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

All Saints Day

All Saints Day is celebrated this Sunday, Nov. 3, at all services of Ascension.

As is tradition, we will have pictures of those members of our community who have joined the communion of saints in the Kingdom of Heaven. This year, the English-speaking worship services are borrowing a page from our Spanish-speaking members and creating an ofrenda (altar) where anyone can bring a picture of remembered loved ones and place them on the table so that all may share in our memories of loved ones and gather the communion of saints of every time and place. Please bring a framed picture to worship and place it on the table with the orange tablecloth when you arrive. Then after worship, please remember to take your picture home.

Rejoice Always

I will never tire of hearing the phrase “welcome back.”

On October 15th, I think I heard that more than anything else. As I was reflecting that Sunday afternoon, I realized that I am usually the one who is saying that to one member or another who is home after vacation or an extended time away in Florida or Arizona or some other warm and toasty location without the presence of a snow shovel. The “welcome back” offered by so many of you was a tender and cherished gift to my soul. As one of your pastors, I forgot that the fabric of this community of faith is woven into my life. Don’t get me wrong, the first few weeks after surgery were all about survival. My wife asking me, begging me, to eat just a couple more bites after I had eaten two bites of the meal before me and declared I was full. Or the all-important decision to determine whether I would get out of the recliner. Do I really want to use that much strength just to get up for a drink of water? I am grateful to be at the 8-week mark of recovery as I have reclaimed strength and ownership of my body that in some ways you give away to surgical team and pain management team and allergy team and diabetes team wondering when you will be allowed to go home from the hospital.

If you are interested: Yes, I have lost weight – about 30 lbs. They say it will take about a year to begin to regain some of that weight. For the record, at week 8, I am a full diabetic on small amounts of insulin four times a day. The islet cells have until November 15th to engraft fully into their new home in my liver. It is not expected that I will be insulin independent, but any blood sugar regulation from my remaining islet cells will be a welcome addition to the rest of my life. I have had to remind myself often that the success of the surgery was the eviction of the pancreas, and no more ER visits and hospital stays for pancreatitis. No more pancreatitis pain. Thanks be to God! The trade-off of being a diabetic was always a possible outcome. So far, the journey of diabetes has been manageable and with several members, colleagues, and friends managing their own diabetic journey – I have learned a lot and found support and strength in the living resources all around me.

As it is the middle of October, your pastors are neck deep in faith interviews with our confirmands. I am always impressed, not with the learning from Thursday nights in JOLT, but with the reflections and questions of our 9th grade students as they begin to understand their relationship with God as their own and not through the lens and reflection of the faith of their parents. There are deep questions around one’s purpose and how one might live out their faith. So often, I am surprised at the thoughtful reflection as to the simplicity of living out our faith. It is always a surprise to me, as adults, that we often make living out our faith far more complicated than it needs to be or actually is in this life. It is the simplicity of using our hands and voices to tend someone who is suffering that brings our faith to life while deepening our relationship with God.

In my sermon on the 15th, I shared the words of the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Philippians: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.” From the time it was established, the church at Philippi was healthy, strong, and generous, becoming a model church. It is no wonder that I am drawn to these words of Paul’s letter. The church I currently serve as pastor is also healthy, strong, and generous. What a gift for the people of Ascension to know their purpose so clearly as we gather to worship, share in the care of others, and provide for sisters and brothers we have not or may never meet far beyond our walls. This is who God calls to be and what God calls us to be about – sharing the love of God through worship and our actions as we grow closer together in community while reaching out beyond the walls of Ascension. The story of who we are, as people of faith, continues to be told as we welcome new friends to our worship life.

The month of November brings the gift of All Saints Day on Sunday, Nov. 5. We will gather at each of our worship services to remember the names of those who have died in this community of believers throughout the past year. We will speak names, light candles, remember, and give thanks for the faithful witness and love shared with us through these saints we will one day meet at the gates of heaven. All Saints Day is one of the most sacred days of worship for me. On almost every All Saints Day, I share with you the belief of the Celtic Christian Community that shares the news that the veil between heaven and earth is somehow thinner on this day of remembrance. Whether or not, you choose to share that belief, I am struck by the emotion of the day as memories come flooding back to me of so many, I have said goodbye to in this life. Yet more important than the memories, I think, is the revelation of God’s promise of reunion. I hold on to that promise with all my strength. It is, after all, God’s promise of resurrection joy that grounds us in this life as we look to the life to come. 

Before we know it, an annual meeting on Nov. 12th at 9:45 a.m. will see us preparing for our next year of ministry and mission to the glory of God. Finally, the end of November will bring us to welcome news of the beginning of Advent. Wednesday night, Nov. 29, at 6:30 p.m., will offer us the invitation to worship with quiet candlelight as we welcome the season of Advent. We will be surrounded in song, tended in prayer, and blessed by the light of candles as we enter into the season of darkness that prepares us for the coming of a Savior who saves us all.

What a blessing you are to me and to so many. It is so good to be with you once again.

Pastor Chris