Dear People of Ascension,

As we step into our second Holy Week on Zoom, all that we have lived in the last year is almost unfathomable. It's hard to hold it all, and certainly we don't know what the future will bring as more of us are vaccinated. Some aspects of life gradually open up, yet we continue to live with Covid, anxiety and hope.

The liturgies of this week speak to some of the deepest, most difficult experiences of human life. They invite us to walk with Jesus from Palm Sunday hosannas to the crowd calling for a lynching; from the intimacy of the upper room to the betrayal, dereliction and God-forsakenness of Good Friday; from the anguish, and silence of death to the wonder and joy of Easter Day. The many characters and moments in the familiar story speak to different experiences of our lives each year. We may be touched anew by enthusiasm and disappointment, tenderness and doing what we can, fear and shame, power and powerlessness, unspeakable violence and hatred, keeping a painful vigil, the surprising resilience and grace of love- and more.

The schedule of our services is below, and I hope you will join for as many as you can. Even on Zoom, and especially in this time of loss, contemplation, racism and remarkable kindness, Holy Week is a wondrous gift to share together. May God bless us in this time, dear people of Ascension, and bring us to the joy of resurrection.

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.

Lift up Your Heads (from Messiah)

Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of Glory shall come in. Who is this King of Glory? The Lord strong and mighty, The Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of Glory shall come in. Who is this King of Glory? The Lord of Hosts, He is the King of Glory.

Thou art the King of Israel,

thou David’s royal Son,

who in the Lord’s Name comest,

the King and Blessèd One.

[Refrain]

The company of angels

is praising thee on high;

and we with all creation

in chorus make reply.

[Refrain]

The people of the Hebrews

with palms before thee went;

our praise and prayers and anthems

before thee we present.

[Refrain]

To thee before thy passion

they sang their hymns of praise;

to thee, now high exalted,

our melody we raise.

[Refrain]

Thou didst accept their praises;

accept the prayers we bring,

who in all good delightest,

thou good and gracious King.

[Refrain]

Celebrant Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord.

Almighty and everliving God, in your tender love for the human race you sent your Son our Savior Jesus Christ to take upon him our nature, and to suffer death upon the cross, giving us the example of his great humility: Mercifully grant that we may walk in the way of his suffering, and also share in his resurrection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Lord God has given me the tongue of a teacher, that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word. Morning by morning he wakens — wakens my ear to listen as those who are taught. The Lord God has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, I did not turn backward. I gave my back to those who struck me, and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard; I did not hide my face from insult and spitting. The Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame; he who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who are my adversaries? Let them confront me. It is the Lord God who helps me; who will declare me guilty?

Psalm 31:9-16   (St. Helena Psalter)

Have mercy on me, O God, for I am in trouble; *

   my eye is consumed with sorrow,

   and also my throat and my belly.

For my life is wasted with grief

and my years with sighing; *

   my strength fails me because of affliction,

   and my bones are consumed.

I have become a reproach to all my enemies and even to my neighbors,

a dismay to those of my acquaintance; *

   when they see me in the street they avoid me.

I have been forgotten like the dead, out of mind; *

   I am as useless as a broken pot.

For I have heard the whispering of the crowd;

fear is all around; *

   they put their heads together against me;

   they plot to take my life.

But as for me, I have trusted in you, O God. *

   I have said, “You are my God.

My times are in your hand; *

   rescue me from the hand of my enemies,

   and from those who persecute me.

Make your face to shine upon your servant, *

   and in your loving-kindness, save me.”

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death — even death on a cross. Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Narrator - Kyle Cheseborough

Jesus - Eve Beglarian

Judas - David Cholcher*

High Priest - Jacob Scott*

Servant Girl - Phoebe Norcross*

Peter - Robin Clements*

Pilate - Elizabeth Adams*

Centurian - Ned Fitch*

* = choir/congregation

Surely He Hath Borne Our Griefs (from Messiah)

Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows! He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him.

 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.

When I survey the wondrous cross

where the young Prince of Glory died,

my richest gain I count but loss,

and pour contempt on all my pride.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,

save in the cross of Christ, my God:

all the vain things that charm me most,

I sacrifice them to his blood.

See, from his head, his hands, his feet

sorrow and love flow mingled down!

Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,

or thorns compose so rich a crown?

Were the whole realm of nature mine,

that were an offering far too small;

love so amazing, so divine,

demands my soul, my life, my all.

Almighty God, we pray you graciously to behold this your family, for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed, and given into the hands of sinners, and to suffer death upon the cross; who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.

O sacred head, sore wounded,

defiled and put to scorn;

O kingly head, surrounded

with mocking crown of thorn:

what sorrow mars thy grandeur?

Can death thy bloom deflower?

O countenance whose splendor

the hosts of heaven adore!

Thy beauty, long-desirèd,

hath vanished from our sight;

thy power is all expirèd,

and quenched the light of light.

Ah me! for whom thou diest,

hide not so far thy grace:

show me, O Love most highest,

the brightness of thy face.

In thy most bitter passion

my heart to share doth cry,

with thee for my salvation

upon the cross to die.

Ah, keep my heart thus movèd

to stand thy cross beneath,

to mourn thee, well-belovèd,

yet thank thee for thy death.

What language shall I borrow

to thank thee, dearest friend,

for this thy dying sorrow,

thy pity without end?

Oh, make me thine forever!

and should I fainting be,

Lord, let me never, never,

outlive my love for thee.

My days are few, O fail not,

with thine immortal power,

to hold me that I quail not

in death’s most fearful hour;

that I may fight befriended,

and see in my last strife

to me thine arms extended

upon the cross of life.

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!

Sunday, March 28, 11:00 a.m.

or https://zoom.us/j/322793633

Monday, March 29, 5:30 p.m.,

Tuesday, March 30, 5:30 p.m.,

Wednesday, March 31, 5:30 p.m.,

or zoom.us/j/770597201

Thursday, April 1, 7:00 p.m.

or zoom.us/j/98669423643

Friday, April 2, 12 Noon

or zoom.us/j/97846082843

Saturday, April 3, 10:00 a.m.

or zoom.us/j/95743570876

Saturday, April 3, 7:00 p.m.

or zoom.us/j/91403568982

Sunday, April 4, 11:00 a.m.

ascensionnyc.org/easter

or https://zoom.us/j/322793633

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.

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.

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.

Follow Up on Last Week's Forum- Restorative Justice in NYC Schools- Click here to link to the Fairness Survey discussed at last week's forum led by Mihret Maxwell.

On Anti-Asian Violence: A Message to the Clergy and People of the Diocese of New York from the Rt. Rev. Allen K. Shin, Bishop Suffragan with a supporting message from the Rt. Rev. Andrew ML Dietsche, Bishop of New York, and the Rt. Rev. Mary D. Glasspool, Bishop Assistant. Click here to read Bishop Shin's message to us regarding last week's shooting of Asian-Americans in Atlanta, as well as the increasing violence against our sisters and brothers of Asian descent. His comments are joined by Bishops Dietsche and Glasspool.

Stop Asian Hate - You are invited to two events addressing the recent instances of, and rise in racially motivated hate towards our Asian sisters and brother.

Sermon for the Sunday of the Passion: Palm Sunday By the Rt. Rev. Andrew ML Dietsche, Bishop of New York.

"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.

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.

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 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.

Due to the Good Friday service, the church will be open to the public from 2 to 4pm on April 2.

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.

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

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. (Preacher: Gretchen Dumler)

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

Maundy Thursday Service, 7:00 p.m.

ascensionnyc.org/holythursday or zoom.us/j/98669423643

Good Friday Service, 12 Noon

ascensionnyc.org/goodfriday or zoom.us/j/97846082843

if you want to volunteer or are in need, please contact Fr. Ed (fatherchinery@ascensionnyc.org)

Holy Saturday Liturgy and Rehearsal, 10:00 a.m.

ascensionnyc.org/holysaturday or zoom.us/j/95743570876

Great Vigil of Easter, 7:00 p.m.

ascensionnyc.org/greatvigil or zoom.us/j/91403568982

Easter Service, 11:00 a.m.

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

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

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