Second Sunday in Lent
February 28, 2021; 11:00 a.m.
Dear people of Ascension,

Recently several of my friends have posted pictures of their sleeping dogs on Facebook. A new puppy, draped halfway off his bed, completely relaxed in a seemingly impossible position in his owner's office as his body seeks the sun. A white ball of fluff curled next to his human, occasionally stretching to prod her to pay attention. Our Finn snores and snuffles in his sleep as he gets older, his feet moving with dreams (I imagine) of rabbits.

This Lent feels like it has gone on for a year, and so many of us are bone weary, soul weary. Having passed the marker of 500,000 Americans dead of Covid, having experienced so much other loss, we hardly know how to process any of it. We carry grief upon grief and may find it hard to focus on anything constructive.

I wonder if a holy Lent is one in which we bring ourselves to God just as we are, seeking deep rest and nourishment for our hearts and bodies. Maybe this season invites us to relax in the presence of the holy one who loves us, dream and playfully imagine the fullness of life, and move as feels good to us, following the lengthening warmth and light. 

The image and reality of these sleeping dogs simply makes me happy. May this Lent offer us all restorative joy and rest, and the knowledge that we are loved.

Liz
How to Join the Service
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Worship With Us
lent supper

All Gather Online

Prelude


Welcome

Your microphone will be muted.

I must leave the worldly life
Johannes Brahms
Opening Sentence and Confession of Sin
Click here for link.
Collect of the Day
O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy: Be gracious to all who have gone astray from your ways, and bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth of your Word, Jesus Christ your Son; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Lessons
Reader: Rusty Moore

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless. And I will make my covenant between me and you, and will make you exceedingly numerous.” Then Abram fell on his face; and God said to him, “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You shall be the ancestor of a multitude of nations. No longer shall your name be Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you the ancestor of a multitude of nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. I will establish my covenant between me and you, and your offspring after you throughout their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall give rise to nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.”

Psalm 22:22-30  (St. Helena Psalter) 

May all who fear you, O God, give praise; *
    may the offspring of Israel stand in awe,
    and all of Jacob’s line give glory.
For you do not despise nor abhor the poor in their poverty,
neither do you hide your face from them, *
    but when they cry to you, you hear them.
My praise is of you in the great assembly; *
    I will perform my vows in the presence of those who worship you.
The poor shall eat and be satisfied,
and those who seek you shall praise you: *
    “May your heart live for ever!”
All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to you, *
    and all the families of the nations shall bow before you.
For yours is the royal power, O God; *
    you rule over the nations.
To you alone all who sleep in the earth bow down in worship; *
    all who go down to the dust fall before you.
My soul shall live for you;
my descendants shall serve you; *
    they shall be known as yours for ever.
They shall come and make known to a people yet unborn *
    the saving deeds that you have done.

Reader: Vin Knight

For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith. If it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. For the law brings wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there violation. For this reason it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham (for he is the father of all of us, as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”) —in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. Hoping against hope, he believed that he would become “the father of many nations,” according to what was said, “So numerous shall your descendants be.” He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was already as good as dead (for he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. Therefore his faith “was reckoned to him as righteousness.” Now the words, “it was reckoned to him,” were written not for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be reckoned to us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was handed over to death for our trespasses and was raised for our justification.
Gradual Hymn
Please join in the singing of the hymn.
#401 The God of Abraham praise
Leoni
The God of Abraham praise,
who reigns enthroned above;
Ancient of everlasting days,
and God of love;
the Lord, the great I AM,
by earth and heaven confessed:
we bow and bless the sacred Name
for ever blest.

He by himself hath sworn:
we on his oath depend;
we shall, on eagle-wings upborne,
to heaven ascend:
we shall behold his face,
we shall his power adore,
and sing the wonders of his grace
for evermore.

There dwells the Lord, our King,
the Lord, our Righteousness,
triumphant o’er the world and sin,
the Prince of Peace;
on Zion’s sacred height
his kingdom he maintains,
and, glorious with his saints in light,
for ever reigns.

The God who reigns on high
the great archangels sing,
and “Holy, holy, holy,” cry,
“Almighty King!
Who was, and is, the same,
and evermore shall be:
eternal Father, great I AM,
we worship thee.”

The whole triumphant host
give thanks to God on high;
“Hail, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!”
they ever cry;
hail, Abraham’s Lord divine!
With heaven our songs we raise;
all might and majesty are thine,
and endless praise.
The Holy Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ According to Mark.

Jesus began to teach his disciples that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.” He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
Sermon
The Rev. Edwin Chinery
Anthem
Cantata 118
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
O Jesu Christ, mein’s Leben’s Licht
Mein Hort, mein Trost, mein Zuversicht,
Auf Erden bin ich nur ewin Gast
Und drückt mich sehr der Sünden Last.
O Jesus Christ, light of my life,
My refuge, my comfort, my confidence,
On earth I am only a guest
And the burden of sin weighs heavily upon me.
Prayers of the People
Form II
In the course of the silence after each bidding, the People offer their own prayers, either silently or aloud.

Leader I ask your prayers for God's people throughout the world; for our Presiding Bishop Michael, for our own bishops Andrew, Allen, and Mary; for this gathering; and for all ministers and people. Pray for the Church.
Silence

Leader I ask your prayers for peace; for goodwill among nations; for the well-being of all people; for this fragile earth, and for the will, wisdom and courage to care for and live sustainably with all creation. We pray for Joe our president, Andrew our governor, and Bill our mayor. We pray for the people of Nagorno-Karabakh, Ethiopia, Yemen, Uganda, Haiti, and the Uygur people; for all laboring to end racism and white supremacy and establish racial justice in our country.
Silence

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
Silence

Leader I ask your prayers for the poor, the sick, the hungry, the oppressed, and those in prison. We remember especially Robert, Ed, Janet, Ellen, Joseph, Brielle, Lucas, Holly, Allejandro and Jesus, Nancy, Barbara, Dorothy, Stewart, Patricia, Judith, Hannah, Jurek, Alice, Michael, Deacon Luis, Erika, Tom, Attikus, Marcy, and Deb. Pray for those in any need or trouble.
Silence

Leader I ask your prayers for all who seek God, or a deeper knowledge of him. Pray that they may find and be found by her.
Silence

Leader I ask your prayers for the departed, especially Elizabeth Allen, Desaix Anderson, and the more than 502,000 Americans who have died from Covid-19, as well as others around the world.
Silence

Leader I ask for your other prayers and thanksgivings.
Silence

Leader Praise God for those in every generation in whom Christ has been honored. Pray that we may have grace to glorify Christ in our own day.
Silence

The Celebrant adds a concluding Collect.
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
Prayer Over the People
Celebrant: Bow down before the Lord.
Keep this your family, Lord, with your never-failing mercy, that relying solely on the help of your heavenly grace, they may be upheld by your divine protection; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Hymn
Please join in the singing of the hymn.
#675 Take up your cross, the Savior said
Bourbon
Take up your cross, the Savior said,
if you would my disciple be;
take up your cross with willing heart,
and humbly follow after me.

Take up your cross, let not its weight
fill your weak spirit with alarm;
his strength shall bear your spirit up,
and brace your heart, and nerve your arm.

Take up your cross, heed not the shame,
and let your foolish heart be still;
the Lord for you accepted death
upon a cross, on Calvary’s hill.

Take up your cross, then, in his strength,
and calmly every danger brave:
it guides you to abundant life
and leads to victory o’er the grave.

Take up your cross, and follow Christ,
nor think till death to lay it down;
for only those who bear the cross
may hope to wear the glorious crown.
Dismissal
Coming Up in Lent
Lenten Forum This Sunday, February 28: This week we’ll explore some powerfully spiritual ways we’re called to identify and enact the racial justice work to which we’re called. Stay with us after our 11am zoom service while we view filmed portions of a 2016 talk given by Bryan Stevenson (founder of the Equal Justice Initiative) on “Grace, Justice and Mercy”. Discussion will follow.

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. If you are planning to attend, please contact the church office at 212-254-8620 or at info@ascensionnyc.org so we can plan appropriately.
Join Zoom Meeting: zoom.us/j/94087315630
Dialin: 929-205-6099
Meeting ID: 940 8731 5630
Lenten Community Suppers - Join us at 6:30 p.m. 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. There are plenty of open spots, so register today!
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.
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), with original artwork by Matthew Snow. 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.
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)
Announcements
Resistance Cinema: Ascent of Woman, Tuesday, March 2, at 6:30 p.m.
“I think radical change is happening to women right now. It is by no means universal and in some parts of the globe it’s not even going in the same direction. Nevertheless, it’s a wholly new kind of revolution: it’s an uprising without bloodshed, in which women are challenging the status quo, through awareness, through dialogue and through education.”   - Amanda Foreman
In recognition of Women’s History Month, Ascension Outreach, Inc. and Resistance Cinema will host a screening of episode four (Revolution) of Amanda Foreman’s landmark series “Ascent of Woman” on Tuesday evening March 2nd at 6:30pm. The film, initially developed and presented by BBC, is 58 minutes long and discussion will follow. Please join us!

Join Zoom Meeting:

Meeting ID: 945 5892 9790
Passcode: 467316
Episcopal Relief and Disaster (ERD) Response in Texas. Episcopal Relief & Development is supporting the Episcopal dioceses of Dallas, Texas and West Texas as they provide emergency relief to individuals and families impacted by the unprecedented ice storm, low temperatures and power outages last week. Click here to learn more and help support their relief efforts.
From your Vestry:
Sermon for the Second Sunday in Lent, by the Rt. Rev. Andrew ML Dietsche, Bishop of New York. This video sermon is one of a series by our bishops for the Sundays in Lent. 
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.
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!
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.
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.
This Week at Ascension
Sunday – February 28 - Second Sunday in Lent
Church Service (Zoom) 11:00 a.m.
Ascension Forum (following the 11:00 service)
Meditation with Prayers and Music (Available on our Facebook page)

Monday – March 1
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)
Lenten Community Supper (Zoom) 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday – March 2
Open Church* (Church) 12 Noon - 3:00 p.m.
Evening Prayer (Zoom) 5:30 p.m.
EfM (Zoom) 6:00 p.m.
Resistance Cinema (Zoom) 7:00 p.m.

Wednesday – March 3
Evening Prayer (Zoom) 5:30 p.m.
Needlecraft (Zoom) 6:30 p.m.

Thursday – March 4
Evening Prayer (Zoom) 5:30 p.m.

Friday – March 5
Open Church* (Church) 12 Noon - 3:00 p.m.
Evening Prayer (Zoom) 5:30 p.m.

Saturday – March 6
Food Pantry (12 West 11th Street) 8:30 a.m.
If you are in need or would like to volunteer, please contact Fr. Ed (fatherchinery@ascensionnyc.org)
Lenten Quiet Day (Zoom) 10:00 a.m.
Rehearsal for Sunday Service (Zoom) 2:00 p.m.

Sunday – March 7 - Third Sunday in Lent
Church Service (Zoom) 11:00 a.m.
Ascension Forum (following the 11:00 service)
Meditation with Prayers and Music (Available on our Facebook page)

* Anyone entering the church must wear a mask, maintain appropriate physical distance, utilize the hand sanitizer stations, and provide contact tracing information. Anyone with a temperature of 99.9 or over will not be admitted and will be instructed to quarantine and contact their doctor.

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