When there are five Sundays in a month, Asbury devotes the 5th Sunday's worship service to a celebration of music and the arts, where the entire service revolves around hymn-singing, soloists, skits, and other forms of creative expressions of joy.
MINISTERS:
Rev. Billy Hester
MUSICIANS:
Piano: Ray Ellis & Kay Deffley
Organ: Kay Deffley
Keyboard: Randy Canady
PRODUCTION:
Videographer: Patrick Prokop
Video Editor: Patrick Prokop
Audio: Christina Focht
Lighting: Barry Parker
SPECIAL THANKS:
Every Sunday at Asbury, there are people who work behind the scenes to help make the day so meaningful and wonderful for us and our visitors. We thank those unsung heroes of faith — our Hospitality Team, our Ushers and Greeters, our Nursery Workers, and our Children's Church Teachers.
HAND BELL CHOIR: "Lead On, O King Eternal" CONGREGATIONAL READING and SONG: STORY: "A Change of Heart" CHILDREN'S MOMENT: "His Banner Over Us is Love" MUSIC FOR THE OFFERTORY: "Much More Than We Imagine"
Ringers (from left to right): Virginia Holliday, Ray Ellis, Barbara Lackey-Beam, Mary Prokop, Kay Deffley, Helen Downing, Randy Canady, Crystal Bell, Linda Ostrow, Austin Wright, Patrick Prokop
Directed By: Ray Ellis
First Reading: Psalm 22:1-18 [NIV; other translations available at the link]
Song: "A Ride Back Home" by John Mellencamp
Soloist and Harmonica: Gary Shelby
Guitar: Kathy Waters
Second Reading: Psalm 22:25-31 [NIV; other translations available at the link]
Rev. Billy Hester leads the congregation in a reading from the Methodist Hymnal: Psalm 22, a "Psalm of Lament," in two segments (omitting verses 19-24), with a John Mellencamp song in between.
Story Teller: Dottie Kluttz tells the story of John Newton, who was part of the slave trade in the late 1700s, but later repented, became a minister, and published a pamphlet about the evils of the slave trade. One of his parishoners was MP William Wilberforce who, inspired by Newton's writings led the movement to abolish the slave trade in England. John Newton also wrote the beloved hymn, "Amazing Grace," sung at the end of the story.
and SOLO: "Amazing Grace"
Soloist: Greg Martin
Rev. Billy Hester
Ray Ellis
Cheri Hester
The Children of Asbury
Rev. Billy Hester, with the assistance of Ray Ellis and Cheri Hester, leads the Asbury children (and adults) in singing and acting out "His Banner Over Us is Love."
Sung by the Asbury Memorial Choir
Words by: Beverly Darnall, Music by: Michael W. Smith, Arranged by: Tom Fettke
Soloist: John Naylor
Directed By: Ray Ellis
Piano: Kay Deffley
We hope you feel blessed by this service!