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Ascension Storey
Cheyenne, Wyoming ascensioncheyenne.org August 2019Ascension Lutheran Church
Ascension Lutheran Church712 Storey BoulevardCheyenne, WY 82009Return Service Requested
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONU.S. POSTAGE
PAIDCHEYENNE, WYOMING
PERMIT NO. 61
A precocious 6-year-old I know has joined the ranks of “reader” and has done so with gusto, his
mother reports, exclaiming, “He’s even reading chapter books!” “Flat Stanley,” “Busybody Nora” and the myriad of intermediate-reader stories await his hungry mind. The stories in chapter books provide readers the opportuni-ty to stop and resume reading if their attention spans are not long enough to finish the book in one setting.
How long does our attention span? Is the congregation of Ascension Lutheran Church, like my young friend, aided by the ability to stop for a bit be-fore beginning the next chapter? I ask that we give ourselves permission as congregation and pastor to linger together and receive what has trans-pired in recent months. The Pastors Aardahl receive both your hellos and your good-byes this month. In itself, this month is a chapter in Ascension’s
story. Let us attend to it and receive what it holds: opportunity for rest, quiet and reflection for us all, especially my husband, as well as opportunity for the introduction and acquaintance of you and me.
At the June 2 special meeting in which the congregation voted to extend a one-year renewable call to me to serve as your pastor, you made way for this new course and chapter. I accepted this call, and, with the Holy Spirit’s intercessions, we commence writing yet another chapter in Ascension’s story.
May we, like my young friend, be ever-inquisitive and open as the chapters unfold. God’s Spirit is guiding, and we, by the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 42:9) are reminded, “See, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth, I tell you of them.”
Yours in Christ,Pastor Rebecca Aardahl
Your Parson’s PostReading and writing chapters
Schedule of pastorsAugust 3–4
Pastor Wes Aardahl’s concluding services as Ascension’s pastor
August 9–19Pastor Alison George of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church available for pastoral emergencies: 307-632-9212
August 10–11The Rev. Don Holmstrom preaches and the Rev. Rachel Larson presides
August 17–18The Rev. Richard Gilbert preaches and presides.
August 20The Rev. Rebecca Johnson Aardahl begins pastoral service at Ascension
August 25Pastor Rebecca’s installation service at 4 p.m. at Ascension with Bishop Jim Gonia preaching and officiat-ing. A potluck meal will be served afterward.
In June, 41 children attended Vacation Bible School, and 72 people ate dinner on Thursday evening, Kris Rude report-ed. VBS thanks goes to the following: feeding the Sky Ranch counselors: Bill Arnold, Patti Riesland, Connie Meis-ter, the Talleys, the Obermuellers, the
Emerichs, the Hohns, Margie Sewell, the Strands, and the Lebermans; do-nating snacks: Amber Mueller, Don-na Leberman, the Obermuellers, the Talleys, Patti Reisland, Denise Martin and Karen Marcy; adult helpers: Kim Strand, Marcia Talley, Jo Hobbs, Matt
and Nicole Morris, Chris Muggenburg and Karen Knutson; youth helpers (above): Josie Brown, Seneva Sullivan, Jack and Emma Morris, Alaina Ober-mueller, Carter Seals, Will Pauley, Cy Magee, Joseph Wheeler and Brayden Reed. (N. Morris and K. Rude photos)
VBS Shines
Council highlightsAscension’s Church Council met June 13, but on July 11
the regularly scheduled meeting became an executive committee meeting because of the lack of a quorum.
Treasurer’s report: The computer for QuickBooks arrived on June 19. Some $330 from the capital campaign fund was approved for a computer for security of funds. An estimated $17,000 was in the kitchen fund, and $6,437 in the account for ADA/security. A town hall meeting will be scheduled after Labor Day to discuss some suggestions for the use of the gift from Christ Lutheran Church following its closure.
Treasurer Barbara MacKenzie presented a set of instruc-tions on pastoral compensation for the continuity binder. The annual changes voted on in the budget have not been reported to Portico Benefit Services, so we will complete the verification of the amounts that were budgeted to be paid and what was actually paid. Ascension will need to make up any shortages in retirement contributions. Portico bills can be paid online directly out of the operating account to reduce the possibility of missing invoices, check printing time and cost, and the speed of the USPS. Payroll can be done with direct deposit, and bills can be paid through either direct online payment with vendors or through the use of the bank’s bill payment features. Vice President Doug Cook asked that we look into the synod guidelines for pastoral compensation and COLA.
A Counters Committee is being formed, and the Finance Committee is being restarted.
Corporate Protective Services update: In June, Cook wanted to add another key fob reader at the door of the education wing for a cost of less than $1,000. In July, the CPS proposal to secure the north door for an additional $1,800 was accepted.
Worship: The possibility of hosting a guest ELCA preacher to present on Food for the Poor was discussed. In July, a proposal to increase the compensation of the Sat-urday service’s worship leader to $135 a service was approved because of the significant preparation time involved. Separately, he will continue to be reimbursed for mileage at the current IRS rate.
Building and Grounds: The gutter guard was in-stalled, and a sign is in the works. The committee is making a list of vendors for contacts and a list of maintenance needs. MacKenzie obtained six filing cabinets free from State Surplus Property and donated them to the church.
Tech: Two needs were noted: to get the screen and projector in the sanctuary working and to train tech volunteers in its use, especially in light of next year’s Synod Assembly.
Upcoming programs/events: Early planning for the 2020 Synod Assembly to be conducted in a new manner with satellite locations; the Excellence in Leadership pro-gram run by the bishop’s office, and Stewardship for All Sea-sons were discussed. Cook presented information on a water project along the southern border, proposing a newsletter article and an adult forum about the humanitarian effort.
The next meeting will be at 6 p.m. August 8.
Ascension Lutheran Church712 Storey BoulevardCheyenne, WY 82009ascensioncheyenne.org307-634-6575secretary@ ascensioncheyenne.org
Pastor’s cell phone 307-421-0159StaffPastor Rev. Rebecca AardahlSecretary Mandy RothAdult Choir Director Dr. Jane IversonOrganists Dr. Jane Iverson and Gaela YoungSaturday Music Leader Charles StevensNewsletter Editor Rosalind SchliskeChurch Council Tim Leberman President Doug Cook Vice president Erin Edwards Secretary Barbara MacKenzie Treasurer Mike Bell Yessica Cordova Rick Moler Ryan Mitchell Patti Riesland
If your address, phone number or email address has changed, call the church office or email secretary@ ascensioncheyenne.org
Ascension Lutheran Church seeks to be a community that nourishes relationships with God and one another that lead to a deeper spiritual life, based on a grace- oriented Lutheran perspective.
Aug. 30 Newsletter Deadline
NewsWELCA study to finish series on Esther
Women of the ELCA (WELCA) will finish a three-part study on the book of Esther. The group will meet at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, August 20 in the upper fellowship hall. For information, contact Shirley Toppenberg at 634-4946.
God’s Work Our Hands planned September 8This year’s “God’s Work Our Hands” event on Sunday, September 8, will be at
Ascension with St. Paul’s Lutheran Church worshiping with us. A potluck meal will be served after worship, and two service project options will follow. The indoor option will be to assemble care packages to be sent to a list of deployed Wyoming Army and Air Force personnel. Cash donations will be used for postage. A list of desired items will be publicized soon. The outdoor option will be to clean up a section of the Cheyenne Greenway to be announced soon. The city will provide trash bags, gloves, etc. Thanks to Richard Zita, Greenway/trails coordinator, for his helpfulness in coordinating this project.
Family Promise team supports two familiesFor Ascension’s latest rotation of Family Promise in June, the volunteers returned to St.
Paul’s Lutheran Church for one week to support needs of living for two families, including five active children, one of whom had special challenges of cerebral palsy. Thanks to the following “team” members: Overnight hosts: Lynne Iversen, Margie Sewell ; dinner hosts: Teisha and Ella Hohn, Patti Riesland and Linda Oliverius; evening hosts: Kathy Robbins, Karen Ferchen; Saturday hosts: Shirley Toppenberg, Dave and Marcia Talley; laundry: Gunnar and Connie Dambro; last day transition to the next church: Wally Rice. The next rotation is September 8–15. Please consider volunteering for the FP Team by contacting Margie Sewell, 307-631-1815 or [email protected].
Confirmation orientation to be September 11Parents and youth in sixth, seventh and eighth grades should plan to attend an
orientation session about Ascension’s confirmation ministry. The session will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday, September 11, at the church. Those who are unable to attend or have questions may contact Pastor Rebecca at 701-527-4342.
Sunday school Rally Day set September 15Hard to believe that it is August already! This, of course, means we are thinking about
the startup of Sunday school. Rally Day and our first Sunday school lesson will be from 10:45 to 11:45 a.m. Sunday, September 15, in the lower fellowship hall, classrooms and outside. Games, snacks and lessons will be available for the children while parents do a small amount of paperwork. Confirmation students will help with activities and then head off to their regular classes with their teachers. Also a Fort Fun trip is tentatively scheduled for the youth group in the afternoon of September 15. If you have questions for the Educa-tion Team, call or text Chris Muggenburg at 307-221-1483.
Adult Forum series to begin September 22Sunday Adult Forums after worship will begin on September 22. Dependent upon the
availability of presenters, two series are in the works. One is titled “When Our Own Are Deployed: Their Experiences and Our Support.” Another series will explore Lutheranism, with a wink and a nod to our ecumenical partners and their heritage and traditions. Its title will be “Being Lutheran: What Does This Mean for Us and for Our Neighbors.” To suggest topics and/or presenters, call or text Rick Moler at 307-630-1861.
Little Pantry needs continue in summerWith children home during the summer, some are missing their school lunch. So the
need to fill our Little Free Pantry continues. Bring your donations to fill the pantry box with nonperishable food and your cans of green beans and corn for Needs, Inc. Both boxes are in the narthex. You may also put your pantry items directly into the standing pantry on the west side of the church.
By Dr. Keren Meister-Emerich
As part of our ELCA trip to Tanzania and Rwanda in mid-Octo-ber, Denise Martin and I will visit a Maasai girls’ school. The Maasai are a patriarchal, indigenous ethnic group of about 1 million people in Kenya and northern Tanzania. Since the European colonizers arrived in the 19th century, the Maasai have lost much of their territory, some of which has been converted to national parks and communities. Some Maasai are moving to urban areas for jobs.
However, historically, a group of families would construct a corral of thorn bushes to contain the animals and would include one hut per family. As needed, they would abandon their settlement and construct a new one in an area with better water and grazing. The Maasai men were known as skilled warriors, while the boys herded the livestock. Women built and maintained the houses as well as fetched water, collected firewood, raised the children, milked the cattle and cooked for the family. Girls’ chores included cooking and milking.
About half the Maasai are illiterate. Girls are often married by 15, so parents are reluctant to spend money on their education. How-ever, educating women is the single, most effective way to reduce poverty, improve health and economic well-being and bring devel-opment to communities throughout the world. Many organizations are working to educate the Maasai, especially the girls.
The traditional Maasai religion indicated that in the beginning sky and Earth were one. The Maasai god let cattle descend from the sky to them. From that, the Maasai believe all cattle in the world belong to them, and they eat the meat, drink the milk and, on occa-sion, drink the blood.
Today most of the Maasai tribe are Christians, and some are Muslims. In 1960, the Maasai people collaborated with missionaries to modify the wording of the Apostles’ Creed to align better with their culture. [See at left.]
Denise and Keren had some help this summer with their trip. The children who attended Ascension’s Vacation Bible School collected change to send with them to Africa.
New members received in July
A reception was held for new members following the July 14 worship.
The new members are as follows:
• Sandy Thiel• Jack and Suzanne Preiss• Robert Kotzbacher• Saundra Chavez• Andrew and Janelle Rose,
Sophia and Lyla• Arden and Betty White
Keren Meister-Emerich, left, and Rosalind Schliske, of the Cheyenne League of Women Voters, performed “Wonderful Wyoming Women Voters” at the capitol reopening July 10 to mark the 150th anniversary of Wyoming giving women the right to vote. The next perfor-mance will be at a dinner at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Septem-ber 17, sponsored by the LCCC Foundation. Two historians will also be on the program. To reserve a ticket ($30 for adults, $10 for students), call 778-1236. (R. Aardahl photo)
Maasai CreedWe believe in the one High God,
who out of love created the beautiful world and everything good in it. He created Man and wanted Man to be happy in the world. God loves the world and every nation and tribe on the Earth. We have known this High God in darkness, and now we know Him in the light. God promised in the book of His word, the Bible, that He would save the world and all the nations and tribes.
We believe that God made good His promise by sending His Son, Je-sus Christ, a man in the flesh, a Jew by tribe, born poor in a little village, who left His home and was always on safari doing good, curing people
by the power of God, teaching about God and man, showing the meaning of religion is love. He was rejected by his people, tortured and nailed hands and feet to a cross, and died. He lay buried in the grave, but the hyenas did not touch him, and on the third day, He rose from the grave. He ascended to the skies. He is the Lord.
We believe that all our sins are forgiven through Him. All who have faith in Him must be sorry for their sins, be baptized in the Holy Spirit of God, live the rules of love and share the bread together in love, to an-nounce the Good News to others until Jesus comes again. We are waiting for Him. He is alive. He lives. This we believe. Amen.
In preparation for their trip to Africa, Denise Martin, left, and Keren Meister-Emerich met with Gabe Brannan, of ELCA Mission Advancement, who will be part of the group. They were able to ask questions about the trip in mid-October and travel logistics.
Church reps to visit Maasai girls’ schoolDuo to see Tanzania, Rwanda
