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Quick-Step Guide (PDF) for setting up your account and making your first donation.
Thank you for giving to McCormick Methodist Church. Your gifts enable us to fulfill our mission of “Reaching Up and Reaching Out”.
from Rev. C. Nels Ledwell
How Do You Know You Are Called?
How do we know we are called? How do we know to what we are called? An age-old question to which a wise minister and author has given us an answer worth pondering. Frederick Buechner, in his book, “Wishful Thinking,” says it well. He says that a good rule for finding one’s vocation is this: Our special mission in our life is usually
A. That which we’d love most to do and
B. It is work that the world most needs to have done.
B. It is work that the world most needs to have done.
Buechner says that if we really get a kick out of our work, we have probably met requirement A, but if that work is writing TV deodorant commercials, chances are we haven’t met requirement B. If our work is being a doctor in a leper colony, we probably have met requirement B, but if most of the time we are bored and depressed by doctoring, the chances are we have not only bypassed A, we probably aren’t helping our patients much, either.
Buechner concludes: “The place God calls us to, is the place where our deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.”
When we think of the world’s deep hunger, we think that all God’s callings will always require a radical life change. Many callings do just that. But what if we substituted McCormick Community for the world. This would mean Item B would read, “It is work that the McCormick community most needs to have done”. As Methodists, we believe that all are called to be ministers. Have you heard God call your name to make a difference?
See You in Church or online this Sunday!
Your Pastor,
Nels
Nels
Preparing for Worship
Sunday, January 21, 2024
Third Sunday After the Epiphany
Scripture Lesson: Jonah 3: 1-10
Message: “Our Journey with Jonah”
Third Sunday After the Epiphany
Scripture Lesson: Jonah 3: 1-10
Message: “Our Journey with Jonah”
Acts of Kindness
Kindness Update – Amazing Grace!
Pastor Nels’ challenge to us this past Sunday to be faithful – not fearful – and trust God as we begin a new year together in ministry at McCormick Methodist Church made me think this might be a good time for some “grace bombing” to strengthen our faith! This concept was mentioned previously in the Kindness Update after Lindy Stahlman graciously gave me a book on the subject – it goes like this:
In his book, Grace Bomb – The Surprising Impact of Loving Your Neighbors, Patrick Linnell founder of Grace Bomb and a teaching pastor at Columbia International University, writes “when God’s grace falls on you out of the clear blue sky, it’s unmistakable. Man-made bombs have a similar, unsettled impact with dramatic change for the worse. But when God drops a Grace Bomb, He disrupts life to restore it … He takes what is meant for evil and uses it for good … most notably, the cross on which Jesus died was a despised tool of war and national conquest, and God used it to bring about the greatest good the world has ever seen.”
Linnell sums it up this way, “So I thought, if God grace bombs people, maybe we who have received His grace should grace bomb people, too! Grace Bombing could help us point people (and ourselves) to the source of kindness itself.” Then we could strengthen one another’s faith as together we experience God’s Amazing Grace!
So, Random Acts of Kindness Week is in mid-February, and that just might be a good time to do some “grace bombing! So, stay tuned!
Kindness Entries: A special thanks goes out to Barb Shelley for covering last week’s Kindness Update with a very thought-provoking quote on kindness!
I figure that the anonymous kind person who left a beautiful red poinsettia on my front porch during the Christmas Season also follows this kindness blog, so if I am right, then I just want to say “Thank you for your kindness that made my day! I hope you had a very blessed Christmas!”
Have you seen God today? If you see God at work this week, there are two ways you can share what you saw!
1) Be a blessing to others by sharing your Act of Kindness (no names please) on our website, or use this link! Then check back each week to learn how others are passing on acts of kindness! The link is https://www.mccormickmc.org/acts-of-kindness
2) There is a Kindness box in the library on the window sill, along with paper and pencil. Share your God-Wink, perhaps someone else will be inspired!
STEPHEN MINISTRY
READY TO LISTEN
If you are experiencing any type of difficulty and you need someone to listen to you, with whom you can share your feelings and receive acceptance and Christian love, please consider being in a relationship with a Stephen Minister at MMC.
Start by calling Pastor Nels or one of the Stephen Leaders and begin a ‘fellowship’ with a Stephen Minister. We may be reached through the church office at (864) 852-2394.
CONGREGATIONAL CARE COMMITTEE
The Congregational Care Committee wants you to know they are there to help you if you ever need transportation, meals or a visitor! Please contact Kim Jackson if you or someone you know needs help or if you would like to be added to the list of volunteers.
Interested in Native American History and Present Day Native People?
Everyone is invited to join Lorna Hill and Lola Rek for a great day of learning on Saturday, February 3 in Columbia, SC.
Lola and Lorna would be happy to talk with you about the day.
Registration forms need to be in the mail by January 23, so if interested, contact Lola Rek. The cost is $10.00 which covers lunch.
Your Native American Awareness Committee
2024 VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
It’s a New Beginning.. time to share your talents! You do not to be a member, just have the time and willingness to help! Read below and sign up for as many as you feel you can do! MMC is fortunate to be able to keep contributing to the works of God in so many ways.
SIGN UP TO USHER TODAY!
We need singles, couples, and pairs to sign up to usher! Once we have the names, I will send out a calendar and we will work together to cover all the Sundays. We will need subs as well.
With the creation of the Security team, you will not be responsible for locking the fellowship door or the side doors. They take care of monitoring the cameras, as well.
You will be asked to lock the door by the stairs and the front door to the church. You will need to greet everyone, count the folks in attendance, and light/extinguish the altar candles. You might be asked to do Communion. We are in the process of rewriting the duties of the ushers and will help those who are new to ushering to “learn the ropes”.
Contact Barb Shelly to sign-up.
FLOWER CALENDAR ACROSS FROM OFFICE
When you sign up on the calendar across from the church office, you are responsible for the flowers for that Sunday. You are welcome to bring in your own plant or arrangement from home, or you can arrange with one of the florists listed below. They will bring the arrangement for you and set it up on the pedestal in the sanctuary on Saturday night. You can take the flowers home after the service or perhaps you’d like to take it to someone who needs some cheering up!
Patsy will call or email you prior to your date to get the information you want in the bulletin. The arrangement might be in celebration of an event or in memory of a loved one(s).
Thank you for helping to make our services “huge”!
MMC PRAYER GROUP
LOOKING FOR MEMBERS
Anyone who has desire to pray for the needs of our church family, community, our country or world is welcome to be part of this group. We will have access to prayer concerns shared in church or in the news.
There will be times we will gather as a group and pray together. If you are interested in knowing more, please contact Patty Kriger.
2024 LAY READERS
February through December needed! Sign up is across from the office, next to the Flower Sign up or call/email Lindy Stahlman.
You will be sent the scripture and order of worship earlier in the week to allow you to read it through. If you can sub or only do a few weeks one month, let Lindy know, she will work your schedule!
SUNDAY COFFEE HOUR
SIGN-UP SHEET IN FELLOWSHIP HALL
Thank you for signing up to set up, clean up, and bring a COUPLE treats to enjoy with coffee and tea after church service. We’d like to keep it simple, just a couple treats to enjoy with coffee, tea, and fellowship after the church service. We are trying to avoid leftover food being put in the refrigerator and eventually thrown out.
We are asking for two hosts, just sign up and someone will sign up with you, or ask someone to sign up with you!
Please call Marge Radosevich or Lindy Stahlman if you have questions or need some help! There is now a fund to help with purchase of treats. Thanks in advance for your help this year!
DINNERS FOR EIGHT
It is time to advertise dinners for eight again. Three groups of eight just wrapped up a fun season of building new friendships and sharing lots of laughs.
Sign up for the next round will be in the fellowship hall starting Sunday 1/14, and runs February through May.
For newcomers to MMC, this is a wonderful way to get to know folks and it is so easy….just dinner once a month at someone’s home. Each pair hosts one month by providing the main course and beverages, and the other 3 pairs bring the appetizer, salad and dessert. So, pair up with someone and sign up now through Sunday 1/28.
On the 28th, Julianne Coleman will coordinate with the groups to get the round of dinners started in February.
Contact Julianne to sign up or ask questions.