This Week at Ascension + May 10, 2023

"Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness." - Psalm 96

May 10, 2023

Wednesday in the Fifth Week

of Easter

Evening Prayer at 6:00 p.m.

via ZOOM

In-person and Live-streamed

Said Mass at 6:30 p.m.

Unction will be available for those who wish it.

VIA YOUTUBE or FACEBOOK LIVE

The Sixth Sunday of Easter

May 14, 2023

7:30 a.m. Morning Prayer via ZOOM

9 a.m. Sung Mass

11 a.m. Solemn Mass -

In-person & Live-streamed

Second Sunday Rosary follows

The 11 a.m. Order of Worship may be found here.

Image: The True Vine, Jodi Simmons,

contemporary American iconographer, 2009

Click to join us VIA YOUTUBE

or VIA FACEBOOK LIVE

Feast of the Ascension

Our 166th Feast of Title and

The Episcopal Visitation of

The Rt. Rev. Paula Clark

May 18, 2023

6 p.m. Evening Prayer via ZOOM

7 p.m. Solemn Mass

In-person & Live-streamed

Image: The Ascension, 1490-1500

Altarpiece from Thuison-les-Abbeville,

The Art Institute of Chicago

Click to join us VIA YOUTUBE

or VIA FACEBOOK LIVE

From The Interim Rector

Next Thursday is a special day in the life of the Church of the Ascension. It is the Feast of the Ascension, or Ascension Day. It always happens on a Thursday because it is forty days after Easter Day. It is a special day for us because it is our “Feast of Title”, that is, the holy day from which our parish gets its name. It is one of the seven Principal Feasts of the Church, which “take precedence over any other day or observance.” (BCP p. 15) No matter where it falls, Ascension Day trumps anything else. 

As it works out, we’re the only “Ascension” parish in our diocese. That has historically meant that our bishop visits Ascension on Ascension Day. This year will be no exception: Bishop Paula Clark will be with us. She will confirm and receive, preach, and preside at 7:00 PM on 18 May. I’m also expecting that we’ll have guests from other parishes in the diocese, too.

It will be a full choral Solemn Mass, but with a slight change. As a result of the stroke that delayed her consecration, Bishop Clark has some physical challenges and we will accommodate her. We will use the free-standing altar, but with three sacred ministers. One benefit for us is that all of our clergy can gather at the altar for the consecration. Her presence with us and the Diocese of Chicago is a testament to faith. She was interviewed by Episcopal News Service and I’ve linked that article here. Please take a few minutes to read her story. I think you’ll agree that we are blessed to have a person of such faith and strength to be our bishop.

—Fr. Heard

Final Candidates

Last Friday, the rector search committee met in person at Ascension in the library. The meeting was held to determine which candidates would be brought to Chicago for an in-person interview. The meeting went very smoothly thanks to the goodwill of the committee members and the guidance of the diocesan consultant, Fr. Kevin Caruso.

The final candidates will visit Chicago in June. We will make a decision on which candidate we will recommend to the Vestry to be our next rector. So even though we are getting closer and closer, there is still work to be done.

The committee continues to work well together and is most appreciative of all your prayers said on our behalf.

—Cynthia Perrizo and David Schrader

New Ministry Opportunity to Accompany Migrants in Chicago

Approximately 25% of Venezuela’s population, more than 7.2 million people, has left that country largely thanks to a dire economic crisis. To put that in perspective, Ireland saw 1 million of its people depart during the mid-19th century thanks to famine, many of whom arrived in the United States.

Knowing what to do or how to help can feel overwhelming, especially when it seems as if this crisis is taking place at a political level. But there are absolutely human beings involved and there are also very humane ways to get involved and support those who have been uprooted from their homes and thrust into a different country and culture. One of those ways members of Ascension are invited to consider is the ministry of accompaniment.

This ministry may include accompanying parents to appointments at a local school, a doctor's office, Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE), Immigration Court, as well as on trips to the grocery store. Accompaniment is critical during an asylum seeker's first several months in the Chicago area and even more important for a family of asylum seekers with small children. 

Ideally volunteers are bilingual in Spanish and English, because so many (at least 8,500 with more expected) are from Venezuela. But more important to engaging in this ministry is a strong sense of compassion, understanding, patience, and integrity as well as a good knowledge of Chicago locations, streets, and public transportation. 

Contact Mtr. Murphy-Gill if you are sensing a call to this and would like to learn more. 

Update on the Venezuelan Family We Have Been Assisting

Thanks to everyone who continues to offer support to the family seeking asylum from Venezuela. The priority right now is finding them housing that will begin sometime around mid-June. Mtr. Murphy-Gill has been collaborating with a representative from the Sanctuary Working Group and other related organizations to explore all options and find suitable housing for this family, but this continues to be a challenge given the critical status of housing shortages and influx of migrants. If you are aware of housing possibilities or are able to temporarily host a family of five in some way yourself, please call or email Mtr. Murphy-Gill.



Enquirer's Class

Concluding on 14 May, we have an Enquirer’s Class meeting at 12:45 p.m. in the Library This is an opportunity for anyone exploring joining Church of the Ascension and The Episcopal Church to learn more about us, our history, polity, and liturgy. It is also an opportunity for others who would like to reaffirm their commitment to the church. The culmination of the class will be Confirmation, Reception, or Reaffirmation by our bishop at her visitation on 18 May, the Feast of the Ascension. Please speak to either Fr. Heard or Mtr. Murphy-Gill if you are interested.

Prayer Requests

Do you have a need for special prayer in your life? Whether your prayer needs are because you have an upcoming surgery, an ill family member, or you’re just feeling particularly lonely lately, Fr. Heard and Mtr. Murphy-Gill would like to know.

We’ve created a way for letting us know about your requests for prayers in a way we hope makes it easy for you to reach out, though you can always call the church or reach out to one of the priests personally. 

Share your prayer requests here.

For our prayers: Cynthia, Julie Jones, Daniel, Nikki Shaw,

Lee Gould, John Schram, Gertrude Isaac, Thomas Wikman, MB Hwang,

Luis & Rocio Hernandez, Juanita Malone, Oksana, Eric Magnuson, Mary W., Tyler,

David S. Jones, Richard Francis Tracz, Thom Racina, Robert Browning, Natalia & Victor,

Dorothy, Victor Fernandez, Claire Green, Beth Hall, Sue Lenz, Brenda Martins

Birthdays: Jolene Walsh Juskiewicz, 5/8/2019; Claudia Vargas, 5/9; Ellen Janis Anfossi, 5/13

Requiescat in pace: James Mark Berger, 5/10/2022; Rodney Carl Pribbanow, 5/10;

Alfred “Jackie” Sawyer, 5/10; Essie Echols, 5/10/2016; Gail de Priest, 5/11/2013;

Suzanne Elizabeth Mauntel, 5/12/2014

Rest eternal grant unto them, O Lord, and let light perpetual shine upon them;

May their souls and the souls of all the departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

Prayer for the Rector Search Committee

Almighty and everliving God, ruler of all things in heaven and earth, hear our prayers for this parish family. Strengthen the faithful, arouse the careless, and restore the penitent. Look graciously on your Church, and so guide the minds of those who shall choose a rector for The Church of the Ascension that we may receive a faithful pastor, who will care for your people and equip us for our ministries; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.



Organ and Choral Repertoire for May 14, 2023

Between Masses, please don’t forget that The Choir of the Ascension has recorded upwards of 60 tracks that you can listen to anywhere you have an internet connection. They can be found here: https://soundcloud.com/choir-of-the-ascension

Weekly Ascension Schedule

For connections:

via Zoom (click here)

SUNDAYS

7:30 a.m. Morning Prayer via Zoom

9:00 a.m. In-person Sung Mass

11:00 a.m. In-person and Live-Streamed Solemn High Mass

VIA YOUTUBE or FACEBOOK LIVE

MONDAY-FRIDAY

7:30 A.M. Morning Prayer via FACEBOOK LIVE

6:00 p.m. Evening Prayer via Zoom

WEDNESDAYS

6:30 p.m. Said Mass

VIA YOUTUBE or FACEBOOK LIVE

Wardens and Vestry of Church of the Ascension

LaVerne Rollé Saunders, Sr. Warden;

SeniorWarden@AscensionChicago.org

David Reeves, Jr. Warden;

JuniorWarden@AscensionChicago.org

Ian Barillas-McEntee, Jim Lo Bello, Ken Cozette, Marlea Edinger, Sean Hansen,

David A. Robertson, Elizabeth Simpson, Joshua Simpson, Samuel Sommers, Clerk



Susan Schlough, Treasurer

Finance@ascensionchicago.org

Br. Nathanael Deward Rahm BSG, Parish Office

Office@ascensionchicago.org

Approved minutes of Vestry meetings are always available online to parishioners who request the link. If you would like Internet access to these Vestry Minutes, please email the Parish Office and request the link. Once you access the web page, you can read all recent Vestry meeting minutes.

The link remains live indefinitely. Any parishioner who has the link will not need to request a new link from month to month.