Thursday, October 1, 2026
The Rev. Kevin Morris has been named the ninth rector of the historic old Episcopal church at 71 N. Village Ave. He was named to the position on June 29 when the Vestry of the church called him.
Morris comes with a diverse background and varied experiences in parish ministry, health-care ministry and college ministry. Just prior to receiving the call from The Church of The Ascension, he was director of Pastoral Care, Patient Relations and Volunteer Services at an acute care hospital affiliated with the Diocese of Newark. At the same time, he was also serving as a long-term supply priest at Christ Church in Harrison, N.J.
He served for three years as staff chaplain in a Florida hospice where he provided spiritual care to terminally ill patients and their families.
Morris received a B.A. from the University of Miami where he graduated magna cum laude with a double major in English literature and history and spent a summer studying at Oxford University. He completed studies for his Master of Divinity degree at Yale University.
Morris will be celebrating his first service at Ascension (a choral Eucharistic Mass) at 9:30 a.m. this Sunday, Sept. 9. Following the service, a festive reception to which all are invited will take place in the church’s Parish Hall. A spokeswoman for the church said the hope is that many from the community will join parishioners in welcoming the new rector.
