i thank you God for most this amazing

i thank You God for most this amazing

day:for the leaping greenly spirits of trees

and a blue true dream of sky;and for everything

which is natural which is infinite which is yes

(i who have died am alive again today,

and this is the sun’s birthday;this is the birth

day of life and love and wings:and of the gay

great happening illimitably earth)

how should tasting touching hearing seeing

breathing any-lifted from the no

of all nothing-human merely being

doubt unimaginable You?

(now the ears of my ears awake and

now the eyes of my eyes are opened)

e.e. cummings

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.

Exsultate just in Domino: rectos decet coll auditio.

Confitemi Domino in cithara, in psalterio decem chordarum psalllite illi. Cantate ei conticum novum, bene psallite ei in vociferatione.

Rejoice in the Lord, O ye just: praise is fitting for the upright.

Give praise to God upon the harp, play upon the ten-stringed psaltery.

Sing to him a new song, sing skillfully with a strong voice.

Thou hallowed chosen morn of praise, that best and greatest shinest:

Fair Easter, Queen of all the days, of seasons, best, divinest!

Christ rose from death; and we adore for ever and for evermore.

Come, let us taste the vine’s new fruit, for heav’nly joy preparing;

Today the branches with the root in resurrection sharing:

Whom as true God our hymns adore for ever and for evermore.

On Easter morn, at break of day the three saint Maries sped

Towards the tomb where Jesus lay, already three days dead.

Seemed light the burden that they bore

of myrhh and spice, of goodly store,

When came they first, the Sabbath past,

To salve His Body o’er. But at His grave they saw a sight,

The stone was rolled away; and thereon sat an Angel bright,

Which unto them did say: “Fear not: Go tell the elev’n that He

Precedes them into Galilee, o’er is the strife;

The Lord of life hath won the victorie.”

O taste and see how gracious the Lord is: blest is the man that trusteth in him.

Sing ye to the Lord, for he hath triumph’d gloriously.

Pharaoh’s chariots and his host hath He cast into the sea.

Mighty Victim from the sky,

Hell’s fierce pow’rs beneath Thee lie;

Thou hast conquer’d in the fight,

Thou hast brought us life and light;

Now no more can death appall,

Now no more the grave enthrall,

Thou hast open’d Paradise,

And in Thee Thy Saints shall rise.

Alleluia! Amen.

Jesus Christ is risen today,

our triumphant holy day,

who did once upon the cross,

suffer to redeem our loss. Alleluia!

Hymns of praise then let us sing,

unto Christ, our heavenly King,

who endured the cross and grave,

sinners to redeem and save. Alleluia!

But the pains which he endured,

our salvation have procured;

now above the sky he’s King,

where the angels ever sing. Alleluia!

Sing we to our God above

praise eternal as his love;

praise him, all ye heavenly host,

Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Alleluia!

Celebrant:   Alleluia. Christ is risen.

Almighty God, who through your only-begotten Son Jesus Christ overcame death and opened to us the gate of everlasting life: Grant that we, who celebrate with joy the day of the Lord's resurrection, may be raised from the death of sin by your life-giving Spirit; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Peter began to speak to Cornelius and the other Gentiles: "I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ--he is Lord of all. That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."

Psalm 118: 1-2,14-24   (St. Helena Psalter)

Give thanks to God who is good, *

   whose mercy endures for ever.

Let Israel now proclaim, *

   “God’s mercy endures for ever.”

God is my strength and my song *

   and has become my salvation.

There is a sound of exultation and victory *

   in the tents of the righteous:

“The right hand of the Most High has triumphed; *

   the right hand of the Most High is exalted;

   the right hand of the Most High has triumphed!”

I shall not die, but live *

   and declare the works of God.

God has punished me sorely, *

   but did not hand me over to death.

Open for me the gates of righteousness; *

   I will enter them;

   I will offer thanks to God.

“This is the gate of the Holy One; *

   those who are righteous may enter.”

I will give thanks to you, for you answered me *

   and have become my salvation.

The same stone which the builders rejected *

   has become the chief cornerstone.

This is God’s doing, *

   and it is marvelous in our eyes.

On this day the Holy One has acted; *

   we will rejoice and be glad in it.

I would remind you, brothers and sisters, of the good news that I proclaimed to you, which you in turn received, in which also you stand, through which also you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message that I proclaimed to you--unless you have come to believe in vain. For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me has not been in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them--though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we proclaim and so you have come to believe.

When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint Jesus. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. They had been saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man, dressed in a white robe, sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you.” So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

Hallelujah Chorus from Messiah

Hallelujah! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth. The Kingdom of this world is become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever: King of kings and Lord of lords. Hallelujah!

Leader Let us pray for the Church and for the world.

Grant, Almighty God, that all who confess your Name may be united in your truth, live together in your love, and reveal your glory in the world. We pray for Michael our Presiding Bishop, for Andrew, Allen and Mary our own Bishops

Leader Lord, in your mercy

Leader Guide the people of this land, and of all the nations, in the ways of justice and peace, especially Joe our President; that we may honor one another and serve the common good.

Leader Lord, in your mercy

Leader Give us all a reverence for the earth as your own creation, that we may use its resources rightly in the service of others and to your honor and glory.

Leader Lord, in your mercy

Leader 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.

Leader Lord, in your mercy

Leader Comfort and heal all those who suffer in body, mind, or spirit, especially Robert, Ed, Janet, Ellen, Joseph, Brielle, Lucas, Holly, Allejandro and Jesus, Nancy, Barbara, Dorothy, Stewart, Patricia, Judith, Hannah, Jurek, Alice, Michael, Deb, Deacon Luis, Stephen, Martin, Marion, Sandy, Jonathan and family, Cammie and family, Ed, Soren, and Mary Ann; give them courage and hope in their troubles, and bring them the joy of your salvation.

Leader Lord, in your mercy

Leader I ask your prayers of thanksgiving for the birth of Liam Udonna Staudenmeier and for the safe delivery of his mother Adora through childbirth.

Leader Lord, in your mercy

Leader We commend to your mercy all who have died, Jeff Paley, Jack Chinery, Bill Burket, Mike Kehoe, Andrew Brannon, Minerva Viera, Liz Hill, Christine Dupre, those listed in our Easter Memorial, and the more than 550,000 Americans who have died of COVID-19, as well as others around the world that your will for them may be fulfilled; and we pray that we may share with all your saints in your eternal kingdom.

Leader Lord, in your mercy

Leader We offer you our other prayers and thanksgivings.

 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.

May Almighty God, who has redeemed us and made us his children through the resurrection of his Son our Lord, bestow upon you the riches of his blessing. Amen.

May God, who through the water of baptism has raised us from sin into newness of life, make you holy and worthy to be united with Christ for ever. Amen.

May God, who has brought us out of bondage to sin into true and lasting freedom in the Redeemer, bring you to your eternal inheritance. Amen.

And the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be upon you and remain with you for ever. Amen.

The strife is o’er, the battle done,

the victory of life is won;

the song of triumph has begun.

Alleluia!

The powers of death have done their worst,

but Christ their legions hath dispersed:

let shout of holy joy outburst.

Alleluia!

The three sad days are quickly sped,

he rises glorious from the dead:

all glory to our risen Head!

Alleluia!

He closed the yawning gates of hell,

the bars from heaven’s high portals fell;

let hymns of praise his triumphs tell!

Alleluia!

Lord! by the stripes which wounded thee,

from death’s dread sting thy servants free,

that we may live and sing to thee.

Alleluia!

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

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.

(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. Presently there are five categories:

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.

Click here to read the list of memorials and thanksgivings.

Upcoming April Forum: Justice and Reconciliation: Looking Ahead - on Sunday, April 11 (the Sunday after Easter), we will discuss our learnings from our Lenten series. So many of these forums concluded with the sense that we wanted to go deeper! Please think and pray about what next steps you feel called to explore.

"Lessons To Be Learned From The 2020 Pandemic", by Stanley Weinberg - When it's all over, what will we have learned? How will the pandemic have changed our lives; or how could it change our lives? Click here to access Stanley’s article, soon to be published in the Episcopal New Yorker,

Space Use at Ascension - While the church is closed and not in general use, occasionally someone in the church will want to use one of our spaces. (Please note, that such uses are strongly discouraged.) During the pandemic we must be extra careful to coordinate these things so there is no overlap, and to schedule plenty of time for cleaning. If you think you might need the space for something, please coordinate via the church office - contact Br. Andrew at info@ascensionnyc.org or 212-254-8620.

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.

Sunday Paper Junior - The lectionary, our yearly schedule of Bible readings, carries us through Jesus’s life and teachings. The Church of The Ascension subscribes to the Sunday Paper Junior and we offer it to you and your family as a fun, creative way to study the lessons each week. Click here to access this week's paper. Please feel free to print out the pages each week and use as you desire. Check out this section each week for the current Sunday Paper Junior!

Vaccine Registration Assistance? Do you need help scheduling your vaccine appointment? Are you a tech-savvy and patient person who would like to help register people? Please contact Madonna Stack-Barker at m.stack@rcn.com for more information.

Open Church, Tuesdays & Fridays, Noon to 3. The church is open for private prayer and meditation. Attendance is limited to a maximum of 20 people at one time and all safety precautions (properly worn masks, physical distancing, hand sanitizing, and contact tracing) will be followed.

In-Person Midweek Eucharists Remain Suspended. In light of the rising infection rates in New York City, we continue to suspend our Wednesday evening in person Eucharists.We will revisit the question after Easter.

Beware of Fraudulent Emails Purporting to be from the Ascension clergy! Several people received scam emails today pretending to be from Fr. Ed, using a Gmail account under a user name that appears to be him. Click here to read more and learn what you can do.

ascensionnyc.org/easter or https://zoom.us/j/322793633

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

Evening Prayer (Zoom) 5:30 p.m. (Preacher: John Grimes)

(Speak to Sibyl Piccone if you are interested in this group)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sunday 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

Clergy | Staff | Parish Leadership