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We will still have our Second Harvest Mobile Food Pantry distribution this Wednesday, March 18th. We are doing things a bit differently than usual to maintain the social-distancing recommended at this time.
1) Please do not come to the church before 2 p.m. when distribution begins. Those whose last name begins with A-L should arrive at 2 p.m.; those whose last name begins with M-Z should arrive at 2:30 p.m.
2) No one will need to go into the church building to sign-in. We will confirm registrations and accept wait list registrations at a table outside.
3) Our volunteers will prefill boxes with distribution items so recipients can ‘grab and go.’

The Day of Discovery is a process that helps individual congregations discover their unique purpose in furthering the mission of Christ from their particular territory within the diocese. It is an energizing day centering on conversations about who we are when we are at our best and what we value as a community of faith. It is also a time to express our hopes for the future. 

The Day of Discovery provides input from the congregation directly to the vestry and clergy leadership as they work on articulating goals and identifying the core values of the congregation. Identifying goals and core values will help us define not only the gifts and strengths we have to offer to in assisting our clergy in the work of ministry, but will also help us identify what characteristics we would like our clergy to focusing on developing for this work. This information also makes clear to newcomers or others in the wider community that we are serious about our faith and how we live out that faith.

A Day of Discovery has been scheduled for Church of the Ascension on February 29, 2020, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Canon Martha Ishman will be leading our work. Childcare and lunch will be provided. Every person in the congregation is a valued child of God. Every person has a story to share about his or her church community. No one else can tell your story. Please plan to participate and encourage others to do so as well.

Observe a Holy Lent @ Ascension:

Shrove Tuesday, February 25th
Pancake Supper from 5-7 p.m. @ the church
We celebrate a final pre-Lent fling at our annual pancake supper featuring all you can eat pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausage and breakfast beverages. There is no charge for the supper, but donations to youth camp fund will be gratefully accepted.

Ash Wednesday, February 26th
Ashes to Go from 10:30-11:30 a.m. @ Veterans’ Square
and at 2:00 p.m. @ Bradford Regional Medical Center chapel
Available so folks have the opportunity to receive ashes and a brief prayer even if unable to make a regular service that day.
Communion with Imposition of Ashes at 12 noon & 7 p.m. @ the church
Allow folks to experience the full and ancient Ash Wednesday liturgical service within a worshiping community.

Thursdays in Lent
Stations of the Cross at 10:30 a.m. @ the church
Marks each week of Lent by following in the steps of Jesus through this brief, (30 minute) contemplative observance. Everyone is welcome to stay for our Free Soup Lunch (11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.).

Ascension Preschool is a ministry of the Episcopal Church of the Ascension dedicated to offering an excellent early childhood learning program to encourage children’s academic, physical, emotional, social and spiritual growth in a safe and loving environment. Because we are committed to offering excellent early childhood learning to all children, generous income-based scholarships are available.

We offer a combined class for 3 and 4 year old children. Our program is Monday through Thursday, from 9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. and follows the Bradford Area School District calendar. The Preschool is housed in the education wing on the second floor of the church, occupying the former Wee World Nursery School classrooms.

We are enrolling now for the 2019-2020 school year. Please call the church office at 368-8915 for more information or to schedule an individual tour of our facilities for you and your child.

Tuesday, November 26th:
7:00 p.m. – Community Thanksgiving Service
Sponsored by the Bradford Area Ministerium, this service invites Christians from all congregations and denominations to come together for a service of prayer, scripture reading and song. Pastors from several different area churches are taking part in the service and Pastor Andrew Christiansen of the Adventist Church will be our preacher. There will be a time of fellowship following the service.

Thursday, November 28th:
10:00 a.m. – Thanksgiving Day Worship
Join us in giving thanks to God for our many blessings in our annual Thanksgiving Day worship service. All are welcome to participate fully in the worship we offer and the sacraments we share.

11:00 a.m. – Thanksgiving Day Meal
Join us for a traditional Thanksgiving meal with all the trimmings served on from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. All are welcome free of charge.

At Ascension, we are so confident in the victory of Christ over all evil that even our youngest members can participate in Halloween without fear. We enjoy encouraging our children to choose appropriate costumes and share the fun with their church family.
On Sunday, October 27th, we will have our annual Trunk or Treating event after our 10:15 a.m. worship service. Parishioners bring candy and some even decorate their cars so the children will be able to ‘trick or treat’ car to car in the parking lot. You are invited to come to worship and stay to enjoy delicious food and good company at coffee hour and let your kids get a head start on Halloween by wearing their costumes and trunk or treating with us.

Ascension will offer a Service of Blessing of the Animals on Saturday, October 5th, 2019, at 10:00 a.m. This brief service is held annually in honor of St. Francis of Assisi and is a time to give thanks for our companion animals and ask for special blessings on them. Please bring pets on a lead/leash or in a carrier/cage. Treats for pets and their peoples will be provided!

Ascension is sponsoring a Taizé worship service at the Wick Chapel at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford on Saturday, September 28, at 5:00 p.m. Craig Dressler, from St. Mark’s, Erie will be officiating. Taizé is a service of quiet, contemplative prayer based on the worshiping tradition and music of the Taizé Community, an ecumenical monastic community in the south of France. The service features candlelight, scripture and prayerful meditation through song. Worshipers are free to participate as much or as little as they desire. The intention is to create a space where the veil between Heaven and Earth is its thinnest, so one may encounter God and experience the power of silence. Please join us!

Join us on Sunday, June 9, 2019 as we celebrate Pentecost with worship services at 8 and 10:15 a.m. Pentecost commemorates God’s gift of the Holy Spirit to Jesus’ followers – uniting them to be His witnesses in the world. We celebrate this Birthday of the Church with festive worship and balloons and cake. Traditionally many folks wear red to church on Pentecost to add to the festivities.

Ascension Preschool is a ministry of the Episcopal Church of the Ascension dedicated to offering an excellent early childhood learning program to encourage children’s academic, physical, emotional, social and spiritual growth in a safe and loving environment. Because we are committed to offering excellent early childhood learning to all children, generous income-based scholarships are available.

We offer a combined class for 3 and 4 year old children. Our program is Monday through Thursday, from 9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. and follows the Bradford Area School District calendar. The Preschool is housed in the education wing on the second floor of the church, occupying the former Wee World Nursery School classrooms.

We are enrolling now for the 2019-2020 school year. Please call the church office at 368-8915 for more information or to schedule an individual tour of our facilities for you and your child.

Wrap-up the Christmas Season by celebrating
the Feast of the Epiphany!
Sunday, January 6th, beginning at 5 p.m.
Traditional Service of Sung Evensong
concluding with
A Holiday Concert by the Keynote Chorus
and followed by
A Festive Reception

Christmas Eve – Monday, December 24th
  7:00 p.m. – Family Worship Service
10:30 p.m. – Carol Sing
11:00 p.m. – Candlelit Midnight Mass

Christmas 1 – Sunday, December 30th
10:15 a.m. – Lessons and Carols with Communion

New Year’s Day – Tuesday, January 1st
12:00 noon – Mass of the New Year

Thursday, November 22nd

10 a.m. – Worship with Holy Eucharist Rite 2

11 a.m. – 1 p.m. – Free Community Meal