Volume 12, Issue #8
February 24, 2022

In the name of Christ, we embrace all people to be nourished and empowered by the Holy Spirit to love and serve the world.
SPREAD THE GOOD WORD - PANCAKES ARE BACK!
 SHROVE TUESDAY – March 1
PANCAKE SUPPER AT ASCENSION
5:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Before Ash Wednesday heralds the arrival of Lent, indulge in a delicious meal prepared by the Ascension Men’s Club – pancakes with all the fixin’s! Proceeds support the good works of the Men’s Club in the church and community. Come on down, and bring a friend!
ASH WEDNESDAY - March 2

Services with Imposition of Ashes marking the beginning of Lent will be held at
1:15 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
All are welcome.
FROM PETER'S PEN

Have you ever wondered about the language of our prayer book? Where did it originate? Why do we use the words that we use? 
 
I wonder about that with the Rite I, our traditional language services. The language in them can seem both beautiful and hard to understand. Why these words? Why still use them? Let's look at that today.
 
The Rite I services come to us from the first editions of the Book of Common Prayer. These were written during a time when religious life in Europe was all-consuming. The Protestant Reformation and Catholic Counter-Reformation were in full swing. A bewildering number of pamphlets and books were written about points of religious minutiae. With no libel laws at that time, people hurled amazingly creative insults at one another. (“Impudent royal windbag" and "sickly, syphilitic sack of maggots" are particularly memorable.)
Since people read these books and took them to heart, their authors were extremely focused on words. They wanted to get their words exact because the rest of Europe was reading, and they believed getting the words precisely correct was the difference between their readers' salvation or damnation.
 
The authors of our Book of Common Prayer believed the same way. I have included pictures below of the 1559 Prayer Book from the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. If you look at the wording of the service, you can see it is very similar to what we use on Sunday. Our Rite I service is a direct descendant from this tumultuous time and place. What may sound comforting and archaic to us is actually very different when put in its original context. In 1559, when Europe was in the middle of massive and very heated religious change, this language was cutting edge thinking. The authors crafted it, word-by-word, to lead people to salvation as they understood it. Each word is like a precise stepping stone on an intricate footpath guiding worshipers to God.
 
We will examine this more during Lent taking time to uncover some deeper meaning of this language to see where it intersects our lives today.
 
With Joy,
Peter +

Father Peter Doddema
Cell: 502-661-2742
LENTEN BOOK STUDY
Wednesdays at 5:30 PM
March 9 - April 6
Father Peter Doddema is leading this study of The Desert: An Anthology for Lent, via Zoom (see link below). It is readily available from Amazon and other booksellers.

From Amazon: “The desert, with its great emptiness and silence, has long been a symbol of solitude. In our spiritual lives, we sometimes seek such isolation as a means of abandoning ourselves completely to God. At other times, solitude comes upon us uninvited and unwelcome, as we find ourselves totally alone and desolate. In facing the silence and the vast expanses of loneliness, we test our courage, deepen our faith, and hear the voice of God anew. This book explores the tradition and relevance of desert spirituality in the life and worship of the church today and offers a collection of pertinent writings by these and many other ancient and contemporary authors: Thomas à Kempis, Mother Mark Clare, Henri Nouwen, René Voillaume, Charles de Foucauld, Thomas Merton, R. S. Thomas. The readings are ideal Lenten devotionals (but wonderful any other time of year as well) as you answer your own call of the desert.”
BOOK STUDY:
COMPARATIVE CHRISTIANITY
This class in on break through Lent. The Synopsis and Class Notes are posted HERE on Ascension's web site in PDF format for you to view or download.
LETTERS OF ST. PAUL BIBLE STUDY
Sundays at 11:00 AM
This group meets on Sundays following the worship service, in-person and via Zoom (see link below). For Sunday, February 27, please read Romans Chapter 11 and finish Chapter 9 of What St. Paul Really Said. 
ENQUIRER'S CLASS
Saturday, March 5, 2022, 01:00 PM
This class meets twice monthly, both in-person and via Zoom (see link below). For our next class, we will be sharing our spiritual journeys with one another.  

Meeting ID: 886 223 0557
Passcode: catfish

Same for all meetings unless otherwise announced.
Come worship with us!
Last Sunday after the Epiphany
Sunday, February 27
9:30 a.m.
with HOLY EUCHARIST, Rite I

OPEN for live, in-person worship inside the church. Also, Morning Prayer with Ascension clergy online is on Facebook at 9:30 a.m.
Check our Online Calendar

Contact the church office for calendar reservations and details
(phone 502-223-0557 or email info@ascensionfrankfort.org).

MINISTRY TEAMS will rotate in order, weekly, as shown above. Individual and late changes may not be reflected in bulletins due to composing and printing deadlines.

To notify of absence and request a substitute for the upcoming Sunday, please contact the Verger, Leah MacSwords, 502-545-0437 or lcmacs@aol.com (substitutes may include Suzanne Cox, Bryan Hendricks, Shannon Lancaster, Julia Tyson, Pauline Van Horn, Candy Charters, Jason Harrod.
Your participation is important!
To inquire about serving as a lector, crucifer, chalice bearer, or usher, please contact Deacon Rebecca Saager
(email curate@ascensionfrankfort.org or call 502-316-8899).
For Youth in Grades 10-12:
 
HAPPENING at the Cathedral Domain

March 18-20, 2022
 
Please CLICK HERE to register.
For more information please contact Cindy Sigmon, Diocesan Youth Missioner/Program Director, at csigmon@diolex.org.
Find the Diocese of Lexington online at
This web site has an abundance of information and resources -
check it out!
THE DAUGHTERS OF THE KING normally meet on the FIRST Sunday of each month after the last service, and after Bible study. Contact Judith Spencer for details (jspencer254@yahoo.com).
Intercessions for the Church: Theological Sunday - Seminarians, Postulants and Candidates of the Diocese of Lexington.

Seminarians: Izak, Carter, Thomas.

Recently in need of prayers: John B., John M., Martha, Mildred, Rena, Susan, and Will.

Continuing concern: Anissa, Bill, Dan, David, Debbie, Donnie, Faye, Frances, Jesse, Jim, Jinks, Laia, Linda, Lynda, Mac, Marilyn, Mike & Susie, Polly, Richard, and Shannon. We also pray for those affected by the COVID pandemic, and for those on active duty in the military: Daniel, Houston, Josh, Nick, and Tanner.

Thanksgiving: for a vibrant, amazing parish and for the Holy Spirit at work among us.

Recently Departed: George Sparks.

NOTICE:
Part of the strength of this congregation is our care and concern for each other. Please help us to do this by letting us 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! 

Please put ALL prayer requests in writing to Deacon Sue Kurtz 
(email deacon@ascensionfrankfort.org or text 502-330-5358). Prayer requests must be received by end-of-day on Sunday to ensure publication in the next upcoming weekly newsletter and Sunday bulletin. ‘Recently in Need’ prayers will remain for ONE month only, unless requested again.

Clergy and Staff

  • The Rev. Peter Doddema, Priest
  • The Rev. Dr. William G. Brown, Assisting 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 Administrator 
  • Mr. David Gierlach, Sexton


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