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Time to stock up for the Project Response Food Drive coming up Feb. 5!

Here are the top asks:

1. Boxed Cereal

2. Canned Meats: chicken, tuna, salmon, Sloppy Joes, oven-roasted turkey, Spam (all varieties)

3. Toiletries: toothpaste, toothbrushes, paper towels, hand sanitizer, shampoo, Kleenex, toilet paper

4. Breakfast items: Pop Tarts, cereal bars, pancake mix and syrup

5. Beverages: water, sparkling water, juice boxes, shelf-stable milk and chocolate milk

6. Boxed meals: instant potatoes (e.g. scalloped potatoes), Rice-a-Roni

7. Packaged Fruits: canned/container: peaches, applesauce, fruit cocktail

8. Ready-to-eat items such as SpaghettiOs, Raviolis

9. Masa Flour, All Purpose Enriched Flour

10. Jam/jellies

11. Individual serving items (easy to eat in a person’s car)

Also:

Rice: canned, dried or packaged

Cooking Oil

Legumes-Beans: dried

Granola Bars- any type

Canned Vegetables: peas, carrots, greens (not corn)

Peanut butter

Pasta Sauces

Snack items: crackers, cheese, peanuts

Cookies and Crackers

All types of dried pasta

Soup- boxed and or canned

Cup of Noodles/ Top Ramen

Mac and Cheese

Barbecue Sauce

Condiments: Mayonnaise, Ketchup, etc.

Other Pantry Items: Any type of housecleaning supplies

Baby supplies/food

THIS WEEKEND we are providing grocery bags for those who wish to contribute. We are asking folks to bring them back next weekend (February 6 and 7) to any of the services. There will be a spot in the narthex for people to drop off their goods. We will also have an area set up by the church office from 8:30 AM until noon on the 6th for those who are not attending services to drop off goods.

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Sam’s Tram Rolls Again

by Brian Festerling, SAM’s Tram Coordinator

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, the SAM’s Tram service from Ascension has been pretty quiet. However, now that many of us have vaccines and feel more comfortable being out and about, it’s time to reintroduce the program! SAM’s Tram is Ascension’s Senior Adult Ministries transportation service. We match seniors from our congregation that need rides to local appointments with Ascension volunteers that are willing to drive.

RIDERS

If you’re a senior that needs a ride (or a caregiver for one), please contact me with the ride details. My contact info is at the end of the article. The more lead time you can give me — at least a week or two is best — the more likely I can find a driver for you. I’ll let you know either way. The service is free! If you feel compelled to give something, you can give your driver a dollar to go to Ascension’s Caring Ones to help the needy in our area.

DRIVERS

We’re always looking for more volunteer drivers to add to our roster. There is NO long-term commitment. I blast out detailed ride requests via e-mail to all of our drivers. You need only say “yes” to a ride that works for your schedule, and your only commitment is for that one ride. Many of us work and can only drive occasionally. That’s OK! The more drivers we have on our roster, the more likely we can fulfill a given request, and the workload gets spread around. This is a simple and effective ministry and we’d love to have you join us! Please call or e-mail me if you’re interested.

TESTIMONIAL

“[SAM’s Tram was] a blessing to my mom when she could not drive anymore. The friendly drivers got her to her weekly hair appointments, and occasional other doctor/dentist appointments. The social interaction with the drivers gave her a lift and became a bright spot in her declining life quality. I was pleasantly surprised and pleased when two drivers who were more frequent came to my mom’s celebration of life service. What a dedicated group of people, making a difference in the lives of our elders!” — Excerpt from a thank you note written by the daughter of one of our riders

FAST FACTS

– Pastor Steve started SAM’s Tram in 2011.

– Since 2017 we have had 287 ride requests and fulfilled 220 of them (77%)

– 69% of our requests are for doctor appointments, 9% for worship services, 8% for beauty/barber, and 14% “other”

Please pray for our SAM’s Tram riders and drivers, and contact me anytime if we can be of service to you, or if you you’d like to join us as a driver.

Sincerely,

Brian Festerling SAM’s Tram Coordinator

805-558-8076 (cell)

ps – we’ve had an uptick in requests and could always use new drivers.

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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 COMFORT FOR:

Alex and Heather Chang, son-in-law and daughter of Jerry and Linda Burkhardt, as they grieve the tragic passing of their three-month-old daughter, Alissa, from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, and prayers for the Burkhardts

PRAYERS OF HEALING FOR:

Dale Ota, who just received a diagnosis of pervasive prostate cancer

CONTINUING PRAYERS FOR:

Lara Abounayan

Kyle Ayers

Karen Barrows

Maria Bartush

The Bauer Family

Addie Behm

Gloria Benfatto

Teri Bettum

Carl Bohning

Debi Bing

Skip Brenner

Mary Cartrett

Dominic Cavaliere

Nancy Coffman

David Corra

Helen Cox

Linda Crabill

Margo Dameron

Harry Delkeskamp

Carl Dietrich

Diana Doerfler

John Ernst

Becky and Al France

Jane Ganske

Terry Gillette

Kimberly Harner

Malia Hassenbein

Penny Hunter

Micky Johnson

Bob Kielhorn

Jack Koenig

Dr. Allen Leland

Henry Leland

Grace Lugo

Judy Marshall

Sue May

Sandi Meyer

Shirley Meyer

Verlon Meyer

Bill Munn

Angela Naginey

Helen Nenne

Paul and Betty Olson

Carol O’Gorman

Orlando Orozco

Brandt Stephen Oschner

Laurie Peyton

Gary Phillips

Lois Phillips

Mike Ricci

Dave Rosinbum

Pastor David Palma-Ruwe

Tom Saldin

Shari Saucerman

Dorothy Scholz

Barb Schornstein

Arnold Schwarz

Margaret Skinner

Cheryl Swiontkowski

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 GLOBAL PARTNERS IN MINISTRY:

Center for Climate Justice and Faith at PLTS

Sister Emilia, Pastor David, in Pachacamac, Peru

Filadelfia Lutheran Church, Peru

Pastor John Rutsindintwarane, Rwanda

Our Companion Synods in El Salvador and Hong Kong

ELCA World Hunger and Disaster Response

Corus/ Lutheran World Relief/IMA Lutheran World Relief/IMA

Eric LeCompte and the Jubilee USA Network

Bread for the World

Fair Trade

Guardian Angels

Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service

Lutherans Restoring Creation

(To learn more, ask our Global Ministries Team.)

PRAYER FOCUS:

For our new Ascension Lutheran School Principal, Rich Gregory, and the students, parents, teachers and staff as they embark on a new chapter of learning

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Attendance & Offerings

Fiscal Year 2021-2022 Offerings to Date

Through January 16, 2021 (week 29 of 52)

FY2022 Received: $742,596

Budgeted: $749,542

Windfall/(Shortfall): $(6,946)

FY2021 Received: $763,747

Budgeted: $745,480

Windfall/(Shortfall): $18,267

Attendance

All three weekend services

Jan 10 – 16

In Person: 143

Online: 185

Jan 3 – 9

In Person: 155

Online: 185

Dec. 27 – Jan 2

In Person: 120

Online: 168

Dec. 20-26

In Person: 826

Online: 397

Dec. 13-19

In Person: 98

Online: 108

Dec. 6-12

In Person: 254

Online: 194

Dec. 4-5

In Person: 236

Online: 179

Nov. 27-28

In Person: 220

Online: 162

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Here are Best Practices for Submitting Your Newsletter Stories

1. Observe 2 PM Tuesday deadline for the following Thursday’s release (unless by advance arrangement).

2. DO NOT PRE-FORMAT MATERIAL. A text or Word file and photos or artwork in jpg or png format, along with any notes you’d like to make about presentation, links, etc. are preferred and will work best to get your message across.

More than HALF of our audience read the newsletter on their phones. The difficulty in reading PDFs on mobile devices was a key reason we switched to the new online format. By presenting information in a PDF, you are making it much harder for them to see it.

3. Let me know what you’d like. I can do the best job possible tailoring presentation of your article or announcement if I know your desires. Email and I will get back to you. As always, your suggestions and constructive criticism are welcome!

Thank you.

Stacy Smith Bosco,

Communications Coordinator

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Here are Best Practices for Submitting Your Newsletter Stories

1. Observe 2 PM Tuesday deadline for the following Thursday’s release (unless by advance arrangement).

3. Keep the number of outside links to a maximum of 3. If your material contains more than three links, we cannot guarantee they will all work.

4. DO NOT EMBED LINKS. Links in flyers, png’s and pdf’s will most likely NOT WORK in the newsletter. Supply the URL and a link will be added.

5. Let me know what you’d like. I can do the best job possible tailoring presentation of your article or announcement if I know your desires. Email and I will get back to you. As always, your suggestions and constructive criticism are welcome!

Thank you.

Stacy Smith Bosco,

Communications Coordinator

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Attendance & Offerings

Fiscal Year 2021-2022 Offerings to Date

Through January 16, 2021 (week 29 of 52)

FY2022 Received: $742,596

Budgeted: $749,542

Windfall/(Shortfall): $(6,946)

FY2021 Received: $763,747

Budgeted: $745,480

Windfall/(Shortfall): $18,267

Attendance

All three weekend services

Jan 10 – 16

In Person: 143

Online: 185

Jan 3 – 9

In Person: 155

Online: 185

Dec. 27 – Jan 2

In Person: 120

Online: 168

Dec. 20-26

In Person: 826

Online: 397

Dec. 13-19

In Person: 98

Online: 108

Dec. 6-12

In Person: 254

Online: 194

Dec. 4-5

In Person: 236

Online: 179

Nov. 27-28

In Person: 220

Online: 162

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Sam’s Tram Rolls Again

by Brian Festerling, SAM’s Tram Coordinator

RIDERS

If you’re a senior who needs a ride (or a caregiver for one), please contact me with the ride details. My contact info is at the end of the article. The more lead time you can give me — at least a week or two is best — the more likely I can find a driver for you. I’ll let you know either way. The service is free! If you feel compelled to give something, you can give your driver a dollar to go to Ascension’s Caring Ones to help the needy in our area.

DRIVERS

TESTIMONIAL

FAST FACTS

– Pastor Steve started SAM’s Tram in 2011.

– Since 2017 we have had 287 ride requests and fulfilled 220 of them (77%)

– 69% of our requests are for doctor appointments, 9% for worship services, 8% for beauty/barber, and 14% “other”

Please pray for our SAM’s Tram riders and drivers, and contact me anytime if we can be of service to you, or if you you’d like to join us as a driver.

Sincerely,

Brian Festerling SAM’s Tram Coordinator

805-558-8076 (cell)

ps – we’ve had an uptick in requests and could always use new drivers.

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Gifts of Hope 2021 — Virtual Fair Trade Gift Fair

The Virtual Gift Fair debuted last year providing an online opportunity to shop for Fair Trade artisan handcrafts – Fair Trade “wearables & shareables” – from the comfort, convenience and safety of your home. The Gifts of Hope Virtual Gift Fair returns this year bigger & better!

We welcome FAIR ANITA to the Virtual Gift Fair this year providing an opportunity to shop for “cute + ethically-made + affordable” Fair Trade jewelry, textiles and accessories made by more than 8000 changemaking, talented women in 9 countries. These artisan women work to improve the lives of their children and their communities.

The mission of Fair Anita, started in 2015, is to create space for women to feel safe, valued and respected through dignified jobs and Fair Trade relationships. Fair Anita shares that for every dollar a woman makes, between 80-90 cents is reinvested back into her family and community, making sure children are fed and clothed, sending them to school, even putting them through college.

Women’s economic empowerment and leadership is key to overall economic growth and prosperity. More information, including many great photos, will be posted to the Fair Trade page on Ascension’s website. We invite you to check it out and learn more about Fair Anita.

For the months of November and December, 2021, Fair Anita will give Ascension a donation of 20% of online purchases made using Ascension’s special code – our code is ALCTO. Ascension will give this gift to ELCA Lutheran Disaster Response. Mark your calendars and make note of Ascension’s special code. Here is the link to Fair Anita’s website for your shopping enjoyment.

We welcome back our friends at SERRV and are happy they are part of our Virtual Gift Fair again this year.

A name tells us much – established in 1949, the initials stood for Sales Exchange for Refugee Rehabilitation and Vocations. One of the first Fair Trade organizations in the world, SERRV now connects to 24 countries working to empower more than 8000 small-scale artisans and farmers through long-term trading partnerships.

With our support, SERRV can continue to combat poverty and work to help artisans and farmers build better lives for themselves, their families and their communities. Letters spell out more than a name. Every letter has a purpose and stands for an important part of SERRV’s mission. Collectively, the letters SERRV describe the commitment to Fair Trade relationships based on dialogue, transparency, honesty and respect.

The word “Sustainable” is foundational and not limited to the environment. We again thank our friends at SERRV for making a gift of 20% of purchases using Ascension’s special ordering link to ELCA Lutheran Disaster Response.

Here is Ascension’s special ordering link. More information and photos from SERRV will be posted to the Fair Trade page on Ascension’s website. The special ordering link is active and ready for your shopping. We will share updates from SERRV as they come in, including special SERRV promotions. Fair Trade Coffee, Tea, Olive Oil, Snacks and of course, chocolate, is available for purchase during the October 2021 Pre-Ordering Window (10/15/21 – 10/31/21).

The October 2021 Ordering Form can be found on the Fair Trade page of Ascension’s website, on Ascension’s calendar, in hard-copy in the church office, and HERE.

You can also send an email to us at and we’ll send out the ordering form to you.

Just as our Gifts of Hope Alternative Gifts provide hope for a brighter future for many, both near and far, our support of Fair Trade in its many wonderful forms provides hope to artisans, farmers, their families and communities around the world.

We remember that with Fair Trade, farmers and artisans are paid first and paid in full; promotions and the special gifts from SERRV and Fair Anita do not affect the fair wages, prices and treatment for those who produce the items and products we enjoy and give as gifts.

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Meet Emma Janzen (continued)

Emma volunteered at middle school and high school at the Lutheran church she attended in Peoria, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. In high school, she worked at a day care center. At Cal Lu, she worked with students via the AmeriCorps fellowship program. And she experienced work in a range of areas of ministry including children’s ministry at a summer program at a Lutheran church in Dana Point.

While her immediate family is in Arizona, Emma does have relatives who live nearby, in the Pasadena area. As far as adjusting to California life, she says she’s loving the weather here “and being so close to the beach is really fun.”

As part of the interview process, Emma says that she and Pastor Julie “had a meeting and talked about the church and all the different goals, and talked about my own spirituality.” Then Emma led some faith-filled fun for 4^th through 6^th graders at the school. And it must have gone well indeed, for now she is jumping into children’s ministry duties at Ascension — already laying plans for Kids in Christ programming (4^th through 6^th grade), Sunday School, and will soon start “putting together the Christmas program.”

Pastor Julie is excited to have someone on board who loves kids and building relationships, has a good sense of children’s ministry, and a deep faith herself. She’ll be an asset! In fact, every reference Pastor Julie called was emphatic that we would be lucky to have Emma on our team, and we shouldn’t let her get away. Emma will be at the elementary school and ECC and in worship—if you see her, welcome her and start getting to know her! And of course, pray for her and our Children’s Ministry, too!

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Pray, Advocate or Take Action this Jubilee Weekend

Jubilee USA needs our help to lift the voices of the faithful in defense of the world’s most vulnerable. Together, we can expand vaccine access across the world, fight climate change and achieve debt relief and increase aid for developing countries for pandemic recovery efforts. We are joining hundreds of faith communities taking action this month through this drive. Everyone can decide how they’d like to participate – from offering a prayer for vaccine distribution or increased aid for developing countries to calling members of Congress, signing a petition, hosting a discussion group or other activities.

As coronavirus wreaks havoc around the globe, we need to make a strong call to bring the world together for a just and equitable recovery. As you are likely aware, Ascension is a Jubilee congregation – and Pastor Steve is Board Co-Chair — and our Southwest California Synod is a Jubilee synod.

Jubilee has been instrumental in the cancellation of more than $130 billion in debt for the world’s poorest countries. These are debts often racked up by malign government actors in these countries but left for innocent citizenry to cope with. Jubilee follows Jesus’ sermon in the Gospel of Luke (Luke 4:14-21) in reading Isaiah 61 and proclaiming the year of the Lord’s favor, the year of — a year of freedom and debts being cancelled.

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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 COMFORT FOR:

Cori Hengst and family

on the death of her grandmother,

Lilia Fortuna

Debbie Schaeffer,

on the death of her father

PRAYERS OF HEALING FOR:

Brandt and Margy Oschner’s grandson Brandt, who is awaiting a heart transplant

Kris and Peter Swavely’s brother-in-law John, hospitalized in Colorado with severe COVID, and for his wife Lisa, Kris’ sister, who also has COVID

CONTINUING PRAYERS FOR:

Lara Abounayan

Kyle Ayers

Karen Barrows

Maria Bartush

The Bauer Family

Addie Behm

Gloria Benfatto

Debi Bing

Dominick Bosco

Skip Brenner

Mary Cartrett

Dominic Cavaliere

David Corra

Helen Cox

Linda Crabill

Diana Doerfler

John Ernst

Becky and Al France

Jane Ganske

Dennis Gillette

Malia Hassenbein

Penny Hunter

Bob Kielhorn

Dr. Allen Leland

Henry Leland

Grace Lugo

Judy Marshall

Sue May

Sandi Meyer

Shirley Meyer

Verlon Meyer

Bill Munn

Helen Nenne

Paul and Betty Olson

Laurie Peyton

Lois Phillips

Mike Ricci

Dave Rosinbum

Pastor David Palma-Ruwe

Dorothy Scholz

Barb Schornstein

Arnold Schwarz

Jan Timmons

Paul and Anne Urlie

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 CA Synod Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton and staff

Synod Bishop-elect Brenda Bos

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 FOCUS:

The work of Jubilee,

that God guides and blesses the efforts toward equitable treatment and relief from debt, famine and disease, especially COVID, for the world’s most vulnerable populations

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Blessing Of The Pets 2021

Thanks to Pastor Steve for the photos!

2022-10-09 11.33.03 (1)

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Attendance & Offerings

Fiscal Year 2021-2022 Offerings to Date

Through October 3, 2021 (week 14 of 52)

FY2022 Received: $292,109

Budgeted: $328,819

Windfall/(Shortfall): $(36,710)

FY2021 Received: $288,878

Budgeted: $329,075

Windfall/(Shortfall): $(40,197)

Attendance

All three weekend services

Sept.27 – Oct.3

In Person: 195

Online: 159

Sept.20 – Sept.26

In Person: 167

Online: 175

Sept.13 – Sept.19

In Person: 202

Online: 176

Sept.6 – Sept.12

In Person: 310

Online: 128

August 30 – Sept. 5

In Person: 168

Online: 180

August 23-29

In Person: 190

Online: 212

August 16-22

In Person: 188

Online: 220

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Packing School Kits For Lutheran World Relief

barnyard

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SLL 1

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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Worship:

Saturday 6 PM

Sunday 9 & 11 AM

Wednesday 9 AM

This Week At Ascension

Called to create opportunities for all people to become devoted followers of Christ

January 23, 2022

Grace and Peace to you my sisters and brothers in Christ,

Breathe. Get yourself into a thoughtful, reflective place. I know doing this can be so hard to do in these busy, noisy times but I need you to try because the question I have for you requires it.

Here is the question: Of all the things that you carry around with you right now, what is the one that you most would like to be released from? What stress would you take away? What pain would you erase? Even just thinking about this becomes a prayer. The next step would be to offer it to Jesus and see what he will do.

The reason is because he has promised, among other things, “release to the captives.” He wants all people to be free so that we can love Him in freedom. We know this because this is what he chose to say at his first opportunity to teach to his hometown crowd in Nazareth.

I look forward to talking more about this at our services this weekend. And I look forward to seeing you.

Blessings,

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

New Member Class

Would you like to take another step in your spiritual journey with God and our church? If so, we would like to invite you to be a part of our next New Member class, Wednesday, Jan. 26, from 6-8 PM in the church Library. Childcare and dinner are provided.

The class focuses on the basics of the Christian faith and on the ministry of Ascension. There will be an opportunity to ask any questions that you might have and to get to know others. To RSVP or with questions, please call the church office at (805) 495-0406 or email .

Happy Valentine’s Day the Fair Trade Way!

We started out the new year with plans to learn more about how Fair Trade cares for our planet. Here’s a great one to start 2022: Our friends at SERRV tell us that they reuse 40,000 pounds of cardboard cartons each year – their “Green Machine” shreds shipping cartons from global partners into the packing paper we find protecting precious Fair Trade handcrafts we’ve ordered from SERRV. Stay tuned for more information about ways Fair Trade cares for our planet.

A quick glance at the calendar tells us that Valentine’s Day is just a few weeks away. We invite you to celebrate that special day the Fair Trade Way by sharing Fair Trade deliciousness with friends & family. There’s rosy red Hibiscus Tea from Equal Exchange (delicious hot or cold), chocolate in all of its wonderful forms for baking, drinking, eating & enjoying along with other Fair Trade favorites.

When you share Fair Trade, you share in promoting justice for people and for our planet – a great gift to share and a very special way to say “Happy Valentine’s Day”. We’ll be outside on the West Narthex Patio – We look forward to seeing you! Tuesday, January 25, 2022 10 AM- Noon

News Briefs

Kids in Christ

January 24, 3:15-4:45 – Kids grades 4 through 6 will meet at the picnic tables by the school for a snack, games, and other faith-filled fun with Children’s Ministry Director Emma Janzen. Questions? 3:15-4:45

Commitment Cards

Our 2022 Generosity Commitment Cards have been mailed and some have already been returned. If you haven’t yet received one, please let the office know by emailing or calling (805) 495-0406. Thank you to those who’ve turned in their cards. These commitments are vital to our ability to plan for the church. Please make a point to turn in your card or, if you would prefer, you can fill it out online HERE.

Sunday School

Sunday School has started up again and will continue through June 12. Students from three years of age through sixth grade meet from 10:10-10:50 Sunday mornings at the picnic tables between services. Fun Bible stories and activities! CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER.

Adult Education

Jan. 23

Eric Berg and Pastor Jack Ledbetter will present The Apocryphal Story of Susanna and the Elders in Story-Art-Music-Poetry. It’s a discussion and reflections on the ancient story of Susanna and the Elders, this book of the Apocrypha is a ‘pre-quel’ to Daniel. Founders’ Hall, 10:10 AM

Jan. 30

Pastor Chamie Delkeskamp and Kristine Werner lead a class on Wondrous Composting & Wise Recycling, sponsored by The One Ascension Garden Ministry. Trash has been the talk of Thousand Oaks in recent weeks as January marks the change in the city’s trash company. The Church has something to teach us about the wonder of compost (it’s just like God to make beauty come out of ugly things) and wise recycling. Pastor Chamie will share a bit about creation care. Then she and Kristine will help you with the nitty gritty of what to do with your food waste, recyclables, and trash. Learn, too, what Ascension School students are doing with compost right on our campus. 10:10 in the parking lot

Sam’s Tram Rolls Again

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, the SAM’s Tram service from Ascension has been pretty quiet. However, now that many of us have vaccines and feel more comfortable being out and about, it’s time to reintroduce the program! SAM’s Tram is Ascension’s Senior Adult Ministries transportation service. We match seniors from our congregation who need rides to local appointments with Ascension volunteers who are willing to drive. READ MORE

In Need Of Prayer

Click here for Ascension Prayer List

(For Preschoolers And Their Parents)

Attendance & Offerings

Click here for the latest figures.

Don’t miss another TWAA

Click HERE to receive a link to every issue!

Pericopes

This Week:

Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10
Psalm 19
1 Corinthians 12:12-31a
Luke 4:14-21

Next Week:

Jeremiah 1:4-10
Psalm 71:1-6
1 Corinthians 13:1-13
Luke 4:21-30

Time to stock up for the Project Response Food Drive coming up Feb. 5!

Here are the top asks:

Sam’s Tram Rolls Again

IN NEED OF PRAYER

PRAYERS OF COMFORT FOR:

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Attendance & Offerings

Fiscal Year 2021-2022 Offerings to Date

Attendance

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Attendance & Offerings

Fiscal Year 2021-2022 Offerings to Date

Attendance

Sam’s Tram Rolls Again

Gifts of Hope 2021 — Virtual Fair Trade Gift Fair

Meet Emma Janzen (continued)

Pray, Advocate or Take Action this Jubilee Weekend

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Prayers For Our Congregations In The ELCA

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Blessing Of The Pets 2021

Attendance & Offerings

Fiscal Year 2021-2022 Offerings to Date

Attendance

Packing School Kits For Lutheran World Relief

A recap of the Youth Gathering

This Week At Ascension

Grace and Peace to you my sisters and brothers in Christ,

Our Prayer

New Member Class

Happy Valentine’s Day the Fair Trade Way!

News Briefs

Commitment Cards

Sunday School

Adult Education

Sam’s Tram Rolls Again

In Need Of Prayer

Attendance & Offerings

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