The Messenger. W ell, the future is rolling in. From the Pastor. Ascension Lutheran Church, th St., Ocala, FL Ph: MAY 2018

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1 The Messenger In this issue 1 Pastor s Corner 2 WELCA News 3 Church Council/ In Memoriam 4 Congregational / Care Committee 5 Pentecost Petals/ Pastor s Corner 6 & 7 Money Matters Check Fraud 8 Children s Church 9 Easter Egg Hunt 10 Vietnam Traveling Wall 11 Memorial Day/ Finishing the Race 12 Scriptures/ Celebrations 13 Assistants 14 Calendar Ascension Lutheran Church, th St., Ocala, FL Ph: From the Pastor W ell, the future is rolling in. The call committee is installed, their first meeting with the Bishop s staff is scheduled, and the work of prayerful discernment is starting. The vision is God s but the timetable will be up to all of you. This month, in particular, my mind is on baptismal vocation. That s largely due to the fact that three of our young adults will celebrate the Rite of Affirmation of Baptism on Pentecost Sunday, May 20. After 2 years of study, they are being asked to consider for themselves what it means to be a baptized child of God and then to make a commitment to continue to live in that covenant in essence, to affirm their baptism as integral to their lives. Please come and celebrate this milestone with them! But this celebration is not the only reason to give thought and prayer to our vocation as the baptized. The simple fact of being engaged in the call process gives a compelling reason for each of us to think about what it means to be members of Christ s church. As Luther used to say, each day is a day to remember our baptism and to consider both the promises and the call of that covenant. I will be asking these young adults the following: MAY 2018 Do you intend to continue in the covenant God made with you in holy baptism: to live among God s faithful people, to hear the word of God and share in the Lord s supper, to proclaim the good news of God in Christ through word and deed, to serve all people, following the example of Jesus, and to strive for justice and peace in all the earth? These promises shape our lives as individuals and as a congregation. Each of our ministry teams - our committees develops and implements goals to help us live out our vocation in the world. They can t do it without you. It takes all of us to imagine and live God s purposes. I would challenge you to consider your own baptismal vocation. What are the passions that the Holy Spirit has placed in your hearts? In what ways can you be the presence of Christ to your neighbor? H o w c a n you be a support in our life together to ensure that we hear God s word, share in his supper, and proclaim the good news through word and deed? (Continued on Pg 5)

2 PAGE 2 The Ascension Messenger is published 11 times a year to keep our congregation informed and to stay connected with those who don t worship with us year-round CHURCH COUNCIL President Jane Kurtz Vice President Anne Hauser Secretary Karen Ahner Treasurer Gene Duffey Finance Committee Tom Newton Financial Secretary Gail Velten Worship & Music Nancy Hein Stewardship Kathy Keif Social Concerns Cindy Richardson Christian Education Louise McCallon Building Servant Needed Grounds Committee Jack Richardson DEADLINE FOR THE MESSENGER IS THE 15TH OF THE MONTH. PLEASE YOUR ARTICLES TO: OFFICE@ALC.CFCOXMAIL.COM MARK NEWSLETTER IN THE SUBJECT LINE. ARLENE RENZI OFFICE MANAGER Greetings, Ladies! Our Easter Breakfast was a big success, as always. There were lots of different kinds of egg casseroles plus cheese grits, sausages, fruit, desserts, and drinks which were enjoyed by all. All the comments were well received by everyone who helped to prepare the meal. There was an egg hunt for the little ones after the children had eaten. The older kids, which included Trinity Kurtz and a f r i e n d, a n d Kailey, Kathy and Brian Blosser, participated by hiding the eggs.. We would like to say Thank You them for their help. We always like to involve the teens whenever we can, since they are part of our congregation, and we want them to know we recognize them as such. I would like to Thank everyone who helped prepare the food, set up for the breakfast, and all who helped clean-up after breakfast as well. Our Mother/Daughter/ Other dinner is coming up quickly. Mark your calendar and remember to sign up in the Parish Life Building to attend. The date is May 8, 2018 at 6:00 P. M. The Theme this year is a Picnic. We will be asking for help with the food, and the signup sheet will have a list of what you can bring. I hope to see all the women there and please, bring all the friends and relatives with you. We are going to have entertainment and games and share camaraderie among us. Please remember to keep the date free to attend. I want to give a shout out a big THANK YOU to the women who showed up on April 11, 2018 to help clean the kitchen; Jane Kurtz, Kathy Keif, Eleanor Newton, Evelyn Dedinas, Gail Velten, Karen Ahner and Eileen Fleming. Eddie McCallon deserves a big THANK YOU also for volunteering to clean the carpet in the hall. He did a great job and we all appreciate his help. THANK YOU again, Eddie. Until next month everyone, have a great May and see you in the funny papers. God bless and keep you safe, Karen Ahner, Chairperson

3 T H E M E S SE N GE R ACE NSI ON LU TH E R AN CHU R CH PAGE 3. Things are happening here at Ascension. I have attended a few committee meetings and they are busy creating their Ministry plans. We all need to be thinking on what we want for our church. The kitchen looks so good; many thanks to all who helped with the cleaning. A special thanks to Eddie McCallon, who worked on cleaning the carpet in the fellowship hall. teach you and to work with you on this. The coffee hour is enjoyed before and after church services. The Congregational Care committee is in charge for the month of May. That chairperson is Kathy Keif, so if you are willing to donate cookies, they will be much appreciated. Please let Kathy know. In Christ, Jane Kurtz Council President Our Call Committee of Kathy Keif, Ralph Whitney, Marcia Muncaster, Greg Phillips, Lynn Andrews, Eddie McCallon and Lee Funk were installed. They met with Connie Schmucker from the Synod Office to get information on how we need to start the call process. The Faith in Action committee will be selling and serving meatball subs on Sunday, May 6 after church service. I hope you all will support this event, and enjoy the food and fellowship. I enjoy seeing the expression on the little kids faces as they are going to children's church. A special Thank you to Louise McCallon for doing this. There may be times when Louise could use some help; so, if you would be willing to assist her, please let her know. This ministry could be so rewarding. We will be having confirmation on May 20. Those getting confirmed are Brian Blosser, Gabriel Tighe and Brandon Tighe. We will have a reception for them after church service. We also need people to sign up to work on the Altar Guild. We will be glad to Rena Sookram January, April 19, 2018

4 T H E M E S SE N GE R ACE NSI ON LU TH E R AN CHU R CH PAGE 4 CONGREGATIONAL CARE COMMITTEE Sixteen years ago, five nurses at Ascension completed a series of special classes at Munroe Regional Hospital to become a Parish Nurse. At that time, we became the Ascension Care Team. We not only organized health clinics for flu shots, but we provided informational classes on various health issues for our own church. Also, we assisted in community clinics and health fairs in the Ocala area. One of our members started knitting prayer shawls for members who needed comfort in serious or terminal illness. This project is still supported today by members who knit shawls for us. Over the years, we provided our congregation with health fairs and flu clinics; information from Hospice on their many programs; and off-site units have used our parking lot to provide many types of testing for the public and our members. As health care changed, we saw free standing health clinics and Emergency rooms providing care and doctors recommending care at home. As doctors became more specialized, they developed many ways of providing information to the community thru seminars, printed materials and parish nurses. With our computers today, we can research most issues and treatments. I encourage you to take advantage of the free seminars offered in our community from the many physician specialists and special clinics for physical and occupational information. Our future as your congregational care team begins now. Eileen Fleming, from our previous Evangelism Committee, and myself will try to visit and note the needs of our members who are home bound, in nursing care units or area hospitals and offer assistance as we are able to them and their families. We will continue to provide programs for our members and families that will provide information to help with daily issues, On May at 7:00 pm, Paul Bloom from the Marion County Sheriff Department will be presenting a safety program on personal and group safety issues we might encounter in our daily routines, as well as suggestions as to how to protect ourselves. At 8:00 pm, there will be a presentation of the new CPR procedures and a chance for everyone to sharpen their skills. Note: I am still working on the CPR session to also include How to stop Bleeding which would include the use of pressure and proper tourniquets. This will be included if there is an instructor available. The classes are free and there will not be a certificate issued for the CPR. Kathy Keif, Chairperson

5 T H E M E S SE N GE R ACE NSI ON LU TH E R AN CHU R CH PAGE 5 PENTECOST PETALS The Pantheon, dedicated in 126 A.D. as the home of ancient Roman gods, is now a Catholic basilica. In a tradition dating back to the seventh century, on Pentecost Sunday thousands of rose petals are dropped through the roof s opening onto worshipers below. The red petals symbolize the Holy Spirit descending on Jesus disciples, as well as the blood Jesus shed on the cross. Pastor s Corner (continued from Pg 1) I am excited and hopeful as Ascension moves into these next weeks and months of dreaming the future. You are continually in my prayers. May Easter blessings pour down and enliven your hearts! In Christ, Pastor Ellen To accomplish this rose rain, five firefighters climb to the roof after mass. While the choir sings the ancient hymn Veni Creator Spiritus ( Come Creator Spirit ), firefighters empty seven bags of petals through the building s 27-footwide oculus, or eye in the sky. Only a fortunate few can witness this spectacular event in person each year, but videos are available online. Below are two websites where you can watch this wonderful tradition.

6 PAGE 6 T H E M E S SE N GE R AS CE N SI ON LU TH E R AN CHURCH Someone with your personal check can raid your account: Money Matters Question: I watched the video of you and the expert panelists at a consumer scams forum in Lakewood in March. I have a question regarding one of the points. How can someone who is in possession of your bank routing number and account number take money out of your checking account without a signed check? I'm talking about a scenario where there is no debit card attached to the account. If someone is able to take money without a signed check, why even have checks? My bank was unable to give me a good answer so I'm hoping you can. I've talked to numerous others who are equally confused so it may be a point to address in your column as well. E.R., Willowick Answer: If I had your routing number and account number (I may or may not need your name), then I could use that information to pay for something online using an electronic check. You raise an excellent question I was planning to write about soon. If you write someone a personal check, you've given that person your name, address, maybe your phone number, and -- most importantly -- your routing number and account number. With that, an individual can potentially do a lot of damage to your checking account. I've been on my high horse lately about the dangers of writing a check from your primary checking account to an individual, unless it's someone like a trusted relative or dear friend. First, many companies/ merchants/ entities accept electronic checks online to pay for something. In most cases, you only have to enter the account holder's name, routing number and account number. If the company asks for the address, you've got that too if you've got someone's personal check. Dishonest people can use the information on your personal check to pay their bills or buy merchandise. I'm not talking about sleazy outlets that will allow this: For starters, Amazon allows electronic debits from a checking account using a routing number and account number. So does my son's university, Ohio State, when I pay his tuition. So do utilities and cellphone providers. So do lots of other companies. Clearly, if it's an online transaction, there's no signed check. There's no signature at all. There isn't as much security surrounding this issue as there should be. Often, it's a case where banks act first -- allow money to be debited -- and then ask questions or respond

7 By Teresa Dixon Murray, The Plain Dealer to questions later. T H E M E S SE N GE R AS CE N SI ON LU TH E R AN CHURCH PAGE 7 In fact, when I talked about this a couple of weeks ago at an event in Shaker Heights, a gentleman told the crowd that his checking account was hit recently for a $1,000 payment to Dominion Energy for someone's natural gas bill. Clearly, it could be tracked to an address, and therefore, a person. How did it happen? The man got his money refunded to his account but no good explanation. I asked you to ask your bank what it can do to prevent your checking account from be ing debited by someone who has the information on the front of a paper check you've given them. Here's what you said: "My bank is Chase and they essentially confirmed your point that the bank just lets the fraud happen and then pays you back the money. Seems like a strange business model. She did say that phony ACH withdrawals are very low on the list of common fraudulent transactions, but there is no way to prevent fraud from happening." Chase spokeswoman Christine Holevas said my points are correct. "It's unfortunate that Eileen seems to think that we somehow know when someone's account has been compromised and used fraudulently via electronic transaction. We would love to have that power," Holevas said. "Technology brings great convenience and simplicity, but we still have the same challenges - customer education, fraudsters, etc.," she said. "Our best defense against fraudsters are customers that monitor their accounts, call us when something doesn't look/feel right, don't give out personal information, and take steps to learn how to protect themselves through columns like yours and the information they can find on their bank's website.".

8 PAGE 8 T H E M E S SE N GE R AS CE N SI ON LU TH E R AN CHURCH Children s Church is up and running and volunteers are needed to help with upcoming projects. Contact Louise McCallon after church or leave a note in her church mailbox.

9 T H E M E S SE N GE R EASTER EGG HUNT AS CE N SI ON LU TH E R AN CHURCH PAGE 9

10 PAGE 10 VIETNAM TRAVELING WALL The Vietnam Traveling Wall Marion Veterans Memorial Park Thursday (5/24/2018) - Wall will arrive with a motorcycle escort. Friday, May 25 at 6:00 pm Music by St. Paul s church. 5/26 Saturday 11:00 am POW/MIA table presentation 6:00 pm Saturday Flag History program Sunday, 5/27 1:00 pm Chaplain Program and choir 5/27 6:00 pm Marion Civic Chorale Monday, 5/28 10:00 am Memorial Day program. Monday, 5/28 3:00 pm Closing ceremony Gold Star Families Park will also display: Huey helicopter Track vehicles Combat veterans memorial truck Nautilus sub replica Other combat vehicles Visits from a Blackhawk Food Truck Other displays

11 PAGE 11 FINISHING THE RACE I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith (2 Timothy 4:7). I worked in child development for more than 29 years. In 2013, my employer sold the business. I stayed with the new owner. Almost everything changed. I was the cook, and my tasks were becoming more difficult. My stress level was 100 percent. I knew several years ago I could retire early at age 60 and start collecting my deceased husband s social security. During this timeframe, my pastor preached a sermon on this verse. I then knew I could survive those two long years. On May 20, 2015, my day of retirement, I won the fight, finished the race and kept my faith. I know God gave me the strength to reach my retirement day. How have you finished the race? Deb Rogers, Christ Lutheran Church, Marietta, Georgia, March 2018 issue of Gather magazine. JUST FOR PUN Every calendar s days are numbered. A boiled egg in the morning is hard to beat. If you ve seen a shopping center, you ve seen a mall. Does the name Pavlov ring a bell? When two egotists meet, it s an I for an I. A chicken crossing the road is poultry in motion.

12 Page 12 Celebrations for May Daily Scripture Readings for May 1 Psalm 116:1-4, 12-19; Isaiah 25:1-5; 1 Peter 1:8b-12 2 Psalm 116:1-4, 12-19; Isaiah 26:1-4; 1 Peter 1: /06 Sharon DeWalt 5/08 Gail Velten 5/10 Frank Weyer Judy Griffin 5/15 Blanche Bunche Wayne Trepanier 5/18 Daisy Lancaster Kailey Blosser 5/21 Gary Ahner 5/22 Toni Hennis 5/26 Bill Winkler 5/28 Marland Lewis 5/31 May Duffey 3 Psalm 116:1-4, 12-19; Isaiah 25:6-9; Luke 14: Acts 2:14a, 36-41; Psalm 116:1-4, 12-19; 1 Peter 1:17-23; Luke 24: Psalm 134; Genesis 18: Peter 1: Psalm 134; Proverbs 8:32 9:6; 1 Peter 2:1-3 7 Psalm 134; Exodus 24:1-11; John 21: Psalm 23; Exodus 2:15b-25; 1 Peter 2: Psalm 23; Exodus 3:16-22; 4:18-20; 1 Peter 2: Psalm 23; Ezekiel 34:1-16; Luke 15: Acts 2:42-47; Psalm 23; 1 Peter 2:19-25; John 10: Psalm 100; Ezekiel 34:17-23; 1 Peter 5: Psalm 100; Ezekiel 34:23-31; Hebrews 13: Psalm 100; Jeremiah 23:1-8; Matthew 20: Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16; Genesis 12:1-3; Acts 6: Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16; Exodus 3:1-12; Acts 7: Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16; Jeremiah 26:20-24; John 8: Acts 7:55-60; Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16; 1 Peter 2: Psalm 102:1-17; Exodus 13:17-22; Acts 7: Psalm 102:1-17; Proverbs 3:5-12; Acts 7: Psalm 102:1-17; Proverbs 3:13-18; John 8: Psalm 66:8-20; Genesis 6:5-22; Acts 27: Psalm 66:8-20; Genesis 7:1-24; Acts 27: Psalm 66:8-20; Genesis 8:13-19; John 14: Acts 17:22-31; Psalm 66:8-20; 1 Peter 3:13-22; John 14: Psalm 93; Genesis 9:8-17; Acts 27: Psalm 93; Deuteronomy 5:22-33; 1 Peter 3: Psalm 93; Deuteronomy 31:1-13; John 16: Acts 1:1-11; Psalm 47 or Psalm 93; Ephesians 1:15-23; Luke 24: Psalm 93; 2 Kings 2:1-12; Ephesians 2: Psalm 93; 2 Kings 2:13-15; John 8:21-30 Do We really trust Jesus?

13 THE MESSENGER ASCENSION LUTHERAN CHURCH Page 13 DATE GREETERS LECTOR USHERS COMMMUNION May 6, 2018 Gene and May Duffey Toni Hennis Greg Phillips Eddie McCallon Jane Kurtz Karen Ahner Eleanor Newton May 13, 2018 Gail Velten Toni Hennis Bonny Pacetti Greg Phillips Dave Blosser Kathy Keif Jane Kurtz Melanie Blosser May 20, 2018 Donna Chesmore Wayne Trepanier Barb McGrath Greg Phillips Gail Velten Jane Kurtz Eleanor Newton Karen Ahner May 27, 2018 Eddie and Louise McCallon Lee Funk Greg Phillips Dave Blosser Karen Ahner Jane Kurtz Melanie Blosser DATE ACOLYTES WORSHIP SOUND TECH May 6, 2018 Gabriel Tighe Eileen Fleming Les Muncaster May 13, 2018 Brian Blosser Les Muncaster Marcia Muncaster May 20, 2018 Gabriel Tighe Eileen Fleming Anne Hauser May 27, 2018 Brian Blosser Eileen Fleming Les Muncaster Head Usher: Archie Fiessler, phone: If you have any questions, or CANNOT SERVE AS INDICATED ABOVE, please call Nancy Hein; phone: Thank you for your service!

14 T HE MESSENGER ASCENSION LUTHERAN CHURCH Page 14 Sun Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat :00 am Quilting Sixth Sunday of Easter 10:00am Worship with Holy Communion 5:30pm AA Mother/Other Dinner 9:00 am Quilting Ascension of Our Lord 13 Seventh Sunday of Easter 14 9:00 am Council :00 am Quilting Mother s Day 10:00am Worship with Holy Communion 5:30 pm AA Noon Ladies Luncheon 20 Day of Pentecost 10:00am Worship with Holy Communion Confirmation 21 5:30pm AA :00 am Quilting Noon Ladies Bible Study 24 4:00 pm Safety & Security Meeting The Holy Trinity Trinity Sunday 28 Memorial Day :00 am Quilting 31 10:00am Worship with Holy Communion 5:30pm AA