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Dear Asbury Friends,
Every Monday, your Asbury staff talks about when we are going to reopen the church.
We do this every Monday because the information for making that decision changes on an almost daily basis. A number of my colleagues announced in June and July that they were going to re-open their churches, and then had to change that decision because of growing Covid-19 outbreaks in their communities. We will continue to monitor this situation and follow the leadership and advice of experts. We realize that there are some groups (Sunday school classes, committees, circles) that still need to and want to meet. Sharlynn Verner, our Director of Communications, will be happy to help your group set up a Zoom call for you to have your meeting. The church has a paid Zoom account that allows a number of groups to use Zoom at the same time. Please take advantage of this great resource to continue to connect and communicate with your classes, committees and small groups. You may contact Sharlynn by emailing her at [email protected]. This weekend in worship, we will begin a new sermon series using a book by Peter Enns called "The Sin of Certainty." In this book, he suggests that being "certain" and having all the answers is not an indication of deep faith. The willingness to ask questions - to grapple with ambiguity and uncertainty - is what leads us into a deeper relationship with God. Don't forget to sign up to give blood ( Click Here to Sign Up for Blood Donation) and to donate food or funds for our 24/7 food pantry! We can't do all the things we used to do, but we can do something. So let's do what we can as we practice what we preach...
Blessings,
Gayla
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Blood Drive at Asbury - This Sunday, August 9 from 9 am to 2 pm in Hager Hall
If you haven't yet signed up to donate blood and weren't able to donate at last month's blood drive, you have another chance! Asbury will be hosting a blood drive
through the Community Blood Center on Sunday, August 9 from 9 am to 2 pm in Hager Hall. We only need 16 more people to sign up and we'll have the schedule FILLED! So please share this blood drive with your friends and family!
or call 1.877.468.6844.
All donors are asked to wear masks to their donation. Temperatures will be checked at the door and social distancing protocols will remain in place. For more information regarding CBC's response to COVID-19, please visit https://smarturl.it/CBC_COVID19FB. For medical eligibility questions, please call 800.688.0900. Thank you so much for your consideration, and let's help make this blood drive
a success!
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Bids & Pizza Fundraiser
for the Asbury Children's Center:
Ends Sunday, August 9!
The Asbury Children's Center's "Bids and Pizza" online bidding event is going on now and ends Sunday, August 9! Have you checked it out? There are some amazing items up for bid, and all proceeds will go toward new playground equipment for the ACC. Visit the following website to bid: https://www.biddingowl.com/AsburyCC
If you have any other questions, please contact Ann Porter, Director of the ACC, at 913.677.5008 or [email protected]. Happy bidding!
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A Food Pantry Update
from Steve Trenholm
More people are being helped through Asbury's food ministry than ever before! Our team has been working hard to keep up, but sometimes we are falling short. This is not for lack of trying. Food and monetary donations come in, yet the pace of food items going out continues to increase and exceed our expectations.
So please give if you can! Both food and monetary donations are appreciated. If you are donating food, you may simply leave your donation on the donation cart outside the main entrance around back. Myself or one of our hard-working food pantry volunteers will grab it soon after it arrives. We are there often!
Monetary donations? Please call Phyllis Williams at Asbury UMC (913.432.5573) to make arrangements.
If you have any questions or comments about the Asbury UMC Community Food Pantry, please let me know. You can always email me at [email protected].
Here are some of our current needs for the food pantry:
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- Pasta
| - Canned vegetables
(other than corn or green beans) | | - Pasta Sauce | - Granola / cereal bars | | - Peanut butter | - Toilet paper | | - Canned meat | - Paper towels | | - Canned fruit | - Any personal care items |
At a time when everything around us seems so unsure, Asbury's Community Food Pantry is making a positive difference in so many lives. Thank you so much for your continued generosity!
Your Asbury UMC Food Pantry Volunteers, Steve Trenholm, Susan Strongman, John Cotter, and Roseann Sanders
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With great sadness, we announce these losses from our Asbury family:
Mark Yeokum passed away yesterday evening, Wednesday, August 5. We extend our sympathy to his wife, JoAnne, and other family members. A service will be held at a later date.
Sympathy is expressed to the family of Doris Zinn, a longtime Asbury member, who died Wednesday, July 29. A graveside memorial service was held at Mount Moriah on August 4.
Sympathy is expressed to the family of Phyllis Sullins, who passed away Sunday, July 19.
Phyllis was a longtime and faithful member of Asbury Church. A family graveside service was planned.
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Welcome, IHN Guests!
 Beginning Sunday, we will host IHN guests at Asbury as originally scheduled. IHN has updated their guidelines with increased health safety precautions for all involved and Asbury has added some additional ones. We are grateful that we can offer a safe place for these individuals and families. We expect to shelter and feed one single woman, a Mom with a 5-year old and a Mom with a 5 year-old and a 22-month old. We appreciate Asbury members and those from supporting churches who volunteered to help fulfill this mission during these unsettling times. Please pray for our guests, IHN staff and all of our faithful volunteers.
 School Supply Drive
Asbury will be collecting school supplies for Santa Fe Trail Elementary and Della Lamb Charter School. There will be a collection bin to the right of the food pantry for your donations. Needs include wide-line spiral notebooks, #2 pencils, pink erasers, rulers, 5" or 7" scissors, plastic school boxes, sanitizer, antibacterial wipes, and Kleenex. Please do not include any items that could melt in the sun. If you have any questions, please contact Joan Brown ( [email protected]; 913-381-8708) or Libby Schoeni ( [email protected]; 913-649.5994). Thank you very much!
Cross-Lines Ministry Update
 The Cross-Lines Thrift Store is closed until at least the 1st of the year. In the meantime, any donations left in the Asbury Cross-Lines box (across from the elevator on the 1st floor) will be donated to the Salvation Army Family Store in Mission.
Cross-Lines is no longer accepting furniture. They are joining with Flourish Furnishings, a ministry of COR and joined by other metro non-profit agencies. Cross-Lines clients who have a case worker are entitled to furniture from the Flourish Furnishings warehouse in Grandview. The Cross-Lines truck will pick up their selections from the warehouse and deliver them to the client's home. If you have good used furniture that you wish to donate, visit the website flourishfurnishings.org and go to "Donate" to see goods donation guidelines. To request a pickup, scroll down the "Donate" page until you see "Schedule a Pick Up" and click on this button.
You may also type www.flourishfurnishings.org/pickuprequest into your browser to schedule a pick up.
Cross-Lines is still accepting monetary and food donations! The Kitchen will eventually go back to its regular schedule of serving breakfast, hot lunches, and providing sack lunches for those who need them.
Save the Date for Interfaith Hospitality Network's Annual Auction - Tuesday, September 29
SAVE THE DATE for IHN's 9th Annual Auction on Tuesday, September 29th! We are going online!
Help to empower situationally homeless families and single homeless women by attending IHN's only
fundraising event this year. We will have silent auction items and a live program with Joe Lauria and Fund-a-Need, just like you are used to at our previous events!
IHN continues to serve our homeless families and single women during this pandemic, providing a beacon of hope! Please continue to support IHN by participating in the online auction. Ways to participate include: - Donating items or gift cards for the silent auctions. All donated items must be received at IHN by September 11, 2020.
- Sponsoring at various levels. Information on sponsorships will be available on our website soon at www.jocoihn.org/auction.
- Attending the fun-filled evening online. Consider inviting a small group to your home to enjoy an evening of fellowship while supporting IHN! More information about the online format, including registration for the event, will be available on our website soon at www.jocoihn.org/auction.
 Grandparents Against Gun Violence 7th Annual Community Forum | Monday, October 12, 2020 from 9:00 am-12:30 pm Grandparents Against Gun Violence (GAGV) welcomes all those interested to participate in their 7th Annual Community Forum entitled "Gun Violence: Going Beyond Thoughts and Prayers," on Monday, October 12, 2020, from 9:00 am - 12:30 pm. The coronavirus has upended almost every part of normal life, including the need for social distancing. One part of life that hasn't changed, however, is gun violence and GAGV's work to prevent its deadly spread. During the pandemic, more than 2.9 million firearms have been sold, which some observers believe may partially explain the current tragic increase in homicides in metro Kansas City and across the country. The twin needs of social distancing while promoting gun safety have prompted GAGV's decision to bring this year's annual Community Forum to the comfort and safety of your home or office. You can register for this year's online forum by visiting moksgagv.org/community-forum-organizations/. Your sponsorship helps GAGV continue presenting forums to educate the public about gun violence and support their "Lock it for Love" gun safety education program, as well as their new Vision Quilt project, advocacy activities, compelling monthly programs exploring gun-related issues, and more.
Prayer Requests and Concerns
Did you know that you can submit a prayer request online? We are always keeping our Asbury family in prayer!
 <--- Click on the Church Calendar logo for upcoming Asbury events! Do you have an event you would like to be listed on the calendar? Please call the church office or email Phyllis Williams at [email protected]. For inclusions in the Alive Newsletter, please contact Sharlynn Verner at [email protected].
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 We still need your help to keep our operations running during this tough time of needing to close down. Coronavirus has made things challenging for everyone and Asbury is no exception! Please consider giving to the church electronically through one of these four ways:
- Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT)
- Online through Easy Tithe (www.easytithe.com/visitasbury)
- Text the word "Give" to 913-774-6060
- Download our giving app, "Church by Ministry One" (find Asbury under zip code 66208)
Also, you can still just write a check and send it in the mail! Our mailing address is as follows:
Asbury United Methodist Church
5400 W. 75th St.
Prairie Village, KS 66208
We love you all and appreciate each of you so much. Stay safe and healthy!
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Love The Upper Room Daily Devotional?
Check Out These Offerings as Well!
The Upper Room is offering several different resources on top of their usual bi-monthly daily devotionals. They are listed below. If you are interested in any of them, simply click the underlined blue link and it will take you to the corresponding page!
Our church secretary, Phyllis Williams, also has copies of The Upper Room in both regular and large size print. If you are interested in having one, please let her know you would like a copy and she will be happy to mail one to you. You can reach Phyllis at 913.432.5573 or [email protected].
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Weekly Bible Study from Rev. Lee Johnson
Every Thursday or Friday, Pastor Lee releases a new weekly Bible Study to help us navigate what the Scripture tells us to do - whether it be during times of anxiety and uncertainty, or of joy and hope. Interested in reading more? Click on the link below!
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Children's Sunday School
Preschool: This week's story sheet and at-home activities for this week's lesson, "Dancing for God" (2 Samuel 6:1-19), will be emailed out.
PreK-K: This week's lesson, "Dancing for God" (2 Samuel 6:1-19), will be emailed out. Heather will make a video and post it to Facebook on Sunday.
1st-3rd Grade: This week's lesson, "Dancing for God" (2 Samuel 6:1-19), will be emailed out. Heather will make a video and post it to Facebook on Sunday.
4th-5th Grade: Zoom Sunday school at 11 am. This week we'll be discussing the lesson "Samuel" (1 Samuel 3:1-21). A link will be emailed out, or you can email [email protected] for the link.
to be added to the children's ministry email list.
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WOW! Choir will be recording a song for an upcoming service tonight at 7:00 pm. All kids K-5th grade are invited to participate. A Zoom link will be sent via email, or if you do not receive the children's ministry emails, you can request the Zoom link by emailing our Director of Family Ministries at [email protected].
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We will record the Children's sermon next week on Tuesday, August 11 at 6:30 pm.
A link will be sent out via email. If you don't receive the children's ministry emails, you can request the Zoom link by emailing our Director of Family Ministries ([email protected]).
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Sunday School: The Gospel According to Dr. Seuss
This week, we'll be discussing the connection between "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" and Luke 19:1-6. We will gather on Zoom at 10 am and a link will be sent out via email. If you do not receive the youth emails, you can email [email protected] to request the link
and/or be put on the email list.
Youth Group - 6 pm
 Youth group will meet via Zoom. We will begin our new series "Isms and Phobias." Throughout this series, we will be hearing from multiple voices - videos, articles, and hopefully some people live (either by Zoom or in-person) - about the ways that sexism, racism, ageism, ableism, classism, homophobia, Islamophobia, and xenophobia impact society and our ability to fully be the beloved community of God. I hope you will consider joining us for these discussions.
Youth can use a phone or computer to connect to the meeting. Heather will email out the meeting link and password. If you do not receive the youth emails, you can email [email protected] to request the link and/or be put on the email list. Youth are encouraged to grab a drink, snack, or even dinner to munch on during the meeting. We are treating the online meeting just as we would a face-to-face meeting and we will keep the 6 pm start time.
Wednesday - Senior Dinner:
Our annual senior dinner to honor our graduating seniors is scheduled for 5:30 pm on Wednesday, August 12. This will be a picnic in the Asbury parking lot. More information will be emailed out to the youth ministry email list in the next week. RSVP to [email protected] required.
Stay up to date on all that's happening in youth ministry by following our Facebook page!
or email our Director of Family Ministries to be added to the youth ministry email list.
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SHOPPING ON AMAZON?
2. Search "Asbury Methodist Church"
3. Select the Prairie Village location...and SHOP!
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