Sylva Garden Club Christmas Tea and Bazaar
The Sylva Garden Club is hosting a Christmas Tea & Bazaar on Saturday, December 3 from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church of Sylva. Finger foods, sweets, and tea will be served. Christmas crafts, specialty pecans, silent auction, and raffle for door prize. Price is $12.00 per ticket. Tickets are available from SGC members and at the door. All funds raised go to SGC’s beautification projects and scholarships.
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Forefathers of Faith
When they all sat down at the table together, they couldn’t have been more different.
Brought together by a sense of discontentedness with the status quo, they yearned for a better life. When the Movement found them, they felt oppressed—socially, economically, politically, and because of their faith. The promise of a new reality seemed possible, and these individuals fell in line with the hope that because of their involvement, the world would be forever changed.
And yet, their journey together had been bumpy. This hodgepodge collection of individuals, cobbled together for a common cause, came from assorted backgrounds and life experiences. They were working class, salt of the earth men. There were passionate patriots, red-faced commoners, and yes--those who were eager to spill blood. Some were traitors. Others were cheats. They were, in truth, a dirty dozen.
Their road to the table had been littered with awkward moments. There were doubts, professions of faith, miracles and setbacks. The men vied for attention, conspired to gain power, and argued with one another about who would ultimately sit closest to the center of the table.
Who were these people and what was their cause?
No, we’re not talking about the forefathers of our nation. We’re talking about the forefathers of our faith.
When Jesus’s disciples reclined at the table in the upper room on the night before His crucifixion, the dinner guests found themselves seated beside individuals they would have never otherwise associated. What brought everyone together was Jesus.
Despite their many differences, agendas, perspectives and politics, Jesus was able to bring everyone together. This was no small accomplishment. Only the presence of God Himself could pull it off. History is replete with examples of how we abhor the Other. The human condition testifies to the fact that we despise the differences that we see in one another, and that we will go to great lengths to wall ourselves off from those who are different from ourselves. We are grateful for the deep oceans that separate us from our enemies, just as we celebrate mountain ranges, national boundaries, and railroad tracks that seek to preserve our like-mindedness.
Jesus, however, confronted this all-too human inclination by calling followers who would have ordinarily been reluctant to call one another friend. And seated at the table with them that last night, this is what Jesus prayed:
“I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” (John 17:21)
God desires for us to be one. But how? Communion with God and with one another is only possible through Jesus Christ. In fact, our unity in Christ becomes the way in which we testify to the world about God’s desire to save the world through His son, Jesus.
Unity is possible because of Jesus Christ. Jesus is enough. The witness of the Gospel, and the teachings of Jesus, inspires us to seek unity with others because of, and through the grace of, Jesus.
But first, we’ve got to be willing to sit at the table together.
Brothers and sisters, this is not an invitation. It is Christ’s hope, Christ’s prayer and Christ's command.
Besides, Jesus is already seated at the table. It would be a shame to let him dine alone.
Staff Spotlight
Get to know our First Explorers staff with "Staff Spotlight!" Every week, we will highlight a 1E staff member so that everyone can get to know our team a little bit better.
Meet Cole Young!
Cole works on our 1st Explorers Ministry Staff in our After School Ministry.
Where are you from? Sylva
If you are in school, what year are you in and what is your major? Sophomore, HPE.
When you were in Kindergarten, what did you want to be when you grew up? A football player
Now, today, what kind of a career do you want to have? I want to own my own crossfit gym
Favorite Bible verse or story (and why?): Romans 5:8... that's the Gospel baby!!
"I spend a lot of my free time doing...": Sports
"One thing I love about living in Western North Carolina is...": The outdoors
"One thing I want to do before graduating is...": Take a road trip across America with my best friends
Operation Christmas Child
WMU appreciates your support of Operation Christmas Child! Please return your packed Shoeboxes to the Loving Kindness Room by Wednesday, November 16th.
Messiah Performance
On Sunday, November 13, the Western Carolina Community Chorus will present the Christmas portion and the Halleluia Chorus of Handel's masterpiece, MESSIAH. The program is at 3 PM and will take place in the Bardo Performing Arts Center on the WCU campus. The concert will be conducted by Robert Holquist, and will include orchestra and soloists. Admission is $10 for adults, and $5 for students. Tickets are available at the door only. Please bring cash or a check, as plastic payment will not be available. In addition to Bob, First Baptist members participating in the performance are Ruth McConnell, Bruce Frazier, Jay Coward, Bryan Boone, Mike Nichols, Charles White, and Leo and Sandra James. We hope to see you there!
Mission Moment from Slovakia
(pictured above) Shane McNary and Sasha Zivanov. Shane serves in Slovakia and Sasha serves in St. Louis, Mo.
Our Church is pleased to support CBF Global Missions in moments like these where unity and love are modeled and shared.
We met Rene several years ago when he was working at the Children’s Center, an outreach of Bethel Ministries/Litomerice Baptist Church. I was immediately impressed by his commitment to serving others and we remained friends even after the Center closed. I know Rene to be a compassionate and committed servant, and I was honored to be present at his appointment service. At the service, an elder who happened to be Baptist shared how meaningful Rene’s friendship has been to him. He said, “I consider him my brother.” He continued through his tears, “We are brothers here and we will be brothers in heaven.” By bridging generations, races, and church affiliation these two brothers deconstruct the rhetoric of intolerance against “anti-sociables” as the Roma are euphemistically called by some Czech politicians. Deconstructing the myth that Roma and non-Rom Czechs cannot relate to the other, the reign of God grows as these men from different worlds learn to live in beloved community.
-Dianne and Shane McNary, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Field Personnel, Slovakia
A Note from the WCU Women's Soccer Team
First Baptist Church,
Thank you for letting us use your space!
Love,
Western Carolina's Women's Soccer Team
Veterans Picnic
New Canvas Art in Mission Fellowship Center
We would like to send a huge thank you to Joseph Moon, Linda Stewart, Harold Messer, and everyone else involved in this project. We now have three beautiful canvases on the wall in the entrance to the Mission and Fellowship Center. They capture our mission statement and display the beauty of the mountains that surround us.