Centered in Jesus Christ, we Grow in faith, Celebrate community and Serve others with love.

Chuck Chats

Celebrate Community

Serve Others with Love

Children’s Ministry

Youth Ministry

Anniversaries and Birthdays

Calendar

Page 1

Page 4

Page 5

Page 8

Page 9

Page 10

Page 11

Transi ons!

That is a word I’ve been hearing a lot lately – as well as reflec ng on for myself, my family and Asbury.

Besides transi oning to a different congrega on, in a more metropolitan se ng on July 1, Lou and I are gaining a son‐in‐law in June as our oldest daughter, Stacy, gets married. Our transi on to the status of in‐laws is nearly upon us. Seems like yesterday we brought her home from the hospital, sent her off to kindergarten, helped teach her to drive, celebrated her college gradua on. Time doesn’t stand s ll does it? Seasons of our lives change, as do seasons of pastor’s careers and the life of the local church.

As I enter the final month of my eleven‐year ministry as your senior pastor/co‐senior pastor, I am thankful for the journey God has permi ed me to be part of in the unfold‐ing work of Jesus Christ here at Asbury. The efforts shared, the ministries accomplished, the visions achieved, the friendships experienced; what a rich treas‐ure of memories I will carry with me as I begin a new min‐istry at Evergreen Valley UMC in San Jose.

As I make a transi on to being one of your “former” pas‐tors it is important to li up the expecta ons our UM sys‐tem has of respec ng covenantal rela onships with for‐mer parishioners and congrega ons. It is important for the success of your current and incoming pastor and avoid interfering with their ministries. For a year, former pastors are to absent themselves from any ini a on of contact with their former church and parishioners. De‐spite the deeply meaningful experiences that have been shared and the friendships which have developed over the years of my ministry, it is important to respect the boundaries which arise because I am no longer your pas‐tor. Bap sms, weddings, funerals and other pastoral tasks, like counseling or spiritual guidance, are reserved for only the pastor or pastors who are assigned to this parish.

Incumbent upon me is giving space to Kim to fully em‐brace the role as your only senior pastor, and to step‐aside fully so that your newest pastor, Pastor Chelsea, can engage in a complete ministry among you and be em‐

(Continued on page 2)

braced by your kindness and support.

The love and affec on I feel for friends at Asbury undergo a transi on – not in their place in my heart, but in their immediacy and reciprocity. In the “age of Facebook” some of these boundaries are hard to manage. I won’t be “un”‐friending people upon my departure, but under‐stand that my lack of response to comments made to me or my avoidance of conversa on, whether on Facebook or through emails, is simply an extension of my honoring the boundaries expected of me. Thanks for understand‐ing.

My last Sunday with you will be June 22. I look forward to celebra ng “the Lord’s Day” with you and in person col‐lec vely thank you and my wonderful staff for all your love and support over these eleven years.

I will con nue as one of the pastors‐in‐charge through June 30, when on the stroke of midnight I make a pasto‐ral transi on and become part of a long list of “former” Asbury pastors. It is a dis nguished list and I’m thankful I can be part of it.

One addi onal point I wish to share has to do with some concerns I’ve heard raised about the part‐ me and full‐

me arrangement for Pastors Kim and Chelsea star ng July 1. You may have heard that Pastor Kim is going from

(Continued from page 1)

half me to 60% as lead Pastor, while Chelsea will be full‐me as Minister of Chris ans Discipleship. It would be a

misunderstanding to view Kim as a part‐ me Pastor. While you are paying her 60% of a full me salary, she is fully your pastor. 100% of the me. Remunera on doesn’t indicate level of dedica on or a full commitment to Asbury. It is simply a reflec on of an effort to fairly balance space for family life/paren ng with her tasks as your senior pastor. And over these past years she has given herself fully to her ministry with you, and has been a great partner with me. I have been so deeply blessed to work alongside a loving, joyous, grace‐filled colleague. I am excited and reassured that so much of what we have worked toward will con nue to grow and flourish under her leadership, and with Chelsea’s assistance even more exci ng and significant ministries and blessings will come your way as God con nues to pour out grace upon grace here at Asbury.

Thanks for everything. Lou and I are so grateful, and in‐vite your prayers for us as we begin a new adventure, as you will surely be in ours.

Grace and peace,

Chuck

June marks the second anniversary of the official status of Fer le GroundWorks as a 501(c)(3) non‐profit. July will mark the fourth anniversary of the founding of the Gar‐den of Grace. Many lives have been blessed in many ways since then. Fresh produce from the garden con nues to provide nourishment for some of the most needy in the area as Fer le GroundWorks educa onal and service mis‐sions grow to help local K‐12 schools establish and sus‐tainably run their science and food gardens.

Our thoughts return to the beginnings of the Garden of Grace when members of the Asbury Community and Pas‐tor Chuck created the beginning vision of a garden of Grace, to feed the area’s hungry and bless the lives of many more. We are grateful for this pioneering vision and the underlying love as the garden grows and Fer le GroundWorks evolves to help the greater community

with organic community gardening awareness, knowledge and resources. We are also very grateful to the Asbury Community for their con nued support through provision of the Garden land and dona ons from the community.

We take this opportunity to thank Chuck as he embarks on his new appointment. Thank you for your advocacy, support and efforts for the Garden and Fer le Ground‐Works! We understand that there may be a few garden‐able acres on the Evergreen Church site too.

One s ll needs to eat during a drought. Come and see some of the things we are doing at the Garden of Grace to make the water resource go a li le further. For garden

mes visit our website: www.fer legroundworks.org.

June 15 – It’s Father’s Day and wouldn’t Dad enjoy break‐fast in bed before you accompany him to church? Pastor Kim preaches that Sunday.

June 22 – Pastor Chuck is preaching for the last me as senior pastor and the sermon is en tled “Many Gi s, One Spirit”. We hope you can be here.

June 29 – Our Guest Preacher is Reverend Lucas Hergert. You’re in for a treat!

Looking Ahead: Please be here on the first Sunday in July to welcome our new pastor, Chelsea Constant, and to support her as she leads worship and preaches among us for the first me.

Don’t Miss Worship in June!

June’s five Sundays provide a rich variety of experiences and celebra ons at worship. Here’s the lineup:

June 1 – Music Celebra on Sunday and Holy Communion. Come and appreciate the talent of our en re music pro‐gram when all our choirs: adult, children, bells, our As‐bury Band and First Watch, all gi us with songs of praise celebra ng God’s blessings in our lives. We take me to recognize our wonderful teachers and Sunday School helpers. Pastor Chuck will be leading worship that day.

June 8 – It’s Pentecost Sunday, and the Spirit will be in evidence as the Asbury Band helps make worship a har‐monious and vibrant celebra on. We’ll recognize the graduates that Sunday and what a great group it is! Pas‐tor Chuck is working with the Asbury Band to do worship a bit differently that Sunday, just as the Spirit directs.

Dine and Dawdle Starts!

Star ng June 19, 6:00 p.m.

Yup, it’s that me of year to enjoy a yummy barbecued dinner and dawdle with your fellow Asburyites. Did we men on no dishes?

D&D is every Thursday through the summer (except July 3), star ng June 19 through August 7. Come out at 6:00 p.m. and enjoy some dinner and some dawdling. Cost is $5/person or $20/family.

The Fellowship Team is looking for some helpers for this fun ac vity. No experience necessary. Please contact Sco Smith or any Fellowship Team member for more informa on.

Transi on Workshop

June 11, 6‐8:00 p.m.

As we prepare for a pastoral change at Asbury, we want to do all we can to make this a smooth and healthy tran‐si on. On July 1, Pastor Chuck will begin his new ministry at Evergreen UMC in San Jose. Pastor Chelsea Constant will begin her full me ministry here at Asbury. (She will be preaching on July 6 & 13.) Pastor Kim will increase her hours at Asbury. She will be in church office on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays; work from home on Fridays; and con nue to take Mondays as a day off.

As we move into these changes, we have invited Rev. Brandon Aus n to lead a Transi on Workshop on Wednesday, June 11, 6‐8 pm. Brandon helps churches make healthy transi ons during mes of pastoral change. Staff and church leaders are expected to a end, and all are welcome. Brandon will help us avoid common mis‐steps, and will help us face any anxie es and concerns. Let Pastor Kim know if you have any ques ons or sugges‐

ons for topics at this workshop. And please join us, as together we look ahead to the future!

Senior/Re ree Luncheon

June 5, 2014, 12:00 noon

Join us for a deligh ul luncheon hosted by Tina Morris and Val Pace. Enjoy a nice meal for only $5 per person and then sit back for some vocal entertainment. “Pastor Chuck and Friends” is a short program of solos and duets led by Pastor Chuck and featuring some of Asbury’s won‐derful voices. Well‐known standards, a Broadway tune or two and a couple of fun songs will provide you free enter‐tainment. This is our last Senior/Re ree Luncheon un l September so don’t miss it! Bring a friend – they’ll love you for it. Cost is $5 per person.

Ladies’ Night Out

Tuesday May 17, 6:30 p.m.

Ladies of Asbury, let’s get together for an evening out at a local restaurant. This month, we’ll be going to Empire Buffet. The restaurant is located at in the Trader Joe’s shopping center at 1070 E Stanley Boulevard. Please RSVP with Nancy Grover if you plan to come, so we can tell them how many to expect.

Introduc on to Yoga

For centuries, yoga has invited us to deepen our spiritual journey, offering an invita on to pause, take a deep breath, and stretch our awareness. If you would like an introduc on to yoga, consider these introductory classes, offered at Dragonfly Yoga and Wellness, 171 South J Street:

Sundays July 6 and 13: 12:00‐1:30 p.m. Cost is $30, for Intro to Yoga.

Sundays July 22 and 27: an Intro to Flow class will be offered for $30, 12‐1:30 p.m.

Get to Know Pastor Chelsea Constant

We welcome Pastor Chelsea, and here are some ways to get to know her.

Pastor Chelsea will preach on July 6 and 13.

She will also be part of the Camp Lodestar Mission Trip, July 31‐August 3. This inter‐genera onal mission trip offers a chance to get to know Chelsea, while serving oth‐ers with love. There are scholarships available for youth and children. Contact Steve Ellio for more details.

Memorial Garden Bricks

Asbury’s Landscape Commi ee has established a pro‐gram that offers memorial bricks that are installed as part of the paving of the Memorial Garden, north of the Chap‐el. We recently installed 19 new bricks, bringing the total to 32 memorial bricks.

Sponsoring of bricks is limited to the Asbury “family”, alt‐hough the person memorialized need not be an Asbury member. This is not a fundraiser; the cost of a brick is $30. To remain consistent, the content of the brick is first name, middle ini al (or first ini al middle name) and last name, with year of birth and year of death.

A check can be put in the Sunday offering plate or given to Terri Gamble during the week, with the relevant infor‐ma on a ached. Bricks are ordered and installed several

mes during the year. Contact Michele Rudd or Dick Crawford for more informa on.

All Church Mission to Camp Lodestar This Sum‐mer!

We are pleased to announce that registra on is now available for our 2014 Asbury All Church mission trip! Open to all ages, we will be going to Camp Lodestar to help with camp maintenance. The dates: Thursday, July 31 through Sunday, August 3, 2014. Arrive mid to late morning on Thursday and depart around noon on Sun‐day.

Camp Lodestar is in the Sierra foothills, about a 2½ hour drive from Livermore. It is one of the main camps used by our church conference. The camp has lodges, cabins, a dining hall, swimming pool and a variety of other facili‐

es. We will be staying in two of the lodges.

Our work will be to do camp upkeep and small repair pro‐jects. There will be work for all ages and abili es. Chil‐dren, age 9 or older, can par cipate in the work. Child‐care and recrea onal ac vi es will be provided for age 8 and younger.

We will start work a er lunch on July 31. Adults and older youth work most of the day, Friday and Saturday. Chil‐dren and younger youth would work mornings and enjoy recrea on in the a ernoons. Sunday morning is worship, a short hike and cleanup.

Cost is $115 per person for adults/older youth and $85 per child (11 years or under). Cost only includes meals, snacks and incidentals. Housing charge waived in return for our work.

Please contact Steve Ellio or the church office if you would like more informa on or to register.

short summer break. Tony Gnecco and Tina Morris would like to thank the following volunteers for the many hours of prepara on and leadership. Mostly we would like to say thank you for serving others with love and helping them grow in faith. Enjoy a well‐deserved summer break.

Asbury UMC currently serves approximately 50 infants, kids and youth in many different ways. Youth and Chil‐dren’s Ministries are an important way we share our faith and show our love & support. It takes a large team to staff the nursery, Sunday School, youth groups, Club 45, mission trips and other ac vi es for this age group—69, in fact. A er June 8, our regular volunteer staff takes a

Chris Almeida

Jackie Benne

Rich Benne

Jennifer Bernstein

Rebecca Bernstein

Karen Bauman

Paul Bauman

Becky Biermann

Cliff Biermann

Ka e Bing

Susan Bothwell

Jean Braun

Kate Brunicardi

Mike Brunicardi

Bruce Campbell

Kellie Campos

Joey Campos

Lauren Cano

Laurie Cano

Barbara David

Nancy Deis

Joanne Duncan

Gabe Ellio

Rebecca Ellio

Clarice Felismino

Lauren Franklin

Tony Gnecco

Keri Gnecco

Jolin Gully

Kelly Gully

Makayla Gully

Denise Sughayar

Colleen Tackaberry

Pam Tegge

Caitlin Tripp

Elizabeth Tugangui

Kathleen Turk

Ross Turk

Nora Hart

Renee Haugen

Ruth Hawley

Ma hew Hewi

Regina Juan

Rebecca Kohlmoos

Robyn Lakamsani

Terri Lambert

Dwight LeVan

Jeannie Lobao

Mike McClung

Suzie McClung

Chloe Molvik

Natalia Moreno

Mar e Muldoon

Sara Neuner

Elizabeth Pasillas

Gabe Pasillas

Toby Pasillas

Elizabeth Pisco y

Mark Pisco y

Andy Pomykal

Chris na Pomykal

Jonathan Pyle

Michele Rudd

Rob Rudd

Jackie Schlientz

Ma hew Schlientz

Shelley Spedowfski

LaNor Smith

Sco Smith

Gree ng Asbury Family,

Summer is around the corner. Prayers for a safe, fun and relaxing one. There are some dates to note listed below.

The most important item I need to relay is that I need a lot of help.

We have many volunteer openings over the summer months. Each person at Asbury is highly capable of help‐ing our Children’s Ministry offer exci ng ac vi es that help our kids grow in faith and grow closer to their As‐bury family. Please consider volunteering for one or two half hour sessions this summer. That’s all it takes. It’s a light commitment that makes a huge difference. We need folks to read or tell a story, lead a cra , explain and su‐pervise a game or share a talent with our kids. You may plan your own or I will happily provide everything need‐ed.

Please say yes.

We will be taking sign‐ups for summer Sunday School and Vaca on Bible School during fellowship me May 25, June 1 and June 8. Thank you ahead for saying, “Yes!”

Summer Sunday School begins June 15

VBS takes place July 21‐25 with all church set‐up and lunch on Sunday July 20

Summer Camps are available in June and July‐See our website and bulle n boards

Peace and Joy,

Tina Morris  

What’s happening in June?

June 1 – Seniors! Please a end worship at 9:00 AM. You will be honored.

June 1 – Youth Groups at Asbury 5:30‐6:30 p.m. with dinner to follow.

June 6 – Happy Gradua on – Gabe Elliot, Paul Epper‐son, and Kayleigh Kirby!

June 8 – Broomball at Tri‐Valley Ice (6611 Preston Ave, Suite D) 4‐5:00 p.m. with dinner to follow. More details to come.

June 13 – Happy Gradua on – Rebecca Bernstein, Greta Kohlmoos, Lauren Cano, and Caitee Miller!

June 29‐July 5 – High School SSP trip to Stockon, CA.

Youth happenings for summer

July 1 – Chelsea Constant takes over as Youth Direc‐tor. There will be opportuni es for you to meet Chel‐sea through the summer.

July 6‐11 – Toyon Kids grades 3‐6/Toyon LIT for 14 and 15 years olds. More camp info and registra on can be found at www.cnumc.org/camping.

July 10‐13 – Asbury Family Camp at Camp Shelley. Kelly & Jolin Gully are willing to share their site with youth who’d like to camp.

July 13‐18 – Camp Quest grades 7‐9/Impact LIT for 16‐19 year olds. More camp info and registra on can be found at www.cnumc.org/camping.

July 21‐25 – VBS at Asbury. Sign up to help in the Fel‐lowship Hall a er worship or contact Tina.

July 31‐August 3 – All‐church Mission Trip to Camp Lodestar. A generous donor at Asbury is offering youth scholarships so you can a end at no cost. If you are interested or would like more info, please let me know.

August 10 – Youth Mission Sunday

Birthdays

Karen Bauman Jennifer Bernstein Chris Bing Molly Bing John Bluck Kevin Boercker Cassie Braun Mikel Campos Beverly Cavin Shannon David Glen Dawes Lynnea Dawes Steve Ellio Nick Evans Jane Evere Kelly Galicia‐Thomas Kelsey Gamble Joelle Goodman Emma Grisham Kelly Gully Makayla Gully Chris Hain Elaine Hancock Louis Howell Karl Item Ka e Johnson Sue King Hansa Lakamsani Vamsee Lakamsani Dwight LeVan Lorraine Magee Janet Malski June Mar n Paula McClendon Victoria McPeake Marisa Medeiros Hooper Cole Meyers Karl Meyers Maggie Muldoon Diana Nathan Karen Nelson Tom Nelson Tom Pe y Elizabeth Pisco y Glenn Pomykal

Anniversaries

Bob and Kathy Berger Dave and Dee Bing Dave and Jean Braun Rich and Jan Buckley Cory and Anne Coll Dick and Sharmyn Crawford Eric and Kirsten Cummings Peter and Susan Danan Steve Ellio and Kim Risedorph Roger and Jane Evere Duane and Delaine Jantzen Joe and Maris Medeiros Donald and Gabe Meeker Hal and Marlys Miller Tom and Karen Nelson Eric and Sue Ellen Schell Dan Swinbank and Maureen Gandara‐

Swinbank Steve and Sheila Taber Bill and Glenda Warren Rich and Laura Whipple Steve and Sue Worth

Sean Pomykal Javon Rahmaan Frank Raskauskas Sarah Reggiardo Nick Rynders Andrew Schaff Ma hew Schlientz Ron Schwartz Annakate Siebers Ray Spooner Joy Stewart Rebecca Stewart Don Sveen Pat Van Lehn John Van Scyoc III Brian Webb Karen Webb Lena Wilson Leanne Worth

Please visit the Asbury website calendar for the latest updates: h p://www.asburylive.org/events

Weekly Recurring Events

Sundays

9:00 a.m. Worship, Sunday School, Sanctuary

10:15 a.m. Bu erfly Gardens is open

10:30 a.m. Coffee Fellowship, Fellowship Hall

10:30 a.m. GIFT, Fireside Room

10:45 a.m. Children and Youth Choirs (ends June 8)

10:45 a.m. The Gi s of Imperfec on, Fireside Room

5:30 p.m. Club 45 (ends June 8)

5:30 p.m. Youth Group (ends June 8)

Mondays

6:00 p.m. Boy Scouts, Fellowship Hall (ends June 16)

Tuesdays

11:00 a.m. Loose Canons

12:00 p.m. Open Heart Kitchen, Fellowship Hall

3:30 p.m. Worship Service, Rosewood Gardens

7:00 p.m. Disciple Bible Study, Conference Room

7:00 p.m. Alanon/Alateen, Rooms 13‐15

Wednesdays

12:00 p.m. Open Heart Kitchen, Fellowship Hall

4:00 p.m. Arthri s/Chronic Pain Group, Room 10

7:30 p.m. Faith Choir, Sanctuary

Thursdays

7:45 a.m. Men’s Bible Study, Room 11

10:00 a.m. Bible Study, Heritage Estates

10:30 a.m. Women of the Spirit

6:00 p.m. Dine & Dawdle (starts June 19)

7:00 p.m. SGG, Room 6

7:00 p.m. Asbury Band, Sanctuary

7:00 p.m. AA, Rooms 11‐12

Saturdays

8:00 a.m. Lawn Crew

9:00 a.m. AA, Rooms 11‐12

June 1, 2014 (Thursday)

12:00 p.m. Senior/Re ree Luncheon, Fellowship Hall

8:00 p.m. Stephen Ministry, Room 8

June 2, 2014 (Monday)

12:30 p.m. Chronic Pain Support, Room 10

June 5, 2014 (Thursday)

12:00 p.m. Senior/Re ree Luncheon

8:00 p.m. Stephen Ministry, Room 8

June 8, 2014 (Sunday)

10:30 a.m. Finance Commi ee, Conference Room

10:30 a.m. SPRC, Room 11/12

11:30 a.m. Choir Leader Summit, Room 9

June 9, 2014 (Monday)

9:30 a.m. UMW Morning Glories, Fireside Room

June 10, 2014 (Tuesday)

11:00 a.m. The Long Good‐bye, Fireside Room

June 12, 2014 (Thursday)

8:00 p.m. Stephen Ministry, Room 8

June 15, 2014 (Sunday)

10:30 a.m. Trustees, Conference Room

10:30 a.m. Small Group, Room 14

5:00 p.m. Stephen Ministry, Fireside Room

June 16, 2014 (Monday)

12:30 p.m. Chronic Pain Support, Room 10

June 17, 2014 (Tuesday)

6:30 p.m. Ladies’ Night Out, Empire Buffet

June 19, 2014 (Thursday)

6:00 p.m. Dine & Dawdle, Fellowship Hall

June 20, 2014 (Friday)

1‐7:00 p.m. Livermore Community Blood Drive, FH

June 22, 2014 (Sunday)

10:30 a.m. Church Council, Conference Room

June 24, 2014 (Tuesday)

11:00 a.m. The Long Good‐bye, Fireside Room

June 26, 2014 (Thursday)

9:30 a.m. Sewing/Quil ng Group, Room 11/12

6:00 p.m. Dine & Dawdle, Fellowship Hall

Asbury United Methodist Church 4743 East Avenue Livermore, CA 94550

Time Dated Material—Deliver Promptly

Address Service Requested

Church office hours are: Monday‐Thursday, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon Closed for lunch.

The deadline for the next Asbury Ar cles is

Thursday, June 19, 2014.

Asbury UMC Staff

Pastor

Chuck Johnstone

Pastor

Kim Risedorph

Children's Ministry Director

Tina Morris

Interim Youth Director

Tony Gnecco

Music Director

G. Allen Schell

Choir Coordinator

Jean Braun

Secretary

Terri Gamble

Facili es Use Manager

Mitchie McCammon

Nursery Coordinator

Pam Tegge

www.AsburyLive.org

Livermore Community Blood Drive

Friday, June 20, 1:00‐7:00 p.m., Fellowship Hall

In the Bay Area only 3% of eligible donors ever give blood. Bay Area hospitals need over 300 units of blood every day, 7 days a week, to keep up with demand. During the summer, dona ons go down due to vaca‐

ons and travel, so we need you! Please call Tom Pe y at home for more info, or sign up online at www.redcrossblood.org Sponsor Code: ASBURY925.