Audio Files - 2009 Archives

Did you miss church recently?  Are you on vacation and need to hear a voice from home?  Did a recent message connect with you so much that you wanted to hear it again or wanted to give others the opportunity to hear it?  Do you just need to hear a message of hope? 

By clicking on the Message of your choice, you can listen to any of the currently available messages.  By clicking on the email link, an email message will be initiated with the link to the respective message in the body of the message for your convenience.

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December 2009 Messages

December 27
"Not Another New Year’s Resolution" - Carrie DeLeon - send to a friend
Are you one of the many who make New Year's resolutions each year?  Be honest - are you one of the many who have broken them by Jan 14th?  Get off that merry-go-round!  Come hear how we are called to a life resolution in Christ.

December 24 - Christmas Eve Service
"Christmas From the Inside Out" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” may be the greatest words in human history.  The Christmas story from the gospel of John contains no manger, no shepherds and no baby Jesus.  What it does contain is the very good news that Christ came down from heaven and crawled into our world.  Why?  Come hear the good news that Christ came to serve us, to salve us, and to save us.

December 20
"Christmas From the Inside Out - Respond!" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
The Innkeeper that sent the Holy Family to the animal feeding trough has a lousy reputation.  If you were him, how would you have responded?  Living “Christmas from the Inside Out” calls us to respond to God and neighbor with a radically different kind of love.  Come experience a kind of love that can change the world.

December 13
"Christmas From the Inside Out - Listen!" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
Ever get a Christmas song stuck in your head this time of year?  Even one that you can’t stand for its wrong message about the Christmas season?  Christmas happens from the inside out when we listen for Christ as He erases our old, negative tapes to proclaim for each of us, “I bring good news of a great joy for all people.”  Come here what that good news Christ is speaking to you!

December 6
"Christmas From the Inside Out - Watch!" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
Ancient people used to watch the stars to anticipate the coming of the messiah, the “morning star.”  Followers of Christ today don’t search the skies for the “morning star”, but instead look inward to the heart.  The journey from seeking to experiencing Christmas is a journey in the human heart.  The Kingdom of God lies within.  Come experience Christmas from the inside out.

December 6
"A Time to Remember and Release" - Kristin Watts - send to a friend
A special service of Hope for those who have lost a loved one.

November 2009 Messages

November 29
"Christmas From the Inside Out - Wait!" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
What if we spent all of the Christmas season waiting quietly for Christ to come?  Christmas happens not when we do something, but when God does something in us.

November 22 - Community Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service
"Response-ability" - Gary Anholt - send to a friend
Unless we are able to give thanks to God, we will never be able to share that which we are thankful for with others.

November 22
"Through the Looking Glass:  The Amazing Race " - Kristin Watts - send to a friend
Once again Alice helps us look at our discipleship.  By putting ourselves in the story of the Pharisees and the widow we will explore ways we give ourselves to God and the ways we keep from giving God our all.

November 15
"Through the Looking Glass:  Very Good Advice" - Kristin Watts - send to a friend
Alice helps us explore discipleship as Christ instructs us to take up our cross.  How can we carry this burden in a way that will make a difference in our lives and the lives of others?

November 7
"Through the Looking Glass:  Discipleship Wonderland?" - Kristin Watts - send to a friend
Jesus' kingdom is not of this world, so what does it mean to be in the world but not of the world. Jesus never affirms nor denies the accusation that he is King of the Jews. Are we listening to the demands of discipleship if we proclaim Jesus is King?

November 1
"A Great Cloud of Witnesses" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
All Saint’s Sunday is the day in which we remember those who have died in the past year.  With a mixture of sadness and joy we celebrate those who have gone before us to be with God.  Come experience the victory we share in our ultimate destiny.

October 2009 Messages

October 25
"How's That Working for You?  Don't Give Up...Don't Ever Give Up!" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
The Christian faith is unique in the world as one that proclaims the resurrection of the body.  So does God really raise people from the dead?  What are the implications of Christ's resurrection to you and me?  Come hear the wild, crazy news that you are to be raised from the dead!

October 18
"How's That Working for You?  Red Tag or Blue Tag?" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
Paul stresses that our giving is to be “extravagant,” (that is, extreme or excessive), just as Christ’s life was poured out for us.  Come hear the suggestions that Paul has for the charity of the Christian.

October 11
"How's That Working for You?  If It Feels Good, Can I Do It?" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
We have been freed by the grace of Jesus Christ to do what we want.  We are no longer judged by our works.  However, to be a Christian means that we sacrifice our own freedom for the sake of others.  Come see how we understand this lesson to our everyday witness to the world.

October 4
"How's That Working for You?  Country Club Member or Ambassador for Christ" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
Our lives are filled with credentials that give us access - driver's licenses, diplomas, passports, PINS giving us access to bank accounts, club memberships, just to name a few.  What gives us access to the Lord of Life?  Scripture says through sin we have been estranged from God.  Come hear the good news of Christ's reconciling love.

September 2009 Messages

September 27
"How's That Working for You?  Heads I Win, Tails You Lose" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
Church conflict is ubiquitous, but it doesn't need to become litigious.  Christians are called to live as Kingdom People.  We are called to live as if we are already in Heaven.  Come hear how we overcome our litigious culture.

September 20
"How's That Working for You?  Christian Cliques or One in Christ?" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
Our world seems filled with conflict and divisions.  Is the church any different?  The Apostle Paul says "there should be no divisions among you (the church)."  How can we reflect the diversity of God, yet be one in Christ?"  The answer lies in our humility.

September 13
"Four Quartets:  A Study of the Psalms - What a Wonderful World" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
Psalm 8 is a praise psalm that proclaims "God is big and I am small."  So how is that good news in a culture that teaches us that "we are big and God is not?"  Come hear how us little humans have been given the blessing of taking care of the Creator's "wonderful world."

September 6
"Four Quartets:  A Study of the Psalms - The Sound of Silence" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
Where do we find purpose in the midst of spiritual darkness in our lives?  Psalm 88 presents a soul who can no longer hear God's voice.  Come hear how we hear God's voice amid the sound of silence.

August 2009 Messages

August 30
"Four Quartets:  A Study of the Psalms - I'll Be There" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
Psalm 139 presents an image of God that is both comforting and intimidating.  God "hems" us in.  Do we really want God in our face all the time?  Come hear how our Perfect Parent says to us, "I'll be there!"

August 23
"Four Quartets:  A Study of the Psalms - Joy To the World"  - Andy Noel - send to a friend
The Psalms are the primary devotional writings of our Bible.  They express the heart’s exploration for God.  We will explore this Sunday what it means to experience “passionate worship.”  Come prepared to be surprised by the Spirit!

August 16
"Worship, It's Not All About You!" - Nancy Shortsleeve - send to a friend
How do you define worship?  And how do you participate in worship?  Sometimes we leave worship feeling empty, unfulfilled, and even distracted from God.  Have we lost sight of the spirit and truth of worship?  On Sunday, we'll take an introspective journey back to the heart of God's worship.

August 9
"Cats in the Cradle" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
As fathers, have we fully expressed our love to our children?  King David was a great leader, but an inadequate Dad.  Come hear about this most poignant story of all the Bible and learn how to be the Dad you always wanted to be.  You moms will want to hear this heart-warming message as well!

August 2
"Live Out Loud!" - Michelle Ivy - send to a friend
Our Youth lead all 3 services this Sunday.  They provided all aspects of the service from music, ushering, media, message, and more.  This was an inspirational worship service built on the faith and service of our Youth!

July 2009 Messages

July 26
"There’s an App for That - Connecting the Dots" - Kristin Watts - send to a friend
Connect the dots is a game many of us played as children.  When drawn together they created a picture from seemingly random dots.  It took all of the dots to make the whole picture.  The early church had the same experience of connecting all their dots together.  Yet this is probably not our experience of church.  Join us Sunday as we explore how the dots are connected in our lives and how as United Methodists we express being connectional.

July 19
"There’s an App for That - Loving Discipline" - Kristin Watts - send to a friend
Jesus said the greatest commandment was to love God with all your heart, your soul, your mind, and your strength.  In trying to live this way do we simply submit to the loving discipline of God or must we find a way to love discipline in our lives?

July 12
"There’s an App for That - Social Holiness" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
Has anyone ever said to you, "You are the salt of the earth?"  What are the properties of salt that are so important to us in our daily living?  Come hear how salt, light, and goodness apply to the social witness that we show to the world.

July 5
"Freedom by Law or the Spirit?" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
This weekend we celebrate our nation's founding.  Many people call the Apostle Paul the "founder of Christianity."  His letter to the Galatians is a kind of "declaration of Christian freedom."  Come hear how a Christian's freedom comes from a different source than a country's freedom.

June 2009 Messages

June 28
"There's an App for That!  Moving In" - Kristin Watts - send to a friend
In moving in to God's house, are you on the porch, going through the door, or dealing with the boxes inside?  Come and hear how God's grace is present in each of these places.

June 21
"There's an App for That!  Can You Drink This Cup?" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
Holy Communion is one of our two Holy sacraments.  It is surely a sign and Christian discipline in which we partake regularly.  But how is Christ present in the sacrament?  And what benefits does its practice have for our life?  Come hear how the Eucharist applies to our life journey.

June 14
"There's an App for That!  Watermarked for Life" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
Do you remember your baptism?  Does it matter if you do?  God marked you as His on the day of your baptism.  We will not only seek a better understanding of what our baptism means, but we will also reaffirm our baptismal covenant as a congregation.  Come join us!

June 7
"Who's Your Preacher?" - Carrie DeLeon - send to a friend
What does a call into ordained ministry have to do with me?  Come find out as we talk about how to create a “culture of calling” in our church that allows us all to find the ministry to which we have been called.

May 2009 Messages

May 31
"Hair of the Dog" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
Pentecost is the birthday of the church.  The first witnesses were accused of being drunk with the Spirit, like drinking in the morning as "the hair of the dog."  Come witness the intoxicating work of the Spirit in our lives as God does for us what we can never do for ourselves!

May 24
"Holy Conversations:  Understanding World Religions - Judaism "
Andy Noel - send to a friend - Sermon slides
Holy conversation is possible with Jews if we are careful not to proselytize.  Instead we are called together in both of our traditions to "repair the world" in partnership with God.  Come hear how we can form this partnership.

May 17
"Holy Conversations:  Understanding World Religions - Mormonism"
Andy Noel - send to a friend - Sermon slides
Mormonism is one of the fastest growing religions in the United States.  Some ask, "Is Mormonism a Christian religion?"  It has much in common with Christian beliefs and practices, but adds the Book of Mormon, and other ideas about God and the afterlife.  Come learn more about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and how it relates to our Christian tradition.

May 10
"Holy Conversations:  Understanding World Religions - Islam"
Andy Noel - send to a friend - Sermon slides
Christians, Jews and Muslims come from the same family, that is, we are all children of Abraham.  But it seems like the family feud never ends.  Holy wars...Jihad...world conflicts everywhere.  Our one hope is that we can have holy conversation.  Come hear about the hope we can still claim for holy conversation as we study together about Islam.

May 3
"Holy Conversations:  Understanding World Religions - Buddhism"
Andy Noel - send to a friend - Sermon slides
Jesus said, "I am the light of the world."  Buddhism promises a path to enlightenment by breaking our cravings that lead to life's sufferings.  Come hear how the Christian and Buddhist are similar in their worldviews and how they differ in the answers to life's greatest questions.

April 2009 Messages

April 26
"Doubt" - Andy Noel - send to a friend - Sermon slides
Jesus admonishes the so-called "doubting" Thomas, "don't doubt but believe!"  But does he really?  We will look again at the post-resurrection scene to see if honest doubt plays a role in our journey to find a more authentic faith.

April 19
"Holy Conversations:  Understanding World Religions - Hinduism"
Andy Noel - send to a friend - Sermon slides
John 14:7 proclaims that only Jesus is the "way, the truth and the life."  The Hindu religion teaches that there are many paths to God.  Come hear how to have a conversation with a Hindu follower, how to know more about their religion, and how to gently present the gospel to those Hindus who want to find out if Jesus is the "Way" to God.

April 12
"Finding Love at the Corner of St. Peter & Bourbon" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
Easter comes at intersections in our lives.  We meet Jesus at the cross and at the empty tomb, led by something.  Some of us are like John who are led by our heart.  Some are like Peter who are led by our head.  Some are like Mary Magdalene who are led with our chin!  However God made you, come and hear the good news of the Easter story!

April 9
"A Meditation" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
Our feet ground us to God's earth. Jesus knew this and washed his disciples' feet as a sign-act of how we are to love and care for one another.  Serving others is messy business.  We take risks as others may not thank us or appreciate us for what we do.  But service "grounds" us in God and binds us to His Church.

April 5
"Your Last Meal With Jesus" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
What if you had an opportunity to sit down and dine with Jesus and you also knew that it would be the last time you would be able to do so?  What would your dinner conversation consist of?  How would you act just being in His presence?

March 2009 Messages

March 29
"A Leap of Faith - Zacchaeus" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
What if Jesus walked up to you and said, "I MUST come to your house today.  Hurry, let's go, NOW!"  Would we rush home to straighten up the messes?  What would we show him?  On this Commitment Sunday, come meet Zacchaeus who had to answer those very questions.

March 22
"Leaps of Faith of an Odd Couple:  Cornelius and Peter" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
Sometimes God calls together odd couples to accomplish God's mighty purposes.  Peter and Cornelius were such a couple.  The only thing they shared was a sacred space called "prayer."  Come hear the kind of prayer that we can give back to God that allows God to use us for his pleasure and for the building of God's Kingdom.

March 15, 2009
"A Leap of Faith - Ruth" - Kristin Watts - send to a friend
The God of Israel was foreign to Ruth.  Yet she stayed with her mother-in-law going to a foreign land taking a chance on an unknown god.  What can we learn from Ruth’s brave actions?

March 08, 2009
"A Leap of Faith - Elijah" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
When it comes to our commitment to God and His Church, are we leaping in faith commitment or limping in lukewarm ambivalence?  Come here the bold example of Elijah, who against all odds, was a witness to God's power to meet the needs of His people after an oppressive 3-year drought that had crippled the nation of Israel.  In drought or economic slump, in whom do you put your trust?

March 01, 2009
"A Leap of Faith - Rahab" - Kristin Watts - send to a friend
Are you willing to take A Leap of Faith?  Come and hear about the risks involved and the rewards given for doing so.

February 2009 Messages

February 25, 2009 - Ash Wednesday
"Reality Programming" - Kristin Watts - send to a friend
God's Reality Programming results in everyone making the cut.

February 22, 2009
“The People of the Book:  Jewish Stories as a Key to the Survival of a Nation” - Rabbi Dan Gordon - send to a friend
Rabbi Dan Gordon tells about the Jewish tradition of questioning, which led to the writings of the Midrash or legends about what might have happened and illustrates with several stories.

February 15, 2009 - Dancing With the Stars Series
"Joseph – the dance of visionary leadership" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
Joseph was a born, visionary leader.  That quality almost got him killed in his youth and certainly got him kicked out of the family by his jealous brothers.  But in this story we see how great leaders not only have the ability to “dream” a vision, but also have the ability to communicate that vision and get other leaders “on board.”

February 8, 2009 - Dancing With the Stars Series
"Jacob - The Dance of Courage" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
Jacob was a kind of scoundrel - one who stole his brother’s birthright.  But he grew up to be a man whose sons formed the first tribes of the nation of Israel.  Do you struggle with God from time to time or do you exhibit blind, unquestioning faith?  Is it OK to wrestle with God?  Come hear this story and reflect on your own struggles with faith?

February 1, 2009 - Dancing With the Stars Series
"Abraham - The Dance of Faith" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
The story of the “binding of Isaac” is one of the most inscrutable stories in all of Scripture.  Would God really call Abraham to sacrifice his only son?  Would God take the chance of foiling his own plan for the destiny of humanity?  This story gives us insight into what God must have felt as He watched Jesus die on the cross.

January 2009 Messages

January 25, 2009 - Building Healthy Relationships... Series
"Building Healthy Church Relationships When You Can’t Make Your Pledge of Time, Talent and Treasure" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
These economic times have caused us to make serious sacrifices.  Churches are suffering financially, just like families and businesses.  What does the Lord require of us in these times in our sacrifice to AUMC?  The parable of the talents teaches us that the “ Kingdom of Heaven” requires us to make proportional sacrifice to the blessings we have received.  Come hear how to avoid the paralysis of recession and to share sacrificially.

January 18, 2009 - Building Healthy Relationships... Series
"Building Healthy Family Relationships when you can’t go visit Mom and Dad" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
Family love stresses that “blood IS thicker than water.”  The Greek word “storge” (or family affecton) is best exemplified by the love between a parent and child.  The sacred stories of the Bible, like our story of Joseph and his family, can help us work through our family conflicts.  The social sciences also teach us that families are complex, emotional systems.  Come hear how you can become healthier individuals within more loving, healthier families.

January 11, 2009 - Building Healthy Relationships... Series
"Building Healthy Friendships when you can’t buy lunch" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
Someone once said, “A friend is the one who comes in when the whole world has gone out.”  Jesus and Peter were the best of friends.  When the resurrected Christ appeared at the lakeshore that morning for breakfast with his best friend he demonstrates how authentic friendship is always costly, involves genuine intimacy, and is ultimately affirming and encouraging.  Come hear this good news that promises to enhance your friendships.

January 4, 2009 - Building Healthy Relationships... Series
"Building Healthy Marriage relationships when you’re eating beanie weanies" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
How to continue to experience love even when financial goals are falling short.