Season of Love

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16

In a world where injustice, hatred, discrimination, and division continue to cause pain and death among humanity, we, the children of light, are called to show to the world that our light provides us with hope, peace, joy, and love. Considering that we are entering the season of love, I want to take this opportunity to focus my article on that this month. As children of light, the practice of love is one of our qualities that tells the world who we are and how we identify ourselves to others.

The decorative season of Christmas, New Year’s, and Epiphany is now behind us. Now, we find ourselves in a time when we are reminded of the importance of practicing love. Stores are filled with decorations and items, and the barrage of advertisements on TV and social media is constant to remind us of the season and encourage our consumerism. In the Bible, the children of light are also reminded and called to practice love in their daily lives. Texts such as:

  • “When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.” Leviticus 19:33-34
  • “I have loved you with an everlasting love;I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.” Jeremiah 31:3
  • “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.” Leviticus 19:18
  • “Beloved, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” 1 John 4:7-8
  • “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35
  • “And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” Colossians 3:14
  • “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” Romans 12:10
  • “And walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” Ephesians 5:2
  • “This is the message you have heard from the beginning: that we should love one another.” John 3:11
  • “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” John 14:15

When I attended the Youth Gathering in New Orleans, I had the opportunity to get an Old Lutheran sweatshirt. Old Lutheran is a non-profit organization dedicated to strengthening, educating, and helping our brothers and sisters around the world. What caught my attention on the sweatshirt were the words: Love God. Love People. The End. We Christians are called to Love God, Love People. The practice of love is how we will counteract the darkness promoted among us. We, the children of light, are called to be the difference and a clear example of Jesus’ presence in the world. We, the children of light, are called to listen to our God revealed in the person of Jesus. If the world wants to tell us to hate, to discriminate and to oppress others, we the children of the light are called to follow what God commands us.

AMA DIOS. AMA GENTE. EL FIN —LOVE GOD. LOVE PEOPLE. THE END.

Pastor Edwin Aparicio

How Does Ascension Do It?

Last month I had the opportunity to visit El Salvador again to participate in an event called Encuentro. This event is held by the Salvadoran Lutheran Church every three years. It brings together representatives from all the local Salvadoran Lutheran churches and their sister churches from the United States and Europe for a week. During this time together, the churches share experiences, evaluate, and identify new ways of mutual collaboration to continue transforming lives and praying together for the needs of our communities.

The Encuentro program included a visit to local communities. Our sister church, El Milagro de Dios (The Miracle of God) in San Jorge, was chosen as the location where the other churches in the area met to present and explain the areas in which partnerships are working together. Two members and Pastor Blanca from our sister church, El Milagro de Dios, presented and explained the bakery project, a project supported by all the members of Ascension. The members involved in the project shared that the profits are distributed to the church, to pay for their work, and the remainder goes toward purchasing more ingredients to continue baking. Pastor Blanca thanked her sister church, Ascensión, for supporting this project and for continuing to walk alongside the families and the community in multiple ways.

After the bakery presentation, the principal of the school next to the church noticed a group of foreigners visiting El Milagro de Dios Church. Thinking it was a group from Ascensión visiting, the teacher didn’t want to miss the opportunity to thank the Ascensión community for their help in building a small storage room for the school. This school originated on the church grounds. Over the years, with the increase in students, the government decided to purchase land next to the church and build the school. However, the construction of a small storage room wasn’t part of the original plans, even though they knew it was necessary. The Ascension delegation that visited El Milagro de Dios in August donated an offering to the school to begin construction of a small storage room. The school has been able to build the walls and hopes to raise funds for the roof this year, 2026. The teacher sent greetings and wanted to give thanks to the people of Ascension for their support. 

During the same week, I had the opportunity to speak with a pastor from Germany. We shared experiences with the ministries we serve. She was impressed by what Ascension as a Christian community is doing. She even asked me, “How does Ascension do it?” In November, I also had the opportunity to attend a pastors’ retreat, and one of my fellow pastors asked me the same question: “How does Ascension do it?” My answer to everyone was simple: “All of this is possible only through the work God is doing through all the members. Ascension is what it is because we have a membership that keeps its eyes on the renewing and hopeful light offered to us in the manger.” This identity allowed us to be chosen as the multicultural church where the presiding bishop of the national church recorded his Christmas message in our building.

Brothers and sisters, in this holiday season, I wanted to share this experience I had in November. The light of the manger continues to shine in the lives of others through the Ascension community. In our last council meeting Pastor Christ mentioned that when it is time to create a picture video presentation, it is hard to add all pictures with all the things that we do as a community. My hope is that seasons of gathering with family and friends, may the light of peace, love, joy, and hope continue to guide our lives. May that light help us in our weariness, free us from the anxieties of our past and present. May that light continue to renew us spiritually as we continue to respond to God’s call. 

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” ~ John 8:2

May the Peace, Love, Joy and Hope be with you and your family. Merry Christmas! Feliz Navidad!

Pastor Edwin

Death Is Not the End

November has arrived, marking a time to remember our loved ones who have passed away and now rest in the eternal home prepared for them and for us. Early this month, we celebrate All Saints’ Sunday, which in the Latin American community is known as Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). This vibrant celebration, held on November 1st and 2nd, is when families honor their dead by preparing La Ofrenda.

La Ofrenda is a beautiful altar where we place photographs of our loved ones, along with their favorite foods, drinks, and candy. We also incorporated other objects that were meaningful to them. The signature flower used in the decoration is the Cempasúchil, or Flor de Muerto (Flower of the Dead). While this flower is iconic in many places, it’s worth noting that it isn’t universal; many countries in the region simply use a variety of flowers.

The way Día de los Muertos is celebrated varies significantly. In El Salvador, for example, the focus on November 2nd is centered on the cemetery. I remember preparing towels, water, paint, candles, and flowers to take with us. Many times, I accompanied my mother to the cemetery to wash and paint the graves of my grandparents and other relatives. The main celebration in El Salvador, and in many other Latin American countries, takes place almost entirely at the gravesite, with families dedicating their time to decorating their loved ones’ resting places. When I moved to the United States, I realized that in Mexico, the Día de los Muertos traditions span both the cemetery and the home. In addition to visiting the graves, families prepare a complete Ofrenda at home.

In our Latino ministry, La Ofrenda is essential. We create an altar and invite families to contribute photographs, objects, food, and flowers. As we read their names, we thank God for the life they lived on earth and for welcoming them into the place He promised. This is a faith rooted in the hope expressed in John 14:2: “My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?”

Last year, my wife, my daughters, and I decided to establish our own family tradition by creating an Ofrenda in our house every year. We incorporated the traditional Cempasúchil flowers, other types of flowers, leaves, and even a pumpkin. This blending of elements is a way to honor the cultures of Mexico, El Salvador, and the United States within our home.

Brothers and sisters, for me La Ofrenda with the photographs of our beloved ones is more than a tradition; it is also a tradition that helps us remember that death is not the end of our journey. Though the grief may be heavy at first, we believe that death is in fact, the glorious beginning of a new and eternal life. While we are thankful for this promise every day, it is essential to have a special moment to honor those who have gone ahead of us. Furthermore, this enduring tradition allows us to continue sharing and teaching our community the powerful message that Jesus has set us free and given us the gift of salvation.

Pastor Edwin

Changing Seasons

The season of summer’s long, relaxing days is coming to an end. The air itself is whispering a warning of what’s to come, as the light we enjoyed for so long begins its retreat. The rich, vibrant green of summer is already starting to fade, yielding to a breathtaking spectacle of golds, reds, and oranges.

At our house, we have a locust tree. And as you may know, locust trees are among the first to announce the seasonal change. Suddenly, our driveway and vehicles are blanketed in its falling leaves—a colorful, unavoidable signpost for the family. While the cleanup is certainly a chore, the sheer volume of those early-falling leaves makes a dramatic, undeniable statement: Autumn has arrived.

This transition, marked by the steadfast, almost impatient change in the locust, heralds the arrival of autumn, and with it, the looming presence of winter. Are you ready for winter?

I know I’m not. Many of us would rather just linger in the beauty of fall and then leap straight back to summer! Coming from a place like my home country, El Salvador, where we only navigate the rainy and dry seasons, the drama of these four distinct seasons can feel both wonderful and overwhelming. Wouldn’t it be lovely to just have endless autumns and summers? I’m sure many of you would agree. But the simple reality is that ready or not, these transitions are approaching and are an inescapable part of our lives. This constant flux—from the glory of autumn to the chill of winter—actually holds a profound lesson about our earthly journey.

Just as we observe and experience the transitions of the seasons in nature, this same pattern unfolds in our lives. We enjoy periods of growth, abundance, stunning landscapes, joy, peace, and love. Yet, there are also unexpected and difficult moments—seasons we must navigate even when we feel utterly unprepared. Transitions like starting a new job, a difficult diagnosis, the loss of a loved one, or sudden uncertainty don’t wait for our permission. They arrive unannounced, demanding a change in our reality.

The wonderful, anchoring news is this: God is present in the midst of all these seasons of our earthly life.

He is present in the fresh blooms of spring, the lush green landscape of summer, the stunning beauty of autumn’s colors, and the serene, white silence that covers the earth in winter.

Crucially, God is also with us in seasons of joy and sadness, in moments of peace and turbulence, in times of certainty and overwhelming doubt.

This is the promise we stand on, spoken in Isaiah 41:10:

Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.

Brothers and sisters, we are called to place all our trust in the One who created and governs the seasons. Let us remember that we follow a God who will not let us down. A God who is with us every single day until the end of time. When difficult times befall us, we have a faithful God in whom we find strength, comfort, love, peace, and, above all, unwavering hope. He accompanies us every step of the way, through every single season of our earthly journey.

As the leaves fall, what one unchangeable truth about God will you hold onto this season?

Pastor Edwin

Matthew 25

“When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.” (Leviticus 19:33-34)

This month it was very difficult to narrow down which verses to use for my article because in the Bible, God constantly calls us throughout all generations to practice love and hospitality toward immigrants. We follow a savior that began his life as an undocumented immigrant as the Christmas story ends with Mary and Joseph fleeing to Egypt to protect Jesus. The command to care for the immigrant is one of most written about topics in the Bible, so I had literally pages of Bible verses to choose from.

Many member and non-member families come to Ascension for help. They know that Ascension is a faith community that welcomes, supports, walks with, and identifies in many ways with immigrants. One of those identifications was experienced last month when we celebrated Pupusa Fest. The cold weather and wind were no obstacle. Many visitors came to buy pupusas and see the facilities. Many were surprised to see that we have two sanctuaries and were impressed to learn that worship is held at the same time.

Sadly, three days after the festival, just as I was waking up, I received a call that ICE was arresting a member of our ministry who is of Salvadoran origin. I immediately went to his home to accompany the family and, above all, prevent intimidation. When I arrived, the officers had already entered the apartment without a warrant and were preparing to take our member away. Ultimately, our member had the luck that many immigrants don’t have. He was temporarily freed and released under surveillance. You can imagine the pain felt by many in our community. In a three day period, Salvadoran food was celebrated by the same city that cheered the suffering inflicted on a Salvadoran father who just wanted to keep his family safe.

Many immigrants do not believe those who say they welcome immigrants who come here as long as they do so legally. We see that the people who pledge to support only legal immigrants are the same people who also oppose immigration reform that would allow us to be here fully documented. We watch immigrants that are going through the process to be here legally getting deported when they show up for their appointments at immigration offices. A person can not truthfully say they support legal immigrants if they also prevent the possibility of legal migration.

I have the advantage that other immigrant pastors don’t have in this journey of persecution and intimidation. I am very grateful that Pastor Tony and Pastor Chris are walking hand in hand with me, supporting and spiritually assisting immigrant families as we fulfill Jesus’s calling. I know that there are some of you reading this article that are unhappy with me. I want to remind you of what Jesus tells us in Matthew 25.

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

If Matthew 25 is not enough, Jesus also tells us in John 13, “A new command I give you: “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” If my words bother you, I can not say sorry, because that would be rejecting Jesus’s message. As a pastor and a Christian, I will never apologize for doing what Jesus commands us to do, even if God’s word makes some church members unhappy. What I will do is pray for you. I humbly ask you all to pray for all immigrant families and for your pastors as we continue walking in this journey.

May the peace of Christ be with you all,

Pastor Edwin

The Gift of Resurrection

In March, I preached in Spanish on the Gospel of Luke (13:6-9). These verses tell the story of the fig tree that bears no fruit. The landowner had planted a fig tree in his vineyard, and when the supposed harvest time arrived, he arrived at the land and realized the plants hadn’t produced any fruit. The landowner had confidence and hope that the plants would produce good fruit, but when he arrived at the land, he realized the plants on their branches didn’t have the fruit he expected.

This story made me think about these questions: What kind of fruit did the landowner expect? What caused the plants not to produce fruit? Could a pest have arrived and contaminated the plants? Were the roots weak? Could an intruder have arrived and stolen the fruit? What happened?

The wonderful thing about this story is the appearance of a gardener who pleaded for the plants and promised to take care of them. The gardener will not leave the plant’s salvation to chance. The gardener will do everything possible to remove the bad soil. The gardener will ensure that the plant receives the necessary water and fertilizer to strengthen its roots. The gardener’s intervention is what made the plants’ salvation possible.

During Holy Week, we hear, experience, and reflect on the work, agony, death, and gift of resurrection we received from this merciful, compassionate gardener who intervened, intervenes, and will continue to intervene for all of us. John 3:17 says, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.” This gardener not only came to save us but has also provided us with the tools we need to bear fruit in our lives. In John 6:35, our gardener tells us, “Whoever drinks of the water I give him will never thirst. The water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

The gardener completed his mission and has given us the gift of eternal life. In Matthew 17:23, Jesus says, “The Son of Man will be handed over to the powers of this world, and they will kill him, but on the third day he will rise again.” On Sunday morning, a group of women went to the tomb and found it empty. The fulfillment of the promise of the resurrection had arrived. “He is not there, He has risen, hallelujah!

Sisters and brothers, the gardener has brought us and given us a new way of seeing life. Even if some powers of this world harm us, intimidate us, persecute us, humiliate us, make us sick, increase our anxiety, that is not the end. Now we live in the sure hope of the resurrection. Death no longer has power over us, not because of what I do, but because of what the gardener has done for us!

Happy season of resurrection!

Pastor Edwin 

El Salvador Reflections

Last month, I traveled to El Salvador along with two other Ascension members, Jeremy Poling and Doug Paczesny, for the installation of the new Salvadoran Bishop but also to follow up on the initiative on the implementation of the cacao project with our partnership.

While we were at the tables of our Salvadoran brothers and sisters, a phrase I read in a book came to mind: “At the table of life, we sit side by side with our neighbors, with friends old and new.” That is what I believe Ascension has accomplished with the partnership with the churches in the eastern part of El Salvador. Through these past fifteen years we have been walking and learning from each other. As a result of this journey together, we have seen an opportunity that could continue to strengthen our partnership.

In recent years, projects have been implemented in El Salvador to promote the planting of cacao. Currently, the cacao grown in Salvadoran lands is considered one of the best cacaos in the world. It has been recognized and won awards at an international level. Our delegations that have visited El Salvador in recent years have visited cacao projects with friends from our sister parishes and we have all seen in cacao a great opportunity to possibly embark on a new journey together with our partnership.

Cacao tree

Ascension has hired the services of a cacao professional that we met when we were working with Lutheran World Relief. He is conducting research to determine whether the soil conditions are appropriate for planting cacao or not. In our recent visit Jeremy, Doug and I helped with the research on some of the members’ lands. The research will also include thirty acres of land owned by the Salvadoran Lutheran Church outside of San Salvador. Jeremy, Doug and I met with the new Salvadoran bishop and the new synod council. They are excited about this initiative. At the end of February, we will have the results of the study. It is our dream to someday have a chocolate project that follows the model set by the coffee project.

In one of the conversations I had with the cacao professional, he asked me: Pastor Edwin, could you tell me the history of the Lutheran church? How did you get here to San Jorge? And why do you want to do this with this community? After a few minutes of evangelizing to him, he said this, “So supporting this type of project is the result of a long walk and learning together, it is not something that will be done in a few years.” My response was, yes you are correct. The only way to get to know each other better is through walking, learning and visiting each other. 

Brothers and sisters, I want to share my experience from my recent visit to El Salvador to let you know how Ascension is continuing to renew the word that God is already doing through our partnership Milagro de Dios in San Jorge. As we continue this ongoing journey of walking together with our outside and local partnership, let us continue to allow the Holy Spirit to renew us, guide us and enlighten us in the continued proclamation of the Gospel. “I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people.” Leviticus 26.12

Pastor Edwin Aparicio

Pastor Edwin: Mountaintops and Valleys

The month of June will mark the one year anniversary of my ordination and installation. It seems like it was a few months ago when you all said yes to calling a third pastor to your ministry. Thank you so much! Many things have happened during this first year as an ordained pastor. If you ask me to reflect on this first anniversary, let me tell you that it has been like a roller coaster! And this is life, right? Many of you have also experienced moments of happiness, sadness, difficult times and good times in your lives. I know my experience is not unique to me.

I felt like I was at the top of the mountain on June 25, 2023 at my ordination and installation, but I also felt like I was at the bottom of the mountain a few weeks later when my family and I met at the hospital to say goodbye to my dad. Only a few weeks had passed since my ordination and now I had to perform my father’s funeral here and burial in El Salvador.

I was initially worried that the new part of my position, high school ministry, would be a low for a year or two as the students acclimated to a new pastor in that role. I am happy to share that I was wrong! It has been a fantastic year filled with moments of fun, community service, worship, and Bible study. Our final gathering of the year was a moment of healing for me coming on the heel of another tragedy.

A high moment for me this year when I accompanied Noé to the hospital to celebrate and give thanks to God for taking care of his wife during the birth of their baby, Melanie. Again, I descended to the bottom a couple of hours later when I had to accompany Elizabeth, Noé’s wife, to identify her husband’s body, and accompany her to their house to share the news with the children that their father had passed away.

Brothers and sisters, on this earthly journey we will continue to experience high moments, but situations will also appear in which we will feel that we are at the bottom of the mountain. The apostle Paul in his letter to Romans 8:35 says, “ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” Jewish and Gentile Christians in Rome were going through conflictive times between them. Paul, in his desire to achieve peace and unity, wrote these words to them to strengthen and motivate them so that tribulations, danger and anguish would not separate them from the love of God.

God is always with us! As we walk and enjoy the beauty of flowers, forests, beautiful landscapes and family time this summer 2024, let us remember that there is a God who is always near us with his steadfast love when we are on top of the mountain “The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; He will save, He will rejoice over thee with joy; He will rest in His love, He will joy over thee with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17. We also have a God that is with us when feel that we are at the bottom of the valley: “You change my tears into dance; you take away my sadness and surround me with joy.” (Psalm 30:11)

Pastor Edwin

A Multicultural Flock

Last month I had the opportunity to talk with two Latino Lutheran pastors. One of them serves here in the midwest and the other pastor serves in El Salvador. They both wanted to share the experiences of their local ministries and to learn about the work we are doing as a multicultural community of faith here at Ascension, Waukesha.

The pastor here in the United States shared her experience. And let me tell you, her experience is completely different from mine and her story is very sad. A community of English-speaking people decided to open the doors to a Latino ministry. For many years within the building, God was worshiped in two languages, but separately. The Latino ministry was recognized as part of the church, but in reality, the Latino ministry was seen as an outside organization. The Spanish-speaking members of the church did not have the right to vote, nor to have representation in the council. There were never any bilingual worship services or multicultural events.

When I have the opportunity to share the multicultural story of Ascension, I refrain from telling my story because it is not my story. It is the story of how Ascension has embraced the new arrivals. How Ascension has walked through these years in a multicultural environment. How in Ascension there is no separation of sheep. We are one flock that listens to what the good shepherd tells us to continue walking and rising together. When I finished sharing the story of Ascension with the pastor, the pastor said, “Everything Ascension has done, we didn’t do it. Ascension is a great example for everyone else.”

The Salvadoran pastor visited Milwaukee at the end of April. I had the opportunity to spend a day with him. He accompanied me to SOPHIA’s event and he was present at Kathy Hahn’s funeral and burial. He saw the Latino ministry sanctuary. It was the day before the Sunday of the Good Shepherd, he also heard the story of how Ascension has walked as a flock, with sheep that share, walk, work and enjoy together in an environment filled with many multicultural traditions. All the things we do as a church caught his attention, but there were two things that he believes he has in mind to put into practice in his community in El Salvador. The first is the garden of ashes; he is a pastor who advocates for the care of the environment and fights for community rights. He believes the Salvadoran Lutheran church should have a memorial garden to carry out the burial of ashes. The second was the alfombras. In Central America, this is a Holy Week tradition that takes place in the streets of the city. He said that there is no church in all of Latin America that puts alfombras inside the sanctuary. He believes that Ascension is the first church to do so in history. He said that he will take that idea to his community in El Salvador to see if it is possible to realize it using the same teaching that we use in Ascension. Holy Week does not end on Good Friday, there is resurrection! Christ is risen! Hallelujah!

These two stories are not the only ones. Last month, I also spoke with other Latino ministry leaders and English-speaking people with partnerships in El Salvador from other churches who would like to make alfombras in their communities.

Brothers and sisters, all these things that have happened, are happening and will continue to happen in our community of faith, are possible only through the work that God is already doing in the hearts of this flock called Ascension. Let the Good Shepherd continue to guide us in caring for this multicultural flock that has been entrusted to us, sharing our experiences and the story of love, joy, hope, peace and faith with other sheep outside our walls and even outside our borders.

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

(Ephesians 4.2-6)

Pastor Edwin