The end of August and our arrival in September should be announced with great celebration. Certainly, I am excited to see many of you who were able to vacation over the summer away from Wisconsin. And yes, I am excited for a return to a fuller expression of ministry after a yearlong pandemic and a summer of renewal for many of you.

I am also excited to unveil Ascension’s new logo. Our logo is the cross of Christ rising over wings filled with the colors of the morning sunrise gathered into one symbol reminding us that “together we rise.” Psalm 139 reminds us: If I take the wings of the morning and settle at the farthest limits of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me fast. A promise of our God, that no matter where we go, God is with us. And, if you are like me, there is no shortage of need among family and friends to be reminded of God’s promise to be with us always until the end of the age.

Our middle school ministries return to weekly gatherings on Thursday nights beginning in September. I CAN’T WAIT! Children’s ministries also launch on September 12th with some redesigned approaches as we are still walking with the coronavirus. CRASH High School Ministries will walk with Pastor Chris in the fall as we begin to anticipate the hiring of a new Director of Youth Ministries. Adult Education will find new offerings led by Pastor Tony and myself. Music Ministries and Care Ministries will begin to enter new fall programming and our Serve Ministries that we also know as Mission Outreach ministries will invite us to seek out the places and moments where God might be calling each of us to serve with our own hands and hearts. So much happening. So much joy at the possibilities.

I am also keenly aware that as fall was approaching, I was hopeful to enjoy a September with all the energizing pieces of life at Ascension that offer the promise of God’s abundant life and joy as we gather to worship, to grow, to walk, and to serve together without the need for protocols to mitigate the continued presence of the coronavirus. Yet here we are. It is a unique time in the life of the world and we, who are disciples of Jesus, have an opportunity to enter into each day offering the very best of what we know – love, joy, peace, and hope. How we enter into each day may change the course of someone’s life. I do not often take the time to recognize what impact my daily interactions can have on the lives of others.

I am grateful for so much at Ascension. The presence of so many of you in weekly worship. The gift of music offered by soloists and ensembles throughout the summer and the renewal of the organ which was completed in late August. I am grateful for our Spanish Language worship that has offered a consistent voice of hope to so many as we continue to see new visitors to Sunday worship. I am grateful to God for the joy of generous hearts that support the ministry inside and outside our walls – as we continue to tend our partnerships with our sister congregations in El Salvador, Tanzania, and at Cross in Milwaukee.

What I can offer you as pastor is this: we continue to live in the promise of God’s grace; we are here to walk together; we will continue to give praise to our God. The pandemic will one day come to an end. And the glory of God will be revealed again and again and again. Thanks be to God for summer days and fall plans and the promise of life that God offers to each of us. See you in Church.

Pastor Chris
(Reprinted from the September 2021 newsletter)