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.