Yes!

Agreeing with your partner is the first rule in improv. It is what keeps things going and gets you places you wouldn't have gone by yourself. Oh yea, and it's really funny.
Our spiritual lives are like improv except our partner is a lot bigger. Agreeing keeps things going and gets us places that are amazing.
In the first chapter of Luke, Mary gets the pitch from God (via Gabriel) and her response was, "...Let it be with me according to your word." (Luke 1:38)
So this Sunday Sept 2 at 4 p.m. we'll begin our service with some improv practice.
Then we'll go visit with some folks at Autumn Care (especially our friend Marg, and anyone you might know). We'll get a chance to share some smiles, some scripture, some agreement and maybe even a song. It will be a great way to be in worship.
Then, we'll head back to Wesley Cottage by 5:30 for hotdogs and nachos or whatever you want to bring. (Rob will bring hotdogs and buns you bring the rest)
Since we won't have school the next day, we'll have a movie or two set up (if you have a netflix or iTunes suggestion let me know) and you can bring any games you would like to play as we say goodbye to summer.
Bring a friend or an enemy you would like to be friends with...
Rob

Stone Soup Worship this week will be on Saturday Evening 8/18 before the dance.
Katrina has put the info together for us for Contra Dancing and Camping!

Important Contra info: FUN !!!!! its fast, spinny, but importantly no pressure just come and experience great live music and dancing!

The band  is SLIGO CREEK STOMPERS [Sarah Foard, Adrian Erlinger, Jess Eliot Myhre, Chris Ousley ]

bring drinking water and flat shoes.  Dance shoes, jazz shoes, simple flats...basically anything Will work (people wear tennis shoes and boots!), BUT it is easier with something with worn soles with a  bit of slip to them.  bare feet are not allowed.

                      pot luck is at 6:30, lesson 7:30, dance starts 8:00, ends 11:00

                      $8.00 per adult (12 under is free)

Harvest Moon Society has a web site if you need more info. http://www.harvestmoonfolk.org/

and this is a great informational site about contra with a little video for those who would like a Pre-view!

http://www.sbcds.org/contradance/whatis/

Important Camping info: AT Jones Gap State Park Group Site A (really there is only one group site...) Tell ranger you are coming to camp at "group A Site".  They will direct you to "Camping parking" (which will be close to the office across the river) each vehicle must check in to get a parking tag...Then we will go to Camp site :) .5 miles  from car parking lot.

All are welcome, bring a friend or two or three!

We will be the leaving methodist church as a group at 1:30 (You can come to camp site ANYTIME its about a 30 minute drive), this is just for the ease of those wanting to head out together!). 

           Bring own camping gear..(tent, sleeping bag flashlights, bug spray...etc....)  We will have two stoves to share (Thomas and I are each bringing one so we can group cook breakfast in the morning).  Pancakes and scarmbled eggs?!  Smores at night?!

Sunday check out is technically 12 but they said there is no one coming in after us so......everyone can do what you like... hang out, bring some games, hike, play in the river!! relax.....

Please let me know if you have any questions, 

Katrina 828-606-8994

.....I can't think of anything else right now.

Lot's to recap here
This week Stone Soup Goes Tubing on the Green
Meet at 2 p.m. at the church. We'll carpool and head down to the Green River.
We'll get tubes at Green River Cove Tubing and start from there. Tubes are usually $7 per tube but I think we'll have enough for group rate and with the church rate we may only pay $4. We'll just have to see.
I'll paddle a ducky so I can carry some snacks (whatever you bring (within reason)).
Then we'll pull out at the rapid called Little Corky for snacks and worship.
I imagine we could be home by six, give or take?

Stone Soup for Aug 18-19 (Worship Saturday night at Jones Gap State Park) no Sunday afternoon service on the 19th.
Next week will be big fun. We're going to learn Contra Dancing.
Celtic spirituality says, "Never give a man a gun until he knows how to dance."
I think the idea is that you must know the joy and delight of what we treasure in orde to be good stewards. So let's go learn to dance...
Katrina leading us in this. Here's what she's setting up for us.
We have a camp site reserved for us in Jones Gap State Park. It fits up to 25 people and costs $6 per person for camping, 2 p.m. check in. Then in the evening, we'll go contra dancing ($8 per person, kids under 12 free). Don't worry if you've never done this before, they have lessons for beginners before the big dance. There is also a full pot luck before.
6:30 Potluck
7:30 Dance Lessons
8-11 Dance at River Falls Lodge

Pics from last week...

Mountain Top Experience Guaranteed...

...because we'll be on a mountain top.*

August 5 Stone Soup will be worshipping on Black Balsam Knob at 6,214 ft altitude. *Weather permitting, we'll meet at Saluda UMC at 4 p.m. and carpool to the parking lot off the Blue Ridge Parkway where the Art Loeb trail crosses the road. It's about a 20 min. (about half a mile with 200 feet of altitude gain) walk from there to the balds. Where we'll have evening tea (bring tea things, sandwiches, veggies and dip, cookies, etc.) Stone Soup will provide stoves, water and basic tea selections. You bring a cup (and special tea if you like). We'll share worship there and for those who wish it, communion. The plan is to stay for sunset (about 8:30, which is kind of late so, you can drive your own car if you want to leave early), so bring a flashlight/head lamp and a jacket.

"And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone. Matthew 14:22b-23.


We'll also spend some time in silence at some point.
Maybe it will be on the hike up. It could be a silent pilgrimage for you. Embody what you seek. Walk your prayer.
Maybe your silence will be sitting as the day releases itself to twilight and in your prayer you too are released.
Maybe your silence will be your patient search for something bigger than yourself as we share bread, cup and sky. (Ascribe power to God, whose majesty of over Israel; and whose power is in the skies. Ps 68:34)


Here's a link to info on Black Balsam Knob including directions if you want to meet us there.
http://www.hikewnc.info/trailheads/pisgah/pisgah/black.html