AUGUST, 2019 REFLECTIONSfalse brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in...

www.ascensionhsv.org 1

AUGUST, 2019

REFLECTIONS

2 SW Corner

4 Elder’s Note

6 DCM

7 Kids’ Corner

8 Stewardship Thoughts

10 Birthdays and Flowers

11 Prayers and Outreach

12 Calendar

Ascension Lutheran Church | Huntsville, AL 35810

The Power of Prayer

When do you find yourself praying, not just following along in the worship service and saying the words printed in the bulletin or the hymnal, but pouring out your heart with your own words and cries that no one else knows about? Using combinations of words that even you didn’t know until you spoke them to God in prayer? Do you save your prayer time for certain times of day, or for specific occasions, or when you’re at the end of your rope - and the knot just let loose? Jesus, of course, prayed while He was on the earth. According to one person who has researched this, https://jesusalive.cc/ques204.htm, the passages show many times during His ministry that He went to His Father for strength, before healing, before feeding the people and His disciples, in Gethsemane, on the cross, while in boats, on mountaintops. If Jesus felt the need to pray that much, what does that tell us about our need to pray? Prayer is a powerful tool that God has given us to use at any time, in any place, for any reason. With that in mind, think about this: Praying for Your Sister in Christ The LWML is asking that all the women at Ascension add their names to the list of those who would like to be given a specific person (also female) to pray for every day, starting in September. Once you sign up, your name will be given to another woman who will pray for you, every day, for a year. No catch, other than talking to God about your friend and lifting her up in prayer. If interested, let Marsha Carden know (256) 541-8524, [email protected], or leave a note in her mailbox. You can also call the church office or email us and Marsha will get the message. Please sign up as soon as possible - everyone needs a prayer friend!

What’s INSIDE

August Dates in a Nutshell

August 2 - Visitation at Spry

August 3 - Funeral Service

August 6 - Women’s Bible Study

(WBS)

August 7 & 21 - Outreach at HHR

August 10 - LWML, Heintz/McFall

Wedding

August 13 - WBS, Directors

August 14 & 28 - Outreach Regency

August 20 - WBS, Elders

August 24 - Men’s Prayer Breakfast

The CDC begins its new year on

August 5. Pray for the teachers, staff,

children and parents, that all who

walk through the doors of the CDC

will recognize the presence of God

and know there is something special

going on there.

Worship Schedule

Sundays

8:00 & 10:45 AM - Worship

9:15 AM - Fellowship

9:30 AM - Bible Study and Sunday School

9:30 AM - Regency

Mondays

6:00 PM - Worship

https://jesusalive.cc/ques204.htm


From the SW Corner Pastor Bernard Ansorge

through faith. By faith, we rely

on His promise. When His

disciples asked Him to explain

where He was going, He said,

“Where I am going, you cannot

follow me now, but you will

later. In my Father’s house are

many rooms (mansions). I am

going to prepare a place for you.

And, if I go to prepare a place

for you, I will come again to

receive you unto Me, so that we

will be together forever. I am the

Way, the Truth, and the Life. No

one comes to the Father except

though Me.”

This beloved passage from the

Gospel of John has been

impressed into our memories

though much study and

repetition. It is the viable

promise of Jesus to each of us

who believes in Him. Even the

faith to believe in this promise is

guaranteed by the Holy Spirit,

whom Jesus has sent to us

through His Word. His Spirit

will comfort us, guide us and

lead us to believe His truth.

As you know, our congregation

Family most recently suffered a

devastating loss through what we

may term the “untimely” death

of Cyndi Peebles, truly one of

our beloved members. One day

she was here…and hours later

she had departed. A massive

stroke and the bursting of a

thoracic aneurism marked her

transition from a joy-filled life in

God’s Kingdom of Grace here

on earth into the perfect joy of

His Kingdom of Glory in

Heaven. Her loss to us is felt by

many. Her arrival in the arms of

THOUGHTS FOR TIMES OF TRANSITION

Every moment is a time of transition. Yesterday is gone…today is at

hand…tomorrow may never be…or it most likely will.

The old is gone…the new is at hand.

Especially at the end of a month: July is irretrievably gone…a new month

dawns, or does it?

The end of July marks the official completion of Tyler’s term as our

Vicar. His year with us has passed too quickly. We know he will not be

leaving us immediately due to a lease arrangement with his apartment, but

will be heading back north around the middle of August. We pray his

plans for the future work out well, and that he will successfully complete

his final year of residence at Concordia Theological Seminary and that he

will be assigned his first parish a year from now.

Ordinarily, the moment of saying farewell to one vicar should be followed

immediately with a welcome to our next vicar. However, due to a shortage

of seminary students, that will not happen for us, at least in this August

time frame. There may be an additional placement of a “Fall” vicar in

November at the end of the Fall term, but we have no guarantee of that,

although some of us are hopeful.

The uncertainty of the future reminds me of this aphorism, “We may not

know what our future holds, but we do know who holds our future in His

hands.” We are

always in a time

of t ransit ion.

Sadly, in times of

transition we often

forget who we are

and whose we are.

We need always

to hear this

reminder from the

Apostle Paul, “If

anyone is in

Christ, he is a new

creation. The old

has passed away.

The new is at

hand.” Jesus holds

our future, a

future that is

guaranteed for us


REFLECTIONS

Jesus was marked by “joy in the presence of the angels

of God” over her life of repentance and faith. Her

transition is to be recalled regularly by us who worship

each week in the presence of the “angels, archangels,

and all the company of Heaven.” She has now taken

her place with them, alongside Charlie and Larry, for

whom she had yearned fervently to see again since

their deaths.

Mike Peebles received, after Cyndi’s death, the

following brief essay in a blog by an author named

Melanie who sent him a link of her own experiences

with an unexpected death of her family member. We

reprint it now as a poignant reminder to us.

TOMORROW’S NOT GUARANTEED: LIVE LIKE IT

“We say it often. Usually after someone we know or

someone we love or someone famous is suddenly and

unexpectedly taken from this life to the next. And for a

few minutes or a few days or a few weeks we think

more carefully about what we say, what we do and

what we worry about.

“Then life takes over and we’re off. Racing toward the

finish line, rushing past the very ones we are racing for

and missing opportunities to help and hold and hug.

“But life really IS the journey.

“We can only spend each minute once. No refunds, no

exchanges.

“‘Live, Love, Laugh’ is useless if it’s only a motto hung

on the living room wall. Make it your breath, your

heart, the way you walk and talk.

“Don’t waste precious, irrecoverable moments!

“Make them count.”

“Those who died yesterday had plans for this morning.

And those who died this morning had plans for tonight.

Don’t take life for granted. In the blink of an eye,

everything can change. So forgive often and love with

all your heart. You may never get to have that chance

again.”

Thanks for that reminder, Melanie.

Love, Pastor Bernie


Elder’s Note Rick Hilst

WHAT DO WE HAVE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT?

“Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one - I am

talking like a madman with far greater labors, far

more imprisonments, with countless beatings,

and often near death. Five times I received at the

hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times

I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three

times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was

adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from

rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own

people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city,

danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from

false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a

sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without

food, in cold and exposure. And, apart from other

things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety

for all the churches.” (2 Corinthians 11:23-28)

“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth

comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18)

“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

(Philippians 1:21)

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the

Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me

but also to all who have loved his appearing. (2 Timothy 4:7-8)

How many times have you been lashed or

beaten with rods? Have you ever been

stoned? How many shipwrecks have you

been involved in? Have you ever truly

been in danger? Have you ever really been

hungry? Or cold? How often have you felt

anxious for the church? If your answers,

like mine, to all these questions, are

“Never,” then what exactly do you have to

complain about?

Outside of Christ, no person suffered more

in the Bible than Paul. When God said that

Paul would suffer much, He meant it.

Paul’s life, after conversion (which

involved three days of blindness), was

truly a life of suffering and persecution,

seemingly one thing right after

another. Yet Paul, if anyone

had a reason

to complain,

it was him,

summarized

his suffering

by saying that

it paled by

compar i son

with the glory

that awaited

him. Paul

d e f i n i t e l y

fought the

good fight,

ending with

his life being

taken from

him, and

e a g e r l y

anticipated his coming crown

of righteousness.

We should have an attitude like

Paul’s. Our lives and the

challenges we face, which,

most likely, are much less than

Paul’s, should not get the best

of us. If we keep our eyes

focused on our Lord and

Savior, on what He has done

for us, on what He continues to

do for us and that one day He

will welcome us into His

midst, then anything we face in

this lifetime pales by

comparison. If we live for

Christ, then, when we die, our

reward will be far greater than

any suffering we undergo in

this lifetime.

If we’re going to complain,

let’s get upset with the things

that angered God, the things

that angered Paul. Let’s


REFLECTIONS

complain about modern-day moneychangers, individuals who are reaping

financial rewards off believers. Let’s get upset with the false prophets, the

Pharisees, the Nicolaitans, those people who are preaching a Gospel other

than the one spelled out in the Bible. Let’s get upset with those people within

the church who are living with unrepented sin,

who flaunt their sinful lifestyles, who like

Jezebel (Revelation 2:20) seek to lead us astray.

Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ humiliated

Himself, was born of a virgin, grew up as a man,

was severely tempted, suffered tremendously

and gave His life on a cross for us. God did this

for us! Out of a love that is beyond our

comprehension He took on our punishment, He

suffered and died in our place, He paid the

penalty for our sins. And how do we repay

Him? We continue to sin, we continue to be self

-focused, we continue to complain about how

life is unfair, how the world is a mess, how we

would do things differently, and so on.

We have so much to be thankful for and so little

to complain about, so let’s not. Let’s focus on

the wonderful things God has done for us. Let’s

praise and thank God for all the gifts He has

bestowed on us. Let’s stop focusing on

ourselves, on our problems, and focus instead on

God’s will, on the things He wants us to do.

Let’s emulate Paul, let’s live our lives for

Christ, let’s run the race, fight the good fight,

let’s do God’s will, let’s give God our best.

We are saved by grace, through faith, both of

which are gifts from God. Nothing we can do

can favorably impact our salvation. However,

although faith and salvation are gifts from God

and we can do nothing to earn them, we can and

should repent of our wrongs and truly try to live

according to God’s will and not our own. So,

instead of complaining about the things of this

world, about our own aches and pains, about our

own problems, let’s focus instead on the eternal,

on the things that really matter. Let’s spread the Gospel, let’s pray for

Christians who are suffering, let’s pray for unbelievers, let’s pray for those

who would persecute us. Let’s give thanks to God for all his gifts. Let’s

rejoice that He has chosen to die for us, to save us, to give us an undeserved

and wonderful eternal life. Let’s focus on God’s will, God’s desire for our

lives. Let’s live our lives for Christ.


DCM & CDC Update Carla Jo Brakhage

IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR, AGAIN!

It’s time for the “school year” to start again. We are winding down the final

week of the summer program. We have really made use of the bus this

summer – taking field trips three times a week. During the week and a half

that the youth took the bus to the National Youth Gathering, we brought

speakers and activities to the center.

In honor of the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing, our theme for the

summer has been “The Sky’s the Limit.” We have had presentations and

videos on our solar system. Our final field trip for the summer was a trip to

the Marshall Space Flight Center.

The CDC will be closed August 1 and 2 for professional development and

team planning. Our first day of fall semester classes will be Monday, August

5. We will also have parent

orientation/open house that evening,

beginning at 6:30 PM. We would like

to see members of the congregation

here as well to mix and mingle with

the CDC families.

Our Parent-Teacher organization

continues to function. They are

planning to host an ice cream social in

conjunction to the open house on

August 5.

The theme for this school year is “Joyfully Christian.” It is derived from the

2019-2020 National Lutheran School’s theme of “Joyfully Lutheran.” It is

taken from 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. Rejoice always, pray continually, give

thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Our teaching staff is the same as we had for most of last year. Ms. Hall had

medical issues beginning last July, and we assumed they would soon be

resolved, but she had to take disability, and is no longer able to fulfill her

teaching responsibilities. Her position was filled

by ladies already on staff. We did replace one of

our infant room staff with Ms. Sandy.

Rally day is fast approaching. We will recognize

the educational staff of Ascension on Sunday,

August 12. The classes will be divided as follows:

preschool-Kindergarten through second grade;

third through sixth; and Jr & Sr. High. We can

always use volunteers for teaching, as well as aide

positions. Please let Kelly Aschenbrenner know

if you can help.

There will be a “blessing of

students” in place of the

children’s message in both

services that Sunday.

Refreshments served during

the fellowship time between

first service and Sunday

school. Following that, the

children will have joint

opening in the sanctuary, and

go to their respective class

rooms.

In the Lord’s service,

Carla Jo


KIDS’ CORNER


Stewardship Bobbie Scroggins

BEING BORN AGAIN

Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of

the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we

know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could

perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God

unless they are born again.” “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely

they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God

unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the

Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You

must be born again.’ John 3:1-7

When my first nephew was born, it was an exciting time. Not only was it my

first nephew, but it was my sister and her husband’s first child. When we went

up to their house for the baptism, our family was sitting around their house,

that weekend, and Debbie’s husband, an Israeli, was pretty insistent that

absolutely no one should kiss the baby because we had germs and he didn’t

want his son to get sick. Well, that’s pretty typical of first-time fathers, so we

just snickered and didn’t smooch on the baby - until the baby’s father was out

of the room. . .At some point, the discussion turned to the upcoming

baptismal service and how once baptized, Aviv’s sins would be washed away

by water and the Spirit, and, whoa, whoa, whoa!

“What are you talking about?” Mati asked. “What are you talking about ‘sin’?

This baby hasn’t sinned! He’s a baby - he can’t even do anything!”

“How can someone be born when they are old? Surely they cannot enter into

their mother’s womb to be born (again)!” Nicodemus wanted to know.

I have discovered that these two Israeli men, Nicodemus and Mati, one a Jew

and one not, had the same thought processes going on in their minds. Our

human nature tells us that: (1) it is impossible to navigate a second time

through the birth canal into the world; and (2) we cannot comprehend how a

child, so small and so “innocent” could possibly need to worry about being

forgiven for any wrongdoing because they haven’t sinned - yet!

Matthew Henry in his Commentary on the Book of John says, in so many

words, “Even if a man could be born

of the same mother, he could be born

a hundred times over and still not be

sinless!”

Being “born again,” as Jesus told

Nicodemus that night, was not being

born of the flesh, but being born of

the Spirit. To be born of the Spirit,

we can do nothing to effect the

change that is made when we

are baptized. It is by the power

and influence of the Spirit of

grace. We do not understand

how this happens. To be born

again is to be born of water and

of the Spirit. That which is

intended is to show that the

Spirit, in sanctifying a soul,

cleanses and purifies it as

water takes away the filth. That

is the visible sign, the water.

The work of the Spirit, which

we don’t see, is compared to

the wind. “The wind blows

wherever it pleases. You hear

its sound, but you cannot tell

where it comes from or where

it is going. So it is with

everyone born of the

Spirit.” (Verse 8) The Spirit

works power fu l ly and

mysteriously.

Being “born again” was not

only found in the New

Testament, but back in Ezekiel,

God said, “I will sprinkle clean

water on you, and you will be

clean; I will cleanse you from

all your impurities and from all

your idols. I will give you a

new heart and put a new spirit

in you; I will remove from you

your heart of stone and give

you a heart of flesh. And I will

put my Spirit in you and move

you to follow my decrees and

be careful to keep my

laws. Then you will live in the

land I gave your ancestors;

you will be my people, and I

will be your God. I will save

y o u f r o m a l l y o u r

uncleanness.” (Ezekiel 36:25-

26)


REFLECTIONS

The “help” section on the NIV translation for these verses of Ezekiel reads:

“God promised to restore Israel not only physically, but spiritually. To

accomplish this, God would give them a new heart for following him and put

His Spirit within them to transform them and empower them to do His

will.” (NIV Life Application Study Bible, 2005, page 1348)

As Nicodemus struggled to understand the words that Jesus was saying in the

passages in John 3 and continued to ask, “How can this be?” Jesus responded

with, “You are Israel’s teacher and do you not understand these things?”

Nicodemus had access to the book of Ezekiel. He, if he were the educated,

knowledgeable teacher that we assume he was, then he would have read these

words at some point, but what was his understanding of them?

Ah, how we all journey through this life! Nicodemus went to Jesus in the dark

of the night. Was it because he didn’t want his peers and fellow Pharisees or

members of the Sanhedrin to see him going to Jesus? Perhaps he wanted to be

able to talk to Jesus without all the crowds of people surrounding Him and

interrupting the discussion that Nicodemus wanted to have. Or was he

ashamed to be seen with Jesus? Whatever his reason for the timing of his

visit, he did question Jesus about His teachings. He did address Jesus as Rabbi

and searched for knowledge of the things he did not understand.

Was Nicodemus “born again,” himself? I’m not sure if the Bible gives us that

information, but we do know that Nicodemus was

one of the two men who took care of Jesus’ body

after His crucifixion. Even before Jesus’

crucifixion, he stood up to his fellow Pharisees and

asked them, after the Pharisees asked the temple

guards, “Why didn’t you bring Him (Jesus) in?”

Nicodemus asked, “Does our law condemn anyone

without first hearing him to find out what he is

doing?” Perhaps Nicodemus was one of those

“secret followers” of Jesus, and perhaps his fellow

Pharisees became suspicious of him and ostracized

him from their group, but who knows? These two

passages are the last ones that mention Nicodemus

in the Bible. (John 8:50; John 19:39)

And the story of Debbie, Mati and Aviv. Aviv was baptized and born again.

He ended up with five siblings, all of whom were baptized, and at one point, I

saw Mati carrying a new Bible and going to attend church and Bible study

classes. And he, like all of his children, was even “born again.”

PSALM 51:1-10

“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to

your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity

and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is

always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil

in your sight; so you are right

in your verdict and justified

when you judge. Surely I was

sinful at birth, sinful from the

time my mother conceived me.

Yet you desired faithfulness

even in the womb; you taught

me wisdom in that secret place.

Cleanse me with hyssop, and I

will be clean; wash me, and I

will be whiter than snow. Let

me hear joy and gladness; let

the bones you have crushed

rejoice. Hide your face from

my sins and blot out all my

iniquity. Create in me a pure

heart, O

God, and

renew a

steadfast

s p i r i t

w i t h i n

me. Do

not cast

me from

y o u r

presence

or take

y o u r

Holy Spirit from me. Restore

to me the joy of your salvation

and grant me a willing

spirit, to sustain me.”

PRAYER: Lord God, heavenly

Father, You have instituted Your

Holy Christian Church and

commanded her to take Your

Word to all nations, that those

who haven’t yet heard Your

saving Gospel might hear, come

to faith and be saved. Of Your

good pleasure, send Your Spirit to

sow Your Word into hearts, that a

harvest of faith may be reaped

among the nations, through Jesus

Christ, our Lord. Amen.


August 1 Susann Gehring

Harvey Fischer

August 2 Marcia Pate

Helga Akins

August 3 Bob Mixon

Mark Smith

August 4 James Kenny

August 6 Marsha Carden

Nancy Lawson

August 8 Micah Glenn

August 9 Sandra Thies

August 10 Timothy Couch

August 11 Sarah Burhans

John Levenhagen

August 12 Sheila Levenhagen

August 13 Rhonda Abello

August 14 Vesta Watts

August 16 Alan King

Philip Ansorge

August 17 Nadine Hartwig

Daniel Reyer

August 18 Isabella Bowers

Austin 21 Austin Burhans

Kathie Malcomb

August 23 Teri Juron

Grace Lee

August 25 Elaine Jeziorski

August 26 Harold Lawson

August 27 Joanne Hilst

Jared Severance Hall

On the Altar August 4 -

August 11 - For Sharon Suarez’s birthday, given by Katherine Beason (mom) and Sarah Heritage (sister)

August 18 -

August 25 -

BIRTHDAYS & FLOWERS

August Flowers


This ‘n That

A STUDENT'S PRAYER FOR A NEW SCHOOL YEAR

Lord Jesus, I ask for Your help as I begin this new school year. Allow

me to experience Your presence in the many blessings You put

before me. Open my eyes to the new challenges and exciting

opportunities that this new school year brings. Open my heart and

mind to new friends and new teachers. Give me a generous spirit to

be enthusiastic with my studies and courage to accept new

opportunities. Help me to be attentive to my teachers and let me

experience Your presence in my new friends. Jesus, inspire me to do

my best this year! Amen

A TEACHER’S PRAYER FOR A NEW SCHOOL YEAR

Our Creator, our Savior, our companion, bless this journey of a new school year that we undertake. Refresh our

souls and renew our spirits as we embrace the beautiful ministry you have called us to. We welcome those who are

new to this community and ask that you strengthen them to share the wonderful gifts you have given them. Lord,

make our hearts pure as we prepare for the return of students to this school, and may You guide them to return with

open hearts and minds eager to learn. We ask this in Your name. Amen

E v e r y W e d n e s d a y morning, a group of Ascension members go to two different venues to lead worship services, which consist of readings, hymns and prayers. If you are interested in becoming a part of either one or both of these groups, you are more than welcome to come along! The groups meet at both places about 15 minutes before the starting time, and the schedule looks like this:

Missional Outreach

Prayers

Welcome - Pastor/Vicar

Song One

Song Two

Scripture Reading - OT

Song Three

Song Four

Scripture Reading - NT

Song Five

Song Six

Scripture Reading - Gospel

Song Seven

Message

Song Eight

Song Nine

There is time to spend one-on

-one with the residents of both

establishments.

The schedule for August is:

August 7 & 21 - Huntsville Health and

Rehab at 10:00 AM, located at 4010 Chris

Drive, SW, Huntsville, AL 35802

August 14 & 28 - Regency at 10:15

AM, located at 2004 Max Luther Drive, NW,

Huntsville, AL 35810

Every Sunday between our own

worship services, a third group leads a worship

service at 9:30 AM.

If interested or if you have any

questions, contact person is Bob Smith (256)

656-9795 or [email protected]

CURRENT PRAYER REQUESTS - Dardreanna Lawson; Tom Toughey; Matthew Richardson; Pastor

Shawn Hunze; Elizabeth Moore; the family Rufus McCullam, father of Cynthia and Perry, who died last

Saturday; Pastor Shawn Hunze, admitted to hospital with congestive heart failure last week (Stephanie Lee’s

brother); Neil Buettner, who has been moved to live with his son in Memphis, TN; Ruth Fall, awaiting

pathology report from a melanoma (Friend of Linda Hirschbuehler); the family of Marilyn Ballentine, mother

of Todd Ballentine, who passed away on July 30.


Calendar August, 2019

AUGUST, 2019 REFLECTIONSfalse brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in...

Documents

Transcript of AUGUST, 2019 REFLECTIONSfalse brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in...