Alleluia, He is Risen

ALL 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 25, 2011

Yesterday was Easter Sunday and festive services were in order, close on the heels of the Great Vigil of Easter Service on Saturday evening. Rev. Denise declared to us "Alleluia, He is Risen" with words on the plan of Easter to banish fear and allow us to meet God face to face, remarking "You won't find Jesus in the land of the Dead." All her sermons are in the blog archive.

A special word of thanks to Rev. Denise, to the Acolyte Guild under the direction of Don and Sally Green and Dave Pomeroy, to the Altar Guild under the direction of Anne Schwartz, to the Ascension Choir under the direction of John Allegar and to our Administrative Assistant Mary Vasquez and to our Sexton Angel Perez for all their work and inspired contributions to the events and services of Holy Week. We are in debt to you all. Thank you!

Kindly keep in your daily prayers all those in need of healing, and those who serve in our military forces. And our Search Committee and Vestry. To assist in our spiritual life, Forward Day by Day booklets are $.85 each in the back of the Church [Tower Room].

If we want to grow and share God's prosperity of faith, we must love God, love our friends and then speak openly to them. A congregation grows starting with each faithful person. God will help us share the Bread of Life.....God will help us live into our Baptismal Covenant of sharing His word and our lives and resources [which is the true Meaning of Life]. We never know how ready a friend may be to hear a word of encouragement in faith. We never know when God will bring someone to speak to us, and enrich our own life.

WOMEN'S GROUP: May 5th meeting at noon, a presentation by the Wende Clinic on Women's Breast Health. This is the second presentation in their series on Women's Health. For this interesting program, the Group has invited the women of the Cathedral Community to participate. Also - bring a friend or relative for this event. Salad and dessert luncheon will be provided before the presentation. Those willing to contribute a salad or dessert should let Jan Wills know, 621-3900.

LAST CALL!! CHICKEN AND BISCUIT DINNER: Call Office today or tomorrow for dinner on Saturday, April 30th. The menu for this home-cooked Chicken and Biscuit Dinner includes tender chicken in gravy, home-baked biscuits, mashed potatoes, vegetable, salad, cranberry sauce and homemade desserts. The cost is $9.00 for adults, $4.00 for children aged 6 to 12; under 6 will eat free. Patty Frasca invites additional help on clean-up. If you would like to volunteer, please let Patty know, 315-986-5726 or cell 585-615-6790. Also, if you are willing to make a homemade dessert, please call her or Joan Swan.

DON'T FORGET - Our Ascension Piecemakers Quilt Group is offering a stunning queen-size quilt. This quilt would be a handsome addition to any decor! Coupons are $2 or 3 for $5. All proceeds will go to the Bell Tower Restoration Project. You can see the quilt and get more details each Sunday at Coffee Hour.

TIME TO MARK CALENDARS! Two delicious dinners upcoming....and one is just around the corner!

Saturday. April 30th, 2011 CHICKEN & BISCUIT DINNER
Friday. June 3rd, 2011 LOBSTER DINNER

PLEASE MAKE NOTE!!!

As we celebrate this season of the Resurrection, please remember those in need of our help. The MEEK food cupboard asks your continuing donations of food [put items in back of church/Tower Room], and also seeks volunteers to assist in this ministry. Please call Jan Wills 621-3900 if you can assist as a volunteer.

Coffee Hour after the 10 AM Sunday service is a wonderful opportunity to greet friends, old and new, and catch up on news. There are opportunities to host Coffee Hour in the weeks ahead. Won't you help this ministry? If not sure how to host, you may call Nancy Lennox at 663-5805 or Stu or Gene Denison at 663-0988. To sign up - see list in the back of the church or call 458-5423. Thanks!

As our beautiful spring begins, please phone or visit a friend who is not able to get out or whom you've been meaning to contact. There are many who would love a call and an invitation to church or an inquiry as to when you might pay a visit. We can invite friends to accompany us to church - and take them out for brunch afterward!

To beautify our worship, in upcoming weeks there are opportunities for altar flowers. Will you take up this ministry to the glory of God and to our spirits? To donate, please contact Laurie Phillips, 865-2802 or email LBP@rochester.rr.com

If we wish to learn the true Meaning of Life, grow as Christians and share our love of God, we need to know the stories of the Bible. Thursday Bible Study is in the Library at 9 AM. Please 'Come and See'. The Lenten season is a time for careful reflection on Jesus’ teachings and how we model our faith to family, friends and all whom we meet. God’s Word guides such a process. Much food for thought and often refreshments to share. The study is of the Gospel Lesson for next Sunday, found below.

The Rochester Interfaith Jail Ministry asks your ongoing help - by donating through United Way or directly by check to R.I.J.M., 2 Riverside St., Rochester, NY 14613. This will bring books of healing and group sessions to those needing to start lives anew. Remember the Good Samaritan... Please answer this call. To volunteer, call 254-6790. The invitation to help is ongoing, so you are not late to the party! We recently began doing visits to the young men ages 16-19 in the Downtown Jail. Many Thanks! Please include this ministry in your daily devotions:
Dear Lord we praise you and thank you for your compassion and love and for our redemption through your sacrifice. We who visit the jails and prisons of our world sit with men and women who are in search of redemption for themselves. Lord, help us share our faith with them that they may reach out to you, and that you might change them and give them hope.

There is God's work for each of us when we see new people on Sunday or at an event. Let's introduce ourselves and make them welcome. An invitation to chat at Coffee Hour is a great ice-breaker. So is sitting with a new person and guiding her/him in the materials, if this is their first time with us.

Do you have a pocket card to hand to a friend who asks about Ascension? Cards are on the table in the back of the church. Please take a few, and be ready to share. We have pocket crosses in the table drawer to hand to those who answer the call to "Come and See".. This is all part of "The Growing Season at Ascension"

The Season of Easter has especially beautiful music. Here is a hymn video of "This Joyful Eastertide"
www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6NusBw2xtM


If you have a new or better email address for yourself, or know someone who might like to receive this weekly e-letter, please send in that information.

For a treat for yourself, friends and loved ones please see the recipe below for an easy Split Pea and Ham Soup. Knowing how many have some ham left from Easter, we can also make extra for someone in need of our kindness.

Blessings and all good wishes,

Dyson
D. Dyson Gay
585-671-0364
dysongy@aol.com

***************
.

Split Pea and Ham Soup

By: TEETOE from internet [edited to add more veggies and diced ham]

"This is a good way to use leftover ham, quite inexpensive, and VERY tasty. I hope that you enjoy it. Some people like to add carrots or other types of vegetables. Don't forget to serve with buttered bread toasted in the oven." Or some garlic & cheese croutons or cornbread...

Ingredients

• 1-2 cups diced onion
• 1-2 cups diced carrot
• 1-2 cups diced celery, including some minced leaves
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder or 2 or 3 cloves of garlic finely minced
• 3 Tbsp olive oil or canola oil
• 1 pound dried split peas, washed and picked over for stones, gold nuggets, etc
• 1 ham bone and 1-2 cups diced ham
• up to 8 cups water or chicken or vegetable broth; or more for a thinner soup
• pinch of Thyme
• 2 Bay leaves
• 1 pinch salt [optional] and fresh-ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a medium large pot, saute' onions, carrot, celery and garlic in oil [add garlic at end], about 5 minutes. Add the split peas, ham bone, and enough water/broth to cover ingredients; add Thyme and Bay leaves; season with pepper.
2. Cover, bring to boil, skim if you like; reduce heat and simmer until there are no peas left, just a green liquid, 1.5 hours; remove bone and harvest ham from bone, to be added to soup; add diced ham and simmer half hour additional.
3. While cooking, check to see if liquid has evaporated. You may need to add more as the soup continues to cook.
4. Once the soup is fully cooked remove from heat and remove Bay leaves; check need for sprinkle of salt, more pepper.
5. Optional - let stand so it will thicken [once thickened you may need to heat through to serve].

GOSPEL FOR NEXT SUNDAY

John 20:19-31

When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."

But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe."

A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe." Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe."

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.

Easter Sunday 2011 Sermon - "Gambling on God"

“Gambling on God”, A Sermon preached by The Rev. C. Denise Yarbrough on Easter Day, April 24, 2011 at Church of the Ascension, Rochester, New York

Alleluia, the Lord is Risen!
The Lord is risen indeed, Alleluia!

Do not be afraid. I know that you are looking for Jesus…he is going ahead of you to Galilee. …. Then Jesus said to them Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee. (Matt. 28:5,10)

Life is for the gambler. The coward dies. (Anthony DeMello, Wellsprings)

The first quotation I read you is from the resurrection story according to Matthew and the second are two lines from a book of meditations by Anthony DeMello, a Jesuit priest who wrote extensively incorporating Eastern mysticism into Christian mystical practice. One meditation in that collection (entitled “Wellsprings”) contains those two simple lines and they were lines that transformed my life in profound ways when I first meditated with them well over fifteen years ago. DeMello isn’t, of course, referring to people with an addiction, shoving money into slot machines in casinos. The gambler of which he speaks is the risk-taker, the one who is willing to go out on a limb, to try new things, to go where others fear to tread. The coward is one who tries to be safe, to avoid risk, to shield herself from the vagaries of life’s fortunes. Resurrection is the theme of our Easter celebration and if we pay attention to Matthew’s account of the resurrection we see that fear and courage, death and life are prominent themes. Life is for the gambler. The coward dies.

Matthew’s account is pretty dramatic and certainly has its share of vivid images. In the passion story that we heard last week, at the moment of Jesus’ death on the cross we are told that “the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened and many of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised. After his resurrection they came out of the tombs and entered the holy city and appeared to many.” Now that little detail about all these corpses marching out of their tombs and making appearances around Jerusalem is not much discussed when this story is told, but it certainly is a vivid image. Then we get all the theatrics surrounding the women’s arrival at the tomb early on Easter morning. A great earthquake, an angel descending from heaven who was dazzling white like lightning, the stone rolled back and Jesus nowhere to be found in the place of the dead.. Both the angel and Jesus say the same thing to these women – “do not be afraid” and “go and tell.” How on earth anyone could not be afraid in the face of all that drama is the question of the day, but Jesus and the angel are pretty consistent in their message.

On this day of resurrection, we too need to hear those words, “Do not be afraid.” We live in a fear filled world. A world in which terrorism is rampant, wars rage in various parts of the Middle East, violence mars the landscape of many neighborhoods in our own city. We do live in scary world. Everyone in this room comes to church today harboring some fears - fears about our own personal lives, our professional lives, fears about our faith and how we are living into it or not, fears about relationships, fears about our church, fears about the world. I suspect many of you at Ascension are harboring some fears about what the imminent transition to new leadership is going to mean for your life as a faith community. “Do not be afraid” are the words from Jesus on this most glorious day of resurrection. Fear and resurrection seem to be connected but most of us, I wager, have more familiarity with what fear feels like than what resurrection feels like.

Fear is a funny thing. It protects us from harm and yet it can also impede our growth and keep us from the ministries to which we are called. It keeps us from walking onto thin ice, or jumping off a bridge, or walking too close to the edge of a cliff, or driving too fast. But it also keeps us from trying new things, or going new places, or talking to someone we don’t know well, or starting a difficult but necessary conversation, leaving a dead-end job, or moving to a new place. Fear of the unknown can keep us confined and contained in a safe life in which our growth may be stunted. Fear of failure can make us small-minded and stale, and keep us from dreaming and thinking outside the box. Fear can keep us trapped in habits, rituals, ways of being and doing that are destructive or stultifying, even if they are comfortable.

Sometimes fear is a healthy reaction to a situation that is scary, even if it is happy much like the two Marys experienced when they arrived at the empty tomb. What bride and bridegroom have not felt fear as the strains of the processional music begin on their wedding day? Who has not felt fear walking into a new job, or a new neighborhood, or a new school? Who has not felt fear when leaving a child at college or on that first day of kindergarten? Who has not felt fear on the eve of surgery, even when the operation is “routine” and “safe”? In the face of these healthy fears and in the face of the unhealthy ones, remember Jesus’ words to the two Marys - “Do not be afraid.”

Life is for the gambler, the coward dies. Do not be afraid. The coward isn’t one who has fear, it is one who lets the fear win the day. Courage is the ability to go forward in spite of fear, not in the absence of it. Where there is courage, there is life, abundant and new resurrection life.

Do not be afraid. That is Jesus’ recipe for soul-making. Do not be afraid. Walk through your fears and all the way to your cross – because we all have one – and when you are trapped in your tomb know that God will lead you out of it, scars and all. Whatever it is you fear most, God’s love can conquer it just as God’s love raised Jesus from the dead. Resurrection life has something to do with facing down fear and moving ahead in spite of it. The women were terrified, but they ran and told the others what they had seen. They took a huge risk in a culture in which women were presumptively non credible as witnesses. They did what they were called to do even when some would say they had no business doing it.

And then, of course, there are those for whom it is God they truly fear! This God who changes lives, who molds souls - who sends people to the cross when they accept God’s call to become who God created them to be. This God of empty tombs and thunderbolts and angels in dazzling white is a no comfortable God and life with this God is unpredictable at best! Life with this God is fearless and bold and abundant. Everyone in this church today has taken a big risk just coming here this morning. You have opened yourself to the possibility that the holy mysteries celebrated here will capture your soul and draw you in. Given the story we tell today, some might think they’d be better off staying home than meeting that God face to face!

Jesus’ resurrection was God’s way of assuring us that there is truly nothing on earth or in heaven of which we must be afraid. Even bodily death cannot keep us from being in relationship with God, so what else can we fear? For Easter people, resurrection is what waits on the other side of fear. We do not have to be afraid to face even the worst that life can dish out, because we are witnesses, with the women at the empty tomb to the reality that is resurrection. Marcus Borg said it well – “You won’t find Jesus in the land of the dead.” We who are modern day disciples of Jesus are followers of the Risen Christ, the one who left the place of death and decay and went out to continue his ministry in new ways. He was not resuscitated, he was resurrected. The scars of his ordeal remained and his body was different – able to walk through walls and disappear like a ghost but able to eat fish with the disciples on the beach. Resurrection life isn’t about reviving old dead things, it is about making something new and wonderful out of the trials and sorrows of the old. It is about having the courage to embrace life, with all its challenges and changes.

As followers of the Risen Christ, we are Easter people, people of the resurrection. As resurrection people you will welcome a new priest in charge to your community in the next few weeks, embracing the changes that will come with that transition, gambling on her as she is gambling on you, moving into an exciting future that you will create together. We are gamblers all – we gamble on God, which is not much of a gamble when you think about it. We believe, in the words of the mystic Julian of Norwich, “All shall be well, and all shall be well and all manner of thing shall be well.” In the face of God’s resurrection madness, no fear can stunt our growth. So rejoice and sing and glory in the good news of Easter. Do not be afraid! Life is for the gambler. The coward dies.

Alleluia, the Lord is Risen!
The Lord is risen indeed, alleluia!

Holy Week at Ascension

Dear Friends, April 18, 2011

HOLY WEEK AND EASTER SERVICES:
+Holy Week began yesterday with the celebration of Palm Sunday. Rev Denise's sermon included the theme from Jesus' declaration - "Yet not what what I want, but what You want". To review this and other sermons weekly, please use this link/cut&paste:
http://ascensionroch.blogspot.com/
.
+On Thursday, April 21, the Maundy Thursday service will be held at 7 PM. Besides the celebration of the Eucharist we will participate in the traditional "Washing of the feet". +Following the service we will observe the all night vigil up to the Good Friday service at noon on Friday, April 22nd. [Please call the office - 458-5423 - if you wish to participate in the silent vigil for a period of an hour between Thurs evening and Friday Noon. This is a wonderful opportunity to spend some silent time in reflection, prayer and study and to reflect on the sacrifice that this Holy time represents. Security will be provided in the Church throughout the night.]
+On Good Friday, April 22, an ecumenical Stations of the Cross walk at 8:45 AM, @ 56 Chili Ave. This is scheduled to allow return here for our Ascension service at Noon.
+Our first Easter Celebration is Saturday Evening, April 23 at 7 PM. This is the first time in a very long time that we have celebrated this most holy service at Ascension. We will raise up all of the traditions of this blessed service: fire, bells, music and celebration. The choir will be participating. There will be a festive reception following the service.
+The traditional Easter Celebrations are Sunday, April 24th at 8 and 10 AM.
Please call friends and family to be present with you in church this week and on Easter Sunday.

Jr. Warden Nancy Lennox announced yesterday that the Search Committee and the Vestry have approved the call of a Priest-in-Charge for the parish, pending completion of the national church hiring procedures, now under way. We thank the Vestry and Committee and look forward to full details soon.

Please keep in your daily prayers all those in need of healing, and those who serve in our military forces. And our Search Committee and Vestry. To assist in our spiritual life, Forward Day by Day booklets are $.85 each in the back of the Church [Tower Room].

If we want to grow and share God's prosperity of faith, we must love God, love our friends and then speak openly to them. A congregation grows starting with each faithful person. God will help us share the Bread of Life.....God will help us live into our Baptismal Covenant of sharing His word and our lives and resources [which is the true Meaning of Life]. We never know how ready a friend may be to hear a word of encouragement in faith. We never know when God will bring someone to speak to us, and enrich our own life.

WOMEN'S GROUP: For the May 5th meeting at noon, a presentation by the Wende Clinic on Women's Breast Health. This is the second presentation in their series on Women's Health. For this interesting program, the Group has invited the women of the Cathedral Community to participate. Also - bring a friend or relative for this event. Salad and dessert luncheon will be provided before the presentation. Those willing to contribute a salad or dessert should let Jan Wills know, 621-3900.

ALMOST LAST CALL!! CHICKEN AND BISCUIT DINNER: Gourmet diners - and chefs - are preparing for our dinner on Saturday, April 30th. The menu for this home-cooked Chicken and Biscuit Dinner includes tender chicken in gravy, home-baked biscuits, mashed potatoes, vegetable, salad, cranberry sauce and homemade desserts. The cost is $9.00 for adults, $4.00 for children aged 6 to 12; under 6 will eat free. Patty Frasca invites additional help on clean-up. If you would like to volunteer, please let Patty know, 315-986-5726 or cell 585-615-6790. Also, if you are willing to make a homemade dessert, please call her or Joan Swan.

DON'T FORGET - Our Ascension Piecemakers Quilt Group is offering a stunning queen-size quilt. This quilt would be a handsome addition to any decor! Coupons are $2 or 3 for $5. All proceeds will go to the Bell Tower Restoration Project. You can see the quilt and get more details each Sunday at Coffee Hour.

TIME TO MARK CALENDARS! There are two delicious dinners upcoming this spring....and one is just around the corner!

Saturday. April 30th, 2011 CHICKEN & BISCUIT DINNER
Friday. June 3rd, 2011 LOBSTER DINNER

PLEASE MAKE NOTE!!!

As we prepare for this season of the Resurrection, please remember those in need of our help. The MEEK food cupboard asks your continuing donations of food [put items in back of church/Tower Room], and also seeks volunteers to assist in this ministry. Please call Jan Wills 621-3900 if you can assist as a volunteer.

Coffee Hour after the 10 AM Sunday service is a wonderful opportunity to greet friends, old and new, and catch up on news. There are opportunities to host Coffee Hour in the weeks ahead. Won't you help this ministry? If not sure how to host, you may call Nancy Lennox at 663-5805 or Stu or Gene Denison at 663-0988. To sign up - see list in the back of the church or call 458-5423. Thanks!

Please phone or visit a friend who is not able to get out or whom you've been meaning to contact. There are many who would love a call and an invitation to church or an inquiry as to when you might pay a visit. We can invite friends to accompany us to church - and take them out for brunch afterward!

To beautify our worship, in upcoming weeks there are opportunities for altar flowers. Will you take up this ministry to the glory of God and to our spirits? To donate, please contact Laurie Phillips, 865-2802 or email LBP@rochester.rr.com

+ EASTER LILIES: Thanks to your generosity, orders for 45 lilies have been placed. Tip of the hat to you all, and to Laurie Phillips for leading this ministry!!

If we wish to learn the true Meaning of Life, grow as Christians and share our love of God, we need to know the stories of the Bible. Thursday Bible Study is in the Library at 9 AM. Please 'Come and See'. The Lenten season is a time for careful reflection on Jesus’ teachings and how we model our faith to family, friends and all whom we meet. God’s Word guides such a process. Much food for thought and often refreshments to share. The study is of the Gospel Lesson for next Sunday, found below.

The Rochester Interfaith Jail Ministry asks your ongoing help - by donating through United Way or directly by check to R.I.J.M., 2 Riverside St., Rochester, NY 14613. This will bring books of healing and group sessions to those needing to start lives anew. Remember the Good Samaritan... Please answer this call. To volunteer, call 254-6790. The invitation to help is ongoing, so you are not late to the party! We recently began doing visits to the young men ages 16-19 in the Downtown Jail. Many Thanks! Please include this ministry in your daily devotions:

Dear Lord, those we visit in prison are often like Lazarus, and their families like Martha and Mary. We pray that your love for them will bring them to new life and change their grief into hope through their faith. Amen.

There is God's work for each of us when we see new people on Sunday or at an event. Let's introduce ourselves and make them welcome. An invitation to chat at Coffee Hour is a great ice-breaker. So is sitting with a new person and guiding her/him in the materials, if this is their first time with us.

Do you have a pocket card to hand to a friend who asks about Ascension? Cards are on the table in the back of the church. Please take a few, and be ready to share. We have pocket crosses in the table drawer to hand to those who answer the call to "Come and See"..

MUSIC: The anthem for next Sunday is the masterwork of John Ireland Greater Love Hath No Man see link/cut&paste. Let this music inspire your heart:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rc4RUeKzddg

If you have a new or better email address for yourself, or know someone who might like to receive this weekly e-letter, please send in that information.

For a treat for yourself, friends and loved ones please see the recipe below - and make extra for someone in need of your kindness.

Blessings and all good wishes,

Dyson
D. Dyson Gay
585-671-0364
dysongy@aol.com

Sweet Easter Quick Bread

Prep Time:
45 Min

Cook Time:
1 Hr 30 Min

Ready In:
2 Hrs 15 Min

Original Recipe Yield 2 - 9x5 inch loaves

Ingredients

• 1(12 ounce) bottle beer
• 1 pound dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/8 cup baking powder
• 1.5 cups raisins
• 1.5.cups candied mixed fruit

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 2 9x5 inch loaf pans.
2. In a large saucepan, combine beer, sugar and butter over medium-low heat. When the ingredients melt into each other remove from the stove top and let cool. When the mixture is cool, mix in beaten eggs and vanilla extract.
3. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, raisins and mixed fruits. Stir beer mixture slowly into the dry mixture, incorporating and mixing as you go. Pour mixture into the prepared loaf pans.
4. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven for 90 minutes or thereabouts.

GOSPEL FOR EASTER SUNDAY
either

John 20:1-18

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him." Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples returned to their homes.

But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him." When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?" Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away." Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rabbouni!" (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, "Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, `I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'" Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord"; and she told them that he had said these things to her.

or

Matthew 28:1-10

After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, `He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.' This is my message for you." So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them and said, "Greetings!" And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me."

.

Palm Sunday, April 17, 2011 Homily

“An ‘If-not’ Faith”, A Sermon preached by The Rev. Canon Dr. C. Denise Yarbrough on Palm Sunday, April 17, 2011 at Church of the Ascension, Rochester, New York

As we begin our liturgical enactment of Jesus’ journey to the cross with this Palm Sunday liturgy, we embark on a drama that will touch the deepest places in our souls. The passion story that we will read in a moment begins with Jesus in Gethsemane, frightened and “deeply grieved and agitated.” He has brought with him several of his friends and supporters and has asked them to pray and watch with him as he prays to God in the midst of his fear and anxiety. His friends, however, keep falling asleep, while he prays in an agony of anguish for God to prevent the events that are starting to unfold from proceeding to their inevitable end. He “threw himself on the ground and cried, ‘My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not what I want but what you want.’”

Those few words that Jesus speaks in this scene in Gethsemane are among the most powerful words of faith in the Bible. “Yet not what I want, but what you want.” In other words, “God I want this, but if not, then I will take what you have in store for me.” This “but if not” faith is the hardest thing for many of us to maintain in the face of life’s crises and struggles. It requires a radical trust in God - a trust that says that I will love you, my God, even when what is happening to me is awful, painful, life-threatening, scary. This “but if not” faith says to God that I want to be yours, to be beloved by You and in relationship with You even when it appears I won’t get something good as a result of that faith. It is a faith that endures in the face of the worst challenges, in the face of circumstances that make it seem from our perspective, that God has abandoned us.

The psalmist cries, “My God, my God why have you forsaken me?” Jesus echoed that cry as he hung upon the cross. How many times have we felt forsaken by God? When a spouse dies, or a divorce happens, or we lose a job, or a child falls gravely ill, or we are diagnosed with a serious illness or suffer a setback of some kind – who among us has not cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” What happens to an “if not” faith at these times?

An “if not” faith is a faith that springs out of love for God and in response to God’s love for us. It is a faith that does not demand a quid pro quo. This “if not” faith does not say to God, “OK, I’ll believe in you, have faith in you and in return you will protect me from bad things, mean people, catastrophic events – you will ‘save’ me from anything bad that may happen in this life.” An “if not” faith says, “God I love you. Simply because you are who you are. Not because of what you did for me today, or yesterday or what you will do tomorrow, but because you are who you are.” An “if not” faith is not a talisman against life’s cruelties, hardships or pains – it is simply a necessary element in a life lived fully and abundantly.

An “if not” faith values the relationship with God over all else. It is in that loving and passionate relationship with God that life has meaning and purpose, regardless of what may happen during that life. An “if not” faith understands that relationship with God isn’t simply about feeling good and being happy, or about being a nice person and coming to church on Sunday or doing good things for others. It’s about profound love that endures through all the joys and sorrows, blessings and misfortunes, ups and downs of the earthly journey. It’s about a love so strong, so deep, so all encompassing that when things go well, we give thanks and rejoice with this God from whom all blessings flow, and when things turn sour, we give thanks and seek refuge in the love of that same God.

Episcopal priest Bryant Wilson wrote about an “if not” faith just six days before he died of lymphoma:

Faith is not faith unless it has passed the test of not getting what it wants. … The unhealed body. The untimely death. The divorce that came anyway. The promised promotion that turned out to be an empty promise. The friend who misunderstood. The list could go on and on. In order to handle the disappointment, frustration, or failure it takes an “if not” faith. When the “if not” is not there, it is just a fair weather faith, which does not hold when the winds and rains of adversity and unanswered prayer come howling against it. …. I face dying or living. I am confident I serve a healing God who is able and willing to deliver me. But as the flames lick higher and the temperature surges, I pray for an “if not” faith. Job said it: ‘Though he slay me, yet will I trust him.’ That’s the kind of faith where you don’t get burned. Regardless.

Palm Sunday and the events we remember during Holy Week remind us that an “if not” faith is what we are called to embrace. Jesus of Nazareth died on a cross because he had an “if not” faith. He came to show us who God is and how to be in relationship with this God of love. “Hosanna” we shouted today as we began our liturgy. Then, “Crucify him” we’ll cry on Friday. Let us not be too smug as we sit this side of the resurrection, critical perhaps of the lack of “if not” faith demonstrated by the disciples. Let us pray, rather, that when confronted with our own Gethsemane and Golgotha, we will, like Jesus be able to pray, “yet not what I want, but what you want.”

And now, The Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.

Dear Friends, April 11, 2011

Yesterday, Rev Denise preached on the raising of Lazarus and how that teaches us to renew our own relationship with God, in which we receive the Spirit of Christ and the promise of the Resurrection.

Please keep in your daily prayers all those in need of healing, and those who serve in our military forces. And our Search Committee and Vestry. To assist in our spiritual life, Forward Day by Day booklets are $.85 each in the back of the Church [Tower Room].

If we want to grow and share God's prosperity of faith, we must love God, love our friends and then speak openly to them. A congregation grows starting with each faithful person. God will help us share the Bread of Life.....God will help us live into our Baptismal Covenant of sharing His word and our lives and resources [which is the true Meaning of Life]. We never know how ready a friend may be to hear a word of encouragement in faith. We never know when God will bring someone to speak to us, and enrich our own life.

WOMEN'S GROUP: For the May 5th meeting at noon, a presentation by the Wende Clinic on Women's Breast Health. This is the second presentation in their series on Women's Health. For this interesting program, the Group has invited the women of the Cathedral Community to participate. Also - bring a friend or relative for this event. Salad and dessert luncheon will be provided before the presentation. Those willing to contribute a salad or dessert should let Jan Wills know, 621-3900.

LENTEN BOOK STUDY: Meeting this Wed, April 13th. The Lenten Book Study is using "The Last Week" by Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan. This book is a day-by-day account of Jesus' final week in Jerusalem. Anyone interested in exploring the message in this book is encouraged to attend the sessions for an inspiring discussion of the last week of Jesus’ life before his ultimate sacrifice.

CHICKEN AND BISCUIT DINNER: Gourmet diners - and chefs - are preparing for our dinner on Saturday, April 30th. The menu for this home-cooked Chicken and Biscuit Dinner includes tender chicken in gravy, home-baked biscuits, mashed potatoes, vegetable, salad, cranberry sauce and homemade desserts. The cost is $9.00 for adults, $4.00 for children aged 6 to 12; under 6 will eat free. Patty Frasca invites additional help on clean-up. If you would like to volunteer, please let Patty know, 315-986-5726 or cell 585-615-6790. Also, if you are willing to make a homemade dessert, please call her or Joan Swan.

HOLY WEEK AND EASTER SERVICES:
+Holy Week will begin next Sunday, April 17, with the celebration of Palm Sunday at 8 and 10 AM services .
+On Thursday, April 21, the Maundy Thursday service will be held at 7 PM. Besides the celebration of the Eucharist we will participate in the traditional "Washing of the feet". +Following the service we will observe the all night vigil up to the Good Friday service at noon on Friday, April 22nd. [There will be a sign-up sheet for those wishing to keep silent vigil for a period of an hour at any time between these two services. This is a wonderful opportunity to spend some silent time in reflection, prayer and study and to reflect on the sacrifice that this Holy time represents. Security will be provided in the Church throughout the night.]
+On Good Friday, April 22, an ecumenical Stations of the Cross walk at 8:45 AM, @ 56 Chili Ave. Also, our Ascension service at Noon.
+Our first Easter Celebration is Saturday Evening, April 23 at 7 PM. This is the first time in a very long time that we have celebrated this most holy service at Ascension. We will celebrate with all of the traditions of this blessed service: fire, bells, music and celebration. The choir will be participating in this service.
+The traditional Easter Celebrations are Sunday, April 24th at 8 and 10 AM. Call friends and family to be present with you in church on this most holy day.
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Note - All of these are traditionally Holy Days of Obligation in the Episcopal Church. As we endeavor to welcome new clergy in the future, we may well dedicate ourselves to this most Holy Week of the Christian year, in preparation for our own personal ministries.

DIOCESAN SUBSCRIPTION UPDATES: A reminder: If you have not completed the individual and family information updates for the diocese, please go on the Diocese web site and update your information or get a form from Mary in the office to complete.

DON'T FORGET - Our Ascension Piecemakers Quilt Group is offering a stunning queen-size quilt. This quilt would be a handsome addition to any decor! Coupons are $2 or 3 for $5. All proceeds will go to the Bell Tower Restoration Project. You can see the quilt and get more details each Sunday at Coffee Hour.

TIME TO MARK CALENDARS! There are two delicious dinners upcoming this spring....and one is just around the corner!

Saturday. April 30th, 2011 CHICKEN & BISCUIT DINNER
Friday. June 3rd, 2011 LOBSTER DINNER

PLEASE MAKE NOTE!!!

Coffee Hour after the 10 AM Sunday service is a wonderful opportunity to greet friends, old and new, and catch up on news. There are opportunities to host Coffee Hour in the weeks ahead. Won't you help this ministry? If not sure how to host, you may call Nancy Lennox at 663-5805 or Stu or Gene Denison at 663-0988. To sign up - see list in the back of the church or call 458-5423. Thanks!

Please phone or visit a friend who is not able to get out or whom you've been meaning to contact. There are many who would love a call and an invitation to church or an inquiry as to when you might pay a visit. We can invite friends to accompany us to church - and take them out for brunch afterward!

To beautify our worship, in upcoming weeks there are opportunities for altar flowers. Will you take up this ministry to the glory of God and to our spirits? To donate, please contact Laurie Phillips, 865-2802 or email LBP@rochester.rr.com

+ EASTER LILIES: Deadline is April 15 Last call to donate Easter Lilies in memory of loved ones. A reservation form is in the Messenger for April. Please send payment of $13 per lily and memorial dedication [up to 6 names - please print - per lily] to Laurie Phillips, 148 Lida Lane, Rochester 14616 ASAP.

If we wish to learn the true Meaning of Life, grow as Christians and share our love of God, we need to know the stories of the Bible. Thursday Bible Study is in the Library at 9 AM. Please 'Come and See'. The Lenten season is a time for careful reflection on Jesus’ teachings and how we model our faith to family, friends and all whom we meet. God’s Word guides such a process. Much food for thought and often refreshments to share. The study is of the Gospel Lesson for next Sunday, found below. No Bible Thumping, just good conversation!!

The Rochester Interfaith Jail Ministry asks your ongoing help - by donating through United Way or directly by check to R.I.J.M., 2 Riverside St., Rochester, NY 14613. This will bring books of healing and group sessions to those needing to start lives anew. Remember the Good Samaritan... Please answer this call. To volunteer, call 254-6790. The invitation to help is ongoing, so you are not late to the party! We recently began doing visits to the young men ages 16-19 in the Downtown Jail. Many Thanks! The prayer for this week, in which you are invited to join daily in your devotions is:

Dear Lord, those we visit in prison are often like Lazarus, and their families like Martha and Mary. We pray that your love for them will bring them to new life and change their grief into hope through their faith. Amen.

There is God's work for each of us when we see new people on Sunday or at an event. Let's introduce ourselves and make them welcome. An invitation to chat at Coffee Hour is a great ice-breaker. So is sitting with a new person and guiding her/him in the materials, if this is their first time with us.

Do you have a pocket card to hand to a friend who asks about Ascension? Cards are on the table in the back of the church. Please take a few, and be ready to share. We have pocket crosses in the table drawer to hand to those who answer the call to "Come and See"..

MUSIC: The anthem for next Sunday is the beautiful Ave Verum by W.A. Mozart - link/cut&paste. Let this music wash your soul and inspire your heart:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t486sKLNgtQ

If you have a new or better email address for yourself, or know someone who might like to receive this weekly e-letter, please send in that information.

Full of noble simplicity and great savor, to satisfy our hunger this Lent, please see the recipe below for a Quick Clam Chowder.

Great thanks to Jan Wills for so well and expertly taking on the Happenings for the three months I was away. I truly appreciate her contributions of caring and sharing.

Blessings and all good wishes,

Dyson
D. Dyson Gay
585-671-0364
dysongy@aol.com

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RECIPE:

Quick Clam Chowder

By: Lew Sweet from the internet

"So easy but so delicious." [the price of the 'ease' is use of canned ingredients - but with sauteed
onion and celery and esp with a pinch or two or three of herbs...Voila'. Ed.]

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Prep Time:
10 Min

Cook Time:
20 Min

Ready In:
30 Min

Servings

Yield 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 (10.75 ounce) can New England clam chowder
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of potato soup
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of celery soup
• 1 (6.5 ounce) can minced clams
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1 tablespoon margarine
• 4 cups half-and-half cream or milk of your choice!
• [could add tiny pinch[es] dill/oregano/thyme/marjoram/tarragon.... and ground pepper to taste]
  

Directions

1. In large pan cook onion and celery in butter or margarine. Add clam chowder, cream of potato soup, cream of celery soup, clams, and half-and-half, and heat through. NOTE: Half-and-half is best but milk will do.

Serve it with crusty French bread and perhaps a dusting of Parmesan cheese, accompanied by a green salad, dressed to compliment the chowder.
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GOSPEL FOR PALM SUNDAY

Matthew 21:1-11

When Jesus and his disciples had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, just say this, `The Lord needs them.' And he will send them immediately." This took place to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet, saying,

"Tell the daughter of Zion,
Look, your king is coming to you,
humble, and mounted on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey."

The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting,

"Hosanna to the Son of David!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
Hosanna in the highest heaven!"

When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, "Who is this?" The crowds were saying, "This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee."