Assembly 2017 was formed out of Sen. Albert Ellis Assembly in Jacksonville, NC on March 16, 1985. The assembly started with slightly more than the minimum number of members needed to start an assembly, but quickly grew. When it started it covered Council 1074 in Wilmington and Council 9039 in Southport. It no longer covers Council 9039 but now covers additional councils in Wilmington (12017), Wrightsville Beach (12285), Castle Hayne (11817), Hampstead (12281) and Wallace (12921). The assembly was named after the first pastor of St. Mary Church in Wilmington: Msgr. Christopher Dennen.
The Charter Officers of Msgr. Christopher Dennen Assembly were:
| Office | Holder |
|---|---|
| Faithful Navigator | SK William E. Stenger |
| Faithful Friar | SK Bishop George Lynch |
| Faithful Admiral | SK Frank Armbruster |
| Faithful Captain | SK Paul Coleman |
| Faithful Pilot | SK Roger "Red" Fuller |
| Faithful Comptroller | SK James R. Todd |
| Faithful Purser | SK Albert Bonitz |
| Faithful Scribe | SK Robert Jenski |
| Faithful Inner Sentinel | SK Thorton Johnson |
| Faithful Outer Sentinel | SK Samuel Bowens |
| Faithful Trustee (1) | SK Frank Keenan |
| Faithful Trustee (2) | SK Walter Galowski |
| Faithful Trustee (3) | SK Burdell Harvey |