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Happy Fourth of July!
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Christ Methodist Church of AuburnTony's Tidings
This past Sunday was a glorious day in the life of Christ Methodist Church, starting with our God and Country worship service and concluding with the Star Spangled Spectacular. The day was filled with soul-stirring, Spirit-inspired music that connected us with our faith in Jesus in a deep and meaningful way! The Christ Methodist Chorale and Festival Orchestra, under the direction of our own Gary Klarenbeek, filled the gym at Lee-Scott with mighty choruses that expressed the adoration we possess for our beloved country as well as an expression of our faith in God, our Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer of life.
Near the mid-point of the concert, the choir offered a beautiful rendition of one of my favorite hymns that, over the years, has become one of the most well-known and beloved hymns of the church. Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing was written by Robert Robinson as a personal reflection of his own faith journey and God’s constant provision and hope offered to all who trust in Him.
Born in 1735, seventeen-year-old Robert Robinson ran the streets of London in gangs, caring not for anything spiritual. He was just a small boy when his dad died. In 18th century England, there was little in the way of a social welfare system, and this meant that he had to go to work while still very young. Without a father to guide and steady him, Robert fell in with bad companions.
To no one’s surprise, he was just as much a troublemaker in London, and to make matters worse he gained some friends and followers as a leader! When he was 17, he took his gang to a revival service where a well-known preacher at the time, George Whitfield, was speaking. I imagine him saying, “We’ll go down and laugh at the poor deluded Methodists.”
…But something happened that night that Robert wasn’t expecting…
After hearing the message, it moved him deeply and it made him rethink his life and how he was living it.
Nearly three years after hearing that sermon, a twenty-year-old Robert Robinson made his peace with God, and “found full and free forgiveness through the precious blood of Jesus Christ.” Joining the Methodists, and feeling the call to preach, the self-taught Robinson was appointed by John Wesley himself to the Calvinist Methodist Chapel in Norfolk, England.
It was there, to accompany his sermon for Pentecost Sunday in 1858, the three-year anniversary of his conversion, he penned the words of this hymn: “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing.” The first stanza is all praise and adoration, very fitting for the occasion, but the last two stanzas almost feel like a spiritual autobiography.
Come, Thou Fount of every blessing, Tune my heart to sing Thy grace; Streams of mercy, never-ceasing, Call for songs of loudest praise. Teach me some melodious sonnet, Sung by flaming tongues above; Praise the mount—I’m fixed upon it— Mount of Thy redeeming love.
Here I raise mine Ebenezer; Hither by Thy help I’m come; And I hope, by Thy good pleasure, Safely to arrive at home. Jesus sought me when a stranger, Wand’ring from the fold of God; He, to rescue me from danger, Interposed His precious blood.
O to grace how great a debtor Daily I’m constrained to be! Let that goodness, like a fetter, Bind my wand’ring heart to Thee: Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love; Here’s my heart, O take and seal it; Seal it for Thy courts above.
Years after penning these beautiful lyrics, Robert found himself far away from God. In a spiritually backslidden condition, Robert was traveling in a stagecoach lost in his own thoughts. His only companion was a young woman unknown to him. In the providence of God, and not realizing who it was she spoke with, the woman quoted Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing, saying what an encouragement it had been to her. Try as he might, Robinson could not get her to change the subject. She asked him what he thought of the hymn she was humming. He responded, “Madam, I am the poor unhappy man who wrote that hymn many years ago, and I would give a thousand worlds, if I had them, to enjoy the feelings I had then.” Gently, she replied, “Sir, the ‘streams of mercy’ are still flowing.” He was deeply touched by that. As a result of the encounter, he repented. His fellowship with the Lord was restored through the ministry of his own hymn and the Christian testimony of a stranger.
Enjoy your Independence Day celebrations and remember, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.” (Psalm 33:12)
Pastor Tony |
NO Worship Service on Sunday, July 7thJust a reminder! Due to scheduled maintenance of the gym floor at Lee-Scott Academy, we will not be meeting for our regular 9:30 service or ministry activities this week on July 7. Please join us on Sunday, July 14, at 9:30 a.m. for worship at Lee-Scott followed by Sunday School at 11:00 a.m. |
Vacation Bible School with CMCA!Save the date! July 15-18! Let's dive into Jesus! We are excited to continue registration for Christ Methodist Vacation Bible School! There will be limited space, so register soon! If you have any questions, please contact Patti Robinson at 770-241-6669 or pattiwrobinson@icloud.com In Matthew 19:14, Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
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CMCA Upcoming Summer Youth Events
Summer Discipleship/Bible Study On Wednesday nights at 7:15 p.m. at Greystone, John Hall, our summer intern, is leading a Discipleship/Bible study for all youth 6th through 12th grades. They are studying the Gospel of John. This is a time of fellowship and spiritual growth. There will be dessert provided! Devo & Dinner Events (hosted at 1857 Stoneridge Drive, Auburn) Sunday, July 14, at 6pm with speaker Hank Brown, current AU quarterback. Sunday, July 21, at 6pm with speaker Jaycie Silhan, current AU soccer player All youth from across our community are invited to be a part of these fun opportunities to hear from an AU student-athlete about what it means to live a life of faith. Dinner will be served, but we need to know you are coming so we can reserve a plate for you. Text us TODAY (334-524-7369) to let us know you are coming. Include your name(s) in the text. Chewacla Hang-out - Thursday,July 11th - 4:00 p.m. All youth are invited to come to the greenspace at the top of Chewacla Park for frisbee and games, a hike to the falls, and a dinner to follow. Please stay tuned for the time and more details! Tiger On the Green - Thursday, July 18th All youth are invited to come to Tiger on the Green for golfing and dinner. Please stay tuned for the time and more details! Youth Week - July 29th-August 2nd This will be a week where all youth are invited to come and serve in the community and fellowship together each night. Please stay tuned for the times and more details! Please put these events on your calendars and spread the word! See you there! |
Altar Flowers for 2024
We want to place the beautiful altar flowers in the gym every Sunday for our worship service. If you would like to reserve your date to provide the altar flowers, you may go to the SignUp Genius page where all the Sunday dates available for the coming year are listed. You may want to reserve a date that has special meaning to you or you may wish to place flowers in honor or in memory of a loved one. If you have any questions or would like to place your order, please contact the church office at 334-209-0074 or email info@christmethodistauburn.com
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Acolyte TrainingSave the date! July 16, 17, 18 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) |
How to Serve at CMCA
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, Parking Lot Attendants, 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 9:00 to 10:45 and from 10:45 to 12:00. 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. Technology not your thing? Email Sherry Roby at cjroby49@yahoo.com or Debbie Bagwell at dbagwell@charter.net and we will help you get plugged in to serve.
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Big House "Back-to-School" BashYou Did It! Congratulations Christ Methodist Church of Auburn! You did an AUsome job! Thanks to your generosity we provided over 20 cases of school supplies to Big House! Big House will provide approximately 300 foster children with school supplies this school year. What a blessing to be a part of this mission. Thank you! |
Ladies Bible Study
A Ladies' Bible Study meets on Tuesday mornings at 9:30 at Moores Mill Club in the upstairs Fairway Room. We are also offering this same study on Wednesday nights at 6:30 at Greystone. This will be an 8-week study of the book “Women in the New Testament” by Suzanne Nicholson.
The stories of these women help us to better understand not only our calling, but also the very nature of the Gospel itself. We invite all ladies of CMCA to come and bring a friend!
Please contact the church office at 334-209-0074 or email info@christmethodistauburn.com to sign up or if you have questions.
We have ordered books and you may pick them up at Greystone or we will have them available at the meetings. They are $10 each.
The Tuesday group will be discussing Week 5 on 7/9 and the Wednesday group will be discussing Week 3 on 7/10. Please read the appropriate week of the study and be prepared to discuss the questions at the end of each day at the meetings.
These studies are led by Debbie Smalley, Betsy Windle and Lynn Waldrip.
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We Are Hiring!Director of Student Ministries/Student Pastor 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, email Pastor Tony (tony@christmethodistauburn.com). |
Music Ministry
The Star-Spangled Spectacular was such a wonderful performance and event. We had a packed gym honoring God, our great country and those who have and continue to serve to provide us freedom. Thank you all who helped to make it happen, especially the amazing Gary Klarenbeek! SSS #22 was fantastic! The best is yet to come!
Children's Handchimes Coming Soon
We're excited that we will soon be offering a summer introduction to Handchimes for rising 4th - 6th graders. If you have a child who would like to participate, please email our Director of Worship and Arts, Gary Klarenbeek, at Gary@christmethodistauburn.com. We'll collect names and potential times that will work best.
Cherub Choir Coming This Fall
We're excited to announce plans to start a Cherub Choir this fall for children ages 3-5. If you have a child or grandchild those ages, we'd love to welcome them to Cherub Choir where they will learn about the love and promises of Jesus through music.
The Cherub Choir will be led by Jacquie Cruz. Please email our Director of Worship and Arts, Gary Klarenbeek, at gary@christmethodistauburn.com for further information.
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Widow's Care Ministry
Our CMCA Widow’s Care Ministry met on June 19th at Greystone for our second get- together. We had 14 ladies attend. Fun and fellowship was had by all. We signed up for Focus groups which include Prayer Warriors, Breakfast Buddies, Lunch Ladies, Movie Goers, Day Trippers, etc. We also expressed our Praises and Prayer Requests, which will be emailed to all our widows, asking for prayer. If you are a widow who wants to join our group, or if you could not attend our gathering this week, please let us know how we can help you. You can still sign up for any of the Focus groups by calling Annette McGhee 334 740-2227 or Marsha McCord 334 559-5014. We will meet again as a whole group at Greystone on August 7th at 10:00. Come and fellowship with us, as we all live, love, laugh, learn and grow together in this chapter of our lives. |
New Singles Group
If you are interested in joining a new CMCA Singles Group (20’s – up), please email info@christmethodistauburn.com with your name, email address and phone number. Or you may call the church office (334-209-0074) with the same information. We envision this as a group that gathers for meals and fellowship, movies, Bible study, missions, etc. You don't have to be a member of CMCA to participate. |
From the Social Media Team
Thank you for the wonderful photos of our church events. Please keep them coming! Click on the links below that will take you to our Social Media Sites. The link to our Facebook page, YouTube channel, and Instagram can also be found on the upper right side of our website. Just click on the icon. The button to take you to our website is below. App – Download the app from the App Store (either iphone or android). Search for Church App - tithe.ly. Once you download it, it will ask you for the church name. It is Christ Methodist Church of Auburn. You can switch to our logo as your icon. There is an icon on the front page of the website that will take you to the appropriate App Store ( iPhone and android) If you have any questions or would like some information email dbagwell@charter.net
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From the Finance Office
If you would like to submit an offering, we have offering envelopes available at the entrances to worship at LSA and at Greystone. It is not necessary to place checks in an envelope unless you prefer. Please note in the memo line of your check if you are paying for name tags or any fund other than General. Click the button below to Give or text to Give by texting the word "give" to (855)-645-3493. For those who are giving through tithe.ly, we encourage you to consider setting up recurring giving. It's easy to do - just follow the instructions when you login to tithe.ly. Thank you! Please contact the Christ Methodist Church office at info@christmethodistauburn.com or 334-209-0074 if you have questions. Thank you for your faithfulness!
For more infomation visit: https://give.tithe.ly/?formId=c6a660b1-6865-11ee-90fc-1260ab546d11
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From the Greystone Staff
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. Greystone Greeters THANK YOU to all that have been serving as GREYSTONE GREETERS! The volunteer shifts for the greeters are 9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. and 12:30 p.m. – 4:00, Monday – Thursday and 9:00 – noon on Fridays. July dates are being entered into the signup genius. We are getting busier and that is a GOOD thing! If you would like to volunteer, please email info@christmethodistauburn.com, call the church office at 334-209-0074, or click the button below to sign up. Thank you for volunteering as this is a very important position as you are the face of our church! Need Copies Printed? If you need copies of materials for any reason (Sunday School, VBS, marketing, etc.), feel free to use our copiers at Greystone. Please note: we close at noon on Fridays. You may also email a digital file to info@christmethodistauburn.com for printing. Scheduling Events at Greystone Please call or email the Christ Methodist Church office for scheduling events/event space on the master calendar at Greystone. Emails: Dr. Tony McCullough - tony@christmethodistauburn.com Gary Klarenbeek - gary@christmethodistauburn.com Sherrie Stanyard - sherrie@christmethodistauburn.com General email - info@christmethodistauburn.com |
Congregational Care
Please pray for these brothers and sisters in our family of believers:
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. Also, if you are aware of someone who needs this transportation help on Sunday mornings, please let us know by emailing prayer@christmethodistauburn.com and put "Transportation" in the subject line of the email. *We have a new email address where you can send prayer requests and other needs: prayer@christmethodistauburn.com Please put "Prayer Concern" in the subject line of the email. If you have a different reason for sending an email to this address like wanting to volunteer to be on the Prayer Chain, or Make Morning Check-In Calls, or Write Personal Notes, please put those areas in the subject line of the email. Thank you!
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Ministry SafeA Required Training for Volunteers with Children, Youth, and Vulnerable Adults 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 |
Parking on SundaysParking Attendants Needed The Parking Attendant Team is a group which assists with parking needs on Sunday mornings for the 9:30 service and also for special services such as the Star-Spangled Spectacular concert and Easter when there are larger than normal crowds. They meet at 8:45 on Sunday mornings in the back lobby of LSA and are finished in time for the service. Please let Larry Stanyard (334-559-1065; stanyardj@gmail.com) know if you are willing to serve on this team on an occasional basis. We would like to have four each Sunday morning, but need more for certain occasions (SSS, Easter Sunday, etc.) The Parking Attendants have a suggestion for those who need to park close to the building for mobility reasons. If you cannot find a place near the back entrance, use the parking lot on the rear left (next to the gyms, across from the football stadium). The door to the auxiliary gym will be unlocked and you may proceed through there to get to the main gym. Beginning this Sunday, there will be a table with bulletins and hymnals for worship at this entrance. Another option is for you to drive to the back breezeway entrance and after you exit your car, a parking attendant can park your car for you. The attendant will return your keys to you or if you prefer, they can keep the keys so that they can retrieve your car after the service and meet you at the back breezeway again. We are discussing more alternative options that will make getting into the gym easier for those with mobility issues. Thank you for your patience and understanding. |
Announcements
*Remember - We will not have a worship service on Sunday, July 7. Our Sunday morning schedule looks like this: We will begin gathering in the lobby for coffee, water and doughnut holes at 9:00. Please be in your seats by 9:25 for the prelude to begin. The service will start at 9:30am. *** *We are still in the process of gathering names and street addresses of those in our congregation who do not receive our weekly Newsletter by email. We would like to begin mailing them a copy of our email. If you know of someone who would like the weekly Newsletter mailed to them, please let us know. Let's continues to make is a habit to check the Connect Cart and tables as you enter the lobbies for worship each Sunday. In addition to hymnals, we have guest name tags as well as regular name tags for regular attendees who forgot theirs (Pastor Tony appreciates those as he learns everyone’s name). Also, there are "Our Daily Bread" devotional booklets, volunteer forms, car stickers and magnets, packets with CMCA note pads and pens to have or share with friends, maps to Sunday School classes, order forms for plastic magnetic name tags, worship kits for children (they can take home), offering envelopes, Connect Cards (place in offering plate), VBS flyers, etc. Another suggestion is to give your worship bulletin to a friend and invite them to worship with us. *As you arrive at Lee-Scott on Sunday mornings, we encourage you to be aware of marked parking spaces in the back entrance and to make sure you park in a marked space. Please be aware that the trailer used to transport our equipment will be parked at the back entrance and does not need to be blocked so that it can be moved or it can be opened in the rear area. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter! *Please start making it a habit to check our website on a regular basis for updates and events at www.christmethodistauburn.org We are so grateful for each and every one of you and for your commitment and faithfulness to serve our Savior, Jesus Christ. Please continue to pray, and pray some more for our body of believers as we move forward together and seek God’s guidance in the days to come. You are all so loved and appreciated! “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13 |
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