Daily Archives: July 26, 2017

The Rev. Nancy Kraft says it takes five years for a church to change its mission and the way in which it approaches the community, but after just one year at the helm, the new pastor said change is happening much faster than she expected at Ascension Lutheran Church, in Towson.

Under Kraft's guidance, parishioners say, Ascension has grown to be more inclusive and accepting of all people and that members of the congregation have expanded their roles in the community and as volunteers within the congregation.

Kraft's "bold leadership" is somewhat progressive, but more aligned with what the church must become to increase its membership, draw a younger crowd and remain relevant, said 18-year-member Jill Jahries, of Lutherville.

Kraft, who became Ascension's pastor in May 2016, is "really good about reminding us about Jesus' time on earth and the fact that he was the ultimate includer," Jahries said. "There was not a selective group he sought out that was already walking the walk, so to speak. He really recognized and reached all people where they were and created a sacred relationship that allowed those people to be themselves and feel whole so long as they were being mindful of one another."

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, of which Ascension Lutheran is a member, has seen the number of its members decrease in recent years, according to the Rev. Elizabeth Eaton, the denomination's presiding bishop.

"We're set up to do church the way our parents did church and it doesn't work," Eaton said, adding that it was up to the church to adapt to changing communities and an "increasingly secular society."

A 2015 Pew Research survey on religious habits found that the percentage of adults who described themselves as religiously affiliated shrank between 2007 and 2014. Additionally, the percentage of adults who were religiously unaffiliated increased 7 percentage points, resulting in an overall U.S. population that is slightly less religious than it was a decade ago.

Mainline congregations must welcome a more diverse group of potential members if they are to continue to flourish, Eaton said.

The trend away from the church is one Kraft said she does not want to see continued in Towson, though she says she is not focused on increasing membership but on drawing members "closer to Christ."

However, bucking national trends is part of the reason the 750-member congregation chose Kraft to lead it. Involvement at Ascension Lutheran is up since Kraft was hired by a majority vote of the congregation.

"We've had lots of good pastors, each one with their own gifts and skills, but she's ready to lead us in outgoing service to our community and building on things we've done in the past," said parish administrator Sue Hartman, a 29-year member of the church.

Other members say Kraft is leading the church into the 21st century.

"Like any mainline denomination right now, our numbers are dwindling, but some congregations are growing, and I would love for Ascension to be one of them," Kraft said.

A new role in Towson

Ascension Lutheran Church traces its beginnings to 1941, when a small group of people met in a home on York Road, gathering regularly for worship. The Towson church opened on its namesake day, a Christian holiday celebrating the ascension of Jesus into heaven, on May 14, 1942.

Construction started on the present sanctuary in July 1949 with a formal dedication on June 4, 1950. In June 1959, the church added an education wing and a nursery school to better serve the community. This year, the church celebrated its 75th anniversary.

A native of Hamilton, Ohio, Kraft served the Lutheran church in her home state as well as in North Dakota and North Carolina before coming to Towson, she said.

Most recently, Kraft led Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Charlotte, N.C. Over a span of 11 years at what she describes as a congregation of mostly LGBTQ churchgoers, Kraft said she tackled social justice issues and helped champion same-sex marriage rights in the southern city.

In 2014, Kraft joined other clergy and the United Church of Christ in filing a lawsuit against the state's same-sex marriage ban on the basis of religious liberty, a full year before the 2015 landmark Supreme Court decision that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide.

The role is one that earned Kraft recognition from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, which came out in support of same-sex marriage in 2009.

"A lot of the work she is doing is the work we hope other pastors are doing," Eaton said. "She did a great job in Charlotte, and I'm sure she's bringing life in to where she's serving now."

Kraft said she is still working out her vision for the congregation's future, but in the meantime is focused on increasing church involvement in the community and challenging the congregation with thought-provoking sermons.

In a recent post to Inside Nancy's Noodle, Kraft's blog about her faith, the church and her experiences as a minister, Kraft questions the relationship between Christianity and evangelism.

Though evangelical is in Ascension's denominational name, Kraft said she prefers that the church focus on action directed at improving the lives of others rather than evangelism.

Instead of preaching strictly from the pulpit of a "pastor-strong" church, Kraft has moved to push the congregation to one that emphasizes "good deeds in action, rather than in thought," she said. It's a mission she says is influenced by hours of deliberation and research Kraft undergoes to fine tune each Sunday's message.

It's not rare for "Pastor Nancy," as she prefers to be called, to rewrite a sermon multiple times until the message is perfected for a congregation she said enjoys being pushed to think harder. Sermons often begin with an exclamation and end with a question or call to action, she said.

"People here are really well educated and have a history of having excellent preachers, so I think I'm working harder here than I ever have in my life," she added.

In the past year, Kraft has moved to make sermons more interactive by increasing the congregation's involvement in Sunday sermons and challenging members to think about scripture outside of the church by making those teachings a greater part of their daily lives.

She has also attempted to make the church experience more child-friendly, adding a children's song as part of worship in the summer.

"A lot of my friends who don't go to church have this old idea of what church is," Jahries said. "You just passively sit and are lectured and don't get stirred [to action]. When I talk about who Pastor Nancy is and what my church is, I have a lot of pride in that."

The church is changing for the better thanks to the congregation's help as well, Kraft said. Earlier this year, church staff revamped Ascension's website to include audio recordings of each week's sermons.

Recently, Kraft invited members interested in leading sermons to do so on some Sundays. The group meets with Kraft to discuss how sermons are written and to rehearse their presentation a practice the congregation has embraced, Jahries said.

Kraft's next focus is on welcoming a Syrian refugee family to an unused parsonage on church property. Ascension has hosted families on the property in the past, Kraft said. Church staff are now working with a Baltimore-based nonprofit to place a family in the home in the next few weeks.

"Once you help people to imagine that we can be more, I see them embracing that," Kraft said. "I can foresee in five years we are just going to transform [the church]."

More:

New pastor brings fresh ideas to Ascension Lutheran Church - Baltimore Sun

Summer reading

Summer reading programs at Ascension Parish Library continue to wind down as the new school year approaches.

A construction zone party to celebrate the programs' end begins at 2 p.m. Friday in Gonzales for children of all ages.

Gonzales also is holding a space exploration program for children of all ages at 2 p.m. Monday. Learn how and why planets orbit the sun, and create a solar system model.

Teens will end their summer program with a Harry Potter-themed Yule Ball at 4 p.m. Monday in Galvez. Enjoy being sorted into Hogwarts houses, wand making, snitch decorating and dancing. Chocolate frogs and nonalcoholic butterbeer will be served. Wizardly and formal attire is welcome.

2ROW2 Autospa Kutz & More presents the Cars for Kids Back 2 School Car Show on Sunday at the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center.

Registration is from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., with judging at 4 p.m. and trophy presentation at 6 p.m. Categories are best of show, new and old school, street bike, chopper, SUV, truck, original and modified. Vehicle registration is $20 outside and $30 inside.

A book sack and school supply giveaway for students will be held from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Door prize giveaways are on the hour every hour during the show.

The Ascension Chamber of Commerce is holding a ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating the opening of Highway 61 Express Wash at 10 a.m. Wednesday.

The business is located at 1126 N. Airline Highway, Gonzales.

The Arc of East Ascension is in need of donations for its Cram the Van drive. Donations can be dropped off at the Gonzales Walmart, 308 N. Airline Highway, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 5.

Needed items include Depends adult underwear (male or female XL/XXL), large and small towels, bedding (comforters, sheets, pillows and full/queen pillow cases), detergent soap, body wash, oral hygiene products (toothpaste, toothbrushes, etc.), paper towels, dishwashing liquid, baby wipes, tissue paper, bandages and first aid supplies, cleaning supplies, deodorant, flushable wipes, bottled water and paper tissues.

Items go to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Ascension Parish and surrounding areas.

Anointed Hands Trichology Centers ninth annual Back to School N Style is slated for noon to 5 p.m. Aug. 6 at the Lamar-Dixon Expo Centers YMCA Building. Service cutoff time is 3 p.m.

The event for children ages 5 to 15 includes complimentary shampoos and styles or blow-drys for girls and haircuts for boys, as well as activities, breakout sessions, door prizes and more.

Sponsorship opportunities are available and donations are welcome. Call Ynohtna Tona Tureau or Marcia Pierre at (225) 622-4357 for details.

An open house public meeting regarding the proposed La. 44 corridor from Interstate 10 to La. 22 in Gonzales is scheduled Aug. 7 at the Ascension Parish Governmental Complex, 615 E. Worthey Road, Gonzales.

The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development is conducting the meeting, which will be held from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the large conference room.

Written comments also can be mailed with a postmark no later than Aug. 21 to Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, Compliance Programs, Section 37, Program Director, P.O. Box 94245, Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9245.

Contact Darlene Denstorff by phone, (225) 388-0215 or (225) 603-1996; or email, ascension@theadvocate.com or ddenstorff@theadvocate.com. Deadline: noon Monday.

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Around Ascension for July 27. 2017 - The Advocate

LA Empire 10-and-under purple wins USSSA World Series

To say that congratulations go out to the LA Empire 10-and-under purple team for winning the USSSA World Series is a bit of an understatement.

The boys competed in Alabama to claim the top bracket championship and won the top bracket of the series featuring 53 other teams.

Coaches Branson Bowen and Clint Ponvelle led the group of 10 boys to a 7-0 record in the tournament. It did it with spectacular defense and incredible hitting. This is how it went down: The team outscored their competition 67-7, had a combined batting average of .458 that included four home runs, and a pitching effort of a combined ERA of 1.3.

The boys competed against teams from Louisiana, Georgia, Oklahoma, Texas, Tennessee and Mississippi to win this World Series. The boys persevered and demonstrated the meaning of teamwork by bringing home the gold, even though they have only been playing ball together for six months.

The Empire organization thanked the coaches, family and friends who supported them throughout the season and look forward to their continued support.

The team includes Lawson Bourgeois, Wyatt Buratt, Wyatt Ford, Caleb Gautreau, Easton Humphrey, Easton Jarreau, Mason Leblanc, Reid Mayers, Ryder Molea and Carson Sheets.

Earlier in the tournament, the Gauthier & Amedee Wombats ended the Southland Hogs season by taking a 4-3 victory in an elimination game in the American Legion Baseball state championship tournament played at Mike Miley Stadium in Metairie.

St. Amant starter Dwain Guice pitched six innings to earn the win and gave the mound to Dutchtown right-hander Jack Merrifield in a scoreless seventh. Merrifield capped a two-run sixth by scoring the decisive run on a Southland throwing error to propel the Wombats into a second straight elimination game July 18.

Gauthier & Amedee started things off in the elimination game against Pedal Valve by jumping out to a 4-0 lead. It scored one run in the first and second innings and added two more in the third. The Wombats scored one more run in the bottom of the sixth inning to take a 5-3 lead into the top of the seventh.

The rally for Pedal started off with a single by right-fielder Evan Keller and a walk to shortstop Justin Ory that was followed by an RBI single to center field with none out.

Zach Cook tied the score by driving in Ory with a run-scoring groundout before a strikeout and a walk to designated hitter Austin Haensel set up Morrow for the game-winner.

The Wombats were retired in order in the bottom half of the seventh on a called third strike, a groundout and fly ball to short. Gauthier & Amedee ended its season 24-6-1.

Schools start is just around the corner and summer is coming to a close, but there is time for the kids to get in some fishing. Two of our long-standing sportsmens organizations hold their annual kids fishing rodeos on the same weekend.

The first, hosted by the East Ascension Sportsmans League, will be held Aug. 5 at Twin Lakes Park in Dutchtown (where La. 74 crosses Interstate 10). The 57th annual Kids Fishing Rodeo is not only the highlight of the year for the well-known conservation group its a highlight for our area.

The kids rodeo is free to all ages 2-14. Everyone is invited and parents or adults who bring kids do not have to be EASL members for their kids to fish. The look of excitement on the faces of kids as they register is worth the price of admission.

Shrieks of excitement will be heard all around the two ponds as a few lucky kids will catch their first fish ever. If someone ever took you fishing or a trip in the outdoors when you were a youngster, this would be a great time to return the favor. We all know a kid or two we could bring for a few hours and create a memory that will last for a lifetime.

You might even know a single mom or two who might enjoy a Saturday off after a long work week. Give her a break for half a day that would be worth a million bucks to her as well as make a world of difference to her kid. It will only cost you a few hours.

Registration starts at 6:30 a.m., and the fishing is from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. You can usually keep a kids attention for two hours. EASL will serve free hot dogs, drinks and jambalaya during the weigh-in while the judges tally the results. Trophies will be awarded immediately after the tally of results to the respective age groups.

After the trophies are awarded, the East Ascension Sportsmans League gives out door prizes, including two bicycles, to several age groups and prize categories so even the little ones can win.

Kids must bring their own rod and reel or cane pole and must use live bait (crickets, worms, etc.) No artificial lures are allowed. EASL will have some crickets available that morning. Kids are allowed to fish with only one rod and reel or cane pole at a time. Parents may help bait the hook and cast, but the kids must land the fish.

Young anglers should keep all fish that are caught, no matter how small (sorry, no turtles or eels). Families should bring a bucket for the fish and a couple of chairs. We also recommend bringing a small ice chest with drinking water for use during rodeo hours. Children must never be left unattended.

The East Ascension Sportsmans League is a nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving and properly managing our natural resources for future generations. For more information, call Betty Lambert at (225) 571-4588.

I encourage anyone involved in the outdoors in any way to join the East Ascension Sportsmans League (easlonline.org). The $15 per year is really inexpensive to take part in preserving our outdoor heritage.

The second event of the weekend is the St. James Boat Club annual Junior Choupique Rodeo on Aug. 6 on the Blind River Point and Boat Launch Areas. The Boat Club is located on the corner of U.S. 61 at Scenic Blind River, in St. James Parish just outside Gramercy.

All participants up to age 15, male or female, are eligible to compete in this fishing rodeo, but must be accompanied by an adult or guardian. Fishing starts at 9 a.m. and ends at noon. The registration fee is still only 25 cents. Be sure to get registered before fishing and to get your copy of the rules.

Fishing is limited to the banks of the Blind River Point Area and Boat Launch Areas. At the close of the rodeo, awards will be given to the winners. Ribbons will be given to all participants. Random drawings will be held in each age group for rod and reels at the awards time (winners must be present).

Refreshments will be sold at the Point Area. For more information, call the St. James Boat Club in the morning at (225)869-8966 or Craig Calcagno at (225) 206-2476.

Fishing is from the bank only, in the designated areas, and no boats are allowed. Registered children must weigh in their fish themselves, wearing their ID tag, at the weigh-in station.

The contest is open to fish only. Each child must furnish his or her own tackle and bait (live or artificial) and pole. Everyone practices catch and release after weigh-in, with the weighmaster releasing the fish. Only fish caught by the children may be weighed in. Adults may assist the children fishing only in the 0- to 5-year-old age group.

Adults also may assist children only when having fishing difficulties such as hang-ups, replacing hooks or baits, casting, etc.

Awards will be given for the largest fish and most fish caught in three age groups: 0 to 5, 6 to 10 and 11 to 15. Ribbons will be given to all children registered. Door prizes will be drawn for each age group and winners must be present. Failure to comply with the rules may result in disqualification of the participant.

Lyle Johnson, a writer and host of the Ascension Outdoors cable TV show, covers sports and the outdoors for The Ascension Advocate. He can be contacted at reelman@eatel.net or ascension@theadvocate.com.

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Ascension Athletics for July 27, 2017 - The Advocate

On Tuesday night, there was a major movie premier downtown in the Motor City for the new film Detroit. Its the latest in a series of events around town that are part of a weeks-long remembrance of the 50th anniversary of the 1967 uprising. Author and historian Thomas Sugrue has been in Detroit for several days helping to lead conversations about the rebellion, Detroits economic and social strife, and race. He wrote what many people consider the definitive work on Detroits ascension and decline, The Origins of the Urban Crisis: Race and Inequality in Postwar Detroit.

Detroit Today host Stephen Henderson speaks with Sugrue, who was at the premier and puts his experience there in the context of his work andresearch.

(Detroit director)Katherine Bigelow does violence in a way that is unsettling and captures viscerally what it mustve been like to be in the Algiers Motel while patrons were being terrorized, says Sugrue,the fear, the horror, the sense of utter helplessness at the hands of these really sadistic, violent officers who raided themotel.

The conversation moves beyond the film itself and into the historical context of the events in 1967, specifically as it relates to the culture ofDetroiters.

There was a wide variety of different opinion on what was happening. And so there were folks who cheered when they saw the indelible images of people breaking windows and tossing molotov cocktails, and there were folks who said this is immoral, we shouldnt be doing this sort ofthing.

For African American Detroiters especially, theres a long history of a tradition of respectabilityWe want to show our best face The uprising is anything but respectable. Its a rebellion. Its a profound challenge to the status quo and rebellion is disturbing to its targets but also to many folks who are witnessingit.

To hear the full conversation, click the audio playerabove.

Link:

Historian Tom Sugrue on Detroit's Ascension, Decline, New Film 'Detroit' - WDET