Church Together

And my internship is over!!! It seems like yesterday I started my eighteen month internship. During this period, I had the opportunity to learn new things in our multicultural context here at Ascension. I am grateful for the support with both the English ministry and Latino ministry; with the English community, for having opened their doors to me and listening to my preaching, and the Latino community for having been patient during my absences from worship services. These words sound as if this type of experience will not be repeated, but it is not like that, as you heard in my last sermon Pastor Chris told me that, “It was not my last preaching.” Sorry. You will have to continue to struggle listening to the Spanglish sermons.

Pastoral Intern Edwin Aparicio

I am sure that this post-intern period will bring new experiences in my journey of formation and discernment. Within these new experiences last month, I had the opportunity to attend a training for mission developers of the ELCA program REDIL Ecumenical Network for the Development of Latino Churches. The training consisted of bringing together leaders from all over the country to share their experiences with each other, and thus learn from each other.

One of the learnings that caught my attention was the way in which most of the missions are working. In all of the other congregations that were represented there that day, the Latino congregations were operating as separate congregations from the English-speaking congregations. From what I experienced that day, Ascension is pioneering a new type of bicultural ministry in a way that is unique in the ELCA. Most of our meeting time was spent talking about topics like collecting enough money in their offering to pay rent to the English-speaking congregations. Other churches talked about the lack of voice in the direction of their church, no representatives in council or otherwise.

After returning from this event, I began to work with the mariachi band Voces de America. They were so thrilled to be asked back to our event. They provide the music for a variety of Las Posadas events around the Milwaukee area and they told me that Ascension is their favorite due to the participation of so many people from the church. May we continue to be brave as we find new paths to being the body of Christ together.

Edwin Aparicio, Spanish Language Minister

The Beginning of the End

I started seminary knowing that I would be away from home for the first week of each semester for prolog week. My first year of seminary was also Tony’s last, so we were on campus together at the start of both semesters. The next year-and-a-half of prolog weeks were entirely virtual due to the pandemic, followed by an optional face to face in January of 2022. With the hours my wife was working and a difficult holiday season, I was happy for the opportunity to participate in prolog week from home. This September, it was time for me to go back to campus. It felt like it was my third prolog week and not my seventh one. In El Salvador, I commuted to and from university for my undergraduate degree. This was the first time in my life for me to go on to campus and stay there without anyone looking out for me. It felt like I was achieving a milestone in life, even if it was twenty years after most people in the US have that experience.

At the same time, it became very real that I was in my last year of school. In addition to the course work, a whole new list of papers and projects has been added to my plate as I work through the synod’s candidacy process to be approved as a potential candidate for a pastoral position. So if I seem a little jittery, no need to worry – it’s just a sign of too much coffee.

Coming to my final year also brings about the uncertainty of what happens next. My back has started to let me know that my years as a landscaper are coming to an end. What will my next chapter look like? I do not know. Is it back to school for a new career? I do not know. Does it mean moving? I do not know. Will there be enough opportunities here in the Milwaukee area? I do not know. What I know and I believe is God’s promise that he will always guide us on our journey in life, even when there are more questions than answers.

Although my anxiety is great, it does not compare to the anxiety that many of you and those around you are suffering. People of God, we all need to remember that God is dwelling and accompanying us through the work of the Holy Spirit.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Jeremiah 29:11

Edwin Aparicio, Pastoral Intern

A Month of New Learning

I am three months away from finishing my internship serving both the English and Spanish speaking communities at Ascension. There has been a lot of learning and a lot of experiences! Before beginning these 18 months of pastoral internship, I spoke with Pastor Tony and Pastor Chris about how important it was for me to have more participation in the ministry in English. Both pastors have shown me their collaboration and have opened spaces for me to gain confidence through practice.

July was a month filled with much learning — Family fun night, celebration of a quinceañera, serving in two services in English, covering for a Latino pastor from another church who was on vacation, preparing and officiating my first funeral in Spanish, and singing the Kyrie in English for the first time.

Family Fun Night: It was wonderful to see people from the English ministry and the Spanish ministry play together. What happened to the language barrier? Let me tell you that language was not a barrier. We all enjoyed and lived as one family.

Singing: Several months ago I had a conversation with Vicki Taylor. I told her that I wanted to learn to sing in English and Spanish. Even though the music director doesn’t know Spanish, she is doing her best teaching me once a week to sing the Kyrie in both languages. And as you have been able to see, this month I was finally able to achieve my goal of singing the Kyrie in both languages. I was far more nervous the first time I had to sing in Spanish. Hopefully you couldn’t see my knees shaking the first time!

Leading the services in English: Four months ago Pastor Tony told me: “Edwin, in July, I have a family vacation. I will not be in the church one weekend. I am going to find a pastor to come and officiate the services that Sunday, and you can help him in the 8:30 a.m. service.” My response was: “No Pastor Tony, I am in a learning process. This is a great opportunity for me. You do not need to find another pastor, I will officiate both services in English. And I will look for a substitute for the service in Spanish.” Well, let me tell you that the anxiety in me was present during both services, however God through the Holy Spirit helped me control the anxiety. I humbly admit that I need to improve to lead the service in English, but I know these first steps are part of a long journey of learning.

Substitute Pastor at Faith /Santa Fe in Milwaukee: For the first time I had the opportunity to lead a Latino Sunday service at a different congregation in the US. The congregation and I learned a lot. They had the opportunity to experience an Ascension-Waukesha style service incorporating a message for children, not just the adults. I learned that Sunday services do not start at the time they are scheduled; the service was scheduled at 12 p.m., but we finally started at 12:30 p.m. A little different compared to Waukesha! Here the service starts at 10 a.m. with people or without people; by the time of the children’s sermon, we usually have a full sanctuary. However, for me it is important to experience what the services of other Latino ministries of the synod are like.

Quinceañera: I had the opportunity to officiate a quinceañera celebration for a family at Faith / Santa Fe. In the meeting with the family for the preparations, it was agreed that the service would start at 3 p.m. with quinceañera or without quinceañera (the girl being celebrated). One day before the celebration, the musicians and the president of the council told me: “Let’s hope we start on time.” The wonderful thing was that we managed to start the service at 3 p.m. Both sides learned!

My first funeral: The Sunday that I was serving at Faith / Santa Fe, after the service, a family approached me to ask if I could officiate at their funeral service on Tuesday of that same week. I had originally been asked to cover for the Sunday service, then they added the quinceañera. No one had mentioned a funeral and now I had just one day to make plans. That Sunday afternoon I received the authorization from the bishop, and on Monday morning I had the meeting with the family to plan the service and for the burial.

July was a month full of many experiences inside and outside the community. As people of God, we just have to be attentive to every detail in our lives to see the new things that the Lord wants us to know.

I will instruct you and teach you the way to go, I will advise you and I will keep my eyes on you.

Psalm 32.8

Edwin Aparicio, Spanish Language Minister

A Time for Rest

My third year in seminary is over! I didn’t quit yet! When I started my first semester in 2019, I had the opportunity to talk to many students from different years. Some of them were in their third and fourth year, when I listened to them the only thing that came to mind was, when will I be in that place? Will I hold on to be there or will I throw in the towel? The surprising thing is that it’s been six semesters and I still have the towel in my hands.

It seems unbelievable, but I am just two semesters away from completing a journey full of much learning, service and challenges for me and my family. While I wait to start my final year, I want to enjoy the summer. The time to kick back and enjoy the outdoors has come, but so has the time to get back to work on landscaping. I intend to work as a landscaper Thursday-Friday and maybe some Saturdays if necessary. Sunday – Wednesday I will work in the church.

I know that my responsibilities at church will also change as Pastor Chris goes on his sabbatical. I am both excited and nervous about the opportunity to take a bigger role in the English-language ministries at Ascension over the summer. Ironically, one of things I need to do in my final year is to take part in a seminary approved cross-cultural opportunity. If only they could see the cross-cultural work I do at Ascension every day! Latino ministries are a blend of Salvadoran, Mexican, Columbia, Venezuelan and Puerto Rican cultures. My internship and now Pastor Chris’ sabbatical is a whole new level of cross-cultural experience in ministry.    

This summer, I will also read some theology books and plan some bible studies for the Latino Ministry. I will try to do these things without drinking large quantities of coffee the way I do during the school year. I will also continue to plan activities for our Spanish-speaking youth.

When reading this article and seeing all of my summer plans, you are probably wondering where my rest will be? It will be a challenge, but it is important for me to make time to spend with my wife and with my family.

Rest is important for all of us, not just pastors and seminarians or teachers and students. May the Holy Spirt watch over all of us this summer and help each and everyone of you to find time to enjoy time with friends and family.

Let us try, then, to enter into that rest, so that no one falls into such an example of disobedience. (Hebrews 4.11)

Edwin Aparicio, Pastoral Intern

Learning Together

Brothers and sisters, I knew my seminary journey would be difficult. I started down the path feeling unprepared for rigorous academic study in my second language. The first week of face to face class left me with a headache from the mental exhaustion of non-stop translation. As bad as that was, the next week things became even more difficult when I returned home and was learning via zoom. Half the class was in the room with the professors and the rest were distance learning as well. Things actually got a little easier during the pandemic when everyone was learning via zoom. 

Now that campus has re-opened, we are back to the difficult task of Zoom learning with half the class in the room. Due to safety protocols, the professors are all wearing facemasks. So now it is learning in a second language + learning via zoom + learning without being able to see the speaker’s face. Thank you, God, for Google Translate! It may not be perfect, but it makes things easier. Little by little my mental effort to translate is diminishing as my English becomes better.

As you know, I started my internship a few months ago. As part of the internship, I have to preach in Spanish and in English. In August, I had my first experience preaching in English. Honestly, I was very nervous; not because I had to be in front of all of you, but because I was afraid of not making myself understood because of my accent. The day before my first English sermon, I practiced for three hours. Thank you Susan Otto for your great patience. I know that all of you will also be patient with me in this process. Many of you had to make a mental effort trying to understand my preaching. And I thank you very much, but do not worry —   little by little that mental effort will diminish as we walk together on this journey. We are all learning in this process.

Edwin Aparicio, Spanish Language Minister