About Us
"By the grace of God through our risen Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, we are a baptized people called to worship and glorify Him. We are also called to share His word and serve our congregation and our community through Christian love."

Our Pastor

Pastor Marsha Hendrickson accepted the call to be our pastor in May 2011. She quickly made the parsonage home for herself and her two Welsh Corgi dogs, who prefer to be friend-makers rather than watch-dogs. She has three grown children living in Nevada and Arizona. She also has a 16-year-old grandson and an eight-year-old granddaughter, both living in Nevada.  "An outdoor person" is what Pastor Marsha calls herself. She hikes, fishes, and does both road and mountain biking. She has done commercial fishing in SE Alaska near Juneau. Her first tie in Alaska, however, was when she was only five years old. Her folks moved to Bettles Field, 200 miles north of Fairbanks, Alaska and north of the Arctic Circle, where her father was an F.A.A. Controller.

Pastor Hendrickson earned a B.S. Degree in Public Health Education from Northern Arizona University. In 1993 she felt a call to the ministry and so enrolled in Wartburg Theological Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa, earning a Master of Divinity Degree in 2001. Her first call as a minister was to the community of Safford, Arizona where she served in the Grand Canyon Synod for two years. Following that she moved to Minnesota to co-pastor the Valley United Lutheran Churches (a combination of seven churches with each pastor ministering to three of them) in the Northwestern Synod.


Ascension Lutheran Church History

In July 1957, Rev. Lowell Smestad arrived as the first pastor for the new Ascension Lutheran Church, sponsored by the Evangelical Lutheran Church's Home Missions program. The first church service was held in the VFW building on September 8, 1957. We were part of the Rocky Mountain District of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. In 1960 the Luther League formed, we sponsored a Boy Scout troop, and the Ascension Lutheran Church Women  organized. In 1964 we started using the Service Book and Hymnal (the red book), guitar music was used in worship, and the 1st Annual Sweetheart Banquet was held. In 1975 we helped sponsor a Vietnamese family. The Men's Bible Study breakfast started in 1977. In 1986 we held a Lay Renewal, paid off the church debt, and held our first women's retreat at St. Gertrude's Monastery. In 1989-1990 we built the Educational addition and youth took part in the "Souper Bowl of Caring". In 1993 the storeroom at the back of the church was completed, the Sunday School gave $316 to missions, and we started giving out Thanksgiving and Christmas baskets. In 1995 school supplies were provided for needy kids and Bibles were given in food baskets. The kitchen remodeling was finished. Bishop Mwambungu spent the summer in the parish which included Faith at Kamiah, Good Hope at Gifford, and St. John's at Nezperce, as well as Ascension in Orofino. We held a Community Thanksgiving worship with the Methodists, and started holding Hymn Sings at the Care Center. In 2000 the ALCW beautification project began which included the narthex, carpet in the fellowship hall, narthex and nave, as well a sblown glass windows, and a new piano with memorial funds.

In 2003, 36 quilts were completed for Lutheran World Relief, we started the addition of the storage/classroom, and a pumpkin carving party was held. We also took part in the community Christmas Home Tour. St. John's church in Nezperce withdrew from the parish. In 2004 we started donating food for the Faith Lutheran food Pantry in Pierce, and the Sunday School raised over $1000 for the Heifer Project. In 2005 we continued holding 3 Bible studies each week, the Little Lams Choir and Youth Band provided music for worship services. Sunday School Knowledge Bowl was held, ALCW donated new padded chairs, sent $300 to earthquake victims in Pakistan, and renovated the men's restroom. In 2006 we "gathered at the river" for Outdoor Worship at "Pink House Hole", the Shawl Ministry began, and youth went on a Mission Trip to San Francisco. Our new website, MyLutheranChurch.com, was launched in 2007. In 2008 the parish reorganized, and we became a one point parish. The 1st Annual Sausage Feed was a big success, and the Boys Club for 5th and 6th grade boys continued being a good fit for these boys.