Until Sunday

Jesus riding a donkey on Palm Sunday.

If ever there was a moment of divine intervention in the world before the shouts of, “Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia,” it may very well be the somewhat insignificant moment when two of the disciples, following the orders of Jesus, enter the holy city and find a colt, untie it, in order to bring it to Jesus, only to have the owner of the colt ask, “why are you untying the colt?” The disciples respond with, “the Lord needs it.” And without a moment’s hesitation, the owner allows the colt to be taken. 

The colt was worth much: a possible stream of income; a mode of transportation; a means of support. Yet, the owner, upon hearing “the Lord needs it” honors the request of the disciples. It is a strange interaction, and the owner receives no moment of honor in scripture. We do not know if the animal’s owner was a follower of Jesus. We only hear the disciple’s statement of need. This, for me, is a moment of divine intervention, however insignificant. In the Old Testament, the prophet Zechariah, spoke of a day when the Messiah would come:

“Tell the daughter of Zion, look, your king is coming to you, humble and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

We are quickly approaching the gates of Jerusalem. Or perhaps by the time you read this, we will already be well on our way to the upper room for the Last Supper. Much has happened. Miracles and mischief, planning and plotting. 

In these last days of the life of Jesus, it is not simply a colt the Lord has need of – it is us. The Lord has need of our commitment to follow, even in our questions and our doubts. The Lord has need of our willingness to be faithful even when we do not understand. The Lord has need of each of us – even as we might stumble – we are the hands and feet of the One who calls us by name. It is, for me, all divine intervention and, dear friends, there is nothing insignificant about the invitation to follow. The shouts of “Hosanna!” on Palm Sunday will give way to the whispers of stories and laughter at the Last Supper. The conversation at dinner in the upper room will descend into an olive grove for prayer where we will meet struggle and betrayal. The betrayal will lead to arrest and acceptance of what is to come. And what will come, will be at the hands of Roman soldiers. A cross will rise and a Savior will be nailed to that cross. Yet the Savior will not be held by nails, he will be held by love. A moment of divine intervention for each of us.

From Good Friday, we will know only darkness and defeat. 

Until Sunday comes. When brave women, breaking rules, will find their way to the grave of their friend – their teacher – their Savior; only to find the stone rolled away and the grave empty. The sun will rise that morning to tell a new story of divine intervention. A new story of life when all was thought lost. A new story of hope when all was thought defeated. A new story of joy where all was thought grief. It will be Mary Magdalene who will first set eyes on the risen Savior, her friend, Jesus. Soon enough, we too, will hear the shouts of “Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!” Our hearts will beat faster. Our ears will ring. Our eyes will seek the face of our Savior. And the good news will once again be reminded to us. “He is risen just as he said.” One more moment of divine intervention to change the whole world – to change our own little world – forever. What a week it will be!

Maybe this is the year, you find yourself in worship for each of these holy days – these divine interventions in the world as we know it to be. “Tell the daughter of Zion, look, your king is coming to you, humble and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” My friends, the King is coming. And you are invited to join your Savior, and the rest of us, on the journey. “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest!”

Welcome to Holy Week at Ascension.

See you on the road.

Pastor Chris

March Madness

“He is not here, for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.” Matthew 28:6

As I’m writing this my favorite time of year is in full swing: March Madness! And it has me thinking, life can feel a bit like the whirlwind of the NCAA March Madness basketball tournament – full of unexpected upsets, last-second decisions, and moments that leave us either cheering with joy or wondering what just happened. 

Much like the excitement of March Madness, our daily lives can feel unpredictable. We face personal struggles, uncertainty about the world around us, and challenges that test our strength and faith. Yet, into this very real “madness,” the message of Easter speaks clearly and powerfully – He is risen. But this truth isn’t just a moment in history – it’s a living promise that hope is never lost, even when life feels overwhelming.

Spring itself becomes a beautiful reflection of this promise. After months of cold and dormancy, the earth begins to awaken. Flowers bloom, animals emerge from hibernation, and the days grow longer. What once seemed lifeless is once again colorful and vibrant. In the same way, the resurrection of Jesus reminds us that God brings new life out of what feels barren, and renewal out of what feels broken.

In our struggles – whether they’re worries about family, health, finances, or simply the weight of a busy and uncertain world – Easter invites us to hold on to hope. Not a fleeting or wishful hope, but a deep and enduring assurance that God is at work, even when we can’t see the full picture.

Because Jesus lives, we’re offered peace in the midst of chaos. We’re given love that doesn’t waver with circumstances. And we’re filled with a joy that goes deeper than temporary victories or defeats.

So whether you find yourself celebrating a “win” in life or navigating a difficult season, remember this – the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is still at work today. Just as a tournament game can turn in an instant, so too can God bring unexpected transformation into our lives.

This Easter season, may you experience the fresh hope of spring, the steady peace of our Savior Jesus Christ, the unshakable love of God, and the deep joy of the resurrection. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! 

Happy Easter!

Pastor Tony

The Gift of Resurrection

We have completed another Lenten journey here at Ascension. Yet, for many in our community, the “wilderness” does not end with the season. Many of us find ourselves on paths that feel never-ending: chronic illness, the weight of grief, family fractures, job loss, or the long shadow of financial crisis.

For the Latino ministry, the month of March was a journey of profound contrast—marked by joy, sadness, and the pain of separation. At the start of the month, one of our members made the difficult decision to return to her home country due to the dangers she faced here in the United States. On her final Sunday, we gathered around her, laying on hands to pray for God’s protection and prayers for her children and husband that were staying here in the US.

The following day, Pastor Tony, Pastor Chris, and I accompanied her to the airport. In that moment, we were reminded of the Apostle Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 12:26: “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.”

The weeks that followed were filled with the “anxiety of the waiting room.” Members of Ascension and I accompanied a Venezuelan family to their final immigration hearing in Chicago; days later, we did the same for a Salvadoran family. Simultaneously, my own siblings in El Salvador were preparing for their appointments at the U.S. Embassy to seek permission to join us here in Waukesha. My father filed their application to move here over thirteen years ago. Sadly he died before they were able to join us here.

As I write this, the outcomes of these hearings are still unknown. By the time you read this, the “verdict” on these families’ lives will have already been delivered. This is the reality of our community: a life lived in the tension between fear and hope.

Though these events produce a desert of uncertainty, a voice always emerges to break the silence. Jesus is our constant companion. The families forced to leave or those fighting to stay have encountered a Jesus at Ascension who may be different from the one they once knew—a Jesus who enters through locked doors to say, “Peace be with you.”

In His first appearance to the disciples after the Resurrection, Jesus wasn’t just offering a greeting; He was announcing a new beginning. He taught us that while we will experience every kind of hardship, hardship is never the final word. There is always a new beginning and a new life because Christ has risen! The desert is real, but the empty tomb is equally real and it has the power to overcome the desert. May the joy, peace, and hope of the Resurrection surround and strengthen you and your family today and always.

Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Hallelujah!

Pastor Edwin 

Holy Week 2026

Holy Week will once again offer us the power of the story of God’s love for us.

8:30a & 10:45a (English), 10:45a (en Español)

We will share the story of the entrance of Jesus into the city of Jerusalem to shouts of “Hosanna. Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord!” We worship at 8:30 and 10:45 a.m. We will welcome new members and everyone gets to fill-out a nametag. At 9:45 a.m., we will gather together to prepare for Jesus’s journey to the cross with the preparation of alfombras.

6:30p (English & en Español)

Maundy Thursday will remind us of the Last Supper in the Upper Room, prayers in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus’ arrest, and trial. This worship service ends with the meaningful “stripping of the altar” to remind us of the humiliation and suffering of our Savior. We worship at 6:30 p.m.

12p and 6:30p (English), and 5:30p (en Español)

Good Friday shares with us the story of the crucifixion of Jesus along with the seven last words of Jesus from the cross. We will gather to remember and offer worship to the One who saves us from our sins. We worship at 12 p.m. and  6:30 p.m. The sanctuary will be open with candlelight from 1-3pm for those who desire a time of quiet prayer for there is no shortage of need to be lifted to our God. The Spanish procession will begin in the Memorial Gardens at 5:30 p.m., leading directly into the Spanish worship service.

8:30a & 10:45a (English), 10:45a (en Español)

Easter Sunday will gather us to shouts of “Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! We will worship at our regular times of 8:30 and 10:45 a.m.

Season of Resurrection

Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Welcome to the season of resurrection joy. Unimaginable!

Around the middle of the season of Lent, someone asked what day it was and Vicki Taylor, our Director of Music Ministries said, “It is the 294th day of Lent.” There are days it feels like Lent, with its less than joyful nature and lack of energy, lasts far longer than the 40 days that collect between Ash Wednesday and Easter Day (not counting Sundays).

The words of Mark 16:6 share with us the great joy of Easter. But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him. Thanks be to God!

“The good news of Easter,” writes Trevor Hudson, “reminds us that God’s action in raising Jesus is the bottom line of our faith. On the third day, after his crucifixion, Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of Jesus and Salome find Jesus’ tomb empty. The love that Jesus proclaims – the love he lives and the love he is – is not defeated by the powers of evil and death. This is breathtakingly good news. No faith could be more tragic, no belief more futile than Christianity without its risen Lord. It would be sad and foolish to base our lives on a dead hero. The strongest evidence for the resurrection is the transformed lives of Jesus’ disciples. How else do we explain the sudden transformation that took place in their lives? Within days those frightened and grieving disciples are transformed into bold and courageous witnesses willing to die for their faith. Something most extraordinary must have taken place for this to have happened. The One whom they follow is raised from the grave, and they encounter him in a way that convinces them he is now living beyond crucifixion.”

The resurrection means much for our lives today. Jesus is present with us as a friend who walks by our side. He can support us in our struggle with the forces of evil, sin and death. We too can experience “little Easters” in the midst of those things that makes us “die” each day – the betrayal of a friend, the failure of a dream, the death of someone we love. What is the prayer we pray every-so-often in church? Holy God, reveal your resurrection joy to us. Amen. Easter reminds us that the risen Jesus always can bring life where we see only death. We are always and ever an Easter people living in a Good Friday world. This is good news. The risen Jesus is with us. He continues to make available another kind of life to anyone and everyone. He has promised that all those who seek will find. This is the good news of our risen Lord Jesus.

Dear friends, it is Easter. Finally! Again we can shout words of praise, words of light into the blinding shadows of this world in these days. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

It is enough. It is all we need. Easter has come. The grave is empty. The victory is ours! Thanks be to God!

See you in church!

Pastor Chris

Resurrecting Easter

On Easter afternoon, my niece said to me as she scrolled through social media on her phone “Tio – I think everyone in El Salvador is at the beach today. My whole feed is just beach photos.” On Friday, my own newsfeed was filled with photos of the alfombras and processions in El Salvador as most of the country took to the streets to honor the ultimate sacrifice made by our Lord Jesus with his death on the cross. But for many Latinos, Holy Week ends on Friday. Easter Sunday is just another Sunday. A day off to go to the beach.

That has been a challenge of mine as Lutheran pastor trying to bring energy to our Easter worship. If we only worship on Good Friday, we are missing the central part of what makes us Christians. Christ’s resurrection brings the promise of eternal life. Without Easter, Jesus is just another martyr.

It has been especially challenging for me at Ascension for a couple of reasons. Imagine walking in to attend Spanish worship and the glorious 8:30 English worship with choir, handbells, brass and crowds to the welcome center is just wrapping up. Then you attend Spanish worship that is trying to be special, but still basically the same as any other Sunday. It can feel deflating. The other challenge, our Latino ministries created for ourselves. Our Good Friday procession and worship has become a deeply meaningful worship service with the alfombras. How do we top that two days later?

It has been a gradual process over the years. First we added the Easter alfombras – a Lutheran theological twist on the tradition of the alfombras that reminds us that in spite of the destruction of the Good Friday, Sunday brings restoration. I knew the message was beginning to get through when some of our members took it upon themselves to create a new tradition of wearing all white on Easter. With six years of people gradually learning some Easter songs and the addition of song leaders thanks to Scott Greger and Marta Aparicio, I was hopeful that this year we would have some joyful moments of worship, but I knew it still wasn’t enough to lead up to the level of emotion equal to Las Posadas or the Good Friday procession.

With my wife, this year we decided to borrow a typical Midwestern Lutheran tradition to enliven our Latino Easter by hosting an Easter breakfast with an opportunity for photos with the Easter Bunny. The Easter Bunny is not a tradition in our countries, so he usually does not visit the homes of many of our Spanish speaking children. When they go back to school and other kids are talking about what the Easter Bunny brought them, now our Spanish speaking kids have a story of meeting the Easter Bunny at church, so they don’t have to feel left out. The families all had a great time with their photos. The energy from the breakfast carried into our worship. 

I had one other Latino tradition I wanted to incorporate this year. Called huevo chimbo in Central America, cascarones in Mexico, or confetti eggs in English, I wanted to incorporate these eggs in my children’s sermon. I mentioned it to Pastor Chris, and he told me he had the same idea and had already ordered enough for all of the church services.

This year, for the first time, I left church feeling satisfied that our Latino worshippers left church feeling the joy we want everyone to experience on Easter as we celebrate the resurrection. In fact, they may have left with too much joy since many had their laughter hushed as they were interrupting the English service, but that is a problem I am happy to have. 

A pastor from another church asked me on Good Friday if we didn’t worry about the mess made by the sawdust from the alfombras. I assured her it didn’t really make a mess. I thought of that conversation looking around at the church on Easter after worship – now that was a mess. A big beautiful mess of confetti everywhere. A member told that family member that worshiped with them for the first time that day, “This is a NOISY church.” 

May the joy you feel this Easter season be so overflowing that is beautiful in its noisiness and messiness.

¡Él ha resucitado! ¡Aleluya!

Pastor Edwin

Holy Week Happenings

“Hosanna in the highest,” will be our cry as we remember Jesus’ triumphant entry into the gates of the holy city. We will celebrate the beginning of this holy week with the reminder that our expectations and God’s expectations are not always exactly the same. Where the people want a powerful king, Jesus comes as a suffering servant riding a donkey. Through the events of day, we will be reminded of the coming of the promised Messiah – the chosen one of God. Between services and after the 10:45 services, all members are invited to share in the creation of the alfombras (sand carpets) for Holy Week.

We will gather at 5:30 p.m. in West Hall to experience the foods of the Passover and learn about the meaning of each of the foods and then celebrate with a potluck dinner before worship at 6:30 p.m. Reservation only. There are still spots available. To reserve your spot, you can call the church office, 262-547-8518, or email Tamie Greenwood. Bring a dish to pass of your choice.

We will gather in the upper room with Jesus and the disciples to celebrate the Last Supper. This year, we will hear words of confession and forgiveness and be reminded of the powerful image of the Savior washing the feet of the disciples. As is tradition, we will honor the memory of Jesus’ humiliation at the hands of those in power before he is led to the cross to be crucified by the stripping of the altar.

The ancient title for this day is “the Triumph of the Cross.” A reminder for us that the church gathers not to mourn this day but to celebrate Christ’s life-giving passion and to find strength and hope in the cross as a symbol of new life. We will share in the unfolding drama as Jesus is led to the cross. We will hear the stories of the day and give witness to the closing of the tomb.

First we hear only hoped for whispers on the wind. Resurrection? Are you sure? Yes! We gather to celebrate the resurrection of our Savior, Jesus, the Christ. We will hear the story of that first Easter day and be surrounded by the joyful sounds of songs that have been sung for generations and songs that new generations are singing. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! Please note that there will be kringles and coffee between service, no breakfast.

The Gift of Resurrection

In March, I preached in Spanish on the Gospel of Luke (13:6-9). These verses tell the story of the fig tree that bears no fruit. The landowner had planted a fig tree in his vineyard, and when the supposed harvest time arrived, he arrived at the land and realized the plants hadn’t produced any fruit. The landowner had confidence and hope that the plants would produce good fruit, but when he arrived at the land, he realized the plants on their branches didn’t have the fruit he expected.

This story made me think about these questions: What kind of fruit did the landowner expect? What caused the plants not to produce fruit? Could a pest have arrived and contaminated the plants? Were the roots weak? Could an intruder have arrived and stolen the fruit? What happened?

The wonderful thing about this story is the appearance of a gardener who pleaded for the plants and promised to take care of them. The gardener will not leave the plant’s salvation to chance. The gardener will do everything possible to remove the bad soil. The gardener will ensure that the plant receives the necessary water and fertilizer to strengthen its roots. The gardener’s intervention is what made the plants’ salvation possible.

During Holy Week, we hear, experience, and reflect on the work, agony, death, and gift of resurrection we received from this merciful, compassionate gardener who intervened, intervenes, and will continue to intervene for all of us. John 3:17 says, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.” This gardener not only came to save us but has also provided us with the tools we need to bear fruit in our lives. In John 6:35, our gardener tells us, “Whoever drinks of the water I give him will never thirst. The water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

The gardener completed his mission and has given us the gift of eternal life. In Matthew 17:23, Jesus says, “The Son of Man will be handed over to the powers of this world, and they will kill him, but on the third day he will rise again.” On Sunday morning, a group of women went to the tomb and found it empty. The fulfillment of the promise of the resurrection had arrived. “He is not there, He has risen, hallelujah!

Sisters and brothers, the gardener has brought us and given us a new way of seeing life. Even if some powers of this world harm us, intimidate us, persecute us, humiliate us, make us sick, increase our anxiety, that is not the end. Now we live in the sure hope of the resurrection. Death no longer has power over us, not because of what I do, but because of what the gardener has done for us!

Happy season of resurrection!

Pastor Edwin 

Changed by the Resurrection

Our journey through Lent will soon be coming to an end. On Maundy Thursday we will gather in the upper room with Jesus and his disciples and be reminded of the incredible gift we celebrate in worship every Sunday morning as we hear, “Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.” On Good Friday we will travel to the foot of the cross and hear Jesus utter a lonely cry of abandonment, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me.” We will hear the words of finality that Jesus spoke with his last breath as he paid the ultimate price for our sin, “It is finished!” And we will travel again to the empty tomb to hear about the group of women that traveled there early on the first day of the week only to find it empty. We will hear once more the words of the angels at the empty tomb, “He is not here, but has risen.”

But once that final, culminating event of the Resurrection is complete. Then what? What are we supposed to do then? Well, I think it’s important for us to remember that Easter is more than just a day. Easter is an every day celebration of the cross and resurrection of Jesus – the forgiveness of sins and the certainty of eternal life with God. Easter is also an every day celebration in which we live each day trusting in God through Christ, knowing that Jesus is “the resurrection and the life” for us.

So what do we do as we go forth from the empty tomb? Perhaps it would be best for us to start by following the example of the first witnesses of the empty tomb. After the two angels reminded the women that Jesus had risen, St. Luke tells us that “then they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest.” They went forth from the tomb changed by the resurrection of Jesus. They went forth from the tomb to bring an “every day” witness of God’s power over sin, death, and Satan himself.

And where then are we to go once we leave the empty tomb? Well, perhaps it would be best for us to follow the example of Jesus’ first disciples. After Jesus walked through locked doors to appear to the eleven disciples and to show himself to Thomas, seven of the eleven disciples went back to their fishing business. They went back to their everyday stations in life and took the witness of the resurrection with them. They lived in the joy of the resurrection of Jesus while carrying out the ordinary, daily responsibilities given to them.

Like the women at the empty tomb and the eleven disciples, we too are every day witnesses and participants in the resurrection of Jesus. We believe. We have the hope of eternal life. We have the joy of the resurrection living inside of us. Also, like the women at the empty tomb and the disciples, we have stations in life that God has given to us as gifts. Most of us aren’t fishermen, but all of us have one or more of these callings: mother, father, partner, wife, husband, daughter, son, sister, brother, grandparent, employee, retiree, caregiver, friend, and neighbor. Each of these callings comes with a set of duties and responsibilities.

And as followers of Jesus, redeemed by God’s grace we are called to wrap the daily duties and responsibilities of our lives in the joy, love, peace, and forgiveness of Christ. And when we do this, more than likely, others will take notice, and God will bless our faithful work by giving us more opportunities to “tell all these things to all the rest.”

So, what are we to do then?  My friends, we are to respond to God’s grace, love and mercy by going forth from Easter Sunday and the celebration of the empty tomb as every day witnesses, freed to live and love and serve as God’s forgiven children in Christ Jesus. And as we go forth empowered by God’s Spirit, living and active within us, may we live in the joy of the resurrection so that everyone, everywhere will see just how great God is! Happy Easter! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Pastor Tony

Ready for Easter

I am ready for Easter!
I am ready for every word of resurrection joy.
I am ready for every celebratory trumpet sound.
I am ready for a stone to be rolled away.
I am ready for a sunrise that is blinding in its glory.
I am ready for the fragrance of Easter lilies to fill the space of worship.
I am ready for the promise of new life in the green shoot from the earth.
I am ready for Easter!

Don’t get me wrong! Lent has been a wild journey in the wilderness. If I am being honest, the journey has gone far better than I expected. I have walked through dry valleys with some of you. With others, I have celebrated moments of renewal. I have sought my own still waters to find rest. It did not hurt that Lent encompassed Spring Break for all three of our children at the same time. I was unaware of my hunger to have our college age son home for a time. I even celebrated extra cooking and baking and laundry just to hear his voice in the house again. The Church Council and other ministry leaders gathered to begin the journey towards our 2035 vision for ministry. New members are filling out membership forms as they have come to find Ascension to be a place of welcome, a place to call their spiritual home. Alfombras are being traced as we prepare for Palm Sunday when the vibrant colored sawdust will once again tell the story of the last week of the life of Jesus. Musicians are practicing – so much practicing – so that choirs and instrumentalists will offer their very best to the glory of God.

All this leading us to the waving palm branches to welcome a Savior to the holy city of Jerusalem. An upper room will be prepared for a dinner with friends where disciples and teacher will gather to rest, relax, tell stories, and be reminded that that greatest among us must be a servant to all. A garden will serve as a cathedral of prayer until a betrayal and an arrest. A mock trial will claim truth and the powers of this world will be manipulated in order to pass a sentence of death for the Savior of the world. A cross will stand empty until nails are hammered through flesh. Seven last words will call us to weep, reflect, and remember. A newly carved tomb will become the final resting place for the one we called, Immanuel, God with us. And we will leave the graveyard with little hope left among us.

That is, until some women go to visit the tomb. They will go to the tomb to leave spices that will mask the scent of death – myrrh and aloes. Yet they will leave it behind for the shock of the stone rolled away and the tomb found empty. A shock to be sure. A trick? A crime of theft? Or the unimaginable possibility that what their teacher said would happen, actually took place. Resurrection.
Still in disbelief, May will weep outside the empty tomb. One last insult for her teacher and friend. A body stolen from its grave. Until – she hears a voice. One, she does not recognize at first. Then – she hears her name. “Mary.” Instantly she knows. Only one person in all the world speaks her name with such love and affection.

And the rest of the story will be told again and again to all who would listen because we never tire of hearing the story of resurrection joy on that first Easter day. It will begin with the words Mary never thought she would ever say again. “I have seen the Lord!”
People of God, I am ready for Easter! What joy awaits us. Come join the story and the song in the days ahead.

See you in church.

Pastor Chris