Ready for Advent

I am ready for Advent. For blue fabrics that wash over the altar and candles that are lit each week reminding us of the journey we will travel to the manger – walking with the companions of hope, peace, joy, and love. I am ready for Advent. I am ready for “Deck the Halls of Ascension” and the CRASH Progressive Dinner. I am ready for our Advent concert worship and Sunday brunch and the Children’s Christmas program and treasured carols and celebrating Las Posadas and being in the sanctuary on Christmas Eve all together hearing the Christmas story. I am ready for Advent.

Personally, it has been quite a journey these last three months. I am glad to be back in the routine of worship on Sundays and the “stuff” of ministry during the week. I want to offer my deep appreciation to you for the time and space for surgery and healing.

I am hopeful that the season of Advent will offer me the opportunity to rebalance my spiritual life. If the season of Advent offers us anything, it offers us the chance to begin again. I need that chance more this year than ever before. I wonder if you are feeling that way too.

Advent is the season of expectation. Advent is also about tending our hunger for all that God promises to make new in the birth of a Savior. If ever we have hungered for God to do a new thing it may be this year, this December, this Advent. I am hungry for God to usher in peace into our world: for an end to hostilities in Ukraine; for a ceasefire in Gaza; for tolerance between sides; for acceptance of those who are different; for joy in the midst of sorrow.

I sat with members of the church a couple of weeks ago in the ICU as we prayed around the bedside of someone we loved. It does not matter how many times I sit at the bedside of someone I know in the ICU, it never gets easier. At Waukesha Memorial, the ICU only has so many rooms. When I walk into the ICU, the memories of other bedside visits gather with me like a cloud of witnesses. Every name, every face is reminded to me – moments of laughter and tears. The ICU has become a sanctuary of holy ground. The sounds of heartbeats and heart monitors intermingle in the waiting space of the ICU. Every family walks their own journey through their days in the ICU. As always, being invited into such sacred space is more privilege than anything else.

Following in the footsteps of Mary and Joseph in these Advent days is also a privilege. One we often take lightly. A journey I wish to feel deeper this year as I reflect on the hardship of the census Mary and Joseph had to endure so close to Mary’s date of delivery. What Mary must have thought to herself about the adventure and journey God placed upon her heart and soul when the angel Gabriel visited Mary to share the news of what was about to take place.

It is my hope that these Advent days will offer you moments of reflection at the dinner table, over coffee, while washing dishes or wrapping gifts. Moments of reflection that would give you pause to remember and give thanks while also inviting you to reflect and reach out. Who do you know who would welcome a phone call, a text message, fresh baked cookies to bring a smile to their face? Especially those who are preparing to walk through their first Christmas without someone they love.

I am reminded that every one of us is on a journey in these Advent days. For some of us the journey is a choice – for others, the journey has been pressed upon us. Regardless of how we find ourselves setting out on the journey, I hope you remember that you are not alone. Thanks be to God!

May the blessings of your Advent journeys always lead you home this Christmas.

O come let us adore him! Christ the Lord. Peace and joy be yours.

Pastor Chris

Making Room

“And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.”  – Luke 2:7

When Pastor Edwin first introduced Las Posadas at Ascension I was intrigued because it’s a part of the Christmas story that’s not often focused on. Las Posadas is a Spanish religion festival commemorating the journey that Mary and Joseph made from Nazareth to Bethlehem in search of safe refuge where Mary could give birth to the baby Jesus. Mary and Joseph move from place to place searching for lodging, but at each stop they are told “There is no room for you here” and are sent away.

I was captivated by the energy being poured into telling this important part of the Christmas story because it illustrates a profound message for us during the Christmas season: Do I make room for Jesus?

At my best, I hope the answer is yes. I hope that my words and actions every day reflect Jesus – that my life is a witness to God’s love. I hope that I’m living out my faith and listening to the nudges from the Holy Spirit to take advantage of the opportunities God gives me to love and care for my neighbors.

But I know that my answer isn’t always yes. Life is busy, and I’m human. Even as a pastor in full-time ministry, there are plenty of times when I miss chances to reflect God’s love, or even find myself intentionally avoiding doing something I know God would want me to do. I suspect this may be true for you as well. It’s so easy for the busy-ness of life to push aside our connection with God. I find it ironic that this seems especially true during the Christmas season!

The Christmas story is a story about making room. Mary made room when she said yes to God, “…Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38) Joseph made room when he accepted the angel’s explanation of his fiancé’s pregnancy and changed his mind about ending their relationship, “When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife.” (Matthew 1:24)

The shepherds in the fields made room by taking a break from the demands of their job, leaving their flocks, and hurrying to Bethlehem to see the newborn baby in the manger, then spreading the good news all over town, “So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child.” (Luke 2:16-17)  The Magi made room by leaving their homes and traveling to a far-away land on faith that a star would lead them to a king, “…Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews?  For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.” (Matthew 2:2)  And of course, God is the one who started it all, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world but in order that the world might be saved through him.” (John 3:16-17)

So, what are the ways we can make room in our heart, our calendar, and our lives for Jesus? Maybe it will be welcoming a new family moving into our neighborhood, or generously helping someone whose needs are greater than what they have to offer, or perhaps it will look like something in-between. Whatever it is, as you and I celebrate this Christmas season and beyond, I pray we will simply open ourselves to whatever the Holy Spirit is doing to help us make room for what God is doing in our lives and in our world. Merry Christmas!

Pastor Tony

Life’s Moments

The Advent season has arrived, and with it also the end of another liturgical year in this continuous journey of faith as Christians. But what has this year that we are about to end left us? The answers will of course be different because each of us experiences different moments in our lives. The book of Ecclesiastes of the Old Testament tells us: Everything has its time, moment of birth and moments of death, moments to plant and moments to harvest, moments to hurt and moments to heal, moments to cry and moments to laugh, moments to scatter stones and moments to pile up, moments to welcome and moments to say goodbye.

Surely many of us identify with some, if not all, of these moments as we come to the end of the year. I experienced many of those moments this year. Moments to laugh and celebrate when I clicked send to submit my final paper for seminary, moments to laugh and celebrate with my family and all of you at my graduation, moments to celebrate and laugh when you said yes to call me as your third pastor, moments of welcome, hospitality and celebration with the visit of the delegation of El Salvador for my ordination and installation. Moments of tears, death and farewell were present two months after my ordination with the death of my father. Moments to continue planting the gospel and continue harvesting in our ministry, moments to celebrate welcoming new members, moments to celebrate baptisms and welcome them to the body of Christ, moments to continue keeping our multicultural traditions alive in our ministry and more.

In the church, these moments of life are built into the church year with the different seasons: Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent and Holy Week, Easter and Pentecost. We begin the church year with the anticipation of the birth of Jesus. As is tradition, our church celebrates Advent and Christmas in a multicultural way. It is the church’s moment of a time of  quiet reflection and anticipation, although expressed in different ways.

The Latino ministry will celebrate the Annunciation with mariachi at 5:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 12, as a way of bringing our Lutheran theology to the traditional festival of Guadalupe. If you would like to join us and learn about this tradition, you are invited to wake up early and bring a breakfast dish to share.

Another of the moments we will have is Las Posadas with mariachi. On Saturday, Dec. 16, at 6 p.m., we will hold a procession outside the church and accompany the Holy Family during their time in Bethlehem looking for an inn. At last, an innkeeper will welcome us with a banquet, music and piñata! We hope you will join us.

In the Latino world, the big party is Christmas Eve. Families gather and celebrate all night long. Some of their celebrations can last until dawn. Santa rarely visits homes in Spanish-speaking countries. Families may exchange a gift on Christmas, New Year’s or Three Kings Day, so without the arrival of Santa, there’s no need for an early Christmas Eve. Latino families in the United States are visited by Santa, but the tradition of an all-night party remains.

As I mentioned at the beginning, everything has its moment. It could be that this year for you has been full of many good and bad moments, loneliness, anxiety, mourning, joy, etc., but during this time of Advent and Christmas let us remember the phrases that the prophet Isaiah tells us: The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Regardless of where you find yourself this season, may it also be a season of peace for you.

Pastor Edwin

Rejoice Always

I will never tire of hearing the phrase “welcome back.”

On October 15th, I think I heard that more than anything else. As I was reflecting that Sunday afternoon, I realized that I am usually the one who is saying that to one member or another who is home after vacation or an extended time away in Florida or Arizona or some other warm and toasty location without the presence of a snow shovel. The “welcome back” offered by so many of you was a tender and cherished gift to my soul. As one of your pastors, I forgot that the fabric of this community of faith is woven into my life. Don’t get me wrong, the first few weeks after surgery were all about survival. My wife asking me, begging me, to eat just a couple more bites after I had eaten two bites of the meal before me and declared I was full. Or the all-important decision to determine whether I would get out of the recliner. Do I really want to use that much strength just to get up for a drink of water? I am grateful to be at the 8-week mark of recovery as I have reclaimed strength and ownership of my body that in some ways you give away to surgical team and pain management team and allergy team and diabetes team wondering when you will be allowed to go home from the hospital.

If you are interested: Yes, I have lost weight – about 30 lbs. They say it will take about a year to begin to regain some of that weight. For the record, at week 8, I am a full diabetic on small amounts of insulin four times a day. The islet cells have until November 15th to engraft fully into their new home in my liver. It is not expected that I will be insulin independent, but any blood sugar regulation from my remaining islet cells will be a welcome addition to the rest of my life. I have had to remind myself often that the success of the surgery was the eviction of the pancreas, and no more ER visits and hospital stays for pancreatitis. No more pancreatitis pain. Thanks be to God! The trade-off of being a diabetic was always a possible outcome. So far, the journey of diabetes has been manageable and with several members, colleagues, and friends managing their own diabetic journey – I have learned a lot and found support and strength in the living resources all around me.

As it is the middle of October, your pastors are neck deep in faith interviews with our confirmands. I am always impressed, not with the learning from Thursday nights in JOLT, but with the reflections and questions of our 9th grade students as they begin to understand their relationship with God as their own and not through the lens and reflection of the faith of their parents. There are deep questions around one’s purpose and how one might live out their faith. So often, I am surprised at the thoughtful reflection as to the simplicity of living out our faith. It is always a surprise to me, as adults, that we often make living out our faith far more complicated than it needs to be or actually is in this life. It is the simplicity of using our hands and voices to tend someone who is suffering that brings our faith to life while deepening our relationship with God.

In my sermon on the 15th, I shared the words of the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Philippians: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.” From the time it was established, the church at Philippi was healthy, strong, and generous, becoming a model church. It is no wonder that I am drawn to these words of Paul’s letter. The church I currently serve as pastor is also healthy, strong, and generous. What a gift for the people of Ascension to know their purpose so clearly as we gather to worship, share in the care of others, and provide for sisters and brothers we have not or may never meet far beyond our walls. This is who God calls to be and what God calls us to be about – sharing the love of God through worship and our actions as we grow closer together in community while reaching out beyond the walls of Ascension. The story of who we are, as people of faith, continues to be told as we welcome new friends to our worship life.

The month of November brings the gift of All Saints Day on Sunday, Nov. 5. We will gather at each of our worship services to remember the names of those who have died in this community of believers throughout the past year. We will speak names, light candles, remember, and give thanks for the faithful witness and love shared with us through these saints we will one day meet at the gates of heaven. All Saints Day is one of the most sacred days of worship for me. On almost every All Saints Day, I share with you the belief of the Celtic Christian Community that shares the news that the veil between heaven and earth is somehow thinner on this day of remembrance. Whether or not, you choose to share that belief, I am struck by the emotion of the day as memories come flooding back to me of so many, I have said goodbye to in this life. Yet more important than the memories, I think, is the revelation of God’s promise of reunion. I hold on to that promise with all my strength. It is, after all, God’s promise of resurrection joy that grounds us in this life as we look to the life to come. 

Before we know it, an annual meeting on Nov. 12th at 9:45 a.m. will see us preparing for our next year of ministry and mission to the glory of God. Finally, the end of November will bring us to welcome news of the beginning of Advent. Wednesday night, Nov. 29, at 6:30 p.m., will offer us the invitation to worship with quiet candlelight as we welcome the season of Advent. We will be surrounded in song, tended in prayer, and blessed by the light of candles as we enter into the season of darkness that prepares us for the coming of a Savior who saves us all.

What a blessing you are to me and to so many. It is so good to be with you once again.

Pastor Chris

Practicing Thankfulness

Being thankful and taking stock of our blessings tends to rise this time of year because of the Thanksgiving holiday that comes around on the fourth Thursday each November. Typically, many think of Thanksgiving as an opportunity to pause, gather, reflect, and give thanks. However, the chaos that continues to rise around the world threatens to upend much of what we look forward to each Thanksgiving.

Politics have left many divided, troubled, and exhausted and the anger and violence taking place in so many places, including within our own communities and families has left many of us nervous over the uncertainty and instability taking place around the world. 

As a spiritual practice I’ve tried to be intentional about taking time each day to think about what is means to truly give thanks to God, to live with a thankful heart, and to reflect a thankful life – especially one that goes beyond a holiday. But living a thankful life isn’t always easy, and it can be especially difficult during challenging times like the ones we find ourselves in at this moment. So, while living a thankful life isn’t necessarily complicated, it does however require intentionality about making a choice to be thankful.

But in order to do that I think it’s helpful for us to have a guide. And while Jesus is certainly number one, another great example for us is Paul and his letter to the Colossians. Despite what he was suffering personally, locked away in prison along with the many reasons he had to be angry, fearful, and despairing – he nevertheless remained thankful. “We always thank God,” he begins (Colossians 1:3). He could have begun his letter with complaining, and instead he punctuates his letter with profound thankfulness (Colossians 1:12; 2:7; 3:15–17; 4:2), and each chapter captures another element of healthy, God-glorifying thankfulness.

Giving thanks to God can be difficult and it’s generally not our first reaction when we find ourselves in the midst of disappointment, anxiety, stress, or fear. And although these are normal and natural responses to circumstances such as those taking place in our world right now, the apostle Paul shows us that there are things that still remain to be grateful for. Amid all the challenging things taking place in our world and in each of our daily lives – there remains opportunities to laugh, to connect, to work, to love, to care, and to find ways to enjoy life. 

As Paul nears the end of his letter, he emphatically stresses the fundamental and spiritual importance of thankfulness. Notice how he repeats himself: “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Colossians 3:15–17)

Did you catch the theme – Let peace rule in your hearts with thankfulness. Let praise rise up from your mouths with thankfulness. Let all that you say and do – let it all be done in thankfulness. Whatever you do – even in a shifting and uncertain world, even amid political upheaval, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health – do it all in the name of Jesus and do it with thankfulness to God.

My prayer for all of us is that as we journey through these uncertain times, each of us would allow this season of Thanksgiving to be an opportunity to renew our thankfulness to God. Because, no matter what we suffer, or how deeply we suffer, or how long we’re forced to wait for healing and relief, God has claimed us in Christ and promised this forever – and this my friends should give us endless reasons to be thankful.

With this in mind then, I wonder how you would choose to live differently for the remainder of this challenging year and beyond? What doors might God be opening in the inconveniences, the struggles, and the uncertainty to come? Because, if we do all that we do with thankfulness on our minds and in our hearts, then I also think we’ll be far more likely to recognize the doors as God opens them. 

So, I’d like to say how thankful I am for all of you and for the gift of being one of your pastors. Thank you for your love, trust, understanding, compassion, partnership, encouragement, honesty, and your wrestling. But most of all I’d like to thank you for continuing to walk this journey of faith and life together.

I thank God every time I think of you! Thanks be to God! Amen.

Pastor Tony

Looking Forward, Looking Back

Going to university in the United States is different than in my country. In the place where I grew up, university options are few and the application processes are different and much shorter. Few people live on campus, so your choices are limited to what is on the local bus line for daily commuting. Here the processes are longer and there are more requirements in the process of applying. I experienced this myself when I went to seminary. I was blessed because God put people on my path who guided me throughout my process. And to be honest, as I looked for a Lutheran seminary that would allow me to stay in Waukesha, I didn’t need to explore many options. But for many young people, there are a multitude of options. More options are wonderful things, but the flip side is that it makes the decision more stressful.

But what happens to those young immigrants who want to go to university but do not have anyone to explain it to them and walk with them in that process? As part of my new position, I am leading the high school ministry. Many of the high school juniors and seniors I am working with are going through the process of choosing and applying for college. If I don’t know what this process looks like, it makes it difficult for me to have empathy and understanding for what these young people are experiencing.

This fall, I have the opportunity to accompany a young woman from the Latino ministry as she visits some universities. We had the opportunity to attend Warhawk Preview Day at the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater and later on we will be attending a similar day at the ELCA’s own Carthage College. Both the young woman and I learned about the steps needed to be accepted into schools. Not only did we learn about the application process, but we were also able to obtain information about the costs and scholarships available, especially in this particular situation, for immigrants. The costs of studying are high but there are various options to obtain scholarships and help with costs. This was a wonderful experience for me because I had the opportunity to learn about and experience the process of choosing a university in the United States. As a Latino Pastor, I believe that it is important to know about these processes because it will allow me to give better guidance to those young people who want to go to university but do not have anyone to walk with them. I also am able to more fully understand the pressure our CRASH families face as they fill out mountains of paperwork and balance the options to make the best decision for their future.

While our high school families are looking to the future, at this time of the year our Latino families are preparing to remember loved ones that have passed away. As many of you already know, the Day of the Dead is a celebration that takes place in the first days of the month of November in Latin American countries. The celebrations in many countries are different. In some places the celebration consists of visiting the cemetery on November 2 and decorating the grave with flowers. Families usually bring food, drinks and even music to brighten the time. In other countries, the party is a little more extensive and bigger. The decorations are not only carried out in the cemetery but are also carried out in each of the homes.

As a way to honor these traditions, on Sunday, Nov. 5, we will create a small altar so families can bring their photos and flowers. After the worship, we invite you to join our potluck lunch and to watch the movie Coco (in Spanish)  in West Hall. We hope you join us!

Pastor Edwin

Advent & Christmas 2023

Join us this Advent and Christmas season for this inspiring activties and worship opportunities. Let the light of world shine in your life this season.

Deck the Halls of Ascension

9:30 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 2, to prepare the church campus for the season of Advent and Christmas. 

Jubilate Chorale Christmas Concerts

Usher in the Christmas season with the Jubilate Chorale and Friends as they present Song in the Night on Saturday, Dec. 2, 7:30 p.m., St. John’s Lutheran Church, Brookfield, and on Sunday, Dec. 3, 3 p.m., St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church, Wauwatosa. Tickets are available from Ascension members Scott Greger and Vicki Taylor, or jubilatechorale.org.

Advent/Christmas Concert Worship

The musicians of Ascension will offer Advent/Christmas Concert worship on Saturday, Dec. 9, at 6 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 10, at 9:30 a.m. followed by brunch. Invite a friend and join choirs, praise band, handbells, and instrumentalists for concert worship on Saturday, Dec. 9, and Sunday, Dec. 10.

The Annunciation / Festival of Guadalupe

We will have a 5:30 a.m. worship in Spanish on Tuesday, Dec. 12, the day of Guadalupe, to remember the words of the angel Gabriel to Mary. Mariachis will lead the music and we will have a potluck breakfast following worship.

Children’s Christmas Program

BLAST children will share the joy of Jesus’ birth through story and song at 10:45 worship on Sunday, Dec. 17. Rehearsal for BLAST children’s Christmas program is Saturday, Dec. 16, 9-11am.

Las Posadas

Remembering the journey of the holy family through the streets of Bethlehem where they were turned away again and again until an innkeeper took pity on their plight. This event, hosted by our Spanish-speaking members, continues to grow year after year. Incredible food, a mariachi band, and a pinata round out the night. It is a glorious gathering of the multicultural community of Ascension. It begins at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 16, with hot cocoa and coffee. Mark your calendars.

Christmas Eve Worship

Sunday, Dec. 24, 3 p.m., 5 p.m., and 9 p.m. (Regular Sunday morning worship at 8:30 a.m. for Fourth Sunday of Advent; no 10:45 worship on Dec. 24). Spanish worship will only be offered at 1 p.m.

Christmas Day Worship

Monday, Dec. 25, 10 a.m.

Serve With Ascension

November updates include Pastor Julio’s visit, NAMI, a new minsitry, Christmas parade, Christmas Clearing Council, Habitat for Humanity Gingerbread House and Thank You’s.

Pastor Julio Visits Ascension

After many years of brotherhood with the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church of Usulután in El Salvador, their pastor was finally able to visit and worship together with our community. Pastor Julio had the opportunity to attend one of the Bible studies on Grace that Pastor Tony is conducting. He helped lead JOLT and was part of all of the fun. He toured the Hope Center facilities to learn about this ministry project. In the absence of both Pastor Chris and Pastor Tony for Sunday worship, Pastor Julio was able to accompany Pastor Edwin in the English service and in the bilingual service. He even had the chance to enjoy an early Thanksgiving dinner.

Pastor Julio is surprised with all the great work Ascension is doing. He believes that many of these things can be implemented in El Salvador, for example work with children and young people. With adults he hopes to implement bible study sessions using the same Max Lucado book, Grace, that Ascension is currently using. Ascension gave him the book in Spanish so that he and Pastora Blanca could read it and decide if they would like to do a Bible study. If they do the Bible study, Ascension will purchase the books in Spanish and send them to them so that the Bible study is a success.

The intention of Ascension is to share with our brotherhood part of the resources that are available. These types of resources are sadly not available to the pastors and leadership of the Salvadoran Lutheran Church. Ascension will continue to be illuminated by the guidance of the Holy Spirit on our journey of sharing his love with another. Thank you to everyone who made Pastor Julio feel welcome during his time here.

Mental Health in Families of Faith

NAMI Mental Health in Families of Faith will be Nov. 14 2 p.m. at Redeemer Lutheran Church, 631 N 19th St., Milwaukee. Come to hear Meg Kissinger and Kathleen Geuder-Martin bravely share their personal and moving stories of growing up in families with mental illness and how their faith helped them. They will be sharing from their newly-released memoirs. All are welcome.

Mustard Seed Ministry

On October, 5 Ascension members attended the annual SOPHIA Community Prayer Breakfast. What a wonderful day it was to be inspired by people of faith who see that by working together we can accomplish so much more than as individual congregations or even denominations. We were reminded of the great needs in our community for a reformed immigration system and ways to assist immigrants and refugees in adapting to life in this country. Affordable housing is becoming a crisis in the entire county not just for the very poor but increasingly for the younger and the older ends of the age spectrum as new construction tends to meet the needs of the middle. Affordable housing has many barriers that can be overcome. These are just two of many areas of justice and opportunity that SOPHIA is working to resolve. We were challenged by a Moravian pastor to stand and take a step forward and follow Jesus’ parable of planting a mustard seed of faith. When we love and nurture our seed, a giant plant will grow. Would you like to meet to discuss Mustard Seed Ministry? We think Thanksgiving time is a great time to be thankful for the harvest already completed through the work of SOPHIA and now we can take that leap of faith and plant some new seeds that can help grow a field of Ministry Mustard plants that can make a difference in our community. Each small step can lead to a big result. The prayer breakfast closed by a reminder from a Catholic priest that “Whatever we do for the least of these, we do unto Christ Himself.” This just happens to be the motivating force behind all that our Mission Outreach Team is doing. Join us between services on Nov. 19 to discuss the planting strategy for Ascension. “And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”( Micah 6:8)

Waukesha Christmas Parade, Dec. 3

One of our goals has been to make the community more aware of Ascension’s unique ministries and how we are bringing the good news of God’s love for all into the community. The Christmas parade provides us with this opportunity. We need your help. We need people to help with the final preparations before the parade. We need candy donations for handing out on the parade route. We need people to hand out candy and keep the candy bins full. We need costumed characters to walk in the parade and we need other people of all ages to walk with the procession as we portray Mary and Joseph looking for a place to stay in Bethlehem. It will be a moving Posada! We will be handing out a special invitation with details in English and Spanish about all the worship activities and special events at Ascension during December. See the Signup Genius to volunteer. We need your help to make this community event a success in telling how we share God’s love at Ascension.

Christmas Angel Tree

This year, the Angel Tree will be set up in the narthex from Nov. 2 through Dec 7. The Thursday Afternoon Women’s Nurture Group is coordinating this activity to benefit the Christmas Clearing Council. They are requesting Target and Walmart gift cards of $25 for children and teens over 12. Angel ornaments can be taken from the tree with Target or Walmart on them and placed in the marked box in the office with your gift card. The group will deliver the gift cards to the Christmas Clearing Council in time for them to be delivered to families in need. If you have any questions, contact Linda Hansen, lindahansen@wi.rr.com.

Habitat for Humanity News

Join Habitat for their tiniest, tastiest build of the year! Showcase your sweet skills for a great cause by building a Gingerbread House. All proceeds go towards funding their mission. Build, vote for, or buy one of the gingerbread houses and support affordable housing in Waukesha County! The Gingerbread Build is Dec. 9, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Corners of Brookfield. Register online, habitatwaukesha.org/gingerbreadbuild.

Getting a new car for Christmas? Did you know by donating your vehicle to Habitat you can help build and repair affordable homes while also helping the environment? Since launching the national vehicle donation program, Cars for Homes, in 2005, Habitat has accepted over 120,000 vehicles for reselling or recycling, raising funds for Habitat to partner with local families to build stability and security that a safe affordable home allows. Cars, trucks, RV’s, vans, SUV’s, boats and motorcycles are accepted whether they are running or not. Towing is free! Donate now.

So Many Thank You’s

  • To all those who walked, ran, rode, volunteered or donated to Outreach for Hope
  • To all those who participated in the NAMI Walks to help raise awareness for mental health
  • To all those who donated to the Tend a Teacher Program for Hawthorne School
  • To all those who donated to feed the children at the schools of our parishes in Tanzania
  • To all of those who donated food locally to the Food Pantry or our Blessing Box

What a joy and blessing it is to experience the generosity of a congregation that lives out their faith in big and small ways to accomplish great things! Praise be to God for the gifts and service to Him through the gifts and service to others in need.

¡Gracias! from Hawthorne

Dear Ascension Church,

On behalf of the entire Hawthorne Community, I want to express our sincere gratitude for your unwavering commitment to supporting our school and families. Your generosity and partnership have made a real difference in the lives of our students and families.

From providing financial assistance to supporting our teaching, you have consistently gone above and beyond to create a vibrant and supportive learning environment. You dedication to our school is truly inspiring.

We are particularly grateful for your support in granting our teacher wish lists. Your funding has helped prepare our teachers prepare their classrooms with new items!

We are so fortunate to have you as a partner. Your support helps us to create a school where all students can thrive. Thank you for believing in our scholars and our school.

Sincerely,

Taheréh DeLeón, Principal

Parade Instructions

Christmas Parade Arrival Instructions

Date: Sunday, December 3rd

The staging area for the parade is at the Lee Sherman Dreyfus State Office Building at 141 NW Barstow St. Enter the staging area on foot from Union St. off St. Paul Ave. (Union St is 1 block north of Barstow) No parking is available here. Volunteers will direct participants from there. There is parking available at all city lots including the Transit Center at 212 E. St. Paul Ave.

Please arrive between 2:30 and 3 p.m. Organizers want participants in place by 3 p.m. Be sure to dress warmly in layers as there will NOT be any warming facilities. For unity, participants will be loaned a fleece scarf to wear during the parade. Some walkers will also carry lanterns. We will try to collect the scarves and lanterns at the end of the parade if possible. Otherwise, please return them to the church the next time you are at church for future events.
Some walkers may be handing out candy and distributing handouts. The parade organizers have asked that these items be handed out and NOT thrown for safety reasons.

Bathroom facilities will be available at Union St. and at the end of the parade route at Cutler Park.
Ascension member Jessica Parent will be representing her employer Summit Woods / Capri Communities. They will be serving hot cocoa and cookies. She has extended an invitation to all of our participants to enjoy some while waiting.

The Community Outreach Committee is grateful for your willingness to participate! Have fun and share the good news and the love of God!

God’s Got You!

The past few weeks, okay who are we kidding, months really, ever since the mission trip to Tanzania/Ethiopia have been a bit of a whirlwind…and even that’s putting it mildly.

But I also recognize that I’m not the only one who feels like life sometimes moves at a frenetic pace leaving us struggling in its wake to just hang on. It almost feels like a firehose in the face where everything just keeps coming at you and all you can do is hope to catch your breath before the next barrage comes along.

The past few days have been particularly difficult – and then this happened. As I drove our daughter to school this morning and turning into the parking lot, I noticed the long line of oncoming cars attempting to cross and finally get their turn to enter the school parking lot. So, I decided to let several of them pass in front of me. And then just as I let one more car pull in front of me I noticed their license plate. It said, “GDS GOT ME”. God’s Got Me. Now, maybe it’s pure coincidence, or perhaps it was God trying to remind me that in the midst of all the recent chaos, struggle, pain, sadness, and all the other stress – that God was in fact with me and tending me the entire time.

I started to reflect more deeply about God’s presence in my life and wouldn’t you know it, there had been signs everywhere – God’s touchpoints in my life where God was leading, guiding, directing, comforting, reassuring, blessing and so many more moments of God’s grace and love. God showed up in text messages, and unexpected visitors at our house, in the kindness of a thank you card, a treat left on my desk, a beautiful gift weaved by a child, a hand on my shoulder, and then here in the most unexpected of places – on a license plate.

I try each day to be aware of God’s presence and listen for God’s whispers, but if I’m being honest then the truth is many times I let the chaos around me take over and drown out God’s presence. It took a moment of patience this morning, to not feel rushed to get into the parking lot, to recognize the difficulty of the drivers trying to cross over. And for whatever reason today I noticed, today I was patient, today I was kind…and then there it was. I find it interesting that had I not been patient, or kind, or inviting, had I not recognized the struggle of others then I would’ve missed God’s gracious reminder that was waiting there the whole time.

So, today I’m trying to slow down a bit and while I know I won’t always get it right, I’m counting on God’s grace to keep showing up in unexpected moments, in the moments of messiness and chaos, and in the moments I neglect to listen to God speaking to my heart. I’m trusting in God to lead and guide me, to hold and reassure me, to bless, empower, and send me. The message was clear, God’s got me. And God’s got you. God’s got all of us. And that brings to mind a song that I think says it all, “He’s got the whole world in his hands…”. Okay, okay, God, I hear you. Thank you! Keep singing over us!

Pastor Tony