News

  • Help Me Read Tutors Needed

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    Published: March 14, 2025

    Tutors are wanted for the Help Me Read program at School 17, grades K-4. New Tutor Training/Orientation is Tuesday, March 18, 9 - 10:30 am, OR Tuesday, March 25, 9 - 10:30 am. All orientations are held at Ark of Jesus Ministries 1000 North Winton Rd, Rochester NY 14609. Call Ms. Linda to register (585) 766-8440. If you are interested in tutoring please contact John Smalt at jhsmalt@gmail.com or at (585) 924-8624. 

    RETURNING TUTORS: Please call Ms. Linda at (585) 766-8440 to schedule your start date. Thanks for your support!

    We are tutoring in School #17 located at 187 Orchard Street 14611 and also at School #50 located at 301 Seneca Avenue, 14621

     

     
     
     

     

  • Asbury First Presents: Marcel Dupré's Stations of the Cross

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    Published: March 12, 2025

    Sunday,
March 30,
7 pm,
Sanctuary

    Marcel Dupré's monumental "Stations of the Cross", op. 29 for organ
a unique musical and visual experience for the Lenten season
accompanied by projected artworks and the poetry of Paul Claudel.

    Organist – Michael Messina, D.M.A.
    Director of Music at Trinity Episcopal Church in Indianapolis

    Artistic Coordinator – Lucy Winters Durkin
    Long-time collaborator on Asbury First's "Envisioning the Passion" Good Friday programs

    Poetry read by Judy Messenger 

    Free | Open to the public | Free-will offering taken

  • Older Adult Communion

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    Published: March 12, 2025

    Please join us at one, two or three gatherings for a time of holy communion, and stick around for cookies and catching-up with friends.  

    ST JOHNS MEADOWS – Monday, March 24, 2 pm

    LINDEN KNOLL – Monday, March 31, 2 pm

    THE HIGHLANDS – Tuesday, April 8, 2 pm

    If you have any questions, contact Barbara Eltinge at (585) 737-8775 or beltinge@icloud.com

  • Banned Book Club: A Conversation with author
Alex Sanchez

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    Published: March 12, 2025

    Monday, April 7, 7–8 pm
    1010 East Avenue,
Red Room OR by Zoom

    Come join a conversation with Alex Sanchez, Mexican-American author of 10 award-winning books for young people, all of which have been challenged or banned for their LGBTQ characters and themes.

    To register for Zoom, email Mike Mullin at mmullin@asburyfirst.org

  • News Flash!

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    Published: March 12, 2025

    News Flash! Your Library at Asbury has purchased some new books and we are eager to tell you about them! Click on the book title and you will be linked to bookshop.org which will give you a short description of the book.

    Picture book - Enemy Pie by Derek Munson
    "J" Fiction - Gracie Under The Waves by Linda Sue Park
    YA Non-fiction - The Complete Maus by Art Spiegelman
    Adult Non-fiction - How We Learn To Be Brave by Bishop Mariann Budde
    Adult Fiction - The Overstory by Richard Powers

     

    We look forward to seeing these and many other books disappear from the shelves!

  • Pretzel Sunday

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    Published: March 5, 2025

    March 16 is the 48th anniversary of our beloved Pretzel Sunday! And this unique tradition isn't just for kids anymore!

    Here's how you can be involved:
    1) using the recipe at the link below, make your dough at home
    2) bring that dough with you to church on March 16
    3) learn all about this tradition while braiding your very own delectable pretzels!  

    Join in at 10 am in Fellowship Hall, and the children will return to Fellowship Hall after children's time to finish making the pretzels.

    Recipe cards for preparing the dough can be picked up at the Welcome Desk, or downloaded HERE.

    Contact Paula Dugan with any questions at pdugan@asburyfirst.org

  • Devotionals for Lent 2025 are now available!

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    Published: Feb. 26, 2025

    Lent is nearly here!

    Each week this devotional will serve as your guide. Commit to some intentional time to pray, meditate, reflect on whatever resonates with you, and then respond in love as your roots deepen. This practice may become your Lenten practice.

    Pick up a copy in the Welcome Hall, or read them in the Monday Reader, our weekly Monday email. 

  • Asbury Orchestra rehearsals resume

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    Published: Feb. 26, 2025

    The Asbury Orchestra had its first rehearsal of the season a couple weeks ago, and will resume weekly rehearsals on Sunday, March 2, from 9:45-10:30 am in Wesley Hall. New members are still welcome - please contact Laurie Kennedy for more information, cellokennedy@frontiernet.net.

    The Orchestra will grace our 11 am worship on Sunday, March 30.

  • March Chapel Challenge

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    Published: Feb. 26, 2025

    Throughout 2025 we are going to pair worship with action in a new way!

    Each month we will collect different needed supplies for the ministries of the Community Outreach Center. For the March Chapel Challenge, we are going to collect men's sweatpants (all sizes) and bath towels. Please drop them off near the rail in the front of the Children's Chapel before or after services.

    Thank you for caring for our neighbors!

  • Lenten Read: The Sum of Us

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    Published: Feb. 26, 2025

    Wednesdays 10 – 11:30 am in the Red Room and on Zoom 

    For the season of Lent, Asbury First's Wednesday Morning Reading Group will be reading through The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together, by Heather McGhee. We will read and discuss one or two chapters each week. 

    For a complete schedule, or for more information, please reach out to Mike Mullin, mmullin@asburyfirst.org

  • Jesus Christ Superstar Reunion!

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    Published: Feb. 18, 2025

    Let’s have a reunion! In 2005 our youth performed the musical Jesus Christ Superstar. All the youth and their families from then to now are invited on Saturday, March 8 for a viewing and gaming party. We'll have board games (provided by Chris Chan) at 4:30 pm, pizza at 6 pm, and the famous “chownies” for dessert! 

    Please RSVP to pdugan@asburyfirst.org by March 6. This event will be able to be zoomed in for those who have moved away. 

  • Prostate Cancer Support Group

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    Published: Feb. 17, 2025

    Prostate Cancer Support Group


    Tuesday, February 25 at 5:30 pm
    Red Room, Community Outreach Center 
    and Zoom

    We are better together, most especially when we can be present for each other in the tough times. It is in this spirit that we are forming a support group for individuals with prostate cancer - if you have just been diagnosed and are being treated, if you are a survivor, or if you are somewhere in between, you are invited to join us the 4th Tuesday of each month in the Red Room of the Community Outreach Center. Wholistic care makes a huge difference in helping individuals with cancer achieve levels of remission or enhanced functionality, and we are glad to offer a way to connect to spirituality to be supportive. Please come and bring a support person if you would like. If you have any questions, please contact Joe Stankaitis (jstankaitis@hotmail.com), Kathy Thiel (kthiel@asburyfirst.org or 271-1050 x106) or David Strong (dstrong@asburyfirst.org or 271-1050 x110) with any questions.

  • MORE SOUP!

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    Published: Feb. 12, 2025

    This Sunday, we will have frozen quarts of soup for sale for $10. This is the leftover soup from our Souper Bowl fundraiser, and all proceeds will support our Youth Missions. So, if you missed out last week, or you want to grab some seconds for a snowy day, stop by after church on Sunday to grab some soup! We have Chicken and Rice (gluten free and dairy free) and Broccoli Cheddar (Gluten Free and Vegan; contains coconut). Contact Mike Mullin at mmullin@asburyfirst.org for more information. 

  • Cultural Awareness: Privilege and Implicit Bias

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    Published: Feb. 12, 2025

    Sunday, February 23, and March 2, 9:45-10:45 in Fellowship Hall and on Zoom

    Guest Speaker, Ted Adams, will be leading two sessions on Cultural Awareness. As he articulates, "we don't see things as they are, we see things as we are." For two weeks, we will engage with and seek to expand our own worldview; with a particular focus on what privilege and implicit bias looks like for us.

  • SAVVY ALLY

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    Published: Feb. 12, 2025

    If you are looking for more ways to help be an ally – particularly in these moments when our Trans and non-binary siblings are particularly at risk – we hope you will join us 6 - 7 pm each Wednesday in February as we discuss The Savvy Ally and consider how we each may become more savvy, and more impactful. 

    Join us in-person in Wesley Hall (lower level of 1040 East Avenue) or on Zoom