Earlier this week I returned from our Alabama Emerald Coast Annual Conference held at Crosspoint Church in Niceville, Florida. The theme for the conference was “Greater Things” based on the Scripture John 14:12 (“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these…”) These words of Jesus were shared with his disciples as they were gathered together, and he was offering his final instructions before he went to complete his self-sacrificial mission. Jesus’ words were meant to spur on the apostles of the early church and disciples throughout time to continue the work that Christ began to do on earth. To help us, Jesus promised that God would send His Spirit and we, who believe in Him, would be empowered through His grace to experience the greater things that are yet to come. 

Annual Conference was a wonderful celebration of all the great things God has done, is doing, and will continue to do as we live into our identity to worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly. Alongside of delegates and representatives from 161 sister churches from across our Conference, we experienced inspiring worship, warm Christian fellowship, powerful engagement with God’s Holy Word, and a deep sense of the power and presence of the Holy Spirit in our midst. All who were gathered celebrated the true global nature of our denomination with reports of powerful movements of Christ in other parts of the world and how our partnership with these fellow disciples was making an impact for the Kingdom of God. 

We were encouraged by our Bishop, Scott Jones, at the ordination service to “keep the main thing, the main thing.” If we are resolute to follow Jesus, to make disciples, to transform the world, we need to meet the world around us with warmed hearts and firm convictions and not shy away from our mission to save souls. We are part of a renewal, revival movement that was originated by Wesley with a focus on ministry implemented to bring conversion and salvation through Christ Jesus! 

I wanted to offer a word of congratulations to Marc Baugh upon his ordination as a deacon in the GMC and also to Debbie Smalley upon her election as a delegate to the convening GMC General Conference this fall! Please join me in congratulating both of them on how God is working in and through them in ministry to the church and the world.  

I close with a prayer that I encourage you to pray from your heart as you consider God’s call for you and how we can become a Global Methodist church that seeks transformed hearts and lives to impact the world around us.

Prayer: Help me to carry out the work that You have prepared for me to do while there are still souls that need to know the truth of the glorious gospel of grace - that Christ died for our sins, that He was buried and rose again so that all who believe in Him will not perish but have everlasting life. This I ask in Jesus name, Amen.

See you Sunday!

In Christ,

Tony

We look forward to joyfully worshiping with you this Sunday at our 9:30 service! Dr. Tony McCullough will bring us an inspiring message entitled "More Than Enough" based on 2 Kings 4:1-7. 

We'll also be celebrating all the women who have played such integral roles in our faith journey as we observe Mother's Day. We all have special memories of women who have played key roles in our lives. Perhaps it was a mother or grandmother, or aunt. But often it was "an angel among us" who shined the light of Christ in our life like a school teacher, Sunday School teacher, or even a choir director who led children's choir. All women will be welcome to take a rose on Sunday morning before or after the service in honor of your contributions to the kingdom of God.

Special music will include a Praise and Worship song entitled "Hallelujah" (Your Love Is Amazing) led by Mark Wilson and Will Mooty. Our Chorale will share a lovely anthem entitled "A Family of Love" by one of the choir's favorite composers, Mary McDonald. It poignantly reminds us that we as Christ Methodist Church are a family of love joined by the Holy Spirit. Another special treat will be a tender song entitled "A Mother's Love" sung by Jacquie Cruz and her son, Jackson. 

Please invite your friends to be a part of our Spirit-filled worship services. Come and be blessed and keep the glory of the Easter season going by joining us in worship at Lee-Scott Academy at 9:30 this Sunday.

*Upcoming Worship Opportunities*

Sunday, May 19 - Pentecost Celebration and Birthday Party with Cake! Wear red or orange.  

Sunday, May 19 - Senior Recognition - We will recognize seniors graduating from high school during the service and present them with a gift.

If you have a high school senior or know of one for us to recognize, please let us know!

Contact us at info@christmethodistauburn.com.

We are seeking a Spirit-filled, passionate, creative, and energetic leader who would build young disciples for Jesus Christ by developing and implementing a comprehensive approach to student ministry emphasizing small groups, worship, discipleship, mission, and outreach. The Director of Student Ministries will serve as a spiritual leader, mentor, and role model for students, between 7th and 12th grades, within the church and community. This is an exciting opportunity to build a relational discipleship-based student program from the ground up in a youth-oriented environment of Auburn, Alabama. For more information you can visit our website -(https://www.christmethodistauburn.org/pages/ministry-opportunities) or email Pastor Tony (tony@christmethodistauburn.com). 

Christ Methodist Church of Auburn desires to equip the next generation to worship God with all of their lives and to reach the world for Christ. We desire to build meaningful, spiritual, deep relationships with children and youth in order to model Christ to them in the various everyday aspects of life outside the church doors. Most importantly, we want the love of God to reach to the core of who they are and for that love to pour out into all areas of their lives. If you are a college student and feel God's calling upon your life, apply today for a summer internship and spend your summer changing lives and the world for Jesus!

Nursery (newborns – 2yo) – Room 430/Choir Room - Contacts/Teachers: Debbie Bagwell (dbagwell@charter.net) and Martha Dumas (marthadumas@yahoo.com). Volunteers teach and assist.

Christ Methodist Church is excited to offer Vacation Bible School this summer at Greystone July 15-18. More details and registration will be coming soon.

We will need a variety of helpers including:

A registration team

A T-shirt team

A decoratoring team

Crew Leaders

Rotation Leaders

A supply team

A parking/drop off/pick up crew

A snack team

And more!!

If you are interested in volunteering for Team VBS, please contact Patti Robinson.  Text 770-241-6669 or email pattiwrobinson@icloud.com.

Calling all rising 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th graders for summer Acolyte Training! Acolytes are vital members to the worship team! Training sessions will be held at Greystone July 16, 17, and 18 from 2:00-3:30. After training on the 18th, new trainees and current acolytes will gather for a pool party from 4:00-6:00! If you are interested in becoming an acolyte, please contact Patti (770-241-6669 - pattiwrobinson@icloud.com )- or Sara (706-888-1015 - sara.i.doornbos@gsk.com ).

Crossroads – Library – Contact: Laura Braswell (lkbraswell@gmail.com). An adult multigenerational class, studying various Biblical topics and their application to life. Members present book studies, Biblical theme studies, or videos for discussion. Crossroads is in the last two weeks of Dr. David Jeremiah’s "Slaying The Giants." Then they will be studying the Wesleyan Covenant.

Family Essentials – Back Locker Room - Contact: Abby Adams (abbyadamsdmd@gmail.com). A group of adults who are raising children and growing in our faith as a community. We study a variety of topics including first and foremost scripture, but also Methodist theology, family development, and Bible application books and studies. Currently they are studying "Cold-Case Christianity" by J. Warner Wallace. Taught by Debbie and David Smalley.

Fellowship – Auxiliary Gym – Contact/Teacher: Will Mooty (wsmooty@gmail.com). Middle age and older adults, couples, and singles, studying various Biblical topics and their application to life with discussion through book studies and video series. Currently they are studying the book of Genesis.

Open Door – Sixth Grade Hall – Contact: Patsy Cotney (patsycotney@gmail.com). Middle age and older adults, couples, and singles, studying various Biblical topics and their application to life. Taught by Jeff Harte and Kevin Phelps.

Open Hands – Main Gym – Contact/Teacher: Randy Woodham (rmwoodham@yahoo.com). Middle age and older adults, couples and singles, studying various Biblical topics and their application to life. In the Open Hands Sunday School Class, we are presently studying a book written by Max Lucado entitled "They Walked with God: 40 Bible Characters Who Inspire Us."

Sojourners – Room 441 – Contact: Judy Felkey (judy.felkey@gmail.com). The Sojourners Class is currently studying a Max Lucado book titled,  "Help Is Here: Finding Fresh Strength and Purpose in the Power of the Holy Spirit."  The class has two teachers who alternate months during the year, Philip Tyler and Bill Felkey.  The class is middle-aged and older adults, couples and singles, who enjoy a Scripture-based format taught in an interactive, discussion-based format.  New books are selected and proposed by the teachers with class suggestions and input as well. Our class tries to get together socially from time to time and our Sojourner ladies have been scheduling a monthly lunch get together for the last several months.  We are currently reviewing options to select our next topic for the class.

The Neighborhood Gatherings have begun!  These gatherings will be held every Monday and Wednesday night going through June. 

These gatherings are an effort to acquaint our new pastor, Dr. Tony McCullough, with all of us at Christ Methodist Church, and also for us to get to know him and his wife, Carmen. These gatherings will also be for us to learn more about our church and all that Brother Tony is envisioning for us. There will be around 30 -40 people at each gathering. Light refreshments will be served and each event will last about an hour and a half and typically begin at 6:30. 

Each host is compiling a list of people to attend a gathering they will be hosting on their specific date. We are trying our best to make sure that anyone and everyone who wants to attend a gathering gets notified of a date to attend one of these gatherings. Some of those hosts who are having gatherings later in May and June have not sent out their emails yet, so you will probably be getting notified soon. 

If you want to attend a gathering and you have not been notified, please contact Debbie Smalley at debbiens7654@gmail.com to let her know of your availability to attend one of these informative gatherings. We will make sure you get notification of a gathering date. Thank you!

Our church phone number (Greystone) is 334-209-0074.

Our “open” hours are 9:00 – 4:00 Monday through Thursday and 9:00 – noon on Fridays. We will transition the volunteer shifts for the greeters to 9:00 – noon and noon – 3:00 beginning in May.

THANK YOU to all that have been serving as GREYSTONE GREETERS! We are getting busier and that is a GOOD thing! If you would like to volunteer, please email or call Sherrie Stanyard (sherriestanyard@charter.net; 334-559-2229) and she will send you an invitation through SignUp Genius. This is a very important position as you are the face of our church!

Emails:

Dr. Tony McCullough - tony@christmethodistauburn.com

Gary Klarenbeek - gary@christmethodistauburn.com

Sherrie Stanyard - sherrie@christmethodistauburn.com

General email - info@christmethodistauburn.com

Christ Methodist Church of Auburn is very proud to announce our new ministry for widows. Our purpose will be to provide support to widows in our church and community, to empower them to heal emotionally, to find stability, and to regain a sense of belonging and purpose.

 

If you are a widow and want to learn more about this important care ministry, we hope you can attend our first meeting which will be held on Wednesday, May 15,  at 10:30 a.m. at the home of Annette McGhee located at 2060 Windway Road, Auburn.  Feel free to bring a  friend and please  call or text Annette at 334-740-2227 or Marsha McCord  at 334-559-5014 to let us know you are coming or if you have a question or need directions. We are here to help and look forward to getting to know all of you.

 

 

Please pray for these brothers and sisters in our family of believers:

• Keith Ryland - reoccurrence of prostate cancer and has begun chemotherapy treatments
• Ann Malone Hinson, friend of Katie Heath – She has been diagnosed with advanced cancer. She has a young family, husband Jake and 2 small children. 
• Steven Register and family – He was recently diagnosed with colon and liver cancer. He is home from MD Anderson. This is a young family with 3 children. 
• Ann Williams – Recovering at home from back surgery.
• Ron Patterson – Recovering from hip replacement surgery.
• Sherry Tigney, Linda Tigney’s daughter - Recovering from major surgery.
• Hudson Early, 6 month old great grandson of Sandra Fisher – Infantile cancer, under care of St. Jude and responding well. Tests will be performed this month to see if the tumor is shrinking. 
• Christopher Wyatt, relative of Judith Gibson – Waiting for a liver transplant.
• Ted Triplett - Mitral valve replacement surgery
• Cecil Spears – Health concerns. He is now at East Alabama.
• Jerry Parker – Continuing to recover at home.
• Robin Kirkley – Surgery has been postponed and she will begin chemotherapy instead.
• Sherwood and Betty Thomas – Sherwood has health concerns and Betty has memory issues.
• Jim Carroll – Pray for healing.
• Rita Tuck – Pray for continued healing and recovery.
• Sherri Guenther – Eye Condition
• Harry Gill – Breathing Difficulty
• Chuck Dupree, friend of Beverly Webster and Sue Daniel – Recovering from back surgery.
• Tim Boosinger – Undergoing chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer.
• Dan Pope, Dannelle Fogal’s father – Continue to pray for healing.   
• Matthew Hood – LSA junior who was severely injured in a car accident. Please continue to pray for rehab and recovery.     
• April Coulter – Colon cancer treatments
• Max Bush, Craig and Lisa Leonard’s grandson –  Continue to pray for Max's growth and development and his team of physicians as they discern his future treatment options.
• Stephanie Philpott, Gayla Sellers’ daughter – Stage 4 kidney disease, daily dialysis, medications. Please pray for comfort and peace.   
• Ray Porterfield, Nancy Flurry’s son – He is now proceeding to get on the transplant list at UAB. He has begun to process.    
• Alan Hampton, Rick Hampton’s brother – Undergoing chemotherapy for lymphoma in Augusta, Georgia.
• Kenny Wilkes' daughter and granddaughter who were involved in an automobile accident
• Harry Gill's sister-in-law, Dianne Gill, who has serious health issues
• Brother George and Monteigne as they travel
• Our deepest symphathy to Gretchen Oliver in the death of her grandmother, Norma Oliver.
•  
• The Congregational Care Team is adding another way for us to help serve the needs of our people. The Transportation Team will be a group of folks who can be called on to bring and take home those in our congregation who have no way to get to church services on Sunday mornings. If you would like to be a part of the Transportation Team please contact us.

In an effort to make volunteering easier for any area of ministry at Christ Methodist Church of Auburn, we are giving you the link below.

This is a centralized master link that allows you to sign up for a variety of areas at the push of one button.

Some of the examples of the areas you could volunteer are:

Sunday morning greeters, Sunday morning ushers, Hospitality, Greystone greeters, Nursery workers, Children's and Youth Sunday School leaders, Congregational Care needs, making Chrismons, Flower ministry,  and so many more. If you don't see an area listed that you were looking for, just know that on the central link it will be listed.

Another urgent area for volunteers is in our nursery.  We need workers for the birth to 3-year old nursery and preschool shifts from 8:30 to 10:30 and from 10:30 to 12:30. Volunteers can work all four hours or just one shift. If you haven't previously volunteered through a Sunday school class, please use the SignUp Genius to volunteer. You must have Ministry Safe training to work in this area. 

Also, you can access this SignUp Genius link by going to our website www.christmethodistauburn.com and looking under SERVE.

The second batch of name tags has arrived! This Sunday, May 12, the ones that haven't yet been picked up will be placed in alphabetical order on the name tag table in the LSA lobby across from the coffee table. The third order has been placed and should arrive soon.

Another order is being prepared. If you’d like to get in on the next order, please fill out the form at the entrances to the gym at LSA, email sherrie@christmethodistauburn.com, call 334-559-2229, or stop by Greystone. Sherrie will also have a sign-up sheet with her Sunday at church. The cost is $15.00 per tag. Offering envelopes are available at the entrances to worship and at Greystone. Please designate "name tag" on the front if paying by cash, or “name tag” on the memo line of your check. Thank you!

To ensure the local church remains a place to allow for people to make disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly, it is vital that the safety and protection of children, youth, and vulnerable adults be a top priority for every congregation within the Global Methodist Church and for Christ Methodist Church.

We have resources available to include a comprehensive safety system that incorporates awareness training, a library of videos and print resources, policies and procedures, and monitoring and oversight. 

Local church leaders and volunteers are trained to recognize and respond to signs of abuse and misconduct. With this knowledge, congregations can empower their members to be vigilant, prevent abuse by creating a culture of responsibility, and, when necessary, remove and hold abusers accountable for their actions. By implementing thorough background checks, churches can do all in their power to ensure that only individuals with a clean record and a heart for ministry are allowed to serve in positions working with children, youth, and vulnerable adults.

If you are interested in volunteering with children, youth or care ministry for homebound vulnerable adults contact Sherry Roby for more details on how to train and have a background check.  Cjroby49@yahoo.com

These items have been left at Greystone or found at LSA. Please contact Sherrie Stanyard at sherrie@christmethodistauburn.com to claim these items.

Sunday Schedule