bi-monthly news

Life at Ascension

Lent 2010

4,522 pipes take a hike

An Interview with Noah Robinson

The Holtkamp organ was installed at the Church of the Ascension forty-three years ago and dedicated on January 15, 1967. Later this month the organ will move cross-country in two 53-foot trucks and make its new home with the Robinson family near the Siskiyou National Forest in southern Oregon.

Art, Noah and Joshua Robinson, along with John Philp, have taken up residence in the sanctuary for three weeks this winter to dismantle and prepare the organ for a trip to the west coast. The other four Robinsons siblings, Arynne, Bethany, Matthew and Zachary, wanted to be here to help, but were not able to interrupt their schedules due to graduate school and the duties of veterinarians. Fortunately, Joshua was able to take time off from his studies to help his brother and father. The three of them are dismantling the organ and building 250 wooden boxes to ship the 4,522 pipes. They are assisted by John Philp, who has experience working with organs as a former employee of CB Fisk, a Massachusetts designer and builder of pipe organs. Louisa Gilder, an east coast friend of the Robinsons, is also helping out. Louisa is the daughter of George Gilder, the well-known economist, technologist, writer and commentator. She is also the great granddaughter of the famous Louis Comfort Tiffany, who designed one of the stained glass windows in our sanctuary.

The Robinsons are notable not only for their love of music but they also all have impressive professional credentials and careers. Of the seven Robinsons, two are PhD biochemists, three are currently studying for a PhD in nuclear engineering, and two are veterinarians. Noah and his father, Arthur Robinson, are protein biochemists and operate a nonprofit research institute and laboratory on their farm in Cave Junction, Oregon. Their primary research work is on protein chemistry and diagnosing diseases early through laboratory medical applications. Noah and his father have been in New York City in the past to work on projects with Dr. Bruce Merrifield, a chemist at Rockefeller University. It was Merrifield who synthesized the first enzyme from scratch, winning the Nobel Prize in 1984. Art Robinson also worked with Linus Pauling, another Nobel Prize winning chemist, in California prior to their move to Oregon.

How did the Robinson family become interested in pipe organs and how did they come to purchase the 81-rank Holtkamp organ from the Church of the Ascension? The story seems to have started with their mother, who died in 1988 and was an accomplished pianist. She had always wanted a pipe organ but never thought they would be able to afford one. All of the Robinson children learned to play the piano and play the organ as well, although Noah, Joshua, Bethany and Matthew are primarily interested in the Ascension Holtkamp pipe organ. Noah first played a pipe organ while attending Southern Oregon University. Since his legs were too long to play the practice organ, he was given permission to play the college's recital organ. The Robinsons especially like playing hymns. They attend churches in Cave Junction and sometimes have their own services at home playing the three organs they have already, including a 9-rank and a 16-rank pipe organ. Since many churches cannot afford to keep their pipe organs and change to electronic organs, the Robinsons watch for sales and bought a Moller 1903 a few years ago. They had always wanted a larger organ, so after seeing the Ascension Holtkamp listed in the Organ Clearing House they decided this was the one for them. At first insurance and moving costs seemed prohibitive, but fortunately they found a way to make the arrangements and began to plan their three-week stay here to dismantle the organ themselves.

Their first week at Ascension was spent building 250 large crates out of plywood along with packing the pipes in the crates. Some of the pipes are zinc, but most are composed of lead and tin making them very delicate. For this reason the pipes are wrapped in paper and plastic bubble wrap before being placed in the wooden crates. After placement, they use a special spray foam to surround and support the pipes. This is especially important for the reeds which can deform easily during shipment.

It is clearly evident that the Robinsons are a multi-talented, do-it-yourself family. Along with science and medicine, dismantling and installing pipe organs, their plans include building a house for each of the family members on their farm. Their goal is to eventually have an organ for each home. And by the way, another occupation on the farm is caring for a herd of 100 sheep, which Arynne began as a hobby when she was eleven years old.

The Robinsons also happen to be good friends with George Beverly Shea and recently spoke with him to wish him a happy 101st birthday. Mr. Shea is most famous for his singing career with The Reverend Billy Graham, and has a pipe organ in his home as well, which he still plays. Mr. Shea has sung to more than 200 million people, and holds the world record for singing live to the most people. Noah said his sister collected all of Mr. Shea's records, and the hobby eventually became a project to preserve and make his music available. They convinced the record companies to allow them to republish all of Shea's music and obtained the rights to reproduce 425 of Shea's original recordings — nearly a complete collection of his recorded music on 27 compact discs.

Since we were all curious about the new home for the Holtkamp, the Robinsons graciously allowed me to interview them for this article. We look forward to seeing them again as they plan to visit The Church of the Ascension in the future to hear the new Manton organ.

— Lisa Dunn

our changing temple

Parishioner Barbara Head writes: "Since we are painting and changing, perhaps this daily reading from Forward Day by Day, written by an Episcopal priest might be of help to us all."

Zechariah 4:1-14

Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, says the Lord of hosts. The temple lay in ruins, from a foreign invasion several decades before, followed by exile of the Jews. But now the exile was over. The people had returned and were setting out to restore the Lord's house to its former glory. Zechariah prophesied at the beginning of this project. It was the late 6th century B.C.

Struggles for control often afflict ecclesiastical building projects. Everyone "knows" what a holy space should look like, but seems to have a different opinion on the details of the design and appearance. Many are unwilling to let go of their opinions. The result can be a painful division, with the losers walking out in a huff, perhaps never to return. The new church gets built but there's blood all over the floor.

Perhaps Zechariah foresaw something like this twenty-seven centuries ago. So he reminded the would-be architects and contractors and decorators that they were not in charge. If the job was to be done right, it would be done not according to their taste in architecture and décor, but by the spirit of the Lord, a spirit manifest more in how people relate to one another than by what ecclesiastical buildings look like.

vestry notes

At its December meeting the Vestry:

• Heard Fr. Andrew report that there had been a good meeting with the Trustees of the Manton Foundation detailing progress on church construction as we prepare for the arrival of the Manton organ.
• Heard Fr. Mark report that due to state budget cuts, the Food Bank reports that cuts in our grants are likely in 2010.
• Heard Fr. Mark report on behalf of Deacon Anne Auchincloss that Ascension is now linked to a parish in Gawaye, Tanzania, through the Carpenter's Kids program.
• Heard Fr. Mark report that Deacon Anne tells us there is overcrowding in the city's homeless shelters whereas faith-based shelters have spaces available.
• Heard the Buildings & Grounds Committee present three possible paint schemes for the sanctuary. Recommendations were made and members of the Vestry and the Fine Arts Committee commented favorably on the recommendations and suggested modifications.
• Heard the Nominating Committee recommend a slate of eight candidates to fill the four places in the Class of 2013 and approved the nomination of Sibyl Piccone as warden for a third twoyear term.
• Heard Fr. Andrew propose that a gift be given to James McGregor in recognition of his more than a half-century of maintaining the pipe organs.
• Voted unanimously to approve bonuses to be given to our sexton and each of the two assistant sextons for the extra time and work they put in to paint the Parish Hall.

At its January meeting the Vestry:

• Heard Fr. Andrew report that Christmas services offered a fitting farewell to our Holtkamp organ and our 'well worn' sanctuary.
• Heard Fr. Andrew recognize that the terms of Vestry members Beglarian, Dumler, Dunn and Weiscopf end this month and he thanked them for their hard work and dedication over the past three years.
• Learned from Fr. Mark that Ascension Outreach will be organizing a "mystery dinner" as its annual June fundraiser.
• Learned from Deacon Anne that First Presbyterian Church is closing the overnight shelter on Wednesday nights because, with all the difficulties of screening and referrals, on average only four men are able to use it.
• Heard John Grimes report on a meeting of the wardens from several similar parishes in Manhattan. He told us that they all report they are experiencing difficult financial circumstances and it seems we are faring better than many. Voted unanimously to accept the operating budget for 2010.

The Vestry generally meets on the third Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. in the Parish Hall. Meetings are open to the parish and parishioners are welcome, in advance of the meeting, to request time to address vestry.

carpenter's kids update

Partnership Established with Gawaye Parish

As a result of the combined generosity of parishioners and leadership of the Social Concerns and Action Committee, 50 orphans in the Diocese of Central Tanganyika will receive support for five years of primary school. A letter from the Carpenter's Kids staff welcomed Ascension into partnership with Gawaye parish and provided details on our link parish located approximately 45 kilometers from Dodoma, "mostly on paved roads."

Agriculture and horticulture are the primary sources of income, but water is scarce with the exception of a two-month period at the end of the December/March rain season when it collects in a short-term well.

The village contains one primary school with a secondary school located in a neighboring village approximately 5km away. A newly constructed health dispensary has yet to receive medical supplies and while there is no cost for medical treatment up to the age of five, thereafter a contribution must be made with the government subsidizing the remainder. "Despite these subsidies, the cost of treatment is still prohibitive for many."

AIDS is responsible for the death of many parents and guardians resulting in a large number of orphans and vulnerable children. HIV is spread primarily through multiple spouses, casual sexual relationships, poverty that forces women into prostitution to provide for their children and an increasing number of businessmen who engage prostitutes when they travel to Dar es Salaam. As a result, the number of children who are affected by HIV is also growing.

We are also told that along with the material support our parish provides, inter-parish and crosscultural communication is just as vital in building relationship with our link parish. "It is our hope that through the regular exchange of messages between you and your link parish here in Tanzania that both parishes will grow in their understanding and love of the other, enabling you to uphold each other in prayer over the coming years.

The descriptive litany ends with, "Praise God for The Carpenter's Kids program!" Praise God, indeed.

— Deacon Anne Auchincloss

a new book

By Ascension's own Jack Patterson

Just published: the first English biography of Bishop Juan Rodríguez de Fonseca

A new biography of Juan Rodríguez de Fonseca, an important but little known Spanish bishop who played a key role in the early exploration of America has just been published. This is the first biography of the bishop in English. Fonseca: Building the New World tells the role played by this controversial churchman in discovering and building an empire in the New World. The book details the tumultuous life of Fonseca, who served as the de facto minister of colonial affairs under Ferdinand and Isabella of Castile, and later under the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V. Fonseca's story is a dramatic chronicle of intrepid adventurers such as Christopher Columbus, Ferdinand Magellan, and Hernán Cortés, who became heroes of the early Age of Discovery. Under Fonseca's guiding hand, these and other men sailed into the uncharted waters of the Atlantic to seek the lands that became known as the New World. Despite royal patronage, Fonseca made many enemies. Bartolomé de Las Casas, the Defender of the Indians, vigorously attacked what he saw as the bishop's indifference to the cruelty inflicted on the indigenous population of the newly discovered lands. The bishop also clashed with Hernán Cortés, the conqueror of Mexico. This compelling account of Bishop Fonseca's life is a fast-moving and intriguing tale for readers of Spanish history and lovers of historical narrative.

The book is available on Amazon.com for $16.95. About the author: Jack E. Patterson, a writer and former Madrid correspondent for Business Week, has spent more than 30 years studying Spanish literature and history. He lives in New York City.

sailing club

The Hudson River Community Sailing Club is located at Pier 66 (directly west of 26th Street) and part of the beautiful and growing Hudson River Park. Some of you might already be familiar with its neighbor, The Frying Pan, a unique barge restaurant right on the river which has excellent food (salads, burgers to lobster) as well as an unbelievable view.

The HRCS Sailing Club is a non-profit organization that began in 2008 with a mission to train public school students in sailing and leadership skills combined with a math curriculum. Last year the club instituted its adult program which offers opportunities to sail the Hudson for beginner, intermediate, experienced and "lapsed" sailors via affordable tiered levels of membership. Different series and individual lesson packages are available as well. For more information go to: http://hudsonsailing.org or call 212-924-1920.

As a member, I have enjoyed being out on the water with people who are dedicated to the vision of the club as well as the pleasure of the sport. Teamwork on the boat has translated into teamwork on the dock, together moving the club ahead in its mission even through this winter season of 09-10. It's been an invigorating experience and I've made friends with a diverse and friendly new group of people. Join me! Any other questions? I'll be happy to talk with you at Coffee Hour most Sundays.

— Patricia Smith

stewardship

Heartfelt gratitude to our pledging members

The Rector, Wardens and Vestry of Ascension wish to thank all those who pledged financial support in 2010. Your pledges make it possible to keep our buildings open, keep our excellent staff hard at work and our programs vital and challenging.

voices 20th anniversary season

Voices of Ascension Chorus & Orchestra

Dennis Keene, Artistic Director and Conductor

Announcing the 20th Anniversary Season

"On Tour in New York"

Only Two Concerts Left This Season!

Rossini: Petite Messe Solennelle

With international opera star Jennifer Larmore
Monday, March 22, 2010 at 8:00 pm
At Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center
65th Street and Broadway

The Glory of Palestrina

Missa Papae Marcelli, Offertories, Motets
Wednesday, May 12, 2010, at 8:00 pm
At the Church of St. Mary the Virgin
145 West 46th Street, just east of Times Square

For ticket information call 212-358-7060, or visit www.voicesofascension.org