• Live Streamed Services: If you are interested in viewing Sunday service, you can do so by logging in to the new church website ascensionnl.ca, and go to the Social Media tab. Once there, click on the Facebook tab (please note you do not have to have a Facebook account to view the service). This will link you directly with the service once it has begun on Sunday.
• Clergy Contact During the COVID-19 Pandemic: All pastoral visits/interactions will be via telephone, email or zoom appointment with either Reverend Burrows or Reverend Courage. To set up an appointment, please contact them via their email or cell phone. Archdeacon Burrows may be reached at 746-2095 or by email at [email protected] and Reverend Courage may be reached at 682-8500 or by email at [email protected]
• Gathering Place ‘Welcome Home’ Gift Card Project: The Anglican Archdeaconry of Avalon is collecting gift cards from any supermarket or Walmart to aid The Gathering Place in supporting clients who are moving into a new residence. Gift cards will be used to purchase fresh food, cleaning supplies, and hygiene products. Any financial donation of either gift cards or money is gratefully accepted; however, gift suggestions are $30 1 person, $50 2-3 people, $75 4- up! We will decorate a “donation tree” with different coloured symbols representing each monetary amount donated. We will set it up in the church so you can see how much has been received weekly. Donations to this worthwhile project will be accepted up to the end of June.  You may drop your donations in the church mailbox (located on the front steps of the church). Thank you very much.
• CLB Lunch Take-Out:  Each week the CLB offers take out lunch specials on Friday. If you are interested in purchasing for your home or office group, please call 722-1737 to pre-order. Orders must be received by Thursday at 11 a.m.  Free delivery for orders of five or more dinners.
• Pandemic Appeal for Our Parish:  Since January 1, 2021, we have raised only $990 for our Pandemic Appeal. The Pandemic Appeal funds raised will be used to supplement the ministry of the Parish. We encourage parishioners to continue to support our Parish in this effort by donating to this cause. Thank you to all who have donated thus far.
• PWRDF India Relief:  PWRDF is now accepting donations to support India as it struggles with the current COVID-19 outbreak. While Canada faces its own challenges and grief over COVID-19, the images and stories of mass deaths, black market oxygen tanks and parking lot crematoria are shocking and heartbreaking. Please keep the people of India in your prayers. There are emergency relief envelopes available at the entrance of the church if you would like to make a donation. Please ensure you put your name on the envelope. Thank you for your support.
• Key Messages from Vestry:
  • Cold Plate Fundraiser: Thank you to all volunteers from Vestry, as well as all who contributed to the success of this fundraiser. We sold 342 cold plates and raised over $1,600. A huge thank you to Coffee Matters’ Scott Hillyer and his team for supply of cold plates!
  • On-Line Auction Fundraiser: The Parish of the Ascension will be hosting an online auction in June 2021. This auction will take place on Facebook between June 6 and June 13. At this time, we are looking for donations of new items. No item is too small as items can be combined to create an auction item. Deadline to donate items is Friday, May 28. Items can be dropped off at the church office between 9 a.m. and 12 noon, Monday to Friday. Please indicate the approximate value of the item and your name and phone number. If you have any questions, please contact Lisa Fancey at [email protected] or call/text after 4pm at 685-9408. Stay tuned for more details regarding the upcoming online auction.
  • Volunteers Needed: The parish Audio Visual team is actively looking for volunteers to join the exciting team that produces the live-streaming of weekly services. The team currently consists of two live-streaming operators and one audio operator. Duties for the livestream operator include preparing the slides that are used for the Sunday worship, operating the live-streaming cameras/computer and live-streaming the services to Facebook and YouTube. The audio operator manages the sound mixer in the church, which provides the sound for both the in-church worship as well as the live-streaming audio. The Audio Visual team also provides live-streaming/audio services for funerals & weddings upon request of the families. Please consider this important ministry so we are able to continue to provide this vital service to parishioners at home, as well as viewers from other parts of the province, the country and around the world. A minimum of three teams will allow us to share the load so if you are handy with computers, Microsoft PowerPoint or audio systems, please contact Wayne Courage at [email protected] for details. Training will be provided.
  • 2021:
    • Revenue: $63,018
    • Expenses: (96,816)
    • Gain (Loss): ($33,798)
  • 2020:
    • Revenue $72,637
    • Expenses ($96,365)
    • Gain (Loss) ($22,728)

• Bishop’s Visit: I am pleased to share that Bishop Samuel Rose will be worshipping with us on May 15 and 16 in the octave of Ascension
• Confirmation: On May 15, the Bishop will preside at Confirmation at both 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. for the eighteen candidates who have been patiently waiting since last year. These liturgies will be attended by the candidates and their families, as we are bound by the limitations of public health as we continue through these COVID times.
• Ascension Sunday: On Sunday, May 16, we will observe Ascension Sunday and the Bishop will be with us to preside and preach. We ask God’s blessing upon Bishop Samuel and his family and upon the entire diocese at this time as we continue to navigate a way forward through the pandemic and other challenges.
• Services During the Week:
  • Sunday, May 16 (Easter VII): 11:00am, Holy Eucharist/BAS ascensionnl.ca

God gives what is good. Let us pray that this goodness of God flow through us into all the world, saying:  O God, giver of love, hear our prayer

O God, today we remember the gift of mothers, past present and future as we celebrate Mother's Day. We give thanks for mothers the world over. We give thanks for all those who have nurtured and cared for us. We remember especially, birth mothers, adoptive mothers, surrogate mothers, aunts, grandmothers, teachers, neighbours and all women who have shared their faith with us. We pray for those mothers who have been hurt, disillusioned, or disappointed in their role as mother. We pray for those who have been denied a longed-for chance at motherhood, and for those whose years of mothering have been cut short by the loss of a child. O God, giver of love, hear our prayer

O God, your love is in motion. We praise the strength of your love. Where there is hunger, raise up your love. Where there is hurt and persecution, empower your love. Where there are false prophets, proclaim your love. Where there are lies, speak your love. We pray today for Nike, Nigeria, the parishes of Grand Bank and Grand Bay, for our confirmation candidates and their families and for Samuel our Bishop. O God, giver of love, hear our prayer

Where nations are hungry and plot harm against one another, bring your love. Where governments lie and deceive, bring your love. Where powers cripple and destroy what you have made, bring your love. O God, giver of love, hear our prayer

Where the churches alienate one another, bring your love. Where our fears keep us from offering Christ to all the needy peoples, bring your love. When this assembly is marked by division and jealousy, bring your love.  O God, giver of love, hear our prayer

O Lord, increase your affection. Increase our compassion. Increase our joy. Show us those we do not see. Magnify our love. Today we ask our prayers for those in our community who are sick, especially those on the Ascension Prayer Cycle. O God, giver of love, hear our prayer

We pray for the works of the Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund. While Canada faces its own challenges and grief over COVID-19, the images and stories from India of mass deaths, black market oxygen tanks and parking lot crematoria are shocking and heartbreaking. We send our prayers of comfort and support to all affected and ask that financial relief will be of benefit to the population. O God, giver of love, hear our prayer

For ourselves in this assembly, all who are impacted by the Pandemic, those undergoing testing, those who received positive results, those in isolation, dentists and dental hygienists, all believing in our every deed the good news, that after turmoil and strife, the world may be free of this virus.  O God, giver of love, hear our prayer

O Lord, we remember before you those who have died in faith, especially Vivian Pope and Gladys Knight, that they may know the love of God who had raised Christ up, having loosed the pangs of death.  O God, giver of love, hear our prayer

O God, we thank you for the power of divine love and for the presence of your love in one another. Guide us all finally into that greatest love who is Christ our Lord.

Ascension Prayer Cycle:  Aden, Amelia, Ann, Annie, Aubrey, Audrey, Barbara, Baxter, Bob, Brenda, Brian, Brittany, Brandon, Callum, Carl, Cathy, Christina, Cindy, Claire, Clarence, Connie, David, Debra, Delilah, Dennis, Derrick, Don, Donna, Doreen, Dot, Doug, Dulcie, Ed, Edgar, Elaine, Emily, Erin, Evelyn, Finnley, Frederick, Fred, Frank, Flo, Garrett, Gary, George, Gerald, Gerry, Glenda, Gordon, Harry, Hilda, Ike, Ina, Ingrid, Ira, Jack, Jason, Jennifer, Jenny, John, Josephine, Joan, Judy, Junior, Kent, Kevin, Kim, Laura, Leo, Leonie,  Lindsay, Lori, Louise, Luke, Madeline, Marie, Marsha, Mark, Marion, Marylou, Maxine, Maxwell, Melissa, Melvin, Michelle, Mike, Mona, Nancy, Pam, Phyllis, Rachel, Randell, Randy, Rodney, Roland, Ruby, Ruth, Rita, Sean, Shirley, Stephen, Susan, Tina, Todd, Tom, Valerie, Vera, Victoria and Wayne

Collect

Merciful God,
you have prepared for those who love you
riches beyond imagination.
Pour into our hearts such love toward you,
that we, loving you above all things,
may obtain your promises,
which exceed all that we can desire;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. AMEN    

A Reading from the Book of Acts

While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles, for they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter said, "Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?" So he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they invited him to stay for several days. ACTS 10:44-48

Reader: The Word of the Lord
People: Thanks be to God

Psalm

Sing to the Lord a new song,
for he has done marvellous things.

With his right hand and his holy arm
has he won for himself the victory.

The Lord has made known his victory;
his righteousness has he openly shown in the sight of the nations.

He remembers his mercy and faithfulness to the house of Israel,
and all the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.

Shout with joy to the Lord, all you lands;
lift up your voice, rejoice, and sing.

Sing to the Lord with the harp,
with the harp and the voice of song.  

With trumpets and the sound of the horn
shout with joy before the King, the Lord.

Let the sea make a noise and all that is in it,
the lands and those who dwell therein.

Let the rivers clap their hands,
and let the hills ring out with joy before the Lord,
when he comes to judge the earth.

In righteousness shall he judge the world
and the peoples with equity.       

Lord God, we see your righteous rule in all your works, and we join our voices with the song of your whole creation in praising you, in and through Jesus Christ our Saviour.     PSALM 98

Reader:  The Lord be with you
People:  And also with you

The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ According to John

People: Glory to, you Lord Jesus Christ

Jesus said, "As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another."  JOHN 15:9-17

Reader: The Gospel of Christ
People: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ

Prayer over the Gifts

God of glory,
accept all we offer you this day,
and bring us to that eternal city of love and light,
where Christ is King.
We ask this in his name. AMEN

Prayer after Communion

Father,
you restored us to life
by raising your Son from death.
May we who receive this sacrament
always be strengthened to do your will,
in the name of Jesus Christ the risen Lord. AMEN

• Eucharist