NOTICE REGARDING THE CORVID-19 VIRUS


TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OF PUBLIC WORSHIP SERVICES

including all Holy Week events and liturgies

IN ANGLICAN CHURCHES IN THE DIOCESE OF HURON

 

All public worship services in Anglican churches in the Diocese of Huron, including The Church of the Ascension, have been suspended due to the situation with the spread of COVID-19.

 

Watch this space for updates as they occur.


Watch The Reverend Canon Lance Smith, Rector at The Church of The Ascension - video messages:

  • March 29th video "Reflection with Canon Lance Smith" may be viewed by clicking HERE (~ 28 minutes; produced by YourTV Windsor, COGECO) 

  • March 21st video "This Week's Reflection" may be viewed by clicking HERE (~ 17 minutes) 


View the Right Reverend Todd Townshend, Bishop of Huron's messages:

  • March 29th video may be viewed by clicking HERE (~ 6-1/2 minutes)

      - Bishop Townshend and the Honorary Secretaries of Synod announce that the Synod planned for May 24-26, 2020 has been postponed

         until the fall.  More details to follow

    - resources for "Easter at Home" will be emailed and mailed - coming soon

  • March 24th update letter may be viewed by clicking HERE: "...fasting from the Eucharist but feasting on the Word"

       - the reflection on eucharistic fasting that Bishop Townshend update refers to, by Dr. Eileen Scully, Director of Faith Worship and Ministry, Anglican Church of Canada, may be found HERE

  • March 21st video may be viewed by clicking HERE (~ 11 minutes)

  • March 14th video may be viewed by clicking HERE (~ 11 minutes)

  • the resources Bishop Townshend recommended may be found at the Anglican Church of Canada's website; click HERE
  • daily readings are from the Anglican Church of Canada’s adaptation of the Revised Common Lectionary (Book of Alternative Services) may be found by clicking HERE   Note that by clicking the blue box to the right of the screen you can switch to the Book of Common Prayer. Put the correct date in the "show new date" box to obtain the current day's readings
  • The Disciples Prayer Book may be found by clicking HERE
  • Check out this website's 'Resources' page for links to many more resources


Read the Right Reverend Todd Townshend, Bishop of Huron's letter by clicking HERE (March 13, 2020)


Read The Most Reverend Anne Germond, Metropolitan of the Ecclesiastical Province of Ontario's letter by clicking HERE (March 13, 2020)


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Please remember to continue your financial giving even though we aren't currently worshipping in person - church expenses continue despite the coronavirus. 


Quite a number of parishioners already give their tithes and offerings via pre-authorized giving (PAG), which is appreciated and much needed during this challenging time.  If you already contribute by PAG and wish to increase your offering, then please complete this PAG CHANGE FORM and mail it to the church.


If you don’t already give by pre-authorized payment you may start doing so:


If you don't wish to give by pre-authorized payment then consider simply mailing your offering cheque to the church at the address shown at the bottom of this page.


 


Sunday, March 29th

Fifth Sunday of Lent


Today’s Readings have some spectacular scenes. Often we are so taken in by the details of such scenes that we fail to step back and comprehend their meaning.  So take a moment to relax and reflect upon the message of these readings.


The First Reading is from the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel (37:1-14).  At the time of this story, the people of Israel are captives in Babylon, languishing as if they were "dry bones in the desert."  Through this vision of the dry bones, God tells the Prophet to announce that He will in time restore the exiled people of Judah. This will not be a return to their former status and shame under the Monarchy, but to a new life governed not by kings and princes but by the Holy Spirit dwelling within them.  So, when you feel "down" or depressed,call on the Holy Spirit.  He is within all who are baptized and waiting for our call.


The Responsorial Psalm (130) is one of the seven penitential Psalms used in various liturgies.  In it, the psalmist begs for God's mercy and forgiveness of his sins.  At the same time, this is an instruction to all the People of God to wait patiently in hope for the Lord's redemption.


The Second Reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Romans (8:6-11).  Paul gives the Romans and all of us an updated teaching similar to that of the Prophet Ezekiel above.  "Updated" because this writing comes from a time after Christ's Resurrection and the Holy Spirit has been poured out on all mankind to guide us back to the Father.  If we do not have the Spirit dwelling within us, we will be like those "dry bones in the desert."  So "ask and you shall receive!"


The Gospel Reading is from the Gospel of John (11:1-45).  Here we have an extensive teaching by Jesus but it is buried in a long story, one that everyone has heard many times. We are all captivated by the spectacular story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead and rightly so. However, this is not the essence of this Gospel message.  The real message is Jesus' statement, "I am the resurrection and the life,” etc.  Through this story and His statement, Jesus is telling all mankind that He is in control of both physical and spiritual life and we only need to have His Holy Spirit dwelling within us, guiding us, to partake of His resurrection.  "Do you believe this?"  Can you respond with the same answer as Martha did?


Throughout the season of Lent we have several vivid stories in the Gospel of John depicting the Gift of Eternal Life through our belief in Jesus: Rebirth in the story of Nicodemus (John 3), Living Water in the story of the Samaritan Woman (John 4), Life Giving Word in the cure of the Centurion's son (John 5), and, most of all, the Bread of Life in (John 6).  So, if you missed the point of any of these readings, now would be a good time to go back and get acquainted with the real message behind the story.  Something to think about during your prayer time this week!


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The purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer for Easter through prayer, doing penance, mortifying the flesh, repentance of sins, almsgiving, and self-denial


                                                                                      Questions to Ponder During Lent

  1. If you had to bet everything you have on whether there is a God or whether there isn't, which side would bet your money and why?

  2. When you look at your face in the mirror, what do you see in it that you most like and what do you see in it that you most deplore?

  3. If you had only one last message to leave to the handful of people who are most important to you, what would it be in twenty-five words or less?

  4. Of all the things you have done in your life, which is the one you would most like to undo? Which is the one that makes you happiest to remember?

  5. Is there any person in the world, or any cause, that, if circumstances called for it, you would be willing to die for?

  6. If this were the last day of your life, what would you do with it?

 


Scripture, Tradition, Reason

We recognize the importance of tradition and reason in seeking to understand what it is that Scripture is saying.

We do not put reason or tradition over Scripture.  It is the ultimate authority.