Ascension Sunday, 6/1/25

In this Ascension Day sermon focusing on Ephesians 1:15-23, we explore how Jesus' ascension completes the narrative arc of his earthly ministry and transforms our understanding of power. Through the metaphor of adjusting to light in a dark room, borrowed from Archbishop Rowan Williams, we see how Jesus becomes not just the light that blinds us, but the light by which we see the world anew. The sermon contrasts worldly power, which takes and dominates, with Christ's power, which serves and uplifts. Pastor Charissa examines how surrendering control and embracing vulnerability in community reveals the true power of Christ's kingdom. This message, delivered outdoors in the park, reminds us that the Ascension isn't just about Jesus leaving, but about his ongoing presence illuminating our path forward as we learn to see and live differently in the world.