asburyfirst.org
(585) 271-1050
Adult Sunday School Forum Sundays, 9:45am-10:45am, Fellowship Hall and Zoom Asbury First's Sunday School Forum meets weekly on Sundays in Fellowship Hall between services to discuss a range of topics including current events, social justice, and discipleship practices. All are welcome to gather with us as we learn more about ourselves, our community, and the world around us. Each week stands alone, so come as you are able! Pastor Dee and Jo will be coordinating and facilitating this group. For more information, please email programs@asburyfirst.org.
OCTOBER 2026
NEWS SHEET
You're invited! Join us for upcoming worship, fellowship, and fun.
Older Adult Autumn Gathering Thursday, October 29, 11am Please join us for the Older Adult Autumn Gathering. 11am worship in the sanctuary will be followed by lunch in the Gathering Center at noon. Please RSVP by Thursday, October 22 to Barbara Eltinge at 585-737-8775 or beltinge@icloud.com, and please note any dietary restrictions you may have (such as vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free or nut-free).
October Chapel Challenge: Winter Hats, Gloves, Coats and Handwarmers Each month we collect different supplies needed for the ministries of the Community Outreach Center. For the October COC Chapel Challenge, we will collect Winter Hats, Gloves, Coats and Handwarmers. A list of other specific needed items is also available at asburyfirst.org/coc Please drop them off near the rail in the front of the Children's Chapel before or after services. Thank you for caring for our neighbors!
NEWS SHEET | OCTOBER 2026
Wednesday Morning Book Study: The Bible, A Biography Think you know the Bible? Think again! Join our six-week journey through Karen Armstrong's acclaimed book to explore how this text was written, fought over, and reinvented across thousands of years. Whether you see the Bible as divine revelation, historical literature, or a cultural mystery, your voice is welcome, and no background is required, just an open mind and a love for discussion. Wednesdays, 10 to 11:30 am, October 14 through November 18, in the Red Room (1010). Pick up a copy, read the Introduction and Chapter 1, and join us!
NEWS SHEET | MARCH 2026
Wednesday Evening Programming Returns! Wednesdays, starting with Community Dinner at 5:30 pm After a summer hiatus, Wednesday nights at Asbury First are back! Join us for Community Dinner at 5:30 pm in the Gathering Center, followed by a full line-up of music and learning. Whether you're singing, ringing, learning, or sharing a meal, there's a place for everyone of all ages. — mark your calendars and bring a friend. We'll see you there!
Wednesday Evening Classes Wednesdays, 6 pm, Wesley Hall and Zoom Join us October 14 for a presentation by the Generosity Team. Jacob Barragato, CFP®, a Financial Advisor with 7Crest Financial Partners, a private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC. Jake will provide an educational overview of several key issues, including Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs), Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs), and the impact of taxable income on Medicare IRMAA surcharges. These are areas that many find confusing or complex, but they can have a significant impact on both the giving and the giver. Sponsored by the Generosity Team.
Come Behind the Scenes of the Production Suite! Have you ever wondered what goes on in that booth, up behind the balcony, every Sunday morning? Here's your opportunity to check it out, and to see the equipment and meet some of the people who make our live stream happen week after week. The Production Suite Team is made up of adults and youth, and we are currently in need of additional operators - once trained, operators can sign up for shifts roughly once a month. If this ministry interests you, please come visit the Production Suite immediately after worship on Sunday, November 1. We'll meet in the Narthex and head up together. For more information, contact Carl Johengen, cjohengen@asburyfirst.org.
Lectio Divina Tuesdays at 8:30 am and Thursdays at 8 am via Zoom Lectio Divina is a contemplative prayer practice focused on one scripture. There is prayer, reading of the passage, silent contemplation and discussion. The silence is an opportunity to reflect upon what you experienced in the scripture and how it resonates with you. Come to either or both sessions. For more information please contact Lori Jeanne Peloquin: programs@asburyfirst.org. All are welcome.
LECTIO DIVINA
Scan the QR code to join via zoom every Tuesday 8:30 - 9 am and weekdays during Holy Week, Mon, Apr 14 – Fri, Apr 18
Dining In For Outreach Celebration November 8, between the worship services, Gathering Center Join us Sunday, November 8, between worship services in the Gathering Center for a special celebration honoring longtime Asbury First volunteers who have been deeply involved in our outreach ministries. The celebration begins at approximately 9:45 am and will include food, music, and special recognition of our honorees, as well as of the funds raised for the Community Outreach Center through the Dining In For Outreach (DIFO) event on November 7. DIFO sign-ups are available in the Narthex through October.
The East Ave Grocery Run Returns! Once again, Asbury First will participate in the East Ave Grocery Run, an annual fundraiser that supports food programs in Rochester, including the Asbury First Community Outreach Center. The run is on Saturday, November 7 and registration is now open. Anyone who registers as a member of the Asbury First team donates their full registration fee directly to the COC! Invite a friend to come out, enjoy a fall morning run/walk and support the work of feeding Rochester’s hungry. Register at https://runsignup.com/RaceGroups/11070/Groups/2170437 and donate at https://runsignup.com/afcoc.
Sanctuary Speaker Project Update Good news! The order for the new sanctuary speakers has been placed as well as the additional equipment required for installation and wiring. In the next 2-3 weeks, work will commence on installing the wiring for the new speakers and removing the old ones. Overall, the project remains on pace for completion and installation by the end of October.
Bibles Ministry at Asbury First A new initiative has taken shape at Asbury First: the Bibles Ministry seeks to collect extra Bibles from the congregation and redistribute them to those who could use one. Bring your extra Bibles to one of two receptacles on campus (one in the Welcome Hall near the other donation bins, and the other in the Church Offices at 1050), and they'll be distributed to homeless centers, schools, youth programs, re-entry programs, battered women's centers, and outreach centers around Monroe County.
Red Cross Blood Drive - Saturday, October 10, 8:30 am to 1 pm in the Gathering Center Sign up or just show up to give blood! Please call 1-800-RED-CROSS or visit redcrossblood.org to schedule your appointment. Please remember to bring your ID.
Adult Sunday School Is Back! Join a very special Empty Nesters Sunday School class starting September 20, at 9:45 am in the Red Room (1010). Together we'll read Empty Nest, Full Life by Jill Savage, a book designed to help parents navigate their disorienting emotions as children leave the home. This class will be led by Cheryl Thompson. Email programs@asburyfirst.org if you have any questions.
Morning Prayer – Thursdays at 9:30 am
Accessibility at Asbury First: Hearing Loop Active
Asbury Women's Art Class – Fridays, 1 - 3:30 pm
Discover your creative sanctuary at the Asbury Women's Art Class, a warm, non-judgmental space to unwind and explore creativity as prayer, meditation, and reflection—process over product, no experience needed. Join us Fridays, 1 to 3:30 pm starting September 11, in Room 205 (the bell room in 1040). Supply fee varies; a free-will offering supports the facilitator. Come as you are, leave renewed. Questions or registration: programs@asburyfirst.org or call the Church Office at (585) 271-1050.
We are pleased to offer a hearing loop system for those with hearing loss. This system delivers audio directly from our microphones to your personal hearing aid or cochlear implant. Please switch your device to the 'T' (Telecoil) setting. If you do not have a T-coil, please see an usher to borrow a portable receiver.
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 to 10 am 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.
Grocery Bag Ministry Is Now Meeting the Second Saturday of Each Month
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 | OCTOBER 2026
For over 12 years, Asbury First's Grocery Bag Ministry has assembled thousands of grocery bags for families in need across Rochester. Join us the second Saturday of each month at 8 am in the Dining & Caring Center to help pack grocery bags distributed to partner churches and refugee families through the Keeping Our Promise program.
Do More Good via the Volunteer Hub at asburyfirst.org There are many ways to be part of the life and ministry of Asbury First—here, we work together to Do More Good! Our Volunteer Hub makes it easy to explore current opportunities by ministry area, interest, and time commitment. Think of it as a place to browse, get curious, and discover where your gifts and availability might meet a real need. Browse current volunteer opportunities and see what speaks to you by visiting asburyfirst.org and clicking VOLUNTEER at the top of the page (or in the 3 line menu if you're using your smartphone). This is a place for you to connect, contribute, and Do More Good.
ARTICLES | MARCH 2026
Hospitality and Safety If you spend much time on the Asbury First campus, you have probably noticed something that has become increasingly familiar over the past couple of years: neighbors without stable housing finding shelter on our porches, sleeping near our buildings, or spending time on the grounds. Their presence has asked more of us than a simple decision about whether people may sleep on church property. It has asked us to think carefully about what hospitality requires of a church like ours, how we care meaningfully for persons whose lives are precarious, and how we also tend to the safety and well-being of the many people who come through our doors each day. For more than a year, our Safety & Hospitality Task Force has been doing that work, and I am grateful for their care and time. The group considered increased outreach through our Community Outreach Center, partnerships with community agencies, sanitation and environmental changes, security, and different approaches to enforcement. It also spent considerable time talking about the potential harm of criminalizing homelessness and the importance of preserving relationships with people who already experience considerable vulnerability. Out of that work, Asbury First has now implemented a Hospitality and Safety Policy for responding to overnight and daytime sleeping on our campus. The policy grows out of a tension we expect will not disappear: we are deeply committed to the dignity and care of our unhoused neighbors, and we are also responsible for maintaining a safe, sanitary, and accessible campus for everyone who comes here. Our buildings and grounds are used throughout the week by children and youth, older adults, Community Outreach Center guests, staff, volunteers, worshipers, neighbors, and community groups. We have also encountered human waste, accumulated trash, unsafe weather exposure, blocked entrances, and situations in which we simply did not know whether someone was in distress or needed help. Continuing to respond informally, differently from day to day and person to person, was no longer adequate. The new policy establishes a clear boundary: sleeping, camping, or establishing an overnight residence on church porches, entryways, or other church property is not permitted. But the boundary is only one part of the policy. The principle guiding everything around it is this: We escalate care before we escalate authority. When someone is found sleeping on a porch or near one of our buildings, the first response is a human one. A staff member, volunteer, security officer, or other designated responder will approach respectfully, explain the campus boundary, and offer assistance. Depending on the situation, that may include connection with our Community Outreach Center, 211, a shelter or outreach agency, or crisis support. If someone needs more help than we can provide in that moment, our goal is to connect them with people who are better equipped to offer it. You may also have noticed security personnel on campus at night. Overnight security rounds are now part of our implementation of this policy, thanks to a generous off-budget donation for that purpose. Their role is not to sweep the campus or treat unhoused people as intruders. They are here to provide a consistent presence during hours when staff are generally not present, to notice safety or health concerns, to communicate the same campus boundary, to offer the same pathways to assistance, to help de-escalate difficult situations, and to report back to church administration and outreach staff. Security personnel are expected to follow the same care-first protocol as our staff and volunteers. If someone does not leave when asked, we do not immediately call the police. The boundary is restated, assistance is offered again, and designated church leadership or appropriate outreach resources are involved. If there are significant mental-health concerns, crisis resources can be contacted. Law enforcement remains a last resort after reasonable efforts at assistance and de-escalation have been exhausted, except when there is an immediate threat or medical emergency. We know some members of our congregation will struggle with this boundary. Some will reasonably ask, “Is this what Jesus would do?” We do not want to dismiss that question, because it is exactly the kind of question a church should ask. For us, Christian hospitality cannot mean simply leaving a person on a porch because the porch is warmer or safer than the street. It asks more of us. It asks us to see the person, to treat them with dignity, to help connect them with care when we can, and to work for a community in which sleeping on a church porch is not among someone's best available options. It also asks us to care for the children, older adults, people with disabilities, Community Outreach Center guests, staff, volunteers, and others who rely on Asbury First to be a safe and accessible place. So this policy does not end Asbury First's responsibility to our unhoused neighbors. In some ways, it deepens it. We cannot allow our porches to function as an unstaffed overnight shelter, but neither do we want to become a church that simply moves people along. Our Community Outreach Center remains central to this work. So do our relationships with community partners, our advocacy around poverty and housing, and our commitment to understanding the circumstances that bring people to our doors. We will continue to pay attention to how the policy is working, listen to our outreach staff and community partners, learn from our encounters with unhoused neighbors, and make changes when experience shows us a better way. There is no perfect church policy for circumstances created by poverty, inadequate housing, mental-health needs, addiction, and gaps in the social safety net. A policy cannot solve those things. What it can do is help us decide how we will respond when those realities arrive at our doors: with clear boundaries, meaningful care, and the conviction that every person we encounter remains our neighbor.
ARTICLES | OCTOBER 2026
Hospitality and Safety continued
What you will learn: A better understanding of our endowments Why endowments cannot “fix” our budget What’s Next Asbury First’s Endowments Asbury First’s endowments total just over $11M, with $7.7M in the General Endowment and almost $4M in a variety of Restricted Endowments. These funds represent generous, legacy giving from many individuals and families. Asbury First’s endowments are carefully managed by our Investment Committee. Earnings from investments enable annual distributions (fund withdrawals) that provide significant ongoing support for our ministries and programs. Our 2027 endowment distributions will total $453,589. Endowment distributions will support the General and COC Budgets as well as off-budget campus capital improvements and fixed asset replacements, music programs, and outreach. For the General Budget, endowment funds contribute 16% of total annual income ($1 out of every $6), representing the equivalent of more than 200 additional pledges. Not A Quick Fix The purpose of endowment funds is to ensure Asbury First’s long term financial stability—which these funds have provided for many years. As funds grow, more funds are available for distribution, while at the same time ensuring the corpus of the funds (the original gift amount) continues to grow alongside inflation. Relying on these funds as a “short term fix” defeats their purpose and is not in the best interest of long term financial viability for Asbury First. Endowments needs to be steady source of income for our budgets (not a “patch”); this is key to achieving financial sustainability. Work Ahead The Financial Sustainability Task Force is working with the Property Stewardship Committee to update our fixed asset inventories, and this important work will inform our long term funding needs for capital projects and fixed asset replacements. Next will be determining funding sources beyond our annual operating budgets (e.g. growth of our Property Stewardship Endowment Fund). In parallel, the Finance and Outreach Committees have drafted 2027 General and COC Budgets and are also developing 5-year budget projections. For more information about our endowments, legacy giving and the Financial Sustainability Task Force, please see our detailed FAQ (available upon request) All Financial Sustainability Updates are archived on the Asbury First website (a print version is available upon request). We welcome your questions, ideas and feedback. Please reach out to finance@asburyfirst.org. Thank you for your continued support. With gratitude, Dawn Riedy, Finance Committee Chair Tim Mahan, Financial Sustainability Task Force Chair
The Work Behind the Work: Asbury First's Volunteer Spirit Over the past year, you've likely noticed some of the bigger transformations happening around our campus. The new Columbarium and Memorial Garden now offer a peaceful place for reflection, refreshed windows brighten some of the classrooms in the Education Wing at 1040, trees on the property are trimmed and fed, and the Sanctuary sound system is steadily being replaced, one piece at a time, to serve worship for years to come. But alongside these larger projects, something quieter, and just as meaningful, has been happening around Asbury First: the everyday work of congregants giving their time, skill, and care to keep our campus running. A Door 140 Years in the Making Right now, the Monday Morning Crew is tackling one of the most well-traveled spots on campus: the main entrance to the Church Offices at 1050. This door has welcomed visitors to the Wilson Soule house for 140 years, and for just as long, it seems, it's let in a draft every winter and stuck stubbornly every summer. The crew took the door off its hinges, sanded it down completely, refinished and reglazed it, and carefully reinstalled it. The jamb and stone porch were leveled and refilled by hand, restoring the seal the door was always meant to have. It's slow, careful, craftsman's work, the kind that doesn't show up in a headline but makes a real difference every time someone walks through that door. This has been a true team effort, made possible entirely by volunteers: Dave Kennedy, Jim Farrar, Jim Connell, Ernie Dankert, Brian Donat, David Kay, Jim Nolan, and Bob Peck. Every one of these folks gave their own time — no pay, no obligation, just a willingness to show up and take care of this place. And that's really the heart of it. Ask around Asbury First and you'll find this story repeats itself in a hundred different forms: volunteers quietly holding this community together, project by project, week by week. It's not an accident. It's who we are. A special shoutout to Bob Peck, who, in addition to his work on the front door, also repaired the office laminator, fixed the name tag printer, and sharpened the paper cutter. Small fixes, maybe, but ones that keep the daily life of the church office running smoothly. We are so blessed with the talent, generosity, and quiet dedication of our members. Who's Next? These are just the projects we know about, and we know there are more hands at work around campus that deserve recognition. Volunteerism is one of the quiet, inherent strengths of this community, and every fixed hinge, sharpened blade, and repaired printer is proof of it. If you know of a member who's been fixing, restoring, building, or maintaining something at Asbury First, let us know! We'd love to share their story in an upcoming article of the Monday Reader.
I currently serve here at Asbury First on the Generosity Team, formerly known as the Giving Team. Both “generosity” and “giving” are good things that we want to encourage. But in a deeper sense, those terms can be a little misleading, since they imply that we’re being urged to part with something that otherwise belongs entirely to us. We might reasonably say that we’ve worked hard to earn what we have. At the same time, in a fundamental sense, our very lives and everything we have are gifts from God. This includes the natural talents and abilities we may have started with, the educational and other advantages we may have acquired, and the health, safety, loving relationships, and other good fortune we may have enjoyed along the way. Remembering all this invites us to hold “our” money and material goods a little more lightly. After all, as the saying goes, “you can’t take it with you.” I’m reminded of these lyrics from an old hymn: We give thee but Thine own, What-e’er the gift may be: All that we have is Thine alone, A trust, O Lord, from Thee. William A. How, 1823–1897 Holding what we have lightly doesn’t mean squandering or frittering it away mindlessly. Nor does it mean accumulating and hoarding as much as possible. Perhaps it means being thoughtful about how we put what has been entrusted to us to good use. To paraphrase Spider-Man, with great gifts comes great responsibility—in this case, the responsibility to seek God’s guidance and discernment as we decide where our gifts may be most useful. To that end, I might pray something like this: Lord, help me remember that all I have in this life comes from you, still belongs to you, and has only temporarily been placed in my care. Thank you for all the material and immaterial goods you have blessed and entrusted me with. Please show me how I can best use those gifts to express my love and gratitude to you, and to serve you and your people faithfully in the particular time, place, and set of relationships in which you have planted me. In particular, thank you for the wonderful Christian community here at Asbury First—for the meaningful and inspiring worship and music, the talented and dedicated staff and volunteers, the many forms of community outreach, and the opportunities to learn, grow, connect, and serve. Please show me how I can invest my time, talent, and treasure to help our church community further your work in the Rochester area and the wider world. In Christ’s name, Amen.
Church job titles can be funny. Sometimes, they’re pretty clear, like “secretary” or “music director,” but sometimes, they’re a little more obscure, like “Director of Community Connections” or "Coordinator for Age-Level Ministries." (My two most recent titles!) Since we’re aware of how odd these tiles can be, I thought I’d take a moment at the beginning of the programming year to reflect on nurture and formation, the two words at the heart of the Nurture and Formation Team. (That’s Alex, Dee, and me.) Nurture and formation could mean many things. We would probably all have similar guesses about what church activities would fall into that category: Sunday School, UMYF, childcare, small groups, and Wednesday Evening Programming. But as the old saying goes, I think that puts the cart before the horse. I think we need to understand what we’re doing here at Asbury First before we can figure out what nurture and formation looks like here. The mission of the United Methodist Churchis to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Themission of Asbury Firstis "Love God and neighbor. Live fully. Serve all. Repeat." Putting this together, at Asbury First UMC, we're making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world by loving God and neighbor, living fully, serving all, and doing that over and over again. This is an incredible nurture and formation statement just on its own. Even better, it brings together the different ways that nurture and formation happen and weaves itself into a very Methodist understanding of grace. We like to talk about the means of grace in Methodism. Grace is the work of the Holy Spirit, the way that God is moving through us and our world, and there are reliable ways we can experience God at work. Those are the means of grace. They're activities like receiving communion or participating in a celebration of baptism; singing or praying, in community or on your own; reading the Bible; talking with others about your life and what God is doing; visiting those who are sick or in prison; feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and other acts of service; and seeking justice.Note: This is not an exhaustive list!Now, not every person is going to connect to God through every single means of grace. You may connect to God in one way when you're a child or a youth and in another way as you age. But when you participate in these means of grace, when you do these activities, grace is forming you into a disciple, and disciples shaped by grace can't help but transform the world through their presence in it. So our work as the Nurture and Formation Team is to build, maintain, and facilitate spaces in the church where grace can shape everyone, spaces where people are safe, welcomed, and wanted, and where they can connect to God however God is connecting to them. Nurture is the work of creating and maintaining those spaces: making sure the rooms we use are inviting and functional, making sure that in those spaces, we treat each other with love, respect, and kindness, and making sure that everyone who cares for our children, youth, and vulnerable adults has what they need to do that work well. Nurture also looks like pastoral care for all ages and in all spaces, but especially for those who need a little more intentional connection, whether because they're traveling through a difficult season of life or because life just doesn't look like it used to. We are shaped and formed by everything around us; it's the work of nurture to make sure that everything in the background is shaping us well, or, put another way, that nothing is getting in the way of grace. The work of formation is, I think, where we experience a more traditional idea of children's, youth, and older adult ministry. As the Nurture and Formation Team, we plan, teach, train, lead, provide resources, listen, dream, and empower. We teach our children so that they have the words and ideas they need to express their faith and beliefs for themselves as they grow into youth. We come alongside youth and young adults as they navigate the world and put their morals and beliefs into practice for themselves in a new way. We listen to those navigating the waters of work and life in families of all shapes and kinds, and we work to provide what we can to help you love all, live fully, and find your place in a world that is ready for your deep gladness to meet its deep need. Sometimes the work of formation digs into scripture; sometimes discussion; sometimes meditation or prayer; sometimes something different altogether. It's the work we do to shape ourselves as we follow the Spirit's guiding. It's the way we participate in grace. It's hard to fit all of that into a job description, and I suppose people would look at us weird if our jobs titles were "Coordinator of Grace" or "Associate for Living Fully" or "Pastor of Loving All," but this is the work that we as a team are doing. It comes in the form of Sunday School and Children's Time, pastoral care and committee meetings, scheduling and ordering supplies(note: this is not an exhaustive list!), and it's all part of God's work amongst the people of Asbury First. I hope that Dee, Alex, and I will be channels of grace in your lives, nurturing and being nurtured, forming and being formed, in this year and for years to come.
The Trees of Asbury First The Asbury First campus is home to over 150 trees representing a wide range of species, creating a welcoming, meditative setting to reflect on the wonders of God's creation. In 2003 the Trustees commissioned a Tree Inventory and Assessment by Bayer Landscape Architecture & Planning, which has guided tree stewardship for over 20 years. The Property Committee, through the Landscape Team, handles year-to-year care. Environmental impact The Landscape Team inspects the trees annually each fall with Davey Tree Experts, developing a plan reviewed and updated the following spring. Limb failures have increased in recent years, worsened by climate change and the aging of larger trees. 2026 was the most challenging year in two decades, with windstorm damage necessitating removal of a 40-foot Norway Maple (50" girth) along the parking lot's east fence line. Notable trees on campus European Beech Trees— Four grow on campus: at the West Driveway, in front of the Ed Wing, at the East Driveway/East Avenue entrance, and on the Granger Place property. Estimated at 80–100 years old, all are significant specimens. Bayer called the Ed Wing tree a "majestic specimen" in 2003, when its girth measured 48"; today it's 173" — over 14 feet around. Beeches can live 135 years or more. As Rochester's beech population has declined from disease and neglect, these four remain top priority for care, though all are afflicted with a persistent disease requiring ongoing management. Lebanon Cedar— Located at the SW corner of 1050, this often-overlooked tree descends from the storied Cedars of Lebanon, referenced in the Epic of Gilgamesh and the Old Testament, including Solomon's Temple. Once prized by Phoenicians for shipbuilding and traded across the ancient world, the species was nearly harvested to extinction and now survives mainly in small Lebanese national parks. Wild life expectancy is 600–1,000 years, though this tree's location may limit its longevity. Girth: 18" in 2003, 96" in 2026. Linden Tree— A large Linden on the Granger Place property was called a "spectacular old Linden" by Bayer in 2003; in 2015, Davey Tree's Jacob Young called it a tree "not found very often in this area." Girth: 54" in 2003, 163" in 2026. English Oaks— Columnar English Oaks flank the East Avenue Sanctuary entrance, planted in 2008 during the Singing Tower/Steeple restoration for their columnar shape, which can reach 40 feet. Life expectancy: 500–1,000 years. Interested in the trees of Asbury First? Contact Bob Schuman at programs@asburyfirst.org
Next Sunday, the first Sunday in October, Asbury First will join United Methodist churches and many other churches across the globe in celebrating World Communion Sunday. World Communion Sunday began as World-Wide Communion Sunday at Shadyside Presbyterian Church in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania in 1933. The Rev. Hugh Thompson Kerr and his congregation sought to demonstrate the interconnectedness of Christian churches, regardless of denomination. Rev. Kerr appropriately chose the sacrament of Holy Communion to symbolize this unity. “The term Holy Communion invites us to focus…on the holiness of our communion with God and one another,” states This Holy Mystery, The United Methodist Church’s official statement on the sacrament. In 1940, the Federal Council of Churches of Christ in America, which included all of the predecessor denominations of The United Methodist Church, adopted World-Wide Communion Sunday. The global celebration occurs on the first Sunday in October. In connection with the celebration of World-Wide Communion Sunday, the Methodist Church collected a special offering for the Fellowship of Suffering and Service. The Methodist Commission on Overseas Relief, the forerunner of today’s United Methodist Committee on Relief received half of the offering. The other half was divided between two agencies that ministered to military members: the Methodist Commission on Chaplains and the Methodist Commission on Camp Activity. Today, The United Methodist Church celebrates World Communion Sunday with congregations all over the globe. Followers of Jesus Christ in large churches and small, on farms and in cities, in ornate buildings and under tents, gather to receive the bread and cup of Holy Communion. Some will receive cubes of bread. Some will tear from a common loaf. Some will receive a wafer. Some will drink from a common chalice. Some will dip a piece of bread into the cup. Some will have individual glasses. Some will use wine; some juice. Some will offer both. Pastors will lead a variety of liturgies, in many languages. Clergy will dress traditionally, formally, and casually. Despite the differences in our denominations and traditions, we celebrate our unity in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. In The United Methodist Church, World Communion Sunday continues to be a special giving Sunday. The monies raised help provide scholarships for racial and ethnic minority students in the US, and students worldwide. Give generously to The United Methodist Church’s World Communion offering. Your gifts will assist those whom God has gifted to learn and to serve in the name of Jesus Christ. Learn much more about the World Communion Sunday offering, and our other special giving Sundays at umcgiving.org. - Joe Iovino, UMC.org, United Methodist Communications, Nashville, TN.
Keen observers who spend a lot of time on the Asbury First campus may have noticed something new lately: small boxes appearing on the side of the donation building, tucked into corners of the Community Outreach Center, quietly mounted in all three of our buildings. These aren’t decorative or incidental. They hold Naloxone, also known as Narcan, a medication that can reverse an opioid overdose in minutes and give someone a second chance at life. Rochester, like so many communities across the country, has been living through a surge in opioid overdoses driven largely by fentanyl, a synthetic opioid many times more potent than heroin, often mixed into other drugs without the user's knowledge. A small miscalculation, a single pill, can be fatal. This crisis sits uncomfortably close, happening on our streets, in our neighborhoods, and within families that sit in our pews. This past Thursday, a small group of Asburians gathered to learn from the Monroe County Department of Public Health about the opioid crisis and about two of the tools making the greatest impact in lowering the yearly overdose numbers: Narcan, of course. But also a tool whose strength we so often underestimate: language. The way we speak to each other about addiction can add poison to an already deadly recipe. Addiction doesn't respect zip codes or income brackets. It grips people who are housed and unhoused, employed and unemployed, churched and unchurched. If we want to be part of the solution, we have to retire the language of blame and shame, the assumption that overdose is something that happens to "other people" because of moral failure. An overdose is a medical emergency, and the people caught in it are our neighbors. These small boxes are one way our church is trying to live that out, ensuring that if any of us ever encounters someone in crisis, help is within reach, not out of ignorance but out of love. Knowledge is power, and in this case, it might be the difference between life and death. If you’d like to learn more about Narcan, Naloxone, or the work the Monroe County Department of Public Health is doing to slow the effects of fentanyl and other deadly street drugs in our community, visit www.monroecounty.gov/opioid-narcan. Every day there are new ways to love your neighbor. To learn where on our campus these boxes are located, see below.
Financial Sustainability Update: Proposed 2027 Operating Budgets What you will learn: How budgets are developed 2027 budget highlights How you can help Budget Development Budget planning is a collaborative effort between the Finance Committee, Director of Finance (John Ormsbee), pastoral and lay staff leadership, work area staff, the Staff Parish Relations Committee (SPRC), the Outreach Committee and other committees and teams, with oversight by the Governing Board. These volunteers and staff work together on behalf of the entire congregation, and their work is guided by the following principles: To approach this effort with faith, hope and a shared commitment to the future of Asbury First To present solid, balanced budgets that support our vital ministries and mission To build budgets based on predictable, repeatable income To carefully steward the congregation’s resources To care for our staff and compensate them fairly To appropriately budget for care of our campus, including fixed asset replacements To finalize 2027 budgets based on pledges received by Dec 15, 2026 Proposed 2027 General Budget Personnel expenses will decrease by 4.2% (compared to the 2026 budget, a savings of $50,000) Continues funding for all current staff and positions 2027 expenses decrease made possible by mid-2026 staffing reconfiguration Non-personnel expenses will increase by 9.6% (an increase of $86,000) Cost drivers are Ministry Shares (apportionment) and Facilities & Custodial expenses Total expenses (personnel + non personnel) will therefore increase by 1.7% ($36,000) For a balanced budget, total revenue must also increase by 1.7% General pledges of $1,500,000 are needed by Dec 15 to fund the proposed 2027 General Budget Proposed 2027 COC Budget Budgets for increasing costs (e.g. food) and the increasingly complex needs of our neighbors Meaningful hourly rate increases for DCC part-time staff Commitment to continuing our recently expanded Grocery Bag Ministry (now 150 grocery bags/month) Additional services (e.g. 5th meal per week, cooking and nutrition classes, additional food access) COC pledges of $320,000 are needed by Dec 15 to fund the proposed 2027 COC Budget How You Can Help Stay informed, ask questions and share your ideas Prayerfully consider how you will participate in our stewardship campaign, Faithfully Together Pledge to the General and COC budgets by December 15, 2026 We welcome your questions, ideas and feedback. Please reach out to finance@asburyfirst.org. With gratitude— Dawn Riedy, Finance Committee Chair Tim Mahan, Financial Sustainability Task Force Chair
On October 10-11, congregations across the country will observe Weekend to End Homelessness, a nationwide faith-community effort to bring attention to the people in our communities who have no home. Many of us carry a quiet concern for our unhoused neighbors without knowing where to take it. You may have more power than you realize. Individual members have often been the ones to start conversations, bring ideas to leadership, and open doors that no organization could have opened alone. Sometimes the most important move a congregation makes begins with one person saying, "I think we should pay attention to this." This has been the motivating energy behind the Community Outreach Center from its humble beginnings. But even with an organized approach to the cause, homelessness can feel like a daunting foe. It helps to start with shared convictions. The coalition behind Weekend to End Homelessness has named the core values that guide its work. They offer a way to think and pray about how our faith speaks to the reality of homelessness, perhaps helping us to see through the noise of this issue: We affirm the dignity and inherent value of all people, unhoused and housed, as created in the image of God and called beloved. We acknowledge the interconnectedness of all God’s people, and that we find our own flourishing in the flourishing of our neighbors. We believe that everyone deserves a safe place to sleep, surrounded by supportive community and resources, and all the things that make usat home. We embrace data, research, and evidence-based practices as critical to understanding the causes and solutions to homelessness We recognize the lack of access to affordable and dignified housing is the primary driver of homelessness, complicated by broken systems that leave vulnerable populations especially susceptible to losing or never obtaining such housing. We hold spirituality as a core aspect of humanity that is often neglected for those experiencing homelessness, but one that is not measured by religious adherence or performance. We trust that people who experience homelessness are the experts of that experience and are worthy of investment and partnership when it comes to their needs and the services intended to meet them. We confess the role that racism, sexism, homophobia and transphobia play in dictating who becomes homeless and who is more likely to end their homelessness. We resist the criminalization of poverty in any form, and any philosophy that encourages punishment or coercion as a means to addressing homelessness. We reject the notion that those who experience homelessness need to undergo a transformation of behavior, spirituality, or treatment to be worthy of housing, care, or participation in community. We know that homelessness is solvable, and that the Church has a critical role to play in bringing everyone home.
Wednesdays, 10–11:30 am , 1010 Red Room and Zoom (zoom.us/j/8924819492) PW 578697) This group meets on Wednesdays morning between Labor Day and Memorial Day. It is primarily a book group that is open to all. The group considers and chooses the books to read for the coming year each spring. They spend several weeks on each book, focusing on a few chapters each week. For more information, please contact programs@asburyfirst.org
Lectio Divina
CONTINUING CLASSES, GROUPS, AND EVENTS
Fridays, 1 – 3:30 pm, 1040 Room 205 (upper level, bell choir room) Meeting on Friday afternoons, the Asbury Women's Art Class explores creation through a variety of art mediums. 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 prayer practice focused on one scripture. There is prayer, reading of the passage, silent contemplation and discussion. The silence is an opportunity to reflect upon what you experienced in the scripture and how it resonates with you. Come to either or both sessions. For more information please contact Lori Jeanne Peloquin: programs@asburyfirst.org. All are welcome.
Wednesday Morning Book Study
Tuesdays at 8:30 am and Thursdays at 8 am via Zoom
Asbury Women's Art Class
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 in 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! For more information, contact programs@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 its 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. For sign-up or more information, contact programs@asburyfirst.org
Disciple V 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 Us 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 sign-up or more information, contact programs@asburyfirst.org
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 communications@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 Our thoughts and prayers are with Bill Lisi following the death of his brother, Ernie, on July 10. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Robert C. Dickerson MD, who died on July 12. Our thoughts and prayers are with Janet Lovejoy following the death of her sister, Karen Lovejoy on August 5 in Ocracoke, NC. Our prayers are with the family and friends of Phyllis Parker, who died August 1. Our prayers are with the family and friends of James Brazda, brother of Tom Brazda, who died August 25. Our prayers are with the family and friends of Basil Elmer, who died July 31. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Beverly Sperring who died on July 3. She was the sister of Barbara Zerkel. As we give thanks for their lives, we hold their families and friends in our prayers and in the loving embrace of this congregation. May God's grace sustain them, and may cherished memories bring comfort in their sorrow. 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. Dee Finch 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