Volume 10, Issue #36
September 3, 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.
FROM PETER'S PEN:
Update on Re-Opening

Dear Ascension Family,

During this time of pandemic, you all are especially in my thoughts & prayers. You are very dear to Nicole and me, and we are delighted to worship with you and to be on this journey beside you!

The past six months have presented us with unique challenges and also new opportunities. COVID-19 has prevented us from meeting in person for worship, a real challenge for many of us. The act of gathering together for worship - greeting our church family members, praying and singing side-by-side, and receiving the Eucharist at the altar - are deep pieces of our spiritual life and practice. Not being together in person presents challenges.

We have responded by holding worship online: shifting services, Bible studies, book groups, outreach ministries, etc. to the internet. This is a new and valuable opportunity. I have been reviewing our attendance numbers for last year (2019) and this year (2020): 

2019 was a typical year for us in a lot of ways, including how many people we welcomed and served through worship. By this point (early September) last year, we had held services seven days a week and served approximately 5,000 people: a great thing!

So far in 2020, we have held services seven days a week and have served nearly 20,000 people: a truly amazing and blessed opportunity. People who we would never have served in person - people who live in Frankfort as well as in other cities, states, and countries, and people of other (or no) faith communities - participate in our online worship. We are living in the midst of what Jesus talked about in John 4:35-38: 

...I tell you, look around you, and see how the fields are ripe for harvesting. The reaper is already...gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together.  

We did not pick these circumstances, but we are listening to the Spirit and joyfully following where the Spirit leads us. It is an amazingly powerful time to be at Ascension: in these turbulent and challenging times, we serve as a quiet, loving haven where people of differing beliefs, opinions, creeds, and colors can kneel together and find peace. 

That being said, the Vestry and I continue to work on reopening plans for our parish. We had hoped to reopen our building this Sunday (September 6), but continuing high rates of infection clearly make this a dangerous idea. We remain closed at this time. 

Sunday, October 4, is St. Francis Sunday. This is the Sunday where we traditionally bring our pets to church and bless them on the front lawn. My hope is that we can have an outdoor, in-person service (or series of services, if infection rates are still high) on the front lawn on this Sunday. We have a very talented, dedicated, and experienced group of leaders working on reopening our parish safely, and we will continue to keep you updated on this process via this eWeekly newsletter. 

Again, please know that you and your families are in my thoughts and prayers. I know that this is a difficult time for all of us: please feel free to reach out to me or to our other wonderful Ascension clergy if you need to talk, ask questions, etc. 

Please also keep Ascension in your daily prayers: we are truly blessed by God at this time to be serving so many people. Please pray that this will continue and please pray that we, your parish clergy, vestry, and other leaders, will be attentive to the Spirit's direction and follow where God calls.

With Love and Joy,
Peter+

Email: fatherpeter@ascensionfrankfort.org
Cell: 502-661-2742

P.S. Don't miss the NEW BOOK STUDY announcement below!
Join us for Online Worship - Sunday, September 6
posted/viewable at 9:30 a.m.
Fourteenth Sunday
after Pentecost:
Proper 18, Year Two
BCP 983

Service recorded in our church
with Ascension clergy and organist


Reminder: All Ascension videos - and several organ and piano performances by John Martin - are now available on our FREE "YouTube Channel." You may subscribe, get notifications, view playlists... click here for more information... or go directly to the Ascension YouTube Channel Page. This means you can conveniently find all Ascension videos all in one place, without having to scroll and sift through all of our other Facebook group postings. Kudos to Taylor Lunsford for creating and managing our videos!
New Book Study!
Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m. via ZOOM
starting September 16, 2020

"Renowned biblical scholar Amy-Jill Levine, author of The Misunderstood Jew, and general editor for The Jewish Annotated New Testament, interweaves history and spiritual analysis to explore Jesus’ most popular teaching parables, exposing their misinterpretations and making them lively and relevant for modern readers."
Source: Amazon
The quick and easy online signup button above will immediately put you on the email list for the book study class. As the class start date approaches, watch for an email with the ZOOM invitation and password. Please obtain your book from Amazon or any other source (copies are not being ordered through the church office). If you need assistance or have questions, contact Mona in the the parish office (info@ascensionfrankfort.org or 502-223-0557)

For the first meeting on September 16, please read the book's introduction:
How We Domesticate Jesus's Provocative Stories.
Hurricane Laura slammed into the Gulf Coast last week, which was the same week that marked the 15-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Episcopal Relief & Development (ERD) is in constant communication with the impacted dioceses working to reach vulnerable populations devastated by the storm. Donate today to support these efforts. 


You may also donate by writing a check payable to 'Church of the Ascension' with "hurricane" written on the memo line. 100% of your donation will be passed along to the ERD Hurricane Relief Fund.
COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, in-person worship services inside the church are still suspended. Father Peter and the Vestry are working with our diocesan leaders to plan for re-opening safely when the time is right.

Regular office hours remain suspended until further notice; clergy and staff are working (mostly) from home. Access to the building is limited to those with specific permission, and "Healthy at Work" guidelines apply to everyone who enters the building.

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). You may also email Deacon Rebecca Saager (curate@ascensionfrankfort.org) or Deacon Sue Kurtz (deacon@ascensionfrankfort.org).

includes our church building!
MONTHLY RECEIPTS

8/9/2020: $4,140
8/14-15/2020: $6,101
8/21/2020: $2,055
8/28-30/2020: $3,483
Total for month: $15,653

Thank you for your continuing support. We are working to minimize expenses but still need to pay for upkeep, maintenance, insurance, payroll, etc. Click here to see a letter from our Treasurer regarding the pandemic:

THE BROTHERHOOD OF ST. ANDREW meetings are currently suspended. (Normally meets every other Saturday, in the parish library at 10:00 a.m.) Contact William Legg (wleggwork@msn.com) for details.
THE DAUGHTERS OF THE KING are meeting online via ZOOM. (Normally meets on the FIRST Sunday of each month, in the parish library after the 10:30 service.) Contact Judith Spencer for details (jspencer254@yahoo.com)
Find the Diocese of Lexington online at www.diolex.org
This web site has an abundance of information and resources - check it out!
Intercessions for the Church: St. Andrew’s Church, Lexington.

Recently in need of prayers: Adrianna; Barbara; Bill; Bob; Candy; Correll; Daneen; Debbie; Donnie; Edith & Marion; Fran & Doug; Fred; Ginni; Heidi & Ian; Greg; Joe; Jon; Josh; Julia; Kay; Linda; Lynda; Madonna; Mae & Frank; Marilyn; Sandy; Scott & Kathy; Sidney, Suzanne, Tod, Blair & Grant.

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 & Willie; June; Linda; Mac; Mary; Melissa; Mike & Susie; Polly; Sherri; and Tom. We also pray for those on active duty in the military: Daniel, Houston, Mary Jo, Nick, Seth, Tanner, and Walter.

Birthdays: 9/8 - Ann Peel, Jack Hoover, Mona Proctor; 9/9 - Richard Feindel, RoyUpshaw; 9/11 - Leslie Laird.

Anniversaries: 9/10 - Taylor & Melissa Hoover.

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
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.

Ask in the office or one of the Deacons for a blank form, or download from our web site at: https://www.ascensionfrankfort.org/links
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



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