Dear Friends,
Today is Ascension Day. You wouldn’t know it now, because no one is taking the day off, or going to buy presents, or roasting a feast, but this was once one of the principal holidays of the year. Traditionally, the pascal candle, lit at Easter, is snuffed at the end of reading of the Gospel, to signify the end of Jesus’ appearances as he appeared to the disciples. We now live in the Spirit, and we see only the signs of Jesus presence—we see sacramentally, we catch the glimpse of glory in the everyday. So in some ways, it fits that this day, which used to be celebrated by candles and choruses, this day that was once one of the chief celebrations in every corner of Christendom, is now a hidden day, a forgotten moment. So much happens in our lives that we forget that because Christ ascended to the right hand of God, Christ ascended to every place. Everywhere we place our feet, Christ is present, whether we know it or not, whether our minds are near him or far: Christ sits at the right hand of the Father, crowned in glory. And yet—there is a paradox here. Christ is revealed as ever present, and yet we see him nowhere. So where can go to find him? We go to where he promises to be found, at the Scriptures, the font, and at the table. We go where God has been always most present to us: in the Word, spoken to bring life out nothing, spoken in forgiveness of sin, spoken with bread and wine that are body and blood. We trust this word—because it speaks to the depths of our selves, depths we cannot fathom. The Ascension is a mystery—where did the body go? Faith says—here, there, everywhere, but come to taste and see that the Lord is good. Yours, Pastor John Latest NewsRSS Feed Widget Community Events at OSAJune 7: Soup Kitchen - A hot meal with good company (6:30 pm)
June 14: MOSA Concert - The Enso Quartet, presented in Carnegie Hall Neighborhood Concerts (5 pm) info |
The Way to OSAOur Saviour's Atonement is located in Manhattan at 178 Bennett Avenue, one block west of Broadway at 189th Street. We are within walking distance of both the 1 and A trains as well as the M4, M100, and Bx7 bus lines. GOOGLE MAP
Worship Schedule
Service with Communion
Sundays at 11 am Fellowship & Coffee Hour follow This Week's Readings
EducationSunday Christian Fellowship
10 am in Lorenz Library Sunday School 10 am in the South Balcony Wed Night Book Club Gospel of Mark 7:30 pm in Lorenz Library |
Our Saviour's Atonement Lutheran Church (ELCA)
178 Bennett Ave (one block west of Broadway at 189th St) New York, NY 10040 | 212.923.5757 |
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