February 27, 2022 • 11 AM
COVID-19 Guidelines Following the updated guidance from the CDC and NYS Health Department, face masks are required inside regardless of vaccination status. Outside, masks are required for those who have not been vaccinated and encouraged for everyone else. To learn more about the new policy or to read our FAQs, visit asburyfirst.org/news/2022/1/covid-and-worship-update. FIRST TIME HERE We are so glad you are joining us, whether in person or online. If you’re out there watching, check in through the website or take a picture and post it on social media using #asburyfirstathome. If you're in the pews, please fill out the half sheet in your bulletin and place it in the basket upon exiting the sanctuary. Our hope is to get to know you better and help you find your place within our community. Additionally, drop us an email at info@asburyfirst.org. Need prayer? We invite you to share with us how we can be praying for you by emailing prayers@asburyfirst.org or by filling out one of our prayer cards found in the pews. All prayer requests are prayed over by our Ministers and Intercessory Prayer Team. Children We believe children are a sacred gift, and they are welcome in our worship. Children will be invited forward during worship for a Children’s Time. Following this, children ages 4 through 5th grade are invited to go with our children’s educators for further enrichment or return to their caretaker for the remainder of the service. If there is more our Children's Ministry can do, please contact Paula Dugan at pdugan@asburyfirst.org. RECONCILING STATEMENT We are a reconciling congregation and seek to be a fully inclusive church, believing that all people are God’s children. We encourage full participation in our community for all, regardless of age, race, origin, gender, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, marital status, family structure, education/economic background, and physical/mental ability. We recognize that we hold a variety of opinions. We do not seek to erase our differences, but to journey together in faith toward greater understanding and mutual respect. We believe that reconciliation to God and to one another is central to our mission and ministry. GIVE TO ASBURY FIRST There are multiple ways to make a gift to Asbury First. Each gift supports the everyday ministries and operations of this church, allowing us to live into our vision to Do More Good. Cash/Check—We welcome you to send a gift of cash/check in the mail or in the basket on your way out of the sanctuary following the service. Text to Give—You may give a gift with a debit/credit card by texting the dollar amount to 206-222-1050. Online—Online giving is available on our website at asburyfirst.org/give. Venmo—You may give a gift through Venmo by finding “@givingasburyfirst” or by scanning the QR code to the right. Watch and listen Tune into the live video stream of the 11 am service at www.asburyfirst.org/worship/live. To listen to the service tune into WRFZ 106.3 FM Rochester Free Radio, or call our toll-free number at 833-829-1050. A video archive of past services is also available at www.asburyfirst.org/worship/video-archive.
* please stand as you are able
Prelude
"Lord, I Want to Be a Christian" — trad. Spiritual, arr. Gilbert Martin "Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen" — trad. Spiritual, arr. Gilbert Martin "We Are Climbing Jacob's Ladder" — trad. Spiritual, arr. Gilbert Martin
Introit
We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord; We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord; and we pray that all unity will one day be restored. And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love; yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love. (Words and Music by Peter Scholtes)
*Call to Worship
All are invited to read the bold-faced type; the reader will read the unbolded type. With what shall we come before our God? God has already told us what is good. Shall we come with gifts and offerings? God wants us to do justice. What does the Lord require of us? God wants us to love kindness. What does the Lord require of us? God wants us to walk humbly with God. Come then, let us worship God. We come before our God with rejoicing.
11 am • February 27, 2022
The community gathers As the community gathers, may the music of the prelude draw your hearts and minds to God.
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Last Sunday after Epiphany
*Opening Hymn
#548 “In Christ There Is No East or West” Words: John Oxenham, Laurence Hull Stookey; Tune: McKee, trad. Spiritual, arr. Harry Burleigh
*Greeting and Passing of the Peace
11 am
Prayer of Confession
God of infinite mercy, we pray for your Spirit to reorient us. May we learn to live by grace rather than entitlement. Teach us to live in ways that bless the whole earth and all peoples. Help us acknowledge our brokenness. Confirm in us the desire to live out your Good News. Through our tears and silent confessions, open us to your love and grace.
Silent Confession
Words of Assurance
God is our refuge and home, our strength and center. God is a very present help. God has always been and always will be, our very present help. Thanks be to God for forgiveness. In the name of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven. Amen.
*Gathering Hymn
#416 “I Am Leaning On the Lord” (refrain, sung twice) Words and Music: Afro-American spiritual, arr. William Farley Smith
Anthem Holden Turner, soloist
“Oh, Freedom” — traditional Spiritual, arr. Carl Johengen Oh, freedom! Oh, freedom! Oh, freedom over me! And before I’d be a slave I’ll be buried in my grave, and go home to my Lord and be free. No more weeping, no more weeping, no more weeping over me! And before I’d be a slave… There’ll be singing! There’ll be singing! There’ll be singing over me! And before I’d be a slave… Oh, freedom! Oh, freedom! Oh, freedom over me! And before I’d be a slave…
Children's Time
Children of all ages are invited to join us in this special moment.
Lord's Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
Scripture Exodus 1:15-17
The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, “When you act as midwives to the Hebrew women, and see them on the birthstool, if it is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, she shall live.” But the midwives feared God; they did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but they let the boys live.
*Gloria Hymnal #102, v. 3, alt.
All glory be to God, all praise and thanks be given; Whose Son and Spirit reign as one in highest Heaven; Our one eternal God, whom earth and heaven adore; For thus it was, is now, and shall be evermore.
To hear the word
*Hymn
#448 “Go Down, Moses”, vv. 1, 3, 11 Words and Music: Afro-American spiritual, arr. William Farley Smith
Sermon
The First 402: Co-Laborers with God
Litany for the Next 402
God of the ages, we call upon you for wisdom and grace as we come to the end of our Black History Month observance. We know all too well that one month is not enough time to teach us all the lessons we need to learn. Give us space for lament; Give us time for honest reflection as we confront the brutality that made possible generations of oppression of our Black and Brown siblings. In the 402 years since they were ripped from their homeland - 246 years of actual enslavement, and 157 since Emancipation - so many wrongs have been committed, so much violence perpetrated. We pray for clear eyes and determined minds, that we may never shy away from addressing the evils of our past. #533 "We Shall Overcome", v. 1 God of the ages, we call upon you for strength as we acknowledge our history, and as we face up to our failures in the present moment. How long, O Lord, can our nation ignore the racism that pervades our legal and judicial systems?
How long, O Lord, can our nation avoid reckoning with the impacts of White privilege? We pray for clear eyes and determined minds, that we may learn from the past and shape a better world for all your children, here and now. Verse 2: The truth will make us free...The truth will make us free someday Oh deep in my heart, I do believe we shall overcome someday. God of the ages, we call upon you for courage, compassion, and grace as we step into the coming year, a time when we commit to opening ourselves to new ways of being your church. Give us the zeal we need to listen, read, and study, and the wisdom to absorb the lessons we learn from our past. Guide our hearts, our tongues, our hands, and our feet in ways of learning and service, in paths of understanding and compassion, that we may never squander an opportunity to be the change we seek in the world. We pray for clear eyes and determined minds, to recognize the scope of the work that still needs to be done to make your reign a reality within our community. Verse 3: The Lord will see us through...The Lord will see us through someday. Oh deep in my heart, I do believe we shall overcome someday. Dr. King said, “Human progress never rolls in on the wheels of inevitability; it comes through on the tireless efforts of those willing to be co-workers with God, and without this hard work, time becomes an ally of the forces of social stagnation.” God of the ages, we call upon you to give your community at Asbury First the determination to commit to this challenging work. Give us courage to continue confronting evil when we encounter it. Give us the compassion of Christ to reach out healing hands to all who suffer. Give us the solidarity of your Spirit to work tirelessly for the cause of equality. We pray for clear eyes and determined minds, that as we step into the next 402 years, we may never tire of doing the work to help bring about your beautiful and diverse New Creation. Verse 1: We shall overcome...we shall overcome someday. Oh deep in my heart, I do believe we shall overcome someday. We shall be co-workers with God. We shall do the hard work. We will not stagnate in time. We shall overcome. And may we begin with today. May it be so, Amen.
Introduction to Discipleship, Membership, and Commitment
There are multiple ways to make a gift to Asbury First. Each gift supports the everyday ministries and operations of this church, allowing us to live into our vision to Do More Good. Cash/Check—We welcome you to send a gift of cash/check in the mail or place it in the basket on your way out of the sanctuary following the service. Text to Give—You may give a gift with a debit/credit card by texting the dollar amount to 206-222-1050. Online—Online giving is available on our website at asburyfirst.org/give. Venmo—You may give a gift through Venmo by finding “@givingasburyfirst” or by scanning the QR code to the right.
*Prayer of Dedication
Gracious God, we who have experienced your love in our lives are challenged to share it with the world. Make us eager to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ in our words, actions, and deeds. Amen.
*Doxology Hymnal #95
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise God, all creatures here below; Praise God above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
To Renew Commitment
Offertory Duane Prill and Jeanne Strong, duo-pianists
"I’m Gonna Sing When the Spirit Says Sing" — trad. Spiritual, arr. Howard Helvey I'm gonna sing when the Spirit says sing, I'm gonna sing when the Spirit says sing, I'm gonna sing when the Spirit says sing, and obey the Spirit of the Lord. I'm gonna preach when the Spirit says preach, I'm gonna preach when the Spirit says preach, I'm gonna preach when the Spirit says preach, and obey the Spirit of the Lord. I'm gonna pray when the Spirit says pray, I'm gonna pray when the Spirit says pray, I'm gonna pray when the Spirit says pray, and obey the Spirit of the Lord.
Participants In the Service
Preacher: Rev. Jackie Nelson Liturgists: Rev. Dr. Stephen Cady, Rev. Kathy Thiel, Rev. Rachel Dupont, Rev. Pat Dupont, Rev. Dr. Timothy Johnson Director of Children's Ministry: Paula Dugan Organist: Duane Prill Pianist: Jeanne Strong Combined Choirs Soloists: Bess Phillips, Abby Rice, Dan McInerney, Jordan Bachmann Choral Scholars: Kayla Sconiers, Holden Turner Director of Music Ministry: Dr. Carl Johengen Head Usher: Brian White Audio Operator: Rick Church Video Operator: Kenny Bailey Graphics Operator: Connor Nelson Technology Support Team: Deb Bullock-Smith, Carolyn Curran, Ted Skomsky Technical Consultant: Justin Ocello
Permissions:
To Disperse in Mission
*Benediction
*Benediction Response
Amen. (based on "Lift Every Voice and Sing, J. Rosamond Johnson)
Postlude
"I've Got a Robe" — traditional Spiritual, arr. Robert J. Powell
*Closing Hymn
#519 “Lift Every Voice and Sing” Words: James Weldon Johnson, 1921; Tune: Lift Every Voice, J. Rosamond Johnson, 1921 This hymn can be found on the following pages.
“Oh, Freedom” arr. © 2022 Carl Johengen; “I’m Gonna Sing When the Spirit Says Sing” arr. © 2007 Beckenhorst Press; Hymns © 1989 The United Methodist Publishing House; OneLicense.net #A-721053. Some of the liturgical elements have been adapted from resources created by the United Church of Canada. Illustration Credits: Designed by Sarah Brubaker and Freepik and Vecteezy.
#519 "Lift Every Voice and Sing" Words: James Weldon Johnson, 1921; Tune: Lift Every Voice, J. Rosamond Johnson, 1921
*Due to the rise in COVID cases, some groups will be canceled or will meet via Zoom. Please check the calendar at asburyfirst.org/events for the most up-to-date information.
For a full list of events with links, visit our online calendar at www.asburyfirst.org/events
Women On Wednesday
Outreach Center Construction Livestream
Cultivate Workshop (The Discipleship Project)
There’s Something for Everyone at Asbury First!
For a full list of events with links, visit our online calendar at asburyfirst.org/events
Meetings & Rehearsals February 27–March 5
Disciple Bible Study
Sunday 9:45 am Parables of Parenting—1040 Room 203 9:45 am Sunday Adult Bible Study—1050 Teak Room 9:45 am Sunday School (check asburyfirst.org/events) 10 am Zoom Time with Paula and Holly—Zoom 11 am Worship Service In-Person and Livestream 1 pm Dining & Caring Center Sunday Lunch—1040 Welcome Hall 5 pm Confirmation Class—1040 Youth Room 6 pm Youth Group—Canceled this week MONday 9 am Monday Morning Crew—1040 9 am Library Work Day—1040 Library Tuesday 8:30 am Lectio Divina—Zoom (zoom.us/j/8347173468) 9:30 am Tuesday Morning Women's Fellowship —Zoom (zoom.us/j/8347173468) 3 pm Gentle Yoga—1040 Gathering Center 7 pm Gospel of Mary Magdalene —Canceled this Week Wednesday 7 am Men’s Fellowship Group —Zoom (zoom.us/j/6174865464) 10 am Wednesday Morning Study Group —Zoom (zoom.us/j/8347173468) 12:15 pm Women On Wednesday—Zoom (zoom.us/j/8347173468) 5 pm Hallelujah Kids Choir—1040 Room 201 5:30 pm Wesley Singers & Ringers—1040 Room 201 6 pm Youth Choir—Zoom 7 pm Asbury Ringers—Canceled this week 7 pm Ash Wednesday Pan-Methodist Service —1040 In-Person and Livestream 7:30 pm Sanctuary Choir—Canceled this week Thursday 6 pm UR Well Clinic—1040 Welcome Hall FRIDAY 10 am Disciple Bible Study —Zoom (zoom.us/j/6174865464) SaturDAY 8 am Pie Making (Pie for PI Day) —1040 Fellowship Hall Kitchen 11 am Memorial Service for Carrie Adelman —1040 In-Person and Livestream
Finding Light in the Darkness Class
BOOKS The New Jim Crow, Michelle Alexander A Black Theology of Liberation, James H. Cone How to be an Antiracist, by Ibram X. Kendi Me and White Supremacy: Combat Racism, Change the World, and Become a Good Ancestor, by Layla F. Saad Sisters in the Wilderness, Delores Williams The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story, Edited by Nikole Hannah Jones Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America, by Ibram X. Kendi The Half Has Never Been Told: Slavery and the Making of American Capitalism, by Edward Baptist White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk about Racism, by Robin DiAngelo A Black Women’s History of the United States, by Daina Ramey Berry and Kali Nicole Gross Waking Up White: and Finding Myself in the Story of Race, by Debby Irving
Black History is American History, and remembering these stories is a lifelong commitment. To join us in an ongoing effort to educate ourselves about our nation’s history, we’ve compiled a list of resources for learning. You can find this list and more on asburyfirst.org/ racial-justice-advocacy.
Follow on Instagram @laborreligioncoalition (Labor Religion Coalition of New York) @kairoscenternyc (Kairos Center) @poorpeoplescampaign (Poor People’s Campaign) @splcenter (Southern Poverty Law Center) @colorofchange (Color of Change) @ckyourprivilege (Check Your Privilege) @thenapministry (The Nap Ministry) @blklivesmatter (Black Lives Matter)
Organizations to Partner With 540WMain (540westmain.org) Free The People Roc (www.facebook.com/ftproc/) NYS Poor People’s Campaign (www.nysppc.org)
ALTAR FLOWERS The flowers on the altars are given to the glory of God and in honor of our son, MJR Matthew P. Ristau, on his retirement from the United States Army after 20 years of honorable service, by Jeanne and Ed Ristau. If you would like to place flowers on the altar, please contact Jeanne Ristau at 585-223-4356, preferably two weeks ahead of requested date. Prayers and Concerns We offer our prayers and concerns for all those who are ill at home, hospitalized, or in hospice care, and for all those affected and infected by the global pandemic. We offer our prayers and concerns to Karen, David, Morgan and Garrett Long on the death of Karen's mother, Martha Pulver, on February 21 in Oklahoma. We offer our prayers and concerns to the friends and family of Carrie Adelman. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 5, at 11 am. We offer our prayers and concerns to the friends and family of Ginny Fitch who passed away on January 21. A memorial service will be held Tuesday, March 22 at 2 pm. We offer our prayers and concerns to Ed Crosby and his family, on the death of his wife Kate on January 13. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 9 at 2 pm. We offer our prayers and concerns to the friends and family of Roger Wilhelm who passed away on October 3. A memorial service will be held Saturday, May 14 at 11 am.
Celebrations and concerns
Wednesday, March 2, 7 pm, In-Person and Livestream
Sign Up to Read 400 Souls!
Give Online at www.asburyfirst.org/GIVE, text to give at 206-222-1050, OR MAIL IN YOUR CHECKS TO 1050 EAST AVENUE, ROCHESTER, NY 14607
Change doesn’t come from one month a year. Please join us as we continue the conversation of Black History Month by reading together the book, 400 Souls: A Community History of African America, 1619-2019, edited by Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N. Blain over the next year. Whether you join us for the discussion or just read it on your own, this book is a wonderful way to know the past and begin to shape the future. "Sign Up" to read the book at asburyfirst.org/ 400souls, so we can easily find a way of contacting interested folks for the conversation about the book. You can also call the church office at 585-271-1050 or email info@asburyfirst.org to show your interest.
Join us as we begin the holy season of Lent together with our pan-Methodist siblings from around Rochester.
Pan-Methodist Ash Wednesday Service