OUR CLERGY
Clergy in the Orthodox Church are ordained according to Apostolic Tradition through the descent of the Holy Spirit and the laying on of hands.
Please contact our church office if you would like to schedule a pastoral or hospital visit, catechism, the Holy Sacrament of Confession, Baptisms, Weddings or to meet with one of our clergy.
Parish Clergy
Rev. Fr. Nicholas Mueller
Presiding Priest
Contact: Frnickm@groca.org
Fr. Nick was raised in Roseville, California where he attended St. Anna Greek Orthodox Shrine in Roseville, CA with his family.
Fr. Nick is a graduate of UC Berkeley with a Bachelors of Arts in English Literature and Minor in Creative Writing. He graduated from Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline, MA in 2015 with a Masters of Divinity. Fr. Nick and Presb. Dena were married in August 2015. He was ordained to the Holy Diaconate on December 18th, 2016, and the Holy Priesthood on the Feast of St. Anna, July, 25th, 2017 by His Eminence Metropolitan Gerasimos of San Francisco.
He worked at the Department of Religious Education of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese from 2015 - 2019. During this time he served as a deacon and later as a priest at Taxiarchae/Archangels Greek Orthodox Church in Watertown, MA.
Presb. Dena graduated with a Doctorate in English Literature in May 2019. She currently serves as the executive director at the Berkeley Institute. Fr. Nick was assigned to Ascension Greek Orthodox Cathedral October 1, 2019.
On September 17th, 2023 Fr. Nick assumed the responsibilities of presiding priest of Ascension Cathedral.
Fr. Nick and Presb. Dena have two children Symeon and Elias.
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Non-Emergency Contact
Scheduling non-emergency ministerial appointments, inquiring about Orthodox Christianity, corresponding about ministry, scheduling sacraments, etc.
The Church Office Open Daily from 9 - 4; closed from 12:30 - 1:30 PM
Fr. Nick is in the office Tuesday - Friday
Church Email - frnickm@groca.org
Emergency Contact
Asking for a pastoral visit for the injured, sick, dying or for counseling regarding severely distressing circumstances (e.g. conflict, mental health, abuse, separation)
The Church Office Open Daily from 9 - 4; closed from 12:30 - 1:30 PM
Fr. Nick is in the office Tuesday - Friday
Personal Cell - Call, if possible do not text
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I will ever solicit you for funds through social media or text or ask you for gift cards. Please be discerning when reviewing any such communication. Our church has remarkable support in our Philoptochos through which we have access to such resources and are able to support the faithful in a dignified and confidential manner. With regard to email communication, please review the communication is coming from an official, church associated email address, and that the donation option is also official. When in doubt, a call to the church to verify any such request is always recommended.
Rev. Fr. Thomas Zaferes
Contact: frtomz@groca.org
Rev. Father Tom Zaferes has been serving Ascension since 2009. Prior to that, he served parishes in Northridge, CA; Chattanooga, TN; San Antonio, TX; and Syracuse, NY. He graduated from Hanover College with a Composite Major in Political Science and Theology. He earned a Master of Divinity degree from Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline, MA. He has served on the board of OCMC and led a Mission Team to Ghana. Father Tom also served on the Archdiocesan Council and the Archdiocesan Presbyters Council. He currently serves as member of the Metropolis Council and chairs the Audit Committee. Father Tom is married to Presvytera Julie, an RN, and they have four children and one grandchild. He finds great joy in teaching the faith, leading Bible Studies, reading and mentoring.