The New Year lies before us like a chapter in a book, waiting to be written. Hopefully, it will be a chapter filled with new hope, fulfilled dreams, loving thoughts, new experiences, good health, and many great memories.

2020 was a tough year but as the saying goes ‘Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning to dance in the rain.’ Hopefully, we have learned to do that in 2020.

A few notices for you:

Public worship continues each Sunday at 11 a.m. and the same guidelines continue. If, however, Sunday services are canceled due to inclement weather, there will be an announcement on VOCM and VOWR. You may also check your email, or the message on the church answering machine.
For those who do not feel comfortable for public worship yet, or who are shut in, you can now watch the Sunday service at home as it is live streamed each Sunday via the new church website ascensionnl.ca. Just go to the website, find the Social Media tab, and click on the Facebook tab. This will link you to the service once it has begun.
Every year there is always a joint service during the ‘Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.’ Of course, due to COVID restrictions, this will not be possible this year. However, our parish will observe this special service on January 24 at the 11 a.m. service. The international resources for this 2021 Week of Prayer were prepared by the Monastic Community of Grandchamp in Switzerland. This Community is a group of religious sisters from different church traditions brought together by a common vocation of prayer, community life, and hospitality and by their commitment to Christian unity. The theme this year is ‘Abide in my love and you shall bear much fruit.’ (John 15:1-17)
It has been decided again to designate one Sunday of each month as family Sunday. The service will include the celebration of birthdays for that given month. When it’s your birthday, take a picture of yourself and send to [email protected] and it will be shown in the Birthday Sunday celebration portion of the liturgy. To make sure your photo gets included, please submit your photos by the end of the first week each month.
If you have read Rev’d David’s Word for last Sunday, you will have read about the vision and generosity of Ruby and Roland Clarke upon their deaths. They were faithful parishioners of the Ascension for many years, and at this time they have enabled the parish to purchase the resources of the new audio-visual streaming equipment so that those who are affected by pandemic isolation, and those that are shut in, may experience the blessing of the faith community as we worship together.
This is a reminder that if you would like to receive a physically distanced visit from Rev’d David or Rev’d Lynn, you can call the office and Peggy will make the arrangements, or you can contact the clergy via email.
Parishioners are encouraged to continue to support our Parish by donating to the Pandemic Appeal. A total of $6,225 has been donated to date. Thank you to all who have donated thus far.

That’s it for another week!

Take care and stay safe!
God Bless you all,
Jean (on behalf of the Ascension)