Building Bridges and Breaking a Guinness World Record: Block Party on East Brings Rochester Together

ROCHESTER, N.Y. - July 20, 2018 - PRLog -- While walls are constructed to separate person from person, Asbury First United Methodist Church's Block Party on East (August 7-9 at 6 pm nightly at 1050 East Ave. Rochester, NY) is building bridges across neighborhoods and harkening back to a time when neighbors knew one another by name. Block Party on East is the church's premier community-building party. It features #hoptheroc (an attempt to break a Guinness World Record for the most people playing hopscotch) goat yoga, live music, food trucks, a 90s-themed night, an escape room, and other opportunities to build relationships and get to know one another.

"This is a time for community," said Rev. Dr. Stephen Cady II, Senior Minister at Asbury First. "After another year of public violence and political division, of racial discrimination and #metoo moments, of cyclical outrage and apathy, it is time come together. The mission of Asbury First is to love God and neighbor, to live fully, to serve all, and repeat. We can only do this in relationship with the people around us. In order to love our neighbors, we have to get to know them first. For all of our differences, there is more that connects us than divides us in this world. Maybe the first step in bridging the gap between neighbors is to find a way to come together," he continued.

This is why Asbury First pours so much of itself into creating a block party for the greater Rochester community. From end to end, the event is to bring people together. "We believe that bringing people together to laugh, to listen to music, to break bread, just might begin to heal this divided world. Plus, there's hopscotch," said Rev. Dr. Cady.

For some, a game of hopscotch may sound a little silly, but Asbury First is pointing to a time when kids would play in the streets without fear; when, with little more than a piece of chalk and an old bottle cap, neighbors could turn a boring morning into a time of laughter and fun. "Maybe we need some of that back," said Rev. Dr. Cady.

Throughout the Block Party evenings, the church creates ways for people of all ages to come together in community, with everything from themed nights (60s/70s on Tuesday and 80s/90s on Wednesday) to goat yoga on the lawn (yep!). But the biggest night of Block Party on East will be Thursday evening when attendees will attempt to set the Guinness World Record for the most number of people playing hopscotch at single time. There will be four people to a board, and 650 people are needed to come out and, with a hop, skip, and a jump, show that we are better together.

According to Asbury First, the only way to change the world is one relationship at a time. For more information on Block Party on East, please visit www.asburyfirst.org or contact Jamie Least, Communications Coordinator, at jleast@asburyfirst.org or (585) 271-1050 x109. To sign up to participate in #hoptheroc, visit bit.ly/BlockPartyHopscotch.

About Asbury First United Methodist Church
Asbury First is a warm, open faith community of 2,300 people in the city of Rochester, NY that extends hospitality and encourages full participation for all, regardless of any perceived defining characteristic. Asbury First runs many outreach ministries including the Dining and Caring Center, which serves 35,000 meals each year, and the Storehouse, which provides clothing and household goods to more than 6,000 persons annually. Find out more at asburyfirst.org or visit us at 1050 East Ave. Rochester, NY 14607.