A Multicultural Flock

Last month I had the opportunity to talk with two Latino Lutheran pastors. One of them serves here in the midwest and the other pastor serves in El Salvador. They both wanted to share the experiences of their local ministries and to learn about the work we are doing as a multicultural community of faith here at Ascension, Waukesha.

The pastor here in the United States shared her experience. And let me tell you, her experience is completely different from mine and her story is very sad. A community of English-speaking people decided to open the doors to a Latino ministry. For many years within the building, God was worshiped in two languages, but separately. The Latino ministry was recognized as part of the church, but in reality, the Latino ministry was seen as an outside organization. The Spanish-speaking members of the church did not have the right to vote, nor to have representation in the council. There were never any bilingual worship services or multicultural events.

When I have the opportunity to share the multicultural story of Ascension, I refrain from telling my story because it is not my story. It is the story of how Ascension has embraced the new arrivals. How Ascension has walked through these years in a multicultural environment. How in Ascension there is no separation of sheep. We are one flock that listens to what the good shepherd tells us to continue walking and rising together. When I finished sharing the story of Ascension with the pastor, the pastor said, “Everything Ascension has done, we didn’t do it. Ascension is a great example for everyone else.”

The Salvadoran pastor visited Milwaukee at the end of April. I had the opportunity to spend a day with him. He accompanied me to SOPHIA’s event and he was present at Kathy Hahn’s funeral and burial. He saw the Latino ministry sanctuary. It was the day before the Sunday of the Good Shepherd, he also heard the story of how Ascension has walked as a flock, with sheep that share, walk, work and enjoy together in an environment filled with many multicultural traditions. All the things we do as a church caught his attention, but there were two things that he believes he has in mind to put into practice in his community in El Salvador. The first is the garden of ashes; he is a pastor who advocates for the care of the environment and fights for community rights. He believes the Salvadoran Lutheran church should have a memorial garden to carry out the burial of ashes. The second was the alfombras. In Central America, this is a Holy Week tradition that takes place in the streets of the city. He said that there is no church in all of Latin America that puts alfombras inside the sanctuary. He believes that Ascension is the first church to do so in history. He said that he will take that idea to his community in El Salvador to see if it is possible to realize it using the same teaching that we use in Ascension. Holy Week does not end on Good Friday, there is resurrection! Christ is risen! Hallelujah!

These two stories are not the only ones. Last month, I also spoke with other Latino ministry leaders and English-speaking people with partnerships in El Salvador from other churches who would like to make alfombras in their communities.

Brothers and sisters, all these things that have happened, are happening and will continue to happen in our community of faith, are possible only through the work that God is already doing in the hearts of this flock called Ascension. Let the Good Shepherd continue to guide us in caring for this multicultural flock that has been entrusted to us, sharing our experiences and the story of love, joy, hope, peace and faith with other sheep outside our walls and even outside our borders.

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

(Ephesians 4.2-6)

Pastor Edwin

Dinner & Auction for El Salvador

You are invited to a fun-filled night of food, fellowship, and some fundraising on Saturday, May 18, at 5 p.m. For $12 a person / $40 a family, you will receive a spaghetti dinner, appetizers, dessert, beer or wine, and other beverages. Tickets will be available Sunday mornings in May.

We have a wide variety of fantastic auction items but it’s not too late to donate items! We are also looking for volunteers to donate appetizers and desserts. Following the dinner, we will wrap up the evening with some bingo and trivia. Sign-up online to donate to the auc tion or to volunteer. 

All proceeds will benefit the mission trip to El Salvador taking place at the end of July. We have a twelve-member delegation traveling to visit the ministries of San Jorge and Usulután Lutheran churches.

Serve with Ascension in April

Mustard Seed Ministry

The parable of the Mustard Seed in Matthew 13:31-32: “He put before them another parable: The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field, it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in it branches.” The parable of the mustard seed is a lesson to us that huge things can happen as the result of a very small thing. We are challenging each Ascension member to think of one new way to serve God either at Ascension or in the community or with one of our global partners. Just imagine, if each person took one step out in service, what an impact this would have at Ascension, in Waukesha or in the world!

What can I do?  Where do I fit in? Where can I use my skills?  Where can I get involved?  On April 14, we will be holding a Ministry Fair after each service. There will be opportunities to learn more about ways to get involved. Many people are concerned that they just don’t have the time but we are called to set serving God as a priority in our lives. “God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.” (1 Peter 4:10) If you look at the various ministries, many are just a short term commitment or are just a chance to see what it feels like to serve. Please plan to spend some time walking through the displays to learn more about the wonderful ministries at Ascension. To make the time more fun, there will be a chance to win some gift cards by completing your Passport book. You will have to attend to see how to earn your stamps for your passport. Snacks and other fun ways to connect will give you a way to learn more not only about the ministries but it will also be a chance to meet other Ascension members and visitors. Remember, just one small step in faith can grow into great results at Ascension, in Waukesha and in the world! Mark your calendar for April 14 after each service!

SOPHIA

We are really excited about SOPHIA’s Community Breakfast fundraiser this year. We are celebrating 20 years working for justice and community building! Ascension was one of the founding congregations and we have had a SOPHIA team ever since. Each year, friends and supporters of SOPHIA gather to celebrate their accomplishments, learn more about the issues, and raise funds to continue the mission of restoring hope and dignity to individuals and families in Waukesha Community. Buy your tickets now! Tickets are $50.

The keynote speaker is Justice Castaneda who is the Executive Director of Common Wealth Development in Madison. He will present his innovative perspective of community development considering sustainability, equity, and justice. His presentation will highlight the importance of SOPHIA’s campaign for housing justice, immigration reform, and transformational justie. The brunch is at La Casa de Esperanza on April 20 from 9 -11:30 a.m. The silent auction will be online from 12 p.m. Sunday, April 14, through Friday, April 19. Thank you to those who donated to our Wisconsin Basket for the silent auction!

Healing Hearts

Thank you to those who donated food and/or served at the recent meals for Healing Hearts. They have expressed gratitude for the special food and smiling faces from Ascension.

You are invited to help celebrate the blossoming of healing and hope since 2010 at the annual gala on April 20 beginning at 6 p.m. at Western Lakes Golf Club. Enjoy a wonderful dinner, an inspiring program, a Silent Auction, raffle and balloon pop. Tickets are $100 a person. Register online.

As one of the founding congregations of Healing Hearts, we would like to donate a basket for the auction. If you are interested in gathering donations for the basket, please contact Teri Quam.

Taco Dinner for El Salvador

We have a delegation of twelve Ascension members traveling to El Salvador to visit our sister parishes in August. They will be traveling to continue to build connections with the people of Usulután church and San Jorge church, participate in learning projects, and learn about both the ministries of the Salvadoran Lutheran church and El Salvador in general.

You can help the delegation by supporting our Taco Dinner and Auction on Saturday, May 18, at 5 p.m. It is a fun-filled evening of fellowship, learning about our partnerships, and enjoying delicious food.

How can you help? Save the date and plan to attend this always popular event. For now, we are collecting items and gift baskets for the auction, as well as smaller gifts for our raffle. Thrivent Members can apply for Action Team grants. If you have something for our auction, please contact Sarah Aparicio. As we get closer, we will also be asking for help with appetizers, beverages, and desserts. ¡Gracias!

Food, Faith, and Farming Network

Thank you to all who made the farmers’ market a great success. We especially thank Marge Schroeder and Cynthia Carlson who were the leaders of the event. Without their commitment to the market, we would not have reached out to as many people. We had a great group of volunteers helping in the kitchen on both Saturday and Sunday. Friendships form when people of the church work together. We had a larger number of non-members who came for the market. Just think, they came to shop but heard the joyful sounds of worship in two languages and experienced what is like to worship at Ascension. On top of all of this, we raised money for the farmers through Food, Faith and Farming Network.

Community Partners

Our Community Partners are agencies within the community that do great work that we could not do on our own. Our partner agencies are identified as those who carry out the Matthew 25 commission of serving God by serving others: “Whatever you have done for the least of these, you have done on to Me.” A true partnership is more than sending a monthly check. It includes learning about the partner and educating the congregation. We try to support and promote their fundraising efforts and we listen to them for ways we can support them through in-kind donations and volunteering.

We promote them on our Ascension Waukesha Mission Outreach Facebook page where we keep the congregation informed of their activities and their needs. While each of our partners have wonderful fund raisers which we promote, we also realize that not all people are able to participate in them. One simple thing we can do is to develop a basket for silent auctions. We just need a few people to decide on an idea and then promote the basket, deliver it to the program and watch to see how much money is raised. We can help get donations through e-alerts, bulletin, and Misssion Outreach Facebook page.

The Gift of Resurrection

It seems like a week ago that we gathered together for Ash Wednesday to begin Lent. We begin the journey of Lent with this phrase “You are dust and to dust you shall return.” A phrase that reminds us that this journey of earthly life is temporary, but the promise of eternal life is firm for all.

Throughout the season of Lent, we listen and reflect on the clues Jesus gave before his death. He said “the kingdom of God has come near, but that same kingdom would also be destroyed and rebuilt on the third day.” Messages that anticipated his persecution, the contempt he would face, and his suffering on the cross with these words “If anyone wants to be my disciple, let him deny himself, carry his cross and follow me” Mark 8:34. “The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified… unless the grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains alone. But if it dies, it produces much fruit.” John 12:24. “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man also be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life” John 3:14-15.

This year, the forty days passed quickly and we soon found ourselves in Holy Week. A time in which we remember and reflect how our Lord in the midst of his agony on the night he was betrayed, washed the feet of the disciples, instituted Holy Communion and told us “a new commandment I give you: that you love one another.” “Just as I have loved you, you also love one another.” On Good Friday, Jesus is abandoned, scourged, crowned with a crown of thorns and sentenced to death on the cross. His death put an end to the beauty of his messages and his presence among the people.

But is this how it all ends? In no way, three days later the gift of the Resurrection occurs. The purpose for which our lord had been sent had been accomplished. Death was defeated and no longer has power over us. We have been freed from slavery. The temple that had been destroyed was rebuilt on the third day just as the Lord had mentioned to his disciples. With the Resurrection, the persecutions, contempt and agonies have been left behind, it takes us to a space where there is only joy and peace.

Last summer, a month after my installation and ordination, as you already know, my father went to enjoy the gift of the resurrection. Although his absence left a void in our lives, my family and I hold on to the hope of the promise of eternal life. His death brought an end to his earthly suffering, as I have peace knowing that my father was at peace at the moment of his death. The pain of my father’s death was tempered with the hope that gives us strength, comfort, joy, love and peace. In some of you there are probably gaps in loved ones who came before us, that just as Jesus died and rose again, so we will also rise to eternal life.

Brothers and sisters, my wishes are that the empty tomb fills us with Hope, comfort and peace as we walk on this new journey of resurrection. Happy Easter!

“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” (Peter 5:10)

Pastor Edwin 

Christ Is Risen!

Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

I never get tired of hearing those words. They offer praise. Bring peace. Extend comfort. Reassure troubled hearts. And even raise the dead. Okay, maybe not in the literal sense, but for many of us who know someone who is in a season of their life that is painful, difficult, hopeless – these words of resurrection joy can lift someone from their suffering, if only for a momentary glimpse of the Kingdom of God and the joy to be found there.

I have often wondered why our funeral liturgy does not include this resurrection announcement. I imagine the mood would change for those who gather to remember a loved one, if the first words they heard and said included: “Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!”

I am all for: 

  • John 14 – Let not your hearts be troubled;
  • Psalm 23 – The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want;
  • Matthew 11 – Come to me all you who are weary and carrying heavy burdens;
  • John 11 – I am the resurrection and the life.
  • Romans 8 – What then shall we say to this? If God is for us, who is against us?
  • Job 19 – I know that my redeemer lives.
  • Psalm 118 – Open for me the gates of righteousness; I will enter them; 

And yet, none of those words fill me with the power of belief like, “Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! Who among us has not known the sting of death or felt the bitter wind at graveside? Even in the warmth of the summer sun, to stand at the edge of the grave of someone we love, there is a known sense of loneliness, regardless of the gathered crowd around you. So again, I ask, why do we not include the resurrection announcement at the beginning and end of every funeral we attend? For that matter, why is the story of resurrected Savior and empty tomb not reminded to us again and again at the entrance to the sanctuary and the gate of the cemetery? It is as if the celebration of Easter is not enough for us. AND YET THIS EASTER NEWS IS ENOUGH! It is all we need. If we had no other words of Scripture but this story of resurrection of the Son of God, it is enough. 

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus’s head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed, for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples returned to their homes. But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb, and she saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not touch me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and she told them that he had said these things to her.

Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

I invite you to carry the story and these words of resurrection joy and promise with you into each new day – long past these 50 days of Easter celebration. Carry this resurrection joy deep within you, write it on your heart, and speak it in greeting to remind yourself and others of the good news of our God. “Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! 

May the joy of Easter carry you into each new day.

Pastor Chris

God of the Resurrection

Over the past few months in our Monday Adult Education classes we’ve been exploring our faith by way of the Chosen video series, the Bible, and many wonderful and engaging discussions. Throughout our time together I’ve noticed an openness, energy, and excitement welling up in many of those participating. And this has led me to see that the Holy Spirit is up to something else beautiful and amazing here at Ascension. Coincidently, just last week a friend of mine shared the following poem, “Watered Gardens” by Joyce Rupp. And I feel like it does a great job highlighting the same openness that Easter and the gift of resurrection joy call us toward.

God of openness, of life and resurrection,
Come into this Easter season and bless me.
Look around the tight dead spaces of my heart
That still refuse to give you entrance.
Bring your gentle but firm love.
Begin to lift the layers of resistance
That hang on tightly deep inside of me.
Open, one by one, those places in my life
Where I refuse to be overcome by surprise.
Open, one by one, those parts of my heart
Where I fight the entrance of real growth.
Open, one by one, those aspects of my spirit
Where my security struggles with the truth.
God of the Resurrection , God of the living,
Untomb and uncover all that needs to live in me.
Take me to people, events and situations
And stretch me into much greater openness.
Open me. Open me. Open me.
For it is only then that I will grow and change.
For it is only then that I will be transformed.
For it is only then that I will know how it is
To be in the moment of rising from the dead.

My friends, I pray that the God of the Resurrection would continue to inspire us and open us to discover the gift of a new life in Christ. And as we do, may all our days be filled with hope! 

Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Pastor Tony

Holy Week 2024

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

Palm Sunday, March 24

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

Hear 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!”

Maundy Thursday, March 28

6:30p (English), 6:45p (en español)

Remember 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.

Good Friday, March 29

Worship: 12p and 6:30p (English), and 6p (en español)

Hear 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. The sanctuary will be open with candlelight from 1-3 p.m. for those who desire a time of quiet prayer.

Good Friday Procession: We invite you to participate in our Latino Ministries’ Good Friday procession. We will start our procession from the three crosses in the memorial garden. We will lower the cross and the participants will be able to pass the cross to the people who will carry it on our trip to the tomb (Latino Sanctuary). In the sanctuary, we will, as always, have the experience of walking and experiencing how the beauty of the alfombras/carpets disappears.

Easter Sunday: The Day of Resurrection Joy

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

The story of the power of God overcoming the power of death. The story of the power of love overcoming the power of death. The story of Jesus defeating the grave. It is our story. Come and see what God has done. Be reminded of the promise of God’s unimaginable love for you. This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it!

Preparing for the Beauty of Holy Week

While we just celebrated Ash Wednesday, preparations for Holy Week at Ascension are already underway. In the Latino Ministry, we have begun coloring sawdust to prepare our traditional alfombras for Good Friday. During Journey to the Cross, families began the first alfombra.

Some of you have asked me where all that large amount of sawdust comes from. Sawdust is not just from one place, last month, I had to visit Bliffert, Waukesha, Home Depot, Waukesha and Bliffert, Germantown. We have enough material to make all of the alfombras for this year. The sawdust that those stores collect is put in the trash, but for the month of February, they invite us to use and do wonders with material that is normally garbage. I showed them photographs of last year’s alfombras. They said, “Wow! Thank you for inviting us to be part in some way in this project!” Yes, everyone is invited to participate in some way in the alfombras during Holy Week.

In previous years, I have colored all the sawdust by myself. This year CRASH students were invited to experience the colorization of sawdust. The students really enjoyed it and learned a new skill. This was not only a time of work, but it was also a time for fellowship, sharing and continuing to learn about what Ascension is and what God is doing in our multicultural Christian community.

As we continue to walk this Lenten journey, let’s think about God’s call to us to pass the good news to others. In Holy week, we invite you to participate in our Good Friday procession. We will start our procession from the three crosses in the memorial garden. We will lower the cross and the participants will be able to pass the cross to the people who will carry it on our trip to the tomb (Latino Sanctuary). In the sanctuary, we will, as always, have the experience of walking and experiencing how the beauty of the carpets disappears.

The beauty of the savior living among us dies, but that is not the end. Three days later, beauty returns never to disappear from our lives. Jesus continues to reveal the beauty of the kingdom of heaven here on earth through us and others. We are invited to spread the message of the kingdom of God from where we are.

May God open your eyes this Lenten season to help you find the beauty of the kingdom of heaven in your lives.

Pastor Edwin

Welcome to the Season of Lent

It feels as if we are constantly playing catch-up with the season of Lent. The calendar did not help this year. In only seven weeks we went from the celebrations of Christmas to reminder of our mortality on Ash Wednesday. Some years we have as many as 10 weeks to make the transition. As I have entered into conversations with members of the church, I am struck by the fact that I am not the only one who feels rushed this year into the season of Lent.

On the first Sunday in Lent, I invited people at worship to write down the name of someone in their life who is in need of prayer…for whatever reason. My accepted “extra” in Lent has been to pray over these names each week. It is a daunting pile on my desk. Prayer cards stacked some two and three inches high with the first names of people who are loved, considered, remembered by many of you in your own daily prayers. It is humbling to be entrusted with those names. There are names that give me pause because I know the story behind the name. On some cards, people feel the need to offer explanation, which can be helpful but not necessary. And there are always a few cards with not just one name but three and four names. Just so you know – I stop and pray for each name – not just the first one at the top. What grounds me in the season of Lent, as we wander in the wilderness for a time, is the opportunity to settle into my prayers. Each prayer card offers me a little extra moment of time to speak the name and ask God to tend this loved one in some way. There is a meme running around the internet that says:

It is a solid reminder for my own prayer life. Of course, right after I saw that reminder meme, I saw this one:

And that brought me right back to why sometimes my life is messier than it should be. It is no surprise. My faith life ebbs and flows like everything else that clamors for time in my life. Depending on which guilt lever gets pulled can often determine the next task to tackle. Reading with my youngest child – yes, important. Checking in on my dad, my sister – yes, important. Date night with my wife – yes, SO IMPORTANT (if she is reading this)! Reconnecting with an old friend – yes, important. Visiting someone who is sick or feeling lonely – yes, important. Getting this newsletter article done – yes, important. All the things that beg for attention are almost always important enough to be listed. It amuses me that right after I typed the list above I realized that I left off “tending my relationship with God.” How did I miss that in the season of Lent? It happens.

The gift of this season of Lent is that we have the opportunity for just a little extra opportunity to tend our relationship with our God. Sunday worship, The Chosen Video series, midweek soup supper and worship, and Holy Week events to name a few “extra” opportunities. The Soup Suppers are always a gift to be in relationship with other members of the body of Christ in simple ways around a simple meal and a new recipe. You still have three more opportunities to join us on Wednesday nights. Before we know it, Holy Week will be upon us.

See you in church,

Pastor Chris

Serve With Ascension

Healing Hearts Meal March 18

We have committed to providing several simple suppers each year for the families who participate in the sessions on grieving and healing through Healing Hearts. Did you know that Ascension played a key part in bringing this much needed ministry to our community? We value the service they provide and have had members of our congregation benefit from their program. We recognize that we cannot do everything on our own but by supporting community partners that do the needed service, we are making sure the work is being done.

As with each of our Community Partners, we seek out ways to provide a service that helps them do their mission. The meals assure that families are fed and ready to participate in the groups. March 18 is the next meal that we will serve. We would love to have someone step forward to plan a simple meal, prepare or donate food and serve the meal. This would be a great service project for a small group. You don’t have to make all the food on your own. We can request help from the congregation. They prefer very simple foods that can be quickly served so the families can get to their group or class. Ascension members who have participated report that they really enjoyed the experience. Watch for a Sign-Up Genius to volunteer or contact Teri Quam.

Mustard Seed Ministry Fair April 14

The parable of the mustard: Last fall, we were inspired by a guest minister at the SOPHIA breakfast as she shared with us the parable of the mustard seed. She spoke about how Jesus said that faith as small as a mustard seed could grow into a great plant that would help many people. A small seed can yield great results and blessings but it has to be planted. When we think of all the needs of the world, the community and our own church, it can be overwhelming. If each person would step forward and do one new thing, it would change our church, our community and our world. Rather than thinking  that we can’t tackle a big problem, we each need to ask what is one new thing we can do to serve God.

On April 14, we will be holding a Ministry Fair to share all the wonderful ministries of Ascension and to encourage each person to sign up for one new thing that they are willing to do in the coming months. This will be a chance to get more information about all the ministries within the congregation and with our community and global partners. 

Often, people don’t know enough about the needs or what the commitment involves. The Ministry Fair will give everyone a chance to ask questions and even to suggest new ministries or ways to serve. Many of our community partners are in need of volunteers and many of our own congregation ministries need people to serve.  If each person in the congregation pledged to do one new step of service, we could change our community, our church and our world. “Whatever we do for the least of these, we do unto Christ Himself.”

Follow Mission Outreach/Serve on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/Ascension.ELCA.MO/  to keep up with all the service opportunities.

We don’t just go to church. We are the church.