Church guide

Cole's sermon from this past Sunday. Press the link below to listen. https://soundcloud.com/user-926635095/august-18-2019-tenth-sunday-after-pentecost

Karla's sermon from this past Sunday. Click to listen below. https://soundcloud.com/user-926635095/august-11-2019-ninth-sunday-after-pentecost?in=user-926635095/sets/ascension-sermons

With the consent of the vestry and approval of the Bishop I have called Cole McGlynn to serve as an Interim Assistant. He will be at Ascension August 2019-May 2020. He will be working 30 hours a week while also finishing up course work for his M.Div from Luther Seminary. His primary focus will be ministering to families, youth, and children and helping us to more fully discern how God is calling us to minister outside the walls of Ascension and to take the first steps in doing that work. He will also be learning about and participating in all aspects of parish ministry. Cole is in Hickory for a year with his wife Amanda. They moved here from Saint Paul, MN where they are students at Luther Seminary. Cole and Amanda both plan to be ordained in the ELCA for parish ministry after a few more classes and year long internships. They moved to Hickory so Amanda could complete her year long internship at Lenoir-Rhyne Campus Ministry and Bethlehem Lutheran with Pastor Andrew Weisner. Cole will be finishing his class work this year while working at Ascension and will complete his formal internship at a Lutheran church the following year. Cole grew up in Thousand Oaks, CA and went to San Francisco to pursue a degree and future in engineering before taking seriously his call to ministry. He ended up graduating from California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, CA with a degree in Theology and Christian Leadership with an emphasis in Children, Youth, and Family Ministry. He has worked at Bible Camps in California and Idaho as well as Lutheran and Methodist Churches in California and Minnesota. His most recent job was working at a United Methodist Church Plant in South Minneapolis, MN that focused on environmental justice and race relations in the neighborhoods around the church. In his free time Cole enjoys hiking, brewing beer, board games, and fishing. Cole's first Sunday at Ascension will be August 4. I believe that the Holy Spirit is guiding our steps in this process and ask you to continue to pray for our ministry with children, youth, and families and for our new endeavors outside the walls of the church.

Spring & Summer Reading to enrich your soul & mind. Holy Envy by Barbara Brown Taylor, The Sin of Certainty by Peter Enns, The Universal Christ, by Richard Rhor. Thursdays, Sundays, & Mondays. Read on for more details. Thursdays May 2-30. 10:00-11:30 a.m. Holy Envy: Finding God in the Faith of Others by Barbara Brown Taylor The renowned and beloved New York Times bestselling author and Episcopal priest recounts her moving discoveries of finding the sacred in unexpected places while teaching the world’s religions to undergraduates in rural Georgia, revealing how God delights in confounding our expectations. Sunday Morning May 5-26. 9:30-10:15 a.m. The Sin of Certainty by Peter Enns. Book excerpts and conversation led by The Rev. Anita Ware and The Rev. Karla Woggon. The controversial evangelical Bible scholar and author of The Bible Tells Me So explains how Christians mistake “certainty” and “correct belief” for faith when what God really desires is trust and intimacy. LUNCH TIME SUMMER READING with Karla Mondays from 12:00-1:00. June 3-August 14 Drop in when you can. 1st book we will read together The Universal Christ: How a forgotten reality can change everything we see, hope for, and believe. by Richard Rohr The Universal Christ: " From one of the world’s most influential spiritual thinkers, a long-awaited book exploring what it means that Jesus was called “Christ,” and how this forgotten truth can restore hope and meaning to our lives. Ascension Book Club Summer Read Selection: Forgiving Ararat by Gita Nazareth. This book has been described as Alice Sebold ('The Lovely Bones') meets William Young ('The Shack') and John Grisham ('The Firm')...in the afterlife." Brek Cuttler, a young lawyer, new mother, and wife of a popular television news reporter, dies unexpectedly and, arriving in heaven, learns she has been chosen to join the elite lawyers who defend souls at the Final Judgment. If you are interested please read the book over the summer, and come on Saturday, August 17th for breakfast and book discussion from 9 am - 11: am in the parish hall.

Saturday, April 27, 2019 6:30 PM - 7:00 PM: Seating, maybe some music 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM: Showtime! 8:00 PM - 8:30 PM: Mingle with the Actors The Backyard Shakespeare Co. is presenting selected scenes and monologues from a wide variety of his plays. The show will be outdoors. The rain date is April 28th. Rain date location is Church of the Ascension. There is only one performance btw. No charge, but donations will be accepted.

Come pray with us on Palm Sunday 8:00 am Blessing of Palms & Holy Eucharist 9:00 am Breakfast 9:30 am Adult Forum: Walking the way of the cross 10:30 am Blessing of Palms & Holy Eucharist 12:00. Palm Sunday Quiet day CANCELLED

HYDRATION SEMINAR WITH Lee Gibbs. Wed., April 10 @ 6:45 p.m.Tired of being sick or thirsty? Know how much water your body needs? This lecture will help you discover the ways that hydration can impact your health, your well-being, and your daily energy. Lee Gibbs is a certified fitness nutritionist, personal trainer, and group-ex instructor. "Come to the water" Ascension water bottles on sale for $10

We are making palm crosses after church tomorrow-April 7. Around 11:30. Lunch provided. Come have ome, learn to make palm crosses, and help prepare for Holy Week. Let me know if you can help out

Gentle Yoga - tonight April 3 @ 6:45 p.m. Designed for beginners or for those wanting to return to the basics of yoga, a typical class has a breathing meditation, modified sun salutation as a warm-up, pose instruction, deep stretch, and final relaxation.

Sunday April 7, 2019 Camp Henry Sunday at The Episcopal Church of The Ascension, Hickory NC. Preachers: Ascension's graduating seniors & 1st time Camp Henry Counselors for the summer of 2019: Amar Donepudi & Sam Miller along Kathryn Florack, Camp Director. Wear your favorite Camp Henry gear to church on Sunday

Invite a friend and come join us for this exciting program

Come and pray with us

Evensong, Shrove Tuesday, & Ash Wednesday

EvensongShrove TuesdayAsh Wednesday

Come and join us for prayer and fellowship

Evensong, Shrove Tuesday, & Ash Wednesday

Weather update: All activities are on for Sunday Jan 13,2019. Join us if you can. 8:00 am Holy Eucharist 9:30 am Breakfast 10:30 am Holy Eucharist 5:30 pm Jackie Perry: Understanding and responding to Depression, anxiety, and anger in teens and children

Weather update:. If you see an accumulation of ice in the morning and it looks treacherous or the TV says stay off the roads ...then don’t risk coming to church. If it’s just rain then come to church. I’ll put out an update in the morning if it seems best to cancel. Non ice schedule: 8:00 Holy Eucharist 9:00 breakfast 9:30. Romans bible study 10:30 Holy Eucharist

Come Pray Us at The Episcopal Church of the Ascension Hickory Sunday Dec. 23 8:00 a.m Holy Eucharist 10:30 a.m. Lessons and Carols Monday Dec. 24 - Christmas Eve 3:30 p.m. Prelude 4:00 p.m. Festive Eucharist - candlelight 10:00 p.m. Prelude - Strings 10:30 p.m. Festive Eucharist - candlelight No Services Christmas Day

Advent at Ascension Wednesday Dec. 12, 2018. The Church parking lots have been freed from snow & ice. Come and pray and share a meal with friends. 5:30 p.m. Holy Eucharist and Healing 6:00 p.m. Dinner 6:45 p.m Taize Service in the Chapel 7:15 p.m. Choir Practice and Youth