the ASBURIAN

Newsletter of Asbury United Methodist Church VOLUME 65, ISSUE 13 April 2020

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

WORSHIP

Pastor’s Column 2

Music 3

SERVE

UMW 5

FINANCE 6

EXPLORE

Adult Sunday School 15

Asbury News 18

Children/Youth 8

Spiritual Formation 10

ACDC 9

ASP 13

CHURCH ANNOUNCEMENTS 19

OFFICERS OF OUR CHURCH Carol Walston, Leadership Team Chair George Whitehead, Leadership Team Vice-Chair Doris Webster, Staff-Parish Relations Chair John Marshall, Staff-Parish Relations Vice-Chair Pawel Szczurko, Board of Trustees Chair TBD, Board of Trustees Vice-Chair Dave Vorhis, Finance Committee Chair TBD, Finance Committee Vice-Chair Sharon Dashiell, ACDC Board Chair Kim Bradshaw, Lay Leader Flora Glasgow, UMW President Suzanne Press, Co-Chair, BOD, Opportunity Shop Priscilla Basehart, Co-Chair, BOD, Opportunity Shop Carlton Bradshaw, Chair, BOD, ASP

Editor: Lydia Childs

April 5

April 9 April 10

April 12

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PA

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Friends,

The coronavirus has really disrupted community and church life.

The closures and the shutdowns are wreaking havoc on rhythms

of what we are used to. It’s a very challenging time.

We know that much of the information in this issue of the

Asburian will end up being inaccurate. We cannot help this, but

we feel that it’s so important to stay connected right now that we feel that we need to

send this out even if future events are canceled. We need to be socially distant to keep

one another safe, but we need to stay connected to one another for support and care and

nurture and love. Now is not the time to withdraw into the cocoon of our homes and

ignore the rest of the world. As tempting as it might be, this is when we need to be more

focused on connecting with one another. There are so many ways to do this using

modern technology!

Please take the time to pick up the phone. Skype or FaceTime with a friend or loved

one. Make sure to stay in touch with Asbury through the website (asburyweb.org) or

Facebook (Asbury United Methodist Church Salisbury, MD) or through email. Over the

past couple of weeks we have regained the ability to send bulk email messages. We

have sent out a few that have received good responses. If you have not received our

email please let us know and we will add you to the list. We want to keep you up to date

and we know that you want to hear from us.

Let’s stay connected but not in person. Let’s love one another by staying away and

staying safe.

Happy Easter to one and all and I look forward to celebrating this holiday with you very

soon. God bless you all.

Grace and peace,

Pastor Tom

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We had an amazing collaborative concert here on Saturday, February 29 that featured The Requiem of Maurice Duruflé for orchestra, organ, choir, and soloists on the first half. The second part of the concert featured spirituals and music from Broadway performed by The American Spiritual Ensemble. A special added treat was hearing some award winning vocal students from Salisbury University that shared a few solos with the audience. We had close to 500 in attendance. It was so exciting to see the church packed! It was a wonderful experience for all. There’s interest in doing more “smaller” scale collaborations down the road.

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[Cont’d from previous page]

Our Wednesday Noon Lenten series began on March 4 with a wonderful program provided by Steven Johnson from Milford, DE area. He delighted those in attendance with a mixture of solo piano playing and hymn singing in a variety of styles. On March 11 Daniel Cherrix, Director of Music/Organist at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Salisbury gave a splendid organ recital featuring pieces from France and England. Jim Andrews joined Daniel for a piece featuring organ and flute.

On May 5 at 7:00 PM, Lukas Hasler from Austria will present an organ recital as part of his next US tour. “Lukas is gaining recognition for his colourful and passionate musicality. In addition to his concert tours, Lukas Hasler also appears as choirmaster and arranger of transcriptions for organ. “A Portrait” is the title of his first solo CD with organ music by Bach, Liszt, Dupré and his own improvisations and was released in the summer of 2019. With more than 35,000 followers on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter, he is one of the world‘s most successful organists on social media. In 2020, he will be touring in the USA, China

and Australia as well as other international invitations to France, Italy and Malta.” –lukashasler.com. Additional information about this talented organist can be found on his website: lukashasler.com. Dr. Michael Stefanek, Director of Music Ministries

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Our sister in Christ, Beth Hillman, deals with a number of medical issues that have made her life difficult over the years. Currently, her liver function continues to deteriorate and this is negatively affecting the rest of her health. She is a candidate for a live liver transplant, where a donor would give a portion of their liver which would be transplanted into Beth’s body. The donor’s liver would regenerate and the transplanted tissue would help to improve her liver’s overall

function, as well as helping to improve her overall health. Unfortunately, none of Beth’s immediate family are matches to be able to donate. Asbury UMC is teaming up with Beth to help find a potential donor. Anyone over the age of 18, in good health, and O+ blood type is a potential candidate. We invite you to pray about your willingness to be a donor, and consider getting tested once the COVID-19 pandemic has ebbed. Hopefully, we can find someone who could make a huge difference to Beth and her family.

A sbury church is fortunate to have 5 active UMW circle groups. We encourage growth so we welcome any new members to join. Please bring a friend to a

meeting to enjoy the faith, friendship, and fellowship that each circle embraces. Dorcas - Shirley Cropper (chair): Meeting on Tuesday, April 14th at 10:30 am in the

Mackey Room at Asbury. Our hosts are Sue Hager and Brenda Corcoran. eCircle – Ellen Smith (chair): Meeting at EVO for dinner on Wednesday, April 15th at

6:00 pm. Eve – Amy Cropper (chair): Meeting on Wednesday, April 15th at Tracy Locke’s house at

7:15 pm. Joanna – Carol Bisker (chair): Meeting on Monday, April 13th at the home of Carol

Bisker at 10:00 am. We will work on Mother’s Day cards. Deborah – Meeting on Wednesday, April 1 at 6:30 p.m. ***Please be advised that all meetings are subject to change due to COVID-19 and Maryland State of Emergency.***

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FIN

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Income

Jan - Feb 2020 Actual

Pledge Contributions $185,404

Unpledged Giving $10,730

Plate Contributions $5,424

Special Contributions $55

Endowment $10,679

Rentals $9,971

Interest-checking/mma/cd $359

Gain/loss on stock ($136)

Total Income $222,487

Expenses

Property Expenses $33,511

Ministry Expenses $50,190

Administrative Expenses $20,729

Apportionments $21,991

Employee Benefits $19,991

Total Expenses $146,412

Net $76,075

As you can see from the finance chart we ended February with a net of $76,075 –very similar to last month’s net of $76,787.03 which indicates income and expenses were similar for the month of February. Reminder that this boost of income is due to the generosity of several members who prepaid their pledges for the year. We received prepaid pledges of $78,206.24 which is much higher than our usual $30,000- $40,000 in prepaid pledges. What a blessing this is! As we continue this road of uncharted territory of online services and cancelled ministries, please remember there are still ways to financially support your church, if you are able. Please know the staff is doing everything to the best of our ability to limit expenses. Ways of giving: Mail directly to the church

Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) – Contact

Janice to complete an EFT Authorization Form and transfer will be set up for you. You can choose from weekly, 1st or 15th of every month or 1st and 15th of every month. There is no fee involved in giving by EFT. You can contact Janice at the church office 410-749-2131, ext. 105 or janice@asburyweb.org to set this up through Asbury.

You can also contact your bank to set up a transfer to the church.

Online giving- visit our website www.asburyweb.org –click “Give Here”. You can donate using your PayPal account or debit/credit card. The church is charged a fee for each

Janice Ilczuk, Director of Finance & Building

FEBRUARY 2020

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A TAX-EFFICIENT WAY TO MEET YOUR PLEDGE

Did you know that there’s a tax-efficient way of meeting your pledge? It allows you to meet your pledge by donating appreciated shares of stocks or mutual funds instead of using cash from your checking or savings accounts. Read on for more details… Let’s call this “The Donated Assets” method. It offers two attractive benefits: 1) By donating shares of stocks or mutual funds which have gone up in value, you can cash in

on the value of your gains without having to pay federal or state taxes; and 2) You leave your cash-on-hand untouched by drawing from your invested assets instead. Here’s how it works: 1) First, consider your different taxable accounts to select part or all of a specific asset that has

gone up in value. This might be shares of a company held in a brokerage account or shares of a mutual fund held by financial firms like Fidelity and T. Rowe Price.

2) Once you’ve selected which asset you want to use, contact the broker of investment firm and ask for the form needed to make a transfer to a church. For example, if you use Charles Schwab, ask for a “Charitable Gift Transfer” form. If you use T. Rowe Price, ask for a “Gift to Nonprofit Organization” form (these forms can also be found on their websites). Depending upon the financial institution, the form might be named in various ways.

3) When you have the correct form, contact Janice Ilczuk (the church’s Finance Director) at 410-749-2131 to tell her about your desire to donate using the donated assets method. She will provide church account information that needs to be entered onto your form.

4) When you’re ready to submit your form to the church, describe the asset you wish to donate (e.g. 100 shares of XYZ Company, or 27 shares of T. Rowe Price Capital Appreciation Fund) and write it on your form. Finally, calculate the number of shares needed to meet your donation’s dollar amount. Obviously, you need to know the current cost-per-share of the stock or mutual fund to do the math.

5) Complete the form and submit it to Janice Ilczuk. You’re done! Rules and Reminders Keep in mind that the tax-savings benefit happens when you transfer shares which have

gone up in value. When you donate an appreciated asset to a non-profit, you avoid the federal and state capital gains taxes which you would otherwise pay from the sale.

Know that you can’t get “double benefits” from this method. You cannot later claim the transfer as a charitable donation on your tax form for the year. When the asset(s) transfer, that’s when you realize the tax savings.

The donated assets method applies to taxable accounts. Donating from a Roth IRA defeats the tax-saving benefit from this method. With a Traditional IRA, you can use this method as part of your Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) if you are age 72 or older.

This tax-saving method is also used by church members to make special, one-time gifts at any time.

John Rankin, Assistant Treasurer

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pring has sprung! I love the spring weather; not too hot but not too cold. I thought the Girls’ Sleepover last month was very exciting, but the girls’ opinions are what really matter. They have asked to do

another sleepover, and we’re still talking about it days later, which makes me think God was present and at work the whole time. I led two devotion times and wanted to share the one called “Be Different” with you this month:

CH

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truly believe that our youth here at Asbury have their own personality and each of them lets God’s love shine differently. In April I plan to have a Youth Roller Skating Night on Wednesday, April 22 during youth group. The normal meeting time will be extended to 6:30 p.m. More details to come.

Blessings, Leah, Director of Youth & Family

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Concert and Cookies!

ACDC students are excited that the weather is warming up so they can get outside and enjoy some fresh air. Our St. Patrick’s Day celebrations included 3’s, 4’s and Kindergarten students going on a hunt to find treasure that was left at the end of the rainbow. Upon the students return to the classroom, they discovered how messy leprechauns can be. Those sneaky little leprechauns can really make a mess! Our 2020-2021 registration opened to the public on March 11th. We have openings in our school and would love to have these spots filled by the end of May. We have openings in our 2’s M/W/F, T/TH classes, 3’s T/TH class and M-F AM 4’s class. Please call our office for more information or to schedule a tour 410.742.7058 or email our Director, Casey Taylor, at casey@asburyweb.org. We thank you in advance and appreciate your spreading the word about our Wonderful little preschool, and all of the authentic activities and unique events we have here at ACDC. Casey Taylor, Director of ACDC

Heather Harman, Director of Children & Care Ministries

The youth and children's choirs will end the choir season with a concert featuring their favorite songs on Tuesday, April 21st at 6:30 p.m. in the Sanctuary. Since our 'Cookies and Carols' was such a big hit back in December, we will have cookies this time too! All families are

asked to bring a tray of their favorite cookies to share. The concert is free! Open to all! Come and hear some joyful singing and ringing (and grab a cookie!).

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[Cont’d on next page]

April’s Congregational Spiritual Practice is LECTIO DIVINA

This practice is a form of meditation which includes prayer (and possibly journaling!). In Christianity, Lectio Divina (Latin for "Divine Reading") is a traditional practice of scriptural reading, meditation, and prayer intended to promote communion with God and to increase the knowledge of God's word. It does not treat scripture as texts to be studied, but as the living word (this is the difference between the classic spiritual disciplines of study versus meditation). Traditionally, Lectio Divina has four separate steps: read; meditate; pray; contemplate. First a passage of scripture is read, then its meaning is reflected upon. This is followed by prayer and contemplation on the Word of God. This method of prayer goes

back to the early monastic tradition (approximately the 6th century). There were not Bibles for everyone nor was everyone literate. So the monks gathered in chapel to hear a member of the community reading from the scripture. In this exercise they were taught and encouraged to listen with their hearts because it was the Word of God that they were hearing. If you are a beginner, it is better to choose a passage from one of the Gospels or epistles (Psalms & Proverbs can work well also), no more than ten or fifteen verses. This kind of reflective scriptural listening allows the Holy Spirit to deepen our awareness of God’s presence and voice. Consider using a journal to jot down thoughts and prayers that come. I recommend listening to the scripture instead of reading it silently to yourself. Or, read it aloud if that is not an option. You can record yourself (or listening to someone else) reading the scripture. I suggest checking out https://www.upperroom.org/resources/audio-lectio. This website has audio clips (don’t worry about the dates). This removes the need to select a scripture and helps to keep you focused as it guides you through the steps. I will be posting lectio divina sessions on our facebook page during the month that I hope you will take advantage of. It will consist of three readings of the selected scripture, with prompts at each juncture. *Recommended scripture passages located at the end of this article. In addition to or in place of this method, here is an artful approach to lectio divina: Lectio Divina, more options--Divine or Sacred Reading in Four Parts (Excerpted from Praying in Black and White: A Hands-On Practice for Men.) Prayerfully read all the way through this example of Lectio Divina with Praying in Color to get a feel for it. You can use this example (Psalm 80:5) or there will be scripture samples with which to practice at the end. (All of the commentary is from the author of Praying in Color, Sybil MacBeth.)

https://prayingincolor.com/handouts

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[Cont’d from previous page]

1. Lectio means “to read.” Choose a line of scripture. Example: You have fed them with the bread of tears; you have given them bowls of tears to drink. Psalm 80:5. Write the passage on a piece of paper. Write it large enough so you can really see it. Ask God to give you a word for the day. Read the passage over and over again until a word jumps out at you. When you have the word, circle it. (If no particular word cries out, just choose one at random.)

2. Meditatio means to “meditate, chew on, or mull over.” My favorite definition is “marinate.” Do the meditatio step in two ways. First, take the word you chose in the lectio step and write it in the middle of a piece of paper. Write down everything you know about this word. Brainstorm; do a brain or data dump. Write down anything that comes to mind, even if it seems silly or far-fetched. I chose the word bread.

Now, take a new piece of paper. Write your word again in the middle of the page. This time don’t think about the word. Instead of teasing ideas out of your brain, listen to the word. Pretend it is a guest in your house. Let it speak to you. Listen for what God might say to you through the word. While you are listening, draw. Doodle around the word. Let the movement of the hand help you focus on the word and release anxiety. If you hear other things about the word, write them down. If the thoughts and words from the previous brain dump come back to you, write them down again.

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[Cont’d from previous page]

3. Oratio means to speak or to pray. In this part of the lectio divina, talk to God in the more traditional way of prayer. This is a chance to use words and have a conversation with God. You can ask God about the word “What do you want me to hear and learn from this word?” Even though this step is about oral conversation, you can have my pen in hand and continue to draw. Write down your thoughts and questions: “Help my unbelief.” “I’d like to know you better.” “Open my heart.” While you talk and write, continue to draw. Drawing during this step helps me to focus and to listen. Writing helps me to see what I’m thinking and feeling.

4. Contemplatio mea ns to “contemplate.’ This is the last step of lectio divina. I think of this step as the rest stop or the cool-down period before I go about the normal business of my life. Contemplatio is the step where I release the word I have chosen and all of the thoughts and feelings about the word. I give up all of the activity of drawing, thinking, and writing. I close my eyes, still my mind and rest. So put down your pen. Sit in a chair or lie on the floor. Close your eyes. Take a deep breath and release it. Stay in the moment. Breathe. Some people have huge spiritual “Ahas” during this time. Other people just enjoy the rest and the quiet time. My time with lectio divina never feels wasted. At the very least, I know more about the word I chose than ever before. And I never hear the word in exactly the same way again.

Here are some other suggestions (or use a verse of your choosing). Just a hint: shorter is better: Trust the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5 The righteous are like a tree replanted by streams of water, which bears fruit at just the right time and whose leaves don’t fade. Whatever they do succeeds. Psalm 1:3 And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. Mark 1:35 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2 …whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Philippians 4:8

Questions? Contact Kristen at kristen@asburyweb.org or 410-749-2131.

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Your Asbury Service Project team continues to work, serving our local community and raising funds for our annual trip to Appalachia. This year we will be traveling to Virginia, June 20-28. We held our final pancake breakfast fundraiser of the year on March 8. Thank you once again, Asbury, for your wonderful support. Of course we are still accepting donations for the mission; if you are interesting in donating, just ask any of our youth or adult participants. We serve a dinner each month at the Christian Shelter, and we plan on constructing two more wheelchair ramps for needy families, in partnership with Chesapeake Housing Mission, in April and May. Thank you, Asbury, for your continued support of this vital ministry through your prayers, encouragement, and financial gifts. Carlton Bradshaw

UPDATE

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Holy Week Schedule

Interested in a ministry, but not sure if it’s for you? Or maybe unsure just what you’re interested in? Talk to Kristen Wall-Love, our Director of Spiritual Formation & Membership. We have lots of ministries serving lots of different interests. Let Kristen find one for you, or go to a meeting and experience it for yourself. Get involved! You’ll be glad you did!

Call the church office at 410-749-2131 or email Kristen at kristen@asburyweb.org.

WITH YOUR

CHURCH AND

COMMUNITY

Palm Sunday — 8:15; 8:45 & 11:00 a.m.

Holy Thursday — 7:00 p.m. Good Friday — 12 noon Easter Sunday — 8:15; 8:45 & 11:00 a.m .

***Please be advised that all services are pending due to the State of Maryland Emergency restrictions.***

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Fox Room

Catley Library

We have an open discussion format with topics ranging from books of the Bible to contemporary issues affecting our world. For more information, contact John or Shelly Marshall at mrsjmarshall@msn.com.

B.A.S.I.C

BIBLE 101

During the Spring, the Open Hearts, Open Minds Adult Sunday School Class will be exploring the topics contained in the schedule below. Part of the time will be spent on two series, while the rest will address topics focusing on Faith in Action.

Here are the overviews of the series: Short Stories by Jesus: The Enigmatic Parables of a Controversial Rabbi by Amy-Jill Levine Jesus was a skilled storyteller and perceptive teacher, who used parables from everyday life to effectively convey his message and meaning. Life in first-century Palestine was very different from our world today, and many traditional interpretations of Jesus’ stories ignore this disparity. Amy-Jill Levine offers a fresh, timely reinterpretation of Jesus’ narratives. In Short Stories by Jesus, she analyzes these “problems with parables,” taking readers back in time to understand how their original Jewish audience understood them. Levine reveals the parables’ connections to first-century economic and agricultural life, social customs and morality, Jewish scriptures and Roman culture.

Our Lenten study is entitled “The God We Can Know” by Rev. Rob Fuquay. This study will explore the “I AM” sayings of Jesus. Getting to know God means getting to know ourselves. The more we know who God is, the more we know who we are. The Gospel of John records several declarations of Jesus known as the "I Am" sayings. This study is designed to explore each of those sayings, and will help you find and form an answer to the most essential question in the Christian faith, "Who do you say I am?"

Mackey Room

All Adult Sunday School Classes are held Sunday mornings 10-10:45 a.m.

The Bible 101 Class will begin our new Lenten study: THE WALK by Adam Hamilton. We are looking forward to exploring “The Five Essential Practices of the Christian Faith”. These practices are: 1. worship and prayer 2. study 3. serving 4. Giving 5. sharing the faith. These 5 practices have been practiced by people across 2000 years of Church history, and we will learn that Jesus the Christ practiced these 5 disciplines from the Cross. Reverend Hamilton reminds us: Jesus calls you to follow Him, to walk with Him, and promises to walk with you... Are you ready?

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I invite you to take a

moment this month to thank

Rev. Bill Sterling for his

dedicated service to Asbury

over the past several years. It

is bittersweet for me to say

goodbye to Bill after only

being here for a few months.

I was really simply

continuing to get to know him, but what I will remember

is all the good that he did here at Asbury. I will miss his

energy and enthusiasm for people and for ministry. He was

so important in helping me get settled in as the new pastor,

and helping me meet members of the Asbury community.

Bill will be greatly missed by more than me. He is a

wonderful mentor and friend. Please join me April 19 at

Narthex in wishing Bill and Jackie well as they begin a

new season in their ministry to the Eastern Shore. God

bless you!

-Pastor Tom

Rev. Bill Sterling

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ASBURY NEWS

Business Hours: Donations Hours: Thursday: 10-3 Tuesday: 8-11 Saturday: 10-1 Thursday: 10-3 Friday: 8-11 Saturday: 10-1

158 West Market Street Salisbury, Maryland 21801 410.749.9777

Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/theOpShopAUMC Follow us on Instagram@shoptheopportunity

There continues to be a desperate need for donations, and the shop will be receiving donations as usual Monday and Friday 8:30-11:00a and other times by appointment only. (Call 410-749-9777 or 410-749-2131 to set up an appointment).

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*** Meetings are subject to change, please check with church office for verification of date, time and location. * All meetings will be held in the Library

ASBURY NEWS

***Are you receiving a printed Asburian but would rather see it in color, on our website? Or would you rather not receive it? Please let us know. ***

***APRIL MEETINGS*** Date Day Time Meeting

14 Tues 12 noon Board of Trustees

22 Wed 7:00 p.m. UMW

28 Tues 10 a.m. Altar Guild

January/February 2020 Attendance

8:15 8:45 11:00 Total Wed. Total

Trad. Cont. Trad. Sunday Worship Worship

1/5/2020 32 119 111 262 262

1/12/2020 41 97 102 240 28 268

1/19/2020 33 134 103 270 270

1/26/2020 30 124 125 279 279

2/2/2020 37 111 106 254 254

2/9/2020 30 123 215 368 368

2/16/2020 35 94 111 240 240

2/23/2020 28 140 108 276 125 401

Death:

George Rubenson 2/25/20

Memorial:

George Rubenson

Dick & Lou Marshal

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Asbury United Methodist Church 1401 Camden Avenue Salisbury, Maryland 21801 Phone: 410-749-2131 Fax: 410-749-2914 Email: asbury@asburyweb.org Website: www.asburyweb.org

Senior Pastor: Rev. Dr. Tom Pasmore Pastor of Care Ministries: Rev. Bill Sterling Administrative Office Manager: Lydia Childs Administrative Assistant: Sheri Burchard Director of Music Ministries: Michael Stefanek Director of Children and Care Ministries: Heather Harman Director of Finance and Building: Janice Ilczuk Director of Adult Spiritual Formation and Membership: Kristen Wall-Love Director of Youth & Family Ministries: Leah Tatman Maintenance Worker: Craig Brown ACDC: Director: Casey Taylor ACDC Asst. Director: Danna Abbott