Grow & Walk With Ascension

BLAST

February is the perfect month to focus on sharing God’s love and the many ways we can share that love with others in our world. This month we have continued to focus on using Jesus as our example as we learn about God’s love and plan for each of us. We have several exciting upcoming events as well. 

First Communion Stepping Stones: Preparation for First Communion begins for 4th-grade students and their families. Classes will take place during BLAST on Feb. 4, 11, and 18. Watch for communications from Pastor Tony with details.

Journey to the Cross will take place on Sunday, Feb. 25, between services. Be sure to join us for this amazing time when students learn more about Jesus’ deep love for them through the journey of Lent and Holy Week toward the wonderful celebration of Easter.

JOLT

JOLT will meet on the first two Thursdays of the month, Feb. 1 and 8, 6 to 7:30 p.m. JOLT students and families are invited to Ash Wednesday worship at 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 21. During Lent, JOLT students and families are also invited to attend the soup suppers at 6 p.m. followed by worship at 6:45 p.m. There will be no Thursday night JOLT sessions during Lent.

  • Feb. 1, 6—7:30 p.m. JOLT
  • Feb. 8, 6– 7:30 p.m. JOLT
  • Feb. 21, 6:30 p.m. Ash Wednesday Worship
  • Feb. 28, 6 p.m. soup supper, worship at 6:45 p.m.

CRASH

Chili Cook-Off Thank You: We want to thank the competing teams, those who donated baked goods for the dessert auction and those who supported us by attending our chili cook-off. We are very grateful to God for the support we are receiving from all of you as we continue on this journey to achieve our goal of assisting at least 17 students in their journey to New Orleans this summer.

Pizza Night: Noah’s Pizza is hosting another CRASH night on Thursday, Feb. 15. Call the restaurant from 4 to 7 p.m. and tell them you are an Ascension member. Twenty percent of sales will go to the Youth Gathering fundraiser. You can buy anything that is in the menu. The phone number to make your order is (262) 696-8001.

CRASH Dates for February: We will meet at church at 6 p.m. on Sundays, Feb.4 and 18, for CRASH meetings.

GriefShare

If you or someone you love is struggling with the complex and painful experience of grief after the death of a spouse, child, family member, or friend, then we invite you to consider finding help and encouragement through Ascension’s grief support ministry, GriefShare.

GriefShare is a 12-week program led by Pastor Tony meeting on Tuesday evenings from 6-8 p.m., Feb. 6 and concluding April 30. Through the use of video teaching and small group conversation, we seek to provide a safe and supportive space to provide care and encouragement that can be crucial to a person in grief. Sign-up online or by call to the church office.

GriefShare Support: We’re looking for volunteers to provide support to this program with snacks and donations. See the Sign-Up Genius for dates and suggestions. Questions? Please contact Pastor Tony, tony@ascensionelca.org.

Adult Ed: The Chosen, Season 1

Join us in watching this compelling video series on Mondays beginning Monday, Jan. 29, 10 a.m. or 6 p.m. led by Pastor Chris and Pastor Tony. Each week we will begin with a brief introduction, watch the video, and make connections to the Biblical story along with discussing some reflection questions.

GriefShare

If you are or someone you know is struggling with the complex and painful experience of grief after the death of a spouse, child, family member or friend, then we invite you to consider finding help and encouragement through Ascension’s grief support ministry, GriefShare.

GriefShare is a network of 12,000+ churches worldwide, equipped to offer grief support groups. Ascension’s grief recovery ministry offers GriefShare in a series of weekly support meetings designed to offer compassionate conversation along with helpful tools and resources to help you process your grief and rebuild your life after losing a loved one.

The current session of GriefShare is a 10-week program led by Pastor Tony and takes place on Tuesday evenings from 6 to 8 p.m. from March 27 – May 30. Through the use of video teaching and small group conversation, we seek to provide a safe and supportive space to provide care and encouragement that can be crucial to a person in grief.

Participants are encouraged to attend all 10 sessions however you are also welcome to begin our GriefShare group at any point. Each session is “self-contained,” so you do not have to attend in sequence, and you will be able to pick up any session you missed in our 10-week cycle.

Please contact the church office to sign up or sign up online. Questions? Please contact Pastor Tony, 262-547-8518 or tony@ascensionelca.org.

Walk With Ascension Into 2023

Care Ministries

Happy New Year to all of our Ascension friends! We begin our year with celebration as the New Year marks the beginning of a fresh start for many. A new beginning! As a new year begins, we have new wishes and promises for a brighter future as we say farewell to the past year. I continually want to challenge myself to view the year through a lens of love instead of one of criticism. I stand firmly in my belief in the gift of being kind to ourselves and everybody around us. I think it is so important that we allow ourselves to be wrong, embrace our failures and our imperfections and feel good enough to accept our thoughts, souls and spirits. I believe love within ourselves is the greatest gift we can give ourselves. We should believe in practicing life with compassion, courage and with empathy towards others. We cannot really love and spread love around the world if we don’t first feel good about who we are. My New Year’s resolution some years ago was to start accepting myself truly and find peace in being me. A calmness that wouldn’t overthrow me every time I was struck by a feeling of inadequacy. I was tired of chasing after things that I could not achieve and that were not genuine. It was time for me to fully embrace myself, to treasure the gift of life. Time to show gratitude towards my loved ones just the way they are.

As Christians, it can be hard to find peace in a world filled with so many things to worry about. As humans, our brains are primed to pay attention to our environment. Our minds are constantly scanning to help keep us alive and identify opportunities to make our lives more pleasurable. It is why we are more likely to keep an eye on the oven than our Bible. The sights, sounds, and smells of this physical world just feel more real and tangible than our spiritual world.
 
One possible way to counter this is to focus on praying, reading the Bible, and attending church which can bolster our spiritual focus. However, many struggle to commit these practices to habit. Perhaps just thinking about God, himself, can help shift our focus away from the worries of this physical world to our more enduring spiritual one. What’s more comforting than knowing how our Savior will someday return to welcome us into his arms? Spending just a few moments thinking about God, who he is and what he means to us, can help ease anxiety, alleviate worry, and bring some peace of mind. 

“The Lord gives strength to his people, and the Lord blesses his people with peace.” (Psalm 29:11)

Brenda Lytle, RN, Director of Care Ministries

Pathway to Mental Wellness Event

After a successful first Pathway to Mental Wellness Event, “The Pathway to Peace” in October, we are ready to offer our second event at the end of January on Sunday, Jan. 29 at 12 p.m., “The Pathway to Understanding.” We will gather for a potluck lunch and then hear a presentation from the National Alliance for Mental Illness. The presentation will offer a personal perspective of mental health conditions. The presentation will provide an opportunity to hear open and honest perspectives on a highly misunderstood topic. A chance to ask questions of presenters and information on how to learn more about mental health and get involved with the mental health community.

AMEN No Regrets 2023

No Regrets 2023

Ascension Men — Coming Again to Ascension!

Saturday, Feb. 4, 8am to 1:30pm. Register to watch with us at Ascension, online https://tinyurl.com/AMEN2023 or with this QR code. Password is AMEN.

GriefShare Ministry

We plan to begin another session of Grief Share this winter beginning in February. The details will be announced soon.

Pastoral Assistance and Cancer Care

If you or a family member is hospitalized and would like a visit from a pastor or pastoral assistants, please call the church office at 262-547-8518. Ascension’s Cancer Care Ministry continues to open arms to those in need, helping members of our congregation. If you know of a congregational member or family that could use some assistance walking their cancer journey, please contact, Brenda Lytle at brenda@ascensionelca.org

Young at Heart (55+)

If you are interested in fun outings and fellowship, join us at a Young at Heart Ministry gathering. They meet on the third Wednesday of each month for a potluck lunch and to play cards and games. Come and have fun!

Walk With Ascension

Pathways to Mental Wellness

Do you ever feel like you are living in a world that is turned upside down? It’s hard not to when day after day we are all faced with violence, economic challenges, political unrest, COVID fears, family and job stresses. You name it!

We recognize people’s hurt, anxieties and fear. To support one another through these challenges, we are launching a new ministry here at Ascension which we are calling “Pathways to Mental Wellness.” Our goal is to offer support, resources and a listening ear to help one another navigate the waters of our everyday lives.

We are kicking off this new ministry by inviting you to attend a special reflective prayer service on Sunday, Oct. 16, at 6 p.m. At this service we will offer some scripture, music and prayer in hopes of offering you some much deserved moments of calm and respite. Think of it as a time to just “be” so you can clear the noise and feel the presence of the Holy Spirit.

These moments of time are intended for everyone: Young, old, men, women and children. We encourage you to invite your friends, neighbors and anyone that is feeling weighed down by everything going on in our world. Come….You are invited…..Peace be with you!

Steve & Carol Spieker, Ministry Leaders

GriefShare

We are in a full 12-week session of GriefShare again this fall. If you or a loved one has a suffered loss and would like some help and support, this may be the program for you. This group will provide help and encouragement after the death of a spouse, child, family member or friend. Our program continues through November 15th in our Youth Room at the church. We will meet for 12 consecutive sessions. Mary Lou Charapata and Brenda Lytle will facilitate the Grief Share group. If you would like to be a part of our Grief Share program please contact Brenda Lytle, RN, Director of Care Ministries at brenda@ascensionelca.org or 262-547-8518.

Care Ministries Needs Volunteers

Are you looking for some volunteer opportunities to help others? We have openings in two of our Care Ministries!

  • Meal Ministry: We need additional people to make meals for members in our congregation that may need some short-term assistance. Please contact Iva Richards.
  • Transportation Ministry: We need drivers to assist some members of our congregation (short-term) that need to get to an appointment or to get to church on Sundays. You don’t need to lift or carry medical equipment. Please contact Kay Stone.

Pastoral Assistants

If you or a family member is hospitalized and would like a visit from a pastor or pastoral assistant, please call the church office at 262-547-8518.

Cancer Care Ministry

Our Cancer Care Ministry helps members of our congregation. If you know of a congregational member or family that could use some assistance walking their cancer journey, please contact Brenda Lytle.

Young at Heart (55+)

Young at Heart meets on the 3rd Wednesday of each month starting at noon for a potluck, play cards and enjoy fellowship. Bring a dish to pass if you’re able.

Be the Village Ministry

In September, supporters from Ascension helped raise awareness for foster care by walking through the Milwaukee County Zoo wearing Chosen t-shirts, bags and buttons. Supporters learned important fostering information at specific passport check-points and gathered for a picnic lunch.

Walk With Ascension

Care Ministries

As we cross over into fall, the trees are changing colors, the air is brisk, and we are getting ready for the harvest. Autumn is often a more reflective time, and perhaps we can begin to “harvest” some of the lessons of the past year. Life provides us a process for exploring our lives and finding wholeness. Experiences in our lives helps us to expand our consciousness by looking at the meaning in events, repair our relationships by re-examining past hurts, guilt and regrets. It is important to discover the gifts of a long life by finding purpose in service to others, or create a legacy by sharing our life lessons. We need to accept our current condition by viewing life in a greater context and embrace our mortality by helping us achieve our integrity and self-esteem. People and opportunities come in and out of our lives throughout our life, often for very short periods of time. We can either choose to resent the fact that they are gone, or we can savor the blessing that we experienced when they were with us.

Socrates is credited with saying: “The unexamined life is not a life worth living.” In whatever way you choose to review your life, I encourage you to do so. You will achieve a greater sense of well-being, and will contribute to the growth of the coming generations.

Brenda Lytle, RN, Director of Care Ministries

Be the Village

Chosen In Love is a non-profit organization that assists families in the foster system here in Waukesha. They are hosting their Open Hearts, Open Homes Gala on Saturday, Nov. 13, at the Radisson Hotel.

Ascension’s Be the Village Ministry is helping them with this fundraiser by providing gifts for their silent auction. Our ministry provided four baskets and guitar lessons from Praise Band leader Ben Janzow. Thanks to Ben and this ministry for making a difference in the lives of foster families!

Young at Heart Potluck and Info Session on Senior Scams

Senior Eras Senior Network will be presenting S.T.O.P. Senior Frauds & Scams on Wednesday, Nov. 17, from 1-2 p.m. in East Hall following the Young at Heart potluck.

Blessing Tree

The Friday Women’s Nurture Group is collecting gift cards for three Ascension ministries this Thanksgiving and Christmas season — the Burmese refugees, the Hispanic Ministry, and Be the Village. Take a leaf for the ministry of your choice from the tree, attach it to the gift card and turn it in to the box under the tree or in the office by Nov. 19.

ToyPalooza Collection

Be the Village will have a collection in November called “ToyPalooza” to collect NEW toy donations for foster children. The need we are fulfilling will be for toys 0-24 months, preferably non-battery-operated. We hope to stimulate imaginations not necessarily senses because sometimes there are concerns in foster children with sensory overload. Examples of great toys to donate may be Duplos, nesting cups, blocks, wooden puzzles, quiet toddler or baby toys. These toys will be given to children for the holidays and distributed by Chosen. Donation collection will be in the yellow bins in the narthex Sundays Nov. 7 – 21. Thank you for making a difference in our community!

Waukesha Wellness Clinic

Ascension will be hosting a Waukesha Wellness Clinic on Nov. 20 from 12-3 p.m. Children’s covid vaccines, adult covid boosters, flu shots and blood pressure checks will be offered. Schedule online https://hayatcovidvaccine.as.me/Waukesha. Walk-ins welcome. A second clinic will be held at Ascension on Dec. 11 from 12-3 p.m.

GriefShare

Have you suffered loss and are concerned about how you will survive the holidays? Come and join us 6-8 p.m. in the Youth Room on Tuesday, Nov. 30. We will host a Grief Share video and discussion about ways to cope this time of year. Hope to see you there!

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).