STAFF
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Reverend Daniel E. Grams, Pastor
pastorgrams@ascensionofchrist.org
Reverend Daniel Grams came to Ascension of Christ in September 2013 as Pastor. Pastor Grams was born and raised in Detroit. Before accepting the call to Ascension of Christ, he served congregations in New Jersey and Wisconsin. He is a 2002 graduate of Concordia Theological Seminary in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. Pastor Grams married his wife, Susan, in 1998. Susan teaches 2nd grade at Our Shepherd Lutheran School in Birmingham, Michigan. They have four children who attend Lutheran schools.
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Reverend Larry Loree, Associate Pastor
Reverend Larry K. Loree Jr. was installed as part-time associate pastor of Ascension of Christ in
August 2021. Born in Pontiac, Michigan, Pastor Loree spent his childhood and most of his teen
years in Lapeer, MI. He graduated from high school in western New York and returned to
Michigan where he attended Concordia College in Ann Arbor. He met Teresa (nee Brownell)
while working at Montgomery Ward and the two wed at St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church in
southwest Detroit in April 1991. Pastor Loree has served congregations in Illinois, Michigan, and
Pennsylvania. He also served as an Air Force chaplain in the Air National Guard in Illinois,
Indiana, and Vermont. In December 2020 he retired after 25 years of total service (19 as a
chaplain) in the Air Force Chaplain Corps. He and Teresa have three adult children, all of whom
graduated from Lutheran high schools. In summer of 2021, upon the marriage of their daughter,
they gained a wonderful son-in-law. Pastor Loree and his family reside in Clarkston.
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Chelsea Cook, Child Care Program Director
Chelsea has been a member of Ascension of Christ Lutheran Church for 23 years serving in various capacities including Director of Children's Ministries. She worked as an Assistant Infant Teacher before earning the Infant Toddler Child Development Associate Credentials to become the Infant Lead Teacher. Soon after, Chelsea was promoted to Assistant Director where she served for five years prior to ascending into the role of Child Care Program Director. She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Children and Families from the University of Michigan.
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Peter PaselK, Music Director
Peter Paselk comes to Ascension with over thirty years of service in the LCMS. He serves Ascension of Christ as the Director of Music where he plans and designs worship that brings glory to God. He is our organist and directs the Ascension of Christ Choir and Handbell Choir. He has served as Director of Music at Historic Trinity, Detroit, St. Paul, St. Clair Shores, St. Peter’s, Eastpointe, Holy Cross, Warren, and Trinity, Utica. Peter married Renate in 1984 and has two married daughters and four grandchildren.
