Quick-Step Guide (PDF) for setting up your account and making your first donation.

Click or scan the icon above to make an online 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

 

 

Fred Craddock tells the story of his father, who spent years of his life hiding from the God who was seeking him out:

 

“When the pastor used to come from my mother’s church to call on him, my father would say, ‘You don’t care about me. I know how churches are. You want another pledge, another name, right? Another name, another pledge, isn’t that the whole point of church? Get another name, another pledge.’

 

My nervous mother would run to the kitchen, crying, for fear somebody’s feelings would be hurt. When we had an evangelistic campaign the pastor would bring the evangelist, introduce him to my father and then say, ‘Sic him, get him! Sic him, get him!’ My father would always say the same thing. ‘You don’t care about me! Another name, another pledge. Another name, another pledge! I know about churches.’

 

I guess I heard it a thousand times. One time he didn’t say it. He was at the Veteran’s Hospital. He was down to 74 pounds. They had taken out the throat, put in a metal tube, and said, ‘Mr. Craddock, you should have come earlier. But this cancer is awfully far advanced. We’ll give radium, but we don’t know.’

 

I went in to see him. In every window—potted plants and flowers. Everywhere there was a place to set them—potted plants and flowers. Even in that thing that swings out over your bed they put food on, there was a big flower. There was by his bed a stack of cards 10 or 15 inches deep. I looked at the cards sprinkled in the flowers. I read the cards beside his bed. And I want to tell you, every card, every blossom, every potted plant from groups, Sunday School classes, women’s groups, youth groups, men’s bible class, of my mother’s church—every one of them. My father saw me reading them. He could not speak, but he took a Kleenex box and wrote something on the side from Shakespeare’s Hamlet. . . . He wrote on the side, ‘In this harsh world, draw your breath in pain to tell my story.’ I said, ‘What is your story, Daddy?’ And he wrote, ‘I was wrong.’”

 

It is not until you know God is seeking you in love, not in condemnation; it is not until that moment that the gospel becomes Good News for you.

 

See you in Church or online this Sunday where God will reach out to you in love.

 

Your Pastor,
Nels

 

Fourth Sunday in Lent

Scripture Lesson: John 3: 1-21

 

Easter is in March this year … albeit the very last day in March!

 

Lent has started … and it’s a time of solemnity and self-reflection when we confess our failings and resolve to live a better life and be better persons, based on the teachings of Jesus Christ. Lent ends with the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, and the realization that He died so that we may live.

 

An important theme in the Lenten Season is the humanity of Christ. We are reviewing again the story of how, in Jesus, God became fully human and fully experienced the wide range of emotions we all encounter in life. Jesus experienced joy and love in his service to his Father, but he also experienced loneliness, sadness, temptation, hurt, disappointment, grief, and abandonment. These feelings were all part of being human.

 

Another part of being human is needing help from each other. God never intended us to be completely self-sufficient. Part of God’s plan is for each of us to turn to others for help when we need it. We need to remember Paul telling us, “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” [Galatians 6:2 (KJV)]

 

Here at McCormick Methodist Church our Stephen Ministers are here, ready and willing, to give that help to those struggling with difficult times. Start by calling Pastor Nels or one of the Stephen Leaders through the Church office at (864) 852-2394.

 

It was a refreshing experience while watching t. v. to see a 30-minute prayer commercial. I didn’t know its origin exactly, but I did see the word “Hallow” as it ended. In a recent conversation with our Dinner for 8 group, I learned that Hallow is a prayer “app” that you can put on your phone! Of course, I checked their website to learn more, and this is what I found.

 

Hallow is an American Catholic meditation and prayer app owned by Hallow, Inc. that began in 2018. It provides audio-guided Bible stories, prayers, meditations, Christian music, etc. The app has made history by becoming the first religious app to reach the number one spot on Apple’s app store.

 

Catholic actors Mark Wahlberg and Jonathan Roumie (who played Jesus Christ in The Chosen television series) say they joined the Hallow prayer app as narrators in order to help people “grow closer to God.” The movement to include prayer in one’s daily activities has seen a recent boom due in part to an ad for the app that ran during this year’s Super Bowl.

 

Roumie stated that he believes the Hallow app is “filling a need” for people wanting to connect to God and improve their prayer life, adding that he thought it was great the app’s Super Bowl commercial demonstrated that. In the ad, viewers are encouraged to join the app to stay “prayed up” throughout the 40 days of Lent. Whether or not you’ve seen the commercial, you might want to click on the link below to view it:

 

 

In the wake of the ad’s Super Bowl airing, Hallow CEO Alex Jones said the app experienced its biggest spike in downloads ever, surpassing Netflix in the app store! Philippians 4:6 reminds us to “pray about everything”. As Christians, we have to be excited about the impact that Hallow is having, and hopefully, we are staying “prayed up” on our personal Lenten journeys!

 

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!

 

The beautiful prayer quilt created for Billy Moon by McCormick Methodist Church’s Prayers & Squares Quilt Ministry Group was delivered to him last Sunday, February 25 after being dedicated during morning worship service. Billy is shown holding the quilt with son-in-law Reid Compton and daughter Mitzi (standing behind Jessica Kidd), Linda Kidd and Frances Kidd. Billy is wearing his veterans cap, having served as a U.S. Navy E-9 master chief.

 

He began his chemo treatments for acute leukemia this past Monday. Billy sends a heartfelt “Thank You” for the prayer quilt and all of the prayers from the congregation at MMC and encourages everyone to please keep praying!

 

The food pantry is in need of some jelly and jams to go with the peanut butter. They request smaller jars, so the filled food bags are not too heavy.

 

They could also use egg noodles and smaller plain pastas to go with canned meats for casseroles.

 

Thank you for helping to keep the pantry filled and ready for those who stop by in need of food. Your sharing is quietly helping others in our community.

 

 

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 MMC Prayer Team invites you to join them on Sunday, March 10 in the Young at Heart Classroom at 9:15am. Patty Kriger will meet you there and lead you in a prayer experience prior to the service.

 

 

 

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.

 

Palm Sunday commemorates the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem and begins the series of observances focusing on the events of Holy Week.  Join us for worship at 10am.

 

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.

 

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).