1. religion and spirituality
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Ascension Extension
A Monthly Newsletter of Church of the Ascension, Westminster, MD
Ascension is a family of faith so reflecting the life of Christ
that we draw all people to Him.
A call to transformation
By Fr. Samuel Nsengiyumva
March
2015
In this Issue:
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Rector's Reflection page 1
Worship Schedule
page 3
Ministry Opportunities
page 4
Prayer List page 5
Birthdays & Anniversaries
page 6
Vestry Highlights page 7
Children & Youth News
pages 8-9
Alpha page 10
Upcoming Events page 11
And much more!
___________________
The Ascension Extension is
published as an information
exchange between
parishioners and friends of
the church. We welcome your
contributions.
Please submit articles for the
April 2015 issue to the church
office by March 20th.
Asked why they do not attend church, most people will say that
the church is both boring and irrelevant. Sadly, that stereotype
has some truth to it. Some churches I know are
ill-equipped to satisfy the prevailing spiritual
hunger in our society today. While this may not
be true about Church of the Ascension, we
constantly need to pray and work that it may not
be true of us.
In his book, Reclaiming the Great Commission, Bishop Claude
Payne, retired bishop of Texas, asserts that: “Americans are
reeling emotionally from daily life in a society traumatized by too
much violence, too many divided families, and too little job security.
The pain and isolation caused by reliance on material things and on
human resources alone has grown unbearable. People are searching for
something more meaningful and more enduring.” (Reclaiming the
Great Commission p. 5).
A vital congregation is one that invites people to become passionate
followers of Jesus Christ, creates opportunities for personal and
corporate transformation, and equips and empowers people for gospel
mission in the world. Fr. Bob Honeychurch
There is no doubt that the “more meaningful and enduring”
thing that many people are searching for is a sense of
community, direction, and transformation. People are looking
for a community to belong to, find support, and make a
difference in other people’s lives. They are longing and looking
for a place where they can be blessed and be a blessing. They
are looking for healing and wholeness in their lives; and for
opportunities to be instruments of healing to a hurting world. I,
like many others, believe that the church is such a place. At
least, that is what it is intended to be.
Ascension Extension – March 2015 * www.ascension-westminster.com * 410-848-3251
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Bishop Payne goes on to say that the two major characteristics of healthy and growing churches,
the kind that are equipped to satisfy the prevailing spiritual hunger, are Community and
Mission. Healthy congregations have a sense of community and a sense of mission. The Rev.
Bob Honeychurch seems to agree by asserting that: “a vital congregation is one that invites
people to become passionate followers of Jesus Christ, creates opportunities for personal and
corporate transformation, and equips and empowers people for gospel mission in the world.”
While Ascension has and continues to do well along these lines, our task is to continue
nurturing and enhancing our sense of community and mission so that we can truly become
what Bishop Payne calls “a community of miraculous expectation and glorious transformation.”
He goes on to say that such a community is:
a community of Christians whose members experience a sense of the miraculous, of the
transforming power and presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives. It embraces the power
of prayer and recognizes divine involvement; encounters the holy in daily life, and is
confident of experiencing miracles and God’s ever-faithful care. In this kind of
community, miracles occur and are recognized, lives are changed, and the joy of
transformation is spread from disciple to disciple and from the disciples to the spiritually
hungry and unchurched. (Reclaiming the Great Commission p. 52).
Who would not want to belong to such a community? I know this is the kind of church I want
to belong to. The challenge is whether we are willing and ready to do what it takes to make
Ascension such a church.
I believe a big majority of us agree that Ascension is a wonderful church; otherwise we
wouldn’t be here. I hope we also agree that there is room for us to grow more into the kind of
church described by Bishop Payne and Fr. Honeychurch. I invite you to join me in doubling our
efforts by praying and working to make Ascension, an unmistakably visible community of
miraculous expectation and glorious transformation.
Your Ideas Needed
The Long Range Mission Plan Worship Vision Team will soon be making
recommendations for
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indoor and outdoor church signs, and

Renovating the 9:00 a.m. service worship space into a worship center that
is true to liturgical styles, that reflects a sacred space, and is welcoming to visitors.
Your ideas and suggestions are welcome.
Please send suggestions via email to [email protected] by Sunday,
March 22.
Please let us know if you interested in joining the Long Range Mission Plan Worship
Vision Team?
Ascension Extension – March 2015 * www.ascension-westminster.com * 410-848-3251
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LENT
Stations of the Cross and the Great Vigil of Easter
Stations of the Cross with Eucharist during Lent are scheduled for Sunday March 8 and
March 22 at 5:00 pm in the Great Hall. AND THEN......
The Great Vigil of Easter will be held on Saturday April 4 at 7 pm in the Stone Church.
We'll offer this service in the spirit of prayer and praise to celebrate God's Saving deeds
and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Service begins in the courtyard with a penitential
burning of sins, and Eucharist will be offered at this service.
March Worship Schedule
March 1
8:00a.m.
9:00 a.m.
10:10 a.m.
11:15 a.m.
Second Sunday in Lent
H.E., Rite I w/ Anointing and
Healing Prayers - Stone Church
H.E., Rite II – Great Hall
Christian Education Hour –
Rector’s Forum – HCH
H.E., Rite II w/ Anointing and
Healing Prayers - Stone Church
Daylight Savings Time begins.
Turn your clock ahead 1 hour March 7th
March 8
8:00a.m.
9:00 a.m.
10:10 a.m.
11:15 a.m.
5:00 p.m.
Third Sunday in Lent
H.E., Rite I - Stone Church
H.E., Rite II – Great Hall
Christian Education Hour
H.E., Rite II - Stone Church
Stations of the Cross w/
H.E. - Great Hall
March 15
8:00a.m.
9:00 a.m.
10:10 a.m.
11:15 a.m.
Fourth Sunday in Lent
H.E., Rite I - Stone Church
H.E., Rite II – Great Hall
Christian Education Hour
H.E., Rite II - Stone Church
March 22
8:00a.m.
9:00 a.m.
10:10 a.m.
11:15 a.m.
5:00 p.m.
Fifth Sunday in Lent
H.E., Rite I - Stone Church
H.E., Rite II – Great Hall
Christian Education Hour
H.E., Rite II - Stone Church
Stations of the Cross w/H.E –
Great Hall
March 29
7:30a.m.
9:00 a.m.
10:10 a.m.
11:15 a.m.
Palm Sunday
H.E., Rite I - Stone Church
H.E., Rite II – Great Hall
Christian Education Hour
H.E., Rite II - Stone Church
Alpha is Here!
…
An opportunity to explore the meaning of life
Thursday Nights 6:30-8:30 pm
Free meals and Childcare
It’s not too late to join.
For more visit www.alphausa.org.
Ascension Extension – March 2015 * www.ascension-westminster.com * 410-848-3251
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Ministry Opportunities
Breakfast Volunteers
Our first Saturday of the month Breakfast Team is desperately in need of additional volunteers
to help with all the duties related to planning and hosting such an important and popular
event. This is a major fundraiser for the church and a great opportunity to connect with
various members of our community. Please prayerfully consider becoming a member of this
team or simply sign up to help when you are able.
Newsletter Minstry
If you enjoy writing stories, interviewing people, desktop publishing, graphic design, and
overall communication, we have an opportunity to use your gift for the glory of God and
benefit of his people by becoming part of our Extension Newsletter Editorial Team. If you are
interested, please talk to Cheryl or Fr. Samuel.
Sound System Ministry
Can you turn things on and off? Can you plug and unplug things?Do you like to feel like you
are in control?
If you can do those things, then you can run the Sound System! It is that easy! We are looking
for more people who can help us on Sunday mornings. With one or two more people, the
commitment would be once every 4-6 weeks. Please contact Scott Campanella at
[email protected] to arrange an orientation and training.
Lectors/Readers Ministry
Have you ever imagined yourself as a prophet – speaking God’s word to His people? That is
basically what the ministry of Lectors in church is about. They recite the life-giving message of
God’s Word to God’s people gathered on Sunday mornings. If you consider yourself a fairly
good reader, you have an opportunity to share in this important ministry. If you are called to
this ministry, please talk to Fr. Samuel, Deacon Barbara, Bill Sears, or Mary Forbes. A
workshop on the best techniques to read the scriptures in a public setting is scheduled for
Saturday March 28, 10am -noon . This ministry is open to baptized Christians of all ages.
Music Ministry
Do you love to sing? Do you play an instrument of any kind? There are a
lot of opportunities to share your gift as you are able and available. You
could participate in the music ministry as a member of the regular choir, or
an occasional soloist, instrumentalist, or as part of a music group. If you are
interested please talk to Linda Maguire, Lynn Lyon-Vaiden or Fr. Samuel.
Handbell Choir
The Handbell Choir would like to welcome some additional members in
2015. For additional information, please contact Lynn Lyon-Vaiden
([email protected] or 410-374-4066).
There are many other ways to participate in the life and mission of your church. Our hope
is that ours can truly be a participatory church where everyone has a part to play. Jesus desires
that we be participants rather than bystanders and spectators.
“We have different gifts according to the grace given to us…” (Romans 12:6)
Ascension Extension – March 2015 * www.ascension-westminster.com * 410-848-3251
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HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE FEBRUARY, 2015 VESTRY MEETING
The vestry met on Tuesday, February 10, to discuss important issues related to the life and mission of our
Parish.
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After several months of praying, discussing, and adjusting numbers here and there the vestry
reluctantly approved the 2015 budget with projected income of $318,433 and projected
expenses of $357,518. The expenses represent what is needed to maintain the current level of
programming and maintenance of our facilities and are $39,085 higher than the projected
income. The vestry understands that this amount of deficit is unsustainable and committed itself
to continue exploring new ways of reducing expenses and generating additional income.
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The vestry appointed a Task-Force to explore alternative ways of reducing the cost of operating
and maintaining our buildings and grounds which represents 27.7% of our budget.
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It was reported that the Ascend Ministry team held a discernment retreat on February 7, 2015 to
reflect on its nature and scope. Participants agreed that Ascend would continue to be a vital
ministry of Ascension offering specially scheduled alternative worship services, discipleship and
fellowship opportunities

January Average Sunday Attendance was reported as:
2013
2014
2015
177.25 (151.75 excluding Ascend that was held every Sunday, averaging 25/service)
156.75 (139.0 excluding Ascend as well as one Lessons & Carols evening service)
159.5

Cindy Brown and Buck Lyon-Vaiden were appointed to represent Ascension as delegates to the
Diocesan Convention scheduled for May 8 and May 9 at Turf Valley Resort in Ellicott City. John
Holbert is an alternate. A second alternate is still needed. Please see a Vestry member if you are
interested.

The vestry commended the first Rector’s Forum held Sunday, February 1 as an open environment
for the congregation to discuss the Heather Cook / Palermo family tragedy. It was noted that
Ascension is committed to supporting the recovery of those dealing with alcoholism and other
addictions by making our building available to host AA meetings.

It was reported that the Alpha Program has been scheduled for Thursday evenings, February 26,
2015 – May 21, 2015, from 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. A typical evening will start with a simple meal,
followed by video teaching by Nicky Gumbel, and a time for group discussions. Ascension
committees /groups will be asked to sign up to provide dinner.

The vestry approved recommendations by the Long Range Worship Committee to change the
name of the Great Hall to Holy Cross Hall and explore the possibility of redesigning/renovating it
into a more fitting worship space. A recommendation to purchase a small Credence table for the
Great Hall was also approved. Cindy Brown will chair a task force to update cost information
previously provided for directional signs and also bring a recommendation to the vestry regarding
location and style of new signs for the church campus.

Ascension Extension – March 2015 * www.ascension-westminster.com * 410-848-3251
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Ascension Church
(News and updates about the dynamic and fantastic children & youth of Ascension!)
The world may be frozen, but the Upper Rooms are Cookin’ with wonderful and
exciting changes!
First, allow me to introduce our new Ascension committee: the Jr. Vestry!
That’s right, we now have a youth committee, “To provide the youth of the Church of
Ascension with a voice and resources to better serve God through education, worship,
outreach, and fellowship.” (Mission statement of the Jr.
Vestry) There are five members of the Jr. Vestry Covering the
five roles of the committee:
Conner Goff - Worship –Serves in the role of assisting youth
with incorporating religion into youth activities, attends
Vestry meetings, and act as a youth worship advisor to the
rector.
Max Howard -Treasurer – Serves as treasurer, tracks money,
and researches fund raising opportunities.
Ben Leahy - Fellowship – Plan outings and activities for
youth, and assists with intergenerational planning. Serves as
youth advisor to Ascension Fellowship committee.
Nick Leahy - Outreach - Plan, organize, and facilitate outreach opportunities for youth.
Serve as youth advisor for adult Vestry outreach.
Leah Jamison - Education – Serves as a youth advisor for Sunday School Director. Act as
youth advisor to Adult Education.
Please join me in welcoming these five wonderful, spiritual and strong youth
volunteers who will be serving their role as the very first members of Ascension’s Jr.
Vestry.
Our second exciting change, is the name of our Sunday School
program. We will no longer be known as SEA of Ascension. Our new
name and logo is: Upper Rooms of Ascension Church
(or for an abbreviation) UR Ascension!
The Facebook address has also changed to:
www.facebook.com/URAscension
Did you miss it? Well here is what happened in February!
CST (Christ Saved Teens, Ascension’s Youth Group for students in
grades 6 thru 12) went bowling and had a blast! Thank you so
much Kevin, Jackie, Rachel, and all who helped with this
activity.
Ascension Extension – March 2015 * www.ascension-westminster.com * 410-848-3251
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Intergenerational MOVIE NIGHT - God’s Not Dead!
What a great evening of
Fellowship! Not only did we watch an entertaining and inspirational movie, but we
discovered the answer to that age old question of:
How many Episcopalians does it take to operate a DVD
player?
(Answer: Zero. They form a committee that comes to
a consensus that the projector and screen would be a
better path.)
If you missed this movie night of fellowship, don’t fret,
another movie night is in the works! Date, time, and
film will be announced for April.
NEW ACOLYTES! There are FIVE new Acolytes in Ascension! Please welcome Kealyn Goff,
Dominic Arena, Donna Fine, Jennie Grabill, and Debbie Burns. They are AMAZING.
OH NO! CST’s Game night, that was scheduled for February 22nd was cancelled due to frozen
icy conditions. A new date will be announced, so stay tuned!
March Calendar Events:
Every Wednesday @ 7Pm Youth Praise Ensemble (ALL YOUTH are
WELCOME)
College Care Package Thank You Notes
Thank you so much for the lovely care package that I received during finals week. Finals are a stressful
time for anyone, not just college students. As soon as I opened my care package, I had my roommates
hovering over my shoulder to see what I got and I had to fend them off as they saw all of the
wonderful goodies inside. (Just kidding! I shared my snacks... Well, some of them.) I took at least one
snack to every final and ate some more in between. It felt great to have so many people think about me
during finals week, and I truly appreciate the amazing gift. Thank you so much! I wish you all good
luck with the rest of your school year as well.
Best Regards,
Rachel Lang
Rachel is studying Early Childhood Education at Stevenson University.
As I was finally finishing my care package, I realized I never sent a thank you! I feel terrible because it
was such a nice package, and it obviously lasted me a while. It helped make studying for finals a little
bit more bearable. It's nice to know that I belong to such a supportive church! Thanks again for
everything you do for us college students.
God bless,
Emily Horn
Emily attends Virginia Tech University.
Ascension Extension – March 2015 * www.ascension-westminster.com * 410-848-3251
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Alpha is Here!
by Fr. Samuel Nsengiyumva
As of this writing, 32 people have registered for the Alpha Course. They include a few people
who have taken it before and simply want to take the course again and help out. A large
majority are those who wish to experience this highly recommended course and see what they
can learn from it.
Part of our Christian commitment is a commitment to life-long learning or
discipleship. With this attitude, even things we have heard before seem to bring
fresh meaning. I’ve done the Alpha Course more than ten times but every time I
do it, I learn something new. Much of it is from the different people who do the
class with me.
Thanks to those who have volunteered to provide meals, Alpha participants will not have to
worry about dinner. Simply come, enjoy a simple but nice meal, and learn more about your
faith. If you wish to help with a meal, talk to Jill Horn who is coordinating the meals or call the
office. We will also be providing childcare and activities for children. Lara Shuman, an art
teacher, will be watching the kids and leading them in exciting activities.
The course will cover the following topics:
February 26:
Introduction to Alpha
March 5:
Week 1
March 12:
Week 2
March 19
Week 3
March 26
Week 4
April 2
Maundy Thursday
April 9
Week 5
April 16
Week 6
April 18
Weekend Retreat
“
“
“
“
“
“
April 23
Week 7
April 30
Week 8
May 7
Week 9
May 14
Confirmation
May 21
Week 10
Is there more to life than this?
Who is Jesus?
Why did Jesus die?
How can we have faith?
Why and how do I pray?
No Alpha
Why and how should I read the Bible?
How does God guide us?
Who is the Holy Spirit?
What does the Holy Spirit do?
How can I be filled with the Holy Spirit?
How can I make the most of the rest of my life?
How can I resist evil?
Why and how should I tell others?
Does God heal today?
No Alpha
What about church?
For more about Alpha, please talk to Fr. Samuel or visit www.alphausa.org
Adult Confirmation, Reaffirmation, or Reception
If you are interested in any of these sacramental rites of the church
Please talk to Fr. Samuel and discuss the next step for you.
Call: 920-226-0050 or Email: [email protected]
Ascension Extension – March 2015 * www.ascension-westminster.com * 410-848-3251
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Music Jam Session -Christian Folk/ /Gospel/ Contemporary
Saturday March 14, 10:00 – 12 noon
It has come to our attention that there several people in our church who love to play or
sing contemporary/gospel/ folk music but are
not sure how their gift/hobby can be used to the
honor and glory of God. There are others who
used to play an instrument when they were
younger but dropped it when life became too
busy and have been wishing they could get back
to it again. If you are one of them or simply
want to see what is possible, come to church on
Saturday March 14, 10:00 – 12 noon and join
others like you as we explore what is possible.
Don’t forget your instrument if you have one.
Reading in Worship
- Saturday March 28, 10 am – 12 noon
A readers/Lectors’ Workshop scheduled for current and
aspiring readers during our worship services. We will
review the theology and best techniques of reading in
worship.
Inclement Weather Policy
Monday-Friday: If Carroll County Public Schools are closed, or if afternoon and evening activities are
cancelled within the school system, the church buildings are closed and all meetings or activities are
cancelled.
Saturday: If the Snow Emergency Plan is in effect in Carroll County, the church buildings are closed
and all meetings or activities are cancelled. Please visit the Maryland State Police website
(https://www.mdsp.org/Home.aspx) to find out if the Snow Emergency Plan is in effect.
Sunday: Sunday services are normally held except during the most extreme weather. Any change or
cancellation of services will be announced on WTTR and put on the answering machine in the church
office. In addition, all those for whom we have email addresses will be notified by email which will be
sent by 7:00 AM.
Exceptions: Church group leaders may override the policy in consultation with the rector; in which
case they will contact their members to inform them of the special arrangements. Participation under
those circumstances will be at each individual’s discretion.
Ascension Extension – March 2015 * www.ascension-westminster.com * 410-848-3251
Page 9
CLERGY & STAFF:
The Rev. Samuel Nsengiyumva, Rector
The Rev. Barbara Sears, Deacon
Cheryl Vecera, Parish Administrator
Linda Maguire, Interim Organist & Choir Director
Deb Howard, Director of Christian Formation for Children and Youth
Lynn Lyon-Vaiden, Handbell Choir Director
Lizzie Bowersox, Nursery Attendant
Donald Chepko, Night Sexton
Mailing: Kathy Ilgenfritz, Mary Snyder, LaRue Nusbaum
____________________________________________________________________________
Office Hours: 8:30-2:30 Mon- Wed & Fri, Closed Thursday.
410-848-3251 or 410-876-0736
Fax# 410-848-6439
E-Mail: [email protected]
Church of the Ascension
23 North Court Street
Westminster, MD 21157
Ascension Extension – March 2015 * www.ascension-westminster.com * 410-848-3251
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