Category: Blog

To Lambeau and Beyond

Well, it was long past due.

A holy pilgrimage to the center of devotion for all Wisconsinites. To the promised land of Lambeau. Where the water runs green and gold and so does the blood that pumps through our veins. Long lines of devoted pilgrims milling about in a sea of green and gold, praying the lines into the stadium moved fast enough to be seated before kick-off. It was a momentous experience.

Our tickets told us to climb as high as one can go in the stadium. Section 748S. So close to Jesus are these seats, that they do not show up on a normal seat map when you pull up the stadium on your laptop. And yet, they were perfect. Chairs with backs and just 22 of our closest friends to share in the experience.

Even Aaron Rodgers showed up on that late September night. Well, the real Aaron Rodgers. The one we celebrated for so many good years – even as we have struggled to be faithful in these last few years of difficult defeats and paltry passing games. Yet Rodgers did not disappoint. Especially in the second half of the game.

And the Pro Shop. Good Lord! If you think Lambeau is overwhelming – steer clear of the Pro Shop. Never have I ever seen such a display of fan fanaticism. What can you buy with a green and gold color scheme? The question is: what can you NOT buy washed in green and gold? They have everything. And so much no one should ever purchase, but to each their own.

Going to my first Packers game was an incredible moment. One I will not forget. Now, how to take that experience and package it into someone’s experience at Ascension? We are going to need fireworks and a jet for a flyover for sure. We will need bigger video screens for sure! And more entrances and metal detectors and bathrooms and concessions and expanded parking. And of course, an Ascension Pro shop where you can buy autographed 8×10’s of Pastor Tony all decked out and ready to preach. We can change the name of the Ascension Choir to the Frozen Tundra Choir and robes have to be green and gold striped like the bib overalls of Packer fame. Pews get switched out for silver benches and we can quit heating the place in the winter for more of the “experience.”

I am kidding and then again maybe not. What if people looked at the experience of worship in celebration of their faith with the same kind of dedication as they put into the planning of their tailgate menu and timing of entrance into the stadium? So grateful to our God that we are reminded that the table of welcome and worship is big enough for everyone not just those with a precious ticket. Grateful, still more, for the people who gather for worship week after week to give thanks and inspire me to reach out in love and hope to a world far larger than Lambeau Field.

I will go back in a heartbeat. Maybe even the same seats. I might skip the Pro Shop and find better food than the hotdog I bought this time around. And maybe not…that hot dog tasted so much better sitting in the stadium then they do at home. Yes, I will go back! I have more research to do!

For now, we will leave the pews in the sanctuary and keep the heat on. But the green and gold choir robes … I could get behind those tomorrow!

Peace to you people of God. Grateful for your presence. See you soon.

Pastor Chris

Reprinted from the Oct. 2021 newsletter.

Packers Pastor Chris

Seasonal Changes

I’m writing this article on the first official day of Fall…just let that sink in for a moment. The weather is quite a bit cooler today than it has been lately and there’s a refreshing crispness in the air. The calendar tells us that the season is beginning to change, but there are also other signs of change that surround us – kids are back in school, work schedules are adjusting, ministries are launching, trees are starting to change color, and favorite seasonal drinks are back in coffee shops once again. In my own life, my mom recently transitioned into home hospice care and that has brought a significant change in the life of my family. Change can be sweet, but it can also be bitter.

The seasons remind us of the many changes that life brings. And if we are being honest, most of us don’t like change in our lives, particularly if it comes with significant challenges. When change comes and interferes with our plans, we feel vulnerable and confused. This is especially true as we enter this Fall continuing to be impacted and inconvenienced by the coronavirus. The result is that we are often overwhelmed by the uncertainty of it all.

And yet, with each season comes its own strength and blessing. In the Fall, cooler weather generally makes it more enjoyable to be outdoors. There’s also a calm that Fall tends to bring to most people’s lives that the summer months filled with chaotic excitement and activity. The winter provides opportunities for cozying up in a favorite chair and reuniting with friends and family over holidays. Spring welcomes the blooming of flowers and trees and the songs of birds as warmth begins to return. And Summer gives rise to the return of barbecues, bike rides, and vacations before the whole cycle repeats itself again.

Chapter 3 from the book of Ecclesiastes in the Old Testament reminds us that for everything there is a season. I find that it is important to remember that with every seasonal transition comes both an end and a new beginning. So, as we close the book on summer and take time to reflect on our experiences, I wonder if we might also pause and pay closer attention as this new season begins and ask ourselves how God might be calling us into something new. In what new direction or to what new thing might the Spirit of God be leading us?

Life’s changes are inevitable, and no matter how hard we try we can’t avoid or prevent them. So then what are we to do? Well, I think the best thing we can do is embrace them as opportunities to allow the grace and love of God to shine in our lives. Slowing down and listening for God offers endless opportunities for us to place our faith in our amazing God who never changes. Because regardless of what season of change we may be experiencing in our life; God is constantly calling each of us to trust in God’s promises that God will be with us always – no matter what. So, while the seasons and so much in our lives may bring uncertainty and change, God’s love will never change.

People of God, each one of us have been created with wonderful and unique gifts for such a time as this. I look forward to each of us discovering all that God has in store for us and the countless ways we will use our gifts to the great glory of God. So, take a deep breath, fall is here – most importantly, God is here. I am grateful that we are walking this messy, beautiful, and difficult journey together.

Peace be with you,

Pastor Tony

Reprinted from the Oct. 2021 newsletter

Paid in Full: Organ Renewal

We are thrilled to announce that the recently completed organ renewal project is the fully funded to amount of $64,000 as of Sept. 26, 2021. Thank you for the generous gifts from 17 families and individuals that made this project possible.

More information about our organ from Vicki Taylor, Director of Music (Reprinted from the May 2021 newsletter):

Thirty-five years ago members of Ascension sacrificed time and treasure to make our magnificent pipe organ a reality. We have had more than 32 glorious years of leading worship with this beautiful instrument of praise, and anticipate many more to come, as a well-built and appropriately maintained pipe organ is designed to last for centuries.

The organ was designed and built by the Berghaus Organ Company located in Bellwood, Illinois specifically to meet the worship and music needs of Ascension. It was originally installed in late 1988 in what is now known as East Hall. Several years later, as the current sanctuary was under construction, the organ was dismantled and placed in storage while new construction and renovations to the building took place. The instrument was subsequently moved to its current location and voiced for the new space. The complicated process of voicing an organ takes into account the specific acoustical environment, and ensures all the pipes sound balanced and blended when played together, allowing the instrument to “speak” appropriately in the room.

The mechanical key and stop action of our instrument employs the same basic principles used by organ builders for over 400 years; in other words, there are no electronics involved. The keys are connected mechanically to the sliders that open to allow wind to enter the pipes. The blower, which forces air into the pipes, runs on electricity.

The organ consists of two manuals, or keyboards, plus pedals. The manual natural keys and pedal sharp keys are made of rosewood. Boxwood provides the contrasting material for the manual sharp keys, and maple for the pedal natural keys. The organ includes pipes made of copper, wood, and other metals; most all of the pipes were built in Germany. There are a total of 18 stops (knobs used to activate a rank, or set of pipes that create a specific sound, i.e. flute, reed, etc.), 22 ranks, and 1,098 pipes. Think of it as 18 musicians playing 22 different instruments with 1,098 valves or positions on the instruments to create varying pitches and timbres.

While our organ is relatively young, it does require an extensive cleaning and minor restoration approximately every 25 years to keep it in shape and maintain its longevity. This process includes the removal, cleaning, and minor repair of the pipework, which will improve tuning stability and tonal clarity; polishing the facade pipes; cleaning, adjusting, and lubricating all moving parts; cleaning the interior of the case of more than 30 years of built up dust and dirt; repairing the wind supply bellows. The cleaning and restoration process will take place off-site in the Berghaus shop. Once the organ has been reassembled, Berghaus artisans will spend a week on-site in the sanctuary working with every pipe to ensure proper tone and timbre throughout the instrument. The project is estimated to take 6-8 weeks, during which time the instrument will not be playable. The estimated replacement value of our organ today is between $650,000 and $700,000, making it the largest resource of the church outside the building and property.

organ project

Have BLAST in October!

Green Meadows Petting Farm & Worship Oct. 3

BLAST is hosting an exciting bi-lingual worship service and day exploring the wonders of God’s creation at Green Meadows Farm in East Troy. All ages are invited. The cost is $15/person (under 2 are free) and includes admission to the farm, a hayride, pumpkin, and lunch. The farm is open from 10a – 4p and worship takes place in the barn at 10:45a followed by a potluck lunch. Each family is asked to bring a dish to pass and after lunch everyone is free to spend the day exploring the farm. Registration is required to participate. Register your family online at tinyurl.com/BLASTfarm2021 and make your payment to Pastor Tony by Friday, October 1.

3K Welcome Oct. 10

3-year-old children entering BLAST and their parents will gather for a time of welcome and introduction to Children’s Ministry.

Kindergarten Bible Stepping Stone Oct. 10 & 17

Kindergarten students and parents/grandparents will gather for a time of exploration into the Bible through some fun and exciting stories and activities. Bibles will be presented to Kindergarten students in worship on Sun. Oct. 24.

Third Grade Bible Stepping Stone Oct. 24 & 31

Third Grade students and parents will gather for a deeper dive into the Bible through fun stories and activities as they prepare to receive their next Bible. Bibles will be presented to Third-grade students in worship on Sun. Oct. 31.

BLAST children's ministry Faith formation Green Meadows

October Missions

Afghan Refugees

There has been a lot of media coverage on the Afghan refugees and how it will impact Wisconsin. Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS) is the primary agency of the Lutheran Church to coordinate nationwide work with refugees and immigrants. Their website explains the national efforts by LIRS to support the Afghan Allies arriving in the US. At this time, advocacy and donations are greatly needed. Lutheran Social Services (LSS) is the local agency that resettles refugees as they come to Wisconsin. The LSS website explains the LSS Wisconsin efforts to support those Afghans who will be resettled in the Milwaukee area after being released from Ft. McCoy. Please check out the “Fact Sheet” on that page for even more detailed information. Currently, financial donations to LSS are the greatest need.

Afghans can only be released from Ft. McCoy into the care of LSS after they have passed screening and LSS is able to guarantee one year of support (all rent, food, transportation, etc.). There is a “Supply List” outlining what is needed for each home set up by LSS. At this time, LSS cannot store items, and does not yet know how many apartments, how many bedrooms, what size beds, and what age of individuals will be relocated. Once they know that information, they will have a very short period of time to set up homes. Ascension or LSS does not have storage space to store donated items at this time.

Information is changing quickly, based on Federal decisions so Ascension will try to keep current on announcements. LSS is focusing on the long welcome after Afghans are released from Ft. McCoy. Several Ascension members serve on the synod Immigration and Refugee Committee and will be able to keep you informed if you have questions. Contact Shirley Wehmeier, shwehmeier@gmail.com.

Tutoring Program

After an 18-month hiatus, our tutoring program re-started on Sept. 18. We are continuing to encourage volunteers to step forward so that we can ensure that all tutor groups have at least two tutors for 2-4 students to provide flexibility for the tutors. We still need helpers with the children. We know from prior years that the program continues to grow as the weeks progress. Several students are involved in sports or school activities that limit them from starting until October. We are pleased to see that they are becoming more active in other activities, so we want to be prepared to welcome them when they return. We have heard from others in the community that they are interested in our program so if we can get additional tutors, we can do more outreach into the community.

Our program provides tutoring classes for adults and kids. Our adults are mostly Burmese and Latinos who are beginning English learners or those who want to advance their English skills. The children range in age from pre-school to high school. The little ones may not have heard much English at home, so they are new to the language. The older children will need help with their homework or more advanced English skills. We will support you in planning how to best work with the students. You will be blessed by working with these amazing people. Contact Barbara Nordberg if you are interested or would like more information.

Thank You!

Thank you to all who have continued to donate to our various partners in the community. During the summer we donated over 1000 bottles of water and six large boxes of Blessing Bags for the homeless to the Hope Center. We have been able to provide food, paper products, snacks and cleaning supplies for the neighbors through our Blessing Box every week throughout the summer. The Little Library continues to provide books for those in our community. Donations to the Food Pantry were delivered twice a month throughout the summer. We delivered six bins of donations to Cross Food Pantry. This is an amazing testimony of faith that in spite of all that is happening in people’s lives, Ascension remains generous with their donations for those who have so much less. When you fed the least of these, you fed Me.

Mt. Meru Coffee Project

Supporting Farmers, Growing Futures, Changing Lives is the mission of the Meru Coffee Project. Established in 1999, the Project enables the small coffee farmers living on the slopes of Mount Meru in Tanzania to have funds available to send their children to school, access and pay for health care, and to support local farm villages, markets, and merchants.

The Project provides small farmers with a fair price for their premium coffee. A fair price provides an increase in farm income, allowing the farmers to support their families with dignity. The coffee project is a part of our partnership in Tanzania. Purchasing and drinking Mt. Meru Premium Tanzanian Coffee is the single most important way in which individuals, congregations, and businesses can support thousands of family coffee farmers in Tanzania.

How can you help? Purchase coffee for your home use, give it as gifts, volunteer to set up, serve and clean up coffee for church on Sundays. Serving and selling Meru coffee has been a long tradition at Ascension. Since the pandemic, we have gradually re-introduced the coffee on Sunday mornings. Your help is needed to continue to do this. Contact the church office or Shirley Wehmeier to volunteer.

NAMIWalks

The date for the annual walk for mental health programs provided by NAMI is October 9. See their website on all the options for participating. NAMI is one of our community partners and provides education, prevention and support for individuals and families impacted by mental illness.

Creation Care

Plenty of beneficial pollinators overwinter in gardens, using plants and debris that are left behind to survive. Hollow canes and dead flower stalks, leaves and ground vegetation, old wood & bark and undisturbed soil are natural shelters for non-migrating bees, butterflies, beetles and other pollinators. How can you do your part?

Don’t give away or compost your raked leaves! Keep them in your yard. Spread them about 2” high on all your garden beds and place branches over them to keep them from blowing away. Place the rest in the woods.
Postpone pulling up your dead annuals and perennials until spring. They’ll trap whatever leaves blow by, creating their own enriching mulch while shielding insects throughout the winter.
Don’t disturb areas of bare soil where many wild bee species, including bumblebees, overwinter in small nests.
Leave dead logs where insects may overwinter under peeling bark.

For those of you who think this may be too messy, consider cleaning up just the front edge of the most visible areas and leave the back section until spring. Your eyes will be drawn to the neat edge and you will save your own energy while providing critical winter habitat and shelter for the beautiful moths, butterflies, pollinators and insects that you work so hard to support in the warm months. Your overwintering pollinators will thank you by emerging in the spring and delighting you all over again. Contact Lynn Parkhurst with questions. (Source: University of New Hampshire Extension.)

(Reprinted from the Oct. 2021 newsletter)

creation care missions refugees tutoring

September Celebrations

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)

Together

Together. It is a theme that’s been swirling around my head for some time now. Mostly because of all the ways the pandemic adversely impacted our ability to be together, but also because as my wife and I prepare to send our oldest son off to college and our two younger ones back to school, and my mom’s health continues to decline, I realize now more than ever how precious our time together is.

So, as we begin to take our first steps into this fall, I am reminded of how important togetherness is both to me personally but also collectively to the life of the world. And while I completely understand the necessity over the past 18 months to do things differently for a time for the health and safety of one another, I am also deeply grateful for the countless ways that the people of Ascension and throughout the world creatively found ways to stay connected. And although it may have been less than…okay, far from perfect, I think we all did our best given the circumstances to stay connected through deeply challenging and uncertain times.

Together – it is the design that God has for us. Jesus traveled from place to place to be together with God’s people. Jesus sent the disciples out together to share the love of God. And, Jesus left us with God’s promised gift of the Holy Spirit so that even in his physical absence, we would still be together. As the Body of Christ, we journey through this life together. We are given the gift of one another to laugh together, cry together, celebrate together, grieve together, wonder together, and discover and experience life together.

Over the past few months our time worshipping and being back together as the church has renewed my spirit and given me strength for the days ahead that continue to challenge our ability to be together in all the ways we’ve been used to. And, as we look ahead to resuming the wonderful ministries in the church that have been on hold, I remain a bit nervous for what lies ahead, but I’m also grateful for the gift of every moment we do have together. And if we trust God, I believe we will discover new ways of being together, no matter what comes our way.

My prayer for the days ahead is that each one of us will take time to ponder what being together means to us, for us, and for the rest of our brothers and sisters throughout the world. Once we’ve done that, I hope we will also take a leap of faith and trust that God is with us and for us and commit ourselves to finding ways to be together with one another. So, whether that’s over the phone, a video call, taking a walk, going shopping, taking a hike, writing a letter or email, sitting on the patio, taking a trip, watching a movie, having a meal, or just staring up at the stars in wonder of all God has created – I hope that we will all find ways to do these things together with the people we love. My hope is that we will all remember what a gift we are to one another, both those we know and love already, and those we are yet to love, and I hope we will welcome and receive this gift with open hearts.

Grateful for all the ways God calls us to be together.

Peace be with you,

Pastor Tony
(Reprinted from the September 2021 newsletter)

Easter Promises

In March 2020, it was a shock to me that even the richest country on the planet was being impacted by a pandemic and the economic crisis that followed. Back in those early days of the pandemic, like most other people, I thought it would just be a few weeks, especially here in the US with all of the financial resources available here. Instead here we are in September 2021, still just as unsure about what the Delta variant means for all of us in the weeks and months ahead of us.

For our Spanish-speaking families, the impact of the pandemic has evolved. In March 2020, most families had at least one person working in restaurants, unable to work from home to avoid exposure to the outside world, but with reduced hours, creating financial stress at the same time. Families worried about the virus for all of the same reasons most of us did, but with the extra worry of what would happen to their family if someone became sick since most of our families do not have access to health insurance. Now all of the families have been back to full-time work, the financial stress has been lessened. The memories of the economic crisis are fresh and the increasing hospital rates have many of the families worried about another wave of financial problems. Nearly ever single member that is of age has been vaccinated, but the parents worry for the safety of the children that aren’t old enough to receive the vaccine. The children are all returning to face to face school after a year and a half of virtual school.

But all of this is just part of the story. As Holy Week reminds us, God always has a happy ending for us. Through all of these months, Ascension has retained all of our Spanish-speaking members, except for one person that moved. We have celebrated a wedding, a quinceañera, with another wedding coming in September. Dozens of visitors have attended special events at Ascension. Our families are looking forward to BLAST, JOLT and children’s choirs beginning again. We are so happy to have tutoring resume again. WCTC moved their ESL classes to Pewaukee, so Ascension’s English classes are the most accessible classes in the area. Our immigrant members have dreams and goals of attending technical school or university, but they know they need to learn English first. We are so appreciative of everyone that gives of their time to help transform lives as tutors.

Edwin Aparicio
Spanish Language Minister
(Reprinted from the September 2021 newsletter)

The Balance Beam of Self-Care

Last night I watched the Olympic gymnastics on television. It amazed me to see how gymnasts performed each part of every routine perfectly…the perfection of every skill and the determination of how to succeed to be an integral part of their team. These athletes needed to find a balance of how to be the “best that they can be…” The controversy of Simone Biles stepping down from her events took the world by shock in this Olympic setting. Taking care of yourself is an essential component of life. We all have responsibilities that pull us in countless directions, making us feel stressed, short-tempered, and at times overwhelmed. We know it may be hard to fit one more thing into your busy day and it is true that self-care takes time. However, finding time to take care of ourselves is vital for every member of your family.

You may have heard the saying, “You cannot pour from an empty cup.” It is true. You can only be your best self to take care for others when you are taken care of and when your cup is full. Self-care is all about finding ways to fill your cup.

Some ways to practice self-care may be:

Take some time for just you during the day. This could be a bubble bath, reading the morning headlines, meditation, yoga, taking a walk, exercising, reading a book, or journaling. None of these have to take much time; even if you only have 15 minutes, take a little time for yourself to help recharge your batteries. Even just a few minutes of focusing on yourself can help you be more present for your family and reduce feelings of burn-out and stress. I saw a funny cartoon once that showed two parents looking in on their sleeping children. The one parent says to the other, “If we could only look at them as sleeping instead of recharging…”
Have something to look forward to. Whether this is getting a massage, having lunch with friends, or an evening out (or in!) with your partner. Get a sitter, send the kids to a friend’s house, or getting away for a weekend. Having a little event to look forward to can feel very rewarding once it arrives.
Take a walk or ride your bike around your neighborhood. Turn up the music on your favorite songs and dance while changing loads of laundry, washing the dishes or dusting. There are many ways to be creative and have fun when it comes to getting physical and moving.
Rest and rejuvenation is just as important as moving around and getting your blood pumping. Track how many hours of sleep you get and note how you feel and how much energy you have. You may need to make some adjustments. Another hour more can really help you function at your best.
The power of touch is really unparalleled. Take advantage of an opportunity to give or get a back rub or massage, even a manicure or pedicure can boost your spirits and add a little to your physical needs.
Fulfill your spiritual needs to gain perspective. If possible set aside 10 minutes each day just being silent, breathing, and reminding yourself of the positive things that surround you and for which you are grateful. End each of these sessions in prayer.

Next time you find yourself “unbalanced” in your life, remember to get back on that beam of self-care and rejuvenate yourself. Remember, sometimes it is in the toughest times of our lives that we can reach our greatest heights. Be like the Olympians and become the “Best that you can be!”

Brenda Lytle, RN
Director of Care Ministries
(Reprinted from the September 2021 newsletter)