Our History
We praise God for his work in us since 1843.
The Church of the Ascension began its journey on 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. In May 1844, the Diocesan Convention, held in Baltimore, voted to grant the formal organization of the “Parish of Ascension.” Fundraising began and in August 1844 ground was broken on our Stone Church. In May 1846, on Ascension Day, Church of the Ascension was consecrated.
Stone Church "Then"
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 170-plus years, and is recognized as an historic property by the Maryland Historical Trust.
Our Campus
We are blessed with a beautiful and spacious campus.
Among our treasures is our historic Stone Church, built in 1844 and still in use today. That is where our more traditional Sunday worship service (8:00 am) is held as well as other traditional services such as weddings, etc. Our more contemporary and larger worship service (10:15 am) is held in the Holy Cross Hall which was built in 1975.
Our Fellowship Hall, with a commercial kitchen, is used for large gatherings.
Holy Cross Hall & Holy Cross House
Other rooms in our main building are used for a variety of activities for church and outside groups. It also hosts The 1844 Shoppe which is a high-end thrift store. Our spacious campus also hosts the annual Mistletoe Mart arts and craft show that attracts up to 52 artisans and thousands of customers.
