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

ASBURY FIRST MONDAY READER | MARCH 10, 2025

CONTENTS: LENTEN DEVOTIONAL WEEK:1 | WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH

LENTEN DEVOTIONAL WEEK 1: WELCOMING CHRIST

This picture is of a sculpture depicting the moving and comforting scripture in Matthew 11:28. “Christus” is a marble statue rendered by the sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen of Danish and Icelandic heritage who was of international fame. He was born in Copenhagen and sculpted this for the apse of the Vor Frue Kirke in Copenhagen. When you gaze at this, one is surrounded by a “thing” of true beauty. The welcoming arms invite you into a sense of being enveloped by these extended arms. At the bottom just below this magnificently sculpted “opened arms” of Christus, is the engraved inscription of Jesus’s words as we know them:

“Come Unto Me.”

There is a story about Thorvaldsen finishing the sculpture with a young boy in attendance who stared in wonder at the sculpture. When Thorvaldsen asked him what he thought of the sculpture he said: “It is a thing of beauty! But I cannot see the face of Christus.” Thorvaldsen replied: “Oh, you can only see his face on bended knee.”

As we find ourselves in this Lenten period, our thoughts turning to Jesus and His journey to the Cross and Resurrection, we can wonder together on bended knee “who is this gift of Christ who welcomes us and invites us into His welcoming presence?”

On bended knees we are invited into the journey and asked to meditate on bended knee on the gift-giving journey of Jesus that can be ours. The companionship of Jesus as we reflect on this miraculous gift we may find a moment of resurrection ourselves.

Reflections:

• Can you name an experience where the open arms of Christ enveloped you?

• Where is it in your life now that you are longing for the open arms of Christ

to “come unto you?”

Image above is "Christus" by Bertel Thorvaldsen

In this Lenten season may we discover that in our everyday lives we are always at the threshold of Resurrection.

View the complete Lenten Devotional, written by Susan Shafer, Pastor Emeritus, and Bonnie Matthaidess, Spiritual Director at asburyfirst.org/lent

HONORING THE PIONEERING WOMEN OF METHODISM

Women have played an important role in Methodism since it's earliest days. As Women's History Month blossoms before us, let's reflect on a few of the women whose dedication and vision planted the seeds for Methodism.

SARAH CROSBY (1729-1804)

Sarah Crosby was the first Methodist woman to be approved to preach by John Wesley. Women were already operating in public as leaders of prayer, giving public testimony, and public "exhorting," but approval and full-fledged sanctioning of women preachers by John Wesley came about because of Sarah's persistence and patience.

MARY BOSANQUET FLETCHER (1739-1815)

Fletcher built on the momentum that Sarah generated, further advocating for women's leadership and often using women of the bible in her defense. Her biblical examples were Mar, the woman of Samaria, the handmaid of 2nd Samuel 20, and Deborah. Each of these, Mary states, were characterized as pure and humble, and publicly declaring a message from God.

ANN WILKINS (1806-1857)

Ann Wilkins, who served as a missionary to Liberia from 1837-1857, was the first American Methodist female missionary appointed by the Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Prior to Wilkins, other women sent out by the Missionary Society had been missionary spouses. In Liberia, she taught at the White Plains Manual Labor School and at the Liberia Conference Seminary.

Is there a particular woman Methodist pioneer you'd like us to highlight? Send us a note at communications@asburyfirst.org and we'll try to include her in the next installment next week.

Asbury First United Methodist Church

1050 East Avenue, Rochester NY, 14607

(585) 271-1050