A scension Lutheran Church

May/June, 2015

May & June, 2015 Table Talk page 1

The Stranger

About 1952, my dad met a stranger. Dad was so fascinated by the stranger that soon he invited him to live with our family. The stranger was quickly

accepted by all of us, so as I grew, I never questioned his place in our family. In my young mind, each member has a special place. My older brother, Bill tried to set an example.. Betsy, my junior by five years gave me the chance to be a big brother and to develop the art of teasing. My parents were Christian instructors who taught me the Word of God. But this stranger was a storyteller. He could weave the most fascinating tales. Adventures, mysteries, and comedies were daily conversations. He would hold the entire family spellbound for hours each evening. If I wanted to know about politics, history, or science, he knew it all. He knew about the past, understood the present, and seemingly could predict the future. The pictures he drew were so life like that I might laugh or cry as I watched. He became a friend to the whole family. He took Dad, Bill and me to our first Indian’s game together. He was always urging us to watch movies and even introduced us to movie stars and their way of life. My brother and I were deeply impressed by George Reeves (Superman) in particular. The stranger was an incessant talker. Dad didn’t seem to mind, but sometimes Mom would get up and go into the kitchen in the middle of the stories to take down the Bible or the Portals of Prayer. I wonder if she ever prayed that the stranger would leave. You see, Dad ruled the household with strong moral convictions, but the stranger never felt obligated to honor them. Profanity, for example, was not permitted in the house - not from us nor from our friends. However, our longtime visitor used occasional four letter words. In Fact, it seemed that over the years his language grew worse and worse. To my knowledge the stranger was never con-fronted. The stranger seemed to glamorize the ideas of drugs and sex telling stories that Mom would have never permitted anyone else to tell. His comments were sometimes suggestive, sometimes blatant, but always embarrassing. Although Dad was a heavy smoker, he always condemned tobacco use as a “filthy habit” that we should avoid at all costs. Still, in spite of Dad’s smoker’s cough, the stranger made cigarettes look tasty, cigars manly and pipes distinguished. As I look back, I believe it was only by the grace of God that the stranger did not influence me more than he did. Time after time, he opposed the values of my parents and my church. Yet he was seldom rebuked and never asked to leave. Almost fifty years have passed since that stranger moved in with our young family in Cleveland. Dad lost interest in him during his own latter years, but any time I would walk into my parent’s den that stranger was still there sitting in the corner waiting for MY children to listen to him talk and to draw his pictures. His name? We just called him TV. In His Service. Pastor Eble

May & June, 2015 Table Talk page 2

Prepare the Way of the Lord! Using Music as a Neighborhood Outreach Tool

“See, I am doing a new thing. Now it springs forth; do you not perceive it?” Isaiah 43:19 You’d have to be pretty clueless to not have taken note of the countless apartment and condominium complexes that have been almost literally fall-

ing from the sky near our church campus. I’ve lost count of the number of cranes that are flying around above our heads, hoisting up building materials to the workers (and blocking off half of Kenilworth Avenue while they’re at it, but that’s another story). It’s hard to believe that only a year ago those lots still had on them old, vacant buildings. Perhaps we’re glad to see the old buildings go, but perhaps we’re also nervous to see what the new things will bring. It begs the question: will Ascension actually be a part of the future of this neighborhood? While that’s not exactly for me to decide, I can take comfort in the words from the forty-third chapter of Isaiah when thinking about the upcoming changes that this neighborhood will un-doubtedly see. The first part of this Scripture reading shows us that God comforts His people by reminding them of His greatness and mercy; the first half of the chapter talks about the who. The second part (beginning at verse 14) gives reassurance of what God is doing, and arguably the most well-known verse from that passage is the nineteenth verse, as quoted above: God is doing a new thing. While in the Scripture reading, the final comment is a rather rhetorical ques-tion (“do you not perceive it?” Well, duh! Of course we do!), in the case of our growing neigh-borhood, the question might actually have to be considered. Are cranes, construction vehicles, and giant flashing arrows telling you to merge left somehow related to God doing a new thing? Perceiving it, as the question begs, is the next step. Let us consider one of the resources that As-cension has at hand to positively influence our soon-to-be-arriving neighbors: music. It’s no question that members of Ascension have a strong interest in and appreciation of music, wheth-er they are listening or creating. Music surpasses all language obstacles, it crosses boundaries, and it tears down barriers that the secular world might see our church as having simply because we’re a church. How, then, can we utilize music to better the life of this neighborhood, to reach people who need to hear God’s Word? Good stewardship of facilities would mean the usage of our sanctu-ary for glorifying God through the gift of music. Now more than ever, our sanctuary can ac-commodate a broad array of music-related events; one such event took place on Friday, March 13. A full house of visitors and guests witnessed a performance of Gabriel Fauré’s Requiem. Good stewardship would also recognize the beauty of our outdoor facilities, permitting an up-coming concert by the music.4.life jam bands out on the lawn on May 31. Every single person who comes onto our church campus is a person with whom we can share God’s goodness, be it a simple “You are welcome here!” blurb in the program or bulletin, to an in-depth conversation with them about the goodness of God. It’s our choice—maybe God is doing a new thing in the Dilworth neighborhood, so that we can perceive it and adapt our attitude, allowing God’s will to be done. Let’s perceive it together. -Mark Johanson Minister of Music

May & June, 2015 Table Talk page 3

Stephen Ministers Blessed Beyond Belief

Have you ever been so blessed that you feel like the things in your life could not get any better? I have never felt so blessed in all my years of attending church than

I feel being a member of Ascension. Ascension has a long history of Stephen Ministry since its inception in 1988 with Tim Fangmeier as Pastor and Ellie Kalnik as the first leader. There have been 65 commissioned Ste-phen Ministers, 13 individuals trained as Stephen Leaders, 117 Care Receivers (those seeking help) in addition, numerous others that have audited the class. Since accepting the position of Stephen Leader, we have not had one individual that has re-quested the help of a Stephen Minister. This is why I feel so blessed to be at Ascension. God seems to have given the members of Ascension immunity, dispensation, grace, protection, whatever you want to call it, from all the things that ravage a Christian and even non-Christian life. No one has had to deal with the pain of divorce, the death of a loved one, a debilitating illness, financial problems, and all the trials that any one of these things bring into our lives and us to our knees. In the bulletin, you will notice as a Ministry, we have a prayer request. We are not praying or asking for prayer for anyone to be burdened with any of these problems. Heaven forbid! That would be like praying for someone to die so that other people could receive their organs in a transplant operation. We have been asking, that potential Care Receivers will be granted the courage to accept or ask for help from the Stephen Ministers. When I attended Stephen Ministry Leadership training last year, there was one statement that struck me as being very harsh. Pastor Haugk said, “If your church does not have Care Givers and Care Receivers, the Stephen Ministry at your church is dead.” I did not buy into that state-ment then and I do not buy into that statement today. I will tell you however, that over the last couple of weeks, I have had a need to contact several of the churches in our immediate area that are on the roles as being Stephen Ministry churches. Of the four churches that I contacted, two no longer have an active Stephen Ministry. I know this is not a large test group, but that is a 50 percent loss, just in this area, to Stephen Ministry. The reason for the abandonment of this min-istry in both cases is a lack of Care Receivers. No one had the courage, no one was able, no one had the strength to stand up and say, I need help. Could this be part of the problem? The per-son that needs assistance does not have the strength or the state of mind to realize they need help. This is where you as friends, family and loved ones need to stand in that gap for them and say, you need help. You would benefit from having a Stephen Minister. Do you know some-one like this or in this position? At one of our meetings last month, the active Stephen Ministers met and discussed the need for or the lack of Care Receivers. During that meeting a course of action was decided upon to which all agreed. Many Stephen Ministers have stayed on well past their original two year commitment and other inactive ministers have agreed to become active should the need arise. Stephen Ministry at Ascension will NOT end.

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Your Stephen Ministers are committed to your church’s ministry, your ministry, and are will-ing to do whatever it takes, with God’s help, to carry on. We will be here when needed, to pray with and to listen to those Care Receivers that are walking through the valley times in their lives. Moving forward, we need your prayers not only for future Care Receivers to step forward, but also for the past, present and especially future Stephen Ministers. Thank you and may God continue to bless each once of you, protecting you from the trials and pitfalls of this thing we call life.

Irish Blessing: In Times of Sorrow

May you see God’s light on the path ahead, When the road you walk is dark.

May you always hear, Even in your hour of sorrow, The gentle singing of the Lark.

When times are hard, may hardness Never turn your heart to stone. May you always remember When the shadows fall … You do not walk alone.

Life is fragile: handle with prayer. Remember that Jesus will always be there.

To hear our problems and to gather our tears, To calm the storms and to settle our fears. It does not matter how great or how small,

Jesus will answer to our every call. Just call on the Lord it matters not when- His office is not closed at half-past ten.

He's never on lunch, He can't take a break: If He did this whole world would just crumble and shake.

His lines are never busy, He won't put you on hold, He won't ask you twice what He has already been told.

There's no account number, no address to give: No matter where you've moved, He knows where you live. Yes, the Lord always answers, He never leaves home.

He won't leave us to handle it all on our own. So when things get rough, and things aren't fair, Remember: Life is fragile handle with prayer.

By Gloria James

May & June, 2015 Table Talk page 5

Are You a Fool For Jesus?

Pastor Eble’s sermon was about this topic back in March. If you are “a fool for Jesus”, you are a true disciple.

As disciples, we encourage others to examine their hearts, souls, and minds. We invite them to join us as in a corporate vision of grace, service, and fellowship in union with Christ. Disciples have a heart for God, His Word, and are prayerful individuals. We lead by example and with humility. We are honest, sincere, and accept people as they are. We are not perfect and stray at times even though we have good values and morals, and hopefully, loving forgiv-ing hearts. A good disciple follows Jesus. Every Christian can be a disciple who is an advocate, learner, and messenger. He or she loves unconditionally, constantly affirms others, and prays consist-ently. Jesus tells us in John 13:35, “All men will know you are my disciples if you love one another.” Disciples are, also, servants. Jesus says in Matthew 23:11, “The greatest among you will be your servant.” We follow Christ’s example and look for ways to serve others each day, but first we must fill ourselves up spiritually, so we have something to give. Become a servant of others, focusing on things that matter. Sometimes we have to sacrifice in our discipleship, but it is worth it to further the Lord’s kingdom here on earth. You might remember, if you read the District Discovery Team’s report that they offered “discipleship ministry” as an action on which our congregation should work. Hopefully, by working on our renewal of being disciples, our prayer life will deepen, more members will be-come involved in group Bible studies, and we will have more spiritual fellowship. By the work of the Holy Spirit, through this renewal process, we can grow in our personal witnessing and giving of testimonies. We will be truly God’s disciples in our area and around the world. We are having a Day of Christian Prayer service at Ascension on Thursday, May 7 at 7:00 p.m. and inviting all people who wish to participate. We are planning a Women’s Retreat in the fall and a Hope Seeds workshop for our members, opening it to other congregations who would like to be involved. More information will be available when a firm date is set. We are pray-ing for good participation. Daystar quote: “We aren’t called to fill the pews with members. We are called to fill the world with disciples.” May God be with all of us as we are His disciples in our families, communities, and the world.

Your Renewal Committee

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Young at Heart

Greetings from your Young @ Heart Board! The Board has met and pre-pared a schedule for the year 2015. We would like to ask a favor of those who attend the monthly meetings the first Wednesday of each

month. People need to let Carol Howell or Salli Watkins know whether or not they will attend. It is IMPERATIVE TO KNOW THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE COMING BY THE SUNDAY OR MONDAY BEFORE WE MEET ON WEDNESDAY in order to plan for the meal.

The next meeting of Young-at-Heart is on Wednesday, May 6, 11:30 a.m. at Messiah Lutheran Church, 8300 Providence Road, in Charlotte. Please note the change of location from the original schedule. Hot dogs and fixings will be provided. Please bring a side dish (vegetable or salad) if your last name is A to L, or a dessert if your last name is M to Z. The program will feature Jane and the Kneelers, a unique and exciting puppet show. If you plan to attend, contact Sallie Watkins (803) 396-0373 or walsallie@comporium.net) by Monday, May 4, so adequate food can be prepared.

2015 YOUNG @ HEART SCHEDULE

May 6: Messiah Lutheran Church, “Kneelers” puppet program, Sandwiches provided, BRING A SIDE OR DESSERT June 3: Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden Field Trip, $10.00/ person, Wheelchairs available, LUNCH ON YOUR OWN July 1: NO MEETING Aug. 5: Anniversary Celebration, AT Resurrection, Harp Recital, POTLUCK, but DESSERT PROVIDED Sept. 2: Bible study by Rev. Bill Gittner, AT Messiah, bring Sandwich, REMAINDER OF MEAL PROVIDED Oct. 7: Levine Museum of the New South field trip, $6.00/ person, Free parking on deck next to Museum, Lunch TBD Nov. 4: Costume Party, AT Ascension, Turkey, Dressing & Gravy provided, BRING A SIDE OR DESSERT Dec. 2: Alice Baker and Ann with Christmas Music Program, AT Ascension, Ham provided, BRING A SIDE OR DESSERT

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Missions Update from Dr. Evelyn Davis SIL International/Wycliffe Global Alliance

Dear Ascension Friends,

I want to begin my update by thanking all of you for your friendship, prayers for my minis-try, financial gifts from many of you individually, and also the church’s support by approving the Endowment Fund proposal. You make it possible for my ministry to keep going, and I want you to know how very grateful I am. May our Lord pour back His blessings on you in every way! My Prayer Requests: The next thing I want to focus on is to request your specific prayers for the Lord to show me which individuals and groups both in this country, and in overseas locations, are the ones for me to interact with as I instruct them in my workshops, courses, and prayer topics. As you know, I report to SIL International in Dallas, and Fraser Bennett (the Director of Academic Training) is my supervisor. I am currently located near our organization’s JAARS Center, because Mike Buchanan works there. He is the only person who assists those of us who want to teach materials in an “online format” – so he directs what is known as the “E-learning Site.” No other location in our organization has that possibility. Mike has helped me work with four groups in Kenya, Africa, and facilitating my workshop, Teaching and Training Adults, with Cross-Cultural Implications with them. But, even with his assistance, some of the Africans (and a few persons from other countries who work in Africa) had to drop out because of the poor Internet access. Dr. Leoma Gilley, Africa Area Training Director, participated in the four workshop sessions, and she would like for me to consider coming to Kenya to work with groups there face-to-face. But now because of the recent killing of many Christians in Kenya, the organization will not allow me to travel there – and we are also praying that Dr. Leoma Gilley (and others working there) will know whether to stay or to leave that country. One problem is that many of the other African countries in that area also have difficulties. Please pray for their safety and for wisdom where to live and work. So my major prayer request is that you will join me in prayer for the Lord’s clear direction re how I will facilitate my materials, and in what format. Just recently three in our Vernacular Media Services have offered to assist me. One possibility is the use of Mega Voice. It looks like a cell phone, but can be used where there is no electricity, because it is solar-charged. It can also be used with persons who are not able to read. More Information about the Master Teacher: In the March/April issue of Table Talk, I explained I am working on Teaching Like the

Master materials and listed eight areas related to how Jesus taught. I gave specific details about Jesus’ Fitness for Teaching. In this issue, I will focus on another area, and give specific details about His strategy in reaching out with the Good News. The Characteristics of His Students: There were varying levels and entry points for disciples in His ministry. His was a strategy that encouraged and educated the disciples, preparing them to reach the world with the Good News.

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Making Disciples At All Levels Note that at the beginning, evidently more time and effort was spent on the fewer numbers, so that those Jesus worked with would be equipped to have an effect on other levels of influence. 1. The Intimate Level: Jesus’ inner circle of three disciples. 2. The Develop Level: The “up close and personal” twelve disciples. 3. The Disciple Level: The “at a distance” seventy disciples. 4. The Interest Level: Those He touched – evangelistic contacts, the sick, the blind. 5. The “Come” Level: The multitudes - “interested others” – the feeding of 5,000. 6. The World Level: The population of Palestine – later more. Jesus’ Outreach to People 1. Jesus went beyond His culture: He bypassed prejudices and established relationships with persons others ignored, both in His own culture and outside it. 2. He didn’t begin teaching until He was thirty. He knew what was in people’s hearts. There was an immediacy in His teaching. Jesus built on the positive, and used the methods that could be universal. Can We Become Agents of Change? This is possible through physical, emotional, economical, and spiritual involvement with peo-ple. This is effective identification, which is the theme of the Epistle of James. Below are some very serious questions. 1. How can we really get to know people, touch what is real in their lives, and learn to listen? People are much more responsive if they know we care enough about them to ask, listen, and learn. 2. What are the needs of our target audience? 3. Where are these persons spiritually, intellectually, and/or emotionally? 4. What is the message (or teaching) we want to share? 5. What is the most effective way to communicate our message? 6. What will this mean in terms of behavior, values, and worldview? 7. How can we unlock our target’s audience’s mindset to our message? Food For Thought: Are we willing to try to reach out and touch the lives of those the Lord has put within our sphere of influence and teaching? And are we willing to follow the verse below? “This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.”

I Corinthians 2:13 NIV

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Soup Kitchen News A couple of months ago, I wrote an article on the ministry of the Ascension Soup Kitchen. Among other items, I wrote of what a great experience it would be for anyone who read those words to come and participate whenev-er they got the chance.

But, the other day, I was asked a question which I feel would be of interest to us all. We know who regularly works, we know who spearheads the operation, and we know that many people from many places volunteer to help, but just who are the people we serve? The answer is that they are just folks. Some down on their luck, some in need of help, and some who seem just to need somebody to whom to talk. Often, they know each other and are concerned with the wel-fare of both the guests and the workers. Allow me to give a couple of examples. I had eaten lunch with a couple of men who seemed to be friends. One day the one man asked me if I had heard anything from his friend who had suddenly stopped coming to eat. Also it seems he had left his place of residence taking almost nothing with him. It struck me that the others who regularly eat at that table were genuinely concerned. They were not going to rest until they got the answer. All’s well that ends well. We found that he had gone to stay with his daughter. But, I had to ask myself if most of us have such concern for our friends. On a different occasion, one of the guests told me that he wanted to do something for Heinz and Edith Blessing to show the appreciation that we all have for them. The next week he showed up with a Valentine card the size of a poster board folded over. We then worked together going from table to table and to the kitchen so everybody in the place could sign it. Imagine their sur-prise when it was presented to the Blessing’s the following week. Sometimes I don’t think we recognize how the Lord is using us to reach souls through the sim-ple act of providing a meal. But then, it was Jesus Himself who said, “What ever you did for the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” Matthew 25:40 Pastor Eble

May & June, 2015 Table Talk page 10

Financial Update

January 1, 2015 thru April 21, 2015 Weekly Giving

Estimated Actual: $149,599.06 Budget: $142,893.86

Estimated Variance: $6,694.20

Estimated Expenses: January 1, 2015 thru April 21, 2015

Total Estimated Expenses: $196,228.65 Total Budgeted Expenses: $167,098.09

Variance: ($29,130.56)

Everyone is invited to the Circuit 15 Picnic on Saturday, May 2.

It will be held on the spacious property of St. Peter’s on Ward Avenue, off Hwy. 49 in Con-cord, NC. Bar-B-Que and beef hot dogs will be provided. All congregations are being asked to bring the sides: baked beans, coleslaw, potato salad, chopped onions, mustard, ketchup, lemonade, tea, water and cakes for the cakewalk. We will also need people to be in charge of games - bingo, croquet, basketball, softball, tennis, Bible trivia, etc. Feel free to bring your favorite game or activity. We will have the 3 FFF’s, food, fun and fellowship! It would be great to have all our congregations represented and participating.

Please Welcome New Members

John Henry Mark Miller Lisa Noakes

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Softball League Weds May 6 6:30 pm Mon May 11 6:30 pm Tues May 19 6:30 pm Thurs May 28 6:30 pm

Weds Jun 3 6:30 pm Weds Jun 10 6:30 pm

Practice begins at 6:00pm, games begins at 6:30pm. All games are played at Trinity

Presbyterian Church, 3115 Providence Rd, Charlotte, NC 28211.

The full schedule is posted online by Trinity: https://onedrive.live.com/view.aspx?resid=EFA28FA62F3AFD28!23897&cid=efa28fa62f3afd28&ithint=file%

2cxlsx&app=Excel&authkey=!AFK_FiZrHFlIFqg

“WALK IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF JESUS” This is your opportunity to walk where Jesus walked. Pastor Ron and June Wiese are hosting an 11-day Biblical Tour of the Holy Land on Nov. 11-21. The tour includes 3 days in the Galilee area and 5 days in the Jerusalem ar-

ea, changing hotels only once. The cost from Charlotte is $3,877 and includes air fare, two ho-tels, most meals, taxes and gratuities. There is a 3-day optional tour of Petra and Mount Nebo in Jordan for an added cost of $1,077 per person. The tour group will be in the company of three other Lutheran groups from the US. Pastor and June will be hosting a Holy Land interest meeting at their home on Monday, May 11, at 11:30 a.m. This gathering is for those who have already registered for the tour and for those who simply want more information. For a brochure or more information, contact Pastor Wiese at (803) 547-1160 or pastorron@carolina.rr.com.

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May Birthdays

2 Gladys Clark 3 Ruth Burke 5 Seth Greeley 6 Jeff Jennings 7 Frank Wenz 8 Alpo Crane Cliff Greene Audrey Hanson 11 Dewey Bryson 13 Shirley Brown Tom Hagen 14 Lucy Jennings 15 Valerie Bixby Mitchell Clark 16 Kevin Bowman

17 Emarie DeLozier Stacey Fernandez 19 Debbie Walker 20 Taylor Beard 21 Tamra Greeley 23 Bristol Carico 24 Soren Knutson Caitlyn Sielsky 26 Connor Fulton Meg Greeley Paul Lover Bob Nordman 27 Brady Knutson 28 Christine Sielsky 30 Rorie White

31 Tania Bogenschneider Mike Gordon

June Birthdays 1 Karen Priebe 3 Kim Cates 4 Richard Elam Anita Gallagher 6 Maggie Bryson Carolyn Kissel Teri Sitcler 7 Joseph Timm 8 Reagan Domeier William Iwanski Brenda Porter 10 Stu Nichols Jacob Timm 11 Gary Veil

12 Keith Dennis 13 Valerie Dine 14 Barbara Pope 16 Paul Spokas 17 Pastor Robert Eble Philip Jennings Ann Weers 20 Sue Wenham 21 Jamie Burke Ellie Kalnik 22 Patia Bowman Jane Friemark Jennifer Karnwie Brian Timm

24 Brent Snellenbarger Dale Bogenschneider 25 David Haynes John Kissel 27 Karah Burke Eric Schmitt

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