Volume 10, Issue #17 - April 23, 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.
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How do we measure the health of a church? The traditional way is often to ask "how many?" For example: "How many people attended church last Sunday?" or "How many youth attended the last weekend event?"
But what about
these
times? Is a church vital when the answer is "nobody attended the church service (in person)"? Is our parish health limited to a few factors like "how many" or is there more to the story?
I commend Craig Aossey's article below to you. Today I was blessed to chat with one of the folks he writes about. The man said that during a particularly rough time in his life, a friend brought him to our courtyard. He said it was a peaceful place that he desperately needed in that moment. Now, when he has the time and ability, he wants to give back to the parish and to maintain that peaceful space.
There is a lot of giving, caring, and mentoring that happens at the Church of the Ascension. Most of it follows Jesus' beautiful command from Matthew 6.3:
But when you give...do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing...
Clearly that caring, giving, and mentoring speaks profoundly: going straight to the heart of peoples' needs and resonating with Christ's love.
So: my answer to my original question is that a church's health is measured in many ways. Some of the best have nothing to do with numbers, but rather with rounding a corner and finding that a neighbor in need has become a fellow laborer in the vineyard!
Blessings,
Peter+
cell
502-661-2742
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P.S. Much-needed sidewalk repairs were tackled this week. Thank you, David and Thomas Bemiss, for doing this concrete work, and thank you, Ron Gruzesky and Jim King, for bringing your engineering experience to this project. Warms my heart!
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Ascension's Bell is Ringing
As requested by Gov. Any Beshear during a news conference in March, our bell tolls daily at 10:00 a.m. "for those who are feeling alone, working from home, not working at home, to let them know we’re thinking about them.” The ringing tones of the bell carry our prayers heavenward for all those affected by this dreadful pandemic.
Many thanks to Craig Aossey and Father Peter for making this happen. Check out our Facebook Group page for some spectacular photos of the church and grounds that Craig has taken during these spring morning visits.
Our historic church has stood for almost two centuries.. ringing bells through a Civil War, two World Wars, and numerous deadly epidemics, outbreaks and waves of cholera, scarlet fever, flu, diphtheria, measles, polio, HIV/AIDS, and more. We will get through this, too - together.
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Courtyard Cleanup
by Craig Aossey, 4/21/20
When I was at church Sunday morning to ring the bell, there was a gentleman working in the courtyard on our landscaping. He had on a Captain America t-shirt and had ridden in on his bicycle. I stopped by on my way out of the building and he asked if it was OK for him to be doing this; I told him it was greatly appreciated and thanked him. (I then texted Ron Gruzesky, our Junior Warden, to let him know).
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Today when I went to ring the bell, there was a woman cleaning up the courtyard. She was also in a Captain America t-Shirt, so I started thinking this was a hero thing… I said hello to her on the way in, but on the way out I stopped to check in. The gentleman from Sunday was there with her, both working on the garden.
He has been to the church for breakfast in the past and doesn’t have much, but wanted to give something back, so he started working on the courtyard. His friend, asked if she could help. [Later today, Roy Upshaw was there doing hard work for many hours - and possibly directing the others.] The clippings are being cleared out by David Bemiss, who has been hired to do mowing, weed-eating, and lawn care.
Just thought I would share the joy. Angels that we fed are now serving the church.
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This coming Sunday, April 26, all are invited to attend a celebration of St. George's Day with the Diocese of Lexington - online! The featured speaker, The Rev. Jay Sidebotham, is the talent behind the Episcopal cartoons you see on our kitchen calendar.
- This Sunday only, this service will REPLACE the 9:30 a.m. online service of Morning Prayer AND the following Bible Study class that Father Peter has been leading during the pandemic shutdown. Evening Prayer with Father Peter continues daily on Facebook at 6:30 p.m.
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COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, direction from government officials, and leadership from our bishops, there will be no worship services or any group meetings in the church building until further notice.
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
).
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ONLINE WORSHIP @ ASCENSION
- SUNDAY, MAY 3 - Fourth Sunday of Easter - Ascension's clergy and organist are recording a full worship service for presentation on this day. The video will be available online at 9:30 a.m., and will stay available for later viewing. (This service will REPLACE the online Morning Prayer with Father Peter, only on this day).
- Following Sundays: Father Peter will resume weekly Morning Prayer at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday morning, May 10, on Ascension's Facebook page. Please log in if you're able and invite others to "attend" as well: we can all use a little prayer and community during this time! Father Peter is continuing to lead Sunday morning Bible study (the Gospel of Mark) through ZOOM (after concluding Morning Prayer). Please text or email him if you want to be added to this group, providing your preferred email address.
- Daily: Father Peter is leading Evening Prayer at 6:30 p.m. on our Facebook page, beginning with any announcements as needed. All are welcome!
- Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays: Deacon Sue is leading Compline on our Facebook page. Join her and say hello!
FACEBOOK:
Check it out, and comment to let others know you're watching! We also post announcements, articles, and links of interest on this page, so check it often.
ZOOM:
After contacting the group leader to sign up, you will receive a specific email invitation for EACH meeting, containing a link to click from your computer or smart device for voice and video, or alternately, a number to call from any phone for voice only.
VIDEOS:
- The first video featured Father Peter discussing, "What is Lent?"
- The next video featured Father Peter hosting a discussion with his wife Nicole, a social worker, and Kristi Buffenmyer, of Everyday Matters LLC, regarding AUTISM AWARENESS. There is some really great information here about welcoming and interacting with people at church and elsewhere - please watch!
- The next video featured Father Peter explaining the rituals and meaning of Holy Week and Easter services, followed by videos of Holy Week services inside the church with Ascension clergy.
ONLINE RESOURCES
- Free Resources for Our Elderly and Homebound Members from Hometouch Ministry: "Our homebound members have been on our minds through this trying time, including those who live alone or are unable to leave their homes due to the ever increasing shelter at home orders. As a way to try and stay connected, we are providing 4 days worth of devotions and activities to send to the loved ones in your lives. We've also included a template that you may want to send to families in your congregation who would like to color a picture and send a note to those who might feel isolated. You may download these free resources for unrestricted, re-distributable use."
NEW from Church Publishing:
"
Drawn to the Gospels: An Illustrated Lectionary
"
- For each Sunday during Easter, Jay Sidebotham offers a color-able cartoon and text of the gospel for individual reflection, virtual group settings, or at home with your family. These amusing and original reflections will deepen scriptural engagement among members of the Episcopal Church, including youth groups, and will inspire some fun in the process.
NEW from Church Next:
Just Launched — New FREE Course: A Covid-19 Spiritual Survival Kit.
This course is ideal for anyone who wants to learn coping skills as we go through the Covid-19 experience.
To help people maintain self-care and community care as the epidemic progresses, four instructors have graciously offered their time and knowledge to help people cope:
- The Rev. Dr. James Farwell is Professor of Theology and Liturgy at Virginia Theological Seminary. He has written numerous books, including a new version of the classic The Liturgy Explained (2013).
- The Rev. Canon Stephanie Spellers is Canon to the Presiding Bishop for Evangelism, Reconciliation and Stewardship of Creation. She is an author and teacher as well. Her most recent books are The Episcopal Way and Radical Welcome: Embracing God, The Other, and the Spirit of Transformation.
- Dorothy Linthicum, an instructor at Virginia Theological Seminary, has studied and taught courses and workshops about older adult spirituality and ministry at the seminary, at conferences, and for dioceses. She is the author of Redeeming Dementia (2018).
- The Very Rev. Bonnie Perry is Bishop of The Episcopal Diocese of Michigan.
Find more resources listed on Ascension's web site, here:
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MEETINGS & OFFICE HOURS
Regular office hours are suspended until further notice.
Group meetings of three or more people should NOT be held on church grounds during this time. Investigate using cell phone conferencing, Facebook Live, ZOOM, or other remote meeting options.
Having a key does NOT mean that you are authorized to enter/use the building during this period of mandatory closure. If your group "needs to meet" - CHECK FIRST with Father Peter for authorization or options. Building traffic should be absolutely minimal.
Father Peter, Mona Proctor, and other clergy and staff may sometimes be working from home, or may be in and out of the office occasionally. Our Sexton, David Gierlach, and cleaning person, Anita Rogers, will continue their duties on their own schedules.
Other people are asked not to visit the office/church building without prior authorization from Father Peter. If you do enter the building for any authorized purpose, remember the six-foot social distancing rule at all times. Soap and hand sanitizer is readily available throughout the building - use it!
Our clergy team continues to work to stay in touch with our members who are sick or homebound, but in-person visits will be kept to a minimum during this time.
Please note: Our antiquated phone system will not allow us to update the 'outgoing announcement' voicemail messages! We hope to have the problem corrected at some point, but even if the message you hear is outdated, you may still leave a message. We will hear it the next time we are in the building, whenever that may be. If your message needs immediate attention, please contact Father Peter directly
(email
fatherpeter@ascensionfrankfort.org
, or call
502-661-2742
).
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CHILDREN
For families with children, consider having them create a scrapbook or journal about this historic event. Teach them to pray, to look for the helpers, and to express their questions, their fears, and their gratitude.
Send a photo of your project(s) to Father Peter to share on our Facebook page!
OUTREACH
While the church is closed, our tradition of serving breakfast on Sunday morning is also suspended. However, there are still many other ways that we can continue our mission of outreach.
Always in mind is
Simon House
, which we work to support throughout the year. They are in desperate need of household supplies and food items. Here is their current wishlist:
https://www.simonhouseonline.org/Our_Wishlist.htm
Note: During this critical time, donations should go directly to Simon House, NOT to the church.
Always call first to arrange a drop-off: 502-223-2138.
With all three of the city’s homeless shelters at or near capacity, Simon House is also coordinating a
new temporary emergency shelter
that can house up to 40 people - now up running at F.D. Wilkinson Gymnasium at 315 Ewing St.
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FRANKLIN COUNTY COVID-19 RESPONSE FUND
A local COVID-19 relief fund is now live. In partnership with the Blue Grass Community Foundation, “The Franklin County COVID-19 Response Fund, a charitable fund established by the Franklin County Community Fund, will provide critical support to vulnerable populations in Franklin County who are adversely affected by the coronavirus pandemic,” their web site reads. Your donations to this charitable fund will provide grants to nonprofit organizations with strong experience delivering services related to food, healthcare, childcare, transportation and the elderly.
As you are able, please consider supporting this fund to help local non-profits in meeting the immediate need in our community. Following is a link to their web site and a State Journal article with more details.
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FOR THE EMERGENCY COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY
OF FRANKLIN COUNTY
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Typically in May, the Emergency Community Food Pantry of Franklin County has two large food drives, but because of social distancing guidelines to protect people from COVID-19, the drives are canceled, causing organizers to come up with a new plan to get people the food they need. One of the two drives canceled was through the U.S. Postal Service while the other was an Interfaith Food Drive, in which local churches of all denominations collected food for the pantry.
“In order to replace those two drives, we’re going to do a virtual drive,” said Regina Wink-Swinford, board president for food pantry. The drive will collect monetary donations through the food pantry’s website,
www.frankfortfoodpantry.org
.
Donations are already being collected, but on May 1 the pantry will launch a social media and advertising campaign urging people to donate.
Donors can contribute as much or as little as they can, but to offer perspective, Wink-Swinford explained that a single donation of $32 feeds a family of two for a week.
Wink-Swinford said monetary donations actually go further because it allows the organization to purchase food in bulk.
The pandemic has also affected the food pantry’s operations. Those requesting food used to be able to get their orders filled the same day, but now they have to wait until the next day so that food pantry volunteers have time to fill the request. “We used to staff 12 volunteers at a time,” Wink-Swinford said. “Now, we have no more than four volunteers at a time filling orders. The fewer people that handle the food, the better.”
The drive will last the entire month of May. Wink-Swinford said the pantry’s goal is to raise $24,000, which should be enough to purchase two months of groceries, however demands on the food pantry have increased substantially because of the pandemic.
Wink-Swinford said the pantry already had a record year as far as how many people it helped in 2019, and so far in 2020, is again experiencing record-breaking months.
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MONTHLY RECEIPTS
- 4/3/20: $3,325
- 4/9/20: $9,310
- 4/15/20: $3,097 (automatic bank withdrawals)
- 4/17/20: $4,220
- PLUS: $600 (credit card payments, via PayPal)
We hope that our video produced services for Holy Week provided spiritual fulfillment during these difficult times. Please note the schedule for our continuing services on Facebook. We commend all clergy, staff, and lay parishioners who are generously giving their time and talents to these digital endeavors.
We know this is a time of uncertainty and difficulty for all of us. As you take care of yourselves now, physically and financially, you will be able to help others later.
If you have lost a job, need money for groceries or housing, or face some other hardship due to the pandemic, please feel free to talk with Father Peter, Deacon Rebecca, or Deacon Sue. They are 'plugged in' to channels for finding assistance that you might not know.
Please note that during this critical time, obligations of your Parish continue. We must continue to pay for payroll, utilities, facility maintenance, insurance, and more. We want to make sure that our doors can reopen when this crisis is eased. Our 2020 budget is already quite lean, and your gifts of time and treasure are crucial to the mission of the Episcopal Church of Ascension, Frankfort, Kentucky.
In recent years we worked and prayed together to meet serious financial challenges. Please continue your pledge payments and make other donations as you are able.
Address any payments sent by U.S. Mail to Church of the Ascension, 311 Washington Street, Frankfort KY 40601. If you are out of envelopes or stamps to send a paper check, we will be glad to mail you a supply. Email info@ascensionfrankfort.org or call 502-223-0557.
You may drop offerings and other paperwork, contained in an envelope, into the locked church mailbox. It is a brass box located on the parish hall porch that is nearest the main church door, mounted on the brick wall to the right of the steps.
If you would like to give "automatically" by authorizing a regular monthly deduction from your bank account, contact the office to get that started.
You may also donate to Ascension online: using a credit card at
https://www.paypal.com/paypalme2/ascensionfrankfort
(You do NOT need a PayPal account to do this - just a credit card.)
If you have questions about the church budget or expenses, talk to any 2020 Vestry member, or to William Legg, Treasurer, or Mike Oder, Assistant Treasurer, or Jim King, Finance Committee Chair.
Please take care of yourselves and shepherd your resources. May God bless us all.
William Legg
Treasurer
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CENTERING PRAYER
meetings are currently suspended. (
Normally meets every Saturday morning, 10:00 - 10:30.) For more information, contact Scott Kimbel,
kskimbel@yahoo.com
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April 26, 2020
Daily Office Lectionary
Week of Three Easter, Year Two - BCP 961
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Intercessions for the Church:
The Church of St. George the Martyr, the Cathedral Domain: The Very Rev. Dr. Ronald W. Summers,
Dean Emeritus Lay Canon,
G. Andrew Sigmon,
Facility Director,
The Venerable Bryant C. Kibler, Sr.,
Priest-in-Residence Lay Canon of the Cathedral of St. George the Martyr,
Kat Luchtefeld.
Recently in need of prayers:
Barbara; Bill; Bob & Angela; Candy & Tony; Daneen; Donnie; Edith & Marion; Fran & Doug; Gus; Heidi & Ian; Greg; Jon; Josh; Linda; Madonna; Marie.
Continuing concern:
Betty; Carrie & Shawn; Collin; Dan; Darlene; David; Debbie; Dillard; Doris; the Duncan Family; Erika; Faye & Steve; Gillian; Ginni & Vic; Holly; Isaiah; James & Stella; Janet; Janice; Jean; Jinks; John; Julia; June; Lara; Linda; Mac; Marilyn; Mary; Melissa; Mike & Susie; Natalie; Polly; Scott & Kathy; Sherri; and Tom. We also pray for those on active duty in the military: Daniel, Houston, Mary Jo, Nick, Seth, Tanner, and Walter.
Birthdays:
4/27 - Brenda Osborne; 4/29 - Jordan Masters; 4/30 - Ginni Fox; 5/2 - Tina Endicott, Alaina Schroth.
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
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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.
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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
Copyright © 2020 Church of the Ascension. All Rights Reserved.
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