Facing Our Fears and Grief

What a way to start summer 2022! Adventure Camp with the confirmation youth and Latino Ministries Camp with the Spanish-speaking families of the Greater Milwaukee Synod and the South Central Synod all in the same week. In both activities it was my first participation with this type of ministry.

Adventure camp was a wonderful experience surrounded by many activities next to the wonderful natural resources that God has given us. I had the opportunity to live and interact with young people that I didn’t have the opportunity to connect with  during our confirmation classes. I was able to face my fear of heights during the rock climbing and zip line. If the confirmation students experiences were similar to mine, their parents will be happy to know that there was a lot of prayer at this church camp in those moments.

There was a lot of joy and a lot of energy, but my time at the lake and at the Kalahari were also filled with a lot of difficult moments and spiritual meditation. During the time at the lake my mind was thinking about my nephew Fabricio and wondering what he was feeling in those last moments of his life in the lake at Adventure Camp. Seeing the young people enjoying the Lily Pad that Pastor Tony and Pastor Chris rented and watching everyone’s joy motivated me to join them. I tried to enjoy the moment, but at the same time I had my eyes on all of them, mainly the two young men from the Latino Ministry who did not know how to swim.

Entering the Kalahari was another big moment. The day the tragedy happened, my wife and daughters and I were at the Kalahari. We were in the lobby outside of the water park when we received the news of Fabricio’s death. I told my wife we would never step foot in the Kalahari again, yet here I was. Let me be honest. When we were about to enter the Kalahari the only thing I said was “God, please I don’t want to receive any more bad news in this place.” We had only been inside for 10 minutes when suddenly I saw three missed calls from my brother Carlos and three calls from my dad. My anxiety went through the roof for a few minutes. The wonderful thing was that the calls weren’t about bad news, just mundane ordinary things.

My first experience in the camp with the young people has been very helpful for me personally because it has allowed me to face fear and uncertainty in those moments and places where I have had only bad experiences. It is difficult to face those bad memories, but it is important that we remember that the only way to get out of that cycle of fear is to walk through it. This is how we become more resilient people, facing difficult and even frightening situations. When we are walking through those moments of fear and grief, we do not walk alone. God walks alongside us.

Another activity in June was the family gathering held by all the Latino ministries of the Milwaukee Synod and the South Central Synod of Wisconsin. We had the presence of five Latino congregations. Families had the opportunity to meet and interact with other ministries in the area. They are even asking us when we will have our next family retreat. This retreat had been planned since 2019, but over the years it had been cancelled over and over again due to covid. The fact that families are asking for a family retreat in 2023 is a sign that there is a desire for interaction with other ministries. We will continue working so that our Latino ministry has more interaction activities within our Church and outside of it.

May you feel the presence of the Holy Spirit walking alongside you as you face your fears and moments of sadness. And may those moments be few and far between.

Edwin Aparicio, Spanish Language Minister

Moving at the Pace of Summer

Pastor Tony at Adventure Camp

I love the rhythm of summer. In some wonderful ways, it’s a slower pace and Lord knows we could all use a slower pace once and awhile. But life being what it is these days – the world doesn’t stop and there’s certainly no shortage of things happening or needing to be done. Still, I remain hopeful that each of us would be more intentional to try to take advantage of these slower summer moments as they become available.

By now we’re a few weeks into our shared sabbatical journey with Pastor Chris and since my newsletter article this month didn’t start out with panic and worry, I think you can rest assured that everything so far is going smoothly. We are all beginning to settle into new patterns and the quieter pace of summer planning.

That said, for some time now the following scripture from John 14:27 has been swirling around my head, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.” Ever since Holy Week back in April it has felt like we’ve been going non-stop – Holy Week, Easter, First Communion, Graduate Toweling, renovations, BLAST end of year activities, CRASH service projects, JOLT Adventure Camp, worship schedule changes, and on top of that baptisms, weddings, funerals, and preparing for this Sabbatical time…it has felt like a whirlwind.

Life, both inside and outside the church can be busy, painful, chaotic, stressful, and full of things that pull us in countless directions. I’m certain that each of you could provide a list just as long if not longer, and this is precisely why peace from God is such a gift. Peace is something we all crave and desperately need, but often we are clueless how to find it or achieve it. And still, our gracious God continues to offer it.

Throughout these summer months and this sabbatical time, amid the uncertainty of ongoing renovations and all the things we will each experience, I pray that each of us will find and be intentional about seeking, creating, and enjoying the peaceful moments God offers us for renewal and reconnection. Moments that are not frantically moving from one scheduled thing to another or trying to accomplish one more thing. Soak up the sun, take a walk, read a book, go out for ice cream. Whatever it is I hope that we will all take time to recharge, refresh, and renew ourselves. Sabbatical is a journey for the whole community of Ascension, and I think there are many wonderful gifts we can receive from this time if we are open to it.

So, my friends for the next several months as we journey through summer and sabbatical and learn new patterns and practices, I invite each of us to take advantage of much needed opportunities for rest and reconnection but also to welcome new possibilities for connecting more deeply with God and serving our neighbors. I am grateful for your partnership and your willingness to journey together wherever God is leading us. May the peace of God be yours today and always!

Pastor Tony

Walk With Ascension

Ascension’s pastoral assistants.

Pastoral Assistants Are a True Gift

Our Pastoral Assistant Ministry exists to spread Christ’s love and Word by extending significant pastoral care throughout the congregation and the community. We have had this ministry in place for many years. Perhaps you have met them if you were hospitalized or have been homebound or in a rehab facility. The Pastoral Care team members are: Brenda Lytle RN, the Director of Care Ministries for Ascension; Paul Wehmeier, Melody Maass, Arlene Davis, Bonnie Thiesenhusen, Sally Wagner, and Jim Hahn.

Thank you to all of our Pastoral Assistants who make monthly visits to members in our congregation for prayer, scripture, and sacrament. It keeps our members connected at times when they are alone and vulnerable. God’s love is intertwined with a kind of love of loving and serving others. If you or a family member is hospitalized and would like a visit from our pastors or pastoral assistants, please call the church office at 262-547-8518

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.

John 13:35

Grief Support Ministry

We are planning to host the full 12-week sessions of Grief Share again this fall. If you or a loved one have suffered loss and would like some help and support, this may be the program for you. If you would like to be a part of our Grief Share program please contact: Brenda Lytle, RN, Director of Care Ministries at brenda@ascensionelca.org or 262-547-8518.

Chosen’s ribbon cutting at the new locations in Waukesha

Be the Village Ministry

Chosen had a ribbon cutting in June for the new Waukesha location of their Family Closet for foster and adoptive families. The newly-opened location is at 400 Travis Lane, #30. We will be holding a school supply drive for Chosen in August. More info in next month’s newsletter.

Save Sept. 10 for Chosen’s 2022 “Walk on the Wild Side” for foster care. Supporters will walk through the Zoo with Chosen t-shirts/bags and buttons, helping to raise awareness about foster care. Supporters learn important fostering information at specific passport check-points and then will gather for a picnic lunch.

Cancer Care Ministry Opens Arms to Those in Need

Our Cancer Care Ministry helps members of our congregation. If you know of a congregational member or family that could use some assistance walking their cancer journey, please contact Brenda Lytle, brenda@ascensionelca.org or 262-547-8518.

Young at Heart (55+) 

The Young at Heart group meets on the 3rd Wednesday of each month to gather for a potluck and play cards and enjoy fellowship. Below are some of the events we are planning this year.

  • Mitchell Park Domes on July 13: Feel the heat of a desert oasis, the humidity of a tropical jungle and the bright colors of a floral garden…all at one destination! The Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory, better known as the Domes, is a living museum filled with plants from across the globe. Visit Milwaukee’s most unique destination.
  • “White Christmas” at the Fireside Theatre, Nov. 3: The day includes a delicious lunch from the Fireside chefs followed by a heart-warming performance of “White Christmas.” Sign up at the Young at Heart meeting to reserve your ticket/dinner/show/transportation. Please contact Arlene Davis at 262-542-9119 with any questions.

Family Fun Night July 8

The Latino Ministry teens and young adults invite you to join them for a night of food and fun on Friday, July 8. A food truck will be available at 6 p.m. with games and activities to follow from 6:30-8:30 p.m. This event will build community between our Spanish- and English-speaking members and friends and will give our young people a chance to develop leadership skills. Sign-up online to donate food or share your games.

Hunger Crisis in Tanzania

The people of Tanzania are in the third year of drought and failed crops. Occasional locust swarms have exacerbated the problem. In the past, Tanzania like much of East Africa, has relied on grain from Ukraine to supplement what they are not able to grow. In fact, most years at least 30% of their food supply is imported from Ukraine. Due to the war, this food source is no longer available. This has driven the cost of food to record highs. This happens on the end of the Covid pandemic, which damaged the economy that heavily relies on tourism. Like the rest of the world, Tanzania is also being impacted by inflation. Imported food is available, but at a very high cost. Families are selling off what they can to keep from starving.

Sixty percent of the Diocese of Meru has serious drought conditions and 8000 families are in urgent need. Many of the families live in areas where there are not direct sister parish partnership since there are more Lutherans in Tanzania than there are in the US. The Diocese of Meru and the Greater Milwaukee Synod have partnered to collect funds to attempt to purchase food for all of the families to save lives. Like the school lunches, the food will be simple meals of corn and beans. $10 is a meal for 6 people, $20 for 13 people, $50 for 33 people and $100 for 66 people.

Give online on the Milwaukee Synod website, milwaukeesynod.org/giving. Scroll down to Meru Diocese Gifts
4th one down: Meru Hunger Relief—Food Crisis

Sabbatical

I am always surprised when the month of June begins. Didn’t we just celebrate Christmas? No doubt, someone reading this article already has a good deal of their Christmas shopping done. Good. Great. Fine.

I, on the other hand, do my best shopping under pressure. Actually, I do a lot of things really well under pressure. As we look to the month of June, I am looking at the next three months with no pressure. Is it possible I may not function at all?

The gift of sabbatical is testament to this congregation’s love and tending for their pastors. Sabbatical comes from the word for Sabbath. A time of rest – not unlike what God did on the seventh day after creation. In 22 years of ministry, I have never taken a full sabbatical. I have had a couple of weeks off with the birth of each child. In Boise, I had three weeks of vacation in a row. Otherwise, the call of serving as pastor has often overwhelmed too much time away. It can cause me a little anxiety to imagine the use of my time over the next three months. No chairs to re-arrange in the sanctuary. How will I go on?

A sabbatical from ministry at Ascension is about rest, renewal of my spirit, and reconnection with my family. They often sacrifice the gift of my presence and time for nights of meetings and Saturday of events and preparations. Although, they may be sick of me by the beginning of September and all too excited to go back to school. During my sabbatical most of the three months away will be time set aside to be with family.

In late June, we will travel to the big island of Hawaii to enjoy ocean breezes and coffee plantations. In late July, a friend from college who has stayed connected will visit for a week. In early August, I will travel with my dad and sister on a bucket list of sorts trip by train from Toronto, Ontario, Canada to Montreal to Quebec to Nova Scotia – something my mother was hesitant to do with her claustrophobia. In late August, I have applied for a ten day stay at a clergy renewal center on Anna Maria Island in Florida. In early September, I will enter into a 5-day silent retreat at a monastery.

And in-between those experiences will be long bike rides with family for coffee; not-as-long runs; long walks with my wife and dog; and a ton of reading and some Netflix to binge watch. And I expect my world to reshape for a time. And I am thankful for your generosity of time and monies set-aside to offset some of the costs of travel.

While I am on sabbatical, Pastor Tony will masterfully hold down the fort and Edwin, with three years of seminary education under his belt, will be right by his side. Summer rhythms are different at Ascension than during the school year and I am grateful for the changing of rhythms to allow a slower pace as we are still navigating the road in and out of covid. We will invite a few guest preachers to offer Pastor Tony and Edwin a break and anything that needs to be done will still get done through the care and dedication of our staff. Please, offer yourselves for assistance should you see something needing to be done. Please also take the time to say thank you to staff members who pick up extra duties while I am away on sabbatical.

As has been tradition at Ascension, when the pastor goes on sabbatical, they do not return phone calls or emails or text messages. I will not attend funerals. And if a light bulb goes out or we run out of toilet paper – the staff will handle it. I will miss you greatly. Being disconnected from our church family is always a difficult experience. We are often so interconnected – tending joys and sorrows. I expect I will be ready to jump back into the mix by the time Sept. 18 rolls around when I am next scheduled to preach after my last Sunday on June 19.

Please know that while I am away, this community of faith will not be far from my thoughts. There will be prayers for rest and refreshment for you over the summer. It is my hope that you will enjoy a deeper relationship with Pastor Tony and Edwin during my absence.

May God’s blessings be yours over these next few months. I will celebrate a homecoming with you on Sept. 18.

Peace be with you.

Pastor Chris

Renewal

In just a few weeks, Pastor Chris will begin his 3-month sabbatical leave and this has some wondering what this means for Ascension. Allow me to share a little bit about what this gift can mean both for our faith community and for Pastor Chris.

First, a sabbatical is a wise and healthy investment not just for pastors but for all involved. It provides opportunities for pastors and congregations to explore new opportunities and responsibilities and open themselves to experience growth and renewal. Let me also be clear about what a sabbatical is not. It is not an extended vacation. Although a pastor’s time away is likely to include travel and fun, it is centered mostly around rest and reflection for body, mind, and spirit. And although the pastor on sabbatical and the congregation will have different sabbatical experiences, the time apart is nevertheless a shared endeavor that presents a priceless gift of renewal for all.

Here are just a few of the ways this time apart can impact us here at Ascension. On a pastoral team level, it affords me increased opportunities for leadership and to let my own pastoral identity and imagination flourish. And it will do the same for Edwin as he continues his internship and edges closer to the completion of his own seminary journey. New responsibilities and opportunities also arise for the staff in various areas of congregational activity. And while the increase in these opportunities and responsibilities does come with some additional challenges, I assure you that Edwin and I and the rest of the staff and church leadership have been diligently preparing for this time and we remain confident that our faith community and our mission will be well tended, and we are excited about wherever the Holy Spirit leads us.

On a congregational level, Pastor Chris’ time away allows the community of Ascension to recognize and appreciate many of the things Pastor Chris does that often go unnoticed and unappreciated. Some things will be picked up by Edwin and I and the other staff, but there are still other things that will be necessary for congregation members to step up and step in and assist with these tasks. Take coffee hour on Sunday mornings for instance. We are all aware of Pastor Chris’ affinity for coffee but because we don’t have a full-time barista on staff…yet (certainly on his wish list), and no congregation member currently willing to prep coffee for Sunday mornings this is one such instance congregation members will need to consider how God might be calling you to step up and help take on new responsibilities in Pastor Chris’ absence.

That said, in the days and weeks to come I am inviting every member of Ascension to take some additional time to watch, listen, reflect, and prayerfully consider where God might be calling you to jump in. Then, I encourage you to talk to myself, Edwin, a staff member or other church leader about the ways you could volunteer and be helpful. 

This time of separation is also a time to welcome experiencing things differently. Now, I’m not saying we’re suddenly making all kinds of changes to things and Ascension will look and feel completely different. But what I am saying is things will feel and seem and be a bit different than when Pastor Chris is in the mix, and this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. As a matter of fact, you can rest assured that the way the chairs in the sanctuary are set up today you can expect them to be the same throughout June, July, August, and into September until Pastor Chris returns. These any many other differences are neither good nor bad, they are just different, and they invite us all to pay attention, reflect, grow, and experience renewal throughout the sabbatical process. I’m not making any promises but who knows, maybe by the time Pastor Chris is about to return I’ll be making coffee and moving chairs around in the sanctuary. The bottom line is, God is calling all of us to open ourselves, to make space, to listen and trust and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit wherever that may be.

The opportunity for Pastor Chris to step away makes space for others to step in, and in doing so it offers him the blessing to reconnect with his family and friends, to rediscover his passions both in life and in ministry, it is a time for him to receive rather than to give, to focus on his own mental, physical, and emotional health and that of his family, to nurture and cultivate his life as a husband, father, son, brother, friend and follower and servant of Jesus. It provides him time to get away, to discover, to play, to wonder, to imagine, to listen, to follow and to do all this in different ways that renew him and his commitment to God, to his family and friends,

and to the people of Ascension. Throughout this sabbatical time I invite you to keep Pastor Chris and his family along with the rest of our Ascension family in your prayers.

My friends, I am excited for our continued and ever-changing journey, and I simply ask that you continue to open your heart and your mind to God’s leading. And then I humbly ask that before you question or complain about something that might look or feel different, you consider how God might be calling you to use your gifts to enhance and improve and enliven the ministry entrusted to us.

What a wonderful gift it is to be the people of God together in this place, and what a blessing we have upon of us with this sabbatical time of renewal. May the peace of Christ be upon you today and always!

Pastor Tony

A Time for Rest

My third year in seminary is over! I didn’t quit yet! When I started my first semester in 2019, I had the opportunity to talk to many students from different years. Some of them were in their third and fourth year, when I listened to them the only thing that came to mind was, when will I be in that place? Will I hold on to be there or will I throw in the towel? The surprising thing is that it’s been six semesters and I still have the towel in my hands.

It seems unbelievable, but I am just two semesters away from completing a journey full of much learning, service and challenges for me and my family. While I wait to start my final year, I want to enjoy the summer. The time to kick back and enjoy the outdoors has come, but so has the time to get back to work on landscaping. I intend to work as a landscaper Thursday-Friday and maybe some Saturdays if necessary. Sunday – Wednesday I will work in the church.

I know that my responsibilities at church will also change as Pastor Chris goes on his sabbatical. I am both excited and nervous about the opportunity to take a bigger role in the English-language ministries at Ascension over the summer. Ironically, one of things I need to do in my final year is to take part in a seminary approved cross-cultural opportunity. If only they could see the cross-cultural work I do at Ascension every day! Latino ministries are a blend of Salvadoran, Mexican, Columbia, Venezuelan and Puerto Rican cultures. My internship and now Pastor Chris’ sabbatical is a whole new level of cross-cultural experience in ministry.    

This summer, I will also read some theology books and plan some bible studies for the Latino Ministry. I will try to do these things without drinking large quantities of coffee the way I do during the school year. I will also continue to plan activities for our Spanish-speaking youth.

When reading this article and seeing all of my summer plans, you are probably wondering where my rest will be? It will be a challenge, but it is important for me to make time to spend with my wife and with my family.

Rest is important for all of us, not just pastors and seminarians or teachers and students. May the Holy Spirt watch over all of us this summer and help each and everyone of you to find time to enjoy time with friends and family.

Let us try, then, to enter into that rest, so that no one falls into such an example of disobedience. (Hebrews 4.11)

Edwin Aparicio, Pastoral Intern

Young at Heart Events

The Young at Heart group meets on the 3rd Wednesday of each month to gather for a potluck and play cards and enjoy fellowship. Below are some of the events we are in the midst of planning in 2022.

Mitchell Park Domes, Wednesday, July 13

Feel the heat of a desert oasis, the humidity of a tropical jungle and the bright colors of a floral garden…all at one destination! The Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory, better known as the Domes, is a living museum filled with plants from across the globe. Visit Milwaukee’s most unique destination.

“White Christmas” at the Fireside Theatre, Thursday, Nov. 3

The day includes a delicious lunch from the Fireside chefs followed by a heart-warming performance of “White Christmas.” Sign up at the Young at Heart meeting to reserve your ticket/dinner/show/transportation. Please contact Arlene Davis with any questions

Serving With Ascension

We have had a great response to the financial need for our sister parishes in Tanzania where we support the primary schools in Samaria and Savana. The money is used to provide simple lunches of corn and beans, which is often the only meal the children get for the whole day. The price on crops goes up by mid-summer so we want to get the donation to the congregations in time to purchase the food at the best rates. We will be collecting for at least the first two weeks in June to meet our goal of $12,000 to feed all 952 students for the entire 197 days of the school year and an additional $2000 to supply the technology that is needed to help the students be able to complete the required tests to pass their classes. You may give online, through a check or on Sunday mornings at the Welcome Center via credit card. Please help us achieve our goal to support these children not only to eat but to have a better chance at success in life by being successful students.

ELCA World Hunger and Lutheran Disaster Response

“Hope does not disappoint us because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.” (Romans 5:5)

Ascension is part of a bigger church body through the ELCA and because of that, our efforts can be multiplied as we respond to world issues. The words from Romans are the reminder that in spite of a pandemic that affected the whole world directly and now a war that indirectly affected us all, we have hope through our Almighty God. During the pandemic, the gifts from ELCA congregations to World Hunger grew by 8%, gifts that were greater than hoped for. The response to the war in Ukraine through gifts to Lutheran Disaster Response continues to pour in to  support the disasters that make the headlines, and those that do not. The gifts that were greater than hoped for and the need goes on.

Ending hunger and responding to disaster isn’t just about food and immediate need. It is about access, justice, caring for creation, and to provide for future needs. It is about caring for each other in tangible ways: “Love your neighbor as yourself”. God works through us to provide for each other. Together, we can be part of the solution.  Part of Ascension’s budget is donated to ELCA World Hunger each month and as needs arise, special donations are collected for Disaster Response. 100% of what is donated is given for direct help for those in need.

Donation Center

Our Donation Center has moved to the west coat room to make it more accessible. Bins are clearly marked for the partner we are collecting for and what is needed. Since needs change and requests are often limited, please check with the contact person before bringing in things not on the list. We want to put our efforts into things that are truly needed and not make more work for those who sort and deliver the items. Currently, our biggest needs are for the Blessing Box and the Waukesha Food Pantry. We cannot take things that are expired,  require refrigeration, are in open packages or baked items. As the weather warms up, there will be an increased need for single-serve drinks, snacks, and packaged fruits.  New needs will be updated as identified by our partners. There is also a bin for Lost in Found labeled in red. If you have left things at church, check the bins.

Mission Outreach News

Stay connected to ways to SERVE by following the Mission Outreach on Facebook. 

We update the programs of our global and community partners on a regular basis and also identify ways you can be involved. Often things change more quickly than the newsletter or even weekly announcements can inform the congregation so the Facebook page has become a big part of how we keep everyone informed.

There is also the ability to use photos and even videos which makes the partnership connections especially with our global partners more personal. Please like or share notices that you feel are important. If you would like more information about specific programs, contact Shirley Wehmeier.