Worship:
Saturday 6 PM
Sunday 9 and 10:30 AM
This Week At Ascension
Called to create opportunities for all people to become devoted followers of Christ
November 10, 2024
The Widow’s Mite by the Benedictine Nuns of Turvey
Grace and peace to you my family in Christ,
There is a lot going on in the world this week. The elections. The wind. The fires. It can get overwhelming, can’t it?
Maybe all this noise will help us sympathize with the disciples. It would have been overwhelming for them to be in Jerusalem at the time they were. It was crowded. It was politically charged with Romans and rebels. These were just simple fishermen from the country, and they were not used to all of this chaos swirling about them.
Yet, Jesus had much to teach them in the midst of it, so He focused their eyes. Not on the splendor of the buildings or the “beautiful ones” who were wearing nice clothes and throwing huge amounts of money into the temple treasury, but instead upon an obscure widow who was willing to give her whole life for the love of God.
Brothers and sisters, in a very distracting time, let us keep our eyes focused on the beauty and the love of Jesus. Come and let us hear and celebrate His good news so that we can learn to see the world the way he sees it and be grounded in a peace that passes understanding.
See you in worship!
Blessings
Bonfire Blessings
Hello Ascension,
The evening kicked off with an incredible turnout as we gathered around the bonfire to give thanks in worship. The 7th graders truly outdid themselves, creating beautifully crafted boxes with such creativity and care. A big shoutout to our Senior Luther League for organizing the non-perishables that night and guiding the middle schoolers in packing the Thanksgiving boxes for families in need. It was truly inspiring to see our 6th-12th graders come together, making a difference and sharing the love of Christ with our community.
We were also blessed to hear from Pastor Chamie, who shared her personal testimony and her journey of diving into Romans 12, reminding us all of the importance of offering our lives to God. The bonfire created the perfect backdrop for worship, as we looked up at the stars—each one a reminder of God’s greatness.
There was also plenty of fun to be had! From Jenga games and friendly football matches on the field to lively rounds of cornhole, the energy was contagious. And of course, who could forget the delicious s’mores and pizza kits, thanks to the Fairtrade team, that added even more joy to the night.
Check Out the Photo Highlights!
We’ve captured some unforgettable moments from the night—be sure to check out the attached photos to relive all the fun and fellowship!
Stay tuned for more exciting events coming your way! We can’t wait to share even more experiences like this with you.
God Bless,
Sincerely,
Jennifer Avalos
Youth Director
This Sunday in Adult Ed:
Gifts of Hope Local Focus
with Denise Cortes and Dr. Martita Martinez-Bravo
This Sunday, Nov. 10, we will hear about Friends of Fieldworkers and Harbor House directly from their leaders.
Dr. Martita Martinez-Bravo, Executive Director of Friends of Fieldworkers, has been an active volunteer and organizer for the organization since 2017.
Denise Cortes founded Harbor House in 2019 to serve those struggling with homelessness, food insecurity and other poverty-related issues here in the Conejo Valley. She serves as director of the organization. Her experience includes having been area director for Lutheran Social Services and serving as director for the Conejo Teen Organization in Westlake Village.
Next Sunday, November 17, Gifts of Hope Global Focus
Pastor John with join us via Zoom from Rwanda to talk about healing the environment and tree planting. Nina Dube, an ELCA International Womens’ Scholar from Zimbabwe in her Junior Year of study at CLU, will be on hand to talk about InfoHut classrooms. Pastor Carmen Retzlaff from ELCA to talk about God’s Global Barnyard.
Sabbath Keeping
By Pastor Chamie
I have been at Ascension a little over a month now. I am so incredibly grateful. I love this community so much. I am enlivened by the work to which I am called. I am also well aware that I can’t do that work without rest time.
In Exodus 20, we get the Ten Commandments, one of them being: “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God.”
For our entire pastoral life, Tim and I have had Fridays as our “day off.” I prefer to use the term “Sabbath-time” as that helps me enter into a deeper rhythm of rest and renewal. Our Sabbath day usually begins in nature. I will spend a good portion of Friday without my phone, unplugged and disconnected from the outside world. I also try to shut off my ever-circulating thoughts on church to-do lists, pastoral care, sermon ideas, etc, etc, etc. I often garden or read a novel or take a nap or bake something yummy or do a puzzle.
In his memoir The Pastor, Eugene Peterson shared a letter that he wrote his congregation about he and his wife “keeping the Sabbath:”
This [our Sabbath day] is a day to recenter our lives on God and God’s work and God’s presence. We spend our workweek telling you about God, serving you in the name of God, leading you in the ways of God. But we need a protected day to simply pay attention to God ourselves, to not be in charge, to let God be God for us, to develop habits of being present to God at all times and circumstances.”
Sabbath-keeping helps me be a better pastor, a better human. We all need Sabbath! In a world where you can be constantly plugged in and in a culture that puts such high value on “doing,” it is so important that all of us who follow in the way of Jesus remember the ancient call to carve out time for rest and renewal and delight. Jesus was so good at this, going from healing and teaching and preaching to venturing off to quiet hills to be alone.
So I pray we can help each other keep Sabbath time, that we mutually encourage one another in healthy patterns of work and rest.
Pastor Chamie
Nurturing soul and soil as a pastor, teacher, spiritual director, retreat leader, gardener, & writer.
Baptisms This Week
Natalie Noonan
Born 6-22-1998
Lola Swanson
Born: 10-4-2023
Wyatt Christopher Noonan
Born 11-14-2023
SAVE THE DATE: December 4, 4-5:30 PM
Pastor Lisa Kipp, Director of Congregational Engagement for LWR, will be coming to our Global Ministries Team meeting in person on December 4. The focus will be Humanitarian Response by LUTHERAN WORLD RELIEF. We will meet in Founders Hall, from 4-5:30 PM. All are welcome!
Memorial Service
for Bill Swiontkowski
Nov 16, at 11am, followed by a reception
Help us make Bags of Love for Foster Children
Thanks to a generous Be the Blessing grant, we are planning to create Zeke Bags of Love for Foster children this November 24th between and after the church services.
Our goal is to decorate and donate 120 bags and pillowcases which will each also include the gift of the children’s book Zeke Can’t Sleep by Dianne Beck. This children’s book repeats the verse “Stars and moonbeams shine tonight, hugs and kisses hold you tight. Close your eyes, think good things, remember you’re loved, and dream sweet dreams.”
That message of being loved is an important one for all of us, but especially for foster children who are often displaced from their homes and need this reminder in their lives.
Please come any time you can on this day and decorate a bag, a pillowcase, or both. All supplies will be provided, including stencils and fabric pens to make these quite easily. If you have further questions, feel free to contact Dianne Beck at .
Fair Trade Gives Thanks For Students – Near & Far & Every Age
In this month of November, Ascension Fair Trade gives thanks for opportunities to serve, help and connect with students – near, far & of every age.
We thank Pastor Chamie & Jen and the Youth of Ascension for the opportunity to partner in a truly wonderful November 3d evening of worship, music, pizza, S’mores with Fair Trade chocolate, fellowship & fun around a warming bonfire.
We thank CLU’s Community Cupboard Team and Ascension’s awesome group of Fair Traders for providing food and personal care items for CLU students in need – hunger gets in the way of studying and it was a blessing to be able to bring food gifts to the Community Cupboard last Monday.
Great things come in three’s, yes? At the end of this year, Ascension’s Fair Trade Ministry wants to be able to make a gift of a scholarship for a farmer in the Meru Region of Tanzania – working with our partner, Mt Meru Coffee Project, $75.00 can fund a scholarship for a farmer to learn improved organic, sustainable farming practices to grow not only Fair Trade coffee, but other agriculture products to help their community and feed their family. Special gift boxes for holiday gift-giving will be available on Fair Trade Lane – proceeds from the sale of the special gift boxes will be given to the Fair Trade Lane farmer scholarship fund.
Visit us on Fair Trade Lane in November for your Fair Trade favorites, bowl-cozies from Ascension’s Quilters, the special gift boxes and more. It’s a treat for us to greet you in person when you come to Fair Trade Lane, but if you can’t make it, send a note to us at and we’ll help you get your Fair Trade favorites.
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Rose on the Altar
Samuel Clark Combs
Born: 10-28-2024
Proud Parents: Leah and Evan Combs
Proud brother: Norman Combs
Proud Grandparents: Diane and Greg Kusnierek
Proud Aunt: Debra Kusnierek
Baptism This Weekend
Grace Rose Storey
June 13, 2016
Hanging of the Greens
This year instead of cold snow, from 5-6 PM we will have warm campfires, lefse and hot cocoa sold by the youth, food so you don’t have to worry about dinner, and activity booths including one for people of all ages to make an Advent wreath.
Then, beginning at six o’clock, various Ascension music groups and worship leaders will lead Christmas carols for all to join in singing. Children will get to decorate the big tree in the sanctuary. We will turn on the sanctuary Christmas lights for the first time!
Ring! Ring!
Birthday Caller Needed
“Hello—and happy birthday! This is Ascension’s Telecare Ministry calling, and we want you to know that your entire Ascension family wishes you a happy, happy birthday and a great year ahead.”
That’s a Telecare caller in action—a kind person with a joyful “happy birthday” greeting, who calls members of Ascension on their birthdays.
We have seven dedicated people on our team, one for each day of the week. Each caller receives a monthly list of those celebrating birthdays and calls all those whose birthdays fall on his or her assigned day of the week.
We are in need of a caller to join our team. If you are interested, please contact Carolyn in the office:
THANKSGIVING DINNER BOXES
The food pantry has received a “Be the Blessing” grant to provide 18 Thanksgiving boxes for families that shop at the food pantry. We are calling out for parishioners to create written messages of Thanksgiving for each of the boxes. If you feel the SPIRIT, contact Linda Gray at .
1 Thessalonians 5:18. Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1 Chronicles 16:34. Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!
In Case You Missed It…
In Need of Prayer
Click here for this week’s Prayer List
Pericopes
This Week
1 Kings 17:8-16
Psalm 146
Hebrews 9:24-28
Mark 12:38-44
Next Week
Daniel 12:1-3
Psalm 16
Hebrews 10:11-14 [15-18] 19-25
Mark 13:1-8
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, Chamie Delkeskamp, and Steve Herder