Outreach

Ascension Foster & Adopt Ministry

Ascension Foster & Adopt Ministry

Implementing Archbishop Naumann's vision whereby vulnerable children who are fostered or adopted can live in a secure and loving environment. We offer help to those families who are currently or in the process of fostering and/or adopting.
Please help us be the ‘hands of Christ’ for fostering and adoptive families.
Kathryn Young 913-406-1709

Career & Employment Ministry

Career & Employment Ministry

We provide support for the success of individuals seeking employment in their occupation of choice. Our ministry helps with coping with job loss, professional counsel, branding and networking opportunities.
Mike Tracy 913-575-7397

Covered in Prayer

4th Thursday at 6pm

Covered in Prayer

4th Thursday at 6pm

The Covered In Prayer blanket ministry meets at 6:00pm on the 4th Thursday of each month in the St. Luke Room to make kits for prayer blankets. The kits are assembled at the meetings so no sewing is required at the meeting. Those who DO sew may take kits home to complete. Kits may also be picked up from the Gathering Area if you are unable to attend the meeting but would like to sew a blanket. Easy instructions are provided!
Volunteers are needed both to prepare kits and to sew them.
Donations of cotton, fleece and flannel fabrics are needed.
Bring donations to the monthly meeting or drop them off in the office.
Completed blankets are blessed by one of our priests and sent with a note and prayer to friends and family members of parishioners who are ill or hurting.
Each year we send over 300 blankets to friends and family around the country.
Joanie James 913-681-6770
Sally Virgo 913-897-7587

Embrace Grace

Embrace Grace

The Embrace Grace ministry provides emotional, practical, and spiritual support for single pregnant women who find themselves in an unexpected pregnancy.
Leslie Brown 913-485-2284

Eucharistic Ministers of Holy Communion

Off Campus

Eucharistic Ministers of Holy Communion

Off Campus

Provide assistance to the Ordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (the priests) during Mass and Communion Services by offering the Body and Blood of Jesus to others when needed. We provide the Eucharist to the Catholic patients at St. Luke’s South Hospital.
We also provide prayers and Holy Communion weekly to assisted living facilities within our parish boundaries and to the homebound. Priests also celebrate Mass or Sacrament of the Sick at least every other month. Once a month, a Communal Service or Mass is celebrated for parishioner residents.
Deacon John and Connie Stanley 913-488-8448

Funeral Lunches

Funeral Lunches

We prepare and serve lunches after the Mass or service for family and friends to gather.
We always need help preparing desserts, side dishes, main dishes, and serving.
Johnette Martin 913-481-8663

Heartache to Healing

Heartache to Healing

A social support group for those widowed early in life. We meet monthly for fellowship and fun.
Laura Haeusser 913-475-3517
Damon Micek 913-401-5444

International Missions Ministry

2nd Monday of month (as needed)

International Missions Ministry

2nd Monday of month (as needed)

International Missions Ministry is active in two endeavors.
One relates to our mission with an entity in Guatemala called LEAST (a subcommittee of the not for profit Foundation for Saving Sight Inc). Their focus is to serve the vulnerable elderly population in San Lucas Toliman, Guatemala (LEAST; Loving the Elderly and Satiating HIS Thirst). We typically schedule a trip to Guatemala every year to work at their facility and help residents at their homes with anything related to making their life more comfortable relative to their elderly needs.
Secondly, we provide monetary support to the papal agency CNEWA with headquarters in NY. Their focus is upon the Middle East and Eastern Catholic churches, Northeast Africa and India to identify needs and implement solutions. We strive to maintain a spiritual relationship and maintain the tenets of Catholic Social Justice teachings. This ministry meets on the second Monday of the month as needed.
Ed Herman 913-897-0082
Jennifer Lyon 913-269-5240

Prison Ministry

Prison Ministry

Provide Bibles and weekly Bible Studies at the Johnson County jails and juvenile facilities. Assist the “Turnaround” Ministry to help ex-offenders to get back into society. We provide jeans, work clothes, provide for state issued ID’s, stock the food pantry and serve as mentors. Participate in a letter writing mentorship program through the state penitentiaries. Some aspects of this ministry need prior registration and training.
Deacon John Stanley 913-488-8448

Respect Life

Respect Life

The Respect Life Ministry’s mission is to promote and encourage respect for life from conception to natural death through prayer, education and proactive support of all life issues. According to the USCCB’s Pastoral Plan for Pro-Life Activities, “We proclaim that human life is a precious gift from God; that each person who receives this gift has responsibilities toward God, self and others; and that society, through its laws and social institutions, must protect and nurture human life at every stage of its existence.”
We have several events throughout the year in order to accomplish this, some of them being: a “Pack ’n Play Collection Drive” and collecting change through the “Baby Bottle Boomerang” to assist local pregnancy centers, participating in the Life Chain, and 40 Days for Life local campaign to stand witness to LIFE and many others.
Parish Contact: Bridget Farrell 630-391-1292
Ascension Knights: Jim Baldwin 913-609-0118

Addiction (LMAC Support—AA, Al-Anon)

Addiction (LMAC Support—AA, Al-Anon)

Licensed Masters Addiction Counselor providing support and education to those who are suffering, or who love someone who is suffering, from addictions. We provide space for two AA groups and an Al-Anon group, along with occasional support and educational opportunities.
George Crossland 816-728-6162

My House

My House

Catholic men and women come together in the name of the Lord to reclaim their homes and families from pornography. This program is offered through the Archdiocese.
Sam Meier 913-647-0378
https://archkck.org/outreach-support/support-services/myhouse/

Catholic Community Health

3rd Wednesday of month

Catholic Community Health

3rd Wednesday of month

For those caring for a loved one in need, this support group meets on the 3rd Wednesday of each month for an evening of community and connection with others walking the same path.
Michelle Buzzard 913-484-2222

Guadalupe House

2nd Tuesday of month

Guadalupe House

2nd Tuesday of month

Monetary assistance, rehab work, food and supplies for the Sisters to help the homeless.
The shelter is run by the Sisters of the Fraternity of Missionaries of the Poor of Jesus Christ.
Ascension Knights: Joe Walrod 913-205-5655
Sign Up on the Volunteer Page or copy and paste the following into your search browser: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090A44ABA7238-desserts#/

Hope Faith Ministry

Hope Faith Ministry

Prepare and serve breakfast to the homeless at Hope Faith on the last Saturday of the month. Help is needed with providing food, paper goods, and meal service. Time commitment is minimal, as there is a rotation of volunteers. Contact with agency as needed.
Ed Herman 913-897-4856
Sign Up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0C4DA4AA2A1-hope#/

Johnson County Christmas Bureau

Johnson County Christmas Bureau

Organization that increases awareness and understanding of poverty in Johnson County Kansas, and give neighbors an outlet to help neighbors. Organizes Holiday Shop once per year based on income requirements. Training required to provide supervision, but help is needed with providing meals and snacks.
Dianne Kelly 913-461-4329
Edie Dodson 913-568-4804

St. Mary's Food Kitchen

1st Wednesday of month

St. Mary's Food Kitchen

1st Wednesday of month

Prepare and serve a hot meal to the homeless on the first Wednesday of each month.
Dorothy and Michael Eagan 913-526-8314

Shalom House

Last Tuesday of month

Shalom House

Last Tuesday of month

We prepare and serve meals on the last Tuesday of the month. We help with monetary assistance for different requests from this Catholic Charities sponsored homeless shelter for men.
Together with the Knights of Columbus, we prepare and serve dinner two times a month.
Ascension Knights: Frank LoGuidice 913-963-6645
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0C4DA4AA2A1-shalom#/

Project Chrysalis

4th Tuesday of month

Project Chrysalis

4th Tuesday of month

A Catholic ministry supporting parents and grandparents who have lost children find spiritual support, hope, and community.
Meetings are held on the 4th Tuesday of the month at 6pm in St. Luke Room
Patty Billinger 913-681-3348 x131

At Church of the Ascension, we have MANY outreach opportunities both within the church and in the community. We also host several drives or collections to benefit the community.

All Things Baby – collection of baby items
American Heritage Girls Diaper Drive
Angel Tree – gift collections during Advent
Baby Bottle Boomerang
Blood Drives
Diaper Drive
Food Collections
Johnson County Christmas Bureau
Nativity House Advent Collection
Operation Warm Toes
Pack ‘n Play collection of baby items
Rub-a-dub personal care collection
Turkey Drive
Coat Drive
Personal Care Item Collection

More information about the drives will be available before and during the drives. You can also reach out to Patty pbillinger@kcascension.org

Outreach

© 2026 Church of the Ascension | Overland Park, KS.