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September 13, 2012
Children & Youth, Parish Life, Administrative
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Improved Worship Experience for Children We kicked off our new Children's Chapel this past Sunday and it was a huge success! We had 35+ children ages 3 years to 5th grade attend at 9:45am in the Parish Hall. They feasted on grapes & goldfish and then broke into 2 different groups. The 3rd thru 5th graders went into the library with Mindy while the younger children stayed in Chapel with Monica Davis and Lori Allaire. Both groups heard the gospel of the day with the 3-5th graders who found it in their bibles and read it out loud and discussed what spoke to them. We all met back in the chapel with Nancy Whipkey and the Bagpiper who talked about the different parts of the instrument and how it worked. The children then learned a new song and all were back with their Parents for the passing of the peace.  All are invited to come and help with this important ministry. There is a sing-up board in the parish hall and we are always looking for teachers and people to supply snack food. Watch for the young children to be singing during the 10:00am service soon. Questions see Mindy Boynton or Buff+ or write us: mindy@aechurch.org or rectorbuff@aechurch.org*Franny & Elise Truman in the photo up top.
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Blessing of the Backpacks: This Sunday, Sept. 16th, during the 10:00 am service
We at Ascension understand the importance of Back to School time for children. And how blessing the bags also blesses them and lets them know that God and the Church cares about them at school. So all are invited this Sunday, Sept. 16th to bring their packs up to the altar and have them blessed by Buff.
This will be done following the passing of the peace so after we come back from Children's Chapel, get your pack and come up to the chancel steps for a blessing. All are welcome, with or without your backpack.
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 Please remember:
Sunday, September 16, Acolyte Training, following 10 a.m. service: All children 3rd grade and up who would like to serve are invited to renew and refresh our work as acolytes. Lunch provided.
Sunday, September 23, Lector and Eucharistic Ministers Training, following 10 a.m. service: All those who serve in ministry of Word and Table are invited to renew and refresh our work. Lunch provided. Newcomers welcome.
Sunday, October 7, Usher and Greeter Training, following 10 a.m. service,: All those who serve as ushers and greeters are invited to attend a training
to renew and refresh our work. Lunch provided. Newcomers welcome. |
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Save The Date: The Parents' Summit
On Saturday, September 29, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. all parents of children ages zero to 8th grade are invited to come together to renew the vision for our children at Ascension. The Feeley's have graciously offered their home for the meeting.
Our facilitator will be Melissa Parker Lindsay, a St. Paul native and Executive Director of the Minnesota Zoo Foundation. Passionate about serving her community and skilled in strategic planning, Melissa has also served as executive director for the Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness and Voyageur Outward Bound School. With her husband Lynn, she has raised their two sons and knows the challenges and joys of helping children tend their spiritual and emotional lives.
Please plan to come to this important meeting. You are the church, and what you want for your children at Ascension matters. You will be setting the broad vision for our children's program and be able to contribute specific outcomes that you hope for your children.
If you cannot come on Saturday, September 29, please plan to attend the secondary meeting, Monday, October 1 at 7:00 p.m. in the parish hall. We would like your RSVP to which meeting you can come to. Please e-mail or call Mindy at mindy@aechurch.org or 651-439-2609. |
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From the Office:
We have just printed our new Fall Directories and they are available in the Sanctuary on the shelf behind the choir loft. If you see any corrections, please notify the office at office@aechurch.org. We have also posted the monthly Lay Schedule on our Ascension website; www.aechurch.org. Soon we will be posting the weekly bulletin so those who would like to download to their I-Pad or tablet may do so. Lastly, the Ascension office will be closed on Fridays. Office hours are: Mon, Tues & Thurs.; 10-4 and Wed.; 10-2. Thank you! Nance Anders
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Share your Garden!With all the summer sun and rain, is your garden overflowing with beautiful vegetables and flowers? Why not share some of God's abundance with your fellow Ascensionites, especially those who are no longer able to garden?  When you are tired of canning and freezing, the zucchini is out of control, you can not eat another green bean or those gorgeous flowers need to be shared, bring them to the parish hall between services. Others at Ascension are sure to enjoy your bountiful harvest! Thanks!
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 Many thanks to the Ascension folks who not only donated but also delivered needed beds to a young homeless family that will be staying with a relative in Saint Paul until permanent housing is found. Still needed is one more bed (a Queen or a Full) for this family. Our Supportive Housing Program families also have some requests-a computer, a TV, and Queen size bedding for an older teen girl (black and bright colors like purple and lime green are her favorite colors). Please call Cindy at 439-2641 if you can help with any of the above requests. |
Ascension's Got Spirit! ...
Show your church pride and order an Ascension T-shirt today
Just $15 -- checks made payable to
Ascension Episcopal Church
Your choice of long* or short sleeve white T- shirts
in Youth, Unisex and Ladies' Cut sizes
Proceeds to benefit our Christian Education Programs
To place an order contact Katie Keller
via phone or email
*For people who placed an order for a short-sleeved T-shirt at church on Sunday
and would prefer a long-sleeved T-shirt, please contact Katie Keller to revise your order.
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Gathering Stones
David and Linda Francis, of Stillwater, recently went to Minnesota's beautiful Lake Superior North Shore. Not to vacation, but to collect rocks - stones that Linda will make into cairns.
Cairn (a Gaelic word) is a manmade pile of stones, often in a conical form. They may mark the summit of a mountain or a memorial. Placed at regular intervals, they indicate a path across barren terrain or climbing routes.
The Francis' will do this to provide unique awards at the Jon Francis Half-Marathon on September 22, 2012. A cairn is the new logo of the Jon Francis Foundation (JFF). The cairn is meaningful because it captures the mission of JFF: "The Jon Francis Foundation, like a cairn, provides knowledge and acts as a guide to others who are distraught and overwhelmed by the sudden disappearance of a loved one." JFF is a Minnesota nonprofit foundation created in 2007 to honor the memory of Jon Francis and "to mold sorrow into hope and purpose."
The Jon Francis Half-Marathon, an 8K and the PowerUp 1K Fun Run will be held on Saturday, September 22, 2012. Start, finish and a Family Fun Fair will take place at Square Lake Park.
The 13.1 mile course will follow a beautiful and somewhat challenging route on rolling hills and rural roads past lakes, farms, forest and open fields. A shorter 8K race will circle Square Lake under a canopy of trees. The half-marathon course was chosen, not only for its beauty, but also because these are the roads that Jon Francis ran for 10 years while training for high school and college cross country competition.
The goals of the Jon Francis Foundation Race Events are to organize an exceptional race, hold a family and youth friendly event, honor Jon's memory and raise money for the foundation's unique and vital mission.
JFF works to save lives through wilderness safety education and to extend legal protection for missing adults. There is no Federal protection for missing adults and 40 states in the U.S. do not require law enforcement to report or investigate the disappearance of a person over 18 years old
David Francis would later write a national award-winning, compelling memoir of his son Jon. Bringing Jon Home, chronicles Jon's life and ministry and the year long, relentless search for him on the Grand Mogul.
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step into
Africa The Aids Crisis:
Can you survive the
journey of a child? Visit the World Vision Experience+
at the Isanti County Fairgrounds
3101 Highway 95 Northeast
Cambridge, MN 55008
Sept. 22nd - 30th
where you can learn
more about our work around the world.
It's open 10 am to 8 pm every day,
except Sun. Sept. 30, open 10 am - 5 pm Hundreds of thousands of people across the nation have been impacted by the World Vision Experience since it launched in 2005. You too, will gain a completely new perspective on the greatest humanitarian crisis of our time.
Please allow 20 to 30 minutes for your experience.
Audio portion of the Experience contains situations that may be disturbing to children under 12. Parental discretion advised.
No strollers, please.
FREE tickets and information available online at
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A Pastoral Care Team Tea will be offered on Saturday, October 6 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon in the Parish Hall for current Pastoral Care Team members, Healing Touch Team members, and anyone contemplating being on the Pastoral Care Team or Healing Touch Team.
Rev. Bob Furniss will be the program speaker and Fr. Buff+ will offer Eucharist. See poster on Healing and Wellness bulletin board for further information about the Pastoral Care Team. Please RSVP by 10/1 for the tea.
To RSVP, or for questions, call Andrea Johnson, parish nurse, 651-439-3544, or email andrea@aechurch.org
Call Deacon Mary Jo Feeley for questions about the Healing Touch Team, 651-439-9001, or email revmaryjo@gmail.com
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Yogadevotion
Dr. Lyne Seppala will teach an eight-class session of Yogadevotion beginning Tuesday, September 25 from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the Parish Hall (No class on Election Day.)
Dr. Sepala is a traditional practitioner of Naturopathic Medicine, a Master Herbalist, and a semi-retired Midwife. In addition to her "day job", she is also a 500-hour certified Yoga Instructor; specializing in Therapeutic Yoga, Adaptive Yoga, and Yin Yoga. She is a firm believer that yoga offers something for everyone, from newborns to 90-something year olds! Her passion is working individually to help each of her students find the steadiness and comfort in each and every pose.
Minimum of ten pre-registered students is required to hold this session. Appropriate for beginners or those with previous yoga experience. Pre-registrations are required by Sunday, September 23. Pre-register by writing your check for $55 to "Ascension" with "Yogadevotion" in the memo line and give it to Laura Weston, drop it off at the church office or place it in the offering basket by 9/23.
Child care available on a drop-in basis for $7 per child per class. For questions, call Laura Weston, 651-430-9028.
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T'ai Chi
T'ai Chi begins Tuesday, September 25 from 2:00 to 3:15 p.m. in the Parish Hall. Parishioner Allan LaValier will teach the Yang style of T'ai Chi, 24 forms, in this twelve-class session (no class on Election Day.)
Allan has studied T'ai Chi with Ted Tang in Fargo, N.D. and has taught T'ai Chi at the Compass Center and other locations in the St. Croix Valley as well as in Grand Rapids, MN. Cost is $75 for adults and $60 for children.
Register at the first class or pre-register with your check to "Ascension" with "T'ai Chi" in the memo line. Appropriate for any age, beginners as well as those with previous T'ai Chi experience. For questions, call Allan LaValier or Lynn Raarup, 651-351-0539.
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 The Caim meditation and contemplative prayer group is planning a 2 day retreat to the Episcopal House of Prayer at St. Johns Abbey, Collegeville, MN, Friday, October 12, through Sunday, (departure time as convenient), October 14, 2012. We would like to invite anyone else interested to join us. Every year we look forward to this quiet time of meditation in the oratory, attendance at services with the abbey monks, hiking the beautiful grounds of St. Johns or pursuing our creative interests. In the evening we gather for wine, good food and spiritual discussion. For cost and further information contact Sally Giese. sally.giese@att.net |
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 John Chrysostom
Bishop Of Antioch And Of Constantinople, Preacher, Theologian, Liturgist (13 Sept. 407)
John was called "Chrysostom" ("Golden Mouth") because of his eloquence. He was a priest of Antioch, and an outstanding preacher. (Audiences were warned not to carry large sums of money when they went to hear him speak, since pickpockets found it very easy to rob his hearers -- they were too intent on his words to notice what was happening.) His sermons are mostly straightforward expositions of Holy Scripture (he has extensive commentaries on both Testaments, with special attention to the Epistles of Paul), and he emphasizes the literal meaning, whereas the style popular at Alexandria tended to read allegorical meanings into the text. He loved the city and people of Antioch, and they loved him. However, he became so famous that the Empress at Constantinople decided that she must have him for her court preacher, and she had him kidnapped and brought to Constantinople and there made bishop. This was a failure all around. His sermons against corruption in high places earned him powerful enemies (including the Empress), and he was sent into exile, where he died. Along with Athanasius of Alexandria, Basil the Great, and Gregory of Nazianzus, he is counted as one of the Four Great Eastern (or Greek) Doctors of the Ancient Church. The Four Great Western (or Latin) Doctors are Ambrose, Jerome, Augustine, and Gregory the Great. |
Altar Flowers
If you are interested in sponsoring altar flowers for 2012, please contact Barb Smolik at 651-275-3533 or the office at 651-439-2609 for sign-up. Get your names on the dates you wish before they fill up.
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Ongoing Events
 Our Community KitchenTuesday and Thursday mornings 7 - 10 am @ Ascension's Kitchen and Fellowship Hall.
Come and meet your community and have a delicious breakfast!
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Ongoing Groups:
Scripture Reflection and Prayer GroupFirst & Third Thursdays from 9 - 10:30 am in the Library
Thich Naht Hanh study/meditation group
Thursday nights at 7 pm in Parish Hall
Zen style Meditation group
Saturday mornings at 7 am in Small Chapel
Healing Touch
2nd Saturday every month in the Sanctuary at 9 am
Youth Choir Wednesday nights at 4:45 pmfor more info contact Nancy Whipkey @ 651-439-2609
Adult Choir
Wednesday nights at 7:15 pmfor more info contact Nancy Whipkey @ 651-439-2609
YogaDevotion & Tai Chiwill resume in the Fall, dates and times to be decidedTai Chi Practice at Washington Park, Saturday mornings at 8 a.m.
Centering Prayer Groupfor more information on meeting times contact Lois Welshons @jonlos@aol.com |
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Ascension Episcopal Church
E-Newsletter CommunicationsLynn Raarup To submit an article or question please e-mail me at: enews@aechurch.org 651-439-2609 |
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