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from Rev. C. Nels Ledwell

 

 

 

Would you believe the guy in the above picture, Gene Simmons, the “demon” with the rock band known as KISS loves America? Read his story below.

 

Gene Simmons of the group KISS visited the Pentagon to promote military service on May 16, 2019 where he talked about his mother, who recently died at the age of 93. She was 14 when she was put in a Nazi concentration camp. As he spoke he had to stop on numerous occasions to gain his composure. This is what he said:

 

“I was born in Israel. I am a proud son of a concentration camp survivor, Nazi Germany. My mother was 14 when she was in the camps. My mother just passed at 93, but if Americans could see and hear my mother talk about America they would understand. I’ll just cut to the chase. When we first came to America my mother let me stay up and watch TV with her. I couldn’t speak English very well and my mother could barely get by. She worked 6 days a week and at night we would watch the news and whatever and by 12 o’clock the 3 or 4 TV stations would go off the air and we would hear sssssss, just noise and people would presumably go to sleep. Before then we saw a jet flying through the sky and a man with in very deep voice was saying something, i couldn’t understand it, and the jet then turned skyward and flew seemingly into the heavens through the clouds and I remember what the man said, “…and saw the face of God.”

 

And then it melted into a black and white, because in those days we didn’t have color TV. The flag was full screen, billowing, and I heard, ‘da da da da da da,’ you know the National Anthem. I didn’t know what it was or what was going on and it was almost time to go to sleep. It was late. And, every time, my mother saw the flag, she would start crying. As an eight year old boy I didn’t understand why, but from my mother’s point of view we were finally safe. I may have been born in the country, that people throughout history have referred to as the promised land, but take my word for it…America is the promised land. For everybody. And don’t be ashamed. Don’t hesitate. We need to teach young people to be comfortable saying, ‘God bless America.'”

 

We thank God for our nation and the freedom for which it stands. May we show our gratitude to God by telling all in our nation about Jesus Christ. It will make our nation greater than ever.

 

See you in Church or online this Sunday.

 

Nels

 

Sixth Sunday After Pentecost

Scripture Lesson: Matthew 11: 16-19, 25-39

by Debbie Wissinger Certified Lay Speaker

Ohio United Methodist Conference

 

We welcome Debbie Wissinger as our guest preacher this Sunday as Rev. Ledwell takes a few days vacation from July 5th until July 12.

 

New Beginnings. Our church is certainly starting a ‘New Beginning.’ Our name has changed but our purpose has not changed. We are still a gathering of people who believe in Jesus Christ. And we believe in what Christ told us, as stated in Matthew, that the most important commandments are … ”Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-39 NIV)

 

Stephen Ministry’s purpose is to fulfill Christ’s commandments by loving our neighbor and helping that neighbor through any difficulty they may have. We follow Christ’s charge to “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2 KJV)

 

Therefore, 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 and allowing us to help ‘bear your burden.’

 

start by calling Pastor Nels or one of the Stephen Leaders thru the church office at (864) 852-2394.

 

I thank Pastor Nels for leading us into our Independence Day kindness blog with his sermon this past Sunday entitled “Our Nation’s Heroes”. He challenged us to consider the question, “Who is or what is a hero?”, and to even think about how we can be heroes.

 

As he cited characteristics of a hero, wouldn’t you know that kindness would be one of them? Some of the others were someone who saves someone, is generous, brave, bold, will stand up for what is right, doing it with humility, etc. Heroes come in many forms, he said, and he also reminded us that who we choose to be our hero says a lot about us.

 

In closing, Pastor Nels challenged us to be heroes like the seventy heroes that Jesus sent out in Luke 10. When they came back to Jesus, he said he saw “Satan fall like lightning from the sky”. Our challenge is to say, “Today I am going to tell someone about Jesus” in order to defeat Satan and carry on God’s work.

 

As Christians, we can help make our country a better place for all Americans! May the true freedom we have through Jesus’ sacrifice for us ring in our hearts today and everyday as we proclaim, “God Bless America!”

 

This week’s Kindness entry is especially appropriate for this 4th of July as we express our gratitude for the freedoms we have because of the tremendous sacrifices of our heroes, and we also put on the Armor of God! As I think about the kindness of heroes in my life, I am reminded of the following motion song I sang as a young child during Sunday School – it is sung to the tune of “The Old Grey Mare”, and the words are: “I may never march in the infantry, Ride in the cavalry, Shoot the artillery. I may never fly o’er the enemy, but I’m in the Lord’s Army! Yes, Sir!”

 

 

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!

 

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 MUMC.

 

If you would like to take advantage of the ‘presence’ of a Stephen Minister, start by calling Pastor Nels or one of the Stephen Leaders thru the church office at (864) 852-2394.

 

Plenty of room for volunteers to host! You can ask a partner to join you as host. Goodies do not have to be home-made, store-bought are just fine! There is a sign-up sheet in the Fellowship Hall, Also, if you have not done it before, Carol Myers would be happy to work with you!

 

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.

 

 

 

 

 

“The Chosen” Bible Study began on Monday. It is not too late to join us!

 

We will gather together for dinner each Monday during the study, then view an episode of The Chosen. After each episode we will break into small groups and study the scripture from that particular episode. All are welcome to attend! The study begins June 5th and runs until July 31st. We will not meet on July 3rd.

 

For those who haven’t seen season 1 yet, a link to the series is provided below. It’s free to watch and you’re encouraged to “Binge Jesus” although, you don’t have to have watched season 1 to attend the study but we’re sure you’ll go back to watch it after you’ve seen season 2!

 

Sign up sheets will be in Fellowship Hall at the church or you can email Kim Jackson.

 

The Chosen – click this link for The Chosen then select season 1 from the drop down menu.

 

Fabulous Fun Sisters in Faith Retreat—1st EVER/Education Committee & Maxine Dunn

 

Our retreat foundation is based on Mark 6:31 “Let us go off by ourselves to some place where we will be alone, and you can rest a while”. Well, ok Hickory Knob isn’t in the wilderness, it’s just across the street, but how many of us take the time to relax and just enjoy ourselves with our Christian sisters? Thinking it would be fun to re-group and get to know one another…let the fun begin!!

 

The retreat (details forthcoming in another BLAST) will be Friday night August 4th and Saturday August 5th. The rooms are for one night only and are double occupancy, so grab a roomy or just sign up and be surprised!

 

What you need to do now is check your calendar, if you’re available write a commitment check to McCormick Methodist Church for $25 and put EDUCATION COMMITTEE on it. This is holding your half of a room, the park is crowded in the summer and if we don’t fill the rooms we’ll need to give them back.

 

Activities will be Friday night and Saturday morning through lunch. Details will be worked out as we find out how many women will be involved.

 

Those women who would like to join us for Saturday morning activities only please call one of us and let us know you’re interested so we can plan. All are welcome and you can be a part of the program, or a participant! Let the Holy Spirit direct you!!!

 

Questions? Please call Maxine Dunn, or Kim Jackson or Wendy Kvale.

 

Alpha is an 8 week course designed to create a space for honest conversation around some of life’s biggest questions. It is designed to provide guests, churched and unchurched, an opportunity to connect with one another while providing the opportunity to share thoughts, ideas, and opinions in a safe and caring environment. Alpha helps bring people together while providing the chance to encounter Jesus.

 

Each week consists of a meal together, viewing a video taped talk and then breaking into small discussion groups. You will hear more about the program in the weeks to come. Please start to think and pray for those you would like to invite who may not yet know Jesus. Both Rich and Kim Jackson attended the Alpha Course in 2010, feel free to ask them any questions you may have.

 

The Alpha Course will be offered to our church and community beginning September 10, 2023 at 5:30 pm.

 

Sign up sheets will be in Fellowship Hall.

 

 

 

Mark your calendars… Sept 24 at 10am.. service, followed by picnic at Baker Creek!

 

More details when we get closer.