All Souls Weekly                 
Volume 3, Number 24, May 16, 2010

ASCENSION DAY AND THE ANNUAL MEETING

Forty days after Easter (last Thursday) the Church celebrates Ascension Day, marking the time when Jesus left his disciples.  Scriptural accounts differ as to exactly when, and exactly how Jesus departed.  But no matter which account we may find most credible or most helpful, what seems important to me is the question asked of the disciples by two angels in Acts 1:11.  After Jesus has ascended, moved away, and has left his friends, these two ask bluntly, “Why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” 

In other words, “Stop staring off into heaven.  Jesus has left you with work to do, so get to it!”  The angels suggest that Jesus will continue to appear as unpredictably and as surprisingly as he did when he was on earth.  And so, for those of us with faith, it is for us to look, to listen, to be watchful, and to live towards one another as though the Risen Christ were in our very midst.  He has ascended, and yet he is present.

There is a traditional prayer sometimes used at the conclusion of Mass that expresses this idea of ascension as both “beyond” and “within.”  The celebrant begins the prayer, "Blessed, praised, hallowed and adored be our Lord Jesus Christ upon his throne of glory in heaven,” and then all the acolytes join in praying “in the most holy Sacrament of the altar and in the hearts of his faithful people.” It’s a good prayer to end every Mass with—it’s a good prayer to carry in our hearts to remind ourselves that while Christ has ascended to the Father, he ascends to us in the Holy Eucharist, and he ascends in our hearts. He ascends in our actions as we live out his love in the world.   

On this Sunday after the Ascension, it is fitting that we gather as a parish for our annual meeting.  We will elect the junior warden and new members of vestry.  We will hear reports from the officers of the church.  We will hear about the parish visioning process that is helping us to fine-tune our plans for an elevator and also imagine a long-term plan for our building for generations to come.  There will be time for fellowship, for remembering, and for sharing dreams and hopes for the future.  Please join us as we continue to experience the Ascension of the Lord in our individual lives and in the life of our parish.  John Beddingfield

Around the Parish . . . Thanks to all who helped to make our celebration of Rogation Sunday such a meaningful day.  Be sure to notice the new flower pots around the main doors to the church.  These were designed by the Garden Guild and planted by the children of the church . . . SAVE THE DATE: the annual parish picnic will be on Sunday, June 6 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. in Rock Creek Park, Grove 6 . . . Attendance on May 9, the Sixth Sunday of Easter at the 8:30 a.m. Mass: 42; at the 11 a.m. Mass: 125 . . . Total pledge offerings for the week were $3,606.00 and the plate offering was $576.00.

Updated Parish Directory . . . A new parish directory of addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses will be available this Sunday at the Annual Meeting.

The parish extends its sympathy and love to Natty Dayal, one of our nursery care providers, upon the sudden death of her husband, Sudhir Dayal, on Monday, May 10.  Please pray for the repose of the soul of Sudhir, for Natty and her son Nitten, and for all who mourn. A memorial fund has been established to assist Natty at this time.  Please contribute to All Souls Memorial Episcopal Church and mark your gift “Dayal” memorial.

Your prayers are asked for . . . Sam Baker, Gene Dunn, Susan Johnson, Jim Wallace, Susan Kornacki, Frasier, MaryJane, John Matthews, Bob and Louise Osborne, Joan Shapiro, Ann Dixon, Lorenzo Martinez, Family of Tom Martin, Hugh Yeomans, Helen Horne, Erling Hansen, Tim Dill, Mona Bauer, Mary Backus, Sandy Jenkins Dixon, I. Kathryn McKewen, Thais Blanchard, Bruce MacDonald, Bob Colborn, Elizabeth McKee, Freddie Cameron, Robert Long, Barb Chaffee, Harriet Martin, Chris Cobb, Landis Vance, Vickie Drell, Stephanie Russell, Ruth & Fred Huber, Jim St. George, Mark Henderson, Martha Holdgate, Chip Meyers, Walter and Sally Jason, Arthur Andrew Warren, Mary Beth McCutcheon, Bryan Powell, Regina Dading, Julia Gutierrez, Ted Field, and for the repose of the soul of Sudhir . . . Pray for members of the parish in the foreign service and others who are working overseas, especially Chuck Hunter, Steve Kerchoff, Brad Moore, and Michael Pate . . . Pray also for the members of our Armed Forces on active duty, especially Jack Severson. . . If you wish to participate in our ongoing Internet Prayer Circle please contact Vicki Lowe at lowevg1@verizon.net.

Liturgical Notes . . . Since there is no dedication today, the flowers at the High Altar are provided for out of the flower fund of All Souls.  If you would like to dedicate flowers or the sanctuary candle in memory of a loved one, in honor of someone, or in celebration of an event or anniversary, please contact the parish office . . . The Paschal Candle continues to burn throughout Eastertide, reminding us of our baptism and the light of Christ . . . The last Sunday in which our choir is joined by the four professional section leaders will be Trinity Sunday, May 30.  On that day the choir will sing Palestrina’s Missa Brevis.

Foyer Dinner Groups . . . The new Foyer Dinner groups are posted on the kiosk in the undercroft.  Butch Bradburn has sent materials to Foyer Dinner captains.  It’s never too late to sign up to be a part of this program. 

Join us for the Adult Forum . . . “The Evolution of Belief” continues this Sunday at 10 a.m. in the undercroft with the final presentation, “The Future of Faith.”  Some scholars and theologians believe we are entering a new era of spirituality and a reemergence of the Spirit that shaped the early church.  Join Joe Howell for his last presentation of this dynamic series.

 
Cookies for Children . . . During the month of May it will be our turn to provide cookies for the children at the Episcopal Center for Children. Please bring homemade or store-bought cookies to the parish kitchen, make sure they are plainly marked, Episcopal Center for Children, and place them in the marked receptacle.

Bishop Walker School Dedication . . . On Sunday June 6 there will be a dedication service for the opening of the new campus of the Bishop John T. Walker School for Boys.  The dedication service is at 4 p.m., followed by a celebration with music, refreshments, and tours of the new campus at the Church of the Holy Communion, 3640 Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue, SE, Washington, DC, 20032.  More information can be found at www. http://www.bishopwalkerschool.org/bws/

 
Readings for the Daily Office

All Souls Memorial Episcopal Church

The Reverend John Beddingfield, rector; The Reverend Christopher Worthley, adjunct clergy;

Mr. Seth Walley, seminarian; Mr. Isaac Borocz, parish administrator; Dr. Philip Cave, director of music and organist

2300 Cathedral Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20008-1505;Voice: 202-232-4244, Fax: 202-232-8593

Email: allsouls1@aol.com; website: www.allsoulsdc.org