Eighth Sunday After Pentecost
Lord God, we praise you for those riches of our creation
that we will never see:
For stars whose light will never reach the earth;
For species of living things that were born,
that flourished and perished
before humankind appeared in the world;
For patterns and colors in the flowers,
which only insect eyes are able to see;
For strange, high music
that humans can never hear.
Lord God, you see everything that you have made
and behold that it is very good.
Anonymous
How to Join the Service
From your computer, laptop, pad, smart phone, or other device, click this link:

or

If you do not have a device with a camera, you can still join with your phone by dialing the following number: 929-205-6099, and enter the meeting ID: 322 793 633.

All of our online services, with their links, can be found on our public calendar, and are listed below.
Click this link to read up on some best practices for Zoom meetings.
Please be Alert!

Online phishing emails are becoming more and more rampant these days and the church is not exempt from vulnerability. Please read our notice below in the announcement for ways to protect yourself and others.
Prelude Music
Two “Little” Preludes and Fugues
Prelude and Fugue in C
Prelude and Fugue in D Minor
Johann Sebastian Bach
Worship With Us
Introit and Bell
Chant on themes by Janet Morley/Ornette Coleman
Welcome
Hymn
Please join in the singing as you are able.
#645 The King of love my shepherd is
St. Columba
The King of love my shepherd is,
whose goodness faileth never;
I nothing lack if I am his,
and he is mine for ever.

Where streams of living water flow,
my ransomed soul he leadeth,
and where the verdant pastures grow,
with food celestial feedeth.

Perverse and foolish oft I strayed,
but yet in love he sought me,
and on his shoulder gently laid,
and home, rejoicing, brought me.
In death’s dark vale I fear no ill
with thee, dear Lord, beside me;
thy rod and staff my comfort still,
thy cross before to guide me.

Thou spread’st a table in my sight;
thy unction grace bestoweth;
and oh, what transport of delight
from thy pure chalice floweth!

And so through all the length of days
thy goodness faileth never:
Good Shepherd, may I sing thy praise
within thy house for ever.
Opening Acclamation
Celebrant:   Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
People:   And blessed be God's kingdom, now and for ever. Amen
Collect of the Day
Almighty God, the fountain of all wisdom, you know our necessities before we ask and our ignorance in asking: Have compassion on our weakness, and mercifully give us those things which for our unworthiness we dare not, and for our blindness we cannot ask; through the worthiness of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Liturgy of the Word
Sabra Brock

Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! says the Lord. Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who shepherd my people: It is you who have scattered my flock, and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. So I will attend to you for your evil doings, says the Lord. Then I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the lands where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. I will raise up shepherds over them who will shepherd them, and they shall not fear any longer, or be dismayed, nor shall any be missing, says the Lord. The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. And this is the name by which he will be called: “The Lord is our righteousness.”

Psalm 23 (St. Helena Psalter)

The Holy One is my shepherd; *
    I shall not be in want.
You make me lie down in green pastures *
    and lead me beside still waters.
You revive my soul *
    and guide me along right pathways for the sake of your Name.
Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I shall fear no evil; *
    for you are with me;
    your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You spread a table before me in the presence of those who trouble me; *
    you have anointed my head with oil,
    and my cup is running over.
Surely your goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, *
    and I will dwell in the house of God for ever.

Susie Braden

Remember that at one time you Gentiles by birth, called “the uncircumcision” by those who are called “the circumcision” —a physical circumcision made in the flesh by human hands— remember that you were at that time without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us. He has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, and might reconcile both groups to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it. So he came and proclaimed peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; for through him both of us have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. In him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God.
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark.
The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. He said to them, “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they hurried there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things. When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored the boat. When they got out of the boat, people at once recognized him, and rushed about that whole region and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he went, into villages or cities or farms, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed.
Sermon
The Rev. Posey Krakowsky
Anthem
O Taste and See
Ralph Vaughan Williams
O taste and see how gracious the Lord is: blest is the man that trusteth in him.
Psalm XXXIV v.8
Prayers of the People
New Zealand Prayer Book
God of heaven and earth, through Jesus Christ you promise to hear us when we pray to you in faith with thanksgiving.

We pray for one another, for our families and friends, through whom we learn to love and to be loved. Thank you for all who care for us. ​Give us grace to serve Christ by serving our neighbors and our community, loving others as he loves us.

Silence

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.

Silence

We thank you for the unfailing love you hold out to everyone in Jesus Christ. Comfort and heal those in sorrow, need, sickness or any other trouble, especially Robert, Ed, Janet, Ellen, Joseph, Brielle, Lucas, Holly, Allejandro and Jesus, Nancy, Barbara, Dorothy, Stewart, Patricia, Judith, Harold, Hannah, Jurek, Alice, Michael, Todd, Nancy, Sonia, Seely, Katherine and Elizabeth, Anne, Peter, Gus, and Charles. Give them courage and hope in their distress, and bless those who minister to them.

Silence

We remember with gratitude your many gifts to us in creation and the rich heritage of this land. Help us and people everywhere to share with justice and peace the resources of the earth. Give wisdom to those in authority among us and to all leaders of the nations. Today we remember particularly the people of Haiti. We pray especially for those seeking to end white supremacy and establish racial justice.

Silence

We pray for your Church throughout the world, thanking you for all who serve Christ and his kingdom. By your Spirit strengthen your people for their work and witness in the world. Unite us in your truth and love, that we who confess your name may also reflect your glory.

Silence

We remember with thanksgiving all who have died in Christ, especially Jason Kazor, James Locker, and Kathy, mother of Charles Goldman. We rejoice at the faithful witness of your saints in every age, praying that we may enter with them into the unending joy of your heavenly kingdom.

Silence

Priest Merciful God, you look with compassion on all who turn to you. Hear the prayers of your people.

People Grant that what we have asked in faith we may by your grace receive; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Confession and Absolution

God of all mercy,
we confess that we have sinned against you,
opposing your will in our lives.
We have denied your goodness in each other,
in ourselves, and in the world you have created. We repent of the evil that enslaves us,
the evil we have done,
and the evil done on our behalf.
Forgive, restore, and strengthen us through our Savior Jesus Christ, that we may abide in your love and serve only your will. Amen.
The Lord's 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.
Announcements
Blessing
Hymn
#609 Where cross the crowded ways of life
Gardiner
Where cross the crowded ways of life,
where sound the cries of race and clan,
above the noise of selfish strife,
we hear thy voice, O Son of Man.

In haunts of wretchedness and need,
on shadowed thresholds dark with fears,
from paths where hide the lures of greed,
we catch the vision of thy tears.

The cup of water given for thee
still holds the freshness of thy grace;
yet long these multitudes to see
the true compassion of thy face.

O Master, from the mountain side,
make haste to heal these hearts of pain;
among these restless throngs abide,
O tread the city’s streets again;

till all the world shall learn thy love,
and follow where thy feet have trod;
till glorious from thy heaven above,
shall come the city of our God.
Dismissal
The people respond:
Thanks be to God.
Pour yourself a cup of coffee, tea, or your favorite juice, grab a slice of banana bread, piece of fruit, or a peanut butter & jelly sandwich, and feel free to "hang out" with us online to chat!
The Church Cracked Open - our forum series - will conclude on Sundays, July 18 & 25. This new book is a gift to the Episcopal Church in this particular historical moment, and we encourage everyone to read and participate! it is widely available from Church Publishing and from Amazon.
Support Your Parish!
Go to ascensionnyc.org/give to give online
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.

Our parish can only continue its mission and ministry because of the generosity of parishioners, visitors, and friends of the parish and we are working hard to make our online giving as easy and seamless as possible.

(If you experience any issues with Abundant Giving, please email us at websexton@ascensionnyc.org)
A Note about Using Abundant Giving: When you donate and pledge through the Abundant Giving app or go through the website, you need to direct your donation to the correct category. There are multiple categories to choose from:
  • Offering Plate
  • Stewardship Pledge 2021
  • Sexton's Retirement Gift
  • Rector's Fund
  • Memorial Gift
These categories change as we update categories during the year. (An example would be when we delete the Easter flowers category after Easter and add Christmas flowers for the weeks leading up to Christmas.)

To donate through your app or the website, click the link above. The next screen will prompt you: "How Much Do You Want To Give?" Next to that, is a drop-down list of categories. Offering plate is always listed first. Click on the little arrow and the list will appear. Click on which ever category you want your donation to be credited. It is important to identify which category you are donating to so that your year end statement will be correct.

You should have received your year-end statement for 2020. Please review it carefully and contact the parish office immediately if there are any issues.
In-Person Services
& Open Church
In-Person Sunday Morning Eucharist, 9:00 a.m.
In-Person Midweek Eucharist, Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m.
Tuesdays and Fridays - The Church is open from prayer and meditation; Noon to 3:00 p.m.
Everyone entering the church must wear a mask and maintain appropriate physical distance. Please utilize the hand sanitizer stations.
Volunteers Needed for Open Church! We would like to start opening the church from Noon to 3, Monday through Friday, but we need volunteers to make that happen. If you would like to volunteer, please call or email the parish office (212-254-8620; info@ascensionnyc.org)
Announcements
Racial Justice Discussion Group... Of Interest: Books, Seminars, Meetings, Etc...

Voices Heard - A Diocese Explores Pathways Toward Reparations. A series of panel discussions sponsored by the Reparations Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of New York. Click here for more information.

  • Rectors of Color, July 20
DON'T FALL FOR IT!

Fraudulent emails, Facebook accounts, instagram and Messenger accounts are on the rise! These annoying and scary intrusions into our lives go by many names, but most commonly they are referred to as spoofing, phishing, or cloning. They usually start out friendly enough - enough to lure you in - but sooner or later they will ask you for money.

It seems there is little you can do to stop someone from spoofing your account, but you can be smart about it if you are on the receiving end. Here are some things you should know and look out for:
  • First off, don't panic.
  • No one from the church (or Diocese, for that matter) will send you a personal message asking for money or gift cards.
  • Trust your gut! If you have even a hint that the message might be fake, don't respond.
  • Do NOT send money or gift cards.
  • If you are in doubt about the veracity of the message, contact your friend via another means (such as a phone call) to verify.
  • If it comes to you via email, always check the sender's email address - 99.99% of the time it will be some weird email address that has no association to your friend,.
  • Notify your friend who has been spoofed so they can alert others.
Sunday Meditation with Prayers & Music
is available on our
Facebook page:

Stay Connected in Prayer.
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.
This Week at Ascension
Sunday – July 18  Eighth Sunday after Pentecost
In-Person Holy Eucharist (Church) 9:00 a.m.
Sunday Service, (Zoom) 11:00 a.m.
Coffee Hour & Forum (following the 11:00 service)
Meditation with Prayers & Music (Facebook.com/AscensionNYC)

Monday – July 19
Evening Prayer (Zoom) 5:30 p.m. 
Lectionary Bible Study (Zoom) 6:30 p.m.
(Speak to Sibyl Piccone if you are interested in this group)

Tuesday – July 20
Church open from prayer and meditation; Noon to 3:00 p.m.
Evening Prayer (Zoom) 5:30 p.m.

Wednesday – July 21
Evening Prayer (Zoom) 5:30 p.m.
Midweek Eucharist (Church) 6:00 p.m.

Thursday – July 22
Evening Prayer (Zoom) 5:30 p.m.

Friday – July 23
Church open from prayer and meditation; Noon to 3:00 p.m.
Evening Prayer (Zoom) 5:30 p.m.

Saturday – July 24

Sunday – July 25  Ninth Sunday after Pentecost
In-Person Holy Eucharist (Church) 9:00 a.m.
Sunday Service, (Zoom) 11:00 a.m.
Coffee Hour & Forum (following the 11:00 service)
Meditation with Prayers & Music (Facebook.com/AscensionNYC)

* Anyone entering the church must wear a mask and maintain appropriate physical distance. Please utilize the hand sanitizer stations,

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
We are working from home, but we will respond to emails and phone calls