Worship. Grow. Walk. Serve.

We are well on our way. Our first Spotlight Sunday celebrating our Joyful Worship wing of the Ascension butterfly is in the books. I am grateful to the ministry leaders among us. What a joy to share in the journey of discovery of all of the aspects and logistics of worship life at Ascension.

Worship. Our first mark of discipleship. Gathering together to give thanks and praise to God is what we are created to do to the glory of God.

So what’s next? Are you ready?

We explore the Spiritual Growth wing of the butterfly on October 8. Where are you in your journey of faith? In what ways are you exploring the journey of your faith? When do you take the time to offer your spiritual life the opportunity to grow, to ask questions, to move deeper in your relationship with our God? Grow. Our second mark of discipleship. We grow in our knowledge of God and in our faith life by reading our Bibles, studying God’s Word together, and asking questions that sometimes need the gifts of time and tending to be answered. Through the Spiritual Growth wing of the butterfly, our community of faith can seek out new moments of understanding about our God, our faith, and our life together to the glory of God.

And then what?

October 15 invites us to serve God in new ways through the Mission Outreach wing of the butterfly. Learn about the different ministry partners that we serve alongside in our community, state, nation, and world. Explore new opportunities to get involved in something bigger than yourself and live out your faith by serving God as you serve others. Serve. Our fourth mark of discipleship. We serve God by serving others. Ask questions. Hear the stories of the ways that our faith community impacts the world around us to the glory of God.

Okay, now what?

It takes four wings to fly. On October 22, we complete the image of the butterfly as we discover the Caring Relationships wing. Join us as we walk with each other learning about the different ministries of the congregation that build relationships within the body of Christ. Walk. Our third mark of discipleship. Small Groups, Care Ministries, Purpose Groups such as Knit Wits, Spirit Spinners, and many more invite us to find more intimate ways of connecting with other believers. In a church of our size, sometimes it is easy to get lost in the whirlwind of activities. The Caring Relationships wing offers the opportunity to walk together in smaller groups inviting deeper relationships where community can flourish to the glory of God.

The journey continues all to the glory of God.
Come and join us on the journey to the glory of God.

See you in church,

Rev. Christian Marien

(This article first appeared in the October 2017 Newsletter).

A Glimpse into the Future

Two very important moments in the life of your church occur in these November days. First, Sunday, Nov. 1 is All Saints Day. This is the day we spend time in worship remembering those who have gone before us. You will have the opportunity to light a candle in memory of loved ones. This day is a gift of God reminding us of the cloud of witnesses that surrounds us. Please consider inviting family members to join you in giving thanks to God for loved ones who now rest in the Kingdom of God.

Second, we are incredibly blessed by the committed leadership at Ascension. Church council, staff, wing leaders, and ministry leaders have spent more than 170 hours over the past eight months preparing ARISE 2025, Ascension’s vision for the next 10 years. It is ready for your review and reflection.

We are excited to find ourselves at this moment looking into our future. The next ten years at Ascension will prove to be years that shape the future of, not only our church community but, the world in which we live. How we live out our faith shapes the world around us. I am hopeful that you have had an opportunity to review the vision statements and actions plans for each wing of ministry at Ascension. However, if you have not had the opportunity or are interested in reading them with time to pray over them, I want to make sure that opportunity is available to you as well. As we look towards 2025, these are the visions statements that give us direction, bring us hope, and offer us a path to the future.

JOYFUL WORSHIP ENVISIONED STATE

The sanctuary is bursting at its seams, and every room is filled during the week with a variety of worship opportunities. [There is a] continued variety of music with more members of the congregation sharing their talents. [Ascension provides] regular communication through a multitude of channels in order to engage all generations and styles. [There are] more volunteers than opportunities to serve during worship and through outreach. The makeup of our congregation begins to better reflect the neighborhood and surrounding community.

SPIRITUAL GROWTH ENVISIONED STATE

Our Spiritual Growth mission statement reads: A church family engaging generations through faith experiences. Children’s ministries are experiential, relevant, and multi- generational. JOLT (Journey Of a Life Time) and CRASH (Christians Reaching And Sharing Hope) ministries extend far beyond the walls of our church due to rampant outreach and enjoy extensive investment by the congregation. Faith formation empowers our entire community, regardless of where people may be in their faith journey, to claim their identity as disciples of Jesus. Our stewardship ministries teach the power of God’s presence and work among us and invite all to dream about the next step in our journey as Ascension.

CARING RELATIONSHIPS ENVISIONED STATE

Caring Relationships has a strong foundation of care ministries that require minimal budgets. They are growing rapidly and are open to people of all ages. Passion fuels new ministries, but replenishment of resources for existing offerings stretch the core group of volunteers as they represent only a small subset of our worshippers. As the offerings expand, it is always a struggle to communicate what is available to the congregation and the community. Ascension offers a unique small group experience with a church-wide program every fall; however, while some groups have been together for years, many people feel left out or don’t know how to build groups for themselves. There are also numerous social groups for members to get involved with. Fellowship activities occur throughout the year for special occasions, but the kitchen facilities are limited and hamper our ability to make this a regular occurrence.

MISSION OUTREACH ENVISIONED STATE

Ascension has a vibrant Mission Outreach Wing, with all congregation members finding a way to serve. Mission Outreach is woven into each of the wings so that it is an integral part of the culture of the congregation. Members realize that all Christians have a calling to participate in mission and justice issues. We live out our baptismal promise of following Jesus by serving others, especially those who are vulnerable and most in need. Through our actions and ministries, the good news of Jesus is shared in word and deed. Ascension is a welcoming community to people of all races and backgrounds and actively reaches out into the community through volunteering and hospitality. We have a vibrant Hispanic ministry, and the neighborhood sees Ascension as a place to participate in worship, fellowship, and education events. Our mission partnerships are active, many people engage in trips to visit our partners, and we welcome visits from them. Members seek to include partnership activities in our normal congregational experiences.

Our annual meeting of the congregation is Sunday, Nov. 8, at 12 p.m. We will share in a potluck lunch. Please bring a dish to share. We hope you will join us. At our annual meeting, as required by our church constitution, we will approve a slate of candidates to serve on the church council for the 2016-2017 term; we will bless the ARISE 2025 vision for Ascension; we will hear a report on the finances of the congregation through the end of October 2015; and we will approve a budget for 2016. It is my hope you will make time for this important conversation in the life of your church and in the growing of your relationship with our God and this community of faith.

Peace and joy be yours in these days of crisp winds and falling leaves.

Pastor Chris

(This article was taken from the November 2015 newsletter).

So Much to Celebrate! Come and See!

If you have not heard the shouts of joy coming from the rooftop of Ascension, let me share the good news. At the end of July, our mortgage balance finally found life under the $800,000 mark. In 2011, we began the journey of debt reduction with more than $2,200,000. It has been a long journey to this moment, but God has been faithful to us! We give thanks and praise to God for the faithful hearts the Holy Spirit continues to shape within each of you to eliminate the power our mortgage debt holds over Ascension.

We are quickly approaching our fall programming. Sept. 6 welcomes a new Sunday morning worship schedule with the movement of our 9 a.m. service to an 8:30 a.m. start time. Our 10:45 a.m. service remains the same. On Sept. 6 at 10:45 a.m., we will worship outside in the Memorial Gardens to celebrate the beauty of God’s creation. Please joins us. On Sept. 13, we kick-off our new Children’s Ministry programming, which begins at 9:45 a.m. under the ministry umbrella of Tony Acompanado, Director of Faith Formation. We are retiring the legacy of the title Sunday School from our ministry at Ascension and using the title Children’s Ministry. We celebrate the strong energy of volunteers who are coordinating, teaching, storytelling, and helping to shape the fall ministry experiences for our children. Where can you serve? Email Tony, Tony@ascensionelca.org, and he can share a number of short-term or one-time opportunities in which you can be involved to share the gifts God has given you.

We are also re-introducing pastor-led Adult Education on Sunday mornings. On Sept. 13, Tony will share the scope of Faith Formation and the new path for Children’s Ministry. Beginning on Sept. 20, Pastor Angela kicks off our six-week Small Group Campaign, Engaging Scripture Through a Lutheran Christian Lens. I am especially excited to have Ascension offer a pastoral perspective on reading, studying, and interpreting the Bible and then to have small groups dig deeper each week of the campaign. In early November, I will offer three Sundays of education on the book of Luke, which will be our primary preaching text for Dec. 2015–Nov. 2016. There is so much more already being planned and I am excited!

Our Music Ministry is preparing to make a joyful noise in new ways this fall. Please consider taking a leap of faith by joining the choir or ringing a bell. Do you play an instrument? Then, Vicki Taylor, Director of Music Ministries, would love to talk with you about sharing your gift in worship. We are always happy to add communion assistants, readers, ushers to our ministry volunteer lists and we are happy to train you.

Mission Outreach is preparing to offer a wonderful resource and connecting point for members and visitors to share in hands-on ministry outside our church walls. Interested? Keep watching the e-alerts and Facebook for more information. Caring Relationships continues to tend to the connection points in our lives. GriefShare, DivorceCare, and DivorceCare4Kids are all beginning on Sept. 1. These programs offer support structures for people working through some of the most difficult times in their lives. If you know someone suffering through grief or in the midst of divorce, please reach out to Brenda Lytle, Director of Care Ministries, Brenda@ascensionelca.org.

A new member experience called Starting Point begins Sept. 27. I am excited to get to know those who are considering Ascension for their new spiritual home.

And just when it is time for a deep breath – ARISE 2025 is coming together in great ways. The Church Council and ministry leaders have been working on our 2025 vision since last February. We are very excited to watch God shape the years ahead. The council has done much of the behind-the-scenes work and will be ready for the congregation to share in the joy on Sunday, Sept. 27, for a first-round listening/sharing session. The council will revise the visions using comments from the congregation and then be ready to share again at a listening/sharing session on Oct. 25. Finally, with more revision by council, we will hold an unveiling/blessing/acceptance by the congregation at our Annual Meeting on Nov. 8. What a joy to trust in God’s guiding hand.

Finally, on Sept. 13 and 20, we invite everyone to wear nametags to help all of us get to know names and faces – reminders are always a good thing! Speaking of faces, the photo directory is off and running. Have you had your picture taken and updated your information? We are doing the pictures/directory in-house. No pictures to buy! This directory is all about bringing our community together and celebrating the community God has created at Ascension in this time and place.

So much to celebrate! Come and see!

Pastor Chris Marien

(This article was taken from Ascension’s September 2015 newsletter).

Good News of Great Joy

I am writing this article as junior high students are preparing to scale the Tower of Terror at our JOLT Adventure Camp, near Crivitz, WI. It is an exciting time to watch them encounter the “challenge by choice” model. They are responsible for their own level of challenge, and almost all of them will choose to move far beyond their original decision to only go “so high” on the Tower of Terror. I often speak of this life we live as a journey of faith. We are certainly watching that journey unfold for our junior high students during this week of Adventure Camp.

The Angel Gabriel said to Mary: “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy.” In this adventure we travel as the people of God at Ascension, God has smiled on us with great blessing in these last weeks of June, and I can share joyful news.

First, I am excited to announce that Vicki Taylor, our Director of Music Ministries, has agreed to accept responsibilities and provide leadership as the Handbell Choir Director as of August 1. What wonderful news for our community!

Second, with the deep and abiding faithfulness of God by our side, we have pondered and prayed about the Children’s Ministry of Ascension. We have had a dedicated team of teachers and parents meeting, interviewing, and researching throughout the region best practices for children’s ministries. After several months, we are now ready to move forward.

I am thrilled to share with you that on August 1, our Director of Youth Ministries, Tony Acompanado, will accept the responsibilities for the shape and direction of Children’s Ministry into the future. Council has invited and Tony has accepted a newly created position – the Director of Faith Formation. Tony will now oversee our children’s ministries, junior high JOLT ministries, and our senior high CRASH ministries. We are already looking to the fall with great anticipation.

The month of July will also see the next step in our 2025 Visioning Process. Caring Relationships and Mission Outreach will each present their current and future vision statements to the church council for review and reflection. Joyful Worship and Spiritual Growth are now in the second phase of redrafting their current and future vision statements for the church council to review a second time. In September and October, we will have the opportunity for the congregation to reflect on and ask questions about the statements and action plans to move us to 2025.

God is offering so much in the midst of these summer months. Please join us in the celebrations of the new design of staff positions and in the continuing visioning for Ascension’s future.

On a side note – July 7 is the day Tony and I leave for the 2015 ELCA Youth Gathering in Detroit, MI, which begins on July 15. We covet your prayers for the final planning, the 20 participants from our own congregation, and the 30,000 other high school students, adult leaders, bishops, and pastors who will join us on the journey. Peace and joy be yours in these summer days.

Pastor Chris Marien

(This article was taken from Ascension’s July 2015 newsletter).