Resolution: Past and Future

Bringing Resolution to Last Year and Making Resolutions for Next Year.

We'll meet Sunday 1/4/15 at 4 p.m. For dinner bring your favorite Holliday Best Overs (aka: Left Overs)

Our Scriptural reflection will be on Matthew 2:1-12.

Notice at the end of this reading how the Wise Men return home by "another road".

Is it time for you to travel a different road this year?…

Next week Stone Soup meets on Saturday 1/10. See below for details

Matthew 2:1-12

The Visit of the Wise Men

In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, ‘Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.’ When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: 
“And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
   are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
   who is to shepherd my people Israel.” ’

 Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, ‘Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.’ When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure-chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.

Join Cynthia, Rob and members of the Columbus and Saluda United Methodist Churches in the New Year as we visit the Russian Chapel Winery. (Green Creek Road) We will attend a special Traditional Russian Bells performance hosted by the Russian Chapel Hills Winery. The traditional Russian bell-ringing performance will be Saturday, Jan. 10 at 2 p.m. and we will make a short pilgrimage to the chapel for a time of prayer and then head into the tasting room for fellowship and camaraderie.
Gabriel Gaidenak will play the “Bilo”, a standing framework of flat bells struck by mallet with a resonant, meditative sound. The instrument, represents a lost style used long ago for church services in Russia.The sound of Russian bell-ringing has been called “music of the soul.” Take this chance to connect heaven and earth through sound.
Please put this on your calendar  and invite a friend – you will find it will truly be an uplifting and spiritual experience.

Columbus UMC will meet at 1 p.m. to carpool from the church.

Saluda UMC will meet at 12:45 p.m. to carpool from the church.

Call Rob for more information 606-3452

Reaching out

We won't be gathering for a meeting on Sunday Dec 28th. We encourage your to "get your Stone Soup on" by reaching out to someone that has been on your mind recently. If you have kids, maybe they can call a cousin or neighbor that they haven't spoken with in a while. This is an occasion to connect and respect. This is an act of love and charity.
Merry Christmas an a Happy New Year.
Rob

Let's Go Caroling

Stone Soup Goes Caroling Sunday December 21. Meet at the church at 3:30 p.m.
Dress warmly and bring pillows and blankets for driving in the back of whatever vehicles we have to haul us around (could be a pickup truck or SUV).
Invite your friends.
If you know of someone who would like a visit from the carolers please let Rob know.
When we are through, we are invited to Nancy Johnson's house for refreshments!

Wednesday the 24th, we are going to Haywood Street Congregation (the church among the homeless in Asheville). We'll meet at the church at 10:30, have lunch at their Welcome Table around 11:30 and then be part of their worship service at 12:30.
If you would like to bring clothing donations here is their info:

Hospitality is at the heart of all the ministries of the Haywood Street Congregation, including the Clothing Closet.

The intent is to communicate God’s abundant love and grace through simple details such as neatly folded pants, hung shirts, and freshly painted dressing rooms.

The clothing closet is open Wednesdays from 10:00am – 1:00pm.

You may drop off your donations on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday between 10 and 4 or leave in the large blue Clothing Closet Donation Bin in the front parking lot anytime.

Because our storage space is limited, please bring “in-season” clothes only.  Adult and children’s sizes are welcome.

Thank you!

To volunteer with the Clothing Closet or other Haywood Street ministries, please contact Emily Bentley at ebentley@haywoodstreet.org or  828-575-2477.

Time to Rejoice

Christmas Celebration Potluck at Columbus UMC!
We'll meet at 5 in the Saluda UMC lot, chat a bit about Isaiah 61 and then carpool down to Columbus for a Christmas Potluck Celebration with singing and games. The church is providing ham and drinks so everyone else can bring a vegetable or salad dish. We should be home around 7.

Caroling next Sunday! Don't miss it.

Here's the Isaiah text for this the third Sunday in Advent.

Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11
61:1 The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners;

61:2 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn;

61:3 to provide for those who mourn in Zion-- to give them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit. They will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, to display his glory.

61:4 They shall build up the ancient ruins, they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations.

61:8 For I the LORD love justice, I hate robbery and wrongdoing; I will faithfully give them their recompense, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.

61:9 Their descendants shall be known among the nations, and their offspring among the peoples; all who see them shall acknowledge that they are a people whom the LORD has blessed.

61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my whole being shall exult in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

61:11 For as the earth brings forth its shoots, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations. 

Preparing...

We'll meet Sunday at 4 p.m. at the Wesley Cottage.
We'll study the issue of "Preparing" as we live out this season of Advent.
We'll look at our traditions of Advent and Christmas (Advent wreath, Christmas trees, etc).
We won't stay for dinner, so we should be through before 5:30.
We'll use Mark 1:1-8

The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

 As it is written in the prophet Isaiah,
‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
   who will prepare your way; 
the voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
   “Prepare the way of the Lord,
   make his paths straight” ’, 
John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed, ‘The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.

Bake Potato and Salad Bar, Board Games and Living with Disappointing Times

We'll meet at 4 p.m. this Sunday at the Wesley Cottage.
Bring stuff for salad bar and to put on baked potatoes. Rob will bring potatoes.
Bring any board games you want (the weather looks like it could be bad).
We'll look at Ezekiel 34:11-6 (God says "I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep" and Matthew 25:31-46 ( Jesus says, "Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.")
We should be through by 6.

Thank You June!

I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;
   I will sing praise to my God while I have being.  Psalm 104:33

For Stone Soup this week we will gather with the rest of the Saluda United Methodist Church to celebrate June Taylor's over 50 years of music ministry. She's been in ministry here for over 15 years. So we'll meet at the 11 o'clock worship service and have a potluck lunch afterwards in the fellowship hall. (cake will be provided so just bring main dish or salad/vegetable type dishes). What a gift we have to celebrate so much ministry and so much love over the years.
Thank You June!

Meeting at 11 a.m. at church for worship

We'll meet this week at regular church time, 11 a.m., as we continue in the series: Eager to Love.
We are exploring some of the alternative ways of St. Francis of Assisi in his journey to live out his faith in Jesus.
This Sunday we are looking at the issue of Praying Without Ceasing: A Strikingly Beautiful Way of Life!
Also you'll get a chance to hear our new Choir Director/Organist/Pianist, David McKee.
Next week we will meet again at 11 a.m. to celebrate the fabulous work and ministry of June Taylor who has been our Choir Director/Organist/Pianist for many years! The service will be followed by a pot luck luncheon.

2 p.m. Sunday 10-12

We're going to try frisbee again.

Judge not lest ye be judged.  (Matthew 7:1-3)
Forgive as you too have been forgiven. (Colossians 3:13)
Come on, let's just play.  (The Field of Ultimate Frisbee)

Stone Soup will meet at 2 p.m. Sunday 10/12. We’ll have our reflection time first and then carpool down to PCHS for community Ultimate Frisbee. Everybody bring snacks and/or refreshments to renew us all after a time of sweating!

You can play as much or as little ultimate as you want.
It doesn't matter what your skill level is, nobody is perfect on the field. It's just important to keep playing and not to get down on yourself or others.

The Practice of Finding and Being Found

"The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field..." Matthew 13:44

This week we'll meet at Saluda UMC at 4 p.m. and go  hunting gems in downtown at the Saluda Gem Mine Wicks and Wares. Group rate is $8 but we'll cover half that, so just bring $4 per person who wants to hunt gems. This should be a great lesson and lots of fun for the younger kids!
Frances is bringing lasagna for dinner afterwards so everybody else can bring whatever would make a lasagna dinner complete.
So be thinking about what it is in life that we dedicate ourselves to finding. Are we looking for the truly valuable things (material and spiritual)? Are we willing to pay the price for those truly valuable things?

"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field."

Sounded like everyone liked the idea but couldn't make it last week...

So we're going to try frisbee again.

Judge not lest ye be judged.  (Matthew 7:1-3)
Forgive as you too have been forgiven. (Colossians 3:13)
Come on, let's just play.  (The Field of Ultimate Frisbee)

Stone Soup will meet at 2 p.m. Sunday 9/28. We’ll have our reflection time first and then carpool down to PCHS for community Ultimate Frisbee. Everybody bring snacks and/or refreshments to renew us all after a time of sweating!

You can play as much or as little ultimate as you want.
It doesn't matter what your skill level is, nobody is perfect on the field. It's just important to keep playing and not to get down on yourself or others.

Matthew 18:21-22
Then Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, how many times should I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Should I forgive as many as seven times?" Jesus said, 'Not just seven times, but rather as many as seventy-seven times.

Then next week we will continue the Lost and Found theme as we go  hunting gems in downtown Saluda at the Saluda Gem Mine Wicks and Wares. Group rate is $8 but we'll cover half that, so just bring $4 per person who wants to hunt gems. This should be a great lesson and lots of fun for the younger kids!

Issues of forgiveness and judging to be learned on the Ultimate Frisbee field

Judge not lest ye be judged.  (Matthew 7:1-3)
Forgive as you too have been forgiven. (Colossians 3:13)
Come on, let's just play.  (The Field of Ultimate Frisbee)

Stone Soup will meet at 2 p.m. Sunday 9/21. We’ll have our reflection time first and then carpool down to PCHS for community Ultimate Frisbee. Everybody bring snacks and/or refreshments to renew us all after a time of sweating!

You can play as much or as little ultimate as you want.
It doesn't matter what your skill level is, nobody is perfect on the field. It's just important to keep playing and not to get down on yourself or others.

Matthew 18:21-22
Then Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, how many times should I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Should I forgive as many as seven times?" Jesus said, 'Not just seven times, but rather as many as seventy-seven times.

“I’ve never been lost, but I was confused for three days once.” Daniel Boone

Stone Soup will meet Sunday 9/14/14 at the Wesley Cottage in the Saluda UMC parking lot at 4 p.m. We’ll explore how we’re doing in our spiritual journeys. When is a spiritual journey hard, or beautiful? We’ll look at the differences between being lost, loosing something and just being disoriented.

We’ll take our first lesson by playing some games about being located, like Hide and Seek for the little kids and Man Hunt for the bigger kids.

“…and the man [Adam] and his wife [Eve] hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, ‘Where are you?’”   Genesis 3:8b-9

Bring sandwiches to share, Stone Soup will provide drinks and chips for light supper to follow.

Need more info? call/text Rob 828-606-3452

Church Potluck Picnic This Sunday!

We'll meet at the Wesley Cottage at Church at 4:15 this Sunday 9/07/14 and carpool to Hilda's house for a picnic. Chicken will be provided so everyone can bring a veg/salad/dessert or whatever potluck dish.
We'll play softball, ultimate frisbee, horse shoes and whatever else you need to do to make a gathering an official picnic. Fun and games start at 4:30 and the eating begins at 5.
Here's our scripture for reflection and practice:

Romans 13:8-10

Love for One Another

 Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not covet’; and any other commandment, are summed up in this word, ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ Love does no wrong to a neighbour; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.

Pictures from last week's blueberry pancake adventure

Monday is our day for Blueberries

John Wesley said, "Gain all you can, save all you can and give all you can." We'll reflect on these issues and our resources as we journey to some of the highest mountains in the area to pick wild blueberries and make lots of pancakes! I heard the blueberries came early this year, so we'll see..
On MONDAY, Labor Day, We'll meet at 9 o'clock at the marathon. bring stuff to eat with pancakes. I'll bring the pancake mix/batter. Text me if you can bring a camp stove and cooking utensils, etc. We'll have to coordinate that. Also let me know if you are coming so we can make sure to have what we need. Bring a bathing suit and towel in case conditions are right for swimming in a mountain stream. Depending on the weather, we probably won't be back till 4 or 5 p.m.

Luke 12:13-21

The Parable of the Rich Fool

 Someone in the crowd said to him, ‘Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.’ But he said to him, ‘Friend, who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?’ And he said to them, ‘Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.’ Then he told them a parable: ‘The land of a rich man produced abundantly. And he thought to himself, “What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?” Then he said, “I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” But God said to him, “You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich towards God.’

Peace,

Rob

Let's Sing Together!

We'll meet at the church parking lot at 2:55 p.m. carpool to St Matthews Church for community sing-a-long. Light snacks will be provided. The music usually lasts from 3-4 p.m.
The thing we're talking about this week was John Wesley's admonition for people to "Gain all you can; Save all you can; Give all you can." We're working on the middle section on saving while reflecting on Luke 12:13-21

The Parable of the Rich Fool

 Someone in the crowd said to him, ‘Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.’ But he said to him, ‘Friend, who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?’ And he said to them, ‘Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.’ Then he told them a parable: ‘The land of a rich man produced abundantly. And he thought to himself, “What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?” Then he said, “I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” But God said to him, “You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich towards God.’

See you Sunday!

Rob

See you NEXT week

Stone Soup will encourage families to spend time together this Sunday and be ready to send the kids to school. We will not gather today but will see you next week.
I'll be taking Micah to college in DC.
Peace,
Rob

Mindful Walking, Beautiful Practice

We're Going to Twin Lakes
Everyone is encouraged to come to the 11 a.m. worship service at Saluda UMC, our summer intern, Dave Grace, is preaching and we will share a potluck with the whole church following the service at noon. Then we will give you a chance to go home and change, nap then we'll gather back at the Wesley Cottage at 2:30 to go to Twin Lakes. If the weather is good we can swim there. If it is raining, bring an umbrella and we can still hike to the pretty place bench and deck. This is the project Dave has been working on to blend his conservation/ecology work with his religious/spiritual work. So if it is nice and sunny bring a swim suit etc. If it is raining we can still hike. This is Dave's last Sunday with us, so you won't want to miss it.
Peace,
Rob

Community Singing at the Old St. Matthews Church

Stone Soup for August 3

We’ll meet at the church at 4 p.m. and then head over to St. Matthews Church for a Sing-a-Long. Apparently, this used to be the only black church in town. This is part of the renovation and revival of this holy place. The acoustics are great so everyone sounds good. Snacks  and musicians will be provided and we’ll be done in a little over an hour.

Let us make a Joyful Noise Unto the Lord!

Call Rob with questions.

Also ask Rob about the Ocoee Rafting Trip for Thurs. Aug. 7!

Three Meals a Day and Wesley's Three Kinds of Grace

 

 This Sunday we will gather for a stone soup type potluck:

Bring a favorite recipe and the ingredients. We will all work on each other's recipes. You will be the master chef for your recipe and can help instruct your sous-chefs.

 Arrive at the Fellowship Hall at 430. We will have a short discussion on grace and cooking before we start learning about our group's recipes and food. 

If you're childhood was like mine, you were taught to pray --say grace -- at least three times a day: before breakfast, lunch and dinner. Receiving food is like Wesley's idea of receiving grace: it ultimately comes completely from God.

Wesley suggested three kinds of grace, that are in sequence:

1. Prevenient
2. Justifying
3. Sanctifying

I will use our three meals to illustrate his point:

1. Breakfast: For some, it is made while you are still asleep. When you wake it is presented to you: gift! Prevenient grace comes before knowledge of God. God is working in the kitchen before you awake.

2. Lunch: Sometimes we choose to eat lunch and sometimes people get busy, putting work ahead of accepting food. Justifying grace is where our sins are forgiven. Think about it like this: God offers us lunch daily, in the midst of everything and in full knowledge of our failures, and we should turn ourselves to God and make sure we do not put other things before this offering.

3. Dinner: Dinner is commonly the largest meal of the day. It is where the table is full and brings together the fruition of our day. Sanctifying grace is expressed in bearing fruit in our lives from what we have been given. Cooking is an art in which we grow in skill and perfection, much like our lives through God's sanctifying grace.

Going to The Lost 40

This picture has nothing to do with our planned outing for Sunday but I just liked it and hope that it is not in any way misleading

Stone Soup for 7/20
Worship on the Lost 40 Trail
Picnic Potluck
Dress to hike and if you want there are streams to explore (so wear river walking shoes and a bathing suit).
Where we will worship and eat is easy access not too strenuous.
Meet at the church at 4 pm.
In the event of rain, we will do game night.
We'll be working on what happens in baptism and how the Spirit of God works even before and after that moment.
See you then,
Rob

Harmon Field Ultimate

Late Renaissance Frisbee

We'll gather at the Wesley Cottage at 4 p.m. to carpool down to Harmon Field for Ultimate Frisbee at 4:30.  This game can be played by young and old. If you think you're too young or too old, it will be a beautiful place to hang out by the Pacolet River for spiritual adventure and refreshing. Everyone can bring sandwiches and drinks to share. Bring a towel if you want to cool off in the river after play.
We will also have communion and talk about what it means, what happens in communion and why we take it. It is not so much our thoughts rising to Christ in heaven, as it is the Spirit brining Christ to us
One of John Wesley's colleagues wrote: "Now if it be demanded how so small a piece of bread, or a spoon fool of wine, can produce this effect [the presence of Christ]? …it proceeds not from the elements, but from the will and power of Christ, who ordained theses to be means and instruments for that end. They remain in substance what they were; but in relation to Him are more. It is spiritual bread and spiritual wine, …not so much because spiritually received, but because being so received, it causes us to receive the Spirit, and by the power of the Spirit…be enabled to do all things."

Mark 14:22-25

The Institution of the Lord’s Supper

 While they were eating, he took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to them, and said, ‘Take; this is my body.’ Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, and all of them drank from it. He said to them, ‘This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. 

Peace,
Rob

It's TUBING Sunday!

We'll meet at the Marathon gas station at 2:00 p.m. and carpool from there.
We'll get a church/group discount (normally $9 now), so bring $8 for each person in your group. Each group/family that comes needs to be self-sufficient (adults with children, everyone needs to be  comfortable with swimming) and we will show you where you can rent tubes.
Since we are starting early, we won't do a meal, but I can carry snacks. I will paddle an inflatable ducky  and will have a dry bag for some snacks (limited space but we can share with each other). We'll pull out on the beach at Little Corky, share snacks and worship. We should be through by 6 p.m.

Our scripture this week comes from
Daniel 4:1-3  How great are God's signs and wonders
Matthew 10:40-42 Jesus is talking about the significance of offering even a cup of cold water

Tubing always teaches us something and riverside worship is always special, so join us and bring a friend!
If you have questions, call Rob 828-606-3452

World Cup Soccer and Games

June 22, 5pm – meet at the Wesley Cottage

Bring your favorite baked potato toppings and we will supply the baked potatoes. This Sunday, Portugal plays the United States and we will have the opportunity to watch the match and have some sport and discussion of our own.

We will be discussing conflict that grows out of fear and how we are to form a proper response to such conflict. 

How often do we feel scared? Perhaps more than we would like to admit. It’s an uneasy feeling that makes one uncomfortable and has many negative consequences. It can be the underlying source of many ‘bad attitudes’. For instance, is it not a foundational biblical teaching to trust in God and not worry about things beyond one’s control? Yet, the incredible amount of mass marketing in our society seems to be driven by a not so thinly veiled appeal to fear and anxiety about such things as personal security, finances, and happiness. Perhaps this is so, but what does this have to do with conflict? In terms of international relations, I just heard news suggesting that the recent conflicts in Iraq may motivate US intervention in part, at least, because fear that these events could lead to a safety threat to the US. It is not so hard to see the connection between fear and conflict in the sense of international actors.

However, how do we understand conflict in our own lives?

In Mark 9:30-37, the disciples are confused about what Jesus means when he says that “the Son of man will be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him; and when he is killed, after three days he will rise” (9:31). They seem to have a conflict after this, as they tried to decide “who was the greatest” (9:34). Are the disciples concerned about who will become a leader after Jesus, their teacher, dies? Are they afraid that they don’t have the authority to teach and no one feels like the greatest? Whatever, their anxieties are that lead to this conflict, Jesus supplies the leadership formula that he lives by: “If any one would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all” (9:35).  

Philippians further defines this self-emptying leadership ethic. In chapter two, Paul describes Christ’s self-emptying to both comfort and call to account those he writes to. For the greatest to become the least and the least the greatest, involves a specific type of attitude. It is a self-sacrificial attitude.

Conflict that arises out of fear can lead to an attempt to become the greatest because of a feeling of insecurity about one's individual identity. However, a self-sacrificial response to conflict is not based in fear but strong conviction and courage. It takes courage for those who are greatest to become the least.  By practicing this leadership ethic, we can share in the same attitude of Christ and experience an identity far greater than our individual fears would allow. Our gifts, whatever they may be, can overflow as gifts for others.