In ThIs IssueAsh Wednesday, 5

Thank You! 6New Staff, 7

Handbell Ringers, 8Storehouse, 9

City Sing, 10Vacation Bible School, 11

Yoga for Two, 16

Asbury First United Methodist Church NewsletterJanuary 2016 • Vol. L No. 1 • www.asburyfirst.org

TheVisitor

City Sing Raising Our Voices in Song for Peace & Unity

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staffSenior MinisterMinister for Pastoral Care and OutreachMinister for Discipleship and MissionMusic Administrator; Assistant OrganistDirector of MusicChildren’s Ministry DirectorChildren’s Ministry Assistant; In-terim Director, Children’s MusicYouth MinisterMinistry InternFinancial AdministratorDevelopment DirectorAdministrative AssistantProperty Care ManagerDining & Caring Center DirectorCommunications DirectorOrganistDirector, Youth MusicDirector, Bell ChoirDirector, Asbury Singers Director, Youth TheaterArtist-in-Residence

Unless otherwise noted, photos are by Greg Francis.

Cover: Jim Carter, Kimberlyn Brocht, and Arianna Ernsthausen raise their voices in song during City Sing. See page 10.

Please send all submissions, questions, comments, or concerns to Mary Van Keuren at mvankeuren@asburyfirst.org or 585-271-1050, x109.

Deadline for next issue: Monday, February 1

The Rev. Dr. Stephen Cady IIKathy Thiel

Katie O’HernDavid Strong

Dr. William WeinertPaula Dugan

Holly Temming

Mike MullinSummer Sattora

Richard MoncriefMorgan Dornsife

Melody GuadagninoKen Carr

Michele CooleyMary Van Keuren

Duane PrillCarol Lamica

Elizabeth ChurchBrian BohrerLarry Dugan

Linda Clemow

The VisitorVol. L no. 1(USPS 558-470)

is published 10 times a year, monthly with combined issues for November/December and July/August, by

Asbury First United Methodist Church.Periodical postage paid at Rochester, N.Y.

POSTMASTER: Send addresses changes toAsbury First UMC Visitor

1050 East Ave.Rochester, N.Y. 14607-2239

(585) 271-1050

Emeriti StaffRev. Dr. Theodore Weeden, Sr., Pastor EmeritusDr. Roger Wilhelm, Director of Music Emeritus

Marian R. Craighead*, Organist Emeritus*deceased

Mission stateMentThrough worship, education, outreach, and care, we develop disciples of Jesus Christ who live and proclaim the Gospel

and thereby work to transform our culture.

inCLUsiVitY stateMentAsbury First United Methodist Church prayerfully strives to live in its community with open hearts, open minds, and open doors. Affirming that each person is of sacred worth, we seek to be a fully inclusive church, believing that all people are God’s children, created in God’s image, loved and blessed equally by God. It is our purpose to be a Reconciling Congregation. This means extending hospital-ity and encouraging full participation of all, regardless of age, race, national origin, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orien-tation, marital status or family structure, education or economic background, and physical or mental ability. We recognize that we hold a variety of opinions. We do not seek to erase our differences, but to journey together in faith toward greater understanding and mutual respect. We believe that reconciliation to God and to one another is central to our mission and ministry.

Traditional Worship in our Sanctuary8:30 & 11:00 a.m. Sunday mornings

Chancel Worship with Holy Communion10:00 a.m. Sunday mornings

Listen on WYSL 1040 AM or 92.1 FM11:00 a.m.-noon Sunday mornings

Watch live at www.asburyfirst.org11:00 a.m. Sunday mornings

Watch past services in our video archive at www.asburyfirst.org any time!

sign Up for oUr e-newsLetterTo receive our email newsletters, with news of upcoming services, classes, and other events at Asbury First, go to www.asburyfirst.org and scroll to the bottom of the home page, where you’ll see a sign-up window. Or, if you have a smartphone, scan this QR code to take you directly to a sign-up page.

fiVe waYs to worship at asbUrY first

Our church goal this year: we commit to attending worship on Sundays as often as possible and inviting a friend

to worship with us.

3

AFUMC news

Keeping Alive the DreamsA Pastoral Reflection

Keep alive the dream, for as long as we have a dream in our hearts, we cannot lose the significance of living. – Howard Thurman

Thank you for your dreams. Over the last few months I have been watching as the dream board, my inbox, and several flipcharts have filled up with your dreams. Some are poetic, some are prophetic, some are profound — all are helpful. They show just how deeply this congregation cares about where Asbury First is heading and who God is calling us to

be. Now that so many dreams have been shared, our dreaming process is getting ready to shift.

At the start of Lent (Ash Wednesday is February 10), the dream board will come down. Everyone is still welcome and encouraged to dream, but during this season of prepara-tion we ask that you spend a moment in prayer for Asbury First, considering where God is calling this congregation. Some will no doubt add this to their daily prayers at home. For oth-ers, this might be an opportu-nity to try out the labyrinth or the contemplative service called Taizé on one of the Wednesday evenings of Lent. This might be a chance to take advantage of

one of the classes offered during this season on wilderness or spirituality. However it works best for you, please find a mo-ment to seek God’s wisdom for our community.

With Easter comes the promise of new life and the hope for resurrection. In that season, our dreams will reappear in a new way with an opportunity for our community to sort them togeth-er. From there, the dreams will be used by a strategic planning team (aka the dream team) to provide a foundation for a five-year vision for Asbury First.

As some have heard me share, one of my dreams for Asbury First is to hire a fourth minister (dedicated to outreach) and to

expand our support staff. While we were not able to fund those new positions this year, many people gave generously toward that goal and those dreams remain. My hope is that the spe-cial gift which made the hiring of our new part-time director of development (see page 7) possible will be one step toward ensuring the resources necessary to bring these and many other dreams to life.

This is a unique place at a unique time and I am excited to see where God is calling us. I will continue to hold your dreams in my prayers.

Grace and Peace,

Stephen Cady

Youth Minister Mike Mullin Licensed

The Staff Parish Relations Committee (SPRC) is pleased to announce that our director of youth ministries, Mike Mullin, is now a licensed local pastor in the Up-per New York Conference of The United Methodist Church. Mike was approved as a licensed local pastor effective Janu-ary 1, 2016. With this approval comes the ability for Mike to participate in the sacraments of communion and bap-tism as well as to solemnize marriages at Asbury First. Mike joined us in July, 2013, when he began in his position as director of youth ministries. You will recall that Mike and his family moved here from Omaha, Nebraska. Previously, Mike received his bachelor of arts degree in Chris-tian Education and Music from Westminster College in 2008. In addition to his work with the youth, Mike has become a regular participant in our Sunday worship services. Mike is attending Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School and is now half-way toward receiving his master of divinity (M.Div.) degree. We are very excited for Mike and for Asbury First.

Blood Drive Wrap-Up

On Tuesday, December 29, more than 30 people answered the call to donate blood in the Gathering Center, at a time when the local blood supply was stressed to meet the demand from area hospitals. We collected 28 donations, which will provide blood to as many as 84 people. How? Each donation can be separated into red cells, platelets, and plasma, and a single donation can impact the needs of three people. The major-ity of donors are associated with Asbury First as members or friends. While all donations are equally appreciated by the Red Cross, one long-time member, Jim Reed, gave his 140th donation at this drive. Over many years, Jim has given generously to the benefit of patients in need. As well, we were pleased that several of our ministerial staff participated. Thanks to everyone who participated. – Ed Ristau.

Hosts Wanted for Singers

On Thursday, February 25, Asbury First is sponsoring a con-cert with the Concordia College Choir, and we are looking for hosts for the singers for that night. Your commitment would mean providing a bed for one or more of the student singers,

Continued on next page.

4

breakfast in the morning, and transportation back to church. If you can help out, please contact Jane Jeszenka at 585-381-8127 or jjeszenka@rochester.rr.com, or Ed and Jeanne Ristau at 585-223-4356 or eristau@frontiernet.net. Thank you for extending your hospitality to these students!

Habitat House at 57 Ries Street is Being Built!

The Roger Cross Me-morial House (Roger Cross was the founder of the Flower City Chapter of Habitat for Humanity) sponsored by the Harvest Home Coalition (which includes AFUMC) is being built through the winter. Our participation continues Asbury First’s 25+ year involvement with Habitat. We have had 16 people volunteer from Asbury First at the site – more are needed. To sign up, go to www.rochesterhabitat.org – “Volunteer” – “Online Volunteer” and follow the instruc-tions. Register as a new volunteer. Then go to the calendar and sign up under “Harvest Home” or “House Building”. For more information contact John Smalt at 585-924-8624 or jhsmalt@gmail.com.

in CommunityOur Living

Births & BaptismsGod has sealed you unto

love and grace divine

Caleb Henry Lazzkowski son of Nina Collier Wickham and Kyle Lazzkowski, born on

September 29, 2015. Caleb is the grandson of Vern and Edie Collier and the great-grandson of Vernon

Collier.

Phoebe Elizabeth Redmonddaughter of Heather and Brennan Redmond, baptized on November

8, 2015.

William Romeo Parentson of Ali and Jonathan Parent,

baptized on December 13, 2015.

Kathryn Grace Palcichdaughter of Jennifer and Michael Palcich, baptized on December

27, 2015.

Lee Iva Camardellodaughter of Emily and Jeffrey

Camardello, baptized on January 10, 2016.

Charlotte Grace Growdaughter of Jennifer and Nicholas

Grow, baptized on January 10, 2016.

Samuel Walter Parkesson of Michael and Kristin Parkes,

baptized on January 17, 2016.

MarriagesMay the blessings of God’s love go with you in your new covenant.

Christy Acker and Dan Beerse were married on

December 19, 2015.

DeathsMerciful God, we entrust to Your

never-failing care and love.

We offer our prayers and sympathy to Maxine and Bill Lisi on the death of Maxine's brother

George Torreyon October 18 in Stafford, NY.

We offer our prayers and sympathy to the family and

friends of Ray Zahm

who died on November 14, 2015 in Cleveland, Ohio.

We offer our prayers and sympathy to Dave Davis on the

death of his sonMark Davis

on November 24, 2015 in Riverhead, NY.

We offer our prayers and sympathy to the family and

friends of Marie Andres

who died on December 1, 2015.

We offer our prayers and sympathy to the family and

friends of Joyce Hogarth

who died on December 14, 2015.

We offer our prayers and sympathy to the family and

friends of Bob Reiners

who died on December 17, 2015.

We offer our prayers and sympathy to the family and

friends of Pat Hoff

who died on December 19, 2015.

We offer our prayers and sympathy to the family and

friends of Thomas Gompf

who died on January 6, 2016.

WORSHIPworship schedulesUndaY serViCe tiMes8:30 a.m. – Traditional Worship10:00 a.m. – Chancel Worship with Holy Communion11:00 a.m. – Traditional Worship with Sanctuary Choir

sUndaY, febrUarY 7Tranfiguration SundayLuke 9:28-36 Rev. Dr. Stephen Cady, preacher

wednesdaY, febrUarY 10Ash WednesdayServices at 6:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Kathy Thiel, preacher (7:00 p.m.)

sUndaY, febrUarY 14First Sunday in LentLuke 4:1-13Rev. Dr. Stephen Cady, preacher

sUndaY, febrUarY 21Second Sunday in LentKatie O’Hern, preacher

sUndaY, febrUarY 28Third Sunday in LentGenesis 15:1-12, 17-18Rev. Dr. Stephen Cady, preacher

sUndaY, MarCh 6Fourth Sunday in LentLuke 15:1-3, 11b-32Rev. Dr. Stephen Cady, preacher

AFUMC News, continued from previous page.

5

on holy ground

LabyrinthWednesdays,

February 17, 24, March 2, 9, 165:00-7:00 p.m.

Come, walk, and listen to beautiful music as you

experience some quiet, meditative time during

Advent.

Created by the Center for Spiritual Life, On Holy Ground highlights opportunities for spiritual growth and renewal.

Member Marty Garland shares some of the ways we might renew our faith during Lent, which be-gins on Wednesday, February 10:

4 If you do not already regularly attend a Sunday morning wor-ship service, choose to attend one or two during February.

4 Attend an Ash Wednesday service on February 10.

4 Walk the labyrinth, which will be open from 5:00-7:00 p.m. on Wednesdays, February 17, 24, March 2, 9, and 16. It’s in Fellow-ship Hall, on the lower floor of the church building.

4 Attend one of the contem-plativeTaizé services, held on Wednesdays during Lent from 6:00-6:45 p.m. in the Sanctuary.

4 Read “The Upper Room” monthly magazine, available in the Welcoming Hall and Nar-thex. It features daily meditations and prayers.

4 Read the Bible daily – the Psalms are a good place to begin.

4 Consider trying a breath prayer: “… a kind of prayer that engages the body. The breath prayer method — repeating a short phase on the inhale and a petition on the exhale — will bring the concepts into the body and enhance their understanding. The beauty of a breath prayer comes in its brevity and porta-bility. We may think or utter it anywhere, anytime — standing in a grocery store line or during a brief bout of insomnia at 3:00

a.m. The more often, the better.”One example: Guiding Spirit (in-hale), show me the way. (exhale). –from Rhythms of Growth by Linda Douty, Upper Room Books.

4 Discover a special Lenten book of readings to read each day. The Asbury First Resource Library has many options from which to choose. The following is my discovery of such a book: I attend the Wednesday morning Adult Study held in the Medita-tion Room in 1010 East Ave. This is also the location of the Center for Spiritual Life Library. Arriving early for our class one day I began scanning the books for something to catch my atten-tion. One book did just that. The Promise of Winter – Quickening

the Spirit on Ordinary Days and in Fallow Seasons, a book featuring reflections and photographs by Martin Marty and his son Micah Marty. Besides the author’s last name being the same as my first name, I recognized that Martin Marty was a well-known theo-logian. Much to my delight, this book contains 47 pairings of pho-tographs and text, each one page. If I begin on Ash Wednesday and end on Easter these promises, psalms, and photographs are ideal for use during Lent.

Choose one or several of the above opportunities to discover and reflect on your relationship with our God and Creator who showers us with love.

Lenten Spiritual Practices

The first day of Lent is Wednesday, Febru-ary 10. It marks the beginning of a period of reflection and penance. In the Christian tradition, Ash Wednesday also marks the beginning of preparation for the understand-ing of the death and resurrection of Christ. –www.umc.org

Please join us for one of the following: 6:00 a.m.New! A brief service of word and prayer with the imposition of ashes.

7:00 p.m.A service of word, prayer, and commu-nion with a sermon and the imposition of ashes.

Ash Wednesday Services

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Thank You!Because of your commitment and generosity, asBury first’s campaign to

fund the 2016 annual operating plan (aop) was a success.

What is the AOP exactly? Good question. The AOP represents all money received and

spent by the church in a given year. It’s much like your own budget: just as you determine

how much you can spend on groceries, gas, and other expenses based on your income, so

Asbury First must plan for all the expenses that result from the many ministries of a large,

vibrant church community.

how did pledges change this year?

here’s another way to look at the impact of your giving:

designated (i.e., meant for a particular ministry,

such as the Storehouse or the music program)

and undesignated gifts to the aop. 82 new adult pledgers

average gift

number of pledgers who increased their pledge

for 2016.

1 2 3

4 5 6

$2,226

289

2015 $1,006,379

2016

473house-holds

750people

$1,052,903

4.6% increase in giving

pledges were received from:

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New Development Director Morgan Dornsife Helps AFUMC Reach for New Heights• FUELING OUR DREAMS •

A casual visitor to Asbury First in the past year would quickly realize that we have

been dreaming a great deal lately. Dreaming of new ways to use our space, new ministries to enhance learning and worship, and new ways to touch the lives both of our members and of those far outside our campus.

With a new year, we move to the next stage of our dreaming process: spinning a reality out of all the dreams that have been bubbling up in our hearts and minds this past year. “We’re poised at a moment where there are many great possibilities that lie ahead of us,” said senior minister, the Rev. Stephen M. Cady II. “We have a generous, caring faith community, a skilled staff, and many of the resources we need to move ahead. But we’re going to need the support of all our members and friends to make our dreams come true.”

Some of that support will revolve around funding new programs and ministries. Chari-table giving is something that touches all of our lives. We know the satisfaction that comes from making a gift that helps fuel the pro-grams of our church or our favorite charitable organizations.

For Morgan Dornsife, Asbury First’s newly hired director of development, giving mat-ters to her both personally and professionally. “In my opinion,” she says, “giving is a neces-sary response to what we have received from Christ. We give because it reminds us of God’s gifts to us, and we give because it gives our world an example of Christ’s generosity to us. Professionally, I am honored to use my time and talents both helping people to give and stewarding those gifts well.”

Morgan’s development career began when she stepped into a position in 2012 at Rob-erts Wesleyan College as the director of the annual fund. An alumna of Roberts, with a B.A. in psychology and an M.S. in strategic leadership, she had previously worked in the college’s recruitment office. As the annual fund director, she had her work cut out for her. “At that time, the annual fund lacked a focused strategic plan. I was able to create and imple-

ment a plan over the course of two years. I led the annual fund through a rebranding effort, helped launch a capital campaign, and brought new strategies to acknowledgement processes, data collection, web and social media presence, and the phonathon program. These experi-ences prepared me well to step into this new position at Asbury First. I could not be more excited!”

Morgan’s position represents a thoughtful, strategic view of giving that the church is adopting to help support the volunteer groups, such as the stewardship committee, that work on giving initiatives. Her position is part time, funded by a special gift to the church, and features a broad range of responsibilities.

“I’m bringing leadership to all areas of devel-opment,” she says. “This does include raising funds for many areas of the church, including the AOP [annual operating plan – basically, the church’s annual budget], special projects, and planned/estate giving. It also includes participating in the stewardship and planned giving committees, leading our acknowledge-ment process, overseeing our data and report-ing measures for stewardship, and helping strategize for the ever-changing future.”

Morgan’s position marks the first time that Asbury First has worked with a development

professional on staff. The time, says Stephen Cady, is right.

“We have accomplished so much in annual and planned giving over the last few years with volunteer help,” he says. “We have reached a point, however, where we need additional staff support in order to ensure that we have the resources to make our dreams a reality.”

It’s true: with a strong new leadership team in-cluding Cady, Kathy Thiel, and Katie O’Hern, along with a stable, dedicated staff and large cadre of committed volunteers, Asbury First is in the perfect position to dream. Church leadership and members have been looking at new ways in which the church might become an even more vibrant and responsive partner in the community, as well as a leader in wor-ship and ministry in Rochester, in the United Methodist Church, and beyond.

To achieve this, Morgan has hit the ground running. She has already connected with many members through informal meetings, so that she can learn from them what it means to be a member of Asbury First and find out what matters most to them. These meetings have been invigorating and helpful to her.

“I have had such an incredible experience becoming a part of Asbury First,” she says. “What an amazing group of people, com-mitted to living out the Good News in our community! One of Asbury First’s glowing strengths is the commitment of its members, not only to attend, but to volunteer, serve, and invest their time, energy, and money into the church.”

As Morgan begins to create and implement strategies and action plans to raise vital re-sources for the church, she is greatly heartened by what she sees here.

“The church is in a healthy place,” she says. “There is a real commitment here to giving, which, as a new staff member, is amazing to see. There aren’t any glaring issues or weak-nesses, just opportunities to do and be better.”

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In 1972, Asbury First formed its first handbell

choir for high school students after a gift designated for this purpose was given in memory of Marilyn Lowry’s family. The bells were purchased from the Schulmerich Handbell Company in Pennsylvania. About 30 years later, the church purchased four octaves of hand chimes (or melody chimes) from Schulmerich. Last summer, the remaining fifth octave of hand chimes was purchased with a gift from the Helen Schmidt family in memory of her parents.

The first youth bell choir direc-tor was Betty Fedje, the wife of the senior pastor at that time, Dr. Raymond Fedje. In the sum-mer of 1975, the youth handbell choir and its girls choir went on a three-week “friendship tour” of Poland, partially funded by the Polish government. The choir had fundraisers to cover the cost of plane fare and shipping the bells and other equipment. After the Poland tour, the youth bell choir recorded an album. The following summer, the bell and vocal choirs went on a tour in the northeast U.S., including Boston.

Since 1977, when the Fedjes left Asbury First, there have been eight successive handbell choir directors. In the late 1970s, the youth handbell choir partici-pated in a large festival spon-

Forty-Four Years of Asbury First Handbell Ringers

sored by the American Guild of English Handbell Ringers. In the 1980s, they participated in a local handbell festival and hosted a handbell festival at Asbury First. They have also performed at Rotary Christmas parties, nursing homes, and other churches. In later years, they participated in a handbell festival at Bucknell University and in other events.

With the long-standing success of the youth handbell choir, interest eventually developed in forming an adult handbell choir. Over time, this group performed in the “Welcome Yule” concerts at Asbury First and played with the Roches-ter Philharmonic Orchestra in Christmas concerts. Now known as the Asbury Ring-ers, the adult handbell choir is currently directed by Elizabeth Church, who was also the youth handbell choir director for more than seven years in the 1980s, and a member of the first youth handbell choir in the 1970s.

The current members of the As-bury Ringers comprise a variety of individuals. Several of the ringers play in the Rochester-area handbell choir, ROC Ring-ers. Some ringers participate regularly in area workshops and festivals.

Members of the Asbury Ringers include:

• a retired teacher who was in the original Asbury First 1970s youth handbell choir;

• a quilter and flutist;

• a high school tennis coach who has played in and directed bell choirs in other Rochester churches;

• a physician with six children, who is also a flutist and dog breeder;

• a retiree who sings in the Rochester Oratorio Society;

• an employee of the Sheriff ’s Department;

• the owner of a highly success-ful catering business, Tasteful Connections, who also coor-dinates purchasing discounted items for the Storehouse;

• a mother who home-schools her four children, leads several small church groups, was in Asbury First’s youth handbell choir in the 1980s, and rings with the ROC City ringers community bell choir;

• a retired father with five grown daughters who is also a grandfather and a great-grandfather, a docent at the George Eastman House, a volunteer in many areas around Asbury First, and a knowledgeable resource for bell repairs and maintenance.

In this current time of formu-lating new dreams for Asbury First, it is noteworthy that a dream in 1972 to form a handbell choir became a reality that has grown and continues to thrive almost 44 years later.

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Outreach news

Angels Among UsAs I write this article, it is almost Christmas 2015. In my hurrying and scurrying, I have encountered several angels. Although you will be reading this after the Christmas season has passed, I think it important that we continue to watch for angels, for they are among us throughout our daily living.

• Two weeks before School 41 (where Asbury First has a tutoring program) was dismissed for the holidays, it was reported to me that a fifth grader was found crying because his parents had told him that there would be no Christmas this year. Soon after this, an “an-gel” appeared on a Sunday morning at Asbury First inquiring if there might be a family at School 41 who needed “a little Christmas cheer.” Help was on its way!

• At the beginning of December, several afghans were presented to the Storehouse. They were made by members of Church women United. This is a group of women who knit 7" x 7" squares throughout the year. Once enough have been knitted they are bound together to make warm blankets. Their kindness extended to the Asbury First Storehouse this year, timed perfectly to help supplement our blanket supply.

My challenge to all is to be watchful throughout the year, for there are busy angels all around us! – Nancy Davidow

Current and former Volunteers cel-ebrated 50 years of service at the Storehouse on November 7, 2015. A dream 50 years ago of providing coats to a few persons in need in Rochester has evolved into service to 6,000 + individuals each year, with clothing, linens, pots and pans, blankets, socks and, of course, coats.

The speaker for the celebration was Mary Jo Colligan, director of the An-gels of Mercy. Angels provides cloth-ing for women coming out of difficult circumstances, including prison and addiction. The Storehouse partners with Angels of Mercy by providing them with our overflow of suits and other business attire.

Honored at our celebration were Ed and Kate Crosby, who have served the Storehouse for 14 years. Ed and Kate shop at yard sales and local hotels and motels, and bring us much-needed lin-ens and children’s clothing and coats.

The highlight of the morning was the unveiling of the quilt to which many church members donated. The embroi-dered quilt squares were in the shape of a cross with names on both horizon-tal and vertical sides of each cross. The entire quilt was finished with a printed fabric depicting clothes hanging on a clothesline. The quilt will be displayed

Asbury Storehouse Celebrates 50 Years; Receives Grantsin a prominent place in the church in the near future. The project earned $10,300, most of which will be used to continue our program of blanket pur-chases for the winter. We offer a heart-felt thank you to all who participated.

Storehouse Receives GrantsThe Storehouse was privileged to re-ceive three grants in 2015. In February, the Community Foundation/R&C Yates Charitable Foundation awarded the Storehouse $2,000. In March, the Roch-ester Female Charitable Society pre-sented a grant of $2,000. And as 2015 came to a close, the Families of FANA awarded us with an additional $2,000. Families of FANA, Western New York, is a “non-profit organization established to assist families who wish to adopt from FANA [the Spanish acronym for the Foundation for the Assistance of Abandoned Children] located in Bogo-ta, Colombia.” As part of their support for the adoptive families, the organiza-tion promotes giving back to the com-munity; in particular, giving to orga-nizations that promote child welfare.

Kate and Ed Crosby

Their belief in teaching the adoptive children kindness and a strong sense of civic pride in their new country as well as the country from which they came resulted this year in the award to the Storehouse for our mission to children and their families. Taylor Phillips, niece of Asbury First member Sandra Hol-loway, is adopted from Columbia. It is through Sandra that they know of the Storehouse. We are grateful to each of these foundations for their gifts.

Taylor Phillips presents a check for $2,000 from Families of FANA to Nancy Davidow, co-director

of the Storehouse.

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It was an evening that was as moving as it was joyful. When a crowd of more than 350 people gathered at the Rochester

Public Market in the late afternoon of December 20, no one could have predicted how uplifting it would be to sing songs of peace gleaned from various ethnic and religious backgrounds for residents of the urban Marketview Heights neighborhood. The idea for City Sing arose from Asbury First's Vision Team, and was planned by a group led by AFUMC member Maggie Tobin. It began as simple caroling event for Asbury First members who wished to do something positive to counter the plethora of vio-lence that has plagues our city and country this year. But as word spread throughout the city, other groups asked to join in, until soon more than 30 religious and non-profit groups signed up as co-sponsors, including temples, mosques, Christian churches from many denominations, and organizations including the South Wedge Mission, Pathstone, and the M.K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence.

The evening began with prayer offered by Asbury First Senior Minister, Rev. Dr. Stephen Cady, Dr. Muhammad Shafiq, executive director of the Hickey Center for Interfaith Studies and Dialogue

City Sing: For Peace and Unityat Nazareth College, and the Rt. Rev. Prince G. Singh, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Rochester. Then the crowd split into groups that ventured out into the surrounding neighborhood to sing. When they returned to the Public Market, a local imam led the at-tending Muslims in prayer while others, holding lit candles against the cool darkness, formed a protective circle around them.

Participants were deeply moved by the evening. "Truly an event that was meant for the holiday season," wrote one woman on the City Sing Facebook page. "No one was different, all were one with one goal in mind, peace on earth, spreading love and joy." "It warms my heart to be a part of a community that values diversity and leads with love, defying the prevalence of fear, hatred, and violence," wrote another.

Stephen Cady commented, “After a hard year, we wanted to do something positive to respond to the violence we’ve seen both locally and nationally this year. When we turn on the TV or read the newspaper, it’s easy to lose sight of all the good that happens in our community and beyond. This was one way of reminding us that there is much to celebrate in this community.”

11

Please join us at "Moose Mountain" Mini Vacation Bible School, where kids build friendships that last forever, on February 16, 17, and 18 from 9:00 a.m. to noon at

Asbury First United Methodist Church. There is no cost. VBS is for children from ages four through fifth grade. For more information contact Paula Dugan, (585)

271-1050 x111 or pdugan@asburyfirst.org. Please return this form to the Welcome Desk in the Welcoming Hall on Sunday mornings or to the

church office during regular business hours.

Child’s Name Child’s Age Allergies

Parent/Guardian Information

Name: ___________________________________________________________________________________________

Address: _________________________________________________________________________________________

Best phone # during VBS hours: _______________________________________________________________________

Email: ____________________________________________________________________________________________

Medical information

Please list any special instructions or conditions VBS volunteers should be aware of: ____________________________

_______________________________ ______________ ___________________________________________________

Emergency contact _____________________ Phone # ___________________________________________________

Relationship ______________________________________________________________________________________

In the event of an emergency, I do hereby give consent to Asbury First UMC to administer the necessary medical treatment.

Signature of parent/guardian: ________________________________________________________________________

Date _____________________________________________________________________________________________

Please list the people who have the permission to pick up your child(ren): ____________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Would you like to be a VBS Volunteer? YES NO What is your area of interest? ________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

1050 East Ave. ● Rochester, NY 14607 ● (585) 271-1050 ● www.asburyfirst.org

Children’s Ministry holds a Mid-winter Mini Vacation bible school!

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The Word in the WildernessSundays, Feb. 14-March 20, 9:45-10:45 a.m. in Room 21, 1010

East Ave., OR Mondays, Feb. 15-March 21, 6:00-7:00 p.m. in

the Dining Room, 1010 East Ave.

Lent is the time when we think of Jesus in the wilderness. During

these forty days of Lent we remember the forty years Moses led

God’s people through the wilderness. Yet the biblical theme of wil-

derness goes back to the very beginning of our Bible and continues

through to the very end. Often God is discovered amidst the over-

whelming beauty and unexpected terror of the wilderness – for our

biblical predecessors and for us today. This six-week Bible study

will examine stories of the wilderness from Genesis to Revelation

and will consider how our own faith journeys might be enriched by

encountering the Word in the wilderness. Have questions? Contact

Katie O’Hern at kohern@asburyfirst.org or (585) 271-1050 x104.

Spiritual and ReligiousTuesdays, February 16, 23, March 1, 8, 15, and 22

7:00-8:00 p.m. | Meditation Room, 1010 East Ave

Each year we set aside six weeks between the time of Jesus’ trium-

phant entrance into Jerusalem, through the anguish of Holy Week,

and culminating in the excitement of Easter. But what do those weeks

mean to us, and how can we use them to reflect on what it is to be a

person of faith? Join us for this six-week discussion group as we take a

look at what it means to be spiritual ... and religious. We’ll talk about

the spiritual aspects of world religions, including Christianity, and how

that impacts us as members of Asbury First. Please join us for one, two,

three or all six of these sessions. Your presence and input will greatly

enhance our gathering, whether you prefer to sit quietly and absorb

what you’re hearing or like to participate. For more information contact

Kathy Thiel at kthiel@asburyfirst.org.

expand Your Mind with Lenten studies & Concerts

Thursday, February 25 / 7:30 p.m.

Under director René Clausen, the Concordia College Choir has

become one of the finest a capella groups in the country. Since

1920, the singers of this Moorhead, Minnesota college have

been winning awards and performing globally. They have won

an Emmy for their Concordia Christmas Concerts, nationally

broadcast on public television. Their recordings are distributed

internationally and they are one of the top-selling choirs in the

country on iTunes.

Salon Concert Seriesat a s b u r y F i r s t

s u n d ay, F e b r u a r y 1 4 / 2 : 0 0 P . M .

b e e t h o v e n P i a n o t r i o s

Featuring

Rebecca Penneys, piano

Mikhail Kopelman, violin

Stefan Reuss, cello

Tickets are $30 in advance, available by calling

the church office at 585-271-1050 x103. Tickets

are also available at the door for $35, free for

full-time students with ID.

THE CoNCoRDIA CoLLEGE CHoIR

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youth ministry news

easter Altar Flower Donation FormGiven by: __________________________________________________

(Please Print Clearly)

Phone: Day ____________________ Evening ______________________

Please check one of the following and print the names clearly:

I would like the gift to be:

1. ___ In loving memory of ______________________________________

___________________________________________________________

2. ___ In honor or celebration of ___________________________________

___________________________________________________________

3. ___ A donation

Please return this form to the church office, attention: Melody Guadagnino, no later

than March 14. Please include your donation. Checks should be made payable to

Asbury First UMC Altar Guild. Thank you.

souperbowl saleSunday, February 7

Our youth will once again be making and selling soup before and after services on February 7 in honor of Superbowl Sunday. The soup will be pre-packaged in microwaveable quart-sized containers and may be purchased for $10. 100 percent of the sales will go to support our Asbury First youth mission trips. This year, the senior youth will spend a week working in Cuba.

Let's go snow tubingMonday, February 15

Glacier Ridge Snow Tubing in Spencerport is the location for a February youth gathering. We will meet there at 2:00 p.m. for a couple of hours of great snow tubing fun! Cost is $16, payable in advance to Mike Mullin (make checks payable to Asbury First). Questions? Want to reserve your space? Contact Mike at mmullin@asburyfirst.org.

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Scripture reading suggestions courtesy of the American Bible Society, www.americanbible.org.

library news

Children:Five-Minute Bible Stories, by Lois Rock, illustrations by Richard Johnson.This book of short stories for ages four through eight includes 20 of the Bible’s most popular stories. They include the beginning of the world and the story of the cross.

Goodnight Warrior: God’s Mighty Warrior Bedtime Bible Stories, Devotions and Prayers, by Sheila Walsh.The 81 stories in this book are for ages four through seven and are favorites from the International Children’s Bible. They are paired with devotions that are inspirational, positive, and express God’s love.

Dear God, Exactly Who is My Neighbor? by Anne Fitzgerald.The picture book is of the Good Samaritan story from Luke 10.

Teens:My Life as a Smashed Burrito, by Bill Myers.This Wally McDoogle story tells the tale of how it is important to love even your worst enemy. The eight to twelve age group will learn about life and love from this hilarious, action-packed book.

March: Book Two, by John Lewis, illustrated by Nate Powers.This graphic novel by Congressman John Lewis takes us behind the scenes of the Civil Rights Movement. Lewis tells of the 1963 march on Washington and the dangerous period when Freedom Riders were beaten and arrested.

Adults:H is for Hawk, by Helen Macdonald.Cited as a “small, instant classic of nature writing,” H is for Hawk is about how training a young goshawk helped the author through the grief over the death of her father. This book received awards from Time Magazine, NPR, and many newspapers and magazines.

February provides perfect reading weather. Picture yourself in a comfy chair in a warm place with one of the following books, available in the library’s collection of books for children, teens and adults. The library is located just off the gathering space near the elevators. When the church is open, the library is open. It’s FREE and everyone is welcome!

Capital in the Twenty-First Century, by Thomas Piketty.“The rich get richer, through no fault — or virtue — of their own,” according to this sweeping study of wealth in the modern world. Economist Piketty’s thought-provoking book re-orients our understanding of economic history and confronts us with sobering lessons for today.

Mourning and Milestones: Honoring Anniversaries, Birthdays and Special Occasions After a Loved One Dies, by Kathleen Fraser.Those difficult days that most challenge abilities to deal with grief and find ways to make it through the day are the subject of this 122-page book. The goal is to help ease the burden for grievers who are searching for ways to both honor their loss and live in the present. This book is located in the Center for Spiritual Life library in the 1010 East Avenue Meditation Room.

Parenting:365 Thank Yous: The Year a Simple Act of Daily Gratitude Changed My Life, by John Kralik.In this post-holiday season, a memoir about gratitude seems appropriate. The author decided to be grateful for what he had. He wrote 365 thank you notes and through that practice changed his negative perspective.

My Religion, Your Religion, by Lisa Bullard.Teenager David learns how different religions worship their God, the way they pray, the practices they have, and the special times they celebrate. This 24-page book could be used in children’s religious classes or at home for learning about different religions.

February1 1 John 1:1-102 1 John 2:1-173 1 John 2:18-294 1 John 3:1-245 1 John 4:1-216 1 John 5:1-217 John 1:19-348 John 1:35-519 John 2:1-1210 Luke 4:1-15

16 John 3:1-2117 John 3:22-3618 John 14:15-3119 John 15:1-1720 Luke 15:1-10

11 Luke 4:16-3012 Luke 4:31-4413 John 13:1-3514 1 Corinthians 13:1-1315 Colossians 3:1-17

21 Luke 15:11-3222 Luke 18:15-3023 Luke 18:31-4324 Luke 19:1-1025 Leviticus 19:1-1826 Deuteronomy 6:1-2527 Luke 10:25-3728 Psalm 3629 Psalm 136

Top, the graduates of Chacocente Christian School have a brighter future because of the support of Asbury First, bottom,

Asbury First members are working on the Harvest House project for Habitat for Humanity.

the last word1 by Bob Castle, Chair, Outreach Committee 2

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The Outreach Committee would like to thank the

congregation for its generous support of our many impor-tant outreach ministries. In 2015, the members of Asbury First United Methodist Church responded to Jesus’s call to “Love your neighbor as your-self” by giving their time, tal-ent and treasures.

What is the best way to cap-ture the generosity of our con-gregation?

A financial ledger listing contributions from outreach fundraising, an inventory of donated items for the Store-house and Grocery Bag Minis-tries, or a computation of the volunteer hours contributed by the congregation could capture some of the generos-ity to outreach ministries. But perhaps a more meaningful way to appreciate the value of the congregation’s assistance is through stories of the lives which were touched by your kindness.

• On Christmas, 130 guests gathered at the Dining and Caring Center (DCC) for hospitality, a roast beef dinner, and Christmas gifts. As Michele Cooley, director of the DCC, noted, “Christmas is about family. For our guests, this is their family.” Christmas at the Dining and Caring Center was a community effort. Members of Temple Beth El served the meal, the Convention Center provided the roasts, and Asbury First donated gift bags and

family presents. It was a joyous “family” occasion.

• In a small resource room at School 41, a very bright but severely autistic child sat quietly by himself. Other children came up to read to the Asbury First volunteer and her therapy dog. In the past this child never partici-pated. This morning, though, with patient encouragement from the volunteer, he be-gan reading knock-knock jokes to the therapy dog.

• On a chilly November day, a future Habitat for Humanity homeowner, her seventy-five year old mother, and her teenage daughter worked alongside Asbury First volunteers at the site of Harvest House, the Habitat House sponsored by Asbury First and other churches in the community. They were building “sweat equity” towards owning a Habitat home. The day’s project was building the framing for the walls. Driving each 16 penny

nail was an exciting adven-ture for the future home owners. By afternoon, it was time to joyfully raise the first wall and celebrate together.

• At Project Chacocente in Nicaragua, 13 sixth graders and eight high school stu-dents celebrated their grad-uations in caps and gowns provided by Asbury First. This is a significant accom-plishment in a region where less than sixty percent of the children reach the sixth grade. The Chacocente Christian School offers chil-dren hope and opportunity.

• At the West Avenue Teen Café, an excited young man celebrated his high school graduation and admission to Alfred University. He has come to the teen café every Friday evening for years to enjoy a meal and fellowship. He is a city school district student who has beaten the odds. Quietly, he walked over to a long time Asbury First volunteer and whispers, “you have made a differ-ence.”

These are just a few of the sto-ries that were made possible through your generosity. Every day, Asbury First is called to “Share with God’s people who are in need and to practice hospitality” (Roman’s 12:13). Our congregation is fulfilling that call with humility and grace.

Thank you for your kind gen-erosity,

– The Outreach Committee

2015 Support Leads to Lives Enriched

PERIODICAL

1050 East AvenueRochester, NY 14607-2293

Address Service Requested

Join us for a fun pre-Valentine’s-Day eVening of partnering yoga and chocolate tasting at asbury first. We’ll feature easy moves that anyone can do, regardless of ability. all types of partners are welcome – just grab someone and join us! or, if you prefer, we can match you up with another chocolate- and yoga-loving person for the evening. following this gentle workout, you and your partner can sample some sweet treats at a chocolate tasting. Bring a yoga mat if you have one, and prepare to connect with your partner in a novel and engaging way. New this year: bring your kids! We’ll also have free child-friendly yoga with lindsey Mease from looloo’s little yogis. Childcare will also be available at no cost. spaces are limited, so rsVp to mguadagnino@asburyfirst.org. k

Fr iday, February 12 • 6 :00-8:00 p.m. $10/person • Free chi ldcare avai lable

Asbury Fi rs t Uni ted Methodist Church • Ga ther ing Center

Yoga for Two and Chocolate Tasting

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