Serving With Ascension

We have had a great response to the financial need for our sister parishes in Tanzania where we support the primary schools in Samaria and Savana. The money is used to provide simple lunches of corn and beans, which is often the only meal the children get for the whole day. The price on crops goes up by mid-summer so we want to get the donation to the congregations in time to purchase the food at the best rates. We will be collecting for at least the first two weeks in June to meet our goal of $12,000 to feed all 952 students for the entire 197 days of the school year and an additional $2000 to supply the technology that is needed to help the students be able to complete the required tests to pass their classes. You may give online, through a check or on Sunday mornings at the Welcome Center via credit card. Please help us achieve our goal to support these children not only to eat but to have a better chance at success in life by being successful students.

ELCA World Hunger and Lutheran Disaster Response

“Hope does not disappoint us because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.” (Romans 5:5)

Ascension is part of a bigger church body through the ELCA and because of that, our efforts can be multiplied as we respond to world issues. The words from Romans are the reminder that in spite of a pandemic that affected the whole world directly and now a war that indirectly affected us all, we have hope through our Almighty God. During the pandemic, the gifts from ELCA congregations to World Hunger grew by 8%, gifts that were greater than hoped for. The response to the war in Ukraine through gifts to Lutheran Disaster Response continues to pour in to  support the disasters that make the headlines, and those that do not. The gifts that were greater than hoped for and the need goes on.

Ending hunger and responding to disaster isn’t just about food and immediate need. It is about access, justice, caring for creation, and to provide for future needs. It is about caring for each other in tangible ways: “Love your neighbor as yourself”. God works through us to provide for each other. Together, we can be part of the solution.  Part of Ascension’s budget is donated to ELCA World Hunger each month and as needs arise, special donations are collected for Disaster Response. 100% of what is donated is given for direct help for those in need.

Donation Center

Our Donation Center has moved to the west coat room to make it more accessible. Bins are clearly marked for the partner we are collecting for and what is needed. Since needs change and requests are often limited, please check with the contact person before bringing in things not on the list. We want to put our efforts into things that are truly needed and not make more work for those who sort and deliver the items. Currently, our biggest needs are for the Blessing Box and the Waukesha Food Pantry. We cannot take things that are expired,  require refrigeration, are in open packages or baked items. As the weather warms up, there will be an increased need for single-serve drinks, snacks, and packaged fruits.  New needs will be updated as identified by our partners. There is also a bin for Lost in Found labeled in red. If you have left things at church, check the bins.

Mission Outreach News

Stay connected to ways to SERVE by following the Mission Outreach on Facebook. 

We update the programs of our global and community partners on a regular basis and also identify ways you can be involved. Often things change more quickly than the newsletter or even weekly announcements can inform the congregation so the Facebook page has become a big part of how we keep everyone informed.

There is also the ability to use photos and even videos which makes the partnership connections especially with our global partners more personal. Please like or share notices that you feel are important. If you would like more information about specific programs, contact Shirley Wehmeier.

Get to Know the ELCA

Because God has been good to us, we can share that goodness with others, and our church is an excellent vehicle to use. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is a four million member church that draws on our rich and vibrant faith that connects us to Lutherans all over the world. Our ministries throughout the nation and the world are extremely efficient and solidly ethical. The ELCA and 300 health and human service organizations participate in an alliance known as Lutheran Services in America, which serves more than six million people each year in the United States and the Caribbean. That’s 1 in 50 Americans every year. That’s HUGE! We Lutherans serve 1 in 50 Americans! As part of this alliance, we support more than 285 social ministry organizations affiliated with the ELCA. Chances are, if you want to start a ministry, the ELCA is already doing it!

The ELCA has so many ministries that there is no way I can list all that we do nationally and globally. So, let’s begin with our home congregation. Through Ascension’s Mission Outreach wing, we embrace our Companion Synods: Tanzania and El Salvador. Companion Synods are a concrete expression of our communion and fellowship with the 140 Lutheran churches of The Lutheran World Federation. There are 65 synods in the ELCA. Each synod has at least one international church companion. We are part of the Greater Milwaukee Synod; therefore, we embrace the relationships that the ELCA has prayerfully assigned to us. Ascension and Cross Lutheran have enjoyed a long history with El Salvador. In fact, churches in our area were instrumental in providing asylum for Salvadorans during their civil war. We also enjoy a deep and abiding relationship with Cross Lutheran in Milwaukee. Ascension focuses on our three partnerships and builds relationships that are mutually uplifting.

We belong to an amazing church that is active in the world. When people are facing a crisis or are at their most vulnerable, we respond with care and compassion, ready to serve and love our neighbor. Here are several examples of how we, the ELCA, serve God and the people of God (descriptions taken from elca.org).

ELCA MALARIA CAMPAIGN

A child dies from malaria every 60 seconds. But we are changing that grim statistic. Since the ELCA Malaria Campaign joined the global movement to fight malaria, we have seen a reduction in the number of deaths from this disease. But we’re not done yet. We are committed to raising $15 million by 2015 to support work in 13 of our companion churches in Africa. We are going to make malaria history!

ELCA WORLD HUNGER

More than 800 million people – that’s 1 in 8 people in our world today – are chronically hungry and cannot lead active daily lives. Did you know that 1.2 billion people live in extreme poverty, living on less than $1.25 per day? Or that in the United States, more than 50 million people do not know where their next meal will come from? Or that 46.2 million Americans are living in poverty. As members of the ELCA, we are called to respond. In 2012, our support of ELCA World Hunger totaled $18.6 million. ELCA World Hunger supports projects and programs in 43 U.S. states; 56 countries (including the U.S.); 388 food pantries, homeless shelters and other projects in the U.S.; 239 sustainable development, health and other projects around the world; and 15 education and networking programs in the ELCA.

HIV AND AIDS MINISTRY

AIDS has claimed the lives of more than 25 million people worldwide. The ELCA, along with the international community, has pledged both resources and action.

LUTHERAN DISASTER RESPONSE

Lutheran Disaster Response brings God’s hope, healing, and renewal to people whose lives have been disrupted by disasters in the United States and around the world. When the dust settles and the headlines change, we stay to provide ongoing assistance to those in need. The ELCA is currently responding to U.S. flooding and fires; Middle East and Europe refugee crisis; the Nepal area earthquake; the Ebola outbreak; unaccompanied and migrant children, and the South Sudan conflict.

LUTHERAN IMMIGRATION AND REFUGEE SERVICE (LIRS)

We are a church that does God’s work in the world and in local communities pursuing justice, peace, and human dignity for and with all people. In partnership with Lutheran congregations and Lutheran social ministry organizations, LIRS has welcomed more than 379,000 refugees to the United States since 1939. This ongoing partnership and work is driven by God’s love for all people and a vision
for congregations to be welcoming and generous centers for mission and ministry. Now, we are working to resettle immigrants from Syria.

GLOBAL CHURCH

We are a church that believes God is calling us into the world, together. 70 million Lutherans do make a difference! As a member of The Lutheran World Federation, the ELCA is one of 142 member churches in 79 countries all over the world. Walking and working together, we seek to accompany our companions. Accompaniment is defined as walking together in a solidarity that practices interdependence and mutuality. The ELCA lives out accompaniment in relationships with global companions in the following ways: Mutually: All of us have gifts to support God’s mission. There is no mission to, only mission with and among. Inclusively: We seek to build relationships across boundaries that exclude and divide. Vulnerably: Just as Jesus became vulnerable to us, we open ourselves to others. Empowering: We seek to identify and correct imbalances of power, which may mean recognizing and letting go of our own. Sustainably: To ensure local ministries last, we seek to embed mission in ongoing relationships and communities.

PUBLICLY ENGAGED CHURCH

We pursue justice and seek peace. Our faith and our call to boldly serve and love our neighbor take us into some interesting and challenging aspects of life: advocacy, corporate social responsibility, racial justice, science and ethics, peacemaking, justice for women, social issues, and community organizing. We are drawn into every corner of life, society and its institutions to bring the good news of Jesus Christ and to work for lasting, positive change that upholds human dignity.

PEACE NOT WALLS

The ELCA is working for justice and peace in Palestine and Israel through our campaign, Peace Not Walls. Peace Not Walls connects ELCA members to our companions and promotes dignity, full respect for human rights, healing and reconciliation. With our Palestinian Lutheran companions, we also accompany Palestinians and Israelis, Jews, Christians and Muslims working together for peace with justice.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

There is a great need for your time and skills for doing God’s work in the world. Locally, God is already doing great things through ELCA congregations, Lutheran social ministry organizations, and projects in our area. Check out our synod’s website: milwaukeesynod.org. Nationally, there are a wealth of volunteer opportunities: ELCA- affiliated camps and retreat centers across the United States; Lutheran Disaster Response sites; Lutheran social ministry organizations; Mission Builders donate their time and technical know-how to help with construction of new churches. There are also long-term service opportunities through Holden Village, Lutheran Volunteer Corps, Urban Servant Corps, and Border Servant Corps. We even have short- term and long-term service opportunities around the world through ELCA Global Mission.

ECUMENICAL AND INTER-RELIGIOUS RELATIONS

The ELCA is not an island. We are committed to fostering unity among the children of God for the sake of the world. The ELCA Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Relations team cooperates with partners, such as The Lutheran World Federation, the World Council of Churches and the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Our Full Communion partners are the Episcopal Church, United Methodist Church, Moravian Church, Presbyterian Church (USA), Reformed Church in America, and United Church of Christ. We are dedicated to living out our baptismal calling to be light to the world. We serve our awesome God in amazing ways.

(This article was taken from Ascension’s October 2015 newsletter).