Mission Moment from North Carolina

Our Church is pleased to support CBF Global Missions in moments like these where unity and love are modeled and shared.

"After helping a new Afghan refugee family coming to Raleigh settle into their home, one neighbor brought over a home-cooked meal for the whole family to enjoy. When the mother saw that her neighbor was an Afghan mom just like her, she began to cry. We believe they were tears of happiness. She and her family are now home, safe and sound after such a long, long journey. In those covered dishes, her new neighbor gave her much more than food."

- Kim and Marc Wyatt, CBF field personnel in the North Carolina Research Triangle

Christ’s Anchor Holds

According to a report out in the late last year, ‘post-truth’ was named the 2016 word of the year by Oxford Dictionaries.
 
Post-truth? Yes. Welcome to the 21st Century where we contemplate how the truth matters less and less.
 
In case you are wondering, the dictionary defines 'post-truth' as “relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief.”
 
I must confess that I think there’s something to this.
 
Take my preaching as an example. There’s rarely a Sunday that goes by that people do not surprise me by what they heard in my sermon. Individuals from widely different backgrounds and perspectives will hear my sermon and come to very different conclusions about what they heard me say.  
 
In full transparency, I often find myself thinking: “You heard me say what?!”   
 
I am no different, y’all. I frequently hear what I want to hear.
 
Matt Sapp, a pastor in North Georgia, calls this confirmation bias--“the idea that we are more likely to uncritically accept ideas or opinions as true if they tend to reinforce what we already believe.”
 
I don’t think it’s a stretch to identify this as a problem. We cannot simply resort to calling facts and truth that don’t align with our hunches and predilections, ‘alternate facts.’ This will not do.
 
We need a stronger anchor in our lives than the fragile, and elastic tether of our confirmation biases. Without something to hold us in place, the waves and winds will likely lead us into some dark and terrible waters.
 
Jesus Christ is our anchor. And his anchor holds.
 
Jesus said… “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me (John 14:6)."
 
Followers of God’s Son profess that Jesus is the way. The Greek word that we translate as ‘way’ connotes a road, a journey, not unlike Isaiah’s prophecy: “A highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Holy Way; the unclean shall not travel on it, but it shall be for God’s people; no traveler, not even fools, shall go astray (Isaiah 35:8).”
 
Jesus is the way that we know the Father. We know God—and His story, His commandments, His love, and His promise—through Jesus, His son. Jesus is the way we understand ourselves, the way we interpret events and circumstances around us, and the way we know how to respond to them.
 
Jesus is the Truth. Earlier, the Gospel writer told us that Jesus is the Word of God. This reassures us that our God wants to be known, wants to be encountered, wants to be understood. Jesus, then, is the explanation of God. Awareness of God and His plan for us is liberating. “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free (John 8:31-32).”
 
Remember, as Baptists, we covenant with one another to read and understand scripture in light of Jesus. But we cannot stop there. We should seek to understand our world through the authority of Jesus, which he defines as the Kingdom of God.  
 
Jesus is life, both for eternity and in the here and now. Jesus is the one who tells us right from wrong. Not our own inclinations. And certainly not what is driven by our own self-interest or loyalty to a particular tribe or way of thinking.  Jesus is the true north in our world.
 
If ever there was a time to profess the Lordship of Jesus, it is today. We need to be anchored to something far stronger than the forces of persuasion and deceit that is present in every aspect of our world. For if we allow ourselves to interpret and experience our culture according to someone else’s vision, we will be powerless to where they might want to lead us. 
 
Without Jesus as our anchor, there’s no telling where we’ll end up and what we’ll look like when we get there.
 
Don’t just hold on loosely, people. Cling to Christ with everything you’ve got. He is our life, he is our way forward, he is what is right in a world full of wrong.

Charlie's Challenge

You are invited to a Fundraising Event to benefit Jackson Neighbors in Need.  Neighbors in Need is a part of Mountain Projects and is a voluntary organization consisting of a group of local churches, organizations and individuals who work together to keep vulnerable individuals and families warm during the cold weather months.  We do this in three ways: 
1) provision of a cold weather homeless shelter, 2) assistance with heating bills, and 3) weatherization of homes.

Please respond as indicated on the invitation to let us know you are attending.  We hope to see you on January 28.

Can't come but want to help?  Please send donations to Mountain Projects, 25 Schulman Street, Sylva, NC28779, writing JNIN on the memo line of checks.

New Website Domain Name!

Our website has a new domain!  Our website is now at www.firstbaptistsylva.com . We hope that this domain name is more representative of our church and easier to remember!

"Shine" Children's Program

"SHINE" is 1st Explorer's new Wednesday night experience for children and youth!

Beginning TOMORROW, January 11th, children kindergarten through 5th grade will have choir practice from 6:00-6:30 PM in the choir room. Babies, toddlers and preschool children will meet in our nursery. Then at 6:30 PM, School age children will get the chance to SHINE by doing one of three activities that we will introduce the first Wednesday: art, interpretive movement, and drama.

Youth will have their own experience, they will meet around 5:00. A pizza dinner will be provided at 5:30pm, then from 6:00 to 7:00pm youth will get to learn more about their Identity.  

More info to come!

Hospitality Table Sign-Ups

We are looking for volunteers to sign up to host the Hospitality table after worship on Sunday mornings! If you would like to provide/serve snacks and drinks to our congregation one Sunday, please consider signing up for any Sunday through the end of May! You can sign up by emailing Kristin Fritts at fritts-kristin@aramark.com.

Also, we'd like to send a huge thank you out to everyone who has pitched in to help at the table this past year! We always enjoy being able to fellowship together after worship on our front porch steps.

Skyland Care Center Valentine's Party

A Recipe for Tasty Goodness

In a strange twist, I’ve recently discovered that I like to cook. Why am I surprised by this realization? Until the last few years, I found it relatively easy to consume food. Whether from the stove, from the oven, out of a box, or from a cheap, fast-food joint, I could eat it. But alas, I’ve been forced to change my eating patterns and food preparation has taken center-stage in my life.
 
No, I’m not a natural in the kitchen. Unlike my father, I’m not intuitive about spices, food combinations or suggested cooking procedures. And unlike my mother, I can be sloppy about following directions. I’m not drawn to cooking shows and I certainly wouldn’t brag about my meal offerings to others (although my mashed potatoes are pretty spectacular, if I do say so myself).
 
So, I’m surprised by the fact that I’ve discovered a fondness for food preparation. And no one in my family has complained loudly enough for me to drop my new hobby.
 
As the pastor of our church, I often find myself to be in the kitchen. No, I seriously doubt that Ruth and her team of kitchen experts would value my presence in the Mission and Fellowship Hall Kitchen. Better said, I find myself in a position of arranging our church’s resources—think ingredients--in such a way that the yeast can rise and a tasty offering can be made to our community and world.
 
Most experienced cooks know that food preparation and kitchen management is a bit of an art form. Cooking requires appropriate care for the different kinds of items that will go into a meal or dish. Flavors need time to marry. Entrees need quiet moments to marinate. Skipping steps in preparation will yield an unhappy outcome, and too much tinkering, stirring and flipping will turn a lovely dish into an unsightly mess. Cooking, like pastoring and leading, requires preparation, trust, and above all, patience.   
 
I can imagine that if there was a recipe card for developing a rich and bountiful church-- complete with a savory sauce and a sweet aroma--it would look something like this:
 
1.) Assemble the following ingredients in advance, and then wash them with the water of baptism and pat dry:
-Individuals endowed by the Spirit with a variety of dynamic skills and gifts
-Individuals with a willingness to share what God has given them
-A corporate desire to work together
-A willingness to share a common vision together
-A desire to take Christ-like risks out of love for others
-Courage to be honest
-Resiliency
-Grace
-A boundless, faithful love for one another
 
2.) Place the ingredients in an appropriately-sized mixing bowl.
-Please note: The bowl doesn’t need to be too big, or the ingredients won’t mix properly. Also, the bowl doesn’t need to be too small lest there’s not enough room for new ingredients to be added later.
-Gently mix the ingredients until everything is uniformly distributed. This process may take more time than expected, depending on the pliability of the ingredients.
 
3.) Allow ingredients to set, and for the flavors to fuse.
-Do not rush this step. Be aware that if you do, ingredients will become lost and the rich flavors will not be drawn out.
 
4.) Add the yeast of the Holy Spirit.
-Stir in the yeast and allow time for the mixture to rise.
-Caution: The mixture may not rise as you expect or imagine. Be open to what occurs and what may develop during this step. Also, be aware that it may take longer for the mixture to rise than you first thought.
 
5.) Place in a casserole dish and bake in a setting that will transform the ingredients into a wholly new creation.
-Be aware: The mixture will take a different form and may look completely different by the time it’s done. Also, know that the mixture may spill out of the pan. This is completely acceptable.
 
6.) Final words of encouragement:
-Do not skip steps, or the dish may become spoiled.
-Do not leave any ingredients out, or the finished product may be distasteful.
-Do not rush the process of allowing everything to marinate and settle. Rushing the cooking process may result in wasted ingredients and a failed product. This will inevitably yield distrust and may risk future attempts at cooking.
 
Y’all, as one of many cooks in our faith community’s kitchen, be assured that the quality of our ingredients are second to none. I’ve been in a variety of kitchens over the years, and I know the goods when I see them. The First Baptist Church of Sylva is uniquely arranged, and supremely stocked, to provide a banquet feast for the community in which we are located.
 
I’m hungry. Let’s get cooking together.  

How to Give to 1st Explorers

Our 1st Explorers Ministry continues to grow at First Baptist Church and many have asked how to support this ministry. There are several ways to support this ministry.

1)     With your prayers! Pray for our staff that care for children daily. Pray for the children and their families. Pray that our programs leadership continues to listen to God and hear where he is calling us.

2)     With your time! Come volunteer in the program. You could read with a child, assist in a classroom or provide a special program! Contact Kelly Brown our Director about volunteer opportunities!

3)     With supplies! We are always in need to crayons, paint, pencils and more! Check with Kelly Brown our Director to find out what specific needs are.

4)     Our Amazon Wish List here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/LKIDY053QS5O/ref=bnav_topnav_lists_2

5)     Financially. The money that funds our 1st Explorers Ministry is mostly through tuition and contributions.

a.     While the tuition assists in the overall costs of the ministry we know that it takes more than that to support the good work our staff is doing as the minister to children and their families. You can donate directly to the 1st Explorers Ministry which in turn will assist the annual budget of $133,000 for the program.

b.     You may donate to the Lou Bryson Memorial Fund which is overseen by our Children’s Advisory Board. This fund was created by Lou Bryson’s family to honor her love for children and our community. This fund is used to provide scholarships for families and provide supplies for the 1st Explorers Ministry.

c.      Provide Scholarships for students in our programs:

                                                    i.     Wee Explorers Pre-School tuition is $250 a month.

                                                  ii.     After School for one child is $85 a month, $130 for two children, $195 for three children.

Summer Explorers Camp costs between $600 and $1,200 depending on family sizes.

WCU Research Study