March 29th Online Worship

Dear Congregation and Friends of Asbury UMC,

Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

We are now two weeks into feeling the effects of the pandemic and life has changed for many of us.  This past week, I reached out to many of you and glad to hear that you are doing well in spite of the new reality.  Some of us are working from home.  The teachers in the congregation are having to figure out how to teach online.  Parents are discovering how to homeschool. Many of you are self-isolating to keep safe and, when we need to go out in public, practicing social distancing.  Please know that my prayers continue to go with you each and every day.

This past Sunday, Asbury United Methodist Church hosted our first online worship service.  As of today, there were over 113 clicks to play the service.  That was beyond my wildest dreams.  People were watching from Orange Park all the way to Afghanistan.  It is a joy to know that you are still participating in worship even though we cannot be together physically at this present time.  Moving forward, I would like to remind and update you on the following activities:

• Worship will once again be online beginning this Sunday.  I encourage you to visit our website (http://asburyop.com) and Facebook page on Sunday Morning for the link to the video.  You will be able to pray, sing, and listen to the sermon as if you worshiped with us in-person.  I would also encourage you to create a Facebook Watch Party.  This is a virtual party through Facebook that allows you invite Facebook friends to watch the video together.  This is a great way to involve any of your friends who might not attend a church.

• Upon the recommendation of Bishop Carter, with guidance from the CDC, the suspension of in-person worship has been extended through April 13.  Unfortunately, this includes Easter Sunday.  However, in Christ’s command to love our neighbor, sometimes we are called to look out for the health of others and acknowledge that gathering in large groups has the potential to cause harm.  Remember, Easter is not a day but a season in the life of the church and, as Christians, every day is a day of resurrection.  When we gather together for worship once again, we will make sure to celebrate Christ’s glorious resurrection.

• Continue to give your tithes and offerings.  There is a link on our webpage (http://asburyop.com) that will allow you to submit your tithes and offerings via a credit/debit card or transfer from your checking or savings account.  You will also have the ability to check a box on the form to offset the processing fees associated with this method.  Of course, you are also welcome to use Bill Pay through your bank or mail a check (16 College Dr., Orange Park, FL 32065)

Finally, our congregation members, José & Lillian, are starting a food truck business.  This weekend, they are having a weekend special and offering pickup or free delivery on orders over $20.  Give them a call (814-460-8281) if you are looking for something different and delicious to eat this weekend.  I have included the menu and ordering information at the bottom of this email.

Should you have any questions, please reach out to the church by phone (904-272-0110) or email info@asburop.com.  You can also reach me by email (pastor@asburyop.com).

I encourage you to stay safe and follow the instructions of local health officials and the CDC.  May God continue to bless you with the grace and love that is greater than our fears!

In Christ,
Pastor Chris