Dear Friends, September 13, 2010
Yesterday, We celebrated Homecoming Sunday. After a thought-provoking sermon that included reference to our Baptismal Covenant, and its call to embrace barriers and the whole world, we enjoyed a reception to greet Rev. Denise. God loves us all and wants us to gather, learn, break bread and celebrate in his name. For those who want to serve God, every Sunday is Homecoming Sunday. Please make it a point this fall to be in church regularly; or if you are weighing whether to make God's community important in your life, try coming for several Sundays in a row...
This Saturday, September 18 is a big day for the church neighborhood, when Ascension will be the home base for the Annual Maplewood Home Tour. Would you like to be a church tour guide? Please call Office - 458-5423 to volunteer. Our Organist/Choir Director, John Allegar will offer, with colleagues from Eastman, an ongoing sampling of organ works.
Keep in your prayers all those in need of healing, and those who serve in our military forces. Please pray that we may have a successful clergy search. Kindly also pray for the Wardens and their work in this time of search. To assist in your spiritual life, Forward Day by Day booklets are $.85 each in the back of the Church [Tower Room].
A congregation grows like a seed, starting in the heart of each faithful person. If we want to grow, we must love God, love our friends and then speak openly to them. God will help us share the Bread 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.
We seek a new and strong clergy leader, and our strength in numbers at worship speaks volumes of our true intentions. Please see yourself in community with others and prepared to greet and share. All are needed, all are important!
Next year will be the 125th Anniversary of the founding and of the ministry of Ascension. In preparation, let us draw closer to God's Spirit in the Season of Pentecost - to remind us of the power and blessing of the Holy Spirit to counsel, energize and sustain us all.. We honor our long history, but it is our future that must command our attention and energy.
To prepare our beautiful church for the future, the Wardens and Vestry have plans to point the masonry of the Bell Tower. To help get this under way, the Ascension Piecemakers Quilt Group is offering chances on a gorgeous queen-size quilt - a chance for every donation to the Bell Tower Restoration Project. The quilt would be a handsome addition to any decor! All proceeds will go to the BTRP. You can see the quilt and get more details each Sunday at Coffee Hour..
Want to help a child stay warm this winter? The Salvation Army seeks volunteers for Sat, Oct 2, 7:30-9:30 AM to shop with a child at a JC Penney store, seeking a winter coat for the child, paid for by a Salvation Army Fund. If you can help, call Sherry Andrus, 987-9500 ext 2324 or Tracy Dalykas, 987-9540 ext 2231. As Christians, we are called to help clothe those in need. Please call ASAP.
The Ascension Women's Group
*is invited to be at Sacred Heart on Oct 5 at 6 PM for vespers and dinner, to discuss a tutoring program for the neighborhood - Mary's Place, and
*On Oct 7, asks you to save time for an Ascension lunch program on Women's Bone Health
All women and friends are always most welcome - call Jan Wills 621-3900 for details.
Once again, we have several dinners and other parties to look forward to. The first scheduled parish dinner with be the Roast Beef Dinner on November 6th. Please mark your diary!!
Here is how to recycle all those calendars! - calendars are needed, and also Christmas cards, for our friends at Aaron Manor. Give them to Ellie Swarts or leave in Office. Thanks!
Coffee Hour 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 the Coffee Hour, 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.
Please visit or call 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. With good weather, we can invite friends to accompany us to church - and take them out for brunch afterward!
Altar flowers are an outstanding ministry of beauty and love. Will you take up this ministry to the glory of God and to our spirits? To donate altar flowers, please contact Laurie Phillips, 865-2802 or email LBP@rochester.rr.com There are openings on several Sundays upcoming.
Thursday Bible Study is in the Library at 9 AM. Please 'Come and See'. In this season, the lessons confirm what we are to do as disciples. 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 grow as Christians and share our love of God, we need to know the stories of the Bible. Here is a good way to begin.
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! Someone recently made and ongoing United Way designation for R I J M. Many Thanks!
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 even inviting them to brunch after church. This is a part of God's work for each and every one of 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"..
In the next day or two, Paul Schwartz will post this e-letter on our blogspot. http://ascensionroch.blogspot.com/
If you have a new or better email address for yourself, or know someone who might like to receive this weekly e-letter, please email me that information.
Blessings,
Dyson
D. Dyson Gay
585-317-4039
P.S. Next Sunday, we will sing "Guide me, O Thou Great Jehovah", appearing here in a medley:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5m48vG2q2E&feature=related
P.P.S. Please see below for this week's recipe - a hearty Lentil Soup. Don't forget to feed a friend, too!
If you have a recipe you would like to share, please send it in!
*******************************
The Gospel for next Sunday is:
.Luke 16:1-13
16:1 Then Jesus said to the disciples, "There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was squandering his property.
16:2 So he summoned him and said to him, 'What is this that I hear about you? Give me an accounting of your management, because you cannot be my manager any longer.'
16:3 Then the manager said to himself, 'What will I do, now that my master is taking the position away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg.
16:4 I have decided what to do so that, when I am dismissed as manager, people may welcome me into their homes.'
16:5 So, summoning his master's debtors one by one, he asked the first, 'How much do you owe my master?'
16:6 He answered, 'A hundred jugs of olive oil.' He said to him, 'Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it fifty.'
16:7 Then he asked another, 'And how much do you owe?' He replied, 'A hundred containers of wheat.' He said to him, 'Take your bill and make it eighty.'
16:8 And his master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly; for the children of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light.
16:9 And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of dishonest wealth so that when it is gone, they may welcome you into the eternal homes.
16:10 "Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much.
16:11 If then you have not been faithful with the dishonest wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches?
16:12 And if you have not been faithful with what belongs to another, who will give you what is your own?
16:13 No slave can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth."
.
Yesterday, We celebrated Homecoming Sunday. After a thought-provoking sermon that included reference to our Baptismal Covenant, and its call to embrace barriers and the whole world, we enjoyed a reception to greet Rev. Denise. God loves us all and wants us to gather, learn, break bread and celebrate in his name. For those who want to serve God, every Sunday is Homecoming Sunday. Please make it a point this fall to be in church regularly; or if you are weighing whether to make God's community important in your life, try coming for several Sundays in a row...
This Saturday, September 18 is a big day for the church neighborhood, when Ascension will be the home base for the Annual Maplewood Home Tour. Would you like to be a church tour guide? Please call Office - 458-5423 to volunteer. Our Organist/Choir Director, John Allegar will offer, with colleagues from Eastman, an ongoing sampling of organ works.
Keep in your prayers all those in need of healing, and those who serve in our military forces. Please pray that we may have a successful clergy search. Kindly also pray for the Wardens and their work in this time of search. To assist in your spiritual life, Forward Day by Day booklets are $.85 each in the back of the Church [Tower Room].
A congregation grows like a seed, starting in the heart of each faithful person. If we want to grow, we must love God, love our friends and then speak openly to them. God will help us share the Bread 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.
We seek a new and strong clergy leader, and our strength in numbers at worship speaks volumes of our true intentions. Please see yourself in community with others and prepared to greet and share. All are needed, all are important!
Next year will be the 125th Anniversary of the founding and of the ministry of Ascension. In preparation, let us draw closer to God's Spirit in the Season of Pentecost - to remind us of the power and blessing of the Holy Spirit to counsel, energize and sustain us all.. We honor our long history, but it is our future that must command our attention and energy.
To prepare our beautiful church for the future, the Wardens and Vestry have plans to point the masonry of the Bell Tower. To help get this under way, the Ascension Piecemakers Quilt Group is offering chances on a gorgeous queen-size quilt - a chance for every donation to the Bell Tower Restoration Project. The quilt would be a handsome addition to any decor! All proceeds will go to the BTRP. You can see the quilt and get more details each Sunday at Coffee Hour..
Want to help a child stay warm this winter? The Salvation Army seeks volunteers for Sat, Oct 2, 7:30-9:30 AM to shop with a child at a JC Penney store, seeking a winter coat for the child, paid for by a Salvation Army Fund. If you can help, call Sherry Andrus, 987-9500 ext 2324 or Tracy Dalykas, 987-9540 ext 2231. As Christians, we are called to help clothe those in need. Please call ASAP.
The Ascension Women's Group
*is invited to be at Sacred Heart on Oct 5 at 6 PM for vespers and dinner, to discuss a tutoring program for the neighborhood - Mary's Place, and
*On Oct 7, asks you to save time for an Ascension lunch program on Women's Bone Health
All women and friends are always most welcome - call Jan Wills 621-3900 for details.
Once again, we have several dinners and other parties to look forward to. The first scheduled parish dinner with be the Roast Beef Dinner on November 6th. Please mark your diary!!
Here is how to recycle all those calendars! - calendars are needed, and also Christmas cards, for our friends at Aaron Manor. Give them to Ellie Swarts or leave in Office. Thanks!
Coffee Hour 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 the Coffee Hour, 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.
Please visit or call 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. With good weather, we can invite friends to accompany us to church - and take them out for brunch afterward!
Altar flowers are an outstanding ministry of beauty and love. Will you take up this ministry to the glory of God and to our spirits? To donate altar flowers, please contact Laurie Phillips, 865-2802 or email LBP@rochester.rr.com There are openings on several Sundays upcoming.
Thursday Bible Study is in the Library at 9 AM. Please 'Come and See'. In this season, the lessons confirm what we are to do as disciples. 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 grow as Christians and share our love of God, we need to know the stories of the Bible. Here is a good way to begin.
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! Someone recently made and ongoing United Way designation for R I J M. Many Thanks!
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 even inviting them to brunch after church. This is a part of God's work for each and every one of 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"..
In the next day or two, Paul Schwartz will post this e-letter on our blogspot. http://ascensionroch.blogspot.com/
If you have a new or better email address for yourself, or know someone who might like to receive this weekly e-letter, please email me that information.
Blessings,
Dyson
D. Dyson Gay
585-317-4039
P.S. Next Sunday, we will sing "Guide me, O Thou Great Jehovah", appearing here in a medley:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5m48vG2q2E&feature=related
P.P.S. Please see below for this week's recipe - a hearty Lentil Soup. Don't forget to feed a friend, too!
If you have a recipe you would like to share, please send it in!
*******************************
The Gospel for next Sunday is:
.Luke 16:1-13
16:1 Then Jesus said to the disciples, "There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was squandering his property.
16:2 So he summoned him and said to him, 'What is this that I hear about you? Give me an accounting of your management, because you cannot be my manager any longer.'
16:3 Then the manager said to himself, 'What will I do, now that my master is taking the position away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg.
16:4 I have decided what to do so that, when I am dismissed as manager, people may welcome me into their homes.'
16:5 So, summoning his master's debtors one by one, he asked the first, 'How much do you owe my master?'
16:6 He answered, 'A hundred jugs of olive oil.' He said to him, 'Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it fifty.'
16:7 Then he asked another, 'And how much do you owe?' He replied, 'A hundred containers of wheat.' He said to him, 'Take your bill and make it eighty.'
16:8 And his master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly; for the children of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light.
16:9 And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of dishonest wealth so that when it is gone, they may welcome you into the eternal homes.
16:10 "Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much.
16:11 If then you have not been faithful with the dishonest wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches?
16:12 And if you have not been faithful with what belongs to another, who will give you what is your own?
16:13 No slave can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth."
.
Hearty Lentil Soup
Yield 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups dry lentils
- 8 cups water
- 1/2 cup spinach, rinsed and thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons vinegar
- salt to taste
- ground black pepper to taste
Directions
- In a large soup pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, and celery; cook and stir until onion is tender. Stir in garlic, bay leaf, oregano, and basil; cook for 2 minutes.
- Stir in lentils, and add water and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for at least 1 hour. When ready to serve stir in spinach, and cook until it wilts. Stir in vinegar, and season to taste with salt and pepper, and more vinegar if desired.
