On the northwest side of Tucson, near the corner of Magee and La Canada, Ascension Lutheran Church and School has put down roots beside a single school building, a worship center, and a collection of rooms known as Grace Hall. The congregation's stated purpose is short and direct: "Connecting people to Jesus." Members describe themselves as the Ascension community, and their life together is shaped by three commitments: growing in the Word, caring for one another, and sharing the love of Christ with those beyond the church walls.

Two Worship Styles, One Open Door

Visitors can choose among three weekend services. On Saturday evening at 5:00 pm and Sunday morning at 8:30 am, the congregation gathers for traditional worship built around Lutheran hymns. On Sunday morning at 10:31 am, a contemporary service features modern Christian music led by the church's praise team. Each service runs about sixty minutes, and Holy Communion is celebrated at all three. Children are encouraged to sit with their families in the pew, and an unstaffed nursery is available at the rear of the worship area for parents who need it.

The church's livestream covers Sunday worship at 8:30 and 10:31 am, plus the Wednesday services during Advent and Lent at 6:00 pm. Recordings stay available online so anyone who misses a service can watch it later.

A First Visit Made Comfortable

Ascension acknowledges that walking into a church where you do not know anyone can feel intimidating. The staff want to make that first visit feel comfortable. Newcomers are not put on the spot; they are free to come as they are. The church sits on a single campus with the school, and covered parking is available in the rear (north) parking lot, where visitors enter near the worship center and Grace Hall. Staff offices and the school are accessed from the front lot off Magee.

Holy Communion at Every Service

Ascension teaches that in the Lord's Supper, Christians receive Christ's body and blood "in, with, and under" the bread and wine for the forgiveness of sins and the strengthening of faith. Because this is central to the church's life, the sacrament is offered at every weekend service. Visitors who share this Lutheran confession of the real presence are welcome to commune; those who do not are invited to come forward for a blessing instead.

Advent, Lent, and the Midweek Rhythms of the Church Year

During Advent (the four weeks before Christmas) and Lent (the six weeks before Easter beginning with Ash Wednesday), Ascension adds Wednesday services at 6:00 pm. A simple supper is served beforehand, from 4:45 to 5:45 pm, on a freewill offering basis. Holy Week follows its own pattern: there is no Wednesday service in Holy Week, but Maundy Thursday and Good Friday services are held at 6:00 pm. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day round out the year with two services that draw friends and neighbors who attend only during the holidays.

Growing in the Word: Sunday Morning for All Ages

Between the two Sunday services, from 9:35 to 10:20 am, the building hums with a different kind of energy. Children from age three through eighth grade gather for Sunday School and Confirmation classes, working through a Bible-based curriculum that the church describes as a partnership with parents. The Confirmation class moves older children toward a public affirmation of their baptism. At the same time, in Grace Hall, a pastor leads an Adult Bible Study that runs from August through June. The church sees Bible study as the power source for everything else: praising the Lord for His grace and love in Jesus, building caring relationships through Christ, and serving others are all empowered by the Word of God itself.

For young adults in a separate stage of life, a Tuesday evening Bible study meets at 6:00 pm at the home of Grant and Tonya Stein for fellowship and study.

Music That Spans Generations

The music program is broad enough to give almost anyone a place to serve. Ascension has two handbell choirs, an instrumental ensemble, and a contemporary praise team with singers and a band. Soloists and small groups, hymn leaders, a drama team, and an audio-visual team round out the lineup. Kyle Sprute serves as Director of Parish Music, and the church welcomes people of all ages and abilities to take part.

A School Sharing the Same Campus

Ascension Lutheran School operates an Early Childhood Center on the same property as the church. The school is staffed separately from the congregation, but the two share a campus, a name, and a common mission to form children in faith as well as in the basics of early learning. Staci Parrin serves as School Director, with Alexia Mares as Program Coordinator. The school is reachable through the main office.

Youth Ministry: Middle School and High School

GeriLynn Weigel directs the youth ministry, with separate weekly gatherings for middle schoolers and high schoolers. High school youth meet on Monday evenings, and middle schoolers meet on Wednesdays. The stated goal is to help young people grow in their relationship with Jesus, build lasting friendships with other believers, and find ways to serve the church and the wider community in Christ's love.

Blankets, Bridge, and J.O.Y.: Senior and Women's Ministries

Ascension's ministries for older adults and for women have long histories. Blanket Circle has met on Tuesday mornings from 8:30 am to noon in Grace Hall for more than fifty-six years, sewing blankets for people in need in the Tucson area and around the globe. The same group also crochets prayer shawls for the sick. Game On, led by Director of Senior Ministries Dee Ponzio, runs Monday afternoons from 12:30 to 3:30 pm in Grace Hall and is built around card games such as bridge, dominoes, and Skip-Bo, with snacks and drinks provided. On the first Friday of each month from September through May, J.O.Y. (which stands for Jesus, Others, You) gathers in Grace Hall with entertainment at 11:00 am and lunch at noon. Members and friends are welcome.

Women who want to connect with the broader Lutheran mission have a quarterly gathering through LWML, the Lutheran Women's Missionary League, often referred to as "Lutheran Women in Mission." The local group meets on the first Saturday of February, May, August, and November from 2:00 to 4:00 pm.

Mission Action Teams

A network of Mission Action Teams takes the congregation beyond its own walls. Volunteers serve food at Gospel Rescue Mission, help build homes with Habitat for Humanity, and distribute dry goods to local food shelves.

Christ Care Groups

For those who want a smaller circle, Christ Care Groups gather regularly in homes or at the church. Each group of ten to fifteen people meets for Bible study, prayer, worship, and missional service, encouraging one another to live out Christ's love in everyday life. Groups can be a doorway into the wider congregation for newcomers who want meaningful relationships beyond Sunday morning.

What Ascension Believes

Ascension is a member congregation of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. Its statement of beliefs centers on a classic Lutheran confession of the Christian faith:

• The Bible is the true, inspired Word of God, useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness.
• God is Triune: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
• God created all things.
• Prayer is an essential and powerful part of the Christian life.
• All people are sinners in need of grace.
• In the Lord's Supper, Christians receive Christ's body and blood in, with, and under the bread and wine for the forgiveness of sins.
• In Holy Baptism, God creates saving faith.
• Jesus Christ lived a sinless life, died on the cross for our sins, rose again on the third day, and is coming again to judge the living and the dead. Those who trust in Him have eternal life; those who reject Him will not.

Underneath the doctrinal list is a simple pastoral vision: there is great joy in knowing Jesus' love for us, and in response, the goal is to serve others so that they see God's love and grace shining in the lives of the congregation.

The Building, the Lot, and How to Find Us

The church and school sit together at 1220 West Magee Road, Tucson, AZ 85704, on the northwest side of the city near the corner of Magee and La Canada. The main church office number is 520-297-3095, extension 5100. Staff offices and the school are entered from the front parking lot off Magee Road. For worship, Bible study, and fellowship activities, drivers are directed to the side and back (north) parking lots, where covered parking is available, and to enter through the rear of the building, since the worship center and Grace Hall are on the back side of the property.

Leadership in a Pastoral Vacancy

Two pastors currently serve the congregation in a vacancy capacity. Pastor Richard Biberdorf and Pastor John Kelling share the preaching and pastoral duties while the church searches for a settled pastor. Kyle Sprute serves as Director of Parish Music, Jolene Berke as Executive Director, GeriLynn Weigel as Director of Youth, and Meghan Buckner as Team Ministries and Communications Coordinator.

Giving, Connection, and a Weekly Newsletter

Online giving is available through the church's secure giving page. A weekly email called Ascension Connections keeps members and friends informed of upcoming events, announcements, and ways to get involved, and a Google calendar tracks the full schedule of services and activities.