Weekly Update// Pastor Will
Hi Friends,
A few weeks ago, during our celebration of the previous year's achievements, I highlighted the significant growth in our online ministries. In the year prior, we had 145 subscribers on our YouTube channel, and as of now, we are delighted to share that our community has grown to 445 subscribers. To provide context, in November, we celebrated reaching 382 subscribers, marking an impressive increase of 62 new subscribers in just a few weeks!
This growth is a tremendous positive for our online ministries, with some of our videos amassing up to 17,000 views – a remarkable feat! Particularly exciting is the surge in interest for our new sermon series, where videos that typically receive 10, maybe 20 views within a few weeks have already garnered over 100 views in just a few days.
In addition to the overall increase in online ministry usage, we believe this surge is also due to our intentional efforts, such as incorporating Christmas movie classics into our Advent sermon series. It's noteworthy that, for the first time at Asbury, more people live-streamed our services this past weekend than attended in person – a milestone worth celebrating and giving thanks for!
This development reflects broader trends in the church landscape, indicating that online church is a growing space. We've had visitors share how they first discovered our church and engaged with our services online before attending in person. We have other folks who mostly attend online but attend various events such as Coffee with the Pastor. Furthermore, many individuals who do not reside in our local area consider Asbury their church home.
We extend our gratitude to Hannah King and her team for ensuring that our online ministry is executed with excellence, providing a wonderful experience for our viewers. Further, it is a testament to the dedication of talented individuals who use their time and gifts for our in-person and online experience for the glory of God. A heartfelt thank you to all who contribute to making Asbury a truly wonderful place of worship!
As we continue through the Advent season, we want to remind you that this Sunday, the 17th, is March to the Manger. We've designated Central Florida Wesley as the ministry to support. The morning sermon will focus on the holiday classic, "It’s a Wonderful Life," during our third week of Advent focused on Joy. Later in the day, our Blue Christmas Service at 4:00 pm in the Traditional Sanctuary is designed for those finding the holiday season challenging due to loss, grief, or other reasons. We’ve also made the decision to make this service in-person only due to the sensitive and intimate nature of it.
On Christmas Eve, we will have one combined service at 10:00 am in the Sanctuary, followed by our 5:00 pm Family/Contemporary Service and our 7:30 pm Traditional Service, both concluding with communion and candlelight. All Christmas Eve services, morning and night, will be live-streamed, allowing you to join us virtually.
We hope to see as many of you as possible, in-person or online, in the coming weeks as we continue to celebrate this special season together!
Thanks for your continued support.
Warm regards,
Pastor Will