Small Groups
Registration for 6-week small groups studying “Luke: Jesus and the Outsiders, Outcasts, and Outlaws” has been extended! But don’t wait – registration closes on Sunday, February 19.
Groups meet weekly at a variety of days and times. Visit asburylv.org/LukeStudy to find the group that’s best for you.
“Luke: Jesus and the Outsiders, Outcasts, and Outlaws” is a six-week Lenten study by Adam Hamilton exploring the the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus as told in the Gospel of Luke. We hope you’ll connect with a small group this Lenten season as we seek to understand more about Jesus’ care and concern for the imperfect people he encountered… people we may even see ourselves in.
Group registration closes on Sunday, February 19.
New to the Christian faith?
Reexamining it after time away from church?
Simply curious about it?
Starting Point is for you!
Visit asburylv.org/startingpoint to learn about our upcoming session – beginning January 17 – and get registered.
Don’t miss out an an opportunity to grow together with others this Advent season!
“The Angels of Christmas” is a four-week Advent study by Susan Robb exploring the four angelic visits surrounding the birth of Jesus – visits to Zechariah, Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds.
Groups meet weekly at a variety of days and times. Visit asburylv.org/AngelsOfChristmasStudy to find the group that’s best for you.
This book will also serve as the basis for the Advent sermon series of the same name.
Come for the day on Saturday or stay overnight to enjoy breakfast and Sunday worship together!
Visit the Schedule page for a tentative outline of Saturday and Sunday’s activities
Visit the Venue page for more details about Gretna Glen and the Lodge
Day Guest – $45
Overnight Guest – $85
Early Bird Pricing – If you register by December 31, you’ll receive $5 off the cost of your registration!
Financial assistance IS available for anyone who is unable to pay a portion or the full cost of this retreat. We want every woman to have the opportunity to attend, so please fill out the Financial Assistance section of the Registration Form if assistance is needed!
9 AM – 9:30 AM Overnight Guests: Arrive / Get Settled
9:30 AM – 9:45 AM Day Guests: Arrive
10 AM – 12 PM Morning Session
12 PM – 1 PM Lunch
1 PM – 4 PM Afternoon Session
4 PM – 5 PM Break
5 PM – 6 PM Dinner
Day Guests Depart After Dinner
6 PM through Bedtime Fellowship / Games With Overnight Guests
8 AM – 9 AM Breakfast
9 AM – 10 AM Sunday Morning Worship
10 AM – 11 AM Overnight Guests Clean Up / Depart
Gretna Glen Camp and Retreat Center (Lebanon, PA)
Gretna Glen can meet most dietary restrictions. Please fill indicate on the Registration Form if you have dietary restrictions.
Handicap accessible rooms available upon request. Please note your need on the registration form.
The Men’s Social Group will meet for coffee and fellowship on the first and third Wednesdays of the month beginning on November 2 at 8:30 AM at Wegmans. All men are welcome!
Contact the group to get connected!
Group contact: David Torrey
The Pioneers Sunday School Class is welcoming guest speaker Karl Deboeser to speak about his book and play, Sola Gratia.
Sola Gratia “The story is a cornucopia of carefully interwoven topics, including faith, family, relationships, community, addiction/recovery, regret, redemption… and history,” Karl writes. “The main takeaway I hope readers and viewers will grasp is that God’s love and grace are unconditional, and that, despite our shortcomings and our human frailty, we can find hope, wisdom, and purpose.” Learn more on Karl’s website.
Join the Pioneers Sunday School for this special event at 9:45 AM on November 6 and 13 in room 217.
ABOUT THE PIONEERS SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS:
The Pioneers School class gathers together each week and has good informal discussions about recent sermons. Monthly socials include game night, ice cream and mini golf, hiking, Christmas caroling, dinners, and more. All are welcome!
Is it possible to disagree politically and love unconditionally? The reaction of evangelicals to political and cultural shifts in recent years revealed what they value most. Lurking beneath our Bible-laced rhetoric, faith claims, books, and sermons is a relentless drive to WIN! But the church is not here to win. By every human measure, our Savior lost. On purpose. With a purpose. And we are his body. We are not in it to win anything. We are in it for something else entirely. That something else is what this book is about.
“Not in it to Win It” is a 3-week book-based study led by Pastor Eric. Meetings are Tuesdays, 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM, from November 1 – 15 at Asbury (room TBD).
Register now at asburylv.org/notinittowinit
Is it possible to disagree politically and love unconditionally? The reaction of evangelicals to political and cultural shifts in recent years revealed what they value most. Lurking beneath our Bible-laced rhetoric, faith claims, books, and sermons is a relentless drive to WIN! But the church is not here to win. By every human measure, our Savior lost. On purpose. With a purpose. And we are his body. We are not in it to win anything. We are in it for something else entirely. That something else is what this book is about.
“Not in it to Win It” is a 3-week book-based study led by Pastor Eric. Meetings are Tuesdays, 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM, from November 1 – 15 at Asbury (room TBD).
Group registration is now closed. Contact Asbury’s office (info@asburylv.org) with questions.
Whether it is in politics, the professional world, a party, or a pew, we face conflict every day. As discussions get more heated and social media is deluged with opinion-spewing, hurt feelings, and broken relationships, we need hope and practical tools to navigate the tumultuous waters and live at peace with everyone.
“Common Ground” is a four-week video-based study for women. This group will meet over Zoom. Meetings are Saturdays, 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM, from October 22 – November 12. Group leaders are Sarah Kinzel and Rachel Kamery.
Register now at asburylv.org/CommonGround
Whether it is in politics, the professional world, a party, or a pew, we face conflict every day. As discussions get more heated and social media is deluged with opinion-spewing, hurt feelings, and broken relationships, we need hope and practical tools to navigate the tumultuous waters and live at peace with everyone.
“Common Ground” is a four-week video-based study for women. This group will meet over Zoom. Meetings are Saturdays, 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM, from October 22 – November 12. Group leaders are Sarah Kinzel and Rachel Kamery.
Please register below. Contact the group leaders or Asbury’s office (info@asburylv.org) with questions.
This Advent, be part of a church-wide book study examining how God moved in the lives of some of the key characters of Christmas; and how God can still move in our lives today.
“The Angels of Christmas” is a four-week Advent study by Susan Robb exploring the four angelic visits surrounding the birth of Jesus – visits to Zechariah, Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds. We hope you’ll connect with a small group this Advent season as we seek to understand God’s presence in our lives today.
Group leaders are needed! We hope you’ll consider guiding a group through this study.
At Asbury, we believe in the power of connection to each other as week seek to deepen our connection with God; and we hope you’ll connect with a small group this Advent season as we seek to be altogether love, hope, joy, and peace.
Groups meet weekly at a variety of days and times. Visit the link below to sign up to receive information when groups are announced.
This book will also serve as the basis for the Advent sermon series of the same name.
Visit asburylv.org/AngelsOfChristmasStudy to volunteer to lead a group; or to receive group information as it becomes available!
“The Angels of Christmas” is a four-week Advent study by Susan Robb exploring the four angelic visits surrounding the birth of Jesus – visits to Zechariah, Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds. We hope you’ll connect with a small group this Advent season as we seek to understand God’s presence in our lives today.
Sign up below and we’ll contact you when days and times are available for these small group studies.
When: TBD
About the Group: The Friendship Circle meets monthly during the day April to December. Most members are retired. Enjoy time spent together socially, helping and supporting each other while participating/helping with church and UWIF events.
When:Saturdays, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
About the Group: Circle of Sisters focuses on food, fellowship and reflection. The group meets at Panera every Saturday morning to reflect upon Pastor Eric’s weekly sermons. Discussion is guided by the questions Eric provides for small groups. No advance preparation or reading is required.
When: Weekly on Thursday, 9:30 AM
About the Group: The Deborah Circle meets weekly on Thursday mornings and most members have adult children in their 20’s & 30’s. Most have grandchildren. The focus of this group is Bible Study. Members also enjoy helping and supporting each other, and helping people in need throughout the church and community. They also take part in UWIF and service-related projects. They enjoy lunching together on a regular basis and enjoy periodic field trips together. New members are always welcome.
“This, then, is how you should pray…”
You may be familiar with this lead-in Jesus used before teaching the prayer we call “The Lord’s Prayer.” But what do the words of that prayer mean to us? How should we pray?
We invite you to join a study this Lenten season to learn more about the power those words hold.
Visit asburylv.org/thelordsprayerstudy to learn more and to sign up now!
This Advent, be part of a church-wide book study examining how we can not almost experience Christmas, but altogether experience Christmas.
“Almost Christmas: A Wesleyan Advent Experience” by Magrey deVega, Ingrid McIntyre, April Casperson, and Matt Rawle explores the commitment we can make to Christ during this Advent season: not being satisfied with “almost,” but striving for “altogether.” This book was inspired by a sermon given by John Wesley in 1741, titled “The Almost Christian,” in which Wesley encouraged people to follow Christ wholeheartedly, centering around the idea that we should not be satisfied with being almost Christian but rather strive towards being altogether a Christian.
At Asbury, we believe in the power of connection to each other as week seek to deepen our connection with God; and we hope you’ll connect with a small group this Advent season as we seek to be altogether love, hope, joy, and peace.
Groups meet weekly at a variety of days and times, and both in-person and virtual options are available.
This book will also serve as the basis for the Advent sermon series of the same name.
Visit asburylv.org/AlmostChristmasStudy to sign up now!
Asbury’s leadership held a webinar on Sunday, March 7, to share information on the upcoming merger with Salem UMC (Allentown). The replay of this webinar can be viewed below; and a link to the slide presentation as a PDF follows.
“Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!…
I am making a way in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland.”
– Isaiah 43:18-19 (NIV)
The words of the ancient prophet echo to us in these challenging days, as the whole world waited in darkness for the birth of our Savior. Today, more than ever, we cling to the promise that God has, is, and will do a “new thing” as Jesus comes onto the scene. Though we may be feeling broken and weary of the pandemic, we continue to trust that God is at work bringing peace, light, and hope!
As we hang on to that amazing hope, we communicate the following difficult decisions, which were made after much deliberation at the December 2 Church Council meeting:
• All in-person worship services are suspended effective December 6 and continuing through January 31. This suspension includes in-person Christmas Eve worship.
• Asbury’s preschool will begin an early Christmas break on December 18.
• The building will still be available for streaming worship preparation and recording. The online-only service will continue to be streamed at 10:30 AM.
• The scheduled final Bazaar pickup on December 12 remains on as planned.
• Our commitment to provide a meeting spot for Alcoholics Anonymous remains, and they will continue to meet on-site with additional precautions.
These decisions were not made lightly and included consultation with a leader in a local healthcare system. Additionally, our Bishop, Rev. Peggy Johnson, has encouraged all churches in the Conference to hold online services rather than in-person services.
Please be encouraged that these are temporary measures, taken for everyone’s safety and physical well-being. During this suspension period, Church Council has committed to regularly review the COVID-19 infection trends and will reevaluate when to safely resume in-person worship.
We still have some great events coming up as we prepare to celebrate the coming of our Savior and King! Watch for more information to be announced about:
• A no-contact outdoor “Drive-thru Nativity” being planned for Saturday, December 19.
• A streaming Christmas Eve service, which will be announced this Sunday in worship and in communications to follow.
The Asbury leadership asks for your continued prayers for wisdom and for suggestions for how we can continue to stay connected and support one another through this difficult time. We are all looking forward with great hope to the time when we can gather in person again.
