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).

Good News of Great Joy

I am writing this article as junior high students are preparing to scale the Tower of Terror at our JOLT Adventure Camp, near Crivitz, WI. It is an exciting time to watch them encounter the “challenge by choice” model. They are responsible for their own level of challenge, and almost all of them will choose to move far beyond their original decision to only go “so high” on the Tower of Terror. I often speak of this life we live as a journey of faith. We are certainly watching that journey unfold for our junior high students during this week of Adventure Camp.

The Angel Gabriel said to Mary: “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy.” In this adventure we travel as the people of God at Ascension, God has smiled on us with great blessing in these last weeks of June, and I can share joyful news.

First, I am excited to announce that Vicki Taylor, our Director of Music Ministries, has agreed to accept responsibilities and provide leadership as the Handbell Choir Director as of August 1. What wonderful news for our community!

Second, with the deep and abiding faithfulness of God by our side, we have pondered and prayed about the Children’s Ministry of Ascension. We have had a dedicated team of teachers and parents meeting, interviewing, and researching throughout the region best practices for children’s ministries. After several months, we are now ready to move forward.

I am thrilled to share with you that on August 1, our Director of Youth Ministries, Tony Acompanado, will accept the responsibilities for the shape and direction of Children’s Ministry into the future. Council has invited and Tony has accepted a newly created position – the Director of Faith Formation. Tony will now oversee our children’s ministries, junior high JOLT ministries, and our senior high CRASH ministries. We are already looking to the fall with great anticipation.

The month of July will also see the next step in our 2025 Visioning Process. Caring Relationships and Mission Outreach will each present their current and future vision statements to the church council for review and reflection. Joyful Worship and Spiritual Growth are now in the second phase of redrafting their current and future vision statements for the church council to review a second time. In September and October, we will have the opportunity for the congregation to reflect on and ask questions about the statements and action plans to move us to 2025.

God is offering so much in the midst of these summer months. Please join us in the celebrations of the new design of staff positions and in the continuing visioning for Ascension’s future.

On a side note – July 7 is the day Tony and I leave for the 2015 ELCA Youth Gathering in Detroit, MI, which begins on July 15. We covet your prayers for the final planning, the 20 participants from our own congregation, and the 30,000 other high school students, adult leaders, bishops, and pastors who will join us on the journey. Peace and joy be yours in these summer days.

Pastor Chris Marien

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