Worship Coordinator

    Mara Hassenbein
    Brings Love of the Lord to Work

Continued from front page…

The need for more assistants is real. “I’m getting two people each week and technically I could use 12 assistants every week. People are starting to return to worship,” she points out. “People are coming back. We’re running out of bulletins every weekend.”

That is what’s known as “a quality problem” in this time of returning after the Covid-19 seige.

Mara notes, “I just love the creativity of being able to help support Pastor Tim and Pastor Julie and what their vision is — creating a worship service that is edifying for people.

“My voice in our meetings has been to want to make this feel good for people, like comfort food, to include songs that they know, for example. After Covid, I want worshipers to leave humming a song that feels good, to have that in your mind the whole rest of Sunday.”

As for what Ascension-goers have to look forward to: “Reformation is coming, so we’re spending time, hoping to come on strong with that,” she says of the October 30 celebration. “We’re making sure the sanctuary is decorated for the worship services and all the elements are there for a moving Reformation experience. Then we’re rolling into All Saints Day and then a new worship year — Advent, which is a new year. We’re mainly trying to get to the heart of worship and make sure that it has something for everyone.

“I want the 6 and 11 o’clock services to be as full and supported as the 9 o’clock service,” she continues. That includes more member involvement, more “readers, greeters and communion assistants for those services…We are so blessed to have amazing worship leaders who are very truly talented and put a lot of time and effort into those services.”

Small wonder Pastor Tim often talks about Mara “killin’ it” in this job.

Mara’s is a familiar face to most One Ascension folks by now. As beautiful as she is gracious and organized, this CLU graduate has a eclectic background that ranges from modeling in Paris, to various business positions and church administration. She and husband Tom and their children T.J., Malia, and Tyler are long-time Ascension members  and all three young Hassenbeins attended Ascension Lutheran School. Today, Malia is also a part of Ascension’s office team, and Tyler is a frequent presence assisting in worship. 

Mara has also, in recent years, demonstrated an amazing faith and ability to sustain through intense life challenges.

She is quick to acknowledge the sizable footsteps she’s following, Pastor Paul Gravrock’s. They’re impossible to replicate, she makes clear. “Pastor Paul had everything planned and in such good order, and he’s so knowledgeable…I think now, we’re looking for the things that feel good to us and hoping that it feels good for other people.”

She is also “trying to be mindful about praying for the worship services, for them to be spirit-filled and for people to come away prepared to face their week and whatever is going on, and to be Christ’s hands and feet in the world.”

And “bones”. What a calling.