Friday, June 19, 2020
Weekly Framework
Jonah was running from God when he found himself in the worst possible place - the belly of a large fish.  After hitting rock bottom Jonah cries out to God in prayer. Do you regularly communicate with God or does it take hitting rock bottom to reach out to God?  What can we learn about communicating with God from Jonah's prayer?

Friday's Reflection
From Pastor Eric's Daily Study Guide
Read Jonah 1:7-17
  • Jonah's disobedience did not just affect him, it affects everyone around him. How can the con-sequences of our disobedience affect others?
  • Think about a time when you disobeyed God. Who was affected by your disobedience?
     

Today, say a prayer in your own words asking God to help you to consider what serious obedience looks like.



If you have a prayer request, send it to the prayer team at prayer@asburylv.org.

Juneteenth is an opportunity not only to celebrate freedom but also to speak out about injustice. Today more than ever we need to speak out against white privilege, racism, law enforcement brutality, mass incarceration, voter suppression, poor educational and health care opportunities, and the continual segregation of our schools and churches.  We all need to stand together to make real changes happen, and we cannot let this moment pass.

- Bishop Peggy Johnson

Read Bishop Johnson's full article on Juneteenth on the Eastern PA Conference website.

For SPARK (3-4yr olds)

For BLAST (PreK- 5th grades)

You can know Jesus even though you've never seen Him.
Can you think of anything that you believe is real, even though you've never seen it?

Take a few minutes and brainstorm together. You believe the wind is real, because you see what it does. You believe that your body digests food to give you energy, because you experience how it works. Plus someone you trust has explained to you what happens inside your stomach, even though you can't see it with your eyes. So when we say we believe in God and in His Son, Jesus, it's not a strange or unusual thing. We can see the way God works in our lives and the lives of others who follow Him. We can read reliable, eye-witness accounts about the things Jesus said and did on earth, both before and after His death and resurrection. Even though you've never seen Jesus with your eyes, you can truly come to know Him as a Friend. Take a minute to pray for members of your family and friends, that Jesus would help all of you know Him better this week.
 

Videos for this week (new for 6/14):


HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS: join us Friday nights at 8 PM to catch up via Zoom! If it's your first time joining us, registration is required!
Register now at asburylv.org/HSSeniorZooms. Meeting information will be emailed to you after completing registration.

A second session for college students is being scheduled - watch for the date to be announced soon!



This week,  Pastor Eric teaches in the third week of the  "Jonah" series. Have you ever felt like God has given up on you? Sometimes we are ashamed of our actions and think God will never use us again. But what we learn from the story of Jonah is that God is a God of second chances.



Dear Asbury friends,

Our bishop has granted permission and so we will be participating in online Holy Communion on Sunday. To prepare, we encourage you if possible, to light a candle, and please gather bread or crackers, and a cup of grape juice before the service. If grape juice is not available, please use water. As we participate in the Great Thanksgiving liturgy, we will ask the Holy Spirit to be poured out on us and on the gifts of the bread and the cup that we offer. And as we make this invitation, we expect Christ's presence will be present and change us---even as we are separated in our homes as we worship. We pray that this time will be a source of spiritual comfort and strength for all of us at this time.

Blessings, Pastor Barbara



Worship will be streaming live at 10 AM at live.asburylv.org and will feature a variety of musical styles, both live and recorded.


If you would like a print copy of the July/August issue of  The Upper Room  devotional, please let us know by completing this form. We'll mail it to you free of charge while our supplies last.




Join us for virtual coffee hours on Zoom following worship! No registration required. Meeting information is as follows:

Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81517126618?pwd=eHR1Rnk3QjJFRjgyUGxxNUI3QTJOQT09
Meeting ID: 815 1712 6618
Password: 654634


Asbury's building is now closed indefinitely. When the time comes to re-open, rest assured we will send that communication as far in advance as possible (and very ready to celebrate gathering again!).



For the safety of all, and to keep Asbury's building virus-free, access to the building is now limited to office and custodial staff only. All other key cards have been deactivated. Should you need to gain access to the building, please contact Israel Olivieri, Business Manager, at  iolivieri@asburylv.org.



The camps in our conference have made the difficult decision to suspend or cancel their summer camps and programs. Get more information about each camp at the links below:



For those wishing to support COVID-19 relief, we encourage you to consider giving to UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) Advance. 100% of donations to the Advance go to COVID-19 relief, as UMCOR's administrative costs are paid through connectional giving.



Catch up on past announcements, devotionals, and resources at  asburylv.org/coronavirus.

All updates regarding Asbury's response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) will also be shared at that page; as well as via email blast and on our social media feeds ( Facebook and  Twitter).



Please know that during the time that the office is closed, all calls to Asbury are being received by our answering service, as there is no one available in the office to take your call. Any messages you leave with the answering service are forwarded to us and we will relay your message to the appropriate staff member to respond to you as soon as possible.



Asbury is  now a drop-off site for home-sewn masks for Lehigh Valley Health Network. The collection bin is located at the doors by the upper entrance to the building. If you're able to sew masks, but not able to deliver them,  email Pastor Barbara to get connected with a helper. We do not have supplies available to offer; but could help coordinate a pickup for an order you place at a local fabric or craft store that's offering curbside pickup.

Instructions:



St. Luke's is also collecting personal protective equipment (PPE). Learn more about the items they're accepting and their drop-off locations (their Care Now urgent care locations in Allentown, Whitehall, Bethlehem, and more)  on their website.



Cancelled/Postponed Events
Include, but not limited to:
AIM Yard Sale (cancelled)
Reschedule dates (if applicable) will be communicated when available.
No physical meetings are being held at Asbury or off-site; but please check with your group/Circle leader to see if there are plans for your group to connect online.


Did you know that your Amazon purchases can help Asbury? While doing your Father's Day shopping, or getting a few needed items for home, visit smile.amazon.com/ch/23-1352369, or login to your account at smile.amazon.com and choose "Asbury Allentown United Methodist Church" as your charity. Asbury will receive 0.5% of the price of your purchase!


I f you are experiencing loneliness, or spiritual and emotional distress during these challenging days, or if there's someone you're concerned about, please reach out to Pastor Barbara at  blee@asburylv.org .



We know that these stressful times have and will cause hardships for some in our community. The following groups, recommended by Asbury in Mission (AIM), have resources available for assistance if you or someone you know has a need:

Kingdom Life Family Center Food Bank
4333 Lime Kiln Rd, Orefield, PA 18069
1401 Linden Street, Allentown, PA 18102

AIM also reminds us that while volunteer opportunities are few due to the current crisis, our mission partners can still be supported financially. Learn more about all of our AIM mission partners at  asburylv.org/aim.

If you are in a position to donate to the food banks, please be aware of the following information about donations:
Kingdom Life Family Center in Orefield wants people to make an appointment to drop off food on a Tuesday morning.  Call 610-398-0111
Salem United Methodist Church in Allentown, Food bank can take donations in the morning by appointment only.  Call Rev. Navin Satyarvata 610-432-2577
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