Church of the Ascension

Staff

DIRECTOR OF MUSIC MINISTRIES Jeanne Kohn, D. Mus.

Jeanne grew up in Maine and received her BA in Music from Connecticut College in New London, CT and MM from New England Conservatory in Boston, MA. She has been serving churches as music director for 34 years. Following her conversion at the age of 26 she found herself becoming less and less passionate about being a performer and increasingly passionate about being a worship leader and church musician. While pursuing her doctorate at the U. of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music she met her husband Andy and had her first experience as a music director of an Anglican Church, and has served that denomination in various parishes ever since. In 1993 she joined the pastoral staff at the Church of The Ascension and delights in finding ways for music to draw people into deeper relationship with God in worship. She also loves her work as a spiritual director and pastor. In her free time she enjoys performing recitals with her husband, hiking and watching movies (not at the same time!) with her husband and son, reading, going to the theater and sitting in a quiet place allowing her thoughts to wander. This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

ORGANIST/CHOIRMASTER EMERITUS William Lindberg, Ph.D.

DIRECTOR OF MUSIC AT JONAH'S CALL Josh Moyer

Josh grew up in Washington, Pennsylvania and attended James Madison University located in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia where he obtained a B.S. in Economics and developed a love of music and the use of music as a means to expressing adoration and worship of the Almighty God. In 2000, he moved backed to Pittsburgh to attend the University of Pittsburgh School of Law where he graduated in 2003. He has been practicing law full-time for the past four years in the area of real estate, estates and trust and general law and will continue practicing law on a part-time basis.

Before coming to Ascension, Josh spent six years attending Covenant Church of Pittsburgh located in Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania where he was actively involved in the music ministry. He continues to play and travel with a small band of musicians under the original and creative name of Josh Moyer Band http://www.joshmoyerband.com/.

A few of his most favorite things are sitting on a New England beach and staring at the ocean, Apple Computers, Starbucks Coffee, family, snowstorms and having long discussions with friends about philosophical and/or theological questions with no answers.

Josh is married to the beautiful Elisabeth. They have been married for almost two and a half years and are expecting their first child in late May 2008.

DIRECTOR OF CAMPUS MINISTRIES Jonny Cagwin

Jonny grew up just north of Pittsburgh in Wexford, PA. One of five children, Jonny experienced home, private, and public schooling. He received his B.A. in Family Studies (now titled Human Development and Families Sciences) from Messiah College. While working on his undergraduate degree, Jonny volunteered with YoungLife (working with high school students) at Boiling Springs High School. After graduating college, he worked for a commercial roofing company as a mechanic and runner so that he could continue his work with YoungLife students. He met a "sweet girl" named Emily and they married in the summer of 2005. Emily currently works at Exkursion, an outdoors store in Monroeville, PA. In August of 2006, Jonny joined the CCO. Through a partnership with CCO and Church of the Ascension, Jonny has been able to create a dynamic ministry to college and university students in Pittsburgh's East End. Jonny loves the work that he is able to do among the students, primarily because he knows just how valuable these formative years can be in a person's life. He has a heart for welcoming students, providing community, and sharing how following Christ changes the whole way we do things. When not at work, and sometime when there as well, Jonny enjoys being outdoors, throwing a frisbee or football, and enjoying anything that has to do with sports. His favorite class in college was a month long hiking and trekking trip to Kauai lead by OLT staff of CCO. This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

DIRECTOR OF STUDENT MINISTRIES Alex Ruzanic, MDiv.

Alex is a lifelong “Pittsburgher.” He attended The Pennsylvania State University and graduated in 1993 with a BA in Music. Though Alex planned to continue his education in music, God called him instead to pursue theological education at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary outside of Boston and then student ministries in the western suburbs of Pittsburgh. While at Gordon-Conwell, Alex accepted a call to become the interim Director of Student Ministries at the church he attended in his childhood. He completed his “interim” 7 years later. During this time he met and married his wife, Beth. In 2002 Alex left the church to complete his studies at Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary (RPTS) in Pittsburgh. He graduated with his Masters of Divinity in 2004. While at RPTS Alex was involved in helping to launch two successful emergent churches in Pittsburgh – The Hot Metal Bridge Faith Community and The Open Door. Just before graduating from RPTS, Alex accepted the call to become the Student Minister at Ascension. Alex has a passion for calling students into a deeper and more life changing relationship with Christ. His creativity, musical talents, and pastoral heart combine to produce a ministry that explodes with grace, love, powerful worship, and lots of fun. Alex and Beth have three children, Annie, Lucy and Jack and are expecting their fourth in 2008. Alex.Ruzanic@ascensionpittsburgh.org

DIRECTOR OF CHILDREN’S MINISTRIES Katharine Luckett

BIO COMING SOON!
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PARISH ADMINISTRATOR Marilyn Clifton Chislaghi

Marilyn grew up in Canada and received her BA from the University of Waterloo in Waterloo, Ontario and her Masters Degree in Theology from Cambridge University in Cambridge, England. She grew up in a Christian family and has always had a deep appreciation for the ministry of the local church, from her earliest years as events coordinator of her Jr. High youth group to her present position as Parish Administrator at Ascension. She has a passion for building church family, knowing the deep value of church family first hand as the community at Ascension walked her through the death of her husband Rob from cancer in 2002. She also loves to see local churches administered smoothly so that they can be all they are called to be to the glory of God. It is her hope to see that happen at Ascension! She thinks Ascension’s mission statement is terrific and, having been so blessed by this particular worshipping community, hopes to play her part (both on the job and off!) in bringing Christ’s healing to a broken world! In her free time she enjoys drinking coffee…and drinking more coffee – usually with friends! She occasionally makes an annual trek to Virginia to participate as a member of the board of Anglican Frontier Missions. She loves cheering on her two children, Ben and Clare, at their special events. She especially enjoys travel ventures with her husband, Charlie, whom she was blessed to marry in September 2007. This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

RECEPTIONIST Judith Yadrick

Born the youngest of 5 children, Judy grew up on a small farm in mid-state Pennsylvania and contributed to maintaining the family business. She attended the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia after high school. It was in Philadelphia’s 30th St. train station that she first met Ron, her future husband. Ron’s employment in railroad real estate led them to live in four different states over the course of 15 years. Their last move with the railroad took place in 1994, taking them back to their home state of Pennsylvania. Ron and Judy have three grown children and three grand children. They were attracted to Ascension from another Christian denomination because of the emphasis on scriptural teaching along with the rich liturgical worship, and have been members since 1996. They benefited from the prayer ministry and Ascension offered Judy an opportunity to participate in the contemporary music ministry. Judy applied for the position of receptionist at Ascension in the Spring of 1999 and eventually grew into the role of resident graphic artist and today most of the church publications have been designed by her. She is the publisher of the Ascent, Ascension’s monthly newsletter. Her hobbies include scrapbooking, calligraphy, drawing, photography, gardening, cooking, candle making, singing and playing guitar. She is active in the Cursillo movement and is the contact person for her house group. Judy and her husband participate as leaders in the Via (Sr. Hi) Student Ministry. This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

SECRETARY Stacey Regan

Stacey grew up in the Air Force and The Episcopal Church—one environment guaranteeing frequent changes, the other ensuring stability wherever those moves took her family. Within that church family environment, Stacey was encouraged greatly as she began playing guitar and writing music, quickly establishing herself as a worship leader, teacher and composer. This continued into college life at The University of Texas where Stacey was an active church member as well as in leadership with Canterbury, the Episcopal campus ministry at UT, which is where she met her husband, Patrick Regan the Bagpiper, also a cradle Episcopalian and musician. After graduation Stacey's ministry venues continued to gravitate to teaching and music, callings that have lead her to participate in Happening & Cursillo, teach Sunday School, direct Youth Groups, homeschool their 4 children (now teenagers in or graduated from cyber school), lead or perform music in various church and extra-liturgical environments, and write music to facilitate worship. She is most well-known for "I Offer My Isaac," the title cut from her CD of the same name, and occasionally presents new songs as one of the many soloists in Ascension's congregation. While the family joined the church in 1994, Stacey came on staff at Ascension in June 2007 as the Secretary primarily responsible for providing clergy office support and expanding the new database system to suit Ascension's growing needs. Though Texan to the bone, Stacey and Patrick live on Pittsburgh's North Side with their children Sean, Kelsey, Peter and Ellan Vannin (now known as Ella) where they are established members of the "Save the Baby Victorian Houses" community. This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

BOOKKEEPER Linda McLane

Linda.McLane@ascensionpittsburgh

HOSPITALITY/KITCHEN Denise Pierchalski

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SEXTON Louis D’Abruzzo

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HOUSEKEEPER Marlene Cigrand

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