The Magi have gone home. The Christmas decorations are all put away…well most of them. Our Nativity is still celebrating the birth of the newborn king, the visit of the shepherds, the gifts of the Wise men, and the humble beginnings of our Savior. During the season of Advent into Christmas, we often rearrange our living room and dining room to allow more space for the Christmas tree. When the tree disappears, the furniture often rearranges. Such is life.
It is no different here at Ascension. We have been on a journey of discovery over the past twelve months. How much can we do, exactly, without a functioning kitchen and the loss of two bathrooms? Well, the answer is ALMOST ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING. We have provided for the receptions for several celebrations of life. We have journeyed through Lent while gathering at long tables in the narthex/lobby for soup suppers. We have pushed countless people down the hall to the functioning bathrooms even through the great day of Easter with more than 700 in worship. More platters, bowls, pitchers, and coffee pots have been washed in the kitchenette in the Youth Room and the sink in the sacristy than anyone ever expected. What joy to do all those things with smiles on our faces most of the time. What joy to know we are so close to the end of this chapter of remodeling.
We have countertops ordered for the kitchen with early February as the target date for installation which allows the electrician to return to finish and then the painter returns to finish and then the city inspects and then…well, one can dream. We are so close to completion, and we are indebted to so many to bring these projects to a close and to countless more who have dragged dishes back and forth from the storage room/prayer room/meeting room/ new office space to West Hall and East Hall and back again. We also have several members who have monitored costs and adjusted plans and worked together with contractors and plumbers and painters and installers and appliance companies and HVAC companies. When someone said, “It takes a village.” It truly does. In our case: a community to craft the story to move us to completion.
All that being said, I would also offer that for the month of February we are celebrating “Love Your Church, Love Your World” once again. It continues to be a blessing to offer opportunities for members and friends to tend items that support the ministry of our church while at the same time looking out beyond our walls to support ministry on a local, national, and global scale. The generosity of this community never ceases to amaze me as I am often surprised as many of you say yes again and again to sharing the love of Jesus in tangible ways.
This year, “Love Your Church, Love Your World” will focus on the necessities of day-to-day church ministry, tending the continued work of completing the kitchen, and the continued expansion of ministry through our sister churches in San Jorge and Usulután, El Salvador. The sanctuary windows will once again be filled with hearts to offer you opportunity to share in the work of ministry to the glory of God.
As we enter February, you are invited to join me in providing financial offset to the needs of our kitchen remodel. Certainly, there are those among us who can afford to purchase one of these appliances outright. Lord knows, I am not one of them. BUT, I can afford a portion. I wonder if you would consider a gift of a portion of an appliance. Below is a list of the new appliances for the kitchen and their cost.
- Double Wall Oven – $2,700
- Double Oven with Range – $1,800
- Fire Suppression Hood – $8,900
- Commercial Refrigerator – $3,800
- Triple Bay Sink – $1,400
- Coffee Machine – $1,600 (This has been purchased already – Praise the Lord!)
- Chest Freezer – $600 (This has been purchased already.)
For our sister churches in El Salvador, we continue to work towards sustainability. Our continued support of the two hardware stores is essential to the partial funding of our sister church in Usulután where Pastor Julio leads the congregation of El Buen Pastor (Good Shepherd Lutheran Church). In San Jorge, we work with Pastora Blanca and the congregation of El Milagro de Dios (Miracle of God Lutheran Church) to support the education of young people and provide the community in San Jorge with a place of safety and strength in the ongoing work of the church among the residents of San Jorge. It is always a moment of amazement to be reminded that most households live on a monthly income of far less than $150. Imagine?! We are excited to begin to plan to send a delegation of Ascension members to El Salvador in 2024.
The windows will be filled with hearts. How will your heart be filled with joy in the month of February? I invite you to join me in tending the ministry and mission of God in the world through “Love Your Church, Love Your World” and everything else that will come as we listen to the call of our Lord Jesus and do our best to follow.
See you in church.
Pastor Chris
