The Light of Resurrection

Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

What a joy it is to live in these Easter days. Regardless of the current state of the world, the suffering we witness, the grief we bear – still, still – there is joy to be found in the light of the resurrection. The empty tomb reminds us of God’s promise of abundant life. The power of life over death – no matter how heavy the burden we bear.

On a recent Sunday, Pastor Tony preached about the disciples on the road to Emmaus, saying that the resurrection reminds us that “the worst thing is never the last thing.” Sharing with us that although we are well-acquainted with suffering and death – neither will have the last word in this life or the next. That is a reminder I need again and again. This is the good news of God for each of us. 

Ascension continues to stand as a beacon of that good news in this community and beyond. On Sunday the 19th of April, we had no less than seven first-time visitors. That is amazing and a little shocking. I was able to greet each one and learn their names, introduce myself, and welcome them. We never know why first-time visitors enter our doors.

  • How did they learn about Ascension?
  • Have they watched the livestream before considering an in-person visit?
  • Did a current member, who might be their friend, invite them?
  • What are they looking for in a spiritual home?

These are the questions I consider asking each visitor – recognizing that I might overwhelm them at any moment with even one question. So, I am more content to simply welcome them and share that I am glad they found their way to worship on that first visit. But the second visit- all bets are off. It is a wonderful thing to be able to share the joy of Ascension. For visitors to share their perspective with us. I often hear visitors say that they are surprised to be greeted by pastors or other members of the church. I often here a visitor share the lively energy they feel when experiencing worship. And sometimes I hear visitors say they felt welcome before anyone even talked to them. It just might be true that new flooring, bright walls, and good lighting to speak to visitors before ever a member opens their mouth in greeting. I feel like I might have said that once or twice in the last sixteen years as one of your pastors. It is also true that the tending of the outside of our church – the flowerbeds, lawns, parking lot, Memorial Gardens, Ash Garden also speak welcome before ever we greet someone in person.

Here at Ascension, we bank on our hospitality – the welcome we offer to everyone who enters our doors. It is one of our non-negotiable lines in the sand. Everyone is welcome. We love, because God first loved us. I think I read that somewhere as well. It is wonderful that we, the community of Ascension, continue to learn and grow in our understanding of that welcome for all people. 

Over the past month I have asked for people to come and clean-out the sanctuary and then for people to move everything back in. We had more than 20 for the move-out and more than 30 for the move-in. I am grateful beyond words for the ways in which people show up to help. Two weeks ago, I asked for twin beds for Pastor Edwin’s newly-arrived family. We had no less than four beds in the matter of an hour. Dear People of God – this is what it means to welcome, to show up, to love, and to live this life in the glow of Easter joy and resurrection promise. 

See you in church!

Pastor Chris

(Reprinted from the May 2026 newsletter)

Easter Doesn’t End

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life.” John 14:6

The Easter season doesn’t end on Easter Sunday morning. It continues – quietly and persistently, like the shift we now feel as spring gives way to summer. The days are growing longer, schools draw closer to their end, and plans for vacations and get togethers begin to take shape. Life seems to open up again, inviting us to move forward.

And yet, even in this season of light and growth, we carry questions. Some of them are small and practical. Others are heavy and complicated – questions about our families and friends, our future, our nation, and our world. Turn on the news or scroll through your phone, and you’ll see how uncertain things can feel. Political division deepens, global conflicts continue, and it’s easy to wonder where stability, or truth can be found.

So when we need answers, especially to the tough questions, where do we go? Many of us instinctively reach for Google or YouTube. Within seconds, we can access opinions, explanations, and advice on nearly anything. It feels efficient and immediate. But it’s worth remembering that not so long ago, finding answers required something more personal. You had to seek out another human being. You had to ask, listen, and trust. Wisdom was shared in relationship, not just discovered from an internet search

The Easter story reminds us that the answers we most deeply need aren’t just pieces of information, they’re found in a person. In the Gospel of John, we hear Jesus say, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.” Notice what he doesn’t say. He doesn’t claim to simply give directions or offer truth as a set of ideas. He says that he is the way. the truth, and the life. When we’re searching, and really searching – for meaning, for guidance, for hope, we’re invited to not simply look things up, but to draw near to him.

After the resurrection, the disciples were filled with questions and uncertainty. The world they knew had been turned upside down. And yet, it was in encountering the risen Christ, walking with him, listening to him that their fear was transformed into courage and hope.

That same hope speaks to us today. It speaks when we’re overwhelmed by the noise of competing voices telling us what to believe. It speaks when we feel anxious about the future or are discouraged by the state of the world. It speaks in our everyday struggles – in the quiet worries we carry that no search engine can resolve.

As we move into the rhythms of summer – graduations, travel, and family time just to name a few – there’s an opportunity that lies before us. Not just to rest or to stay busy, but to reconnect. To sit with Scripture. To pray honestly. To talk with one another. To seek not only quick answers, but lasting truth.

Hope, after all, is not the absence of questions. It is the presence of Christ with us in the midst of them. Easter hope reminds us that we’re not alone in our searching. The risen Christ meets us where we are whether in moments of joy or uncertainty and gently calls us forward.

So when the tough questions come – and they most certainly will – I pray that we remember where to turn. Not only to the tools that give us information, but to the One who gives us life.

Peace be with you throughout this Easter season, and in all the questions and possibilities that lie ahead.

 Pastor Tony

(Reprinted from the May 2026 newsletter.)

Little Easters Every Day

See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. Isaiah 43:19

Last month’s article was written in a time of unknowing. Two of our Ascension families were facing immigration hearings in Chicago and my last two siblings still in El Salvador had their green card interviews after years and years of waiting. Thanks be to God, two of the three hearings were successful. Sadly, one of the families was denied the opportunity to renew their legal status here. The judge opened the hearing with the offer that if they withdrew their case and did not share any of their evidence, they would be allowed to self-deport to their home country. Should their lawyer present their evidence, both of the danger they would be in back home and all of the ways they had contributed to the US, they would lose the right to self-deport. If they argued their case to be able to stay, they would have to pay the US a deportation fee and the government would potentially lock them up while waiting to deport them. There was also no guarantee of what country or even continent they would end up in. With no real choice, the family made the decision to leave. 

While we were very happy for all of those with the happy decisions, our hearts were broken by the family that needed to leave. This family was my niece, a young widow, who had been living in our home for three years. She and her daughter had become part of our family. This weighed heavy on my heart as we were celebrating the resurrection while preparing for their departure.

But the story of the resurrection reminded me that God cares for our lives here and now as much as our eternal lives. When Jesus taught us to pray the Lord’s Prayer, He didn’t ask us to pray only for an escape to a distant paradise. He taught us to pray like this: “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

Jesus teaches us that God desires us to work together to create glimpses of heaven here on earth in every season. Every season brings moments of joy, but also difficult times. We worship a God who shares in our joy, but also a God who does not delight in our suffering. Through the prophet Jeremiah, He tells us: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” A sure hope that leads us to a new life, a new beginning.

We all face times when dreams fade despite our best efforts. At some point in our lives, we have all experienced, and will experience, deep pain, loss, and disappointment so intense that it makes us feel like our world is ending. That is precisely what the disciples felt on Good Friday when their teacher was sentenced to crucifixion by the very people who, just days before, had welcomed him with euphoria. A new season had begun for the disciples.

The disciples entered a new season of great uncertainty. They began to hide for fear of being captured and sentenced in the same way as their teacher. But Jesus, from the very beginning of that season filled with shadows, anguish, and tears, walks with them and walks with us, promising us a new life both in the future and in the present. This new life, both present and future, was the same one offered to Mary Magdalene in the midst of her anguish and in the midst of her tears.

Brothers and sisters, there is always a new beginning. When you lose your job, there will always be a new beginning waiting for you. When a relationship breaks down, there will be a new beginning found in healing or in a newfound peace. When you lose a loved one, there will be a new beginning. When there is persecution against immigrants and the vulnerable, there will always be a new beginning found in the emergence of justice and love. When Latino families in our ministry are forced to leave the United States, we remind them that there is a new beginning, and in that new beginning, Jesus will continue walking with them.

When Jesus rose from the dead, his life did not simply return to what it was before. He bore the scars, but he was transformed. New beginnings don’t drag us back to the past; on the contrary, they propel us toward a new and transformed future. Many of us will begin a new season with a mix of emotions. Whatever your emotions may be, may our God of love, joy, peace, and above all, the hope of new life be with you wherever you are.

Pastor Edwin

(Reprinted from the May 2026 newsletter.)

Until Sunday

Jesus riding a donkey on Palm Sunday.

If ever there was a moment of divine intervention in the world before the shouts of, “Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia,” it may very well be the somewhat insignificant moment when two of the disciples, following the orders of Jesus, enter the holy city and find a colt, untie it, in order to bring it to Jesus, only to have the owner of the colt ask, “why are you untying the colt?” The disciples respond with, “the Lord needs it.” And without a moment’s hesitation, the owner allows the colt to be taken. 

The colt was worth much: a possible stream of income; a mode of transportation; a means of support. Yet, the owner, upon hearing “the Lord needs it” honors the request of the disciples. It is a strange interaction, and the owner receives no moment of honor in scripture. We do not know if the animal’s owner was a follower of Jesus. We only hear the disciple’s statement of need. This, for me, is a moment of divine intervention, however insignificant. In the Old Testament, the prophet Zechariah, spoke of a day when the Messiah would come:

“Tell the daughter of Zion, look, your king is coming to you, humble and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

We are quickly approaching the gates of Jerusalem. Or perhaps by the time you read this, we will already be well on our way to the upper room for the Last Supper. Much has happened. Miracles and mischief, planning and plotting. 

In these last days of the life of Jesus, it is not simply a colt the Lord has need of – it is us. The Lord has need of our commitment to follow, even in our questions and our doubts. The Lord has need of our willingness to be faithful even when we do not understand. The Lord has need of each of us – even as we might stumble – we are the hands and feet of the One who calls us by name. It is, for me, all divine intervention and, dear friends, there is nothing insignificant about the invitation to follow. The shouts of “Hosanna!” on Palm Sunday will give way to the whispers of stories and laughter at the Last Supper. The conversation at dinner in the upper room will descend into an olive grove for prayer where we will meet struggle and betrayal. The betrayal will lead to arrest and acceptance of what is to come. And what will come, will be at the hands of Roman soldiers. A cross will rise and a Savior will be nailed to that cross. Yet the Savior will not be held by nails, he will be held by love. A moment of divine intervention for each of us.

From Good Friday, we will know only darkness and defeat. 

Until Sunday comes. When brave women, breaking rules, will find their way to the grave of their friend – their teacher – their Savior; only to find the stone rolled away and the grave empty. The sun will rise that morning to tell a new story of divine intervention. A new story of life when all was thought lost. A new story of hope when all was thought defeated. A new story of joy where all was thought grief. It will be Mary Magdalene who will first set eyes on the risen Savior, her friend, Jesus. Soon enough, we too, will hear the shouts of “Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!” Our hearts will beat faster. Our ears will ring. Our eyes will seek the face of our Savior. And the good news will once again be reminded to us. “He is risen just as he said.” One more moment of divine intervention to change the whole world – to change our own little world – forever. What a week it will be!

Maybe this is the year, you find yourself in worship for each of these holy days – these divine interventions in the world as we know it to be. “Tell the daughter of Zion, look, your king is coming to you, humble and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” My friends, the King is coming. And you are invited to join your Savior, and the rest of us, on the journey. “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest!”

Welcome to Holy Week at Ascension.

See you on the road.

Pastor Chris

March Madness

“He is not here, for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.” Matthew 28:6

As I’m writing this my favorite time of year is in full swing: March Madness! And it has me thinking, life can feel a bit like the whirlwind of the NCAA March Madness basketball tournament – full of unexpected upsets, last-second decisions, and moments that leave us either cheering with joy or wondering what just happened. 

Much like the excitement of March Madness, our daily lives can feel unpredictable. We face personal struggles, uncertainty about the world around us, and challenges that test our strength and faith. Yet, into this very real “madness,” the message of Easter speaks clearly and powerfully – He is risen. But this truth isn’t just a moment in history – it’s a living promise that hope is never lost, even when life feels overwhelming.

Spring itself becomes a beautiful reflection of this promise. After months of cold and dormancy, the earth begins to awaken. Flowers bloom, animals emerge from hibernation, and the days grow longer. What once seemed lifeless is once again colorful and vibrant. In the same way, the resurrection of Jesus reminds us that God brings new life out of what feels barren, and renewal out of what feels broken.

In our struggles – whether they’re worries about family, health, finances, or simply the weight of a busy and uncertain world – Easter invites us to hold on to hope. Not a fleeting or wishful hope, but a deep and enduring assurance that God is at work, even when we can’t see the full picture.

Because Jesus lives, we’re offered peace in the midst of chaos. We’re given love that doesn’t waver with circumstances. And we’re filled with a joy that goes deeper than temporary victories or defeats.

So whether you find yourself celebrating a “win” in life or navigating a difficult season, remember this – the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is still at work today. Just as a tournament game can turn in an instant, so too can God bring unexpected transformation into our lives.

This Easter season, may you experience the fresh hope of spring, the steady peace of our Savior Jesus Christ, the unshakable love of God, and the deep joy of the resurrection. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! 

Happy Easter!

Pastor Tony

The Gift of Resurrection

We have completed another Lenten journey here at Ascension. Yet, for many in our community, the “wilderness” does not end with the season. Many of us find ourselves on paths that feel never-ending: chronic illness, the weight of grief, family fractures, job loss, or the long shadow of financial crisis.

For the Latino ministry, the month of March was a journey of profound contrast—marked by joy, sadness, and the pain of separation. At the start of the month, one of our members made the difficult decision to return to her home country due to the dangers she faced here in the United States. On her final Sunday, we gathered around her, laying on hands to pray for God’s protection and prayers for her children and husband that were staying here in the US.

The following day, Pastor Tony, Pastor Chris, and I accompanied her to the airport. In that moment, we were reminded of the Apostle Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 12:26: “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.”

The weeks that followed were filled with the “anxiety of the waiting room.” Members of Ascension and I accompanied a Venezuelan family to their final immigration hearing in Chicago; days later, we did the same for a Salvadoran family. Simultaneously, my own siblings in El Salvador were preparing for their appointments at the U.S. Embassy to seek permission to join us here in Waukesha. My father filed their application to move here over thirteen years ago. Sadly he died before they were able to join us here.

As I write this, the outcomes of these hearings are still unknown. By the time you read this, the “verdict” on these families’ lives will have already been delivered. This is the reality of our community: a life lived in the tension between fear and hope.

Though these events produce a desert of uncertainty, a voice always emerges to break the silence. Jesus is our constant companion. The families forced to leave or those fighting to stay have encountered a Jesus at Ascension who may be different from the one they once knew—a Jesus who enters through locked doors to say, “Peace be with you.”

In His first appearance to the disciples after the Resurrection, Jesus wasn’t just offering a greeting; He was announcing a new beginning. He taught us that while we will experience every kind of hardship, hardship is never the final word. There is always a new beginning and a new life because Christ has risen! The desert is real, but the empty tomb is equally real and it has the power to overcome the desert. May the joy, peace, and hope of the Resurrection surround and strengthen you and your family today and always.

Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Hallelujah!

Pastor Edwin 

Holy Week 2026

Holy Week will once again offer us the power of the story of God’s love for us.

Palm Sunday, March 29

8:30a & 10:45a (English), 10:45a (en Español)

We will share the story of the entrance of Jesus into the city of Jerusalem to shouts of “Hosanna. Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord!” We worship at 8:30 and 10:45 a.m. We will welcome new members and everyone gets to fill-out a nametag. At 9:45 a.m., we will gather together to prepare for Jesus’s journey to the cross with the preparation of alfombras.

Maundy Thursday Worship, April 2

6:30p (English & en Español)

Maundy Thursday will remind us of the Last Supper in the Upper Room, prayers in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus’ arrest, and trial. This worship service ends with the meaningful “stripping of the altar” to remind us of the humiliation and suffering of our Savior. We worship at 6:30 p.m.

Good Friday, April 3

12p and 6:30p (English), and 5:30p (en Español)

Good Friday shares with us the story of the crucifixion of Jesus along with the seven last words of Jesus from the cross. We will gather to remember and offer worship to the One who saves us from our sins. We worship at 12 p.m. and  6:30 p.m. The sanctuary will be open with candlelight from 1-3pm for those who desire a time of quiet prayer for there is no shortage of need to be lifted to our God. The Spanish procession will begin in the Memorial Gardens at 5:30 p.m., leading directly into the Spanish worship service.

Easter Sunday: The Day of Resurrection Joy, April 5

8:30a & 10:45a (English), 10:45a (en Español)

Easter Sunday will gather us to shouts of “Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! We will worship at our regular times of 8:30 and 10:45 a.m.

Lenten Worship

Here at Ascension, the season of Lent is measured in bowls of soup and first communion classes and new member conversations and stories of the presence of Jesus transforming the world before he ultimately journeys to the cross. You are invited to be a part of everything. If this is your first Lent at Ascension, there is much to experience. If you have been a member forever, still Lent offers something new every season.

Wednesdays in Lent, through March 25

On Wednesdays in Lent, after Ash Wednesday, we meet for soup supper at 6 p.m. Please sign-up in the narthex/lobby to bring a soup or loaf of bread. We average between 125 and 150 for soup each week. And then worship begins at 6:45 p.m. and ends at 7:15 p.m. to get littles home and off to bed. Wednesday night soup supper and worship begin Wednesday, Feb. 25. The final one will be March 25.

Thursday Worship, 11:30 a.m., through March 26

For those who are looking for something different in this season of Lent, we are offering a 30 minute worship service every week on Thursdays from 11:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. and continuing all through Lent, concluding on March 26. For those who might like a quieter, more reflective time of worship, Thursday mornings could provide that opportunity. There will be instrumental music, congregational singing, Scripture readings, a brief message, a time for prayer, and communion each week.

Looking Ahead to Holy Week

March 29 Palm Sunday
8:30 & 10:45a English & en español

April 2 Maundy Thursday
6:30p English & en español

April 3 Good Friday
12p/6:30p English
5:30p Procesional y misa en español

April 5 Easter
8:30 & 10:45a English & en español

My Favorite Story

For a time, in church, I must have used an opening line one too many times. At the beginning of one sermon too many, I began with the words, “this is my favorite story in the Bible.” Now if you do not find yourself in worship each Sunday and you happen to miss a sermon or two – how could you possibly know I used that line to begin an earlier sermon? But one young man, listening to my opening line for apparently the fourth time in a row, leaned over to his mom and said, “they can’t all be his favorite stories, can they?” Touché.

Perhaps every Bible story I have come to love as a favorite says less about the degree of favoritism and more about my love for the overarching story of God’s love for us and the ways I find each “favorite” story weaves into our lives at one moment or another. This is also true of the season of Lent. The “story” of Lent is a journey of faith. As children of God, we remember we are loved. As disciples of Jesus, we hear the call to follow. In the season of Lent, both, should be easier for us to be and do. 

It is certainly easy enough for us in Lent. Over the past couple of weeks and into the next several weeks, we will hear stories of Jesus being tempted; of a doubter struggling to believe; of a woman at a well finding forgiveness and faith; of a man born blind being healed; of a dead man come back to life; and a procession to welcome a Savior. All are stories we children of God; disciples of Jesus are hungry to hear and know in our own lives. Whether we are hearing these stories for the first time or the fortieth time in a fresh way. Still the Word of God speaks to us – our hurts, our hearts, and our hope.

Each of us walks this road of Lent – each of us chooses how closely we follow the footsteps of our Savior. At Ascension there are multiple opportunities to enrich your journey. On Wednesday nights, more than 140 will gather each week for soup at 6pm and worship from 6:45-7:15 p.m. On Thursdays, there is an hour book study entitled “The Message of Jesus” at 10:30 a.m. and a 30-minute worship with communion from 11:30am-12:00pm. JOLT and CRASH will share in their annual Shop and Serve Event on March 1st beginning at 4pm. The Chosen Video Series continues on Monday mornings and evenings. A Lenten Prayer Devotional Packet is available to mark each day of the season of Lent. You can pick one up at the Welcome Center. First Communion classes begin in March and New Member conversations will take place inviting visitors to consider making Ascension their spiritual home. And before we know it, Holy Week will be upon us with Palm Sunday announcing the arrival of our Savior into the holy city. And what an entry it will be. Palm branches and shouts of “hosanna” will fill the air. We will find ourselves in an upper room for a meal with friends and center ourselves with prayers in a garden. We will remember the arrest and humiliation of our Savior and follow his slow and difficult footsteps to the foot of the cross.

How will we find the rhythm of our steps to follow Jesus in this season? God invites us to follow. We only need listen to the One who calls our name. We are “beloved.” Wherever we have wandered, still God calls us home.

See you on the road.

Pastor Chris

Reprinted from the March 2026 newsletter

The Promise of Spring

“…Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.” Psalm 30:5 (NLT) 

I think most of us would agree that we’ve had enough of Winter and we’re ready for the promise of Spring’s renewal, refreshment, and rebirth. This past year has been long and challenging for many across our community and nation for a number of reasons. And now we’re finally beginning to feel the warmth of Spring and the hope of a season filled with rejuvenation.

Psalm 30:5 gives us a promise to hold on to during challenging times – “Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.” Life is full of different seasons, some joyful and warm, some cold and filled with sadness. At times we walk through dark valleys, but then we emerge into greener pastures. This season of difficulty, anxiety, illness, and loss will soon pass away, and a new season, a new morning, will bring with it new joy.

We’ve now entered into Lent, the church season characterized by sorrow, humility and waiting as we approach Holy Week and Easter. In many ways, the difficult experiences we’ve encountered over the past year have been like a really long Lent, extended now for months instead of weeks.

Lent invites us to examine our brokenness. It prepares us for Easter by reminding us that we need the Savior, that we’re lost without God’s grace. We can’t save ourselves or fix all our problems. We are dust and ashes, lost and blind without God’s mercy.

We aren’t invincible. We don’t know it all. We can’t fix every problem. Hopefully, taking time to look at our fragility has reminded us that we need God and His gracious healing power. And hopefully, throughout Lent we’re taking time to repent from our pride and foolish self-reliance. And now, Spring is coming again. Easter is just around the corner. Hope and healing are on the way.

Just as the call of Lent to humility is good for our hearts, clinging to the hope of better days can also bring us healing. We can let go of some of our anxious thoughts. We can look ahead with joyful anticipation. That’s the promise of Spring, and even more, the promise of resurrection. God has good things in store that will renew our joy.

As this hope ignites, we also remember that life in this world will have troubles and sorrows. There will be global issues and personal tragedies. We will walk through more dark valleys. But our joy comes from our God who will walk with us in those hard moments just as He has through every difficult time. His promises don’t change with the seasons. His love lasts through the dark nights. Rejoicing will come again in the morning.

This Lenten season I invite you to consider praying or continuing to pray for one another and to reach out with words of encouragement and hope. Your faithfulness and perseverance have carried you through hard seasons, and I trust God will continue to meet your needs as you care for those around you. Peace be with you!

Pastor Tony

Reprinted from the March 2026 newsletter.