The Ascension of our Lord

The Ascension of our Lord
Color for Ascension is White
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GATHERING

  • Begin the liturgy with the Easter Acclamation:

Christ is risen !  Alleluia, alleluia!
He is risen indeed!  Alleluia!  Alleluia!

  • Since this is a feast day, it is appropriate to omit the Brief Order for Confession and Forgiveness and to include a bid for forgiveness during the intercessions.  The liturgy could begin with a Thanksgiving for Baptism and sprinkling with water.
  • Gathering Hymns (as well as hymns throughout the liturgy) may still be Easter hymns and hymns with the Alleluia are appropriate. Also appropriate are hymns that celebrate Christ as King, since Ascension carries the connotation of ascending to the throne to reign.
  • A Procession is especially appropriate on a major feast day.
  • A possible Greeting:

Alleluia! Your promises are very sure, O Lord,
and holiness adorns your house forevermore. Alleluia!
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
And also with you.

  • “Worthy Is Christ” is an appropriate Hymn of Praise, (“has begun his reign”).

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WORD

  • The lessons are from Luke’s telling of the ascension (Acts 1 and Luke 24) and the prayer from Ephesians 1 that we may see and know the risen and ascended Christ.
  • Psalm 47 (and the optional Psalm 93) celebrates the reign of God.
  • A Gospel procession is appropriate, perhaps using ELW 393 or 393.

Divide the stanzas between the procession into the midst of the people and the return.

  • The Nicene Creed is the appropriate creed for a festival day.

 

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MEAL

An introduction to the Peace might be:

Jesus said to his disciples, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.”
The peace of the risen Christ be with you always.
And also with you.

“What Shall I Render” serves well as the Offertory with its reference to Jerusalem, the place where Jesus told his disciples to wait for the Father’s promise.

Eucharistic Prayer I, IV, V or VI work well.

You may want to use LBW II. Be sure to insert “on this day” in the paragraph that precedes, “Amen.  Come, Lord Jesus”, as follows:

 

“But chiefly we remember his rising from the tomb, on this day his ascension to the seat of power, and his sending …”

If “Alleluia, Sing to Jesus” (LBW 158) is not used elsewhere, it makes a good distribution hymn with its reference to “Bread of Heaven”.

 

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SENDING

A possible dismissal:

The God of our Lord Jesus Christ has clothed you with a Spirit of power and wisdom and revelation.

You shall be Jesus’ witnesses to the ends of the earth.
Go in peace and great joy. Alleluia, alleluia!
            Thanks be to God!  Alleluia!  Alleluia!