November 2

Tomorrow is one of my favorite Sundays of the year. It's when we remember and celebrate those who have influenced our lives and who now live in the fullness of eternity. Last year on All Saints Sunday, we started a new custom that we will continue this year You are invited to bring a picture or pictures of Loved Ones who have been "Saints" in your life. At a certain time in the worship service, you will be invited to come forward to place the pictures on tables in the altar area at the front of the sanctuary. In order to have enough space for everyone's pictures, we ask that the pictures be no larger than 5 X 7. 

Not Just Pictures...

It may be that instead of a picture, you would prefer to bring an item that represents your Loved One. For instance, if your mother was a great cook, you could bring her apron or a favorite recipe or favorite food to place on the tables around the altar area.

So let us adorn the sanctuary with photographs and favorite items of our deceased Loved Ones as we celebrate the continuity of life and death and life again!

This Sunday we'll also be adding another name to The Tree of Life as our dear Virginia Holliday remembered Asbury Memorial in her will. We look forward to honoring this amazing woman who did so much for Asbury when she walked among us and continues to do so even in death. 

It's the first Sunday of the month, so we have our BIG Coffee Hour after the worship service. If you are able, please bring food items to share with others. You can drop them off in the kitchen when you arrive at church. We appreciate those who are able to help us break bread together.

Join us every Sunday for fellowship and education as we discuss segments from the great study series, Living the Questions. We meet in the social hall (Holliday Hall) at 10:00 a.m., and we'd love for you to join us. Come have a cup of coffee at 9:45 A.M as we gather together. 

Remember to set your clocks before you go to sleep tonight. We fall back an hour. Enjoy that extra hour of sleep!

Be sure to read our November Newsletter. It is now on the Asbury website. We thank editor Chris Kincade and everyone who contributes to the newsletter. 

We are always encouraged to be in prayer for our country, but I especially implore you to be praying for our country this week as we elect a new president. Let us also show our appreciation for our poll workers. These members of our community are performing a vital civic duty ensuring that the right to vote is preserved for every citizen and that our democracy continues to flourish. We thank church member, Valori Armstrong, for being a poll worker. Please pray for Valori and for all poll workers and voters. 

Cheri and I just returned from New York City as I had my biannual MRI at Sloan Kettering Hospital. It went well - so well, in fact, I will now only need to do it once a year instead of twice. Thank you for your prayers.

We also got to be present for our grandson's birthday! Anson turned two years old on October 30th. We spent the day playing in Madison Park on 26th Street in the shadow of the Empire State Building. The next day, Halloween, we gathered in a larger park in Inwood (a neighborhood at the very top of Manhattan) with about 400 children and parents for the largest Trick Or Treat experience I have ever seen. Seeing all of the different generations gathered together made me think a lot about All Saints Day and those who have helped me throughout my life. I look forward to honoring and celebrating them with you on Sunday. I also look forward to seeing them again one day. I'll be talking about that tomorrow in my sermon titled, "If It Were Not So."

Hope to see you!

Love,
Billy