Serve with Ascension in April

Mustard Seed Ministry

The parable of the Mustard Seed in Matthew 13:31-32: “He put before them another parable: The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field, it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in it branches.” The parable of the mustard seed is a lesson to us that huge things can happen as the result of a very small thing. We are challenging each Ascension member to think of one new way to serve God either at Ascension or in the community or with one of our global partners. Just imagine, if each person took one step out in service, what an impact this would have at Ascension, in Waukesha or in the world!

What can I do?  Where do I fit in? Where can I use my skills?  Where can I get involved?  On April 14, we will be holding a Ministry Fair after each service. There will be opportunities to learn more about ways to get involved. Many people are concerned that they just don’t have the time but we are called to set serving God as a priority in our lives. “God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.” (1 Peter 4:10) If you look at the various ministries, many are just a short term commitment or are just a chance to see what it feels like to serve. Please plan to spend some time walking through the displays to learn more about the wonderful ministries at Ascension. To make the time more fun, there will be a chance to win some gift cards by completing your Passport book. You will have to attend to see how to earn your stamps for your passport. Snacks and other fun ways to connect will give you a way to learn more not only about the ministries but it will also be a chance to meet other Ascension members and visitors. Remember, just one small step in faith can grow into great results at Ascension, in Waukesha and in the world! Mark your calendar for April 14 after each service!

SOPHIA

We are really excited about SOPHIA’s Community Breakfast fundraiser this year. We are celebrating 20 years working for justice and community building! Ascension was one of the founding congregations and we have had a SOPHIA team ever since. Each year, friends and supporters of SOPHIA gather to celebrate their accomplishments, learn more about the issues, and raise funds to continue the mission of restoring hope and dignity to individuals and families in Waukesha Community. Buy your tickets now! Tickets are $50.

The keynote speaker is Justice Castaneda who is the Executive Director of Common Wealth Development in Madison. He will present his innovative perspective of community development considering sustainability, equity, and justice. His presentation will highlight the importance of SOPHIA’s campaign for housing justice, immigration reform, and transformational justie. The brunch is at La Casa de Esperanza on April 20 from 9 -11:30 a.m. The silent auction will be online from 12 p.m. Sunday, April 14, through Friday, April 19. Thank you to those who donated to our Wisconsin Basket for the silent auction!

Healing Hearts

Thank you to those who donated food and/or served at the recent meals for Healing Hearts. They have expressed gratitude for the special food and smiling faces from Ascension.

You are invited to help celebrate the blossoming of healing and hope since 2010 at the annual gala on April 20 beginning at 6 p.m. at Western Lakes Golf Club. Enjoy a wonderful dinner, an inspiring program, a Silent Auction, raffle and balloon pop. Tickets are $100 a person. Register online.

As one of the founding congregations of Healing Hearts, we would like to donate a basket for the auction. If you are interested in gathering donations for the basket, please contact Teri Quam.

Taco Dinner for El Salvador

We have a delegation of twelve Ascension members traveling to El Salvador to visit our sister parishes in August. They will be traveling to continue to build connections with the people of Usulután church and San Jorge church, participate in learning projects, and learn about both the ministries of the Salvadoran Lutheran church and El Salvador in general.

You can help the delegation by supporting our Taco Dinner and Auction on Saturday, May 18, at 5 p.m. It is a fun-filled evening of fellowship, learning about our partnerships, and enjoying delicious food.

How can you help? Save the date and plan to attend this always popular event. For now, we are collecting items and gift baskets for the auction, as well as smaller gifts for our raffle. Thrivent Members can apply for Action Team grants. If you have something for our auction, please contact Sarah Aparicio. As we get closer, we will also be asking for help with appetizers, beverages, and desserts. ¡Gracias!

Food, Faith, and Farming Network

Thank you to all who made the farmers’ market a great success. We especially thank Marge Schroeder and Cynthia Carlson who were the leaders of the event. Without their commitment to the market, we would not have reached out to as many people. We had a great group of volunteers helping in the kitchen on both Saturday and Sunday. Friendships form when people of the church work together. We had a larger number of non-members who came for the market. Just think, they came to shop but heard the joyful sounds of worship in two languages and experienced what is like to worship at Ascension. On top of all of this, we raised money for the farmers through Food, Faith and Farming Network.

Community Partners

Our Community Partners are agencies within the community that do great work that we could not do on our own. Our partner agencies are identified as those who carry out the Matthew 25 commission of serving God by serving others: “Whatever you have done for the least of these, you have done on to Me.” A true partnership is more than sending a monthly check. It includes learning about the partner and educating the congregation. We try to support and promote their fundraising efforts and we listen to them for ways we can support them through in-kind donations and volunteering.

We promote them on our Ascension Waukesha Mission Outreach Facebook page where we keep the congregation informed of their activities and their needs. While each of our partners have wonderful fund raisers which we promote, we also realize that not all people are able to participate in them. One simple thing we can do is to develop a basket for silent auctions. We just need a few people to decide on an idea and then promote the basket, deliver it to the program and watch to see how much money is raised. We can help get donations through e-alerts, bulletin, and Misssion Outreach Facebook page.

Serve With Ascension

Healing Hearts Meal March 18

We have committed to providing several simple suppers each year for the families who participate in the sessions on grieving and healing through Healing Hearts. Did you know that Ascension played a key part in bringing this much needed ministry to our community? We value the service they provide and have had members of our congregation benefit from their program. We recognize that we cannot do everything on our own but by supporting community partners that do the needed service, we are making sure the work is being done.

As with each of our Community Partners, we seek out ways to provide a service that helps them do their mission. The meals assure that families are fed and ready to participate in the groups. March 18 is the next meal that we will serve. We would love to have someone step forward to plan a simple meal, prepare or donate food and serve the meal. This would be a great service project for a small group. You don’t have to make all the food on your own. We can request help from the congregation. They prefer very simple foods that can be quickly served so the families can get to their group or class. Ascension members who have participated report that they really enjoyed the experience. Watch for a Sign-Up Genius to volunteer or contact Teri Quam.

Mustard Seed Ministry Fair April 14

The parable of the mustard: Last fall, we were inspired by a guest minister at the SOPHIA breakfast as she shared with us the parable of the mustard seed. She spoke about how Jesus said that faith as small as a mustard seed could grow into a great plant that would help many people. A small seed can yield great results and blessings but it has to be planted. When we think of all the needs of the world, the community and our own church, it can be overwhelming. If each person would step forward and do one new thing, it would change our church, our community and our world. Rather than thinking  that we can’t tackle a big problem, we each need to ask what is one new thing we can do to serve God.

On April 14, we will be holding a Ministry Fair to share all the wonderful ministries of Ascension and to encourage each person to sign up for one new thing that they are willing to do in the coming months. This will be a chance to get more information about all the ministries within the congregation and with our community and global partners. 

Often, people don’t know enough about the needs or what the commitment involves. The Ministry Fair will give everyone a chance to ask questions and even to suggest new ministries or ways to serve. Many of our community partners are in need of volunteers and many of our own congregation ministries need people to serve.  If each person in the congregation pledged to do one new step of service, we could change our community, our church and our world. “Whatever we do for the least of these, we do unto Christ Himself.”

Follow Mission Outreach/Serve on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/Ascension.ELCA.MO/  to keep up with all the service opportunities.

We don’t just go to church. We are the church.

Serve With Ascension

The Matthew 25 Promise

Mission Outreach/Serve commits to the words of Matthew 25:  “I was hungry and you fed me, I was a stranger and you took me in…..” These are the words of Jesus as He was preparing to ascend into heaven. He was very clear that out of love for Him, we would share that love with those on earth who were in need. These words motivate us to live out our love for Jesus through our love for others. Ascension has determined that we would provide opportunities to carry this out and to serve those most in need through our partnerships globally and locally.

As we select our Community Partners, we identify agencies or programs that serve those most in need whether it be feeding the hungry, providing shelter to the homeless or stranger, visiting the sick or providing clothes for those in need. We not only give monetary donations out of our budget, we look for ways to be directly involved through in-kind donations and volunteering. This is a true response to the hymn we sang a few weeks ago, Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord? I have heard You calling in the night. I will go, Lord, if You lead me. I will hold Your people in my heart. The opportunities are here, it is up to each of us to respond.

If each person in the congregation pledged to do one small effort of service, we could change our community! We have a lot of special ways to do this coming in the next weeks and months. Watch the e-alerts and bulletin announcements and check out the Mission Outreach Facebook page for opportunities to serve. We update the opportunities regularly.

Meals for Healing Hearts

Healing Hearts, one of our Community Partners, is a program for families who have experienced loss. We will be supporting their work with families in need of support whether through death, divorce, deployment, separation through migration, imprisonment or any other loss. We will be providing a meal for the families prior to their session on Monday, Feb. 19, at First United Methodist Church. We will need donations of soup in a crock pot, bread or crackers, fruit and cookies. Please see the available slots in the Sign-Up Genius and click on your selection for volunteering or donating. Food should be brought to Ascension before 3 p.m. or right before 4:30 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 19, when the servers arrive. Servers will be done by 6:15 p.m.

Hope Center

Do you shop at Target? If you shop at Target, you have a chance to help the Hope Center. When you are shopping on the Target Circle app, click on “My Target” then go to Target Circle and under available earnings, click on “Vote for Nonprofits.” Vote for Hope Center. That is all you have to do and your votes will help win support for the Hope Center. What a fun and easy way to support one of our partners!

Hope Center is officially moved into the new building. Check out the pictures on our Mission Outreach Facebook page. They are already serving meals and have a beautiful new Clothing Closet. They will be able to provide many new services for the people of Waukesha. Several of our groups already are serving meals at the Hope Center. Are you interested in serving? Are you willing to help sort the donations? See the Hope Center website for more information about volunteering or contact Shirley Wehmeier.

Food Pantry of Waukesha County

Did you know that one third of the people served through the Food Pantry of Waukesha County are babies and children? They have a special Baby Care program where they offer (when available) baby formula, baby food, diapers, wipes and other hygiene items for children three and younger. This program ensures that families with infants and young children have the foods and hygiene products they need. Food needs increase in the winter as more people are seeking help during this time of year. Donations can be taken directly to the Food Pantry or brought to our Donation Center and placed in the appropriate bin.

Creation Care Ministry

Our county Creation Care/Green Team has many offerings available in their newsletter for congregations and people of faith to live out their faith through how they care for God’s creation. There are a lot of faith-based programs and activities that can enhance our ability to care for creation as a part of our faith life. To find out more about this, go to https://www.waukeshacountygreenteam.org/creation-care-network.  Thank you to everyone who brought in used Christmas lights for disposal, keeping them from the landfills. This simple act makes a difference.

Save the Date! Winter Farmer’s Market

The Food Faith and Farming Network Winter Farmer’s Market is at Ascension on Sunday, March 10. This is always a special event and we will need volunteers to help with a lot of different parts of the day. Watch for announcements and opportunities to help with the day. The day includes a very busy market and a brunch made with ingredients from the farmers.