Published: May 26, 2023

Friday, June 9, 7:30 pm, Sanctuary

The University of Buffalo Choir and Chamber Singers will present a concert called “Contemporary Voices” on Friday, June 9, at Asbury First. The concert will begin at 7:30 pm, and is free and open to the public. A freewill offering will be taken.

The eclectic program will feature choral music from the 17th and 19th centuries, as well as recently composed pieces by Eric Whitacre, Carrie Magin, Roland Martin, Eriks Esenvalds, John Taverner, Jonathan Quick, Shawn Kirchner, and Kim Andre Arnesen. 

The UB Choirs will present this concert in Buffalo, Pittsburgh, and Syracuse in addition to here in Rochester. They are conducted by Claudia Brown, Assistant Professor of Voice and Choral Music.

Published: May 26, 2023

The Production Coordinators team is looking for volunteers who would like to learn the ropes in the Production Suite. If you or someone you know is interested, please contact Dave Berg at bergdm@gmail.com by June 20. Training sessions will be scheduled during July and/or August.

Published: May 25, 2023

Thursday, June 1, 6:30 pm, Gathering Center

Join us for the "In This Moment 2: Revolution Reckoning Reparation" Book Launch and Community Discussion. This event continues the kickoff of the Second Series with the launch of chapbooks featuring:

• Ian J. Wilson, M.D. – Founder/Co-curator of WALL/THERAPY
  Essay by Erica Bryant
  Photographs by Quajay Donnell
• Rev. Myra Brown – Pastor, Spiritus Christi Church
  Essay by Chris Thompson
  Photographs by Jackie McGriff

The purpose of the "In This Moment: Revolution Reckoning Reparation" chapbook series is to elevate and celebrate the revolutionary work of local Black leaders, writers and photographers. The project is curated by Amanda Chestnut and produced by Visual Studies Workshop (VSW).

VSW Assistant Curator, Hernease Davis, will moderate a discussion with artists involved in the project. All guests will receive a complimentary copy of the newly released chapbooks at the event. This event is FREE and open to the public, but registration is encouraged. Learn more about "In This Moment" by clicking here.

Click Here to Register

ASL Interpretation will be provided at the event

Published: May 25, 2023

Sunday, June 4, after the 11 am service, 1040 Gathering Center

The first Sunday of each month the church library bibliocart will meet you in the church Gathering Space with a full selection of new library purchases and books on the theme of the month.

This month (June 4) the focus is on Father’s Day, Pride Month, Juneteenth, and Gun Violence Awareness Month with numerous books on these topics for all ages. You can check out the books—for free—right there at the Bibliocart—just in front of the piano in the Gathering Center. Stop by and check us out on this first Sunday in June—June 4.

Published: May 25, 2023

June 6–10, Deborah Jean & Co., Park Berkley Plaza, 626 Park Avenue
Reception on Thursday, June 8, 5–8 pm

Deborah Jean & Co — "Serving neighbors with clothing and care" — is sponsoring a "Shop for a Cause" event to support the Asbury First Storehouse from June 6–10. There will also be a reception on Thursday, June 8 from 5–8 pm with light refreshments served. So head over to support a local business and our Community Outreach Center! 

For more information, email asburystorehouse@asburyfirst.org or call Deborah Jean & Co at 585-622-9007.

Published: May 25, 2023

The summer weather is in full swing, and that means the grass lawns around our campus are greening and growing. There is quite a lot of lawn to be cut and trimmed each week and it quickly becomes overgrown. We need your help to keep our campus clean and welcoming. If you are interested in mowing or trimming grass, please contact David Strong at dstrong@asburyfirst.org or at 585-271-1050 x110.

Published: May 25, 2023

Sunday, June 11, Following the 11 am service

For several years, a team has been faithfully working together to explore the possibility of a columbarium at Asbury First—a sacred, consecrated location where urns of cremated remains are placed. We are pleased to report that we have strong interest and preliminary commitments to move forward with this self-funded project. As such, we will hold a vote at a special Church Conference immediately following the 11 am service on Sunday, June 11.

If you have questions about the Columbarium or would like to inquire about securing a niche, please contact the church office at 585-271-1050, reach out to a member of the pastoral team, or email us at columbarium@asburyfirst.org. Immediately following the Church Conference, the Governing Board will hold another open town hall to share updates on various aspects of our life together and to answer your questions. These town halls are part of our ongoing commitment to transparency. If you have specific questions that you would like us to address, please call the church office or email us at governance@asburyfirst.org.

Published: May 24, 2023

Friday, June 2, 7:30 pm, SRC Arena Onondaga Community College
4585 West Seneca Turnpike Syracuse, NY 13215

We are pleased to announce that the Rev. Patrick Dupont will be ordained as a Deacon in the United Methodist Church during the Service of Commissioning and Ordination of the Upper New York Annual Conference on Friday, June 2, 2023. The service will take place at 7:30 pm in the SRC arena in Syracuse. All are invited to attend!

If you are not able to attend the Service of Commissioning and Ordination for Rev. Dupont, we will be celebrating his ordination during the 11 am worship service on Sunday, June 11.

In the United Methodist Church, there are two ordination tracks—Elder and Deacon. Elders see their call to ministry as ordering the life of the Church through word and sacrament. Deacons are called to connect the Church to the world through word, service, compassion, and justice. As our Minister for Outreach and the Director of the Community Outreach Center, Rev. Dupont has embodied the order of the deacons and we celebrate this joyous moment in his life and ministry.

Published: May 24, 2023

Sunday, June 4, 11 am, Sanctuary

Our 6th-12th grade youth will lead us in worship on this special day. The youth have worked to help put together all aspects of the service—from choosing hymns, to writing prayers, to preparing sermons. Sundays like these help remind us that the youth are not simply our future, they are our present. The youth have a voice and a message for us today that is prophetic and inspirational. On June 4, we will bear witness to the talents and offerings of these young people as we are led in worship together. 

Published: May 23, 2023

As we enter the month of May, it’s already time to look ahead to summer. Rehearsals for our musical groups will be winding down soon, but before they do, we want to offer enthusiastic thanks to all our volunteer musicians of all ages! We are so blessed by each member of our Sanctuary Choir, Asbury Ringers, Youth and Children’s Choirs, and Asbury Orchestra. Summer Choir will commence on June 11. Anyone who has a desire to sing is invited to join with no commitment! Simply show up in Wesley Hall at 9:55 am any Sunday morning between June 11 and September 3. Together we will prepare fun and meaningful music for that morning’s worship. If you have any questions, please contact Director of Music Ministry Carl Johengen at cjohengen@asburyfirst.org or at 585-271-1050 x134.

Published: May 10, 2023

Sunday, May 21, 4 pm, 1040 Sanctuary 

("This concert is open to adults and mature teens with parental discretion as this event contains sensitive topics relating to physical and mental health")

Kimayo opens up about her life, personal struggles, and overcoming hardships. From coming to terms with and celebrating her sexuality, to wrestling with her faith, she offers her experience with humility and vulnerability. Through poignant songs and narrative, Kimayo invites us all to welcome, affirm, and love unconditionally.

Artist Bio: Kimayo is a folk-pop artist, performing in New England since 2019. Her authentic and personal songs are relatable and vulnerable. Coming out as queer in Spring of 2021, her new music explores self-discovery with an adult contemporary sound. Her engaging performances even led to winning Best of the Lakes Region: Music (Solo) in 2022. Through her music, Kimayo seeks to cultivate connection, solidarity, and hope for each of her listeners.

Published: May 10, 2023

Warmer days are ahead, and we are looking forward to our outdoor Summer Worship! Sundays May 28 (Outreach Sunday) and June 4 (Youth Sunday) will have only one service at 11 am. So, outdoor summer worship will begin on Sunday, June 11 and will finish up Sunday, September 3. 

Summer Worship June 11–September 3

• 9 am service — In-person outside (in inclement weather, the service will be moved inside)
• 11 am service — In-person and Livestream

Published: May 10, 2023

You may have noticed that we have begun to have an ASL—American Sign Language—interpreter with us in the Meditation Chapel during the 11am service. This is to fulfill our value of being open to all and it has made it possible for us to worship with deaf members of our community. We would like to maintain this service moving forward and need some financial support to make it possible. If you are willing to support this ongoing ministry, please consider a special donation with the note “ASL.” Thank you in advance for your generosity.

Published: May 7, 2023

Saturday, May 6, we experinced technical difficulties with our domain (asburyfirst.org) that is caused our website and staff email to be down. 

The website and staff email are now back up and fully functioning. If you contacted us via email on Saturday, May 6, we may not have received your message. Please check in with us if you sent an email regarding an important matter to ensure receipt. We appreciate your grace and understanding in light of this issue.

The domain name registration mistakenly expired and since the domain was down, our staff emails were affected as well — making it difficult to access the website of the company that has our domain. The issue has now been corrected, and we will be working to consolidate our website domain and website hosting companies to prevent this from happening in the future.

Thank you all again for your patience and understanding.

— Asbury First Staff

Published: May 3, 2023

DEIA JOB FAIR, Tuesday, May 9, 1 – 4 pm, 1040 Fellowship Hall

• 1–2 pm – Sensory Friendly Hour (including limited job seeker traffic, lower lighting, and space for individuals who may be supported by a job coach)
• 2–4 pm – Open to the Public

On Tuesday, May 9, RochesterWorks and ACCES-VR will host a Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion (DEIA) Job Fair. The goal of the job fair is to allow job seekers to connect in-person with employers seeking a diverse, inclusive workforce. This in-person event is the culmination of the webinar series, “Accessibility in the Workplace,” that offered strategies for employers to create a more inclusive workforce for people with disabilities. While the event offers an ideal opportunity for candidates with disabilities to connect with employers, it will also be open to the general public, so anyone interested in learning more about job openings from hiring employers can attend.

Job seekers are encouraged to attend this free event, regardless of level of skill, education, or experience. An Information Table will also be available that job seekers can visit for job search advice, resume tips, and more. American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters will be on-site during the entire event. Twenty local employers across a variety of industries are scheduled to attend.