The month of August is flying by, the kids are back in school, and fall is just around the corner!  We’ve had an amazing summer here at Auburn First UMC—here are just a few of the things that have been happening around here over the last few months:

• We brought in five fabulous interns from the Great Plains Annual Conference, and they helped us host a great week of Vacation Bible School for 35+ children in our community.
• Seven children and youth from Auburn FUMC attended summer camp at Camp Fontanelle—and four of them had all or part of their tuition paid by our congregation’s camp scholarship fund (which is supported by your generosity!)
• The UMC/Presbyterian youth group hosted two fundraisers for their Heifer International “Ark”; they have raised almost $3,500 so far this year!
• We’ve enjoyed hearing from local painters, musicians, dancers, and other artists as part of our “Beautiful Things” sermon series. What a joy to worship God by celebrating the variety of artistic gifts in our community!
• We had our biggest school supply drive yet! We worked with APS administration, and our congregation provided 21 full sets of school supplies to 6^th-8^th grade students in need (plus, we provided pocket folders for the entire 6^th grade class!) I am still blown away by this outpouring of generosity from the people of Auburn FUMC, and I’m thrilled that our congregation is able to support our local schools in this way!

In short, it’s been a whirlwind summer full of music, joy, laughter, and ministry…and there is even more of that coming our way as we kick off fall and the Sunday School season at Auburn FUMC!  Here’s a quick preview of what’s coming up in September:

A new sermon series!

            On October 1^st, a few of our youth will be taking the United Methodist membership vows and becoming full adult members of the congregation.  In preparation for Confirmation Sunday, we will spend the month of September looking at the five promises that we all make when we join the UMC—to serve God with our prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness.  Join us in September as we explore what it means to be an active United Methodist, and as we learn how to serve God more fully!

Sunday School for all ages!

            Sunday School Kickoff is on Sunday, September 10^th. There will be four Sunday School classes this year—an adult class, a youth class, and an elementary class will begin meeting at 9:00, and a toddler/preschool/kindergarten class will meet after Young Disciple’s Time (during the second half of the church service.)  Contact Sarah Hanika for more information.

Choir returns!

            Choir begins rehearsing again on Wednesday, September 6^th at 6:30 pm.  All adults and all youth aged 6^th grade and up are welcome to participate—no auditions needed!  Contact the church office or choir director Carol Ehmke for more information.

Weekly youth group meetings!

            Our youth have stayed active all summer, and now that school is back in session, we are back to our regular weekly meeting schedule.  We’ve got lots of great meetings planned—game nights with the residents at Long’s Creek, movie nights, Bible study nights, game nights, etc.  All youth between 6^th-12^th grade are welcome to join us! (And we always have snacks!) Contact Pastor Emily or Kim Beger for more information.

Thanks for a great summer, church—here’s to a fantastic autumn!

Anyone who has ever gone shopping for school supplies knows that the cost of all those notebooks and calculators and glue-sticks can add up pretty quickly…especially when you’re buying supplies for multiple children.  For many families in our county, the annual school supply bill presents a significant financial hardship.  Fortunately, there are a number of generous organizations and individuals in our community who work together to ensure that all our students have the supplies they need to succeed–and this year, I am pleased to report that Auburn FUMC played a big role in that effort!

This is the third time since I arrived in Auburn that our church has hosted a school supply drive, but this year the need AND the response were bigger than ever!  I worked with the wonderful Nancy Fuller, and she and the middle school guidance counselors were able to identify seven children per grade who would need assistance this year.  For those of you doing the math at home, that means that AMS needed at least 21 full sets of school supplies!

21 sets of supplies might sound like an overwhelming number, but God and the people of Auburn FUMC made it happen.  The VBS children and their families provided supplies for the 6th grade backpacks, and the rest of the congregation purchased supplies for the 7th and 8th graders.  I was totally blown away by the generous outpouring of support–the monetary and supply donations this year were huge, and we were able to fill the 21 backpacks AND have a couple big boxes of supplies left over for the school!  (It sort of reminds me of the Biblical story of the Feeding of the 5000: at first it seemed like an insurmountable need, but thanks to God’s grace there was more than enough to go around!)

The 21 backpacks are now filled up with your donations, and they will be distributed to students later this week.  I am so humbled by the response we got to this school supply drive, and I’m so pleased with our congregation’s commitment to serving our neighbors.  The United Methodist Book of Discipline affirms that “all children have the right to quality education”, and as a denomination we support “the development of school systems and innovative methods of education designed to assist every child toward complete fulfillment as an individual person of worth.”  This school supply drive was a way for our church to put those words into action, and it has given us an opportunity to be the hands and feet of Christ in our community.

Thank you so much for this display of love for our children!

The 21 fully loaded backpacks–seven for each grade at Auburn Middle School!

  Two tables and a shopping cart, all overflowing with donations!

A close-up of some of the supplies!

There are many wonderful things about living in Nemaha County, and one of the biggest “perks” is the easy access to the area’s vibrant art scene!  Those who are unfamiliar with the region are surprised to learn this, but our little pocket of southeastern Nebraska is home to a wide variety of artists and fine arts-aficionados.  The Brownville Village Theater has been a venue for promising young drama students to show off their acting chops for over 50 summers, and the Brownville Concert Series brings Broadway-level talent to rural audiences.  Area galleries feature sculptures, pottery, glassworks, and paintings created by local talent, and there are many artists and musicians who call the Auburn area “home.”  

It’s a blessing to be surrounded by this level of talent, and that’s why Auburn First UMC is going to spend the rest of the summer celebrating the arts through our new worship series!  For the next six weeks, our “Beautiful Things” sermon series will focus on art in the Bible and throughout Christian history.  And best of all: we will be featuring a series of guest artists who will be joining us in worship and sharing their work with us!  It is going to be a fun and informative summer–you won’t want to miss the chance to see these talented women and men as they share their gifts with us! 

“Beautiful Things”–Schedule of Guest Artists

July 23^rd—Nancy Moran (painting) http://www.nancyleemoran.com

July 30^th—Terry and Renee Vice (broommaking and bluegrass music) http://www.sweetwaterbrooms.com

August 6^th—Lilli Summerlin (violin)

August 13^th—Students from Auburn Dance Academy  http://www.auburndancellc.com

August 20^th—Dr. Chet Harper (theater)

August 27^th—Brittany Jacoby (poetry)

Join us this July and August for an inspiring exploration of faith and beauty!

The image that accompanies this blog post is a painting called “Rejoice”, by artist and priest Sieger Koder (1925-2015).

“The heavens are yours, the earth also is yours;  the world and all that is in it—you have founded them. The north and the south—you created them…”  (Psalm 89:11-12a)

Spring has sprung, the sun is shining, and we’re getting a lovely little foretaste of summer today!  The trees are lush with bright green leaves, flowers are popping up everywhere, the dandelions are slowly starting to disappear (much to my toddler’s chagrin), and birds and squirrels and rabbits are playing in neighborhoods all over town.  God’s creation is alive and at it’s most beautiful at this time of year—which is why creation is a perfect topic for a new sermon series!

Over the next three weeks, as we celebrate three special Sundays on the Christian calendar (Ascension Sunday, Pentecost Sunday, and Trinity Sunday), we will be learning more about God’s love for creation and our call as Christians to be good stewards of the earth around us.  Let’s get ready to “go green” for God as we discuss the following topics:

May 28^th—Ascension Sunday

As we celebrate the knowledge that Jesus is Lord over all creation, we will talk about our obligation to be good “house-sitters” as we live on God’s earth.  We’ll learn more about humanity’s relationship with the environment, and we’ll share some tips for eco-friendly living that will also save you money!

June 4^th—Pentecost

As the old spiritual says, “Every time I feel the Spirit moving in my heart, I will pray!”  Today we will celebrate the birthday of the Church (there might be funny hats and noisemakers at Young Disciple’s Time), and we’ll honor the Holy Spirit’s role in our lives and in creation.  We’ll also talk about how science and religion can co-exist peacefully, and how the Holy Spirit works through scientific discovery and exploration!

June 11^th—Trinity Sunday

Today we will learn more about our Triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—and we’ll see what the Bible has to say about God’s relationship with non-human life…birds, fish, plants, and animals.  We’ll see that God values all life within creation, and we will remember that God has a purpose for every living creature under the sun.  We will also hear from Gina Long as she gives us an update on Lord’s Acre: the Green Team has some very exciting plans for this fall.  You won’t want to miss it!

I hope that you all have a great Memorial Day weekend, and that you get to spend some time enjoying God’s beautiful creation in the warm days and weeks to come.  And please mark your calendars for our big upcoming events in June:

• Next week, on June 4^th, the youth are hosting an ice cream social from 3:00-5:00 to raise money for Heifer International. Lots of ice cream and baked good, all for a free-will offering…invite your friends and neighbors!
• Vacation Bible School will be from June 26^th-30^th. We are still looking for some volunteers and supplies; you can find more info in the church library.  And if you have kids/grandkids/neighbors between two years old and 5^th grade, you can sign them up at goo.gl/XinwiY

See you in church!

Happy Friday, Auburn FUMC! Did you have a good Star Wars Day yesterday? (May the 4th be with you!)

As the liturgically-inclined among us probably know, we are currently about halfway through the season of Easter.  And for the next three weeks, we are going to be focusing our attention on the women and men in the early Church who first spread the Good News of Christ’s resurrection.  This worship series, called “Life Lessons from the Early Church”, will teach us about the core beliefs and traditions of our ancestors in the faith.  We’ll learn more about what it means to follow Jesus in a dangerous world, we’ll explore the concept of death and eternal life, and we’ll talk about how the Beatles had it right all along–all you need is love! Join us as we embark on this journey, and as we explore the teachings that have been changing lives for nearly 2000 years.

Sunday, May 7th (Communion Sunday)

“Life Lessons from the Early Church: Death is Old News!”

Sunday, May 14th (Mother’s Day)

“Life Lessons from the Early Church: The Price of Faith”

Sunday, May 21st

“Life Lessons from the Early Church: All You Need is Love”

Also–remember that our youth group has several Heifer International fundraisers coming up in the next month! Mark your calendars for May 27th (Nebraska Brass concert at the Presbyterian Church, 7:30 pm) and June 4th (ice cream social at the UMC, 3:00 pm.)

Have a great week, and we’ll see you on Sunday!

Good afternoon!

Today we are almost one week into the holy season of Lent.  If you have chosen to adopt a spiritual discipline during this season—such as giving up a favorite food or hobby, adding an extra devotional time to your daily schedule, or decluttering your home—I hope it’s off to a good start!  And if you haven’t adopted a Lenten discipline yet, it’s never too late: if you’re still looking for a way to enhance your spiritual life this Lent, we have plenty of opportunities for you at Auburn First UMC!  Our choir and adult Sunday School class are always welcoming new members—choir practices at 6:30 on Wednesday evenings, and Sunday School meets at 9:00 on Sunday mornings.

We also have also begun our Second Annual Lenten Film Festival, which is the perfect spiritual practice for movie buffs! Each Sunday afternoon during Lent we are gathering at church to watch a movie together (upcoming flicks include “The Truman Show”, “Life is Beautiful”, and “Risen”, among others), and then we share a meal while we discuss the film’s religious themes.  All are welcome to join this fun and informative group, and free childcare is always provided!

In addition, we have also begun a new Lenten worship series, based on the book “More Than Enough: Living Abundantly in a Culture of Excess” by Rev. Lee Hull Moses.  As we continue on our journey through Lent, we will be focusing on decluttering our spiritual lives, re-examining our busy schedules, grappling with injustice and inequality, and learning to live abundantly by embracing simplicity!  Here’s a preview of what’s coming up:

3/12—Much Ado About Money

(Reminder: we are worshipping at the Presbyterian Church at 11:15 this week!)

3/19—The Blessing and Curse of “Stuff”

3/26—Holy Relaxation

4/2—Loving Your Neighbors

4/9—Put On Your Work Boots!

See you at the Presbyterian church next Sunday for an awesome ecumenical service!  Have a blessed week!

The month of February is drawing ever-nearer, and it’s time for us to do some mountain climbing! I’m not talking about real mountains, of course—Nebraska is sadly lacking in that department, much to this Colorado girl’s chagrin!  But over the next five weeks, we’re going to be climbing some metaphorical mountains in worship at Auburn FUMC as we begin our new sermon series, entitled “Lofty Goals: Lessons from the Sermon on the Mount”.

In this pre-Lent worship series, we’ll be exploring the fifth chapter of Matthew and learning more about these important Christian life lessons that Jesus shared with his first disciples.  Here’s a look at what’s to come:

1/29–#blessed (Matthew 5:1-12)

If you’re on social media, you’ve probably seen people used the #blessed hashtag.  Celebrities say that they’ve been #blessed when their latest single is at the top of the charts, athletes say that God has #blessed them when they sign a multi-million dollar contract, and sometimes people say that they’ve been #blessed by finding an extra McNugget in their Happy Meal!  But what does Jesus have to say about the true meaning of being blessed?  (Hint: It has absolutely nothing to do with money or McNuggets!)

2/5—A High-Sodium Life (Matthew 5:13-20)

When it comes to picking a can of soup, you’re probably better off picking a low-sodium option—but when it comes to sharing your faith, you want to be as salty as possible!  Jesus says that his disciples are supposed to be “salt for the earth” and “light for the world.”  Today we’ll learn about how we can fill Auburn with light and “holy flavor” as we work to build God’s Kingdom together!

2/12—Rotten Roots (Matthew 5:21-37)

Jesus didn’t shy away from tough topics, and neither will we: today’s sermon is all about anger, lust, and swearing!  (“Swearing” in this context means swearing oaths or making promises—don’t worry, there won’t be any four-letter words in this sermon!)  We’ll look at what Jesus had to say about righteousness and temptation, and how we can destroy sin by knocking out the roots!

2/19—The Care and Keeping of Enemies (Matthew 5:38-48)

Frank Burns on M*A*S*H once said that “it’s nice to be nice to the nice”—and he was right! It’s easy to love the people who are naturally loveable…but what about the people who seem thoroughly unlikeable?  Do we have to be nice to them too?  Let’s discover what loving your enemies is all about, and along the way we’ll also learn about the history of commonly-heard phrases like “turn the other cheek” and “go the extra mile”!

2/26—At the Mountaintop  (Transfiguration Sunday)

We’ll be ending our sermon series on the Sermon on the Mount in a very appropriate location: on top of a mountain!  Come hear the story of the Transfiguration, which will help us transition into our Lenten journey (which will be based on the book “Gifts of the Dark Wood: Seven Blessings for Soulful Skeptics and Other Wanderers”, by Omaha-area pastor Eric Elnes.)

See you in church!