The AUMC Life Center was built over 15 years ago. The church leaders had a vision for this facility to be the “center of life” for so many ministries. In the last week, survival kits, basketball hoops, and pancakes helped us to live out our vision to Connect, Grow and Go.

This past week, AUMC welcomed 27 guests that began to arrive in our parking lot at 12:30 a.m. Each guest was there to gain a coveted spot for their child at the Weekday Learning Center (WLC). These parents lined up in the wee hours of a cold, wet morning in anticipation of connecting their children with an important life-line for their formative years. Several AUMC men welcomed and hosted them inside our Life Center with hot cups of coffee and breakfast.

The AUMC youth made “survival kits” of several goodies with relevant Bible scriptures. The WLC has an outstanding staff led by a remarkable AUMC woman who truly lives out “servant leadership.” She is the ultimate champion of WLC’s mission “to serve God and to share the gifts He has given to us by providing a loving, caring, and nurturing learning environment for all children he sends our way.” The highest compliment of our WLC program is when we hear from local teachers that they can always count on our graduates to have a strong foundation of learning and relational skills.

Proverbs 22:6 reminds us “that we are to train children in the right way, and when old, they will not stray.”

On any given Wednesday in our Life Center you can hear the familiar rhythmic cadence of bouncing balls, a symphony of squeaky tennis shoes against the gym floor, and the swishing sound of the ball hitting nothing but net. Boys and girls all line up in anticipation of the next drill. You can see a familiar AUMC man, “Coach,” towering over the aspiring basketballers of all ages and heights calling out instructions and encouragement.

This ministry called “Project Hoops” reaches outward to other nights of the week to provide a welcoming place for over 120 young boys and girls wanting to learn from the wise coach. This community outreach impacts many young people’s lives by teaching leadership, teamwork, community involvement and mentoring skills. These lessons go far beyond basketball to connecting lives and helping to grow the next generation of coaches and leaders in our community.

Philippians 4:9 tells us, “whatever you have learned or received or heard from me; or seen in me-put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”

Last week our life center was transformed into a house of pancakes,aswe prepared for the Lenten season. People lined up in anticipation as the wonderful wafting aroma of fresh made griddle cakes, slathered in savory butter and sticky sweet syrup, enveloped our senses and made our tummies sing. The “kings of flapjacks” men of AUMC with the support of the “especially sweet” ladies of AUMC cooked and served up these delicious and filling delights with hearts of compassion.

“Pancakes” represent opportunity for AUMC families to fellowship and raise funds for mission and outreach. We can proclaim the “good news” to those outside our church by being the hands and feet of Jesus. These missions will bring a life-line of sustaining basic needs that many of us take for granted.

Isaiah 52:7 encourages us; “how beautiful on the mountain are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “your God reigns!”

We line up for things that are important, that connect us with others, that help us to grow, and that challenge us to go out into the world. Survival kits, hoops and pancakes accomplished that this past week. What new ministries are on the horizon for AUMC? Only God knows, but we can anticipate that there will be a line, perhaps a life-line.

Peace,

Kenny Shortsleeve, Lay Leader
AUMC Family since 1988