Enjoying the Mess of Ministry

The Swedish Chef of Muppets fame was one of my favorite characters on the television show. First, because you could not understand a single thing he said because it was in “Swedish,” apparently. Second, because in every sketch where the Swedish chef made an appearance, he also made a mess. One of my favorite moments was when he would use a mixing bowl and add excessive amounts of flour and start stirring and the flour would fly out of the bowl and form clouds of flour dust that often resulted in a fine layer of flour on every surface including the Swedish chef.

As I was reflecting on 2025 and looking ahead to 2026, I found myself reliving a feeling I often experience at this time each year – overwhelmed. Some might know that word to be frightening as when the world gets to be “too much.” I have known that feeling also. Yet, at Ascension, to use the word “overwhelmed” is to lift up all that God is doing in us and through us in celebration and joy. I am often struck by what God is up to which causes me to marvel at the mission and ministry offered in and through all of you, the people of Ascension.

So perhaps it will come as no surprise that the Stewardship theme for 2026 is: “In the Mix in 2026!” Where are you “in the mix” at Ascension? Oh boy, this will go on for miles. I hope so. We all know ministry is messy. Some of our best ideas arrive in our messiest moments. Just ask anyone who sits too close during the children’s time in worship. As we consider our strategic plan for the next ten years of ministry at Ascension, I wonder where you might see yourself “in the mix?”

An elder member of the church called me the other day to offer some suggestions for the future. What I appreciated about the conversation is that this member offered a great moment of vision,  something that will fall right in line with our Arise 2035 vision, and I am not sure they even knew how excited I was to hear the idea. The conversation reminded me that everyone has a voice and a dream, regardless of age, if only, we are reminded that what we dream is worthy of God’s attention. So again, where are you “in the mix in 2026?”

How will God use you in the coming year? As we gather to vote on the budget for 2026 and bless the Arise 2035 vision to guide Ascension for the next ten years of ministry, where will you find a place to serve “in the mix” at Ascension? Worship? Of course. Prayer? Yes, please. Bible Study? I hope so. Communion server? Altar Guild? Choir? Council member? Habitat for Humanity? Hope Center? NAMI? Healing Hearts of Waukesha County? Hawthorne Elementary School tutor? Women’s Retreat? Young Adult ministry? Any one of those opportunities for ministry will answer God’s call on your life to get you “in the mix in 2026.”

We are in celebration mode here at Ascension. A time of thanksgiving for all that God has been up to over the past year, and all that God is preparing for us in the days ahead. The reception of new members on October 19th was a glorious moment in the life and ministry of Ascension – 37 new members – to be encouraged and nurtured in their new spiritual home while inspiring our community with their faithfulness and sharing their gifts for ministry among us all to the glory of God. An increase in giving, beyond imagination, in this moment in time. Where many churches are struggling to afford the basics of ministry, we are celebrating the generosity of this community – as long-time members are providing increases in their regular giving and new members to our community are committing to walk alongside Ascension in time and talent and resource providing for an increase in giving of more than $55,000 in the first three quarters of 2025.

Our budget for 2026 reflects an increase in revenue and expenses of more than 10%, which might cause me to pause in support, except for the fact that almost 7% of that revenue increase has already been realized in 2025 offering so far this year. Which means that our actual budget increase in 2026 is a small but mighty 3.4% or $30,000 give or take. 2026 Proposed budgets will be available beginning on Sunday, October 26th at the Welcome Center in the narthex. Pick one up and reflect with your church council about all the ways in which we serve God and our neighbor. If you have questions, we will gather for a budget listening session on Sunday, November 9th at 9:45 in the Hearth Room to review the line item budget and answer questions before our annual meeting of the congregation on Sunday, November 16th at 9:45am where we will also elect new church council members and bless the Arise 2035 Ten Year Vision for our church. 

Overwhelmed? Yes! To know this excitement in ministry as one of your pastors is a rare gift in these days of the church. Your generosity and faithfulness provide many opportunities for each of us to find our place “in the mix in 2026” and I cannot wait to see where God leads in the days ahead.

Dear friends, where will you find yourselves “in the mix in 2026?”

I can’t wait to find out! See you in church.

Pastor Chris

Thanks and Remembrance

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2

November 1 marks All Saints Day in our life together as people of faith. We will observe it in worship the following day, on Sunday, Nov. 2. All Saints Day is a sacred occasion in the life of the Church, rooted in the ancient Christian tradition. It is a day to remember, honor, and celebrate the faithful who have gone before us—the saints who have lived, died, and passed on their legacy of faith; those whose lives have exemplified the grace and love of Jesus.
 
On this holy day, as many churches will remember those who have passed away in the last year, we also acknowledge that we are part of a great and unbroken communion of saints—a great cloud of witnesses, both living and departed, all bound together by the love of Christ.
 
The significance of All Saints Day lies in its reminder that our faith is both personal and communal. We run our individual race, but we do not run alone. We are inspired and sustained by the “great cloud of witnesses” who have shown us how to live faithfully. Their stories encourage us to persevere in our own struggles, and their lives serve as powerful examples to challenge and inspire us to embody God’s love in our world today.
 
But this day also invites us to reflect on our own legacy. How we are contributing to the ongoing story of God’s love in the world. Every person’s life has the potential to witness to the transformative power of God’s grace, and just as we honor all those saints who have shaped us, we too are called to live lives that bear witness to the gospel, for those around us and those who will come after us.

The arrival of November also means that the Thanksgiving holiday is almost here too. For many people this time of year is a reminder to reflect back on their lives and give thanks for all the wonderful blessings they’ve received.

Thanksgiving became official in the United States in 1863, and in his proclamation, President Abraham Lincoln made very clear whom we needed to thank. Lincoln said, “To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever-watchful providence of Almighty God.” In other words, we all need to thank God for our many blessings.

From the beginning of the month when we thank God for the example of the saints and the saintly people in our lives, to the end of the month when we thank God for everything we have and everything we are, November is a time to approach God with a grateful heart.

My friends, we all have so much to be thankful for. I pray that each of us will take a moment to pause, reflect, and see all that God has blessed us with. And as we recognize these blessings, may we joyfully return our thanks to God.

Pastor Tony

Death Is Not the End

November has arrived, marking a time to remember our loved ones who have passed away and now rest in the eternal home prepared for them and for us. Early this month, we celebrate All Saints’ Sunday, which in the Latin American community is known as Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). This vibrant celebration, held on November 1st and 2nd, is when families honor their dead by preparing La Ofrenda.

La Ofrenda is a beautiful altar where we place photographs of our loved ones, along with their favorite foods, drinks, and candy. We also incorporated other objects that were meaningful to them. The signature flower used in the decoration is the Cempasúchil, or Flor de Muerto (Flower of the Dead). While this flower is iconic in many places, it’s worth noting that it isn’t universal; many countries in the region simply use a variety of flowers.

The way Día de los Muertos is celebrated varies significantly. In El Salvador, for example, the focus on November 2nd is centered on the cemetery. I remember preparing towels, water, paint, candles, and flowers to take with us. Many times, I accompanied my mother to the cemetery to wash and paint the graves of my grandparents and other relatives. The main celebration in El Salvador, and in many other Latin American countries, takes place almost entirely at the gravesite, with families dedicating their time to decorating their loved ones’ resting places. When I moved to the United States, I realized that in Mexico, the Día de los Muertos traditions span both the cemetery and the home. In addition to visiting the graves, families prepare a complete Ofrenda at home.

In our Latino ministry, La Ofrenda is essential. We create an altar and invite families to contribute photographs, objects, food, and flowers. As we read their names, we thank God for the life they lived on earth and for welcoming them into the place He promised. This is a faith rooted in the hope expressed in John 14:2: “My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?”

Last year, my wife, my daughters, and I decided to establish our own family tradition by creating an Ofrenda in our house every year. We incorporated the traditional Cempasúchil flowers, other types of flowers, leaves, and even a pumpkin. This blending of elements is a way to honor the cultures of Mexico, El Salvador, and the United States within our home.

Brothers and sisters, for me La Ofrenda with the photographs of our beloved ones is more than a tradition; it is also a tradition that helps us remember that death is not the end of our journey. Though the grief may be heavy at first, we believe that death is in fact, the glorious beginning of a new and eternal life. While we are thankful for this promise every day, it is essential to have a special moment to honor those who have gone ahead of us. Furthermore, this enduring tradition allows us to continue sharing and teaching our community the powerful message that Jesus has set us free and given us the gift of salvation.

Pastor Edwin

Walk With Me

Earlier this year, a new song came across my Spotify app. The song is entitled, “Walk with Me.” The lyrics at the beginning go like this:              

Walk with me, Lord. Walk with me. Walk with me, Lord. Walk with me.
While I’m on this road, I don’t want to go alone. I want Jesus to walk with me.

The song goes on, but those are the words to carry us in the month of October and beyond. Some of you will no doubt recognize the same theme in one of our hymns in the red hymnal, “I Want Jesus to Walk with Me.” As a community of faith, we have organized our ministries into three areas: Worship, Grow, and Serve. After living with these three umbrellas for a season or two, those involved in the Serve area of ministry asked for some reconsideration of our branding for our third umbrella.

We have worked with intentionality and integrity to develop and design our ministries outside our walls to encompass the model of accompaniment – the idea of walking alongside our ministry partners instead of “bringing our ideas to their doors.” In earlier days, this area of ministry was called “Mission Outreach.” In the month of October, we are redefining and reforming our meaning and purpose once again to align our ministry with the important work of accompaniment. Those involved in the hands-on work of accompaniment asked us to consider rebranding this area of ministry under the umbrella of “Walk.” It makes sense. The renaming allows us to focus our ministries outside our walls on a parallel track alongside those who invite us to “walk” with them in our local, national, and global ministries.

As we look to the dreams of our Arise 2035, our Ten-Year Strategic Plan and Vision, your voice and your dreams for your church are important contributions to the days ahead. Beginning in October, you will have the opportunity to add your dreams to the “action items” on the posters in the narthex/lobby of the church. As you dream, consider sharing your ideas on those posters, so that we can offer the greatest imagination to the work God will lay before us in our future.

The hymn in the red hymnal begins with these words:

I want Jesus to walk with me. I want Jesus to walk with me.
All along my pilgrim journey. I want Jesus to walk with me.

I believe that is all any of us ever want in this life. I, for one, am happy to have each of you to walk alongside me on this journey of faith and life. To God be the glory.

See you in church,

Pastor Chris

This Spooky Season, Do Not Be Afraid

Lately I’ve been noticing that people have started to decorate their houses and yards for Halloween. Which coincidently prompted my wife to ask if I want to put ours up this coming weekend. “Okay, sure” (thanks-a-lot, over-achiever neighbors). The decorations people choose run the spectrum from cute and silly to absolutely grotesque and terrifying. There was a time long ago that I enjoyed looking at scary decorations and doing things like going to haunted houses, but these days I think we have more than enough going on in our world and in our lives that causes us to be afraid and I for one don’t have any desire to add one more.

Do not be afraid. Over and over, we hear those words spoken in the scriptures. The first time is to Abram when God comes to reaffirm a promise that Abram fears might never be fulfilled. Those words are spoken to Hagar as she seeks shelter and sustenance in the wilderness for her and her son, Ishmael. The words are spoken to Isaac, and to Joseph, to Moses, to Samuel, to David, to Mary and Joseph, and to so many others.

Often those words are spoken by angels, and if the Biblical description of angels having six wings, four faces, hundreds of eyes, or just being engulfed in flames can be believed, then a calming word was probably necessary. Sometimes the words are spoken by prophets seeking to comfort the people in the middle of trying times. Jesus says those words more than a few times to disciples who are overwhelmed by and underprepared for the work ahead of them. Do not be afraid.

The truth is, we all have reason to be afraid from time to time. These are trying times in which we live, and I often find myself feeling overwhelmed by the enormity of hurt in the world and underprepared to do much to change it. Sometimes, perhaps more often than I’d care to admit, I am afraid. And I need to be reminded – sometimes gently, sometimes firmly – do not be afraid.

But I do not believe that these words mean that we should never feel fear. Rather, I think they serve as a reminder to not let fear be our guiding principle. Do not be afraid means that we should not let fear be what drives our decisions. We cannot let fear change who God made us to be. We cannot let fear deter us from doing what God has created us to do.

Do not be afraid. Fear is a powerful manipulator. There are those who would capitalize on our fear as a way of turning us against our sisters and brothers who look, love, and live in ways that seem different to us. And there are even some who would use fear as a weapon to divide and destroy and dehumanize. But that’s not who we were made to be.

The voice of Jesus still calls out to us, urging us “do not be afraid.” We were made to be in relationship – with God and with one another. So may your fears be calmed, and your faith strengthened. May you trust in the One who calls you by name. And may you follow the example of Jesus, who took every opportunity to cast fear aside by drawing closer to the other.

Pastor Tony

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 25th 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
 

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.

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.

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 7th, 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 7th. 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 19th. 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.