What’s Up? May 17 – 24, 2020

Posted on May 16, 2020 | Posted by Mary Stoneback

SUNDAY 5/17           9:15 AM         Live Worship
                                    10:15 AM        Fellowship Hour via Zoom  
                                    11:00 AM        Confirmation via Zoom
TUESDAY                  10:30 AM        Pastors Bible Study via Zoom
                                    7:00 PM           CPC Meeting via Zoom
WEDNESDAY           7:00 PM           Bible Study & Prayer via Zoom
SATURDAY               1:00 PM           HS Youth Group via Zoom
SUNDAY 5/24           9:15 AM          Live Worship
                                    10:15 AM        Fellowship Hour via Zoom  
                                    11:00 AM        Confirmation via Zoom

Church office hours: 9am-noon, Monday-Friday
With Arlayne out sick, there may not be someone in the office. It’s best to call if you have a concern, not stop by. 719-634-1694

COVID-19 UPDATE: In accordance with current state mandates, we will continue to worship online at least through the end of May and will keep you in the loop as more is known.

To join us for worship on Sunday at 9:15, go to our YouTube channel:
tinyurl.com/YouTubeALC, find this week’s bulletin at: http://www.ascensioncos.org/online-worship/

Sunday after church Fellowship Zoom beginning by 10:15am.  Click on the following link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/92952996923?pwd=dFB3cVBDMnJmb0h5Q3gwZEZHUEtVZz09
Or phone in at +1 301 715 8592  
Enter Meeting ID  929 5299 6923   Password 068086

Baccalaureate Sunday, May 17, 9:15 am online. We celebrate with this year’s High School Senior Class: Mikayla Britsch, Isaac Courtright, Brenner Craft, Leighton Eckrich, Jordan Tichenor and Brandon Strawderman. Each senior will receive a towel and we will do a special blessing online on May 17. A special thank you to Wini Klein for embroidering each towel with Ascension Lutheran Church Class of 2020. If you’d like to congratulate each senior, please email Deacon Mary for addresses. m.stoneback@ascensioncos.org or call/text: (303)475-4886

You can now support Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains from the comfort of your home! LFSRM will be hosting a virtual gala on Sunday, May 17th at 7pm to celebrate stories of their work, complete with a silent auction, entertainment, and a live paddle raise. Tickets are $25 and can be found here: https://www.lfsrm.org/event/annual-gala/

Wednesday Evenings Continue!  We are continuing our Wednesday evening worship beyond Lent.  Each Wednesday at 7pm, Pastor Dan, Pastor Daniel, and Deacon Mary will lead a short worship experience that includes a conversational Bible Study and prayer practice.  You can join us here (password: 800068): https://zoom.us/j/298020347?pwd=dmF3dW8yY1Y2MkxjQzd1QlJpOXQ2QT09

Tuesday Bible Study will meet via Zoom. If you are interested in participating, email Pastor Dan Holt by Monday 12 pm at d.holt@ascensioncos.org

HS Youth Group: Saturdays at 1 pm, the HS Youth Group meet on Zoom for some fun, prayer and Bible study at: https://zoom.us/j/872910230?pwd=UHU4bEVUSzZnbTlMaTJBNmd5Y2JHdz09 Password744372

Confirmation: The Confirmation class meets Sundays at 11 am on Zoom through May 24th for small group check-ins, prayer and fun!
https://zoom.us/j/148981847?pwd=eHhLUzlGNitiK1FGNHpQVllEZHhjdz09
Password167378

An update on Lutheran Family Services of the Rocky Mountains (LFSRM) and KPC Respite Center:

LFSRM is working remotely with a couple of exceptions. The KPC Respite Center reopened a couple of weeks ago with a very strict protocol for families, kids, and staff.  Lots of face and hand washing.  Besides a few normal clients they have added kids from families referred by the El Paso County Department of Human Services for a total of up to 24 kids per
week. These are kids who are deemed to be vulnerable and at a high level of risk for abuse and neglect. The DHS Director is extremely grateful for LFSRM stepping up to assist with the critical need. In addition, we are responding to requests from two Colorado state agencies for contracts to provide case management and mental health services in several parts of the state.  

A Thrivent action grant has been approved to sew masks for Lutheran World Relief (LWR). Needed: people willing to sew or cut the fabric. Contact Sylvia Holt at 719 360-7202 to join the effort. LWR has a goal of 75,000.

Thank you to all who participated in the Online Story Night event and fundraiser. Over $300 was raised to help with Ascension’s Food Pantry and World Hunger. Haven’t been able to see it yet? Watch the storynight and more at: tinyurl.com/YouTubeALC

We’re excited to share with the children and families of Ascension, Storytime with Pastor Daniel and Friends for the younger children and guided reading and activities for the older children. Sent to your email each week, we invite you to press play and engage in God’s Word,
prayers and song. If you’d like to be a part of this effort and connect with the children and families of Ascension online, email or text/call Deacon Mary at m.stoneback@ascensioncos.org or (303)475-4886.

Thank you so much for supporting our efforts to provide food to members of our CLC and church. We are currently providing 12 weekly backpacks to CLC kiddos, which helps to supplement food over the weekend.  We anticipate that this need is going to grow over the next few weeks. Your continued support is much needed.  Please see suggested food list at the end of this “What’s Up” and pick up what you can next time you go to the store. Your donations can be dropped off at the church weekdays from 9-12.  Financial support for this much needed program is always welcomed as well.  Chris Koehler and Terri Moore. Scott Ewen also received a great thank you from IHN/Family Promise for dropping off 22 grocery store gift cards worth $760. Generosity from the congregation for this effort is greatly appreciated, as you can see. Awesome! Thank you so much! I cannot thank you enough for this. Truly, Scott, thank you for reaching out to Ascension and everyone for our IHN families and getting this together. I appreciate your giving hearts! ��” – Andrea (Family Promise Volunteer Manager)

Family Promise Gift Cards: If you’d still like to help with gift cards to Family Promise, you can bring those or mail those to the church.  These will go to IHN families who have housing, we no longer have congregations giving them food. You can give online through Family Promise as well – www.ihn-cos.org.  For more information our IHN coordinator is Scott Ewen at sdewenx2@att.net Thanks for your Generous Response!  With over half our giving coming in through the offering plate, we began to quickly fall behind. But because you stepped up with mailing in your offering, we are back on track!

If you’d like help to set up recurring giving through the office, call us from 9-noon, M-F – 634-1694.  Leave a message as we might have to call you back.

We continue to use or phone tree to keep in touch with each member of the congregation. If you haven’t received a call, let us know so we’re sure we didn’t miss you.  These personal contacts are how we stay connected.
Even after the pandemic is past, we will continue having an online worship service, as these services have proven to be great opportunities for outreach and worship.

A new Online Worship Task Force has been set up to craft the ongoing service so that it furthers Ascension’s mission to create faithful community. Task Force members are Pastor Dan, Pastor Daniel, Deacon Mary, Ingrid Daniel, Alisa DesJardin, and Gail Tucker.

Finally, to stay connected and up-to-date check out Ascension online:
•        Website: ascensioncos.org
•        Facebook: facebook.com/ascensioncos
•        Instagram: instagram.com/ascensioncos/
•        YouTube: tinyurl.com/YouTubeALC
•        Prayer Request Form: https://forms.gle/iQEWie3LkVtz3cmLA

Food Pantry Suggestions

We are specifically looking for nonperishable foods right now but if you have something special that requires refrigeration, contact Chris Koehler (719-445-0929 or cmkoehle@gmail.com) for arrangements.  For an extensive list of needs, visit: http://www.ascensioncos.org/ministries/outreach/ascensions-free-pantry/?_thumbnail_id=1895