Our mission is to be a loving and caring congregation dedicated to Christ, welcoming and encouraging all persons to participate in our worship, and spread the gospel to all people within our parish and community by expressing our Christian faith through our words and deeds.

Adult Christian Education

Christian education is held every Sunday between the 8:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Worship Services, for Bible study and other subjects, including contemporary concerns, theology, comparative religion, parenting and spirituality.

Every woman of the parish is invited to be a member of the Episcopal Church Women, one of the busiest groups in the church. An active outreach program encompasses many activities: providing Christmas gifts to nursing home residents who otherwise may not receive gifts, aiding abused children, dressing bears for the Salvation Army, and planning and serving dinners and luncheons for parish meetings, and receptions for weddings and funerals. Monthly meetings often include outside speakers. Also, once a month the ECW enjoys social luncheons at various area restaurants.

Parishioners enjoy fellowship at a number of dinners during the year. The community at large is invited to participate in three of the annual festival fetes:

The Shrove Tuesday pancake supper
The November Soup Luncheon
An all-you-can-eat Spaghetti dinner

Installing Christian values in each child is the foundation of Ascension's Christian education program. The young people's program begins with youth-led services in the chapel followed by Sunday School classes. A nursery for infants is available during the 10:30 a.m. service. A Bible study program is the basis of instruction for intermediate students, and an activity-centered program is the basis for older students. Activities include serving as acolytes and field trips with educational and recreational opportunities, including one to the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C.

Ascension has an active staff of lay readers with about half certified as lay eucharistic ministers. The latter are qualified to the Eucharist to homebound or hospitalized parishioners.

The Altar Guild is a special ministry offering parishioners an opportunity to demonstrate their devotion to God by caring for the altar and chancel for all services of the church. Members are named to the guild upon the approval by the rector.

Music to Nourish the Soul

Episcopalians love their music and believe that it should be uplifting and play an important role in the worship service.