As we move into fall and for many folks schedules shift and new activities begin (or resume), I challenge and invite you to consider this question: What’s your why?

Why are you involved in the activities you’re involved with? Why do you have each thing that’s on your calendar placed there? Why do you come to church? Why do you worship? Why do you invest your time and energy into this community?

In Acts 2, I think the “why” of the early church is pretty clear: they strongly believed that they were designed for community and they were better as a community; they gathered together to honor God and to share God with others.

“All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s supper), and to prayer… They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity - all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.” - Acts 2:42, 46-47

Notice it doesn’t say, “after they completed all their other tasks for the day” or “when there wasn’t something else that came up” or “on the days their calendar was empty.” Worship, community, and mission were engrained in who they were, how they honored God, and how they shared the Good News of Christ. Their life together wasn’t shallow or half-hearted; they didn’t only gather when there wasn’t a better opportunity; they prioritized their community and their time together. Don’t worry, I’m not wearing rose-colored glasses or proposing that we all sell everything we own and live together at the church; I can recognize and appreciate that we live in a different culture and time than the early Church of Acts chapter 2. And yet, how might we better embody those values? Is our - is your - “why” centered on Christ?

When we do that, when our “why” is centered on Christ, we don’t just attend worship - we encounter the living God. We don’t just sit in a small group - we encourage and strengthen each other in faith. We don’t just sign up for a mission or outreach project - we share God’s love with the world in real and tangible ways. And we don’t just wait for an empty spot on our calendar to do these things. Christ cannot be our “why” if we don’t prioritize Christ and our own faith journey. Let me say that again - Christ cannot be our “why” if we don’t prioritize Christ and our own faith journey.

So as we gear up for fall, as the temperatures cool, calendars shift, and sports seasons change, I encourage you to go deeper. Worship with your whole heart. Step into a small group where you can grow alongside others. Allow yourself to be held accountable and lovingly hold others accountable. Find a way to serve in a mission or outreach that connects your gifts with God’s work in the world.

When we keep our “why” rooted in Jesus, in word - in action - in our calendars, our lives are transformed, our community is strengthened, and God’s kingdom comes closer on earth as it is in heaven.

What step will you take to go deeper this season?

Blessings,

Pastor Abby

Adult Sunday Schools

are Meeting!

Sunday, September 7th is the opening day for two of our long-standing Sunday Schools: Cultivating Relationships (room 201-203) and Women's Study (room 202). Three classes have met throughout the summer and will continue: Great Courses (room 204), Parent's Class (behind the screen in the Hospitality Room), and Foundations in Faith (former library). The Adult Ministry Team will be handing out more detailed information in the Narthex on Sunday!

Please find a copy of the list of Sunday School and Small Groups here.

Soup Suppers

Starting Again!

The Adult Ministry Team will host soup suppers on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays beginning September 10th in the Hospitality Center. We will eat at 6:00 pm for food and fellowship. Childcare is provided if needed. The Adult Ministry Team will be present to engage with you in fellowship and ongoing conversations. You may leave as soon as you finish eating, or if you choose to stay for conversation, we will conclude by

7:30 pm. Please see the Sign Up Genius to contribute soup!

SEPTEMBER SERMONS

SERMON SERIES: "Funniest Stories of the Bible"

September 7 - Leslie Hall, WOC Lay Leader

September 14 - "That One Time the Donkey Talked"

Pastor Abby

September 21 - "That One Time a Worm Ate Jonah's Shade" Pastor Laurie

September 28 - "That One Time in the Boat the Disciples Forgot the Bread" - Pastor Abby

Providing Meals for Family Promise

Our next days for Family Promise hosting will be September 2 and September 4. There are currently 24 (14 kids) residents at the house. The families are always very appreciative of the meals we deliver. We will have online sign-ups to provide food for the meals. You can sign up on the Get Involved page at aleyumc.org. For questions, please contact Debi Heidrich at (937) 623-4624.

Now that the schools are back in session, Feed the Creek is in need of food items to send home with students who might otherwise not have enough to eat over the weekends. Anything that doesn't require refrigeration is acceptable. If we can't use it for the weekend meals, we'll put it out in our pantry at the edge of our parking lot. If you'd prefer to sponsor a child instead, it's $35.00/month or $420.00 for the whole year. 

Please make your check payable to Feed the Creek and send it to 3392 Sunnyside Drive, Beavercreek, OH 45432, or go to the website http://www.feedthecreek.org. For more info, please contact Bill Noble at nobledesoto@ameritech.net or 937-681-8601. Thank you!

Upcoming Kairos Weekend Event

Area Kairos volunteers are assembling a team that will

conduct “CCI #12”, a 4-day event that will be held inside the prison walls of Chillicothe Correctional Institution on

October 2-5, 2025. 

Matthew 25:36, “I was in prison and you visited me.”

The mission of all Kairos weekends is to “share the transforming love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ to impact the hearts and lives of incarcerated men, women, and youth, as well as their families, to become loving and productive citizens of their communities.”

There are many ways you could take part in Chillicothe Correctional Institution (CCI #12). A pastor that volunteers on the team coined the phrase “Some give by going, and some go by giving.” We’re asking you to “Go by Giving.” Following are ways you can support our mission.

Offer Prayers: Please go to https://share.google/9q4DqPDfVNKvzvFSb and sign up for

a time that you will pray for the residents and the team

during the event.

Create Agape: Visible Agape is artwork that is posted on the walls of the prison community room for the participants to read throughout the weekend. Signed placemats and posters made by children (first name and age only) are also especially treasured by prisoners. Blank white paper, 11”x17”, makes wonderful placemats.

Be a Cookie Baker: Our team will take approximately two hundred dozen cookies into Chillicothe Correctional Institution for the weekend. May God bless you for the gift of baking! The guidelines for cookies have been relaxed. There are no longer restrictions for raisins, icing, or powdered sugar. We only ask that the cookies be homemade. Bar cookies (rice crispies, brownies, etc.) are also allowed. Please cool cookies completely, then put each dozen cookies into a gallon ziplock bag (please, no metal tab slider bags). If possible, bring cookies to Aley on Sunday, September 28th. We can also pick up the cookies; just email rocketflyer10@gmail.com.

Be a Ministry Financial Donor: Chillicothe Correctional Institution (CCI #12) expenses will be approximately $3,500. Donors can purchase a meal ticket ($5) that covers the cost of a resident’s meal, or they can donate any amount directly to a Kairos volunteer. Please make checks payable to “Aley UMC” and write “Kairos” on the memo line. 

Donors can also go to https://www.kairosohio.org/donate.html to donate online. Please select “Chillicothe Correctional Institution (CCI)” as the particular area for your donation.



Family Day Camp

Families - save the date and make plans now to join us on September 20, 9:00 am - 6:00 pm at Camp Lebanon for a family day camp! We’ve got lots of activity and fun planned - think team building, zip lining, fishing, hiking, campfire dinner, and all-around fun! Even if you’re only able to join us for part of the day, we’d still love to have you come; just let us know what part of the day you’ll be there! Sign up here or on the ‘Get Involved’ page to join in all the fun.

Let’s continue the spirit of Aley’s recent partnering with Red Bird Mission, this time even closer to home. We will reconnect with Habitat for Humanity, this time in Dayton at the ReStore and in New Carlisle at a new home build. Seeking to put God's love into action, Habitat for Humanity brings people together to build homes, communities, and hope.



ReStore accepts donations of housing materials and sells them to the community to support Habitat for Humanity. ReStore volunteers assist with sales, inventory, cleaning and stocking the sales floor and warehouse, loading and unloading donated items, and customer service. Aley will be there on October 1 and October 2. Hours are 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, with a break for lunch. 

On October 3 and October 4, Aley will be in New Carlisle working on a house for Charlotte, a local restaurant manager, and her 3 children, Makayla, Christopher, and Aliya. Makayla, 18, is on her way to becoming a nurse. Christopher is 16, with a passion for architecture, art, and entrepreneurship. Aliya is 13 and hopes to become a hairstylist. As a family they will contribute 275 hours of sweat equity towards their home. We will be part of making that home a reality. Hours are 8:30 am to 3:30 pm, with a break for lunch. 

Reserve your time to serve God and serve people while enjoying the company of your fellow Aleyans at https://vhub.at/AleyUnitedMethodistChurchvolunteers. You must sign up through this site in order to sign the volunteer waivers.

If you have any questions, please contact Beth Collins at bcollohioregn@yahoo.com.