Country Talk - Jan. 2014 by Amlin United Methodist Church

A newsletter for the Amlin United Methodist Church community

C OUNTRY T ALK AmlinUMC.org

The Word

“Where is the newborn King of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.” -Matthew 2:2

MARK YOUR

Calendar

You won’t want to miss these exciting church events! Check out the back calendar for more!

January 4 Serve lunch at WSFS

January 7 @ 6:30 (and every Tuesday) Tavern Theology Pint Room, Dublin January 9 Ad Board meeting January 12 & 19 Youth Group meetings

Mondays, after 1/13 Women’s Bible Study Run for God Disciple

January 2014

Amlin sets worship record on Christmas Eve Amlin UMC set an all-time, single-day worship attendance record on Christmas Eve with 229 people joining us to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Pastor Steve was thrilled to see so many people invite others to Christmas Eve services. “We are grateful that God is leading new people to Amlin to worship with us. I am excited that so many folks invited friends, family, and neighbors to church on Christmas Eve,” he said. Many factors beyond personal invitations could account for this year’s higher than typical worship attendance. While both worship services featured candlelight and communion in the New Life Center, differences were highlighted. The 6:00 pm service was promoted as a child-

The Children’s Choir performed at the 6:00 pm Christmas Eve service.

friendly service and it had nearly double the attendance of the 8:00 pm service. The praise team provided music, along with the children’s choir. The 8:00 pm service was more traditional, fea-

turing an adult choir. Rev. Lynn Pease provided organ music for the service. Other factors may involve our Live Nativity held midDecember, higher than typical worship

attendance in the month of December, and newspaper ads designed to target new attenders. Our web page also promoted our Christmas Eve services to the community.

The story of how Amlin UMC changed one person’s life

olling

I pressed the button on my garage door opener as I was preparing for my morning drive to work. The sound was quite horrendous as

and went through my head. Too often, those unpleasant thoughts and feelings presented themselves in my life. I paused and took inventory of my life. I had it all. A beautiful wife, a nice house with a big yard, an amazing son and another child on the way, and a pretty sweet truck. What

else was there? It felt like my garage door had fallen on top of me as I realized what it was that was missing. I had no connection with God. Something had to be done. My wife and I shopped churches for a while. Walking into a new church can be quite intimidating. Who should we talk

to? Where do our kids go? Where should we sit? Will this church be okay with what we believe? What do they expect from us? Is there anyone here we can connect with? After some time, my wife and I ended up at Amlin. We were immediately welcome. Continued on page 2

In My Own Words

Tyler H

the gears inside the opener shredded themselves. This is by no means the appropriate venue for sharing the thoughts that entered my mind at that moment. A couple of days later, as I fussed with the tattered pieces of my garage door opener, a few more of those unrepeatable thoughts came

The story of how Amlin UMC changed one person’s life (continued from front) People sought us out to say hello and to learn about our family. A few even remembered my children’s names when we returned again. It was amazing. We decided to stick around. To be completely honest, my adult experience as a Christian is fairly weak. I went to church regularly growing up, but I had stopped attend-

ing and taking the time to seriously reflect on religion in my life. Recently, however, I have been blessed by the opportunity to participate in the tavern theology group. We haven’t been meeting long, but I am discovering that the relationships I am building with people in Tavern Theology are different than the rela-

tionships I build in other parts of my life. Each week, we all arrive with just a little bit of vulnerability. We are real with each other. The group has abandoned the traditional Sunday morning handshake and obligatory greeting. Instead, we are taking to time to share real things with each other. We are getting to know each person at

the table, not just each name and face. With this opportunity, Amlin is providing me with an experience to grow as a Christian, and others to do it with. Before attending Amlin, I felt like I was behind. Perhaps I didn’t know as much as I should about the Bible and being a real Christian. However, Amlin has separated itself from

PRAYER CORNER Please keep the following persons in your prayers. If you have a prayer request, you are invited to write it on a prayer card, loqcated in the pew, and drop it in the offering plate or contact the email prayer ministry at wing1@sbcglobal.net. We will list prayer requests in the bulletin and newsletter for one month, unless you prefer not to have them printed. Chic & Carl Norm Workman John Mike Spiert Christian Mateos Family of Ruth Rumchek Carolyn Thompson John Thompson Jennifer Beckley Barb Heckathorn Carolyn Karen Kasey Sandy Dustin Starkey Branden Lighter Don Gedeon Karen Downard & family Bill McFadin People in Run for God Bree and her family

Trish Pete Gerry Lasson’s jail ministry Lisa Cooke Unspoken Prayer Pete and Steve Lisa Krause Family Mary Jo Bob Smith Cassie Barb Nicole Bagchi Lyn and Dolores Gail Campbell Family of Lana Wisecup June Stout Eugene Stout Sandra Martin Time with family Safe Travels

Alex Mateos Drew Chuck & Mary Kay Withrow Mary Baumler Those who are grieving Mildred Bonner The Kyle Family Forrest Gribler Carla Swami Pauley’s niece & family

Country Talk is a monthly publication of Amlin United Methodist Church, issued at the beginning of each month. The deadline for articles is the 20th of each month for the next month’s issue. Articles and photos should be put in the church’s DropBox account. If you need access to the DropBox account, please contact the office at AmlinUMC@aol.com. If you have other questions about or suggestions for the newsletter, please email Jennifer Sayre at JenniferSayre7@gmail.com.

other churches I have attended by meeting me where I am as a Christian and providing me with an opportunity to commune with others that want to grow as well. I have a lot of learning to do still. But that’s okay. I am discovering that at Amlin, I have others to do it with. Thanks for that. Tyler Hollinger

CONTACT INFORMATION Amlin United Methodist Church 5441 Cosgray Road Dublin, Ohio 43016 Phone: (614) 771-1904 Email: AmlinUMC@aol.com Website: www.amlinumc.org Church Fall Office Hours: Wednesdays 9:30 - 3:30 Fridays: 9:30 –12:30 Or by appointment Pastor Steve Putka sputka@me.com or (614) 668-5001 Pastor of Administration Jennifer Gedeon (614) 562-2868 Traditional Service Music Angela Adkins Lynn Pease Christian Mateos Contemporary Worship Leader Jason Hissong Supplementary Worship Leader Todd Hanes Joan Lasson Kaci Osbourne

Regular Sunday Morning Schedule 9:30–10:30 Traditional Worship* & Sunday School in the Chapel 10:30–11:00 Fellowship Time for Both Services in the New Life Center 11:00–12:00 Contemporary Worship* & Sunday School in the New Life Center 12:00 p.m. – Fellowship Time in the New Life Center *Nursery care (birth through 3 years) is provided in the New Life Center throughout the morning. Sunday School is for ages 3 through grade 6 is held during both services. Children start in the worship service and are dismissed following “Children’s Moments.” They move to the Fellowship Hall, where they participate in lessons including songs, prayer, bible study, etc.

Treasurer Dee Elkins (614) 771-1904 Financial Secretary Becky Kent (614) 446-2359

I have always had some difficulty with harsh distinctions between secular and sacred. What does it mean for something to be sacred? How does one objectively define From Pastor Steve Putka holiness? I have been to church sanctuaries that look and feel more like secular convention centers to me. And Ozzie Osbourne standing in the redwoods of California, I felt like I was in and the Church Organ the most beautiful cathedral imaginable. What makes a place holy? Stained glass? The cross? Is it someone saying a blessing in a place? Is it that people year after year id you know that in the early church, no pray there? Is God in some places more than others? musical instruments were played? Early Things get even more blurry for me when it comes to Christians considered standard musical music. Does music become sacred simply because God is instruments profane (non-religious), and would not permit mentioned? And perhaps more importantly, can music be them in places of worship. The instrument that we seen as sacred even though God is not mennowadays most easily associate with Christian mutioned specifically? Early Christians sic, the pipe organ, was not found in our churches I am a fan of the rock band Rush. While God is considered for the first 800 to 1000 years! not mentioned, the song "Closer to the Heart" is standard And then in the 1500s in Europe, many churches a song of renewal and hope that to me feels permusical instrumade the decision to "go back to the old days" and meated with the gospel. Can this song be called ments profane throw out those “profane” musical instruments sacred to me? (non-religious), again! In the 1600s musical instruments began to In the rock classic Crazy Train, Ozzy Osbourne and would not show up in churches again, never to be thrown out sings a song of lament. He laments about milpermit them in by the majority of churches again. And the pipe orlions of people living as foes, unhealed hurts places of gan, often called the King of Instruments, returned within him, and his hope that maybe it's not too worship. to its place of honor. For me, it's hard to believe that late for people to learn how to love and forget folks considered organ music to be profane and not how to hate. suitable for worship! This year, Amlin is going off the rails! Together Some of our readers likely know that I grew up Catholic. I we will be on a search to find the sacred in the stuff we remember in the 1970s that the associate priest wanted to normally see as profane. We will be exploring things that have "guitar mass" at our church. This was kind of a big deal we perhaps thought at first had nothing to do with God's to us young people at the time. The traditional older priest, love. For example, on January 12th we'll begin a new serwho had the final say, would not let guitar music be played in mon series called "The Gospel in Disney". We will still our church. He wouldn't allow what he considered a "profane retain and include sacred music, sacred words, and sainstrument" to enter the sanctuary. So, as it seems it has alcred traditions. But in 2014, you may also expect to exways been, the associate found a way around the whole perience and claim some non-religious, quite secular stuff mess. We packed the church's basement fellowship hall with as containing elements of the sacred. young people enjoying guitar mass. Wow! It never even ocAll aboard! curred to me that going to church could also be fun.

The Pastor’s Message

Kick off the new year of worship with Beginning January 12, Amlin will be kicking off a new worship series: The Gospel in Disney! Did you know that Christian themes run throughout many Disney animated classics? Week by week we’ll be exploring Christian themes that are highlighted in these familiar stories in both message and song. While Pastor Steve has been known to “call an audible” and shift the order or format, here’s the lineup we have planned: Jan 12: Snow White’s attraction to the poison apple, and how it all began Jan 19: How to become a real boy, and what Pinocchio can teach us Jan 26: The Jungle Book, and who you can trust as a man cub in the jungle Feb 2: Disney Princesses Feb 9: The Lion King, and how to avoid becoming a bug-eating lion Join us as we serve lunch at the West Side Free Store on Saturday, Jan. 4 Join us for our next UMW meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 9 @ 7:00 in the chapel

To Our Dear AUMC Family, Thank you so much for the love offering which was provided to me in our December 22 worship services. My family and I would like to express our deep gratitude for your generosity and kindness. It has been my privilege and joy to be able to serve God with you in 2013, and I look forward to another wonderful year together in 2014. Looking ahead, I remain excited to see where God will be leading us in ministry together. Yours in the joy of Christ’s service, Pastor Steve

R4G team celebrates weeks of training, braves the cold at the Jingle Bell Run Well we did it! After 12 weeks of training in the sun, wind, rain, freezing temperatures, and dark we ran and walked the Jingle Bell 5k! The weather did not look too promising for our graduation run, but after one person (Lyn) decided he was going, we all followed along! It was a cold run but the sun was out and inspiring us to keep moving on. I'm so incredibly proud of everyone! We had a wonderful 12 weeks of fellowship....we developed close friendships and had meaningful talks on God, running and health. We have laughed and prayed together. We have run our race and we continue to run God's race. Some of us have already made new goals in terms of running or walking that may include another 5k, a 10k and even a half marathon! We will keep you posted! Run for God has a new book coming out soon. We hope to start another class using that book in the spring. Hopefully the weather will be warmer and the sun will be out later! Information on that will come out next year. Thank you to all who participated. Continue to put the hay in the barn....we will see you at the blue caboose Saturday mornings!

Service Ministries Schedule

If you would like to provide Hospitality refreshments between the early service and the late service, or if you are interesting in Service Ministries as a Lay Reader, Usher or Greeter please contact Eugene Pauley @ 614-570-8706 or e-mail @ sepauley@aol.com. Thank you!

CURRENT RESIDENT OR

NONPROFIT U.S. POSTAGE AMLIN UMC AMLIN OH 43002 PERMIT NO. 2

Amlin United Methodist Church 5441 Cosgray Rd. Dublin, OH 43016

Sun

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4 Serve lunch at West Side Free Store

Tavern Theology 6:30 @ The Pint Room in Dublin

Youth Group (6:00-8:00)

Disciple Run for God Women’s Bible Study

Youth Group (6:00-8:00)

Disciple Run for God Women’s Bible Study

27 Disciple Run for God Women’s Bible Study

UMW meeting 7:00 Ad Board meeting

14 Tavern Theology 6:30 @ The Pint Room in Dublin Weight Watchers6:30 (NLC)

21 Tavern Theology 6:30 @ The Pint Room in Dublin Weight Watchers6:30 (NLC)

28 Tavern Theology 6:30 @ The Pint Room in Dublin Weight Watchers6:30 (NLC)