Beloved, this past Sunday we had our yearly Charge Conference. I shared the statement
below with those present, but I want to make certain everyone hears them as well.
“Thank you to everyone gathered in this fellowship hall: from our District Superintendent
(DS), our executive board leaders, members, and friends. Thank you to members of my
family as they continue to carry this journey with grace. Each of you, in your own way, chose
us, prayed for us, collaborated with us, and walked beside us these past six months. And I
stand here humbled—deeply honored—to be named, and called, your Pastor!

When I first stepped into this assignment, a word rose up in my spirit from Genesis 1:22, a
blessing that speaks to five sacred movements: be fruitful, multiply, replenish, subdue,
and take dominion. These have not only been ancient instructions. They have become the
living vision shaping my ministry! And over these months together, we have begun to plant
that vision into every corner of Asbury’s life. And God—my God—has been faithful!

We have seen movement!
We have seen momentum!
We have seen grace rise!

Nevertheless, Asbury family, I remain sober and honest about the road ahead. We are
navigating challenges: financial strain, building maintenance demanding continuous
attention, shifting neighborhoods around us, and an aging community within. These are not
obstacles, they are invitations. Invitations to dream, to strategize, to renew, to reclaim our
assignment in this present age.

Consequently, in January, after a churchwide ‘Daniel Fast,’ we will gather for: a holy
conversation—to name what we see, discern what we need, and chart our path forward
with courage and clarity. This work is not mine alone. It is ours. It is the work that God has
entrusted to this house, in this season. Together, with these hands, and these hearts, we
will move forward.

Beloved, it remains one of the great honors of my life to serve as your pastor. I am grateful
for each of you. I am grateful for the legacy of Asbury United Methodist Church. And I am
grateful for what God is stirring in us even now.

Thank you. Let us keep building. Let us keep becoming. Let us keep trusting the God who
writes futures far better than we could ever imagine. Amen!”

Dr. Ron Bell