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

September 4, 2022

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Grace and peace to you my Ascension family!

Some of Jesus’ sayings seem harsh to us, and the text for this Sunday (Luke 14:25-33) is a case in point.

While we would often settle for a sweet Jesus who always comforts and never challenges and who acts with decorum and never tips over tables, the fact of the matter is that Jesus will always tell us the truth, even when it might upset us.

I am looking forward to sharing this text with you in our services this weekend, for I am convinced that this is yet another example of how intensely Jesus loves each of us and how he will stop at nothing to have us home again with our heavenly Father.

See you in church!

Pastor Paul

Rally Sunday—it’s ON!

This year, our Rally Sunday celebration will be September 11. There will be one worship service, at 10 AM, with Blessing of Teachers and Backpacks. Then it will be on to a celebration with food, music, games and lots of fun!

Last year’s Rally Sunday was one of the most popular events of the year! We thank everyone who turned out, especially our crew of mighty volunteers — from setting up to running games to helping with the tear down afterwards. And, no surprise, we will need volunteers again, the day before and the day of the event. Can you lend a hand?

We need help with set-up (8:30-9:30), and also during the fun (11-1), and with clean-up (1-1:30). Plus: Cakes, Cookies, cupcakes or other treats. It’s for a cake walk, so please make sure your items are packaged in a transportable way!

Contact

Adult Ed Preview this Sunday at 10 in Founders

Please join our Adult Ed Team, Carol Bartell, Deb Papageorge and Pastor Tim as they provide a preview of the upcoming semester of Adult Education. We will provide the schedule, refreshments and would love to have your input on our plans. Please grab some coffee and join us in Founders Hall at 10:10. See you there.

Baptisms

Vaughn Knox Sharpe 11-11-2019

Brynn Belle Sharpe 2-24-2022

Parents:

Sean & Ingrid Sharpe

Grandparents: Neil & Connie Reimer

Save the Date

September 25

10:10 AM

In Need Of Prayer

Click Here For The Ascension Prayer List

As I mentioned in our worship services last weekend and in anticipation of our upcoming sermon series entitled Worship at Ascension: Get the Blessing, Be the Blessing, if you haven’t already completed our survey, could you please click on this link and fill it out? It should take about 10 minutes or so of your time. We would like to have the results compiled by September 8. The information that you give us will help in Ascension’s goal of making our worship even more excellent. Thank you so much and God bless you.

In Christ,

elca With Pastor Mytch Dorvilier, now ELCA missionary in Senegal.

elca becoming conference group

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ELCA Becoming Conference

August 21-28, 2022

Pastor Howie Wennes’ guiding words – “Make Room For The Spirit” – flourished last week in Chicago at the ELCA’s Becoming Conference. The conference center was filled with the Spirit and filled with the buzz of excited greetings and conversations in languages from around the globe, too! CONTINUE READING…

Community Vigil for

Mark and Jacob Iskander

September 29, 4-6 PM, Three Springs Park

Click HERE for details.

Upcoming Sunday School Schedule:

Sept 4: No Sunday School, Labor Day

Sept. 11: No Sunday School, but join us for Rally Day!

Sept. 18: Re-Launch of Hands-on Sunday School

Register by clicking HERE

Check out the display at Rally Day to see what experiment we’ll be doing at our Re-launch on the 18th!

Children, Youth, & Family Career Opportunties

CYF Administrative Position

CYF Program Leader

Saying ‘Welcome’ The Fair Trade Way!

For the past few years, in partnership with Ascension’s Global Ministries Team, we’ve been welcoming new members to Ascension with a little gift packet of Fair Trade mini-chocolates & tea. This spring, we welcomed Ascension’s Confirmands with Fair Trade chocolate packets.

As a fun back-to-school welcome, we recently shared Fair Trade packets with parents and staff of Ascension’s Early Childhood Center and Ascension’s School. Fair Trade welcome packets travel well — some traveled with us to a very special ELCA Service & Justice gathering in Chicago and we were very happy to be able to share a Fair Trade welcome with some congregational and staff leaders. Thank You to Ascension’s Global Ministries Team, Early Childhood Center, School, and ELCA partners for the opportunity to say & share “Welcome” the Fair Trade way!

Maybe you would like to share Fair Trade welcome greetings with others? We can put together some welcome packets for you to give to others. Contact us at for more information about Fair Trade welcome packets.

Be sure to mark your calendars for the Outdoor Fair Trade Gift Fair to be held on Sunday, October 9th from 10 AM – 1 PM in the Ascension Parking Lot. Everyone is Invited!

There will be vendors with Fair Trade wearables & shareables along with Ascension’s Fair Trade Ministry tables filled with wonderful things to eat and drink. More details to follow. We look forward to welcoming many to Ascension that day to join us for worship inside and celebrating Fair Trade outside. For more information and/or to volunteer, send us a note (you can find us at ).

Let’s Be “Fair” Out There!

Grace and Mental Health- A support group

We are starting a support group for people who have been impacted by mental health issues in their families. The group will be based on the acclaimed book: Grace for the Afflicted and led by Ascension member Taty Valladares.

The group will begin in late September or early October. We are considering two possible times: Saturdays at 3pm and Tuesdays at 7:15pm. If you are interested, please contact Taty at or call 818 378 7205.

Minor Maintenance Ministries – a New Approach to an Old Favorite

Chances are you remember Minor Maintenance Ministries. 3M, as it is also known, was set up to connect volunteers with seniors who need help with small tasks that are sometimes difficult for them. We’re working to revive 3M and looking for volunteers to make it happen. Remember, these are minor jobs – sizes and times to fit any volunteer. In fact, have a look at the volunteer form task list and see for yourself! There will be a 3M Ministries table on the patio Sept. 11, Rally Day, with signup forms. We hope to see you there! If you have questions, contact Beverly David at (805) 428-5144.

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

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Pericopes

This Week:

Deuteronomy 30:15-20

Psalm 1

Philemon 1-21

Luke 14:25-33

Next Week:

Isaiah 55: 1-5

Luke 19:1-10

Psalm 100

Best Practices for Submitting Your Newsletter Stories CLICK HERE

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IN NEED OF PRAYER

A name is added to this list only with the permission of the person or the person's family

Link to printable prayer page

PRAYERS OF HEALING FOR:

Vicki Brenner, daughter of Skip Brenner, for successful surgery, guidance for her doctors in planning treatment, and complete healing of her liver cancer

Becky Halvorson, for smooth and effective chemotherapy, and complete healing from cancer

Judy Marshall, who has been back in the hospital with shortness of breath and edema, for effective treatment

Tomoko Mueller, for smooth and complete recovery from hip surgery

CONTINUING PRAYERS FOR:

Lara Abounayan

Kyle Ayers

Kim Bach

Alan Baker

Karen Barrows

Maria Bartush

The Bauer Family

Addie Behm

Gloria Benfatto

Carl Bohning

Debi Bing

Skip Brenner

John Burgert

Mary Cartrett

Homer Caston

Dominic Cavaliere

Beverly Clark

Linnea Cortlang

Linda Crabill

Carole Curran

Lilly Curran

Margo Dameron

Andrea Delkeskamp

Carl Dietrich

Jim Downs

John Ernst

Becky and Al France

Terry Gillette

Malia Hassenbein

Brenda Heinrich

Jeanne Hengst,

Bob Herder

Lori Hillman

Penny Hunter

Marilyn Johnson

Micky Johnson

Bob Kielhorn

Scott Klipp

Barbara Krum

Valerie Krum

Tania Lane

Jim Lawson

Dr. Allen Leland

Beth Lugo

Judy Marshall

Sue May

Colleen McCarthy

Sandi Meyer

Shirley Meyer

Verlon Meyer

Jacob Miller

Alyssa Mueller

Bill Munn

Angela Naginey

Tawne Newcome

Paul and Betty Olson

Carol O’Gorman

Orlando Orozco

Brandt Stephen Oschner

Julianne Ota

Dane Pederson

Cherie Pelton

Ashley Peyton

Laurie Peyton

Lois Phillips

Mike Ricci

Marilyn Ripley

Dave Rosinbum

Marilyn Rud

Dick Ruwe

Terry Saldin

Debbie Saunier

Dorothy Scholz

Barb Schornstein

Arnold Schwarz

Margaret Skinner

Jerry Smith

Sydney Squires

Dan Thiel

Jan Timmons

Taty Valladares

Todd Wallace

PRAYERS FOR SAFEKEEPING:

Connor Braaten, USMC

Scott Clark, U.S. Navy

LCpL. Alexander Daley

Cody Davidson, US Army

Tim David, US Army

Jack Ingles, USMC

ET1 Patrick Maccarone, USN

Jake Marshall, USMC

Scott Mochatel, USCG

LCJG Caroline Truesdell, USCG

Prayers For Our Congregations In The ELCA, Southwest Synod

ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton and staff

SWCA Synod Bishop Brenda Bos and staff

Our Channel Islands Conference:

New Hope, Agoura Hills

Mt. Cross, Camarillo

Christ, Goleta

King of Glory, Newbury Park

Holy Cross, Ojai

Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer, Oxnard

Our Savior’s, Oxnard

Trinity, Santa Barbara

Emanuel, Santa Paula

Shepherd of the Valley, Simi Valley

Holy Trinity, Thousand Oaks

Trinity, Ventura

(To learn more, ask one of the pastors)

PRAYER OF PEACE:

For Ukraine, and help for all those who are suffering, grieving, or displaced, because of the evils of war.

PRAYER FOCUS:

For those suffering the effects of flooding in Pakistan and Mississippi, wildfires in Castaic and other locations, and extreme drought in regions throughout the world

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ELCA Becoming Conference

August 21-28, 2022

CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE

Several hundred gathered from around the world to listen, learn, share, inspire and connect communities through service and justice, for transformation into the way of Jesus.

The days were filled with dynamic worship, greeting friends and making new friends, and lifting up the ELCA's Service and Justice Ministries through the Building Resilient Communities focus. The Building Resilient Communities focus brings together local and global, World Hunger, Disaster Response and Global Mission, to accompany ministries, synods, congregations and partners around the world. Their aims: to meet human needs, enhance human dignity, overturn oppression and injustice and engage collaboratively in support of sustainable community and creation -- transformation in the way of Jesus.

The ELCA's World Hunger Ministry celebrated the distribution of grants and receipt of gifts, including the generous gifts given to grow the Mary and Howie Wennes ELCA Hunger Leaders Endowment Fund.

Pastor Steve, Eloise Cohen and Carol Bjelland were blessed to be able to participate as representatives of our Ascension Community in the ELCA's Most Generous Congregations Network Gathering (part of the Becoming Conference). The highlight of the conference for us from Ascension was the opportunity to meet, listen to, and learn from 15 Global Mission personnel (including Pastor Themba, via Zoom), and six International Women Leaders (IWL), students (including Naomi, studying at CLU) who participated in panel discussions with the Most Generous Congregations Network Gathering group.

We met Pastor Christie Manisto and Steven Saari who serve at St. Andrew's in Cairo, Egypt with the StARS Ministry, and learned more about their work helping meet the health, education and hunger needs of refugees, including unaccompanied minor children. We look forward to lifting up the StARS Ministry in Cairo as the international focus for Gifts of Hope this year.

We met Pastor Kristin Engstrom (now serving in Zambia) and Pastor Wal Reat (now serving refugees in South Sudan) and learned more about their work, including some of the special ways they connect with the communities they serve. Pastor Kristin and Pastor Reat are the global mission personnel focus for Ascension for this year.

Pastor Steve asked many of the Global Mission personnel to share their prayer focus with us so that our Ascension Community can pray for them and their specific needs in the coming days and months. Opportunities to meet in person are limited. Opportunities to pray together are boundless.

There is much, much more to share. More information from the Becoming Conference, including updates from ELCA World Hunger, Disaster Response, and Global Mission personnel, will be shared in the coming weeks and posted to Ascension's Global Ministries webpage: https://alcto.org/global/

Pastor Steve, Eloise and Carol are happy to share more information with you, too.

See photos below.

In case you missed them, Pastor Steve reported on the conference as it was taking place on Facebook. Here are exerpts:

Morning worship song at the ELCA Becoming conference in Chicago. We worshipped with over 100 of our missionaries from around the world, and our ELCA World Hunger leaders. https://fb.watch/feputFLHvB/

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Yesterday at the ELCA Becoming conference in Chicago, we learned about the ministry of Pastor Kristin Engstrom, our missionary in Zambia.

Listen to how she led a women’s Bible study, among other stories.

Keep her and the church in Zambia in your prayers. https://fb.watch/fepIIXMoH-/

Her Instagram: laviedesprit

Her blog:

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elca group ps engstrom etc

elca With Pastor Mytch Dorvilier, now ELCA missionary in Senegal.

ELCA Becoming conference pastor steve, missionary, carol bjelland, eloise cohen

elca becoming conference group

ELCA Becoming conference music photo by pastor steve

elca becoming conference eloise cohen, bishop eaton, carol bjelland

elca becoming conference directory

elca becoming conference bishop

ELCA becoming conference room

elca becoming banners

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Attendance

All three weekend services

July 2-3

In Person: 170

Online: 134

June 25-26

In Person: 142

Online: 129

June 12-19

In Person: 198

Online: 121

June 5-12

In Person: 212

Online: 145

May 29-June 5

In Person: 269

Online: 155

May 22-29

In Person: 271

Online: 130

May 15-22

In Person: 374

Online: 166

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A recap of the Youth Gathering

High School Youth Group Enjoys Farm Fun, Service, Sunsets, Mountain Tops, and mostly, Lots of Laughter and God’s Hand in it All.

by Dianne Beck

“Sometimes the best way to see God is by looking backwards.”

This was something a speaker at the recent Youth Gathering at Luther Glen said on our last day of camp, and as I look back on our week, I definitely see the hand of God in everything we did.

At Bible Study this past Sunday, as we shared Highs and Lows, each youth who went on the trip, along with myself, listed our trip as a high for the week, recounting the fun times, and admitted that one low was simply the adjustment of coming back home, even though we were all glad to be home and get some rest! I know that in my mind I’ve continued to hear our jokes, sometimes even saying them out loud when no one near me would get it, and have songs like “One Name Under Heaven,” “Reckless Love,” and “Knee, Knee, Clap, Clap” on repeat in my head as well. The week is one that will stay embedded positively in our memories and continue to bring us joy as we think back on it.

Each day was packed with activity and opportunities to connect with each other as well as people from all over California and places as far as North Dakota, Minnesota, Washington, and Hawaii. In this one week, we were able to enjoy farm animals and a new puppy, beautiful sunrises and sunsets, great praise music and speakers, games and conversation, Disneyland, The Palm Springs Tramway, a service day at Helping Hands in San Bernadino, and the local fun of Oak Glen with apple turnovers and axe throwing.
Looking back, I think I saw God most in the way we all connected and got to know one another more and more each day. It’s not easy to hide behind your real self when spending a week together, which I believe is the beauty of going away together. We all see that it’s okay to be who we are and when we are, that’s when God and his love best shine through.

I am truly thankful for every person who went on the trip, every person we met, both near and far, and all the lasting connections and memories made.

If you or a high schooler you know would like to be part of another trip, stay tuned for our plans for an upcoming weekend retreat to Pismo Beach September 23-25th. If interested, contact Dianne Beck at .

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