Church History

1968- Apr 21– First service was conducted by Pastor Paul Heyn at the Escondido Women’s Club. Succeeding services by Pastors Edgar Hoenecke, Lowell Smith, Paul Heyn, & Vicar Karl Otto. Aug- Pastor G Seager, District Missionary, took care of the Mission.

1969- The Mission organized as Ascension Evangelical Lutheran Church.

Jul 13- Lyle Lange ordained as first resident pastor.

Oct- 3.73 acres of land on N. Midway Dr. in Escondido, CA, purchased.

1970- Sep 20– Parsonage dedicated.

1972- Jun– Church building dedicated.

1974- Marcia Lindemann inducted as first teacher of Ascension Lutheran School.

Sep 10- 1st day of school. Twenty-one students enrolled in grades 1st – 8th.

1975- Nov. 16- Fellowship Hall dedicated, used for school classes.

1977- August- Anita Wallace, Ascension member, to teach grades K-2nd on part-time basis.

1978- Roger Kramp, installed as teacher for grades 1st – 8th during 1978-1979 school year.

Sept-Pastor Lyle Lange accepted a call to DMLC.

1979- Jan. 14- Pastor Hugo M. Warnke installed as pastor.

Aug- Mr. Keith Bowe, installed as principal-teacher of grades 1st – 8th.

1981- Charles L. Cortright ordained and installed as pastor.

Aug- Kellie L. Headrlck (now Mrs. Dave Watson) inducted as teacher for grades K-3rd. Students of grades 4th - 8th met in the back of church. Grades K-3rd met in Fellowship Hall.

1983- Nov. 20- Pastor Hermann John installed as pastor.

1985- Nov 17– School building containing two classrooms, principal’s office & workroom dedicated.

1986- July 27- John Campbell installed as principal- teacher of grades 5th –8th, Jan Christianson inducted as teacher of grades K-4th

Aug- Lois Jenson inducted as half-day teacher of K – 1st.

1987- Ascension celebrated 25th anniversary of Pastor Hermann John’s ordination into ministry.

1990- Nov 18- remodeled Church building was dedicated.

1991- Dec 15- Rogers organ dedicated.

1993– Ascension celebrated 25th anniversary

1996 – January, preschool opened under direction of Carol Campbell. Classes held in Fellowship Hall.

1998- John Campbell accepted call to CLHS. Carol Campbell also left, preschool temporarily closed. July 19- Heath Dobberpuhl installed principal-teacher of grades 5th – 8th.

Mrs. Diane Gullixson installed as kindergarten teacher. Kellie Watson hired as teacher’s aide.

1999- January 31- preschool building dedicated. Kindergarten class moved to new building.

1999,July- Diane Gullixson resigned, birth of baby.

1999,Aug 29- Helen Bogue installed as K-1st teacher. Diane Castro, installed preschool director-teacher.Preschool reopened Sep 1.

1999,Sep 12- 25th school anniversary was celebrated.

1999,Sep 1- preschool closed due to lack of enrollment. K-1st grade classes moved from Fellowship hall to preschool classroom.

2000 – Building containing Pastor's office, Secretary's office & multi-purpose room dedicated.

2000,June - Jan Christianson accepted call to Reno, NV.

2000,June - Stephanie Dierson, assigned and accepted call to Ascension.In Sept. started teaching grades 2nd-4th.

2001– June, Heath Dobberpuhl accepted call to teach in China. Andrew Plocher called and accepted position of Principal-Teacher at Ascension.

2002- Mar 31, Easter Sunrise Service held for 1st time in newly completed courtyard - amphi-theater.

2002, June - Helen Bogue Hall retired and moved to Florida with her new husband.

2002, July 14 - Rachel Kramer, a June 2002 graduate from Martin Luther College,New Ulm,MN, was installed as the K-1 teacher replacing Helen Bogue Hall.

2003, June 30 - Stephanie Dierson Huff resigned after 3 years of teaching, 2nd-4th grades, at Ascension School

2003, July 6 - Rachel Petermann, a June 2003 graduate of Martin Luther College,was assigned and accepted the call to Ascension. She was installed as the 2nd-4th grade teacher replacing Mrs.Huff.

2004, JULY 31 - AFTER 21 YEARS AT ASCENSION, PASTOR HERMANN JOHN RETIRES.

2004, Sept 5 - Aaron Glaeske installed as Pastor of Ascension Lutheran Church. Pastor Glaeske graduated from Western Lutheran Seminary in >1993. Prior to his installation at Ascension he served 9 years as Pastor of Rock of Ages Lutheran Church in Madison, TN.

2007, Preschool opens and Cindy Lemke called as preschool teacher.

2009, Cindy Lemke took a call to teach in Salt Lake City, UT and Kaylen Orr, a recent MLC graduate, was assigned to us by the Synod's assignment committee to be our next preschool teacher

2011, Kaylen Orr was made director of the preschool, taking over for Rachel Kramer who had served as the director since 2007.

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