Clip art for Ascension

Have a look at this strong black and white image for the Ascension, which could be discussed with all ages for its meaning:

http://www.servicioskoinonia.org/cerezo/dibujosC/32ascensionC.jpg

It is free to use.

An all-age chant for Ascension Day

How about a simple chant on one, two or three notes, accompanied by a simple bongo drum beat (or similar) – or the congregation could have various percussion instruments.

It is easy to pick up the rhythm of the words from Acts 1 and anyone with a bit of musicality could lead it:

“You will re-ceive po-wer when the
Ho-ly Spi-rit has come u-pon you,
and you will be my wit-ness-es…
to the ends of the earth.

(Repeat several times, getting louder each time). Allow silence at the end. This chant could be used instead of a hymn before the Gospel reading, for example, or near the end of the service.

Having used the chant, it would make an evocative beginning to your celebration of Pentecost, too!

Feast of the Ascension and Local Shared Ministry

A celebration of the Ascension is a great opportunity to remember the theological basis for shared ministry: the gift of the Holy Spirit as emphasised in the readings for the day: “See I am sending upon you what my Father promised… power from on high”; “the riches of his glorious heritage among the saints (i.e. the believers)”; “the Church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all” “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you”. All of this points to the theological idea that the focus moves from the earthly Jesus to the Body of Christ, but both have the same life-giving function in the world, with gifts for ministry given diversely to all the baptised.

A focus for the service could be celebrating the signs of Ascended Christ visible in the gifts and fruit of the Holy Spirit at work in the church and beyond. This is probably more useful than trying to figure out some literal picture of the Ascension!