Welcome!

Welcome home! The first words Amy and Tamie and Pastor Edwin spoke when the bus arrived from O’Hare with our Tanzania mission team. A hug from my wife and a wet nosed welcome from our Golden Retriever Baxter in the church parking lot and almost everything was right with the world once again.

Of course, our original mission team was split into three separate groups – Pastor Tony had flown home earlier from Ethiopia once Bob was out of the hospital; the Wards were beginning to explore Ethiopia as they waited for clearance for Bob to fly; and the seven members who went on to Tanzania after our original layover in Ethiopia arrived back at Ascension. Not exactly what I expected to happen as we loaded the bus for Tanzania on Thursday, June 29th. I should not be surprised; God has a way of allowing our journeys to unfold without us knowing fully the road before us.

Tanzania was everything I expected and more. The incredible heartfelt welcome of our sisters and brothers at the airport, every church, each school – so much joy and wonder and a little healthy skepticism. I wonder about the questions that probably ran through the heads of the members of our partner churches and students at the schools:

Who are these people from America?
What do people at Ascension think or know about us?
What does that white guy keep saying up front during worship?
Why does the whole school stop what it is doing when these people arrive?
What do you do with that frisbee thing?

In my own mind, there were other questions I was asking:

How can every tea offered to us be so much food?
How can we eat lunch after worship when just had tea an hour before?
Will there be Chapati (my favorite Tanzanian food)?
Will Pastor Nathan remember to translate for me at the front of the church?
What does the home life look like for each of these students?
Where does this overwhelming spirit of joy flow from for our friends in Tanzania?

The stories will continue to be told of our mission team visit. The prayers and concern for Bob offered from Pastor Nathan and our sister churches. The joy of being together after five years of being apart. Remembering faces that we met in 2018; renewing friendships, relationships, and making new connections. Hearing the stories of appreciation and gratitude for food for our partner school students and the gift of clean water. Remembering the looks on the faces of students for the presentation of soccer balls. No frisbees next time – just soccer balls…lots more soccer balls. Celebrating stories of success told with pride and joy for students success and their commitment to a well-rounded education including taking care of their needs for care and support. Every time we visit the schools, I want to spend twice as much time not only listening to reports but actually talking to teachers, sitting in on classes, actually playing soccer with the students. Every visit is simply the hook that makes me want to return to spend more time with them. Every church visit is a powerful reminder of the promise of God’s love across language barriers and customs. How the hospitality of a smile and a handshake can change our whole world.

It is always a humbling experience to travel to our sister parishes and be reminded that we are wholly dependent on them for our care and well-being. Always do our sisters and brothers reach far beyond what is expected to take care of us. Pastor Nathan, Eludi (our sister parish committee chair) and the partnership committee are one of the most beautiful gifts of grace I have ever experienced. God’s grace often comes to us in unexpected ways in this life. I am grateful for these glimpses of grace when I least expect them.

May these last days of summer offer you moments of God’s grace through the gifts of family, friends, sisters and brothers in Christ, moments of worship, times of reflection and rest, and the presence of the One who is the way, the truth, and the life…Jesus, the Christ. Amen.

Peace be with you and I hope to see you in church. And if not – well – Sunday, Sept. 10 at 10 a.m. is our Welcome Home Sunday. One service for the whole church. We will look for you then to once again tell you, Welcome Home!

Pastor Chris

Tanzania and El Salvador Trips

Tanzania and El Salvador two folded flags together

The Tanzania/El Salvador Dinner & Auction was a success! Thank you to the many volunteers and donors who contributed to the fun-filled evening!

As we get closer to the delegation visits (both from El Savador and to Tanzania), there are a couple of things we could use.

  • A twin bed (including mattress) that is not overly difficult to move that could be used as a bed for one of our Salvadoran guests for just over a week. It will be in a smoke-free/ pet-free house. (Edwin and Sarah’s house)
  • Donations for Welcome Kits for the El Salvador delegates.

Activities to Welcome El Salvador Delegates

We’d love to have you join us as you are able!

  • Welcome Brunch: You’re invited to a potluck brunch at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, June 20, to welcome the El Salvador delegation to Ascension!
  • Potluck Picnic: June 24, 5 p.m. at Ascension. Let’s share our Wisconsin hospitality!
  • Worship at Ascension, Sunday, June 25 8:30 & 10am

Meet the Delegates from El Salvador

We are looking forward to hosting a group from our sister parishes in El Salvador at the end of June. We hope you are able to join us in some of the activities while they are here. Watch for more details as we get closer!

San Jorge Church / Iglesia Milagro de Dios (God’s Miracle Church)

  • Mayra Criselda Campos de Quintanilla: Mayra is the secretary of the church council for San Jorge Church. She works as a kindergarten teacher.
  • Claudia María Flores Menjívar: This is Claudia’s second visit to Ascension. She is the facilitator of San Jorge’s church council. Claudia is a school principal.

Usulután Church / Mi Buen Pastor (Good Shepherd Church)

  • Julio Cesar Chávez Aguilar: Pastor Julio is the pastor at Usulután Church, Llano El Coyol, and Puerta Parada Churches. Pastor Julio is the brother of Pastora Blanca from San Jorge church.
  • Pastor Rafael Menjivar on behalf of Bishop Gomez, who is too ill to travel.
  • Victoriano Amilcar Torres Ramirez: Amilcar is the president of the Usulután church council. He buys old homes and cars, repairs them and then resells them.

Meet the Delegates to Tanzania

  • Pastor Tony Acompanado: I have served here since 2014 first as the Director of Faith Formation and then, after completing seminary, I was ordained and called to serve here as one of the pastors. I preach and teach and love to stay involved with our youth. I especially enjoy using my gifts in pastoral care to help people find peace and joy in God while experiencing difficult times. I’ve traveled internationally for mission trips many times but this will be my first time going to Tanzania.
  • Jackie Bosanac: I am a lifelong member of Ascension. I was involved with the baby ministry, knitting afghans for baptisms but took a hiatus from it when my husband got sick. I want to start up again knitting soon. I work two days a week for my sister at her daycare in Mukwonago. I have two adult children whom blessed me with five grandchildren.
  • Dianne Frowein: Dianne has been a member of Ascension Lutheran Church for almost 20 years. She is married to Rick Frowein. Dianne and Rick have three grown children and two grandchildren. She has been a substitute teacher in the Waukesha School District for 20 years. Dianne moved to Waukesha, Wisconsin, 40 years ago from the Chicago area where she worked for the Bank of America. She is a member of the Waukesha Service Club where she has been a buyer in the Gift Shop at Waukesha Memorial Hospital for 11 years. She enjoys reading, golfing, boating and sewing.
  • Rick Frowein: Rick retired six years ago from GE Healthcare after working there for over 38 years. He has been married to his wife Dianne for 41 years. Rick enjoys traveling, home improvement projects, and outdoor activities (boating, golfing, and skiing). He has been a long time Board member of the local YMCA and currently serves as its Foundation Board president. He is also a Vice President on the Mt. Meru Coffee Project Board responsible for its weekly operations.
  • The Ward Family: Bob Ward was baptized and confirmed at Ascension. Additionally, Bob and Kim were married in 2003 and went on a honeymoon with complete strangers to Honduras on their first mission trip with Ascension. Bob has been an electrician for 28 years and currently works at Preferred Electric. He’s been known to volunteer his time with projects around church. He has three beautiful children, two of whom are going on this trip. In his limited free time, Bob enjoys working on home improvement projects, traveling, hiking, and cheering on the Packers, Bucks, Brewers, and his kids’ sports teams.
  • Kim Bingen-Ward has been a member at Ascension since approximately 2003. She fell in love with the contemporary service and enjoys listening to the Praise Band. The trip to Honduras was life-changing, and she still thinks of one of the girls that she instantly bonded with. Kim has been working with children with autism for nearly 28 years. In 2010, Kim opened up Autism Treatment for Children, a small clinic that provides behavioral therapy, with her close friend and business partner. In Kim’s also limited free time, she enjoys traveling, hiking, cuddling with her cats Midge and Gilmore, and supporting her three children in all of their extracurricular activities.
  • Zack Ward was baptized and confirmed at Ascension. He is currently finishing his sophomore year at Mukwonago High School and fingers crossed will maintain his 4.0 GPA. Zack works part-time at Metro Market in Mukwonago and has played high school and club volleyball and high school tennis. Zack loves playing video games with his brother who undoubtedly is his best friend.
  • Alina Ward was baptized and will be confirmed in October at Ascension. Alina is finishing up her eighth-grade year at Parkview Middle School in Mukwonago. Currently, Alina is studying for her finals in Algebra and Spanish in which she will receive high school credit as a middle schooler. Alina is involved in dance and volleyball. Her aspirations are to be a doctor or veterinarian. In Alina’s free time, she likes to hang out with her friends and her guinea pigs, Smore and Pepper.
  • Jeremy Poling: Jeremy is a drummer in the Praise Band at the late service. He is also a former council president. Jeremy traveled to El Salvador with Ascension on our most recent trip.
  • Sarah Wehmeier Aparicio: Sarah is a life-long Ascension member and coordinates our sister parish relationships in El Salvador and Tanzania. Sarah is a music teacher, currently at Summit View Arts Magnet School. In addition, Sarah is a part-time administrator in the church office and is the music leader for Spanish worship. When not at work, Sarah and her husband Edwin can be found supporting their daughters Marta and Luisa in one of their many activities.

Jump Into June

The gray days of May are out of the way. Hopefully! There were long stretches of days of gray in May that reminded me of weeks and months of gray days in Tacoma, WA while I was an undergrad at Pacific Lutheran University. I learned to appreciate the gray days while I waited for the few precious days when the sun would shine brightly across the campus. Gray days made it easier to study and write papers and be in class. On the days when the sun brought warmth to the campus, everyone moved outside to revel in the warmth of the sun’s rays.

Today, on the campus of Ascension, the sun is shining. It is beautiful. The leaves move just enough to tell us a breeze is blowing. The Memorial Gardens, flowerbeds, and butterfly garden are alive with blossoms and fresh, tender green leaves. As I type, I contemplate moving my laptop outside. I am grateful for countless hands with dirt under their fingernails that have tended our garden beds and renewed this house of God in spectacular ways as a sign of hope within the community of Waukesha. We give thanks to God for the countless hours that many of you have offered to bless this house of worship with grounds that give glory to God.

Although our regular ministry programming slows down in the summer months, it is always a good time to enjoy the gift of God’s creation. Our 10:45 a.m. service moves to 10 a.m. and is outside in the Memorial Gardens behind the church on the 1st and 3rd Sundays. The Praise Band provides the music and we still do all the things – music, prayer, children’s time, reading, sermon, and communion. It is BYOC (bring your own chair) and we will enjoy BBQ on the 1st Sunday of each month offered by AMEN (men’s ministry). You are invited to bring a side dish or dessert to share.

Friday, June 2, is the beginning of the Synod Assembly for the Greater Milwaukee Synod at the Italian Community Center in Milwaukee. Pastor Tony, Edwin, and I are hosting worship for the Synod once again this year. If you have free time from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. we would love to have your help setting-up the ballroom and preparing the worship space. We would also happily host you at lunch in the Third Ward … something to think about. You can send me an email if you are interested, pc@ascensionelca.org.

JOLT leaves for Adventure Camp in the Wisconsin Dells area on Sunday, June 11, around 2 p.m. for three days of adventure and “challenge by choice.” Your prayers are appreciated. June 11, we are also hosting the Rev. Roy Nelson from Hope Center to share with us the new plans for the remodel and move of the old Chase Bank location downtown into the new Hope Center. Plans are already in progress. Roy is excited too. He will present during worship and then in-between services to share the many layers of ministry addressing homelessness, hunger, and other challenges facing a number of men, women, and families in Waukesha.

We will also meet at 11:30 a.m. on June 11, for a congregational meeting to vote to call Edwin Aparicio as our third pastor here at Ascension. You must be present to vote. Assuming the vote is a yes, and Edwin says yes, there is a Service of Ordination tentatively scheduled for Sunday, June 25, at 3:30 p.m. with a dinner reception to follow. We will be hosting a delegation of friends from our partner churches in El Salvador during the week of the 19th of June all the way through the ordination. And before you know it, June 29 will arrive and 12 of our members will travel to Tanzania to renew our partnership with our sister churches – Samaria, Neema, and Galilaya in addition to our two elementary schools, one secondary school, rehab center, special needs school, and coffee project. We return on July 10. Watch the Facebook page updates and pictures, pictures, pictures.

And on a personal note, you have been so incredibly gracious and caring in receiving the news of my upcoming surgery. Thank you for your kind words and for your prayers before, during, and after. Ileen and I are grateful for your concern.

See you in church.

Pastor Chris