Leadership

Clergy & Staff

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Fr. Darryl & Becki Fitzwater

Rector

Darryl Fitzwater, Jr, is the planter and pastor at Ascension. He and Becki have been married since 2000. They have 2 children, Aidan and Chloe. In 2003 he started serving as a Senior Pastor in a traditional Pentecostal denomination. In 2012 their family transitioned into the Anglican Communion, being Ordained a Priest in 2017. 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. His Masters of Divinity from Asbury Theological Seminary.

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. They came to Christ the summer they were married and have felt a call on their lives since that time. 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. They closed the church in October 2019 just prior to the COVID pandemic. They relocated to the area here and became part of Ascension in early 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.

Adam Ridgeway

Pastoral Assistant of Family and Music Ministries

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

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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.