On behalf of the people of The Episcopal Church of the Ascension in Hayward, Wisconsin, I welcome you to our parish family.  We are a vibrant community of Christians, dedicated to sharing the good news of Jesus Christ to those both within our immediate community as well as to those throughout the world.  We are rooted in the deep and rich traditions of the Anglican Church but are committed to allowing those same traditions to breathe and inform our ministry to those living in today’s world.  Our worship is reverent but lively.  Our fellowship is warm and inviting.  We are devoted to extending God’s love both through our words and in very concrete actions.  We understand that our lives are a pilgrimage and that we are called to support and encourage each other as we walk in faith.  I invite you to explore the pages of our website to discover the many areas in which we are living into our lives as followers of Christ.  I encourage you to visit us in person or to contact us by email or telephone.  And I welcome you to join us on the journey.  It is really quite an adventure!

Father Arthur Hancock
Vicar

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ASCENSION PARISH ANNOUNCEMENTS
FOR THE WEEK BEGINNING 11.24.19

IT’S ALMOST TIME FOR OPERATION CHRISTMAS!: Once again Diana Smith is representing Ascension by helping to head up Operation Christmas. Operation Christmas is a joint effort between Ascension, Hayward United Methodist, and First Lutheran Church. Thanks to the wonderful support of Ascension parishioners, Operation Christmas is able to provide gifts and food baskets to the areas’ needy families. Diana will have tags for kids’ gifts on 11/24, and 12/1. Gifts should cost between $10-$15. Gift cards work well for older kids (such as McDonald’s, Dairy Queen, or Walmart.) Gifts can be brought to Ascension by 12/8 and Diana will take them to First Lutheran Church, or if folks pick up a tag on 12/8, they will need to drop off their gift by 12/11 at First Lutheran Church.

We will also be collecting hats and mittens ONLY, NO SCARVES. Diana will be putting a box in the Crypt Care area for both gifts and hats and mittens. Please, also have them at Ascension by 12/8 for her to take to First Lutheran.

Thanks to all who volunteered to take calls, pack boxes, and distribute gifts. Ascension volunteers covered 38 hours of time to this event. That is AWESOME!

Besides volunteering, or purchasing gifts, you may donate funds which buys food and extra gifts. Checks may be made out to Ascension with a notation to “Operation Christmas.” Any other questions about this project? Please talk to Diana!

ON THE TOPIC OF THE FUTURE BISHOP AND STRUCTURE OF THE DIOCESE, THANKS RICK HERDRICH!! Take a moment to thank Rick Herdrich, who has served on the Diocesan Transition Committee for the past six months. Rick has spent countless hours meeting with other team members, holding listening sessions around the diocese, and formulating models for what our diocese will continue to grow into. At our Diocesan Convention Rick and the rest of the Transition Team presented their report to the delegates to convention and listened while the topic and various models were debated. Want to know more? Speak with Rick.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS: On Friday, November 29th, Allison Jonjak will be hosting a "Welcoming Barn Dance," at the Stone Lake Lions Hall. The fun commences at 6:30pm and continues 'til 8:30pm. No experience is necessary, and no partner is needed. Wear smooth-soled shoes and come ready to kick up your heels! For more info visit: allisonjonjak.com or look for it on Facebook events.

COMMUNITY DINNER: Our next opportunity to serve the Community Dinner at First Lutheran Church is coming up! Mark your calendars for Wednesday, December 4th. We’ll be serving spaghetti, salad, bread, and dessert. Can you help serve or make a dessert to bring? Look for the sign-up sheet in the narthex. To offset the cost of providing the meal we are asked to bring a 2-pound box of spaghetti to church sometime between now and December 1st. Our own Warren Thompson will be heading up this go ‘round in order to earn community service hours and one of his Boy Scout merit badges.

WEDNESDAY IS “CHURCH NIGHT” FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE: Our Ascension youth are working (with Dcn. Marlene and their parents) on their Girl and Boy Scouting religious medals. Anyone who wishes to join us can! We currently meet Wednesday after school at 4:30pm-5:30pm, then we break bread together with a simple soup supper from 5:30pm-6:15pm. During the course of their work the youth may ask for participation from our congregants in interviews, question and answer sessions, or assistance in completing portions of their work. Please be generous with your time and ideas as we grow our young people!

ADOPT-A-PROJECT: Stop by the Peabody House to see the progress being made. Bev Salisbury has been hard at work painting the place, top to bottom inside! The ceilings are being completed, drywall put up, and the countertops have been installed. The Peabody House project has been moving along! Take a moment to go next door to see. ant to help a project along? Consider if you would like to see the work progress to come to completion by sponsoring a piece of the many projects. In the narthex you’ll find a list of the projects yet to be adopted. Want to know more? Talk to Rick Herdrich, or Steve Salisbury.

VESTRY MEETING: The Vestry hold its next meeting on Tuesday, 17 December @ 5:00pm. Ongoing business includes the status of the search for a rector, the Peabody House renovations, and necessary outdoor property projects and repairs. A work list will be developed and the opportunity for every member of the parish to take part in the different jobs around the physical plant will be encouraged. Charline Huwe sends the minutes to everyone electronically. If you’d like an update sooner, talk to Sr. Warden Steven Salisbury, or Jr. Warden, Monte Lewis, or any other Vestry member! Meetings typically begin at 5:00pm and are completed by 6:00pm. Anyone is welcome to attend.

CHECK-IN ON SOCIAL MEDIA!: Are you on Facebook? If so, then be sure to check-in to let your friends know you were here! Our FB link is @AscensionEpiscopalChurchHaywardWi

FOR THE WEEK BEGINNING 11.24.19

WE HOLD IN OUR PRAYERS:

Our Church Family:
In our city: the people of Trinity Lutheran Church
In our diocese: the people of Chapel of the Resurrection, Chippewa Falls
In our nation: The Diocese of Los Angeles
In the Anglican Communion: The Falkland Islands
The Church in the Sudan, Patrick Augustine, bishop
The Church of South Sudan
Michael B. Curry, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church
Jay Lambert, Bishop of the Diocese of Eau Claire

The Needs and Concerns of Our Congregation:
The world: Let love prevail in all places.
Our nation: May God lead the hands, hearts, and minds of its leaders
Our parish family: As we move into our future

The Sick and Needy:
The Kurdish people of northern Syria
The lives lost and the people affected by flooding due to Hurricane Imelda, especially in Texas
The Bahamas: Its people, creatures, and landscape, as they continue to deal with
the aftereffects of Hurricane Dorian
Those in parts of the country dealing with the aftereffects, extensive property damage, and lives lost, due to extreme weather
Military personnel deployed away from home, and their families
The ill in our parish family: those who are hospitalized, in skilled nursing facilities, those who are recovering from surgery, those who suffer from chronic conditions
The family members of those who are in any need, sickness, trouble, or distress, as they come alongside their loved one(s)
All displaced people and refugees, especially children
Those who live alone
God’s people who are in any need, trouble, or distress

In Thanksgiving:
The love manifest in this congregation
Those with Birthdays or Anniversaries this week
The election of Deon Johnson, 11th Bishop of Missouri
The election of Frank Logue, 11th Bishop of Georgia
The election of Mark Van Koevering, 8th Bishop of Lexington (KY)
The election of Susan Bunton Hayes, 11th Bishop of Southern Virginia
The election of Lennon Yuan-Rung Chang, 6th Bishop of Taiwan
The election of Marty Stebbins, 10th Bishop of Montana
The election of Jonathan Folts, 11th Bishop of South Dakota
The election of Bonnie Perry, 11th Bishop of Michigan
The election of Lucinda Ashby, 4th Bishop of El Camino Real

The Departed:
The lives lost due to gun violence, especially from the most recent school shooting in Santa Clarita, CA
All military personnel who have laid down their lives to secure the freedom of our nation's citizens, as well those of other nations

FUTURE EVENTS TO REMEMBER:
November 29: Welcoming Barn Dance, Stone Lake Lions Hall 6:30pm-8:30pm
December 4: Ascension serves Community Dinner at 1st Lutheran Church
December 17: Vestry Meeting in the Undercroft @ 5:00pm
December 18: Advent Festival of Lessons & Carols @ 5:30pm
December 21: Longest Night Service @ 5:30pm

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A letter from Rick to the Ascensionites:

To my fellow travelers on the journey and the church of God in Hayward, grace and peace to you from God our Father and Lord Jesus Christ.

As we search for a new rector for our church, it is important to remain faithful and hopeful. Faithful not only to Jesus Christ, but to our community, meaning the Church of the Ascension and also to the community we live in. Having faith is the ability to believe without seeing.

It is also important to not lose hope, as our journey can be long and difficult. There are many factors that go into finding a new rector, but also them finding us. It is hard not to say “if we were not in the Northwoods and if, we had more money for salary and if, we were in a bigger city, maybe it would be easier to find a priest”, however, that is not the case and we have to continue to have hope that God will help us find the right person to serve us.

It is important for us to pray, individually and as we do as a community, for God’s help in finding a new rector and thankfulness for the community we have, along with Deacon Marlene and Father Kirby, who are serving our church during this journey.

Important work is being done preparing our church and our rectory for a new priest. Be thankful for a community that is sharing its time, talent and treasure to make this all possible.

The Search Committee will continue to look for ways to find and attract possible candidates. If you have any questions, please let me know or anyone on the Search Committee (Kris Thompson, Missy Olson, Tom Dew, George Gorbetenko and myself.)

Aim for perfection, listen to my appeal, be one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you. (2 Corinthians 13:11)

Yours in the journey,

Rick Herdrich