Dear People of Ascension,

This Sunday, October 4 following our 11 AM service, we celebrate the feast of St. Francis of Assisi with the blessing of the animals- a chance to give thanks for all the amazing creatures God has made, and a reminder of Francis' deep sense of community with all creation and the blessing that our animal companions are in our lives.

The blessing will take place via Zoom, and in the tradition of this day may have a bit of controlled chaos and cacophony to add to the joy. If you live with an animal who can appear on your Zoom screen, we will look forward to seeing them for a blessing. If you have a picture of an animal you would like blessed, please bring that. And if you have a beloved animal who has died, please send their name to me at egmaxwell@ascension.org, or put it in the chat on Sunday so we can commend them to God.

For many of us, loving and living with our animal companions is one of the primary ways we experience belonging to the larger, more than human world. As we celebrate them this Sunday, let us also pray to care more wisely and bravely for God's beloved, endangered creation, that we may live sustainably and equitably with all earth's creatures.

Wild blessings,

Liz

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

#407 Most High, omnipotent, good Lord (Lukkason)

Most High, omnipotent, good Lord,

to thee be ceaseless praise outpoured,

and blessing without measure.

From thee alone all creatures came;

no one is worthy thee to name.

My Lord be praised by brother sun

who through the skies his course doth run,

and shines in brilliant splendor:

with brightness he doth fill the day,

and signifies thy boundless sway.

My Lord be praised by sister moon

and all the stars, that with her soon

will point the glittering heavens.

Let wind and air and cloud and calm

and weathers all, repeat the psalm.

By sister water be thou blessed,

most humble, useful, precious, chaste;

be praised by brother fire;

jocund is he, robust and bright,

and strong to lighten all the night.

By mother earth my Lord be praised;

governed by thee she hath upraised

what for our life is needful.

Sustained by thee, through every hour,

she bringeth forth fruit, herb, and flower.

My Lord be praised by those who prove

in free forgivingness their love,

nor shrink from tribulation.

Happy, who peaceably endure;

with thee, Lord, their reward is sure.

For death our sister, praisèd be,

from whom no one alive can flee.

Woe to the unpreparèd!

But blest be they who do thy will

and follow thy commandments still.

Most High, omnipotent, good Lord,

to thee be ceaseless praise outpoured,

and blessing without measure.

Let creatures all give thanks to t

Presider Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Almighty and everlasting God, you are always more ready to hear than we to pray, and to give more than we either desire or deserve: Pour upon us the abundance of your mercy, forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid, and giving us those good things for which we are not worthy to ask, except through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ our Savior; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Then God spoke all these words: I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name. Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. For six days you shall labour and do all your work. Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor. When all the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking, they were afraid and trembled and stood at a distance, and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, or we will die.” Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid; for God has come only to test you and to put the fear of him upon you so that you do not sin.”

The heavens declare your glory, O God, *

   and the firmament shows your handiwork.

One day tells its tale to another, *

   and one night imparts knowledge to another.

Although they have no words or language, *

   and their voices are not heard,

Their sound has gone out into all lands, *

   and their message to the ends of the world.

In the deep you have set a pavilion for the sun; *

   it comes forth like a bridegroom out of his chamber;

   it rejoices like a champion to run its course.

It goes forth from the uttermost edge of the heavens

and runs about to the end of it again; *

   nothing is hidden from its burning heat.

Your law, O God, is perfect and revives the soul; *

   your testimony is sure and gives wisdom to the innocent.

Your statutes are just and rejoice the heart; *

   your commandment is clear and gives light to the eyes.

The fear of you is clean and endures for ever; *

   your judgments are true and righteous altogether.

More to be desired are they than gold, more than much fine gold, *

   sweeter far than honey, than honey in the comb.

By them also is your servant enlightened, *

   and in keeping them there is great reward.

Who can discern unwitting sins? *

   Cleanse me from my secret faults.

Above all, keep your servant from presumptuous sins;

let them not get dominion over me; *

   then shall I be whole and sound,

   and innocent of a great offense.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

be acceptable in your sight, *

   O God, my strength and my redeemer.

If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.

Jesus said, “Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenants and went to another country. When the harvest time had come, he sent his slaves to the tenants to collect his produce. But the tenants seized his slaves and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. Again he sent other slaves, more than the first; and they treated them in the same way. Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him and get his inheritance.” So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the harvest time.” Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the scriptures: ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is amazing in our eyes’? Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom. The one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and it will crush anyone on whom it falls.” When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they realized that he was speaking about them. They wanted to arrest him, but they feared the crowds, because they regarded him as a prophet.

The Rev. Edwin Chinery

Charles Villiers Stanford (1852-1924)

Beati quorum via integra est,

qui ambulant in lege Domini.

Blessed are the undefiled in the way,

who walk in the law of the Lord.

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. ​We give thanks for our animal companions, for the love and comfort they offer us. Give us grace to serve Christ by serving our neighbors and our community, loving others as he loves us.

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, Mary and Tom, Ellen, Joseph, Brielle, Lucas, Holly, Allejandro and Jesus, Nancy, Barbara, Dorothy, Stewart, Patricia, Judith, Marco, Tina, Hannah, Jurek, Alice, Stacy and Jonathan, Michael, Lisa, Anne, Danne, Shawn, Susanne, Sherry, David, Seth, Tom, Mike, Jennifer, and Liz. Give them courage and hope in their distress, and bless those who minister to them.

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. We pray for the people of Lebanon and Belarus, and for those affected by the recent hurricanes, and by the fires in California and the Pacific Northwest. We pray for all laboring to end ​racism and white supremacy and establish racial justice in our country. Give wisdom to those in authority among us and to all leaders of the nations.

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.

We pray for all affected by COVID-19: for the frightened and the sick, for the dying and those who mourn. We pray for all who have lost jobs and livelihood as a result of this pandemic. We pray 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 treatment and a vaccine, for those charged with making decisions about public health and public policy and for all who are reopening, that they may care for one another in wisdom and safety.

We remember with thanksgiving all who have died in Christ and those whose faith is known to you alone, especially Elizabeth Ortiz, Ann Mugavero, Helen Crothers, Ruth Bader-Ginsberg, Breonna Taylor, and the more that 200,000 Americans who have died of COVID-19, as well as others around the world. 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.

We offer you our other prayers, and our thanksgivings for all the blessings of this life.

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

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.

#593 Lord, make us servants of your peace (Dickinson College)

Lord, make us servants of your peace:

where there is hate, may we sow love;

where there is hurt, may we forgive;

where there is strife, may we make one.

Where all is doubt, may we sow faith;

where all is gloom, may we sow hope;

where all is night, may we sow light;

where all is tears, may we sow joy.

Jesus, our Lord, may we not seek

to be consoled, but to console,

nor look to understanding hearts,

but look for hearts to understand.

May we not look for love’s return,

but seek to love unselfishly,

for in our giving we receive,

and in forgiving are forgiven.

Dying, we live, and are reborn

through death’s dark night to endless day:

Lord, make us servants of your peace,

to wake at last in heaven’s light.

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)

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!

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.

is available on our Facebook page:

Stay Connected in Prayer. Join us each weeknight at 5:30 for Evening Prayer and discussion. Click here to join. To call in (voice, no camera), dial 929-205-6099; the meeting ID is 770 597 201.

Racial Justice Discussion Group- Walking (or Phoning) your Talk-The racial justice group will not meet this Thursday, October 8 to give those who wish an opportunity to join a phone bank to h help get out the vote. This is not an official church event, but it is organized by our own Elizabeth Adams. For more information including training materials please contact her at elizabeth12890@gmail.com. Many of us find phone banking intimidating, even though it can be quite effective; this is a chance to do it in a supportive community. Here is the zoom link:

Join Zoom Meeting

Meeting ID: 782 3005 4544

Passcode: 0T9NR3

Forum on Reopening Next Sunday, October 11- Please join the reopening task force next Sunday for a conversation about reopening the church. We are proceeding in stages, and will talk about what has already happened, what we plan to do next and what questions we are still working through. Meanwhile, please fill out the survey about weekday services if you have not already done so! It is very short, and we need it to meet the needs of our community for in person worship as effectively as we can.

Big reopening news: the church will be open for prayer and meditation on Tuesdays and Fridays from 12-3 pm starting this Tuesday, October 6. Masks, contact information and use of hand sanitizer is required for all guests. We are very excited about opening our space again. The garden is open every day from 9-5, and is a lovely place to enjoy quiet and the beauty of creation.

Our Diocesan Convention Roll-out Meetings are every Wednesday evening, 5pm - 6pm, from September 9 through October 28. To attend the Zoom presentations go to dioceseny.zoom.us/j/91561537149. The Convention Day Bishops’ Addresses/Elections/Resolutions/Budget) will be Saturday, November 7 - Zoom details will follow;

Oct. 7 - 2021 Budget

Oct. 14 - Global Mission/Anti-Racism

Oct. 21 - Christian Formation/Ecumenical and Interfaith

Oct. 28 - Reparations

(Nov. 4) - (Reserved for possible additional Zoom meeting)

The Job - a short film written and directed by Jonathan Browning. Two weeks ago, Mother Posey referenced this short film in her homily. A satirical look at the plight of the day laborer in the United States. It was filmed in 2007 and seems to have aged well. If you'd like to watch it, click here.

Are you interested in confirmation, or being received into the Episcopal church? In his pastoral letter, Bishop Dietsche indicates that there may be an opportunity for some small group confirmations this fall in different regions of the Diocese. If you would like to prepare to deepen your Christian commitment in this way, or if you are interested in learning more about the Episcopal church, please speak to Mother Liz.

No election would be possible without the poll workers who set up and take down polling sites, check in and assist voters. Many of those who have worked the polls in the past are over sixty and will not be doing so this year due to the risks of Covid-19 for that age group. If you are healthy, able, and feel secure working at a polling site, please consider applying to be a poll worker to ensure that polling sites run smoothly in this era defining election.

Early Voting in NYC - New York voters can also vote before Election Day. The early voting period runs from Saturday, October 24, 2020 to Sunday, November 1, 2020, but dates and hours may vary based on where you live.

For a list of dates, times and locations, go to vote.nyc/page/early-voting-information

Stanley Weinberg's article, A Psychotherapist's Response to the Pandemic, will appear in the Fall issue of The Episcopal New Yorker. You can read the article here. To link to the Episcopal New Yorker, click here.

Help for job seekers available- Long-time choir member Deb Feldman is cofounder at Gray Scalable, an HR and Recruiting consultancy to tech startups, based in Flatiron. Deb is offering job search advice and interview practice for Ascension parishioners who have been furloughed or laid off as a result of Covid-19. This is offered remotely via Zoom and free of charge - however, spots are limited, and offered on a first come, first served basis. Please email debsoprano@gmail.com if you're interested.

Subscribe to the AscensionNYC podcast and have our weekly sermons delivered to the device of your choice! While we have been posting recordings of sermons preached at Ascension services since February 2015, many have asked how they can listen to them on the go. Now you can subscribe to the AscensionNYC podcast to have the latest sermons and other audio content from the Church of the Ascension automatically downloaded to your phone, tablet or computer. Follow this link

to choose how you'd like to receive AscensionNYC in the podcast app you use; we’re being added to more and more directories each week!

You can also go to our website to listen to recent sermons by clicking here or going to our website.

Give while shopping - We all seem to be relying on online shopping more and more these days. The AmazonSmile Foundation donates 0.5 percent of the purchase price from your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to the nonprofit you choose. Even these small sums can add up for us. Click here to find out how.

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

Blessing of the Animals via Zoom (after the Church Service)

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

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)

Church Open for Prayer and Meditation* (Church) 12 noon - 3:00 p.m.

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

EfM (Zoom) 6:00 p.m.

Building & Grounds Meeting (Zoom) 12 noon

Diocesan Convention Rollout Meeting (Zoom)

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

Needlecraft Guild (Zoom) 6:30 p.m.

Stewardship Committee Meeting (Zoom) 5:00 p.m.

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

Church Open for Prayer and Meditation* (Church) 12 noon - 3:00 p.m.

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

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

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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