Asbury First United Methodist Church

Pastors

Rev. Ted Anderson

Interim Senior Minister
(585) 271-1050 x117
tanderson@asburyfirst.org

We are very pleased to announce that Bishop Héctor Burgos-Núñez has appointed the Rev. Ted Anderson to become our Interim Senior Minister effective March 1, 2024. Bishop Burgos made this appointment following consultations with his Cabinet, especially including our District Superintendent, the Rev. Suzanne Block, and with our Pastor Parish Relations Committee, Governance Board, and Transition Team. The appointment will continue through at least June 30, 2024.

Ted is an inspired choice to take on this role for several reasons.

Ted has a depth of very useful experience based on his 40 years as an Ordained Elder in the United Methodist Church. He took on his first assignment in 1978, shortly after receiving his M.Div. from the Boston University School of Theology. Later, for approximately 20 years he served as the beloved Senior Minister at Hurlbut Memorial Community UMC. On the grounds of the Chautauqua Institution, Hurlbut Memorial plays a unique role within our Conference. Throughout the year, Hurlbut Memorial serves an active congregation in the Chautauqua area, but each summer it also becomes the United Methodist church for the Chautauqua Institution. The Church and its ministers are deeply immersed in the Institution’s programs and activities.

Ted already knows us well. Many of us First met Ted in 2008 after he left Hurlbut Memorial to become District Superintendent for the Genesee Valley District. During his 8 years as our DS, Ted visited Asbury First many times, preached from our pulpit, presided often at our Annual Church Conferences, and advised us on many important issues. In recent years, he and his wife, Mary Connors Anderson, an experienced youth pastor, have worshipped with us regularly.

Ted is an expert in Youth Ministry, and has held leadership positions at the local church level (Youth Minister at Christ UMC in Amherst); the District level (Youth Coordinator for 7 years); Conference level (Conference Youth Coordinator); the NE District Level and the National level. This expertise will be a wonderful support for our youth ministries.

Ted shares our commitment to full inclusivity. As he has said, “I hope that AFUMC will continue to invite, empower, prepare and inspire all people to be the Body of Christ in the world ….. By all, I mean ALL.” He recently concluded a two-year interim assignment as Senior Minister at Fairport UMC, which was among the pioneer reconciling congregations in our area, and which places a particularly strong emphasis on full inclusivity.

Ted formally retired several years ago and is not interested in pursuing a permanent appointment to Asbury First. But, for now, we could not be in better hands as we move into the next phase of our search.

Favorite Scripture Verse

Matthew 22:34-40

When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

Rev. Kathy Thiel

Minister for Congregational Care
(585) 271-1050 x106
kthiel@asburyfirst.org

Kathy joined the Asbury First staff in July 2015 after her residency as a chaplain at St. Mary’s hospital in San Francisco, California. Kathy grew up in New Jersey and attended Hampshire College where she studied the intertwining of psychology, literature, and religion. Between her undergraduate work and seminary, Kathy founded and managed for fifteen years, a small environmental consulting firm in Massachusetts. She attended Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School here in Rochester.

As Minister for Congregational Care, Kathy provides pastoral leadership in the areas of hospitality and on-going spiritual support. Kathy finds God in being with people throughout the ups and downs of their lives. Her deep and abiding relationship with God provides a constant source of strength, peace, and joy. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she has found a home in Zoom, where she continues leadership to many weekly groups, and where she has started several new groups. In her spare time, Kathy raises and breeds guinea pigs.

 

Favorite Scripture Verse


John 1:1-5

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

Mike Mullin

Minister for Discipleship and Youth
(585) 271-1050 x105
mmullin@asburyfirst.org

Mike joined the staff at Asbury First in August of 2013 as the youth minister. Mike grew up in Pittsburgh, PA, received a B.A. in Christian Education and Music (percussion) at Westminster College in New Wilmington, PA, and completed his M.Div. at Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School in 2017. Mike has a wife and two children, and loves to go on adventures. From geo-caching, to rock climbing, to mountain biking, it seems there is always a great reason to get outside and enjoy creation. The spirit of adventure also includes discovering new experiences, traveling, and trying new foods. As the Minister for Youth and Discipleship, Mike hopes that Asbury First is a place where everyone might be invited to partake in an adventure of faith. All are encouraged to engage, to listen, to question, and to help expand our understanding of what it means to come together as a diverse community seeking to do more good—even as we push the boundaries of our own comfort zones.

 

Favorite Scripture Verse


2 Timothy 1:7

...for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.

Rev. Rachel Ann Dupont

Minister for Christian Formation and Director of the Discipleship Project
(585) 271-1050 x113
rdupont@asburyfirst.org

The Rev. Rachel Ann Dupont joined the Asbury First ministry team in 2021. Trained in Spiritual Direction, Congregational Formation, and New Faith Community Development, Rachel is passionate about guiding individuals, groups, and congregations in discerning and living out God’s unique call on their lives. She believes Christian Formation is all about living our professed values of love and grace, which transforms the world!

Baptized as a baby in the United Methodist Church, Rachel has never left. Rachel has lived her whole life in New York State and loves to explore this beautiful place with her family. She is a partner, a parent, a pastor, and a friend. She loves good food, fresh air, and reading memoirs.

Rev. Dupont is an ordained elder in the Upper New York Annual Conference, where she serves as the Coordinator for Annual Conference Worship, and as a delegate to General Conference. She has served as the pastor of four churches in Upper New York, as well as on the Oneonta District as a New Ministry Cultivator, and carries a high level of connectional and community participation. Rachel earned her M. Div from Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York in 2010.

 

Favorite Scripture Verse

 

Romans 5:1-5

Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

Rev. Patrick Dupont

Minister for Outreach
(585) 271-1050 x136
pdupont@asburyfirst.org

The Rev. Patrick Dupont joined Asbury First in outreach ministry in 2021. Pat is an Ordained Deacon in The United Methodist Church and feels particularly called to lead the church in ministries of compassion and justice with those who find themselves on the margins of society. He believes it is through authentic relationships with our neighbors that we move from being Jesus worshippers to Jesus followers.

Pat is excited to be a part of the Asbury First community at such an important moment in the life of the Outreach Center. He looks forward to helping both the Outreach Center and congregation reach their fullest potential in service to Christ and to the broader community.

Before coming to Asbury First, Pat served several United Methodist congregations and spent three years living and working at St. Joseph’s House of Hospitality, a Catholic Worker community that operates a soup kitchen, clothing closet, and emergency shelter, and engages in activism and advocacy alongside Rochester’s poor and homeless.

Pat holds a Bachelors of Music in Composition from Syracuse University and a Masters of Divinity from Wesley Theological Seminary. He enjoys long distance running, Syracuse basketball, Yankees baseball, and camping with his wife, Rachel, and children, Louisa and Jed.

 

Favorite Scripture Verse

 

Luke 6:20b

Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.

Rev. Jacqueline Nelson

Preaching Associate
(585) 271-1050 x104
jnelson@asburyfirst.org

Jackie, a native of Teaneck, NJ, joined the Asbury First staff in August 2017 as the Minister for Outreach. In September of 2021, Jackie joined the staff of Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School as the Director for Student Support Services and Coordinator for Spiritual Care, and has remained a part of the Asbury First team. She remains on staff as Preaching Associate, where she continues to share her gift and passion for preaching with our congregation on occasion.

Prior to her arrival at Asbury First, she served as an Associate Minister at Mount Olive Baptist Church in Hackensack, NJ. From 2014-2015, while pursuing her academic studies, Jackie participated in field education opportunities as a student pastoral intern to the First Baptist Church of Princeton, NJ, and Hope Presbyterian Church of Memphis, TN. 

Jackie received both a Master of Divinity (2016) and Master of Theology (2017) from Princeton Theological Seminary (PTS). Upon graduation, she received a Certificate in Black Church Studies, a Certificate in Women, Theology & Gender, and the 2016 Bryant M. Kirkland Award for Excellence in Practical Theology.  

Jackie is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Human Development from the Warner School of Education at the University of Rochester, and in her spare time enjoys traveling and reading.

 

Favorite Scripture Verse


Jeremiah 29:11

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Ministry and Administrative Staff