bad news from the Vestry
(Please don't skim over the business ...)
Our December 19 Vestry meeting was largely positive due to participation, consensus and work accomplished. The Vestry approved a 2021 budget (building on work of the Finance Committee since August). And Vestry members concluded the meeting by completing their share of the every-other-year Mutual Ministry Review, an opportunity to evaluate the leadership of the Rector, Wardens and Vestry, respectively.
However we also learned that ...
As of December 16, we've received only 26 pledge cards for 2021 financial commitments. Please return your pledge commitments (or let us know you are unable to pledge) by mail or confidential email to the parish treasurer.
New technology for the church will not be installed until sometime in January due to back-ordered equipment. (Many churches and other institutions nationwide have similar projects underway.) Last week, a few of us did get a very promising preview!
We are close but have not yet completed a slate of candidates for the 2021 Vestry (to be elected at the January 31 annual meeting). Please contact Ken Kelling with questions or nominations.
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The 2021 Ascension
Churchman's Ordo Kalendar has arrived!
It includes dates of Major Feasts, commemorations from the Episcopal Church's 2018 Lesser Feasts and Fasts and other commemorations common to Anglo-Catholic parishes. (YES! The December 8 Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary is included!)
We'd love to mail you your own copy for $8.00, to cover the cost of printing and postage.
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Forward Day by Day
In the parish offices we also have copies of Forward Day by Day, a daily devotional authored by clergy and laity of the Episcopal Church and printed/circulated four times a year.
We have extra copies of the large print edition through January 2021, and the large print edition for February-April 2021. We'll mail you a copy if you contact the church office. A donation of a few dollars will be appreciated.
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Organ Repertoire for Sunday, Dec. 27 |
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ORGAN
Prelude on Divinum Mysterium [1929]
T. Frederick Candlyn (1892-1964)
At the Offertory
Hymn 82 DIVINUM MYSTERIUM
ORGAN
Festival Toccata [1927]
T. Frederick Candlyn
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Choir of the Ascension:
Now on Soundcloud!
Please visit our Ascension SoundCloud! There you will find recordings made by our choir, including one motet for every Sunday and all three choral works included in our Advent Lessons & Carols service. We hope that these offerings minister to you during this time of the choir’s—and currently the parishioners’—physical absence from the church.
Benjamin Rivera, Choirmaster
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Reminder: All In-Person Worship and Gatherings at Ascension (and at all parishes in the Diocese of Chicago) were suspended again as of Monday, November 16.
Our Interim Sunday and Weekday Worship Schedule and Connections are as follows:
All masses live-streamed from the church.
Sundays
9:30 a.m. Morning Prayer—Zoom
11:00 a.m. Coffee Hour—Zoom
Weekday Mass: Wednesday Evenings
Daily Offices continue as before:
Morning Prayer
Evening Prayer
6:00 p.m. Monday-Friday—Zoom
Special/Upcoming
Christmas Eve, December 24
Christmas Day, December 25
Feast of Epiphany, January 6
More information will be provided as these dates and opportunities near.
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Other than for urgent or essential matters or for brief personal devotion in the church, visits to Ascension are presently to be avoided. Any (other) visit should be arranged in advance with Br. Nathanael Rahm. Thank you for your understanding. |
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Due to COVID-19, Church of the Ascension’s Treasurer and Bookkeeper are limiting the amount of time they spend working 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 4-6 weeks. You may contact the Treasurer by email anytime at Finance@AscensionChicago.org.
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Ascension Connections
Below
(with your click and God's help)
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Meeting ID:
792 031 7452
Password: 1133
Join-by-Phone Option: (312) 626-6799
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Weekly Ascension Schedule
For connections:
except for Morning Prayer,
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
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Yes, but I still haven't Zoomed ... |
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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!
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For our prayers: August 'Augie' Alonzo, Jim Berger, Ethel Martin, Dean Pineda, Charlene MacDougal, David Byerly, Bonnie Joseph, Catriana Patriarca, Robert Devens, Richard Laibly, Nicholas Carl, Sara, the Howard family, John, Owen Raymond, Diane Burnett, Sandra, Rhea, Doreen Rao, Steven Wallis, Fr. Lawrence Larson, Michael, Donna, Sarah Ponder, Cheryl, Emily, Paula Budzban
Birthdays:
Alison Wallace, 12/20; Jim Walsh, 12/20; Stanley Hightower, 12/23;
Nancy McChesney, 12/26
In thanksgiving:
For the election of The Rev. Canon Paula E. Clark as the XIII Bishop of Chicago
Requiescat in pace:
Henry Klages, 12/21/1987
Ruth Ehlen, 12/22/2002
Tom Piwko, husband of Anna Marie, 12/2/2020
Audrey Upmeyer, sister of Jim Lenz, 12/22/2020
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.
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My letter today featured a hymn/carol with obscure origins. The same is true of the beloved hymn/carol text below (a personal favorite). It's widely agreed that it was first published in the 'Cologne Gesangbuch', a 1599 German hymnal, but the German text, the author of which is unknown, is believed to have been written in the 15th century.
- Fr. Raymond
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Lo, how a Rose e'er blooming
from tender stem hath sprung!
Of Jesse's lineage coming
as seers of old have sung.
It came, a blossom bright,
amid the cold of winter,
when half-spent was the night.
Isaiah 'twas foretold it,
the Rose I have in mind:
with Mary we behold it,
the virgin mother kind.
To show God's love aright
she bore to us a Savior,
when half-spent was the night.
O Flower, whose fragrance tender
with sweetness fills the air,
dispel in glorious splendor
the darkness everywhere;
true man, yet very God,
from sin and death now save us,
and share our every load.
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The Very Rev. Patrick Raymond, Rector
Susan Schlough, Treasurer
Br. Nathanael Deward Rahm BSG, Parish Office
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