Published: April 3, 2025

Asbury First is blessed to occupy beautiful grounds, including gardens, trees and lawns. We are inviting you to consider joining our “Grooming the Grounds” Team to mow and trim. If interested, please contact jcolon@asburyfirst.org.

Published: April 3, 2025

These landscaped gardens welcome all to the Community Outreach Center.

If you have a green thumb and are interested in helping continually improve and maintain these entry gardens, please contact Bonnie Gregory via email at bonniegregory126@gmail.com

Published: April 3, 2025

Andrew Johnson, an Eastman doctoral student of Professor David Higgs, will present his first degree recital on Asbury First UMC’s Austin pipe organ on Tuesday, April 8 at 7 pm. The program will include music by Langlais, Larsen, J.S. Bach, Chee, Parker, and Widor. Andrew thanks Asbury First for the opportunity to practice on our instrument over the past year.

Published: March 25, 2025

All are invited Sunday, April 6 at 12:30 pm, to make fascinators to wear on Easter. This is an easy craft and all the supplies will be provided. Make one for yourself or as a gift for someone else! 
The cost is $10 per hat and comes with a special high tea luncheon!

RSVP to Christina Kirivong at Kay_christina@hotmail.com by April 1 and please indicate whether you would like to make an Adult or Child-sized fascinator. 

Published: March 25, 2025

On Monday, March 31, we observe Transgender Day of Visibility, raising awareness of discrimination faced by transgender people worldwide, as well as celebrating their contributions to society. We stand in solidarity with our transgender siblings, offering support and love. Pronoun stickers are available at the Welcome Desk, and a progress pride flag has been raised outside, symbolizing our commitment to equality and acceptance for all. Let us continue to foster a community where everyone is valued.

Published: March 21, 2025

Tuesdays 8:30 - 9 am on ZOOM
(M-F during Holy Week, Sun, Apr 13 – Sun, Apr 20)

Lectio Divina will be offered on every weekday of Holy Week.

Lectio Divina is a way to use contemplative prayer with one scripture. Setting aside this time to deepen into scripture helps us strengthen our relationship with God and Christ. There will be a different scripture every day, leading us through this week in spiritual reflection together. All are welcome, and you need not attend every day in order to participate. Bring your heart and we will journey together.

Published: March 21, 2025

If you would like to purchase altar flowers in memory, honor, or celebration of a loved one, please click HERE. Orders will be accepted until April 7. If you would prefer to pay by check, forms are available at the Welcome Desk.

Checks should be made payable to Asbury First United Methodist Church Altar Guild and delivered to the church office, attention Beverly Schuman.

Published: March 21, 2025

Keeping Our Promise, an Asbury First adopted off-campus outreach program, is doing powerful refugee resettlement work in Rochester despite a dramatic downturn in support at the federal level. As a congregation, we are helping to support this organization through this crisis moment: our Grocery Bag Ministry provides refugee families with groceries and we have made a contribution out of our discretionary outreach fund. Donations and volunteers continue to be needed and there are many ways you can help! Apartment setups, sorting in-kind donations, ride to appointments, driving to grocery stores, setting up internet or HEAP. Reach out to Cindy Malone (585) 645-4060 with questions or reach out on the Keeping Our Promise Website to become a volunteer or to make a donation at keepingourpromise.org

Published: March 21, 2025

To those who helped make the most recent Red Cross Blood Drive a success, thank you! A note from the Red Cross on the results of our efforts "We collected 22 units, enough to impact 66 lives! Our staff was very appreciative of your help in calling donors to ensure they were coming."

The next Blood Drive at Asbury First will be Saturday, June 21, 8:30 am - 1 pm.

Published: March 21, 2025

We're spreading the word about the good work being done at the Community Outreach Center (COC), and we could use your help. Invite a friend, colleague, business owner, or relative to join us for 1010 Tuesdays – a monthly guided tour of the facilities, a light breakfast in the Dining & Caring Center, and an open Q&A session. We want to tell more people about the COC, and we want to learn new ways we can be effective in the community. Join us Tuesday, April 8 at 8 am at the COC. Space is limited so reserve your spot today!

Visit asburyfirst.org/1010tuesdays or call the office at (585) 271-1050 x117.

Published: March 14, 2025

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

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

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

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!