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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

 

 

Scott Hoezee preached a message some years ago about the choices one can make regarding Easter. It reminded me that this event is not something to take lightly.

 

In his message he told us that when faced with new realities, you have at least three options for how to respond (and it is nearly certain that you will opt for one of these three possibilities). First, you can stay bewildered. You can let this event knock you flat on your back and then stay there. Second, you can engage in world-class denial. You can look at the facts and ignore them. Or third, you can, slowly perhaps, assimilate this new information. You may get knocked as flat on your back as the next person by this new realization, but eventually you pick yourself up. You embrace this new truth and then go through the long, sometimes painful, process of re-assessing life in the light of this new evidence.

 

This is the Easter choice. When faced with the incredible proclamation that Jesus rose again from the dead, you can be agnostic and cynical by saying that you don’t know what to make of this but then neither are you going to try. Who cares anyway? Or you can deny it. The whole thing is fiction, fantasy, a pious wish but something that never really happened. Or you can move past the shock toward acceptance. But let me caution you: if you are going to accept the truth of the bodily resurrection, you need to let it change you totally.

 

That’s the Easter choice. The problem for most of us is that we are not surprised enough by Easter to realize we face a choice. Easter is a part of the background scenery of our lives. We’ve never been afraid of Easter, never been bewildered by it. Believing that Jesus rose again from the dead becomes a little like believing the earth is round and that it orbits the sun. Once upon a time people didn’t know that. They thought the earth was flat and that the sun orbited the earth. It caused quite a stir when this view had to be revised. But that was a long time ago and now we accept that picture of our solar system without much thought. Sure the world is round and we orbit the sun, but what does that have to do with anything? It doesn’t change what I have to do at work tomorrow, does it?

 

Is that what Easter becomes for us? We believe it happened but then, we’ve always believed that. Even Easter has somehow become part of the “routines” of this world. So why would it have much of an effect on what we do tomorrow? Easter is no longer shocking for us — it surely does not make us re-evaluate everything else we think we know. And anyway, we’re not sure we want to have everything in our lives changed.

 

Of course, if we can believe in the resurrection at all, it is a gift of faith granted to us by the prior gift of grace. But if we have received that grace and accept the truth that gets proclaimed from every Christian pulpit in the world each Easter Sunday morning, then we have to know that this truth changes everything. This is not some fact we can ponder just once every twelve months. This changes everything…. and on EVERY day.

 

See you in Church, at Baker Creek for the Sonrise Service, or online this Great Resurrection Day. You will hear how the resurrection of Christ is for real.

 

Your Pastor,
Nels

 

Maundy Thursday Service of The Last Supper and Shadows of the Cross
Led by our Lay Servants Wendy Kvale and Debbie Wissinger. Last Supper Communion Celebrant Rev. C. Nels Ledwell.

Scripture Lessons: John 13:1-17 Matthew 26: 17-30
Passion Story shared from all the Gospels

 

Easter Sunrise Service (Baker Creek State Park)
Scripture Lesson: Luke 24: 1-12
Sunrise Message: “I Told You So“

 

March 28, 2024 10:00 AM
Easter Service of the Celebration of the Great Resurrection Day (In our sanctuary at 200 East Gold Street)

Scripture Lessons: Acts 10: 34-43

                                    1 Corinthians 15: 19-26

                                    John 20:1-18
Easter Message: “It’s Not Dark Anymore“

 

We all were awakened this Tuesday morning of Holy Week to the tragic news of the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland. And our hearts and prayers go out to all this tragedy involves – victims, families, and those involved with rescue and recovery. No doubt, there are those in our congregation who have a personal connection to family or friends in this area, and we remember them in prayer.

 

As I heard this sad news, I also received the above quote in a text message from a dear friend. It reminded me of the many beautiful stories of kindness that will be told in the days to come as our Christian brothers and sisters reach out in response to Galatians 6: 2 – “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” – also, in response to God’s graciousness to us through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ!

 

This week’s Kindness Entries:
Speaking of responding to human need, we have two entries of kindness this week that do just that – a special thank you to those who shared them with us! They are as follows:

 

Entry 1: I was driving home from Augusta, when I sneezed, so many times, I pulled over onto the shoulder. It always scares me to drive and sneeze since you close your eyes every time! I realized someone pulled over in front of me and came running! She had been behind me and was worried something was wrong. Such a neat thing for a stranger to do! I was very thankful for her kindness!

 

Entry 2: A new friend told me a story that had happened to him. It was so full of kindness I wanted to share, He was shopping one day and proceeded to pay for his purchases. His change amounted to $5. He took the $5 bill and stuffed it in his pocket. The next morning, he put on the same pants and when he put his hand in his pocket the money was gone. Later when he got in his car, he noticed something on the windshield. To his surprise it was his receipt and a $5 bill. He had no idea who found it and put it there.

 

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!

 

 

 

Join us each Wednesday at 12 noon for a light lunch and a Lenten lecture series led by Pastor Nels Ledwell. The series will end on March 27.

 

NOTE: If you can only attend once or twice, please do come by! The “lectures” are “free-standing” so no need to worry! We’d love to have you join us, even if just once!

 

If you have questions please contact Kim Jackson.

 

Holy Thursday commemorates Jesus Christ’s Last Supper with his disciples. A Holy Thursday Service will be held in the Sanctuary at 6:00pm, on Thursday, March 28.

 

A Sunrise service will be held at Baker Creek Pavilion on Easter Sunday, March 31 at 7am. Coffee and refreshments will follow. Bring your company, neighbors and friends.

 

There will also be a service at 10am in the MMC sanctuary.

 

MMC Prayer Warriors will meet in the sanctuary this Sunday, March 31 at 9:15.

 

Everyone is invited to join us!

 

Many thanks to all who have Contributed to our Coins For Lent. It is not too late to find a calendar in our Fellowship Hall and participate in this Lenten program.

 

Revenue from this giving opportunity will be given to the new women’s shelter opening in January of 2025 at Liberty Hill in McCormick County. There will be space to occupy 20 women who need recovery from broken homes and a chance to train for a job so they can become self-sufficient as the shelter has partnered with Piedmont Technical College.

 

The shelter will not receive government funds and is thought to be the only shelter of its kind in McCormick County. The staff of the shelter plans that its residents shall experience the love of Christ and the shelter will be a Christian Christ-Centered ministry.

 

We will be hearing more from Liberty Hill soon.

 

Each Sunday, pray as a family for the project and the people who will benefit from your gifts. Our giving begins on Ash Wednesday and concludes with Holy Saturday. During Lent, Sundays are for worship and praise to God and are reflected with a weekly day of prayer.

 

There is a jar in the Fellowship hall to collect your coins, let’s watch it fill up by Easter! You may also donate online.

 

The turnout for the March 5 Men N Ministry dinner was wonderful! We had twenty-seven men including four first timers .. Ron Bouchard, Gary Martin, Randy Hill, and Sam Griffith.

 

The dinner was pulled pork, beans with macaroni salad and three pies for dessert! Thanks to John Yerdon and Ronnie Hutto for a job well-done!

 

Our speaker was our very own, Harry Shelley. Harry represents SLV on the SC River Basin planning commission. He presented information on the 50 year plan being developed by the SC DNR. He did an outstanding job, and he promised to keep our group updated as the plan develops.

 

Our next meeting will be on April 2 at 6pm. Dinner will be prepared by Ron Garling and Bob Weiss. The Devotion will be given by Rob Rennie. We will be finalizing the plans for the Trunks of Gold Pancake Breakfast, which is being held together with the Evangelism Committee on April 6. We are still working on a speaker.

 

This is not a formal meeting, just plain good fellowship! It is a time to chat with the other women in the church while the men are having their dinner meeting. We meet in the “back room” of Michelle’s at 6pm.

 

All women are welcome.. and feel free to bring a friend or two!

 

 

MMC Pancake Breakfast will be presented by the Men n Ministry and Evangelism Committee on April 6th from 8am to 10am in the Fellowship Hall. You don’t want to miss it!

 

For six dollars, you will get all-you-can-eat plain or blueberry pancakes, sausage, orange juice and/or coffee .. TO GO will also be available.

 

The pancake breakfast is part of the TRUNKS OF GOLD event, being sponsored by McCormick County Business Council and Chamber of Commerce. Vendors will be selling their wares from their car “trunks” from 8am to 12pm on Main Street.

 

Proceeds from the pancake breakfast will go to local charities.

 

MMC will also have a table in Trunks of Gold advertising the Pancake Breakfast and MMC! Pancake Tickets can also be purchased at the table on Main Street, or you can come to the church and pay when you get your delicious pancakes!

 

MMC members can help Men N Ministry and the Evangelism team by supporting the pancake breakfast (bring a few friends and treat them!), and by being present at the table to talk to visitors!

 

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.