Dear people of Ascension,

I am writing to you on the autumnal equinox, when light and dark are in balance everywhere on the globe before our northern hemisphere moves into the long nights of winter. I learned today that the moment of exactly equal day and night actually happens at slightly different times in different latitudes, which reminds me that finding balance is always a dynamic process rather than a fixed state. The equinox in New York City arrives this year on the night of September 22 at 9:03 (or 9:04) EDT, so by the time you are reading this it is already fall.

Reflecting on the equinox made me think about all the calendars, seasons and rhythms we experience in our lives, and of our early ancestors, who lived by the changes of weather and light. They kept track of them with stone circles and marked them with harvest rituals. We are still attuned to the cycles of the natural world, almost in spite of ourselves. Our bodies and imaginations respond to the cooling temperatures, the changing colors and falling leaves, the bounty of harvest.

For many of us, even if our schooldays are long behind us, the crisper air of fall brings the energy of new beginnings. That is certainly the case here at Ascension, where we begin our program year and welcome back those who have been away for the summer. This year there is the added sense of beginning anew as we return to more in person activities, continue to evolve our public health strategies in response to Covid, and try to understand who we are, what we need and how we are called to ministry now.

I'm reminded too that for our Jewish neighbors fall brings the new year (the exact date governed by the lunar, not solar calendar)- in ancient tradition, the anniversary of the creation of the world. Rosh Hashanah (September 26 this year) begins the Days of Awe, a holy time of reflection, prayer, letting go of what no longer serves, and making new and renewed commitments. We wish those who observe "Shana Tova"- a sweet new year of joy, justice and peace.

It happens that this is also the Ethiopian new year, "the time of jewels", when the end of the summer rainy season brings bright yellow flowers that cover the land. It's a harbinger of harvest, and a time of thanksgiving and new beginnings, both religious and secular.

However you experience this season, I invite you to ponder balance and beginning; ripening, rejoicing and letting go. And I encourage you to listen to your body's wisdom and your deep imagination, revealing our participation in creation's turning, and our connections with our neighbors.

Autumn blessings,

Liz
This Sunday, September 25
We welcome the Rev. Stacey Carpenter

9:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist (Side Altar)
11:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist w/ Music
(Church & Livestream)
6:00 p.m. Meditation & Sacrament (Church)

This year’s Welcome Back festivities are too big for one Sunday to handle, so we are celebrating Welcome Back Month. All events will be even better in person!

This Sunday, September 25, we welcome Stacey Carpenter, who will be ordained to the priesthood this Saturday, September 24, as our celebrant for her very first Holy Eucharist with the Church of the Ascension, her proud sponsors on an amazing journey.
A Change to Our Mask Policy

As the COVID numbers drop and the city and state relax restrictions, we no longer require attendees to wear a mask – although we do strongly encourage everyone to be masked when indoors. Clergy, servers, and choir will remain masked during services.
How to Watch Our Live Stream Services
How to Watch Our On Line Services
From your computer, laptop, pad, smart phone, or other device, click this link:

How to Add Prayer Requests Online for Sunday Service - Go to Ascensionnyc.org/Prayers and type in your prayer request. Be sure to add them before the end of the sermon.
Join us for Coffee Hour
in the front garden after the service.


A Prayer for Spiritual Communion

If you are attending any of our services online, we invite you to use this prayer at communion.

In union, O Lord, with your faithful people at every altar of your Church, where the Holy Eucharist is now being celebrated, I desire to offer to you praise and thanksgiving. I remember your death, Lord Christ; I proclaim your resurrection; I await your coming in glory. Since I cannot receive you today in the Sacrament of your Body and Blood, I beseech you to come spiritually into my heart. Cleanse and strengthen me with your grace, Lord Jesus, and let me never be separated from you. May I live in you, and you in me, in this life and in the life to come. Amen.
Regular Service Schedule

Sunday
9:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist (Side Altar)
11:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist w/ Music
(Church & Livestream)
6:00 p.m. Meditation & Sacrament (Church)

Wednesday
6:00 p.m. Holy Eucharist (Church)
Evening Prayer Every Weekday Evening
via Zoom

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.
Open Church Schedule
Open Church - Mondays through Fridays, Noon to 3pm. If you would like to volunteer for this ministry, please contact Gretchen Dumler or contact the church office (info@ascensionnyc.org or 212-254-8620.
Safety Protocols for indoor services & events:
We strongly encourage everyone to wear masks while indoors
Vaccination is strongly encouraged.
Everyone serving at the altar, choir members, and all volunteers are required to be vaccinated.
Announcements
Blessing of the Animals – Sunday, October 2. We will celebrate the Feast of St. Francis - the saint who preached to the birds and called a wolf his brother –with the blessing of the animals following the 11 a.m. service next Sunday, October 2. The blessing will be around 12:30, giving those who live nearby a chance to go and get their animals; however, you are also welcome to bring well-behaved pets to church that day. Tell your friends!
The Transitus of St. Francis – Monday, October 3; 5:30 pm at St. John's in the Village. From the earliest days of the Franciscan Order, the followers of St. Francis have gathered on the anniversary of his death, October 3rd, to celebrate his transitus, that is, St. Francis’ passage from earthly life into everlasting life. Please join Br. Andrew at St. John's in the Village (corner of 11th Street and Waverly Place) on Monday evening, October 3; at 5:30 pm. For more information, please contact Br. Andrew at apjones.nyc@gmail.com.
Please Take Our Brief Survey.

Please click this link to take a very quick survey about our Sunday worship.
This month churches around the world celebrate the Season of Creation. We invite you to join in prayer using this or a collect of your own choosing.

Holy God, your mercy is over all your works, and in the web of life each creature has its role and place. We praise you for ocelot and owl, cactus and kelp, lichen and whale; we honor you for whirlwind and lava, tide and topsoil, cliff and marsh. Give us hearts and minds eager to care for your planet, humility to recognize all creatures as your beloved ones, justice to share the resources of the earth with all its inhabitants, and love not limited by our ignorance. This we pray in the name of Jesus, who unifies what is far off and what is near, and in whom, by grace and the working of your Holy Spirit, all things hold together. Amen.
Created and Recreated - Our neighbors at Heavenly Rest have invited us to a series on the connections between climate, racism and theology. Mother Liz will be part of the discussion in her role as chair of the Diocesan Creation Care Commission, and would love to include Ascension folks in the conversation. Here's the invitation:

Next Thursday, September 29, we'll begin a series discussing the connections between climate, racism, and our theology. We'll welcome an amazing group of theologians and scientists to help us think about this. Thursdays at 6:30pm, sign up here!
  • September 29: Ecology, Theology, & Dismantling White Supremacy with The Rev. Dr. Willie Jennings, Yale University.
  • October 6: Climate Crisis, Science, & Faith with Dr. Karen Holmberg & Dr. Anne Rademacher, NYU.
  • October 13: Environment, God, & Black Women’s Experience with Valerie Rawls, Co-Visionary/Co-Founder, EcoWomanist Institute.
Diocesan Prayer for the Bishop Search -The Search Committee for a Bishop Coadjutor asks for your prayers. You can read their request here. And here is a prayer you might use:

Loving God, giver of every good gift, Look graciously on your Church, and so guide the minds and hearts of those who shall choose a bishop for this Diocese, that we may receive a faithful pastor who will care for your people and your world, preach good news and witness to the resurrection. We pray in the name of Jesus, our true Shepherd. Amen.

Click here to read the full article.
Monday Evening Lectionary Bible Study -- Join us Monday evenings, at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom. This is an opportunity to read and discuss the readings for the upcoming Sunday. If you are interested in joining, please contact Sibyl Piccone.
Flowers for Church
Sponsoring flowers for the Sunday service is a great way to remember loved ones now past and to celebrate joyful moments in life. If you would like to sponsor flowers, please speak to Gale Lynch or email the parish administrator or call the church office (212-254-8620). Please indicate the date you would like to sponsor them.
Parish Directory Information Update. We are working on providing an up-to-date parish directory. The first phase is to collect everyone's information, then print a parish directory. Eventually we hope to have a secure online directory that members can access. Click here to update your information for the directory.
Deadline is Sunday, September 25.
New York Episcopal Federal Credit Union – Clergy and lay in the diocese are working together to create an independent, federally accredited credit union serving the communities within the Diocese of New York. The Credit Union will open banking services to the underserved, while providing low-cost emergency loans and financial counseling. Click here to learn more and see how you can become involved.
Haunted Church is Right Around the Corner - and for it to happen this year we need YOU! This Halloween! Our Haunted Church will be held on Monday afternoon, October 31, at 3:30. This is a fun time for neighborhood children and a great way to introduce others to the parish. but we need your help to make it happen. If you would like to help, please reach out to the church office (info@ascensionnyc.org or 212-254-8620).
How You Can Help
Looking for ways to get involved? Ascension has many guilds and groups and one of them is bound to be the right fit for you. Take a look at our leaflet describing them and reach out to the contact person to get involved. For a description of guilds and their contacts, please click here.
Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD) Hurricane Relief to Puerto Rico - Please give to ERD's Hurricane Relief Fund and help our partners and dioceses reach vulnerable communities devastated by Hurricane Fiona and other catastrophic storms. As ongoing needs continue to emerge in impacted areas, your urgent gift will enable them to respond now — and in the long run to aid in recovery. Click here to donate.
Help for Asylum Seekers Needed- Our friends at Judson Church (239 Thompson St.) are creating a respite and mutual aid center for asylum seekers who have been bussed to New York from Texas. They will be open every Monday from 10 am to 7 pm starting September 19. You can help by volunteering time (Spanish speakers and those with medical, legal or social work training especially welcome), or by donating supplies. They need new (or like new) bath-sized towels, toiletries (most especially soap/body wash, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, comb, toothbrush, tooth paste) and menstrual hygiene items, and new underwear and socks still in their original packaging.

To learn more about volunteering, please contact the Rev. Micah Bucey at micah@judson.com. Donated supplies can be brought to Ascension, marked "mutual aid for migrants" and we will see that they get to Judson. Thank you!
It's Hacking Season Again!

If you received a phishing message, do not reply, just delete it or move it to your spam folder.
Please know, the parish leadership will never ask you to send money or purchase gift cards to help out in a need.

How to recognize Phishing –The first thing you’ll notice is that it doesn’t “sound” like the person you know. Their phrasing and choice of words are just a little “off”. Second, if you look closely at the sender’s actual email address or phone number it will be something strange and will not be any contact information you know for this person. What to do? The most important thing is do not reply. The best thing to do is to delete it or move it to your junk/spam folder. If you receive a Phishing text or email feel free to let the parish administrator know (212-254-8620 or apjones@ascensionnyc.org). Check out bit.ly/2TJwAYx for more tips.

Here are some excellent ways you can secure your systems:
  • Create strong passwords (10 to 15 characters, containing upper & lowercase letters, numbers and symbols.)
  • Use separate passwords for each account.
  • Use two-factor authentification on all your accounts.
Support the Parish! Please check us out at ascensionnyc.org/give to find out how easy and secure it is to give, whether to the offering plate, in honor or memoriam of a loved one, or for paying your pledge to support Ascension.

You can pledge online at ascensionnyc.org/give or by downloading the Abundant app for iOS or Android. When donating, please choose whichever purpose you intend for your contribution. These categories change as we update them during the year:
  • Offering Plate
  • Stewardship Pledge
  • Altar Flowers
  • Rector's Fund
  • Memorial Gift
  • Haiti Project
This Week at Ascension
Anyone entering the church is encouraged to wear a mask. Please utilize the hand sanitizer stations.
Sunday – September 25
Holy Eucharist (Church) 9:00 a.m.
Holy Eucharist w/ Music; (Church & Live Stream) 11:00 a.m.
In person and online (Ascensionnyc.org/Sunday)
Join us for Coffee Hour following the Service
Meditation & Sacrament (Church) 6:00 p.m.

Monday – September 26
Church open for prayer & meditation; Noon to 3:00 p.m.
Evening Prayer (Zoom) 5:30 p.m.
Lectionary Bible Study (Zoom) 6:30 p.m. If interested, please contact Sibyl Piccone

Tuesday – September 27
Church open for prayer & meditation; Noon to 3:00 p.m.
Evening Prayer (Zoom) 5:30 p.m.

Wednesday – September 28
Church open for prayer & meditation; Noon to 3:00 p.m.
Evening Prayer (Zoom) 5:30 p.m.
Holy Eucharist (Church) 6:00 p.m.

Thursday – September 29
Church open for prayer & meditation; Noon to 3:00 p.m.
Evening Prayer (Zoom) 5:30 p.m.

Friday – September 30
Church open for prayer & meditation; Noon to 3:00 p.m.
Evening Prayer (Zoom) 5:30 p.m.

Saturday – October 1
Food Pantry (12 W 11th St.) 8:30 a.m.
Food pantry is available the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month. For assistance or to volunteer, please contact Amy Shaw at amyqshaw@gmail.com.

Sunday – October 2 – Blessing of the Animals
Holy Eucharist (Church) 9:00 a.m.
Holy Eucharist w/ Music; (Church & Live Stream) 11:00 a.m.
Blessing of the Animals (Front Garden) Approximately 12:30 p.m.
In person and online (Ascensionnyc.org/Sunday)
Join us for Coffee Hour following the Service
Meditation & Sacrament (Church) 6:00 p.m.

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