The records of the Church of the Ascension Church span most of this parish's history, though there are many gaps especially in the late 1970s through to its demise in the 1980s. The record group is strongest for the middle period of the church's history. There is unfortunately little material relating to the ethnic changeover of the church in its last decade. The record group has been arranged into the following series: Registers of baptisms, burials, marriages, communicants; Registers of church services; Historical/background information; Vestry meeting minutes; Parish meetings/reports; Church Office; and Church organizations. The Historical/Background Information series includes written histories, newspaper clippings, and photographs of church personalities and activities. The greatest depth of information about the church is found in the run of Vestry meeting minutes and the series of Parish meetings/reports.
The Church of the Ascension, an Episcopal church located in Detroit, Michigan, began as a parochial mission of St. Thomas' Church in 1905. The following year, the future parish was organized as a diocesan mission with the Reverend Henry E. Ridley as priest-in-charge. In 1912, Rev. John B. Ashlee began services in the basement of a church building still under construction. After merging with St. Mark's in 1922, "Ascension" was admitted to the Episcopal Diocese as a parish. The first annual parish meeting was held in the newly dedicated building on February 24, 1922. The church was consecrated on December 20, 1942. The parish prospered throughout the middle of the century, offering a variety of programs for almsgiving, outreach, and music, as well as sponsoring youth and women's organizations.
In the late 1970s, Ascension began to experience a decline in membership due to changes in the community. In 1983, upon recommendation of the diocese, Ascension initiated a Hispanic Outreach Program. On June 18, 1983, the Rev. Gene E. Curry celebrated the first Spanish language service before a congregation of fifteen. In its last decade, Ascension quickly evolved into a Spanish-speaking parish. In 1984, the church instituted a Reachout Program to assist the children of the church and their immigrant parents; the parish now included many Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Peruvians, and Panamanians. Mr. Karl N. Laubenstein, who worked with the parish first as a layman and later as priest, was largely responsible for the revival of the parish. From September 1986 to the closing of the church, the Rev. Efrain 'Jeffrey' Gonzalez led the parish as Rector, emphasizing evangelism, stewardship, and church growth. Ascension, probably for financial reasons, ceased operation sometime in the late 1980's.
