Weekly Update// Pastor Chris

Dear Asbury Family,

I pray you had a good week. It’s hard to believe we’re already halfway through March! 

This Sunday in worship, we continue in our preaching series titled “Including the Excluded.” In these messages, we’re looking at Jesus’ ministry in the third Gospel, the Gospel of Luke, where special attention is paid to outsiders. I hope that as we go throughout this series, you’re reading and engaging Luke on your own. This will give you a better sense of the unique portrait of Jesus that Luke paints in his Gospel.

 In this Sunday’s message, we’ll be in Luke 7:36-50, which includes one of the most controversial scenes in all Jesus’ ministry. Do I have your attention now? Rather than describing the scene for you, I’ll let you read the passage for yourself. After you read it, make plans to join us for worship on Sunday morning at either 9:30am (contemporary) or 11am (traditional). We’ll learn why this scene was so controversial and how, even in the midst of such controversy, Jesus made space for people.    

 I know all of us are disturbed and saddened by the events unfolding in Ukraine. Hardly a day goes by in Morning Prayer (our weekday online prayer ministry) when we don’t lift up the people of Ukraine, many of whom have fled their homes to find shelter elsewhere. This Sunday in worship, you’ll have the opportunity to give an offering to support United Methodist churches in Ukraine and Poland on the front lines of this refugee humanitarian crisis. Thank you, in advance, for your generosity toward this effort.  

 Finally, since today is St. Patrick’s Day (did you remember to wear green?), I thought I would end this email with a portion of the prayer traditionally ascribed to the patron saint of Ireland. Enjoy!  

Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I sit down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every person who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me. 

 Blessings,
Chris