News and Updates

May 10, 2024

Resiliency Group for Companions May 14th

Join Susanne and other companions on Tuesday, May 14th, at 4:30 to reflect and practice our Resiliency skills.

We'll meet in the sanctuary for anyone who'd like to practice, refresh, or apply these tools toward Haywood Street or other parts of life. The focus will be on those who have been through Reconnect, but all are welcome!

Housing Huddle Ups beginning Wednesday, May 15th!

If you're interested in learning more about Haywood Street Community Development's housing project on West Haywood Street, join Director of Housing Laurie in the sanctuary at 10:00 am on Wednesdays!

Laurie will be available to answer questions about the project, show current blueprints, and give construction progress updates.

Contact Laurie if you have any questions.

Habitat for Humanity Work Day Next Thursday

The next Habitat for Humanity workday is Thursday, May 16th. The group will meet in the HSC parking lot at 7:45 to carpool together. For more information, contact Pastor Seth.

Garden Information Meeting May 21st

Please join us on Tuesday, May 21st, at 4:30 pm in the main dining hall for our Garden Meeting. Dave will share his vision for the garden, and we can all share ideas and discuss.

Please feel free to invite and share this information with any friends or family who are interested in being involved in a summer and fall garden. We could use as many people involved as possible to ensure the success of connection through community in addition to maintaining the beauty of the garden. 

Haywood Street Highlights

Pisgah Legal Services joined us on Wednesday, adding to the other community partners we have on campus--including Community Paramedics, Manna Food Bank (with food stamp assistance), Western NC Community Health Services, Daoist Traditions College of Acupuncture, and Homeward Bound.

These relationships are what help make a difference for our most vulnerable neighbors in our community.

Little Abbigail turned two this week! We were thrilled to spend a little time with her and her parents, Billy and Dawn, as they celebrated her this week! We love you, Abby! Happy Birthday!

Erosion control and grading have started at the site of our future affordable housing complex, marking the first step in the construction process. If you want to learn more about this project, be sure to join Laurie on Wednesdays at 10:00 in the sanctuary!

Weekly Ministry Opportunities:

Tuesday Haywood Street Holy Ground Keepers: 9:00 a.m. in the parking lot, weather permitting. Walk the grounds of the church campus and our local neighborhood, cleaning up along the way.

Tuesday Prayer Group: 12:30 p.m. in Room 6. Gather for a time of communal prayer.

Wednesday Downtown Welcome Table: Join us for lunch between 10:00-1:00 or help with kitchen and dining room clean-up from 1:00-3:00. Sign up here!

Wednesday Worship: 12:30 p.m. in the sanctuary.

Thursday Card Making: Meet at 10:00 a.m. in the Respite Kitchen to make cards for our friends in prison or the hospital. 

Weekly Sermons

Read the weekly sermons on our website here.

~Preaching Schedule~

May 15th:

Pastor Brian

May 22nd:

Pastor Jody

May 29th:

Pastor Seth

June 5th:

Pastor Brian

Fresco Viewing Hours:

Monday - Thursday, 10 am - 2 pm (with the exception of during our worship service, which is 12:30 pm every Wednesday).

Contact April if you would like to make an appointment to see the Fresco outside of those hours.

SERMON

Generosity in Proximity

by Pastor Seth

En route to Jerusalem, a hungry Christ sits at the table of the resurrected Lazarus, the sisters Mary and Martha present for the meal. While Martha tends to the platters, the smell of her home-cooked meal is quickly overpowered by the fragrance of something peculiar — an expensive scent smothering the senses of the gathered group. Noses trailing to the cause, the dinner party catches a gasping glimpse of Mary on the floor before Jesus’s now-soaked feet, a pound of perfume quickly pooling around them as she lowers her hair to wipe them clean.

Outraged at the scandal and utter wastefulness of this foolish woman, a red faced Judas points to profits lost — money that could have been given to the poor (and lined his own pockets) now soaking the dusty floor and travel-worn soles of Christ. Aside from his ulterior motive, Judas makes the case for utilitarianism: they could have done so much good for so many people with the earnings from the sale. Yet, Jesus privileges Mary’s gesture over Judas’s pragmatic proposition, concluding his lesson with a confusing claim: “you will always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”

Why does Jesus take Mary’s side?

Continue reading...

A witness to include the most excluded, Haywood Street not only welcomes every child of God–especially sisters and brothers of every mental illness and physical disability, addiction and diagnosis, living condition and employment status, gender identity and sexual orientation, class, color, and creed–but we celebrate your presence, certain that the kingdom of God is coming closer because you are here.