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Members of the Ascension Vestry are elected in a Parish-wide meeting held in January of each year. As a rule, three new members are elected to three-year terms each year. The vestry of an Episcopal parish is responsible for assisting the Rector in nurturing its Church family, as well as the larger community; for overseeing parish finances; for maintaining all parish facilities; and for choosing community and parish leadership, including members of task forces and committees. The vestry also chooses the Church’s rector. The Treasurer and Chancellor are volunteer officers of the church.
Michal Smith Mello
Senior Warden 2012
Michal, who attends the 8:00 service, has been an active member of Ascension since relocating in Frankfort more than 15 years ago. She is completing her second term on the vestry and serving as Senior Warden for the third time. Previously, she and husband Scott were active members of Trinity Church in Danville where, for the first time, she found a spiritual home. Not a "cradle" Episcopalian, Michal attended a Baptist Church as a child. In her late thirties, Michal experienced the Episcopal Church for the first time as a volunteer at Barnes Mountain. She was inspired by the church’s mission there. Many years later, she and her then-new husband Scott returned to the Episcopal Church where she was baptized and confirmed. Michal served on the vestry during the early phases of planning for the church renovation. She presently serves on the Altar Guild, as a lector, chalice bearer, and for many years as editor of the Parish Press. Michal is a retired Senior Policy Analyst for a state-funded think tank, the Kentucky Long-Term Policy Research Center.
David Hurt
Junior Warden, 2011
David is from Shakertown, but has lived 35 years in Peaks Mill in northern Franklin County. Although raised a Methodist, he saw an Episcopal priest at Saint Phillip's in Harrodsburg re-enact the part of a bishop general, Leonidas Polk, who prayed in St. Phillip's after the battle of Perryville. After this he was hooked on the mystery, beauty, and tradition of the Episcopal church.
He studied agriculture at UK, but found theatre as a vocation when he was cast as Sir Thomas More's son-in-law in a play he auditioned for on a lark. Although he earned a master's in theatre at the University of Illinois, his farming background drew him back to Kentucky where he raised sheep and tobacco on Elkhorn Creek until 15 years ago. Economics dictated a change, and he studied theatre in New York for a while, and he worked in Louisville and Lexington as an actor, director, and set designer.
He and his wife Normandi Ellis live and work at their retreat center on their Peaks Mill farm called PenHouse, and Normandi leads writing workshops there. David cooks, gardens and teaches old-time banjo music.
Sara J. Badham
Sara and her husband Terry and family attend the 10:30 service. Sara has served on the Altar Guild for the past four years, and she and Terry regularly serve as ushers. Sara also taught Sunday school in the mid 1980s when her children were young.
Sara is a registered nurse. She is employed as the Corporate Educator for the Department of Clinical Affairs and Education for Almost Family, Inc., a progressive regional Medicare home health company with corporate offices in Louisville.
Sara grew up in the Frankfort community and graduated from Frankfort High School. She attended Transylvania University and obtained a BSN from Eastern Kentucky University. She is a life-long member of this church. "Many of the most important and memorable events of my life and that of my family have taken place in this church, which I love. It is filled with such warm and wonderful memories and brings to me a great source of comfort each time I walk through the doors. I consider it an honor and privilege to serve on the vestry."
Robert V. "Bob" Bullock, Sr.
Bob attends the 10:30 service. Bob is an attorney in private practice in Frankfort. He has served twice as Senior Warden; Junior Warden once; vestry twice; and also served as Senior Warden at St. Augustine's, Lexington, KY. He is currently a member of Ascension Preservation Trust and acolyte chair. Bob has served previously on the Bylaws Committee, Stewardship Committee, and as Ascension's Chancellor. He works with the acolytes, is a chalice bearer, and a Lay Eucharistic Minister. He is involved in Rotary International. "I am a cradle Episcopalian whose family has been active in the Episcopal and Anglican Church since the 1500s. I believe Ascension is at a critical juncture. We must develop Ascension's potential, both spiritually and fiscally. By welcoming new members and strengthening our youth programs, we can do God's will and achieve His goals.
Faith Cirre
Faith attends the 10:30 service. She is a recent retiree from the Kentucky Adult Education. Faith served a three-year term on the vestry during the design, original financing, and repair of the church, the Parish Hall, and the Sunday School. She served as clerk of the vestry. Faith is a member of the choir, a lector, and a chalice bearer. Previous church activities include 10 years of service as a Sunday School and Bible School teacher and director. She has also assisted with the Christmas pageant, helped establish Ascension’s Food Pantry and encouraged donations, served as a Clothes Closet worker, sewed altar clothes, and conducted Children’s Church service for two years. Faith was a Godly Play instructor and assistant for three years. Her community involvement includes fundraising for Big Brothers/Big Sisters, 5k walks for Breast Cancer, YMCA, and the March of Dimes. She is a charter member of the Shelby County Prichard Committee, and an English-as-a-second-language tutor (2.5 years).
Heidi Hiemstra
Heidi and her family attend the 10:30 service. She is Assistant Vice President for Research and Planning at Kentucky's regulatory body for colleges and universities and holds a Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania. A member of Ascension since 2003, Heidi sang in the choir for many years, graduated from EFM in 2009, and served on the 2010-11 Rector Nominating Committee. She currently leads Godly Play for preschoolers in Sunday school and is excited about Ascension's potential for growth. In addition to family, work and church, her primary community service is as founder and President of SALSA, a non-profit organization that provides college scholarships to poor students in Latin America.
Debbie Kimbrough
Debbie and her husband Jim have been members of Ascension since 2002. They attend the 10:30 service. Debbie is a member of Ascension's Altar Guild. She previously attended Beulah Presbyterian in Louisville, serving as an Elder, Sunday School Teacher, and on the Music and Worship, Personnel, and Stewardship Committees.
Debbie is now retired but previously worked with the Kentucky Technology Service as Business Director, as an administrator of the Kentucky ISO Quality Award Program, and Kentucky's Cabinet for Economic Development.
Debbie has served on the Simon House Board and the Board of Bridgehaven in Louisville. She has two sons and two granddaughters.
Susan (Sue) Kurtz
Sue attends the 10:30 service with her husband Rick. She is a retired Loan Officer, Account Representative for the Commonwealth Credit Union. She served a three-year term on the vestry, including a six-month term as Senior Warden.
Sue is a member of the altar guild, Daughters of the King, weekday Morning Prayer Officiant, Eucharistic Minister and serves as Assistant Treasurer. Previously she served as a Sunday School teacher. She volunteers in the church on a weekly basis. Hosts a weekly Bible Study and is a graduate of EfM. Sue also works as a Hospice volunteer.
William Legg
William attends the 10:30 service. He is an attorney here in Frankfort. William was a member of Ascension vestry from January 2005 through December 2008 and a vestry member of Church of the Resurrection (Jessamine County) from October 1999 through September 2002. William served as Finance Committee Chair from January 2005 through December 2008. He was Chancellor at Ascension from January 2005 to October 2008 and Treasurer from November 2008 to September 2009. William served on the Finance Committee for the Diocese of Lexington. He is a member of the Men's Club at Ascension, is an EFM Mentor and a Former Cursillo Presenter. William is a member of the Frankfort Rotary.
Mike Oder
Mike and his wife Susie attend the 8:00 a.m. service. Mike is a retired educator and currently a consultant for the Kentucky School Boards Association.
Mike serves as Ascension's Treasurer and, in that capacity, as a member of the church's Finance Committee. He has also served on a previous Rector Search Committee.
Mike is presently a member of the YMCA Board of Directors. He has past membership on the Salvation Army Board of Directors, Rotary, and the Chamber of Commerce Board.
Julia Peavler
Julia attends the 10:30 service. She is a School Counselor with the Jefferson County Public Schools. Julia was on vestry, class of 2010. She has served on the Stewardship Committee.
Julia serves as a Eucharistic Minister, participates in the counting ministry, and also as a substitute teacher for Sunday School.
Joan Osborne
Joan attends the 10:30 service. She is a nurse practitioner at the Lexington Clinic and was confirmed in 1967 at St. Peter’s Anglican Church on the Caribbean island of Montserrat, her birthplace. "I have enjoyed being a member of the church community. I look forward to serving."
Mike Oder
Treasurer
Will Johnson
Chancellor
Will usually attends the 10:30 service. A Frankfort attorney for more than 50 years, Will is a lifelong member of Ascension who has taught Sunday School and served on the Vestry, among many other committees and duties. As Junior Warden, he oversaw maintenance of the church’s physical properties. Active in the Frankfort community, Will is a trustee of the Frankfort Cemetery Board, a member of the Kentucky Bar Association Center, the former director and a current member of the YMCA Board for nearly 50 years, and a member of the Board of First Federal.
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