<html><head></head><body><div class="ydpdf234d9dyahoo-style-wrap" style="font-family:times new roman, new york, times, serif;font-size:16px;"><div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">Hi Everyone,</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">This coming Sunday, June 1, 2025, marks the feast of The Ascension. The program of songs and responses is attached.</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">This Sunday, Sylvia is away and has asked me to lead the music. I'll be doing that, with the support of Helena and Mike.</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">The Ascension is one of our fascinating and mysterious Christian stories. At the time that the Gospels were written, the prevailing understanding of the cosmos was that earth was covered with a dome which God had created, and that above that dome was where God lived. With that understanding, and the belief that Jesus went from earth to live with God his Father, it would make sense to envision Jesus ascending from the earth into the heavens. However, in terms of our present-day knowledge of the universe, as someone has put it, if Jesus had literally risen from the Earth and ascended into the skies, even if he was travelling at the speed of light he would not yet have come close to escaping our galaxy. Which impresses upon us that mysteries will remain mysteries.</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">Looking forward to being with you all on Sunday.</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">Brian</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div><br></div><div class="ydpdf234d9dsignature"><div dir="ltr" style="font-family:new times, serif;font-size:16px;"><b><i><font color="#4c76a2">Brian Halferty</font></i></b></div></div></div></div></body></html>