History of Christ Church of the Ascension
CHRISTMAS EVE, 1963, saw the very first worship service of Christ Church of the Ascension, then the newest mission of the Diocese of Arizona. It was the culmination of three months’ planning and preparation. Meetings had been held in the home of The Right Reverend Joseph M. Harte, and, with his permission, the small group of approximately fifty people asked The Reverend Canon George McNeill Ray to be the Vicar of the Mission. Canon Ray, like the nucleus of the organizing group, was at Trinity Cathedral at the time. In deciding on a name for the Mission, one group recommended “Christ Church”, while another group suggested “Church of the Ascension”. After much discussion and a tie vote, a compromise was struck and Christ Church of the Ascension was born.The creation of the new Mission was assured when facilities suitable for church purposes were found. An old abandoned movie and television studio at 5100 N. 40th Street, called Cudia City, became the temporary location of the Mission. A home at 3741 E. Highland Avenue was purchased for the Rectory and Church office (Canon Ray and wife Ruth moved in during the week before the first service).
The television studio building needed much work to be converted into a church. During December, 1963, Saturdays were workdays for the Vicar and the congregation. An altar was fashioned from plywood and a crude communion rail and kneelers were installed (the congregation was asked to bring their own cushions to kneel upon). To convert the exterior, a large cross was constructed from an abandoned power pole and attached to the front of the Church.
As with the physical building, the congregation contributed to the furnishings for the Mission. An oriental rug was donated to be placed in front of the altar. Candlesticks and a cross were borrowed, and a piano was loaned for use of the Mission. Six black choir robes were purchased from Goodwill Industries by Millie Wesley, the first director of the choir. Red carpet was laid in the aisle of the nave, fifty folding chairs were purchased, and benches were added to seat 100 persons. The Altar Guild had been organized on November 10, 1963, and other committees were formed to serve the Mission.
An overflow crowd attended the first service – 273 people – and 103 people attended on Christmas Day. Bishop Harte complimented the Mission by presiding at both services.
The new Mission had established its roots and quickly began to thrive. The first year 44 people were baptized, 78 confirmed and 7 were received. But issues cropped up to test the resourcefulness of the congregation. There was no available room for a Church School class, so a redwood picnic table was borrowed and placed under a palo verde tree outside. During the late fall and winter of 1964, unseasonable amounte unseasonableamou amounts of rain revealed that the roof of the Church leaked. Night or day someone rushed to the old building, placed pots, pans and buckets in various places to catch the dripping rain, and manned the mops.
Early in 1965 the Bishop’s Committee decided that another location should be found. Arrangements were made with the Phoenix Country Day School on East Stanford Drive to hold Church services in their auditorium with Church School in some of their classrooms. This arrangement continued through the summer of 1965.
However, this necessitated setting up and taking down the Church equipment each Sunday, which was not satisfactory. So, in the fall of 1965, through the kindness and influence of George Leonard, President of First Federal Savings and Loan Association, the Church was able to meet in the basement of First Federal’s new building at 20th Street and Camelback Road. Classroom space was rented from the Apache Day Care Center located nearby. The new location proved to be much more satisfactory.
The months of October – December, 1965, were ones of particular importance for CCA: (1) The Annual Diocesan Convention in October granted CCA parish status after being in existence for only 1 year, 10 months, compared with the usual 3-year mission status requirement; (2) The Diocesan action gave Canon Ray the honor of becoming CCA’s first Rector; (3) On November 1 the Warranty Deed from the Margaret (“Peggy”) Johnson Goldwater Trust was recorded, giving CCA legal title to its present site, consisting of 8 1/4th acres, one-half of which was a gift from the Goldwaters (the $42,500 purchase price was paid from accumulated money in the Building Fund plus a loan of $10,000 from Trust B of the Arizona Diocese); and, (4) Canon Ray’s health and personal problems unfortunately required him to resign from the Church during December, 1965. One of the parishioners, Carll Huskison, is due much gratitude for keeping the Church “alive” during the period following Canon Ray’s resignation.
At the suggestion of Steve Craig, one of the Church’s members, his father, The Rev. Canon Herbert S. Craig, recently retired from active ministry in the State of Maine, was asked to come to Arizona as Rector locum tenens to the new Church while a permanent rector was sought. Canon Craig promptly answered the call and settled with his wife in the Rectory. The Craigs were received and loved by everyone. The Canon’s brilliant mind, and the loving out-going personalities of both, changed the lives of many and were the literal salvation of the Church during this extremely critical period in its existence.
The next step was one of the most important that the Church had ever taken, or would ever take. The search for the new Rector resulted in a call to The Rev. Dan J. Gerrard, then rector of St Alban’s Episcopal Church in Wickenburg, AZ. The call was quickly answered, and in March, 1966, Father Gerrard (affectionately called “Padre”) became the Church’s 2nd Rector, a position he would occupy for 22 years. He and his family (wife Jayne and children Kathryn, Dan J., Jr., and Karen) moved into the Rectory, and Padre commenced his ministry.
Oh, that poor Rectory! June, 1972, brought extraordinary rains which filled the upstream lakes of the Salt and Verde Rivers, causing the irrigation canals to overflow, and the Rectory was in deep water. This “disaster” occasioned the end of the Rectory system for Christ church, and the housing allowance for Clergy was instituted. The old Rectory was eventually repaired and sold.
Padre and the Building Committee secured the services of the well-known architect, Bennie Gonzales, to design the entire campus of the future Church. Following this plan, the first building erected on the Church’s “own ground” was dedicated on November 19, 1967, by the Right Reverend Joseph M. Harte and the Parish family. The building, consisting of a Parish Hall/temporary worship area, offices and classrooms, was named “Craig Hall” in honor of Canon Craig.
During the next several years the Church family concentrated on plans for construction of the main Church building. It was a firm consensus that the Church would not go into debt that exceeded firm pledges to the Building Fund. One set of architectural plans was put out for bid, and all the bids received were for more than the Church felt was prudent. So, some changes were made in the plans, and they were again submitted for bid. This time, bids were within the parameters of financial prudence, and the contract was let.
After Ground Breaking on March 31, 1974, and under the eagle eyes of Padre and Gordon Marshall, the Church was built. The GREAT DAY finally arrived, and on Sunday, February 23, 1975, The Right Reverend Joseph M. Harte and the Parish family dedicated and consecrated the Church to the Glory of God and His Mission here on earth.
There is nothing quite like the creation of a new church. The pleasure and satisfaction were palpable. Membership increased exponentially, resulting in three Sunday morning services. Church school space soon filled to OVER-capacity. By the end of the ‘70's the need was clear that something had to be done. The result was a $200,000 capital fund drive in ‘80-‘81 for a variety of things: first, renovate classrooms to maximize capacity; second, pay off the final $30,000 owing on the Church building; third, improve the space between Craig Hall and the Church by creating a Courtyard; and, fourth, a variety of smaller improvements. The fund drive was successful, and the improvements were made as planned.
At the same time (1980 - 1982) a parishioner, Herman Stamer, spearheaded the Memorial Garden Project. Bill Baker, then Chancellor, prepared the resolution whereby the Vestry created the Memorial Garden Trustee Committee. The Garden was privately funded and continues operating today on outside resources, but is answerable to the Vestry. The Committee members are elected by the Parish.
Activities continued apace for all members of the Church and their families. Events such as bible studies, book reviews, prayer meetings, rummage and book sales, outreach events, pot-luck suppers, group activities for teens and young adults and vacation church school were enjoyed by many through the years. And what acolyte during the period can forget the annual trek to California with Padre as driver of the bus and organizer and leader of the trip?
The years rolled by, until, in the Spring of 1988, Padre announced he would retire at the end of June that year, and would return for his retirement years to his ministry at St. Albans in Wickenburg. After a long search for the 3rd Rector of the Church (during which period The Rev. Robert Hutchinson was interim rector), a call brought an answer from The Rev. Dr. Harvey G. (“Jerry”) Cook, Ph.D., (and wife Betty), who attended their first service at CCA on Thanksgiving Day, 1989. In addition to his ministry with the Episcopal Church, Jerry was also an active military chaplain reservist, holding the rank of Captain in the U. S. Navy.
Along with his normal duties, Jerry undertook to continue the development of the Christ Church campus. Craig Hall was inadequate as a parish hall, and there was a critical need for more office facilities. Another capital funds drive, this time for about $1.3 million, was successfully conducted. Jerry Cook, with his construction manager Millie Wesley, oversaw construction of the improvements, and on April 6, 1997, the new parish hall, named Rectors Hall to honor all the Rectors of the Church (past, present and future) was dedicated.
Jerry Cook retired in June, 1998, and The Rev. David Pettingill and The Rev. Irv Mitchell served as Interim Rectors during the search for a permanent rector. A call was answered by The Rev. Kenneth J. G. Semon (with wife Caroline), who became the Church’s 4th Rector on February 1, 1999. Fr. Semon quickly undertook the final development of the Church’s campus with the construction, supervised by Pam Barbey, of (1) The Canon Dan Gerrard Christian Education Center and (2) a separate Chapel for CCA children and Church School children, as well as a major renovation of the interior of the Church, changing from a Southwestern decor to a more traditional cathedral style, including a marble reredos, under the supervision of a committee headed by Bob and Jackie Hearn.
Christ Church School opened in the new facilities in September, 2003. The Head of School, Betsy Delaney, started with 33 pre-schoolers. For 2010-2011, the school offers classes for children ages 18 months through Kindergarten. An expansion to add one elementary grade per year, beginning with First Grade, will commence in 2011-2012. The enrollment is currently (Fall, 2010) 169 students, with 29 staff members. A new state-of-the-art computer lab holds 18 workstations.
The School offers a standards-based curriculum, as well as enhancements including Chapel, Music & Movement, Library, Spanish and computer classes. A very active Parent Association, the CCS Saints, provides for school-wide activities, including the pumpkin festival, snow days, vehicle day and family activities including the ice cream social, a Christmas reception and a carnival. A new Dad’s Club will assist with a Dad’s Day BBQ and the annual pajama/pancake days.
The Board of Directors of the School is composed of 11 members who are selected by the Rector and Wardens of Christ Church of the Ascension. The Bylaws require that two-thirds of the School Board must be parishioners of CCA. The School is a member of the National Association of Episcopal Schools.
Fr. Semon resigned in August 2007 and Bishop Smith appointed The Rev. Phillip A. Jackson as Priest-In-Charge Fr. Phil assumed his duties on October 1, 2007. In less than a year, the Vestry asked Fr. Phil to become permanent Rector. He agreed, and he is now the 5th Rector of the Church.
Today Christ Church of the Ascension offers worship services in the Episcopal tradition, along with a variety of other Christian activities for all persons, of all ages, and of many different persuasions, including choir, gift and book shop, library, book club, bible studies, dinners, musical and theatrical programs, trips for teens, and outreach programs of all kinds. Friends and strangers are sincerely welcome at the Church every day of the week and every week of the year. Come worship with us!