Worship
Interested in adding your voice to a choir? This summer, all you need to do is simply show up! Summer Drop-In Choir will begin Sunday, July 4. Just “drop-in” in the Chancel after the 9 AM service (about 10 AM) to rehearse. Participants may sit in the Chancel or with their families. Masks are optional. Music will be provided (usually a hymn). Come add your voice!
As we take another trip “to the movies” during our July sermon series, we’ll be offering indoor worship only to allow for viewing of video clips as part of the messages. There will be no outdoor worship offered during July. The 10:30 AM service will continue to be streamed at live.asburylv.org. Due to copyright restrictions, the movie clips will not be part of streaming worship, but a description of the scene will be provided.
Due to an unfavorable forecast, tomorrow’s (June 13) 9 AM outdoor worship service has been moved inside to the Sanctuary (no registration required, no masks required for those who have been fully vaccinated, and only those who have been fully vaccinated may sing; see all requirements for the Sanctuary service at asburylv.org/worship).
Also tomorrow, we’ll have our usual 10:30 AM streaming service at live.asburylv.org, now also open to in-person attendance.
Hope to see you in worship as we wrap up The Judges sermon series!!
Due to the large amount of rain we’ve received as well as an unfavorable forecast, tomorrow’s 9 AM outdoor worship service has been moved inside to the Sanctuary (no registration required, no masks required for those who have been fully vaccinated, and only those who have been fully vaccinated may sing; see all requirements for the Sanctuary service at asburylv.org/worship).
Also tomorrow, we’ll have our usual 10:30 AM streaming-only service at live.asburylv.org.
Hope to see you in worship as we wrap up The Holy Spirit sermon series!!
Asbury’s leadership announces the following updates/changes to coronavirus policies in worship at Asbury as well as updates to our worship offerings:
9 AM indoor worship is moving outdoors beginning Sunday, May 30. For this service:
10:30 AM worship is opening to have in-person attendance in addition to being streamed beginning Sunday, June 6. For this service:
Asbury is moving worship outside beginning on Sunday, May 30, at 9 AM! Here’s a brief rundown everything you’ll need to know:
The service will feature…
What You Need to Do
The service will be held on the parking lot on the lower level outside of the Worship Center area.
A restroom will be available if needed.
Each worshiper will be required to abide by the Asbury Code of Conduct, developed as part of the Trustee Resolution Addressing COVID-19.
Streaming-only worship will continue to be broadcast live at 10:30 AM on Sunday mornings at live.asburylv.org.
Asbury’s leadership is currently reviewing policies and protocol in place for COVID-19 after the recent announcement from the CDC regarding easing mask usage among those who have been vaccinated. The following was shared by Pastor Eric during streaming worship this morning:
“Now, as I think all of you know, this past Thursday the CDC updated their recommendations on wearing masks… so the Trustees and the leadership here at Asbury are looking at these new recommendations and we’re going to be looking at our policies and procedures for worship and other things here at Asbury. [We appreciate your grace as you] give us some time to [discern] what it means for us, [particularly as we] balance [sensitive issues such as] kids hav[ing] not been vaccinated for the most part and… people [having varying levels of comfort when it comes to wearing a] mask. So we’re trying to balance all that, [we just ask that you] be patient and we will have an update on our new policy very shortly and will communicate that with the congregation.”
We hope you’ll join us for Holy Week and Easter, as we remember our Savior’s journey: from celebration on Palm Sunday to the Last Supper on Maundy Thursday to the cross on Good Friday and triumphing over death on Easter Sunday.
Drive-Thru Pickup of Palms to wave at home while worshiping online will be offered at 2 different times:
An overview of the services is below, but get more details and register at asburylv.org/Easter.
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.
Asbury’s Church Council has announced that in-person worship will resume on a weekly basis beginning on Sunday, February 21, 2021, with one service being held at 9 AM in the Sanctuary. Registration is required and space is limited to allow for proper social distancing. Learn more at asburylv.org/inpersonworship.
Volunteers are needed! Contact Laurie Wallace Theisen, Director of Lay Ministries, if you’re willing to help!
Streaming-only worship will continue to be offered at 10:30 AM.
Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the season of Lent, is a solemn reminder that
“for dust [we] are
and to dust [we] will return.” (Genesis 3:19, NIV).
Join us for streaming-only online worship and a drive-thru opportunity to receive ashes (no-contact).
This service will be a time for prayer, confession, and reflection. In past years, it also was a time for receiving the imposition of ashes (the sign of the cross made in ashes on the forehead or hand). The ashes are meant to be a reminder of our mortality and our need for repentance (turning away from our sin). To limit potential exposure, an alternative, no-contact drive-thru option to receive the sign of the cross in ashes will be offered on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Drive-Thru Reception of Ashes (No-Contact)
in Asbury’s Upper Parking Lot
Tuesday, February 16 – 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Wednesday, February 17 – 12 PM – 1 PM & 3 PM – 4 PM
Worship Service
Streaming-only, Wednesday, February 17, 7 PM, at live.asburylv.org.
Please join us for this beautiful and solemn time of worship.
Church Council is announcing an extension to the suspension of in-person worship services based upon the elevated level of cases of COVID-19 in Lehigh County. The decision included consultation with leadership at Lehigh Valley Health Network. Church Council will continue to evaluate this decision on a two-week basis.
Missed last night’s “Quiet Christmas” worship service? Watch it now at asburylv.org/QuietChristmas!
“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.
Dear Asbury Friends,
If you are gathering with family and friends OR traveling to visit family and friends over the Thanksgiving holiday, church leadership is requesting that you please refrain from attending in-person worship services for two weeks (14 days). In light of the increased COVID-19 infection rates locally and around the country, the church leadership recently met to consider how to move forward. At this time, we would like to continue to offer in-person worship services, but we are depending on our members to cooperate strictly with instructions and protocols to prevent infection. To that end, in keeping with recent PA state recommendations, we are asking that anyone traveling or visiting with family or friends outside of their immediate household, would refrain from attending in-person worship for two weeks. Also, please listen carefully and comply with the ushers’ instructions while at the service. Your safety and well-being is our top priority, and together we hope to be able to continue with our in-person worship experience. If you have any concerns for your health and safety, please consider worshiping with us online from home. Leadership will continue to monitor the risks the in-person gatherings pose in our effort to keep all our members safe and well.
Asbury’s Leadership
Several more volunteers are needed to help with in-person worship on Sunday mornings. Time commitment would be from 8:30 AM – 9:05 AM, then volunteers could attend worship. Contact Laurie Wallace Theisen, Director of Lay Ministries, at ltheisen@asburylv.org if you can help.
Asbury’s Church Council held a webinar on Sunday, August 30, to share updates on Asbury, including information on an in-person worship service beginning on Sunday, September 13 (registration details TBA), preschool reopening, and direction for small groups going into the fall. The replay of this webinar can be viewed below; and a link to the slide presentation as a PDF follows.
Our next outdoor worship service is this Sunday, August 16, at 8 AM. (Please note there will still be an online-only service streaming at 10 AM at live.asburylv.org).
Registration is required, even if you’ve previously attended an outdoor worship service. Register at asburylv.org/outdoorworshipregistration.
We plan to hold this outdoor worship through Labor Day weekend, so mark your calendars! Registration for future weeks will be made available shortly.
If you’ve not attended previous outdoor services, here’s a brief rundown everything you’ll need to know:
The service will feature…
• A message from a pastor
• A liturgist
• Music, but no singing
• No offering collection
What You Need to Do
• Practice social distancing
• Wear a mask
• Bring a chair
• Register to let us know you’re coming at asburylv.org/outdoorworshipregistration.
The service will be held on the lawn on the lower level outside of the Worship Center area.
A restroom will be available if needed.
An outdoor service is obviously dependent on good weather, so make sure to check our website (asburylv.org) the night prior to the service to make sure it’s still on as planned!
Each worshiper will be required to abide by the Asbury Code of Conduct, developed as part of the Trustee Resolution Addressing COVID-19.
Worship will continue to be streamed live at 10 AM on Sunday mornings.
Make your reservation! Asbury is holding an outdoor worship service on Sunday, August 2, at 8 AM! Here’s a brief rundown everything you’ll need to know:
The service will feature…
What You Need to Do
The service will be held on the lawn on the lower level outside of the Worship Center area.
A restroom will be available if needed.
An outdoor service is obviously dependent on good weather, so make sure to check our website (asburylv.org) the night prior to the service to make sure it’s still on as planned!
Each worshiper will be required to abide by the Asbury Code of Conduct, developed as part of the Trustee Resolution Addressing COVID-19.
Worship will continue to be streamed live at 10 AM on Sunday mornings.
