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.