What We Believe

Who Are We?

Who Are We?

Ascension is “a community of grace, called to serve.”

We are a community of grace. We work to build community through fellowship and through serving together. We strive to be a place where you are known and cared for. As a church in the Lutheran tradition, God’s gracious love for us is central. We hear it in God’s Word and receive it in the waters of Baptism and at the Lord’s Table.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.” – Ephesians 2:8

We are called to serve. We believe that God calls us to serve using our gifts and abilities. God has some good for you to do with your life. We understand that it often takes some training, support, and encouragement to serve.

“The gifts God gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers to equip the saints for the work of the ministry.” – Ephesians 4:11, 12

Faith

Martin Luther was exuberant when he described the freedom of “a living, daring confidence in God’s grace, so sure and certain that believers would stake their lives on it a thousand times.”

Our faith is rooted in the God who created us, the Son who redeemed us, & the Spirit who moves in our lives.

This faith is a gift from God that we treasure and share.

Scripture

We believe the Holy Scriptures are the foundation of our faith in Christ.
We understand the Holy Scriptures have authority to present the truth of God which builds faith and guides our lives.
We take the Bible’s meaning seriously, though not always literally.
As John wrote at the end of his Gospel, “these things are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name” – John 20:30-31

Baptism and Communion

We believe the God creates faith and is gracious to us in many ways. Two of the ways God has promised to do so, are in Baptism and Holy Communion. As Baptism is first and foremost a promise made by God, we believe people of all ages are welcome at the Baptismal Font. Likewise, all are welcome to receive the gift of grace through bread and wine at the Lord’s Table.

The Greater Church

Ascension is a congregation that is part of God’s church across the whole world. We participate in ecumenical relationships throughout our city, we partner with organizations and the greater church to serve, and we are a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.