What does mysticism really mean? It means the way to attain knowledge. It's close to philosophy, except in philosophy you go horizontally while in mysticism you go vertically. - Elie Wiesel One of the Lenten offerings at Ascension this year is Atheism for Lent. Many have participated in the readings and reflections, as well as our sessions each Wednesday evening. It seeks intellectual enrichment and paradigm-shifting and offers personal transformation. During the first week, we heard various philosophical rationales for the existence of God. In the second week, we heard critiques of these rat ..read more

Blessings ..read more

The Annual Parish Meeting, which takes place this Sunday, January 28th, at 9:00 a.m., is a great opportunity for every member to participate in our church's leadership. The meeting has three main aspects:   We will elect members to the new Vestry and will also elect members as delegates to the Diocesan Convention. The Vestry works in tandem with the clergy to provide ongoing leadership. The members review business decisions and practices and support the ministry of the parish. Similarly, the convention delegates represent Ascension at the annual Diocesan gathering, which is reminiscent o ..read more

In the course of their Christian development, those baptized . . . are expected . . . to make a mature public affirmation of their faith and commitment to the responsibilities of their Baptism and to receive the laying on of hands by the bishop.  - Book of Common Prayer (page 412) The sacrament of Confirmation is an important rite in our church. Not only does it create an opportunity for a profession of faith, but it also connects us with the broader church since it requires a Bishop. Rightly, confirmation pairs with reception and reaffirmation. This bears some explanation, more than we ..read more

The Episcopal Church Foundation (ECF) is an independent, lay-led, and inclusive organization that helps build, vitalize, and transform Episcopal faith communities, focusing on formation, finance, and resources.  They offer a weekly email with tips and creative ministry ideas. I thought this week’s idea was excellent, so I’m sharing it below: Make good use of the Christmas cards you’ve received.  When I store the decorations for another year, I’m always faced with a dilemma: What should I do with the Christmas cards? It’s the one time of year that folks send a snail mail card, and ev ..read more

And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth. - John 1:14   As many of you know, the church follows a lectionary, which contains predetermined readings for each Sunday and feasts, such as Christmas. The Sunday lectionary is a three-year cycle, focusing in turn on Matthew, Mark, and Luke with the Gospel of John interspersed throughout.  Some feast days have the same readings for all three years, such as Ash Wednesday. Other seasons feature a similar story from each Gospel, such as a John the Bap ..read more

Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. - Romans 15:7 Christmas is a time full of traditions at home and within the community. Seeing members and guests gather for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at Ascension is a great joy. Our collective welcome is part of sharing God’s love as the Body of Christ. For several reasons, knowing whether someone is a visitor or a member can be challenging. Creating a welcoming experience for all is a way we practice evangelism. St. Benedict took Paul's letter to the Romans (above 15:7) further when he wrote, "Let a ..read more

Throughout my life, I have done my best to cultivate good habits. While many are part of my weekly routine, only a few select habits occur daily. Prayer is one daily habit that I am particularly deliberate about. While on sabbatical, I prioritized the practice of prayer further, allowing myself more time to be unhurried and to explore more variations.   Most days I sat to read the Daily Office from a prayer book my parents gave me when I was ordained to the diaconate. It is similar in style to those I observed them using while growing up, and it provided a certain nostalgia as well as an ..read more

by Carle Howell We all have had our “burning bush” moments where God has appeared to us. Many have recognized His calling and, like Moses, looked for the why; others have acted upon the calling. Others have unconsciously passed by the “burning bush” and moved on with their lives. And most of us have lived all three “burning bush” moments, much as we live the four stages of the seeds. Ascension has been “Called to be a Blessing” in all the years I have been a member. We embrace genuine love and do not hold fast to what has been good, as Paul tells us in Romans. We strive to be a blessing to al ..read more

By Robert Orton Today’s Old Testament reading from Exodus chronicles the time the Jews turned away from God, cast a golden calf, and made sacrifices to it. Moses had to advocate for the people of God to prevent a catastrophic calamity. I identify with the people who became confused by the bright shiny object in the absence of Moses. My own shiny object was science, and it dazzled me for most of my life. I grew up a liberal in the very conservative West Texas town of Odessa. I attended St John’s Episcopal Church up until the age of 13, when I felt I was too grown up for such religious nonsense ..read more