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Parish newsletter of the Church of the Ascension (Episcopal), Chicago
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IN THIS ISSUE Ascension Book Group Page 2
Celebrating the Feast of St. Anne Page 3
Ascension Family Spotlight Page 4
Volunteers Needed! Page 4
Ice Cream Social in the Garden Page 5
Birthdays & Anniversaries Page 5
July Ordo Kalendar Page 6
Familia The Newsletter of the Ascension Parish Family July 2011
Summertime at the Ascension
Celebrate summer in the garden! The Evangelism Committee and the Activities Committee are planning a series of evening parties in the Our Lady of Victory Garden. First up: an ice cream social! See Page 5 for more details. Thursday, July 28, at 6:30 p.m. (following Evening Prayer) Ice cream, pie, iced tea, coffee, and other treats
‚He must increase, but I must decrease.‛
– John 3:30
T hose are St. John the Baptist’s pro-
phetic words to his own disciples
concerning his role and Christ’s.
His work done and the way prepared, the
Forerunner spoke of the martyr’s fate that
awaited him at Herod’s palace and the
greater work of salvation Our Lord would
later complete on Calvary.
The Church Fathers, with their love of
symbolism, were reminded of this prophe-
sy when they noted the position of St. John
the Baptist’s feast day in the church year.
June 24, the Nativity of St. John the Baptist,
falls only a few days after the summer
solstice (just as Our Lord’s Nativity falls a
few days after the beginning of winter).
Every day between St. John’s nativity and
Christmas gets shorter and shorter; every
day between Christmas and St. John the
Baptist’s feast gets longer and longer. ‚I
must decrease; he must increase‛—see?
In some places, St. John’s Day is still
observed in the traditional way—with late-
night bonfires and picnics. Here in the
United States, that’s less common. At As-
cension, we made do with two Masses and
no bonfires.
But there’s another, less quaint,
church tradition associated with summer
that is certainly observed in many parish-
es. It also can be summed up with the
phrase ‚I must decrease‛—namely, the
widespread shut-down of church activities
for the summer.
For many, the summer break marks
a well-deserved rest. That’s certainly
true for our dedicated Sunday School
staff and volunteer teachers, and for our
superb choir, which has been singing regu-
larly and beautifully at the 11:00 a.m. Sol-
emn High Mass through an extremely long
season between Michaelmas and the So-
lemnity of Corpus Christi this year.
But, it is a pleasure to note that, here
at Ascension, this summer will in no way
mark a ‚vacation‛ from church. Quite the
contrary— there are several events lined
up for the summer months. For example:
See SUMMERTIME, Page 3
2 Familia July 2011
Familia The Newsletter of the
Church of the Ascension
Parish Family
The Rt. Rev. Jeffrey Lee
Bishop of Chicago
The Rev. Gary P. Fertig
Rector
The Rev. Kurt Olson
Assisting Priest
Michael Vales
Senior Warden
David D. Schrader
Junior Warden
James Baran
Avril Hector
Scott Knitter
Jett McAlister
Doug Mose
Carol Noren
Cheryl Peterson
Sylvia Sorgel
Sonja Smith
Members of the Vestry
Charley Taylor
Director of Finance and
Administration
Susan Schlough
Coordinator, St. Antony of Padua
Soup Kitchen and Food Pantry
To contact Familia, send email to:
Church of the Ascension
1133 N. LaSalle Boulevard
Chicago, Illinois 60610-2601
(312) 664-1271
http://www.ascensionchicago.org/
Ascension Book Group
Interested in learning more about
faith, history, literature, and current
events? The Vestry’s Evangelism Com-
mittee is happy to announce the formation
of the Ascension Book Group. The group
will meet once a month or
so, and discuss a novel or
other books of interest to
parishioners. All are wel-
come to join the conversa-
tion. The group plans to
meet the first Thursday of
each month, following the
6:00 Evening Prayer service.
Light refreshments will be
served.
Our first book is Rose
Macaulay’s 1956 novel The
Towers of Trebizond. Those
unfamiliar with this riotous
novel are in for a real treat. From its fa-
mous opening sentence— ‚‘Take my cam-
el, dear,’ said my Aunt Dot, as she climbed
down from this animal on her return from
High Mass‛—this novel grabs readers
with its sharp wit and insightful observa-
tions.
The book tells the story of a troupe of
eccentric Anglo-Catholic missionaries (and
a camel) tromping through
the backlands of Turkey. As
they journey towards the
legendary city of Trebizond,
they encounter magicians,
discombobulated police-
men, and none other than
the evangelist Billy Graham.
The Towers of Trebizond,
published by New York Re-
view Books, is widely avail-
able, through both online
retailers and local
bookshops. We hope that
you’ll join us on August 4
as we discuss this funny and moving nov-
el. For more information about the Ascen-
sion Book Group, contact Doug Mose (312-
986-0778, or [email protected]).
We remember those who have finished their course in Your faith and fear,
especially, on the anniversaries of their deaths:
1 Mary Frances Green (mother of Clifford)
Raymond Mulcare (father of John)
2 Bernard Markwell
6 Doris Mae Horne
8 Raymond E. Harkness
9 Arthur Ritchie, Priest, Ninth Rector of the parish
11 Betty Lodine
13 Oliver William Porter (husband of Bea Haapanen)
Edward Jacobs
20 Margaret Whybrew
22 Taylor Hope Homko (granddaughter of Bob and Angie Barbour)
29 Harold Connaughton (father of Richard)
31 Michael Berkshire
Albert C. Eldridge (friend of Suzanne Mauntel)
Rest eternal grant unto them, O Lord: Let light perpetual shine upon them.
May their souls, and the souls of all the faithful departed,
through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
First meeting Thursday, August 4, at 6:30 in Wheeler Hall
July 2011 Familia 3
A busy summer at Church of the Ascension
The Order of Saint Anne will soon celebrate its patronal feast, commemo-rating the Feast of Saint Anne at the 11:00 a.m. Pontifical Solemn High Mass on Sunday, July 24. The Rt. Rev. James Winchester Montgomery, retired Bishop of Chicago, will celebrate. Father Kurt Olson will preach. The Mass will be pre-ceded by a solemn procession with a sta-tion at the statue of St. Anne at the back of the nave.
Following the Mass, the Sisters will host a reception in Wheeler Hall, to which all parishioners and guests are invited.
Bishop Montgomery most recently celebrated Mass at Ascension at last year’s commemoration of St. Anne.
The Order of St. Anne was founded in 1910 by the Rev. Frederick Cecil Pow-ell, a member of the Society of St. John the Evangelist. The Chicago convent was established in 1921, in response to a call from the rector, the Rev. William Brew-ster Stoskopf, for sisters to do missionary work in the parish.
The sisters have been vital in the life of the parish ever since, especially dedi-
cated to education and Christian for-mation. During the 1950s, the sisters ran a kindergarten for children from the neighborhood, and administered a paro-
chial school during the 1960s and ’70s. Those interested in volunteering to
help out with the reception should call Mother Judith Marie, at (312) 642-3638.
Celebrating the Feast of St. Anne
SUMMERTIME, from Page 1
On July 24, (the last Sunday in July),
the Sisters of St. Anne will be observing
the Feast of Saint Anne, their matronal
festival, with a Pontifical Solemn High
Mass celebrated by the
Rt. Rev. James Mont-
gomery, the retired bish-
op of Chicago. A special
reception in St.
Michael’s Hall will fol-
low the Mass. The entire
parish family is invited
to attend.
On Thursday, July
28, the Evangelism and
Activities Committees
are hosting the first of three summer gar-
den parties—this one an ice cream so-
cial—in our lovely parish garden. The
party will begin after Evening Prayer and
will feature live music and prizes for the
best pies, cakes and other goodies donat-
ed. You are all invited to join us for Even-
ing Prayer at 6:00, and for the garden par-
ty afterwards. Look out
for more events in the
garden as the summer
wears on!
On August 4, a new par-
ish book group will hold
its first meeting in
Wheeler Hall. The group,
which will meet month-
ly, will discuss Rose Ma-
caulay’s Anglo-Catholic
picaresque classic, The
Towers of Trebizond, at its first meeting.
This novel is a real gem—uproariously
funny, insightful, and ultimately spiritual-
ly powerful. You’ll find more information
about the book group on Page 2 of this
newsletter.
We hope that you will make plans to
attend one or more of these events. You
can find more information about all of
these activities in this edition of Familia.
And as this July edition of Familia
may suggest, a concerted effort is under-
way to produce this newsletter more fre-
quently. You can look to Familia for regu-
lar reminders of birthdays, anniversaries,
and observances.
As the parish newsletter, Familia is
open to your news and submissions as
well — photographs, short articles, reflec-
tions even recipes are all welcome. If you
are interested in contributing to Familia,
please contact Jett McAlister at
For many, the summer
break means a well-
deserved rest. But it is a
pleasure to note that, here
at Ascension, this sum-
mer will in no way mark
a ‘vacation’ from church.
Bishop Montgomery will celebrate July 24 High Mass
RICH FORMAN PHOTOGRAPHY
The Rt. Rev. James Montgomery, retired Bishop of Chicago, preaches at the Pontifical Solemn High Mass of St. Michael the Archangel on September 29, 2007, marking Church of the Ascension’s 150th anniversary.
4 Familia July 2011
Several committees and other groups at Church of the As-cension are looking for some volunteers. Your participation ensures that the parish will continue to be an active, vital community. How can you help? The Evangelism Committee is looking for additional parish-ioners to help plan and conduct activities to welcome guests and new members to the church. Opportunities include:
Greeting guests on Sunday morning after Mass, and giving them gift bags with information about the parish
Baking (or buying – we won’t tell) goodies for the coffee hours after Sunday Masses
Planning or helping at the summer garden parties To volunteer, contact Cheryl Peterson, Evangelism Commit-tee Chair, or the parish office. Cheryl: 773-754-0209, or [email protected]. The Parish Office is looking for some volunteer help with light office work. Needs include:
Collating and assembling mailings (such as Familia)
Answering the door for requests for food during the week (during set office hours)
To volunteer, contact Charley Taylor at the parish office: 312-664-1271, or [email protected].
The Activities Committee produces those fabulous gala receptions we all look forward to at Christmas, Easter, and other major holy days. With the St. Anthony of Padua Soup Kitchen and Food Pantry, the Activities Committee also coordinates the annual Thanksgiving dinner for our neigh-bors in the senior living community on Oak Street. Volun-teer opportunities include:
Planning or helping at various receptions (Michaelmas, Christmas Eve, etc.) at the church
Cooking at the Thanksgiving meal (a wonderful way to serve the local community!)
Organizing additional activities throughout the year To volunteer, contact Diane Walsh, Activities Committee Chair, or the parish office. Diane: 312-375-7229, or [email protected]. The public recitation of the Daily Office is an integral part of the parish’s prayer life. Volunteers are always needed to serve as Lay Readers for Morning or Evening Prayer, and as Acolytes for the Low Masses that follow. Or maybe you’d like to be an Altar Server or Lector at a Sunday Mass? Train-ing will be provided! To volunteer, contact Charley Taylor at the parish office: 312-664-1271, or [email protected].
Calling all volunteers!
Ascension Family Spotlight Interviews with Parishioners and Friends of the Parish
Over the next few months, we’ll be featuring a se-ries of interviews with various members of the As-cension family, to help us to get to know each other better. If you’d like to suggest someone to be inter-viewed, please contact [email protected]. This month, we talked with new Vestry member Sonja Smith. FAMILIA: Sonja, you’re a southern girl from Bir-mingham. How’d you end up in Chicago? SONJA: That happened a little bit by accident. I was in my second year of school studying music education at LSU when Hurricane Katrina hit. I lived around half mile from the levees. Luckily Baton Rouge didn’t flood, but it started me think-
ing about other places to live. So, when I graduated I looked for jobs in about five different cities. My grandmother lived in Chi-cago, and I had visited every summer since I was a young girl. So this was a natural choice. Luckily for me, I came for some job interviews—and got a job teaching music at a charter high school right away. FAMILIA: You got a job right away? That’s not an easy thing to do these days. SONJA: I know. I was very fortunate. I arrived in Chicago on a Saturday; my job interview was on the next Monday and they told me I got the job that week.
See INTERVIEW, Page 6
July 2011 Familia 5
3 | Wendy George
5 | William Ford
11 | Paul Ahn
14 | Ethel Martin
16 | Peter Milano (son of Michael)
17 | Catherine Wilson
18 | Xiomara Greene
19 | Alex Feuer (son of Mike and Carolyn)
21 | Mia Rose Milano (granddaughter of Michael)
22 | Jim Berger
Fr. John Kobus
24 | Doug Mose
Joyce Keaton
25 | John Clifford Hedley (grandson of Joan)
27 | Gary Gehrke
28 | Clifford Green
30 | Andrew Wallace
July Birthdays and Anniversaries
SCOTT SMITH
You are invited to a
Summer Garden Party Ice Cream Social
Thursday, July 28, 6:30 p.m.
Enjoy the beauty of
summer and the
company of friends
in the Our Lady of
Victory Garden
Live music!
Ice cream and
beverages provided
by the parish
Bring pies and/or
cakes—there’s a
prize for the tastiest!
All are welcome,
especially guests
and visitors!
6 Familia July 2011
Ordo Kalendar—July 2011
1 THE MOST SACRED HEART OF JESUS (Low Masses at 7:00 a.m. and 6:20 p.m.)
2 THE MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST (Saturday Public Mass of Healing at
10:00 a.m.)
3 THE THIRD SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST (Proper 9)
4 INDEPENDENCE DAY (Church Offices closed; there is no public recitation of Evening Prayer this day)
5 Vladimir of Kiev, 1015
6 Thomas More, Martyr, 1535 (Wednesday Low Mass at 6:20 p.m.)
7 Palladius, Apostle of Ireland, 5th Century
8 Aquila, Confessor, and Priscilla, Matron, 1st Century
9 Votive of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Saturday Public Mass of Healing at 10:00 a.m.)
10 THE FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST (Proper 10)
11 Benedict of Nursia, Abbot of Monte Cassino, c. 540
12 Nathan Söderblum, Archbishop of Uppsala, Ecumenist, 1931
13 Silas, Martyr, 1st Century (Wednesday Low Mass at 6:20 p.m.)
14 Bonaventure, Bishop of Albano, 1274
15 Swithun, Bishop of Winchester, 862
16 Our Lady of Mount Carmel (Saturday Public Mass of Healing at 10:00 a.m.)
17 THE FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST (Proper 11)
19 Macrina, 379
20 Margaret, Martyr at Antioch, 3rd Century (Wednesday Low Mass at 6:20 p.m.)
22 ST. MARY MAGDALENE (Low Masses at 7:00 a.m. and 6:20 p.m.)
23 John Cassian, Abbot, c. 433
24 THE SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
COMMEMORATION OF THE SOLEMNITY OF SAINT ANNE, PATRONAL FEAST OF THE ORDER
OF SAINT ANNE (Pontifical Solemn High Mass, The Rt. Rev. James Winchester Montgomery, Celebrant,
11:00 a.m.)
25 ST. JAMES, APOSTLE (Low Masses at 7:00 a.m. and 6:20 p.m.)
26 St. Anne, Mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary
27 William Reed Huntington, Priest, 1909 (Wednesday Low Mass at 6:20 p.m.)
29 Mary and Martha of Bethany
30 William Wilberforce, 1833
31 THE SEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST (Proper 13)
INTERVIEW, from Page 4 FAMILIA: And are you still teaching at the charter school? SONJA: No—a few years ago, I began teaching music appreciation and group piano at Malcolm X College. FAMILIA: Music appreciation? SONJA: It’s basically music history. We start with Gregorian chant and move as far I can take them through the semester. FAMILIA: How does Gregorian chant go
over in classrooms these days? SONJA: Well, they don’t go around hum-ming chants all day. But, by the time we’re through with the class, I think they have gained a real appreciation for the classic Western tradition of music. FAMILIA: If you teach Gregorian chant and Western music history all day, coming to Mass at Ascension must be like a another day at the office for you. SONJA: Well, it’s not exactly like work. But it is true that the music here was the first thing that attracted me to Ascen-
sion. I remember when I first started at-tending, and David [Schrader] did one of his great improvisations, and I just thought “I’m at the right place.” FAMILIA: How long have you been a member of Church of the Ascension? SONJA: Around four years. When I first moved to Chicago, I visited various par-ishes. But after attending Mass at Ascen-sion, I stopped visiting other parishes and just started coming here. FAMILIA: Besides the music, was there
See SPOTLIGHT, Page 7
July 2011 Familia 7
July Lectionary July 1 — THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS — 1 John 4:7-16 Matthew 11:25-30 July 2 — THE MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST — Hebrews 9:11-15 John 19:30-35 July 3 — THE THIRD SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST Zechariah 9:9-12 Romans 7:15-25a Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30 July 10 — THE FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST Isaiah 55:10-13 Romans 8:1-11 Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 July 17 — THE FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST Wisdom 12:13, 16-19 Romans 8:12-25 Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 July 22 — ST. MARY MAGDALENE Judith 9:1, 11-14 2 Corinthians 5:14-18 John 20:11-18 July 24 — THE SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST 1 Kings 3:5-12 Romans 8:26-39 Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52 July 25 — ST. JAMES THE APOSTLE Jeremiah 45:1-5 Acts 11:27-12:3 Matthew 20:20-28 July 31 — THE SEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST Isaiah 55:1-5 Romans 9:1-5 Matthew 14:13-21
SPOTLIGHT, From Page 6 anything else that attracted you to Ascension? SONJA: The liturgy in general. I’m a cradle Episcopalian, so I have always ap-preciated the rhythm of our worship ser-vices. It gives me a chance to reflect on who I am, and what my role is as a Chris-tian. This may sound funny—but that’s one reason I look forward to Lent every year. I appreciate the opportunity for self-examination and reflection. FAMILIA: Do you have a favorite hymn? SONJA: One that we sang just a couple of weeks ago—“Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence.” It has a beautiful haunting mel-ody that really conveys the majesty of Christ’s presence in the Eucharist. Another favorite is Ralph Vaughan Wil-
liams’s setting of “Hail Thee, Festival Day”—a great, rousing Anglican hymn. FAMILIA: Sonja, you joined the vestry of the parish this year. Are there any projects you’re working on that you’re excited about? SONJA: I’m very enthusiastic about the garden parties that the Evangelism & Activities committees are jointly spon-soring this summer. We’re planning to hold three of them—one in July, one in August and one in September. We’re hoping they will be a great way for us to bond as a parish family, and to in-vite people from the neighborhood to see what Ascension is all about. I think we have a lot to offer—we’re a close-knit parish with excellent worship, and there’s room for many people to join us as we grow. So I’m excited about that. FAMILIA: In addition to serving on the
Vestry, you’re also an usher. What led you to volunteer for that? SONJA: Well, I thought it would be a good way for me to get to know people. And it really has been a great way for me to be able to put names to the faces I see every week at Mass. FAMILIA: Speaking of getting to know people, what are some of your other interests outside of church? SONJA: I’m a big foodie. I like to cook and bake – and go out to good restau-rants. I’m a big fan of the neighborhood street festivals we have in Chicago every summer. And I like to play tennis a lot—three times a week. I was teasing my mother the other day that if she had started me on tennis lessons, instead of the piano, when I was a girl, I might have had a whole different career!
Church of the Ascension 1133 N. La Salle Boulevard
Chicago, Illinois 60610-2601
Church of the Ascension
SUMMER WORSHIP SCHEDULE
Sundays
7:30 a.m. Morning Prayer
8:00 a.m. Low Mass
9:00 a.m. Sung Mass
11:00 a.m. Solemn High Mass
4:00 p.m Evening Prayer
Weekdays
6:40 a.m. Morning Prayer (M-F)
7:00 a.m. Low Mass (M-F)
6:00 p.m. Evening Prayer (M-F)
6:20 p.m. Low Mass (W and Holy Days)
Saturdays
9:40 a.m. Morning Prayer
10:00 a.m. Public Mass of Healing
6:00 p.m. Evening Prayer
ALL ARE WELCOME.
