| At Ascension we attempt to serve all of God's creation, grow as an inclusive Christian community, and seek and worship God within the Episcopal tradition. More specifically, our goals are to provide an awe-inspiring worship experience, and have fun together, be achievers in Stewardship, provide educational opportunities for all ages, support many outreach programs, and be a center of prayer and spiritual development. |
| We believe in the faith of the early apostolic Church. We believe in God, the one who created the universe. We believe that God became a human being in Jesus Christ. As a human being, Jesus taught us how to live in relationship with God. He was nailed to a cross and died. Three days later he rose again and was alive. Later he ascended to heaven. IN the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus, we believe that God id fully present, risen in the world by the spirit. The holy spirit is in the community, the Church, and in everything we do, in our love and compassion for other people and creation. |
| We value music as a profound expression of faith and the creative inspiration of the Holy Spirit. We sing our praises to God with our adult and children's choirs and offer the best in traditional and contemporary Christian music. We believe, as St. Augustine once wrote, that "those who sing well pray twice." |
| We Believe that God hears and acts on our prayers. We work to deepen our prayer lives and offer programs in prayer and meditation. |
| We love our children and believe that they are vital to our faith community. Our ministry with young people is also very important to us. Through a variety of activities, we provide a safe and encouraging environment in which children and youth may explore and develop their relationship with God. |
| We are a faith community that makes a difference in the world around us through a variety of ministry and service projects. Our action includes prison ministry, Family Resource Center, Rivertown Car Care, missionary and development work in Africa and Latin America, HeadStart, the food shelf, and much more. |
| We work together to strengthen and nurture one another in our spiritual journeys. Christian education and study programs address many seasons of spiritual life, including Sunday School for children, regular Bible study , Teens Encounter Christ, contemplative prayer and meditation for adults, and many short courses on a variety of topics. |
| We are a caring community. We are open and accepting of people and offer pastoral care programs, youth and senior support, and many lively fellowship activities. We believe that the Spirit of God is present in our lives and in our church. In everything we do, we nurture one another in love and compassion. |
| We will be a church for our kids. A church committed to
teaching our values and traditions. A church, at last, with the
shear physical space needed for exciting youth programming.
A church with the best children’s music program in our area. |
| We will be a church where all are welcome in our fellowship
-- where visitors will be invited to belong before they
believe. We will be a church that opens its doors to those
who may be struggling with their faith, and to those with
questions to ask. We will be an inclusive, tolerant and intellectually
inquisitive church. As the great old poster from the
national Episcopal church said, there will be “no outcasts
here!” |
| We will reach out to the larger community. Our new building
will be a better home for Head Start, AA and other outside
groups -- and for meals and other vital programs for
those in need. We’ll continue our Prison and Car Care
Ministries, and our important role in transitional housing, as
well as start new programs for the community. Our members
will give more of their time and talent, and a greater share of
our budget will go to help people outside our church. |
| We will present the most beautiful and sacred of worship
services as well as provide a center for spiritual discovery.
While remaining open to new interpretations of our faith, we
will also understand the power of our traditions: of the particular
poetry of The Book of Common Prayer, of the awe inspiring
glory of our religious practices, and of the artistic heritage
of our music. |
