Leadership Team

More About Our Rector

Fr. Darryl & Becki Fitzwater

Rector

Darryl and Becki have been married since 2000. They have 2 children, Aidan and Chloe. In 2003 Darryl started serving as a Senior Pastor in a traditional Pentecostal denomination, and Becki was a working in elementary education. They have served churches in Ohio, Maryland, Kentucky, and West Virginia. In this time, Darryl served as a district official for his denomination, worked in foreign missions oversight, and helped with ministerial enrichment.

In 2012 they became Anglicans, and part of the Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic. Darryl was Ordained a Priest in 2017, and they started Church of the Ascension. His spiritual passions are to see people walk in the fullness of Christ, leadership development, and church growth/missions. Becki is a Licensed Professional Counselor. She holds her B.A. in Elementary Education, and a Masters in Professional Counseling.

Clergy & Staff

Fr. Mitch & Luwana Baker

Assisting Priest

Luwana and Mitch grew up five miles apart in rural northwest Missouri and were high-school sweethearts. They recently celebrated their 52^nd wedding anniversary, including over 50 years of ministry. Mitch has done supply work in a variety of denominations over the years. In the 80s they began work at what is now Regent University. In 2001 their family was led to Lee University in Cleveland, Tenn. They retired from Lee in 2017. In 2005 they planted a liturgical-charismatic church, Emmanuel Fellowship, joining the ACNA in 2015.

Deacon Mike and Angie Koppola

Church Planter, Christ the Redeemer

Deacon Mike Koppola is a transitional deacon to be ordained a Priest later in 2022. He presently is planting Christ the Redeemer in Dillsburg, PA. He and Angies have been married since October 2000, and have 9 children. They have served in various pastoral capacities over their years together, taught in Christian schools, led evangelism teams, and spent time serving in and helping establish houses of prayer in the mid-west and on the east coast. He is an Asbury Theological Seminary graduate, 2021.

Bp. Phil & Jean Zampino

Bishop in Residence, Retired

+Phil and Jean are retired clergy with a life time of service in the Church. They have been pastors, mission team leaders, seminary founders, evangelists, and educators. When the Charismatic Renewal began, they spent time with Kathryn Kuhlman. They were key leaders in the Charismatic movement in the Baltimore, MD area in the 70s. He was Ordained a Bishop in the Charismatic Episcopal Church, and was a leader in the Mid-Atlantic area as a Bishop among the CEC. They were received into the ACNA by Bishop Guernsey in 2018. In their retirement, they have moved to the Harpers Ferry, WV area. They are part of the clergy team at Ascension.

131342531_2923915494597148_5095696019064876567_o

Pastor Adam & Jess Ridgeway

Pastoral Assistant & Family Ministries Director

Adam and Jess have been married since 2012. They have two children, Simon and Eliza. Adam serves as the pastoral assistant overseeing the Family Ministry and Music Ministry. He is completing his Bachelors Degree, and has studied Biblical Languages and Church Leadership. Jess has her BA from Evangel University in Church Leadership. Her Masters is from Kansas State University, in Education. Adam continues to not only serve the Church, but is also a Sargent in the Army. He and Jess have helped in 3 church plants, served as youth and children's pastors, and have a desire to see people grow in grace.

Meet Our Bishop

182085058_3037535199901843_3942098161503790095_n

Bishop John A.M. Guernsey was elected to be the first Bishop of the Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic of the Anglican Church in North America on May 21, 2011. He was invested by Archbishop Robert Duncan on September 10, 2011.

Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Bishop Guernsey is a graduate of Yale University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and earned his Master of Divinity degree from the Episcopal Divinity School, Cambridge, MA. Bishop Guernsey served as the Associate Rector of Christ Church in Alexandria, VA from 1978 until 1981 when he was called to be Rector of All Saints’ Church, Dale City, VA, a position he held for 29 years.

He served as an Adjunct Professor of Pastoral Theology in the area of Stewardship at the Protestant Episcopal Theological Seminary of Virginia from 1982 until 1993. In 2007 he was consecrated as the Bishop for Congregations in America under the Church of Uganda. With the launch of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) in June, 2009, he was transferred from the Church of Uganda and became Bishop of the temporary Diocese of the Holy Spirit in the ACNA. In June, 2011, the Diocese of the Holy Spirit came to an end as its churches found permanent homes in other ACNA dioceses.

Bishop Guernsey serves the wider church in many ways. He serves the ACNA as Dean of Provincial Affairs, as well as numerous committees and task forces. He served for many years as Chairman of the Board of Sharing of Ministries Abroad – USA (SOMA), an Anglican short-term mission organization and has served on the board of a number of other community and church organizations.

Bishop Guernsey lives in Woodbridge, VA with his wife, Meg Phillips Guernsey. They have two married children and four spectacular grandchildren.