The Ascension of Our Lord
May 1/4, 2008

With thanks to page sponsor,
Rev. Larry Hansen
Cana House
Portland, Oregon
(May1011)

Click on Scripture Lessons below for study links and resources:

Acts 1:1-11

Psalm 47 or Psalm 93
Roman Catholic reading: Psalm 47:2-9

Ephesians 1:15-23
Roman Catholic reading: Ephesians 1:17-23

Luke 24:44-53
Roman Catholic reading, Year A: Matthew 28:16-20
Roman Catholic reading, Year B: Mark 16:15-20
Roman Catholic reading, Year C: Luke 24:46-53
 

Reading and Studying the Text This Week

• Texts:
  • Illustrated lectionary readings at Vanderbilt Divinity Library.
  • The Roman Catholic Lectionary for Mass (1998 USA Edition). At Felix Just S.J.'s The Roman Catholic Lectionary For Mass - a site featuring comprehensive tables of editions of the Roman Catholic Lectionary.
  • Lectionary readings from the Episcopal Lectionary: BCP / RCL.
  • Lutheran RCL CEV readings - .doc files. Lutheran Bible Ministries.
• Images and Movies:
  • Images Linked at The Text This Week's Art Concordance, with the following themes:
    • Resurrection
    • Ascension
  • Movies Linked at The Text This Week's Movie Concordance, with the following themes:
    • Resurrection
    • Ascension
• Special Day Resources:
  • Resources for Ascension at Bass Mitchell's Special Days and Services site.
  • The Ascension - a promise of great things to come, John S. McClure, Presbyterians Today, 2002.
  • "Ascension" and "Feast of the Ascension" from (the 1913 edition of) The Catholic Encyclopedia.
• Commentary, Exegesis & Sermon Preparation (see also listings at individual scripture pages, linked in listings at top of page)
  • Comments (commentary) and Clippings (technical notes for in-depth study), Chris Haslam, Anglican Diocese of Montreal.
  • Commentary and Spiritual Perspectives, Easter 7C/Ascension, 2007. Commentary, historical background, poems and readings. Center for Liturgy, St Louis University.
  • "Cloud Rider," Blogging toward Sunday, Nanette Sawyer, Theolog: The Blog of The Christian Century, 2008.
  • Blogging toward Sunday, Walter Brueggemann, Acts 1:1-11, Theolog: The Blog of The Christian Century.
  • Preaching Helps (Ascension Day ABC). Safiyah Fosua, United Methodist Church General Board of Discipleship.
  • "Making Good on the Promise," Mona West, Linda Thomas, Norman Kansfield, Valerie Bridgeman Davis, Out In Scripture: An Honest Encounter Between Our Lives and the Bible, Human Rights Campaign, 2008. (LGBT perspective)
  • "Salvation: 7th Sunday of Eastertide (Ascension Sunday)," Sea Raven, Liberal Christian Commentary.
  • Lectionary Notes, Ascension, Rev. Beth Quick and the Lectionary Chat Group Bible Study of St. Paul's UMC, Oneida, NY.
  • Lectionary Haikus: Ascension, Among the Hills.
  • Lectionary Analysis, Ascension Day, 2007. Rev. John Shearman, Oakville, ON, Canada.
  • "The Church on Fire: Reflections on the Revised Common Lectionary, Cycle A, Acts," Living the Word by Katherine Grieb, Sojourners Online, May-June, 1999.
  • "Go to the Whole World," The Practice of Jesus, Bill Fletcher, Aotearoa-New Zealand, 2008.
  • Light on the Lessons, Lutheran Bible Ministries. .doc file leaders guide and participant guide for group study of the weekly lectionary readings.
  • Bible Study - Ascension - verse by verse Roman Catholic lectionary commentary at St Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, Picayune, MS.
  • SAMUEL at ucc.org: lectionary citations, weekly theme, lectionary texts, commentary and bulletin back page.
  • Social Justice Lectionary, Ascension, list of links by Rev. Dr. Bruce Sweet, United Church of Canada.
  • Banquet of the Word, Bible Study Based on the Sunday Readings, by Rev. Thomas Welbers.
  • Proclaiming Faith, Ascension, 2008 - exploring the Sunday and Holy Day readings - reflections and young people's activities. Sadlier Publishing.
• Sermons:
  • "Watching and Waiting: A Meditation for Ascension Day," the Rev. Marilyn E. Thornton, 21st Century Africana Liturgy Resources, The United Methodist Church General Board of Discipleship.
  • "You Can't Keep a Good Man Down," the Rev. Dr. James B. Lemler, Day 1, 2008.
  • Selected Sermon, Ascension Day B, by the Rev. J. Barrington Bates, in Worship that Works, ECUSA, 2006.
  • "The End and the Beginning," Ascension Day - 25 May 2006, Hubert Beck, Göttinger Predigten im Internet: Every Sunday Sermons based on the RCL by a team of Lutheran theologians/ pastors.
  • "Footprints on the Earth," the Rev. Barbara K. Lundblad, Day 1, 2005.
  • "More Questions than Answers," Ascension - 5 May 2005, Luke Bouman, Göttinger Predigten im Internet: Every Sunday Sermons based on the RCL by a team of Lutheran theologians/ pastors.
  • "A Mission Accomplished; A Mission to Accomplish," Ascension, 20 May 2004, Walter W. Harms, Goettinger Predigten: Every Sunday Sermons based on the RCL by a team of Lutheran theologians/ pastors.
  • "Somebody Prayed for Me," The Reverend Jonathan Holston (United Methodist), Day 1, 2004.
  • "Just Where Did Jesus Go?" Dianne Bergant, CSA, America: The National Catholic Weekly, 2003.
  • "Power Source," the Rev. Dr. Catherine Taylor, Day 1, 2003.
  • "Gifts for Mission," John R. Donahue, SJ, America: The National Catholic Weekly, 2000.
• A list of links to on-line Bibles and general Bible study resources.
• A list of links to scholarly and preaching discussion groups and their homepages. 
• A list of links to other lectionary-based preaching and worship resources.

OnLine Worship and Liturgy Resources

• Resources and Images on The Text This Week's Easter Resources page.
• Lent and Easter links at Rev. Richard J. Fairchild's A Holy Easter.
• Complete Liturgies (includes prayers & hymns):
  • Worship Planning Helps (Easter 7/Ascension, 2008): Worship & Preaching Notes, Hymn Suggestions and Worship Resources from the United Methodist Church General Board of Discipleship.
  • Worship Resources, Easter 7 / Ascension, Free Resources, Cokesbury Worship Connection. Includes Artistic Elements.
  • Lectionary Liturgies, Ascension, Thom M. Shuman, Greenhills Community Church, Presbyterian, Cincinnati, OH.
  • LCA Worship Resources, Ascension, includes liturgy, hymn suggestions, notes on the readings, visuals, drama, "Talking with Children," etc. Lutheran Church of Australia.
  • Liturgies and Worship Resources for Ascension, Sacredise.
  • Liturgy Alive, Ascension, Claretian Publications, Inc., Philippines.
  • "Making Disciples," The Practice of Jesus, Bill Fletcher, Aotearoa-New Zealand, 2008.
  • Sunday by Sunday: Ascension Day. Liturgy Planner from the Royal School of Church Music.
• Prayers, Prefaces, Litanies, etc.:
  • Laughing Bird Liturgical Resources, by Nathan Nettleton, South Yarra Community Baptist Church, Melbourne, Australia. Prayers, blessings, Eucharistic prefaces and scripture paraphrases.
  • Resources: Based on the Revised Common Lectionary. Prayers, Collects and Litanies by Bruce Prewer, Uniting Church in Australia.
  • Lector's Notes, Ascension, Gregory Warnusz, Saint Jerome Parish, Bellefontaine Neighbors, MO. Notes and commentary for those reading this week's lectionary texts to the congregation.
  • Outside the Box, litanies, poems and prayers written for the local church, by Katherine Hawker.
  • Prayers of the People - Ascension, General intercessions for Sundays and Feasts, by Ormonde Plater, Archdeacon of the [Anglican/Episcopal] Diocese of Louisiana.
  • "Liturgy: prayer reflection", reflections on the collect at the Eucharist, Rev. Bosco Peters, New Zealand.
  • 21st Century Africana Liturgical Resources, Ascension, 2008, the Marilyn E. Thornton, United Methodist Church General Board of Discipleship.
  • Prayer of the Church, Ascension, 2007, Let Us Pray, Lutheran Church Missouri Synod.
  • Prayers and Musical Ideas, Easter 7C/Ascension. Commentary, historical background, poems and readings. Center for Liturgy, St Louis University.
  • A Prayer for Easter 7 / Ascension Sunday, Stephen Brown, A Place for Prayer.
  • Prayers for Ascension, Sacredise.
  • Prayers of the People, Easter 7/Ascension, Richard J. Einerson, sample prayers from Prayers of the People: Pastoral Prayers for Worship and Personal Devotion.
• Graphics and Bulletin Materials:
  • Clip Art Images: Ascension, Misioneros Del Sagrado Corazón en el Perú.
  • Ascension at Cerezo Barredo's weekly gospel illustration. Follows Latin American Roman Catholic gospel reading, though most gospels texts/themes are found in the index. Liberation emphasis.
  • Commercial Site: Work of the People - Ascension/Easter 7 - Films/Visual Liturgy based on RCL texts.
  • Bulletin Covers, www.scholia.net. Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Emmett, Idaho. Scroll down for Year A index.
  • Lectionary Puzzles, Ascension. Word search puzzles in RTF or plain text, by Reg McMillan, St.Stephen's Presbyterian Church, Peterborough, Ontario.
  • SAMUEL at ucc.org: lectionary citations, weekly theme, lectionary texts, commentary and bulletin back page.
  • Image of Sky, Sacredise.
  • Lectionary Haikus: Ascension, Among the Hills.
  • Lectionary Introductions (background & context), Rev. Bosco Peters, New Zealand.
  • Ascension PowerPoint Slides, CHURCH Powerpoint, Dorothy Okray.
  • "We Are Witnesses," reflection by Barbara Bernstengel, eBulletins reflections, prayer reminders, activity corner, American Bible Society Bible Resource Center.
• Music and Hymns:
  • Lectionary Hymns, Easter 7/Ascension 2006, United Methodist Church General Board of Discipleship.
  • "Have Pity on Your Children, Lord," Brenton Prigge, NewHymn.
  • "The Lord Reigns," Barry Marshall, Sacredise.
  • "I Believe," original hymn by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette. Tune:  AUSTRIAN HYMN 8.7.8.7D "Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken"
  • "O for A Faith that May Inspire," hymn for Ascension Sunday by Marilyn Thornton, music: Old Hundredth. United Methodist Church General Board of Discipleship.
  • Liturgical Planning and Music Suggestions, Ascension, CanticaNova Publications. 
  • Hymn selections (United Methodist) and more from Hymnsite.com.
  • Metrical Psalms. Lectionary Psalms set to popular hymn music by Dale A. Schoening.
  • Hymn Suggestions for the Sunday Lectionary (with lyrics and sound files) from the Oremus Hymnal. (Click "Hymn Suggestions for the Sunday Lectionary.")
  • The Psalmistry: All Psalms Music: original Christian sheet music, lyrics, guitar chords, midi, mp3 files for all 150 Psalms. See Terms of Use.
  • The Billabong, by Rev Jeff Shrowder, Uniting Church in Australia: Hymn suggestions and paraphrases of lectionary Psalms.
  • Worship Resource Manual, The Moravian Church, Southern Province. Worksheets for planning music in worship: hymns, anthems, solos, organ repertoire suggestions for RCL texts.
  • Hymns of the Spirit Three, Ascension, Richard E. Hurst, Universalist National Memorial Church.
  • Prayers and Musical Ideas, Easter 7C/Ascension. Commentary, historical background, poems and readings. Center for Liturgy, St Louis University.
• For Children:
  • "Bumper Stickers," Children's Time, in Sermons and Liturgies. Richard J. Fairchild. (Scroll down in liturgies to find Children's Time.)
  • Proclaiming Faith, Ascension, 2008 - exploring the Sunday and Holy Day readings - reflections and young people's activities. Sadlier Publishing.
  • Story for Children's Worship and Family Activity, Ascension, at word-sunday.com: A Catholic Resource for the Lectionary by Larry Broding.
  • Talks to Children, Ascension. Object lessons by Rev Donald McCorkindale, Church of Scotland, et al.
  • Lectionary Puzzles, Ascension. Word search puzzles in RTF or plain text, by Reg McMillan, St.Stephen's Presbyterian Church, Peterborough, Ontario.
• Drama:
  • "Ascension?" Michael English, Milton Parish Church Drama Resources.
• A list of links to other lectionary-based preaching and worship resources.