MSN – Methodist Student Network

Palm/Passion Sunday Service:  Service at 6pm at MSN followed by a free meal.

Tuesday, 4/3: Stations of the Cross. Meet 6pm on the steps of the Capitol building. MSN is inivited to join in this event sponsored by the St. Thomas More Center.  It is a walk to a series of stations in commemoration of the Passion of Jesus.

Maundy Thursday, 4/5: Table Communion with light meal. 6:15 at MSN.  After the meal, join us to attend the lecture “Mystery and Art of Living” with speaker Krista Tippett, host of the NPR series “On Being”.  7:30 pm, Belk Auditorium, BA building.

Good Friday 4/6:  Service and prayer around the cross to commemorate the death of Jesus. 12 noon at MSN.

Easter Sunday 4/8: Easter Service. MSN at 6pm followed by a free meal. Dominique Grate, a senior and seminary bound MSNer, will give the homily.

MSN for this wonderful weekend of Bible Study and fellowship on the coast of South Carolina. We will be joined by guest speaker Rev. Walter Cantwell, past MSN president. There will also be free time to enjoy the beach, study, run the Cooper River Bridge Race, and relaxation.  Cost is $25.

Contact Tom, Luiz, or Aubrey to sign up today!

The Methodist Student Network will be traveling to Pastocalle, Cotopaxi Province, Ecuador for its Spring Break mission trip, March 1-10, 2012. Located two hours south of Quito in the Andes, Pastocalle is a small and safe rural community surrounded by mountains and numerous volcanoes. MSN will be hosted by Volunteers in Mission of the Evangelical Methodist Church of Ecuador. MSN will be engaged in several projects. A doctor (and possibly a dentist) will travel with us enabling us to offer a health clinic for local residents. Students will be able to have hands on experience assisting the doctor and dentist.  We will help construct classrooms for a primary school/church.  Local construction experts will oversee the effort while students provide the labor. A Vacation Bible School will also be held for about 100 children throughout the week. We will also be involved in a health education program for the local people. In the evening, there will be times of fellowship and worship with the Methodist youth group and congregation of the town. A large part of our being in Ecuador will devoted to building relationships with the Ecuadorian people. Our desire is to be in solidarity with the people through times of service, socializing and worship.

With Lent approaching, it is time to take a closer look at our lives and our relationship with God and our brothers and sisters in Christ.  Lent is a time for special emphasis on our the spiritual lives.  There are many opportunities at MSN to grow more deeply in our faith.

Fat Tuesday:  February 21st, 9-10pm at MSN. Pancake Dinner! Go wild and eat as many pancakes as you like before Lent begins!

Ash Wednesday Service:  Februrary 22nd 7Pm at MSN.  We will have a  brief service with imposition of Ashes, marking the official beginning of Lent.

Dinner Groups:  February 20-24.  Join a dinner group for a chance to meet with people at MSN for an intentional time of fellowship as we share in our spiritual and faith journeys.

Throughout Lent, we are encouraged to take more seriously a life of prayer, study, fasting, serving others, and drawing closer to God.

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strengthand with all your mind’;and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.” Luke 10:27

Join MSN for the Swint Lake Retreat January 27-29 . We will explore the theme “Living the Great Commandments” through Bible Study, worship, and discussions. It will be a wonderful time for spiritual growth and getting to know others.  We will be staying in a private lake house, which is surrounded by many acres of forest.  In addition to Bible study, there will be free time to explore the trails, canoe on the lake, and relax. Feel free to bring school work along if you would like.  Cost is $25. Rides leave at varying times. Contact Tom (wallbrodie@aol.com) or Aubrey (gryaubann@gmail.com) if you are interested.

Loneliness, hostility and illusion. Henri Nouwen says that much of our lives are characterized by these. But to grow spiritually is to move towards solitude, hospitality and prayer. Our small groups will consider how we can began to grow in depth and breadth as we read and study together, “Reaching Out: The Three Movements of the Spiritual Life.”  So take some responsibility for your spiritual growth and do something you told yourself you would do. Find a group to support and challenge you and to build spiritual relationships with others and God. The small groups are beginning to form and meet now, so be in touch. There are several groups to choose from: Freshmen, Women’s, Co Ed and Grad.