General Superintendent
Max Edwards
February 25, 2025
Ascension Methodist Church
Pastor Trey Harris
Judy and I had the privilege of worshipping in one of our very newest churches last weekend. Pastor Trey and Suzanne Harris are plowing new ground in the Ascension Parish area of Gonzales, Louisiana. They are meeting in a renovated house, and the atmosphere the church creates is very warm and friendly.
plays the keys beautifully, and the worship was robust and God-honoring. centered, and impacting. The name “Ascension comes from the church’s specific locality, being in “Ascension Parish.” Parishes are governmental sectors in Louisiana, like counties in other states, but what a wonderful name for a church!!
Ascension Methodist is a fully-affiliated EMC congregation, and the Harris’s are real treasures, having come to us from a former UMC connection. The EMC is wonderfully diverse in worship styles. Some churches embrace more casual service format, while others, like Ascension, follow more liturgical style of worship that is
Statistically, Millenials and Gen-Z’ers are increasingly drawn to more liturgical forms of worship. Do an internet search on the subject, and you’ll find plenty of corroboration about this trend. One summary opinion noted, “… There is a growing trend of younger people being attracted to a more liturgical style of worship, often citing reasons like a desire for historical rootedness, a sense of belonging to a larger Christian community, and a yearning for deeper meaning and ritual within their faith practices, which a structured liturgy can provide.”
The Sunday we spent with Trey and Suzanne was delightful in so many ways. They hosted us on a tour of a nearby historic Mississippi River sugar cane plantation, and we enjoyed a couple of meals with them as well. Please pray for Ascension Methodist to have a growing impact in southern Louisiana for the cause of Christ!