Worship:
Saturday 6 PM
Sunday 9 & 11 AM
This Week At Ascension
Called to create opportunities for all people to become devoted followers of Christ
July 31, 2022
Dear friends in Christ at Ascension,
Thank you for all your kind words and blessings as I transition to half-time work beginning Sept. 1st. I am thankful that I’ll still be able to be one of your pastors and to focus on pastoral care and senior adult ministries, while still helping the outstanding leadership of our Community Concerns Team and our Global Ministries Team.
This weekend our Gospel reading is Luke 12:13-21. Jesus challenges us with these words: “Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.” Instead, what does it mean to be “rich toward God” (vs. 21)? It sure helps when we worship together!
Appropriately along with that our adult class at 10:10am in Founders Hall will be about St. Francis and how his life and faith can help shape our walk with Christ.
In this newsletter you’ll see who we are praying for, and when the upcoming memorial services will be. Thank you for your care and prayers for these dear families.
I ask for your prayers for me as I lead my second-to-last Jubilee board meeting on Aug. 3. I’ll finish this board work in November after 12 years. Thank you for your support as a Jubilee congregation. Link to Jubilee
Some opportunities you’ll read about to be a blessing to others:
Support Fair Trade ministries; join a Women’s Bible Study; have a plastic free summer; be a Classroom Buddy; donate blood on Aug. 21; help with the Tuesday homeless ministry; be an offering counter; and give to the Lutheran World Relief personal care kits project. That’s all in this newsletter!
Blessed to be a blessing,
Fair Trade Here, Near & Far
We’ve looked over the calendar for the coming weeks and decided it is time to have a late summer Fair Trade product ordering opportunity. This can be your chance to re-stock the pantry, get some treats for late summer picnics & gatherings (Red Barn Family Farms cheddar cheese is a great picnic addition!) and maybe fill a package with chocolates and snacks to send with students leaving for college or starting new jobs and adventures.
We’ll be accepting orders until Friday, August 12 and hope to have items ready for pickup the following week. The July-August 2022 Fair Trade ordering form is accessible HERE. Paper copies will also be available in the Church Office and in the blue folder at the Information Desk in the Narthex. (Please do not leave payment with your order form).
Where is the Impact Fair Trade shop? You’ll be surprised. Click here to find out.
MEMORIAL SERVICES:
The service for Nancy Coffman will be Saturday, July 30, at 2 PM at Ascension
The service for Marty Spadaro will be Saturday, August 13, at 11 AM at Ascension
The service for Rev. Dr. Howie Wennes will be Sunday, August 14, at 1 PM at Ascension
Loving Jesus and Kids — It’s What We Do
Introducing the beautiful new graphic produced by Ascension Lutheran School. Teachers contributed their thoughts on what to include in a portrait of themselves and our school community. It all starts with loving Jesus and kids, kids, kids!
This Week In Adult Ed:
St. Francis of Assisi
Those attending our recent two classes on Michelangelo really enjoyed the video presentation by Bishop Robert Barron. So we will continue with two classes on St. Francis from the same series on July 31 and August 7.
Where Michelangelo lifted up the Kingdom virtue of beauty so well, in St. Francis we will see the Kingdom virtue of goodness.
There are many aspects of Francis’ life and teaching that can inspire our walk of faith in Jesus. Come, and let’s explore these together!
Pastor Steve will also share the artwork that is in his office of St. Francis, by John August Swanson.
Rev. Dr. Howie Wennes Memorial Service Signup and Chapel Opportunity
Those attending the Memorial Service and Reception Meal for Rev. Dr. Howie Wennes August 14 — please help us as we plan for seating and food by signing up via the signup genius link: HERE.
Walk to Emmaus Returns
The Walk to Emmaus, as a weekend to develop Christian Leaders, will be at Ascension for a second time this weekend.
The Channel Islands Emmaus was at Ascension in February of 2020. Like many ministries, this has been on hold for over two years.
We appreciate being at Ascension and look forward to how it blesses those who attend as we fill this place with prayer for 72 hours, from Thursday evening to Sunday evening. Emmaus is open to members of any Christian denomination.
Emmaus is for the development of Christian leaders who are members of a local church, a desire to strengthen their spiritual lives, may have unanswered questions about their faith, understand that being a Christian involves responsibility, and are willing to dedicate their everyday lives to God in an ongoing manner.
If you have questions about Emmaus, between the 9 am and 11 am services, there will be a few participants near the coffee table.
Again, thank you for allowing the Channel Islands Walk to Emmaus to be at Ascension this July.
Shalom,
Scott Searway
Ladies, We’re Back for a Two-Part Faith Lift!
Yes, Women’s Monday Morning Bible Study resumes Monday, Sept. 12, and we hope you will join us for what promises to be an exhilarating study on the book of Luke that will take us through Monday, May 8.
News flash: This year, we won’t be just in the morning—we’re offering an evening Zoom group for those for whom the evening works better.
There is much to learn from this gospel written by Luke. A gifted storyteller with a very readable style, Luke was a physician who traveled with Paul and gleaned first-hand stories of Jesus from the disciples.
“There are many things unique to Luke,” says Pastor Steve. Continue reading…
Tips for a Plastic Free Summer
Look for alternatives for plastic so that the oceans, lakes and rivers and ecosystems will be healthy and so will you!
Examples: Bring a reusable coffee cup or water bottle with you at all times. Avoid single-use plastics.
Use plastic-free toothbrushes, toothpaste and other types of cosmetics, etc.
Look for words in the ingredients that start with the letter P or Poly. Those are microplastics!
Swap liquid soap for bar soap and look for the P words!
Choose bulk or loose food or items in recycled paper.
You can make a big difference in someone’s life.
Did you know that with just one blood donation, you can help up to 3 hospital patients? Ascension Lutheran Church is sponsoring our Blood Drive on Sunday, August 21 from 8:00-12:30 in Founders Hall.
Please sign-up by calling Vitalant at 805-542-8500 or online HERE and use the blood drive code: 8522.
Thank you!
–From your Ascension Community Concerns Team
In Need Of Prayer
A ‘Monumental’ Mission Accomplished
Ascension’s Global Ministries Team says thank you to One Ascension and all VBS families for your contributions to this year’s offering.
The Global Ministry Team organized the Vacation Bible School Offering again this year. To go along with the theme “God’s Love is Monumental” and with images from the southwest, encouraging kids to form a “rock-solid faith for the road ahead,” we chose the Navajo Mission School in Arizona as the recipient of this year’s offerings, to build an awareness of the needs of other children and the value of water and conservation. A $10 donation went to purchase a reusable water bottle for a student at the school, with a goal to provide each of the 50 children with a water bottle.
We are pleased to say the goal was achieved and 50 water bottles will be sent to the school this week!
God’s love is indeed monumental!
Happy Anniversary
Congratulations to Jim and Ruth Neumann, celebrating their 58th wedding anniversary August 1 “with gratefulness to the Lord for blessing us all these years,” says Jim, “and gratefulness for our family.”
Backup needed
Our Community Concerns Team is looking for two more people to be the backup leaders for our once-a-month food ministry with Harbor House on the third Tuesday of each month. We thank Tania and Barry Disselhorst for leading this outstanding ministry for our community. For the times when they are not available to lead, we need this backup team of two people! Contact them, or our chairperson Chris Clark, or Pastor Steve. Thank you to all who prepared the delicious dinner for the Harbor House – Thousand Oaks ministry at Holy Trinity July 19!
Counter Wanted
Ascension needs one more person to help count our offerings. You’d be called on once every four or five or six weeks. For more information or to talk about the possibility of signing up, visit with Tom Fields or with Pastor Steve. This ministry has been a little easier now that we have so many people giving their offerings online. Thank you!
Our Prayer
We pray that you may once again meet the Risen Christ through the Word and Sacrament ministry, and through the fellowship of this family of faith.
If you do not have a church home, we would like to invite you to worship with our Ascension family again.
All people who are baptized and believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior are welcome to receive the Sacrament of Holy Communion.
May God bless you in your worship!
Pastors Tim Delkeskamp, Steve Herder, & Julie McCain
Don’t miss another TWAA
Pericopes
This Week:
Ecclesiastes 1:2, 12-14; 2:18-23
Psalm 49:1-12
Colossians 3:1-11
Luke 12:13-21
Next Week:
Genesis 15:1-6
Psalm 33:12-22 (22)
Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16
Luke 12:32-34
"Over the next few weeks, I invite you to hold space for your grief and memories. Beginning Monday, July 18, I welcome the Cal Lutheran community to visit the Wennes Interfaith Meditation Chapel. You will find Howie's morning prayer, favorite hymn, stole, and Spirit banner, and have opportunities to share fond memories, stories, or letters with his loved ones. We invite you to visit the Wennes Interfaith Meditation Chapel as you feel called.
