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

11:00 a.m., Sunday, November 8

The Order of Worship for this evening's mass may be viewed here.

(Click here)

11:00 a.m. In-Person Mass - Reservation Required: Click here

Image: Ten Bridesmaids, by Jorge Cocco Santángelo

Please note: if you have not yet taken part in an in-person mass, please click here to be linked to the September 23rd newsletter with information you will want to know before registereing, upon arrival and during and after the mass.

As noted above ... A Conversation with our Bishop candidates on Friday, November 13, at 10:00 a.m. represents one of the next steps in the Diocese of Chicago Bishop search. The conversation one of several in which you may participate but has been specially earmarked for Chicago North Deanery and Chicago South Deanery congregations and ministries. My letter above includes a link to the conversation on the 13th, names and contact information for our Ascension lay electors, and two separate opportunities to share your impressions of the candidates with our electors and others. are noted in my letter above.

My homily for the Commemoration of SS Simon and Jude may be read here.

Reminder of reduced attendance limit for in-person worship, effective October 30, 2020. Per instruction from the bishop, attendance numbers for all Chicago Episcopal churches have been reduced to no more than 25 persons in the building at any one time. To reach this number, and taking into account ministers in the sanctuary, the organist and the usher/greeter team, available spots in the pews are now limited to 18 (as reflected in the links from this newsletter and our website). The related letter from the Rev. Courtney Reid may be read here.

Can you help host a virtual coffee hour? We started our Sunday virtual coffee hours almost immediately after pandemic restrictions took effect. For many, they have provided a meaningful connection opportunity at a time where meaningful connections are hard to come by. Those of us who hosted prior to the start of in-person worship are no longer able to be present or host. We'd love to identify a half dozen hosts who would serve on a rotating basis. This role is low-tech (if you are already able to Zoom) and high reward. Training is available. Please contact me or either warden.

I will let Choirmaster Benamin Rivera give you more information another time, but you may now find some Choir of the Ascension recordings at soundcloud.com. Click here or on the image to the right. I can heartily commend the recording of Tallis' If ye love me at the top of the list!

Due to COVID-19, Church of the Ascension’s Treasurer and Bookkeeper are limiting the amount of time they spend working in the parish offices. All checks received at Ascension via the United States Postal Service, not always a reliable service in our area, will be bank deposited approximately every 4-6 weeks. They will next be here Thursday, November 5th, for several hours beginning by 10 a.m. You may contact the Treasurer by email anytime at Finance@AscensionChicago.org. 

For the Novice, Newbie, or tech-challenged: It may be easier than you know. We've simplified instructions on the sheet that you can view by clicking here. Please know that you can block your camera (and don't need one to start with), and you could join our Scripture study or Virtual Coffee Hour, for instance, without having to say a word. Give it a try.

For our prayers: Charley Taylor, August 'Augie' Alonzo, Jim Berger, Ethel Martin, Dean Pineda, Charlene MacDougal, Marty Stenson, David Byerly, Bonnie Joseph, Catriana Patriarca, Robert Devens, Richard Laibly, Nicholas Carl, Sara, the Howard family, John, Owen Raymond, Diane Burnett, Sandra, Rhea, Doreen Rao, Steven Wallis, Fr. Lawrence Larson

Birthdays: Fr. Robert Petite, 11/2

Baptism: Henri Poilevey, 11/1/2020

Bishop Candidates: The Rev. Canon Paula E. Clark, The Rev. Edwin Daniel Johnson,

Requiescat in pace:

To read the announcement of Bishop Candidates by the Standing Committee of the diocese, click here.

To read about the canonical 'Petition Process' that provides an opportunity for additional Candidates to be considered, through Monday, October 12, click here.

To read about the four present Candidates and their impressive and diverse qualifications as presented by the Bishop Search Committee, click here.

To learn about ground already covered in the bishop search or about the upcoming Candidate Conversations or December election, click here.

Richard Hooker's 1594 Laws of Ecclesiastical Piety is widely regarded as among the most formative treatises in Anglicanism. Though written more than 425 years ago and in significantly differing political and religious circumstances, the segment below could be read as equally relevant to some of our political/religious liabilities today. The passage below is from a 2019 contemporary language rendering that may be read, in entirety, by clicking here. - Fr. Raymond +

   WHOEVER wants to persuade the multitude that they are not as well governed as they should be will never lack a sympathetic audience, since everyone can recognize the obvious problems in any kind of government, but they rarely have as much insight into the innumerable hidden obstacles which inevitably hinder the business of governing. Thus, those who bewail the current state of affairs are esteemed to be the champions of the people and men of independent thought, and under this guise whatever they say is accepted without question. Whatever their speech lacks in substance is supplied by people’s willingness to believe it. On the other hand, those of us who would defend the status quo are quickly judged as mere time-servers or boot-lickers of the establishment, and people will stop up their ears against our arguments before they even hear them ….