Yes, there’s a clown. And there’s a beautiful reason.
Since 1993, the clown has been part of Asbury Memorial’s story. It may be unexpected, but that is part of the point. For us, the clown represents joyful faith, creative worship, and the people whose love and perseverance helped keep this church alive.
The Three Cs
Asbury has long explained the clown through three ideas that still tell our story well: Christianity, Creativity, and Clown-Makers.
Christianity
Christian tradition has often made room for the idea of the “holy fool”: people willing to follow the way of Christ even when it looks foolish to the world. At Asbury, the clown also reminds us that joy belongs at the heart of faith.
Creativity
We believe creativity is part of how we reflect the Creator. Music, theatre, visual art, dance, storytelling, and imagination have all helped shape worship at Asbury. The clown reminds us not to leave that creative spirit at the door.
Clown-Makers
Years ago, a group of Asbury women known as the Busy Bees gathered to make clown dolls. What began as fellowship became something more: during lean years, the money raised from those dolls helped pay the church’s bills. The clown carries their faithfulness forward.
A symbol of survival, joy, and becoming
The clown is not here because we think church should be a circus. It is here because Asbury has always believed that faith can be joyful, brave, surprising, artistic, and deeply human.
It also reminds us of a community that chose not to give up. During difficult years, people stayed, created, served, stitched, sang, prayed, and imagined a future for this church. That spirit still shapes Asbury today.
So if the clown caught you off guard, you are not alone. We hope that once you know the story, it feels less like an odd logo and more like what it has become for us: a reminder to choose joy, live creatively, and keep showing up for one another.