TheVisitor
Asbury First United Methodist Church Newsletter November 2015 • Vol. XLIX No. 9 • www.asburyfirst.org
In This Issue Campus Improvments, 4 Pledging to Dream, 6 Outreach Ministry, 8 Youth Ministry, 9
AFUMC Pumpkin Patch
Raising Funds for Youth Mission Trips
A Learning Legacy, 11 Orchestra, 13 Children of Eden, 16
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. XLIX No. 9 (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.
Five Ways to Worship at Asbury First
Periodical postage paid at Rochester, N.Y.
Our church goal this year: we commit to attending worship on Sundays as often as possible and inviting a friend to worship with us.
POSTMASTER: Send addresses changes to Asbury First UMC Visitor 1050 East Ave. Rochester, N.Y. 14607-2239 (585) 271-1050
Traditional Worship in our Sanctuary 8:30 & 11:00 a.m. Sunday mornings
Staff
Chancel Worship with Holy Communion 10:00 a.m. Sunday mornings
The Rev. Dr. Stephen Cady II Senior Minister Kathy Thiel Minister for Pastoral Care and Outreach Katie O’Hern Minister for Discipleship and Mission David Strong Music Administrator; Assistant Organist Dr. William Weinert Director of Music Paula Dugan Children’s Ministry Director Holly Temming Children’s Ministry Assistant; Interim Director, Children’s Music Mike Mullin Director of Youth Ministries Richard Moncrief Financial Administrator Melody Guadagnino Administrative Assistant Ken Carr Property Care Manager Michele Cooley Dining & Caring Center Director Mary Van Keuren Communications Director Duane Prill Organist Carol Lamica Director, Youth Music Elizabeth Church Director, Bell Choir Brian Bohrer Director, Asbury Singers Larry Dugan Director, Youth Theater Linda Clemow Artist-in-Residence
Listen on WYSL 1040 AM or 92.1 FM 11:00 a.m.-noon Sunday mornings Watch live at www.asburyfirst.org 11:00 a.m. Sunday mornings Watch past services in our video archive at www.asburyfirst.org any time!
INCLUSIVITY STATEMENT
*deceased
Asbury 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 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.
Unless otherwise noted, photos are by Greg Francis.
sign up for our E-newsletter
Emeriti Staff Rev. Dr. Theodore Weeden, Sr., Pastor Emeritus Dr. Roger Wilhelm, Director of Music Emeritus Marian R. Craighead*, Organist Emeritus
To 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.
Cover: UMYF member Georgia Ross helps set up the youth-run Pumpkin Patch on the Granger Street lawn in early October. Photo by Ian Macdonald.
Please send all submissions, questions, comments, or concerns to Mary Van Keuren at mvankeuren@asburyfirst.org or (585) 271-1050. Deadline for next issue: Friday, November 6
2
The Presence of God A Pastoral Reflection
Fall is officially upon us. There’s a chill in the air. The leaves are beautiful shades of red, orange, and gold. The Granger lawn is filled with pumpkins. By the time this Visitor is in your mailbox, the first few flakes of snow may even have already drifted down. With this change of seasons comes a change in liturgical season, too. Soon it will be Advent, which means the end of my favorite time in the church year: Ordinary Time. Ordinary Time is the long season that stretches from the end of Pentecost to
the beginning of Advent – this year it lasted 26 weeks, half of our calendar year! And it’s easy to see “ordinary time” as simply a placeholder season. It’s generally much less glamorous than the joyous Sundays of Easter, the anticipation of Advent, the celebration of Christmas. Ordinary time can often feel, well, just plain ordinary. Yet even though this time is labeled “ordinary,” it feels as if it’s been anything but ordinary for us this year at Asbury First. This has been a season of change for our congregation, as you have bid farewell to two beloved ministers and extended an extraordinary welcome to a new ministerial team. Many extraordinary things have happened on our campus and beyond during
these 26 ordinary weeks, from the 1,200 neighbors who joined us under the big tent during Tent Week to the 35 middle and high school youth who reached out to others through summer mission trips. Our ordinary outreach ministries have continued to provide extraordinary witness to the gospel, providing families in need with clothing, the sick with medical care, and the hungry with good food to eat. We have continued to gather together for ordinary worship, and have encountered the Living Word again and again. This season has been extraordinary because God has continued to be present in the midst of this Ordinary Time.
in the midst of the extraordinary and the ordinary. God meets us in ordinary water and bread and juice, in ordinary meetings and appointments, on ordinary days and in ordinary places and when we feel just plain ordinary. When we take a moment to pause and pay attention, those ordinary moments can become extraordinary, and we encounter again the grace of the God who loves us more than we can know.
I hope that our extraordinary season of Ordinary Time will remind you that God is present
Peace,
As we move out of Ordinary Time and into a new season of the church year, I invite you to join me in paying attention, in looking around for our extraordinary God, who is often found in the most ordinary of places.
Katie O’Hern
AFUMC news Ministry & Space Task Force Presents Proposal On Sunday September 28 at a Special Charge Conference, the Ministry & Space Task Force presented a proposal to hire Bero Architecture and IBC Engineering to develop detailed plans with cost estimates, which will address major maintenance and accessibility issues. These issues were outlined in the September issue of The Visitor, and presented in several town hall meetings last fall. The congregation voted 72-1 to approve this proposal. We will come back to you in the Spring with an update.
who cooked scrumptious meals and the guests who supported it all. In addition we thank Paula Dugan who hosted the First annual Dinner Among Kids so their parents could attend a dinner, and Mary Van Keuren and Dick Moncrief for their expertise. We also would like each of you to thank our corporate and reception sponsors the next time you frequent their establishments. They are: Dutcher & Zatkowsky, Federated Clover Investment Advisors, Quality Vision International Inc., Canandaigua National Bank, Howe & Rusling, M & T Bank, O’Connell Electric, Caldwell Construction, Clover Nursery, Crawford Funeral Home, Hammer Packaging, Leo J. Roth, Loria Electric, Messner Carpeting, Nolan’s Party Supply, Doyle Security, Mytee Auto, Recognition Experts, WP Tallie Services Inc., Elegant Gent, Home Depot, Jines Restaurant, Kittleberger Florist & Gifts, Saha Med Grill, Sticky Lips Pit BBQ, Tasteful Connections, Voula’s Greek Sweets, Make Waves Salon, Pellegrino’s Deli Café, The Distillery, Gel Salon, and Wegmans. And one last thank you to the Asbury First Appetizer Group who worked tirelessly to put it all together.
Ninth Annual Dinner Among Friends Raises $22,000 On behalf of the Asbury First Dining and Caring Center and the Appetizer Group Dinner Among Friends Committee, we would like to thank each of you for your support of the ninth annual Dinner Among Friends fundraiser. We are happy to report that through your generosity we were able to raise approximately $22,000, or the equivalent of 14,666 meals for those in need through our Dining and Caring Center. There are many people to thank – the caterers who provided a wonderful pre-dinner reception, the hosts 3
Campus Improvements: New Benches and Signage Installed
T
wo recent changes to the Asbury First campus are designed to make the churchgoing experience easier and more comfortable for all, both members and visitors. First, the courtyard formed by the church building and the office building (1050 East Avenue) has been enhanced by the addition of three concrete benches, funded by memorial gifts from members. “The sites for each of the benches were chosen with much consideration given to placement,” said Ken Carr, Asbury
Shirley Baker, and John and Katie Mooney. The families directed that memorial gifts for these people be dedicated to this project. We are deeply grateful for these gifts.”
First’s property care manager. The heavy (each weighs roughly 300 pounds), decorative benches were installed with the help of the Monday Morning Crew. “They’re a nice addition to the campus,” said Carr. “They offer a place for people to sit and reflect or chat after services.”
Visitors may also have noticed an upgrade recently to the interior of the church building. Clear, detailed signage has been placed throughout to help make it easier for people to find their way around the sometimes-confusing layout of the building.
Senior minister, the Rev. Dr. Stephen Cady, expressed thanks for the gifts that made the benches possible. The benches, he said, “were made possible through the generosity of the families and friends of four members: Christine Hassett,
The signs were created by ID Signsystems, following a comprehensive planning process led by an ad hoc sign committee. Led by Laura Swett, and including Martha Tuke, Arlene Vanderlinde, Ruth Vanderlinden, Rick Kuempel, and Stephen Cady, the group assessed existing campus signage and determined that major improvements could be undertaken to make the church more “user friendly.” “The campus is used by so many people, both members and first time visitors, and people had no idea where to go,” said Laura. “We wanted to make the campus as welcoming as possible for everyone. Even something
AFUMC member Jane Jeszenka and sexton Lonnie Day sharing a conversation on one of the new benches on the church campus.
O
Property Care Manager Ken Carr with one of the new signs in 1040 East Avenue.
as simple as finding a rest room has been made easier.” The signage in the church building –1040 East Avenue – is merely the first phase of this project, which will eventually encompass the entire campus. Next, the group is going to be looking at exterior signage as well as signs for the office building and 1010 East Avenue (the red brick building next to the church). There will be a color coded system for the three buildings, and all signs will include braille lettering for those with visual impairments, said Laura.
• ASBURY FIRST CHURCH GOALS •
n Together in Ministry Sunday, our congregation was challenged by senior minister, Rev. Dr. Stephen Cady, to adopt a two-point challenge for the coming year. As we spend this time dreaming about what the future holds for the Asbury First family, it is important for us to be present and active in our relationship with our church family and with God, in the following ways: •
A commitment to attending worship on Sundays as often we are able, whether in person or via the radio broadcast or online livestream.
•
A commitment to sharing the good news of Christ’s love by inviting a friend to join us for worship at Asbury First. As we have found sanctuary in our church family here at Asbury First, so it is important to share this with others.
Please join us – your Asbury First friends, our pastors and staff – in boldly living out the truth of Christ’s love for us as we re-commit to worshipping weekly, and and in welcoming others into our fellowship. 4
on holy ground Created by the Center for Spiritual Life, On Holy Ground highlights opportunities for spiritual growth and renewal. This month’s reflection is taken from Rhythms of Growth: 365 Meditations to Nurture the Soul, by Linda Douty. This is the reflection from September 29. At some point in the journey of letting go, it’s time to stop striving. After leaning forward into awareness, availability, and action, the time comes to allow the process to work. Nature abounds with rich reminders of this patient relinquishment. The caterpillar waits in the chrysalis of the cocoon, staying in the shadowy stillness until its transformation into a butterfly is complete. Seedlings must be allowed to sprout;
bulbs take time to bloom.
was in the back helping me pedal. I don’t know just when it was that God suggested we change places, but life has not been the same since. It’s much more exciting. When I had control, I knew the way. It was rather boring but predictable. It was the shortest distance between two points. But when God took the lead, God knew delightful long cuts, up mountains, and through rocky places and at breakneck speeds. It was all I could to hang on. Even though it looked like madness, God said, “Pedal.” I worried and was anxious and asked, “Where are you taking me?” God laughed and didn’t answer, but I started to trust. I forgot my boring life and entered into the new adventure. And when I’d say, “I’m scared,” God would reach back and touch my hand. God took me to people with gifts that I needed, gifts of healing, acceptance and joy. They gave me their gifts to take on my journey … my journey with God. And we were off again. God said, “Give the
Though allowing the process to work may appear to be a passive activity, it entails our ongoing participation. An imaginative essay titled Bicycling with God captures the heart of the process: At first I saw God as my observer, my judge, keeping track of the things I did wrong, so as to know whether I merited heaven or hell when I die. God was out there sort of like the president. I recognized the picture, but I didn’t really know God. But later on, it seemed as though life was rather like a bike ride, but it was a tandem bike, and I noticed that God
Save the Date!
Advent is God’s Dream For the World Coming True in Jesus! Saturday, December 5 9:30 a.m.-noon 1010 East Avenue (the red brick building west of the church) Please mark your calendars for this Advent workshop: an opportunity for Dreaming, Remembering, Rejoicing, and Anticipating.
gifts away; they’re extra baggage … too much weight.” I did — to the people we met. I found that in giving I received, and still our burden was light. I did not trust God at first, in control of my life. I thought we would wreck. But God knows “bike secrets” – how to make it bend to take sharp corners, jump to clear rocks, fly to shorten scary passages. I am learning to be quiet and pedal in the strangest places, and I’m beginning to enjoy the view and the cool breeze on my face with my constant companion, the Spirit of God. And when I’m sure I just can’t do any more, God just smiles and says, “Pedal.” Reflect: Imagine yourself on the front seat of a tandem bike, then moving slowly into the second seat. How would that switch change the way you live your life? What would you need to let go of to enter that trust and freedom?
Labyrinth Wednesday, November 18 5:00-7:00 p.m.
All are welcome; please bring a friend, a neighbor, a guest. There is no charge, but registration with the church office is requested. Please contact Melody Guadagnino (585) 271-1050 x 103.
Join us for this reflective peaceful practice designed to help you reconnect with God and your spiritual self.
Hosts: Spiritual Life Committee Facilitator: Bonnie Matthaidess (585-752-4650) – contact her with any questions.
5
• pledge to dream • Outreach: Giving Of Ourselves to Those in Need
I
n our last two issues of The Visitor, we’ve taken a look at two areas of great interest to us as Christians: discipleship and membership care. How we care for each other and how we learn about God, are, of course, essential parts of what makes us a church family. This month, we examine another “pillar” that is foundational for many churches, and is, indeed, a hallmark of the Asbury First experience: outreach ministry. For many of our members, volunteering is central to their experience of church and to their own spirituality. Our pledge drive theme this year, “Pledge to Dream” encompasses our hope to think strategically about the ways in which we provide volunteering opportunities for our members, and the ways in which we touch the lives of thousands through our outreach efforts. We invite all the members and friends of Asbury First to join us in dreaming about our potential to serve, in imagining a church, built on a solid foundation, that is ready to meet the challenges and opportunities in the coming years.
I
n the Gathering Center this fall, there has been a large white cardboard kiosk placed prominently in one corner of the room. Next to it is a sign that says “What are your dreams for Asbury First? Think outside the box. Go for it!” In keeping with our theme this year, members and friends have been adding their own dreams to the walls of this kiosk. Here are a few samples: “I dream of a cancer survivor group at Asbury First with outreach to those recently diagnosed.” “Let’s bring sunshine to the homeless.” “That everyone will have enough food for every year until they die.” (This in a child’s sprawling hand, accompanied by stick figure illustrations.) “More interaction in the Latino community.” “I dream of a comprehensive anti-hunger program: dining, cooking, growing and providing food. A program that will involve those we serve working hand-in-hand with us.” Well more than half of the dreams listed on the kiosk, in fact, are related to outreach.
as United Methodists. “The Wesleyan ethos focuses on vital piety and social holiness,” says senior minister, the Rev. Dr. Stephen M. Cady. “Vital piety is inwardly focused – it is about our personal connection to God. Social holiness is external. It asks us to work for justice in the world – to care for the sick, to feed the hungry, and to clothe the naked. In short, it asks us to live like what we believe matters.”
Some suggest improvements to programs already existing at Asbury First, others put forth the possibility of totally new roads for us to travel on as a faith community in helping others. Asbury First has long been known in Rochester as a church whose members are integrally, vitally involved in caring for our neighbors, both in our city and beyond. Some, like the Dining and Caring Center, the Storehouse, and the URWell Clinic, are based physically at Asbury First, and bring many of our Rochester brothers and sisters who are in crisis directly to our church campus.
But our charge to serve others goes back well before John Wesley, to the greatest commandments given by Christ, Stephen reminds us. “The injunction to love God is mirrored by the one to love our neighbor,” he says. “The two cannot be separated.”
Others, like the School #41 tutoring program and Grocery Bag Ministry, allow our volunteers to be out in the community, spreading the word of Christ’s love through their work with children, those who are hungry, and all those in need of assistance.
Recently, Asbury First’s focus on outreach has been sharpened through the creation of a strategic Outreach Task Force, which is taking a thorough look at how we go about the business of helping others. The task force has been charged with developing a strategic plan for outreach at Asbury First that assesses the strengths and weaknesses of our current ministries and sets a plan for the next five to ten years.
Several of our outreach efforts – including the program in Chacocente, Nicaragua, and the Miracle Garden orphanage and school in India – are international in scope. This interest in outreach is fundamental to our identity 6
They have been dreaming: looking at ways to broaden our efforts beyond serving immediate needs so that we as a church can make an impact on the systemic problems causing hunger, lack of capital, and isolation from basic human services. Led by members Larry Gage and Diana Carter, and with input from Rev. Beth Quick, an expert in systemic change in churches’ charitable and social justice work, the group has been meeting regularly to take the first steps in re-envisioning how we look at and go about outreach. You’ll be hearing more about this group in the coming months, as their dreams begin to take form. Why is it so important for us to make outreach central to what we do? All of our outreach ministries, large and small, local or global, connect our members and friends with those in some sort of need that can be met through our collective touch. But there’s another similarity that they all share, too: one that doesn’t always get noticed in our desire to alleviate distress in others. It’s this: reaching out to help those in need has the potential to change the giver as well as the receiver.
Sometimes, in fact, helping others brings grace, solace, and even wisdom to us in ways we never would have thought possible. July 12 was a typical Sunday service at Asbury First. The music was beautiful, the prayers were heartfelt, and Kathy Thiel’s sermon was filled with words worthy of reflection. Near the end of the service, Director of Youth Ministry Mike Mullin invited four young people up to the altar to share with the congregation a little about their recent outreach mission trip to the Navajo Nation in Tsaile, Arizona. The four – Evan Alaimo, Hannah Smith, Will Headley, and Allie Lamica – spoke movingly about what the trip meant for them. They talked about the gratitude of a man with mobility challenges for the new ramp built by the group at his home; about seeing God in the stark beauty of the western landscape; about finding family among their colleagues. It was clear to all that in helping out, the four had been, in some way, profoundly moved, and even changed, by the experience. Will Headley, a junior at Penfield High School, spoke about something he had learned on the trip, as he shared his thoughts on the spiritual devotion held every night after the long day’s work: “I volunteered to pray,” he said. “but I wasn’t really sure who or what I was praying to. I was rather praying for something. And I realized that you don’t have to pray to anyone or anything to be engaged, as long as you’re engaged in spirit and in heart, and that
is all that matters when you’re praying.”
Pledge to DREAM
Clearly, for Will and others on the trip, the experience was about more than outreach. In addition to their work with those in need, the trip helped them to shape their ideas about what it means to be a Christian; what it means to be a disciple of Christ.
2016 Pledge Goal: $1,149,000 Pledges Raised 2015: $1,101,180 I/we offer this gift to the annual operating budget for 2016: My/our estimate of giving for 2016 is $
per month for 12 months = $
per
“Each of our youth who shared in worship shared how the trip has changed them for the better,” says Mike Mullin. “These experiences will continue to be foundational as they grow in their lives and in their ministries. Mission trips are incredible opportunities for our youth to experience and live out beyond the walls of the church the faith and spirituality that has been fostered in them at Asbury First.”
or $
= $
or increase last year's gift by _________percent In addition, I/we offer a designated gift of $ to be used for
Total estimated gift for 2016 $
_____ _____
(estimate of giving plus any designated gifts)
If you would like envelopes, please indicate your preference. ❑ monthly ❑ weekly Are you interested in electronic funds transfer? ❑ yes (If yes, we will contact you)
And there is the paradox: to grow in your own personal spirituality, reach out to others. To get closer to God, become closer to your neighbor – and everyone, Jesus tells us, is our neighbor. At Asbury First, this is something to think about as we dream about the future of outreach ministries at the church. How is God calling us to serve others? What roads should we travel as we extend our reach into the community even farther? Will it be possible for the church to welcome an additional minister to the staff, one whose focus is on outreach? As you consider your own dreams and pledge your support to the church, the answer to these questions is in your hands.
Name(s): Address:
email:
I DREAM ... In keeping with our theme this year, we want to know what your dreams for our church are. Your dreams, along with your pledge card, will be consecrated during our annual Thanksgiving In-Gathering. With your permission, we will also share your dream (though not, of course, your pledge) with the congregation through a “Dream Wall” that will be displayed in the Gathering Center during the Thanksgiving season. My dream for Asbury First is __________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________
7
outreach news Asbury First Carvers of Hope Carvers of Hope is a woodcarving ministry that was started last year at Asbury First. Our group carves small, simple hand crosses or birds for those in need. They are given to our ministers to use with those who may be facing life’s overwhelming difficulties. The hand crosses or comfort birds are a personal reminder of God’s love for us.
Carvers of Hope meets on the second Wednesday of each month, on the second floor of 1010 East Avenue (the red brick building west of the church), from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Our next meeting is Wednesday, November 11, and we invite you to join us then. Participants need to be at least 12 years old to join, but no woodcarving skills are needed – only a spirit of hope. We will teach you how to carve the hand crosses and birds, as well as supplying all safety equipment, carving knives, wood, and materials to finish the small carvings. If you are interested in joining us or have questions, please feel free to email or give us a call.
Our ministry is centered on the hope as found in Romans 15. “Now may the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” The hope we get from God is a fundamental belief for Christians. It strengthens us for the many challenges we face throughout life. We can be strong in hope when facing difficulties from what we have learned about God’s goodness and faithfulness.
– Bob Castle (244-3022 or rcastle166@frontiernet.com), John Smalt (924-8624 or jhsmalt@ gmail.com)
Habitat for Humanity News Flower City Habitat for Humanity is presenting several fundraisers this fall in support of its building projects. We invite you to show your support for this vital organization that provides so much value to your Rochester neighbors who do not have adequate housing.
Miché Fambro Concert
Delicious Holiday Pies Available
Prepare to be wowed! On November 7 at 4:00 p.m., singer/guitarist Miché Fambro, a man of many skills, will captivate us with his mastery of the guitar and a voice to match. An established presence in the concert halls of upper New York state and beyond, Miché fuses elements of flamenco, jazz, classical, pop, and soul into a style all his own. Miché is dedicating this performance to the memory of Roger Cross, founder of Flower City Habitat for Humanity and the Harvest Home Coalition (of which Asbury First is a member), as we continue the Harvest Home Coalition’s build on Ries Street in the JOSANA neighborhood this fall. The concert will be held at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 3825 East Henrietta Road in Henrietta. Free-will donations to support our house will be accepted at the concert. (Make checks payable to “Harvest Home Coalition” — Memo Line: “Roger Cross House”) There will be refreshments after the concert. Go to https://youtu. be/rYZWbEtFSCY to see his invitation to this event.
Apple crumb, apple raspberry, pumpkin, apple crisp and Christmas crumb pies – don’t they all sound delicious? These pies are created from scratch by Kelly’s Farm Market in Hilton, N.Y., with fruit grown on their farm, and will be available to you for your holiday needs. Prices range from $16 to $12 for the deep-dish, 10 inch homemade fruit pies, which weigh in at about four and a half pounds. This is an annual event for Habitat for Humanity and all the money received from the sale goes directly into the Harvest Home Coalition to support the build on Ries Street. Order and pay for your pies at the table in the Welcoming Hall on Sundays, November 1, 8 and 15. The pies will be delivered on Tuesday, November 24 and can be picked up after 1:00 p.m. in the Welcoming Hall – just in time for Thanksgiving dinner. The pies also freeze well, if you wish to plan ahead for Christmas dinner. If you want some delicious holiday pies and wish to support Asbury First’s participation in the building of another home for our community for a deserving family, come and see us in the Welcoming Hall or contact Paula Kuempel, kuempel84@gmail.com, 262-2511. 8
youth ministry news
From beginning to end, October was a busy and productive month for the youth of Asbury First. The month began with the arrival of the truck full of pumpkins and gourds for the Asbury First Pumpkin Patch. This fundraiser, held for the second time this year, provides vital funding for the youth mission trips. In 2015, the senior youth traveled to Arizona to work on home projects in the Navajo Nation, while the junior youth traveled to the Adirondacks for several days of service. Director of Youth Ministry Mike Mullin recently announced the 2016 destinations for the mission trips: Cuba, for the senior youth (an international location is chosen every four years), while the junior youth will work in and around the Rochester area. A day later, the youth made their annual trek out to Long Acre Farms in Macedon to tackle the Amazing Maize Maze. This award-winning maze is fast becoming a traditional destination for the youth every year. Throughout the month, the youth volunteered to work at the Pumpkin Patch, which was open on evenings during the week and all day on weekends. Some intrepid young people also gave up their Columbus Day vacation to assist on a Habitat for Humanity shed build. Two sturdy storage sheds, which will be given to families receiving homes through Habitat programs, were constructed in the Granger Street parking lot at Asbury First. Our youth worked with kids from the other churches represented by the Harvest Home Coalition, a group made up of local churches, that is currently building a house in the Josana neighborhood. On Sunday, October 18, the youth presented another mission fundraiser: the ever-popular Spaghetti Luncheon, after the 11:00 a.m. service. While guests ate, several of the youth entertained them with stories from this year’s mission trips. Finally, on October 24, the youth participated in the Family Fall Festival & Hoedown, an evening of fun, food, and fellowship that included square dancing, a chicken barbecue, and other seasonal activities for adults and children under a tent on the Granger Street lawn.
Director of Youth Ministries & UMYF Member Participating in Conference
Director of Youth Ministry Mike Mullin and UMYF member Johnny Church are both playing a leadership role this fall at a regional gathering held by the Upper New York Conference’s Conference Council on Youth Ministries (CCYM). The theme of the event is Do Something: Disciples Edition. Mike is leading a session titled Do Something ... Service, while Johnny is the Youth Services Fund (YSF) chair on CCYM and a member of the leadership team for both CCYM and the District Council on Youth Ministry (DCYM).
Spaghetti Luncheon a Success
Thanks to all those who participated behind the scenes in the Spaghetti Luncheon, as well as to those who attended. Donations totalled nearly $600 at the event, which resulted in a net gain of about $300 for the youth mission fund. While guests enjoyed their salad, bread, spaghetti and meatball meal, they were entertained and informed by nearly a dozen of the Asbury First youth, who shared stories from their mission trips this past year. In this photo, Andrew Kennedy talks about the senior high trip to the Navajo Nation.
Mike Mullin
Johnny Church
9
Thanksgiving In-Gathering • Sunday, November 22 Each year we gather on the Sunday before Thanksgiving to give thanks for all that God has given us, and to pass on our gratitude in the form of items to support our outreach ministries – something we call our “Thanksgiving In-Gathering.” You are invited to review the list of needed items below, and join with others in bringing a gift of whatever items you wish to services on November 22. That day, at the offertory, we will bring forward our gifts and present them at the altar. This year, our ministries are in need of the following: For the Dining and Caring Center: adult hats, gloves and scarves, coffee, sugar, grits, and toilet paper. For the Storehouse: children’s gloves and mittens. For the Grocery Bag Ministry: canned fruit and vegetables, canned soup, peanut butter, jams, jellies, canned tuna.
Support The Asbury First Library at B&N Book Fair As you start to think of shopping for Christmas, please consider buying your gifts on November 30 at Barnes & Noble in Pittsford. The Asbury First Resource Library is holding a book fair that day; a portion of the sales price of your purchases will enable the library to buy new books. Simply tell the store clerk that you’re with the book fair, or present our book fair number (11717592). Even food and drink in the café are included in this fundraiser. To make the event more enjoyable, we will once again be hosting the fabulous Asbury Ringers at 7:00 p.m. that day, and Asbury First celebrity storytelling for children at 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. We hope to have an additional musical performance in the afternoon. New this year is a presentation on therapy dogs. Look for an updated schedule in the bulletin and e-newsletter. Out of the area on November 30, or unable to attend that day? You can still help by shopping at any Barnes and Noble store on November 30 and presenting our book fair number (11717592), or shopping online at BN.com/bookfairs from December 1 through 5 and entering the number on the checkout page. Questions? Contact Diana Carter at (585) 732-7224 or DianaLouiseCarter@gmail.com.
10
• A legacy of learning • by Kathy Thiel
I
f you are in the vicinity of 1010 East Avenue on Sunday morning, you may hear the dulcet tones of the members of the Doublers Sunday school class opening their class by singing “O let the Son of God enfold you in his spirit and his love ….” This is only one of the ways you may be drawn in to this loving group of Asbury First parishioners. The Doublers class was started in 1953 when Bob and Ginny Fitch, Betty and Al Froehlicher, and Joan and Ron Phillips got together and talked to the church staff about starting a new class. The class was originally made up of married couples, but now they are married, single, and of all ages. Bob Fitch invited his neighbor Winthrop Steele to be their teacher, and he taught the class for seventeen years. After that, the class changed their format and began to invite a different speaker each week. This continues today and the class is treated to a new voice speaking on an interesting topic each week. According to Jeanne Rowe, a long-time member of the Doublers with her late husband Bill, naming the class Doublers was a suggestion of Donna Steele, the wife of Winthrop. “Bring another person to class with you and double our numbers!” she said. The name stuck. Early on, Jeanne said, the class bonded over shared experiences, often baby sitting for each other’s children, helping out with home improvement projects, and bringing food when there was a need. All of these thoughtful
ways to show their love for each other and for God create a feeling of family among the group that only continues to deepen. They have always been there for each other in times of joy and sorrow, sharing each other’s challenging times and times of celebration.
activities in which the class was involved: road rallies, skating/ sledding parties, picnics on Canandaigua Lake. The class still has social events, now every third Saturday; this month they will attend a performance of the play Cabaret after a meal at the Highlands.
When Asbury First was raising money to build the new education wing, the Doublers put on one-act plays and sold tickets as their contribution.
The Doublers are one of the many wonderful Sunday school classes which are examples of the love and fellowship of Asbury First parishioners, meeting at the church and forming deep bonds
Jeanne remembers the many
that continue throughout the years, and stretch further than the church walls. These classes have open memberships, so if you are looking for something to do from 9:45-10:45 a.m. on Sunday mornings, stop by and see for yourself. You will be most welcome!
A
re you interested in checking out an Asbury First Sunday school class? Classes offer a friendly, welcoming way to learn more about your own faith and much more while you relax with friends old and new. There are classes for everyone, from young parents to senior citizens. Generally, Sunday school classes meet at 9:45 Sunday mornings and adjourn at about 10:45, so that participants can, if they wish, attend the 11:00 a.m. service. Class members may also get together at other times for social events. During the summer months, the classes go on hiatus, resuming in early September on Together in Ministry Sunday. Here’s a listing of the current Sunday school classes at Asbury First. Don’t see one that interests you? Why not start your own! If you have an idea for a Sunday school class, contact Katie O’Hern at kohern@asburyfirst.org. What? Bible Study
When? Sundays, 9:4510:45 am
Where? 1050 Teak Room
In the News Parables of Parenting Doublers
Sundays, 9:4510:45 am Sundays, 9:4510:45 am Sundays, 9:4510:45 am Sundays, 9:4510:45 am Sundays, 9:4510:45 am
1050 Dining Room 1040 Room 205 1010 Red Room 1010 Dining Room 1010 Room 21
Sundays, 9:4510:45 am
1010 Meditation Room
50+ Fellowship Growing Spirits/Living Edge Partnership
11
What’s It About For anyone interested in taking a closer look at the Bible. Led by Rev. David Lubba (Dave also leads an adult study group on Wednesday mornings at 10:00 a.m.) Faithful conversation centered around today’s news’ headlines. Support and strength for those on the journey of raising children. Bible study, theology, Christian service, and social concerns. Christians examining their faith and life issues. Growing as Christians through topic discussions, outreach, fellowship and social events. Speakers on topics such as Christian theology and social concerns.
A Listening Life November 17, December 15 7:00-8:30 p.m. | 1010 Red Room
Fall Campus Cleanup
When we hear something, do we really
Saturday, November 21
listen? From the whisper of a breeze
8:30-12:00 p.m.
in the trees to a baby’s piercing cry for attention, we use our sense of hearing
Would you like to get some exercise, commune
every day. But do we fully understand
with nature, and help your church, all at the same
and appreciate what we’re hearing?
time? You’re invited to join us for a few hours on
In this series of discussions, we’ll look
November 21 as we prepare our beautiful cam-
at how we listen to many voices: from God’s still voice to the voices of the
pus for the winter to come. We’ll be raking leaves,
world around us. We’ll explore ways
mulching flower beds, and doing other tasks to
to ensure that we don’t succumb to the old adage: “in one
ensure that our plantings and lawn survive the
ear and out the other,” and we’ll talk about how listening
winter in fine shape. Bring your favorite tools –
carefully can help us to learn, to grow, and to reach out to God and others. Series will continue in spring.
we’ll supply the coffee! We hope to see you there!
Our Living Births & Baptisms
Deaths
God has sealed you unto love and grace divine
Merciful God, we entrust to Your never-failing care and love.
Charles Raymond Baron son of Glenn Baron and Brittany Ramsay, baptized on October 11, 2015.
Marriages May the blessings of God’s love go with you in your new covenant. Kelly Ann Keeney and Ryan James Ferguson were married on October 10, 2015. Emily Ruth Gage and Christopher Michael John Rooney were married on October 11, 2015 in Warrenton, VA.
worship schedule WORSHIP
in Community
Sunday Service Times
Sunday november 15
8:30 a.m. – Traditional Worship We offer our prayers and sympa- 10:00 a.m. – Chancel Worship thy to the family and friends of with Holy Communion Elaine Zander 11:00 a.m. – Traditional who died on October 3, 2015. Worship with the Sanctuary We offer our prayers and Choir. sympathy to Marian and Sunday November 1 Dan Gottler on the death of Marian’s brother-in-law All Saint’s Day Hazen Gilbert Revelation 21:1-6a on October 14, 2015. Rev. Dr. Stephen Cady, preacher
25th Sunday After Pentecost
We offer our prayers and sympathy to the family and friends of Dorothy Van Orman who died on September 27, 2015.
Sunday November 8
Katie O’Hern, preacher
24th Sunday After Pentecost
Sunday december 6
Mark 12:38-44
Second Sunday of Advent
Kathy Thiel, preacher
Luke 3:1-16
Mark 13:1-8 Rev. Dr. Stephen Cady, preacher Sunday november 22 Thanksgiving Sunday/Christ the King Sunday 1 Samuel 2:1-10 Rev. Dr. Stephen Cady, preacher Sunday november 29 First Sunday of Advent
Rev. Dr. Stephen Cady, preacher 12
Asbury First Orchestra
W
hen the Asbury First Orchestra performs in worship services, members arrive at church by 7:30 a.m. to tune and rehearse with organist Duane Prill. By 8:30 a.m., everyone will be ready and watching for the cue for the processional to begin. The musicians will add their sound and joy to the experience of worship. The Asbury First Orchestra was developed by member Laurie Kennedy 18 years ago. A cellist and music teacher in the area, Laurie became aware of members in the congregation who were instrumentalists. Beginning with her dream: “Wouldn’t it be neat if those with a love of playing could share that joy with the congregation?” a group was born. From the orchestra’s first rehearsal, the members have been of all ages and experiences. There are those like Jeff and Alleen Fraser who are professional musicians and retired educators. Julianne Burch is a newly-graduated music educator. They each share music stands with and support elementary students who have played for only a few years. Others like Dave Petherbridge, Karl Greenhagle and Ted Doerner (who recently passed away), retired from full-time
up early and join the orchestra for rehearsals and performances. Many of them add stability and strength to their sections.
employment and found great instruction in the Eastman School of Music’s New Horizons Ensembles. These gentlemen brought their newly found skills to Asbury First and regularly share their enthusiasm for making music with others. Some, like Lynn Selke, Rick Kuempel, John Ormsbee, Sharon Vincent, Janda Hemming and Adrian Dahl, have played all of their lives and take every opportunity to perform.
Kennedy and others, this is a bit of a risk, but they have always given their best and come through smiling. There are also elementary, middle, and high school students that can occasionally be convinced to get
Laurie has always believed that if the appropriate music is selected and parts are made to suit the players’ abilities, each player can be encouraged to add the gift of their music to the whole. With a little practice, the combination of those gifts is a blessing to all who listen. The group is always looking for more players. Just show up with your instrument for a rehearsal the next time you see an announcement in the bulletin. You’ll be glad you did.
Salon Concert Series at A s b u r y F i r s t
S u n d a y, N o v e m b e r 8 / 2 : 0 0 P . M .
While all of these folks play on a regular basis, there is another group of members who played as children and put their instruments away under their beds as they moved into adult life. The orchestra has been the incentive for them to pull their instruments out of storage and start practicing. To Tammi Vinci, Sandra Holloway, Dave Carter and Dave and Nancy Behnk, Donna Anderson, Dave
Brahms Trios
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.
13
library news November commences holiday season with Thanksgiving and Christmas vacations and extra reading time. Let us help you choose vacation reading books. Take a look at these selections for children, young adults, and adults. They are just a few of the many possibilities available for loan in the Church Resource Library. The library is located just off the Welcoming Hall near the elevators. When the church is open, the library is open, and everyone is welcome! Come in and browse. Children:
Adults:
Winter is Coming, by Tony Johnston, illustrated by Jim LaMarche.
Two Steps Forward: A Story of Persevering in Hope, by Sharon
Witness the changing of a season through a watchful child’s eyes in
Garlough Brown.
this story of nature and discovery from award-winning author Tony
Those readers and fans of this author, who recently spoke to an
Johnston and New York Times Best Illustrated Artist Jim La Marche.
audience of 150 at Asbury First, will be interested in this follow-up book to Sensible Shoes.
The Secret of Saying Thanks, by Douglas Wood. A quiet, reflective piece for all, but especially appropriate for ages
Broken for You, by Stephanie Kallas.
4-8, on the importance of a grateful attitude. In this 32-page book,
National best seller and Today show Book Club selection, Broken
Wood (Old Turtle) shares a life lesson sure to inspire: that true
for You is the story of two women in self-imposed exile whose lives
happiness lies in giving thanks and appreciating all there is to be
are transformed when their paths intersect.
thankful for.
Parenting:
Teens:
The Spiritual Child: The New Science of Parenting for Health and
Bo of Ballard Creek, by Kirkpatrick Hill.
Lifelong Thriving, by Linda Miller, Ph.D.
This is an unforgettable story of a little girl growing up in the
Author Miller (psychology and education/Columbia University,
exhilarating time after the Alaska gold rushes. Ages 8-12 will
Teachers College) claims that spirituality exists innately in all
especially like this 304-page book.
human beings from infancy onward and that spiritual education is an important part of a child’s development. The author describes
Positive: A Memoir, by Paige Rawl with Ali Benjamin.
research that correlates different levels of spiritual awakening with
The subtitle “Surviving my bullies, finding hope, and living to
different developmental stages across cultures. Miller contends that
change the world” is descriptive of this book, cited as a must-read
spirituality is a universal experience.
for teens.
November
26
Psalm 100
1
1 Chronicles 13:1-14
27
Luke 20:45-21:4
2
1 Chronicles 14:1-17
28
Luke 21:5-24
3
1 Chronicles 15:1-24
29
Luke 21:25-38
4
1 Chronicles 15:25-16:7
30
Psalm 24
5
1 Chronicles 16:8-43
13
Psalm 82
20
Psalm 93
December
6
1 Chronicles 17:1-27
14
Psalm 84
21
Psalm 95
1
Philippians 1:1-30
7
Psalm 8
15
Psalm 87
22
Psalm 96
2
Philippians 2:1-30
8
Psalm 73
16
Psalm 89
23
Psalm 97
3
Philippians 3:1-21
9
Psalm 75
17
Psalm 90
24
Psalm 98
4
Philippians 4:1-23
25
Psalm 99
5
Isaiah 40:1-31
6
Isaiah 41:1-29
10
Psalm 76
18
Psalm 91
11
Psalm 80
19
Psalm 92
12
Psalm 81
Scripture reading suggestions courtesy of the American Bible Society, www.americanbible.org.
14
the last word 1 by Michele Cooley 2
Helping Others As He Has Been Helped
leave within four days. This was very disruptive, particularly for Cecil, who had dreams of starting another safe house and working alongside Ed.
While I was trying to think of what to write for this article, I looked across the room at Cecil Dukes, who was using the computer. He said he would like to be profiled for an article in The Visitor. I have known Cecil for many years now. He has always been a great volunteer and a good resource of information for guests here looking for services. He enjoys helping the homeless, and would like to start a safe house. Cecil was attempting to get into Booth Haven at the Salvation Army, a shelter for homeless men, when he met Ed Bauer. Ed was a true believer in the capacity of people to change through a Christian program that helped them to realize a new life in Christ. He called his program New Lives in Christ Ministries, Inc., and their motto was bringing the light and hope to the lost and homeless. Ed was a friend of the Asbury First Dining and Caring Center. He had a unique program in Waterloo, N.Y. for recovering addicts. Participants in his program had to be clean and sober and had to have graduated from an in-patient program. Ed himself was a recovering alcoholic who decided to purchase an old school house, which he turned into his home and a safe haven for men looking for a new life. Cecil was the fourth resident and client of Ed’s, and he stayed for four years. He became manager of the house. He and Ed would come into Rochester to get people off the streets. They went under bridges, to the parking garage – anywhere they thought they could find people in need. They also came to the Dining and Caring Center and other soup kitchens in the area. There were eight residents at a time, with people staying there for two years. The program was very
Cecil came back to Rochester and moved to a rooming house. He has been going through a lot of ups and downs with his living situation. His housemates are abusive drug addicts and he knows he can’t stay there. He is going to enter a program to reinforce his sobriety and he is ready to start over. He wants to be stable and ready to start another safe house, carrying on Ed’s legacy.
successful for many. 86 people came through, and 80 made it out of homelessness and addiction and into their own apartments. In addition they all were able to obtain jobs while residents and paid for their own rooms. The program was very self-sustaining. Sadly, about one year ago, Ed was driving to the house and had a heart attack. He passed away, and as a result, all eight residents had to
Cecil knows the life of a homeless person, having been there himself. He knows what they go through. “Sometimes they are treated like dirt, but they are still human.” he says. “You wouldn’t believe the things they go through and the things people do to them. People are afraid of the homeless, thinking that they are going to be robbed. But Christ said to help the homeless and the sick and the poor. That is what I want to do.”
A Small Gift ... A Big Result Winter is coming, and with it the frigid temps and challenging snow storms that all Rochesterians know and love. Winter can be tough for all of us, but for some, who do not have warm clothing, it’s even harder. You can help make the winter a little easier for one of our guests, though, with a simple gift: we are in need of new socks and underwear (men’s adult sizes), and new or gently used gloves and winter coats. You would be amazed at the difference a warm pair of gloves can make on a sub-zero day to someone who has no home to go to. Please leave your gifts at the church office or bring them to the Dining Center. Thank you for your generosity.
15
PERIODICAL 1050 East Avenue Rochester, NY 14607-2293 Address Service Requested
2 0 1 5 YO U T H M U S I C A L : C H I L D R E N O F E D E N • Friday and Saturday, NOVEMBER 13 & 14, 7:00 p.m. • Sunday, November 15, 1:00 p.m. • tickets: $10 (a boxed lunch will be available for $8 for the Nov. 15 show), available in the church office. This year, the AFUMC youth present the musical Children of Eden. Children of Eden tells the stories of Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, and Noah and the flood. While remaining faithful to the stories from the Book of Genesis, Children of Eden fleshes out the challenges facing the parents and children in the tales as they deal with changing worlds and family discord with hope for the future and love for God and each other.