In the middle of July as we were still preparing for the CRASH mission trip to North Carolina, something wonderful was beginning to take shape. Pastor Edwin and I discussed whether or not it was smart to schedule a bilingual worship with BBQ and potluck immediately following our return from North Carolina. I asked Pastor Edwin if he thought we could pull it off. “Of course,” he said. And then Pastor Edwin went to work – talking to Mark about bringing together men from Amen to coordinate the kitchen work and BBQ and then a conversation with Lino about minding the Blackstone and another conversation with Maria about to where to buy the meat for tacos. All of a sudden, we had the basics planned and confirmed, all within the span of a couple of hours. Pastor Edwin was a man possessed.
On the 19th – the kitchen came alive with voices and smells of hamburgers and taco meat and brats and baked beans and warm desserts and salads aplenty. The gift of gathering for the BBQ potluck after worship was about so much more than food. I sometimes get nervous when I think we will run out of space – when we have not planned enough seating for the hoped-for crowd to be comfortable. Worship was glorious that Sunday. 8:30 was rich with the sound of voices raised in praise of our God – handbells ringing praise – piano and organ brought to life by Vicki’s talented hands and feet. (I still do not understand how she makes the hands do one thing and the feet do another. A story for another time.) And at 10am worship, the Praise Band took up the entire altar area. Nine musicians coming together to lead worship – well, 10 if you count Pastor Tony back by the palms – though he was kind of a silent partner. Music in English and Spanish, preaching to share God’s Word in two languages, communion for all, and then on to a feast where we, of course, ran out of seats. And as is always true at Ascension, people figured it out. New members sat next to long-time members. English speakers sat at tables with Spanish speakers. Introductions happened. Connections were made. And when the seating ran out in West Hall, people spilled into the narthex and into the Hearth Room and there was laughter ringing from many corners of the church that day. It was glorious and all to the glory of God.
There is so much that happens behind the scenes to bring about such moments in ministry at Ascension. It might be one of the high privileges of the pastors to be able to see the behind-the-scenes planning and preparation that brings such events to life. Outside the church, some might call it luck. Inside the church, we give credit to the work of the Holy Spirit and celebrate the faithfulness of individuals who work to strengthen our community of faith and tend their own relationship with God and with fellow Christians.
We have much to be thank God for at Ascension. Holy moments of ministry happen when we least expect the Holy Spirit to be at work. August will be no different. Backpack blessings are coming at the end of August. September will usher in our last outdoor worship experience and the fall kick-off to programming and a welcome home for all who have traveled over the summer and we will gather to celebrate God’s Work, Our Hands Sunday on Sept. 13 as well with a “Newborn Supply Pack” where the entire congregation can participate at every age to prepare newborn kits to be assembled and packed and then gathered in Minneapolis and packed to be sent to countries like Tanzania where our companion synod might receive some of the kits and also parts of Central and South America where our friends in El Salvador might receive some of the kits as well. More information will find its way to your inbox and bulletins and newsletter as we move through August. Keep watch. We will invite you to join us on the journey of faith and to the glory of God behind the scenes and sometime neck deep in the preparations right alongside each other members at Ascension and new friends wondering if this might place might become their spiritual home. So much to be grateful for as we look to the days ahead.
See you in church,
Pastor Chris
(Reprinted from the August 2026 newsletter.)
