What joy it gives me to share summer greetings with you!

To be honest, I am a little overwhelmed. The month of June did not disappoint with outdoor worship services, baptisms, senior toweling, JOLT Adventure Camp, the delegation from our sister parishes in El Salvador, the ordination and installation of the newly-minted Rev. Edwin Aparicio, and the blessing and sending of our delegation of members to renew our relationships with our sister parishes in the Meru Diocese of Tanzania.

And now – Pastor Edwin running the world of Ascension. It is as it should be. “Let the new guy do it,” I said as I stepped onto the plane for Tanzania. The time in Tanzania is about renewing relationships and celebrating the education ministry of our partner schools as well as tending the grief of members of our sister parishes who have been forced from their land and repatriated to other land in the area in the government’s eminent domain landgrab. Crops are still struggling, which means livestock is struggling, which means our sisters and brothers are struggling and yet they are so very excited to welcome our return. They are also hungry to share their appreciation for your generosity in gifts to provide food for our three or four partner schools – so much to be grateful for as we return to Usa River and the people of God who gather to worship and minister in and through the Samaria, Neema, and Galilaya parishes. Your prayers are deeply appreciated for safety, health, smooth dirt roads and no impromptu rivers flooding our vehicles. The adventure continues.

Closer to home, I give thanks for so many who offer their hands and feet as the visible work of God in tending the needs of Ascension and our partners in the community. From continuing to tend the landscaping and maintenance needs of the church campus to volunteering to help out at the Hope Center to renewing our partnership with NAMI (the National Alliance of Mental Illness) to preparing for fall programming while we are still rejoicing in the days of summer. The great wonder and beauty of who we are as the community of Ascension is the reflection of God’s love in the gathered community as we serve each other and the world outside our doors. So many of you tend so many moments behind the scenes without recognition or reward. Let me simply say, “thank you.”

Someone outside Ascension sent me a note. It was handwritten which is the reason it stands out in memory. They shared their gratitude for a moment of ministry offered to them in the past couple of months and wanted me to know that it was a testament to the “flourishing” community of Ascension that they felt moved to write the note. Flourishing is a word I do not use very often. My wife’s garden is flourishing with the heat and the added water as long as I stay away from it. The junior high students at Adventure Camp were flourishing in their willingness to step out in faith and courage and face their fears. In response to my request, so many of you offered to help with the welcoming of our brothers and sisters from El Salvador and with the ordination of Pastor Edwin – which invites all of us to flourish when the Word of God is preached and our God is praised and the story of God’s love is shared. Wherever, whenever we gather together to walk together we flourish as the community of Ascension and in our own flourishing we invite others to flourish. After all, the tagline of Ascension is not simply a tagline for us – it is a way of life. It is our way of life. Remember?

Juntos nos levantamos … together we rise.

Yes, indeed, we do. By the strength and grace of God, together we rise. Thanks be to God!

See you in church.

Pastor Chris