This Week at Ascension + August 16, 2023

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

Wednesday, August 16, 2023

Commemoration of

Jonathan Myrick Daniels,

Seminarian and Martyr, 1965

Evening Prayer

at 6:00 p.m. via ZOOM



In-person and Live-streamed

Said Mass at 6:30 p.m.

Unction available for those who wish it.

VIA YOUTUBE or FACEBOOK LIVE

The Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 15)

Sunday, August 20, 2023

7:30 a.m. Morning Prayer via ZOOM

9 a.m. Sung Mass

11 a.m. Solemn Mass -

In-person & Live-streamed

The 11 a.m.. Order of Worship may be found here.

Image: Cristo e la Cananea (Christ and the Canaanite Woman), 1594-1595, oil on canvas,

by Annibale Carracci, in the former St. Paul Monastery (Benedictine) Pinacoteca Stuard, Parma, Italy

Click to join us VIA YOUTUBE

or VIA FACEBOOK LIVE

From the Interim Rector

As Anglo-Catholics, Anglicans, and Christians, we are well acquainted with the practice of liturgy. While some of our sisters and brothers might practice forms that some might not recognize as liturgy, it really is. Liturgy comes in all forms and shapes and sizes.

The word “liturgy” comes from an ancient Greek word “λειτουργία” that means “work for the people.” That is a literal translation of two words “litos ergos” or “public service”. In its original manifestation, it was actually the offerings of wealthy Greeks made to and for the people. The donors bore the financial burden for the offerings and were rewarded with position and prestige. The city and the state were beneficiaries of these offerings. In the era of the Roman Empire, the practice continued and was required by 300. This supported infrastructure and social programs. When Constantine I made Christianity the state church, the “work for the people” came along with it.

In our liturgical worship, we must always keep in mind that the theology and practice must remain in concert with each other. Every physical action we make, as clergy, altar servers, musicians, and people, must be consistent with and stand as examples of living out the theology we hold, and in my time with you, I’ve worked with the clergy and altar servers. For example, when anyone is being censed, they will receive the same censing as everyone else: No one present is more important than anyone else. I wrote previously about my practice of bowing to the congregation before I turn to the altar as a sign of my status as the servant of the assembly. 



In his letter to the church at Rome, Saint Paul writes, “Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of the mind.” We are The Episcopal Church. We do not require that one’s brain be left at the door. We are the church that encourages thinking, contemplation, conversation, and reflection. Augustine of Hippo’s invitation to communion was, “Behold what you are.” The people responded, “May we become what we receive.” It is who we are. May we continue on the path to becoming members of Christ’s body in everything that we do.

—Fr. Heard

Reception Pics after the Mass on

August 15, St. Mary the Virgin

Thank you to David Reeves, DiAnne Walsh, Jay Jacot, George Pineda and David White for a wonderful reception following the Mass on Tuesday. You may find more pics here.

photos courtesy: George Pineda

High winds from Hurricane Dora and drought conditions combined to accelerate the growth of brush fires that devastated the Lahaina community in Hawaiʻi. Episcopal Relief & Development is in contact with the Episcopal Diocese of Hawaiʻi in the wake of wildfires that have killed many people and displaced hundreds of families on Maui. They are calling on churches to help support the response. Please consider visiting episcopalrelief.org to learn more about ERD and to make a donation today.

Prayer Requests

Do you have a need for special prayer in your life? Whether your prayer needs are because you have an upcoming surgery, an ill family member, or you’re just feeling particularly lonely lately, Fr. Heard and Mtr. Murphy-Gill would like to know.

We’ve created a way for letting us know about your requests for prayers in a way we hope makes it easy for you to reach out, though you can always call the church or reach out to one of the priests personally. 

Share your prayer requests here.

For our prayers

For our prayers: Sty Peabody, Gerda Middleton, Robert, DeDe Frank, Leslie Smebak Gormley,

Pam and Hap Hopper, Mike Vales, Jim Drury, Ann Griffin, Russell Staufenbiel, Patricia Spencer, Rachel Smolinski, Sarah Reece Glanman, Sgt. Manuel Arroyo, The Quevedo family, Andrew Abbott, Suzanne Dines, James Christiansen, Lee Gould, John Schram, Gertrude Isaac, Thomas Wikman, MB Hwang, Juanita Malone, Oksana, Tyler, David S. Jones, Richard Francis Tracz, Robert Browning, Natalia & Victor, Dorothy, Victor Fernandez, Claire Green, Beth Hall, Sue Lenz, Brenda Martins 

Birthdays:

Judy Williams Nitka, 8/15; Woody Abbott, 8/16; Scott Cisek, 8/18; John A. West, 8/18;

Jim Caldwell, 9/19; Marvin Files, 8/19

Requiescat in pace:

Paul Nicholson, 8/13/2023; James Christiansen; Frances Stiles;

Mike Lazos, 8/15/2020; Elsa Marie Klages, 8/14/1991; Lena Patrick, 8/15;

Shirley M. Akan, 8/15/2008; James Hobson Dunkerley, Priest, 8/16/2018;

Sylvia Isabelle Fertig, 8/17/2011

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.



Organ and Choral Repertoire for August 20, 2023

Between Masses, please don’t forget that The Choir of the Ascension 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

Weekly Ascension Schedule

For connections:

via Zoom (click here)

SUNDAYS

7:30 a.m. Morning Prayer via Zoom

9:00 a.m. In-person Sung Mass

11:00 a.m. In-person and Live-Streamed Solemn High Mass

VIA YOUTUBE or FACEBOOK LIVE

MONDAY-FRIDAY

8:00 a.m. Morning Prayer via FACEBOOK LIVE

6:00 p.m. Evening Prayer via Zoom

WEDNESDAYS

6:30 p.m. Said Mass

VIA YOUTUBE or FACEBOOK LIVE

Wardens and Vestry of Church of the Ascension

LaVerne Rollé Saunders, Sr. Warden;

SeniorWarden@AscensionChicago.org

David Reeves, Jr. Warden;

JuniorWarden@AscensionChicago.org

Ian Barillas-McEntee, Jim Lo Bello, Ken Cozette, Marlea Edinger, Sean Hansen,

David A. Robertson, Elizabeth Simpson, Joshua Simpson, Samuel Sommers, Clerk



Susan Schlough, Treasurer

Finance@ascensionchicago.org

Br. Nathanael Deward Rahm BSG, Parish Office

Office@ascensionchicago.org

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.