Weekly Greeting: May 21

Good Morning Parish,


May the joy of Christ be with you! As we approach the culmination of Eastertide with Pentecost, we celebrate several gifts simultaneously: the Jewish Feast of Weeks (unity, giving of Torah and covenant relationship with God), baptism of the Holy Spirit, and the birthday of the Christian Church. This year, Pentecost also coincides with Heritage Sunday, celebrating Methodist story and the Aldersgate awakening of John Wesley. There will be two services: 8:30 am zoom (invitation link to follow) and 10 am (Drive-in, 88.3 FM/livestream). This will be UMCA’s last Drive-in Worship Service (for the foreseeable future), so we would love to have you share in it with us.


In addition to the Worship Guide, Mission Opportunities, copy of last week’s message, I have attached to the weekly greeting email a Re-Entry Invitation letter announcing UMC of Auburn’s return to ‘in person worship’ services on Trinity Sunday, Memorial Day Weekend, May 30th. The 8:30 am service will also continue to be available on zoom, and the 10 am service will also continue to be available online as a livestream, subsequently posted to website, www.auburnmethodist.org.


Thank you for your faithful financial support during these last fourteen months of pandemic accommodation. There is a deposit box to the right of the church entrance (from parking lot) which has been installed for parishioners’ convenience. On Wednesday, we will celebrate the life of beloved UMCA member Rev. Walter Brown who was a modern circuit-riding preacher pastoring many Methodist churches here in Maine over the last 65 years. His Celebration of Life will be held outside at Empire Grove on Wednesday, May 26th, 1 pm. On Sunday, May 30th, afternoon, we will celebrate with Carl Woodhead as he receives Eagle Scout recognition at a Court of Honor, continuing our scouting tradition. He is the third UMCA Eagle Scout celebrated this month!


Our next men’s Fellowship Breakfast, which includes participants from Calvary UMC in Lewiston and High Street Congregational as well, will be a sit-down, ‘in  person’ breakfast on Saturday, June 5th, 7:30 am. We hope you will join us! We encourage masks inside the church building, but will not, obviously, be wearing them while we eat, so please consider that as you discern the safety level of gathering.
May your day truly be blessed,


Pastor Steve Bascom, UMC of Auburn