Good Morning Parish,
On Wednesdays (10 am), I appreciate conversation with others as we journey through advent. The context emerges from letters of the theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer as he experienced advent in a concentration camp prior to his execution in April 1945. He described advent like this: “A prison cell, in which one waits, hopes…and is completely dependent on the fact that the door of freedom has to be opened from the outside, is not a bad picture of advent.”
With the current state of pandemic, many of us feel this way–waiting for another to do what we cannot yet do for ourselves, leading us to true freedom. God is on the move, deliverance is near, but for now, we wait…
Our services tomorrow will continue John the Baptist’s anticipation and announcement of the coming Christ (in person worship, 8:15 am and 10 am; online livestream, 10 am, church facebook page, with posting to website, www.auburnmethodist.org). The Worship Guide and Mission Opportunities are attached to the weekly greeting email. I invite you to join us for our advent devotional at 2 pm, via zoom (invitation on separate email). I apologize for not making it last Sunday for the devotional when the parsonage was without power.
Some opportunities:
- Live, Drive-thru Nativity, 12/20/20, 4 to 5 pm, UMCA Parking Lot (Great Way to Visit the Biblical Christmas Story)
- Change for Missions collected by the Youth Group for Trinity Jubilee Center Meals Program
- Thank you to Edith Coffin for identifying the tableau sequence to be presented!
- Christmas Eve, ‘In Person’ Worship, 12/24/20, 5 pm (CDC protocols/limit 45 in attendance)
- Christmas Eve, Lessons & Carols Service (via zoom), 9 pm
- Further Opportunities: UMCA Christmas Concert (uploaded to the church facebook page & website on Sunday, 12/13/20 at 6 pm)
You won’t want to miss this! (Thank you, Len Lednum and all the resident talent who made this possible) Blue Christmas Many Waters District Service, 12/20/20, 7 pm (zoom invitation link will be forwarded to the parish contact list) New England Conference Christmas Eve Candlelight Lessons & Carols Service (details to be announced)
When I last spoke with Jan Wilkinson, who, with Pam MacDonald, coordinate our annual Giving Tree program, we have been able to provide 105 area children with Christmas gifts this year! Thank you all for your extraordinary generosity and to the UMW for facilitating this vital outreach!
You are an amazing parish!
Pastor Steve Bascom, UMC of Auburn