Pastor’s Weekly Update

Cyndi Johnson 2/2/23 Cyndi Johnson 2/2/23

Weekly Update// Alina Saucedo Asbury Pastoral Intern

Hello everyone,

February is here! Can you believe it? As I look back to January, I have been reflecting on how I am meditating and praying the Lord’s Prayer more purposely, understanding better what I say, remembering what it means and its challenges to our Christian life. How is it going on your side? I’m not sure about you, but my prayer practice has changed. I am feeling more connected to God, somewhat like growing in prayer.

And talking about challenges and growing: What is more difficult for you, to ask for forgiveness or forgive others? If I am honest, I find it more challenging to forgive others. And it is not that asking forgiveness is less complicated, but that dealing with the hurt takes so much effort and involves so many emotions. I am not good at it yet. However, until I heard a story about what failing to forgive does, I did not understand why it is worth working on forgiveness.

The story was about a wise man who had classes with a teacher. In this class, there were many disagreements between all the students. So-and-so was angry with someone else; someone else was mad with another one. Another said that so-and-so had told him this or that. They were arguing all the time, and they were all kids. The teacher requested each student bring 10 to 12 potatoes in a sack. In his words, the wise man said: “Each student took the potatoes to class. The teacher told us that on each potato, we should write down the name of the person with whom we were angry and resentful. And so, we wrote on each potato, and for the ones that needed more potatoes, the teacher would give us extras to complete. Then the teacher made us put all the potatoes in the sack.” “Mine,” said the wise man, “had 14 potatoes, each one written with the name of the 14 students in that class.” He had a conflict with everyone in the class. “Part of the task was that we had to carry that bag all day. At the end of the day, it was cumbersome, and we already wanted to get that bag off our backs. But the teacher told us we needed to continue it for the rest of the week. On Friday, when we returned to class, everyone had completed their homework, and the potatoes had begun to rot; not only had the weight hurt our shoulders, but also the nauseating smell that came out of each bag made us sick, and anyone else who might be around us. The teacher told us that that’s how it hurts and resentments are; they are an enormous weight that each of us carries and can rot inside us and begin to smell and make us sick. Resentment and not working towards forgiveness is material that could rot. Each of us must get rid of it to walk our path lighter.” As I see it, our journey as Christians is meant to be free from this type of weight and full of love for one another.

In the Sermon this Sunday, Pastor Will will be talking more about forgiveness. We invite you to join us as we continue to learn together the Lord’s Prayer. We will be waiting for you in the 9:30 Contemporary Service and at 11 am in the Traditional service.

Don’t forget to check the information below about all the activities happening in our church.

Let’s continue the path ahead together!

Have a blessed week!

Alina Saucedo

Asbury Pastoral Intern

Cyndi Johnson 1/26/23 Cyndi Johnson 1/26/23

Weekly Update// Pastor Will

Hi Church!

I hope you are doing well in this last week of January. (Can you believe January is almost over?) Pastoring Asbury, I have a unique perspective of the church, and one that rings true is that we do a lot of neat stuff! We had a Directors meeting last Tuesday where some of our staff and leaders discussed the upcoming six months, and these months were packed. One of those events was the Glow Party, which was a hit last year, and was the same (if not more) this year. If I’m correct, we had somewhere around sixty kids here on Friday night. A few were familiar faces and others were new to the church. Some of the fresh faces were from the school while others heard about it through word of mouth. It was indeed a great night for our church and our community!

While our community is doing well, there are other communities that need prayer. In the recent days, California experienced multiple shootings, and communities in Texas have been devastated by tornados. We will pray earnestly for those in these difficult times. I think of the verse in Matthew 11 where Jesus calls us to himself when needing rest. In verse 28 he says, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” I can see how the people of these communities are tired and carrying a lot. I ask you join me in praying that God would be near them in these difficult times.

In worship this Sunday, we will look at Jesus giving us our daily bread, and what that means for us as his followers. Join us if you can! Our 9:30am Celebration (Contemporary) and 11:00am Traditional services are both live-streamed on YouTube and Facebook. This Sunday is also a special day for me and my family as we will have our baby shower after the Traditional service. We already feel the outpouring of love this church has shown us and I know I’m probably going to shed a couple of tears at some point (or multiple points) during that day.

A few things on the horizon - we will have a booth at Get Down Downtown in Maitland on Friday, February 3rd. The United Methodist Men’s breakfast is on Saturday the 4th. Also, the Valentines Dinner Dance put on by United Women in Faith is on Friday, the 10th. Tickets go on sale on Sunday, February 5th, and are $15. As previously mentioned, a lot of great things are happening! Be blessed and have a wonderful weekend.

Blessings,

Pastor Will

Cyndi Johnson 1/19/23 Cyndi Johnson 1/19/23

Weekly Update// Alina Saucedo

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

The more I try to remember how I learned the Lord’s Prayer, the more I get confused about with whom or where I learned it. Do you remember who taught it to you? Do you remember where?

The first memory that comes to my mind is reading it in the Upper Room devotionals, right on the prayer section, making it larger than usual. Every time I got a new one for the next quarter, I would first locate the longer prayer in all the devotionals that included the Lord’s Prayer and mark it to create the expectation for later. Also, I remember my surprise at finding it in the Bible and finding its origin, finding out Jesus taught it. So, I started comparing it with the devotionals, other books, Sunday School materials, and songs where I had found that prayer. As you may imagine, when I was a child this prayer impacted my young mind, since I found it powerful, inspiring, and mysterious, like a prayer with power in itself.

I may not remember how I learned this prayer, but I know how it has become part of my spiritual practices where I found its power in my life. I remember repeating it incessantly while waiting outside ICU when mom was very sick, holding on to the prayer as holding on to God. I remember praying it slowly, walking through unknown places and dangerous locations as a mantra of protection. I remember praying when I did not find the words to talk to God when everything seemed lost. I remember praying in silence all day when I was dealing with problems. I remember praying it with tears but holding hard onto it those days when the world seemed lost in darkness and in pain. I remember praying it louder with hands in the direction of the sky full of joy and gratitude, with tears of joy and amazement about God. I remember praying to get courage, strength, and direction to ground myself before an event, a sermon, an interview, or before making decisions. I remember opening my eyes in the morning, looking at the tree in front of the window and greeting the day with this prayer, and closing my eyes at the end of the day and finding it hard to sleep until I could pray it again.

I remember praying it with so many people and places where God has allowed me to be. In so many places with people of all ages and languages praying like a unique voice, in different tones and times, and I can say with certainty that the Lord’s Prayer not only allows us to speak to God but also embrace His power, His love and care as individuals and as a community.

During the years, I heard several sermons about it and several song versions of it. I enjoy them all. Every time it speaks louder and deeper into our hearts, so I invite you to continue learning with Pastor Chris in the second part of the Sermon Series “Pray like this” this Sunday. We will be waiting for you at our contemporary and traditional worship services at 9:30 am and 11:00 am, respectively.

Let’s learn more about the meaning of the Lord’s Prayer together!

Have a blessed week,

Alina Saucedo Paucara

Pastoral Intern

Cyndi Johnson 1/12/23 Cyndi Johnson 1/12/23

Weekly Update// Pastor Will

Hi friends!

I hope the new year is treating you all well so far! This coming Sunday we are starting a new sermon series on The Lord’s Prayer titled Pray Like This. Do you pray The Lord’s Prayer often? Is it formational in your faith? My time in seminary gave me a

deep appreciation for The Lord’s Prayer, even though it has been very present in my journey of faith. Seminary, like most schooling, comprises a lot of information. Here, it is our faith, the ins, the outs, the ups, and the downs. Sometimes it was easy to feel overwhelmed with all the info and my brain felt like mush. Even more, mush than it usually feels like! Thankfully, the smart people at Duke knew this type of feeling would happen and put us in Spiritual Formation groups.

Spiritual Formation groups consisted of 7-8 divinity students,

usually in their first year, they would meet once a week for an hour. I felt like I drew the short straw because I got a group that met early Tuesday morning on campus way before my next class. However, it all worked out in the end. Not only did it give me extra time to work on homework and read and read, and some more reading while I was at it, but the Spiritual Formation was more beneficial than I originally realized. In that group, we laughed, cried, and grew together, and a lot of that was around The Lord’s Prayer. It was what

we opened with and what we closed with. Each week we would take a different line and focus on it and let the conversation organically take shape. Sometimes we stayed close to the topic and other times we were way in left field. Either way, we were okay with it and trusted the Spirit to guide us. Wherever the conversation led, we would always come back to The Lord’s Prayer. It was centering for us. Almost like a home base. That’s where my excitement for this

series stems from.

Wherever or however you feel about The Lord’s Prayer, I hope

you’ll join us as we talk about this special prayer that Jesus taught us!

Looking ahead, we have our Glow Party put on by our children’s ministry on Friday, January 20th. If you’re able to volunteer,

please let Laura know by following this link: https://vbspro.events/p/events/70035C. Last year was a

tremendous success, and this year will be the same! See you all Sunday at either of our services, 9:30 am Celebration

(Contemporary) or 11:00 am Traditional. Both are live-streamed on either Facebook or YouTube.

Take care and God Bless!

Pastor Will

Cyndi Johnson 1/5/23 Cyndi Johnson 1/5/23

Weekly Update// Pastor Chris

Dear Asbury Family,

Happy New Year! I hope you are enjoying a blessed Christmastide (January 5 is the last of the 12 days of Christmas) and that your 2023 is off to a good start.

This Sunday in worship (January 8), we’ll be observing Epiphany Sunday. Epiphany comes from the Latin word for “appearance” or “manifestation.” On Epiphany Sunday, we remember how the grace of God embodied in Jesus appeared not just to the Jews, but to the Gentiles (non-Jews), too. The text that we traditionally read on Epiphany Sunday is the story of the magi in Matthew 2:1-12. Thus, my sermon this Sunday will focus on that story. In the message, I am going to seek to address three questions:

Who were the magi?
What did the magi bring?
How did the magi leave?

Please keep these questions in mind when you come to worship on Sunday (in person or online).

During the New Year, we intentionally try to create new habits. Thus, I want to close this email by sharing with you the covenant prayer that John Wesley (founder of the Methodist movement) taught the early Methodists to pray. I encourage you to commit this prayer to memory and pray it (or a version of it) each day throughout 2023.

Blessings,

Chris

I am no longer my own, but thine.

Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.

Put me to doing, put me to suffering.

Let me be employed for thee or laid aside for thee,

exalted for thee or brought low for thee.

Let me be full, let me be empty.

Let me have all things, let me have nothing.

I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal.

And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,

thou art mine, and I am thine.

So be it.

And the covenant which I have made on earth,

let it be ratified in heaven.

Amen.

Cyndi Johnson 12/29/22 Cyndi Johnson 12/29/22

Weekly Update// Pastor Will

Hello Asbury!

Have you decided to do any New Years’ resolutions for 2023? Have you done many in the past? A lot of times they focus on eating, personal habits, or even relationships. I’ve never been huge on setting resolutions, but I do occasionally pick something, usually smaller, to focus on. In years past, I know I’ve set goals to read more or maybe make small changes to my daily habits that will increase productivity. They have usually worked out okay with a good push through January and February and then decline a bit. Sometimes I will revisit them in the summer and update them to reflect the current phase of life. For example, I know I switched from less of a focus on reading and more to listening to audiobooks. I tried to find the wins wherever I could!

This year my resolution is to be more present. It’s easy to come home and just zone out. Whether I turn on the TV or get on my phone, I’ve found that too quickly I go to one of those instead of being present. I will admit, sometimes I do need a quick mental break when Liam is on another level. However, far too often, it’s my go-to. At the end of the day, I then look back and realize how quickly Liam is growing up and that I barely spent any time with him or Alicia because I was so distracted. I also notice that in my distractions, I didn’t create any space for God to speak to me because I went ahead and filled that time and space with other things. So for me, 2023 is about being more present in all of life, both the ups and the downs!

This weekend, we will hear from Rev. Rachel Delaune of First United Methodist Church of Winter Park as she looks at the Apostle Paul’s words in Romans 12:1-8. Our only service will be a combined service at 10:00 am and will take place in the Sanctuary. It will be live-streamed on Facebook and YouTube if you cannot make it in person. The following Sunday, January 8th, we will be back to our normal service times of 9:30 am and 11:00 am. Have a wonderful weekend and Happy New Year!

God Bless!

Pastor Will

Cyndi Johnson 12/22/22 Cyndi Johnson 12/22/22

Weekly Update// Pastor Chris

Dear Asbury Family,

I remember the first time I met Cameron Lashbrook. I had assumed the role of chairing one of our district committees. But the committee was thin, and we needed new persons to serve on it. I drove to the district office in Winter Park (at the time I lived in Davenport, FL) and met with Bob Bushong, our District Superintendent. Bob and I sat down and began recommending various persons to serve. That’s when Bob brought up Cameron’s name. At the time, I didn’t really know Cameron. I knew of Cameron but had not yet had the privilege of meeting him. However, I trusted Bob’s judgment. That same week Bob called Cameron and asked if he would serve. Thankfully Cameron said, “Yes!” Later that year I saw Cameron at Annual Conference in Lakeland. He went out of his way to introduce himself and tell me how excited he was to serve on the committee. Then when he started serving, I quickly found him to be observant, insightful, intelligent, and deeply pastoral.

I remember congratulating Cameron on his appointment to Asbury. Cameron was excited to serve with Mike Luzinski (he respected Mike a great deal, and rightly so) and be part of Asbury’s long and rich history. While his time here was short-lived, Cameron made (by God’s grace) an incredible and everlasting impact on the life of our congregation. I never dreamed I would follow Cameron, especially under such unfortunate circumstances. But even with his brain cancer diagnosis, Cameron did all that he could to ease the transition. He created an extensive onboarding document and made himself available to me by phone. In the early days of my appointment, Cameron would text words of encouragement and tell me he was praying for Asbury. I can’t tell you how grateful I am for Cameron and how humbled I am to have followed such a remarkable leader. With you, I grieve his death. However, I also rejoice in his legacy and his continued existence in Jesus (John 3:16).

Later today (Thursday, December 22), there will be a memorial service for Pastor Cameron. The service will be at 4pm at Lakeside United Methodist Church in Sanford, FL, where Cameron served as the senior pastor for a number of years (and where he worshipped with his family following his diagnosis). Amanda and I plan to attend the service, and we hope to see many of you there as well. I know some of you are traveling for the Christmas holiday, so if you’re not able to attend in person, you can view the service online at lakesideumc.net.

In these days leading up to Christmas, we remember the special truth that, in Jesus, God is with us. God is not detached, far away, or removed. Rather, God is Immanuel. My prayer is that we will feel God’s Immanuel presence, in the depth of who we are, as we remember Cameron Lashbrook, and that the perfect peace of God will enter our hearts.

Blessings,

Chris

p.s. Don’t forget about our two candlelight services on Christmas Eve night. The first service (our contemporary service) will be at 5pm and the second service (our traditional service) will be at 7:30pm. Additionally, we will have one service for Christmas Day at 10am. Merry Christmas!

Cyndi Johnson 12/22/22 Cyndi Johnson 12/22/22

Weekly Update// Pastor Chris

Dear Asbury Family,

Blessings,

Chris

Cyndi Johnson 12/15/22 Cyndi Johnson 12/15/22

Weekly Update// Pastor Will

Good Morning Asbury!

Growing up in Melbourne, FL, over on the East Coast, the Space Shuttle was just a part of life. I saw it go up every couple of months. If we were in school, we would walk outside and watch it go up. Most of the time we were just wanting to go back inside where there was A/C, but hey, at least we got out of class. Since it was something that always happened, I never fully appreciated how incredible the whole thing was. I recently read that the Shuttle would consume 11,000 gallons of fuel per second between the two main thrusters. Whoa! Is there something in your life that you didn’t think much of when you were younger, but grew an appreciation for as you got older?

The same could be said for the Christmas Story. As I’ve learned more about the Bible and grown in my faith, I realize more and more how big of a deal this all was. To hear time and time again how Jesus’ birth was prophesied hundreds of years before happening. The book of Micah, one of the minor prophets, speaks directly about a ruler coming out of Bethlehem. Micah 5:2 says, “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel, whose origins are in the distant past, will come from you on my behalf.” (NLT) While we don’t know the exact date of when it was written, we can infer it was somewhere between 700 to 500 B.C. Even at the latest potential

date, that’s at least 500 years before the birth of Jesus. Whoa! This is all on top of the fact that Jesus came into the world as a helpless baby to a set of parents who probably didn’t feel prepared for parenthood. These are just a few examples of how incredible the incarnation truly is. I could go on, but for the sake of time, I’ll save more examples for the next email!

This weekend is the Christmas Cantata titled “A Christmas Prayer.” I know Tamara and her team have been working really hard to put on a wonderful performance, which they always do, and I’m sure this time will be no different. Showtimes are Friday and Saturday night at 6:30 pm, and a Sunday matinee at 3:00 pm. Admission is free and a lakeside reception is to follow each performance.

This Sunday is the fourth week of our sermon series and Pastor Chris is preaching on The Shepherds and the Angels. I got a little teaser of what he is talking about and I am excited to hear more.

I also wanted to highlight this Sunday is March to the Manger, where we bring our financial gifts to Jesus. This year we have designated the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church Hurricane Ian fund which will help victims of Hurricanes Ian and Nicole.

I hope you can join us for Sunday service at either our Celebration (Contemporary) Service at 9:30 am or our Traditional Service at

11:00 am. Both are live-streamed on FaceBook and Youtube if you cannot make it in person.

Until Sunday, God Bless, and I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Pastor Will

Cyndi Johnson 12/8/22 Cyndi Johnson 12/8/22

Weekly Update// Pastor Chris

Dear Asbury Family,

While waiting in a Nazi prison cell in 1943 a few weeks prior to Advent, Dietrich Bonhoeffer (who was a seminary professor) wrote the following message to a friend: "A prison cell, in which one waits, hopes, does various unessential things, and is completely dependent on the fact that the door of freedom has to be opened from the outside, is not a bad picture of Advent."

Shortly after penning those words, the Nazis executed Bonhoeffer for his role in the resistance movement to overthrow Adolf Hitler. But he was right: the door of freedom – for him and for us today – has to be opened from the outside. Thankfully God opens the door for all of us through the coming and second coming of Jesus Christ. As we continue our journey through Advent, the season leading into Christmas, I pray you to experience the liberating grace of God in Jesus in fresh and new ways.

This Sunday Pastor Will is going to continue our Advent series on the “Characters of Christmas” with a look at Joseph, who became the earthly father of Jesus. I hope to see you (in person or online) at either the 9:30am (celebration/contemporary) or 11am (traditional) service. Together we will learn and better understand the role that Joseph played in the Christmas story.

Enjoy the rest of your week!

Blessings,

Chris

Cyndi Johnson 12/1/22 Cyndi Johnson 12/1/22

Weekly Update// Alina// Pastoral Intern

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Advent is already here! Christmas trees are up, candles are ready, radio stations and music apps have the Christmas options on, and all-size lights are shining almost everywhere we look. Advent is here! He is coming!

I love this season, the colors, the decorations, the scents, the Christmas music, the food, the sweets, and all that is traditional at this time. However, as a Christian, I mainly love it because it encourages us to pause and be intentional in the waiting. For me, it is like getting ready and willfully preparing for the most meaningful event of the year. He is coming!

I can hardly imagine how it felt for Israel’s people to wait so long for the Messiah. I believe they waited for more than the fulfillment of a prophecy, a long-awaited promise, or hope to become alive, and I believe it meant more than anything that they waited to know that God had not forgotten them in their suffering and that God still loved them even after so many mistakes. They were waiting for God’s presence among them.

How is that one prepares oneself for an event like this? Some consider it a time of penitence, fasting and reading Scripture. Others like cleaning their houses and placing a Nativity in the center of the house, others decorate them fully and prepare an Advent calendar to count the days, and others make sure to get flight tickets and trips planned to go home with family on time (like me). Others go bravely beyond and look to repair and amend mistakes, while others look to fix broken relationships.

In any case, what do you do to prepare yourself during this time of waiting? I want to invite you to reflect on what it means for you to wait for the coming of the Messiah. Take time and prepare your hearts, minds, and souls to embrace that God is coming! Let us not lose the richness and the benefit of experiencing the promise, longing, hope, and expectation of Advent.

As we move through Advent, we can walk this journey together, this second Advent Sunday we will light the Peace candle, and we will continue to learn about the Characters of Christmas. Pastor Chris’ sermon will be about Mary. Join us at the 9:30 am and 11:00 am worship services (in person or online!).

We know December is looking full, but please do not forget to mark your calendars; Asbury’s Angel Tree is waiting for your presents for children and youth, the Christmas Cantata will be on December 16, 17, and 18, and the Blue Christmas service will be on December 21.

Let us get ready as we wait for Emmanuel, be blessed!

Alina Saucedo Paucara

Asbury’s Pastoral Intern

Cyndi Johnson 11/22/22 Cyndi Johnson 11/22/22

Weekly Update// Pastor Will

Happy Thanksgiving Asbury Family!

What are you grateful for this Thanksgiving? Is it your family and friends? Is it your faith? How about your job or hobbies? Could it be your health? Is it just the good food you’ll soon be consuming? For me, it’s a combo of these things and it’s easy to harp on the negative, but I do my best to focus on the positive.

Studies show that when we practice gratitude, a few things happen: Our brain releases two feel-good chemicals, dopamine and serotonin. Science also shows that the more we practice and express gratitude, the more these neural pathways become strengthened, and that state of gratitude becomes more permanent. More things that gratitude does include: aid in releasing unpleasant emotions, relieve pain, improve sleep, and help with stress and anxiety. Long story short, be grateful!

I am going to practice gratitude and focus on how God has blessed me in my life. I’m reminded of James 1:17 (NLT) where he says, “Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.” I intend to write the positives down and find time to pray over them. If you can find some time, you can do it as well. Optimistically, this can be a tradition from now on alongside my other traditions of drinking cream soda and eating crescent rolls.

This coming Sunday is Advent already. Can you believe it? On Sunday, we will kick off our Advent sermon series “The Characters of Christmas” starting with Elizabeth and Zechariah. We will be back to our usual services of our 9:30am Celebration (Contemporary) Service and 11:00am Traditional Service. We’d love it if you joined us in person or online, as both services will be live-streamed on Facebook and YouTube. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and God Bless!

Thanks!

Pastor Will

Cyndi Johnson 11/17/22 Cyndi Johnson 11/17/22

Weekly Update// Pastor Chris

Dear Asbury Family,

I am a preacher, so naturally I have a special place in my heart for stories. Maybe you’ve heard the one about the chicken and the pig. If not, here is how it goes. Both a pig and a chicken are walking down the road. Suddenly, the chicken turns to the pig and says, "I was thinking we should open a restaurant!" The pig replies, "Hm, maybe. What would we call it?" The chicken responds, "How about 'Ham-n-Eggs'?" The pig thinks for a moment and says, "Sure, but please keep in mind that for you it's only involvement; for me, it's a total commitment!"

Here’s my question. When it comes to your relationship with Asbury, which animal resonates most with you – the one that’s only involved, or the one that’s totally committed?

Over the past month, we have been in a stewardship/discipleship series called "All of Who We Are" in which we have been talking about giving our WHOLE selves over to Jesus through the church (his body in the world) and not holding anything back. In doing this, we have been exploring the 4 Ts of discipleship: time, talent, treasure, and trust.

This Sunday is Celebration/Commitment Sunday. In addition to capping off this series and celebrating our ministry over the past year, we invite you at this service to turn in your 2023 Commitment Card, thereby committing your time, talent, treasure, and trust to Jesus in the new year. Keep in mind that we will not have a 9:30am or an 11am service this Sunday. Instead, we will have one combined service at 10:45am in the sanctuary (which will be livestreamed) followed by a churchwide potluck in the fellowship hall.

I am expecting God to do great things this Sunday. See you then!

Blessings,

Chris

Cyndi Johnson 11/10/22 Cyndi Johnson 11/10/22

Weekly Update// Alina Saucedo, Pastoral Intern

Dear Asbury Family,

How can one become a good pastor? I would say by practicing and following in the steps of others. I know I must go to seminary, a total of 81 credits, read lots of books and academic journals, write uncountable papers and sometimes miss nights of sleep. But you may agree that nothing can prepare us better for ministry than practicing in the church and learning from the Elder Shepherds (By the way, we have here at Asbury UMC three of the best!).

So then, here I am, for the grace of God, blessed as a Pastoral Intern in Asbury to practice, learn and grow in knowledge and faith. As an intern, I am gaining an inside look into church ministry, and I have the opportunity to be disciplined by the pastoral team to lead me and foster my spiritual growth and leadership talents. To be sincere, I do not see myself in another place than working alongside God’s people.

I just completed my first month, and I now better understand how a church functions. For example, there are lots of complex and coordinated duties and work shared between the pastors and staff, but mainly by the membership (including you) who – with their presence, gifts, talents, time, welcoming, words, prayers, encouragement, and support – make the church what it is, an alive church and a witness of God's presence in this world.

I did not know about all the details it took to get there. Still, I do realize now that good leadership, vision, commitment, challenging/inspiring sermons, lots of prayers for each other, and hands-on work, all guided by the Holy Spirit can make us a stronger community of faith and in faith. Thus, a church can inspire and invite others to be part of it. I feel thankful for being part of it.

I am just beginning, and I may join you in this Christian journey, praying with you and for you in the morning prayers, helping in Sunday worship, and having conversations in small groups or in devotionals. There are many opportunities at church during the week to meet and learn about God, so check the church bulletins and join us. Remember, we have two worship services on Sunday at 9:30 am (Celebration) and 11:00 am (Traditional), and the sermon series “All Of Who We Are “continues. Come and joins us. Let us keep growing in faith and witness together.

May this be a blessed week for you and your family,

Alina Saucedo

Pastoral Intern

Cyndi Johnson 11/3/22 Cyndi Johnson 11/3/22

Weekly Update// Pastor Will

Good morning, friends!

John Wesley loved All Saints’ Day. In fact, he described it by saying, "I always find this a comforting day," and "a day that I peculiarly love." All Saints’ Day was this past Tuesday, November 1, in which we acknowledge the saints of our faith. You may be wondering what we mean by a saint. The United Methodist has saints, but not in the same sense as the Catholic Church. We don’t officially recognize or canonize saints, but we do acknowledge that there are those who are role models and inspired our faith.

This Sunday (November 7), we will acknowledge those who have “gone to glory” in the past year. It’s a time to remember all they have done for us and how they have given us hope. I think of the words of Hebrew 12:2 that say, “since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith,” (NLT) I also think of the Apostles’ Creed that says we believe in “the communion of saints.” As we come together, we recognize the church is made up of both believers here on this earth as well as those who have gone before us and are now cheering us on.

I’ve shared this in one of my sermons, but I often think of my dad and how he is cheering me on as I run the race of life. And as hard as it is, there will be more who will join the cloud of witnesses and cheer for us as we run the race of faith. If I am being honest, I never liked All Saints’ Day much when I was younger. But as grow in age, I find comfort in knowing there are many loved ones who are cheering me on as they share in eternity with Christ.

This Sunday in worship, as I mentioned, we will acknowledge those who have passed in the previous year with a reading of their name and lighting of a candle. It’s a special moment for which I hope you can join us. In addition to All Saints’ Day, this Sunday is the second Sunday of our series All of Who We Are where Pastor Chris will look at giving Jesus our talent. Join us at our Celebration (Contemporary) Service at 9:30am, or at our Traditional Service at 11:00am, both of which are live-streamed. In the meantime, God-bless and see you all soon!

Pastor Will

Cyndi Johnson 10/27/22 Cyndi Johnson 10/27/22

Weekly Update// Pastor Chris

Dear Asbury Family,

Tomorrow (October 28) is our Fall Festival. Are you excited? You should be because it’s going to be lots of fun! A big THANK YOU to all who have donated bags of candy and/or who plan to volunteer (perhaps by hosting a trunk from which to pass out candy!) at the event. The fun starts in our lakeside parking lot at 5pm and should last until about 7pm. Be sure to tell everyone whom you know, particularly those who may not have a church home. You never know how God might use an event like this to lead people to our church.

Those of you who are members and regular attendees of Asbury should have received a stewardship packet in the mail last week. (If you didn’t receive a packet, we have some available on our campus, or you can email me at pastorchris@asburymaitland.org and I’ll send one to you.) Stewardship, if you’re not familiar with the term, simply means humbly (and rightly!) recognizing that what we have doesn’t belong to us, but rather, to God. Moreover, God is calling us to take what he has entrusted to us and invest these resources in the ministry of the church, thereby furthering his kingdom here on earth. On this note, we’re starting a new stewardship series this coming Sunday (October 30) that we’re calling “All of Who We Are.” In these messages, we’ll look at what it means to give not some of who we are over to Jesus through the church or even most of who we are, but instead, all of who we are. Discipleship (something we’re all growing into no matter how long we’ve been on the journey of faith) isn’t à la carte. Rather, it’s about trusting Jesus with our whole selves and not holding anything back. Pastor Will and I look forward to unpacking these ideas with you over the coming weeks.

Enjoy the rest of your day! If I don’t see you tomorrow at Fall Festival, I hope to see you (in person or online) for worship this Sunday.

Blessings,

Chris

Cyndi Johnson 10/20/22 Cyndi Johnson 10/20/22

Weekly Update// Pastor Will

Dear Asbury Family,

The older I get, the more I realize the need for community. When I think about the bigger accomplishments in life, it’s fairly easy to see that I’ve achieved them within the context of a helpful and supportive community. Even when I was first licensed in my ordination process, the first thought that came to mind was that it takes a village. Yes, it takes a village to raise a child, but it also takes a village to get ordained, because so much of the process requires help and support from other people. I received help with scholarships, writing recommendation letters, reading and editing my paperwork, and even help on what to wear when interviewing! Needless to say, who knows where I would be without the help from those around me?!

The reason I mention all this is that the United Methodist Church has known the benefit of the community for a while, requiring all newly commissioned clergy to take part in the Residents in Ministry (RIM) process. This program includes four “retreats” in addition to other smaller get-togethers, all of which are designed to help those starting out in ministry build connections with their colleagues. It’s Tuesday as I write this email, and I’m currently at one of those retreats in Gainesville. I’m praying for a great week and for the relationships I am building here to continue to grow so that we all can continue to support each other as we lead various congregations, all of which are part of the body of Christ.
If you tuned in for service on Sunday, you may have heard Pastor Chris share what an incredible success the Rummage Sale was. After running the numbers from the credit card charges it was totaled that the Rummage Sale brought in $10,400 dollars and Asbury Early Learning Center raised over $1,500 dollars. This was on top of all the other beautiful moments that came from the week including new and old friendships strengthened as well as the church community coming together for one another. Praise be to God! In a few weeks, we will have another chance to come together for the Fall Festival on Friday, October 28th, from 5 pm to 7 pm. If possible, we’re asking folks to sign-up to decorate their trunks for Trunk-or-Treat or donate candy. Candy drop-off bins and sign-up sheets will be present in service, or at the front office during the week.
Lastly, this Sunday we are wrapping up our series entitled “Grace Encounters.” I’m excited to preach on the “Grace that Sustains Us” based on Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman found in John 4. I hope you can join us at our Celebration (Contemporary) Service at 9:30 am, or at our Traditional Service at 11:00 am, both of which are live-streamed. In the meantime, God-bless and see you all soon!

Pastor Will

p.s. This Saturday, the 22nd, is the Celebration of Life service for Mike Molloy at 10 am. The service will be held in the Sanctuary as we honor the life of Mike and show support for Laura and Tamara and their families.

Cyndi Johnson 10/13/22 Cyndi Johnson 10/13/22

Weekly Update// Pastor Chris

Dear Asbury family,

As I write this email, I’m still feeling the energy of last Sunday’s services. In addition to starting a brand-new series on God’s grace, we experienced powerful music at both services (welcome back to our choir!), received new members, and celebrated a baptism. Praise God for the Spirit’s movement in our church!

This Sunday we have the honor of receiving an additional new member at our 11 am service, our seventeenth new member for the year. Additionally, we’re hosting the Rummage Sale this Friday (8 am-3 pm) and Saturday (8 am-2 pm), and the Fall Festival is just around the corner (October 28). There are lots going on at Asbury, so be sure to stay connected.

I hope to see you in worship this weekend. I am excited about my message entitled “Grace that Liberates Us” based on John 8:1-11, which I encourage you to read when you get a chance.

See you at the Rummage Sale tomorrow or Saturday, and then again for worship.

Blessings,

Chris

p.s. Many of you saw the email about Pastor Cameron Lashbrook’s recent transition to home hospice. Please continue to hold the Lashbrook family – Cameron, Julie, Sydney, and Jackson – in your prayers. Cameron served our church well during the time he was with us, and I am humbled to have followed him. We remain grateful for his strong leadership and ministry.

Cyndi Johnson 10/5/22 Cyndi Johnson 10/5/22

Weekly Update// Pastor Will

Hi, friends!

I hope you are all safe and returning to life as usual after this storm. In these moments, it is easy to feel overwhelmed with how much devastation and havoc this has caused, not only on a personal level but for those who lost everything. For my family and me, we prioritized making sure everyone was safe and headed to our in-laws in Melbourne. Before we headed out, we made sure to grab a few invaluable items to take with us for safekeeping. Even days after the wind and rains have subsided, I hear some places have yet to experience the full effects of the storm. I heard one heartbreaking report saying that flood waters could continue to rise all the way till Wednesday of next week, the 12th. Hopefully, this is enough time for most to prepare and keep themselves and their families safe. We of course will continue to pray for those affected as well as support local efforts for repair. If you would like to make a donation, our United Methodist Committee on Relief, or UMCOR, is a great place to do so. One hundred percent of all donations go toward relief. You can donate through their website at umcmission.org/give, or you can donate to the church and note it is for UMCOR or Hurricane Relief, and we will make sure it goes to the right place.

Coming up at Asbury, we have a few action-packed weeks starting with our Spanish Dinner this Saturday, October 8th, the 30th annual Rummage Sale the following weekend, October 14th and 15th, and then the Fall Festival two weeks later on Friday, October 28th. All information for the respective events can be found in the email below or on our Upcoming Events page on our website. However, don’t hesitate to reach out or call the front office if you have any questions.

Last but not least, this Sunday we begin our new sermon series titled “Grace Encounters” where we will explore three different interactions in the Gospel of John that Jesus had with people involving grace. This Sunday, Pastor Chris is focusing on the story of Jesus and Peter on the beach titled “Grace that Covers Failure.” We hope you can join us at our Celebration (Contemporary) Service at 9:30am, or at our Traditional Service at 11:00am, both of which are live-streamed. In the meantime, God-blessed and stay safe. We will see you all soon!

Thanks,

Pastor Will

Cyndi Johnson 9/27/22 Cyndi Johnson 9/27/22

Weekly Update// Pastor Chris

Dear Asbury Family,

Along with all of you, I’ve been watching the news updates regarding the projected descent of Hurricane Ian. As of this writing, Ian is in Western Cuba (we pray for our sisters and brothers there) and is expected to make landfall in Florida in the next day or so.

Therefore, our staff and leadership have made the decision to close the church office beginning this afternoon and to remain closed for the rest of this week. Along with this closure, all in-person meetings and programming have been canceled.

Barring any surprises, we will still plan to host weekend worship on Sunday, October 2 at 9:30am and 11am. (Pastor Will is going to close out our series on God's will.) Please know our prayers are with you in the coming days.

Some years ago, Ryan Stevenson released a song entitled “Eye of the Storm.” I find the lyrics especially fitting right now:

In the eye of the storm

You remain in control

And in the middle of the war

You guard my soul

You alone are the anchor

When my sails are torn

Your love surrounds me

In the eye of the storm

I don’t believe God causes hurricanes. (If he did, why would he only send them during hurricane season?) However, I do believe God is with us through the literal and figurative storms of life, and that his grace will ultimately work all things together for our good (Romans 8:28).

If you’re feeling anxious and afraid, be assured that the One who calmed the wind and the waves (Mark 4:35-41) still calms storms, and brings peace and contentment to our hearts.

Be safe.

Blessings,

Chris

Pastor’s Weekly Update

Asbury Church