Welcome Home

What does it mean to you to be welcomed? Welcomed home, welcomed back, welcomed in, or welcomed for? When and by whom have you experienced welcome? And how did it make you feel?

Being welcomed makes us feel accepted, appreciated, embraced and there’s usually a sense of gladness connected to it. I think it’s safe to say we all want to feel welcomed – by our family, friends, community, church, colleagues, and maybe even more so by those who are strangers to us.

I’m not sure I can identify just one feeling that comes with being welcomed, but I do know when I’m welcomed I feel joyful, valued, a sense of belonging, and I’d dare even say, loved. And if we’re being completely honest then we also have to be mindful that there will be some who will undoubtedly experience a lack of welcome or even worse, being unwelcome.

“…for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” 

Matthew 25:35-36

When we’re welcomed and extend the same there’s something deeper that takes place. Welcome at its most basic level is about inviting and being invited in. It’s an invitation into a relationship that reflects openness, acceptance, care, forgiveness, and understanding. And as Jesus reminds us in Matthew 25, when we extend welcome to one another, it’s ultimately God that we’re inviting in and accepting welcome from.

There’s also another aspect of welcoming that I think we tend to take for granted, and that’s the importance of celebration. Picture the running embrace a parent receives from a small child when they return home from work, or the rejoicing that happens when a child returns from college, or the celebration of a loved one who returns from a vacation. Being welcomed is a celebration, no matter how many times we experience it, or take it for granted.

With this in mind, welcome is the theme that gathers us together again as we launch into a new season of fall programming. On Sunday, Sept. 18, we’ll celebrate the return of Pastor Chris and family from a 3-month time of sabbatical rest. That same day we’ll celebrate Rally Day and the welcome back of BLAST, JOLT, and CRASH students and families as children and youth ministries resume again. We’re also excited to welcome back Ascension members who have stepped away for a time and have been longing to return. And finally, we’re thrilled to welcome in friends and visitors that we’ll invite to join us in celebrating the amazing community of Ascension.

Our Welcome Home Celebration on Sept. 18 begins with a gathering of the entire diverse community of Ascension at a single, blended, bilingual worship service that will take place in the sanctuary at 10 a.m. Following worship, there will be a variety of food trucks on-site selling delicious items so the celebration can continue over lunch. BLAST will be providing several inflatables in the memorial gardens to entertain kids and families. And it will all be a wonderful celebration, well at least it has the potential to be…but that’s only if you come to be welcomed – welcomed home…welcomed back…welcomed in…and welcomed for. You are welcome! All are welcome! And I am so excited to welcome you!

Pastor Tony

God’s Work, Our Building

The Holy Spirit continues to guide us in our call to proclaim the living word. I remember a few years ago when Ascension only offered worship in English. Thanks to the work that the Holy Spirit has done through each one of you, today we have the blessing that we worship in English and in Spanish. 

A few weeks ago a visitor came to our Spanish service. I had the opportunity to talk and share with her the kind of community we are. The highlight in our conversation was her happy surprise at hearing the services in English and Spanish take place at the same time. She said, “Here if in a family some speak only English or only Spanish, they have the option to attend together and worship in the language of their choice?!” Her mom only speaks English, she speaks English and Spanish. Now she has found a community of faith where she has the option of coming to church with her mother and worshiping each of them in their preferred language. In the past, they were not able to go to church together.

This is not the only story. For a few weeks, a couple has been attending Spanish worship. They want to get married. The man speaks English and Spanish, the woman speaks only English, however she has been attending the service in Spanish. I had the opportunity to talk with the couple and offered them the option that if they wanted to worship in Spanish some weeks and in English other weeks, they would be welcome to do that at our church. They have the option of a bilingual wedding at Ascension so both sides of the family feel welcomed and included. I don’t know if they will take advantage of this opportunity, but they appreciate that as a family they will all be authentically welcomed at Ascension. At Ascension, families don’t have to choose between worshiping in their chosen language or worshiping at the same time as a family. 

All these things have only been possible thanks to the work that the Holy Spirit is doing in each one of us. I pray that God will continue to enlighten each of us. 

May the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with each of us as we find ways to use what we already have to do God’s work.

Edwin Aparicio, Pastoral Intern

Council Welcome

Welcome Back!

This month we welcome Pastor Chris back from his sabbatical. We look forward to seeing him and his family again and sharing our stories.

But they are not the only ones we welcome back. Perhaps you, like I did, returned recently from a trip out of town. Perhaps you have missed a few (or more than a few) Sundays due to a busy summer schedule. Perhaps you have been away from church for a longer time, for whatever reason.

We also look forward to the return of music ensembles and Sunday school and small group (and more) programs after their summer hiatus. To all of you, we say, “Welcome back!”

At our summer meeting, your church council reviewed the list of projects that have been completed or are on-going in and around our church building. A lot of work has been done, much of which we can see, as well as some maintenance and repair items that aren’t as visible. We are amazed that this work has been done (and paid for!) without seeking additional loans. The council appreciates the financial commitment and support of the congregation. We are already starting the budget process for 2023 and look forward to that support as we continue and grow our work.

It is an exciting time and a wonderful thing to welcome all to our beautiful church home.

Sincerely,

Susan Otto, Council President

The Light Shines in the Darkness

As I reflect on the current state of our world, I find myself overcome by moments of sadness and anger. And I imagine many if not all of you who read this can relate in some way. The level of people’s stress, uncertainty, fear, worry, and anxiety are elevated to unhealthy levels and daily I hear from people at a loss about what to do or where to turn for comfort much less find any answers how to make things better. 

And even though I’m skilled and experienced in dealing with difficult, stressful, and traumatic circumstances I too need to be careful not to allow these things to overwhelm me. From lost jobs, failed relationships, and difficult diagnoses, to parade tragedies, mass shootings in schools and churches, senseless global wars, political division, environmental destruction, and a global pandemic that just won’t go away, it seems there are plenty of reasons for fear, worry and sadness and sometimes it all feels like a lot to take in.

So, what are we to do then? Where will we find rest or relief from these things that pull us further away from the abundant life that God promises? I know that many of you are exhausted and discouraged, and wonder what’s the use in trying, but I urge you not to give up – don’t lose hope – even if you can’t see the light right now. You are not alone in your suffering, and I don’t mean this to be grim or discouraging, instead I want to remind you that you are not alone – that you do not bear your struggles, grief, fear, sadness, or any of it alone.

In this, I hope you will find encouragement to keep moving forward, keep believing in the possibility of a different reality, keep working toward changing and improving – yourself, your family, your workplace, your church, your neighborhood, community, country, and world. “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” (John 1:5) God is reminding us that the darkness in our lives can never extinguish the light, there is always hope, there is always possibility. “With God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26)

My friends, I pray that you will trust in God’s promise, presence, and strength to be with you and carry you through this and every difficult season of life. Even as I struggle alongside you, please know that I am grateful to be on the journey alongside you holding you and our world in prayer, confident that God is working in all things to bring us the peace, joy, and abundant future God is preparing for us. And I hope that each of us will see the worship, community, and ministries here at Ascension as a beacon of God’s light in the darkness and as we do may we each know God’s peace that passes all understanding.

Pastor Tony

A Month of New Learning

I am three months away from finishing my internship serving both the English and Spanish speaking communities at Ascension. There has been a lot of learning and a lot of experiences! Before beginning these 18 months of pastoral internship, I spoke with Pastor Tony and Pastor Chris about how important it was for me to have more participation in the ministry in English. Both pastors have shown me their collaboration and have opened spaces for me to gain confidence through practice.

July was a month filled with much learning — Family fun night, celebration of a quinceañera, serving in two services in English, covering for a Latino pastor from another church who was on vacation, preparing and officiating my first funeral in Spanish, and singing the Kyrie in English for the first time.

Family Fun Night: It was wonderful to see people from the English ministry and the Spanish ministry play together. What happened to the language barrier? Let me tell you that language was not a barrier. We all enjoyed and lived as one family.

Singing: Several months ago I had a conversation with Vicki Taylor. I told her that I wanted to learn to sing in English and Spanish. Even though the music director doesn’t know Spanish, she is doing her best teaching me once a week to sing the Kyrie in both languages. And as you have been able to see, this month I was finally able to achieve my goal of singing the Kyrie in both languages. I was far more nervous the first time I had to sing in Spanish. Hopefully you couldn’t see my knees shaking the first time!

Leading the services in English: Four months ago Pastor Tony told me: “Edwin, in July, I have a family vacation. I will not be in the church one weekend. I am going to find a pastor to come and officiate the services that Sunday, and you can help him in the 8:30 a.m. service.” My response was: “No Pastor Tony, I am in a learning process. This is a great opportunity for me. You do not need to find another pastor, I will officiate both services in English. And I will look for a substitute for the service in Spanish.” Well, let me tell you that the anxiety in me was present during both services, however God through the Holy Spirit helped me control the anxiety. I humbly admit that I need to improve to lead the service in English, but I know these first steps are part of a long journey of learning.

Substitute Pastor at Faith /Santa Fe in Milwaukee: For the first time I had the opportunity to lead a Latino Sunday service at a different congregation in the US. The congregation and I learned a lot. They had the opportunity to experience an Ascension-Waukesha style service incorporating a message for children, not just the adults. I learned that Sunday services do not start at the time they are scheduled; the service was scheduled at 12 p.m., but we finally started at 12:30 p.m. A little different compared to Waukesha! Here the service starts at 10 a.m. with people or without people; by the time of the children’s sermon, we usually have a full sanctuary. However, for me it is important to experience what the services of other Latino ministries of the synod are like.

Quinceañera: I had the opportunity to officiate a quinceañera celebration for a family at Faith / Santa Fe. In the meeting with the family for the preparations, it was agreed that the service would start at 3 p.m. with quinceañera or without quinceañera (the girl being celebrated). One day before the celebration, the musicians and the president of the council told me: “Let’s hope we start on time.” The wonderful thing was that we managed to start the service at 3 p.m. Both sides learned!

My first funeral: The Sunday that I was serving at Faith / Santa Fe, after the service, a family approached me to ask if I could officiate at their funeral service on Tuesday of that same week. I had originally been asked to cover for the Sunday service, then they added the quinceañera. No one had mentioned a funeral and now I had just one day to make plans. That Sunday afternoon I received the authorization from the bishop, and on Monday morning I had the meeting with the family to plan the service and for the burial.

July was a month full of many experiences inside and outside the community. As people of God, we just have to be attentive to every detail in our lives to see the new things that the Lord wants us to know.

I will instruct you and teach you the way to go, I will advise you and I will keep my eyes on you.

Psalm 32.8

Edwin Aparicio, Spanish Language Minister

Music Ministry Begins

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come into his presence with singing.

Psalm 100:1-2

 You are invited to join in making a joyful noise with the Ascension music ensembles! Join us in September, or at any time throughout the year. Contact Vicki Taylor with questions or to sign up.

Ascension Choir Begins Sept. 7

The Ascension Choir provides musical leadership in worship approximately three Sundays per month, primarily at the 8:30 service (occasionally at 10:45), and at special evening worship services throughout the church year. 

Ages high school through adult
Wednesdays, 7:30-8:30 p.m., Sanctuary

Ascension Ringers Handbell Choir Begins Sept. 7

Joining the Ascension Ringers does not call for previous experience with handbells, but does  require the ability to read music. Reading music is an acquired skill and those interested in learning to read music with the goal of joining the handbell choir are encouraged to contact Vicki Taylor, Director of Music Ministries to arrange learning opportunities.

The handbell choir rings 5 octaves of Malmark handbells and 5 ½ octaves of Malmark handchimes. Ascension Ringers provide music in worship once per month, primarily at the 8:30 service (occasionally at 10:45), and at special services throughout the church year.

Ages high school through adult
Wednesdays, 6:00-7:15 p.m., Sanctuary

Ascension Children’s Choir Begins Oct. 6

The Children’s Choir sings approximately every 4-6 weeks, rotating between the 8:30, 10:45, and Spanish Language worship services.

Grades K-6
Thursdays, 5:00-5:40, Music Room

Instrumentalists

Instrumentalists of all ages and stages are invited to offer their musical gifts in worship; contact Vicki Taylor, vicki@ascensionelca.org, to indicate interest. 

Serve With Ascension, August

Drought in Tanzania Creating Economic Crisis

In addition to the health impact of the drought in Tanzania, it is also damaging the economy. For many of the families in the region where we partner, their only income is from the sale of crops or livestock. After three consecutive years of failed crops, these families have no money. As a result, they can no longer manage to pay school fees or hospital bills. Some parents have stopped sending their children to school because they are unable to pay the fees. The Diocese of Meru sister parish office just shared with us that for the most part, their schools and hospitals and clinics have been unable to pay their staff in eleven months. Even though they haven’t been paid in nearly a year and there is no sign of a paycheck on the horizon, the doctors, nurses, and teachers are still showing up to work every day. Most pastors are in the same situation. They have faith that God will provide. In the meantime, they are unable to pay the new higher costs for food and fuel.

There is good news. We were able to send the money from our recent fundraiser for school lunches for Samaria and Savana primary schools in July. It was sent just in time. Pastor Makenge sent us a message a few days prior to the wire transfer that the school had run out of food and the children were going days at a time without eating. Thanks to Ascension’s continued support, the children once again have food at least once a day.

The sides of Mount Meru itself have not yet experienced drought, so there will be at least one more year of a thriving coffee crop. More than ever, it is improving the lives of coffee farmers in Tanzania and keeping some money flowing into the economy when you purchase Mt. Meru Coffee.

Ascension also generously stepped up following our July 9 appeal to support the hunger crisis fund for the 8000 families in crisis in Tanzania. We ask that you prayerfully consider making a recurring gift to provide ongoing support until a more sustainable solution can be figured out. Go to https://tinyurl.com/GiftatGMS and scroll down to find Meru Diocese Gifts > Meru Hunger Relief Crisis (4th down). 100% of your donation goes directly to the purchase of food. Asante Sana! (Thank you!)

Celebration Day in San Jorge, El Salvador

Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are big days of celebration in the Salvadoran Lutheran church. Typically, the church would provide a gift to every honoree on that day as well as provide a celebratory luncheon for the entire congregation. In order to save money, this year their council decided to have one big celebration for both days, as well as honoring all graduates at the same time. Pastora Blanca’s extended family all donated prizes for a series of raffles to raise money for the gifts and they also cooked and donated the meal for the luncheon. They were all happy to be together for the celebrations again!

Care for Creation – Solar Power

Are you curious about what is required to add solar power energy to your home? Ascension’s Creation Care Ministry is hosting a Solar Power Hour on August 31st at 6:30 to help homeowners understand the basics of solar energy, and inform about helpful resources and programs that are available to implement solar power. The Waukesha County Green Team will provide an overview of the 2022 group buy program called “Grow Solar Jefferson+Waukesha” where homeowners can obtain substantial discounts. This event is open to Ascension members and the local community. For additional information, visit Grow Solar.

SOPHIA Multicultural Fair ~ Aug. 13, 11a-6p, Cutler Park

SOPHIA Waukesha has dreamed for years of bringing a multicultural event to Waukesha. It is a great opportunity to celebrate and share our diverse rich cultures and heritages with our neighbors through dance, art, music, fashion, food and community resources. SOPHIA is a social justice organization in Waukesha County working to build healthy neighborhoods where everyone has a chance to succeed. There will be music, dancers, art, informational booths, story tellers, food trucks and more. If you are interested in being part of this event as a volunteer, email admin@sophiawaukesha.org. More info.

Local Assistance for Food Crisis

We have heard about the hunger crisis in Africa but we are also aware of the need for food support in our own community. Rising food prices have led to challenges for both families at home and those that offer support. The Waukesha Food Pantry has higher numbers of people seeking food assistance and has seen a decrease in donations. It is also important for the Food Pantry to have wide varieties of food for those who have special dietary needs. Currently, it has had to reduce the amount of food it can provide to those coming for help. Summer normally sees a decrease in donations due to vacations and changes in routines. With the impact of higher prices for all of the basic life necessities, the Food Pantry is in greater need. To help, bring your donations for the Food Pantry to the Donation Center or deliver them directly to the Food Pantry on Sentry Drive in Waukesha. You can also volunteer to serve and provide a meal at the Hope Center.

Outreach for Hope Ride, Run, Walk

Sept. 24 is the date for the 2022 Outreach for Hope Ride Run Walk, which is vital to the work of supporting Greater Milwaukee Synod central city ministry partners. Register or pledge your support online, https://outreachforhope.org/ride-run-walk. Beth Hoffmann is the Pace Setter for Ascension. Please contact her with questions or to be part of the Ascension team.

Waukesha County events include:

  • 30-mile road ride for the more experienced rider
  • A 14-mile family friendly trail ride on the Glacial Drumlin Trail
  • A 2 mile walk
  • A 5K run (new this year!)
  • A fellowship-only option for those who plan to attend the event, but not participate in a ride, run or walk

Remember that if you give via one of the envelopes in the bike basket from the church narthex, your gift will be doubled by the $5000 matching gift.

August Council Update

We’ve got this. It’s been several weeks now that Pastor Chris has been on sabbatical. Though we may notice his absence, the life of the church continues. The hymns and songs are sung, the gospel is preached, communion is celebrated, and God is worshiped in our community of believers.

We continue to pray for Pastor Tony, Edwin, and the staff as they take on increased responsibilities at this time. We pray for PC and his family in their time of rest and renewal. And we pray for one another as we navigate the sabbatical, as well as the things that life throws at us in between.

Your church council is taking advantage of the slower summer pace and consolidating the July and August council meetings into a single meeting on August 2nd. If you have any questions or concerns at any time, one or two council members will be (and have been) available at the Welcome Center between services on Sunday. If you just want to stop and chat, we’d love to share some fellowship.

Sincerely,

Susan Otto, Council President

Facing Our Fears and Grief

What a way to start summer 2022! Adventure Camp with the confirmation youth and Latino Ministries Camp with the Spanish-speaking families of the Greater Milwaukee Synod and the South Central Synod all in the same week. In both activities it was my first participation with this type of ministry.

Adventure camp was a wonderful experience surrounded by many activities next to the wonderful natural resources that God has given us. I had the opportunity to live and interact with young people that I didn’t have the opportunity to connect with  during our confirmation classes. I was able to face my fear of heights during the rock climbing and zip line. If the confirmation students experiences were similar to mine, their parents will be happy to know that there was a lot of prayer at this church camp in those moments.

There was a lot of joy and a lot of energy, but my time at the lake and at the Kalahari were also filled with a lot of difficult moments and spiritual meditation. During the time at the lake my mind was thinking about my nephew Fabricio and wondering what he was feeling in those last moments of his life in the lake at Adventure Camp. Seeing the young people enjoying the Lily Pad that Pastor Tony and Pastor Chris rented and watching everyone’s joy motivated me to join them. I tried to enjoy the moment, but at the same time I had my eyes on all of them, mainly the two young men from the Latino Ministry who did not know how to swim.

Entering the Kalahari was another big moment. The day the tragedy happened, my wife and daughters and I were at the Kalahari. We were in the lobby outside of the water park when we received the news of Fabricio’s death. I told my wife we would never step foot in the Kalahari again, yet here I was. Let me be honest. When we were about to enter the Kalahari the only thing I said was “God, please I don’t want to receive any more bad news in this place.” We had only been inside for 10 minutes when suddenly I saw three missed calls from my brother Carlos and three calls from my dad. My anxiety went through the roof for a few minutes. The wonderful thing was that the calls weren’t about bad news, just mundane ordinary things.

My first experience in the camp with the young people has been very helpful for me personally because it has allowed me to face fear and uncertainty in those moments and places where I have had only bad experiences. It is difficult to face those bad memories, but it is important that we remember that the only way to get out of that cycle of fear is to walk through it. This is how we become more resilient people, facing difficult and even frightening situations. When we are walking through those moments of fear and grief, we do not walk alone. God walks alongside us.

Another activity in June was the family gathering held by all the Latino ministries of the Milwaukee Synod and the South Central Synod of Wisconsin. We had the presence of five Latino congregations. Families had the opportunity to meet and interact with other ministries in the area. They are even asking us when we will have our next family retreat. This retreat had been planned since 2019, but over the years it had been cancelled over and over again due to covid. The fact that families are asking for a family retreat in 2023 is a sign that there is a desire for interaction with other ministries. We will continue working so that our Latino ministry has more interaction activities within our Church and outside of it.

May you feel the presence of the Holy Spirit walking alongside you as you face your fears and moments of sadness. And may those moments be few and far between.

Edwin Aparicio, Spanish Language Minister

Moving at the Pace of Summer

Pastor Tony at Adventure Camp

I love the rhythm of summer. In some wonderful ways, it’s a slower pace and Lord knows we could all use a slower pace once and awhile. But life being what it is these days – the world doesn’t stop and there’s certainly no shortage of things happening or needing to be done. Still, I remain hopeful that each of us would be more intentional to try to take advantage of these slower summer moments as they become available.

By now we’re a few weeks into our shared sabbatical journey with Pastor Chris and since my newsletter article this month didn’t start out with panic and worry, I think you can rest assured that everything so far is going smoothly. We are all beginning to settle into new patterns and the quieter pace of summer planning.

That said, for some time now the following scripture from John 14:27 has been swirling around my head, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.” Ever since Holy Week back in April it has felt like we’ve been going non-stop – Holy Week, Easter, First Communion, Graduate Toweling, renovations, BLAST end of year activities, CRASH service projects, JOLT Adventure Camp, worship schedule changes, and on top of that baptisms, weddings, funerals, and preparing for this Sabbatical time…it has felt like a whirlwind.

Life, both inside and outside the church can be busy, painful, chaotic, stressful, and full of things that pull us in countless directions. I’m certain that each of you could provide a list just as long if not longer, and this is precisely why peace from God is such a gift. Peace is something we all crave and desperately need, but often we are clueless how to find it or achieve it. And still, our gracious God continues to offer it.

Throughout these summer months and this sabbatical time, amid the uncertainty of ongoing renovations and all the things we will each experience, I pray that each of us will find and be intentional about seeking, creating, and enjoying the peaceful moments God offers us for renewal and reconnection. Moments that are not frantically moving from one scheduled thing to another or trying to accomplish one more thing. Soak up the sun, take a walk, read a book, go out for ice cream. Whatever it is I hope that we will all take time to recharge, refresh, and renew ourselves. Sabbatical is a journey for the whole community of Ascension, and I think there are many wonderful gifts we can receive from this time if we are open to it.

So, my friends for the next several months as we journey through summer and sabbatical and learn new patterns and practices, I invite each of us to take advantage of much needed opportunities for rest and reconnection but also to welcome new possibilities for connecting more deeply with God and serving our neighbors. I am grateful for your partnership and your willingness to journey together wherever God is leading us. May the peace of God be yours today and always!

Pastor Tony