While the name may be attention-getting, it’s not all about the martinis. Martini night is the 6pm Jazz Mass’ interpretation of the traditional church coffee hour or potluck. On the first Sunday of the month, we gather after Mass for fellowship, food and all kinds of drinks and, yes, martinis. It’s a great way to get to know some of your fellow members of this amazing faith community.

Shortly after the 6 pm Jazz Mass started at Ascension, a bewildered parishioner approached Father Duffell to express disapproval. She told him she didn’t think jazz was appropriate for church and that she felt like she ‘should have a martini in her hand’. With that comment, the Martini Night idea was born.

We’re thrilled that in just a few short years, Martini Night has grown from a handful of people gathering in the rectory dining room to dinner for nearly 200 people, exceeding the capacity of the parish center.

As an all-volunteer event, all the work that goes into it and everything served at Martini Night is there because someone gave of their time, talent, or treasure. The committee chooses a theme for each month, and gives freely of their energy and culinary talent, but Martini Night can’t succeed without everyone’s help.

You can volunteer to help us set up or clean up, you can make a donation to help pay for paper goods or food, or, as with any potluck, you can bring something edible with you! This doesn’t require a huge time or financial commitment. We need and appreciate home-cooked donations, but chips, soda, cookies, and ice are equally important. If everyone does what they can, we will never have to worry about not having enough.

Please contact us at MartiniMass@aol.com with questions, to volunteer, or if you would like to be added to our email reminder list. We look forward to seeing you at a Martini Night in the near future!