The Anonymous People
A Good Day for a Mental Workout
“Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.” -Joseph Addison
It’s a good day for a good book. And judging by the weather, we’ve had dozens of quality reading days lately.
There are few things more enjoyable than having a good reason to bundle up in a chair or couch and to digest new ideas or be transported to a far-off land on some grand literary adventure.
Some have understandably scoffed at my affection for digital books. True, I love a good bookstore and yes, I love the smell and feel of an old book. But I’ve found that having a veritable library in my pocket or at my fingertips outweighs the sacrifices I make in feeling the weight and heft of a good tome. Proximity and accessibility win out over the touch and feel of physical pages.
I’m a techno-sell-out, I know.
The book—as a physical construction—has been heralded by historians as one of the greatest inventions in human history. Known early on as a codex, the book quickly became a cherished and treasured way to traffic in new ideas. Books would prove to be far more effective than cave writings or scrolls. A book could preserve histories, ancient thinking and fantastic story-telling. The book also enabled these ideas and teachings to be portable and to spread. Without the invention of the codex, the Good News of Jesus Christ might never have reached our collective doorstep. We are, after all, People of the Book.
So, what are you reading?
For me, I find myself drawn to a variety of literature. Yes, I read a variety of translations of Holy Scripture each week. And yes, I also lean on the professional library I have in my study. I am blessed with a hearty collection of books from seminary, and from the generosity of retired pastors that I’ve encountered along the way.
Additionally, I have to be reading fiction. I love a good story, and am partial to historical fiction, suspense and even a wee dram of spooky literature.
Since beginning my post-graduate work, I’ve added a daily dose of non-fiction, as well. My first semester was filled with reading that dealt with the modern-day challenges of the church and pastoral leadership. My classes this fall also reminded me how to be a student by reacquainting me with research methodologies (which didn’t exactly make my heart sing).
This semester, I’m doing a deep-dive in Irish Church history. I find the subject matter to be fascinating and insightful as the development of Celtic Christianity has many parallels to our current culture. I whole-heartedly believe that we can learn something from the way the Irish were faithful, even though our contexts are separated by a big pond and more than a few centuries.
Are you curious to discover why I’m so drawn to this time period? Why don’t you join in reading alongside me? I’ll even buy your coffee when we arrange to talk about what we’ve learned together.
Here are a few books that I’ve found to be particularly helpful:
The Celtic Way by Ian Bradly
An excellent first-read, this book provides a thorough historical survey of the development of Christianity in the entirety of the British Isles. Bradley provides a condensed rendering of the Celtic Christian narrative.
How the Irish Saved Civilization: The Untold Story of Ireland's Heroic Role from the Fall of Rome to the Rise of Medieval Europe by Thomas Cahill
Cahill’s book makes a compelling case for how the Irish monastic community preserved the advances of Western Civilization when Rome’s demise gave rise to the Dark Ages. Cahill’s work lifts up Celtic Christianity’s impact on a much broader scale. Thorough, accessible and fascinating, Cahill highlights the role that the church on the periphery played to bridge the gap between the ancient classical world and the early stages of the enlightenment.
Living Between Worlds: Places and Journey in Celtic Spirituality by Philip Sheldrake
This book occupies itself with a more particular element within Celtic Christianity. For those who are fascinated by the idea of ‘thin places,’ I think you’ll enjoy how this book zeroes in on the unique relationship that location and movement have within the Celtic Christian tradition. Using Celtic Christian history as a timeline, the author provides a compelling argument for why space and boundaries play such a significant role in the faith experience of the early church in Ireland.
Parents Night Out
We will be having Parents Night Out on February 2nd from 5:30 - 9:00 PM.
Sign up for Parents Night Out here: http://firstbaptistsylva.com/giving
Mission Moment
Mission Bite 69: Our daily bread
"Food ministry has been part of what we do from the beginning. Mike tells this story of how his bread ministry came to help create Beloved Community at Grace & Main: 'After starting a relationship with Josh, I was at Walmart working and a lady from Grace & Main came up to me and said she needed some bread because she had 3 homeless people living with her. That really got to me. Each week I started delivering bread to her house. One day they invited me to come in and help fix lunches and I have been with them ever since. To sit down and have a meal with somebody, to help the marginalized and less fortunate, that's the heart of Jesus, with the forgotten people of the world.'"
- Jessica Hearne, CBF field personnel in Danville, Va.
Summer Explorers Camp 2018
We're excited to share information about 1st Explorers summer 2018! Tentatively camp will officially begin on June 18th and the end date will be determined once the Jackson County Schools 2018 - 2019 school calendar is released.
New this year we will offer mini-camps the week before Summer Camp begins and the week after Summer Camp ends with limited enrollment, information about those camps are available below.
Our Kindergarten - 4th graders will have grade specific groups. In their groups they will be led by summer counselors in activities that are designed specifically for their age group and are tailored to make their camp experience fun and memorable!
5th and 6th graders will have a newly designed camp experience that will assist them with the transition into their middle school years! They will participate in activities and trips that are tailored to their development level.
7th - 12th grade students will participate in an exciting new leadership and mentoring program. This group will have the opportunity to work with our Youth Minister, Carol Cloer, and learn ways they can serve as peer leaders in our camp groups. Each week they will spend time planning and leading an activity for younger campers and will participate in team and leadership development courses.
We're excited about all of the learning, sharing and growing that will happen this summer through a variety of activities, including faith development through Bible study and chapel, trips to the pool, gardening, cooking, going to the library and various places.
Mini-Camps
Traditionally we are closed the week following the end of school and the week before school begins in August, but this year we will be offering limited enrollment mini camps during those weeks.
Fees are:
$100 for One Child
$150 for Two Children
$225 for Three Children
*$35 per day if you would like to attend select days.
*Campers must bring their own lunch.
Wee Explorers Preschool
(3 and 4 year olds)
Will offer a half-day camp from 7:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Cost: $250 per month
Summer Explorers Camp (K-8)
7:30 AM - 5:30 PM
First Day of Camp is June 18, 2018
One Child $650 ($100 dollars of tuition due by March 5th)
Two Children $1,000 ($200 dollars of tuition due by March 5th)
Three Children $1,400 ($300 dollars of tuition due by March 5th)
Summer Explorers Camp + Passport
his summer, children and youth will be able to attend an overnight Christian camp experience called PASSPORTkids! in Montreat, NC, July 2 - 5 or PASSPORTchoices in Greensboro, NC, July 1-6.
PASSPORTkids! is for campers going into the 4th, 5th or 6th grade at the start of the school in August. While at PASSPORTkids! Camp, campers will participate in Bible study, worship, missions and many other fun activities with campers from all over the Southeast!
A deposit of $50 per camper is due on February 16th.
Total cost per camper is $295.
PASSPORTchoices is for campers going into the 7th - 12th grades. While at PASSPORTchoices Camp, campers will participate in Bible study, worship, missions and many other fun activities with campers from all over the Southeast!
A deposit of $50 per camper is due on February 16th.
Total cost per camper is $225.
Sign up for PASSPORT Camp on our church website here: http://firstbaptistsylva.com/giving/
*Some scholarships are available.
Additional Information
Applications for camp are open until February 2nd. Upon acceptance to Summer Explorers Camp, your family will receive an email confirming your child's acceptance and how to begin paying.
Families with balances from other 1st Explorers programs will need to pay their balances before being accepted to Summer Explorers Camp.
All payments are non-refundable and accounts must be paid in full no later than May 15th.
Paying for Passport Camp is separate from paying for Summer Day Camp.
For more information about PASSPORT, visit them on the web at http://passportcamps.org/kids-camps/
Breakfast, lunch and snacks are provided at Summer Day Camp.
Missing the Forest for the Trees
I have a tendency to look down while I hike.
This is not inherently a bad thing, of course. I am on the lookout for things that might trip me up, like a tree limb or a moss-covered rock.
I noticed, however, that in the wake of my ankle injury some years ago, my focus while hiking was almost completely on the terrain of the trail. And for good reason. I did not want to do anything that might reinjure my ankle or bring about such excruciating pain.
Not surprising, then, was my laser focus on the root sticking up on the trail, or the suspiciously deep leaf pile. Now, that’s an interesting design—is it a snake? Is it a copperhead? There’s a significant step down. Watch your step. There’s a significant step up. Look for a handhold.
Yes. It is safe to assume that my hiking trips have—for the most part-- been free of injury and harm. But they haven’t been particularly enjoyable hikes, either. I placed so much emphasis on the path that I had missed the journey. Absent were the towering trees, the birds, the views and the vistas because I was so focused on looking down.
I have a tendency to look down while I live.
This is not an entirely bad thing, of course. There’s much to pay attention to in this world. If one’s not careful, you’ll miss the due date on that bill, or fail to notice the clogged gutters which might lead to a damaged ceiling. The mundane details and demands of everyday life rightly get our attention because that’s how we get further down the path, correct?
So, we move forward with our heads down. And for those of us who have experienced any significant injury along the way, we remind ourselves that we won’t let that happen again. When trust has been damaged, we tighten up. When our hopes have been dashed, we limit our gaze. When we have been victims of tragedy, we are constantly on guard.
And for the most part, our attention to the topographical dimensions of life preserves our sanity and (mostly) ensures that our journey forward will be relatively painless. But at what cost? Our children have graduated and left home, and we are filled with regret for the moments we missed because our focus was down, not up. Time passes so quickly that we catch ourselves longing to replay key moments from our past. At some point we will wish that we had stopped to look up, to savor our place in life, to be grateful for the gifts God has given us. We spent our journey focused on the ground, and we sacrificed contentment, passion and joy along the way.
Balance is an important course-correction because we know that life requires looking down and looking up. But before we can get to balance, we must first deal with awareness. Are we even aware that we are missing so much as we travel along the path?
A while back I tried to force myself to look up and around instead of focusing so intensely on the trail. I’m embarrassed to report that I was breathless at what I saw. The angle of the sunlight through the trees spread a delicious warmth in the mountain cove. A deer stood motionless on the ridgetop. An eagle circled the rocky outcropping ahead on the rising air currents. The autumn leaves shimmered and glowed.
And as for my feet? They never missed a step.
A while back I tried to force myself to look up and around instead of focusing so intensely on the demands and details of life. I’m embarrassed to report that I was touched by what I experienced. I laughed more. I was grateful more frequently. I saw God at work in mysterious ways and in dynamic places. I loved more deeply. I lingered longer in conversation. I was more gracious with myself and with others.
And as for my steps? Strangely, I never lost my balance.
Psalm 24
The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it,
the world, and those who live in it;
for he has founded it on the seas,
and established it on the rivers.
Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?
And who shall stand in his holy place?
Those who have clean hands and pure hearts,
who do not lift up their souls to what is false,
and do not swear deceitfully.
They will receive blessing from the Lord,
and vindication from the God of their salvation.
Such is the company of those who seek him,
who seek the face of the God of Jacob.
Lift up your heads, O gates!
and be lifted up, O ancient doors!
that the King of glory may come in.
Who is the King of glory?
Communion in Worship
Please join us in celebrating the ordinance of communion in worship this Sunday, January 28th.
Welcome Lindsey Faulkenberry!
Lindsey Faulkenberry joined the church on Sunday, January 21st by Profession of Faith. We look forward to her baptism in the coming weeks. Please join us in welcoming her warmly to our church family!
