Category: Newsletter Articles

Changing Seasons

The season of summer’s long, relaxing days is coming to an end. The air itself is whispering a warning of what’s to come, as the light we enjoyed for so long begins its retreat. The rich, vibrant green of summer is already starting to fade, yielding to a breathtaking spectacle of golds, reds, and oranges.

At our house, we have a locust tree. And as you may know, locust trees are among the first to announce the seasonal change. Suddenly, our driveway and vehicles are blanketed in its falling leaves—a colorful, unavoidable signpost for the family. While the cleanup is certainly a chore, the sheer volume of those early-falling leaves makes a dramatic, undeniable statement: Autumn has arrived.

This transition, marked by the steadfast, almost impatient change in the locust, heralds the arrival of autumn, and with it, the looming presence of winter. Are you ready for winter?

I know I’m not. Many of us would rather just linger in the beauty of fall and then leap straight back to summer! Coming from a place like my home country, El Salvador, where we only navigate the rainy and dry seasons, the drama of these four distinct seasons can feel both wonderful and overwhelming. Wouldn’t it be lovely to just have endless autumns and summers? I’m sure many of you would agree. But the simple reality is that ready or not, these transitions are approaching and are an inescapable part of our lives. This constant flux—from the glory of autumn to the chill of winter—actually holds a profound lesson about our earthly journey.

Just as we observe and experience the transitions of the seasons in nature, this same pattern unfolds in our lives. We enjoy periods of growth, abundance, stunning landscapes, joy, peace, and love. Yet, there are also unexpected and difficult moments—seasons we must navigate even when we feel utterly unprepared. Transitions like starting a new job, a difficult diagnosis, the loss of a loved one, or sudden uncertainty don’t wait for our permission. They arrive unannounced, demanding a change in our reality.

The wonderful, anchoring news is this: God is present in the midst of all these seasons of our earthly life.

He is present in the fresh blooms of spring, the lush green landscape of summer, the stunning beauty of autumn’s colors, and the serene, white silence that covers the earth in winter.

Crucially, God is also with us in seasons of joy and sadness, in moments of peace and turbulence, in times of certainty and overwhelming doubt.

This is the promise we stand on, spoken in Isaiah 41:10:

Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.

Brothers and sisters, we are called to place all our trust in the One who created and governs the seasons. Let us remember that we follow a God who will not let us down. A God who is with us every single day until the end of time. When difficult times befall us, we have a faithful God in whom we find strength, comfort, love, peace, and, above all, unwavering hope. He accompanies us every step of the way, through every single season of our earthly journey.

As the leaves fall, what one unchangeable truth about God will you hold onto this season?

Pastor Edwin

Handbell Music: The Story Behind Ascend!

Many of you may not realize that much of the choral and handbell music that is performed at Ascension has actually been commissioned. There is generally a dedication line at the top of the score that often gives context to the piece. We often thought about what an awesome experience it would be to commission a piece “someday.”

You also may not realize that the equipment we have collected over the years is really quite the envy of other church handbell choirs. When the handbell choir was conceived 25 years ago, we only possessed a 3 octave set of handchimes. Since that time, we have increased our ensemble to 7 octaves of handchimes and 5 octaves of handbells. The cost of all this was many tens of thousands of dollars and was made possible only through generous donations from members of Ascension. Beyond that, we are very fortunate to continue to have committed choir members that help these beautiful instruments come to life and reach their full potential.

With this church season marking the 25^th anniversary of our handbell choir, we believed that “someday” to commission a piece had come! In anticipation of this anniversary, we actually started the process of commissioning a piece several years ago. We quickly found that it is more of an undertaking than what we first envisioned. The biggest challenge we faced was the process of selecting a composer that we could work with and one that would be able to come up with something that reflected our specific vision.

As luck would have it, we attended a weeklong handbell camp in the summer of 2024 where Sandra Eithun, the renowned composer of over 600 handbell pieces, served as the clinician. Over the years, we have enjoyed ringing a variety of her pieces. The layers of her compositions can be on the tricky side, but that is why her pieces are fun to ring and she has become a personal favorite. We were excited to be under her direction and instruction for a week. We met Sandy and enjoyed working with her. By the end of that week, we were confident she was the composer for our commissioned piece.

When we met with Sandy to collaborate on our piece, we made some rather simple requests for what it should represent and accomplish. Since we originally started with only handchimes and lacked ringing experience, we wanted the piece to reflect that by starting the song with handchimes. From there the music builds into a joyous celebration reflecting the evolution of our handbell choir. The crescendo is intended to reflect the growth of our ensemble of instruments and performance skills as well as the joy we feel whenever we make a musical offering to our Lord.

When we heard Ascend! for the first time, it was evident that Sandy used her musical expertise to create the piece we envisioned from the beginning. She incorporated the wide array of our handbells and handchimes. Many of the ringing techniques you have experienced throughout the years are woven in and out of the piece. If you have a musical ear, you might even notice a temporary shift to a minor key early after the handbells start playing that pays homage to our first performance when we fell apart like a house of cards and had to regroup and finish the piece. The charter members of the handbell choir still reminisce about that to this day!

On Sunday, Oct.12, we will perform our commissioned piece, Ascend! (Together We Rise!) for the first time at Ascension at the 8:30 service. It is our prayer that you experience all the joy that was intended with our inception of this commission. We hope that you are able to share in the joy and celebration of Ascend!

Steve & Carol Spieker

Handbell Choir Handbells Music Ministries

You Can Go Home Again

You never truly leave your home country behind. A sense of belonging remains tied to the sights, sounds, and flavors of your childhood. This feeling of a deep, ancestral connection resonated with my nephew. Last month, he returned to El Salvador with Ascension’s delegation, visiting the country he left when he was only 8 years old. The idea of going back was both comforting and overwhelming. While his excitement was clear, his true joy came from experiencing and sharing the country’s changes with the others from Ascension who were visiting El Salvador for the first time.

The delegation’s journey began with a powerful and emotional moment. We accompanied my nephew to his brother’s grave as he visited it for the first time. His brother had passed away in the U.S. and was repatriated to be buried in El Salvador. What a profound way to begin our trip. We walked with him, offering comfort and support during the difficult visit to the cemetery. While Jhonson’s loss was the most profound, many in our delegation had close ties to Fabricio and his death, so we all laid flowers on his grave as we spent time in meditation and prayer at the grave of a young man who had been one of Ascension’s youth.

After that visit, the trip was filled with new experiences with the community. We had the opportunity to interact with children and adults, and to visit new places. Activities like a children’s game day, an art workshop, a Student Day celebration, and our 10-year fellowship anniversary helped us get to know each other better. We also sought out new ways to continue our journey of learning together. During the trip, the delegation and the three pastors from Ascension also had the honor of standing with Pastor Blanca during her first baptism as a diakonal pastor. It was a special moment for me personally, to see Ascension be part of such a significant milestone in her ministry.

Every time I return to El Salvador, I’m amazed by the hidden beauty of my homeland, and what a gift it is to experience it with others. For example, during all the years I lived there, I never had the opportunity to hike the Chaparrastique Volcano or visit the monkey sanctuary. I am so grateful to continue discovering new things with our partnership, El Milagro de Dios in San Jorge, and with the people of Ascension.

Brothers and sisters, embracing the new is a skill that allows us to adapt and thrive in an ever-changing world. It’s a mindset of openness and flexibility, a readiness to accept the unknown. When we resist change, we feel stuck and overwhelmed. But when we learn to navigate it with ease, we discover new opportunities for growth. As we journey through this new season in our schools, jobs, churches, families, and communities, let the light of Christ guide us. He will help us rediscover and find the new things God has waiting for each of us.

Pastor Edwin

Reprinted from the September 2025 newsletter.

Change El Salvador Pastor Edwin

A Season of Change

For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland. – Isaiah 43:19 (NLT)

September is upon us once again and for many it signifies a time of change. For children, teens, and young adults it means an end to summer vacation, a return to school, or perhaps entering the world of full time work. For older adults it might involve sending a child off to college or needing to adjust their own routines because kids, grandkids, or friends schedules and needs have changed. Regardless of what adjustments are taking place, for many people September can be a month of both anticipation and anxiety.

Whenever change takes place, whether it’s a shift in what was into something new or different, or just returning to something that was previously familiar, the anticipation of doing something new or different can bring a mix of emotions – excitement and apprehension, and this can also be an uncomfortable, sad, and even scary time for some.

These life, schedule, or other changes can undoubtedly produce anxious feelings, but they also offer us new opportunities to engage our faith, develop and strengthen relationships, find new meaning and perspective, and experience something new and unexpected.

For instance, this fall as we continue to reimagine children’s ministry at Ascension and better serve the needs of our students and families, we’ve redeveloped BLAST (now K-3rd) and created two new ministries that will offer more age-appropriate faith formation. JAM, for families with birth to 4K kids, and JUMP, for 4th and 5th graders. In addition this has also created new opportunities to raise up faithful leaders – Kelly Schoon (JAM) and Amy Koenig (JUMP).

For more than a year now your pastors have been sensing that something incredible is happening at Ascension – we can’t put our finger on exactly what it is, but there’s an energy that’s building, an excitement that’s growing – God is up to something, and we don’t want to miss it!

But sometimes we get so comfortable in our routines and the way things are that we forget God is always on the move, always doing a new thing. Often that new thing is taking place all around us and we simply miss God’s invitation to take part in and experience whatever it is God is up to.

In the Book of Isaiah the prophet reminds us that not only is God up to something new, but also that God will make a path forward. And this should bring us reassurance and hope, especially in the moments when our anxiety gets the best of us. God never leaves us, nor does God leave us unprepared. Because God not only makes a path, but God also provides all that’s needed for the journey ahead. Sometimes we just need to take a deep breath, open our eyes and trust.

The gift of new ideas, new volunteers, new members, new excitement and energy, along with new opportunities to grow, live, and share our faith are beautiful and powerful reminders of God’s immeasurable love for us and the world. So as we enter into yet another September, I hope we might all feel less anxious about whatever lies ahead, even if it remains unclear, because it’s already begun and God is making a path and creating everything we need along the way.

Pastor Tony

Reprinted from the September 2025 newsletter.

Change God's path God's plans Pastor Tony

Welcome to September

I confess – September is a welcome respite from August.

August began with the mission trip to El Salvador. It was spectacular. Pastor Edwin and Sarah were amazing in their planning and tending as we walked alongside our sister church, El Milagro de Dios (Miracle of God) Lutheran Church in San Jorge. It was pure joy to finally meet Pastora Blanca and the members of the congregation. We were fed more than we could possibly eat. There were stories to tell and time for prayer through the expert translation of Pastor Edwin and laughter and games alongside the children of the church and the entire community of San Jorge. Bumpy roads and deep water-traced ruts reminded us that we are blessed to complain about potholes in Wisconsin. The heat was, well, hot! But the air conditioning and cool water offered us respite at the end of the day. We visited historical sites and were often overwhelmed by the beauty of the country and her people. We spent time with Pastor Edwin’s family who hosted all 24 of us for dinner – no easy task in any country! We were graciously welcomed by the newly elected Bishop of the Salvadoran Lutheran Church – Bishop Guadalupe Cortez. She and her staff shared greetings, reflections on the church in El Salvador, and a meal with the most amazing plantains cooked with a pudding in the center. We prepared a lengthy beach for sea turtle nesting and somewhere along the way my wife and daughter became stuck in an elevator. It was a very good trip to build relationships with sisters and brothers in the body of Christ.

We returned to Wisconsin for a brief six days before my family traveled to California to say goodbye to my larger-than-life father-in-law. He was indeed one of a kind. The funeral was full of loud Easter hymns, and big feelings, and well lengthy preaching (guess who preached) and all those things reflected my father-in-law perfectly. Two days after the funeral, we returned home, where we packed up my oldest child and returned him to the University of Wisconsin – Madison for his sophomore year. One daughter is neck deep in volleyball tryouts and the other is tackling volleyball and soccer practice simultaneously. And my mother-in-law was here for the rest of the month – so if you see her in early September, please say hello. All that to say that August was full – completely full – and somewhere in those days were also several meetings preparing us for the fall here at Ascension. Deep breath!

September at Ascension is pure joy and all life to the glory of God. Worship returns to our program year schedule on September 7^th, with worship in English at 8:30 and 10:45 a.m. and worship in Spanish at 10:45 a.m. JAM, BLAST, JUMP, JOLT, and CRASH all return the week of September 7^th. And if you are unsure of one or more of the acronyms for ministry among our children and junior and senior high school students – keep reading – all is explained later on in this newsletter. We are preparing to launch a young adult ministry as well this fall – for those in the 18-30 year age range because they have asked and the Holy Spirit is moving – but an acronym is still in the dreaming phase – have any ideas?

We return to Monday morning and evening Adult Study gatherings with season 4 of the CHOSEN. I am so excited to see how this next season unfolds as we gather to reflect on the stories already deep in our bones. By the time you read this article, our music ministries will already have begun rehearsals to bring glory to God in our worship life – have you thought about joining the choir or ringing a bell – there is still room for you. I promise Vicki will find a place for you.

In late September and/or early October there will be listening sessions available to help the pastors and church council reflect and dream about our future. Ascension Arise 2035 will be available for review and comment in the weeks ahead. Your input, about your church, is important and welcome as we look to all that God has in store for the days ahead. And there are ministries waiting for your “yes.” Healing Hearts of Waukesha County, the Hope Center, and the Food Pantry of Waukesha County are all supported by our congregation and in need of our hands-on ministry as well as our financial support. If you are considering joining our community of faith, we will host conversations in-between services later this month and early in October as we prepare to welcome new members on Sunday, October 19^th. I am ready for all of it and more. I hope you are too!

See you in church.

Pastor Chris

Reprinted from the September 2025 newsletter.

calendar mission Pastor Chris September start-up serve Worship

Children’s Ministries

We are so excited that Children’s Ministry at Ascension is growing and being re-imagined in many new ways and we cannot wait to launch into our fall programming! September is going to bring two new ministries that will help meet the changing needs of our children and their families. And we look forward to connecting and growing in exciting ways together this year!

Join us on Sunday, Sept. 7, for our Rally Day! Bring your backpack for a blessing during services and receive a keychain for the year. Immediately following worship, we will gather for some exciting kick-off activities between services. Also, check out the board by the toddler area with up-to-date information for upcoming events and pictures of recent activities.

A reminder that we are restructuring our schedule and will not be meeting weekly; however, we have added some big events that will occur throughout the year that we think you will find very exciting and fun.

Registrations for JAM (birth – 4k), BLAST (5k – 3rd gr.) & JUMP (4th & 5th grade) are still available. BLAST & JUMP registration can be found at https://tinyurl.com/BLASTJUMP and JAM registration is here https://tinyurl.com/JAM25-26.

Interested in how you can get involved and volunteer? Check out the sign-ups in the narthex or if you have questions or would like to help, please reach out to Pastor Tony or Ms. Sheri for BLAST, JUMP, or JAM, Amy Koenig for JUMP, and Kelly Schoon for JAM.

Important Dates

Sunday, Sept. 7: Backpack Blessings. Bring your backpack, diaper bag, tote bag, string bag, or whatever you use!
JAM, BLAST & JUMP kick-off (between services)
Sunday, Sept. 14: BLAST & JUMP meet between services
Sunday, Sept. 21: JAM meets between services
Sunday, Sept. 28: BLAST & JUMP meet between services

JAM (Birth – 4K)

We are thrilled to announce our new ministry JAM (Jesus And Me). This is our new ministry for families and children ages birth-4k. Kelly Schoon is leading this ministry that will meet monthly. This is an opportunity for our youngest children to jump, shout, and sing our way through the Bible. This time will be filled with interactive activities for our energetic preschoolers and their families as we bring bible stories to life.

JAM will meet about once a month in the sanctuary. Following Jam, we invite you to take time to fellowship with each other alongside your children in the play area located in the narthex. JAM will meet on Sept. 7 in the sanctuary to kick off this ministry! JAM will also meet on Sept. 21 between services. Questions or interested in helping out feel free to contact Kelly Schoon.

BLAST (5K – 3rd Grade)

BLAST stands for Believing, Learning, And Sharing Together. This ministry is for children ages 5k to 3rd grade. We meet in small and large group formats in the sanctuary two or three times a month between services. See our important dates above. Reach out to Sheri Greger or Pastor Tony tony@ascensionelca.org for more information.

JUMP (4th & 5th Grade)

We are thrilled to announce our new ministry, JUMP (Jesus Understands Me Perfectly). This is for our 4th & 5th grade students who are ready to start taking new leaps in their faith journey. Amy Koenig has joined in to help us shape and launch this new opportunity for our students and their families. JUMP will be held at the same time as BLAST on Sundays between services. Questions or interested in helping out feel free to contact Amy Koening.

Back-to-school Backpack blessing BLAST children's ministry

To the Glory of God

“So, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31

With August upon us, I’m shocked by the simple reality that summer is just about over. Some of us are still trying to squeeze in one last vacation or get outside for just a little bit longer. But for the most part, we’ve started the annual transition back into the swing of our fall routines.

How did this happen? It feels like just yesterday that kids were getting out of school, gardens were being planted, graduations were being celebrated, and we were just getting used to the longer days when the sun decided to show its beautiful face.

I once read an article by a psychologist who said that time seems to pass more quickly as we get older because we’re experiencing fewer “firsts.” When we’re continually experiencing new things, time tends to stand still while we’re living them. After we’ve repeated those events numerous times, they don’t faze us much anymore – and before we know it, months have passed, seasons have changed, and it’s time to start the annual cycle again.

Yet, we shouldn’t allow our time to be something that simply evades our grasp, trickling through our fingers. After all, time itself – every moment on this earth is a gift from God. We each have 24 hours today and seven days this week to use however we please. Not one of us gets more time than another.

Perhaps at the end of this summer, each of us would take time to look back and see how we chose to use our time these last few months. Did we set aside time to pray? Did we dedicate any time to serving others? Did we devote time each day to serve God? Have we been kind, helpful, generous, creative, or curious? When we assess the use of our time, we should be asking ourselves, “Have I been a good steward of the time given to me?”

Maybe now is a good time to make some changes in our lives and get more involved or do a new thing. Afterall, there’s no better time than right now to seek out ways to serve God and those around us or improve something in our life or the life of the world. This is what it means to be a good steward!

As the lazy days of summer give way to all the routines and activities of fall, remember to keep God in your hearts, in your minds, and on your lips as we continue our journey as people and a community of faith.

Pastor Tony

God's glory Pastor Tony serve stewardship

Time Flies

I have heard from more than one of the wiser, experienced members of Ascension that the days go by faster than one expects. Honestly people, how are we already entering the month of August? Easter was just last week, and the last day of school was yesterday, right?

Summer seems to have a mind of its own. In earlier days, summer was rest and restoration. Now, summer feels like a fourth quarter of programming with just a little less ministry at night. My wife and I used to say that Wisconsin had a slower pace of life than California – perhaps that was true when our children were young and uninvolved in anything except running through the sprinklers and chasing the dog. But the times they are a changing. Now, summer just continues a pace of chasing after kids who drive cars and stop in for food before they are off to the races again.

These summer days are my reminder to set time aside to rest the rhythms of my spirit. There is a deep longing for time to breathe, reflect, and savor the longer span of daylight that lets the sun linger on the horizon just long enough to enjoy the breeze and a conversation about the events of the day without gasping for the next breath. I have found a few of the moments in these summer months, granted, they are moments captured between mountain climbing with junior high students and worship preparations for Sunday mornings and last-minute details before our travel to El Salvador. I, sometimes, need to remind myself to enjoy these moments for what they are, “gifts within the gift” of all that God grants me in this life.

Here, at Ascension, the rhythms of life are only a little slower. Our worship life is full of joy with just a seasoning of irreverence at times – especially when the pastors take a jab at each other. We have been the Grateful recipients of the sharing of special musical gifts from a variety of individuals and ensembles. Our Amen ministry completed a summer book study; the Knit Wits continue to work their magic as their hands create offering after offering from balls of yarn; countless members show-up to tend flower beds all over the campus; ashes are scattered in the ash garden thanks to greater access through the gift of the path; small groups continue to study God’s Word and nurture faith; visitors are welcomed again and again and again; coffee is served; companion synod committees continue to meet and plan; meals have been served at the Hope Center; calendars are planned and prepared for the fall; new ministries are preparing to launch; visitors and members alike are inquiring where they might serve in the ministry of this community of faith; our average worship attendance is up over last year at this time; our financial support of the ministry inside and outside our walls has increased; and I believe the Holy Spirit is just preparing us for more to come.

Summer might be a time to find a little rest, but as the psalmist says, “God will not let your foot slip—God who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, God who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.” I am grateful for this promise of God’s care and grateful still more for your faithfulness in sharing this journey of life and faith to the glory of God. Blessings on these continued summer days.

See you in church,

Pastor Chris

Pastor Chris serve summer Worship

Adventures, Risks & Rewards

If you have been in worship on any Sunday in the month of June, there is no doubt you have heard the pastors talk about preparing for Adventure Camp, praying for Adventure Camp, or giving thanks for returning home from Adventure Camp. It is always a week full of surprises. Junior high students who tell us they are not planning to swim – eventually end up in the water. Students who look up at the height of the zipline towers and tell us they are not going to zipline – eventually find themselves flying down a cable at 30 mph. It is always a surprise to see them rise to the challenge, proving to us and themselves that they can do hard things. To do hard things we often must take risks. Those risks can often be accompanied by a list of questions before we commit:

Am I brave enough? What will happen? Can I do this? Who is watching? What will others say?

Those questions might fly through the thoughts of a junior high student before they take the risk. I find it amusing that many of us probably ask those same questions as we consider stepping out of our comfort zone into something new. For the junior high students there is great reward for their courage. Feelings of satisfaction, accomplishment, pride, validation – all contribute to their next big decision. Usually, the next zipline platform where they must leap into thin air, once again, with only the cable to keep them airborne. What we often witness is the willingness of students to make the leap once again. Once you have decided to leap; once you have taken the first step; once you let go from being completely in control and trust that God’s got you- the journey is usually far beyond what any junior high student or any one of us can imagine.

It is a good reminder for each of us. The adventure is worth the risk. In life, in faith – the actual risk is far less scary than the risk we have built up in our minds before we step off the platform. I have been walking alongside our Monday night Amen group as we have studied the book, “Wild at Heart.” The book invites us to consider what it is to be a man of faith in the world today. It might be a little bit dated in its examples, but the book has provided some incredible moments of risk as men around the table have found themselves brave enough to ask deep questions, share honestly, and risk a moment of vulnerability in a world where vulnerability is often looked upon as weakness. I am grateful for their willingness to dig deep on Monday nights. Grateful they have chosen to take the risk.

We often talk about this life of faith for the ways in which we follow Jesus – gather in worship, kneel in prayer, serve in selflessness. Important attributes of a life of faith. Yet, I recognize that our worship, prayers, and service are not often risky. Sure, come to worship at Ascension and Pastor Chris might call you by name at one time or another during worship. Risky, maybe? Yes, worship at Ascension and you might find someone introducing themselves by name and asking for yours? Risky, maybe. Is the risk worth the reward? It absolutely is. And so is every other part of this journey of faith Jesus invites us to live.

At one of our AMEN Monday nights, one man asked how we hear the voice of God. I explained that in all my life, I do not know that I have ever heard God speak to me in words. I believe I have felt God’s presence in countless moments of music, times of prayer, reflective pauses where I was able to close off the distractions of this world. One man described the presence of God in his life as that moment when there was an overwhelming sense of peace, almost a warmth, that surrounded him. So often, in our rush to the next adventure, we are often unable or unwilling to pay attention to such fleeting moments and yet , if we are willing to take the risk of being open to what God might be doing, there can be great reward in the risk of letting go of what we know to be wrapped in what we so often can only imagine, namely – the very presence of God. It is risky to let go, to surrender to the presence of God. But my friends, that is often when the adventure begins. Here is to all the adventures ahead – to the glory of God.

See you in Church,

Pastor Chris

Adventure Camp JOLT Pastor Chris Marien