“Are you breathing?” Someone asked me a couple of Sundays ago. I confess, the summer has been a whirlwind of quick, gasping breaths and long, deep restorative moments of breathing as the days have flown by. When the last shout of “Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!” had been lifted, I looked to the summer schedule and thought to myself, “how did I let this happen?’ My wife would tell you that I loved every minute of it. Perhaps. But I did get a bit tired of living out of a suitcase and/or backpack a time or two. From Adventure Camp to Pastor Tony’s send-off to the CRASH mission trip to a youth gathering meeting to Tanzania to vacation to a concert at US Bank Stadium to experience the host building for the youth gathering to the visit of a college friend to the last final weeks of August to prepare for the Fall. The summer was fuller than usual.
In a moment of pure joy, our delegation to Tanzania, experienced the beautiful gift of hospitality and love of our siblings at our sister churches – Samaria, Neema, Galilaya, and Kijenge.
Fall at Ascension brings about the sights and sounds of a community alive and fully returning to routines and schedules around the school year. The sanctuaries fill in the rest of the way and the joyful noise of children praising the Lord come in every decibel. It is a time for invitations to friends and neighbors who might be looking for a spiritual home. The gift of talented musicians and livestreams and communion offered every Sunday in both English and Spanish languages offers so much to the community around us.
September at Ascension is pure joy and all life to the glory of God. Worship returns to our program year schedule on September 13th, with worship in English at 8:30 and 10:45 a.m. and worship in Spanish at 10:45 a.m. JAM, BLAST, JUMP, JOLT, and CRASH all return the week of September 13th. And if you are unsure of one or more of the acronyms for ministry among our children and junior and senior high school students – keep reading – all is explained later in this newsletter. What a gift it is to share in the leadership of this church as one of your pastors!
Claim your seat. Find your place to serve. Bring your worship to the sanctuaries of Ascension and let your voice join others to the glory of God. September is shaping up to be all that we would expect Ascension to be. We will gather in worship with choirs and bands and instruments tuned. Handbells will ring and children’s sermons will go too long (at least until Pastor Tony returns). We will serve God through organizations like the Waukesha Food Pantry, Healing Hearts, Family Promise. Ministries among our young people will relaunch with all of the energy and enthusiasm we expect to be on hand. If you need help finding your place in this ministry, ask a pastor – we will happily help connect you to a place to service to the glory of God.
Beyond the Bike: How We Found Our Place With Outreach for Hope
Our journey with Outreach for Hope (OFH) began with a simple, but profound conviction: we are all uniquely gifted by God, and we are built to serve!
When OFH was conceived by a group of Ascension members 19 years ago, we were attracted to its mission to raise funds to strengthen ministries in economically challenged areas of our synod. Unfortunately, at the time, we could not see a place to serve because it originally was only a fundraiser for bike riders. We were not bike riders.
God surprisingly handed us the opportunity to launch a tailor-made business. It was the perfect calling. It allowed us to move beyond simple sales and use our gifts to better people’s lives. We reminded ourselves each day our business work was “God’s work.” It was then we found a place to participate in OFH. We could use the financial resources of our business to become a corporate sponsor. Each year, we were thrilled to see our business doing God’s work!
The OFH leadership encouraged us to take a more active role in the fundraiser. It was then that we assumed the yearly volunteer duties responsible for registration check in. It was exciting to feel the energy of OFH firsthand each year at the annual fundraiser.
From there, our role with OFH continued to grow. Outside of the yearly fundraising event, we began working closely with OFH leadership throughout the year utilizing skills and talents we honed from running and growing our own business. It has been gratifying seeing the measurable impact we personally have had supporting OFH throughout the year as well as seeing the look of hope in the eyes of its benefactors. It is intoxicating!
Our prayer is for each of you to explore your talents and gifts and find a place where you might use those to contribute to the annual OFH ride run and walk fundraising event coming up Saturday, Sept. 26, hosted at the E.B. Shurts building here in Waukesha.
Stop in the narthex to see the sign and to consider participating as a walker, runner or rider. If you are not able to participate, there are multiple ways to volunteer and to contribute financially. Beth Hoffmann, or Steve or Carol Spieker will be happy to share the story of Outreach For Hope and help you find ways to participate or volunteer. To sign-up online for the fundraiser, whether to donate, volunteer, ride, run, or walk, visit the OFH website, ofhrrw.org.
Steve and Carol Spieker
Habitat for Humanity Invite
Join us for a community celebration at Domenica Park as we dedicate this vibrant new neighborhood and celebrate the transformation of a once-vacant city block into a place 20 families now call home.
The dedication of Domenica Park, 402 N. Greenfield Ave., Waukesha, is on Thursday, Aug. 20, 4 to 6 p.m. Habitat, with the help of volunteers and future homeowners, continues to make Waukesha a better place. This event is family-friendly and will include bounce houses and food trucks. Please park on any surrounding street (please note that the block of Ellis St in between Oakland and Greenfield will be blocked off). Dress is casual. Sign-up online at habitatwjr.org/events. For more information, call 262-729-3971, ext. 217.
Watch announcements for the date and location of Ascension’s next build day in early fall. Habitat is one of our community partners and we take a day each year to participate in some aspect of the construction. All levels of skill are welcome.
Safari Stories—A Night of Food and Fellowship
The word safari means “journey” in Swahili and our trip to Tanzania is a journey of faith, carrying us across the world to connect and grow as we walk alongside our sister parish, Samaria.
When our delegation returns from our trip to our sister parish in Tanzania, we will share the joy, faith, and hospitality we experienced with all of Ascension. Join us on Sunday, Aug. 23, at 5:30 p.m. for a special evening of fellowship, food, and story-sharing as we look back on our journey across the globe.Whether you’ve supported this partnership for years or are learning about our sister parish for the first time, all are welcome at the table. Bring a dish, bring a friend, and enjoy an evening of armchair travel!
El Salvador Travel Opportunities
While Ascension prepares to send a delegation to our sister parish in Tanzania, those feeling inspired to embark on their own journey of faith won’t have to wait long. In 2027, our congregation will have two unique opportunities to travel to our companion synod in El Salvador, connecting with brothers and sisters in Christ through solidarity, worship, and community.
The year begins with an invitation open to the entire Greater Milwaukee Synod for Discover El Salvador: A Journey of Faith and Solidarity, taking place from January 8 to 15, 2027. Designed as an overview of the highlights of the Salvadoran Lutheran Church and its vibrant culture, this delegation offers participants a chance to visit several sister parishes across the country while immersing themselves in local history, food, and culture. Travelers will be guided by two exceptional leaders: Tim Muth, a human rights lawyer who divides his time between El Salvador and Milwaukee and has chronicled Salvadoran life for over twenty years, and our very own Pastor Edwin.
Later in the year, as summer draws to a close in late July and early August, Ascension members will gather for a dedicated trip centered entirely on our ongoing partnership with Milagro de Dios in San Jorge. This trip focuses on spending meaningful time alongside the people of San Jorge, continuing to nurture the deep bonds of fellowship between our churches. To round out the experience, the group will also visit the National Church in San Salvador and take a couple of days to explore and enjoy the natural beauty and local sights of El Salvador together. After all, supporting the local economy is important too! Contact Pastor Edwin or Sarah Aparicio if you are interested in either experience.
Hope Center Green Power Garden Volunteers Needed
Help supply fresh, nutritious produce for guests at the Hope Center! If you enjoy working outside and getting your hands dirty, gardening for a cause is a wonderful way to serve our community. Volunteers of all skill levels, individuals, and small groups are welcome to come when you can and leave when you must. The garden is located at S53W24747 Glendale Road, Waukesha.
The Green Power Garden is an approved project of the UW-Extension Master Gardener Volunteers of Waukesha and Milwaukee Counties. For helpful gardening tips, visit hort.extension.wisc.edu.
