A Church on North Main Street, Reaching Across DeKalb County
Auburn Church of the Nazarene meets at 2301 N. Main Street in Auburn, Indiana, in the heart of DeKalb County. The congregation exists, in its own words, to share "the life-changing message of Jesus Christ" with the surrounding area, and it is built around a relaxed, come-as-you-are culture designed to welcome first-time guests without pressure, criticism, or judgment. From Sunday school classes at 9:00 a.m. to a corporate worship service at 10:00 a.m., and from Tuesday and Wednesday evening programs for kids and students to small groups scattered across the city during the week, ACN keeps a steady rhythm of ministry going throughout the week.
The congregation is led by Interim Pastor Kent Wright and a staff team that includes Student Ministry Pastor Mark Mahoney and Worship Leader Emily Stoner, along with ministry coordinators, small-group leaders, and volunteer committees. Together they hold to the Articles of Faith of the Church of the Nazarene and run a busy week that touches every age group.
Sunday Mornings at 9 and 10
Every Sunday begins at 9:00 a.m. with Sunday school for every age group - from nursery through high school, plus several adult Bible study classes. Children's Sunday school takes place in the Children's Ministry Hallway and the gym, with check-in at the Children's Ministry desk. Youth Sunday school meets in a room behind the Sanctuary on the east side. Two adult Bible studies meet in Rooms 204 and 205, and a class called "Do Drop In" gathers in the lobby coffee area for anyone who prefers a less structured setting. Newcomers and visitors can drop into any adult Bible study.
The worship service follows at 10:00 a.m. in the sanctuary. The atmosphere is described as relaxed, with no dress code and no pressure. Music is described as "upbeat contemporary music blended with classic hymns of the faith" and is led by Worship Leader Emily Stoner. The preaching is centered on Scripture, and the whole service is livestreamed at 10:00 a.m. on the church's YouTube channel so that anyone who is traveling, sick, or simply curious can follow along at home. Past messages remain archived on YouTube for anyone who wants to revisit a sermon.
Wednesday Nights for Students, Tuesday Nights for Kids
Rise Student Ministry, led by Student Ministry Pastor Mark Mahoney, gathers on Wednesdays from 6:30 to 8:15 p.m. Dinner is typically served from 6:30 to 7:00 p.m., followed by worship, a sermon, small-group time, and games. The student ministry uses a small-group approach so that every teenager has a tighter circle of leaders and peers around them. Mahoney, who grew up in Lapel, Indiana, graduated from Indiana Wesleyan University with a degree in Youth Ministry in 2007 and joined Auburn Church of the Nazarene in June 2015. On the last Wednesday of each month, students meet at the YMCA Bridge Room rather than at the church, and the home page carries the latest location.
Children from Pre-K through 5th grade have their own Tuesday night program. Dinner is served at 6:00 p.m., followed by age-appropriate programming from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Three- and four-year-olds go through "Tell Me the Story," a narrative curriculum that walks through Old and New Testament stories. Kindergarten through 5th graders participate in "Elevate Kids," an energetic program filled with stories, songs, and high-energy activities designed to take children on a journey of biblical learning. The Tuesday and Wednesday night dinners are themselves treated as a ministry, with volunteers preparing, serving, and cleaning up the meals.
Sunday Children's Worship, Birth through 5th Grade
On Sunday mornings during the 10:00 a.m. service, children have their own children's worship time in a separate wing. Nursery care is offered in Room 101 for the littlest ones. Two- and three-year-olds meet in Room 103, K through 2nd graders in Room 105, and 3rd through 5th graders in Room 201. Volunteers run the programs, and the church provides parent resources like Plugged In, Splink, and Desiring God to help families reinforce faith at home throughout the week. Vacation Bible School returns each summer; the 2026 program is themed "Stellar," a cosmic-quest adventure for children from age 3 through exiting 5th grade, with music, Bible stories, games, and missions woven together.
Small Groups Around the City
ACN's small-group ministry meets in homes, restaurants, and rooms across Auburn, covering a wide range of interests and life stages. Offerings have included a women's study of the Book of Acts meeting at Beth Mahoney's home on East 1st Street, a men's breakfast study called "How a Man Faces Adversity" meeting at Joanna's Restaurant, a chronological study of the life of Jesus meeting at a host home on East 9th Street, and studies on grief, financial fitness, and a year-long journey through the Bible. "Why in the World" tackles the tough questions of faith at the church on Monday evenings, while groups designed for adults, men, and women gather on Sundays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Groups run on weekday mornings and evenings, and newcomers can sign up through the online form at any point.
An Adult Ministry Built Around the Next Generation
The adult ministry, coordinated by Doug Stockton, is unapologetically focused on raising up the next generation. The stated message on the Adult Ministry page is clear: "If you're not dead - you're not done." Beyond Sunday school, adults can plug into monthly men's and women's ministries, and the church runs the small groups described above that gather in homes throughout the week. "Guy Time" brings men together for monthly fellowship, while the women's ministry hosts monthly gatherings built around food and encouragement. Each adult ministry leader frames their work as a partnership with parents and grandparents, leaning into the conviction that godly adults are essential role models for the kids and students of the church.
The Articles of Faith
The church holds to the historic Articles of Faith of the Church of the Nazarene, summarized in sixteen points on the Beliefs page. The list begins with the Triune God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, eternally one - and moves through the person and work of Jesus Christ, who was incarnate by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, died for our sins, and arose from the dead. The list continues with the work of the Holy Spirit in regenerating the repentant and sanctifying believers, the divine inspiration of the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, and the doctrines of original and personal sin. From there it walks through the centrality of Christ's atoning death on the Cross, the doctrine of prevenient grace, repentance, justification, and adoption, and the possibility of entire sanctification subsequent to regeneration. The Church is described as the Body of Christ called together by the Holy Spirit to continue the redemptive work of Christ; baptism and the Lord's Supper are described as sacraments; the Bible's teaching on divine healing is affirmed alongside the use of medical science; and the list closes with the Second Coming of Christ and the resurrection of the dead, with the repentant receiving everlasting life and the impenitent eternal suffering.
A Heart for Visitation and Service
Service runs through ACN's weekly life. Tuesday and Wednesday nights depend on kitchen volunteers to cook and serve dinner to children and students before their programs; the church is always looking for hands to help prepare, serve, and clean up. Van drivers are needed on Tuesday and Wednesday nights to pick up kids and students who lack a ride. A visitation ministry sends adults and youth out to share Christ with the sick, hurting, and lonely in the community. Children's and student ministries always need volunteers to hold babies, play with toddlers, and invest in elementary kids and teenagers, and the church runs monthly workday projects at the building and around town that are open to all ages. Volunteers can sign up through the online service-project form, and the Tuesday and Wednesday night kitchens are described as outreach ministries in their own right.
Watching and Giving From Anywhere
The Sunday worship service is livestreamed on YouTube at 10:00 a.m., and the sermon archives remain available on the same channel for replay. Online giving is available through a secure portal, and the church notes that gifts support ministry to the world, the community, and the family of the church. The church office, managed by Office Manager Bralen Wright, is open Monday through Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The contact page also lists extended office hours from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, with the Sunday window running 9:00 a.m. to noon around morning services. The phone number is (260) 925-3480, the street address is 2301 N. Main Street in Auburn, and the mailing address is PO Box 510, Auburn, IN 46706. Bulletins are posted online so the congregation stays up to date on announcements and weekly rhythms.