ABOUT US
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HISTORY
The
Church of the Ascension dates to November 28, 1843, when a small group
of concerned local Episcopalians met for the purpose of organizing a congregation in Westminster, which at the time was a small
village with a population of approximately 500. Groundbreaking took
place on August 22, 1844, and the Church of the Ascension was
consecrated on Ascension Day, 1846. This original building, now
affectionately referred to as the Stone Church, exemplifies the
Neo-Gothic architectural style advocated by the Ecclesiological Society
in the 19th century.
The Stone Church has been modified
only slightly in the past 160-plus years, and is recognized as an
historic property by the Maryland Historical Trust. Indeed, 19th
century Episcopalians such as Carroll County’s own Francis Scott
Key, author of the Star Spangled Banner, would probably feel very much
at home in the Stone Church even today. (As an aside, although Mr. Key died shortly before the
parish was established, he would certainly have known the early founders of the
church, and was probably part of the early discussions regarding Ascension. Moreover,
Ascension can certainly claim a spiritual heritage with Mr. Key via outreach
to the African American community, and one of Ascension’s most historic
memorials honors Mr. Key's work with local African American children; a plaque
bearing his name and detailing his efforts in this regard is found in the vestibule of the Stone Church.)
By 1944, the parish campus
consisted of the Stone Church, a parish house build in 1932, and the
Parke House, the church's rectory. The Holy Cross House was added
in 1961, the Great Hall replaced the old parish house in 1975, and the
Holy Cross Hall was built in 2000. Our facility is part of the Westminster
Historic District, which is listed on National Register of Historic
Places.
Twice
in our history, Ascension has sponsored a mission parish. The first,
St. Mark's Chapel in Uniontown was consecrated in 1862 but disbanded in
1879. The other, St. George's in Manchester was organized in 1956
and is now a regular parish.
Today, we are a
traditional but inclusive parish of the Episcopal Church and worldwide Anglican Communion. We describe
our church as a place where you will find traditional liturgy,
lectionary-based
preaching, and strong Christian education, along with family
fellowship. The
people
of Ascension are a diverse and active group who share a love of the
Lord along
with a commitment to serving each other and our community.
JOIN US
Visitors
are, of course, always welcome, and may attend services at the church
at any time. We would love to have you join us! And
bring a
friend.
To become a
member of Ascension, simply call the parish office at 410.848.3251 or 410.876.0736 and someone will be happy to help you
establish
Ascension as your new church home. Those persons arriving
from
another Episcopal parish will be directed on how to transfer their
membership.
GOOD THINGS ARE HAPPENING AT
ASCENSION!
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23 N. Court
St., Westminster, MD 21157 USA
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The
CHurch of the ascension |
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