I am no stranger to creative writing. Every time I sit down to begin crafting a sermon I am struck by the gifts of the Holy Spirit that inspire me to imagine new ways of connecting God’s eternal truth with the days in which we are living. Most of the time, I am quite satisfied with my own attempt to describe or explain some moment for those who choose to read what I write. Yet every-so-often I find myself struck by another’s writing; someone who simply offers a more creative approach to express what I am feeling. Here is what Pastor Jennifer writes:

“It was worth it. Every dollar. Every minute. Every drop of sweat. Every late night. Every early morning. Every long line. Every ounce of sunscreen. It was all worth it.”

Before leaving for the ELCA Youth Gathering, I wondered on my blog about the cost of it all. Is the $1,000+ for each person a faithful use of the resources God has given us? I had decided that it was worth it, in part, because we who belong to small congregations need to feel how alive, enormous, and vital the Church is today. And while I know our kids will grow into adulthood and tell the story of growing up in a small ELCA congregation, I decided that the investment of all these dollars is faithful because at the Youth Gathering, they will learn to tell the story of growing up in a Church that serves and loves God and others in loud, brave, bright ways that change the world.

Because the youth group at Emmanuel, High Point is multi-cultural and multi-ethnic, we attended the pre-Gathering event called MYLE (Multi-cultural Youth Leadership Event) that ran the three days prior to The Gathering the 31,000 attended. MYLE is smaller, maybe 700 of us, on the campus of the University of Houston for a few days of intentional unity, praise, play, and service. If I’m honest, it’s a few days where my kids of color aren’t (pretty much) the only people of color at an ELCA event. We are the “whitest” denomination in America. I don’t like writing that sentence; I can’t take pride in that. But, we need to say it out loud, and we really need to face it. And work to change it, to embody the kingdom.

Though our church body has work to do, I am proud to be a pastor in the ELCA. Part of that pride comes from getting to see the ways we are acknowledging our lack of diversity, confessing the sin of clinging to our own kind, and taking a seat while non-white people, some of whom speak many languages, take the lead. MYLE is one of those ways. At MYLE, our Puerto Rican sisters and brothers brought vibrance and resilience to any room they entered. The Glocal Band made up of talented musicians from many lands and languages invited us in and showed us the way as we sang of God’s love in Swahili, Korean, Spanish, English, Kannada, and other tongues!

Each day, speakers would challenge us to imagine the world through the eyes of “the other.” And every speaker pointed to Christ as our freedom and unity, helping us see where we still have boundaries that need erasing. It seemed that each of my teenagers tucked in their pockets the words of different speakers because when we gathered at the close of each day to talk and pray together, each person had brought home different words and images from that day’s experience. Each one found courage for the task of self-examination and growth; some from a lyric, some from a speaker’s refrain, some on a service project, some in a small group.

One night, very late, there was this moment. I’ll let you eavesdrop on my precious group for a bit:

“I saw lots of Wakanda Forever shirts today,” said teen 1.

“Wakanda Forever!” said teen 2 (Crosses arms over chest)

“It’s whatever,” said teen 3. We all kind of pause because something has changed in the room.

“What’s up?” I ask. Teen 3, who was born in Africa, answers.

“It took a movie for everyone to figure out that Africa is beautiful and strong? It’s like, ‘Okay, we’ve been over there being beautiful and strong, and you looked past us. Now there’s a movie so you are looking at us?’”

“That never occurred to me before,” said teen 4, slowly and quietly.

Right there, at nearly midnight, in a small, gray dorm room with nine people perched on desks, beds, and chairs, sweaty from a very long Houston summer day, snacks and drinks everywhere … a boundary was erased. Okay, maybe it was simply seen for the very first time, but it was crystal clear that the heart of the one who saw something for the first time was looking around for his eraser. And the young woman who showed him the boundary felt seen.

It’s really all we can hope for! It’s the finest of Christian formation when something painful bubbles from one heart and is seen and heard as true by another…and confession falls from the lips of those who see and hear the pain…and hearts are changed…and lives are stitched together. And when all of that happens when the very next thing is the prayer prayed together at the close of the day, it is the holiest of moments, and the messy, smelly dorm room is the holiest of temples. I have described MYLE as being spiritually expensive. Spending time attending to racial identity and reconciliation costs a lot of energy that is not easily replaced with a nap or a cup of coffee. The cost hangs around a while. MYLE was so packed with gorgeous, serious, funny, musical, brave, deep, and silly moments that by the time Wednesday came, and 30,000 of our closest friends were arriving for The Gathering, we were pretty tired. But, God had plans for our tired bodies and spirits, so we took naps, drank coffee, and pressed toward the stadium…where we received an IV infusion of the joy of 31,000 people who had been waiting for this holy party for three long years!

Now, I suppose I could write endlessly about The Gathering because the planners crafted a masterpiece of a Gathering. Each day was full of opportunities for worship, service, learning, play, music, and unity. And I’m sure some other blogger has written well about all of that. So, let me tell you some of the words the speakers said that were like Velcro to my youth group, the words they brought back to the hotel with them for our late-night conversation and prayer. Each speaker had 10 minutes, and their speeches were packed with Christian hope, love, and light, but these are some of the words which have clung to the young people I love. I do hope I’m paraphrasing faithfully:

“We don’t have a hunger problem; we have a greed problem. There is enough.” Maria Rose Belding

“YOU are defiant hope in a broken world.” The Rev. Dr. Stephen Bouman

“You have a reason and purpose.” “Show up!” Joe Davis

“There’s grace for that.” Pr. Will Starkweather

“Your current situation is not your ultimate situation.” Pr. Nadia Bolz-Weber

“We are hope for the world. People need us!” Rebekah Bruesehoff

“I felt like the world was trying to break me, but one day my heart started to change.” Michaela Shelly

“If you can still feel, you have the strength to carve yourself into a new tomorrow.” Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton

“Am I willing to live for this?” Savanna Sullivan

Is there another setting where you can bring your youth group to hear people of varying ages, male, female, every-possible-shade-of-skin, immigrant, citizen, LGBTQ, ordained pastors, poets, musicians, a terminally ill teen, and people recovering from addiction, eating disorders, and self-harm speak honestly about what they’ve been through…and point to Christ as their source of strength and healing, saying as plainly as possible that God’s call, hope, grace, and love change everything? If you know another place to find all that, then you know of a rare and precious gem. Please tell us all where to find such a gift. As for me and mine, we’ll start fundraising right away for our trip to Minneapolis in 2021. And in the meantime, we will continue to bear witness to God’s love and point to the cross of Christ – which changes everything!”

Of my friends – this is why I do what I do when God calls. What joy to share in the journey of God’s love and joy flowing into the world. See you in church.

Pastor Chris

Reprinted from the July 2018 Ascension newsletter

JOLT Adventure Camp by its very design is an exciting mix of fun, faith, personal challenge, friendship, and adventure. Every trip is as unique as the participants and each trip promises a lifetime of memories for those who go.

From the student who offers to wake up early to make breakfast for everyone to the student who repeatedly says, “there’s no way I can do that” then smiles after reaching the top of a 60 foot climb or celebrates alongside another student after leading a prayer, there is no shortage of moments of accomplishment at Adventure Camp.

And while the 2018 Adventure Camp may be wrapped up for now, God’s presence can definitely be seen and heard and felt in the smiles, laughter, and stories that will continue to be shared in the days, weeks, and months to come. We give great thanks to God for the gift of such incredible experiences and we look forward to everything next year’s Adventure Camp has in store for everyone.

We hope you will consider playing, praying, and adventuring alongside us next year!

Tony Acompanado, Director of Faith Formation

Reprinted from the July 2018 newsletter

In the book of Luke, we find one of the great Easter stories of the Bible, where two disciples are on the road to Emmaus when their newly risen Savior shows up in their midst and hears them share the story of their Savior’s pain and suffering and death.

A little over a third of the way into the journey on the road to Emmaus – the disguised Jesus asks the disciples this question, ‘What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?’ They stood still, looking sad. ¹⁸Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, ‘Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?’ ¹⁹He asked them, ‘What things?’ They replied, ‘The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people,²⁰and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. ²¹But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place. ²²Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, ²³and when they did not find his body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. ²⁴Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but they did not see him.’

I love the story, for the location of where it takes place – on the road. The two disciples walk with Jesus and yet they have no idea that it is Jesus who walks alongside them.

For the past week, I have walked with junior high students who completed some amazing moments in their life. They have kayaked 16 miles down the Wisconsin River. 16 MILES! They have climbed mountains – literally climbed up the sheer cliff of the mountain at Devil’s Lake. And new this year, they were given the opportunity to repel down the mountain. Something I decided was well worth my time and effort and great joy when my feet touched land at the bottom of the mountain. The junior high students found strength and courage in those who walked alongside them on the road. They were encouraged with cheers and prayers and clapping and singing at every moment. In the midst of great fear – these amazing children of God – overcame their fear. And I believe Jesus revealed himself to them in the presence of their friends through words of support and encouragement and love straight from God’s own heart.

Much like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, we are not always able to see the presence of God. In verse 35, at the end of the story, we are told that the disciples shared the following…³⁵Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

It is a glorious moment for the two disciples who shared communion with Jesus. And this week has been a glorious moment for me as I have watched junior high students build relationships, navigate rivers, and overcome mountains – huge mountains in their life. I am grateful to serve the people of Ascension in such ways. I am more grateful still for the opportunity to watch Jesus reveal himself in the lives of our students through each other’s care. May we be reminded of God’s great love for us through the presence of others and the promise that God reveals God’s self in the most amazing and unexpected ways when we are hungry for a moment of hope. Thanks be to God! See you in church!

Pastor Chris

Reprinted from the July 2018 newsletter

I am grateful for many things in this life. I am grateful, still more, for the people God invites to share in this journey of faith and life through the community of Ascension. During the month of May, our Mutual Ministry team met for conversation and reflection. Ascensions’ Mutual Ministry team consists of Paul James (chair), Elaine Kilgore, Jodi Keene, and Mike Jahner. They are dedicated members of this congregation always ready to listen and to learn from members of the congregation. When we gathered in May – the following prayer was shared during our time of devotion:

Almighty God…
You who called the universe into being.
You who formed us, and called us to be your people.
We give you thanks for your constant presence.
Through seasons of constancy, and especially change, you are with us – 
      calling us into deeper waters,
      calling us together into your spirit of unity,
      calling us out of ourselves into the world to serve others.
Grant that we who are being called into new waters might hold fast to your unending love and mercy – a love that promises to hold onto us as we go where your Spirit leads us.
May Ascension, always knowing the movement of your Spirit, hold fast to the promise that your mission is beyond ourselves always.
Grant that such a promise would bring both comfort and discomfort –
     comfort in a season of change,
     and discomfort as it drive us all to love you and each other, even more.
Strengthen us to be your Church in all times and seasons of life –
     a place where all are truly welcomed and embraced in your love;
     a place where we find ways you are active among us and call us to join in your saving work;
     a place where the story of your love and grace and mercy are embodied. Amen.

I have taken to praying this prayer daily. There are days we are far more attune to the work of God’s Holy Spirit and then there are seasons where we cannot possibly imagine God to care very much at all. In my life, the movement of the Holy Spirit reveals himself in the most unexpected moments. In the life of our congregation, the Holy Spirit is far more active than most of us would believe. Far outside of my vision, and I am guessing most of yours, God is at work moving and shaping us in new ways to tell the story of God’s love through our words but more often than not through our actions. Some of my favorite scriptures about the work of the Holy Spirit include:

 Joel 2:28: Then afterward I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.

 John 3:8 : The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.

Acts 10:44-48: ⁴⁴ While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word. ⁴⁵ The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles, ⁴⁶ for they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter said, ⁴⁷ “Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” ⁴⁸ So he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they invited him to stay for several days.

1 Corinthians 3:16: Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

Jesus was very clear in the book of John, chapter 14:16 – And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever.

I give thanks for this mention of the Holy Spirit – in the original Greek – advocate translates as helper or encourager, literally it translates “one who walks alongside.” This is my favorite image of the Holy Spirit. God’s presence so close to us that we are can never be alone. A reminder that with every step, every breath God’s Spirit is by our side. As I have walked with confirmation students this spring, I have seen the work of the Spirit in their lives – heard the work of the Spirit in their words. I am comforted by God’s presence so close – tending each of them and all of us in ways far beyond our expectation or understanding. May these Pentecost days fill you with wonder and remind you of the presence of the One who promises to be with you forever. See you in church!

Pastor Chris

Reprinted from the June 2018 newsletter.

Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

I never tire of hearing those words. I wonder if we would be better representatives of the resurrection if we chose to begin every time of worship, every funeral, every wedding, every midweek Lenten service, every Advent service, every Sunday morning worship service with those words. Do you think the words proclaiming the good news of the resurrection would lose some of their power or would we find ourselves more emboldened to tell the story with these words of resurrection reality emblazoned on our hearts and written into our bones? The first Sunday after Easter, the Sunday we always hear about the disciple Thomas, our Pastoral Intern Tony preached a sermon where he asked this question, “What does it mean to be resurrection people?”

He went on to tell us the following:

• Resurrection people do not feel the need to hide.
• Resurrection people do not dismiss their doubts but believe in spite of their doubts.
• Resurrection people don’t need to have it all figured out before coming to church.
• Resurrection people don’t need to have it all figured out before helping a neighbor.
• Resurrection people don’t need to have it all figured out before feeding someone who is hungry or caring for someone in need.

When I reread those words, I realized that every moment we walk in the footsteps of Jesus reminds us that we are resurrection people whether we proclaim, “Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!” with our lips or simply show our identity by following in the footsteps of the One we choose to follow. And yet I know there are times when it is easier to not follow our Savior out of the empty tomb. There are days it is easier to stay behind. Perhaps we do not believe we have the strength or the courage or the maturity of faith to trust God enough to leave the pain, the grief, the self-pity, the anger behind. In such moments, I return to the words Tony shared with us on April 8th. Tony writes:

“When I, like Thomas, am tempted to doubt the Easter message, I am reminded of the faces and the faithfulness of the people in this church. When musicians rehearse long hours; when meals are provided to those grieving the loss of a loved one; when refugees are welcomed; when a family cleans up the yard of a neighbor; when an invitation is spoken to a friend; when followers of Jesus pray and take a stand for the poor and the marginalized in our community; when a volunteer stays up late to prepare a BLAST lesson; when young people hear a word of blessing and affirmation spoken to them by adults; when people laugh and cry together over the joys and disappointments of their lives; when death is faced honestly and hopefully; when grace and mercy, not judgment and cruelty, direct our relationships, and when the church opens its heart and its doors to whoever comes longing for the love of God, excluding no one – I see signs of the resurrection. I see evidence that Easter has happened. I am convinced that Jesus is alive.”

Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! Thanks be to God! See you in church!

Pastor Chris

Reprinted from the May 2018 Ascension newsletter.

Ascension finds itself in a time of hopeful expectation! Easter is upon us and with the announcement that the tomb is empty, we find ourselves looking to the joy of spring—the earth coming alive as the edges of winter begin to give way to the warm winds of life—new life. What would God have us do in the world to God’s great glory? How shall we look to the world around us and see the face of Christ calling out to us?

We have seen the miracle of Easter morning – the empty tomb was a welcome sight. Here at Ascension, we have also seen the power of God at work through our “Raise the Roof” Miracle Sunday on March 25th. As of the writing of this article – the week before Miracle Sunday – we have already raised $94,000 of our $300,000 goal to tend the roof, other deferred maintenance, and the expansion of our ministries. Thanks be to God!

Now that Easter Sunday has come and gone are you already setting yourself up for summer break—or is there still a hunger that gnaws at you calling you to something new, something different, something more in your relationship with God? The lilies have bloomed, the trumpets have sounded, the tomb stands empty and in these days of appearance as Jesus shows himself to the disciples and countless others before he ascends into heaven there is energy, curiosity, expectation in the air…do you feel it?

I tell you God is at work at Ascension! Do you believe it? Do you feel God’s presence—the Holy Spirit at work? The fruits of our labor in service to God are not in vain—nor do they go unnoticed! God is at work at Ascension and we are beginning to see the work of God all around us. We give thanks to God for the 12 first communion candidates who celebrated their first communion on Palm Sunday or will celebrate their first communion on April 8. What joy to welcome these fourth graders to God’s altar. Please join me in prayer asking God’s blessing on the journeys before each of our first communion candidates. We are also grateful for the work of musicians and altar guild who took extra time behind the scenes to prepare for the powerful and moving worship of holy week. We have received new members and look to the future where God will invite more people into the midst of our community. God is at work! The Holy Spirit is on the move and we are looking forward to the blessings of God among us in the gifts of each other!

We are preparing to celebrate Confirmation Sunday. On May 20th at both services we will welcome 16 young adults into our midst as full partners with us on our journey of faith. What joy to hear their stories unfold – to watch the next chapter of their lives begin to take shape.

As we have traveled the road of Lent to the cross—we are now on the road of the cross that carries us into the future. During Lent we were following Jesus to the cross—now, we look to Jesus who leads us within the shadow of the cross into the future. The cross was never an end but a place to begin again and again and again. Where will God in Jesus Christ take us in the days ahead? Where do we want to go as God’s people? Where do you want to go as God’s child? Who cares? As long as we travel together—following in the footsteps of our God! May God grant you joy in these Easter days!

Pastor Chris

“I lift my eyes, to the hills. From where will my help come. My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.”

If you have been to any funeral I have planned in the past 7 years, you might have an inkling that Psalm 121 is one of my most favorite psalms. The psalmist speaks of a journey. When we lift our eyes to the hills – we lift our eyes up to the mountaintop. And of course, in the time of the psalmist, at the top of the mountain, one would find the city of Jerusalem, and therein the temple – the very house of God.

However, it is the psalm that comes next that carries the story of importance this day. Psalm 122 begins this way, “I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord!” I am always heartened by the psalm. It is my reminder that God calls us to gather for worship. And that even in times of great suffering and pain, in the loss of those we love – still, the house of the Lord is a place of comfort; of peace; of joy – calm in the midst of the storm. Here, in God’s house we gather to celebrate new life. We walk alongside those who suffer. We shed tears of sadness for the power of death at work in our world. We hear messages of hope that point us toward the One who promises to be with us even to the end go the age. Dear friends, our church stands as a lighthouse in the storms of life. And it is no surprise that you are the light that shines into the world – a reflection of God’s light working through each of you.

No doubt, you have now heard of the upcoming Miracle Sunday on March 25^th. It is our hope that we will indeed “Raise the Roof” of this house of God to the glory of God that day. Over the month of March, we will see and hear more about the needs of this house of God where we gather for worship and ministry and mission. So much happens in this place and so many of us move through this place as we tend to the world around us by sharing the story of God’s love for all people.

We have done our very best in tending the massive debt gathered for more than 30 years leading us to our first debt campaign in 2011. From $2.2 million, you cut the debt almost in half while still maintaining the yearly ministry needs of our church. In 2014, you again honored your relationship with God by hearing God’s call to sacrifice to cut the debt in half again. As of today, just 7 years later, we owe less than $600,000 on our mortgage. A miracle in itself – thanks to your faithful generous hearts. And as we have tended our mortgage debt and our annual ministry needs, we have managed only the most basic and necessary needs of our physical church campus. And now, we find, the time has come.

Over the month of March, we will hear the invitation to consider the giving of gifts towards the $300,000 goal to “Raise the Roof” on our Miracle Sunday, March 25^th which will allow us to replace the East/West Hall roof as soon as this coming April. Now $300,000 sounds like a lot of money, and it is! Yet, God does amazing things through people who not only see the need but also choose to gather together in mission for a greater purpose than themselves. Our great hope, as we walk with our Great God, is to tend the immediately needed maintenance as well as increase our giving on our annual basis to tend the overall ministry God entrusts to us for the sake of the world.

I tell you this: every time I have been a part of a congregation feeling the call to tend the needs of its ministry and campus I have always been surprised by what God has done through God’s people. There never seems to be a shortage of miracles when God calls God’s people and in the same breath reminds them of God’s promise to always be with them.

You are a most amazing community of believers. You walk through some of the most difficult and challenging moments anyone could imagine and still you trust the One who calls you by name. Again and again, you teach me what it is to be a person of faith who follows Jesus. You love, you cry, you hurt, you celebrate. Through it all, you return to this house of God to worship, to grow, to walk, and to serve.

“I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord!” To hear those words, means I, once again, will gather with people I love to worship the One who loves us. And maybe that, my friends, is the miracle.

So let the call of God go out into this community of believers. People of God, people of deep faith who know the story of God’s love deep in your bones – who are excited to share that love with our children – from generation to generation, it is time to believe, once again, that indeed our God still fashions miracles in our midst. It is time to “Raise the Roof.”

Come, faithful ones, and build alongside your God.

Pastor Chris