Advent/Christmas
On Christmas Eve, we shared that 50% of the offering collected that day would be donated to Dr. Chris Hena’s new Dental Clinic at Healthy Women, Healthy Liberia in Kakata, Liberia. Thanks to your generosity, a donation of $5,301 will be made to support this important cause. Learn more about the clinic at asburylv.org/dentalclinic.
A note from Dick McCreight on the Christmas gifts for students at Luis Ramos Elementary School in the Allentown School District:
Thank you Asbury for adopting Ramos families for Christmas again this year. We adopted 12 families this time–the most ever. Gifts were delivered to the school this morning (Monday, December 16) where they were received with great enthusiasm! We learned that among the 12 families, one had lost everything in a fire, at least one was living in 6th Street Shelter and another was homeless and was sharing a home with yet another Ramos family. These are people in great need whose Christmas will be a little brighter thanks to your generosity.
For the past 7 years, Asbury Church has faithfully donated a portion of our Christmas Eve offering to support a ministry project of one of our Asbury in Mission (AIM) partners. This year, the committee has selected Dr. Chris Hena’s new Dental Clinic at Healthy Women, Healthy Liberia in Kakata, Liberia, to receive 50% of the offering collected at Asbury Church on Christmas Eve.
According to the World Health Organization there are only 23 dentists in Liberia serving a population of 4,000,000+. Nearly all those dentists practice in Monrovia (Liberia’s capital city), leaving the rural areas without dental care.
Project C.U.R.E. has donated a complete dental suite for Dr. Hena’s Waterfield Primary Healthcare Center which has just arrived in Kakata, Liberia. A room has been set aside in the clinic for the dental suite installation. Two representatives from Project C.U.R.E. will travel to Kakata in the 1st Quarter to install the equipment and train the clinic staff. Dr. Chris will hire a part time dentist to work the clinic along with dental mission teams who will be visiting the clinic several times a year. An estimated total of $15,000 has been established, which accounts for shipping equipment, equipment installation, travel costs for the two installers, supplies, and first-year salary for the part time dentist and her assistant.
Your generous offering this Christmas Eve will give much needed funding to help support this mission.
A portion of your 2019 Christmas Eve offering to Asbury will be given to Waterfield to contribute to the costs required to launch and staff a fully operational dental clinic. Learn more about Healthy Women, Healthy Liberia.
Thanks to all who helped decorate Asbury’s building for Christmas last Sunday (11/24)! The time and heart you gave is much appreciated!
For the past 4 years, Asbury has adopted families from our partner school, Ramos Elementary, to help provide a memorable Christmas. At Ramos Elementary, the majority of students’ families live in poverty and a number are simply unable to provide for Christmas gifts. With the help of Ramos’ counselors a list of families is generated for Asbury to adopt. Last year we were able to provide for 65 family members! If your family or group would like to adopt a family for the 2019 Christmas season, please contact Dick McCreight.
Saturday, December 7, 2019
Advent Celebration is our kick-off into the season of preparation of the coming of Christ. Join us as we celebrate this season of joy, wonder, and awe; and that our Savior would come in a humble manger to save us.
Youth Ministries’ Spaghetti Dinner
Served 5 PM – 6:30 PM, Wesley Center
Fellowship over dinner (beginning at 5 PM; concluding at 6:30 PM) in the Wesley Center. Together we will enjoy a free-will donation spaghetti dinner prepared and hosted by Asbury Youth Ministries. Donations will benefit the Youth Ministries’ annual High School West Virginia Work Week mission trip in July.
Advent Celebration Worship Service
6:30 PM, Sanctuary
Following dinner, join us as we celebrate the beginning of the season of Advent with a service in the Sanctuary featuring hymns, a message from Pastor Eric, and music from the Chancel Choir and Apostle Ringers.
Get more information on all Advent and Christmas events at Asbury at asburylv.org/Advent.
We are excited to celebrate the Advent and Christmas season at Asbury!
On this page, you’ll find information on all services and events being held during this most holy of seasons.
DECEMBER SERMON SERIES
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God is with us – in answered promises, realized dreams, and refreshed hope. How could we help but sing? In this series, we will explore the songs born from our joy that Christ has entered the world. More info: asburylv.org/ChristmasPlaylist |
Angel Tree at Asbury: Saturday, 12/7/19, 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM, Wesley Center
“Christmas is in the Air” Jubilation Ringers Christmas Concert: Saturday, 12/14/19, 4 PM, Sanctuary
Children’s Ministries’ Kids Club: Friday, 12/20/19, 6 PM – 8 PM, Wesley Center
“A Quiet Christmas”: Saturday, 12/21/19, 7 PM, Sanctuary
Adopt a Family from Ramos Elementary School
| December Worship Times:
Sundays 12/1, 12/8, 12/15, 12/22: Sunday 12/29: |
Christmas Eve Worship: Tuesday 12/24/2019: 1 PM Traditional, Sanctuary 3 PM Family, Sanctuary 4:15 PM Open Door, Worship Center 7 PM Traditional, Sanctuary 9 PM Traditional, Sanctuary |
Christmas can be a noisy time of year. You may find yourself on busy streets or in stores crammed with too many people, loud horns and bright lights. Everywhere you go, Christmas music is blaring. And while all the hustle and bustle may have once been uplifting, maybe this year it just isn’t. Perhaps the events of this year – dealing with divorce, a broken relationship, job or financial stresses, the loss of a loved one, or other personal struggles – have you wanting to soften some of the sounds of the season to find meaning through worship.
On Saturday, December 21, 2019 at 7 PM, Asbury Church will offer a different type of worship experience known as “A Quiet Christmas” in the Sanctuary. Led by Rev. Barbara Lee, Pastor of Discipleship and Congregational Care, with musical support from Frank Arbushites, Organist and Director of the Jubilation Ringers Handbell Choir, the service will provide you with an opportunity to sit in the quiet of the season. Through the lighting of candles, traditional seasonal prayers, quiet meditation, and selected sacred and secular readings, art and music, this service is designed to help you find your own pathways to peace.
Asbury’s Health Ministry realizes that the grieving journey is not an easy task. As a way to help remember and honor a departed loved one, the Health Ministry provides has special “IN LOVING MEMORY” Christmas ornaments available in the Community Room during the month of December. Visit the Health Ministries’ table between services for more information.
The display of colorful poinsettias in the Sanctuary and throughout the building during the Christmas season is a tradition at Asbury. We invite you to be a part of this tradition by ordering a poinsettia in honor or memory of a friend or loved one. Poinsettias may be picked up after the 9:00 p.m. service on Christmas Eve.
The deadline for orders is Monday, 12/2/2019.
Visit asburylv.org/poinsettias to access the order form, which can be dropped in an offering plate or returned to the church office.
The Jubilation Ringers and the Pennsylvania Flute Choir will present a Christmas concert
“Christmas Is in the Air” on Saturday, December 14 (snow date: December 21) at 4:00 pm at
Asbury United Methodist Church, 1533 Springhouse Road, Allentown. Tickets are $10.
The ticket order form may be downloaded from jubilationringers.asburylv.org. For more information, please call Carol Lenhart.
The 2019 UMW (United Methodist Women) Christmas Tea is Sunday, December 8th at 12:30 p.m. A light lunch will be served with beverages and desserts. Entertainment is being provided by the Lehigh Valley Chorus, a chapter of the Sweet Adelines. Our mission collection benefits homeless children in Allentown School District. See the tickets for items needed. Tickets will be on sale in the Community Room/Parlor between services on November 17th, November 24th, and December 1st. Tickets are $8.00 each.
| Party help still needed! Contact Pastor Barbara Lee at blee@asburylv.org to volunteer! |
• We have children who will need sponsors. Each sponsor will make direct contact with their assigned family, buy and wrap 2 gifts per child at the direction of the care-giving family, and then attend our Angel Tree party with the child and their family.
• We need volunteers to help plan and organize the details of the party as well as help the night of the party with setup, cleanup, and various tasks throughout the night.
• We need donations of supplies for the party.
• We are also requesting monetary donations to help cover the cost of the party (pizza, drinks, entertainment, etc.).
There are so many ways that you can get involved!
ANGEL TREE CHILD ASSIGNMENTS AND VOLUNTEER SIGNUPS FOR PARTY:
On Sunday, November 10 our Angel Tree Team Representatives will be in the Community Room from 9 AM – 10:30 AM. During this time, Asbury families who wish to sponsor a child can receive their information and those interested in volunteering to help with the party can sign up for certain tasks.
For those who cannot make the sign-ups on Sunday, November 10 but would like to sign up to help, please contact Rev. Barbara Lee, Asbury’s Pastor of Discipleship and Congregational Care at blee@asburylv.org.
For more information about the Angel Tree program, visit www.angeltree.org.
