Bishop Singh visited Ascension last Sunday. He met with the Vestry and celebrated the Eucharist at 10:00. His discussion with the Vestry was about connecting with those outside of the Church. How can we enlarge the circle? Can we open our both our hearts and our doors to others? How will they know to come to God? Each of us can rediscover our spirituality by prayer and truly listening for God's voice. Finally, considerations of Creative Mission to serve the needs of God's people can help us as our parish changes to meet the needs of the new decade; it is 2010 already ! We discussed too some of the general issues of connecting with people of various age groups and generational communications styles. This work will continue in Vestry this spring as we develop plans and directions for Ascension.

Bishop Singh's sermon echoed the need for the church to provide connections and a place where people can hear God's call and transform to meet the needs of all of God's people. We can individually change but more lasting and powerful effects can happen working together. We too were reminded of God's abundant Love as a true source for our work together.

This Sunday is one of those rare fifth-Sundays of the month. For years, a few extremely dedicated members of Ascension have served at Meal & More, Christ Church (downtown), putting together a meal for those in need. If you'd be interested in joining the group this Sunday, call the office and we'll get you connected with this outreach. Also, we will get a working-group together in early February to discuss the content and format of some of the web-communications so that we make better connection with more people. Contact Rob Phillips or Paul Schwartz if you're interested to help with that work.

This week at Ascension, Bible Study Tuesday and Thursday at 9AM will center on this lesson from the Gospel of Luke. We usually look at the Gospel for the next Sunday and discuss how it relates to our situations here in Rochester in today's world. Rev. Lumbard introduced Luke's Gospels in her sermon at 8:00 by recognizing Jesus, Son of God, as a forgiving & compassionate healer, something still needed by many today.

Luke 4:21-30

In the synagogue at Nazareth, Jesus read from the book of the prophet Isaiah, and began to say, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, "Is not this Joseph's son?" He said to them, "Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, 'Doctor, cure yourself!' And you will say, 'Do here also in your hometown the things that we have heard you did at Capernaum.'" And he said, "Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in the prophet's hometown. But the truth is, there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a severe famine over all the land; yet Elijah was sent to none of them except to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon. There were also many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian." When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage. They got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff. But he passed through the midst of them and went on his way.

If you have ideas or interest in contributing to upcoming
Ascension Happenings, let us know, and we'll work them in.

Church of the Ascension
2 Riverside St.
Rochester, NY 14613
585-458-5423