Ministries - Augusta Road United Methodist Church

Music

Our 11am Praise service combines scripture and music. We welcome your addition to our Joyful Noise!

Our choir performs at the 11 am service and practices on Wednesday evenings. Adults who like to sing but can’t commit year-round can contact Tom about joining in the seasonal special music performances for Easter and Christmas.

Our Praise Band also performs at the 11am service and rehearses on Wednesday evenings after choir. We currently have drums, guitars, and a piano.

Children’s

We believe it is not only important to nurture our children and help them grow in a closer walk with the Lord, but it’s also important to serve our families. To spend time together and lift each other up allows us to grow stronger in our relationship with the Lord and each other. We strive to do this through our Sunday School classes, family gatherings and outreach ministries. We want to serve our Lord through serving our families!

We have a range of children’s groups & activities to serve our community’s children and their families.

There is a nursery available for our youngest members and guests during the Sunday school hour as well as the 11 am service.

We have Sunday School classes for children ages 3 & up, and Children’s Church for children ages 3 through first grade after the children’s moment during the 11 am service.

We invite the families of our community to join us for vacation bible school (VBS) during the summer and at our fall festival & trunk or treat during the fall.

Youth

Our youth group is made up of middle and high school students. They meet weekly for a time of faith & fellowship.

Prayer

We believe that what is important to us is important to God. Share your concerns for people and events here and we will alert our prayer warriors to your needs. Use this form to contact our church family to tell us who (and how) we can help.

Sunday School

Families who worship at ARUMC can grow in their faith with peers and together with our larger church family. Our programs follow the UMC Safe Sanctuary https://www.umcsc.org/safe-sanctuaries/ guidelines.

Nursery – We have a crib room for infants to age two with trained volunteers. Come and see this attractive, efficient space.
Preschool – As babies become toddlers, we welcome them to their own class at 10am with short Bible stories, games, and simple crafts. Most kids stay here until age 5. A trained volunteer teaches this class.
Elementary – Generally children Kindergarten age through fifth grade come to this class. The students memorize bible verses, read Bible stories, and work on projects. The Children’s Coordinator teaches this class at 10 am with a rotation of volunteers. During the 11am Praise and Worship Service, children of this age group stay in the sanctuary for part of the service and come for Children’s Church in the Fellowship Hall for the remainder of worship.
Youth – Our students from sixth grade up meet in a conversational area with media equipment to study God’s word and to plan their next activities. Our Youth Coordinators teach this class along with volunteers.

Our four adult Sunday School classes meet at 10am. Come and visit any of them to meet our church family informally.

Agape Class – This Sunday School class is for adults. Our current study series is from the Standard Lesson Quarterly, The Righteous Reign of God. We focus on relating Scripture to real life and spiritual practices such as forgiveness and hope.

Connections Class – Connections is a multi-generational group whose focus is on exegetical studies as well as topical studies of current events and the relevance of Scripture to our daily lives. Recent studies have included the Gospel of John, The Miracles of Elisha, and our upcoming study is The Next 15 Prophecies. The class has occasional ‘going deeper’ sessions to allow class members to meet away from church for food, fellowship, and extended teaching/discussion on the current class study.

Seekers Class – We “seek” to grow as Christians to better represent Jesus in our daily lives. The class members are ages 50+, sharing our experiences as we study the Bible and related materials. We enjoy get-togethers for food and fellowship and we also participate in mission projects, such as providing Christmas gifts for needy families and doing painting and cleanup as needed locally.

Pathfinders Class – This is an adult Sunday School class typically for ages 30 to 55, all ages are welcome. We are a group of friends on our way to the path of understanding God’s word!

Young Adult Class – This Sunday School class is for adults typically ages 18- 30. We are into God’s word to help us understand what plans He has for our finances, relationships, friendships, and our accountability as young adults. Outside of Sunday School, we have a chance to meet monthly for a fun gathering to build our relationships with the groups as well as community outreach.

Small Groups

Small Groups change lives because they are covenantal in nature. These groups are faith-driven by members who are supported and challenged by the call of the Lord to deepen their faith. While Sunday School is also a Small Group, these men and women meet at times other than Sundays. Signup sheets are on the Narthex (Lobby) table in the weeks leading up to the first gathering of the group.

Seasonal Studies. Usually for Easter and Christmas, we focus on materials to help us apply lessons from Jesus’ life to ours. We have studied various books, from Andy Stanley to Max Lucado. Usually, the Small Group has a 15-minute video and then discussion and prayer to follow. Small groups are offered at various times.

Grief Support Group. Pastor Smith leads a Grief Support Group periodically. It usually meets at 10:30am in the Fellowship Hall.

Discipleship Studies. We have lay leaders who lead group discussions of various books that encourage discipleship and spiritual growth. We have studied, for example, Larry Osborne’s Sticky Church and Thom Rainer’s I Will: Nine Traits of the Outwardly Focused Christian.

Confirmation Class is led by Youth Coordinators Lindsey and Anthony Esposito. The class typically meets in the Spring on Sunday afternoons or evenings.