TheVisitor
Asbury First United Methodist Church Newsletter November 2011 • Vol. XLV No. 9 • www.asburyfirst.org
In This Issue Pledge Your Gift, 3 Stephen Ministry, 6 URWell Clinic, 7 JC Superstar 8 Tree Sale, 10 Youth Counselors, 11
The Visitor
Mission Statement
Vol. XLV No. 9
Through worship, education, and care, we develop disciples of
(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.
Jesus Christ who live and proclaim the Gospel and thereby work to transform our culture.
Periodical postage paid at Rochester, N.Y.
Welcome
POSTMASTER: Send addresses changes to
A Pastoral Reflection
Asbury First UMC Visitor 1050 East Ave. Rochester, N.Y. 14607-2239 (585) 271-1050
Hebrews 13: 2: Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have enter-
Staff
Rev. Susan S. Shafer Rev. Phillip W. Phaneuf Rev. Lawrence Hargrave David T. Strong Dr. William J. Weinert Paula Dugan Melissa Bohrer Richard Moncrief Melody Guadagnino Michele Cooley Jason Franklin Mary Van Keuren Ashley Eckman Duane A. Prill David T. Strong Elizabeth Church Brian Bohrer Larry Dugan Megan Phaneuf
tained angels without knowing it. (NRSV)
Senior Pastor Pastor Pastor Administrative Director of Music and the Arts Artistic Director of Music and the Arts Co-director of Children’s Ministry Co-director of Children’s Ministry Financial Administrator Administrative Assistant Dining & Caring Center Director Property Care Manager Communications Director & Editor Together in Ministry (Volunteer) Coordinator Organist Assistant Organist Director, Bell Choir Director, Youth Music Director, Youth Theater Photographer
Have you ever seen a building with a sign at the entrance that read “All are Welcome?” Have you then proceeded to enter and before long, for whatever the reason, not felt welcome at all? That is definitely not the situation at Asbury First United Methodist Church. I am thankful that Asbury First is a church that has welcomed me in a way that has been extraordinary. I have felt that since Sunday August 21, when I was a guest preacher. I continue to feel that. I continue to be impressed by the exceptionally gifted staff, the extraordinary music, and an atmosphere that empowers Bible study and theological inquiry. I have noticed the ways in which children, youth, young adults, and families are served. I observe excellent pastoral care and compassionate care for the poor and less fortunate of our community. Asbury First, with its fine staff, energetic volunteers, and faithful members, represents the church of Jesus Christ in Western New York in ways that are innovative while being consistent with tradition. I have felt special because of the way that I have been welcomed. However, on further observation, I have seen that welcoming is a widespread phenomenon at Asbury First. As I continue to settle into my role, I welcome your questions, comments, and suggestions. Please know that while I am a follower of Jesus and can swim, I don’t expect to master that “walking on water.” For those who would try to sneak a peak to see if I have angel’s wings, I suggest that you look closely
Cover: Our beautiful church campus in early fall; a photo by Glenn Peck.
at the thousands of persons in need that find help, hope, and healing at Asbury First United Methodist Church. I believe that the angels are in
Please send all submissions, questions, comments, or concerns to Mary Van Keuren at mvankeuren@asburyfirst.org.
the midst of those who come. Our reward is to give them a sense of being welcomed into God’s presence. Peace, Blessings and Good Journey,
Deadline for next issue: Monday, November 7
Lawrence 2
AFUMC news A Great Excuse to Shop for Books
Breathe Life Into Our Ministries: Pledge Now
Asbury First’s Resource Library is inviting members of the Asbury First community to a book fair at Barnes & Noble at Pittsford Plaza on Monday, Nov. 28, and online from Nov. 28 to Dec. 3. By shopping in the store that day, or online you can raise money to buy much-needed books for the library. Members of the library committee will be in the store nearly all day, and we’ve arranged a performance by the Asbury First bell choir at 7 p.m. to make an evening visit even more attractive. Look for news of another performance that day and times for children’s story hours. You may have noticed that this event is the same night as the annual Rochester Area Interfaith Hospitality Network (RAIHN) fundraiser at Pittsford Plaza, so you can help two groups with one visit to the plaza!
Have you submitted your Estimate of Giving pledge card yet? By filling out your pledge card, you have the power bring life to Asbury First’s ministries of worship, education, membership care, and outreach. Take a moment to clip out the card below and drop it in the offering basket next Sunday. Or if you prefer, you can pledge online at www.asburyfirst.org. Thank you for all you do to support your church!
T h e P o w e r of One Asbury First United Methodist Church
How does the book fair work? You just shop at Barnes & Noble that day and tell the checkout clerk you’re with Asbury First. A percentage of your sale will be credited to the library fundraiser. Online, if you start at www.bn.com/bookfairs, a prompt at the checkout will ask you for a special code so your purchase can be credited to the fundraiser. Here’s the code: 10591733.
To continue Christ’s work, I/we offer this gift of financial support to the annual operating budget for 2012: My/our estimate of giving for 2012 is $
per month for 12 months = $
or $ per
Unlike some fundraisers, the prices won’t be higher than usual and you won’t be limited to certain products. You can buy books, music, DVDs, toys, games, Vera Bradley accessories, food and drink in the café, stationery, art supplies, and candy. Even Nooks are included, but at a special rate. And B&N has one promotional item for book fairs: a whole Cheesecake Factory cheesecake, delivered pre-sliced and frozen for you to pick up the day of the book fair. We’ll make order forms available in the weeks ahead.
= $
In addition, I/we offer a designated gift of $ to be used for ________________ If you would like envelopes, please indicate your preference and consider an additional $5 gift to cover the cost. ❑ monthly ❑ weekly
A few purchases won’t count toward our fundraiser, such as software, Nook downloads, memberships, and video games. Feel free to use your B&N membership or educator ID to get your usual discounts. While purchasing a gift card during the book fair won’t count toward our total, spending a gift card will.
Are you interested in electronic funds transfer? ❑ yes (If yes, we will contact you) Total estimated gift for 2012 $ Name(s):
For more information, contact Diana Carter at blueloon@rochester. rr.com or (585) 473-1187, or stop by the library.
Address:
Do You Wish to Serve? It’s that time of year again, as Nominations Committee meets to provide volunteer staffing for the various committees in the life of the church. Are you interested in Center for Spiritual Life, Children’s Min-
email:
continued on page 9
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Thanksgiving In-Gathering Sunday, November 20
A
s we pause on Thanksgiving Sunday to give thanks for all the good things we’ve been given by God, we also remember those who have less. This year’s In-Gathering collection will benefit the following:
•
Your financial gifts will be used by the Grocery Bag Ministry for their monthly donation of fifty bags of
groceries to an inner-city church. •
Gifts of canned goods, as well as of hats and caps, gloves, white tube socks, and personal hy-
giene items like toothbrushes, razors, and soap will allow the Dining and Caring Center to assemble holiday bags for their guests. Please bring your gifts to church on November 20 and help make a difference in the life of one of your brothers or sisters in Christ.
UR WELL Clinic Reaches a Milestone
O
n January 15, 2012, it will be three years since the Asbury First UR Well Clinic began serving the community. We open our doors each week as a free walk-in clinic to care for the uninsured. The clinic is open on Thursday evenings, accepting patients from 6:00 through 8:00 p.m. Interns from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry staff the clinic, with a community physician as preceptor. Nurses, greeters, and food assistants are members of Asbury First. We provide acute health care for adults and children: rashes/pains, asthma/allergies, infections, hypertension (high blood pressure), diabetes mellitus, tuberculosis (TB) skin test, PPD, health education and prevention medicine, and smoking cessation counseling. For a while we were providing physicals, but that became
a problem because so many persons were coming for physicals that they filled our clinic hours and we were turning away people who had acute problems. We have reorganized so that we are not giving physicals unless the person is willing to wait until the acute problems have been seen. Otherwise, we refer them to another clinic in the community for assistance. We have added a dermatology clinic every third Thursday. Other services we offer include clinical pharmacy services, counseling on medications and common disease states, assistance with finding affordable medications, and information on how to enroll in New York State health care plans.
(provided by the children of the Asbury First Sunday School classes). We also provide a warm meal, coffee, tea, and warm, welcoming friendship while the patients wait to be seen. Our mission is to provide free, high-quality preventative and health maintenance services to uninsured and under-served
Now, the interns have cleaned, painted, obtained new office furniture and equipment, and hung pictures on the walls 4
families and individuals. We aim to foster the health of the Rochester community while promoting the spirit of education, social justice, and collaboration. For more information on becoming a nurse or greeter in the clinic or if you would like a tour, call Ida Hickman at 461-9696.
Project Chacocente Update Vilma Writes Her Way into PC History by Chacocente Project Executive Director Cheryl Avery
W
hen Vilma and Nelson and their son Jonathan were not selected to participate in Project Chacocente originally, Vilma wrote me a letter. The penmanship was beautiful; the Spanish, perfect. She explained why she wanted to move her family out of the Managua Dump. I responded by saying if someone dropped out of the project, we would
consider them. Not much of a promise. As God would have it, a family did drop out, and Vilma and Nelson came to live at Chacocente. They have not wasted the opportunity. Despite many ups and downs, they have persevered. Today, Nelson (who lived most of his life at the dump) is an accomplished farmer, a selftaught guitar player, and an eager English student! Vilma is the Chacocente Christian School’s librarian, and although petrified at first, has learned how to use the computer to catalog the books. Jonathan, a fifth grade student, has emerged as
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a talented singer. He has participated in a few intra-school competitions, and acted in our school plays. Baby Chelsea, who was born after the family came to Chacocente, just entered pre-school and is adapting nicely.
Dinner Among Friends… this fundraiser,” said event co-chairs Meredith Pixley and Deb McLean. The evening was a roaring success, raising approximately $14,000 (as of press time). All of the funds raised at this event go toward purchasing nutritious food for the estimated 24,000 meals served annually at the Dining Center. Although the rate of inflation is relatively modest at two percent, the cost of food has skyrocketed, with costs up six percent this year alone. “This gala is our biggest fundraiser of the year, and we rely on the proceeds to ensure that all who walk through our doors will receive a meal that is both well balanced and delicious,” said Board Chair Carol Trout.
“What a wonderful evening.” “The desserts are fabulous.”“Great piano music.” These are just some of the comments overheard at the fifth annual Dinner Among Friends gala held October 8 on behalf of the Asbury Dining & Caring Center. “When we think of all the good things happening at the Dining & Caring Center, we knew we wanted to be a part of
Seventeen homes within and outside of Monroe County opened their doors to 175 guests, serving dinners with a generous portion of fun and fellowship. Guests then returned to a beautifully decorated Gathering Center at Asbury First to listen to Eastman School of Music student Robert Wells on the piano while sampling delicious desserts and coffee. The board extends its deep thanks to all who generously donated, hosted a dinner, attended a dinner, and/or served on the event planning committee. Also, a big thanks to the clean-up crew from the Asbury First youth group. And 5
a very special thank you to Meredith and Deb who have served as co-chairs for two years in a row. It is because of the support of so many that the Dining & Caring Center can continue to offer hope, hospitality, and a hot meal to our neighbors in need. photos by Glenn Peck
• A Caring Ministry • What it Means To Be A Ste phe n Ministry Church by Joy ce Cle me nts
I
n 1994 Asbury First became a Stephen Ministry church, joining many churches
of various denominations that are finding this one-on-one lay ministry to be an effec-
“Listening, praying, caring,
the caregivers,” says Rev. Susan Shafer, se-
and discovering God’s light
person reaches out to another as a caring
tive way to pass on God’s love.
and mercy are the funda-
So who are Stephen ministers? These
mental tools of a Stephen
individuals are caring Christian people who have a desire to be with you in times of need. They have received intensive training in many helping skills and at regular and appropriate intervals will fill the role of a special, confidential friend by visiting, listening, offering resources, and providing
nior pastor at Asbury First. In ministry, one friend in times of special need. Christ caring for people, through people. Each situation is different as is each method of ministry. The Stephen Ministry is a ministry of
Ministry relationship. The
referral. If you or someone you know would
gift of Christ’s love enables
if you are interested in training to become
transformation.” –Rev. Susan Shafer
benefit from this confidential ministry or a Stephen Minister, please call Rev. Susan Shafer (271-1050 x110) or Bill Lisi (2236608).
Christian support. Each of them is assigned to someone who has a need that is known and who has been offered and accepted this service. Careful, prayerful matching is done and strict confidentiality is maintained. The Stephen Ministry is grounded in Jesus’ command to love one another. Through one-to-one caring relationships, those who are hurting receive the love and care they need to support them. By offering dependable, caring support, and just by “being there,” these ministers can really make a difference in the lives of the elderly, the lonely, the ill, those coping with life traumas, changes, and challenges, or those who simply need a special friend. The benefits have been rewarding for both the care receivers and the care givers. Those who take the training also grow and learn about themselves. “The one-on-one Christcentered relationships have often been lifetransforming for the care receivers as well as
How did Stephen Ministry start? The Stephen Ministry program was the brainchild of Rev. Kenneth C. Haugk, a pastor and clinical psychologist in St. Louis. In the mid-70s, Rev. Haugk was faced with a problem that confronts many pastors: there were many people in his congregation in need of his help and support; far more than he could minister to himself. So he developed materials to train lay people in listening and other helping skills, and soon had nine well-trained assistants who helped minister to his congregants. From the first, Rev. Haugk was impressed by the dedication of his helpers, and by the fact that they seemed to receive as much as they gave. “After I assigned each of them to a care receiver,” he later wrote, “I was equally impressed by the care they provided – and by the joy they discovered as they saw Christ working through them to bring hope and healing to another person.” The program was hugely successful, and soon other churches were asking for help in setting up their own programs. Rev. Haugk founded the Stephen Ministries organization to serve as a central clearinghouse for his program, and since 1975, has been instrumental in training more than 500,000 people, representing more than 150 Christian denominations. Today, the non-profit Stephen Ministry organization, based in St. Louis, Missouri, has a staff of 45 who create training materials, host workshops, film videos, and otherwise carry on the good work that began with Rev. Haugk 35 years ago. 6
Together in Ministry
Volunteering at asbury first by Ashley Eckman “Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness.” – Matthew 9:35 As the acute health care needs for the uninsured and underinsured increases, Asbury First and the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry have partnered to create the UR Well Clinic at Asbury First. This free walk-in clinic is open every Thursday evening on our campus. Since January 2009, more than 830 patients have been served (on average, 6-25 patients each week). UR Well is open 50 weeks of the year (excluding Christmas and the Fourth of July) and located on the lower level of 1040 East Ave. Three exam rooms and a physician conference room have been created from converted storage space. In addition, this community outreach provides 300 medical students with
hands-on medical training.
Are you interested in volunteering with Cindy & Ida?
Cindy Burkhartt, RN and Ida Hickman, LPN are both gifted and compassionate nurses. Cindy is a retired school nurse teacher and Ida has cared for patients with Alzheimer’s for 26 years. Both Cindy and Ida have volunteered at the clinic since day one. They share their passion for this ministry in their own words:
All are welcome to join this vital ministry. This student-run clinic is staffed completely with volunteers, including the attending physician preceptor. Greeters, nurses, physicians, and food assistants are needed. Karen Boston, UR Well clinic manager and fourth year medical student says,“The UR Well partnership with Asbury First is truly exceptional. The use of the space is a tremendous gift; however, the true impact is the enormous support from the pastors, staff, and volunteers. Every individual’s contributions are valuable, but it is my pleasure to highlight Cindy and Ida. Cindy has a compassion and dedication to patients that is moving. Her compassion calms patients, making them comfortable during their visit, and contributes to the overall quality of patient care. Ida has missed less than a handful of evenings since the clinic opened. She not only serves as nurse and greeter, but she also connects UR Well with appropriate church resources, publicizes the clinic’s services, and coordinates Asbury First volunteers, all with a warm, contagious smile. On behalf of the entire UR Well leadership team, I thank Cindy, Ida and the entire Asbury First family.”
How does UR Well make a difference? Cindy: “Many people have little or no health insurance, and/or no health care provider. UR Well can provide assessment, care and treatment, as well as a nutritious meal in a caring atmosphere.”
For more information visit: www.urwell.org. To volunteer at the clinic, contact Ida Hickman at 461-9696. For additional volunteer opportunities, contact Ashley Eckman, Together in Ministry coordinator at 271-1050 x112.
Ida: “Simply, without UR Well many of the patients we serve would not have access to healthcare when they need it. When I close the clinic, I think to myself,‘I am so glad we were here tonight.’”
opportunity to keep my focus on living lovingly, as I believe Christ would have us live. Asbury First has such a commitment to service and outreach; that is one of the many reasons why I love it here. I have finally found my ‘spiritual home.’”
Why do you volunteer? Cindy: “I meet interesting people and have interesting conversations. I have the
Ida: “I enjoy taking care of people, making friends, and learning how we are sometimes more alike with others than we think. It gives me Cindy Burkhartt (left) and Ida Hickman work with a patient at the clinic.
7
joy to help others in need and I want everyone that walks into the clinic to know they are welcome.” Why would others enjoy volunteering at UR Well? Cindy: “It is a perfect opportunity to find God’s light in yourself and share it with God’s light in others. Together, we can brighten up an otherwise dark circumstance.” Ida: “People are so thankful for our service. Patients are always saying, ‘I don’t know what I would have done if you all had not been here.’”
AFUMC News, continued from page 3
istry, Older Adult Council, or perhaps the Garden Committee? Pick up a listing of Asbury First volunteer opportunities at the Welcome Desk and view the current Nominations Report. We welcome your participation. For more information contact Together in Ministry Coordinator Ashley Eckman at aeckman@asburyfirst.org or 2711050 x112.
to 1:00 p.m. on Wednesdays in the 1010 dining room. The invitation is extended to anyone interested to drop in for one or more sessions and check out the discussion topic for that week. The group is currently reading Barbara Brown Taylor’s An Altar in the Woods. The author will be speaking in Rochester on November 4 at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. The group is in the process of choosing selections for reading for the remainder of the 2011-2012 year. Suggestions for book selections are welcomed.
Christmas Craft Show When fall is in the air the holiday season is right around the corner. Leave the hustle of malls behind, and come to Asbury First’s Annual Holiday Craft Show. Mark your calendars for Sunday, December 4, in Fellowship Hall following the 8:30 a.m. service. If you are an artisan, then consider reserving a table to display and sell your wares. Share your gifts and talents – all handmade art/craft projects are welcome. Contact Nancy Behnk at nbehnk@frontiernet.net to reserve a table. In the holiday spirit, we suggest that 20 percent of your sales go to missions. Looking for a unique gift? Stop by on December 4!
Church Women United The next meeting of CWU will be held on Friday, Nov. 4, at 9:30 a.m. at Greece Baptist Church, 1230 Long Pond Road, 14626. The speaker is Rev. Steve Gretz of Greece Baptist Church; a brown bag lunch follows (beverages and desserts provided). $3.00 registration at the door, and non-perishable food items will be collected for the Community Food Cupboard of Rochester. Please RSVP to (585) 342-2790.
Upcoming RAIHN Events
Fall Clean-up Scheduled Want to get some exercise while helping out a worthy cause? Come to Asbury First on Saturday, November 12 (rain date Nov. 19) from 8:30 a.m.-noon for the annual fall clean-up. You’ll be helping prepare our campus for winter by raking leaves, trimming bushes, etc. If you have a favorite rake, leaf blower, or tarp, please bring that as well. Questions? Call Jason Franklin at 271-1050, x120.
RAIHN 3rd Annual“Snazzy Jazzy”Sunday, will be held November 6, 3:30-5:30 p.m. at Temple Sinai ( 363 Penfield Road, Penfield). This is an excellent afternoon of music, good food, and great bargains. Live and silent auction of over 100 items. Hors d’oeuvres and desserts by Tasteful Connections. $50 per person. For reservations, call 585-506-9050 or mail check and request to: RAIHN, 34 Meigs Street, Rochester, NY 14607. A few weeks later is RAIHN’s Shop Til You Drop Event at Pittsford Plaza on Monday, November 28 from 6:00-9:00 p.m. Participating stores donate between 10 and 20 percent of their evening’s sales to RAIHN. One World Goods and other stores are waiting for you! See updates on the website: www.raihn.org. Get your holiday shopping wrapped up on Monday, Nov. 28!
Roudebush Circle The November meeting of the Roudebush Circle will be Tuesday, November 15 at 1010 East Ave., at 6:00 p.m. There will be a catered dinner for $8.00 (please bring your own table service). Our program will feature Marcia Wilke (a former librarian and Asbury First member) speaking on“Thanksgiving Blessings.” We’ll be collecting items for Alternatives for Battered Women. Make your dinner reservation with Joan Closson, 671-5534, by Nov. 11. For information on the Circle, call Ginn Fitch at 381-6464. Please note that United Methodist Women pledges are due. Mail your pledge to Merilyn Israel, 24 Thackery Road, Rochester, N.Y. 14610-3361 or bring it with you to the November meeting. Thank you.
Church-Wide Harvest Dinner Children’s Ministry is sponsoring this delightful evening tradition at Asbury First. Join us on Sunday, November 6 at 5:00 p.m. in the Gathering Center for our Third Annual Harvest Dinner. Please bring a harvest dish to pass; turkey will be provided. After dinner, participate in our outreach stations. At these stations, share your blessings by giving back to our community during this season. Based on your last name, please bring…. A-H: Bread, rolls or sweet bread I-R: Dessert S-Z: Vegetable We are looking forward to sharing our blessings with you! Please RSVP to Melissa Bohrer at mbohrer@ asburyfirst.org by Wednesday, November 2.
Flower Vendor Selected by Altar Guild After a six-month process involving bids by six florists, the Altar Guild has chosen Kittelberger’s Florist in Webster as the new floral provider for Asbury First. Beginning October 9, they will provide floral arrangements for the high altar and two side altars every Sunday, as well as flowers for Advent, Easter, and other special services throughout the year. We are very excited and grateful to have them with us.
Women’s reading group reads An Altar in the World Women on Wednesday (WOW), Asbury First’s reading and discussion group for AFUMC women and their friends, meets from noon 9
Christmas Tree Sale sponsored by Boy Scout Troop 19
Frazier Fir Douglas Fir Concolor Fir Grand Fir
Balsam Fir Table Top Trees Oversized Trees
Hours of operation (starting the Saturday after Thanksgiving): Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday: 4:30-9:00 p.m. Saturday: 9:30 a.m.-9:00 p.m. Sunday: 9:30 a.m.-7:00 p.m.
Granger Street lawn, Asbury First campus
Your purchase supports the boys of our troop in their outings to places like Massawepie Scout Camp in the Adirondacks, Philmont Scout Camp in New Mexico, and the National Boy Scout Jamboree in Virginia.
Gift Certificate For:
Members of Asbury First United Methodist Church
Value:
$5.00 off any premium full size tree
From:
Boy Scout Troop #19
Expires:
Decemeber 17, 2010
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youth ministry news
Welcome to Our New Counselors!
Now that the 2011 fall schedule is in full swing and everybody is back in their classrooms, we would like to introduce to you Beth and Jodi, two of our new youth counselors to UMYF. In order to get to know them a little more, we put them on the hot seat and asked them a few questions:
2011 Fall Gathering...
“Grace: No Exceptions to God’s Acceptance” Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 19-20 Radisson Riverside 120 East Main St. “Graceshops” include a YSF Scavenger Hunt, Grace in the Media, Mission of Peace, Guitar Hero and Accepting Diversity. There will be time for mingling, for games and for an open mic event.
Beth Rice
Jodi Morris
(with her husband Dave) What’s your favorite food: meat loaf and mashed potatoes – I just love comfort food and my mom’s meat loaf. What’s your favorite high school memory: During my senior year, my cheerleading team was named Section V champions. Since I was one of the captains, I was called to the school office along with the other captain and we were told the exciting news. We ran through the school telling everyone about it. It was a big honor. Where did you grow up? In Rochester (Greece). Do you have children? Emily, 23, is 2010 graduate from Penn State in hotel managment. Tim, 21, is a senior at Penn State, BS in supply chain and information. Katie is a senior at Greece Athena (on her list: Penn State). If you could have dinner with anyone in the Bible who would it be? I would enjoy having dinner with Jesus’ mother, Mary. I’d love to have a conversation about what life was like for
(with her son Joshua and daughter Lexi) What’s your favorite food? prime rib or crab legs. Tell us your favorite high school memory. A favorite part of high school was helping my English teacher Miss Barr correct tests. She took time to get to know me and be a friend to me, not just a teacher, and that always has stuck with me! Where did you grow up? The first nine years I lived in the city and then we moved to East Irondequoit. Do you have children? Yes, Lexi, who is 16 and a junior at Penfield High School, and Joshua, who is 13 and is in eighth grade at Bay Trail. If you could have dinner with anyone in the Bible who would it be? I would say Job, because he lost everything and was put through a lot of suffering, while everyone accused him of wrong doings. He always declared he was an innocent man, and after all his loss and suffering he was given more than what he had before. I want to know what that really was like for him? What was life like after? Was he truly thankful to God for all he had been given? So much more I would ask him!
Register at UMYF or UMYF a.m. on Sundays. Cost is $80 for the two day event. Sponsored by the Upper New York Annual Conference of the UMC.
...is on Facebook. "Like" us for updates!
Do you like to cook?
If so, we need your help at our Sunday evening meetings! Dates available for meal signup are: 2/19 2/26 3/4 3/18 4/29 5/6
5/13 5/20 5/27 6/3 6/10 6/24
Email Megan Phaneuf at meem@rochester.rr.com for details.
both stories continued on page 13
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Looking Ahead to Advent
Our Living
We’ll have a full Advent schedule in the next issue of The Visitor, in mailboxes the week after Thanksgiving, but here’s a look ahead at some of the events coming up in December:
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❆
❆
Labyrinth Wednesdays, Nov. 30, Dec. 7, 14, 21; 5:00-7:00 p.m. Walking the labyrinth is a time for reflection, hope, and peace; a time for you to slow down to receive the message God has for you.
Deaths
Marriages
Merciful God, we entrust to your never-failing care and love
May the blessings of God’s love go with you in your new covenant
We offer our prayers and sympathy to Joan and Raymond Maddison on the death of Joan’s mother Katherine Smith who died on September 16, 2011
Advent’s Winter Wonder Night (for children and families) Sunday, December 4; 5:00-7:00 p.m. Come join us for dinner, fellowship, and storytelling as we take in the warmth of our beautiful chancel.
We offer our prayers and sympathy to the family of Stanley Witmeyer who died on October 10, 2011
A Service of Remembrance Sunday, December 11; 3:00 p.m. A candlelight meditative service of word, music, and communion, with the lighting of the remembrance candles.
in Community
Brian Rosenbauer and Jennifer Norton married October 1, 2011 William Clugston and Susan Schnoor married October 8, 2011 Keith Adkins and Melissa Schell married October 8, 2011
music & the arts join us for the next concert in our 2011-2012 series!
Amahl and the Night Visitors Friday, December 16 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $10/$5 students and seniors The fine musicians of St. Charles Borromeo and Cordancia Chamber Orchestra present the classic opera in one act by Gian Carlo Menotti. Your heart will be warmed by the tale of young Amahl, the crippled boy whose life is forever changed by three strange and regal visitors who arrive at his home on a winter’s night in Bethlehem. Tickets are available in the church office during regular business hours or on Sunday after services. 12
worship schedule WORSHIP
Sunday OCTOBER 30 Psalm 107:1-7,33-37 Rev. Susan Shafer, preacher 8:30 a.m. Traditional Worship
11:00 a.m. Traditional Worship
8:30 a.m. Traditional Worship 10:00 a.m. Informal Worship with Holy Communion
Rev. Lawrence Hargrave, preacher
10:00 a.m. Informal Worship with Holy Communion
8:30 a.m. Traditional Worship
11:00 a.m. Traditional Worship
Sunday november 13 Matthew 25:14-30 Rev. Phillip Phaneuf, preacher
Sunday November 27 Communion; Advent I Mark 13:24-37 Rev. Susan Shafer, preacher
10:00 a.m. 8:30 a.m. Informal Worship with Holy Traditional Worship Communion 10:00 a.m. 11:00 a.m. Informal Worship with Holy Traditional Worship Communion Sunday November 6 I Thessalonians 4:13-18 Rev. Phillip Phaneuf, preacher
8:30 a.m. Traditional Worship
8:30 a.m. Traditional Worship 10:00 a.m. Informal Worship with Holy Communion
11:00 a.m. Traditional Worship
11:00 a.m. Traditional Worship
Sunday November 20 Thanksgiving Sunday Matthew 25:31-46 Rev. Susan Shafer, preacher
Sunday December 4 Advent II Isaiah 40:1-11
10:00 a.m. Informal Worship with Holy Communion 11:00 a.m. Traditional Worship Sunday December 11 Advent III Isaiah 61:1-4; 8-11 Rev. Phillip Phaneuf, preacher 8:30 a.m. Traditional Worship 10:00 a.m. Informal Worship with Holy Communion 11:00 a.m. Traditional Worship
Youth News, continued from page11 Beth Rice, continued:
women during Biblical times and also to ask her what it felt like to be the mother of our Lord and Savior. Why did you want to be a youth counselor? Two summers ago, Phil invited me to be the cook for the mission trip in Philadelphia. I had an awesome experience being in service with and cooking for the youth and adult missioners. This past summer, I filled in for one of the youth counselors who was unable to go on the mission trip. It was a great experience to be a family group leader and work together directly on the projects with the youth in Dulac. As part of the Altar Guild, I have been an acolyte and crucifer coordinator for eight years and have gotten to know and work with many of our wonderful youth. I have also worked with the youth on many of
Jodi Morris, continued:
the youth musicals and love costuming the youth actors. Being a youth counselor is an exciting next step for me. I feel blessed to be part of this wonderful team of youth counselors. (By the way, my husband, Dave, is a counselor as well, so it is doubly special to be able to do this together with him and Katie, who is in her last year of UMYF). Who do you admire most? Mother Teresa is one person I admire for how she dedicated her life to ministering to the poor and founding the Missionaries of Charity. She is attributed with having said: “Each one of them is Jesus in disguise.” She is an admirable example of what it means to be your brother’s/sister’s keeper. Are you on Facebook? Yes. What are you talented at? I tap dance!
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What made you want to be a youth counselor? I have always been drawn to the church for as long as I can remember and when we found Asbury First it was like we found a home away from home! I have experienced the youth programs with Lexi and have felt it would be a good fit for me. I really love children and really enjoy spending time with them, being there for them if and when they need it . Being around even when they don’t “need” it, to be another adult presence in their lives, is always, in my opinion, a good thing. Who do you admire most? Mahatma Gandhi. I really wish I could find a way to come to total peace and be just as wise! Are you on Facebook? Yep. What are you talented at? I am a great listener. No, really I am. A lot of people say that, but truly I am.
library news November brings us autumn leaves, a hint of winter weather and November book selections that make great reads any time of the year. Drop by the Church Resource Library and sample the many books for all ages including these special selections described below. Children Butterflies Under Our Hats, by Sandy Eisenberg Sasso, illustrated by Joani Keller Rothenberg. Children ages five to twelve will enjoy Butterflies Under Our Hats. It has been selected as a finalist for the Koret International Jewish Book Award. The author of God’s Paintbrush tries her hand at a story revolving around the human desire for luck and need for hope. The author and illustrator bring to life the mythical town of Chelm, and create another classic for reading aloud and discussing with children
Sea Glass, by Laurence Yep Craig Chin is a young boy caught between his Chinese heritage and his American life. His conflicting identity does not become a problem until Craig has to move from Chinatown in San Francisco to the almost all-white town of Concepcion. As if the added pressure of fitting in is not enough, Craig’s father is constantly pushing him to become more “westernized.” He makes Craig promise to do anything to be accepted, such as playing American sports or even pretending to be someone he is not. Recommended for ages 12 and up.
God Cares When I Feel Worried, by Elspeth Campbell Murphy and illustrated by Jane E. Nelson. The Guideposts Talking With God series helps children ages four through seven through tough times. This book, titled God Cares When I Feel Worried, contains three stories from the series. They are “God Cares When I’m Thankful,”“God Cares When Someone Else Has More,” and “God Cares When I’m Worried.”
Adult Jesus Freak: Feeding, Healing, Raising the Dead, by Sara Miles (283) Miles writes of meeting a living Jesus who has torn apart her world. No longer will she be just a journalist and author; she will be a vessel, a breathing body of Christ, living out his teachings and doing “greater deeds” than his. Miles directs the Food Pantry at the St. Gregory of Nyssa Episcopal Church in San Francisco, where she seeks to die to herself and live unto others. This book is alive with ideals of radical inclusion, and Miles’s “come and see,”“go and do” attitude reigns.
Youth It’s Your World—If You Don’t Like it, Change It, by Mikki Halpin (158) This book is designed to help teens better understand themselves and their world. With advice and real-world examples, it’s aimed at teens trying to combat intolerance and injustice in such areas as animal rights, racism, environmental issues and LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning youth) acceptance. The author’s guide suggests Internet and print resources and contains firsthand accounts from involved high school students.
Home By Another Way, by Barbara Brown Taylor (256.6) Home By Another Way provides a set of superb sermons by an Episcopal priest known for her preaching. Barbara Brown Taylor will be speaking in Rochester November 4 and 5. In the sermons in this book, the preacher/author walks the reader through the church year from the expectancy of Advent to the fires of Pentecost and beyond. Her themes are based on the perennial questions of faith: doubt, grace, anger, and jubilation. These sermons are cited as “simply great stories well told.”
November
27
Mark 13;1-37
1
Genesis 1:1-2.4a
28
Revelation 4:1-11
2
Genesis 2.4b-25
29
Revelation 5:1-14
3
Psalm 104
30
Revelation 7:1-17
4
Psalm 105
December
5
Amos 9:5-15
1
Isaiah 11:1-16
1 Chronicles 16.8-43
20
Psalm 96
2
Isaiah 12:1-6
6
Ezra 6:1-22
13
7
Ezra 7:1-28
14
1 Chronicles 17.1-27
21
Psalm 97
3
Isaiah 52:1-12
8
Nehemiah 8:1-18
15
2 Chronicles 34.1-33
22
Psalm 98
4
Jeremiah 33:1-26
Haggai 1:1-15
16
2 Chronicles 35.1-19
23
Psalm 99
5
Malachi 3:1-18
Psalm 65
24
Psalm 100
6
Malachi 4:1-6
9
10
Haggai 2:1-23
17
11
Psalm 132
18
Psalm 66
25
Psalm 113
7
Mark 1:1-13
12
1 Chronicles 15.1-16.7
19
Psalm 92
26
Psalm 118
8
John 1:19-34
14
the last word 1 by Michele Cooley 2
Just Say Yes W
hen I met Joe many months ago he was carrying all of his worldly possessions on a cart. “Can I please leave my things in your office so they won’t get stolen? You know how it is when you are with a lot of different people at night. You wake up and things are gone.”
“Working here at the Asbury Dining and Caring Center I have the privilege of getting to know our guests. They persevere."
“Of course, I know what you mean,” I replied. I did not really know what Joe meant. I have never been homeless and I have never lived in a shelter or under the stars without comfort of a campground with showers, bathrooms, etc. Camping was a vacation, a pleasant diversion which did not include anxiety about stolen possessions and predatory strangers. Yes, I have heard the stories of foul smells, bed bugs, drunken insults and the fights that follow. Of untreated illnesses, respiratory problems, and leg ulcers. But I have not personally experienced this. Joe and many of our guests are subjected to this on a daily basis.
money for my own apartment. It has been difficult trying to work and stay in a homeless shelter at the same time. “Being homeless can be scary and troubling at times. It seems like everybody wants to say NO to me all the time. NO, you can’t have this, or NO, you can’t have that. “What makes my situation bearable is that Asbury’s Dining and Caring Center is there. They say YES. YES, I can do my wash, YES I can take a shower. They say YES if I need some little thing that makes my life a little better. People in my position need to hear that YES word more often.
“Without Asbury First I don’t think I could make it through my current predicament. I thank God everyday for Asbury’s warmth and kindness. Thank you for so much and thank you again a thousand times over: Thank you and God Bless You, and keep on saying YES.” Joe has not given up. He is eligible for housing programs and should have his own apartment soon. A sanction wrongly imposed on him by DSS has been lifted and the future is looking much brighter.
Working here at the Asbury Dining and Caring Center I have the privilege of getting to know our guests. They persevere. I make referrals and listen and our volunteers and cooks provide sustenance and more.
We at the Asbury Dining and Caring Center are proud to say YES. We are not afraid to care and encourage. Guided by God and our Asbury First church family and volunteers, 2,500 meals are served each month, bicycles are distributed, showers are taken, laundry is done, hair is cut, massages are given, and hygiene items are distributed.
This is a calling. It is not depressing. Conversely, the joy I feel as I approach the Dining Center on my way to work may seem peculiar to those who have not experienced the energy that emanates within these basement walls. There is always so much happening and so much happiness. Each morning Joe greets me with a pleasant “hello.” He always looks clean and showered and presentable. We have spoken about his struggles and triumphs (he is now employed). This is what he wanted to share with all of you.
Our days will soon turn cold and as Christmas approaches, we want to say YES to requests for hats, gloves, scarves, hygiene items, and tube socks. The Thanksgiving In-gathering is a wonderful opportunity to express your care and concern by donating these necessary items for our guests. They really need them. Please say YES. Thank you for caring. God Bless you and Happy Thanksgiving.
“I work part-time and I am presently staying in emergency housing (a homeless shelter). My job doesn’t provide enough 15
PERIODICAL 1050 East Avenue Rochester, NY 14607-2293 Address Service Requested
Christmas Altar Poinsettia Donation Form
Given by_______________________________________________________________________ (please print clearly) phone: day______________________________evening__________________________________ Please check one of the following and print the names clearly: ____in loving memory of: _______________________________________________ ____in honor of: _____________________________________________________ ____in celebration of:__________________________________________________ ____a donation. Please return this form to the church office, attention Melody Guadagnino, no later than Tuesday, December 6. Please include your donation. Checks should be made payable to Asbury First UMC Altar Guild. Thank you, and have a very merry Christmas!