An Episcopal mission church for Hattiesburg was conceived in February 1964, when Mr. James Bomboy and the Rev. William Gould, of Trinity Church, Hattiesburg, discussed the possibility with Bishop John Allin in Jackson.
On May 6, 1964, the Rev. James McKeown, Chairman of the Department of Missions, met with some interested members of Trinity in Hattiesburg to discuss the establishment of a mission. The meeting was well attended and, when the majority of those present indicated their desire for a mission, the Rev. McKeown electrified this group with the assertion that he "took pride and pleasure in addressing this group as a new mission in the Diocese of Mississippi".
Later in the day, the Rev. McKeown and some prospective mission members inspected several possible sites as a location for the new church. During the evening of May 6, Bishop Allin called Jim Bomboy to confirm the preliminary plans for establishing the mission.
An organizational meeting of the proposed mission members was held at Trinity on May 15, 1964. It was at this meeting that the name "Church of the Ascension" was chosen for the mission, and it was proposed that, with the Bishop's approval, the first service be held on the first Sunday in June.
The following day, Bishop Allin gave his approval to hold the first service on June 7, 1964. This service was held at St. John's Lutheran Church with 73 persons in attendance. The founding group that formed the mission included 79 communicants with 18 baptized persons.
Bishop Allin conducted the service on July 16, 1964, and officially dedicated the mission.
Services were held in the Lutheran Church through August 2, 1964. By this time the attendance at Sunday services were held at the Wesley Methodist Foundation located on the campus at the University of Southern Mississippi. Lay Readers conducted most of the services, with an occasional visit by a guest priest.
The Rev. Colton M. Smith was called to be the first vicar of the Church of the Ascension. he held his first service on January 10, 1965.
As the growth of Hattiesburg was westward, efforts were pushed to purchase a site for the church in the western part of the city, and relatively close to the university. A three-acre plot on South 37th Avenue was procured, with the help of a sizeable monetary contribution for the diocese. The site contained a large residence, with would serve as a home for the vicar.
Wesley Foundation continued to be the site of services until October 16, 1966, when an offer by the University Baptist Church to use their facilities was accepted. During this period a building fund drive was underway and plans were being drawn for a parish house-type building which would serve for all types of activities of the church.
On August 6, 1967, the first service was held in the new building with 68 persons in attendance. Bishop Allin officially dedicated the mission on October 22, 1967.
The Rev. Smith left the mission for a call to Jackson on August 31, 1969. He was replaced immediately by the Rev. Thomas J. Henry on September 1. The Rev. Thomas Henry served one year until August 31, 1970. There followed a long period without a vicar, and it was not until June 1, 1971 that the Rev. Michael Bell came to the Ascension. He stayed until April 13, 1972, when he accepted a call to Grace St. Luke's in Memphis. After three months without a vicar, the Rev. Ralph F. Kelly came to Ascension on July 1, 1972. He accepted a call to St. John's Parish, Ocean Springs, and left on July 26, 1976.
Ascension had a five-month vacancy that ended on January 9, 1977, with the arrival of the Rev. A. D. "Bo" Lewis. The Rev. Lewis was with this mission for nine years. He accepted a call to the Church of the Good Shepherd in Lookout Mountain, Tennessee, and left this diocese on September 30, 1986.
The mission was without a vicar for nine months until the arrival of the Rev. J. Lee Winter on July 1, 1987.
In 1989, Ascension began the process of developing a building program witht he assistance of architect Ralph Maisel to create a master plant for the property on Arlington Loop. From this master plan a building fund campaign was begun in January 1992, with 38 pledges of $108,990, building plans were agreed upon and funding arranged with loans from the Diocese of Mississippi and the Bank of Mississippi. The church building was completed and consecrated by Bishop A. C. Marble, Jr. on October 27, 1994.
After eight years the Rev. Lee Winter accepted a call to Calvary Church in Cleveland, Mississippi in July 1995.
During Lent of 1996, members of Ascension applied board and batten to the parish hall to match that of the church.
After a vacancy of twelve months, the Rev. Rob Nichols, All Saints, Mobile, was called to be vicar at Ascension in July 1996 and after three months left in October 1996.
In October 1996, Ascension purchased from the estate of Ms. Miriam Stroud the property north and across Arlington Loop from the present property.
After a vacancy of twelve months, the Rev. Paul Pradat, Trinity Church, Yazoo City, in Mississippi, was called in October 1997. In November 2003, he accepted a call to the Chapel of the Cross, Madison, Mississippi.
The mission was initially formed to serve the University of Southern Mississippi, as well as the people of Hattiesburg. The vicar, in effect was also the Episcopal chaplain on campus, administering to the needs of students and faculty at the University. On August 1, 2004, the chaplaincy was separated from the vicar's position when the Rev. Bill Barfield became the first full-time chaplain to the University.
The Rev. Dr. Susan Bear accepted a call to be vicar in November 2004, and is currently the rector. In September of 2008, Bill Barfield left to become a rector of a church in West Virginia.
In 2006, Ascension became a parish at the 179th Council of the Diocese of Mississippi.
Although many changes have taken place in these years, Ascension continues to be a family-oriented church that has a central and unifying concern for outreach.
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