Weekly Update // Pastor Chris

Dear Asbury Family,

I hope you had a wonderful holiday weekend honoring the brave women and men who sacrificed their lives for our freedom. Our family spent Monday grilling out and swimming in the pool. When I came into the office on Tuesday, I told our staff I was having a hard time getting started—the heat took a lot out of me! Let's enjoy the beauty of God’s Creation this summer, but remember to do so in moderation. It’s hot out there!

Amanda and I also celebrated our wedding anniversary on Memorial Day. As I sat there with our family of five (eight if you count the pets!), I was reminded of how quickly life moves. I am truly grateful to spend my life with Amanda, who is not only a hard worker and fantastic mother but also my best friend and partner in ministry. 

Don’t forget that this Saturday is the monthly prayer breakfast for our United Methodist Men. Bob Burkhart will be the speaker. Also, this Sunday you’ll have another opportunity to give to our Annual Conference Offering. The offering will support programs of local churches across the Conference that provide food to children or want to start new ministries to families dealing with food insecurity. Please give generously to this worthy cause! 

Last week, we continued our series titled “Faith and Doubt.” Pastor Will preached a great message exploring questions around seemingly unanswered prayer. This Sunday, the sermon will address one of the most commonly posed questions to Christianity: If God wants a relationship with us (as Pastor Will shared, that’s God’s highest agenda and top priority for us), then why does God even allow room for doubt? Why doesn’t God make himself more obvious to us? Why doesn’t God just rip open the heavens and “prove” himself once and for all? This is a question I personally struggled with when I got serious about my Christian faith. Please join us as we think through what I believe may be the answer.

Enjoy the rest of your week and see you Sunday!

Blessings,

Chris