This week we are having a "Font A Day" to bring all the wonderful opportunities to the Ascension Congregation. Each day we are highlighting different areas of the church and it's life. Next week we'll resume our regular Thursday schedule.

Tuesday was Worship & Music

Wednesday is Health and Wellness

Thursday will be Children, Youth & Family

Friday will be Missions and Renewal Sunday Sept. 9th

Enjoy the richness of Ascension!

 

  Developing a Rule of Life...Putting God Front and Center

Our lives are filled with rhythms and habits that are the basis of our lives. What we do and say matters. How we choose to interact with the people in our lives and the decisions we make also matter. In fact, everything about us is an outward expression of who we are and what we believe. The classic understanding of a rule of life includes spiritual disciplines such as prayer, fasting, spiritual reading, self-examination, worship, and hospitality.

Developing a rule of life is a way to nurture our spiritual health, and it is not as daunting a task as it may at first appear. Living a Rule is grace filled. It stretches us a bit, yet is comfortable enough for us to wear daily. Having a companion who encourages us is important, and many who choose to live a Rule find that having a spiritual director, someone through which the Holy Spirit listens with wisdom, discernment and encouragement, to be very helpful.

And, when it comes to prayer and study, we don't have to look far. Our Book of Common Prayer has a beautiful daily prayer guide known as The Daily Office that allows us to spend time with scripture and rich prayers from our Episcopal tradition. Read about more  resources from the Episcopal Church in Minnesota  on Ascension's webpage .

Living a rule of life is about putting God first in our lives. It guides us in all we do and helps us create a life where listening and following God's guidance is of the utmost importance.

Be well,
Rev. Mary Jo

Feedback from you, from the Parish Nurse:

A Congregational Health Assessment form was distributed to parishioners attending liturgy one Sunday morning in November, 2011. A few minutes were allowed for parishioners to fill out the forms and 89 forms were returned to the parish nurse by the end of the morning.  The complete report will be posted on the church website soon.

Here is a very short list of some of the highlights:

*    Highest concerns for health were: arthritis, cancer, chronic pain and high blood pressure.

*    The number of respondents who get their "high five" - five or more servings of fruits and vegetables nearly every day - was 44%, and the number of respondents getting at least 30 minutes of physical activity nearly every day was 19%. (Recommendation: Everyone would benefit from striving to improve how they do in these two categories.)

*    The number of respondents who attend church services or participate in a church activity at least weekly was 74%. 

*    The number who has a regular prayer/meditation time nearly daily was 53%. I found that quite impressive and I encourage the other 47% to become more aware of how a daily practice of prayer and/or meditation improves health. Check the Font to see all the opportunities for sharing prayer or meditation with others at Ascension. (Recommendation: both yoga and t'ai chi can be practiced as a form of prayer or meditation.)

*    On a check-list of health topics for future health programming, the most interest was garnished by stress reduction (15 respondents), followed by health aging (13 respondents). Physical activity and nutrition were tied (11 each), followed by living with chronic illness (10 respondents).

*    Parishioners identified these concerns for their family members: family stresses; stress with adolescent; unemployment; hypertension; alcohol; maintaining quality of life with aging; poor sleep; deteriorating vision; and lack of exercise.

*    Nearly twice as many women (65%) responded as men (35%.)

*    Out of the 89 respondents, the majority fell into the age categories of 51-65 years (33%) and 66-80 years (28%), although the age category of 31-50 years had a good showing  too (22%.) Age 18-30 (2%) and 80+ years (15%) were in the minority of respondents. This may correlate closely with the representation of age groups who attended on the Sunday the assessment was conducted.

Thank you to everyone who participated last November. The results will help guide us in the year ahead.

Seeing or hearing the words Tai Chi usually conjurs up a type of exercise program. Actually, it is a martial type drill used to protect the body during fighting. It is also a type of performance strengthening balance and equilibrium and has been an Oriental style of exercise for many hundreds of years.

Recently, a small but determined group of Ascensionites formed a class, under the leadership of Allan LaValier the group was motivated to learn balance and also to learn to follow directions.

Allan has studied Tai Chi for many years and it is evident in his mastery of the movements, his ability to cue the position and to demonstrate at the same time. And he is determined each practicioner learns the movement correctly by gently positioning hands, arms and legs of each student.

Seeing the students perform the exercises is very much like watching a well correographed ballet - smooth movements, deliberate leg and arms placements, and protection to the body in case of an enemy attack! This was a wonderful challenge for the group and they met the challenge beautifully. Thanks to Allan for his instruction - often demonstrated in bare feet. If you are offered the opportunity, take on Tai Chi!

submitted by Mary Engler, past student from the Spring Class

 

Blood Pressure Checks on Second Sunday every month! Andrea Johnson our Parish Nurse performs these at 9 am and 11 am after services in the church Library.

 

Ever wanted to try something new?

Healing Touch is offered every 2nd Saturday from 9-11 am in the Fellowship Hall. No need to sign up just come on in.

Centering Prayer is offered at the home of Jon and Lois Welshon's.

Scripture Reflection and Prayer group is offered at the Ascension Library 1st & 3rd Thursday's from 9 - 10:30 am.

Contact people and their e-mails are all listed below in the Ongoing Groups section of the Font.

 

 Hello,

I want to share with you an ongoing gathering on Thursday night that has been ongoing since April.

Thursday Evening:  7 to 8 PM

 Walking with Thich Nhat Hanh

An ongoing study, prayer and meditation group centered on the life and teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh.  He has become an important influence in the development of Western Buddhism. His teachings and practices, which aim to appeal to people from various religious, spiritual, and political backgrounds, intend to offer mindfulness practices for more Western sensibilities. Thich Nhat Hạnh has published more than 100 books, including more than 40 in English, such as Living Buddha, Living Christ and Peace Is Every Step. Much of the emphasis of this community will be on developing a personal practice of mindfulness, a non-sectarian practice that was initially made popular by this world-famous Buddhist monk.

Parish Hall

Meditation at 7:00 - 7:20 PM

Topic talk and discussion until 8:00 PM

If you are new to meditation, please arrive 10 minutes early so that others may answer any question you may have.

Ascension Episcopal Church

214 North 3rd Street

Stillwater, MN 55082

Note... Please enter through the single wooden door that is to the left and set back from the main entrance of the two sets of double doors.

Contact: Bill Alexander, bill.gnv@gmail.com

         John Feely, jpfeely1@gmail.com

John Feely

cell: 651-323-8714

Saturday Morning:  First Sitting begins at 7:00 AM

Non-supplicative prayer (meditation) was an early Christian practice. It is still done today in a variety of monasteries-Christian as well as Buddhist, Hindu, Sikh, and Muslim communities.

This weekly meditation practice (Zazen) offers open and flexible times for sitting and discussion, allowing one the opportunity to participate in portions of the morning to accommodate weekend schedules. Feel free to arrive when you can, and participate in any or all of the morning offerings.

If you are new to meditation, please arrive 10 minutes early so that others may answer any question you may have.

First Sitting: 7:00 - 7:20 AM

Walking Meditation (Kinhin): 7:20 - 7:40 AM

Second Sitting: 7:40-8:00 AM

Dharma Talk: 8:00-8:30 AM

(A talk/reading with opportunity for learning, sharing and discussion.)

"Java-Talk":  For those interested, conversation and informal socializing continues at the Daily Grind coffee shop in downtown Stillwater.

Ascension Episcopal Church

214 North 3rd Street

Stillwater, Minnesota 55082

Note... Please enter through the single wooden door that is to the left and set back from the main entrance of the two sets of double doors.

Contact: John Feely, jpfeely1@gmail.com

                                  651-323-8714