Dear People of Ascension,

This past Monday in the midst of a snowstorm, we celebrated the feast day of St. Brigid of Kildare, one of the patron saints of Ireland. I'm not Irish, but I love Brigid. She lived from the mid 5th-6th centuries and was the abbess of a monastery that included both women and men. A wise, holy and compassionate leader, she is believed by some to have been ordained a bishop in that community. 

In any case, she was known for healing and care for the poor. She is the special patron of midwives, babies, holy wells, blacksmiths, chickens, milkmaids, poets and domestic animals, among others. Her feast comes on the same day as Imbolc, the Celtic celebration of the beginning of spring, a day holy to the Celtic goddess Brigid with whom the Christian Brigid shares many attributes. The nuns at Kildare tended a sacred fire for many generations, a fire that tradition claims was kept by adherents of the goddess before them. So perhaps Brigid is also an example of an ability that the church needs but has not always had, to learn and draw from other ways and live peaceably in pluralism.

Brigid's Day is when we notice that the light, so diminished at the winter solstice, really has lengthened. On February 1 we remarked at evening prayer that the "vesper light" comes later than it did a month ago, and folks were really grateful for it. There is more light, though it may still be very cold. In the later winter, the earth readies herself for new life. We cannot see the changes underground, but they are happening. It is a time of stirring, but also still a time of waiting and mystery. 

Brigid's feast speaks to me in this seemingly endless winter of Covid. I'm tired- of the limitations and loss, of the fuzziness in my brain and the lag in my creative energy. I yearn for rest and renewal, nurture and healing deep deep down. I pray for us all that we can keep faith with this season of stirring and waiting, being gentle with ourselves and one another as we tend to mysterious new beginnings in the incrementally growing light.

Wild blessings,

Liz

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Two Excerpts from Gloria in Excelsis Deo

Plein Jeu

Chromorne sur la taillle

From God Christ’s deity came forth,

his manhood from humanity;

his priesthood from Melchizedek,

his royalty from David’s tree:

praised be his Oneness.

He joined with guests at wedding feast,

yet in the wilderness did fast;

he taught within the temple’s gates;

his people saw him die at last:

praised be his teaching.

The dissolute he did not scorn,

nor turn from those who were in sin;

he for the righteous did rejoice

but bade the fallen to come in:

praised be his mercy.

He did not disregard the sick;

to simple ones his word was given;

and he descended to the earth

and his work done, went up to heaven:

praised be his coming.

Who then, my Lord, compares with you?

The Watcher slept, the Great was small,

the Pure baptized, the Life who died,

the King abased to honor all:

praised be your glory.

Set us free, O God, from the bondage of our sins, and give us the liberty of that abundant life which you have made known to us in your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to live in; who brings princes to naught, and makes the rulers of the earth as nothing. Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown, scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth, when he blows upon them, and they wither, and the tempest carries them off like stubble. To whom then will you compare me, or who is my equal? says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high and see: Who created these? He who brings out their host and numbers them, calling them all by name; because he is great in strength, mighty in power, not one is missing. Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, "My way is hidden from the Lord, and my right is disregarded by my God"? Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and strengthens the powerless. Even youths will faint and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted; but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.

Psalm 147:1-12, 21c  (St. Helena Psalter)

Alleluia! How good it is to sing praises to you, O God; *

     how pleasant it is to honor you with praise!

For you rebuild Jerusalem *

     and gather the exiles of Israel.

You heal the brokenhearted *

     and bind up their wounds.

You count the number of the stars *

     and call them all by their names.

Great are you and mighty in power; *

     there is no limit to your wisdom.

You lift up the lowly, *

     but cast the wicked to the ground.

We sing to you, Most High, with thanksgiving; *

     we make music to you upon the harp,

For you cover the heavens with clouds *

     and prepare rain for the earth;

You make grass to grow upon the mountains *

     and green plants to serve humankind.

You provide food for flocks and herds *

     and for the young ravens when they cry.

You are not impressed by the might of a horse; *

     you have no pleasure in human strength;

But you have pleasure in those who fear you, *

     in those who await your gracious favor.

     Alleluia!

If I proclaim the gospel, this gives me no ground for boasting, for an obligation is laid on me, and woe to me if I do not proclaim the gospel! For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward; but if not of my own will, I am entrusted with a commission. What then is my reward? Just this: that in my proclamation I may make the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my rights in the gospel. For though I am free with respect to all, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though I myself am not under the law) so that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law) so that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, so that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings.

After Jesus and his disciples left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once. He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them. That evening, at sundown, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons. And the whole city was gathered around the door. And he cured many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him. In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. And Simon and his companions hunted for him. When they found him, they said to him, “Everyone is searching for you.” He answered, “Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do.” And he went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons.

The Rev. Edwin Chinery

Great is Jehovah the Lord! The heavens and the earth proclaim his power and his might. ‘Tis heard in the crash of the storm, in the wild torrent’s loud impetuous roar. Great is Jehovah the Lord! Wondrous his pow’r and might. At his command the trees put forth their op’ning leaves, and valleys wave bright with golden corn: with lovely flow’rs the fields are deck’d, and stars in glory fill the vault of heaven. He speaks in rolling thunder. Lightning dwells in his glance. But chief in his great loving kindness shines forth Jehovah’s boundless might. In his loving kindness shines forth the boundless pow’r of God, the everlasting God. Raise your pray’rful hearts on high and hope for mercy and trust in him. Great is Jehovah the Lord!

Leader Let us pray for the Church and for the world.

Grant, Almighty God, that all who confess your Name may be united in your truth, live together in your love, and reveal your glory in the world. We pray for Michael our Presiding Bishop, for Andrew, Allen and Mary our own Bishops.

Leader Lord, in your mercy

People Hear our prayer.

Leader Guide the people of this land, and of all the nations, in the ways of justice and peace, especially Joe our President and the members of congress; that we may honor one another and serve the common good. We pray for the people of Nagorno-Karabakh, Ethiopia, Yemen, Uganda, and the Uygur people; for all laboring to end racism and white supremacy and establish racial justice in our country.

Leader Lord, in your mercy

People Hear our prayer.

Leader Give us all a reverence for the earth as your own creation, that we may use its resources rightly in the service of others and to your honor and glory.

Leader Lord, in your mercy

People Hear our prayer.

Leader 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

Leader Lord, in your mercy

People Hear our prayer.

Leader Comfort and heal all those who suffer in body, mind, or spirit, especially Robert, Ed, Janet, Ellen, Joseph, Brielle, Lucas, Holly, Allejandro and Jesus, Nancy, Barbara, Dorothy, Stewart, Patricia, Judith, Marco, Hannah, Jurek, Alice, Michael, Gary, Jonathan and family, Deacon Luis, and Erika, give them courage and hope in their troubles, and bring them the joy of your salvation.

Leader Lord, in your mercy

People Hear our prayer.

Leader We commend to your mercy all who have died, especially Stacy Title, Tina Keker, David Lougee, Elizabeth Allen, and the more than 445,000 Americans who have died of COVID-19, as well as others around the world that your will for them may be fulfilled; and we pray that we may share with all your saints in your eternal kingdom.

Leader Lord, in your mercy

People Hear our 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.

O for a thousand tongues to sing

my dear Redeemer’s praise,

the glories of my God and King,

the triumphs of his grace!

My gracious Master and my God,

assist me to proclaim

and spread through all the earth

abroad the honors of thy Name.

Jesus! the Name that charms our fears

and bids our sorrows cease;

’tis music in the sinner’s ears,

’tis life and health and peace.

He speaks; and, listening to his voice,

new life the dead receive,

the mournful broken hearts rejoice,

the humble poor believe.

Hear him, ye deaf; ye voiceless ones,

your loosened tongues employ;

ye blind, behold, your Savior comes;

and leap, ye lame, for joy!

Glory to God and praise and love

be now and ever given

by saints below and saints above,

the Church in earth and heaven.

Ascension Forum This Sunday, February 5- Understanding the COVID-19 Vaccines. Please join us as we welcome Dr. Clay Williams back to Ascension! This forum will provide an overview of how vaccines work against COVID-19, discuss the variety of vaccines that are in use (or soon will be), and explore ethical issues related to distribution and vaccination of the public.

Clay Williams is the founder and CEO of Medaptive Health, a company which is transforming clinical trials with their cloud-based platform for participant support and remote monitoring. He is a computer scientist and theologian, and in both disciplines his interests are grounded in complex systems research and how it helps uncover deep connections between seemingly unrelated biological, physical, and social systems. We look forward to having him with us at Ascension once again.

Forum Next Sunday, February 14- What Shall We Do For Lent?, a Community Conversation- Please join us after the 11 am service to talk about the traditional disciplines of Lent (prayer, fasting and alms-giving) as well as some not so traditional ways to revision how to keep this season in a fruitful and holy way.

Shrove Tuesday Festivities - Pancakes, Bingo, and Compline! Join us on Zoom, Tuesday night, February 16 at 6:30 p.m. Watch this space for more details.

Ash Wednesday Service - 6:00 p.m., February 17.

Sunday Forums in Lent - Justice, Reconciliation and Forgiveness

Lenten Quiet Day - Saturday, March 6

Community Suppers - Lenten Zoom Gatherings for Food, Prayer and Conversation (Registration details are forthcoming.

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.

(If you experience any issues with Abundant Giving, please email us at websexton@ascensionnyc.org)

Wardens: Maurice Seaton (Class of 2022), Isabel Spencer (Class of 2023)

Barbara Burns

Janet Fisher

Rusty Moore

Madonna Stack-Barker

Kyle Church Cheseborugh

Peter Clark

Tom Rice

Jill Tildesley

Vin Knight

Gale Lynch

Rachel Sedor

John Thompson

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.

For Your Daily Prayers - "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) During this time of global crisis and personal anxiety, we offer you this prayer form to include in your daily prayers.

Sunday Paper Junior - The lectionary, our yearly schedule of Bible readings, carries us through Jesus’s life and teachings. The Church of The Ascension subscribes to the Sunday Paper Junior and we offer it to you and your family as a fun, creative way to study the lessons each week. Click here to access this week's paper. Please feel free to print out the pages each week and use as you desire. Check out this section each week for the current Sunday Paper Junior!

This panel will discuss the importance of Absalom Jones' work during the yellow fever epidemic of 1793 when he and Richard Allen worked tirelessly to nurse the sick and bury the dead in Philadelphia. Fast-forward to the current COVID-19 pandemic: The participants will build a bridge between 1793 and 2020, discussing Jones' responses to the overall crisis and lessons learned, while examining essential opportunities for strengthening community ties during these trying times.

Click here for more information

To register for this event, click here

Visit the Diocese Facebook page to view the livestream.

Officiant: The Rt. Rev. Andrew M. L. Dietsche, Bishop of New York

Sermon: The Hon. Byron Rushing, Vice President of the House of Deputies

Click here tor more information

Space Use at Ascension - While the church is closed and not in general use, occasionally someone in the church will want to use one of our spaces. (Please note, that such uses are strongly discouraged.) During the pandemic we must be extra careful to coordinate these things so there is no overlap, and to schedule plenty of time for cleaning. If you think you might need the space for something, please coordinate via the church office - contact Br. Andrew at info@ascensionnyc.org or 212-254-8620.

Open Church, Tuesdays & Fridays, Noon to 3. The church is open for private prayer and meditation. Attendance is limited to a maximum of 20 people at one time and all safety precautions (properly worn masks, physical distancing, hand sanitizing, and contact tracing) will be followed.

In-Person Midweek Eucharists Remain Suspended. In light of the rising infection rates in New York City, we continue to suspend our Wednesday evening in person Eucharists.We will revisit the question early in the new year.

Beware of Fraudulent Emails Purporting to be from the Ascension clergy! Several people received scam emails today pretending to be from Fr. Ed, using a Gmail account under a user name that appears to be him. Click here to read more and learn what you can do.

Organ Prelude (Zoom)

Church Service (Zoom) 11:00 a.m.

Meditation with Prayers and Music (Available on our Facebook page)

Evening Prayer (Zoom) 5:30 p.m.

(Speak to Sibyl Piccone if you are interested in this group)

Evening Prayer (Zoom) 5:30 p.m.

Evening Prayer (Zoom) 5:30 p.m.

Absalom Jones Event (Zoom) 6:30 p.m.

Evening Prayer (Zoom) 5:30 p.m.

Evening Prayer (Zoom) 5:30 p.m.

Rehearsal for Sunday Service (Zoom) 2:00 p.m.

Organ Prelude (Zoom)

Church Service (Zoom) 11:00 a.m.

Meditation with Prayers and Music (Available on our Facebook page)

The Church of the Ascension -- Fifth Avenue and Tenth Street

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