Church of the Ascension

The Story at Home—Engage with Sunday’s readings all week long

Holy Wisdom – and good-bye (for now)

Trinity Sunday
June 12, 2022

This week’s Story at Home marks my last for an unknown length of time. Writing these weekly reflections has been a joy and a help to me and, I hope that, at least on occasion, they have been a joy and a help to you as well.

The Story at Home may well return in the future but I’m not making any promises at this stage! I will definitely be taking break over the summer, as I attend to my doctoral coursework and begin a new appointment at St. Helen’s Anglican Church in Orleans. If it does return, it will be on a new (as yet unknown) platform and the current mailing list will be destroyed next week. In order to receive notification of its return (if it returns…), you can sign up here.

I pray you will continue to bring the Story into your homes each week. Thank you for allowing me to be part of that over these past years.

Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31

Does not wisdom call, and does not understanding raise her voice? On the heights, beside the way, at the crossroads she takes her stand; beside the gates in front of the town, at the entrance of the portals she cries out: “To you, O people, I call, and my cry is to all that live. The Lord created me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of long ago. Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth. When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water. Before the mountains had been shaped, before the hills, I was brought forth – when he had not yet made earth and fields, or the world’s first bits of soil. When he established the heavens, I was there, when he drew a circle on the face of the deep, when he made firm the skies above, when he established the fountains of the deep, when he assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters might not transgress his command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth, then I was beside him, like a master worker; and I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always, rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the human race.” 

Something to Do

…rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the human race.

What a glorious image: God’s beloved Wisdom delighting not simply in creation but in creation as inhabited by humanity. Find a way to celebrate humanity’s work in creation this week – admire the architectural beauty of buildings and bridges; the blooming beauty of gardens; the delicious beauty of a good meal; the heartwarming beauty of friendship; the inspiring beauty of art. Take it a step farther and add to Wisdom’s delight with your own beautiful contribution.

Something to Wonder

Wisdom calls from all around us

On the heights, beside the way, at the crossroads she takes her stand; beside the gates in front of the town, at the entrance of the portals…

Wisdom can be found everywhere – but where do you most reliably find wisdom? When you are in need of sound insight or guidance, where do you go looking? Is it a place? A person? A community?

What is wisdom?

What do you think of when you think of wisdom? Who do you think of as wise? What make them wise? Do you think you are wise? Why or why not?

Can wisdom be acquired? How? or Why not?

Something to Learn

Holy Wisdom

This week’s Working Preacher commentary puts this Proverb’s reading into the context of the Trinity, addressing some of the historical perspectives and tensions. Read the short essay, by Sara M Koenig, Professor of Biblical Studies at Seattle Pacific University.

The always interesting Bible Project offers a video commentary on the figure of Wisdom in Proverbs 8.

And take a look at a popular psychology perspective on wisdom with this article from Psychology Today.

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.

The Spirit is not tame

Pentecost
June 5, 2022

Acts 2:1-21

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.” All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean? But others sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.” But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, “Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: ‘In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. And I will show portents in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and smoky mist. The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day. Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.'” 

Something to Do

a sound like the rush of a violent wind

We have recently had more first-hand experience than we would like with the power of a violent wind. You will be invited to wonder about the that experience in a moment but first consider how you could contribute to the work of recovery. Give to the Ottawa Food Bank. Volunteer with the city’s storm clean-up efforts. Send a thank you note to the Hyrdo Ottawa workers.

Activate your sanctified imagination

As you read the story, imagine yourself in the crowd. Feel the jostling of people. Smell the dust and sweat. Feel the heat. Now imagine seeing this group of people, all talking at once about something quite strange. How do you react? Are you with the people who are astonished or the people who assume they’re already drunk? How do you respond to Peter’s speech?

Something to Wonder

a sound like the rush of a violent wind

Wind. Fire. Speech. All potentially incredibly destructive.

What does this tell you about the Spirit? Does that fit with your own experience? Why or why not?
How do these images make you feel?

I will pour out my Spirit

Have you ever felt the Spirit poured out on you?

If so, what was it like? What happened? Do you want it to happen again?
If not, do you want to? Why or you not?

Something to Learn

The Book of the Prophet Joel

Peter quotes the prophet Joel in his explanation about what is happening to the disciples. Learn a little bit about the Book of Joel by:

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.

Christ is in heaven – what comes next?

Feast of the Ascension
May 26, 2022

Luke 24:44-53

Jesus said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; and they were continually in the temple blessing God.  

Something to Do

he was carried up into heaven

The ascension is a strange piece of a strange story but don’t get bogged down in logistics. Instead, think about the truth under the story, the truth the story points to. Jesus is not physically present with us but, having entered into heaven (the place of God), Jesus remains available to us, always and everywhere.

Look for Jesus this week. He is in heaven – which means he is here to be found.

The Body of Christ

Another truth this story reveals is that we are the Body of Christ on earth. We have been blessed and empowered to carry on Jesus’ ministry, serving as his hands and feet, mouth and eyes. How will you proclaim the Good News of God’s love and the gift of new life this week? How will you serve as Jesus served?

Something to Wonder

until you have been clothed with power from on high

Consider the idea of “power”:

  • how does the idea of power make you feel?
  • does the power from on high differ from the power we see in the world around us? Why or why not?
  • have you ever felt powerful? Do you want to feel powerful?
  • have you ever felt empowered? Is that the same or different from feeling powerful?

What comes next?

Jesus’ disciples were probably not expecting the events of this day and, although they went back to Jerusalem “with great joy”, they must also have been filled with questions about what was going to happen next.

What comes next is a familiar question at Church of the Ascension these days. The ongoing work of responding to the changes and challenges of the pandemic; the uncertainty associated with preparing for a new priest; the desire to discern and respond to God’s call in this moment – all of this fills us with questions about what will come next.

How do those questions make you feel? How do you think they are impacting your fellow Ascensionites and the parish as a whole? Are you able to feel the great joy of Jesus’ promise as you wait to discover the answers?

Something to Learn

Why does the Ascension of Jesus matter?

From the Bible Project:

Commonly called the ascension, the belief that Jesus “ascended” into Heaven, has been essential to followers of Jesus for almost 2,000 years (e.g. The Nicene Creed, 325 A.D.).

But what does it mean that Jesus “ascended into Heaven”? Did Jesus take off into outer space? Is the point of the ascension that Jesus floated away into the clouds, or is it something else? More importantly, why does any of this matter? To answer these questions, and to better understand Jesus’ powerful ascension, we need to step back and start with the big biblical concepts of Heaven and Earth—God’s space and human’s space. 

Let’s take a look! Read the whole essay.

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.

Peace in times of trouble

Sixth Sunday of Easter
May 22, 2022

John 14:23-29

Jesus answered, “Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me. I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I am coming to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you this before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe.” 

Something to Do

Those who love me keep my word

Love is revealed in living so love Jesus by keeping his word – care for others, practice compassion and non-judgement, seek peace, speak out against injustice. There is no shortage of opportunity.

For example, Ascension member Debbie Grisdale invites us to join the campaign of Ban the Bomb Ottawa to call on the city to become a signatory to the City Campaign of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons. The Cities Appeal is a commitment by a city or town indicating its support for the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) and its willingness to call on their national government to sign and ratify the Treaty without delay. 17 Canadian cities have already signed on. City Council will vote on the motion on May 25th.

Bishop Shane and Ascension’s Executive Committee have sent letters of support for the motion to Mayor Watson. You can read Exec’s here (and use it for crafting your own!).

Do not let your hearts be troubled

This is often easier said than done but practice helps. When you feel troubled or afraid, take time to ground yourself in the peace of Jesus. Breathe deeply and know you are being filled with the Holy Spirit, our Advocate and teacher. Remind yourself that Jesus, having gone to his Father, has become available to us in all times and places. He is with you now, in the midst of trouble, and so you can experience the troubles of the world without fear.

Something to Wonder

the Holy Spirit…will remind you of all that I have said

Is there something you need the Holy Spirit to remind you of? Perhaps it is something that God once whispered just to you. Perhaps it is something that Jesus taught everyone but you have forgotten it – entirely or occasionally. Perhaps it is something that you make a habit of forgetting.

Sit quietly and invite the Holy Spirit to be your teacher.

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you

What fills you with a sense of peace?
When was the last time you felt peaceful? What was that like?
What does peace feel in your body? In your mind?
How would you describe it to a child?
How would you describe it to someone who knows you very, very well?

Is peace a difficult thing for you to experience? How does Jesus’ promise of peace make you feel?

Something to Learn

Christians and Disarmament

There are many Christian groups involved in peacemaking around the world and at home. Project Ploughshares is the peace research institute of the Canadian Council of Churches, engaging in research and advocacy at all levels of civil society with the goal of preventing armed conflict and creating peace.

Explore their website to learn about their findings and how you can support their work: Project Ploughshares.

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.

Quality Time with the Good Shepherd

Fourth Sunday of Easter
May 8, 2022

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. 
   He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters; 
   he restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths
   for his name’s sake. 
Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
   I fear no evil;
for you are with me;
   your rod and your staff—
   they comfort me. 
You prepare a table before me
   in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
   my cup overflows. 
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
   all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
   my whole life long.

Something to Do

Go for a walk with your shepherd

Go for a walk somewhere you feel safe; somewhere that restores your soul. Walk in silence, breathing slowly and deeply, and know you are walking in the company of God.

Consider finding your way to the labyrinth at the church and walking there, winding your way into the centre and back out.

Have a feast with your shepherd

Make yourself a meal that you will really, really enjoy. It might be fancy or it might be simple. It might be one your own or it might be with other people. It might be a whole dinner or simply an afternoon snack. Whatever it is, make it something that will nourish your body and delight your taste buds. This is what God’s love feels like.

Something to Wonder

Where are you walking?

Last year, I shared a guided reflection on Psalm 23 in our Fourth Sunday of Easter service. Walk your way through it again with this video. (the guided reflection starts at about the 2:50 mark.

Something to Learn

Vocations Sunday

The Fourth Sunday of Easter, often called Good Shepherd Sunday, is also Vocations Sunday – a day of intentional prayer in many provinces of the Anglican Communion, the Lutheran Church, and the Roman Catholic Church that God would call people to ordained ministry (priests and deacons) and the religious life (to be nuns and monks). Learn more about Canadian Anglican religious communities here.

Of course, God also calls people to ministry that doesn’t involve ordination or taking vows and so this is a good day to pray for the development of lay vocations, too! The Body of Christ needs lay people to exercise their own ministries of oversight, pastoral care, evangelism, education, exhortation, prayer, peacemaking, and more – both within the church and in the whole of their lives.

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.