Souper Bowl Sunday 2/3/13

Everyone bring a can of soup and a dollar to donate to Thermal Belt Outreach Ministry on Sunday.

We'll meet at 5:00 p.m. instead of 4 p.m. at the Wesley Cottage.

We'll have time for worship and dinner with kickoff at 6:30. Karol Young is providing the pasta, sauce and salad so everyone else can bring hors d'oeuvres, appetizers, snacks or sweet things. Then, invite someone new to come. They don't need to bring anything. Just let them enjoy a gift feast, a little taste of heaven!

We tested the TV reception and we get CBS WLOS with a beautiful picture and sound so we can actually watch the game (or as Ali says, "I just want to watch the commercials".)

I can't believe how much reconciliation stuff I am running into in real life now  that we are working on it in Stone Soup.
This week we are working on "Field, Table, Communion: The Abundant Kingdom vs. the Abundant Mirage"
We'll ask what true abundance looks like when Jesus says, " I came that you may have abundant life." John 10:10. Then we'll ask about the misleading abundance that we often experience at the cost of the destruction of our environment or the subversion of our lives. Nonetheless, whether talking about our land or our lives together, we are in for a gift and hard work with these issues.

We'll have stuff for the kids too!

Stone Soup for Sunday 1/27/13

Now We're Getting to the Good/Hard Stuff

This week we'll study: Reconciliation as Presence
Making Peace with the Land
Chapter 3: Reconciliation Through Christ
pg. 78 "The history of the civil rights struggle is instructive in this regard. the barriers that divided whites and blacks--which were responsible for so much misunderstanding, pain, violence and death--could not be overcome until whites and blacks committed to living side by side. Authentic reconciliation and community are not possible as long as groups of people view each other from a distance. We need to get close enough to see the pain we are causing each other and to listen carefully so that we can make the changes that will end unnecessary pain. Shared living makes possible the sympathy and the sensitivity we need in order to experience God's shalom and Shabbat...life must be shared for it to be comprehended."
This is why last week we looked at learning how to see. We must know to reconcile. We must know each other, the land and even God in order to establish right, life-giving and abundant relationships.

So let's gather Sunday evening, 4 p.m. and consider the beautiful work of reconciliation before us. Bring a song, dance of love, a good joke or a friend and let's share dinner together. Frances is making lasagna and everyone else can bring what needs to go with it. We've even got our own plates now!

January 20, 2013 "Learning to See"

This week we're working on "Learning to See"

"Nothing can take the place of absolute contact, of seeing and feeding at God's table for oneself," wrote John Muir. "The Lord himself must anoint eyes to see, my pen cannot. One can only see by loving."         

from Ch. 2: Learning to See

Making Peace with the Land:

God's Call to Reconcile with Creation

by Fred Bahnson and Norman Wirzba

For in [Jesus] all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross. (Colossians 1:19-20)

For the next few weeks we will study our relationship with the earth and look at biblical perspective for restoring this crucial relationship where it has been damaged and celebrate it where it thrives. Here are the chapter titles from our resource book;
1. Reconciling with the Land
2. Learning to See
3. Reconciliation Through Christ
4. Field, Table, Communion: The Abundant Kingdom Versus the Abundant Mirage
5. Reconciliation Through Eating
6. Bread for the Whole Body of Christ

In these weeks ahead, we hope to learn more about reconciliation so that it may not just be a theory for us but an actual practice, a way for us in all our relationships.

Rob is ordering books for those who would like one. You don't have to read to engage in our discussions. We'll cover the material. Let Rob know your preference.

We'll meet this week at 4 p.m. at the Wesley Cottage in the parking lot behind the Saluda United Methodist Church (132 Greenville St.). If you choose to stay for dinner and fellowship (which is an integral part of our practice), we'll have a regular potluck (bring an entree, vegetable, salad, bread or dessert). Of course, bring a friend, kids are welcome!

Making Peace with the Land:

God's Call to Reconcile with Creation

by Fred Bahnson and Norman Wirzba

For in [Jesus] all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross. (Colossians 1:19-20)

For the next few weeks we will study our relationship with the earth and look at biblical perspective for restoring this crucial relationship where it has been damaged and celebrate it where it thrives. Here are the chapter titles from our resource book;
1. Reconciling with the Land
2. Learning to See
3. Reconciliation Through Christ
4. Field, Table, Communion: The Abundant Kingdom Versus the Abundant Mirage
5. Reconciliation Through Eating
6. Bread for the Whole Body of Christ

In these weeks ahead, we hope to learn more about reconciliation so that it may not just be a theory for us but an actual practice, a way for us in all our relationships.

Rob is ordering books for those who would like one. You don't have to read to engage in our discussions. We'll cover the material. If you want the first chapter to see if you would like to buy the book, email Rob and he'll send it to you. Let Rob know your preference.

We'll meet this week at 4 p.m. at the Wesley Cottage in the parking lot behind the Saluda United Methodist Church (132 Greenville St.). If you choose to stay for dinner and fellowship (which is an integral part of our practice), we'll have a regular potluck (bring an entree, vegetable, salad, bread or dessert).

Of course, bring a friend, kids are welcome (and they participate) and we are working on putting up a basketball goal.

Happy Anniversary

Meet at the church at 4 p.m. This is our one year anniversary for Stone Soup. We’ll celebrate with stone soup for Stone Soup. Sonya’s providing the soup stock, so you can bring whatever you want to go in the soup or whatever you want to go along with the soup. 

We’ll be talking about the need for reconciliation in our lives and the world. This is preparation for the series we’ll be doing based on the book, “Making Peace with the Land; God’s call to Reconcile with Creation” by Fred Bahnson and Norman Wirzba. See you then and bring a friend