Published: Dec. 2, 2021

The campus looks fully festive thanks to the amazing work of Amy Allen, James and Ali Parent, and the volunteer elves who put up the trees, wreaths, and lights on Wednesday at the Hanging of the Greens. We are so excited that we were able to gather together and make our space festive!

Also, a special thank you goes out to O'Connell Electric—Michael Parkes and his crew—for their work on getting the the front lawn Christmas tree up. They were here at dawn to set up the tree, and worked from early morning to mid-afternoon to get the angel on top and string the lights. All the lights were working when they left, but later in the day, we noticed that the upper lights were no longer lit. Property Caretaker James Flack spent time working on it—and later, Michael and Rob, one of the crew, who had come to participate in the Caroling Around the Tree event with their families, took it upon themselves to work on and, subsequently, get the upper lights functioning.

We are truly blessed for all these gifts of time and service! Thank you all!

Published: Nov. 24, 2021

Don't forget to pick up your 2021 Advent Devotional from the Welcome Hall, or read it online by clicking here. This year's collection was complied by by Bonnie Matthaidess, Spiritual Director; and the Rev. Susan S. Shafer, Senior Minister, Emerita. These daily devotions of reflection, poetry, and story come out of the fabric of our living with the Light of Christ appearing and guiding us. This Advent Season we hope that your eyes may be open to see, your heart may be expanded, and your soul nourished through a daily devotion.

For more information about our Advent offerings, visit asburyfirst.org/advent.

Published: Nov. 24, 2021

Did you miss Sunday's Groundbreaking Ceremony for our new Outreach Center? It was a moment five years in the making. We are so grateful to all the support and hard work that went into this project becoming a reality. Watch or re-watch by clicking here.

Published: Nov. 18, 2021

This is an exciting weekend for Asbury First! We will have our annual Thanksgiving In-Gathering, we will break ground on our new Outreach Center, and we will turn in our pledge cards for 2022 as a sign of our commitment to the new creation God is forging at Asbury First. 

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to turn in a pledge card for 2022!

For those who have yet to turn in a card, we ask that you consider making a pledge to support the mission and ministry of Asbury First. You can do so by clicking here.

If you pledged last year, you should have already received a letter asking that you continue your pledge and prayerfully consider increasing it by clicking here. If we don’t hear from you by November 21, we will continue your pledge at the 2021 level. 

As always, don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions or to speak with someone about your pledge. Thank you for your faithfulness, we are excited to see where God’s new creation will take us.

Grace and Peace,
Rev. Dr. Stephen Cady
Senior Minister
scady@asburyfirst.org

Patti Crawford
Chair of Giving Team
giving@asburyfirst.org

Published: Nov. 18, 2021

Friday, December 10, 7 pm, Fellowship Hall
Saturday, December 11, 7 pm, Fellowship Hall
Sunday, December 12, 1 pm, Fellowship Hall 

Asbury Youth are so excited that their production of Annie, Jr. has been rescheduled for Friday through Sunday, December 10 - 12. Based on the popular comic strip, Annie tells the extraordinary story of a little orphan who ends up in the lap of luxury with Depression-era billionaire Oliver Warbucks. The story is a classic theme of how good wins out over evil and the honest innocence of a child. Tickets are $10 and you can purchase them online or pay at the door. Our youth would love your support!

Click here to purchase tickets online.

Published: Nov. 13, 2021

Good News! Work on our new Outreach Center is about to begin!

While our ceremonial groundbreaking will take place immediately following the 11 am worship service on Sunday, November 21, the crew from DGA Builders LLC will begin their work next week! The construction fence will be erected around the property on Monday morning and their crews will start the initial phases of the project later in the week. This early start will help keep the construction schedule on time as we approach the winter. 

Please note that construction will necessitate shutting down the use of the driveway closest to 1010 East Ave for the duration of the build. Click here for an updated campus map. We apologize for any inconvenience this might cause. Please keep an eye out for additional updates over the next few weeks and the forthcoming webcam link that will allow you to watch progress on the Outreach Center in real time!

Thank you to all of those who came out over the last couple of weeks to help us clear out 1010 and prepare to do more good! This Outreach Center will be a beacon of hope for the entire community!

Please pray that God will continue to be present with us throughout this entire process and for the people this Outreach Center will help.

— Asbury First Staff

Published: Nov. 12, 2021

We regret to inform you that this weekend’s youth production of Annie is postponed. Late yesterday afternoon we learned that a member of the Annie cast/crew tested positive for COVID-19. We are working with public health officials to ensure the ongoing health and safety of all involved. Thank you for your patience and your prayers as we do our best to support our youth. 

While we are able to contact those who purchased tickets online to let them know of this change, we do not know all who planned to buy tickets at the door. We ask your help in sharing this information with anyone whom you know planned to attend one of the performances this weekend.

Our hope is to reschedule the production as soon as possible. However, we recognize that given the holiday schedule it may not be possible until early in the new year. Please stay tuned.

As always, don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns. In the meantime, please pray for the continued health of our entire community.

Grace and Peace,
Stephen

Published: Nov. 12, 2021

Tuesday, November 30

On Tuesday, November 30, our community will come together to ROC the Day, and the Asbury First Storehouse, Dining and Caring Center, and Asbury Day Care Center are participating again. ROC the Day is a 24-hour giving opportunity to support all eligible not-for-profits in the nine-county greater Rochester area. Community members are encouraged to visit www.roctheday.org, a secure online giving platform, to contribute to any participating not-for-profit organization. All money given during ROC the Day stays local. Donors have the ability to make an impact by giving to one or multiple organizations to support their personal philanthropic passions. Donors and not-for-profits can share their investment with friends, family, coworkers, and social networks to increase awareness for this community-wide effort.

Published: Nov. 8, 2021

Saturday, December 4, 9 am–4 pm; Sunday, December 5, 9 am–2 pm, 1040 Fellowship Hall

The Asbury First Christmas Treasures Sale is back in the Fellowship Hall! Get in some Christmas shopping while supporting the ministry of Asbury First Storehouse at the same time. You can find home decorating items, jewelry, unique gifts, and more. All proceeds benefit the Asbury First Storehouse, which has been clothing Rochester families free of charge for over 50 years and has been busier than ever during the pandemic. 

Published: Nov. 5, 2021

Now that we are a couple months into our return to in-person worship, it has become clear that we are in need of additional volunteers in the Ministries of Hospitality — Ushers, Greeters, and Welcome Desk volunteers. These vital ministries help us put our best faces forward when members and newcomers alike enter our spaces on Sunday mornings. In addition, they make important contributions to the overall safety and comfort of those who use our spaces, meeting people where they are at and responding to immediate needs. If you feel called to one of these ministries, we hope that you will get in touch with us. Modest training will be required, but the rewards are many.

Call or send an email to: 
Brian White (Head Usher), bboru7@gmail.com, (585) 737-2827
Kathy Farrar (Greeters Coordinator), kathyfarrar@gmail.com, (585) 271-6528
Johanna Mahan (Welcome Desk), jsmahan@rochester.rr.com, (585) 746-2676

Published: Nov. 5, 2021

Are you interested in taking the next step in your faith journey, getting more involved in the life of Asbury First, or just in need of a deeper connection? We want to hear from you! After a year and a half of distance, we’d love to know who is out there poised for the next great adventure in the new creation that is Asbury First. Click here to fill out a form and share with us your interests.

Published: Nov. 5, 2021

Learn more Sunday, November 14, Gathering Center

The Racial Justice Advocacy Group (RJAG) is collecting ourselves to move forward. We did a lot of good work last program year so now we need to sustain the momentum. We are trying to re-raise awareness of our efforts and also to recruit some new members. To those ends, we will have a table in the Gathering Center on Sunday, November 14, to answer questions and sign up new talent. 

The RJAG provides great opportunities for new volunteers. Opportunities range from attending a town board meeting to curating a web page. There are tasks that involve meeting new people and jobs that involve sitting at a screen. There is no minimum commitment. Our effectiveness depends on a sustained effort; sustainable effort requires new people bringing their energy and ideas.

Published: Nov. 5, 2021

Tuesday, December 7, 12–5 pm, Gathering Center

There is an urgent need for blood donations at the moment. If you have not donated blood within 56 days of our drive on Tuesday, December 7, you are eligible to donate in the Gathering Center from 12–5 pm. We hope that you will be available to help support people in need of life-saving blood. To sign up, visit www.redcrossblood.org/give, input our 14607 zip code, and the date, then choose a time to donate at Asbury First. For more information, contact Ed Ristau at epr60@twc.com.

Published: Nov. 5, 2021

We’ve got just the place for you: The Asbury First Library

If you need a book for a devotion for your group, a Bible story, entertainment for children, a Sunday School class lesson or a look at a variety of different Bibles, the church library can provide all of these and more. Our library collection of 4,000 plus books, DVDs, and videos are available and may be checked out free of charge on an easy, self-serve honor system. To learn more about the incredible offerings of the Asbury First Library, click here.

Published: Nov. 5, 2021

With production winding down and a killing frost around the corner, the garden team recently put the garden to bed for the winter. All that’s remaining to do is add a nice, thick blanket of chopped up leaves to protect the soil over the winter. The little bit of green still growing is the carrots we’re leaving a bit longer. 

If you missed out on all the fun this year, consider joining us in 2022 as we plan and execute another garden season. We’ll probably start planning — choosing what to grow and ordering seeds — right after the holidays. If you’re game to help just once, or nearly every week, let us know. There’s plenty of gardening to go around. 

In the meantime, we want to say “Thank you!" to the many, many people who helped out this year, from children at the day care and in our children’s ministry and youth ministry, to various garden team members and volunteers, to guests and staff at the dining center, to Monroe County Soil and Water Conservation Service, and to the Monroe County Cornell Cooperative Extension. The food we raised was shared with the dining center and its guests, with recent refugees from Afghanistan, with two feeding programs in the city, and with VBS families. We had an amazing year and hope to do it all over again next year.