Blog Archives

We have a full slate for this coming Sunday. Here's a preview: 11am Worship Service: Mastery over the Dreadful. What do we need when we find ourselves filled with fear? Do we simply suppress it? Is it strictly a matter of understanding it? We find that confronted with fear, we can either strive to master ourselves, master our environment, master the subject or be mastered ourselves. And, in this week's sermon we see from a short vignette in Luke 8:22-25 that what or who masters us makes all the difference. A misplaced faith does little if w ...

"How to Listen to a Sermon: The Expectations of a Sermon" 2 Timothy 3:10-17, Romans 12:1-2, Hebrews 4:12-13 We complain today that ministers do not know how to preach; but is it not equally true that our congregations do not know how to hear? -- J. I. Packer Join us tomorrow at 11am as Pastor Michael further explains the parts of a sermon and how each one is designed to help us understand and apply the text of the Bible to our lives. Before service, at 9:30am, we'll have our Spiritual Gifts course and AscensionKids Music Club. See ...

"How to Listen to a Sermon: The Elements of a Sermon" Acts 17:22-34 Join us this Sunday at 11am as Pastor Michael explains the parts of a sermon and how each one is designed to help us understand and apply the text of the Bible to our lives. We'll also have classes/meetings before and after service. At 9:30am, we'll have our Spiritual Gifts course and AscensionKids Music Club. After service, our Women's Discipleship group will gather at the Leungs'. If you'd like more information about any of these, please contact us. Have a great ...

Have you ever wondered how a message valued as life-changing, good news to some is simultaneously rejected by a majority? And how is it that some initially embrace that message with great enthusiasm but later so easily discard it? Getting closer to "home," have you ever wondered how or why the Gospel message isn't bearing more fruit in your life? If you would like answers to these practical questions, you will want to join us this Sunday at 11am as we listen to Jesus explain. Processing His words, we will listen intently and honestly explore ...

The danger of familiarity. We experience something that brings us great enjoyment or delight. Then over time, we take it for granted; its initial impact on us becomes blunted and our enthusiasm waxes cold. Our experience with God's grace is not immune to this phenomenon. At some time or another, we stood amazed at something given to us -- a new opportunity, a specific blessing, a life-changing situation. You were on top of the world and you thanked God profusely. Now, the beauty of that moment has faded; the initial awe you felt seems a ...

Here's a little preview and reminder of what's going on tomorrow at Ascension: Doubt and the Spiritual Life + New Adult Class + Kids Music Club... Tomorrow at 9:30am, we kick off the Sunday track of our Spiritual Gifts course. We hope you will join us to discover your spiritual gifts, personal style, and God-given passion for serving in the body of Christ. This Network Ministry course will help equip you to fulfill God’s purposes, help you serve with greater enthusiasm, impact, more affirmation and commitment, and help avoid ministry stress, ...

This Sunday, December 16th, our church welcomes back special guest and friend, Messianic Rabbi Irving Salzman. Over 1600 years, some 40 prophets and authors wrote about the coming of a certain unique individual who would be both Israel’s king and the Savior of the world. So important was it that the world should come to know him that God inspired the prophets of Israel to identify him prophetically. His coming at the first Advent (Christmas) has transformed millions of lives around the world. Don’t the prophets deserve a hearing? Do you ...

Plan to arrive early to settle into our special worship service (with a message on the meaning of Christmas) for adults and childhood education classes for the kids. Immediately following, we'll continue the festivities through 2pm with jazz music from the Richard Braithwaite band, as well as children's games, crafts, cookies and hot apple cider. Everyone's welcome! There'll be something for every age -- all at no charge. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us!

Are you curious about Jesus but feel like an "outsider" in some way? Does the thought of attending a church like ours in order to investigate Jesus and the Christian faith make you feel uneasy? There are reasons behind your reluctance. Maybe you don't feel "worthy." Those feelings of guilt you had from your upbringing were never resolved. Maybe you experienced moral failure and feel you'll never be received by Jesus or by a community of his followers. Maybe you don't feel "good enough." Perhaps you have a disability, a ...

As I sat in church one Sunday, I was listening to the Pastor’s sermon. He had developed a theme with corresponding scriptures and compelling examples, but sometimes it isn’t the overall theme that grabs you and gets your attention. For me this Sunday, it was his example of a study that addressed why children, who grew up in the church, chose to leave the church once they had a choice. And it quickly shook me. The two reasons are this: 1) Judging Parents and 2) Hypocritical parents. Prefacing this, I must explain that I am a mother to twin ...