Music Ministries at Auburn UMC

Music Ministries at Auburn UMC Like and Share our page to keep up with all the music happenings at Auburn United Methodist Church. Psalm 33:1-3 (NIV)

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Worship is the many ways that we show God our love, adoration, honor and praise. Music and creative arts are some of the ways that we worship at AUMC. These include Adult Choirs, Youth Choirs, Celebration Praise Team, and Handbell Choirs. We also host guest musician performances throughout the year. Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous;

it is fitting for the upright to praise him. Praise the LORD with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre. Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.

Psalm 148:1-2 & 13–“Praise the Lord from heaven! Praise God on the heights! Praise God, all of you who are his messenger...
05/29/2026

Psalm 148:1-2 & 13–“Praise the Lord from heaven! Praise God on the heights! Praise God, all of you who are his messengers! Praise God, all of you who comprise his heavenly host!…Let all of these praise the Lord’s name because only God’s name is high over all. Only God’s majesty is over earth and heaven.”

At the 11:00 a.m. Sanctuary service on Sunday, May 31, the Chancel Choir and Orchestra will share a very special Trinity Sunday worship service.

Through our music we will fully proclaim the majesty and glory of the Trinity—God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Throughout the year, we mention the Trinity when we recite the Apostle’s Creed. When we sing “Holy, Holy, Holy” or say “Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory” during Communion, we recognize the Triune God. But, we have just this one Sunday each year actually called Trinity Sunday which is the third and highest of the three high holy Sundays of Ascension, Pentecost, and Trinity.

Vocally we will begin with four anthems incorporated into the regular order of worship: Dan Forrest’s arrangement of “Great Is
Thy Faithfulness”, our own choir member Charles “Matt” Martin’s “Trinity/Father We Praise Thee”, Dan Forrest’s “Forevermore”, and Marian Forman’s “One Jehovah” (from “Trinity”).

Then, as the sermon, we will share Rene’ Clausen’s arrangement of “Te Deum”. The “Te Deum” is one of the oldest and grandest hymns of the church. Often attributed to St. Ambrose in the 4th century, its precise origins are shrouded in mystery, but it has been known since the 5th century and by Medieval times, it was a familiar hymn all over the Christian world. The text is drawn from various parts of the Bible, woven together in such a way as to summarize the whole of Christian doctrine. Vocally, it is a challenging and glorious work. The orchestration is beautiful.

We think this Sunday will bring a new understanding of God’s power and promise in our lives as God continues to provide us with hope both for today and for tomorrow even in times of trouble—“O Lord, have mercy upon us, have mercy upon us. Oh Lord, let thy mercy lighten upon us, as our trust is in thee. O Lord, in thee have I trusted, let me never be confounded.”

All are invited to join us this Sunday at 11:00 a.m. in the Sanctuary. We especially invite our 8:30 a.m. worshippers to enjoy brunch in between services and to join us again at 11:00 a.m. The two services will both focus on and praise the Triune God, but they will be different in style. As a Chancel Choir, we pray that we will be God’s messengers in praising Him and proclaiming His majesty as we present the “Te Deum” and other anthems this Sunday.

Psalm 8:8–“O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is thy name in all the earth!”Isaiah 6:3–“Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of host...
05/29/2026

Psalm 8:8–“O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is thy name in all the earth!”

Isaiah 6:3–“Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!”

It is not often that we share separate Music Ministries posts with highlights musically for the 8:30 a.m. Chapel service and the 11:00 a.m. Sanctuary service, but this week is one of those weeks. Both will celebrate Trinity Sunday, but the services will be distinctive.

On Sunday, May 31, the 8:30 a.m. service in the Chapel will begin musically with an organ prelude of “Introit and Hymn on Holy, Holy, Holy” shared by Sandra Watwood, who served as our organist for many years and who will bless us once again this Sunday. Her prelude will be followed by the congregation singing verses 1-3 of “Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty”. As the first verse says, “Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee!” so it is very fitting for the 8:30 a.m. service on Trinity Sunday. Written in 1826 by Anglican Bishop Reginald Heber, “Holy, Holy, Holy” is widely considered to be the most representative and iconic Trinitarian hymn of the “modern” Christian tradition.

The middle hymn at the Chapel service will be verses 1-3 of Charles Wesley’s 1747 hymn, “Maker, in Whom We Live”. Originally titled “To the Trinity”, Wesley was one of the first to incorporate the idea of the Trinity into hymns. It first appeared in the Methodist Hymnal in 1821. It is sung to DIADEMATA, the same tune as “Crown Him with Many Crowns”. Predating, “Holy, Holy, Holy”, it is considered to be the most Wesleyan/Methodist of the hymns that focus on the Trinity.

The Chapel service will have a traditional sermon shared by our lay leader Dr. Leonard Bell.

The 4th verse of “Maker, in Whom We Live” will be the closing hymn; the benediction response will be the 4th verse of “Holy, Holy, Holy”; and Sandra’s postlude will be “Finale on Holy, Holy, Holy”.

We do hope that many of you who regularly attend the 8:30 a.m. service will consider enjoying the 5th Sunday Brunch and that you will then also attend the 11:00 a.m. Trinity Sunday service presented by the Chancel Choir and Orchestra. A post regarding the 11:00 a.m. service will appear shortly.

05/24/2026

Sanctuary Worship Service

Psalm 104:30-33–“When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground. May the glory of the...
05/21/2026

Psalm 104:30-33–“When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground. May the glory of the Lord endure forever; may the Lord rejoice in his works—He who looks at the earth and it trembles, who touches the mountains and they smoke. I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.”

Acts 2:1-4–“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound came from Heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each of them. And they were filled with the Holy Spirit…”

Pentecost, derived from the Greek word “pentekoste” means “fiftieth”. It marks 50 days after Easter Sunday. It marks the shift from Jesus” earthly ministry to the ministry of his followers, empowered by the Holy Spirit. The sanctuary will be decorated in reds and oranges to resemble tongues of fire and our music from prelude to congregational hymns to the anthem to a sung response to the postlude will focus on breath and the Holy Spirit.

Congregational hymns will be “O Breath of Life” which is sung to the well known tune of “O For. Thousand Tongues to Sing”, “O Spirit of the Living God” which is sung to the familiar tune of “I Sing the Almighty Power of God”, and “Spirit of the Living God (Fall Afresh on Me)”.

The Offertory Anthem shared by the Chancel Choir at 11:00 a.m. will be “Holy Spirit, Hope and Healer” — “Holy Spirit, Hope and Healer, fill me with your gift of love. Holy Spirit, Guide, Revealer, come and bless me from above. Tune my heart to your intention. Light my mind with Heaven’s Flame. Holy Spirit, Dove of Heaven, claim my heart in Jesus’ name…Call my hands to selfless service. Raise me up on wings of Grace. Holy Spirit, Well of Wisdom, hold me fast in your embrace. Holy Spirit, Wind that woos me, blow the seeds of doubt away. Flame of Faith, inspire, infuse me with assurance, come what may. Breathe your Breath of Life and Living deep into my very soul. Holy Spirit, All Forgiving, melt me, mold me, make me whole.”

The service will conclude with Sarah Cater playing a joyful arrangement of “Every Time I Feel the Spirit.” All are invited to celebrate Pentecost Sunday at Auburn UMC this Sunday, May 17, and to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

From the Apostles Creed—“…he ascended into Heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty”Psalm 68:4–“S...
05/15/2026

From the Apostles Creed—“…he ascended into Heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty”

Psalm 68:4–“Sing to God, sing praises to his name; lift up a song to him who rides upon the clouds; his name is the Lord, exult before him.”

Ephesians 1:17-21–“that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your heart enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are his riches in the glorious inheritance of the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power in us who believe, according to the working of his great might which he accomplished in Christ when he raised him from the dead and made his sit at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is to come.”

May 17 is the 7th Sunday of Easter and it is also called Ascension Sunday, the first of three successive high holy Sundays we observe this month. It is when we celebrate Jesus ascending into heaven to sit at the right hand of God.

All of our hymns this Sunday will focus on the Ascension, beginning with Matthew Bridges’ “Crown Him With Many Crowns” (1851), then Charles Wesley’s “Hail the Day That Sees Him Rise” (1739), and closing with Isaac Watts’ “Jesus Shall Reign” (1719). Of special interest is that the composer of tune “Llanfair” to which “Hail the Day That Sees Him Rise” is sung was Robert Williams, who was born on a farm in Llanfechell, Anglesey, Wales in 1782. Blind from birth, he earned his living as a basket maker, but he was also a musician of great repute. He composed the tune “Llanfair” in 1817, just one year before his death in 1818 at the age of 36.

At the 11:00 a.m. service in the sanctuary, the Chancel Choir will share a 2014 arrangement of “Praise My Soul the King of Heaven”, a hymn written by Henry Lyte in 1834 and set to music composed by John Goss in 1868. This hymn was used at the wedding of then Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip in 1947, at the funeral of George H.W. Bush in 2018, and at the coronation of King Charles III in 2023.

We hope you will join us this Sunday. Dr. Jeff Wilson, our former District Superintendent and current assistant to AWF Conference Bishop Holston, will be preaching this Sunday. Our service will both open and close with Sarah Cater playing an arrangement of “Jesus Shall Reign”. It should be a glorious Sunday!

Psalm 66:8&20–“Bless our God, O people, let the sound of His praise be heard…Blessed be God, because He has not rejected...
05/07/2026

Psalm 66:8&20–“Bless our God, O people, let the sound of His praise be heard…Blessed be God, because He has not rejected my prayer or removed His steadfast love from me.”

Ephesians 2:8–“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God.”

Sunday, May 10, is the 6th Sunday of Easter. God’s Grace as the cornerstone of our faith will be the theme upon which music will focus this Sunday at Auburn UMC.

Congregational hymns will be very familiar, truly some of our cornerstone hymns—“The Church’s One Foundation”, “Come Thy Fount of Every Blessing”, and “Amazing Grace”.

At the 11:00 a.m. Sanctuary service, the Chancel Choir will share the anthem “Grace Alone” which is based on Ephesians 2:8. It is a contemporary gospel style of anthem written in 1998 by Scott Wesley Brown and Jeff Nelson. Scott Wesley Brown is an American singer and songwriter who has recorded 25 albums and who has served as a worship pastor at a church in San Diego. He also worked closely with the US Center for World Missions and has taught many worship and mission seminars.

Guest pastor David Chunn will use Ephesians 2:1-10 as the foundation for his sermon on Sunday, so this anthem is very fitting.
The lyrics will appear in the bulletin and the chorus lyrics are shared in the photos attached to this post.

All are invited to share in God’s Grace this Sunday at Auburn UMC either at 8:30 in the Chapel or at 11:00 in the Sanctuary.

John 14:1 & 6–“Let not your hearts be troubled; believe in God, believe in me also…I am the way and the truth and the li...
05/01/2026

John 14:1 & 6–“Let not your hearts be troubled; believe in God, believe in me also…I am the way and the truth and the life.”

John 15:4-5 & 9-11–“Abide in me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches…As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”

On this 5th Sunday of Easter and 1st Sunday of May, we will celebrate both our high school seniors and Holy Communion. Musically, our high school seniors will process into the sanctuary to the strains of “Lift High the Cross” which will be shared by both the congregation and the Chancel Choir. Our other congregational hymn will be “Great Is Thy Faithfulness”, a hymn often chosen for Senior Sunday.

The Offertory Anthem will be a vocal and piano solo of “Abide” shared by our Director of Youth Ministry Jackson Smith. “Abide” is a 2021 worship hymn written by Aaron Williams based on John 15:4-5.

Please join us on Sunday, May 3, as we celebrate Holy Communion and honor our high school seniors. It will be a meaningful and joyful Sunday.

A last minute announcement! Due to inclement weather, the Auburn Community Orchestra concert, originally scheduled for P...
04/28/2026

A last minute announcement! Due to inclement weather, the Auburn Community Orchestra concert, originally scheduled for Pebble Hill, has been moved to the Auburn UMC sanctuary this evening (Tuesday, April 28) at 6:30. Chris Rodger, member of our Chancel Choir and father of our Associate Pastor, Katrina Paxson, plays violin in the Auburn Community Orchestra.

Psalm 23:1-3–“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want; he makes me to lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside s...
04/23/2026

Psalm 23:1-3–“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want; he makes me to lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul.”

Isaiah 40:11—“He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs in his arms, he shall carry them in his bosom, and he shall gently lead those that are with young.”

Matthew 11:28–“Come to me all who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.”

The Fourth Sunday of Easter is traditionally called Good Shepherd Sunday where we are invited to contemplate one of the most tender images found in Scripture.

Music on Sunday, April 26th, will focus on Jesus as the Good Shepherd, beginning with Sarah’s prelude of “The King of Love My Shepherd Is.”

Our opening hymn, “Come, Christians, Join to Sing” invites us all to sing praises to our Lord, replete with Alleluias as we continue to celebrate the Easter season. We will move then to the other two congregational hymns which reference the Lord leading us as a Shepherd—“He Leadeth Me” and “The Lord’s My Shepherd, I’ll Not Want”.

Special music will continue the Good Shepherd theme. At the 11:00 a.m. service the Chancel Choir will share “Savior, Shepherd, Lead Us” prior to the reading of the 23rd Psalm. At both the 8:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. service, Karen Hopkins and Noemi Oeding will offer a duet of Handel’s “He Shall Feed His Flock/Come Unto Him” which is based on Isaiah 40:11 and Matthew 11:28.

We will welcome our District Superintendent, Dr. Sterling Boykin, into the pulpit this Sunday. All are invited to Auburn UMC this Sunday, to have your soul restored!

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137 South Gay Street
Auburn, AL
36830

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+13348268800

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