Church of the Ascension Episcopal Church in Parkesburg will officially have a new leader when Steve Lindsay is ordained as Ascension's priest on Saturday, March 12, at 10 a.m. at the church, located at 406 W. Second Ave., Parkesburg.

The Rt. Rev. Daniel Gutierrez, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Philadelphia, will officiate and the service will be livestreamed at http://www.facebook.com/ascensionparkesburg.

"My title right now is deacon in charge," Lindsay noted. "When I get ordained on March 12, then I become priest in charge."

Lindsay explained that when Jill LaRoche-Wikel, rector, left the church in January 2021, several substitute ministers led Sunday services. "A lay person from the parish then led services and he was my immediate predecessor," he noted.

Lindsay started as the deacon in charge at the church last October after being recommended by the bishop and taking part in an interview process with the church leadership.

"Deacons cannot celebrate Communion, so we have not had Communion since Oct. 3," Lindsay said. "We have been offering prayers for Sunday morning, so that will change to a complete Mass. We will have Communion every Sunday; that's a pretty big change."

Lindsay said he was very impressed when meeting with the church leadership and the congregation, especially when learning about the church's involvement with local community outreach.

"I really liked the church. We are a very small parish in comparison to others, but it is a very active community of people," he pointed out. "The people that go to church here are very involved in the workings of the church, running the Sunday school and providing outreach to the community. They were giving out food during COVID, keeping up services all that time and having to juggle (leadership). They are engaged in the church itself. It was the people who attracted me."

He noted that the church is a member of Parkesburg Churches Community Outreach (PCCO) and is involved with The Parkesburg POINT youth center, where volunteers cook and serve meals.

"PCCO and The POINT is where Ascension attaches itself to the larger Parkesburg community," he said. "PCCO is a really good organization of churches working together."

Lindsay is a 2020 graduate of the United Lutheran Seminary in Philadelphia, where he received a Master of Divinity. While earning his degree, he served as a seminarian at Christ Church in Media.

A resident of Havertown, he makes the one-hour trip to Parkesburg every Sunday with his wife, Mary Chris Lindsay. "Luckily, my wife drives while I practice my sermon," he said with a smile.

Church of the Ascension offers a Contemplative Sunday service at 8 a.m. and a Festive Service with music at 10:15 a.m. The Sunday adult education class meets at 9 a.m., and Sunday school for children meets during the 10:15 a.m. service. Masks are required within the building regardless of vaccination status.

For more information, call the church office at 610-857-9176, visit the previously mentioned Facebook page or visit http://www.ascensionparkesburg.org.