Community Concerns

Community Concerns is just what our title suggests: Ascension members help with concerns right here in our community. Under the Community Concerns banner are ministries including Ascension’s food pantry, which is open to the public most Fridays, between 10 AM and noon.  Bill and Penny Hunter run the pantry.

Our bi-annual food drive, Project Response, involves callers who make arrangements with members to purchase bags of groceries for people in need, drivers who pick up the bags, and sorters who organize the foodstuffs for Manna and our food pantry.  Project Response is an outreach involving church and school families, and it’s led by Tom Saldin.

Members also volunteer for our Jail Ministry. Taking to heart Jesus’ words from the Gospel of Matthew 25:37 (“I was in prison, and you visited me’) Jail Ministry members regularly  bring “church” to the men’s main jail in Ventura and the women’s jail facility at Todd Road – with worship, visiting time, prayer. Verlon and Shirley Meyer (right) lead the Jail Ministry at Ascension.

Diana Doerfler (lower right) is our Parish Nurse, lending her extensive health care knowledge to our members, providing regular blood pressure checks , answering questions and giving insights on caregiver support and other matters.