Circuit Rider The Newsletter of Asbury United Methodist Church 17 Old Post Road South, Croton-on Hudson, NY 10520 Tel: (914) 271-3150 email: asburycrotonumc@gmail.com website: www.asburycroton.umcchurches.org Jean Evans, Editor Lena Cheng, Mailing Coordinator January 2018 PASTOR S MESSAGE Look! I m doing a new thing; now it sprouts up; don t you recognize it? Isaiah 43:19 Dear sisters and brothers in Christ, Our theme during Advent and Christmas this year has been Coming Home. For more than 220 years, Asbury has been, and continues to be, a church community that countless people have called home for a Sunday, a season, or a lifetime. Every week we gather to worship the Holy One through song and prayer, to hear the proclamation of God s Word, and to equip ourselves with hope so that we can bring the love and the light of Christ into God s world. I am blessed to be part of this church home that is growing in mission and faith together. A few weeks ago you may have received a letter from me that offers a snapshot of the year as we give thanks to God for all of the ways Asbury has been a home base for grace in our community. (The letter is on the website: asburycroton.umcchurches.org/pastors-page). In a few weeks, on January 21, we will have a special worship service that celebrates what God is doing through our congregation. Following worship, over lunch, we will begin a visioning process. Our hope is to involve as many members and friends as possible. We will explore what is working well, what is not bearing fruit, and where God is leading us. Your input is needed as we prioritize and create specific goals for our church home. I hope that you will attend this exciting and meaningful event. Asbury is a home for healing and hope where we live out the teachings of Jesus from a center of prayer with a commitment to our relationship with God and with our neighbor. I am excited to see how the Holy Spirit moves us in 2018 and partnering with you on the journey. Wishing you and your loved ones a blessed new year! Peace, Pastor Melissa
Men Growing in Christ so Others May Know Christ ASBURY CROTON ON HUDSON UNITED METHODIST MEN S FELLOWSHIP ASSOCIATION ACOHUMMFA 8:00 a.m. breakfast Fellowship 8:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. WESLEY HOUSE 19 Old Post Road So., Croton on Hudson JANUARY 2018 meeting dates: Saturdays 1/6, 1/13, 1/20, 1/27 Weekly BIBLE Readings (15 min/day): Genesis 1-21, Genesis 22-42, Genesis 43-Exodus 13, Exodus 14-34 Intercessory Prayer Asbury Prayer Chain & Asbury COH Church Families: A-B CALEDAR EVENTS January TBD Pancake Breakfast Croton Cub Scout Pack 28 (BSA) Scout Pancake Breakfast 8:00 a.m. Holy Name of Mary gym Spaghetti Dinner @ St. Augustine RC Church Rt. 9 Ossining 6:00 p.m. SATURDAY 2/3 Support Boy Scouting program Troop 49 Ossining All Asbury families invited as guests of ACOHUMMFA 2016 LOCAL CHAPTER DUES (free-will offering) EXTRA MILE GIVING: $45.00, EVERY MAN SHARES support of UMM global missions PLEASE SEND/GIVE TO collection plate, Adam Bovone or Stu Colby THANKS!!! More info: Stu Colby call or text 914-330-4104 or ACOHUMMFA@aol.com
EPIPHANY PARTY Dear friends, Please continue the Christmas festivities at the parsonage on Sunday, January 7. Epiphany is traditionally celebrated on the 12th day of Christmas but because of the timing we will celebrate The Day after the Twelfth Night. I hope you will come and enjoy chili (with 12 kinds of toppings) and cookies (12 varieties). The party is open house so please come between noon and 3:00 p.m. and feel free to bring a guest. Children are welcome! For planning it is helpful to know if you will come (though please feel to drop by). Please RSVP melissa.hinnen@nyac-umc.com. No need to bring anything. This is my gift to you. Peace, Melissa
MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY Asbury is hosting the first segment of the interfaith Croton Houses of Worship, Martin Luther King Jr. Day event. This is a great opportunity to engage with the interfaith community while honoring the legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Gather for a keynote address at Asbury United Methodist Church and we will process together singing songs and carrying signs (bring signs to express yourself) to Holy Name of Mary Catholic Church and St. Augustine's Episcopal Church for break-out sessions that build unity, develop faith based community leadership, and raise awareness about the concerns of our neighbors. Workshops include Family Strategies for Building Racial Justice, How to Journey with our Immigrant Neighbors, and Healthy Conversations When Faced with Different Social and Political Perspectives. Sponsored by the above congregations and Unitarian Universalist of the Hudson Valley, Temple Israel of Northern Westchester and Mid Westchester Muslim community.
ASBURY CROTON-ON-HUDSON UNITED METHODIST CHURCH TREASURER S COLUMN - JANUARY 2018 REJOICE: 2017 resources were abundant, ample and our cup runneth over with Asbury Church members and supporters, present and past, offering gifts to carry out the mission of the Methodist Church to make disciples of Jesus transformation of the world. These commitments and generous contributions to the Church have enabled us to meet all 2017 obligations including all worship, children and youth ministry, mission, maintenance, repairs, insurance, salaries and apportionment and every single other commitment for the year. The 2017 outlay was approximately $200,000. A summary will be available next month. Our conference bishop, Rev. Bickerton, reminded the pastors and leaders of all the 450+ churches he visited the past year that our local churches are a powerful source of hope in the neighborhood and community that surrounds them. Your gifts and support embraces this opportunity and extends a message of love to people in search of meaningful relationship with Jesus Christ in connection with a supportive Christian faith-based community. Asbury Croton funding resources are from numerous areas, large and small. At a recent leadership team meeting we identified the following we offer the congregation and Asbury supporters to prayerfully consider: Give all to God. Annual intention of giving. Tithe. Tithe beyond 10%. Remember the Church in your will. Offer a donation for a specific project or as a memorial gift Use Asbury s DONATE NOW feature on the Asbury home page website. It is a quick and easy way to support Asbury s missions. Donations can be arranged through your checking account, debit or credit cards. Also, recurring payments can be set up. Building use for family functions or not-for-profit activities. Participate in Asbury mission support functions. ShopRite Gift Cards available from Gloria Laemmel. Purchase Free Trade coffee, tea, chocolates etc. at coffee hour. Purchase bird seed from Don Daubney. Sharing possessions: DONATE TO GREAT ANNUAL TAG SALE. Summerfest: Strawberry short cake, hot dogs. UMW functions: Craft fair, pop up shops, etc. UMM: Advent calendar. Future projects needing a team leader/project coordinator. Ebay or similar site to sell donated items. Additional building users. AmazonSmile - a percentage of purchase is donated to Asbury. UMC Market - a percentage of purchase is donated to Asbury Organize tours of Bethel Cemetery Finally and MOST IMPORTANTLY, YOU can take the initiative to invite or host someone or a family to join you at a service or church event. We have room in the house for everyone.
ASBURY CROTON-ON-HUDSON UNITED METHODIST MEN S FELLOWSHIP ASSOCIATION 2018 ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL: $45 - EVERY MAN SHARES MEMBER United Methodist Men s missions provides: Resources that help grow men spiritually Ministries that help men be better fathers and husbands Leader recruitment and training Communications with men, pastors, and leaders Mentoring and youth programs Hunger relief Prayer ministries Support of UM leaders Web-based communications International men s ministries Enclosed is payment for: $45.00 Please make all checks payable to ASBURY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH with memo for ACOHUMMFA NAME: ADDRESS: CONTACTS (telephone, email) Send/give to: collection plate, pastor, ACOHUMMFA member S. Colby, D. Daubney, A. Bovone, or mail to 19 OLD POST ROAD SOUTH, CROTON-ON-HUDSON, NY 10520.
SUPERMARKET GIFT CARDS ShopRite gift cards are sold at Asbury as an ongoing fund raiser. Gift cards are sold after church and at other events such as coffee hour just look for and ask Gloria Laemmel. Asbury receives a profit of five cents on each dollar of cards we sell, an amount that seems small but through the years has added up to help offset the cost of emergency monetary needs. The cards are used to buy food at any ShopRite. We all eat, we all buy food, so it is an easy way to donate to Asbury. For more information or to purchase cards contact Gloria at 914-271-8712. THE HISTORY CORNER The area we usually refer to as the social hall and kitchen area was originally an unfinished basement with a furnace room where the food bank was once located. The floor was dirt and there was an area for ash collection from the coal furnace. The small window at the back of the basement in the old food bank area was the coal chute. A gas-generating device was located at the right of the opening from what is now the kitchen area which supplied the gas for the light fixtures that originally hung in the sanctuary. Access to this area was by a stair which was lowered from the location of the present stairs in the back of the music room or by the door leading to the outside near the former food bank. Members of the congregation dug out the basement by hand to create our current social hall/basement area and put down a concrete floor. The ten wooden support columns were changed to four concrete pillars and the beams running the length of the social hall that are the original wooden beams were encased in flange iron. THE TAG SALE IS COMING The Asbury Finance Committee has set Saturday, April 21 for the annual tag sale. Please start saving your donations for this major fund raising event. Remind your friends and family to donate. Remember, the amount of money we raise is directly related to the donations we receive.
SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY 7 9:00 Adult Sunday School 9:30 Choir Practice 10:00 Worship & Children s Sunday School Pastor Melissa s Epiphany Party 12noon/ Parsonage 14 9:00 Adult Sunday School 9:30 Choir Practice 10:00 Worship & Children s Sunday School 6:00 Jan Peek Meal Coffee Hour Interfaith MLK @ Asbury 12:30 21 9:00 Adult Sunday School 9:30 Choir Practice 10:00 Worship & Children s Sunday School 2017 Celebration Visioning Lunch 1 2 3 4 5 Croton Houses of Worship Clergy Mtg 1pm 8 Worship Committee 7:30 9 15 16 22 12:00 Peekskill Lunch Pastor at Bishop Convocation BS Den 2 No Ad Council BS Den 2 3:30pm 3:30pm 10 Pastor at Bishop Convocation 11 17 18 Pastor at Bishop Convocation Pastor @ Graymoor Ecumenical Service 7:00pm GS 1235 5:30pm 6 8:00 ACOHUMMFA Breakfast at Frankie s 8:30 ACOHUMMFA at Wesley House 10:00 AA 12 13 8:00 ACOHUMMFA Breakfast at Frankie s 8:30 ACOHUMMFA at Wesley House 9:00-10:30 Sally Read Book Group 10:00 AA 19 GS 1235 5:30pm 20 8:00 ACOHUMMFA Breakfast at Frankie s 8:30 ACOHUMMFA at Wesley House 9:00 UMW 10:00 AA 23 24 25 26 27 8:00 ACOHUMMFA Breakfast at Frankie s 8:30 ACOHUMMFA at Wesley House 10:00 AA 4-6pm Confirmation Class 28 9:00 Adult Sunday School 9:30 Choir Practice 10:00 Worship & Children s Sunday School Coffee Hour 11:05 Prayer Circle Emergency Winter Shelter 9pm- 7am 29 Emergency Winter Shelter 9pm-7am 30 BS Den 2 Emergency Winter Shelter 9pm-7am 3:30pm 31 Emergency Winter Shelter 9pm-7am JANUARY 2018 ASBURY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH