Holy Week 2023

To mark the days of the journey of Jesus in life, in death, and in resurrection joy.

April 2, Palm Sunday, Domingo de Ramos

8:30a & 10:45a (English), 10:45a (en español)

“Hosanna in the highest!” will be our cry as we remember Jesus’ triumphant entry into the gates of the holy city. We will celebrate the beginning of this holy week with the reminder that our expectations and God’s expectations are not always exactly the same. Where the people want a powerful king, Jesus comes as a suffering servant riding a donkey. Through the events of day, we will be reminded of the coming of the promised Messiah – the chosen one of God. Worship is at 8:30am and 10:45am. Between services, BLAST students and families will share in the creation of the alfombras (sand carpets) for Holy Week.

April 6, Maundy Thursday, Jueves Santo

6:30p (English), 6:30p (en español)

Maundy Thursday Dinner 5:30p: Experience and learn about the foods of the Passover. A sampling of Passover food will be provided. Plan on bringing a dish to pass. Reservation only. Reserve your space online or by call to the church office, 262-547-8518.

Maundy Thursday Worship:  We will gather in the upper room with Jesus and the disciples to celebrate the Last Supper. This year, we will hear words of confession and forgiveness and be reminded of the powerful image of the Savior washing the feet of the disciples. As is tradition, we will honor the memory of Jesus’ humiliation at the hands of those in power before he is led to the cross to be crucified by the stripping of the altar. Worship is at 6:30pm.

April 7, Good Friday, Viernes Santo

12p & 6:30p (English), 6:30p (en español)

The ancient title for this day is “the Triumph of the Cross.” A reminder for us that the church gathers not to mourn this day but to celebrate Christ’s life-giving passion and to find strength and hope in the cross as a symbol of new life. We will share in the unfolding drama as Jesus is led to the cross. We will hear the stories of the day and give witness to the closing of the tomb.

April 9, Easter Sunday, Domingo de Resurrección

8:30a & 10:45a (English), 10:45a (en español)

First we hear only hoped-for whispers on the wind. Resurrection? Are you sure? We gather to celebrate the resurrection of our Savior, Jesus, the Christ. We will hear the story of that first Easter sunrise and be surrounded by the joyful sounds of songs that have been sung for generations and songs that new generations are singing.  Worship is at 8:30am and 10:45am with a continental pot-luck breakfast reception in-between services. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

In Search of Sanctuary

As an immigrant learning English, the word sanctuary confused me at first. I saw it at church. I saw it when hiking. I saw it in news about immigration. What in the world was the meaning of this word that it was being used in such different settings? Now of course I know that it means a place of safety and protection from the dangers of the outside. And after everything we have been through in the past couple of years, we all need a sanctuary more than ever.

We were so excited to be back in our sanctuary for Holy Week for normal worship this year. Holy Week services in 2020 were all online and the alfombra was on my home driveway on a cold and rainy Good Friday. Last year we were at least back in person, but there was no singing and communion was at the door as everyone exited the building. We were making big plans. And then we received the exciting and disappointing news that the renovations of the Spanish Sanctuary were going to be taking place over Lent and Holy Week. We would be worshipping in the Hearth Room for the rest of Lent and possibly all of Holy Week. So our plans changed. We slashed the number of alfombras we were planning. We uninvited the guest musicians for Easter Sunday since it was unknown where Easter worship would be. If we were still in the Hearth Room, there would barely be room for the piano. There definitely wouldn’t be room for extra musicians.

When we first started down this road, we were so excited about the project that the disappointments weren’t that big of a deal. But by the time Palm Sunday arrived, it was our third week in the Hearth Room. The energy level of worship was lagging regardless of my energy level. We decided to avoid publicizing our Holy Week worship schedule because we were afraid if visitors came, they would never come back again.

But at the same time, as we were having our own little moment of feeling sorry for ourselves, there were stories of worship in bombed buildings and in subway stations in Ukraine. We were seeing stories of drought and locusts in Tanzania. Yet worship continued. Violence and the government reaction was taking over life in El Salvador, yet worship continued. The story of Jesus’s death and resurrection always overcomes the troubles of this world. If worship was continuing in these terrible circumstances, surely we can do Holy Week in the Hearth Room.

And then we had our own little miracle, and we were able to get into the sanctuary in time for Maundy Thursday. We had a place for the alfombra procession for Good Friday. It was still under construction, but we were energized. And in spite of our efforts to try and hide our worship schedule from visitors, we had over 20 visitors for Easter morning. We had to bring in extra chairs and run additional bulletins. It was a full worship service filled with singing and shouts of resurrection joy. ¡Él ha resucitado!

Edwin Aparicio, Pastoral Intern, Spanish-Language Minister

God is at Work!

Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Ascension finds itself in a time of expectation! Easter is upon us and with the announcement that the tomb is empty, we find ourselves looking to the joy of spring – the earth coming alive as the edges of winter begin to give way to the warm winds of life – new life. What would God have us do in the world to God’s great glory? How shall we look to the world around us and see the face of Christ calling out to us?

Now that Easter Sunday has come and gone, are you already setting yourself up for summer break – or is there still a hunger that gnaws at you, calling you to something new, something different, something more in your relationship with God? The lilies have bloomed, the trumpets have sounded, the tomb stands empty, and in these days of appearance as Jesus shows himself to the disciples and countless others before he ascends into heaven, there is energy, curiosity, expectation in the air…do you feel it?

I tell you God is at work at Ascension! Do you believe it? Do you feel God’s presence – the Holy Spirit at work? The fruits of our labor in service to God are not in vain, nor do they go unnoticed! God is at work at Ascension and we are beginning to see the work of God all around us. We give thanks to God for the 32 First Communion candidates who celebrated their First Communion on Palm Sunday or will celebrate their First Communion on April 3. What joy to welcome these fourth and fifth graders to God’s altar. Please join me in prayer asking God’s blessing on the journeys before each of our First Communion candidates. We are also grateful for the work of musicians and altar guild who took extra time behind the scenes to prepare for the powerful and moving worship of Holy Week. We have received new members and look to the future where God will invite more people into the midst of our community. God is at work! The Holy Spirit is on the move and we are looking forward to the blessings of God among us in the gifts of each other!

We have traveled the road of Lent to the cross and we are now on the road of the cross that carries us into the future. During Lent, we were following Jesus to the cross. Now, we look to Jesus who leads us within the shadow of the cross into the future. The cross was never an end but a place to begin again and again and again. Where will God in Jesus Christ take us in the days ahead? Where do we want to go as God’s people? Where do you want to go as God’s child? Who cares? As long as we travel together — following in the footsteps of our God!

May God grant you joy in these Easter days!

~ Pastor Chris Marien

(This article is taken from Ascension’s April 2016 newsletter).

In These Days of Lent

lenten-crossThe baptized do not just ‘get together’, they are called and gathered by the Holy Spirit. God’s people do not hear just any word, but the Word of eternal life, Jesus Christ, who changes the heart and enlightens the mind. They do not share just any food, but the very Body and Blood of Christ. Those who have been gathered, enlightened and fed do not just ‘leave’ – but, as disciples of Christ, they are sent forth in mission to speak the Word of God and do the work of God in the world. ~ ELCA Worship Resource, This Far By Faith.

What an incredible description of who we are as the People of God, in Jesus Christ, in the world. Our identity, our calling, our hearing, our sharing, and our sending is enlightened and inspired by the work of the Holy Spirit. I believe, such a description brings both freedom and fear to the hearts of the baptized. So much to experience and so much to live up to as the baptized. What an opportunity for us? What a challenge for us?

Here we are in the middle of Lent. The color purple surrounds our altar and hearts as we live into following in the footsteps of Jesus as he sets his sights on Jerusalem. Whatever he sees on the horizon is too far away for our eyes to see clearly and yet, Jesus continues his steady step to the gates of the city. You and I can only follow—not because we have to, but because our hearts call us to follow the one who has saved us from our sins with holy and precious blood. The journey of Lent continues for each of us.

As you walk into the world each morning do you see how many people are oblivious to the journey we travel during these days? Lent? Church calendar? Jesus? Cross? Good Friday? Tomb? Empty? Have so many chosen to forget the promise and presence of God in Jesus Christ? Have our friends, our neighbors, learned to call on God only in the midst of crisis or tragedy? And where does that leave us? Here we are in the days of Lent, trying to focus on what Jesus sees over the horizon, only to be distracted by those same friends, family, and neighbors who just simply do not understand, or choose not to hear, or really do not care at all about the story we would tell—given the opportunity.

Perhaps, therein lies the real quandary. Have any of us had the opportunity to share our story of faith with anyone in these days of Lent? Has God offered a shoulder, a listening ear, but we have turned away in embarrassment or timidness? Have we looked for opportunities to share our faith in word or in action with those we meet in these days of Lent? Where will this Lenten journey lead us? Where will God enter into our lives and offer an opportunity for us to live out our callings as the baptized? When the Holy Spirit calls and gathers…when the Word is heard…when the food is shared…when we are sent…where will we go? To whom?

May these days of Lent continue to move each of us into the world for the sake of the mission and ministry of God in Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord. Peace be with you.

~ Pastor Chris Marien

(This post was originally published in Ascension’s March 2016 newsletter).

Walk the Road of Lent

Ash Wednesday will be celebrated on February 10 at both 12 p.m. and 7 p.m. at Ascension. You are invited to gather with your brothers and sisters to worship God and be reminded that God cares about your whole life.

In Lent, we hear God’s promises in new ways…that EVERY end is a beginning; that EVERY night gives way to morning; that EVERY hurt can be healed; that EVERY broken moment can be redeemed; that EVERY life lost can be found; that EVERY cross carried can be given to Jesus; that EVERY prayer spoken is heard.

In my life, Lent is the ground on which I walk the journey of my faith. Sometimes the ground is hard and packed down. In other areas, the ground is dry and cracked. Still other roads are muddy and hard to navigate. And then in the season of Lent, I am blessed – as are you blessed – with soft and fertile ground ready and waiting for the new thing God promises to do in each of our lives…should we choose to be open to what God will do in us and through us. Will you choose to walk the road of Lent? Will you let your journey of faith lead you in a new direction at God’s invitation? The invitation has been made…God waits for each of us…will you come?

I wrote those words last year to share the wonder of God’s promise to be with us. The words were important enough to share with you again as the season of Lent arrives with Ash Wednesday.

After the four weeks of Advent that lead us to Christmas, the 40 days that make up the season of Lent, leading us to Easter, provide the most powerful witness to the events of Holy Week that call us to an empty tomb on Easter morning. God provides everything we need on our journey. You only need to hear God’s call and follow. I know that sounds easier than it is. Our journeys of faith are so often complicated by schedules, careers, children, parents, spouses, weather, and those life circumstances beyond our control. It is true. And then, it is not true.

Our individual journeys of faith are of God’s design. Not one of us travels the same road and yet our journeys provide moments of awareness of the other. I am reminded of the words of the song:

Will you let me be your servant? Let me be as Christ to you? Pray that I might have the grace to let you be my servant, too. We are pilgrims on a journey, we are trav’lers on the road. We are here to help each other walk the mile and bear the load.

Lent is our opportunity to travel the road together to help each other walk the mile and bear the load. You are invited to join us on this journey through Lent. Come and see the new thing God is doing. Peace be with you.

~ Pastor Chris Marien

(This post was originally published in Ascension’s February 2016 newsletter).

Joy in the Journey

Dear People of God,

There is joy in the journey of this life. It’s all about the journey. We always talk about journeys as if they are something we are trying to complete. We speak of extended vacation, the terminal illness, the marriages on the edge of divorce, the job we wish we could quit, the educational process, the committee meetings that seem to go nowhere, the life we live each day, and the report that needs to be finished yesterday. We live our lives hoping to complete our tasks a little early so that we might have a little free time over the weekend, or when we retire, or when spring break comes. And somehow, we end up behind again. We look for the easy way out and road most traveled. We look to any option that might help us finish a project sooner or relieve the suffering more quickly. Yet when it is all over, most of the time, we find that we had to travel the entire journey to get to where we most needed to go.

Holy Week is one of those journeys. One of those journeys that offers no easy solution and no quick release of the suffering and pain that will come in the days ahead. Jesus walks the road, measures each step on this journey, from the triumphant entry into Jerusalem to the pitiful, humiliating death on the cross. We walk this road too. Jesus helps us to measure our steps as well. We look to the joy of Easter morning as the end of the journey. We know that there will be pain, sadness, betrayal, and guilt along the way, but we have this feeling that somehow it has to be this way in order for us to conclude the journey at Easter, at the empty tomb.

Yet, we have to look past the empty tomb. For Jesus, and for us, the empty tomb of Easter morning is not the end of the journey, it is only a measured step. The empty tomb surprises us with joy on Easter morning. A light in a journey of darkness. Yet it is just a glimpse of the light that will flood all around us when we enter into the Kingdom of God.

The end of the journey is not Easter morning. The end of the journey is eternal life with Jesus in the Kingdom of God. Easter morning and the empty tomb only share with us a glimpse of the end of the journey. Yet, the end will not come until a place has been prepared for each of us.

Holy Week (Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, and Good Friday) helps to push our tired feet farther on the journey. When we enter into the gates of Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, we walk with our heads held high as our Savior is hailed as king and palm branches rise and fall in joyful praise of Jesus. Maundy Thursday brings us to an upper room away from the rest of the world, where we will eat with close friends, have our feet washed by our Savior, and go to pray with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Good Friday will take us to the highest levels of government as Pontius Pilate debates with Jesus and finally hands Jesus over to be crucified. We will stand at the cross, in darkness, and feel the tears on our face and hear the hammers as they pound the nails into the flesh of Jesus. We will stand in the shadows and feel helpless. We will wait, with the whole creation, for Jesus to breathe his last so that we can carry him to the tomb and prepare his body for burial ourselves. And we will wait and pray and hope for something miraculous to happen.

So do not look for the end of the journey, rather find joy in the journey. Find your joy in Jesus Christ, and, all of a sudden, the joy of the journey will be complete and the end of the journey will come too soon.

With prayers for your journey ~ Pastor Chris Marien