Church of the Ascension

Ascension Office

God’s Beloved Son is baptized and everyone is invited!

The Story
January 12, 2020
Baptism of Jesus

Matthew 3:13-17

Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, ‘I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?’ But Jesus answered him, ‘Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfil all righteousness.’ Then he consented. 

And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.’

Something to Do

Remember your (or a loved one’s) baptism

Perhaps in addition to your regular mealtime grace, light a candle in remembrance of the candle you received at baptism (bonus points if you have an actual baptismal candle in the house) and offer this prayer from the baptismal service:

Loving God,
we thank you that by water and the Holy Spirit you have bestowed upon me your servant the forgiveness of sin, and have raised me to the new life of grace. Sustain me, O God, in your Holy Spirit. Give me an inquiring and discerning heart, the courage to will and to persevere, a spirit to know and to love you, and the gift of joy and wonder in all your works. Amen.

The Spirit of God descending like a dove

In our baptism, we are joined with Christ and included in his relationship with God. Make an origami dove as a sign of the Spirit’s presence, alighting on you and revealing you to be God’s beloved child.

Instructions with diagrams or with video

Something to Wonder

Who saw what?

The different Gospel accounts describe the baptism of Jesus slightly differently. Matthew’s account strongly suggests only Jesus saw the Spirit while John’s is clear that other people saw it as well. Mark and Luke are less clear on the question.

What do you imagine happened?
What are the different implications of the different possibilities – of a private versus public revelation?
If you were Jesus, which would you have preferred?

This is my son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased

This is a profoundly beautiful expression of love and it describes not only God’s relationship to Jesus but also God’s relationship to each of us. Sit in silence for a number of minutes (1? 5? 10?) and softly repeat to yourself “I am God’s Beloved, with whom God is well pleased”. Don’t think too much about it. Just let yourself feel it.

You are my beloved, with whom I am well pleased

Who might you say this to? Do it.

Something to Learn

Mikveh – The Jewish practice of immersion

The baptism practiced by John was part of a long and broad Jewish tradition of immersion in water that continues to this day. There are certainly resonances with some of our Christian understandings of baptism but the two are also quite different.

My Jewish Learning offers this essay: What is a Mikveh? Whether you’re dunking for conversion or for any other reason, here’s what to expect at the ritual bath.

Eastern Orthodox Epiphany

Western and Eastern Christianity’s Christmas/Epiphany celebrations are offset from one another in interesting ways. For one, the Feast of the Epiphany, when we celebrated the arrival of the magi, is when Orthodox Christians celebrate the baptism of Jesus and they call it the Theophany. Both celebrations focus on the physical revelation of God in the person of Jesus and are part of a season in which God making Godself known in the world is celebrated.

Theophany is marked with special ceremonies for blessing water in various forms – some of which is taken to people’s homes and used to bless those as well.

Read more here:
Theophany Icon Explained on the website, Orthodox Road.
Feast of the Theophany of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on the website of the Orthodox Church in America
Theophany on Orthowiki

Something to Pray

Holy God, we do not always understand your word or your ways. 
Give us wisdom and imagination and courage as we learn and grow. 

The story this week has made me wonder about…
         (what questions are still on your heart?)
Receive my questions and help me hear your answers.

The story this week has filled me with…
         (how are you feeling?)
Accept my praise, heal my hurt, ease my worry.

The story this week has reminded me of…
         (are there situations or people you are thinking of?)
Be with all who are in need of you.

In Jesus’ name, we pray.
Amen.

Epiphany – January 5, 2020

… he was in the world, and the world came into being through him;
yet the world did not know him …
John 1:(1-9) 10-18
The Rev’d Rhonda Waters

Chalking the Doors – an Epiphany Home Blessing

The Church Times explains the tradition of chalking the doors this way:

The blessing and distribution of chalks with which houses are marked with a special logo commemorating the visit of the Magi is a Catholic custom that seems to have originated in and spread from Central Europe at the end of the Middle Ages.

On or near the feast of the Epiphany, and conveniently close to the begining of a New Year, the tradition has been to ask God’s blessing on homes and mark the door post or lintel with chalks that have been blessed for that purpose. The doors are chalked with the legendary names or initials of the three Magi, and the numerals of the New Year, connected with a series of crosses. The initials C, M, and B commemorate the Magi, Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar, but also stand for the Latin prayer-request Christus Mansionem Benedicat: “May Christ bless this house.”

Marking our doors is a visible sign of our desire to make our homes places of welcome and sanctuary and of our faith that God is present with us, at home and wherever we go.

This Sunday, we will bless chalk to mark the door of our church and to distribute, along with a copy of the prayer, so you can mark your own doors. If you are unable to join us, use chalk blessed simply because it is part of God’s good creation and the prayer below:

Standing on your doorstep

The Lord be with you (or, if alone) In the name of the Holy Trinity:
And also with you

The wise ones followed God’s star to Bethlehem, seeking the saviour.
I will follow the star.
They found Jesus in Bethlehem and knew they had found the one they were seeking. 
I will seek to recognize Jesus.
They fell down and worshipped him, offering him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
I will offer our gifts to the Lord.

The door is marked 20+C+M+B+20 while you say:

Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar followed the star of God’s son who became human two thousand and twenty years ago.  May Christ bless this home and each person who lives or visits here.

Holy God, watch over my/our going out and my/our coming in throughout this year.  Fill me/us with the light of Christ that I/we may grow in love, in wisdom, and in faith.  Amen.

Epiphany at Ascension

Celebrate
God-with-us

January 5 at 10am
Feast of the Epiphany
Blessing of the Chalk for 2019’s home blessings and the Arrival of the Magi

Sundays, January 12 – February 2
Epiphany Stories
In place of a sermon this season, members of the congregation will offer their own stories of God at work in their lives. Come be inspired to see God at work in yours!

Mary’s Story: Part Five

The Birth of Jesus

by Rhonda Waters

There once was a young woman named Mary.  We don’t know much about her except that she was engaged to marry a man named Joseph and she lived in a town called Nazareth.  Then, one day, something extraordinary happened to Mary.  Do you remember what happened? (Read Part One)

After she was pregnant, Mary went to visit her cousin Elizabeth who was also having a baby.  Do you remember what happened? (Read Part Two)

When the baby was almost ready to be born, Mary and Joseph got some news.  Do you remember what they had to do? (Read Part Three)

Well, after that long, long walk – probably at least a whole week long – Mary and Joseph arrived in Bethlehem.  But even when they finally arrived in Bethelehm, their problems weren’t over.  Do you remember what happened? (Read Part Four)

That’s right – in the barn!  But it was warm and quiet which was what Mary needed because she had very difficult, very important work to do.  This is that story:

______

Mary:
I was so glad to be off my feet, even if all I had to sit on was a pile of hay.  Joseph got some blankets from the innkeeper and I was actually quite comfortable – but that didn’t last.  

Joseph:
It’s a good thing we found that helpful innkeeper when we did!  I barely had time to fetch the blankets when the pains hit Mary.  Her face went kind of white.  My face went kind of white.  I rushed back to the inn to see if one of the women there could come and help.

Choir: Do not, do not, do not be afraid.  Do not, do not, do not be afraid.

Joseph:
Things probably weren’t really that bad.  We were just tired.  And Mary kept insisting that the baby was on its way.  Her back hurt in a new way, apparently?  If it hadn’t been for that, we’d have been fine just squeezing into someone’s back room with the whole crowd.  But Mary needed more space.  And no one wanted to have front row seats at a stranger’s birthing bed.  So we kept looking.

Mary:
I had seen my mother give birth – and heard her, too.  So I knew it wasn’t easy.  But there’s knowing and then there’s knowing.  I was so grateful to the women who came to help, bringing water and towels and – most importantly, calm.  Of course, they had no idea that this birth was anything unusual.  But I knew.  I knew my baby was a miracle baby – even more than every other baby. I remembered the angel.  I thought of Elizabeth and her sweet little boy.  I gave thanks for Joseph and his faith in me, in us.

And then all the thinking stopped.  It felt like the whole universe was holding its breath; like my body was the only thing, the only place that mattered.  I remember the woman telling me to push.  And then, he was here.  My sweet, little Jesus.

Joseph:           
I stood outside under the stars and waited.  It felt like forever.  And then I heard him cry and the universe stood still – until the woman came to tell me I could go in to Mary…and to Jesus.

He was in Mary’s arms and they looked so beautiful, so perfect.  “He has your nose”, the woman said to me.  Mary and I looked at each other, across the head of our little miracle baby, and laughed.

Mary:
I wrapped my little boy up, nice and warm, and, once he fell asleep, laid him in the cows’ feeding trough.  Joseph had cleaned it all out and put fresh straw in it – it was a strange first bed but something about it seemed just right.

And then Joseph and I just sat there and stared at our little miracle baby.

Away in a Manger

______

Meanwhile, on the hills outside Bethlehem, shepherds were watching their sheep – just like they did every night.  

They had no idea that this was a special night.  The sheep just kept on sleeping.  The shepherds just kept on watching and chatting with each other.

But then, all of a sudden, an angel appeared!  The shepherds let out a shout of surprise and the sheep all woke up!

Angel: Do not be afraid, said the angel.  

Choir: Do not, do not, do not be afraid.  Do not, do not, do not be afraid.

I have wonderful, happy news for you!  A very special baby has just been born in Bethlehem – this baby is the Messiah, the one God has sent to be the saviour of all.  He’s all wrapped up, nice and warm, and laying in a manger.

And before the shepherds could say anything, a whole crowd of angels appeared and they all started singing: “Glory to God in heaven and peace to all on earth!”

Hark the Herald Angels Sing!

The shepherds decided to go see the baby so off they went to Bethlehem.

They found baby Jesus just as the angels had described.  Very quietly, so they wouldn’t wake the baby, the shepherds told Mary and Joseph all about the angels – and also, of course, about how perfectly adorable baby Jesus was.

And that is the end of the story of the birth of Jesus.  
I wonder which part is your favourite?
I wonder if you can remember the story so you can tell it to someone else.
In fact, I hope you share the good news with lots of people tonight, tomorrow, and every day after that!  

Jesus Christ is born!

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