Why Justice & Mercy?
Jesus invited us to dig into the question, "who is my neighbor?" Jesus was driven by compassion and the desire to be in relationship with all kinds of people. Even the people we consider to be outside the realm of "neighbor."
When we take a look at the entire storyline of the Bible it's impossible to get away from the heart of God that is all about Justice and Mercy. This is the call of all God's people on earth.
In our community we are constantly re-orienting our lives around the life and teachings of Jesus. When he looked upon the suffering of humanity, he was drive by compassion and moved towards the injustices inflicted upon vulnerable and powerless people. Jesus embodied justice and mercy in his teachings which were always followed by action and demonstration. We get to participate in the fullness of God's presence here on earth.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy and
to walk humbly with your God.
- Micah 6:8
How do we serve our community around us?
We love showing up and extending no strings attached generosity to our community as we strive to be for the good of our city.
We believe at Ascent that serving our neighbors is more about participating in the work God is already doing, transforming our hearts, and the relationships we build than what we accomplish. We want to have our hearts transformed before we engage with the community instead of the experience being our starting point.
Getting to know and serve alongside our neighbors gives us space to practice the ways Jesus calls to see and serve others or as Maurice put it "Proximity and Practice."
Check out some of the ways we at Ascent enjoy serving as individuals and collectively:
.png)
Racial Reconciliation
Every person is created in the image of God. Because of this conviction we are choosing to lean into conversations calling out injustice and creating space for conversation. We recognize the ongoing issue of racism in America and around the world, and the fatal consequences that results.
We as Ascent want not only to educate, but to equip the body of Christ to serve and love in more authentic and genuine ways that embrace diversity, race, and the unique gifts that God has given us.
Logan's Christmas Shoppe
In 2015, Ascent partnered with Officer Logan Haymore with the Louisville Police Department to do a Toy Drive to help make sure kids in our area had toys for Christmas.
Over the years, the Toy Drive has grown into The Christmas Shoppe - a one-of-a-kind free shopping experience: complete with gift wrapping; translators (as needed), refreshments and a gift card for parents as well. Every December, Ascent provides families throughout Boulder County the ability to shop for free.
Chief Hayes Project
When Ascent first started, Pastor Bill went for a walk with the former Chief of Police for Louisville. While they were walking Chief Hayes showed him homes that were a risk of being fined for the upkeep of their property. The Chief Hayes Project began from there!
Every October we spend a Saturday serving our neighbors of Parco Dello Zingaro in Louisville: through yard work, landscaping, trash removal service and elderly assistance.
FOR THE GOOD OF OUR SCHOOLS
Book Drive
As part of our celebration of Black History Month in February 2021, we began a partnership with local area schools (BVSD: Boulder Valley School District) to help provide windows and mirrors for students through diversifying the bookshelves in Elementary school classrooms.
So far we have outfitted every classroom at five schools. Our hope is to contribute books to every elementary school in BVSD.
Caring for our Boulder Valley School District (BVSD) Teachers and Staff
We love our educators and we know how much our communities thrive because of them! So, we try our best to show that appreciation through our Teacher Breakfast/Lunch Day.
Thanksgiving Baskets
Support local area families in BVSD have a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner.
Since 2018, at Thanksgiving we have provided baskets of food for 90+ families to have great dinner. Our partners at BVSD have asked us to allow families to shop for themselves so we are changing it up and asking for donations of funds instead of food this year.
Help us once again provide 100 families with the funds so they can have a great Thanksgiving!
Cuba - Global Partnership
We believe that “loving our neighbor” extends beyond even the boundaries of our borders and that rings especially true in our partnership with Willie Santiago. Willie and his team have done great things through Cuba Connections and we are grateful for our annual trip to serve with them in Matanzas.