Year B - The Ascension of the Lord (May 17 or 20, 2012)

Ascension, from Art in the Christian Tradition,
a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN.
http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=54351
[retrieved April 9, 2012].

The Ascension of the Lord is celebrated on Thursday (May 17^th this year).  Rather than simply skip over it, I’d suggest celebrating it on the last Sunday of the Easter Season at least occasionally.  The story provides two important to children opportunities. 

1.      The Ascension story answers the child’s question, “where is Jesus now?”  His life walking around on the earth is over, but he lives with God and continues to love the whole world from there.  As he left, he clearly passed the baton to his disciples – and to us. 

2.      As you complete the cycle of liturgical seasons about Jesus’ life and passion (Advent, Epiphany, Lent, and Easter), Ascension Day is a chance for worship review (How did we follow and celebrate Jesus in each season?) and a peak ahead to the rest of the liturgical year.

Since the texts for Ascension Day are the same in years A, B, and C of the RCL, go to The Sunday After the Ascension of Christ (Year A) for specific suggestions for the day.

Additional Idea

Copley, John Singleton, 1738-1815. The Ascension,
from Art in the Christian Tradition,
 a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN.
http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=50177
[retrieved April 9, 2012].

The Vanderbilt Divinity Library great on-line art collection includes a variety of artist’s depictions of the Ascension – with directions on using them without fee for non-commercial purposes if you print their attribution.  (Go to Vanderbilt Library: Art in the Christian Tradition: Ascension for a dozen ascension works.)  The art ranges from a very simple painting of Christ with arms outstretched to a very abstract twirling tower of metal bars.  Before reading the ascension story, briefly display a variety of these noting with amazement that each one is one person’s idea about the same event.  Read the story.  Then, revisit the pictures pondering the similarities and differences.  Enjoy the mysteriousness of the event.  No one today can know exactly what it looked like.  Then, provide children (all worshipers?) with paper and colored pens or crayons with which to create their own picture of what happened. Either invite them to post their pictures at a set spot at the end of worship or speak to artists as they leave about their work.

Tonkin, Mike and Liu, Anna. Singing, Ringing Tree (Panopticons),
from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=54919 [retrieved April 9, 2012].