Welcome to September

I confess – September is a welcome respite from August.

August began with the mission trip to El Salvador. It was spectacular. Pastor Edwin and Sarah were amazing in their planning and tending as we walked alongside our sister church, El Milagro de Dios (Miracle of God) Lutheran Church in San Jorge. It was pure joy to finally meet Pastora Blanca and the members of the congregation. We were fed more than we could possibly eat. There were stories to tell and time for prayer through the expert translation of Pastor Edwin and laughter and games alongside the children of the church and the entire community of San Jorge. Bumpy roads and deep water-traced ruts reminded us that we are blessed to complain about potholes in Wisconsin. The heat was, well, hot! But the air conditioning and cool water offered us respite at the end of the day. We visited historical sites and were often overwhelmed by the beauty of the country and her people. We spent time with Pastor Edwin’s family who hosted all 24 of us for dinner – no easy task in any country! We were graciously welcomed by the newly elected Bishop of the Salvadoran Lutheran Church – Bishop Guadalupe Cortez. She and her staff shared greetings, reflections on the church in El Salvador, and a meal with the most amazing plantains cooked with a pudding in the center. We prepared a lengthy beach for sea turtle nesting and somewhere along the way my wife and daughter became stuck in an elevator. It was a very good trip to build relationships with sisters and brothers in the body of Christ.

We returned to Wisconsin for a brief six days before my family traveled to California to say goodbye to my larger-than-life father-in-law. He was indeed one of a kind. The funeral was full of loud Easter hymns, and big feelings, and well lengthy preaching (guess who preached) and all those things reflected my father-in-law perfectly. Two days after the funeral, we returned home, where we packed up my oldest child and returned him to the University of Wisconsin – Madison for his sophomore year. One daughter is neck deep in volleyball tryouts and the other is tackling volleyball and soccer practice simultaneously. And my mother-in-law was here for the rest of the month – so if you see her in early September, please say hello. All that to say that August was full – completely full – and somewhere in those days were also several meetings preparing us for the fall here at Ascension. Deep breath!

September at Ascension is pure joy and all life to the glory of God. Worship returns to our program year schedule on September 7th, with worship in English at 8:30 and 10:45 a.m. and worship in Spanish at 10:45 a.m. JAM, BLAST, JUMP, JOLT, and CRASH all return the week of September 7th. And if you are unsure of one or more of the acronyms for ministry among our children and junior and senior high school students – keep reading – all is explained later on in this newsletter. We are preparing to launch a young adult ministry as well this fall – for those in the 18-30 year age range because they have asked and the Holy Spirit is moving – but an acronym is still in the dreaming phase – have any ideas?

We return to Monday morning and evening Adult Study gatherings with season 4 of the CHOSEN. I am so excited to see how this next season unfolds as we gather to reflect on the stories already deep in our bones. By the time you read this article, our music ministries will already have begun rehearsals to bring glory to God in our worship life – have you thought about joining the choir or ringing a bell – there is still room for you. I promise Vicki will find a place for you.

In late September and/or early October there will be listening sessions available to help the pastors and church council reflect and dream about our future. Ascension Arise 2035 will be available for review and comment in the weeks ahead. Your input, about your church, is important and welcome as we look to all that God has in store for the days ahead. And there are ministries waiting for your “yes.” Healing Hearts of Waukesha County, the Hope Center, and the Food Pantry of Waukesha County are all supported by our congregation and in need of our hands-on ministry as well as our financial support. If you are considering joining our community of faith, we will host conversations in-between services later this month and early in October as we prepare to welcome new members on Sunday, October 19th. I am ready for all of it and more. I hope you are too!

See you in church.

Pastor Chris

Reprinted from the September 2025 newsletter.

Living the Good Samaritan’s Call

We recently heard the familiar Gospel story of “The Good Samaritan” during a Sunday reading. Jesus recounted:

“A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’” Jesus then asked, “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

This powerful parable serves as a timeless reminder of God’s constant call to us: to be merciful to one another. This call continues to resonate deeply within our Christian community today.

We’ve seen this call answered in inspiring ways recently. In April, our CRASH students held a community service event at Hope Center. They rose early to prepare and serve breakfast to over 40 people. After their service, during a 10-minute reflection, the students eagerly asked about the possibility of another summer community service. Their enthusiasm led to our first summer service event, where Grandpa Art even joined us, preparing his delicious cookies with the students! Together, the students fed over 60 people, embodying the very spirit of the Good Samaritan.

Another deeply moving experience came last month when I received a call from a man in our Spanish ministry. It was news that filled me with joy, making me exclaim, “Thanks be to God!” As you might imagine, I try to stay on top of all calls from our Latino ministry families. When my phone rings with one of those numbers, I often close my eyes and pray that the call isn’t related to ICE. But this call was different. The man simply wanted to make plans to take lunch to someone sleeping under a bridge. He had just left church on a Sunday and was eager to put compassion into practice.

Jesus consistently calls us to practice compassion, regardless of who the person in need might be. Their appearance, beliefs, background, social status, or even their past should never be barriers. We are called to extend compassion to everyone whose humanity is in distress.

Like the priest and the Levite in the parable, it’s easy to let our own busyness, anxieties, prejudices, or even our established religious routines prevent us from seeing and responding to human suffering. Jesus urges us to break down these internal barriers. He calls us to actively seek opportunities to serve with love, rather than looking the other way. The Good Samaritan didn’t just feel pity; he acted, getting directly involved. This is the very essence of Christian love. It’s not passive empathy; it’s active and practical compassion. It means being willing to be uncomfortable, to step outside our comfort zones, and sometimes even to sacrifice our own resources and time for the sake of others.

Brothers and sisters, we live in a world where wars, natural disasters, poverty, injustice, and loneliness can feel overwhelming. Yet, the parable of the Good Samaritan reminds us that our calling often begins with the individual right in front of us, or with a need within our own communities that we can directly address. It could be a homeless person on the street, a struggling family down the street, an elderly neighbor in need, a friend battling a hidden illness, or communities facing persecution.

How can you “go and do likewise” in your own life today?

Pastor Edwin

Serving and Growing With Ascension This Summer

Read all about our activities this summer!

Community Partner: SOPHIA

This month’s Ascension’s Community Partner focus is SOPHIA (Stewards of Prophetic Hopeful Intentional Action). SOPHIA is made up of people of faith united by a passion for justice, a commitment to community and a practice of hope. SOPHIA builds relationships in the public and private sectors, uniting people with common values to have a powerful voice; to stand together to change injustices affecting those who are marginalized. Together, this group can make our communities places where everyone has a chance to succeed.

Currently, there are three task forces working for change: Housing Task Force, Criminal Justice Task Force, and Immigration Task Force. Each task force meets monthly to identify how to have an impact in their specific area. SOPHIA is non-partisan and does not endorse candidates. SOPHIA is part of Wisdom, the statewide organization working for justice. Micah 6:8 states, “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
 
Ascension hosts the Immigration Task Force on the second Tuesday of each month at 6:30. If this topic is something you are interested in, please join the group. If you would like more information about the other task forces, see the SOPHIA website at: https://www.sophiawaukesha.org/. For specific information on Ascension’s role in SOPHIA, contact Joan Mikecz at: jdmikecz@gmail.com.

Sunday Morning Coffee

Coffee hour between services is enjoyed by many members and is a great way to engage visitors. During the summer, it is hard to get volunteers to be coffee hosts. Please let Al Gilgenbach know if you would be willing to take a Sunday. It is an easy way to get involved. Meru coffee is always for sale for you to enjoy at home. Check out the coffee cabinet by the glass doors in the Hearth Room or ask the coffee host. Purchasing coffee helps the farmers in the Meru Diocese of Tanzania to be able to support their families.

Hope Center Golf Outing

The 17th annual Tee Up for Hope Golf Outing is July 14 and Hope Center is hoping that YOU will join the fun this year. You can look forward to the usual on-course fun events including prizes, a putting contest and raffles, along with a post-golf program with appetizers! The event will be at Broadlands Golf Club to raise funds that will allow Hope Center to continue to help people of Waukesha County meet their basic needs. Get a group of golfing friends together or register on your own for this special event. Visit their website to register and for sponsorship information.

Support Hawthorne Elementary School

Show our support for the students and teachers at Hawthorne by helping to ensure that the teachers have all of the supplies they need for a successful school year. You can purchase the items from their Amazon Wishlist and have them delivered directly to Hawthorne. The school office is closed from July 11- August 4, so deliveries outside of that window would be greatly appreciated.

El Salvador Mission Trip

From July 29 to August 6, Ascension’s largest delegation yet is headed to El Salvador to visit our sister parish, San Jorge. We have a full schedule as our delegation of twenty-four strives to fulfill the agreements in our partnership covenant. We will be celebrating our 15th anniversary of partnership and the 10th anniversary of the signing of our original covenant. We will gather in homes, visit the sister parish school, meet with church leaders, do a beach clean of a sea turtle sanctuary, lead a field day for the children of the community while their teachers are at professional development, and worship together. We will continue to dream and plan for a chocolate project that will be both an economic development project as well as a way to lift up the Lutheran church in the eyes of the community. We will be the first church that brings in the artists from the Fernanado Llort studio in the capital to our rural sister parish community for the people to learn about their national artist as together we fulfill Llort’s vision of community art created for and by the common people. If the land cooperates, some in our group will climb Chaparrastique, also known as the San Miguel Volcano, while others in our group explore a monkey sanctuary and Jiquilisco Bay. In San Salvador, we will learn about the ministries of the national church as well as more about the history and current events shaping the lives of our brothers and sisters in El Salvador. Our mission is to leave with strengthened bonds of Christian brotherhood and a greater understanding of the human experience in other parts of the world. Please keep our delegates in your prayers as we travel.

Soul Sisters at the Beer Garden

Soul Sisters will be hosting a summer get together at the Tap Yard Beer Garden at Minooka Park on Thursday, July 10th. We plan to meet at 5:30 p.m. Please bring a lawn chair and an appetizer to share. Benets BBQ will be onsite and free trivia begins at 6 p.m. 

Who are the Soul Sisters? The Soul Sisters is our rebrand of Super Moms to be more inclusive of women in the under 60 age group, regardless of whether or not they are a parent. Sign up is not required for this event. If you do not have an annual park membership, you can purchase a daily park entrance pass up to 5 days prior to the event. You can purchase your pass online or in-person at Retzer Nature Center, S14 W28167 Madison St., or the Waukesha County Courthouse – Park System Main Office, 515 W Moreland Blvd AC 260. Please reach out to Lori, Sarah, or Ileen with any questions.

Young at Heart

On July 16, Young at Heart will have a band “A Little Bit of Heaven” playing at Ascension. They play 50’s and 60’s music, polkas and gospel. Anyone 55+ is invited to attend and bring a friend! We will start with a potluck lunch at noon. The band will play from 1-2 pm. Hope to see you there!

Serving in October

El Salvador / Tanzania Partnership Meeting

Are you considering traveling to El Salvador or Tanzania with Ascension in the next summer or two? International travel not your thing, but you want to be a part of our partnership? Have you previously traveled with us?

We are meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 1, at 6:30 p.m. A few things on the agenda include: Rick Frowein’s upcoming trip to Tanzania with the coffee project, discussing financial requests from Pastora Blanca in El Salvador, making initial plans for our next trips and hosting, and hearing the latest on our exploration to begin a chocolate project in El Salvador. Contact Sarah Wehmeier Aparicio if you have any questions, or you are interested but you can’t make the meeting, sarah@ascensionelca.org.

Who Is My Neighbor?

Ascension had good participation in the Greater Milwaukee Synod Immigration and Refugee Task Force event in early September. The response was NOW WHAT? Ascension’s SOPHIA leadership team is taking on the challenge since the topic so closely links to SOPHIA’s goals. Join us on Thursday, Oct. 3, at 6:30 p.m. at church if you have questions about immigration and refugee resettlement and how to live out your faith in response. You are invited to attend whether you were at the synod event or not. We will learn together and prayerfully discuss our next steps. Contact Joan Mikecz, joanmikecz@sbcglobal.net, with questions.  

There will be a series of Did You Know? questions and answers on the Mission Outreach Facebook page beginning on October 1 to help us all have a clear understanding of terms and the myths and misunderstandings of the many aspects that impact refugees and immigration. The synod taskforce has provided some good resources that will guide us. Please follow us on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/Ascension.ELCA.MO.

Walk for NAMI Oct. 5 

This annual event helps to end the stigma surrounding mental health and to help achieve the goal of mental health for all. NAMI has been an Ascension Community partner for many years. We support their work in areas that impact all of us at some point in life. 

Join Ascension’s team on Saturday, Oct. 5, to walk for NAMI at the Milwaukee County Zoo beginning at 9:30. Sign-up online https://www.namiwalks.org/team/68935 or https://www.namiwalks.org/participant/teamascensionchurch.

Celebrating 50 Years of ELCA World Hunger

Are you aware that Ascension supports the ELCA World Hunger program each month as a part of our budget? When we work with the larger church body, so much more can be done than if we tried to conquer hunger on our own. Through ELCA World Hunger, 66 countries and 41states and territories received support in 2023. Here are ways you can participate in the celebration via the ELCA announcement.

  • World Food Day Celebrating 50 Years of ELCA World Hunger
  • When: Tuesday, Oct. 15, 7 p.m. Central time
  • Where: Zoom webinar. Register online.

Serve With Ascension

Hope Center

Calling all golfers! Hope Center is hosting their annual Tee-Up for Hope golf outing on July 15 at Broadland Country Club. Registration opens at 9:30am/Shotgun start at 11:30am. Registration form and all the details are online.

Donations: With the opening of the new building, making a donation is much easier. There is a bin right at the entrance where donations can be dropped off. There is a sign there that clearly details what is accepted as far as donations. See the photo. We will continue to accept donations in our donation center but they must meet the same criteria.

Creation Care

Waukesha County Creation Care Team is sponsoring a virtual Energy Hour on Monday, July 1, from 6 to 7 p.m. This is a free, online event for community residents to ask a panel of energy and climate leaders about home energy programs, incentives and upgrades. With the extreme heat we have already had, we are all looking for ways to save on our energy bills and to protect the wonderful earth God has given us. See this link for more information and to register. If you are interested in helping with ideas on caring for creation, contact Mary Ellen Comp.

Blessing Box & Little Library

Our original Blessing Box and Little Free Library have served us well for many years. Over the past few years, we have had some vandalism with items in the boxes that has carried over to the park, prompting the city to request that we move the boxes. We have also had items left at the base of the Blessing Box that are not appropriate, especially in extremes of weather. We recognize that our neighbors often want to help but it has been a challenge to manage the items that appear on the ground and attract rodents and insects. The items need to be disposed of rather than put to use.

It was also time for new boxes since the originals were showing wear and tear and have faced some bitter weather. The good news is that a Boy Scout has built insulated and weatherproof boxes. They will be installed east of the current location next to the entrance drive. There will be clearer notice about appropriate donations.

With the extreme heat during June, it was noted that some of the donations were not compatible with the temperatures. Fresh products should never be placed in the box. Even with an insulated box, they will not be safe. Research has shown that even canned goods cannot be guaranteed safe in extreme heat. We will keep you up to date about what foods can be donated once the new boxes are installed. Watch midweek and Sunday announcements and the Mission Outreach Facebook page. You can always place donations in the bins in the Donation Center any time the church is open.

SOPHIA Multicultural Fair

The third annual SOPHIA Multicultural Fair will be held on August 17 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Frame Park. Enjoy ethnic music and dancers, crafts, international food, Community Resources, children’s activities, food trucks, vendors and more. This event has grown each year and is a wonderful opportunity to see all the various cultures in Waukesha and the surrounding area. Mark your calendars for this special event and the new location.

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

November updates include Pastor Julio’s visit, NAMI, a new minsitry, Christmas parade, Christmas Clearing Council, Habitat for Humanity Gingerbread House and Thank You’s.

Pastor Julio Visits Ascension

After many years of brotherhood with the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church of Usulután in El Salvador, their pastor was finally able to visit and worship together with our community. Pastor Julio had the opportunity to attend one of the Bible studies on Grace that Pastor Tony is conducting. He helped lead JOLT and was part of all of the fun. He toured the Hope Center facilities to learn about this ministry project. In the absence of both Pastor Chris and Pastor Tony for Sunday worship, Pastor Julio was able to accompany Pastor Edwin in the English service and in the bilingual service. He even had the chance to enjoy an early Thanksgiving dinner.

Pastor Julio is surprised with all the great work Ascension is doing. He believes that many of these things can be implemented in El Salvador, for example work with children and young people. With adults he hopes to implement bible study sessions using the same Max Lucado book, Grace, that Ascension is currently using. Ascension gave him the book in Spanish so that he and Pastora Blanca could read it and decide if they would like to do a Bible study. If they do the Bible study, Ascension will purchase the books in Spanish and send them to them so that the Bible study is a success.

The intention of Ascension is to share with our brotherhood part of the resources that are available. These types of resources are sadly not available to the pastors and leadership of the Salvadoran Lutheran Church. Ascension will continue to be illuminated by the guidance of the Holy Spirit on our journey of sharing his love with another. Thank you to everyone who made Pastor Julio feel welcome during his time here.

Mental Health in Families of Faith

NAMI Mental Health in Families of Faith will be Nov. 14 2 p.m. at Redeemer Lutheran Church, 631 N 19th St., Milwaukee. Come to hear Meg Kissinger and Kathleen Geuder-Martin bravely share their personal and moving stories of growing up in families with mental illness and how their faith helped them. They will be sharing from their newly-released memoirs. All are welcome.

Mustard Seed Ministry

On October, 5 Ascension members attended the annual SOPHIA Community Prayer Breakfast. What a wonderful day it was to be inspired by people of faith who see that by working together we can accomplish so much more than as individual congregations or even denominations. We were reminded of the great needs in our community for a reformed immigration system and ways to assist immigrants and refugees in adapting to life in this country. Affordable housing is becoming a crisis in the entire county not just for the very poor but increasingly for the younger and the older ends of the age spectrum as new construction tends to meet the needs of the middle. Affordable housing has many barriers that can be overcome. These are just two of many areas of justice and opportunity that SOPHIA is working to resolve. We were challenged by a Moravian pastor to stand and take a step forward and follow Jesus’ parable of planting a mustard seed of faith. When we love and nurture our seed, a giant plant will grow. Would you like to meet to discuss Mustard Seed Ministry? We think Thanksgiving time is a great time to be thankful for the harvest already completed through the work of SOPHIA and now we can take that leap of faith and plant some new seeds that can help grow a field of Ministry Mustard plants that can make a difference in our community. Each small step can lead to a big result. The prayer breakfast closed by a reminder from a Catholic priest that “Whatever we do for the least of these, we do unto Christ Himself.” This just happens to be the motivating force behind all that our Mission Outreach Team is doing. Join us between services on Nov. 19 to discuss the planting strategy for Ascension. “And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”( Micah 6:8)

Waukesha Christmas Parade, Dec. 3

One of our goals has been to make the community more aware of Ascension’s unique ministries and how we are bringing the good news of God’s love for all into the community. The Christmas parade provides us with this opportunity. We need your help. We need people to help with the final preparations before the parade. We need candy donations for handing out on the parade route. We need people to hand out candy and keep the candy bins full. We need costumed characters to walk in the parade and we need other people of all ages to walk with the procession as we portray Mary and Joseph looking for a place to stay in Bethlehem. It will be a moving Posada! We will be handing out a special invitation with details in English and Spanish about all the worship activities and special events at Ascension during December. See the Signup Genius to volunteer. We need your help to make this community event a success in telling how we share God’s love at Ascension.

Christmas Angel Tree

This year, the Angel Tree will be set up in the narthex from Nov. 2 through Dec 7. The Thursday Afternoon Women’s Nurture Group is coordinating this activity to benefit the Christmas Clearing Council. They are requesting Target and Walmart gift cards of $25 for children and teens over 12. Angel ornaments can be taken from the tree with Target or Walmart on them and placed in the marked box in the office with your gift card. The group will deliver the gift cards to the Christmas Clearing Council in time for them to be delivered to families in need. If you have any questions, contact Linda Hansen, lindahansen@wi.rr.com.

Habitat for Humanity News

Join Habitat for their tiniest, tastiest build of the year! Showcase your sweet skills for a great cause by building a Gingerbread House. All proceeds go towards funding their mission. Build, vote for, or buy one of the gingerbread houses and support affordable housing in Waukesha County! The Gingerbread Build is Dec. 9, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Corners of Brookfield. Register online, habitatwaukesha.org/gingerbreadbuild.

Getting a new car for Christmas? Did you know by donating your vehicle to Habitat you can help build and repair affordable homes while also helping the environment? Since launching the national vehicle donation program, Cars for Homes, in 2005, Habitat has accepted over 120,000 vehicles for reselling or recycling, raising funds for Habitat to partner with local families to build stability and security that a safe affordable home allows. Cars, trucks, RV’s, vans, SUV’s, boats and motorcycles are accepted whether they are running or not. Towing is free! Donate now.

So Many Thank You’s

  • To all those who walked, ran, rode, volunteered or donated to Outreach for Hope
  • To all those who participated in the NAMI Walks to help raise awareness for mental health
  • To all those who donated to the Tend a Teacher Program for Hawthorne School
  • To all those who donated to feed the children at the schools of our parishes in Tanzania
  • To all of those who donated food locally to the Food Pantry or our Blessing Box

What a joy and blessing it is to experience the generosity of a congregation that lives out their faith in big and small ways to accomplish great things! Praise be to God for the gifts and service to Him through the gifts and service to others in need.

¡Gracias! from Hawthorne

Dear Ascension Church,

On behalf of the entire Hawthorne Community, I want to express our sincere gratitude for your unwavering commitment to supporting our school and families. Your generosity and partnership have made a real difference in the lives of our students and families.

From providing financial assistance to supporting our teaching, you have consistently gone above and beyond to create a vibrant and supportive learning environment. You dedication to our school is truly inspiring.

We are particularly grateful for your support in granting our teacher wish lists. Your funding has helped prepare our teachers prepare their classrooms with new items!

We are so fortunate to have you as a partner. Your support helps us to create a school where all students can thrive. Thank you for believing in our scholars and our school.

Sincerely,

Taheréh DeLeón, Principal

El Salvador & Tanzania Partnership Committee

Ascension has long been an over-achiever when it comes to our partnerships, but we took things to a whole new level this summer when we hosted a delegation from El Salvador back-to-back with a large group going to Tanzania. These visits helped revitalize our partnerships after years of not seeing each other due to the pandemic. With renewed energy, stronger friendships, and an abundance of new information, our partnership committee is looking forward to resuming in-person meetings. The first one will be at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 8.

Who:

  • Anyone planning to travel to El Salvador or Tanzania in the future
  • Anyone who has previously traveled as part of a delegation
  • Anyone who has a heart for our brothers and sisters in El Salvador and Tanzania; no travel required!

What:

  • Reflect on this summer’s visits
  • Plan for the future and goal-setting
  • Beginning a deeper look at education in El Salvador and Tanzania
  • Talking about our trip to El Salvador, approximately July 29 – August 5, 2024

Please note that as our partnerships deepen, our leadership and the pastors have made it a goal for future partnership visits to El Salvador and Tanzania that all travelers will have at least a year of regular (at least 75%) participation in our partnership committee prior to travel. If you are interested in traveling in the future or interested in joining the committee, but unable to attend the August 8 meeting, please contact Sarah Aparicio.

Finding God in the Unexpected

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
~Philippians 4:4-7

On the 16-hour flight home from Ethiopia, I found myself spending a considerable amount of time reflecting on and processing the diverse experiences of that unexpected journey. And the more I reflected, the more a recurring theme surfaced – overwhelmed. Almost the entire journey from the get-go was a non-stop and unexpected roller coaster of events, feelings, expectations, and emotions., and certainly not the trip I had been looking forward to nor what the Ward family could have ever imagined in their wildest dreams.

There were profound moments of difficulty – from a beloved member of our community suffering a major medical emergency while traveling abroad, to being stuck in an airport for an uncertain amount of time with no easy to choose or clear-cut solutions. There were moments of deep sadness and guilt at the extreme poverty and hunger that surrounded us and yet simultaneously we were constantly surrounded by people whose welcome, and hospitality, and compassionate care were so selfless and filled with grace that I hardly knew how to receive it all.

And then there were unbelievable moments where the grace and love and mercy of God were so evident that I found myself overcome with emotion that it was impossible to hide or comprehend.

But as I shared in my sermon reflection on July 23, this was not a trip to elicit pity or sadness for the difficulties or things that were hard to see, hear, and experience. Instead, this unexpected journey was an opportunity to have our eyes, hearts, minds, and faith broken open wide in order to see what God deems as important while experiencing the absolutely unbelievable love and grace and wonder of God.

Thank you for the great honor to serve as one of your pastors and walk this journey of life and faith alongside you, and for your ongoing encouragement and support and care and love throughout all that we have and will experience together. My hope and prayer is that in the days to come we will continue to open ourselves to what God desires for us and trust God to follow wherever the Holy Spirit leads. And then my dear friends, together we can be overwhelmed by all that our amazing God has in store for us.

Pastor Tony

Spaghetti Dinner & Auction 2023

You are invited to a fun-filled night of food, fellowship, and some fundraising on Saturday, May 20, at 5 p.m. to support a mission trip to Tanzania and visiting delegates from El Salvador. For $12 a person / $40 a family, you will receive a spaghetti dinner catered by Noah’s Pizza of Pewaukee, appetizers, dessert, beer or wine, and other beverages. Buy your tickets online.

We have a wide variety of fantastic auction items including a condo in Door County, spa baskets, food and beverage baskets, tickets to sporting events, artwork, Art’s baked goods and more. It’s not too late to donate items! Contact Sarah Aparicio with your ideas.

We still looking for volunteers to help with the auction, and for people to provide appetizers and desserts. Sign-up online.

All proceeds will benefit the mission trips from El Salvador and to Tanzania taking place this June.