At the corner of College Drive and Blanding Boulevard in Orange Park, Asbury United Methodist Church is known for shared worship that welcomes people of all ages, an open communion table and service to neighbors. Chartered in 1926 and established at this location since 1962, the congregation supports Sunday worship, children and youth programs, adult study groups, music ensembles and feeding ministries that respond to needs around Clay County.
From Doctor's Inlet to College Drive
Asbury began as Doctor's Inlet Methodist Church, chartered in 1926 on SR 220. In 1962 it moved to its present location at the corner of College Drive and Blanding Boulevard, and the name became Asbury. The move placed the church among schools, neighborhood businesses and nonprofit organizations that became partners in its work. Asbury is an open and inviting, diverse congregation open to everyone who shares the love of God.
Asbury is committed to Jesus Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit and united in the love of God. Its mission is to glorify God, participate in the transforming work of the grace and love of Jesus Christ by sharing the Gospel, and join in the healing work of a broken world with the Holy Spirit. Baptism and communion are the two sacraments recognized in the United Methodist Church.
A Warm Sunday Service Blending Traditional and Modern Worship
Sunday worship begins at 10:00 a.m. in the sanctuary and lasts about an hour. The congregation also gathers at 8:45 a.m. for two adult Sunday school classes, ETC and Fellowship. A Sunday worship livestream runs from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. every Sunday, and recordings of earlier services can be viewed on YouTube.
The service is warm and informal, with people of all ages and walks of life welcome. Some worshipers wear shorts and a T-shirt, while others wear khakis and sports coats. Asbury's worship is modern and traditional: the congregation sings traditional and modern hymns from different United Methodist songbooks, recites modern social creeds and ancient creeds of affirmation, and hears choral music and handbells several times a month. Guest musicians and vocalists also take part from time to time.
Communion is celebrated on the first Sunday of every month. The table is open, and no one is turned away. Asbury calls it the Lord's Table, with Jesus as host, and understands grace at work in any person's life. The church's feeding ministry is an extension of that same table, a visible way of caring for basic human needs.
Children and Youth Take Part in the Faith Community
Children begin worship with the congregation and stay through the Children's Message. Those in kindergarten through sixth grade may attend Children's Church, where Bible stories are shared in age-appropriate ways. They rejoin worship before it ends and, on communion Sundays, return in time to celebrate with the faith community. Children from birth through age 4 may remain in the nursery, where trained, background-checked staff provide care and age-appropriate interaction. Children are welcome in worship, and school-age participants have opportunities to lead the faith community.
At 8:45 a.m. on Sunday, adults can choose ETC Adult Sunday School or Fellowship Adult Sunday School. The youth ministry meets every Sunday from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. for students in grades 6 through 12. It combines study and fun with interpersonal skill growth, and the church emphasizes service as part of the group's life.
A Weekly Rhythm of Study, Fellowship and Recovery
Monday and Wednesday both include Narcotics Anonymous meetings at 6:30 p.m. On Tuesday, Emmaus Group meets at 10:00 a.m. and Tai Chi begins at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday is the church's busiest gathering day: Bible Bunch starts at 10:00 a.m., Upper Room Circle and Praise Band meet at 4:30 p.m., and a fellowship dinner is served at 5:45 p.m. from August through May. Wednesday meals are often paired with small-group discipleship before or after dinner.
The dinner rotates among monthly sponsors. United Methodist Men lead the first Wednesday, youth sponsor the second, Women's Fellowship handles the third and the fourth is a potluck. On a fifth Wednesday, attendees bring their own dinner and a movie is shown. Money raised through these dinners supports the church's discretionary fund, Cuba mission, youth and adult ministries, and community charities.
Music Made for Participation
The Music Ministry includes an Adult Choir, Children's Choir and Handbell Choir. All three rehearse on Wednesday evenings and perform during Sunday worship or special events from August through May. Vocal and instrumental soloists and small groups are welcome. The adult and children's choirs do not require music-reading ability, and the handbell ministry works with interested people who do not read music.
Adult Chancel Choir rehearses Wednesdays from 6:30 to 7:45 p.m. and performs most Sundays during the 10:00 worship. It sings a wide variety of choral music in three or four parts, and adults at every level of experience are welcome. Children's Choir rehearses from 5:30 to 6:00 p.m. and performs occasionally; it is open to children in kindergarten through sixth grade, with vocal technique built into rehearsal. Handbell Choir rehearses from 7:45 to 8:45 p.m. and also performs occasionally. Asbury has three octaves of Malmark handbells.
Extending the Lord's Table Through Feeding
Asbury's feeding program is grounded in its understanding of open communion. The church believes the grace of God can work in any person's life and does not prohibit anyone from participating at the table. It considers the communion table the Lord's Table, with Jesus as host, and sees feeding programs as an extension of that table. In that sense, meals and assistance with basic needs become a means of grace, and feeding neighbors is an essential part of the ministry of Jesus Christ.
The church works through partners including the Clay County Clothes Closet and Food Pantry, Ridgeview Elementary, Doctors Inlet Elementary and the CITGO gas station on College Drive. With social workers at Ridgeview and Doctors Inlet, Asbury identifies student and family needs and collects food, shoes and clothing for school pantries and closets. Its local mission work also supports children with food and contributes to the county food pantry and clothes closet.
Partners on College Drive and Across Clay County
One long-running partner is Asbury's Cub Scouts program, which welcomes boys from first through fifth grade. The program introduces good citizenship, loyalty, trustworthiness, survival skills, creativity, athletics, academics and ethics, with opportunities to earn merit badges and advance in rank. First graders are Tiger Cubs, second graders Wolf Cubs, third graders Bear Cubs, and fourth and fifth graders Webelos. Activities include camping, Cub-o-rees, day camps, lock-ins at the church, popcorn sales and a pinewood derby.
The College Drive Initiative is another community partner. Its deliberative process brought together more than 150 Clay County residents, nonprofit organizations, county staff, St. John's River State College, Thrasher-Horne and local business owners through seven forums. The resulting vision included making College Drive a destination for higher education and critical needs as well as social life; teaching residents about the human services and educational resources along the road; improving intersections, landscaping and pedestrian and bicycle safety; and building regular gatherings such as food-truck events and other festivities.
Other relationships extend beyond the church building. Asbury partners with Narcotics Anonymous, Eko Music Studios, Residing Hope, Campus to City Wesley, Miriam's Basket, the Dolly Parton Imagination Library and Boy Scouts of America. These partnerships connect worship and church life with recovery, education, care for families and local service.
Reconciliation, Women, Men and Mission
Reconciling Ministries meets on the second and fourth Sundays of each month at 4:00 p.m. and is open to anyone interested in advancing acceptance of marginalized people. It seeks common ground across different backgrounds, fostering unity and belonging and reflecting God's love and acceptance. Its purpose reaches both people connected to the church and people throughout the community.
United Women in Faith meets on the second Thursday of each month and is open to all women. The fellowship seeks to know God, experience freedom as whole persons through Jesus Christ, support one another and expand its understanding of mission through the global ministries of the church. Women's Fellowship hosts the third Wednesday dinner and helps plan the meal, with proceeds supporting food pantries at local elementary schools, backpack feeding programs and other community service projects.
United Methodist Men host the first Wednesday dinner and meet over breakfast on the third Saturday of each month. They are dedicated to growing a relationship with Jesus Christ and his church, caring for the property and serving through the church's ministries. Their charitable giving includes Miriam's Basket, Residing Hope, Warren Willis camp scholarships and Campus to City Wesley.
Cuba Mission and Missions meet as needed for anyone interested in foreign or local mission. Asbury supports its sister church in Cuba, Iglesia Principe de Paz, through financial help for building projects, local missions in Havana, worship music, the pastor and his family. Locally, the missions ministry supports food for children at a nearby elementary school and contributes to Clay County Clothes Closet and Food Pantry. The international and local connections express the aim of serving as Christ's hands and feet.
Rooted in Orange Park
Rev. Mike Moxley serves as pastor, Roderick Jungbauer leads the Music Ministry, and Susan Horn directs Youth Ministry. The church office is open Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and its main phone number is (904) 272-0110. Giving is available through online giving.
At 16 College Drive, Asbury United Methodist Church remains centered on its mission to glorify God, share the Gospel and join the healing work of a broken world through the Holy Spirit. Its 10:00 a.m. Sunday worship, open table, choirs, study groups, children's care and feeding partnerships all express that mission in Orange Park.