Leadership Transition

Search Committee Begins Small Group Sessions 
With completion of the CAT survey, the next step is to get more detailed information from members of Ascension through small-group discussions. You can read more information on how you can participate here.  

Parish Survey to Be Sent May 22nd
For more information on the parish-wide survey and the latest on the search, please click here. 

Fr. Thomas Heard began his ministry as Interim Rector on May 1, 2022. You can read more on Fr. Heard here.  

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The Search for a New Rector 

​The committee to select the next rector of Church of the Ascension was announced by the Wardens and Vestry following its March 2022 meeting,  You can read that announcement here​.  The committee will have a formal commissioning as part of the Solemn High Mass on April 24th. You can read the latest update from the committee here.

New Rector Search Committee Members

Co-Chairpersons: Cynthia Perrizo and David Schrader

Cynthia Perrizo, Co-Chair

David Schrader, Co-Chair

Committee Members:
Jim Lo Bello
Lawrence Cox
Marlea Edinger
Patrick Johnston
David Reeves
Joshua Simpson
Dan Stell
Enrique Vilaseco

Diocesan Advisors:
Father Kevin Caruso, Trinity Episcopal Church, Wheaton
Mother Andrea Mysen, Diocesan Director of Ministries

Rector's Resignation and Retirement
In early December, 2021, Ascension's 17th  Rector, the Rev. Patrick Raymond, announced his plans to resign his ministry and retire at the end of February 2022. You can read his full letter to the parish as well as a letter from the Wardens here.  ​

Resources 

Click here for a glossary of terms that may be useful for better understanding the leadership transition process.  

Resources from the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago can be found here. 

A general introduction to interim ministry taken from the ecumenical Center for Congregational Health can be found here.