Welcome Table and Worship with Haywood Street Congregation in Asheville

We'll meet on Wednesday for Stone Soup this week and go to Asheville.
We're shooting for the 11:15 a.m. seating for the Haywood St. Welcome Table and then we'll attend worship at 12:30 p.m. You can meet us there for any part of this or if you need a ride Don and Patty will swing through the church parking lot at 10:15 a.m. Call or text Rob if you want to car pool 828-606-3452
This is such a wonderful ministry check out the website here www.haywoodstreet.org
and join us for this special Thanksgiving dinner and communion.

Thanksgiving Worship as a Community

This Sunday we'll join the community in giving thanks. The Thermal Belt Ministerial Association is sponsoring a Thanksgiving worship service at the Episcopal Church of the Holy Cross in Tryon.

It begins Sunday November 24 at 7:00 p.m.  We'll leave from the church parking lot at 6:30 (I have to get there early because I am in the service) or you can just meet us there.
See you then!

Looking at our issues with poverty...

Polk County Churches Dealing with Poverty

Susan Pennock will be our speaker on Nov.17 at 4:30 at Thermal Belt Outreach Ministry. She comes to us on behalf of the partnership of the United Methodist Church in NC and the Duke Endowment in order to help our churches understand poverty, it’s repercussions and how to act effectively in response to the needs. 
We'll have people from various organizations in our county including school administrators and churches.
Come join us at Thermal Belt Outreach Ministry
134 White Dr.
Columbus, NC 28722
828-894-2988
Isaiah 65:17-25

Bereavement workshop

Bereavement Workshop November 10 at Columbus United Methodist Church

Columbus United Methodist Church invites the community to a workshop dealing with the issues everyone hopes to avoid but really, everyone will face. The issue is our response to death. Someone once said, “Your grieving is among the most sacred and the most human things you will ever do. It will unfold to you the mystery of life…and death…and rebirth. Honor it.”

So in an attempt to honor this sacred work, the Columbus United Methodist Church will host Hospice of the Carolina Foothills’ Bereavement Services Manager, Shannon Slater, Licensed Professional Counselor. Ms. Slater will present a mix of things that people can do to help themselves or others work through the issues of grief and loss.

Come on out. The workshop starts on November 10^th at 4:30 and will be over by 6:00 p.m. This time includes the opportunity for discussion over a light supper. There is no charge for the workshop or supper. Columbus United Methodist Church is located across the street from Stearns Gym at 76 N. Peak St. in Columbus. For more information contact Rev. Rob Parsons at 828-606-3452.

Walking with the Foothills CROP Walk

Sunday November 3, Stone Soup will meet at 1:30p.m. at Saluda UMC and car pool down to Harmon field for the annual CROP Walk for Hunger at 2. The money raised will go to Church World Service (http://www.churchworldservice.org/ ) and we will be part of worship before the walk, during and after too. No meal this week, but bring snacks if you want for after the walk. We can be through by 4. Bring some money if you would like to make a donation or go to our local website www.foothillscropwalk.org 

Enjoy the Wonderful Preaching

For the next 2 weeks, Stone Soup will be meeting at the regular worship time at Saluda UMC. Rob will be in the Czech Republic visiting Micah and he invites you to come worship with and hear the delightful preaching of a couple of his friends.
Sunday 10/20 at 11 a.m.  Rev. Brian Combs from the Haywood Street Church  in Asheville preaches.
Sunday 10/27 at 11 a.m. Rev. Brice Harris from the Florida Conference preaches.
Sunday 11/3  We'll all meet down at Harmon Field for the Foothills CROP Walk Against Hunger.
We'll see you then!

Getting Charged Up!

Stone Soup will meet with all the United Methodist Churches in Polk County Sunday the 13th.
This group of churches we call our "Missional Network" will have our official charge conference on the 13th. We'll sing together, worship together, do some of the business of the church but our keynote speaker will be Susan Pennock. Susan specializes in doing education around issues of poverty and helping groups respond in organic and effective ways to deal with those issues.  Refreshments will be served afterwards.
So, Stone Soupers can meet at the parking lot of Saluda UMC at 2 p.m. and head down to the Columbus UMC (76 North Peak St. Columbus, NC --across the street from Stearns Gym) which takes about 15 minutes. Our Charge Conference will start at 2:30 p.m. and we should be through with everything by 4.
Rob won't be able to carpool because he has to be down there by 1:45. Call/text him if you want to go down early.

Susan Pennock will do a community-wide workshop for Polk County on Nov. 17.

Isaiah 58:6-9

Is not this the fast that I choose:
   to loose the bonds of injustice,
   to undo the thongs of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free,
   and to break every yoke? 
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
   and bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked, to cover them,
   and not to hide yourself from your own kin? 
Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,
   and your healing shall spring up quickly;
your vindicator shall go before you,
   the glory of the Lord shall be your rearguard. 
Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;
   you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I am.