One of the primary ways that the good news of God in Jesus Christ is heard at Christ Ascension Lutheran Church is through music. We understand music to be a gift of God’s good creation. The primary musical ensemble at Christ Ascension is the assembly itself. We count it a unique privilege to sing God’s praises and proclaim God’s word with diverse music from all times and places, many peoples and tongues. Choirs and instruments assist our song.
Our congregation worships with Evangelical Lutheran Worship (ELW), the core worship resource of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Through the use of this core resource, we are able to sing music rooted in the praise of God, in the proclamation of the Gospel, and in the prayer and ritual of a church committed to the scriptures, tradition, the confessions, mission, and renewal.
For our Sunday worship, our congregation sings a variety of ritual music throughout the year. In 2007-2008, we will sing through a rotation of the musical settings of Holy Communion in ELW as follows:
Our congregation often sings Evening Prayer from ELW at our midweek bible study and for our Advent and Lenten midweek services.
OUR CONGREGATION’S CHOIRS
The Adult Choir rehearses on Thursday evenings at 8:00 p.m. The Young Children’s Choir (Grades 2-4) rehearses on Wednesday afternoons at 4:30 p.m. The Older Children’s Choir (Grades 5-8) rehearses on Wednesday afternoons at 5:00 p.m. All rehearsals are held in the Church nave and run from September through May.
Jesus Christ is the living and abiding Word of God. By the power of the Spirit, this very Word of God, which is Jesus Christ, is read in the scriptures, proclaimed in preaching, announced in the forgiveness of sins, eaten and drunk in the Holy Communion, and encountered in the bodily presence of the Christian community. God gives the Word and the sacraments to the church and by the power of the Spirit thereby creates and sustains the church among us. God calls the church to exercise care and fidelity in its use of the means of grace, so that all people may hear and believe the gospel of Jesus Christ and be gathered into God�s own mission for the life of the world.
The Use of the Means of Grace, principles 1 and 2
Our congregation worships with Evangelical Lutheran Worship (ELW), the core worship resource of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Each Sunday our worship is a gathering for the scriptures to be read and interpreted (Word) and eating and drinking the Lord’s supper (Sacrament).
Worship Schedule 9:30 a.m. Worship with Communion on September 5. Worship time moves to 10:30 a.m. on September 12.
We provide educational opportunities (September through May) for all ages on Sunday morning at 9:15 a.m. A team of people teach and rotate the classes.
Evening Prayer/Bible Study On Wednesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. we meet for Luther’s evening prayer, and a study of the upcoming Sunday’s biblical texts. Call ahead for details.Teen Group The teenagers at Christ Ascension meet to support one another in faith, spiritual growth, community service, and fellowship. The teens also participate in coordinate activities with congregations in Flourtown, Germantown, Mt. Airy, and Wyndmoor.
Vacation Bible School We provide a summer program filled with bible stories, crafts, games, food, and fun to children. This program is open to the community.
Reconciling in Christ Congregation We proclaim that the Gospel is God’s gift to all people, to be shared unconditionally, without regard to age, race, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic or family status, physical or mental abilities, or one’s appearance. We rejoice that because of our baptism, diversity has enriched, nurtured and challenged the life and ministry we share as members of the body of Christ and worker’s in God’s world. (www.lcna.org)
WELCA Women of the ELCA is a national church organization with local chapters. It is a community of women created in the image of God, empowered by the Spirit, committed to grow in faith, affirm gifts, support one another in their calling, engage in ministry and action, and promote healing and wholeness in the church, society, and world. (www.womenoftheelca.org)
Men’s Breakfast–The men’s breakfast is a monthly gathering of the men of the community committed to support one another, strengthening of faith, engaging in dialogue, and serving others around us.
Elder Diner–We participate with other denominations and faiths through the Neighborhood Interfaith Movement to provide a weekly luncheon for the older adults of our community. All older adults are welcome to come to lunch every Monday at noon, from September through May. People may join our cooking rotation by making and serving a meal for our guests.
Northwest Interfaith Hospitality Network–We participate in the interfaith program by helping to provide shelter for homeless families in our region. We provide meals to families, and are overnight hosts in other churches and synagogues. We also are in covenant to advocate on behalf of homeless individuals and families through at least 12 hours of service. (www.philashelter.org)
NIM�Neighborhood Interfaith Movement–Strengthening Neighborhoods through Interfaith Action NIM symbolizes all that is best in our community–its openness, its enthusiastic embrace of both diversity and interdependence, and its well-deserved reputation as a beacon of fairness and justice. Join us in our efforts to strengthen congregations, faith institutions, and the neighborhoods we live in. (www.nim-phila.org)
Care Ministry–Monthly cards are sent out to individuals in need of prayer and support, or are celebrating significant milestones in their life. This is a way to think of our neighbors and care for them through written cards.
Habitat for Humanity Germantown–The church has supported, through work days, building or rehabbing homes in the Germantown area for ownership to low income families. (www.habitat.org)
Lutheran Settlement House–We support the work of the Lutheran Settlement House’s Domestic Violence Programs, Homeless Shelter, Educational Programs, and Older Adult Ministries. (www.lutheransettlement.org)
MALT Mt. Airy Learning Tree uses the building for classes, such as language, dance, yoga, art, business, etc. (schedule changes with the courses) (www.mtairylearningtree.org)
Women’s AA A women’s Alcoholics Anonymous meets on Thursday evenings in the Parish Hall.
Lutheran Youth Organization (LYO)– Empowering youth of the ELCA to grow in faith, act as disciples and lift their voices in service to the world. (www.elca-ses.org)
Holy Grounds Coffee House–The Parish Hall is transformed into a relaxed Coffee House with music, poetry, art, baked goods, and great coffee. This ministry is open to the community to provide a safe environment to share your gifts and find fellowship with one another.
Christ Ascension Lutheran Church is a merger of two Lutheran congregations. The merger occurred on September 1, 1993 between the Evangelical Lutheran Christ Church of Chestnut Hill, which was established on December 9, 1860, and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Ascension, which was formally organized on July 26, 1893 on the campus of the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia in Mt. Airy. At the time of the merger Christ Ascension Church worshiped at two locations. One assembly gathered at the former Ascension Church, while the other gathered here in Chestnut Hill at the former Christ Church. After several years this experiment of a two-point parish proved to be unsuccessful. On November 14, 1999 the congregation began worshiping together here at the 8300 Germantown Avenue location in Chestnut Hill.
The ground-breaking service for the current church building took place on July 22, 1869 and the church was consecrated on June 22, 1871. Charles M. Burns (1838-1922) was the architect. In 1980 the church building was deemed historically significant by the City of Philadelphia. In 1983 the present slate roof of the church was restored using four different colors of slate. The intricate pattern of the roof is true to the original details as prescribed by Charles Burns, the architect of the church.
The central window in the chancel is dedicated to PPK, who was Paul P. Keller. Keller helped finance the building of the church. The window to the left, the hope window, is dedicated to MEH. These initials are short for Mrs. Jesse Hinkle who was the mother of the second pastor George Washington Fredrick. The window to the right of center, the faith window, is dedicated to EGSW. Mrs. C.W. Schaeffer gave this window in memory of her daughter Mrs. Wagnels. (Mrs. Schaeffer was the spouse of William Ashmead Schaeffer who was at that time pastor of St. Michael�s Church in Mt. Airy.) The bell came from Mower Army Hospital. The hospital was used during the Civil War and stood at the site of the Wyndmoor Station. The Joseph Bernhard Foundry located in Philadelphia cast the bell in 1861. In 1998 the Kranich Family restored the bell and the bell cot. The bell was named the Kranich Bell. The parsonage on Southampton Avenue was built in 1886. The stone used to construct the building came from a �troublesome� wall that at one time delineated the church property. The ground breaking for the Parish House (the educational and social center) was held on June 16, 1907. The architect for the Parish House was Pringle Borthwock. The main decorative window is dedicated to Ellen A. Finley, nee Miller, by her husband James G. Finley.
The continued story of the two churches throughout the twentieth century is available from the church office.
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