A Brush Arbor on Wood Street
Asbury United Methodist Church began in July 1950 when a small group of Christians met under a brush arbor on Wood Street in Denton. They borrowed benches, an organ, songbooks, and folding chairs from area churches, and on July 18, 1950, the Reverend Earl Kiefer preached the first gathering. The group became known as the "Brush Arbor Group." When the borrowed benches had to be returned after the third Sunday, members built new ones in time for the next Wednesday prayer meeting, and on September 24, 1950, the first quarterly conference renamed the group Asbury Methodist Church.
While Jefferson Davis School served as a temporary indoor meeting place, the brush arbor still drew the group whenever weather allowed. By the time membership reached 95, the dream of a permanent home led the congregation to purchase land at 1919 North Elm Street in January 1951. The cornerstone was laid in May 1952 with Rev. Frank Barrow officiating. Steady growth prompted further expansion, and the congregation eventually settled at its present home, 117 Hercules Lane in Denton.
Sunday Mornings at 117 Hercules Lane
The week at Asbury centers on Sunday morning. Designated visitor parking spots sit right in front of the building, well marked for easy access. Visitors are welcomed to come in comfortable clothing. A greeter stands ready to say hello and help with any accommodation, and a cup of water or coffee is available in the foyer.
Sunday School classes for adults, young adults, youth, and children meet in the classrooms at 9:30 a.m. At 10:30 a.m., the weekly worship service begins in the Asbury Sanctuary. The hour-long service is led by Pastor Don Pellikan and the Asbury Praise Team. Daycare service is available, and Children's Church takes place during the service. The service is livestreamed on YouTube and Facebook for those who cannot attend in person.
A House Full of Children: ARK and J-Walkers
Children's ministry at Asbury has two anchors on Sunday evenings. Asbury Reaching Kids, known as ARK, meets from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. in the Asbury Sanctuary under the direction of Tonia Carpenter. During the school year, children learn songs that reinforce the Books of the Bible, the Ten Commandments, the Twelve Disciples, the Armor of God, and the Fruits of the Spirit, and they recite pledges to the American, Christian, and Texas flags and to the Bible, along with the Lord's Prayer. The program also features memory verses signed off by parents, a Bible story with an activity or craft, a puppet show, and music prepared for Sunday morning services and seasonal musicals.
ARK ties directly into the food pantry through the ARM 100 Pound Contest, in which children bring non-perishable food or toiletry items for Asbury Relief Ministry. Each time the offering reaches 100 pounds, the children are rewarded with a pizza, popcorn, popsicle, or ice cream party. Sandy Clere oversees the nursery for infants and pre-school children during Sunday worship.
Teenagers gather as J-Walkers, the youth ministry directed by Jessi Underwood. J-Walkers meets from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. in The Hut at 117 Hercules Lane, with Nora assisting. The summer also brings Vacation Bible School, an evening program for children four years old through sixth grade that runs from 6:00 to 8:15 p.m.
Bible Study, Prayer Time, and the Pastor's Teaching
Midweek at Asbury is shaped by prayer and study. On Wednesday mornings at 10:00, Pastor Don Pellikan leads Prayer Time in the Chapel at Asbury, a half-hour of focused prayer. Immediately afterward, at 10:40, the Pastor's Bible Study meets in the Conference Room and runs for an hour. The Young Adults fellowship adds a third weekly Bible study on Sunday evenings, where Don Place leads a group of 18- to 29-year-olds through a current study called "Faith in Action," combining a light meal, conversation, and teaching from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m.
Helping Neighbors: ARM Food Pantry and the Toy Store
Asbury Relief Ministry, or ARM, is the church's outreach food pantry, housed on site at 117 Hercules Lane. Food is distributed on Monday evenings on a monthly schedule, and the schedule is posted on the ARM door at the back of the church on the right side. Visitors and food recipients are directed to enter from the back of the church through the door closest to the big tree. A second outreach, the Denton County Toy Store, is staffed by volunteer Diane Simington and extends the church's reach to families in need during the holiday season.
Complementing these programs is the Toy Makers Sewing Group, a weekly Monday morning gathering from 10:00 a.m. to noon in the Asbury classrooms. The group sews toys and crafts that supply the Toy Store, keeping Asbury's outreach hands busy year-round.
Music from the Praise Team
Music is central to Asbury's worship, and the Asbury Praise Team prepares for Sunday services with weekly rehearsals on Thursday evenings from 7:30 to 9:00 in the Asbury Sanctuary. The team is led in vocals by Victor Lozada, Deborah Mouser, Jessi Underwood, Perry Middleton, and Davis Kindig, with strings from Perry Middleton, Davis Kindig, and Pat LeMaire, keys by Susan Pierce, and drums by James Carpenter. An audio-visual crew of Dino, Nora Sierra, and Victor Lozada supports both the rehearsal and the Sunday broadcast. Gary Trilops and James Carpenter round out the digital and technology team.
Men, Women, and Young Adults
Asbury's men meet on the second Saturday of each month at 8:00 a.m. for breakfast and fellowship, and they take on hands-on work to maintain the church grounds and building. Don Place serves as the contact for the group. The Women's Ministry also gathers at the church, with programming tied to spiritual growth. Young adults between the ages of 18 and 29 have their own Sunday evening fellowship from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. with a light meal, conversation, and a Bible study led by Don Place.
Mother's Day Out and COMPASS
Asbury runs two programs under one roof for families with young children. Mother's Day Out is a traditional weekday preschool program, and COMPASS is a homeschool enrichment program with two tracks: one for K-4th grade and another for 5th-8th grade. Sonya Willison serves as director, with Tonia Carpenter as assistant director. Together, the programs make Asbury a hub for both weekday early learning and homeschool support across north Denton.
Who We Are
Asbury's stated mission is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world, and the church's motto, "Believe. Become. Belong.," frames the life of the congregation. Pastor Don Pellikan leads the church alongside a team of ministry directors: Tonia Carpenter for children, Jessi Underwood for youth, Sandy Clere for the nursery, and Don Place for the Young Adults Bible study and the men's ministry. The praise team, the digital and technology team, and the volunteers who run ARM, the Toy Store, Mother's Day Out, and COMPASS fill out a congregation that has, since 1950, met under a brush arbor, in a school, and now on Hercules Lane, gathering Denton families around worship, study, and service to the wider community.