Staff
The Rev. Desmond Goonesekera - Interim Rector
My wife Ewena and I live in Katy and have been married for 54 years. We have two adult children-- Deluca and Dilhan, and three grandsons.
I was born and raised in Sri Lanka, graduated from Divinity School Colombo for my Theological studies and from Lutheran Bible College, Seattle WA for my Biblical studies. I was ordained in The Diocese of Colombo, Sri Lanka in 1969, and we emigrated to the US in 1987. I’ve had the opportunity to serve in the Diocese of Olympia, Washington, Montana, Colorado and Texas. I also had the privilege of serving ECUSA as Vice President of Province VI, President Province VI, and as a member of the National Executive Council.
Though I technically retired in 2013, from St. Cuthbert in Houston as Rector, I still have a strong passion to teach and preach the Gospel of the living Lord and for pastoral care. It is truly a great joy, pleasure and an opportunity to serve at Ascension as Interim Rector, building the kingdom of God together, inviting people to experience the love of Jesus Christ and the transforming power of the Holy Spirit.
I was born and raised in Sri Lanka, graduated from Divinity School Colombo for my Theological studies and from Lutheran Bible College, Seattle WA for my Biblical studies. I was ordained in The Diocese of Colombo, Sri Lanka in 1969, and we emigrated to the US in 1987. I’ve had the opportunity to serve in the Diocese of Olympia, Washington, Montana, Colorado and Texas. I also had the privilege of serving ECUSA as Vice President of Province VI, President Province VI, and as a member of the National Executive Council.
Though I technically retired in 2013, from St. Cuthbert in Houston as Rector, I still have a strong passion to teach and preach the Gospel of the living Lord and for pastoral care. It is truly a great joy, pleasure and an opportunity to serve at Ascension as Interim Rector, building the kingdom of God together, inviting people to experience the love of Jesus Christ and the transforming power of the Holy Spirit.
Organist/Choirmaster - Christopher Lo
My church music education began when I was admitted as a Treble Chorister in the choir of St. Andrew’s Cathedral, Diocese of Sydney, in the Anglican Church of Australia. I attended Middle and High School at Melbourne Grammar School, an Anglican School in the Diocese of Melbourne, Australia. Here I sang tenor in the Chapel Choir and began organ lessons. Upon earning an undergraduate degree in Music Education from Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia, I taught middle and high school choirs and general music classes in two Anglican Schools in the Diocese of Gippsland and the Diocese of Brisbane. At both schools, I was the Chapel Organist and directed music for school Chapel services. In the mid-1990s, I attended Florida State University. There, I earned a Master’s degree in Choral Conducting and a second Master’s degree in Music Education. My major instrument for these degrees was Organ. Dr. Michael Corzine was my Organ Professor.
In 1999, I directed the World Vision Youth Ambassadors’ Choir on a five-country tour. Members of this choir consisted of college-aged students from forty-eight different countries. In their home countries, most members of this choir belonged to Pentecostal Churches. After a six-week training period, they sang compositions in harmony by composers from the Great Western Art tradition. We embraced a multiplicity of languages including sacred texts in Latin. In 2016, I completed the coursework requirement for a Doctor of Music Arts degree in Music Education and Choral Conducting from the University of Houston. Upon returning to teaching Middle and High School choirs, the choirs under my direction were frequently awarded Division One and Sweepstake ratings in the UIL Concert and Sight-Reading contests.
While working as a teacher, I also continued to work, mainly in Episcopal Churches, as a church music director. In 2003, I was one of the founding conductors of the Bay Area Choral Festival in Southeast Houston. This was an annual choral festival involving local church choirs. In July 2008, I was one of the directors who took the combined youth choirs from St. Bernadette Catholic Church, Clear Lake United Methodist Church, Clear Lake Presbyterian Church and St. Christopher Episcopal Church on tour to Colorado. In the Fall of 2008, I was the organizer for the “Thy Kingdom Come: Music in a Multicultural Church” conference. This conference was hosted by the Multicultural Commission of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas. In 2022, I assumed the position of Director of Music at All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Stafford TX. In this position, apart from directing the choir and playing the organ and piano, I also worked with the choir of Good Shepherd Indian Episcopal Church. This congregation worships in the Malayalam language and shares a campus with All Saints’ Church. Since 2010, under the direction of Canon Robert Simpson, I have sung with the Choir of Christ Church Episcopal Cathedral in Houston. On February 26, 2023, I sang in the world premiere and the subsequent commercial recording of the “Mass of the Eternal Flames,” by Eriks Ešenvalds (b. 1977). Between 2012 and 2014, I served as the chair of the music subcommittee of the Religion and the Arts Council.
I am happy to have joined the musical at Ascension Episcopal Church and look forward to all the ways we can worship together!
In 1999, I directed the World Vision Youth Ambassadors’ Choir on a five-country tour. Members of this choir consisted of college-aged students from forty-eight different countries. In their home countries, most members of this choir belonged to Pentecostal Churches. After a six-week training period, they sang compositions in harmony by composers from the Great Western Art tradition. We embraced a multiplicity of languages including sacred texts in Latin. In 2016, I completed the coursework requirement for a Doctor of Music Arts degree in Music Education and Choral Conducting from the University of Houston. Upon returning to teaching Middle and High School choirs, the choirs under my direction were frequently awarded Division One and Sweepstake ratings in the UIL Concert and Sight-Reading contests.
While working as a teacher, I also continued to work, mainly in Episcopal Churches, as a church music director. In 2003, I was one of the founding conductors of the Bay Area Choral Festival in Southeast Houston. This was an annual choral festival involving local church choirs. In July 2008, I was one of the directors who took the combined youth choirs from St. Bernadette Catholic Church, Clear Lake United Methodist Church, Clear Lake Presbyterian Church and St. Christopher Episcopal Church on tour to Colorado. In the Fall of 2008, I was the organizer for the “Thy Kingdom Come: Music in a Multicultural Church” conference. This conference was hosted by the Multicultural Commission of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas. In 2022, I assumed the position of Director of Music at All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Stafford TX. In this position, apart from directing the choir and playing the organ and piano, I also worked with the choir of Good Shepherd Indian Episcopal Church. This congregation worships in the Malayalam language and shares a campus with All Saints’ Church. Since 2010, under the direction of Canon Robert Simpson, I have sung with the Choir of Christ Church Episcopal Cathedral in Houston. On February 26, 2023, I sang in the world premiere and the subsequent commercial recording of the “Mass of the Eternal Flames,” by Eriks Ešenvalds (b. 1977). Between 2012 and 2014, I served as the chair of the music subcommittee of the Religion and the Arts Council.
I am happy to have joined the musical at Ascension Episcopal Church and look forward to all the ways we can worship together!
Samantha King - Parish Administrator |
Linda Parks - Bookkeeper |
Contact the Staff:
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Linda Parks, Bookkeeper
Samantha King, Office Administrator |
