Farmers Market

March 9 is the date of this year’s Winter Farmers’ Market in cooperation with the Food, Faith and Farming Network. We will have a great variety of vendors selling eggs, preserves, salsa, mushrooms, honey, meat, soaps and body care, apples, cider, syrups, oats, granola, wool products, rustic breads and pastries, sweet breads, gluten-free and vegan bread. Bring your own bags or purchase an Ascension bag to use. Volunteers are needed to help make the market a success. Please sign-up online to help.

Join us for brunch and fellowship! Locally-sourced meal including: egg bakes (including gluten-free), oatmeal bars, sausages, herb-roasted potatoes, caramel apple crisp, mixed melon salad, and beverages. Tickets are $10 for an adult, $8 for a senior, $5 for kids ages 4 – 10 (under 4 is free) $30 maximum per family.

Month of Love

It is the month of love. Or at least that is what the Hallmark Card Company would like us to believe. The Bible uses the word “love” A LOT. I mean A LOT. The word “love” often gets overused and underappreciated for the moments and meaning we often want to convey to someone else. 

Bible verses like 1st Corinthians 16:14 is a helpful verse for me. Paul writes: “Let all that you do be done in love.” 1st Corinthians 13:4-7, also authored by Paul, is worth mentioning as well. Again, Paul writes: “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” And finally, Colossians 3:12-14: “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” What I appreciate about these Bible verses is that the word “love” is not simply a word, but it is an action offered with specific examples about how we live out that love in the world. Patience, kindness, compassion, humility, gentleness, selflessness are all attributes – actions – that define and exemplify love as we live out our faith each day.

There is no shortage of need or opportunity to share the love of God in both our words and through our actions. I wonder what opportunities God is preparing for you in the next month. Lutheran Pastor and Author Dietrich Bonhoeffer writes: “We must be ready to allow ourselves to be interrupted by God.” You might know that phrase a little differently. In my world Bonhoffer’s words sound more like this: “There are no interruptions, there are only invitations.” I am grateful to Bonhoffer for the reminder. For each of us, the days are full. I have heard even the “retired” among us can have days that are full. When we find ourselves busy, even overwhelmed by the events on our schedule, it is easy for us to believe that our time is too precious to be interrupted by the text message, the phone call, the request of a family member or friend let alone a stranger. Yet, God may be interrupting your day to invite you to consider how you might show the very same love God has shown you to someone else. A few minutes of conversation might bring peace to someone’s anxiety. A reply to a text message may be a word of hope someone needs to read to take one more step on their journey. A willingness to rearrange your “scheduled” life for an hour may be the greatest gift to someone who believes no one cares about them at all. 

The time you take to tend someone else might be only a moment for you, but that moment might make all the difference for another. We might believe the moment to be an interruption, God might call it an invitation. Whether interruption or invitation, we should call it love. Now, how might you share that love with the world around you?

See you in church.

Pastor Chris

Called to Love

Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. (1 Corinthians 13:4-8)

It’s February, the month of Valentines and heart-shaped boxes of candy…so what else is a pastor to write about in the newsletter but love? Thanks to the mass commercialization of Valentine’s Day, love is everywhere. Love is all around us!

Is it really, though? I mean, sure, our culture is highly skilled in and dedicated to promoting romance. I can’t tell you the number of jewelry commercials I typically see on television around this time. But while romance is as abundant as ever, it seems that love is a different story. And at least in my opinion, it seems love is much harder to come by in the public eye these days. Violence always leads off the nightly news, and public discourse has become hostile to the extent that political differences have driven wedges between families and friends.

But as people united in Christ, we are called by God to love others even if it’s not the most popular thing to do. Fortunately, the Bible is a great resource to help us do this! One of the best descriptions of love in the Bible is the passage quoted above, written by the Apostle Paul in his first letter to the Corinthian church. These words to the Corinthians are some of the most enduring words in the Bible and are familiar to many people because they are often read at weddings.

Despite that common use, though, the implications of the kind of love described in 1 Corinthians 13 are wide-ranging. Loving with this sort of patience and gentleness invites others into our lives and provides intimate ground for relationships to grow. Strangers whom we may at first stereotype into a category become individual people we truly see, know, and appreciate. Love like Paul describes can bring down the walls of fear and conflict that seem to be so effective at separating people right now.
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This is the kind of love God calls us to offer to the world not only this February or this Valentine’s Day, but every day. So, I invite all of us to let God’s love for us in Jesus Christ be the Valentine that we offer to everyone.

~ Pastor Tony

El Salvador Reflections

Last month, I traveled to El Salvador along with two other Ascension members, Jeremy Poling and Doug Paczesny, for the installation of the new Salvadoran Bishop but also to follow up on the initiative on the implementation of the cacao project with our partnership.

While we were at the tables of our Salvadoran brothers and sisters, a phrase I read in a book came to mind: “At the table of life, we sit side by side with our neighbors, with friends old and new.” That is what I believe Ascension has accomplished with the partnership with the churches in the eastern part of El Salvador. Through these past fifteen years we have been walking and learning from each other. As a result of this journey together, we have seen an opportunity that could continue to strengthen our partnership.

In recent years, projects have been implemented in El Salvador to promote the planting of cacao. Currently, the cacao grown in Salvadoran lands is considered one of the best cacaos in the world. It has been recognized and won awards at an international level. Our delegations that have visited El Salvador in recent years have visited cacao projects with friends from our sister parishes and we have all seen in cacao a great opportunity to possibly embark on a new journey together with our partnership.

Cacao tree

Ascension has hired the services of a cacao professional that we met when we were working with Lutheran World Relief. He is conducting research to determine whether the soil conditions are appropriate for planting cacao or not. In our recent visit Jeremy, Doug and I helped with the research on some of the members’ lands. The research will also include thirty acres of land owned by the Salvadoran Lutheran Church outside of San Salvador. Jeremy, Doug and I met with the new Salvadoran bishop and the new synod council. They are excited about this initiative. At the end of February, we will have the results of the study. It is our dream to someday have a chocolate project that follows the model set by the coffee project.

In one of the conversations I had with the cacao professional, he asked me: Pastor Edwin, could you tell me the history of the Lutheran church? How did you get here to San Jorge? And why do you want to do this with this community? After a few minutes of evangelizing to him, he said this, “So supporting this type of project is the result of a long walk and learning together, it is not something that will be done in a few years.” My response was, yes you are correct. The only way to get to know each other better is through walking, learning and visiting each other. 

Brothers and sisters, I want to share my experience from my recent visit to El Salvador to let you know how Ascension is continuing to renew the word that God is already doing through our partnership Milagro de Dios in San Jorge. As we continue this ongoing journey of walking together with our outside and local partnership, let us continue to allow the Holy Spirit to renew us, guide us and enlighten us in the continued proclamation of the Gospel. “I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people.” Leviticus 26.12

Pastor Edwin Aparicio

The Gift of Time

Well, we did it. We survived the trifecta of Advent, Christmas, and New Year’s! Now all that’s left is to face the possibility of snow and sub-zero temperatures in January. Sorry folks, it’s the reality of living in Wisconsin in January.

However, I don’t actually mind the cold or the snow, but I know for many others this isn’t your favorite time of year – dressing in multiple layers to clear the driveway or run to the grocery store isn’t high on your favorite activities list. Snow blowing in your face leaves something to be desired unless you’re my ten year old who prays for snow daily so he can go out and play.

Lately I’ve been reflecting on the past year and thinking about how we conclude the end of a year and begin the next. As many of you know, a new year is merely an arbitrary trick of the human calendar. Technically, a new year could happen on any day and at any time. Time is seamless and constant, so we use clocks and calendars to remind us that time matters, and we document moments of time so we don’t forget – appointments, tasks, visits, birthdays, social commitments, and so much more – they all find their way onto our calendar.

But time has its way of taking its toll on us. I turned 50 a few months ago and the other day as I was getting out of bed a reminder was gifted to me of an achy back and tired legs as I shuffled my way to the kitchen to begin the day. It reminded me that time has had its way with me. The years accumulate and they are both a blessing and also a reminder of our mortality.

Every year bring both the fortunate and unfortunate to us. As I get older this has taken on new meaning to me. When I was younger this didn’t really make any sense because every year was just another new opportunity and a time for exploration. A new year means more. But I think there comes a time when your perspective on time changes. As we get older I think we learn to treasure all time, whether good or bad because some time is better than no time at all.

I don’t say this to sadden you or grieve you, but to remind each of us not to take anything for granted. None of us can predict what will happen in the next few minutes let alone the next year. Value your time and don’t waste any of it or even complain about it. Invest your time wisely in activities that produce beneficial results for yourself, your loved ones, and the world.

Every moment is a threshold between what has been and what is to come. We come from a multitude of yesterdays, and we move toward an unknown tomorrow. Most importantly though, our incredible loving God is present in of all those moments. A new year is an opportunity, each day is a gift, and every breath a chance to live life more fully.

How will you choose to use your time? My hope is that each of us will choose to use our time to reflect God’s greater purpose for us. Care for one another and the world around us. Treat all time as precious. My friends, let’s move through this new year and be part of God’s blessings.

Pastor Tony

Las Posadas

Another year of ministry begins here at Ascension! As we continue on the mission of proclaiming the kingdom of God, each year through our different ministries we try to innovate and do new things together.

In my sermon on the fourth Sunday of Advent I said this “We are carriers of a multicultural ministry where the grace of God is revealed in many ways and with many traditions that you never imagined would take place in this place, for example seeing a donkey walking around the building at Las Posadas. If that is not enough, seeing its three shepherds walking around pulling their sheep….”

As you already know, Las Posadas is an event that has become a tradition in the Advent season at Ascension. This year before our traditional walk around the Church we incorporated a live nativity. The angels and three shepherds joined the holy family in their stay in the manger next to the donkey and two wonderful sheep in very, very cold weather. The cold weather did not prevent the holy family, the angels, the animals, the shepherds, you and many visitors from enjoying a wonderful live Christmas and our journey with the holy family in their search for refuge. 

As we began planning, in a moment of weakness I mentioned that it would be nice to have luminaries again. The secretary of Latino ministries, who besides being the musician in our Spanish worship is also my wife, liked that idea, but she told me it would be better to use them on the pathway to the Ash Gardens. She said it would give people another thing to do if they arrived early for the live nativity and it would connect the nativity to the empty crosses. She said it would look more beautiful than in the parking lot. To be honest, I did not want to add anything else to the event. I told my wife that if she wanted to be in charge she could do it. She told me that many of you would like it. You know what, my wife was right, the idea of ​​adding the illuminated walkway in the middle of the snow to the memorial garden was beautiful and added something special to the event and will likely be a new part of our tradition.

I am so grateful to everyone who helped with the posadas event, all the families from the Latina ministry were there cooking the food, some of you from the English ministry helped with the Christmas preparation, with the bonfires, the lights, donating money, washing dishes and setting up the Spanish ministry sanctuary after work! That is the kind of kingdom of God that Ascension offers to our community. A place where God’s mission is actively working through us.

Stephen Bouman in his book The Mission Table says, “Life in Christ asks us to step out continually into wider world, deeper spiritual insights, passionate engagement with the calling we have from God.” As we walk into this new year of ministry, may the star that guided the wise men to the light of the world continue to guide each of you and our congregation in 2025.

Happy New Year!

Pastor Edwin

Merry Christmas! Happy New Year! Happy Epiphany!

Depending on when you are reading this article, we might still be in the 12 days of Christmas which ends on January 5th; or you might be celebrating the new year; or possibly January 6th Epiphany celebrations have finally arrived to celebrate a star in the sky and the visit of the Magi to the Christ child. Whenever and however, you are celebrating, it is my hope you found a moment to revel in and reflect on the promise of God’s presence among us revealed in starlight and baby cry and the turn of the calendar to 2025.

The gift of Epiphany is the opportunity to rest in the story. There are almost ten weeks of Epiphany this year. A glorious opportunity for reflection as we enter into this new year together. One of my favorite authors is a gifted woman, named Jan Richardson. She offered this blessing for the new year. I have decided to move in.

The Year as a House: A Blessing

Think of the year as a house:
door flung wide in welcome,
threshold swept and waiting,
a graced spaciousness opening and offering itself to you.

Let it be blessed in every room.
Let it be hallowed in every corner.
Let every nook be a refuge and every object set to holy use.

Let it be here that safety will rest.
Let it be here that health will make its home.
Let it be here that peace will show its face.
Let it be here that love will find its way.

Here
let the weary come
let the aching come
let the lost come
let the sorrowing come.

Here
let them find their rest
and let them find their soothing
and let them find their place
and let them find their delight.

And may it be in this house of a year that the seasons will spin in beauty,
and may it be in these turning days that time will spiral with joy.
And may it be that its rooms will fill with ordinary grace and light spill from every window to welcome the stranger home.   —Jan Richardson

Wherever you make your home, may it be blessed, and may you enter this Epiphany and the coming year in peace. People of God, welcome home! See you in church.

Pastor Chris

Advent & Christmas at Ascension

BLAST Program: “Abajo en Belén” (Down in Bethlehem): The BLAST Sunday School children will share the story of Jesus’ birth in worship on Sunday, Dec. 22, during worship at 10:45 a.m. Dress rehearsal for BLAST children is Saturday, Dec. 21, 9-11 a.m. 8:30 a.m. will be regular 4th Sunday of Advent worship.

Christmas Eve Worship: Christmas Eve Worship on Sunday, Dec. 24, will be at 3p, 5p, 6p (Spanish) and 9:30p. Candle lighting, communion, and glorious music will be shared at all the services— organ and piano at 3p, the Ascension Choir at 5p, and guitar at 9:30p. If you can help with ushering or communion, please contact Tamie in the church office, tamie@ascensionelca.org. Invite your friends! Bring your family and share in the joy of what is always a beautiful night filled with song and candlelight, tradition, and memories.

Christmas Day Worship: The joyful sounds and faces of Christmas Day will be heard and seen at worship at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 25.

Advent Arrives

Advent has come! “Advent,” as one author writes, “is a season of the heart, a time when our hearts are warmed by the love of family and friends, and especially, the love of God. Advent is also a time for heart work, a time to address straying of the heart from God’s purposes, hardening of the heart to the people around us whom God has called us to love, and dulling of the heart to the joys and wonders of life.”

Advent has sometimes been called “the little Lent,” but Advent is so much more! A time of preparation and anticipation for the One who makes all things new. Candles are lit each Sunday around an Advent Wreath to help us prepare. Words like Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love are announced to remind us of what the coming Savior of the world will offer to us. There is a joy in the waiting for Christmas because we know what is to come. The labor pains of Mary will give way to the cries of a newborn king. The world will not even take notice. But animals close by the manger and armies of angels in heaven will bend their knee in worship. Emmanuel, God with us, has come to be among us. 

We so often wait with worry, frustration, fear. We expect that the end of our waiting will bring news that is difficult to hear. Even in moments of joyful anticipation, there can be moments of cautious hesitation expecting something bad to happen. It is the broken world that seeps into our hope. It is only by the arrival of Jesus that our hope can be restored and with that hope – we find peace, joy, and love to sustain us in this life. 

Who could believe a baby in a manger would change the world forever? Is it too much to hope for in this life, with all of its struggles and moments that weigh us down, that our God comes to us to be present with us in the valleys and celebrates with us on the mountaintop? Perhaps, most days it is too much to believe that God cares so much as to take notice. Yet, I am convinced that the God who comes to us in every vulnerability, is the same God who comes to us with every strength to carry us through these days and one day, will carry us home. 

So this Advent, join us on our journey to the manger. Seek out the star in the sky, follow the shepherds, hear the cries of a new born baby, and kneel down, with all creation, in worship and reverence for the arrival of the newborn king once again.

People of God, Merry Christmas! (if just a bit early)

Pastor Chris

Light in the Darkness

Have you ever been in a place where all the lights went out and you were left standing in complete darkness? 

One time when we were at my wife’s family cabin in the north woods, one of her cousins and a friend left to go for a walk on the road around the lake. It was just before sundown when they left, and when it finally turned to night, the moon was completely obscured by a dense layer of clouds. The rest of us had been sitting around the campfire when we heard cries of “HELP!” coming from the road. So, I grabbed a flashlight and headed toward the distress. And when I got to the road I shined the flashlight around and discovered the cousin and friend about 10 feet off the driveway looking disoriented. They said they forgot to take a flashlight and without the moonlight it was pitch black and they couldn’t see the road much less find the driveway to get back home.

When I first shined the flashlight on them they seemed relieved and began to laugh. It’s amazing how unnerving it can feel when all the light goes out, even if you’re close to the relative safety of loved ones or a place you know well. I wonder if you have ever been surprised by the absence of light? The light makes all the difference in the world doesn’t it?

If you want to see what Jesus means in your life, just imagine a time without him. Have you ever had that time in your life? A time before Jesus existed for you? A time before you knew about the light of the world? Was it as dark as a late night walk in the woods without a flashlight or the moon to light the way? Imagine a time before Jesus was born. Where was the hope for the world? Where was the joy? Where was the focus on love and forgiveness? There really was a time before Jesus, a time when the world was waiting, expecting, and hoping.  

Each year during Advent we wait and expect and hope for the coming of Jesus while much of the world around us remains in the dark. For many, the Christmas holiday means shopping and decorating without a hint of the baby Jesus. As Christians, the center of our holiday season is the light of the world, an infant king, bringing peace. 

Take a moment and consider this: What are the ways you will choose to focus on Jesus this season? How will you grow in your knowledge and presence of him? How will you show those around you the difference he has made to you and to the world? 

Wishing you and yours a joy-filled Advent and Christmas season. Waiting, Expecting, Hoping.

Pastor Tony