Friday, May 31, 2013

How Do You KnowWhen You Know?

Stone Soup 4 p.m. Wesley Cottage 6/2/13 This is our Last Affirmation Class

Sandwich Nite--I'll bring bread and you bring what you want to make sandwiches.

We'll look at how do you know when God calls you, What does God sound like and how do you know God is God?

The story of the Blind Man Receiving his Sight (John 9) is an interesting study in different people trying to figure out who Jesus is...(see below)

Just a heads up for what's coming...
6/8/13 Stone Soup next week is Saturday Night at Orchard Lake Campground

6/16/13 Stone Soup will be Sunday at 4 and we'll be looking at building community. We'll play games all over our town. It's an act of hope, love and fun. Zechariah 8:4-5 "Thus says the Lord of hosts: Old men and old women shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with staff in hand because of their great age. And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing int its streets.


john 9

A Man Born Blind Receives Sight

As he walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ Jesus answered, ‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.’When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man’s eyes, saying to him, ‘Go, wash in the pool of Siloam’ (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see. The neighbours and those who had seen him before as a beggar began to ask, ‘Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?’ Some were saying, ‘It is he.’ Others were saying, ‘No, but it is someone like him.’ He kept saying, ‘I am the man.’ But they kept asking him, ‘Then how were your eyes opened?’ He answered, ‘The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, “Go to Siloam and wash.” Then I went and washed and received my sight.’ They said to him, ‘Where is he?’ He said, ‘I do not know.’

The Pharisees Investigate the Healing

 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind.Now it was a sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. Then the Pharisees also began to ask him how he had received his sight. He said to them, ‘He put mud on my eyes. Then I washed, and now I see.’ Some of the Pharisees said, ‘This man is not from God, for he does not observe the sabbath.’ But others said, ‘How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?’ And they were divided. So they said again to the blind man, ‘What do you say about him? It was your eyes he opened.’ He said, ‘He is a prophet.’
 The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they called the parents of the man who had received his sightand asked them, ‘Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?’ His parents answered, ‘We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but we do not know how it is that now he sees, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.’ His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. Therefore his parents said, ‘He is of age; ask him.’
 So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and they said to him, ‘Give glory to God! We know that this man is a sinner.’He answered, ‘I do not know whether he is a sinner. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.’ They said to him, ‘What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?’ He answered them, ‘I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?’ Then they reviled him, saying, ‘You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.’ The man answered, ‘Here is an astonishing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but he does listen to one who worships him and obeys his will. Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.’ They answered him, ‘You were born entirely in sins, and are you trying to teach us?’ And they drove him out.

Spiritual Blindness

 Jesus heard that they had driven him out, and when he found him, he said, ‘Do you believe in the Son of Man?’ He answered, ‘And who is he, sir? Tell me, so that I may believe in him.’ Jesus said to him, ‘You have seen him, and the one speaking with you is he.’ He said, ‘Lord, I believe.’ And he worshipped him. Jesus said, ‘I came into this world for judgement so that those who do not see may see, and those who do see may become blind.’ Some of the Pharisees near him heard this and said to him, ‘Surely we are not blind, are we?’ Jesus said to them, ‘If you were blind, you would not have sin. But now that you say, “We see”, your sin remains.

Friday, May 24, 2013

Saluda Stone Soup Welcomes
Stephen Paddock Our Ministerial Intern
Sunday Noon Potluck
Following our 11a.m. worship service, we will take part in the "Welcome Stephen Potluck"
Come join us as we gather people from both worship times.
Breaking bread together as community doesn't just point to some other meaning or significance. It is the thing.
I would also like to check in with you on how you are doing and the state of your spiritual life. I'll start by chatting individually (in person or by phone) with our Affirmation Class youth. Then if you are on the email list and I have a number for you, I would love to talk with you too. If you haven't heard from me by Sunday evening, call me or email me how to get in touch with you.
Peace,
Rob
Remember Stone soup at noon, not 4 this week.

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Have you ever tried to play a game without rules?
Have you ever played a game and hated the rules?

This Sunday at Stone Soup we'll look at our freedom as human beings, what it means for us and what happens when we turn it over for something greater. Can we actually do that?
John Wesley's General Rules were simple:
Do No Harm
Do Good
Stay in Love with God

What rules do you live by? Where did you get them? Do you live by some rules you wish you didn't?

Let's work on this together Sunday at 4 p.m. at the Wesley Cottage.

For Supper together, let's do salad bar. I'll bring lettuce, you bring whatever else you want on your salad or to go alongside your salad. No Rules Salad Bar! or Salad Bar Rules!

Anyway, here's Wesley's Rules in a positive poetic form...

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Stone Soup is on Friday this Week!
(Spend Sunday Evening on your Mothers' Day Festivities)
We'll meet May 10 Friday night at 7 p.m. at the Wesley Cottage. From there, we'll carpool down to Roger's Park in Tryon where we'll get a chance to help with the Medicinal Music Concert.  This is a benefit concert put on by SAGA (Student Action for Global Awareness a Polk County High School club) and it supports Doctors Without Borders. As an occasion for service, we'll get to help out and get to hear some wonderful music. Aaron Burdett is headlining the night.
Then the Affirmation Class will head back to Rob's house for the "Affirmation Campout!" We'll do some bonfire stuff, S'mores and sleep in the tree house. After brunch, the kids will be back at the Wesley Cottage by noon on Saturday. We'll work on the first four chapters of the book of John.
So to recap:
Everyone is invited to the Medicinal Music concert 8-10 p.m. Friday Roger's Park.
Then the affirmation class camps out at Rob's house (bring a sleeping bag, change of clothes etc. We'll go rain or shine (we can always sneak into the house if it rains.)) They will all be back at the Wesley Cottage by noon Saturday.

Saturday, May 4, 2013

“How Then Should We Live”


Stone Soup/Affirmation Class 5/5/13
We’ll meet Sunday at 4 p.m. in the Wesley Cottage and we’ll work on “How Should We Live”. Sonya’s bringing roasted chicken, you bring what would go well with it.
Consider the lilies of the field...