Ascension’s Mission Statement
“DISCIPLES OF CHRIST CALLED TO SERVE NEIGHBORS NEAR AND FAR”
The Sunday Journal
Greetings and a warm welcome to all. Today is a very special day in the life of our Parish as we celebrate another year of activity at our Annual Meeting and luncheon immediately following the 10:30 worship. We say hello to our new Vestry members and we also recognize the long and faithful service of Peter Cooke as our Parish Treasurer. He has served us well for ten years and we appreciate all that he has done for us as in that role. At the luncheon, we will unveil the next steps in the Healthy Church Initiative. Please make every effort to attend this vital meeting and let us break bread together once again over a delicious lunch. This Parish needs your support now as we build for the future. So many of you have served it well for many years and have made it strong. We are now at a critical turning point and your continued ministries and support are vital to the life and growth of our Parish. Your involvement is deeply appreciated and honored in countless ways.
Today we also celebrate the second Sunday of Advent. In the place of a psalm, our lectionary assignments include a Canticle. It is rare that we sing a Canticle in place of a psalm, but this opportunity in worship allows us to expand our horizons in the liturgy and to realize another way to praise and honor God. The Canticle is the Song of Zechariah and it provides a wonderful connection with our Gospel reading from Luke, that focuses on John the Baptist, the son of Zechariah. He is believed to have been Jesus' cousin on his mother Mary's side of the family. Luke continues, along with the other readings for today, to point to the coming of Jesus, and thereby reinforces our Advent theme of waiting, preparation, and expectation. We also continue the Advent focus with verses three and four of O Come, O Come Emmanuel as our sequence hymn.
I commend to you our Collect for the Day with these words,"...that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer;..."
Shalom,
Deedie+