Asbury First Monday Reader – Stories and Reflections on the life of Asbury First

ASBURY FIRST MONDAY READER | JULY 14, 2025

CONTENTS: HABITAT FOR HUMANITY | SECOND MILE GIVING CAMPAIGN UPDATE

Members of Asbury First met on Friday, July 11 to help build the house we sponsor through Habitat for Humanity. Our volunteer team rolled up their sleeves for another productive day at the Monroe Construction site, and true to the morning's prediction, everyone went home with a little (or a lot) of concrete to remember the day by! While Jim's hardhat took the brunt of the splatter, Jonathan emerged as the day's "winner" with the most concrete adorning his work clothes.

Despite the mess, the hard work paid off beautifully! The basement walls now boasts a remarkably smooth finish, and the team's attention to detail extended well beyond the primary task. The anchor bolts are perfectly aligned in straight rows, a detail that will make the upcoming sill plate installation much easier for future volunteers.

What truly stood out was the team's commitment to going the extra mile. Cleaning up the foundation sill and walls may seem like tangential tasks, but these efforts will prove invaluable as construction progresses. Future volunteers will undoubtedly appreciate starting their shifts with such clean, organized workspaces.

STAY INVOLVED

For those eager to continue contributing, one slot remains available for next Saturday's work day. Beyond that, individual volunteers (or small groups of friends) can sign up for shifts Wednesday through Saturday. Click here to find openings and register. Simply log in with your existing account, select "Volunteer Construction," and choose "Monroe Construction" from the Event dropdown.

Don't forget that Habitat also welcomes volunteers at their ReStore location next to the Webster Walmart, offering another way to support affordable housing initiatives in Rochester.

Thank you to all who participated in bringing quality, affordable housing to our community. Your dedication, concrete stains and all, makes a real difference.

As we shared during our June 22 Town Hall Meeting, in addition to $100,000 in leadership giving, the Second Mile Giving Campaign needed an additional $100,000 from the congregation in order to close the 2025 General Budget deficit. We announced in worship yesterday that the total giving so far has added up to 195,000.

Thanks to your generosity, the Second Mile Giving Campaign has raised a total of $205,000, and we now confidently have a fully funded 2025 General Budget! This was a mighty task, and it was accomplished in less than a month. Thank you to everyone who contributed to meet this ambitious goal! Don't worry If you felt God nudging you to contribute and you have not yet submitted your gift—you still may, as this revised budget did not include a cash reserve, a goal we are trying to meet in future budgets.

In the coming weeks you can expect a regular cadence of updates from the Finance Committee as we develop plans for a balanced, sustainable budget for 2026, which we hope to release in the early Fall. You will also hear more from our Generosity Team about discerning our stewardship for ministry as a spiritual practice so that you may prayerfully consider your giving for the next year. As Pastor Michelle said yesterday, Ministry needs maintenance and compassion requires community. We are in this ministry together. We are the ones who make ministry happen.

Finance Committee meeting minutes, including monthly income & expenses statements, are available on the Asbury First website (Click Here). As always, we encourage your questions and comments by emailing finance@asburyfirst.org.

Asbury First United Methodist Church

1050 East Avenue, Rochester NY, 14607

(585) 271-1050