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

 

Thank you for giving to McCormick United Methodist Church. Your gifts enable us to fulfill our mission of “Reaching Up and Reaching Out”.

 

from Rev. C. Nels Ledwell

 

 

Since last December, our Church has journeyed through the discernment process to leave or stay in the United Methodist Church. The process has resulted in our Church voting to disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church and become an independent Church. Our Next Steps team, your pastor and our attorney Lee Roper, have been very busy filing the necessary paperwork to place our Church on the Annual Conference agenda for approval to leave the denomination.

 

The process is a tremendous undertaking. Since February, we have been in the process of filling out insurance forms; obtaining property appraisals; preparing deeds for property transfer; gathering membership records; providing the Conference copies of our historical records; securing $140,000 to pay 2.5 years of apportionments, pension liability and 10% of our property and assets; and filing papers to close our church and open as a new entity seeking incorporation under our new name as McCormick Methodist Church.

 

Our present membership will automatically become members of our new Church entity. In addition, your pastor and attorney are preparing new incorporation papers and new by-laws so our Church can continue to operate in orderly fashion. Your pastor is in the process of leaving the United Methodist Church and serve you as an independently ordained pastor working under a new agreement as a pastor now hired by our Church.

 

Our payment and paperwork must be ready to submit to the Conference by May 15. The SC United Methodist Annual Conference will meet June 4-7 in Florence SC and will be voting to approve all churches requesting disaffiliation. Pending approval, the official day of disaffiliation will be June 30, 2023.

 

On July 1, we will be operating as an independent Methodist Church known as McCormick Methodist Church. We will continue to use the Church Council form of representative government we have presently with our new by-laws modeled after our current Book of Discipline. We anticipate our transition to be orderly with little interruption of our mission to make disciples and worship our Lord.

 

I am looking forward to the challenge of serving God as an independent Church and answering God’s call share the Good News of the Gospel to all who will listen. We must join together in prayer as we begin a new and exciting journey together.

 

See you in Church or online this Sunday,

 

Your Pastor,

 

Nels

 

Fifth Sunday of Easter

Holy Communion

Message: “Standing Healthy in the Name of Jesus”

 

Do you have any unused strands of green Christmas lights in storage? If so, here’s a neat idea for their use during the month of May, which is, as the above sign reminds us, Mental Health Month. I have found several strands myself and plan to use them for this special purpose.

 

So, what do green lights have to do with mental health? As a part of their Light Up Green campaign, Mental Health America is asking buildings all across the U.S. to light up green for “Go” and help spread awareness … and they say they would love our help! McCormick County’s MHA affiliate is promoting this locally through contact with government officials, and hopefully, we will see some green displayed – but why not create green displays of your own at home as well?

 

“Be kind to your mind” is a phrase that reminds us of the importance of taking good care of our mental health. When you google this phrase, you find several versions of the 7 Rules of Life by famous people like Rudyard Kipling and John D. Rockefeller. I am not sure of the author of the version below, but I share it because it is short and to the point:

As Christians, we can simplify our lives and reduce this number of rules to just one rule – Follow Jesus! Then the seven listed above will fall into place!

 

This week’s Kindness entry is about an act of kindness that “almost happened” – the sender shares valuable “after thoughts” – (Proverbs 3: 27 also offers this: “Do not withhold good from one who deserves it when you have the power to do it.”

 

 

 

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 scholarship committee is currently accepting applications for this year‘s Creighton scholarship. Applications are available at the church office. The criteria for the selection of the scholarship winner are as follows: the candidate must be a graduating high school senior, who has been accepted at an institution of higher learning, and displays the traits of good character, service to others and academic excellence.

Questions?- call Lindy Stahlman

 

Many of you are enjoying the fellowship time following the services each week! If you have not come to the fellowship hall after the service, give it a try this week! There is always coffee, drinks, and goodies plus fellowship with the church family!

 

Carol Myers wants you to know there is a sign-up ready for April, May, and June. Please take the time to pick one Sunday to bring goodies (usually there are two folks that provide the goodies). Goodies do not have to home-made! You will be working with others to set up.. the veterans will show you the way!!

 

If you have a question or concern, call Carol Myers.

 

Have you ever wondered why our church developed a Stephen Ministry program? One compelling aspect of Stephen Ministry is the role it plays in assisting the pastor in caring for the membership. Pastors cannot do it all!! A pastor is like a firefighter … when a crisis happens, he rushes to the scene to put out the fire. But shortly after that, another ‘fire’ will break out in the congregation and he will have to rush to that scene. Each ‘fire’ is important, but his time quickly becomes consumed by the second, third, and fourth ‘fires.’ And remember … the ‘fires’ are on top of his other duties as a pastor!

 

That’s where the Stephen Ministers come in!! The pastor will always be our ‘firefighter,’ but the Stephen Ministers are the people who come ‘after.’ They help those who are suffering sort through and clear the debris of crises and begin to rebuild. And the Stephen Ministers continue to give care as long as it is needed during the rebuilding process … one month, two months, six months, a year, and sometimes longer. They provide the steady, consistent, one-to-one follow-up care that the pastor wants to do but simply does not have enough time.

 

So remember … Stephen Ministers are people trained to provide one-on-one, confidential, non-judgmental Christian support for persons dealing with life’s ‘fires’ … people dealing with despair, anguish, anger, and grief. If you should 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.

 

Start by calling Pastor Nels or one of the Stephen Leaders thru the church office at (864)852-2394 and begin a ‘fellowship’ with a Stephen Minister.

 

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.

 

 

 

 

 

Biscuits & Blessings – Saturday, May 6 – 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon – Church Parking Lot On Hwy. 378 – The Evangelism Committee announces that, again this year, McCormick UMC will host Biscuits & Blessings to reach out to our community! This event is offered as a part of the Town of McCormick’s Trunks of Gold Event on Main Street that morning.

 

Men ‘N Ministry will serve up the blessing of delicious sausage biscuits, coffee, juice and water, and the blessing of live Christian music will be provided by Larry Freeland, lead singer of Praise Tyme Band, who is also a former member of the Swingin’ Medallions. You will enjoy old gospel hymns, some original songs, and some Oldies tunes you will recognize that have new lyrics. Bring your bag chairs – and pack an extra one or two to share with others!

 

VOLUNTEERS are needed to help with this event! You will find a sign up board in the fellowship hall – please be sure to sign up and offer your help with setting up, taking down, or with food preparation and service. And, let us all be praying for this special outreach project!

 

All proceeds go to benefit local charities.

 

 

On Sunday, May 14, there will be a special offering for the Epworth Children’s home, located in Columbia, SC.

 

TRANSFORM A CHILD’S FUTURE.
Each year, Epworth Children’s Home provides care to children in our own communities who have experienced abuse, neglect, and loss. Epworth’s care breaks the destructive cycle and encourages children to aim higher in life. The physical, emotional, academic, and spiritual care they receive transforms their lives. On Sunday, May 14th, 2023, our congregation will support Epworth by collecting the Annual Epworth Mother’s Day Offering. We invite you to give generously to the children impacted by Epworth’s care and programs. Epworth does not receive apportionments from the United Methodist Conference. This offering is our opportunity to support this vital ministry.

 

Mother’s Day is your opportunity to support Epworth’s ministry.

 

Ladies, mark those calendars and find a picture of your mother to bring with you to the UMW meeting on May 18 at 6pm!

 

With a theme like, I REMEMBER MAMA, you know we will have some interesting fellowship! You don’t want to miss it, so mark your calendars today! Everyone is welcome, feel free to invite your neighbors to also join us on May 18!

 

Watch for details!