from Rev. C. Nels Ledwell

 

 

There is an odd little carol which is sometimes sung on this first Sunday after Christmas. It begins:

 

There’s snow on the mountain and ice on the pond,
The Wise Men are home now in the back of beyond.
The Shepherd’s have left us; the heavens are dumb;
There’s no one to tell us why Jesus has come.

 

It ends:

 

But God’s in His heaven, and Jesus has come
To show every sinner he’s welcome back home,
To be this world’s Saviour from hunger and fear,
And give us new courage to face the New Year.

 

We have courage to face this New Year because of Jesus. He is Immanuel—God with us and for us.

 

May 2025 be a great year for us as we serve the Lord and make disciples.

 

See You in Church or online this Sunday!

 

Your Pastor,
Nels

 

Please accept my heartfelt thanks and gratitude for all the wonderful cards and gifts you gave me for Christmas. Your love and friendship in Christ will never be forgotten. It is truly a blessing from God to me to serve as your Pastor.

 

Thanks again!
Nels

 

Charge Conference
Our Annual Meeting of the Charge Conference will be held Sunday, January 12, immediately following our worship service. All Church Council Member are expected to attend. Please send in your reports to the Pastor by this Tuesday so they may be compiled and distributed.

 

Sunday, January 12, 2025 10 AM
First Sunday after the Epiphany
Scripture Lesson: Ephesians 2: 4-10
Message: “The Gift of Purpose”

There’s a Song in the Air
The First Noel
God of Love and God of Power

 

 

Our Congregational Care Team had a wonderful time visiting the residents and staff at Forest View Manor during the Christmas season! Marc Heyman played Christmas carols on his guitar, filling the room with music and joy. The residents were so happy to sing along to familiar tunes.

 

A big thank you to John Yerdon for baking a delicious Christmas cake that everyone enjoyed, and to Linda Vietri for her thoughtful handmade cards, crocheted shawls and ornaments for each resident and staff member. Her kindness brought smiles to many faces!

 

We’d love for YOU to join us on our monthly visits to Forest View Manor! ️ We go on the first Tuesday of every month, meeting at the church at 1:30 PM. It’s a wonderful opportunity to share Christ’s love and brighten someone’s day. If you’d like to join us see Mary Thompson for details.

 

 

Epiphany was Monday, January 6, marking the arrival of the Three Wise Men who had followed the Star of Bethlehem to see Baby Jesus with their rich gifts and showing to the world that Christ is the greatest gift to all humanity. We know the familiar story of the lowly shepherds who had also followed the Star to see Jesus after a visit by an angel of the Lord while they tended their flocks in the countryside. You might say the shepherds were also “wise men” for seeking Jesus as the angel instructed though they were frightened at first.

 

I believe the message of Epiphany for us today is that God still wants us to seek and follow the “Star” – the Light of Jesus – surrender to Him, invite Him to enter our hearts, and share His Light with others. To help us do that as we enter a New Year, I share the words below that Judi Bouchard shared with me – they give specific suggestions that also spread kindness! Thanks for sharing, Judi!

 

Prepare. Life is short.
Life is short. Tell those you love how much they mean to you.
Life is short. Be generous in forgiving and letting go.
Life is short. Sing with a heart full of joy, even if you sing off-key.
Life is short. Life is a life of deep gratitude.
Life is short. Eat dessert first, read a good book, let go of things that don’t matter, including past slights & hurts.
Life is short. Go to church, say your prayers, fall in love with Jesus again, and again.
Life is short. Wake up, stay alert, be prepared, light the lamps, get ready. Listen for the knock; answer the call; serve where you are sent.
Life is short. Dream, but don’t just dream, follow your dreams.
Life is short. Make a list and then check things off.
Life is short. Dance.
Life is short. Jesus is coming. Jesus is here!
Life is short !

 

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!

 

Excitement was high when the church family got to be a part of a Baptism! We have not had a baby baptized in the church since Emma’s sister, Ava, two years ago.

 

We celebrated Emma starting her spiritual journey at our church! There were a lot of smiles, especially when Emma decided to cry loudly (what a wonderful sound in the church!) and Nels was able to settle her by walking her around and introducing her to each of us!

 

Thank you to the Coins family for sharing such a wonderful experience with us!

 

Baby Steps.
I heard a sermon over the holidays a few years ago about how we should take ‘baby steps’ when we start to make changes in our lives – not trying to do it all at once and allowing it to overwhelm us. And we do … often … get overwhelmed … with life even when we don’t try to make changes in it!!

 

And, of course, sometimes those changes are not of our making … we didn’t plan to have a family member get a devastating diagnosis, or to get a devastating diagnosis ourselves, or have a death in the family, or struggle with isolation when winter sets in and it’s too cold to venture out and be social (yes .. even here in South Carolina!!), or lose our job, or be unable to care for ourselves after a surgery … even an elective surgery … you get the point …

 

 

Being an Usher is a great way to connect with your church family and be one of the first smiling faces people see when they visit us! Ushers provide an invaluable service. Thank you to all who served in 2024! Past ushers, please watch for an email from Shannon Stewart to coordinate the February 2025-end of January 2026 Usher schedule, and let her know the month you would like to serve! Also, if anyone wants to become an usher, please let her know.

 

Ushers are NO LONGER responsible for security (A different group handles security!).

 

Usher responsibilities include handing out bulletins, lighting the candles for service, locking the door nearest your station once service begins, lighting and extinguishing candles, and (once a month) assisting with communion. What a lovely way to be Christ’s servant!

 

If interested, call or text Shannon Stewart.

 

 

Please add the Scales family to your daily prayers.

 

If you feel drawn to support their mission financially….

 

You can write a check, payable to MMC and noted Scales Mission and put it in collection plate, bring it by the office, or mail to the church (McCormick Methodist Church, PO Box 267, McCormick, SC 29835).

—or—

 

 

 

 

Following the service, several like to go to the Fellowship Hall and grab a cup of coffee and a sweet, and enjoy the fellowship of the MMC family.

 

We need folks to host. This means setting up the coffee (there are specific directions on the counter), and providing some cookies, muffins, or fruit to share.

Sign up to help (usually two sign up for one Sunday). The sign-up is on the table in the Fellowship Hall.

 

 

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.

 

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.

 

 

 

Carol Tummons wants us to Save the Date.. February 9.
She is planning a fun lunch for Super Bowl Sunday.

More details to follow.

 

Beginning this new year, we’re embarking on a transformative yearlong churchwide study focusing on scripture, Christian living, and discipleship. Designed to inspire spiritual growth and build deeper connections within our church family, this study is available through the McCormick Methodist digital library on RightNow Media.

 

• Sunday School Integration: Adult Sunday school classes will adopt this study as part of their curriculum.
• Small Groups: Small groups are encouraged to participate by incorporating the study into their gatherings. This would be a great small in home group study. If you would like to participate in this study let Kim Jackson know and she’ll help get you started.
• Individuals: Individuals can participate on their own devices/tvs. Need help? Contact Kim Jackson

 

For additional information and links to study resources go to https://www.mccormickmc.org/yearlong-bible-study-2025/