About us

Welcome to Ascension Balham Hill!

Ascension is a dynamic, creative church community, based in London near Clapham South tube station. There's a real mix of people and activities, but at the heart of it all is a passion to go deeper in knowing God, loving each other and serving people's needs.

Who we are


Our church community contains
many different people

At Ascension you'll meet young professionals, new parents, established families and older people. You'll find a clear vision of where the church is heading, and a bustle of activity. We place a high value on prayer and practical action, more than just Sunday services, and our preaching aims to be engaging and relevant to London life today. We hope you'll also experience a warm, informal welcome and a community feel. More about our three different Sunday services...

A little of the story

The Church of the Ascension was built in the 1880s when the area to the south of Clapham Common was being developed. The church has been through many changes during the intervening years.  
 
The Ascension in its present form is the product of a 1993 church graft, when around fifty members of St. Mark's Battersea Rise came to join a similar number of people who then made up the congregation at Ascension. Six years later Stephen Hance, was appointed.  
 
Since Stephen's departure at the end of 2012 the Church is moving into a new chapter and we are excited about what will lie ahead.

Our vicar

We are extremely pleased to announce that Marcus Gibbs has accepted the offer to be the next Vicar of Ascension!  
 
Before ordination Marcus worked as a management consultant in London for ten years, advising global corporations on their marketing strategies. Rugby is also a great passion and he witnessed Jonny Wilkinson¹s winning kick for England in Sydney in 2003. He¹s eagerly awaiting another English rugby renaissance and hoping it won't take too long! Marcus trained for ordination at Trinity College, Bristol and has been at St Giles in Northampton as a Curate since 2010 and acting Vicar since August 2012.St Giles is a dynamic open evangelical town centre church, affiliated to Alpha and New Wine, ministering to a large eclectic congregation (600+ all ages throughout the week). Marcus has led and had oversight of all aspects of church ministry, including a team of ordained and lay staff plus many volunteers. He is hugely excited about joining Ascension as Vicar and getting to know us all, as God leads us in this new chapter.  
Marcus' Licensing service will be at 1500 on 7th September at Ascension - please put the date in your diaries!