THE HEART OF ASCENSION

Save the date/mark your calendars for these upcoming events:

The Wednesday Morning Bible Study will resume on Wednesday,

January 6, 2016. On this day the group will meet at Concordia of Franklin

Park (1600 Georgetowne Road, Sewickley, PA 15143 – off Nicholson

Road closer to Route 910).

WIDOW-WIDOWER / DIVORCÉE / SINGLES LUNCHEON

If you have not already joined us at this free monthly luncheon, please do so and invite a friend! The next luncheon will be held on Monday, January 11, 2016, in the Fellowship Hall from 11:30 AM until around 2:00 PM. Lunch is served at Noon. This free luncheon is offered as a time to share with others who may have gone through some of the same circumstances you have. It is a time for food, fellowship, and the making of a community of people who can share their lives with each other. If you have any questions, contact Ron Davis, Jr. at 412-709-9860.

In January the Men’s Saturday Bible Study will meet on January 16, 2016, led by Bill Seitz. Fellowship starts at 8:30 AM and the Bible Study begins at 9:00 AM. This group meets in the Fireside/Conference Rooms. All men are welcome to attend!

January

2016

The Young at Heart Retirees Group will meet at Ascension on Tuesday, January 26, 2016 at 11:30 AM for a soup & sandwich lunch. Soup will be provided! Bring a sandwich. If you wish, you may bring a dessert to share. Please call Sally Long at 724-449-2618 if you plan to attend!

God has blessed Nikki and Aaron Debner with the

gift of a son—Abel Edward Debner! Abel was

born at 12:27 AM on December 3, 2015. Praise

the Lord for this precious little baby and his safe

delivery!

January Birthdays:

1 Jillian Jarboe

2 Natalie Gaertner

3 Diane McClellan

Paul Redondo

4 Nick Koorsen

5 Martha Dodson

Jim Obringer

7 Tom Farris

Grady Foust

11 Ron Davis, Jr.

Nadine Weber

13 Joe Jarboe

15 Diana Reiss

19 Josh Roach

22 Anna Fiffik

25 Ken Pizzica

27 Rebekah (von Stein) Walsh

Rob Williams

28 Roy Wiegand

29 Parker Skrastins

31 Cooper Blake

IF WE MISSED YOUR BIRTHDAY OR ANNIVERSARY, PLEASE CALL THE CHURCH OFFICE AT 412-364-4463.

NEXT YOUTH MEETING: Monday, January 4, 6:30-8:30 PM

The Youth Group will be holding a SOUP SALE on January 10 after the church service. We will make the soup on Saturday, January 9 from 11 AM-2 PM. Hope you can join us!

YOUTH EVENT: Youth of all ages, please join us on Sunday, January 17 for a FUNFEST BOWLING EVENT! We will meet at church (time TBD) and drive together. Please bring $5 for "Pizza, Pins and Pop" and any extra money you may want to spend on games. Hope you can attend!

YOUTH GROUP COMMUNITY EVENT: The Ascension Lutheran Church (ALC) Youth Group has invited Ben Regensburg, the speaker from Teen Quest, to come to Ascension Lutheran Church the weekend of January 29-30. We hope to make this a community event with tons of high school youth. Ben is an incredible speaker who connects with teens in an incredible way, and he could really impact our community. Please take a look at his website, www.pfcministries.weebly.com, to see what he has to offer, and invite any high school youth you know to attend. More information will be coming soon!

THANK YOU to Mr. Rick Maas for teaching our youth in October and November. What a great study! The kids loved it! The upcoming study, "Spiritual Disciplines", will start in January and will be taught by Mrs. Mary Lynn Tassotto.

The Christmas Drop-off on December 12 was a great outreach to those in our community. Twenty four (24) children attended and over half of them were not from Ascension. Thanks to Ruby and Ali Lucas for planning another fun and successful event!

Thanks to the congregation for supporting the Youth Bake Sale on December 13. We raised $290 and we really appreciate all you are doing to help get us to New Orleans for the Youth Gathering in July!

SUNDAY SCHOOL MISSION PROJECT: Our Mission project for this year is the Sunbeam Kids International program in Cambodia. Christian

and Alison Taylor and their three children are involved in the Rock House Students’ Center where they use the Bible in their English classes. They

have Sunday morning church and community outreach as part of their ministry. They are also reaching into the city and remote areas to prevent human trafficking before it starts. Cambodians are all sold a lie

to think they would receive a better life for themselves and their families by being exploited in this sex trafficking industry. The Taylor’s are

preventing this by educating the people. We will be taking an offering each Sunday in our classes for this mission.

Unfortunately, we have not collected much toward this mission. Apparently, the children and the adults are forgetting their offerings as the offering baskets have

remained empty each week. If you would like to make a donation, please put an envelope in the church offering basket and mark it for the Sunbeam Kids International program. Make checks out to Ascension Lutheran Church. We will

send a donation at the end of May.

Have extra plastic (grocery) bags? They can be made into mattresses for the homeless! Please leave them in the Narthex. See Sally Long for details.

ATTENTION THRIVENT MEMBERS: Choice Dollars is Thrivent’s charitable grant

program. As a Thrivent member you can designate your Choice Dollars to Ascension

Lutheran Church. To designate your Choice Dollars, or for more information, visit

Thrivent.com/choicedollars or call 1-800-847-4836.

Editor needed for The Pittsburgh Lutheran. If you are

interested, please contact Sam Mussmann at Pittsburgh.lutheran.editor@gmail.com.

Sharing Christ with the Muslims:

Advice from a Former Muslin By Ash, Leading the Way’s North American Arabic

Follow-up Coordinator

As a former Muslim, my first advice to Christians who

want to share their faith with Muslims is this: Be free from fear, because fear builds silence. Expect differences in thoughts and theology. You are

sharing your faith with someone who doesn’t know Christ, so don’t expect

this person to agree with you or accept Christ the first time. Here are some more tips:

1. Pray. Ask the Holy Spirit to prepare the person you’re talking to.

Pray for a clear message, clear words, and opportunities to share your faith.

2. Look at the person you’re sharing with as a human being and a lost soul—not as a terrorist. We have been called to share Christ

with everybody. Take down the labels. Labeling builds fear, and fear builds silence.

3. Be free from the need to know everything about Islam. You don’t need to know everything about Islam in order to share Christ

with a Muslim. Knowledge is ultimately not going to help you build a bridge—it’s friendship that will build the bridge across the differences

between you.

4. Open the conversation as you would with any other person. Christianity does not have to be the very first thing you talk about; it

will probably come up naturally. Both Americans and Middle Easterners have an inner rule to not talk about religion or politics, but

90% of what we talk about is religion or politics! Inside us, we all want to know if the person in front of us is Christian or Muslim,

Democratic or Republican, Sunni or Shia. It’s highly likely that the conversation will go in that direction.

5. Share what God has done in your life. We Middle Easterners love stories. If you don’t believe that, read the gospels. Jesus did not bring

a chalkboard out and start explaining doctrine. He taught doctrine through stories, sayings, and illustrations. Share where you are

spiritually, why you are following Jesus, and how you have been guaranteed eternal life. Just focus on Christ, His love for them, and

what He has done for you.

Remember—coming to Christ is a continued process, not a one-time event.

Pray and do your job, then let the Holy Spirit do His.

Submitted by Maggie Larrow, reprinted by permission.

SUPPORT CONCORDIA LUTHERAN MINISTRIES WHILE SHOPPING ONLINE!

Planning to do any online shopping? Try Amazon-Smile! AmazonSmile is a simple and

automatic way for you to support Concordia every time you shop online, at no cost to

you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you’ll find the exact same low prices, vast

selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that

Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to Concordia. Choose from the

following to support: Concordia at Sumner, Concordia Lutheran Ministries of

Pittsburgh or Good Samaritan Hospice of Pittsburgh.

Your support has made the difference for hundreds of women and men in 2015. Here are some amazing stats from this year:

916 unique clients were served in our Centers at over 1,800 appointments. Of our 393 pregnancy tests, 297 were considered to be at high risk for

abortion. Over 250 of those moms chose life after seeing a sonogram! 517 STD tests were provided to men and women at risk for unintended

pregnancy. Over 5,000 students in 12 School Districts heard a compelling message

about healthy sexuality in the context of marriage. We helped to open the Repurposed For Kids Resale Shop in the North Side

to help provide for our young families. All of these services were available at no charge to our clients because of

your support!

Break free from your past. Find freedom and healing from abortion in a safe

and confidential environment at Women’s Choice Network. A six-week healing study

begins Wednesday, January, 13th at 6:30 PM at 425 East Ohio Street, Pittsburgh, PA

15212. For more information, please call Jessica at (412) 687-7767, extension 205, or

email jessicap@womenschoicenetwork.com, or visit www.brokenvesselsgroup.com.

“In all things I have shown you that . . . we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’” (Acts 20:35). And indeed it is. Does this not strike a chord that resonates in us all? Which of us can’t recall the look of surprise and thanks for the Christmas gifts that we labored to give to those whom we love? And the joy written on their face when that gift is received with thanksgiving means more than all the gifts we have received. It is more blessed to give than to receive.

Our Lord knew this because He practiced it. He gave of Himself, sparing not even His life in death, in order to give us back to our Father in heaven. He knew that in giving, you get more because in giving joy is multiplied: the one who receives and the one who gives both rejoice in what is given and received. What is more the one who receives is thankful and only wants to give back to the one who gave so generously.

So also with our tithes and offerings in church. We want to give because we have received from God all that we are and all that we have. Our giving does not originate in what we must do to earn God’s favor. We have God’s favor because of the gift of His Son which we receive through Word and Sacrament. Thus, we are made free from the compulsion of giving. Now our tithes and offerings are freely given in thanksgiving for what God has so generously given to us.

Why then does the church struggle to make budgets? Why does the church always seem stretched so thin? After all the Church is the place where God not only gives to us once, but continually again and again. And what gifts He gives! He gives us the forgiveness of sins, generously pouring out His grace and mercy because He loves us. So why does the church struggle?

It is because sin still clings to us. Our fallen nature makes us selfish and miserly. It leads us to believe that we can have our cake and eat it too. Because of sin we want to receive, but not give. We want God's blessings, but we don’t want to share them with those around us. We want to remain comfortable in our own self-contained, neat, and tidy lives, without the headaches of loving those around us by helping them in their time of need.

“Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” Remember that God has placed you in a church, not only to receive His grace and mercy, but also to use you to bless others. Your tithes and offerings ensure that those around you have a pastor to preach the life-saving and life-giving Word of God. They ensure that the lights and heat and air-conditioning are working. They ensure there is water for Holy Baptism and bread and wine for the Holy Communion. Everything the Church does, she is able to do by and through the generosity of the members of the Church.

So remember the words of the Lord Jesus. It is more blessed to give than to receive. And remember the joy that attended the gifts you gave at Christmas. This same joy attends your gifts to the church.

www.lcmsfoundation.org 800-325-7912 Ext 1684

Resolving Today-Joy Tomorrow

New Year’s Resolutions represent determinations that we make to improve our

desired states and our sense of satisfaction with our lives. Many of these

determinations center around our problems, pressures and aspirations. These issues

relate to our emotions and motivations.

One resolution that enters into a Christian believer’s mind is the desire to live more

in the light of God’s love and generosity. This means we strive to love God first,

and then to love others as we love ourselves.

Bent toward wrongdoing, even the best believer falls short of keeping such a

resolution every time. But the gift of grace assures us that, despite our tendency

towards faithlessness, God is faithful. As the Apostle Paul says to Timothy, “. . . If

we are faithless, He remains faithful—for He cannot deny Himself.” 2 Timothy

2:13.

Being confident of God’s saving work for us in Christ, we are motivated toward

generosity. God’s gift of the Holy Spirit blesses us to share generously with others

and experience greater joy. God’s generosity to us gives us the ability to resolve to

be more generous to those around us. “Living outside of ourselves” promises to

offer wonderful surprises as we see God at work.

Our lifetimes, described as only a breath, will soon be gone. Since Jesus Christ will

endure forever, we can align our life’s decisions around His eternal purposes.

How does this relate to passing on your legacy? The terms of your last will and

testament can be part of your New Year’s resolutions. Get started today on your

own estate and financial legacy planning and ask a spiritually trained Gift Planning

Counselor to help guide your thoughts on personal financial and spiritual issues.

For more information contact Robert Wirth, LCMS Foundation Gift Planner at

robert.wirth@lfnd.org or 716-863-4427.

Christian Counseling Associates’ marriage renewal weekend, "From This Day Forward 2016", will be held February 19-21, 2016. This weekend will improve and strengthen your marriage. Come experience meaningful teaching, a romantic atmosphere, and an opportunity as a couple to reconnect with each other and strengthen your faith. Guest speaker Dan Seaborn from "Winning At Home", and marriage and family experts from Christian Counseling Associates of Western Pennsylvania, lead this weekend in the heart of Pittsburgh. This is a great faith-based weekend to re-focus your marriage commitment and experience a romantic getaway. Stay at the Sheraton Station Square. Call the Sheraton at 412-261-2000. The hotel event rate expires January 30, 2016. Visit www.christiancounselingwpa.com or call Christian Counseling Associates at 724-396-1510 for more information.

YOUR CAR. . . . . . . . YOUR MARRIAGE

BOTH RUN SMOOTHER WITH A TUNE UP!

Attention Married Couples: So you’ve done maintenance for your car—how about your marriage?

Make 2016 the year you decide to attend a Lutheran Marriage Encounter Weekend to learn how to make your marriage a more intimate, loving, Christian union. Lutheran Marriage Encounter Weekends run from Friday night at 8 PM to Sunday around 4 PM and have been enriching marriages of couples of all ages for 40 years! In addition to the $100 per couple registration fee, you will be given an opportunity near the end of the weekend to make a confidential contribution of whatever amount you wish toward the continuation of the program. Two nights lodging, five meals for each of you, and all supplies are included.

The 2016 Pennsylvania Weekends are:

April 8-10, 2016 in Lancaster, PA, at the all newly-renovated Heritage Hotel Lancaster, home of the unique tree-house-inspired restaurant, “Loxley’s”

April 22-24, 2016 at the Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel, State College, PA, Happy Valley’s premier conference center located on a quiet hillside with views of Nittany Mountain

September 16-18, 2016 at Spruce Lake Retreat Center, Canadensis, PA, a new, hotel-style facility on Spruce Lake in the heart of the Pocono Mountains – an hour north of Allentown

October 21-23, 2016 at Olmsted Retreat Center, Ludlow, PA, a stunning, hotel-style retreat center adjacent to the Olmsted Mansion situated on a hillside in the Allegheny National Forest, an hour north of DuBois

Registrations are limited, so act today to ensure that you can attend the Weekend of your choice. To sign up online, go to: www.GodLovesMarriage.org and pay the registration fee using your credit card, or mark the option to mail in a check. For questions, or if you would like a brochure mailed to you, contact Pennsylvania Directors of Lutheran Marriage Encounter, Fred & Julie Schamber, at 724-325-3166 or email fjschamber@comcast.net.

HEALTH & HEALING Paul Young (recovering from cochlear implant surgery); Ron Davis, Jr. (health

concerns); Bob (recovering from fall and other health issues – Linda Williams’ father);

Sharon (sepsis – friend of Sandi Weber); Ralph Schuetz (health concerns); Colleen

(health issues – Eileen Vogel’s daughter); Slosso Family (health issues – McClellan’s

neighbors); Pete DePasquale (health issues – Diane’s husband); Lora Koontz (Bell’s

Palsy); Bill Powers (health issues); Clay and Diane McClellan (health issues); John Dougherty (health

issues – Jackie’s son); Rev. Michael Podeszwa (cancer treatments – Prince of Peace, Freedom); Christina

Lopresto (thyroid cancer treatment – Patti’s daughter-in-law); Nadine Weber (health issues); Mary (lung

cancer – Nadine Weber’s sister-in-law); Lucas (recovering from liver transplant); Charlotte Wade

(subdural hematoma – Lora Koontz’s mother); Pete Piper (health issues – friend of Jasper’s); Lucy

(breathing problems – friend of Sandi Weber); Paul Kitzki (recovering from knee surgery – son of

Phyllis); Harry Muschar (breathing problems, family member of Linda Williams); Vicky Herrmann

(health issues, friend of Lisa Marcellus); Betty Marcellus (health issues); Brian Leonard (health issues);

Mary (Jessica Barry’s aunt – leukemia); Diane (autoimmune system issues – friend of Gene Williams);

Roberta and Suzanne (health issues – Ruth Dille’s nieces); Ted Beiter (health issues); Tim (Ron Davis’

future son-in-law – kidney failure); Anna (treatment for cancer – Ron Curcio’s great-niece); Alice Meier

(health issues); Eileen Gaugler’s sister (back pain); Lisa Hinterliter (Michael McAndrews’ sister – health

issues); Kim (friend of Cheryl Saffa – health issues); Sandi Weber (health issues); Don Sohngen; Bing

(cancer – Nadine Weber’s brother); Carol Watterson (brain cancer); Cheryl (breast cancer – Edie Krom’s

sister); John Walker (health issues); Anna May Forsman; Cheryl Hoffman (friend of Cherie Shaginaw –

cancer); Scott Halapin (friend of Cherie Shaginaw – liver failure); Betty Owen (health issues); John

Benka (Mary Lynn Tassotto’s father); Brody Barry; Norm Stauffer; Twilla (health issues – Lydia Jarboe’s

niece); Shut-ins: Marge Christopher, Dulcie Fisher, Joan Fullerton, Helen Goettmann, and Helen Lewis

FOR STRENGTH & COMFORT

For all those who lost loved ones, especially Donald DeGeorge’s family (Dawn Gaertner’s father) and

Anna’s family (sister of Marge Christopher), for the citizens, survivors, relief workers, missionaries, and

families affected by terrorist attacks and disasters worldwide

FOR THANKSGIVING

For the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ; for the safe birth of Abel Edward Debner to Nikki and

Aaron; Jackie Dougherty (healing); the gifts of love and God's Word; family and friends; our country

FOR SAFETY/PROTECTION

For missionaries; our armed forces; unborn children; college students

FOR DIRECTION AND FAITH

For James, Brendan, Gerald, Colby, Roxanne (Sandi Weber’s friend); Tonya Davis (Ron Davis, Jr.’s

daughter); Mark, Rob, Randy; Brad; Mike; Sam; John; Jake; Debbie; the Kowalewski family; those who

are experiencing a crisis of faith; women with unplanned pregnancies

GENERAL PRAYER, GUIDANCE, AND PROVISION

That God would raise up leaders here at Ascension and especially for our youth; for the Barry family; for

Mia and her family (friend of the Barry’s); Gene Williams, Jr. and DiscipleMakers; Pastor Eric Andræ

and Campus Ministry in Oakland; seminary students; the residents and staff of Concordia Lutheran

Ministries, Shepherd’s Heart Fellowship; Food For The Poor; Christian Counseling Associates counselors

and their clients

Upcoming Lutheran Hour Broadcasts:

January 3, 2016 "Life in Context" Life is not up for grabs or out of control. Find real life in the context of Christ's cross and resurrection. (Ephesians 1:3-14) Lutheran Hour Speaker: Rev. Gregory Seltz

January 10, 2016 "What's Running Your Life?" When Christ runs your life, beauty and blessing flow to you and through you to others. (Romans 6:1-11) Lutheran Hour Speaker: Rev. Gregory Seltz

January 17, 2016 "Not What You'd Expect" Jesus turns water into wine and challenges our notions of what God should or shouldn't do. (John 2:1-11) Lutheran Hour Speaker: Rev. Gregory Seltz

January 24, 2016 "Real Freedom" Jesus brings the jarring message that real freedom can only be received from Him and real freedom is following Him in all things. (Luke 4:16-21) Lutheran Hour Speaker: Rev. Gregory Seltz

January 31, 2016 "If Jesus Had Stayed" God wants us to love Him in response to His love for us. (Luke 4:42b-43) Lutheran Hour Speaker: Rev. Gregory Seltz

Lutheran Hour broadcasts can be heard on WJAS/1320 AM at 7:00 AM & WFRJ/97.7 FM radio at 8:00 AM Sunday mornings. You may also read the sermon or listen to it at www.lutheranhour.org.

LHM Float in Tournament of Roses Parade

Watch the Tournament of Roses Parade on New Year’s Day to see The Lutheran Hour float, which is the longest-running (and currently the only) religious float in

the Tournament of Roses parade, appearing since 1951.

NHCO’s Annual Citrus Sale is underway – NHCO is taking orders through February 3 for its annual

Citrus Sale. NHCO also seeks congregations, schools or civic groups to help take group orders. Boxes of

grapefruit, oranges, tangerines and pears are hand-checked by volunteers and are available for pickup

March 5 and 6 in St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 1965 Ferguson Road. Purchases benefit NHCO,

which served 4,099 local families in need last year. Boxes of fruit can also be donated to NHCO’s food

pantries. To order online, please visit nhco.org/fruit.cfm or contact Alyssa at 412-307-0069, extension

3311, or aacrawford@nhco.org for more information or to get involved with group orders.

Run for the Hills in the marathon! NHCO needs at least 50 runners to commit to running in one of the

races of the Dick’s Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon May 1. Form a relay team at work or school, or

run the half or full marathon, and raise funds and awareness for NHCO. Visit thepittsburghmarathon.com

or contact Patti at pmferraro@nhco.org or 412-408-3830, extension 3204.

Ask the Attorney sessions for low-income families – Free legal consultation for issues such as divorce,

bankruptcy, credit issues, family matters, rent disputes and more is available for families in need at

NHCO locations the THIRD Wednesday of each month at 7 PM. The next ATA sessions are: NHCO

North Boroughs on January 20 and NHCO Allison Park on February 17. Attendees MUST preregister for

these sessions by contacting Harriet at hzgibbs@nhco.org or 412-408-3830.

NHCO Volunteer Orientations – NHCO will host a Volunteer Orientation session at 10 AM, Thursday,

January 14 in NHCO Allison Park, 1975 Ferguson Road. Volunteers are needed for all sites, and needs

include citrus sale help, receptionists, data entry, drivers to transport seniors in their own vehicles to

appointments, drivers to transport pantry donations, and much more. Please contact Patti at

pmferraro@nhco.org or 412-408-3830, extension 3204, to register.

NHCO Sharing Winter Warmth – NHCO’s Sharing Winter Warmth program benefits families with

children as well as vulnerable seniors, widows/widowers, and people with disabilities who need help with

heating bills during the winter. Last year, 484 families, seniors and disabled adults in need received

certificates toward utilities. The gift provides welcome help to seniors and others who might otherwise

have difficulty keeping their home warm. Financial contributions are accepted at nhco.org/donate or by

check payable to NHCO (Memo: Sharing Projects), 1975 Ferguson Road, Allison Park, PA 15101.

NHCO accepting donations of organic seeds – Donations of organic seeds are now being collected for

NHCO’s Rosalinda Sauro Sirianni Garden. Most needed are lettuce, beet, chard, kale, turnip and radish

seeds as well as onion sets and seed potatoes. Heirloom varieties and well-labeled seeds from home

gardens are welcomed. All produce supports NHCO’s three food pantries. Please mail or drop off at any

NHCO location (visit nhco.org or call 412-487-6316 for addresses). Groups or individuals who can

volunteer to grow seedlings are also needed. Please contact Alyssa at aacrawford@nhco.org or 412-

307-0069, extension 3311.

Seniors need volunteer snow shovelers – Seniors in all neighborhoods in northern Allegheny County

need volunteers to keep their yards and sidewalks safe by shoveling snow. This is a great project for

teens, youth groups and families. Please contact Cathy at NHCO at 412-307-0069, extension 3313, or

clpschirer@nhco.org to register for the Snow Angels program. Seniors who need assistance may also

contact Cathy at the above number.

Community Auto seeks vehicles for waiting working families! Do you or a family member have a

vehicle you don’t want anymore? Perhaps it’s not worth the cost of repairs, or it sits unused? Community

Auto, a program of NHCO, accepts vehicles in any condition, has them repaired, and sells them at below

market value to local working families who need them to get to work. You could change a life and get the

maximum tax deduction. FREE pickup, towing and notary! Call 724-443-8300 or visit

communityauto.org.

Make a “Happy New Year!” Mobile What you will need:

Scissors

White school glue

Glitter

Markers, crayons, or colored pencils

Ribbon

Colored construction paper

Paper punch

Directions:

1. Use markers, crayons, or colored pencils to make a construction paper

sign. Write “2016” on one side and “Happy New Year!” on the other side.

2. Decorate with glue and glitter.

3. Punch one (1) hole in the top center of your sign. Make three (3) evenly

spaced holes along the bottom.

4. Tie a piece of ribbon to the top hole of your sign for a hanger.

5. Cut out six (6) or more fun-looking shapes about the size of your hand.

6. On each shape, write a hope for the New Year (things you want to improve

about yourself, people you want to help, things you want to do, places you

want to go, etc.).

7. Punch a hole in the top and the bottom of three (3) paper shapes and in the

tops only of the other three (3) shapes.

8. Cut six (6) different lengths of ribbon—one for each paper shape.

9. Hang the two-hole shapes from the holes in the bottom of the sign. Hang

the other shapes from the bottom of those shapes.

10. Hang your mobile!

ASCENSION LUTHERAN CHURCH 8225 PEEBLES ROAD

PITTSBURGH, PA 15237

Address Correction Requested

SUNDAY SCHEDULE:

Prayer time at 8:45 AM in Fireside Room

Worship Service: Sunday at 9:30 A.M.

A time of fellowship follows the service.

Christian Education: Sunday at 11:00 A.M.

Office Hours:

Monday – Friday

9:00 AM-Noon; 1:00-4:00 PM

THE HEART OF ASCENSION

A monthly publication of

OUR MISSION STATEMENT: Ascension Lutheran Church.

Barbara Marcellus is the Editor.

Acknowledging the great gift of God the

Father in sending His Son, Jesus Christ, as PASTOR:

our Savior, we the people of Ascension Rev. Brennan Gaertner

Lutheran Church, as guided by the Holy Cell: 412-310-0510

Spirit, are committed to the furtherance of

God's Kingdom. We will share and live the CHURCH OFFICE:

Gospel in our homes, our church, our 412-364-4463 / 412-364-5636

community, and the world. Motivated by FAX NUMBER:

Christ's love for us, we are dedicated to 412-369-0599

spiritual growth and unity, worship and

fellowship, and compassionate service. We PASTOR’S E-MAIL:

recognize this as our common purpose and pastor@ascensionpgh.com

pray that God will enable us by His strength SECRETARY’S E-MAIL:

and wisdom to seek and do His will. secretary@ascensionpgh.com

MUSIC DIRECTOR’S E-MAIL:

vcandreva@ascensionpgh.com

www.ascensionpgh.com

www.facebook.com/AscensionPgh

www.twitter.com/AscensionPgh

https://plus.google.com/+AscensionLutheranChurchPittsburgh