Audio Files - 2011
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.
Audio 2010 | Audio 2009 | Audio 2008 | Audio 2007 | Audio 2006
December Messages
December 25
"All’s Well that End’s Well" - Andy Noel - no recording available.
December 24
"Christmas at the Movies - Polar Express" - Andy Noel- send to a friend
This Christmas Eve we examine the central tenet of faith in a God who became human. The Christmas story from Luke rings like a bell the claims that are made about Christ’s birth. Can you still hear the rings of this familiar bell?
December 18
"Christmas at the Movies - It's a Wonderful Life" - Andy Noel- send to a friend
In this week’s movie George didn’t think he had a “wonderful life.” His life was filled with missed dreams and many struggles. Mary was “favored” by God to carry the Christ child, but her life was filled with heartache and struggles as well. Christmas carries the message that the follower of Christ will be “favored” by God. What does that mean and what does it not mean?
December 11
"Christmas at the Movies - White Christmas" - Andy Noel- send to a friend
Many in our culture confuse hope with wishful thinking. At Christmastime it is easy to mask our hopelessness temporarily with the trappings of the season. The test of our religion is the banner that we display as we walk through life. What spiritual banner does your life display?
December 4
"Christmas at the Movies - How the Grinch Stole Christmas" - Kristin Bogart - send to a friend
Will the Grinch steal your JOY this Christmas? Join us as we look at the ways God has shared joy and how we might find true joy. See how the story of the Grinch reflects God’s joy and how we might make joy real in our lives this year.
November Messages
November 27
"Christmas at the Movies - Home Alone" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
Advent begins this Sunday with a focus on peace. Like the speaker from Isaiah and our characters from the film “Home Alone” we lack peace when isolated from God’s presence. Peace involves more than just lack of conflict, but requires a deep yearning for the mystery of God.
November 20
"Community Thanksgiving Message" - Rev. David Nelson - send to a friend
November 20
"A Week of Thanksgiving" - Carrie DeLeon - send to a friend
What does a king look like? Join us as we explore what we mean by Christ as King and what that means for us as people of faith in this week of Thanksgiving.
November 13
"Declarations of Your Heart: Extravagant Generosity is an Expression of Your Heart" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
Today is Commitment Sunday. As you come to the altar to express your extravagant generosity to Christ and His church, ask yourself the questions: who has been my model of generosity? Do you ever wonder who are the most generous in our society? The answer may surprise you.
November 6
"Bucket Lists: 'Visions and Hope Are Inspirations of the Heart'” - Andy Noel - send to a friend
This week we focus on vision and hope as necessary to support the generous spirit. These attributes overcome spiritual blindness and fear. The prophet Joel and Jesus bring us important words to enlighten the generous path we are to take. This week we highlight the ways in which your generosity enable ministry in 2011, and a vision for ministry for 2012 and beyond.
October Messages
October 30
"The Art of Love: Relationships are Matters of the Heart" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
This week we explore what the Bible means by the word “heart.” We will look at how love in relationship is central to our hearts. Moses and Jesus bring us laws about the heart and about the kind of love that should fill our hearts and relationships.
October 23
"EKG: Ministry Flows from the Heart" - Kristin Bogart - send to a friend
As we begin to our stewardship campaign, we will talk about differences between stewardship and generosity; exploring why we would want to be generous and the results of generosity.
October 16
"Meeting God on Mount Atascocita-Part 2 " - Andy Noel - send to a friend
Jesus stresses that the cost of discipleship is high. Following Jesus should take precedence over family, over friends, over everything. As Christian parents, our most important task is to raise our children to love and respect God and neighbor. The time that we give to God is the best indicator of the quality of our discipleship.
October 9
"Meeting God on Mount Atascocita-Part 1 " - Andy Noel - send to a friend
Poets and prophets are called to convict us of our responsibility. Jeremiah is both poet and prophet. Jeremiah’s poetic prophecy speaks to how God blesses and curses the land because of human behaviors. Most believe today that God doesn’t act in this way anymore. Human beings, however, are given stewardship by God to protect and preserve the land. If only God can make a tree, humans man make a mountain? Come this Sunday to find out the answer to this question.
October 2
"God’s Vision for AUMC: Outward in Serving as Called by the Spirit" - Kristin Bogart - send to a friend
This Sunday we will look at Outward in serving as called by the Spirit. Come join us as we explore the last line of our new vision statement and explore who the Holy Spirit is and how our lives are affected by the power of the Holy Spirit.
September Messages
September 25
"God’s Vision for AUMC: Inward in Taking Our Next Steps with Jesus - Andy Noel - send to a friend
This week we further understand our vision involves moving “inward taking our next steps with Jesus.” Peter, who was Jesus’ closest apprentice, shows the radical inward changes that Jesus requires. Three bold drawing lines mark that we are keeping step with the Master.
September 18
"God’s Vision for AUMC: Upward in Relationship to God" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
Today we focus on the first part of our new vision statement – Upward in relationship with God. The psalmist speaks of the journey to the Holy Temple in Jerusalem at festival time. Our faith journey begins in public worship as we proclaim that the Lord protects us. Travel with us this Sunday and you will meet an unexpected fellow traveler at the city gate.
September 11
"David and Mephibosheth: This is your Life" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
The loyalty between David and Mephibosheth is a model for us all. We have to wonder how Mephibosheth became lame. If we understand what happened to him and what his name means we can unlock the mystery of the hidden Christ in this story. Come join us for the thrilling conclusion to this series.
September 4
"David and Absalom: This is your Life" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
The “sword” that hung over King David because of his sin was most painfully felt in the life of Absalom. Absalom suffered from the tragic flaw of AMBITION. Is ambition an altogether bad thing? How can we understand ambition to be a healthy quality in our lives?
August 2011 Messages
August 28
"David and Bathsheba: This is Your Life" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
Many of the characters surrounding David’s life serve to point to the trajectory of David’s life. Bathsheba is such a character. Although David sinned and suffered the consequences of those sins (as did his family), God forgave him, spared his life, and blessed him through his progeny. God’s justice holds us accountable through the consequences of our sin; His mercy spares us from death for our sin; His grace uses our sin to bring about the miracles of His Kingdom.
August 21
"David and Jonathan: This Is Your Life" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
It’s said that you can count your true friends on one hand. This is because many of our “friendships” are motivated by self-interest, or by social need (fishing buddies, etc.) or they are friends for a season only. So what kind of friendship survives and thrives to become sacred that we can count it on our one hand. The friendship between David and Jonathan is a model for us all. Closer than peas and carrots, centered in self-sacrifice, and strongly resistant to the forces that would destroy their love, they show us the kind of friendship that can last a lifetime.
August 14
"David and Saul: This Is Your Life" - Kristin Bogart - send to a friend
Saul decides to destroy David and David responds. Join us this Sunday as we explore how jealousy effects relationships and how God can help us deal with the jealousy in our lives.
August 7
"Where Are You Going?" - Kristin Bogart - send to a friend
We are all challenged to work for God, sharing the good news. In Luke 10:1-9 Jesus sends disciples out into the world with some very specific instructions. Come join us this Sunday as we explore what those instructions look like for contemporary people and celebrate the work our congregation is doing in the world.
July 2011 Messages
July 24
"Dying Well: “Don’t worry about the mule going blind, just load the wagon" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
As we prepare to “die well” we must let go of physical things as we embrace spiritual things. The Apostle Paul was a tent-maker and he would have known the difference between an earthly tent and a heavenly home. How do we prepare to let go of the tent as we await the trip to our heavenly home?
July 17
"Dying Well" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
David’s lament over the death of King Saul and his friend, Jonathan, is a lyric poem of mourning. Christians often don’t mourn very well. Our discomfort with death and our quick movement to the resurrection often rushes the process of mourning. Reflecting on the ancient Jewish mourning traditions brings us back to healthy grieving so that our lives can be enriched forever.
July 10
"Dying Well: What the Bible Teaches About Death" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
The Bible deals frankly with death. There is no evasion or sugar-coating of this end stage of life. Dr. Ira Byock’s book, “Dying Well,” is a breakthrough book to help families find holy ground during this last life phase. Abraham’s family had to work through a few issues before he could be “gathered to his people.” There are four critical things to be said to your loved ones before you leave this earth.
July 3
"A Prayer for Our Nation" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
Psalm 72 is known as a “royal” psalm and it celebrates the wisdom of the King in administrating justice to the most vulnerable of society. On this 4th of July Sunday we celebrate the blessings of our country, its wise governance model, and our freedoms to exercise our diverse faith traditions.
June 2011 Messages
June 26
"Does Love Always Win? Images of Heaven in the Epistles" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
This week we conclude our study of heaven and hell with the oldest text from the New Testament. Most people do not think deeply about the afterlife. Paul paints a vivid picture that sustained the first believers even in the midst of persecution. What does a lasting picture of heaven look like for us?
June 19
"Does Love Always Win? Gehenna" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
Jesus is one of the few voices in our Bible invoking the name of Hell. He seems to reserve the judgment of Hell only for those who cause others to stumble. The writers of the Bible and the great artists and theologians of the ages all point to the reality of Hell as a self-imposed exile of sin, which finally can consume a soul.
June 12
"Does Love Always Win? Abraham’s Bosom" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
Jesus speaks in a parable about an afterlife experience featuring “Hades” and “Abraham’s bosom.” Our Christian tradition has been fascinated for centuries about these places of temporary punishment and reward. Come hear how we might make sense of his warning about these spiritual places in today’s time and place.
June 5
"Does Love Always Win?" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
The human soul has sought transcendence through an afterlife since the dawn of self-consciousness. Rob Bell’s best-selling “Love Wins” seems to claim that all people will go to heaven. Other Christians claim eternal torment for much of humanity. Who is right? Come on a journey with us as we look at the history of human thought and Biblical teaching on this fascinating subject.
May 2011 Messages
May 29
"Jumbo Shrimp and Good Suffering" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
The most powerful truths about ultimate reality often come to us through paradox. Jesus often taught through paradox. We often desire simple truths without the difficulty of paradox. Come hear three powerful paradoxes that Peter brings to us about what it means to be a Christian.
May 22
"Knot the Way" - Kristin Bogart - send to a friend
This Sunday we read Jesus famous words “I am the way, the truth and the life.” Join us as we talk about what this means for us and our relationship with God and our neighbors.
May 15
"Abundant Living" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
When we make the gospel a rulebook we rob the power of the gospel to open the gate to abundant living. What makes the gospel good news is the winning leadership of Jesus. Jesus did not come to bring a new rulebook, but the freedom to enjoy life.
May 8
"Reflections on Mother’s Day" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
On this Mother’s Day we celebrate the virtues of those mothers in our lives. We will look at the ABC’s of those motherly characteristics that we see in great women of the Bible and in the wisdom of the Proverbs.
May 1
"The Road of Learning Never Ends" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
On this Confirmation Sunday we will examine the calling to lifetime learning inspired by the resurrected Christ. Jesus teaches us keys to keep the light of learning in our hearts so that we might burn with passion as did the pilgrims on the road to Emmaus.
April 2011 Messages
April 24 - Easter Sunday
"Love Casts Out All Fear" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
The Easter story from the gospel of Matthew is filled with fear and awe for God’s mighty work of raising Jesus. But we learn from the women that “love casts out all fear.” The good news of Easter is many things: Jesus is alive and goes before us; He has defeated death; but most of all, it is that Jesus forgives you!
April 21 - Maundy Thursday
"Can You Drink The Cup? An Act in Three Movements" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
What is your understanding of the Eucharist? We can view the cup as a cup of wrath or a cup of blessings. Our Christian faith gives us the sense that the cup is not just half-full but overflowing with the grace of God.
April 17
"Can I Get There with a Two Horsepower Savior?" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
Matthew’s story of Jesus’ triumphal ride into Jerusalem seems almost comical… a king riding in on two donkeys! Powerful kings had much more horsepower than this as they celebrated their triumphs in human history. Arriving at the kingdom of heaven depends on the road taken as well as on the power of the Savior.
April 10
"With These Hands: Prayers of the Martyr" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
None of us will probably be called to carry Christ’s cross in the way that Simon of Cyrene was called. Martyrdom takes many forms, not always requiring the sacrificing of one’s life; nevertheless, the prayer of the martyr is always one of sacrifice if we are to follow upon the path that Jesus leads us.
April 3
"With These Hands: Unanswered Prayer" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
This is one of the most famous psalms for Jesus quoted this lament when he was dying on the cross. More than the cry of the suffering servant who feels God has not heard him, it is a psalm filled with hope. Come hear the encouragement that the psalmist gives us when it seems that God has ignored our prayers.
March 2011 Messages
March 27
"With These Hands: Transcendent Prayer" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
This week we look at “transcendent” prayer or what is more commonly referred to as “relational” prayer. Relational prayer asks for nothing from God other than to languish in his presence. It is the principal method by which we fall in love and abide in God. It’s what Jesus practiced and is the key to “eternal” life.
March 20 - Weekly Homework Excercises
"With These Hands: Prayers for the Ages" - Kristin Watts - send to a friend
How do you feel when praying the Lord’s Prayer or other prayers of this kind? Do you feel like you are really praying? Do you feel like you are just repeating a bunch of words? Why?
March 13 - Weekly Homework Excercises
"With These Hands: Prayer 101" - Kristin Watts - send to a friend
As we begin our Lenten series on prayer, we will explore one of the very first conversations with God to see what light it sheds on our own prayer lives. We will explore some basic assumptions about prayer and examine our own understandings and practices as we prepare to grow in prayer over the next 40 days.
March 9 - Ash Wednesday Service
"Congratulations, Enclosed is Your Reward!" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
Do you make your gifts and sacrifices to please people or to please God?
March 6
"Twelve Steps for Healthy Living – Step 12 – 'New Creation'" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
We examine the final step on our spiritual journey this week…to take the message of spiritual change that has happened in our lives to others. Spiritual awakening is somewhat like metamorphosis. Have we been radically changed to take God’s message to the world?
February 2011 Messages
February 27
"What Are You Worth?" - Rabbi Jonathon Siger - send to a friend
Rabbi Siger's current appointment is as Rabbi for Congregation Jewish Community North. He is a frequent lecturer, panelist, and media spokesperson, particularly on interfaith issues and the Arab-Israeli conflict. He has conducted workshops on improvisational bibliodrama (comedy Bible study) at national conventions and local synagogues.
February 20 - Weekly Homework Excercises
"Twelve Steps for Healthy Living – Step 11 – 'Prayer'" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
We cannot begin to understand the agony that Jesus underwent in the Garden of Gethsemane. Somehow his communication with God empowered him not only to ask that God’s will be done, but also God empowered him to do it! Our prayers and meditations equip us to be filled with truth and light.
February 13 - Weekly Homework Excercises
"Twelve Steps for Healthy Living – Step 10 – 'Self Examination'" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
Socrates said that the unexamined life is not worth living. Most of us, however, are ill-equipped to objectively examine our successes and failures. The God of Psalm 139 assures us of His constant searching of our soul and His loving presence. What does it mean to be “hemmed in” by God? How does that assurance give us strength to live our daily lives?
February 6 - Weekly Homework Excercises
"Twelve Steps for Healthy Living – Steps 6 - 9 – 'Reconciliation'" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
This week we explore preparing our hearts for God to remove our character defects and the courageous step of making amends with those whom we have harmed. Jacob was a hero of the faith but did serious harm to his brother Esau. After twenty years of estrangement, they are reconciled by the power of God’s love. Come find out how the power of making amends can change your life.
January 2011 Messages
January 30 - Weekly Homework Excercises
"Twelve Steps for Healthy Living – Steps 4 & 5 – 'Confession' and 'Forgiveness'" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
This week we consider two steps that help us to “clean house” spiritually. Most of us walk around with unresolved conflicts and resentments that cry out for confession and forgiveness. Sometimes the hardest part of forgiveness is in forgiving ourselves. Steps four and five teach that we must approach God and one other person with our wrongs if we are to be truly free from guilt.
January 23 - Weekly Homework Excercises
"Twelve Steps for Healthy Living – Step 3 – “Surrender”" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
This week we consider the step of surrender to God in ALL areas our life. How difficult this is for us! Jesus teaches in the Sermon on the Mount and in his obedience to death on a cross that surrender to God is at the center of spirituality. But can God be trusted?
January 16 - Weekly Homework Excercises
"Twelve Steps for Healthy Living – Step 2 – “Repentence”" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
We continue with our spiritual walk toward health with our coming to believe that God can restore us to “soundness of mind.” The Gerasene Demoniac in the gospel of Mark was possessed by a legion of demons. By the miracle of Jesus’ healing he was restored to sanity. Find out how each of us through God’s healing touch can find a path back to soundness of mind.
January 9 - Weekly Homework Excercises
"Twelve Steps for Healthy Living – Step 1 – “Powerlessness”" - Andy Noel - send to a friend
This Sunday we begin an 8-week spiritual journey in seeking peace with ourselves, with God and with neighbor. The first step in our “recovery” is in realizing our powerlessness. The Apostle Paul rejoiced in his powerlessness (weakness) in that it revealed the power (strength) of God. Come find out what it means to say, “God’s grace is sufficient.”
January 2, 2011
"Fools Rush In" - Kristin Watts - send to a friend
The Wise Men couldn't have found the Christ child without searching the scriptures and studying the signs. Can you find your relationship with Christ without studying the scriptures?
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