TheVisitor
Asbury First United Methodist Church Newsletter June 2014 • Vol. XLVIII No. 6 • www.asburyfirst.org
In This Issue Hand-Crafted Kneelers, 4 Family Carnival, 7 Talent Show Recap, 8 New Members, 9 Our Graduates, 10 Confirmands, 11 Tent Week! 12
Mission Statement
The Visitor
Through worship, education, outreach, and care, we develop disciples of Jesus Christ who live and proclaim the Gospel and thereby work to transform our culture.
Vol. XLVIII No. 6 (USPS 558-470) is published 10 times a year, monthly with combined issues for January/February and July/August, by Asbury First United Methodist Church. Periodical postage paid at Rochester, N.Y.
LOOKING BACK–LOOKING AROUND– LOOKING FORWARD A Pastoral Reflection
POSTMASTER: Send addresses changes to Asbury First UMC Visitor 1050 East Ave. Rochester, N.Y. 14607-2239 (585) 271-1050
Staff
Rev. Susan S. Shafer Rev. Stephen Cady
Rev. Lawrence Hargrave
Kathy Thiel David T. Strong Dr. William J. Weinert Paula Dugan Mike Mullin Richard Moncrief Melody Guadagnino Scott Ross Michele Cooley Mary Van Keuren Duane A. Prill Bozena Granat Elizabeth Church Brian Bohrer Larry Dugan Rev. Linda Clemow
Senior Minister Minister for Faith Formation – Hospitality & Membership Care Minister for Outreach and Community Connection Ministries Visitation Minister Music Administrator; Assistant Organist Director of Music Director of Children’s Ministry Director of Youth Ministries Financial Administrator Administrative Assistant Property Care Manager Dining & Caring Center Director Communications Director & Editor Organist Director, Children’s Music Director, Bell Choir; CoDirector, Youth Music Director, Asbury Singers Director, Youth Theater; CoDirector, Youth Music Artist in Residence
Unless otherwise noted, photos are by Greg Francis. Cover: The Asbury First Talent Show included some great performances, including one by Alex Guffey, son of Matt and Susan Guffey. 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: Friday, August 8
Romans 8: 28 We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.(NRSV) For many of us, we look to scripture for comfort and as a way to remind us of God’s faithfulness. The Apostle Paul’s letter to the church at Rome offers us words of encouragement and hope. In all of our lives, we reach points in which we need encouragement and hope. We may look back to a low point, a time in which we were dealing with trials or trauma and looking back, we can be thankful that they were overcome. Some of us may be in the midst of difficult times in our lives and we need words of encouragement. It can be comforting to hear Paul’s affirmation that all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to God’s purpose. On Sunday afternoon, July 27 at 4:00 p.m., Rev. Dr. Bernard Lafayette will speak at Asbury First United Methodist Church. This collaboration with the Gandhi Institute is with the intent to bring words of encouragement to the Community of Greater Rochester. Dr. Lafayette, a colleague of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., travels around the world teaching and preaching non-violence. He was here this past February. Accompanied by his associates Jonathan Lewis and Kezia Curtis, they will be in Rochester to teach non-violent communication to young people in this community. Their intent is to empower young persons with the tools to prevent violent interactions. It was 50 years ago beginning on Friday July 24, 1964, that an urban rebellion began in the streets of Rochester. Frustrations over joblessness, poor education, inadequate housing and abusive police practices led to several days of violent outbursts. As we look around today, we are aware that Rochester has the 5th highest concentration of poverty of cities in the United States, children are not broadly succeeding in the Rochester City Schools and there are citizen complaints with the Rochester Police Department. Some of the Rochester Police Officers have said they will be involved in the training. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.” As we look back and in lament, as we look around with concern, we also look forward with the hope that ‘All things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to God’s purpose.” Peace, Blessings and Good Journey. Lawrence 2
AFUMC news Serving Homeless RAIHN Families for Ten Years
nity you will long remember as worthwhile and appreciated.
Four homeless families, five adults and seven children ages
If you, or a group to which you belong, want to be a part of this important volunteer effort, please contact RAIHN sched-
5-14, made their home at Asbury First the week of June 1-8.
uling coordinators Chris and Doug Lee at (585) 451-7692 or
It is the tenth year for Asbury First to serve as a host church in the RAIHN (Rochester Area Interfaith Hospitality Network)
c_s_lee29@msn.com.
program. As a host church, Asbury First is home for homeless
Asbury First Answers the Red Cross’s Call for Blood
families for a week four times a year. In that time, hundreds of
On June 1, an exceptionally busy and beautiful late spring
volunteers participate in this important effort.
day at Asbury First with three services, a celebratory reception for Stephen’s doctoral degree, and the family carnival, 31
This past year, thirteen RAIHN families (46 family members)
people (six first timers) reported to donate blood. Fortunately,
were provided with shelter and meals during the four host
we collected 28 pints of blood that will potentially help 80 of
weeks. In providing for these homeless families, 112 volun-
our neighbors in critical need of life-saving transfusions.
teers donated nearly 1500 hours. They provided hospitality, cooked and served meals, visited with the families, enter-
How can these donations serve 80 people, you may wonder?
tained children, and supervised activities, meals and trans-
Well, it is possible because each donation can be separated
portation.
into red cells, platelets or plasma to meet the special needs of those who have an emergency need, or require blood during
The care for homeless families continues as Asbury First is
or after surgery.
scheduled during the remainder of 2014 to serve as temporary home on September 7-14 and December 7-14. You can
It is important to emphasize that several people reported for
help with this important outreach program. We have a con-
donation, but were denied due to issues of eligibility. They,
tinuing need for volunteers, especially for evening hospitality,
too, are heroes who answered the call to support this impor-
Saturday shifts, and overnights. RAIHN is a volunteer opportu-
tant outreach opportunity. Thank you to all who participated.
An Open Letter from Kathy Thiel To All of My Dear Friends at Asbury First: Thank you for welcoming me two years ago. I was a student and you graciously taught me and allowed me to grow. You were patient and kind and loving and thoughtful and I appreciate every word and gesture, note and phone call, hug and handshake. You have become a part of me. Thank you for the two years we have been together; they are full of fond memories. Hymns sung and smiles shared, prayers prayed and silence relished, waiting together, wondering together, watching together. We have celebrated and mourned, we have worried and cried. My heart and soul are full of the presence and love of God that I have experienced while with you. It has been bittersweet to say goodbye – as this relationship comes to a close I remember all of the wonderful times and celebrations of life of these two years together. I go to a new adventure, one that I planned to make when I began seminary three years ago. I will be a resident in the year-long clinical pastoral education program, which is on-the-job training for chaplains. I will be at a small hospital in downtown San Francisco. I am as deeply grateful for this opportunity as I am to have been among you for these past two years. For the tangible, material gifts you have given me, I thank you. Your generosity and thoughtfulness overwhelmed me, and I appreciate each and every gift – those I can touch and those I hold in my heart. Each one of you is a blessed part of Asbury First, and of this world, and I thank God for the light and love you shine and share. Thank you, thank you, thank you! With love, Kathy 3
on holy ground Asbury First’s Kneeling Cushions By Rev. Dr. Timothy James Johnson Ed. note: It’s easy to overlook the cushions in front of the altar rail in the Asbury First Sanctuary, but these works of art and care deserve to be highlighted. In this, the first of two articles by Rev. Dr. Timothy J. Johnson, we look at the history and significance of the cushions. In our next issue, we’ll look at the symbols that adorn each cushion, and what they mean to us as Christians. We invite you to take a good look at these beautiful hand-stitched kneelers the next time you are in the Sanctuary, and give thanks for the skills that brought about their creation.
O
n Tuesday May 13, seven Asbury First members met in the Welcoming Hall, the beginning of a very unique and sacred pilgrimage. We were not traveling to the Holy Land, though a great part of our journey was rooted in events that took place there. Nor did our sojourn take us to the great cathedrals of Europe, even though much that we experienced were cameos of what we might encounter in the Cathedrals of Chartres, in France, Canterbury and Westminster Abby in England, or Saint Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican. Rather, ours was a pilgrimage within the sanctuary of Asbury First United Methodist Church, at the intersection of the nave and the chancel rails, beginning at the Meditation Chapel and ending in the Children’s Chapel. It was
Labyrinth Wednesdays July 9 & August 13 5:00-7:00 p.m.
an aesthetic and spiritual exploration of our kneeling cushions and the imagery that so beautifully adorns them, a fusion of ancient, contemporary, and Asbury-First-created symbols. These astonishingly beautiful works of art were begun with an outpouring of the Spirit of God in 1983, placing in the hearts and minds of Asbury First’s Altar Guild a dream to create needlepoint cushions for kneelers at the chancel rails. This sacred ministry of adornment engaged 17 stitchers whose gifted fingers plied needle and thread for close to seven years. From dream to reality and dedication, one full decade later in 1993, these magnificent works of art, our kneeling cushions were dedicated. Though the record reflects 11,507 hours of labor, and 1,657,000 stitches, these priceless treasures are far beyond the palpable. They are the transcendence of God’s presence poured out in craft and love, in history and parable, and in fellowship and communion with God and the saints. For two hours in the sacred precincts of the sanctuary our group of seven contemplated, fellowshipped, prayed, and experienced “serendipitous epiphanies” that plunged us ever deeper into our faith’s story, baptizing us with the immanent presence of God. The visual ambience of the pervasive red and blue color palate of the cushions is reminiscent of Yahweh’s specifications to Moses regarding the making of the curtain for the Tabernacle – Israel’s transient worship center: “you shall make a curtain of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and fine twisted line... (Exodus 26:31). In the midst of our pilgrimage it became clear to each of us that the crafters who employed their skills to produce the kneeling cushions were under divine ae4
gis. Other words from scripture regarding the Tabernacle serve as affirmation of this truth: “I have filled [them] with divine spirit, with ability, intelligence, and knowledge in every kind of craft, to devise artistic designs…in every kind of craft.” (Exodus 31:3-5 NRSV) As one contemplates the kneeling cushions, it is noted that they are surrounded by a continuous border of thistle – symbolizing God’s continuous and all-embracing compassion, love, grace and forgiveness particularly known in Jesus. Each of the twenty-nine needlepointed symbols is separated by a repeated pattern of tongues of fire bursting forth; representing the arched arms of God which welcome all who seek communion with God and entrance into Sabbath rest. Our pilgrimage ended with each us having broadened our faith’s journeys. For our group these sacred articles of worship no longer serve merely for the comfort of worshipers at the altar rails, nor are they merely aesthetic objects enhancing the beauty of our sanctuary. They are much more than these for they lay a sacred threshold over which worshipping supplicants might cross into the sacred spaces of the heart and story of the triune God present in us and the world around us. Plans are in the offing to offer to Asbury First congregants pilgrimages via the kneeling cushions as well as a detailed booklet regarding the spiritual meaning of each symbol. The table that follows is offered as a summary guide for individual exploration and meditations on the kneeling cushions. Let us worship God in the beauty of holiness as we renew our appreciation and use of Asbury First’s kneeling cushions.
Reference: (1993). “The Kneeling cushions: Their story and Their Meaning.” Asbury First United Methodist Church.
• Reconciling update •
Additional information from AFUMC’s Reconciling Ministries Group
T
he Reconciling Ministries Committee was established in fall, 2013 to explore the issue of reconciliation (healing and acceptance) of the LGBT community within Asbury First United Methodist Church. It is a lay initiative supported by our pastors in the context of providing ministry to ALL persons. The members of the committee are: Deb Bullock-Smith, Nancy Davidow, Bob Peterson, Nancy Specht (chair), Mary Lynn Vickers, Tom Bristow (recently relocated), along with Rev. Susan Shafer, Rev. Dr. Stephen Cady, Rev. Lawrence Hargrave, and, until her departure, Kathy Thiel. We plan to continue the very productive conversations that have occurred over the past several months with more groups in the church. These conversations have generated varying responses including: broad acceptance of the reconciling proposal, serious and meaningful questions about the initiative, questions about the position of The United Methodist Church specifically and questions
Reconciling Statement of Asbury First United Methodist Church
•
about WHY such an initiative is necessary. As stated in the FAQs published in the last issue of The Visitor: “Many LGBT people have been hurt by the church and a process of healing is necessary. We believe it is a biblical and theological imperative for our congregation to support this process of welcome and healing for all God’s children.” All members of the committee affirm this statement and would welcome an opportunity to discuss the initiative with any member of the congregation. With this in mind, we reprint the proposed Reconciliation Statement and some new Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) here.
Asbury First United Methodist Church prayerfully strives to live in its urban 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 hospitality and encouraging full participation of all, regardless of age, race, national origin, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, 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.
Frequently Asked Questions Q. Does becoming a Reconciling Congregation mean that same-gender marriages can be performed at Asbury First United Methodist Church? A. No. Current church law prohibits same-gender marriages from occurring on church property. Additionally, United Methodist clergy are prohibited from performing same-gender marriages anywhere. Clergy from other denominations that do not prohibit same-gender marriage can officiate at such ceremonies, but NOT on United Methodist church property. Q. Does becoming a Reconciling Congregation mean that we endorse the ordination of openly LGBT pastors? A. Current church law does not permit the ordination of openly LGBT pastors. While some members of our congregation believe that this prohibition is appropriate, others do not. We are continually in prayerful dialogue on this important issue. Until and unless the rules change by vote of the United Methodist Church’s General Conference, this prohibition remains in effect. Q. What is the difference between marriage and a civil union? A. A marriage is a unique legal status that provides the legally married persons with reciprocal obligations, rights and protections. It is a cultural and, for some, a religious institution. It represents an ultimate expression of love and commitment between two persons. A civil union is a legal status that provides protections at the state law level but does NOT confer the federal protections of marriage like spousal benefits, survivorship rights, etc. Marriage is considered to be a protected status from state to state, but civil unions are recognized only in the state in which it is granted. 5
WORSHIP worship schedule
June 22 I Corinthians 14:26-40 23 Ezekiel 1:1-2:1 24 Ezekiel 2:2-10 25 Ezekial 3:1-27 26 Ezekiel 36:1-15 27 Ezekiel 36:16-38 28 Ezekiel 37:1-28 29 Ezekiel 39:1-29 30 Ezekiel 43:1-17 July 1 Matthew 18:21-35 2 Luke 17:1-10 3 Luke 18:1-14 4 Luke 19:1-10 5 John 8:1-11 6 2 Corinthians 2:5-17 7 Exodus 2:11-25 8 Exodus 3:1-22 9 Exodus 5:22-6:13 10 Numbers 20:1-13 11 Numbers 21:1-20 12 Psalm 32 13 Judges 2:1-23 14 Judges 3:1-30 15 Deuteronomy 4:1-14 16 Deuteronomy 4:15-40 17 Deuteronomy 11:1-32 18 Deuteronomy 15:1-18 19 Deuteronomy 19:1-13 20 Jeremiah 31:1-22 21 Jeremiah 31:23-40 22 Jeremiah 33:1-26 23 Lamentations 3:1-24 24 Lamentations 3:25-57 25 Lamentations 5:1-22 26 Isaiah 38:1-20
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Isaiah 41:1-20 28 Isaiah 42:1-17 29 Isaiah 43:1-21 30 Isaiah 54:1-17 31 Isaiah 55:1-13 August 1 Galatians 5:1-26 2 Galatians 6:1-18 3 Ephesians 4:17-32 4 Ephesians 5:1-20 5 Ephesians 6:10-24 6 Philippians 1:1-30 7 Philippians 2:1-30 8 Philippians 3:1-21 9 Philippians 4:1-23 10 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10 11 1 Thessalonians 2:1-16 12 1 Thessalonians 2:17-3:13 13 1 Thessalonians 4:1-18 14 1 Thessalonians 5:1-28 15 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12 16 2 Thessalonians 2:1-17 17 2 Thessalonians 3:1-18 18 1 Timothy 1:1-20 19 1 Timothy 2:1-15 20 1 Timothy 3:1-16 21 1 Timothy 4:1-16 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
Sunday Service Times
Sunday July 13
(Summer worship, through Sep-
Fifth Sunday After Pentecost
tember 7)
Rev. Dr. Stephen Cady, preacher
8:30 a.m.
Sunday July 20
Informal Worship with Communion
Sixth Sunday After Pentecost Rev. David Lubba, preacher
10:00 a.m.
Sunday july 27
Traditional Worship
Seventh Sunday After Pentecost
Sunday June 22
Rev. David Lubba, preacher
Second Sunday After Pentecost
Sunday August 3
Acts 2:1-21
Tent Sunday
Rev. Dr. Timothy Johnson,
Rev. Dr. Stephen Cady, preacher
preacher
Sunday august 10
Sunday June 29
Ninth Sunday After Pentecost
Third Sunday After Pentecost
Rev. Dr. Mark Brummitt, preacher
Rev. Nadia Buzzelli Mullin,
Sunday august 17
preacher
Tenth Sunday After Pentecost
Sunday July 6
Rev. Lawrence Hargrave, preacher
Fourth Sunday After Pentecost
Sunday august 24
Rev. Susan S. Shafer, preacher
Eleventh Sunday After Pentecost Rev. Susan S. Shafer, preacher
Our Living Births & Baptisms God has sealed you unto love and grace divine
1 Timothy 5:1-25 1 Timothy 6:3-21 2 Timothy 1:1-18 2 Timothy 2:1-26 2 Timothy 3:1-9 2 Timothy 3:10-4:8 Titus 1:1-16 Titus 2:1-15 Titus 3:1-15 Hebrews 13:1-25
Brandon Robert Abrams son of Julie and Shawn Abrams, baptized on May 18, 2014. William Thomas Snyder son of Stephanie and Jason Snyder, baptized on May 25, 2014. Gavin Scribner son of Bree and Brandon Scribner, baptized on May 31, 2014.
Scripture reading suggestions courtesy of the American Bible Society, www.americanbible.org.
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in Community Carl Isaac Frederick Mayer son of Aimee and Joseph Mayer, baptized on June 8, 2014.
Deaths Merciful God, we entrust to your never-failing care and love. We offer our prayers and sympathy Bob and June Hyder and Mary Hyder on the death of Bob’s brother Thomas Lanford Hyder on May 15, 2014.
Family Carnival Fun
The month of June started with a bang at Asbury First as church members and friends gathered to celebrate the annual Asbury First Family Carnival. There were pony rides, a bounce house, and face painting for the kids, and everyone enjoyed grilled hot dogs and mouth-watering watermelon under a sunny summer sky. There was also a cake to celebrate a significant milestone: Rev. Dr. Stephen Cady, proudly wearing a “Ph.D.� Superman shirt, celebrated his new doctoral diploma from Princeton Theological Seminary. Photos by Kurt Mueller and Bethany Printup-Davis.
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Asbury First’s Got Q
Talent
uickly becoming an Asbury First tradition, the fourth annual Asbury First Talent Show was held on Saturday, May 10 before a full and enthusiastic audience. More than two dozen acts – from classical music to a fast-and-furious lip sync battle – echoed through Fellowship Hall to the delight of all those present. Under the direction of Brian Bohrer, with emcee duties undertaken by Camille Carr-Harris and Lydia Marchese, the show embraced acts by those both young and young-at-heart after a delicious potluck dinner that was enjoyed by all. Here are just a few of the images we collected from the evening. Photos by Greg Francis.
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New Members New Members
We l c o m e o u r
Introducing Asbury First’s newest members. We’re so glad you’ve become part of our faith family!
Carol, Elizabeth, and Dennis Roote Carol, a professor of biology at Nazareth College, loves to read and watch Netflix; and enjoys literature and issues of faith and science. Her husband Dennis is founder and president of CDE Engineering and Environment, PLLC. He and Carol were both active in Greece UMC before joining Asbury First. Their daughter Elizabeth is an enthusiastic participant in youth ministries.
Pat DeWeese Pat is a retired nurse practitioner, the mother of six and grandmother of ten children. She loves to travel, exercise, read, and do crosswords. She’s looking forward to exploring outreach activities at Asbury First, and is especially interested in helping at the UR/ Asbury Wellness Clinic and Caregiver Support Group.
Margaret Vanas Margaret comes to us from Twelve Corners Presbyterian Church; and has worked as a hospice and bereavement volunteer through Lifetime Care. She is interested in reading, gardening, music and theater.
Anna and Jonathan Carol-Nellenback (their daughter Nora is missing from this photo) Anna is a nurse at RGH and Jonathan a computational scientist at the U of R, as well as being the son of two United Methodist ministers. They’ve been coming to AFUMC for several years and look forward to giving their daughter a positive environment within which to learn about her faith.
Susan Bickel A retired teacher, Susan lives in Fairport with her husband Daniel. She enjoys gardening, reading and cooking. She was very active in her former church, Fairport First Congregational UCC, serving as a wedding coordinator and member of the deacons and elders.
Stephen Bennett Stephen comes to us from Fountain Hills UMC in Arizona. While there, he worked in the church’s homeless shelter, and he enjoys helping and working with people with developmental disabilities. At Asbury First, he hopes to find out more about working with RAIHN and in the Dining and Caring Center.
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Crystal and Ben Trout (with Matthew and Mary; their son William is missing from this photo) The Trouts, who live in Pittsford, previously attended Grace UMC in Huntsville, AL. Ben is a business manager who hopes to use his skills in team building and product development for the church; he enjoys exercise, his family, movies, and reading.
youth ministry news
I
t is once again that time of year when we get to celebrate with another wonderful class of high school graduates! This year we are excited to be recognizing eleven of our youth for their myriad accomplishments. You can learn a little bit more about each of them from their bios below. We invite you to give your congratulations to any of these youth if you run into them at church or elsewhere!
Jordan Alexander Wainwright • Fairport High School. • Awarded Olde English F Award two consecutive years providing recognition in academics and community achievements. • Percussionist in high school symphonic band • Active with the Asbury First youth group mission trips to Kentucky, New Orleans, Jamaica, and upcoming trip to Chicago. • Will attend the University of Kentucky as an accounting major. • Studied piano for nine years and percussion for four years. • Awarded the diploma in Music Studies from the Eastman Community Music School in June 2014.
Leah Duncan • Brighton High School. • Plans to go to RIT for liberal arts. • Received presidential and merit scholarships.
Alexandra Lee Allen • Pittsford Mendon High School. • National Honor Society. • AP Scholar with Honors. • Saint Michaels College Book Award. • Will attend Syracuse University as an architecture major. • Founders Scholar Award to Syracuse University.
Erica Smith • Pittsford Sutherland High School. • Will attend Nazareth College with an undeclared major, but interested in music, writing, art, and theater.
Camille Carr-Harris • Brighton High School. • Gold Medal in NYSSMA (Level V). • Attending University of Pittsburgh. • Linguistics major with TESOL; teaching English to Spanish language speakers.
Andrew Harrington • Norman Howard School. • Will attend Monroe Community College to study communications/sports broadcasting. 10
Name: Louis Caves • East Rochester High School. • Will study physics at SUNY Geneseo. • Graduating third in his class. • NYC Scholarship for Academic Excellence. • American Legion Post 1917 Boys state rep. and scholarship recipient. • Attained the rank of Eagle Scout. • Captain of varsity wrestling team; received Ideal Teammate award & Ed Speca Memorial Award (for outstanding contributions and dedication) for wrestling.
Sarah Kennedy • Webster Thomas High School. • Will attend Ohio Wesleyan University as an international studies major and music minor.
youth ministry news
Congratulations to our confirmands! These eight young people were confirmed at the 8:30 a.m. service on Pentecost, Sunday, June 8. We welcome them to full membership in our church family. From left to right: Clara Rose Benham, Luis Orlando Colon, Victoria Elizabeth Slattery, John David Dugan, Lila Grayce Campbell, Richard Carson Benjamin, Carly Janine Guidice, and Connor Armstrong Nelson. Seniors, continued from previous page.
Amelia Carter • School of the Arts. • Sokol Award for Poetry. • Geva’s Young Writers Showcase. • Honorable mention in the Gannon Poetry Contest. • Attending SUNY Purchase College for a BFA in Film.
Stephanie Hack • Penfield High School. • High Honor Roll (four years). • Ambassador Club. • Will attend Syracuse University, School of Education, for Inclusive Elementary Education.
Lydia Marchese • Irondequoit High School. • PTSA Service Award. • Saint Michael’s College Book Award. • Attending The University of Vermont major in religious studies and a member of the Integrated Humanities Program.
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We’ll be staying active throughout the summer, including pickup games of rugby, rock climbing excursions, frisbee golf, and an opportunity to learn to make your own journals. Our summer events are open to all youth who have completed fifth through twelfth grades. If you are not already on our email list, send a request to be added to mmullin@asburyfirst.org so that you can be notified about all of our summer fun opportunities.
ten
t week
Please join us for “Tales of the Tide: Jesus by the Water” VBS on August 4-7 from 9:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at Asbury First UMC. VBS is for children from ages four through those entering sixth grade. Cost is $10.00 per child with a maximum of $30.00 per family. Make checks payable to Asbury First United Methodist Church. Child’s Name
Age
Allergies
T-Shirt Size
Would your children like to be grouped together (please circle)? Yes or No
Parent/Guardian information Parent(s)/Guardian(s) Name____________________________________________________________________ Address:___________________________________________________________________________________ Phone_________________________ Cell_________________________Email____________________________ Best number to be reached during VBS hours________________________________________________________
Medical information Please list any special instructions or conditions VBS volunteers should be aware of:____________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ Emergency Contact ___________________________________________________________________________ Relationship to child(ren) ______________________________________________________________________ Phone______________________________________ Cell____________________________________________ Medical Insurance Company ____________________________________________________________________ In the event of an emergency or injury, I do hereby give consent to Asbury First United Methodist Church 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):____________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________
Volunteer information Would you like to be a VBS Volunteer? In what area(s) would you like to help (circle one or more)? Registration Music Student guide Games Bible Stories Crafts Snack Nursery Caregiver Do you have any children under four that would need childcare when you volunteer? If yes, please list names and ages. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ On Thursday evening, August 7, we’ll celebrate the end of a great week with dinner at Durand Eastman Park! Questions? Contact Melissa Bohrer or Paula Dugan, (585) 271-1050 x111 or mbohrer@asburyfirst.org and pdugan@asburyfirst.org. 13
Library news
I
f you’ve read all the books suggested in our library news since last summer, you will have read 115 selections. Don’t stop reading because we have some summer possibilities for you. As the summer provides more free time for most, it is an excellent opportunity to make use of the Church Resource library. Below are some summer selections to aid you with your vacation reading and viewing choices. The library remains open all summer for your use. CHECK IT OUT! Children: The First Strawberries, by Joseph Bruchac and Anna Voljtech. The Cherokee tale told here explains the origin of various berries and, in the process, presents an unspoken but powerful case for respecting one another and the earth. Especially for ages 5-8.
The Edge of the Divine: Where Possibility Meets God’s Faithfulness, by Sandi Patty. In this book, the acclaimed soprano Sandi Patty shares the poignant and sometimes humorous story of her journey from the brink of physical disaster toward the abundant life of good health and keen spiritual fulfillment.
Keepers of the Earth: Native American Stories and Environmental Activities for Children, by J. Bruchac and M. Caduto. An environmental classic for ages 8-11 teaches children respect and stewardship for the Earth and all living things.
Killing Jesus, by Bill O’Reilly. Killing Jesus is the detailed story of the crucifixion of Jesus by the author of Killing Lincoln and Killing Kennedy.
You’re All My Favorites, by Sam McBratney. Ages 2-5 will enjoy this picture book about how there’s plenty of love to go around.
Finding Higher Ground: Adaptation in the Age of Warming, by Amy Seidl. This book is a well-researched introduction to local adaptation to global warming with a focus on those already adapting to shifts in temperature – flora, fauna, and farmers.
It Could Always be Worse, by Margot Zemach. Children, ages 3-8. will love this classic and winner of the Book of the Year and a Caldecott award about an unfortunate man who lived with his mother, his wife, and his six children in a one-room hut.
Parenting: The Reading Promise: My Father and the Books We Shared, by Alice Ozma. The author approaches her book as a series of vignettes about her relationship with her father and the life lessons learned from the books he read to her.
Forgiving is Smart for your Heart, by Carol Ann Morrow. Children will learn the virtue of forgiveness in this book and that sometimes we all need another chance. Teens: Elsewhere, by Gabrielle Zevin. Gabrielle Zevin’s first teen novel is about being dead and offers keen insights about living.
New DVDs: The Bible and Eyes on the Prize
Summertime and the Reading is ... Spiritual
Facing Your Giants: Teen Edition, by Max Lucado, Monica Hall. This teen edition will encourage readers to defeat the giants in their lives, whatever they may be.
The Center for Spiritual Living Library (CSL) in 1010 East Ave. (the red brick building next to the church) has shelves of classical spirituality to discover or rediscover. For instance:
A Monster Calls, by Patrick Ness. Patrick Ness has spun a haunting and darkly funny novel of mischief, loss, and monsters both real and imagined.
• All Will Be Well: Based on the Classic Spirituality of Julian of Norwich • Hildegard of Bingen: Mystic, Healer, Companion of the Angels
The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven, by Sherman Alexie. Alexie paints a portrait of life in and around the Spokane Indian reservation. The book is cited as a stark experience of American Indians in the modern world.
• The Way of a Pilgrim and The Pilgrim Continues His Way • The Seven Storey Mountain (and other Thomas Merton selections) • The Cloud of Unknowing In addition, the library recently added Radical Grace: Justice for the Poor and Marginalized—Charles Wesley’s Views for the Twenty-First Century, by S.T. Kimbrough. It is based on Charles Wesley’s sermons and other writings including unpublished hymns and discusses what has become of Wesley’s theology.
Adults: The Dressmaker of Khair Khana: Five Sisters, One Remarkable Family, and the Woman Who Risked Everything to Keep Them Safe, by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon. Dressmaker is a true story of family, faith, and resilience in the face of despair about an unlikely woman who mobilized her community under the Taliban.
* Please note that numerous books may be found now with the help of a binder containing printouts of computerized bar-coded books. The bar coding work steadily continues; for now about one-fourth of the inventory is listed. 14
the last word 1 by Nancy Davidow 2
A
t a recent Doubler’s Sunday school class, we had the privilege of entering into a conversation with Rev. Gail Ricciuti about time. Time, as she described it, has two dimensions: chronos, the daily chasing of time in our busy lifestyles with the astonishing awareness of how quickly time seems to pass; and kairos, the time that stands still and which becomes God’s time. As I reflected on these two concepts of time, I realized that our outreach ministry at School #41 is approaching its eighth year of service. Where has that time gone? During chronos time, as we go about the business of helping children with reading and math skills, there have been many occasions when time has stood still and God has indeed entered in. The enthusiastic and eager-faced children as they welcome our Asbury First volunteers is just one example. When an Asbury First volunteer goes beyond a one-hour commitment and/or assists with a project, goes on a field trip, or simply helps with needs beyond the classroom, God has entered in. When a child speaks of the love he/she has for the volunteer
Nancy Davidow (second from right) and students from School 41 with school supplies collected for them by Asbury First members.
or simply wants the volunteer to meet his mother, kairos time is present! We made a commitment, in the first year of volunteering at School #41, to adopt the entire school, thus making each child an Asbury First child; one of us. Our commitment has included the purchasing of three smart boards; filling 20 bags of groceries (with the help of Asbury First Sunday school children) every Christmas season for the most needy families at School #41; collecting school supplies and science supplies at the beginning of the school year; and even assisting with the
purchase of much-needed socks and underwear for the children of grades pre-school through third grade. Asbury First knitters have provided hats and mittens, the most often misplaced garments of the winter season. We have even improved the appearance of the school property: planting bushes and flowers, painting the school ground equipment and painting the interior as well – the teacher’s lounge, bathrooms, special occasion room and one of the cafeterias. And our volunteers in the art classroom have assisted in beautifying the school walls. Wow, no wonder time moved swiftly! Where will future time take us at School #41? Some of our volunteers would like to spend time after school with more one-on-one tutoring. Others would like to spend quality time outside the classroom with a child with whom they have bonded. As we continue to grow with the program, perhaps kairos time will become more apparent with the love of these children and the love of our God coming together to make a pronounced difference in the lives of many.
It’s Time for the Asbury First Annual
Basement Sale Thursday, July 31: 4-7 p.m.
Friday, August 1: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Saturday, August 2: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. We are looking for donations of jewelry, antiques and collectables, linens, toys/small electronics/ games, furniture, furs and vintage clothing, etc. Donations can be delivered to the 7th and 8th grade room (Campfire Room) across from Wesley Hall in the basement of the church building. Thank you for your help! For more information, contact Elizabeth Church at 978-0007 or elizchurch@juno.com. 15
PERIODICAL 1050 East Avenue Rochester, NY 14607-2293 Address Service Requested
Asbury First United Methodist Church Presents
2 014 Golf Tournament
Monday, August 4 Mill Creek Golf Club 128 Cedars Avenue ~ Churchville, NY 14428
12 noon 1:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m.
Registration & Lunch Shotgun start Silent auction Steak and chicken dinner
To register or for information about sponsorships contact charitygolf@asburyfirst.org. Please make checks payable to Asbury First United Methodist Church. All proceeds support Asbury First community services. A portion of the cost is tax deductible as a contribution to Asbury First.