Join us for Shrove Tuesday Zoom Bingo! ... a traditional evening of fun starting at 6:30pm on February 16th. If you wish to participate, please contact Fr. Ed by email so we can send you a bingo card. While we’ll do our best to accommodate registration “at the door”, it’ll be really helpful for us to receive your information even a few hours in advance! Thank you! BYOP (Bring your own pancakes!) There will be exciting prizes, and we will end with Compline!

Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/97555913981

Dial in only: 929-205-6099

Meeting ID: 975 5591 3981

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: 988 5984 7802

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.

People His mercy endures for ever.

Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Shout out, do not hold back! Lift up your voice like a trumpet! Announce to my people their rebellion, to the house of Jacob their sins. Yet day after day they seek me and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that practiced righteousness and did not forsake the ordinance of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments, they delight to draw near to God. "Why do we fast, but you do not see? Why humble ourselves, but you do not notice?" Look, you serve your own interest on your fast day, and oppress all your workers. Look, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to strike with a wicked fist. Such fasting as you do today will not make your voice heard on high. Is such the fast that I choose, a day to humble oneself? Is it to bow down the head like a bulrush, and to lie in sackcloth and ashes? Will you call this a fast, a day acceptable to the Lord? Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin? Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up quickly; your vindicator shall go before you, the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I am. If you remove the yoke from among you, the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil, if you offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom be like the noonday. The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your needs in parched places, and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters never fail. Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to live in.

Psalm 103  (St. Helena Psalter)

Bless the Holy One, O my soul, *

   and all that is within me, bless God’s holy Name.

Bless the Holy One, O my soul, *

   and forget not all the gifts of God.

O God, you forgive all our sins *

   and you heal all our infirmities;

You redeem our life from the grave *

   and crown us with mercy and loving-kindness;

You satisfy us with good things, *

   and our youth is renewed like an eagle’s.

O God, you execute righteousness *

   and judgment for all who are oppressed.

You made your ways known to Moses *

   and your works to the children of Israel.

You are full of compassion and mercy, *

   slow to anger and of great kindness.

You will not always accuse us, *

   nor will you keep your anger for ever.

You have not dealt with us according to our sins, *

   nor rewarded us according to our wickedness.

For as the heavens are high above the earth, *

   so is your mercy great upon those who fear you.

As far as the east is from the west, *

   so far have you removed our sins from us.

As a parent has compassion for a child, *

   so do you have compassion for those who fear you.

For you yourself know whereof we are made; *

   you remember that we are but dust.

Our days are like the grass; *

   we flourish like a flower of the field;

When the wind goes over it, it is gone, *

   and its place shall know it no more.

But your merciful goodness endures for ever on those who fear you, *

   and your righteousness on children’s children;

On those who keep your covenant *

   and remember your commandments and do them.

You have set your throne in heaven, *

   and you have dominion over all.

Bless God, all you angels,

you mighty ones who do God’s bidding, *

   and hearken to the voice of the Holy One.

Sing praise, all you heavenly hosts, *

   you servants who do God’s will.

Bless God, all creation,

in all places of God’s dominion; *

   bless the Holy One, O my soul.

We entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. As we work together with him, we urge you also not to accept the grace of God in vain. For he says, "At an acceptable time I have listened to you, and on a day of salvation I have helped you." See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation! We are putting no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we have commended ourselves in every way: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, holiness of spirit, genuine love, truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; in honor and dishonor, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet are well known; as dying, and see-- we are alive; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

Wilt thou forgive that sin, where I begun,

which is my sin, though it were done before?

Wilt thou forgive those sins through which I run,

and do run still, though still I do deplore?

When thou hast done, thou hast not done,

for I have more.

Wilt thou forgive that sin, by which I won

others to sin, and made my sin their door?

Wilt thou forgive that sin which I did shun

a year or two, but wallowed in a score?

When thou hast done, thou hast not done,

for I have more.

I have a sin of fear that when I’ve spun

my last thread, I shall perish on the shore;

swear by thyself, that at my death thy Son

shall shine as he shines now, and heretofore.

And having done that, thou hast done,

I fear no more.

Jesus said, "Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven. "So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. "And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. "And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

The Rev. Elizabeth G. Maxwell

Hide not thou thy face from us, O Lord,

and cast not off thy servant in thy displeasure:

For we confess our sins unto Thee,

And hide not our unrighteousness:

For thy mercy sake deliver us from all our sins.

Dear People of God: The first Christians observed with great devotion the days of our Lord's passion and resurrection, and it became the custom of the Church to prepare for them by season of penitence and fasting. This season of Lent provided a time in which converts to the faith were prepared for Holy Baptism. It was also a time when those who, because of notorious sins, had been separated from the body of the faithful were reconciled by penitence and forgiveness, and restored to the fellowship of the Church. Thereby, the whole congregation was put in mind of the message of pardon and absolution set forth in the Gospel of our Savior, and of the need which all Christians continually have to renew their repentance and faith.

I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church, to the observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God's holy Word. And, to make a right beginning of repentance, and as a mark of our mortal nature, let us now kneel before the Lord, our maker and redeemer.

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your loving-kindness; *

   in your great compassion blot out my offenses.

Wash me through and through from my wickedness *

   and cleanse me from my sin.

For I know my transgressions, *

   and my sin is ever before me.

Against you only have I sinned *

   and done what is evil in your sight.

And so you are justified when you speak *

   and upright in your judgment

Indeed, I have been wicked from my birth, *

   a sinner from my mother's womb.

For behold, you look for truth deep within me, *

   and will make me understand wisdom secretly.

Purge me from my sin, and I shall be pure; *

   wash me, and I shall be clean indeed.

Make me hear of joy and gladness, *

   that the body you have broken may rejoice.

Hide your face from my sins *

   and blot out all my iniquities.

Create in me a clean heart, O God, *

   and renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from your presence *

   and take not your holy Spirit from me.

Give me the joy of your saving help again *

   and sustain me with your bountiful Spirit.

I shall teach your ways to the wicked, *

   and sinners shall return to you.

Deliver me from death, O God, *

   and my tongue shall sing of your righteousness,

   O God of my salvation.

Open my lips, O Lord, *

   and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.

Had you desired it, I would have offered sacrifice; *

   but you take no delight in burnt-offerings.

The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit; *

   a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Most holy and merciful Father:

We confess to you and to one another, and to the whole communion of saints in heaven and on earth, that we have sinned by our own fault in thought, word, and deed; by what we have done, and by what we have left undone.

We have not loved you with our whole heart, and mind, and strength. We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We have not forgiven others, as we have been forgiven.

We have been deaf to your call to serve, as Christ served us .We have not been true to the mind of Christ. We have grieved your Holy Spirit.

We confess to you, Lord, all our past unfaithfulness: the pride, hypocrisy, and impatience of our lives,

Our self-indulgent appetites and ways, and our exploitation of other people,

Our anger at our own frustration, and our envy of those more fortunate than ourselves,

Our intemperate love of worldly goods and comforts, and our dishonesty in daily life and work,

Our negligence in prayer and worship, and our failure to commend the faith that is in us,

Accept our repentance, Lord, for the wrongs we have done: for our blindness to human need and suffering, and our indifference to injustice and cruelty,

For all false judgments, for uncharitable thoughts toward our neighbors, and for our prejudice and contempt toward those who differ from us,

For our waste and pollution of your creation, and our lack of concern for those who come after us,

Restore us, good Lord, and let your anger depart from us;

Accomplish in us the work of your salvation,

By the cross and passion of your Son our Lord,

Almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who desires not the death of sinners, but rather that they may turn from their wickedness and live, has given power and commandment to his ministers to declare and pronounce to his people, being penitent, the absolution and remission of their sins. He pardons and absolves all those who truly repent, and with sincere hearts believe his holy Gospel.

Therefore we beseech him to grant us true repentance and his Holy Spirit, that those things may please him which we do on this day, and that the rest of our life hereafter may be pure and holy, so that at the last we may come to his eternal joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 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.

Celebrant: Bow down before the Lord.

Grant, most merciful Lord, to your faithful people pardon and peace, that they may be cleansed from all their sins, and serve you with a quiet mind; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Eternal Lord of love, behold your church

walking once more the pilgrim way of Lent,

led by your cloud by day, by night your fire,

moved by your love and toward your presence bent:

far off yet here--the goal of all desire.

So daily dying to the way of self,

so daily living in your way of love,

we walk the road, Lord Jesus, that you trod,

knowing ourselves baptized into your death:

so we are dead and live with you in God.

If dead in you, so in you we arise,

you the firstborn of all the faithful dead;

and as through stony ground the green shoots break,

glorious in springtime dress of leaf and flower,

so in the Father's glory shall we wake.

Shrove Tuesday Zoom Bingo! Join us for a traditional evening of fun starting at 6:30pm on February 16th. If you wish to participate, please contact Fr. Ed by email so we can send you a bingo card. While we’ll do our best to accommodate registration “at the door”, it’ll be really helpful for us to receive your information even a few hours in advance! Thank you! BYOP (Bring your own pancakes!) There will be exciting prizes, and we will end with Compline!

Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/97555913981

Dial in only: 929-205-6099

Meeting ID: 975 5591 3981

Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/98859847802

Dial in only: 929-205-6099

Meeting ID: 988 5984 7802

Sunday Forums in Lent - Justice, Reconciliation and Forgiveness

Sundays from February 21 through March 21, following the 11:00 service.

Lenten Quiet Day - Saturday, March 6, 10:00 a.m. A Lenten quiet day focusing on Barbara Cawthorne Crafton’s retreat series on "Forgiveness: What It Is and What It Isn’t." Join us for a quiet day on Saturday March 6 as we dive into Barbara Crafton’s popular series. During this fractious time in our country’s history, calls for unity and reconciliation abound. But how do we safely enter into dialogue with those with whom we disagree? Renewing our understanding of the Biblical witness to forgiveness (what it IS and what it IS NOT) can help us navigate the difficult journey ahead. We will have time for discussion as well as quiet reflection and meditation.

Join Zoom Meeting: zoom.us/j/94087315630

Dialin: 929-205-6099

Meeting ID: 940 8731 5630

Lenten Community Suppers - Join us for Lenten Zoom Gatherings for Food, Prayer and Conversation this Lent. There will be 5 gatherings (see below), each hosted by one of the clergy. Participation is limited to 10 participants for each gathering. Out of consideration of others, please only register for one gathering.

To Register, go to ascensionnyc.org/lent-suppers and click the "Reserve a Spot" botton. If you have any questions, please contact the church office by email at info@ascensionnyc.org or by phone at 212-254-8620.

Wednesday, February 24

Monday, March 1

Tuesday, March 9

Thursday, March 18

Wednesday, March 24

Lenten Devotional Books Are Here! The devotional is made up of 40 personal reflections from members of the parish and clergy at Ascension. The booklet is available online and in hardcopy (limited supply). To download the PDF of the Lenten Devotional, go to ascensionnyc.org/lent-devotions and follow the instruction to download or read online. The daily meditations from the booklet will also be available on our Facebook page starting Ash Wednesday. To request a hard copy (suggested donation $5), please email the Parish Office at info@ascensensionnyc.org. If you have any questions, please contact Elizabeth Adams. Thank you to all our writers for their work to make the devotional a reality.

Lent Madness 2021 - 32 Saints but only one will be the winner... Who will win the Golden Halo? Get in on learning about the inspiring, quirky, wildly diverse women and men of the church’s calendar of saints. Visit lentmadness.org to vote and keep track online. Join the madness! May the Saints preserve us!

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)

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.

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.

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!

Visit the Diocese Facebook page to view the livestream.

Officiant: The Rt. Rev. Andrew M. L. Dietsche, Bishop of New York

Sermon: The Hon. Byron Rushing, Vice President of the House of Deputies

Click here tor more information

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 Fr. Ed at fatherchinery@ascensionnyc.org for more information.

Dennis Keene to Give Lecture Presentation about Durufle - On Thursday, February 18 at 7pm Dennis Keene will be featured in a live Zoom event with stories, pictures, music and more. Hear Dennis talk about the music for which he is best known: Duruflé’s beloved Requiem. Hear him reminisce about his studies in 1977 with the composer’s wife, Marie-Madeleine Duruflé, in the Duruflés’ Parisian apartment (with Monsieur Duruflé listening from the kitchen!) Click here for more information.

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.

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 early in the new year.

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.

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

Shrove Tuesday Bingo! (Zoom) 6:30 p.m.

Ash Wednesday Service (Zoom) 6:00 p.m.

Finance Committee (Zoom) 1:30 p.m.

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

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

Food Pantry (12 West 11th St.) 8:30 a.m.

(if you are in need or would like to volunteer, please contact Fr. Ed.)

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

Organ Prelude (Zoom)

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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