by the Holy Spirit

Matthew 1:18 Mary is visited by the Holy Spirit

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, December 13, 2010

Yesterday, Rev. Denise preached on Waiting in the Dark, to be found on this link: http://ascensionroch.blogspot.com/ ; Please visit this weekly feature to reflect on her words. And it is much more fulfilling to hear them in person!

As we prepare for Christmas, please be in church regularly, and invite a friend; or if you are weighing whether to make God's community important in your life, to try attending for several Sundays...You will find a warm greeting and become closer to God. Christmas Eve, Friday, Dec. 24, there will be a Musical Concert at 8:30 PM, with the Festal Eucharist at 9:00 PM. Friends and family are most welcome. The church will be alight with candles and the sense of awe and expectation. Do be present...

Yesterday was the annual Deck-the-Halls-Bring-a-Dish Christmas Party. Hearty thanks to all who attended and to all who provided food and so many delights for eye and palate! Plus all who worked so hard to make it a success - Angel, Elaine Riess, Don Taylor, Debbie Copenhagen, Diane Santiago, Anne and Paul Schwartz, Len and Audrey Lyons, Ryan McDermott and many others. Nancy Lennox reports that every chair was filled and the food was wonderful. There were so many desserts that people couldn’t eat any more and they tried! There was an excellent choice of foods and something for everyone—even those who were watching their weight. Lots of veggies and salads. We had more donations to Gifts for Life—we have somewhere in the neighborhood of $600, plus the parish Mission Funds gift of $500.

It was a joyful day. Thanks to everyone!

Please keep in your daily prayers all those in need of healing, and those who serve in our military forces. Kindly also pray for the Search Committee and their work in this time of search. To assist in our spiritual life, Forward Day by Day booklets are $.85 each in the back of the Church [Tower Room].

As we share our blessings and break bread together throughout Advent, we remember those in less developed countries who are in need. The program is GIFTS FOR LIFE, through Episcopal Relief and Development. Your offering will be complemented by a $500 gift from parish Mission Funds. Individual gifts have already totaled about $600, but there is no limit if we are generous. Make checks payable to Ascension, with "Gifts for Life" in the memo line. Here is a link to more information on this inspired program:
http://www.er-d.org/giftsforlife/

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.

Next year will be the 125th Anniversary of the founding and of the ministry of Ascension. In preparation, let us draw closer to God - and partake 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.

DON'T FORGET - The 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 memorable dinners upcoming.

Saturday. March 5th, 2011 SPAGHETTI DINNER
Saturday. April 30th, 2011 CHICKEN & BISCUIT DINNER
Friday. June 3rd, 2011 LOBSTER DINNER

PLEASE MAKE NOTE!!!

DON"T WAIT - FAMILIES IN OUR AREA OF THE CITY ARE DEPENDING ON US - as we plan our own holidays, let us remember those served by the MEEK food cupboard, by shopping ahead for our MEEK friends at Christmas - frozen turkeys, stuffing mixes, cranberry sauce, canned fruit, canned vegetables, jello, one-pound canned hams, cake mixes, coffee....Many of these items are on sale now and soon. Please stock up and share! MEEK distributes at least 75 food baskets at Christmas. If you can buy or store a frozen turkey, please call to advise - and receive details. Can you volunteer to help? Jan Wills - 621-3900 or Sally Green - 865-1125.

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. We can invite friends to accompany us to church - and take them out for brunch afterward!

TIME TO ACT - Decorative Poinsettias for Christmas are a visible ministry of beauty and love. Will you take up this ministry to the glory of God and to our spirits? To donate, please contact Laurie Phillips now, 865-2802 or email LBP@rochester.rr.com After Advent and Christmas, there are openings for flowers on Sundays upcoming.

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'. In this season, the lessons prepare our hearts for the coming of the Christ Child. There is 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! Someone recently made and ongoing United Way designation for R I J M. Many Thanks!

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"..

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, and hoping to see everyone next Sunday,

Dyson
D. Dyson Gay
585-317-4039

P.S. Here is a lovely video based on a hymn tune we will sing next Sunday: Savior of the Nations, Come

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqKpdIFX5LE

P.P.S. Please see below for this week's recipe - Amish Friendship Bread. Why not make two and share with a neighbor? There is great symbolism in this bread. The starter is the gift of life that keeps on giving. The bread is our work in the world of caring and sharing with others, and teaching them to do the same.
If you have a recipe you would like to share, please send it in!
*******************************
The Gospel for next Sunday is:
Matthew 1:18-25
1:18 Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.

1:19 Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly.

1:20 But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

1:21 She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."

1:22 All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:

1:23 "Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel," which means, "God is with us."

1:24 When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife,

1:25 but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.


*********************************
And, now, from the internet...

This is the Amish Friendship Bread that gets passed around from friend to friend. It

includes the recipe for the Amish Friendship Bread starter, and gives complete directions for how to make it once your starter is ready. When you pass the starter on to a friend, make sure they understand that they will need to follow the instructions beginning at day one then will use the Amish Friendship Bread Recipe (with the oil, eggs, vanilla, etc.) on Day 10.

Amish Friendship Bread is not just a delicious, it is also a way to bond friends by sharing countless loaves of bread baked in different kitchens that all began from the same bowl of simple ingredients. Choose a few friends and start this wonderful tradition, they will thank you for it!

Amish Friendship Bread Recipe

Day 1 - receive the starter (the recipe for the starter is below)

Day 2 - stir

Day 3 - stir

Day 4 - stir

Day 5 - Add 1 cup each flour, sugar and milk.

Day 6 - stir

Day 7 - stir

Day 8 - stir

Day 9 - stir

Day 10 - Add 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk. Divide into 4 containers, with 1 cup each for three of your friends and 1 cup for your own loaves. Give friends the instructions for Day 1 through Day 10 and the following recipe for baking the bread.

After removing the 3 cups of batter, combine the remaining cup of Amish Friendship Bread starter with the following ingredients in a large bowl:

2/3 cup oil
3 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 to 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda

Using a fork beat by hand until well blended. You can add 1 cup raisins and 1 cup nuts (optional).

Grease two loaf pans with butter, sprinkle with sugar instead of flour.

Bake at 325 degrees F for 45 minutes to 1 hour (individual oven temperatures vary). Cool 10 minutes, remove from pans. Makes two loaves of Amish Friendship Bread.

Amish Friendship Bread Starter

This is the Amish Friendship Bread Starter Recipe that you'll need to make the Amish Friendship Bread (above). It is very important to use plastic or wooden utensils and plastic or glass containers when making this. Do not use metal at all!

Ingredients:

1 pkg. active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (110°F)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
1 cup warm milk (110°F)

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water for about 10 minutes. Stir well.

2. In a 2 quart glass or plastic container, combine 1 cup sifted flour and 1 cup sugar. Mix thoroughly or the flour will get lumpy when you add the milk.

3. Slowly stir in warm milk and dissolved yeast mixture. Loosely cover the mixture with a lid or plastic wrap. The mixture will get bubbly. Consider this Day 1 of the cycle, or the day you receive the starter.

For the next 10 days handle starter according to the instructions above for Amish Friendship Bread.

Sermon, Sunday, December 12, 2010 Advent 3

“Waiting in the Dark”, A Sermon preached by The Rev. Canon Dr. C. Denise Yarbrough on Sunday, December 12, 2010 at Church of the Ascension, Rochester, New York

²When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples ³and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” ⁽Matt. 11:2-3)

Things don’t always work out the way you expect them to, do they? No matter how well prepared we might be, or how carefully we plan things, life has a way of taking unexpected turns and twists and plans once made, must be scrapped. People we thought would do good things for us don’t turn out to do what we expected, or dreams we had for someone or for ourselves don’t come about as we thought they might and we wake up one day and wonder, “how on earth did I get here?” John the Baptist knows that feeling of despair and frustration, when things aren’t going according to plan. John the Baptist, cousin of Jesus, born miraculously in his mother’s barren older age, destined by God to be a prophet and herald of God’s kingdom, sits in prison, alone, forsaken and nearing his death, wondering what on earth became of all the hopes and plans he had for himself and for Jesus. This John the Baptist is the one who leapt in his mother’s womb when Mary, Jesus’ mother approached Elizabeth during their joint pregnancies. This John the Baptist was the one who wandered all over the wilderness, proclaiming the coming of God’s kingdom, calling people to repent and be baptized. Scores of people streamed out to the desert to be baptized by him, including Jesus. On that memorable occasion, he even demurred, saying to Jesus that it was he, John, who should be baptized by Jesus, not the other way around. Then he baptized Jesus in the Jordan River and saw and heard the Holy Spirit descending upon Jesus, declaring him to be God’s beloved Son. Those were heady times.

John’s vision of God’s kingdom was one of the coming of God’s Messiah in great glory, a Messiah who would vanquish Israel’s foes and execute judgment on those who were not righteous. But what kind of a Messiah did John get? He got Jesus. This itinerant preacher, a carpenter by trade, who traveled around the countryside, healing, preaching, teaching, hanging out with questionable folks, and getting into trouble with religious authorities. Mind you, he did perform some miracles. He exorcised the Gerasene demoniac, healed Jairus’ daughter and Peter’s mother-in-law, gave the sermon on the mount, cured people who were ill, sometimes. But he, John, found himself in prison, and even Jesus’ miraculous work could not free him. Time was running out for John the Baptist. He sat in that dark, smelly cell, stripped of his ministry, his authority, his friends, unable to carry out his own vocation and waiting alone for what would be a tragic fate – decapitation at the hands of Herod’s wife. And in those long, lonely days of waiting in the dark, doubt crept in. As sure as John had been of Jesus once, he couldn’t sustain his faith in those long dark days of waiting.

He sends his disciples to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” Who knows what he was feeling when he asked that question. He who had once been so sure of Jesus, so close to him, so in awe of him and so ready to pave the way for him to come and save the world. Now, in his own darkest, loneliest hour he doubts the very identity of Jesus. What kind of Messiah is this? Are you the one who is to come?

I suspect most of us have had our John the Baptist moments of doubt. Times when we have wondered if God even exists, and if God does, why God has chosen to disappear from our lives and our world. Times when all our hopes and dreams for our family, or our career, or our church or community seem up in the air, topsy turvy or simply shattered. Are you the one who is to come?

The news is full of reports of these John the Baptist moments. Supporters of Barack Obama criticize him for not having lived up to their hopes and dreams for him when he was elected, resulting in internal strife within his own party, while those on the other side try to maximize their power and influence as he struggles to guide our country through a deep recession, a seemingly endless war in Afghanistan, squabbles about everything from health care reform to repeal of “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policies and controversial tax breaks for the wealthy and unemployment benefit extensions for the many people who are still jobless. Then there are all the ordinary life crises that change a family’s life overnight. Terminal illnesses, accidents that end a life prematurely or result in slow, painstaking rehabilitation, job loss and the attendant worry about increasingly scarce financial resources, relationships fractured or broken due to misunderstanding or substance abuse or violence. And for Ascension in these waning days of 2010, the uncertainty about your own future as a congregation, as the search for new leadership continues and you wonder who will be sent to you next to lead you in your ministries and minister to your needs. When we find ourselves locked in the prison of these defining and frightening moments, waiting in darkness for some ray of hope, we too may well ask, “Are you the one who is to come?”

Advent is a time of waiting, a time of darkness, a time of learning to attend patiently letting God do God’s work in God’s own time. We humans don’t deal well with God-time. We live linearly, we think linearly, and we want things to happen according to our schedule, in a time and manner that makes sense to us. But God rarely works that way. People die sooner than we think they should from disease or accident. But then some people don’t die soon enough, as many families who have watched over a suffering loved one in an ICU or hospice bed for weeks on end will often lament. Recovery from illness takes longer than we think is fair, and demands grueling and painful therapy. The road to such recovery is often fraught with setbacks and defeats, one small step forward, followed by many large steps backward. The unemployed go on interview after interview and absorb rejection after rejection, struggling to maintain a sense of groundedness and optimism as financial resources wane and it’s harder and harder to find the energy to sell themselves. One man interviewed on NPR recently reported having sent out over 1000 resumes in the past six months and being rejected by two hundred potential employers as he searches for new work. It’s easy to get discouraged, easy to wonder, “Is this it? Where is God in all of this anyway?” “Are you the one who is to come?”

How does Jesus answer the question of his cousin John? Not with a direct answer, in typical Jesus fashion. He says, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.” Now there’s an enigmatic line if ever there was one. Who takes no offense? The Greek word is skandalon, which is variously translated “does not stumble over”, “is not tripped up by”, “is not scandalized by”, “does not fall away because of.” Scholars generally believe the best translation is the one which says “is not tripped up by” me.

Jesus as one who trips people up? That’s a notion that we have a hard time accepting. However, given how radical Jesus’ gospel was, both to the first century culture in which he lived as well as to our own, it is not as unlikely as it sounds. Given that Jesus responds to John the Baptist’s question about his identity with this enigmatic statement, it is possible that he meant, “blessed are those who can see God at work in ways they didn’t think God would work.” In other words, blessed are those who can see God working in and through the most difficult of human situations in ways that seem peculiar to us. For the first century believers for whom Matthew’s gospel was written, those blessed people would have been those who could see a Messiah in a man who healed the sick and hung out with outcasts and sinners, rather than an earthly king taking over the society with power and might. Those who could look beyond their own narrow expectations and see God at work in Jesus’ ministry of healing and reconciliation and love were the true visionaries of their day.

We are just as challenged today to see God at work in unlikely places as were our first century forebears. In a society that has devolved into a culture of incivility, we see God at work when people are willing to open their hearts and minds to those with whom they differ, listening for how those different people might be messengers of truth in ways they had not considered. A willingness to reach across the aisle and befriend those who look or act or believe differently, may be where we find God at work in the world. Jesus tells John’s disciples to report to John that the blind see, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the lame walk. He calls their attention to works of love, healing and charity as the evidence John needs that God is at work in the world, despite apparent evidence to the contrary. In so doing, he also asks them to see God at work in a different manner than they expected God to work.

In this Advent season of waiting in the dark, Jesus’ directions to John’s disciples are words of wisdom for us. Where is healing happening in our world today? Who is doing the ministry of hospitality and welcome, feeding the hungry and housing the homeless? God is likely right there in those places. God is found wherever people reach out with compassion and mercy to bind up the broken hearted and bring good news to the poor. The challenge of Advent is to stay alert so that we do not miss God’s arrival by failing to recognize God in our midst. No, things don’t always work out as we planned. And the God we thought we wanted may not be the God we get, but the God we get is the God we need. Look for God in the unexpected places, when life forces a sudden turn upon you.

In the waning days of Advent the words of the prophet Isaiah ring across the ages, with new poignancy. For waters shall break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water…everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. That is the hope we embrace in Advent.

Update Advent II

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, December 6, 2010

Yesterday, Rev. Denise, Readers and the Choir offered a Service of Advent Lessons & Carols. Special thanks to John Allegar, Organist/Choir Director!

Next Sunday, Rev. Denise will preach again, Please visit this weekly feature to reflect on her words. It is much more fulfilling to hear them in person!

We mourn the loss of Peter Wills, who died on Friday, Dec. 3. A service to celebrate his life will be held in the Church on Wed., Dec 8 at 10 AM. For more information, please see: http://www.bartolomeo.com/Obituaries/Detail.aspx?oid=1374

As we prepare for the coming of Christ at Christmas, you may wish to be in church regularly; or if you are weighing whether to make God's community important in your life, to try attending for several Sundays in a row...You will find a warm greeting and become closer to God. Christmas Eve, Friday, Dec. 24, there will be a Musical Concert at 8:30 PM, with the Festal Eucharist at 9:00 PM

Please keep in your daily prayers all those in need of healing, and those who serve in our military forces. Kindly also pray for the Search Committee 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 MOST CORDIAL INVITATION ****
Next Sunday, Dec 12, after the 10 AM service, please bring family and friends to the
Annual Deck-the-Halls-Bring-a-Dish Christmas Party
If you haven't signed up, you may call 317-4039. We will celebrate with food and fun and fellowship.

As we share our blessings and break bread together at this party and throughout Advent, we remember those in less developed countries who are in need. Will you join hands in giving funds? The program is GIFTS FOR LIFE, through Episcopal Relief and Development. Your offering will be complemented by a matching gift from parish Mission Funds of up to $500. Make checks payable to Ascension, with "Gifts for Life" in the memo line. Here is a link to more information:
http://www.er-d.org/giftsforlife/

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.

Next year will be the 125th Anniversary of the founding and of the ministry of Ascension. In preparation, let us draw closer to God - and partake 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.

DON'T FORGET - The 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 memorable dinners upcoming.

Saturday. March 5th, 2011 SPAGHETTI DINNER
Saturday. April 30th, 2011 CHICKEN & BISCUIT DINNER
Friday. June 3rd, 2011 LOBSTER DINNER

PLEASE MAKE NOTE!!!

THIS IS BIG - FAMILIES IN OUR AREA OF THE CITY ARE DEPENDING ON US - as we plan our own holidays, let us remember those served by the MEEK food cupboard, by shopping ahead for our MEEK friends at Christmas - frozen turkeys, stuffing mixes, cranberry sauce, canned fruit, canned vegetables, jello, one-pound canned hams, cake mixes, coffee....Many of these items are on sale now and soon. Please stock up and share! MEEK distributes at least 75 food baskets at Christmas. If you can buy or store a frozen turkey, please call to advise - and receive details. Can you volunteer to help? Jan Wills - 621-3900 or Sally Green - 865-1125.

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. We can invite friends to accompany us to church - and take them out for brunch afterward!

Decorative Poinsettias for Christmas are a visible ministry of beauty and love. Will you take up this ministry to the glory of God and to our spirits? To donate, please contact Laurie Phillips now, 865-2802 or email LBP@rochester.rr.com After Advent and Christmas, there are openings for flowers on Sundays upcoming.

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'. In this season, the lessons prepare our hearts for the coming of the Christ Child. There is 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! Someone recently made and ongoing United Way designation for R I J M. Many Thanks!

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"..

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. Here is a video of a hymn we will sing next Sunday: Hark, a Thrilling Voice Is Sounding
http://il.youtube.com/watch?v=uL1POIPq8hs&feature=related

P.P.S. Please see below for this week's recipe - Easy Plum Pudding. Why not make two and share one with a neighbor?
If you have a recipe you would like to share, please send it in!
*******************************
The Gospel for next Sunday is:
Matthew 11:2-11
11:2 When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples

11:3 and said to him, "Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?"

11:4 Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John what you hear and see:

11:5 the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them.

11:6 And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me."

11:7 As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind?

11:8 What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces.

11:9 What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.

11:10 This is the one about whom it is written, 'See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.'

11:11 Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he..


.
*********************************
And, now,

Easy Plum Pudding [Ho Ho Ho!]

Ingredients

• Pudding
• 1 cup milk
• 3 cups soft bread crumbs, (5 slices bread)
• 1/2 cup shortening, melted or canola oil to minimize sat fat
  
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup currents
• 1/2 cup finely chopped candied citron
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 cup cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
• 
  
• Amber Sauce
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine
• 1/2 cup half-and-half
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1 cup packed brown sugar or granulated sugar
• Fresh berries and orange peel for garnish

Directions

1. Generously grease bottom and side of 4-cup heatproof mold. In large bowl, pour milk over bread crumbs. Stir in shortening/oil and molasses until well mixed. Stir in remaining pudding ingredients until well blended. Pour into mold. Cover with foil.
2. Place mold on rack in Dutch oven. Pour in boiling water up to level of rack. Cover and heat to boiling. Keep water boiling over low heat about 3 hours or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. (If adding water during steaming is necessary, uncover and quickly add boiling water.)
3. In 1 1/2-quart saucepan, mix all sauce ingredients. Cook over low heat 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Unmold pudding; cut into slices. Serve warm with sauce. Garnish with fresh berries and orange peel.

Sermon, Sunday, December 5, 2010 - Advent 2

“Hearts prepared for God”, A Sermon preached by The Rev. Canon Dr. C. Denise Yarbrough on Sunday, December 5, 2010 at Church of the Ascension, Rochester, New York

“Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven has come near. … The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.’” (Matthew 3:1-3)

If you stumbled into church this morning distracted and thinking of myriad things unchurchly, our gospel lesson should have reminded you that we are into Advent now, and today we get our yearly dose of wild and wooly John the Baptist. Advent is the season of preparation for the coming of God into the world and every year we are treated to John the Baptist’s strident and emphatic wilderness preaching in which he sounds like a televangelist or one of those religious fanatics you see standing on city street corners with signs calling you to repent or burn in hell. Needless to say, John the Baptist is not a character to whom one warms up easily. I doubt any of us would be thrilled if he wandered into our church on a Sunday morning and even less so if he stood in the pulpit and shouted at us, calling us a “brood of vipers!” Unfortunately, much of his tirade was directed at people just like us, so, like it or not, we need to try to get a handle on what he’s about. As we all know, John the Baptist was the forerunner to Jesus. He warmed folks up so that Jesus could come along and move in for the spiritual kill so to speak. He was sufficiently popular in his day, and had a large enough following that when the gospels were written you’ll notice the gospel writers took pains to make it clear that Jesus was the one who really counted, and John was merely a messenger.

Part of what makes John’s message hard to hear is the “churchy” language he uses and the way that language has been used and misused throughout two thousand years of Christian teaching and preaching. Those words “repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near” and “bear fruits worthy of repentance” sound almost banal and certainly tired and worn. For us Episcopalians and other mainline Christians they bring to mind a caricature of the “fire and brimstone” kind of Christian preaching that we tend to dismiss. What is too bad about that is that John the Baptist spoke a profound truth about people and their relationship to God, their faith tradition and religious life that we modern, liberal Christians are apt to ignore because his delivery isn’t our style! If we look beyond the “churchy” language and reframe it into language and images that make more sense to our world, we’ll find ourselves every bit as much on the hot seat as were those Judeans and Pharisees and Sadducees who flocked to the banks of the Jordan river to hear John preach.

John was all riled up because he observed all those good Judean citizens, the merchants, teachers, farmers, housewives and schoolchildren living their lives as if God didn’t really matter, as if the word of God that they had received in the Torah, the God who appeared as a burning bush to Moses and a pillar of fire to the wandering Israelites was a comfortable and respectable piece of their lives, but not the central focus nor an important component of their personal identity. “Do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our ancestor’; for God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham.” In other words, don’t rest on your laurels as Jews. Just because you were born Jewish and have attended the synagogue fairly regularly does not mean you are living in relationship with God in the way God is calling you to do. If you say you are a child of Abraham, show it by how you live your life.

The word “repent” in Greek is metanoia, which means to change your mind or to turn around, to go another direction. It calls people to a real change in the way they live, a re-orientation of their lives so that God is the central focus, not this world, not their career or their family, or their house or some other worldly concern. When John talks about the baptism of fire and the Holy Spirit that Jesus would bring he is pointing to a time when he hoped that people would be passionate about God, when they would have energy for God. When people enter into that passionate relationship with God, when they really care about God then they care about what God cares about. And then the kingdom of heaven becomes reality. The kingdom is near, says John. Near, but not here.

I’m involved in Hindu Christian dialogues here in Rochester and in preparation for our session tomorrow night was reviewing an interview between a Hindu guru, Swami Tathagatananda, with Harvard scholar and author Diana Eck, in light of the words of John the Baptist. He said,

This is the temple that counts, [pointing to his heart]. They say people in America are very religious, meaning they frequent churches or synagogues or temples. They have an altar at home with a cross or a picture of Kali. That is that. But nothing changes in their lives. But I tell you, it is not what you do or know in your head that matters. Finally, it is whether your heart is transformed, whether your life is transformed. That is the only thing that matters. (Diana Eck, A New Religious America, p. 103)

Transformation of the heart is what mattered to John the Baptist too. It’s what mattered to Jesus. It’s really what we mean when we talk of the kingdom of heaven or the kingdom of God. It’s what John the Baptist meant when he called those folks on the river bank to repent and to “bear fruit worthy of repentance.” He was really challenging them to show forth in their lives what they said with their lips about their religious faith and their commitment to God. What he calls for is much more than a mumbled “I’m sorry” for certain misdeeds or bad thoughts. The swami’s words, “Nothing changes in their lives” rings all too true for lots of modern Christians. Think about it. What has changed in your life because of your commitment to Christ? What would be different if you decided not to practice your faith anymore?

One thing that I have come to understand as I have studied other world religions, particularly as they are lived out in this country today, is that people who identify themselves as Muslim or Jewish or Buddhist or Hindu in this society strongly identify with that religious identity. It is an important piece of who they are and of their sense of their own and their family’s identity. Mosques, temples and synagogues have considerably less difficulty meeting their budgets than do mainline Protestant churches today because the folks who join those religious organizations feel a strong connection to them as central and important to their identities. Being a Muslim, being a Jew, or Hindu matters and so they support the mosque or temple or synagogue with their financial resources so that it will continue to be there. The sad reality for mainline Christianity is that being a Christian or an Episcopal or Methodist or Presbyterian Christian is not really an important or central piece of the sense of identity of most folks who consider themselves “members” of such churches. They identify more strongly with family, or profession or socio-economic status than with their religious faith. How far we have come from the ideal that John the Baptist was calling for so long ago on that Jordan riverbank!

Perhaps this Advent we will take the time to listen to crazy ol’ John the Baptist. Crazy as he seems, he knows something about us that we are too ready to forget. We are hardwired for relationship to God, we humans yearn for the divine. From time immemorial, in remote African villages and soaring European cathedrals, on the banks of the Jordan river and the banks of the River Ganges, human beings have turned themselves toward the divine with longing and expectation and hope. My favorite preacher, Fred Craddock in his sermon on John the Baptist says:

You know what the moment of truth is. We all want it; we don’t want it. … You don’t have to be down and out – that’s a mistake many of the churches make. They think you can minister to people only when they’re down and out, got a crisis, family falling apart, got fired, on drugs, this and that, and in swoops the church. “Can I help you?” Look the people who are up walking around and doing great, they have the same need. That’s not the difference. We don’t wait till somebody’s down and out circling like a vulture. “One of these days you’ll go down, and then we can help you.” And finally there you are up over a little general store, in one room, 15-watt bulb swinging overhead, and you’re on a bare mattress, cigarette butts floating in ….stale beer, and then we come and say, “You need the Lord.” That’s what the person needed before.

That moment of truth that John the Baptist delivers is the reminder that we all need God, we are programmed to reach for God and when we make the effort to do so our hearts may well be transformed. In this season of Advent we read and sing and pray about longing and expectation and hope, looking ahead to the story of the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. The important birth that we all truly await is the birth of God in our own hearts. Our lectionary readings today speak eloquently of human hope for a time when “the wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid,” when “they will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain.” John calls us to prepare the way of the Lord, to make his paths straight. He calls us to turn around to open our hearts to significant transformation, to become a people for whom our identity as Christians, as people of God is the most important aspect of our personal identity. Quite simply, he wants God to matter to us, to be important enough to influence how we live our lives, the choices we make, how we spend our money, how we raise our children, how we govern ourselves. Let us heed the words of hymn 76 as we move toward Christmas, “let each heart prepare a home where such a mighty guest may come.”

Advent I

WE WELCOME ALL VISITORS AND SEEKERS OF GOD.
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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, November 29, 2010

Yesterday, Rev. Denise preached on Punching Holes in the Darkness, which can found on this link: http://ascensionroch.blogspot.com/ Please visit this weekly feature to reflect on her words. But it is so much more fulfilling to hear them in person! Please make it a point 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...You will find a warm greeting and become closer to God.

Please keep in your daily prayers all those in need of healing, and those who serve in our military forces. Kindly also pray for the Search Committee 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].

CHRISTIAN ED - LAST CALL - this Tuesday Noon Rev. Denise will lead the final session of the education series, Introduction to Islam, in the Library. Call the Office 458-5423 to reserve an outline - and please bring a bag lunch, to be fed in mind, spirit and body.

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A MOST CORDIAL INVITATION.
..
Next Sunday, December 5, the Choir, under the direction of John Allegar, Organist-Choir Director, will offer Advent Lessons and Carols at the 10 AM service. Please let this annual treat, full of of expectation and prophecy, fill your soul next Sunday morning, as we all await the coming of the Christ Child.
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The Ascension Women's Group annual Christmas Luncheon will be December 9 at Rick's Prime Rib House. Details available from Jan Wills - 621-3900. Spouses and guests welcome. Reservations are needed by Dec 2.

AND ANOTHER INVITATION - The following Sunday, Dec 12, after the 10 AM service, please bring yourself and family and friends to the Annual Deck-the-Halls-Bring-a-Dish Christmas Party! Sign up in the back of the church next Sunday, or call 317-4039. We will celebrate with food and fun and fellowship.
As we share our blessings and break bread together at this party, we remember those in less developed countries who are in need. Will you join hands with the Vestry in giving funds for a farm animal or other needed investment in the future of a community? The program is GIFTS FOR LIFE, through Episcopal Relief and Development. Your offering will be matched a matching Vestry gift from parish Mission Funds of up to $500. Working together, we can make a difference. Here is a link to more information:
http://www.er-d.org/giftsforlife/

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.

Next year will be the 125th Anniversary of the founding and of the ministry of Ascension. In preparation, let us draw closer to God - and partake 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.

The 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 memorable dinners and other parties upcoming.

Sunday. December 12th, 2010 CHRISTMAS PARTY after the 10 AM service - see above, too
Saturday. March 5th, 2011 SPAGHETTI DINNER
Saturday. April 30th, 2011 CHICKEN & BISCUIT DINNER
Friday. June 3rd, 2011 LOBSTER DINNER

PLEASE MAKE NOTE!!!

FAMILIES IN OUR AREA OF THE CITY ARE DEPENDING ON US --- as we plan our own holidays, let us remember and support all those served by the MEEK food cupboard, by shopping ahead for our MEEK friends at Christmas - frozen turkeys, stuffing mixes, cranberry sauce, canned fruit, canned vegetables, jello, one-pound canned hams, cake mixes, coffee....Many of these items are on sale now and soon. Please stock up and share! MEEK distributes at least 75 food baskets at Christmas. If you can buy or store a frozen turkey, please call to advise - and receive details. Can you volunteer to help? Jan Wills - 621-3900 or Sally Green - 865-1125.

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. We can invite friends to accompany us to church - and take them out for brunch afterward!

Decorative Poinsettias for Christmas are a visible ministry of beauty and love. 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 After Advent and Christmas, there are openings for flowers on Sundays upcoming.

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'. In this season, the lessons prepare our hearts for the coming of the Christ Child. There is 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! Someone recently made and ongoing United Way designation for R I J M. Many Thanks!

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"..

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. Here is a video of the hymn Lo, He Comes, With Clouds Descending. We will sing these words next Sunday to a different tune:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08cGl44SWGM

P.P.S. Please see below for this week's recipe - an easy Crockpot Chicken Supreme. Why not make two and share one with a neighbor?
If you have a recipe you would like to share, please send it in!
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The Gospel regularly appointed for next Sunday is:
Matthew 3:1-12
3:1 In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming,

3:2 "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near."

3:3 This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said, "The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.'"

3:4 Now John wore clothing of camel's hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.

3:5 Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan,

3:6 and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

3:7 But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

3:8 Bear fruit worthy of repentance.

3:9 Do not presume to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our ancestor'; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham.

3:10 Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

3:11 "I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

3:12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."


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And, now,

CROCKPOT CHICKEN SUPREME

Ingredients

4-6		chicken	breast halves, boneless, skinless, washed and dried
2	tablespoons	butter	or margarine, melted [or olive oil]
10 3/4	ounces	soup, cream of chicken	condensed [OK, old-fashioned, but tasty!]
1/2	cup	sherry	dry or medium
1	teaspoon	tarragon	or rosemary
1	teaspoon	worcestershire sauce
1/4	teaspoon	garlic powder
4	ounces	mushrooms, canned	can, sliced, drained

Directions

Rinse chicken breasts and pat dry; place in crockpot. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over chicken breasts. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours or on HIGH 4 to 5 hours.

Makes 4 to 6 servings. Serve over rice - brown, wild, white or combination.

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HAVE A WONDERFUL AND BLESSED WEEK!