This Week at Ascension + July 19, 2023

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

Wednesday, July 19, 2023

Macrina, Monastic and Teacher, 379

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

Saturday, July 22, 2023

Saint Mary Magdalene

Said Mass at 10 a.m.

The 8th Sunday after Pentecost

July 23, 2023

7:30 a.m. Morning Prayer via ZOOM

9 a.m. Sung Mass with Baptism of

Wren J. Peterson

11 a.m. Solemn Mass -

In-person & Live-streamed

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

Image: The Parable of the Weeds, Domenico Fetti, ca. 1622,

Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid

Click to join us VIA YOUTUBE

or VIA FACEBOOK LIVE

Tuesday, July 25, 2023

Saint James the Apostle

Said Mass at 12 p.m.

From the Interim Rector

All of us should know Morning Prayer, Noonday Prayer, Evening Prayer, and Compline as the services of The Daily Office. In Anglo-Catholic parishes it was pretty normative to sing or say the Offices every day. Morning Prayer preceded the first Mass of the day, Noonday Prayer before the noon Mass, and Evening Prayer before the last Mass of the day. When clergy resided in the parish environs, Compline might be said or sung together before retiring for the day.

The Daily Office, as we know it, first appears in the First Book of Common Prayer. Its origins are very old, reaching back to the prayer practices of ancient Judaism. In scripture it is implied that King David and Daniel prayed three times each day: evening, morning, and noon. After the Babylonian Exile, Ezra the priest is said to have composed a prayer to be recited at these three times. In Judaism, it is called the Amidah. 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 appears to be a modified version of the first blessing of the Amidah. 

In the earliest days of Christianity, the influences of Judaism were never questioned. It seems natural that the same prayer times would have been observed. Roman occupation of Judea and Israel brought new customs: ringing a bell in the forum to mark the progress of the day: 6 AM (Prime), 9 AM (Terce), Noon (Sext), 3 PM (None). This practice carried over into monastic practice known as the Liturgy of the Hours. By medieval times, monastics were praying at 2 AM (Matins), 6 AM (Lauds), 9 AM, Noon, 3 PM, 6 PM (Vespers), and around 7 PM (Compline).

Throughout its history, the Daily Office has incorporated reading of scripture, recitation of Psalms, and prayers. Many Lay, Clergy, and Religious folks say the Daily Office as part of our discipline. Our lectionary directs us in reading almost the entire bible over the course of two years. Many of us say all 150 Psalms each month. One of the benefits of this practice is the inculcation of the texts on the reader, fostering familiarity and deeper understanding.

Here at Ascension, we read daily Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer in an online fashion, entirely led by laity. Prior to the pandemic, this was in-person and in the church. While I love saying the Office in community, I can only see that making it more accessible is a very good thing. 

I have always encouraged folks to read the Daily Office. There are many online resources that are self-contained to help with individual recitation of the Daily Office. If you need help finding one, please ask me. If there was one downside to Eucharist becoming the principal act of worship in The Episcopal Church, it is the loss of familiarity with our sacred texts.

—Fr. Heard



¿Hablas español?

Spanish Translator Needed

If you speak Spanish and have some availability during the week, please email or call Mtr. Murphy-Gill to assist with some translation with the Quevedos. She is specifically looking for someone who can come in on a Tuesday morning or Wednesday afternoon to meet with the family.

Pastoral Visitors Info Sheet Now Available

Last week, an information sheet about lay pastoral visits was linked in the newsletter but was unfortunately not accessible because of permission settings.

That information sheet is now accessible and available here.

Summer Retreat Saturday, July 29

Step out of your busy life from 11 am to 3 pm, Saturday, July 29, to spend some time with yourself, fellow spiritual journeyers, and God. This retreat will take place at Ascension and will be led by Lauren Schwer, Director of Ignatian Spirituality at Loyola University Chicago. We’ll learn how to spend time daily in reflection on God’s presence as well as explore the things in our lives that can prevent us from living the lives that God calls us into. Lunch will be provided. Look for the sign up sheet at coffee hour or you may use this link (so we know how much lunch to order) or email Mtr. Murphy-Gill to RSVP.

Join us as we pray for Br. Nathanael Deward Rahm BSG and all Brothers of the Brotherhood of Saint Gregory meeting for their Annual Summer Convocation at St. Mary Seminary and University in Baltimore, MD (July 17-22). This summer they will be celebrating the reception of one Novice and three Life Professions of Vows.

Nathanael will be out of the office from Thursday afternoon, 7/13, through Monday, 7/24.

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

Ann Griffin, Russell Staufenbiel, Joyce Lee, Patricia Spencer, Rachel Smolinski,

Sarah Reece Glanman, Sgt. Manuel Arroyo, The Quevedo family, Andrew Abbott, Suzanne Dines, James Christiansen, Lee Gould, John Schram, Gertrude Isaac, Thomas Wikman, MB Hwang, Juanita Malone, Oksana, Tyler, David S. Jones, Richard Francis Tracz, Robert Browning,

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

Birthdays

Catherine Wilson, 7/17; Barbara Susman, 7/21; Cheryl Winters-Heard, 7/21

Anniversaries

James Baran & David Robertson, marriage, 7/18/2013

Requiescat in pace

Beatrice “Bea” Haapanen, 7/16/2017; Jack Simmerling, 7/18/2013;

Margaret Whybrew, 7/20/2007; Taylor Hope Homko, 7/22/2004

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 July 23, 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

8:00 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.