• Again this Sunday there will be an online church service hosted by the Parishes of St. Michael and All Angels, St. Mary the Virgin, the Good Shepherd, and the Ascension. Morning Prayer from the Book of Alternative Services will be live-streamed at 11 a.m. (You do not need to be on Facebook to view the live service.)
• Don't forget the 'Resurrection Reminders!' We are awaiting your photo/video and a brief write-up of how you are living out your faith at this time in spite of the COVID-19 challenges. Just send it to [email protected] so that one or two of the stories can be shared in the Chimes each week. We have two lovely 'Reminders' this week - from Tasker King and Rosamund Gellately. You will be able to read them in the Chimes which will be posted on the parish Facebook, as well as on the new parish website which you can reach at ascensionnl.ca.
• How are you doing with your Pentecost Growing Project? All you have to do is take a seed that you have around the house - an apple seed, a bean, an orange seed, etc. and plant it in a little container. Take care of it! Prior to Pentecost on Sunday, May 31, take a picture of your seedling and send to [email protected] so it can be included in the online worship on Pentecost Sunday.
• I know you must be delighted to know that the Ascension has a new website. However, there are certain parts that are still under construction since there are limited resources available during the pandemic.
• Since Sunday is Mother's Day, you were invited to send a picture of your mother or a person who is a mother figure to you so that it can be used at the beginning of the online service on that day. You were asked to send it to [email protected]. If you were able to do that, keep an eye out for pictures of those you love at the start of the service.
• The Ministerial of Mount Pearl is grateful for all donations received to date for the Mount Pearl Foodbanks. You can still donate by logging in to gofundme.com, search for Parish of the Ascension (that parish is receiving money on behalf of all the congregations in Mount Pearl) and follow the prompts to make a donation. Thanks in advance for all your help.
• The clergy continues to reach all parishioners. If by chance, since our parish list may not be up to date, you or someone you know have not been contacted since the closure of the church building, please send the contact information to [email protected] or call the church office at 368-5693.
• This has been and is a very stressful time for our faith community. Please continue to keep in touch with family, friends, and neighbours. If you know of someone who is struggling at this time, please let Rev'd David or Rev'd Lynn know. May God bless you for reaching out to others during those days.
• This week you are receiving Greetings from the ACW: "Happy Mother's Day from the ACW and a special wish for all our ACW members. This Mother's Day will most likely look a little different from others. Most of us will not be able to gather with our children or our mothers as in past years. Hopefully, some of you have been able to 'double your bubble' and can now visit with family, but many will spend this Mother's Day alone. If you find yourself struggling this weekend, please reach out ... to the clergy, or to a fellow ACW member; we all have a shoulder to lean on. Recently while making some Easter cards, I found this verse and thought it very appropriate to share here: "I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you." Isaiah 46:4.
• Rev'd David is participating in the Home Again Furniture Bank's first annual Heads without Beds campaign. It is only three weeks away and he is counting on your support. Please read the full notice in your Chimes - why this campaign is being undertaken and how you can donate to this worthy cause. Thank you in advance for your help.
• By now you have heard about the Thursdays in Black initiative of the World Council of Churches which advocates for the ending of rape and gender-based violence. The Anglican Church of Canada supports this initiative. Peruse the Chimes and see how the Parish of the Ascension is addressing this cause. Note in particular the zoom hour which happens every Thursday at noon with Rev'd David. This will be streamed live to the Parish of the Ascension Facebook page.
• We would also like to share with you some PWRDF Resources which you may find helpful at this time. There is also an invitation to be part of a 30-minute service on Zoom on Thursdays. It gives you direction as to how to donate PWRDF's COVID-19 response, as well as a prayer for PWRDF. It is all outlined in your Chimes under the heading PWRDF.
• There is also available to you some weekly resources for Sundays in Easter. Please go to the link illstrtdm.in/EasterWeek4 to download resources for the Fourth Sunday of Easter. Resources will be available on a weekly basis, so please visit the website for updated materials.
• A reminder that Sunday, May 17, is family/youth Sunday and also 'Birthday Sunday.' It is the Sunday when the parishes in their service will include the celebration of birthdays for the month of May. So send a picture of yourself to [email protected]. Deadline for submitting photos for this month is Thursday, May 14, at 5 p.m.
• I have been asked to include this important notice:
  • The Parish Committee is presently researching the history of the Church and is looking for copies of the Annual Reports for the years: 1978,1979, 2001-2006. If any parishioner has any of those reports, we would appreciate it if you would let us have them for our research purposes.
  • If you have any photos of special events held at the Church during the past years, the Committee would appreciate those as well for the history research.
  • You can drop any information you might have to the Church office or phone to have it picked up when available.
  • Thank you for any help you can provide for the research.

Have a safe weekend,
God Bless you all,
Jean (On behalf of the Ascension)