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This Lent, we are encouraging everyone to join us in a study of Prayer in the Night by Tish Harrison Warren. This book explores a season of doubt and loss, navigating themes of human vulnerability, suffering, and God's seeming absence. It also offers prayerful and frank approaches to living in a world filled with uncertainty. Whether you read the book on your own, join in one of our weekly discussion groups, or lead a group, let us know.
Join the LGBTQ Advocacy Team for two enlightening Wednesday evenings this February. On February 4, Cory Tylenda and Chris Gold return with "UMC Savvy Allies: Where are we now?" – a thought-provoking follow-up discussion exploring our journey as allies in the UMC community. Then on February 11, don't miss "through a mirror dimly, but then…!" featuring Rev. Dr. Phillippa "Phil" Phaneuf, who will share her powerful personal story of discovering and embracing her identity as a transgender woman throughout her life. Both sessions promise meaningful conversation, deeper understanding, and the opportunity to grow together as a community.
Two Very Special Wednesdays Wednesdays, February 4 and 11, at 6 pm in Wesley Hall
JANUARY 2026
NEWS SHEET
You're invited! Join us for upcoming worship, fellowship, and fun.
Lenten Book Study: Prayer in the Night
Celebrate Valentine's Day with a special event! Books will be gift-wrapped with only a few descriptive words visible, keeping titles and covers hidden. Take one home, unwrap it, and enjoy your surprise Valentine—you might just fall in love with a book! Visit the bibliocart in the Gathering Center on Sunday, February 8 to pick up your mystery book.
NEWS SHEET | JANUARY 2026
We will begin the holy season of Lent together with our Pan-Methodist siblings from around Rochester. This year, the service will be held at Memorial African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church (549 Clarissa St, Rochester, NY). Join us as we worship with Baber African Methodist Episcopal Church, Memorial African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, and New Bethel Christian Methodist Episcopal Church and welcome in this important season of Lent. Pastor Michelle will be the preacher.
Fall In Love With A Book! Sunday, February 8 in the Gathering Center
Asbury Women's Art Class Fridays, 1 - 3 pm in Room 205 (1040)
Ash Wednesday Pan-Methodist Service Wednesday, February 18 at Memorial AME Zion Church
Join the Asbury Women's Art Class to learn needle felting with no experience required as we create stunning pictures and jewelry. For just $15 in materials, we'll meet every Friday from 1 - 3 pm in Room 205 (the Bell Room in 1040) to explore art as a spiritual practice while connecting with other women in a welcoming, creative space. Questions? Contact Linda Clemow at programs@asburyfirst.org
The youth of Asbury First are selling soup for $10 per quart to fund summer mission trips, with high schoolers heading to West Virginia for Appalachia Service Project and middle schoolers traveling to Buffalo, NY to serve with youth from the Upper New York Conference of the United Methodist Church. Join us for a soup luncheon on February 8 in Fellowship Hall at noon, where youth will serve and share about last summer's hurricane relief mission work! Questions, contact mmullin@asburyfirst.org
Souper Bowl Fundraiser Sunday, February 8, at Noon in Fellowship Hall
If you are experiencing grief and would like a place to talk about it and share with others, you are welcome to attend on Wednesday evenings from 4 to 5 pm in the Library (1040). All are welcome. A Zoom-Only Grief Group will meet Tuesdays from 4 to 5 pm. Questions? Contact Rev. Kathy Thiel at (585) 271-1050 x106 or kthiel@asburyfirst.org.
Grief Group Wednesdays in-person, Tuesdays via Zoom
Hope from the Eye of the Storm – at Temple Sinai
Join us for an inspiring interfaith evening with Rabbi Leora Ezrachi-Vered and Father (Abuna) Saba Haj on Tuesday, February 10, 7 to 9 pm at Temple Sinai. This special event will feature remarks from both speakers, shared singing in Hebrew and Arabic, and a Q&A focused on peace, shared society, and interfaith leadership. All are welcome to attend this meaningful gathering that brings our communities together in dialogue and hope.
Join us Sundays, from 9:45 to 10:45 am in Fellowship Hall for a new series highlighting our Off-Campus Ministries. February 1: School 17 & 45, Help Me Read, John Smalt February 8: History of Chacocente, Robyn Gage February 15: Family Promise (formally RAIHN), Kim Hunt-Uzelac, Executive Director
Upcoming Adult Sunday School Program
Adult Sunday School
Wednesday Morning Book Group – Miracles & Wonder
Morning Prayer – Thursdays at 9:30 am
In these turbulent times of shifting headlines and unsettling political events, our pastoral staff feels called to help our community maintain spiritual grounding. We invite you to join us for Morning Prayer every Thursday from 9:30 - 10am in the Meditation Chapel (within the Sanctuary). This simple service offers a space to center ourselves in God's presence, solidarity, compassion, and love. No special preparation needed—come as you are, whenever you can join us.
Join our Wednesday morning book study beginning February 18, 10 – 11:30 am in the Red Room (1010) and via Zoom as we explore Miracles and Wonder by Elaine Pagels, a thrilling historical mystery that examines the gospels Jesus's followers left behind. Each chapter addresses fascinating questions—Why a virgin birth? Why the resurrection? Did miracles really happen and what did they mean?—bringing Jesus and his followers vividly to life while shedding light on his enduring power to inspire and attract. All are welcome to join this engaging discussion.
Sign up or just show up to give blood on Saturday, February 14 from 8:30 am to 1 pm in Asbury First's Gathering Center. Please call Ed Ristau at (585) 223-4356, call 1-800-RED-CROSS or visit redcrossblood.org to schedule your appointment. Walk-ins also welcome. Please remember to bring your ID.
Join the AFUMC postcarders in our next effort of postcarding for the Progressive Turnout Project. We will resume printing on February 19, in the Red Room (1010), 10 am to Noon. Just bring your pen, your best printing skills and your enthusiasm. And if you don’t find yourself called to printing postcards yet still want to support our effort, consider buying and donating postcard stamps (not first class stamps). Stamps can be left with Holly Temming in the Church Office (1050).
Yoga Returns! – Tuesdays at 3 pm, Gathering Center
Postcarding Resumes!
Join us for Gentle Yoga at Asbury First, Tuesdays starting February 3 at 3 pm in the Gathering Center ($10 suggested donation at the door). Each beginner-friendly, inclusive session offers an hour of breathing, movement, awareness, and meditation. Wear loose-fitting clothing comfortable for movement; limited mats and props available, but please bring your own if possible.
Blood Drive – February 14
KOP is seeking 4 groups of 3 volunteers each to be part of a caring circle for new families. Under the Welcome.US program, we can help, but we officially need three volunteers per family. This will guarantee a family $1,000 per person in resettlement funds within 2 to 3 weeks from the Welcome Corps. Please reach out to friends and community members if you can help by being part of a caring circle. For more information, call or text Cindy Malone at (585) 645-4060.
Keeping Our Promise Seeking volunteers
Volunteering Opportunities | JANUARY 2026
Looking for a deeper way to connect? Volunteering at Asbury First is more than helping out—it’s about building friendships, discovering joy, and growing in faith. Our Volunteer Engagement Committee is here to match your gifts and schedule with opportunities across the church. Whether you have an hour once in a while or time each week, there’s a place for you: greeting on Sunday mornings, singing in the choir, teaching, cooking, office help, or serving with Outreach ministries. The best part? Volunteering is flexible and rewarding. You’ll bless the church with your presence—and find yourself blessed in return. Ready to find your place? Reach out to the Volunteer Engagement Committee and discover the joy of serving together. Call to be connected with someone who can help you find your place.
Christmas Eve Pageant
SCRAPBOOK | JANUARY 2026
Doesn't it seem like the year inevitably, perpetually, slants toward Christmas? As the days grow shorter and the nights colder, isn't it always the immanent glow of Christmas, the candlelight intimacy, that becomes our guiding star through late fall and early winter?
With Christmas behind us and a new year growing up before us, let's see if we can carry some of the hope of the Advent season with us!
ARTICLES | JANUARY 2026
In early December, longtime Asbury First members, Rick and Paula Kuempel, were honored with the Legacy of Hope Award by Greater Rochester Habitat for Humanity. Ethel Duble, SVP Gifts & Planned Giving at Greater Rochester Habitat for Humanity, presented the award. When Rick Kuempel attended a neighborhood meeting in Palmyra in 1987, he had no idea he was about to embark on a decades-long journey that would help shape Greater Rochester Habitat for Humanity. Captivated by founders Roger and Barbara Cross's vision for a Wayne County Habitat affiliate, Rick visited a construction site on Miller Street in Rochester. Finding an all-volunteer operation in need of expertise, the construction professional volunteered to build steps to the second floor. Within weeks, he had caught what volunteers fondly call "Infectious Habititis." Founder Harry Beilfus recognized Rick's skills and offered him the position of Construction Supervisor, a role he held from 1987 to 1994. "It was a teaching gig really," Rick later reflected. "My job was to go in, get projects set up, show the volunteers how to do it, and then turn them loose." That teaching philosophy created lasting impact. Rick mentored Erwin and Edwin, who went on to serve as Construction Site Supervisors for over 25 and 30 years respectively. Around 1990, Rick's recruitment efforts at Asbury First United Methodist Church led to an unexpected partnership. After speaking to the congregation, he met Paula, a choir member who began volunteering on-site. The two eventually married, becoming a formidable team for Habitat's mission. After Rick returned to teaching chemistry at MCC, they volunteered side-by-side on build sites and traveled to Florida each February for Habitat projects. Paula spearheaded fundraising initiatives, organizing "Sign a 2x4 for $5.00" campaigns and holiday pie sales while ensuring church capital campaigns included donations to Habitat. Today, Rick and Paula continue their support, stopping by build sites with donuts and serving as ambassadors for the mission they've championed for nearly four decades. In recognition of their extraordinary contributions, the couple received Greater Rochester Habitat for Humanity's 2025 Legacy of Hope Award. As Rick once said, "The biggest way that Habitat has changed my life is that it gives me hope… it gives me faith in people." For Rick and Paula Kuempel, that potential has been realized through thousands of volunteer hours, countless lives touched, and a legacy that will inspire future generations. — This article draws primarily from Ethel Duble’s Legacy of Hope Award presentation speech.
One of the sacred spaces in our world is our sanctuary at Asbury First. Walking into that space for the first time, people often comment how much better they feel. It’s the energy, it’s the beauty, it’s God. Another equally sacred space is the love between and among us. Less tangible but sacred and strong. We honor the sacred space of the sanctuary by keeping it clean and neat, filling it with beautiful and aromatic flowers, Christmas trees, and banners; filling it with the joy of worshipping God and Jesus Christ, singing songs of praise and celebrating the milestones of life between birth and death. We honor the sacred space of love among us by being the best versions of ourselves in every given moment and situation, by reaching out to those in need, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and imprisoned. On Tuesday evening, January 6th, we hosted the Guiding Eye Dogs weekly class in our sanctuary. This is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides all services completely free of charge to those with vision loss. Being unable to see in this world can be scary and dangerous; having a compassionately trained dog by your side to guide you through is a true blessing. Guiding Eyes uses a relationship-based approach to training dogs, and this produces dogs who have significant confidence and focus. Guide dogs go through an extensive training program and those who attended the Tuesday evening class in our sanctuary work very hard to learn all they need to know to be a loving, gentle, helpful, guiding companion. And there is also playtime. Each dog wears a harness that identifies them to the world as a working dog, and when that harness comes off there is plenty of time to play and cuddle. These dogs create sacred space between themselves and the person with whom they bond to help. At the end of the class session last week, each dog received a blessing. The young puppies wiggled throughout, the older puppies sat a little more still, each and every dog was reminded in that moment that they are a sacred blessing to the world in the work that they do and the way that they do it. Being able to host the Guiding Eyes Puppy Class is one of the many things I personally and professionally love and respect about this community of faith. Thank you for being part of this community, and please join me in thanking all of the people who are involved with Guiding Eyes For The Blind.
by Pastor Michelle
In moments that call for moral clarity, we are thankful for our Bishop’s leadership and faithful voice. We appreciate his leadership and share his statement here as part of our ongoing commitment to justice and compassion. It is offered to amplify the Bishop's witness and to invite prayerful reflection. The dehumanization, demonizing, selective and violent persecution of migrants and other vulnerable communities in the United States must end. The reckless, violent, inhumane and often illegal tactics of ICE must cease. The blatant disregard for due process and the laws by the federal government (they know they are breaking the law), and the enabling/complicit silence of Congress (they know what they are allowing is wrong) must be confronted. The manipulative, unethical leadership that exploits the most vulnerable for hidden selfish gain must be rejected. Let us pray—not for these challenges to vanish, but for the courage to embody God’s compassion and justice, to stand as living witnesses of mercy and truth, and to work together to (re)build a community where human dignity is honored and the common good triumph over hate and greed. Pray! And then move to action: stand in the gaps, care for the most vulnerable with compassion, organize, call your elected representatives, share your convictions, and call for justice. This is not politics, it’s what the Lord demands from us as followers of Jesus Christ. –Bishop Héctor A Burgos-Núñez
In a sermon preached in 1967, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. offered these words: “Cowardice asks the question: Is it safe? Expediency asks the question: Is it politic? Vanity asks the question: Is it popular? But conscience asks the question: Is it right?” Dr. King spoke those words in a time marked by violence, fear, and fierce resistance to justice. He knew that moral courage does not arise from comfort or certainty, but from a deep commitment to love—love that tells the truth about the world as it is, and still believes it can be different. This Martin Luther King Jr. Day comes in the midst of another difficult season in our common life. Many of us are carrying grief, anger, confusion, and exhaustion in response to recent events. It can feel as though violence and injustice repeat themselves, and as though the work of healing is endlessly unfinished. Dr. King did not deny that reality. He named evil plainly, mourned deeply, and still insisted that real, costly love is the only force capable of transforming both people and systems. What sustained him was a disciplined attention to the places God was already at work. Dr. King looked closely at the world, especially at its wounds, and trusted that light could still be found there. He believed that justice was not an abstract ideal but a living practice, shaped by conscience, compassion, and community. His life reminds us that hope is not naïveté; it is a choice to keep seeking what gives life, even when despair feels easier. On this day, we remember Dr. King not simply as a historical figure, but as a witness to faithful living in hard times. He calls us to resist what dehumanizes, to stand with those who suffer, and to remain attentive to the quiet, persistent ways love continues to show up in the world. May we honor his legacy by choosing courage over convenience, conscience over comfort, and by keeping our eyes open for the light that still shines—often closer than we expect. Grace and peace to you on this day of remembrance and recommitment. – Rev. Dr. Michelle Bogue-Trost
The role of religion is to make the individual aware of the interior ground of his or her own being, to remind the person that he or she is more than the sum total of what happens to them. — Howard Thurman, The Inward Journey In the weeks following the assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the Rev. Howard Thurman continued to insist on a truth that feels especially needed right now: that the work of faith does not begin with urgency, but with grounding. He believed that movements falter not only because of opposition, but because people lose touch with the deep interior life that makes courage sustainable, the kind of grounding that is learned slowly, often in communities shaped by long endurance. Thurman’s theology was rooted in the conviction that God’s work takes hold beneath the surface. Long before words like burnout or compassion fatigue entered common use, he was asking what it takes to remain human in a world that constantly presses people toward despair. For Thurman, justice was never separate from spiritual formation. It was sustained by people who knew who they were and trusted that God was at work even when progress felt uneven or incomplete. As we move toward Black History Month, it is important to remember that the legacy of Black faith in this country is not only one of public witness and courageous speech, but also of spiritual endurance. The leaders we honor were sustained by prayer, reflection, and communities that helped them remain rooted when the work was long and the cost was high. Their faith was not loud for the sake of volume; it was deep for the sake of survival. For those of us in predominantly white congregations, listening to these voices is not about borrowing inspiration or extracting wisdom for our own purposes. It is about allowing ourselves to be shaped by experiences and insights forged under pressures many of us have not had to bear. Deep listening asks more than admiration. It asks humility, patience, and a willingness to let these voices challenge our assumptions, widen our moral imagination, and teach us ways of faithfulness we did not have to learn for survival. Many of us are living in a season when the world feels strained and the path forward unclear. Thurman would remind us that this is not a failure of faith, but an invitation to return to what grounds us and to listen more carefully, to tend our inner lives, and to trust that God is still shaping a people capable of love, courage, and truth. In the weeks ahead, we will continue to reflect on voices that have helped form the moral and spiritual life of our nation. We do so not simply to admire them from a distance, but to learn how persistent and hopeful faith can be practiced, even in times like these.
Wednesdays, 10–11:30 am , 1010 Red Room and Zoom (zoom.us/j/8924819492) PW 578697) All are invited to join this book discussion group as we meet in-person and on Zoom on Wednesday mornings. Some have been a part of this group for years, while others come and go depending on availability and the books that we are reading. We will begin our next book on March 5, The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together, by Heather McGhee. For more information, please contact Mike Mullin at mmullin@asburyfirst.org.
Lectio Divina
CONTINUING CLASSES, GROUPS, AND EVENTS
(On Hiatus for the Summer but returning in the Fall) Fridays, 1 – 3 pm, 1040 Room 205 (upper level, bell choir room) Now meeting on Friday afternoons, the Asbury Art Class is exploring watercolor and card-making. Watercolor is a terrific medium for capturing the form and surprise of the natural world. Please email Linda Clemow at soulsourcestudio1@gmail.com for more information and to register.
Tuesday Women’s Fellowship
Looking for a way to stay connected to your Asbury First friends during the week? Want to meet new Asbury First friends? All women, all ages, are welcome to join the Tuesday Women's Fellowship via Zoom, 9:30–10:30 am each week. Bring your coffee or tea, and perhaps a treat, zoom in and enjoy an hour of devotion, sharing, and connection. If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact Elizabeth Church, coordinator, at emchurch418@gmail.com. Hope to see you soon!
Tuesdays, 9:30-10:30 am, Zoom (zoom.us/j/8347173468 PW 200)
Lectio Divina is a contemplative practice on reading scripture. A passage of scripture is read, then there is silent meditation, then the passage is read again, then more silence, and then discussion. The silence is an opportunity to reflect upon what you experienced in the scripture. This half hour opens and closes with prayer. All are welcome. For more information please contact Rev. Kathy Thiel at kthiel@asburyfirst.org or at 585-271-1050 x106.
Wednesday Morning Study Group
Tuesdays, 8:30–9 am, Zoom (zoom.us/j/8347173468 PW 200)
Asbury First Women's Art Class — Watercolor Painting
Tuesdays, 2:15 - 3:15 pm, Zoom (zoom.us/j/8347173468 PW 200)
Men of all ages are welcome to join us on Wednesday mornings via Zoom as we discuss topics of faith, life, and more. Each week, a different member of the group leads us n a devotion for our time together. These can be instructional, reflective, conversational, and more. This is a wonderful group to make and build connections, and we hope that you will drop in to join us! or more information, please contact Mike Mullin at mmullin@asburyfirst.org.
Have you ever wondered what the Bible really says—and if it truly has any meaning for us in modern times? If so, then you’re not alone. Most Christians have never really read the Bible, and many wonder if it’s antiquated teachings truly transcend time. If you would like to grapple with these questions, then you are encouraged to join in the Disciple Bible Study. Disciple IV spends the first half the year looking at the Wisdom Literature of the Old Testament, and the second half of the year focused on the Gospel of John and Revelation. The Disciple IV Bible study will be starting later this spring. Please contact Mike Mullin for more information or to sign-up contact mmullin@asburyfirst.org
Disciple IV Bible Study
Men’s Devotional Group
Wednesdays, 7 am, Zoom (zoom.us/j/8347173468 PW 200)
Yoga at Asbury First
Tuesdays, 3 pm, Gathering Center, $10 pay at the door
Join us for our weekly sessions of Gentle Yoga. This gentle attention can help both to bring inner awareness to your body, as well as clarity and peace to the mind! Classes are an hour long and open to participants at any level. $10 at the door, you're encouraged to wear comfortable loose-fitting clothes, and to bring a towel and water with you.
Carvers of Hope is a wood carving ministry that helps people who find themselves in the very difficult places of life. Its members carve handmade crosses as a reminder of the hope Jesus brought to us through the cross. All materials, wood, and carving tools are provided, as well as carving lessons. No prior skill is needed to carve crosses with this group. If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact John Smalt at jhsmalt@gmail.com.
4th Tuesday of the Month, 6:30–8 pm, Room 203
As The Spirit Moves Us
Prayer Shawl Ministry
Asbury First's LGBTQ+ Advocacy Group continues to hold meetings seeking new ways to support the LGBTQ+ community. Meetings are held in the Youth Room (in the lower level of the church). Anyone affiliated with LGBTQ+ community and allies are welcome to attend. We will be planning for events, outreach, and educational opportunities in our community. Youth and adults are welcome! For more information, please contact Deb Bullock-Smith at (585) 271-1050 x117 or at dbullocksmith@asburyfirst.org.
4th Wednesday of the Month, 3–4:30 pm, Library
3rd Sunday of the Month, at 9:45 am, 1040 Youth Room (lower level)
LGBTQ+ Advocacy Meeting
Sundays, 9:45–10:45 am, Room LL03 and Zoom (zoom.us/j/6174865464 PW Disciple) As The Spirit Moves is a class founded on forming a welcoming community to study Biblical events through scripture as well as Christian-based literature. All are welcome, and every voice is heard as we become better together. For more information about this class, please contact Mike Mullin at mmullin@asburyfirst.org or at 585-271-1050 x105.
Carvers of Hope
A prayer shawl is a simple shawl or a lap blanket knitted by members of our group. It is symbolic of an inclusive, unconditionally loving God. The knitting itself is very simple and we have “experts” on hand to help you if you are a beginner. The group meets monthly on the fourth Wednesday. Clergy and lay members of our church identify those who may benefit from our ministry and a shawl, and they're delivered by ministers or congregation members. Questions? Contact Meredith Pixley at meredithpixley@gmail.com.
To submit an announcement, email communication@asburyfirst.org, call the church office at (585) 271-1050, or fill out the online form at asburyfirst.org/bulletin-announcement. If you'd like to receive regular paper communications, please call the church office at (585) 271-1050.
ALTAR FLOWERS The flowers on the altars are given to the glory of God and in gratitude of past and present church members. If you would like to place flowers on the altars, please contact Jeanne Ristau at (585) 223-4356, preferably two weeks ahead of requested date. Prayers and Concerns We offer our prayers and concerns for all those who are ill at home, hospitalized, or in hospice care. We want to be able to visit and pray with those who are in the hospital. If you know someone who is in the hospital and would like a pastoral call, or if you yourself are in the hospital or have a date for surgery, please call Rev. Kathy Thiel who will be most glad to be with you in that moment. (585) 271-1050 x106.
Celebrations and concerns
Stay up-to-date with events, links, and information with our online calendar, or call (585) 271-1050.
asburyfirst.org/events