Tuesday, April 13, 2010

WE WELCOME ALL VISITORS AND SEEKERS OF GOD. ALL BAPTIZED CHRISTIANS ARE INVITED TO RECEIVE THE HOLY COMMUNION.


LORD, LET US PRAY AND WORK TO HEAR YOUR WORD, CHANGE OUR HEARTS AND GO FORTH TO DO YOUR WILL, EMPOWERED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT


Dear Friends April 13, 2010

Many thanks
to Laurie Phillips for the picture of the Flowering Cross above the doors. This Cross tells us and our neighborhood that Christ is alive and flowering in the hearts of each of us who loves him.
The sermon on Sunday by the Rev. Carolyn Lumbard shared with us three gifts of Christ to his disciples as they marveled at his appearance to them - The Gift of his Peace; the Gift of his healing and of his touch; and the Gift of his breathing the Holy Spirit upon them. We are now his new creation - hands and arms of welcome to the world. Let us now invite others to "Come and See".
Please keep in your prayers those in need of healing, and also all who serve in our military forces. Please pray that we may have a successful rector search. When you have an opportunity, please call the Church Office for a moment, or drop in to say hello to Mary Vasquez, our new Administrative Assistant. Mary lives in the neighborhood and is the sister of Carol Morris.
The Chicken & Biscuit Dinner is fast approaching - Mark your calendar for May 1 and sign up or call Pat Frasca at 615-6790. Tickets are a bargain at $8.00, $4.00 for children - and those under 6 are free. If you would like to volunteer to help, Patty and her team will thank you!
Please visit or call a friend who is not able to get out or whom you've been meaning to call. There are many who would love a call and an invitation to church or an inquiry as to when you might pay a visit.
Tuesday and Thursday Bible Study are in the Library at 9 AM. Please 'Come and See'. There is food for thought and often refreshments to share. The study is of the Gospel Lesson for next Sunday, found below. If we wish to share our love of God, we need to know the stories of the Bible.
A congregation first grows individually in the heart of each faithful person, and only then it can spread. If we want to grow, we must love God, love our friends and then speak to them. God will help us share the Bread of Life.....
Do you have a pocket card to hand to a friend who asks about Ascension? Cards are available in the back of the church. Please take a few, and be ready to share. We have pocket crosses to hand to those who answer the call to "Come and See"..

In the next day or two, Paul Schwartz will post this e-letter on our blogspot. http://ascensionroch.blogspot.com/

It is wonderful to be back in Rochester and have a chance to greet many friends on Sundays...if you have a new or better email address, please do drop me a line with that information.

Blessings,

Dyson

P.S. The anthem for this coming Sunday will be Lift Thine Eyes, by Felix Mendelssohn, of which a video is attached: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQnAoks_ZX8&feature=related
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Gospel for Sunday - John 21:1-19
21:1 After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias; and he showed himself in this way.

21:2 Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples.

21:3 Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "We will go with you." They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

21:4 Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.

21:5 Jesus said to them, "Children, you have no fish, have you?" They answered him, "No."

21:6 He said to them, "Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some." So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because there were so many fish.

21:7 That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the sea.

21:8 But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, only about a hundred yards off.

21:9 When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread.

21:10 Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish that you have just caught."

21:11 So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred fifty-three of them; and though there were so many, the net was not torn.

21:12 Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast." Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, "Who are you?" because they knew it was the Lord.

21:13 Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish.

21:14 This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

21:15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my lambs."

21:16 A second time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Tend my sheep."

21:17 He said to him the third time, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, "Do you love me?" And he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep.

21:18 Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go."

21:19 (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, "Follow me."

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