Pastoral Staff

Rev. Dr. James G. Cobb, Co-Pastor

E-mail: pastorjimcobb@ascensiontowson.org

Pastor Jim Cobb is a native of Hickory, North Carolina; graduated from high school in Roanoke, VA, college grad at William and Mary with M.Div. and D.Min. degree from Gettysburg Seminary, with clinical pastoral education at Richmond, Va and his internship was served in Tokyo, Japan. After serving as an Assistant Pastor in Annapolis, he served congregations in Fredericksburg and Norfolk, VA and Grand Rapids, MI. He served the last six years as Assoc. Dean at Gettysburg Seminary in Church Vocations and Lifelong Learning. He served 8 years on the national E.L.C.A. Church Council, also as ecumenical visitor to Strasbourg, Geneva, London, Rome and Istanbul and as a delegate to Lutheran World Federation in Hong Kong. He has written chancel dramas and contributed to sermon books with two published by him including “Sermonic City Sidewalks,” and “New Parish/New Pastor.” His most recent publication is Lutheran DNA:  Testing the Augsburg Confession in the Parish.  He and Judy are the parents of two adult sons in Greenville, SC and Northern Virginia. Hobbies: golf and all sports.

Rev. Judith A. Cobb, Co-Pastor

E-mail: pastorjudycobb@ascensiontowson.org

Pastor Judy Cobb is a native of Baltimore, grew up at Ascension Lutheran and is a graduate of Bryn Mawr School, Upsala College and Gettysburg Seminary. Her clinical pastoral education unit was completed at Portsmouth Naval Hospital and internship at Reformation, Newport News, Va. Prior to ordination she served as an Assoc. in Ministry in Christian Education, Youth and Campus Ministry in Grand Rapids, MI and Norfolk, VA. After ordination, she served as a pastor in Norfolk, VA, Gettysburg, PA and as E.L.C.A. Coordinator for Region 8 (8 synods, Bishops and ministries in this mid-Atlantic region). She has served on the ELCA Div. for Ministry, Task Force on Sacramental Practices and currently is a Lutheran rep. to the Lutheran/Reformed Church dialogues. She was a regular columnist for “Partners” magazine. Their Greenville, SC son is a paramedic and youngest is an attorney in Northern Virginia. Hobbies: gardening and reading.

Program Staff

Joy Bauer, Minster of Music

E-mail: music@ascensiontowson.org

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly… in your heart sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God.”
–Colossians 3:16

Jim Muratore, Director of Youth Ministry

E-mail: youth@ascensiontowson.org

Home for Jim is Brooklyn, NY where he grew up playing whiffle ball every summer day on his dead end street. He is a graduate of St. Francis College with a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and has a background in technical theater and scenic design.  In 2003, he began his professional career as a youth minister and continues to gain professional experience in hopes of entering ordained ministry. He currently serves the Delaware-Maryland Synod as an adult mentor for the Lutheran Youth Organization and as a member of the Synod Youth Events Team. Jim can occasionally be found at area youth conferences with his wife Lauren (who grew up at Ascension) serving as the conference musicians. Jim and Lauren have played guitar and piano, respectively, for 17 years. They were married in June 2007 and are proud parents of their three domestic tabbies, Elliott, Norah, and Bailey.

Kathy Shaw, Director of Christian Education and Coordinator of Communications

Please contact me with any news for e-Notes and our website at communications@ascensiontowson.org

For Christian Education matters, please e-mail:  christianed@ascensiontowson.org

A native of Toledo, OH, Kathy moved to Baltimore and joined Ascension in 1983.  Still seeking to understand what God is leading her to do when she grows up, Kathy is happy to serve Ascension as Chair of the Evangelism Committee, as Coordinator of Communications and as Director of Christian Education.  She is also an active member of the DE-MD Synod Hunger Mission Task Force. 

Nursery School Staff

Kati Ball, Director

E-mail: kati@ascensiontowson.org

Kati has been teaching at Ascension Lutheran Church Nursery School and Kindergarten for twelve years. She received her BS in Early Childhood education from Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, Minnesota. She continued with graduate level courses in education while teaching first and second grades for seven years in Minnesota, Virginia, and California. Kati developed the Science/Art program for the 3s, 4s, and kindergarten while also assisting in the kindergarten Mid-Day Enrichment program (1996-1997) and teaching a four year old class (1997-2004). In 2006 she was named the Assistant Director.

Ann Hays, Assistant Director

E-mail: ann@ascensiontowson.org

Support Staff

Mary Keesler, Bookkeeper

E-mail: bookkeeper@ascensiontowson.org

“If you have questions about your offering, call me! Try direct deposit!”

John Sala, Property Maintenance Technician

E-mail: fixit@ascensiontowson.org

“If you see something broken, mark the repair form by the staff mailboxes.”