Pastors & Staff
Pastor Aida Muñiz
Pastor Aida was born and raised in Carolina, Puerto Rico where her family lives. She’s been married for 5-1/2 years to Derek Smith. She has two adult children: Irene Sofia Rivera (23) who lives in Orlando, FL where she is pursuing graduate studies in Digital Animation. Felix Andres Rivera (21) is an active-duty U.S. Army soldier stationed at Ft. Campbell, TN
Pr. Aida holds a BA in Psychology from the University of Puerto Rico and graduate studies in Organizational Psychology. She holds a Master of Divinity from Seminario Evangelico de PR.She was ordained on September 18, 2011 in the Caribbean Synod (ELCA) where she did ministry for 5 years.
In 2016, she accepted a call to ministry at All Peoples Lutheran Church in Milwaukee. After 2-1/2 years, she accepted a call to Redeemer Lutheran Church in Hartford, where she served for 5-1/2 years.
Pr. Aida lives in Menomonee Falls “as an empty nester with my husband Derek and our 2 cats Lucas and Carrot.”She loves to travel, last year going to Lisbon, Portugal and Sevilla, Spain. She says “I love 80’s music and salsa; I love to dance and cook as well.”“TV shows I like: ‘The Big Bang Theory’, legal shows and ‘Bridgerton.’ Last book I read: ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ and ‘The Testaments’, both by Margaret Atwood
Pastor Novelli received his theological education in Venezuela and the United States. He is married to Emilia Pacheco, and they have five children and four grandchildren. He has served in various churches in Milwaukee for the last 15 years and at Ascension for three years. He is thankful to God that he is a part of our Church’s multicultural and multiethnic ministry. Pastor Novelli was installed as a minister of word and sacrament at Ascension on August 21, 2022.
He enjoys visiting families, having a good Latin coffee, traveling, and going to the sea, which reminds him of his native country. He also offers care and counseling to married people and families. Pastor Novelli teaches catechism classes to children, youth, and adults.
Xf. Aida yug hab luj hlub rua Carolina, Puerto Rico kws nwg tsev tuab neeg nyob. Nwg yuav nwg tug quas yawg Derek Smith tau 5 xyoo ntawu lawm. Nwg muaj ob tug mivnyuas: Irene Sofia Rivera (23) kws nyob rua Orlando, FL kws nwg moog kawm ntawv qeb sab ua Digital Animation. Felix Andres Rivera (21) kws moog ua tub rog rua U.S. Army nyob Ft. Campbell, TN.
Xf. Aida tau nwg dlaim BA kws qha txug kev puag sab paug ntsws (Psychology) ntawm lub tsev kawm ntawv University of Puerto Rico hab nwg tau kawm tav kev paub txug cov tuabneeg ua haujlwm tug cwj pwm (Organizational Psychology). Nwg kawm kav xibfwb lug ua Vaajtswv dlejnum (Master of Divinity) lug ntawm Seminario Evangelico de PR. Nwg raug tsaa lug ua xibfwb rua lub 9 hlis, nub 18, xyoo 2011 lug ntawm hauv paug luj, Caribbeam Synod (ELCA) kws nwg tau ua Vaajtswv dlejnum tau 5 xyoo.
Xyoo 2016, Vaajtswv tau hu nwg lug ua dlejnum rua tim All People Lutheran Church huv Milwaukee. Tom qaab le 2 xyoo tawm, Vaajtswv tau hu nwg moog rua Redeemer Lutheran Church hu Hartford, kws nwg ua Vaajtswv dlejnum tau 5 xyoo ntau.
Xf. Aida nyob huv Menomonee Falls nrug rua nwg tug quas yawg Derek hab ob tug miv, Lucas hab Carrot. Nwg nyam moog ncig teb chaws, xyoo taag lug nwg moog saib Lisbon, Portugal hab Sevilla, Spain. Nwg has tas “kuv nyam noog cov nkauj ntawm tam 80’s hab nkauj mev xws le Caban hab Ruerto Rican (Salsa); kuv nyam ua la voos (seev cev) hab ua zaub mov.” “Cov TV kuv nyam saib yog: The Big Bang Theory; cov naam has tug kev raug cai (Legal shows) hab Bridgeton.” Phau ntawv kawg kuv tau nyeem yog: ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ hab ‘The Testments’, ob phau tuabsi yog sau lug ntawm Margaret Atwood.
Su educación teológica la recibió en Venezuela y Estados Unidos. Está casado con Emilia Pacheco, y tienen 5 hijos y 4 nietos. Ha servido en varias iglesias en Milwaukee los últimos 15 años, y en Ascensión durante tres años. Está agradecido de Dios por ser parte en nuestra Iglesia de un ministerio multicultural y multiétnico. Pastor Novelli fue instalado como ministro de palabra y sacramento en Ascensión el 21 de agosto de 2022.
Disfruta visitando a las familias, tomar un buen café latino, viajar e ir al mar, lo que le recuerda su país natal. Ofrece además atención y consejería a matrimonios y familia. Pastor Novelli da clases de catecismo a niños, jóvenes y adultos.
Chuck Ellingson
Chuck Ellingson has served as the office manager at Ascension Lutheran Church since September 2021. He also volunteers as the financial secretary, newsletter editor, and Reconciling in Christ (RIC) Ministry Committee chairperson for Cross Lutheran Church in Milwaukee, where he and his partner, Brian, have been members for over a quarter century. Chuck loves the multiculturalism of Milwaukee’s inner-city congregations, especially Cross and Ascension. He has been a lifelong learner of languages who began studying Spanish in Beloit over 40 years ago and briefly studied French and ASL (American Sign Language). Chuck studied voice at UW-Milwaukee and Luther College, where he sang with the Nordic Choir in venues that included the Mormon Tabernacle. Chuck sang at Carnegie Hall with a chorus that included Luther College Nordic Choir alumni. He loves to use his voice to glorify God.
Chuck Ellingson ha trabajado como el gerente de la oficina de la Iglesia Luterana Ascensión desde septiembre de 2021. Él también sirve voluntariamente como secretario financiero, editor del boletín, y director del equipo ministerial Reconciliando en Cristo (RIC) para la Iglesia Luterana La Cruz en Milwaukee, donde él y su compañero doméstico, Brian, han sido miembros por más de 25 años. A Chuck le gusta el multiculturalismo de las iglesias urbanas de Milwaukee, especialmente las congregaciones La Cruz y Ascensión. Él ha sido un estudiante de idiomas toda la vida, quien comenzó a estudiar español en Beloit hace más de 40 años y estudió brevemente francés y ASL (el lenguaje de señas en inglés). Chuck estudió la voz en UW-Milwaukee y en Luther College, donde cantó con el Nordic Choir en lugares incluyendo el Mormon Tabernacle. Chuck cantó en Carnegie Hall con un coro formado con alumnos del Luther College Nordic Choir. A él le gusta usar su voz para glorificar a Dios.
Chuck Ellingson lug ua tug thawj (office manger) tim Ascension lub chaw ua haujlwm (hoob kaas) thaum lub 9 hlis, xyoo 2021. Nwg kuj paab dlawb ua tug tuav ntaub ntawv nyaj txhag, tug kws lug khu cov ntaub ntawv xuv xwm, hab yog tug thawj ntawm paab Reconciling in Christ (RIC) Ministry Committee rua Cross Lutheran Church huv Milwaukee, kws nwg hab nwg tug khub, Brian, tau ua tswv cuab lug tau 25 xyoo lawm. Chuck nyam qhov kws Milwaukee muaj ntau haiv neeg, ceem ceeb yog tim Cross hab Ascension. Nwg nyam kawm lwm yaam lug xws le lug Mev (Spanish) ntawm Beloit 40 xyoo dlhau lug lawm hab kawm miv ntsiv lug Faabkis (French) hab lug Mikas Pav Lug (ASL-American Sign Language). Chuck kawm suab nkauj tim UW-Milwaukee hab Luther College, kws nwg hu nkauj nrug rua Nordic Choir ntawm cov chaw kws muaj cov Mormon Tabernacle. Nwg hu nkauj tim Carnegie hall nrug ib paab hu nkauj kws muaj cov tug kawm tim Luther College Nordic kws dlhau lug lawm. Nwg nyam siv nwg lub suab lug hu nkauj qhas Vaajtswv
Bonny Lopez
Bonny Lopez has been a member of Ascension’s Latino Ministry for 16 years and a part-time Ascension employee for 14 years. When she was looking for a church back in the mid-2000’s, she was overjoyed to discover Ascension, with its welcoming environment for people of all ethnicities and cultures. It was especially important to her to find such a multi-cultural church, being someone of mixed cultural heritage herself.
Bonny has a Bachelor of Arts degree from UW-Milwaukee and a J.D. from UW Law School in Madison. Most of her career as a practicing attorney was spent working for the U.S. Department of Justice, where she mainly practiced criminal law and civil rights law. At Ascension, her legal experience has sometimes been an asset in finding solutions to the complex problems of those who come to the church seeking assistance.
In addition to serving as an outreach worker, Bonny coordinates the church calendar, and assists with a variety of other duties, including some of the administration of Ascension’s lease agreements with its tenant organizations. She speaks and reads both Spanish and French, and would love to find a way to learn conversational Hmong as well.
Bonny Lopez tau lug ua tswv cuab rua Ascension huv cov Mev Paab Pawg 16 xyoo dlhau lug lawm hab tau lug ua haujlwm rua Ascenson tau 14 xyoo. Thaum xyoo 2000 kws nwg tseem nrhav ib lug tuam tsev pehawm Vaajtswv, nwg muaj kev zoo sab heev le thaum nwg nrhav pum Ascension, vim yog txuj kev kws puab txais tog txhua haiv neeg kws muaj ntau yaam keeb kwm. Nwg ceem ceeb rua nwg kuam nrhav kuam tau ib lub tuam tsev kws muaj ntau haiv neeg rua qhov nwg tug kheej yog ib tug kws tsuas rua ob pebb haiv neeg (mixed cultural heritage).
Bonny tau nwg dlai Beacherlor of Arts ntawm UW-Milwaukee hab nwg dlawim J.D (kev lij choj) ntawm UW Law School rua ntawm Madison. Cov haujlwm nwg tau ua yog ua rua U.S. Department of Justice, kws nwg xyum ua yog kev ua txhum (criminal law) hab pej xeem txuj cai (civil rights). Tim Ascension, nwg siv nwg txuj kev paub lug paab cov kws xaav tau nwg kev paab cuam.
Bonny yog tug kws saib dlaim ntawv qha nub (calendar) hab paab ntau yaam haujlwm, xws le lug saib xyuas cov ntaub ntawv xaub tsev rua Ascension rua cov kws tuaj xaub Ascension. Nwg has tau hab sau tau lug Mev hab lug Faabkis, hab nwg kuj xaav kawm kuas paub has lug Moob.
Ed Riebe
Ed Riebe joined the staff at Ascension in 2020 as Maintenance Manager. Ed takes care of the Mechanicals and holds a Boilers license. Ed has been in Maintenance for thirty years.
Ed ends up getting involved with all of Ascension’s ministries in one way or another from our tenants, The Gathering who cook homemade food, to the Street Angels, to set ups for the Synod or help with getting air conditioning for Inner Beauty. Ed keeps the building and boiler working so everyone can do what they do.
When not at work keeping things working at Ascension, you can find Ed busy volunteering. Ed volunteers with Special Olympics coaching basketball and other sports. Ed does Chaplain work and is training their second therapy dog. His family likes to volunteer for Salvation Army bell ringers, the free throw contest, and giving out ice cold water to State Fair goers. Ed loves to cook and does it well. In winter before Covid his family played the Claus family, and also dressed up to do clowning. Ed’s boys and family keep him busy. Ed has six children and thirteen grandchildren. Ed also has a great sense of humor.
Pastor Novelli received his theological education in Venezuela and the United States. He is married to Emilia Pacheco, and they have five children and four grandchildren. He has served in various churches in Milwaukee for the last 15 years and at Ascension for three years. He is thankful to God that he is a part of our Church’s multicultural and multiethnic ministry. Pastor Novelli was installed as a minister of word and sacrament at Ascension on August 21, 2022.
He enjoys visiting families, having a good Latin coffee, traveling, and going to the sea, which reminds him of his native country. He also offers care and counseling to married people and families. Pastor Novelli teaches catechism classes to children, youth, and adults.
Ed Riebe lug ua haujlwm Tim Ascension rua xyoo 2020 kws yog tug saib xyaus lub tuam tsev (Maintenance Manger). Ed saib xyuas cov Mechanicals hab muaj nwg dlaim Boilers License (dlaim ntawv lug saib taub cov thoob dlej kub). Ed tau ua haujlwm khu ub khu nua (maintenance) lug tau peb caug xyoo lawm.
Ed muaj kev koom teg nrug rua cov paab pawg tim Ascension xws le cov kws xaub tsev, cov Gathering kws ua zaub mov noj, cov Street Angels, teeb rooj teeb tog rua cov Synod, los yog khu kuam muaj cua txag rua paab Inner Beauty. Ed yog tug kws saib kuam lub tuam tsev hab cov thoob dlaj kub ua haujlwm kua txhua tug txhaj ua tau puab le haujlwm.
Dlhau le ntawv lawm, Ed kuj siv nwg lub sijhawm lug paab ua ntau yaam dlawb (volunteering). Ed paab dlaawb lug qha basketball hab lwm yaam kev ua si (kis las) rua cov neg kws xiam oob qhab rua kev txawj ntse hab luj hlub (Special Olympics). Ed kuj ua haujlwm xws le kev txhawb zug rua saab ntsujplig, sab ntswv, hab kev xaav (Chaplain) hab nwg taab tom cob qha tug aub thib ob kws lug paab tuab neeg (therapy dog). Nwg tsev tuab neeg nyam moog paab dlawb rua Salvation Army kws moog tsu tswb, paab dlawb rua free throw contest, hab moog muab dlej txag rua cov kws moog State Fair tau haus. Ed nyam ua zaub ua mov hab ua tau zoo. Thaum caij ntuj no ua ntej COVID nwg tsev neeg naav khaub dlua ua le St. Niclaus tsev neeg hab kuj naav khaub dluag le cov clown moog ua tuab neeg luag hab. Ed cov tub hab tsev neeg ua rua nwg kuj tsis khoom hlo le hab. Ed muaj rau tug mivnyuas hab kaum peb tug mivnyuas xeebntxwv. Ed yog ib tug tuab neeg kws nyam tso dlaag.
Su educación teológica la recibió en Venezuela y Estados Unidos. Está casado con Emilia Pacheco, y tienen 5 hijos y 4 nietos. Ha servido en varias iglesias en Milwaukee los últimos 15 años, y en Ascensión durante tres años. Está agradecido de Dios por ser parte en nuestra Iglesia de un ministerio multicultural y multiétnico. Pastor Novelli fue instalado como ministro de palabra y sacramento en Ascensión el 21 de agosto de 2022.
Disfruta visitando a las familias, tomar un buen café latino, viajar e ir al mar, lo que le recuerda su país natal. Ofrece además atención y consejería a matrimonios y familia. Pastor Novelli da clases de catecismo a niños, jóvenes y adultos.
