Greetings!  Here’s a long-overdue update from Pastor Emily!

They say that time flies when you’re having fun, so the past few months must have been an absolute blast!  It’s been a busy fall:

• We did a couple of fun sermon series—one on the writings of Dr. Seuss and one on the Lord’s Prayer.
• We had charge conference and nominations committee, and we have a great slate of volunteers serving on all our committees next year!
• We’ve paid off our conference mission shares!
• We’ve participated in a number of local and global missions: we assisted with Meals on Wheels, we sent a cartload of donations to SENCA, we helped out with the Bloodmobile, and we packed flood buckets for UMCOR.
• We’ve been working on a capital campaign for the trustees.
• We had a successful Cookie Walk, and we’re getting ready to begin construction on our ADA bathroom later this winter!
• And now the Advent season is upon us! This is a time of waiting and anticipation as we prepare for the birth of Jesus Christ.  We will be celebrating in a variety of ways at Auburn FUMC, beginning with our youth and children’s Christmas play on December 18th.  During our 10:00 worship service, our youngest disciples will be presenting “Matt and Lucy’s Version Births”, which explores the differences between the nativity stories found in the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Luke.  It’s a cute and heartwarming play, with lots of great music—you won’t want to miss it!

On Christmas Eve (Saturday, December 24th), we will have two worship services for you to choose between.  We’ll have a casual family-oriented worship service at 4:00, and then there will be a traditional Christmas Eve service at 7:00 with choir and brass music.  Both services will feature candlelight worship and Holy Communion.  Come to one, or come to both! (Hey, I’ll be at each one!)

And then, on Christmas morning, we will be having our usual Sunday worship service at 10:00.  Kids are welcome to come in their Christmas pajamas (adults can too, if they really want!), and we will celebrate Jesus’ birth with music, storytelling, and the baptism of one of our newest members!

I’m looking forward to celebrating this joyous season with all of you!  Have a blessed Advent as we wait and worship together!