This time of the year is the end of both the liturgical year and the calendar year. The end of one year and the beginning of a new one is often a time for looking back at the year that was. I recently had an experience that caused me to look back not just at my own past, but at the history of Ascension.

During our outdoor services during the pandemic and during the remodeling of the Spanish Sanctuary, we were looking for ways to create a beautiful, yet portable, altar. This lovely cross became part of Spanish language worship. I never gave the history of this specific cross much thought until we put together our ofrenda for All Saint’s Day worship.

Pastor Chris came in to look at the ofrenda and he asked me if I knew the story of the cross that was the center of the ofrenda. I had no idea. It was the cross from the original church. I thought of the twenty-four founding members. When they founded Ascension in the small town of Waukesha in 1949, I doubt any of them would have seen that in the future, their altar cross would be in the center of a Mexican-style Dia de los Muertos ofrenda.

It made me think about what it means to be people of God in a church. Some things are always changing, the language we worship in, the songs we sing, the way we celebrate special holy days. On the surface, worship today in the East Hall looks very different from what it looked like when it was the only sanctuary of Ascension starting in 1967. Yet when we take a deeper look, things are more alike than we realize.

Even when we see things looking different than they did before, the Advent message of Peace, Hope, Love, and Faith are still pillars to remind us of God’s never-ending love and grace. As we go through this season of Advent, may the Holy Spirit continue to guide us in this multi-cultural journey of discipleship. We change, but God never changes.

Edwin Aparicio, Pastoral Intern, Spanish-Language Minister