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Tony's Tidings
Surrounded by a Great Cloud of Witnesses
As we prepare our hearts for All Saints Sunday, we are drawn into the powerful words of Hebrews 12:1-3, which remind us that we are “surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses.” This “cloud” of believers, whose legacy of faith guides us forward, reaches across time, reminding us that we are part of something much larger than ourselves.
All Saints Sunday is a day to remember and honor those who have gone before us, bearing witness to the transformative power of faith in Jesus Christ. The saints—whether they are beloved family members, friends, mentors, or historical figures—have run the race before us. They have faced trials, celebrated victories, and remained steadfast in their faith. As we reflect upon their lives, we’re reminded that we, too, are called to run with endurance the race that is set before us.
The writer of Hebrews encourages us to lay aside “every weight and the sin that clings so closely.” As we navigate our own journeys, we carry burdens, worries, and challenges. Yet, inspired by the faithfulness of those who have gone before, we are encouraged to strip away these weights that prevent us from fully running the race. Just as the saints depended on God’s grace, so can we rely on God’s strength and provision in our struggles. In a world that often distracts us from our purpose, Hebrews calls us to press on with endurance, guided by the example of Christ Himself.
The saints we remember this Sunday lived by faith, not by sight, trusting in God’s promises, sometimes without seeing them fulfilled in their own lifetimes. This is our heritage of faith—a heritage built upon a deep, abiding trust in the God who keeps His promises. We honor their memory by continuing the work they began, bringing God’s love, hope, and peace to our communities and beyond.
Hebrews 12 points us to the ultimate example: Jesus Christ, “the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.” Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection provide the model for our race. He endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God. When we become weary, His endurance and victory remind us that we do not run alone. Jesus has gone before us, and He sustains us in every step.
This All Saints Sunday, let us remember those whose faith has strengthened ours. Let us lay down our burdens, look to Jesus, and run our race with endurance, honoring the legacy of those who surround us as a great cloud of witnesses. And may we find strength in knowing that, as we run, others may one day find encouragement from our journey as well. See you Sunday!
In Christ, Pastor Tony
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Worship Service, Sunday, November 3rd @ 9:30am
Join us for a special Worship Service on Sunday, November 3rd. The service will include a number of special elements as we celebrate the Sacrament of Baptism, receive Holy Communion, honor our recently deceased Saints in a moving remembrance, and kick-off our 2025 Stewardship Campaign! Come and be blessed by their joyful hearts and vibrant spirits as they guide us in worshiping the Lord together. We can't wait to see you there! Service begins at 9:30am at Lee-Scott Academy gym—bring your family and friends for this delightful time of worship!
The congregation will sing two beloved hymns of the faith in observance of All Saints, "For All the Saints" and "I Sing a Song of the Saints of God." The Chorale will be singing a very moving arrangement of the beloved hymn, "It Is Well With My Soul" arranged by the talented composer and arranger, Mack Wilberg. This hymn has brought great comfort to so many since it was composed. The hymn was written by Horatio Spafford in 1873 after suffering many deep personal losses including the death of a son and the loss of many properties due to a devastating fire in Chicago. Tragically, the ship carrying Mrs. Spafford and their four daughters sunk while crossing the Atlantic. Mrs. Spafford survived but the four daughters perished. While Mr. Spafford sailed to England to join his wife, at the spot where the ship had sunk, the hymn "It Is Well With My Soul" came to him. To this day, the hymn has brought peace, comfort, and hope to Christians around the globe. We hope it will bless you as well.
We will also gather around the Lord's table as we celebrate Holy Communion. Will Mooty and Mark Wilson will share inspiring music during the serving of Communion and also there will be special music by Gary Klarenbeek on organ and Teresa Rhyne on piano. We look forward to seeing you on Sunday!
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Directory Photos - Sundays (11/3 & 11/10)
We are creating our first photo church directory of our regular attendees and need everyone to participate. Following worship and following Sunday School on November 3rd and November 10th, we will have a station set-up near the main lobby from 10:40-11:15am and 11:30am-noon to take your family picture (or individual) to be used in the directory. During this time we will also ask you to make sure your applicable directory info (name(s), address(es), phone number(s), email(s), children's age(s)/grade(s), etc.) is up-to-date.
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This Sunday during worship we will kick-off our 2025 Stewardship Campaign! Our inaugural campaign will focus on our faithful response to fund our 2025 General Fund Budget which was adopted at our recent charge conference. So many of you have been so generous ever since our inception as a church and you have always met every need that has been requested. God continues to be faithful and true to our work as a church as we impact our community and the world with the love of Christ. We ask that you consider your part for the coming year and then prayerfully respond by filling out a printed or digital commitment card and submit it to the church finance office before Sunday, November 21st. On that Sunday, near the end of our worship service, we will gather all the pledge cards that have been submitted and have a holy time of prayer and consecration to surrender them to the Lord as our first and best for Him. Twenty twenty-five holds so much promise to be the best year we have ever experienced in our lives and in the life of the church we love and call home. Thank you in advance for your faithful response! | |
Fall Festival & Trunk-or-Treat | |
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Upcoming CMCA Events
Sunday, November 3rd
All Saints Sunday Worship @ 9:30am (LSA)
Youth Devo at Tiger on the Green - November 3rd @ 6-7:30pm
Sunday, November 10th
Veterans' Recognition Sunday Worship @ 9:30am (LSA)
Sunday, November 10th
Operation Christmas Child Packing Party @ 10:45 (LSA)
Sunday, November 17th
Friendsgiving Party @ 5-6:30pm (Home of Kate and Forrest Ham)
Sunday, November 24th
Stewardship Campaign - Commitment Sunday
Sunday, December 1st
Hanging of the Greens Worship Service
Sunday, December 15th
Youth Ugly Sweater Christmas Party - December 15th @ 6-7:30pm (Location TBA)
December 22nd
Lessons & Carols Worship Service
Tuesday, December 24th
Christmas Eve Family Service @ 3pm (LSA)
Christmas Eve Candlelight & Communion Service @ 5pm (LSA)
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Operation Christmas Child
Our goal this year is to fill 500 boxes! Let's do it together! We need your help!
If you would like to sponsor a box or several boxes for Operation Christmas Child, each shoebox gift will be designated for a boy or a girl from 5-9 years old and will cost approximately $35. This will include all of the items placed in the boxes as well as the shipping cost of $10 per box.
To donate to OCC, please click on this link: https://christmethodistauburn.breezechms.com/form/689c5e. You may also write a check to Christ Methodist Church of Auburn and write OCC in the FOR line. You may mail the check to CMCA, P. O. Box 2491, Auburn, AL 36831, or place it in the offering plate on Sundays.
If you and your family would like to do the shopping and packing of your own shoebox, we will be happy to provide a packing list of do's and don'ts as well as a shoebox and label. Please contact Liz Kenemer (info@christmethodistauburn.com) for more information. These shoeboxes will need to be turned in ASAP.
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OCC Packing Party
Sunday, Nov. 10th @ 10:30am
We'll be having a CHURCH-WIDE packing party event on Sunday, November 10th, immediately after our worship service, in the cafetorium at Lee-Scott. We will not have Sunday School on 11/10. Instead, we invite every class and ALL CMCA attendees and members - from the youngest to the oldest - to plan to come help us pack 500 shoeboxes starting at 10:45 a.m.
On Saturday, November 9, we will need "All Hands on Deck" to help set up the boxes and all the items to put in the boxes. We will meet at 9:00 a.m. at the Cafetorium at Lee-Scott for this Pre-Packing Party set-up. Please let us know if you can be there for the morning to assist.
Please be listening for further announcements and instructions concerning Operation Christmas Child 2024.
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Youth Upcoming Events:
Sunday School - November 3rd @ 10:45-11:30am (LSA Middle School building)
Devo at Tiger on the Green @ 6-7:30pm - golf is included
Operation Christmas Child Packing Party - November 10th @ 10:45am (Lee-Scott Cafetorium)
Sunday School - November 17th @ 10:45-11:30am (LSA Middle School building)
Friendsgiving Party - November 17th @ 5-6:30pm (Home of Kate and Forrest Ham)
Sunday School - December 1st @ 10:45-11:10am (LSA Middle School building)
Devo & Pickleball/Dinner - December 1st @ 4-5:30pm (Moore's Mill CC)
Sunday School - December 8th @ 10:45-11:10am (LSA Middle School building)
Sunday School - December 15th @ 10:45-11:10am (LSA Middle School building)
Ugly Sweater Christmas Party - December 15th @ 6-7:30pm (Location TBA)
Tentative Youth Winter Retreat - date TBA
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Children's Music Ministries
We're thrilled that our children's choirs are up and running on Wednesdays. It's not too late for your children and grandchildren to join the fun.
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Cherub Choir (Ages 3 - Kindergarten) 3:45-4:15pm
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Children's Choir (1st - 6th Grades) 4:30-5:15pm
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Handchime Choir (Grades 4th - 6th) 5:15-6:00pm
All groups will continue to meet each Wednesday at Greystone.
Sign up today by sending an email to gary@christmethodistauburn.com
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CMCA to Host "Act of Congress" on November 17th
Mark your calendars for November 17th as Christ Methodist Church of Auburn welcomes the amazing acoustic band, Act of Congress, to start the Christmas Season of performing musical artists. The concert will be at 4:00pm at Trinity Methodist in Opelika. There is no admission charge but a Love Offering will be received.
Act of Congress has been touring as a band for over 15 years but it feels like they're just getting started. Dave Higgs of NPR's Bluegrass Breakdown called them, “one of the freshest sounding, exuberant bands in all of the known acoustic universe." This genre-bending acoustic quartet's unique blend of pop, folk, gospel, and bluegrass shines on their new Christmas EP, Here Comes the Joy, and on the cascade of original singles they've begun releasing this year.
"It's hard for us to record anything truly authentic without including the language of faith." said violin player Connie Skellie. “These songs are the soundtrack of our lives.” "The older I get, the less I'm interested in putting on pretenses," says Adam Wright, the band’s mandolin player who shares lead vocals with violinist, Skellie. "The songs we're releasing now have so much to say about who we are and what we believe. I want people to see authenticity. I want them to feel served. I want them to find the joy we feel in this music."
The state of Alabama has proven to be rich soil for the creative growth of Act of Congress. They have consistently been voted a "Must See Live Act of Alabama" and were the featured artist in the state's “Keep Alabama Beautiful” campaign. Their global audience has also continued to grow after completing five tours as U.S. State Department Cultural Ambassadors in Thailand, Oman, Palau, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Philippines, East Timor, Bali, Liberia, and Jordan.
Alongside their busy touring schedule, Act of Congress is also regularly invited to play with symphonies, having put together a must-see Christmas event and a new "Bluejeans and Bluegrass" pops concert. Their current song licensing catalog includes placements with Showtime and Google. They have performed at SXSW and the International Newgrass Festival and their full set from Newgrass is still in regular rotation on National Public Television. They are also regularly featured guests on the nationally syndicated Rick & Bubba Show.
This Christmas EP and their original Christmas single, Here Comes the Joy, are just a taste of all that's on the horizon for this electrifying acoustic quartet.
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Alabama Emerald Coast Conference Hurricane Relief Response
The information below outlines the many ways we as individuals, as a church, and as a conference can help those affected by Hurricane Helene. If you have any questions, please call our church office or contact David Smalley (davids15@mac.com).
- Assistance Deployment - Wait for a relief group to be formed by our Conference Relief Team.
- Purchasing and assembling Cleaning Buckets - There is a need for more than 14,000 of them just in the state of Florida. These buckets cost about $85.00 each to make. Instructions are on the website.
- Make Health Kits - These items are always needed in every disaster. Instructions are on the website.
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Monetary Donations - https://donorbox.org/alabama-emerald-coast-conference-global-methodist-church. 100% of that donation will go to other Global Methodist Conferences currently in need to help the survivors of this Disaster Event in their Conference.
For more conference relief information, contact Ron Toole (AEC Conference Disaster Response Coordinator at email: AECCDisaster@gmail.com or cell: 850-582-2605)
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As we give from the heart, we sow seeds into God's kingdom. Galatians 6:9 encourages us, "And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap if we do not give up." Our giving will bring a harvest of blessings beyond what we can imagine. | |
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Congregational Care
As a caring community of believers, we commit the names listed below for your prayers and expressions of love and care:
CMCA Family:
Jim Carroll, Gene and Rita Chandler, Melody Cruz, Pat Douglas, Harry Gill, Sherry Guenther, Kay Guthrie, Bess Lord, Caleb Pipes, Ruth Register, Keith Ryland, Becky Speigner, John and Connie Staton, Nancy Tel, Sherwood and Betty Thomas, Rita Tuck, Gary Webb, Bill Wilkinson, Kay Yeager
Extended Friends and Family
Jessica Flurry Blalock, Nancy Flurry's granddaughter; Tim Boosinger; Max Bush, Craig and Lisa Leonard's grandson; Adam Cannon's (one of our New Birth helpers) brother; April Coulter; Hudson Early, Sandra Fisher's great-grandson; Tad Gidcomb, Ann Thompson's nephew; Carolyn Hill, Marlene Bowman's mother; Dennis Hill, Nancy Teel's son, Taylor's, father-in-law; Matthew Hood; Elizabeth and Jason Moore, Butch Foster's daughter and son-in-law; Mary Frances Murray, Alicia Conn's mother; Lisa Norrell, friend of Janet Wilson; Stephanie and William Philpott, Gayla Seller's daughter and son-in-law; Dan Pope, Dannelle Fogal's father; Ray Porterfield, Nancy Flurry's son; Sandy Robinson, Wanda Ptomey's cousin; Richard and Joyce Stanyard, Larry Stanyard's father and mother; Brent Wilson, Craig and Lisa Leonard's friend; Christopher Wyatt, relative of Judith Gibson; Chuck Dupree and Martha Cauthen, friends of Beverly Webster and Sue Daniel
We celebrate with Pam and Dan Baker as they welcome a grandson, Nolan Daniel Shaffer (two years old), adopted from Colombia, South America, by Lauren and Joe Shaffer on October 15th.
If you have additional prayer requests or other needs, please send to:
prayer@christmethodistauburn.com
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