From the Rector…
Almost every day, I see someone from our neighborhood sitting on a bench in the grounds or wandering through one of our gardens. It’s always a beautiful sight and reminds me of the gift Ascension has been given to share with our neighbors and the community. We may take the beauty and tranquility of this place for granted, as we are so familiar with it, but take a moment to imagine if it were gone. What would the Garden District, Montgomery, or even the world look like with a little less beauty and peace?
It is said that the men who dreamed of Notre Dame wanted to build a place where even the peasants could look up and be assured of a heaven above. If you’ve ever been inside Notre Dame, that is the first thing you notice—the way your eye is drawn upward to the starscapes painted across its domed ceiling. It’s a hopeful feeling to look up and realize there is something more to creation than what we can fully understand. I feel the same way about Ascension and its gardens.
When I see our neighbors lingering on our grounds, and take the time to sit and linger myself, I am filled with a sense of peace, even in this chaotic world—a peace that is beyond all understanding. I believe part of Ascension’s purpose is simply to be a place where others can “be still and know that [God] is God.” (Psalm 46:10) This is a profound experience of knowing the Almighty, one that many miss the opportunity to enjoy. To be still in this world of frenetic pace, where purpose and production dominate, and where more and more people are plagued by ADD and distracted by commercialism—is to be free to breathe. That is what Ascension offers to the world: space to breathe, and in that breath, to connect with YHWH, our Creator. When we are able to breathe, we realize there is more to creation than what we can know.
Hopefully, you’ve noticed the improvements we’ve made to our grounds over the years. When I arrived at Ascension, the Transfiguration Garden was being added, and now it blooms year-round, offering an oasis of flowers and herbs that welcome all who come to the Sunday school building. The Girl Scouts broke ground on a butterfly garden, and earlier this spring, they saw their first caterpillars. Recently, we revamped the Sundial Garden into an English Knot Garden, and we’ll gather around it this Sunday for the Liturgy of the Palms. The Lay Weeders do an excellent job maintaining our Memorial Garden, as well as the outdoor chapel space and the entrance to the Nave, keeping them beautiful and inviting. Now, the entire parish has an opportunity to break ground on our next exciting project.
As many of you know, we purchased the land behind Joshua Commons with the vision of placing a labyrinth in its midst. That vision is still part of our overall plan, but it has expanded. We have recently acquired more property behind Joshua Commons, extending to the alley. We are working with the neighborhood and the city to gain permission to remove the house currently on the property, as it has suffered storm damage and has not been properly maintained. In the meantime, we will take down the fence separating the land and begin clearing debris during our workday this Saturday, April 12. Our expanded vision now includes a labyrinth that will lead into a wooded scripture path, further testifying to the peace, calm, and stillness that are so evident in this place.
We need your help. Please come and be a part of our latest cleanup and renewal effort for our church grounds. Wear long pants and sleeves, bring your gloves, and anything that cuts, mows, weed-eats, saws, drags, or carries. As we begin the effort to revitalize and renew the northern part of our campus, we will create even more space for all of God’s children to “be still and know God.”