WMU Events Coming Up!
Circle, highlight, and underline April 4th, 5th, 7th, and 8th. WMU has some exciting activities planned for the church on those days.
Hope you'll be in the MFC on Wednesday, April 4th, at 6:00 p.m., when Siv Ashley shares her inspiring story of faith and God's unrelenting love amidst the atrocities of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia during her teen years. Now living in the United States, she has a passion for missions both home and abroad. Ms. Ashley will have copies of her book for sale that evening.
On the next day, ladies of the church are invited to Ryan's Steakhouse, at 1:00 p.m., to have lunch with Siv and talk further about her life and ministry. Lunch will be Dutch treat. Please let Dee Grantham know if you plan to come by calling her at 828-507-9016 or emailing her at dgranthamsmhs@yahoo.com.
And, by the way, Siv Ashley is the mother of our own church secretary, Tia Ashley!
On Saturday, April 7th, ladies of the church are invited to a special brunch just for them! The event will be held in the Mission and Fellowship Center beginning at 9:30 a.m. The highlight of the morning will be guest speaker Phyllis Elvington. Phyllis is a Christian wife, mother, daughter, speaker, teacher, writer, and coach. She is a servant who loves the Lord and she has spoken at Sylva FBC before. Her inspiring talk on Saturday morning may be just what we need to recharge and reconnect after a hectic week. Please RSVP to the church office at 586-2095 by Wednesday, April 4th to let us know you are coming.
Sunday, April 8th, will be a special event, too. Phyllis Elvington will bring the message (be sure to bring your Bible. She will ask how many brought them!). Our RAs, GAs, and Acteens will help lead the service along with the women of the church. It is sure to be a good day.
Hope to see you there at any or all of these events!
Holy Week Activities
March 25th - 31st is Holy Week! Here are some activities we will have going on that you can participate in:
Wednesday, March 28: Wednesday Night Activities - We will have our usual Wednesday night activities this week, including dinner, Adult Bible Study, and Children/Youth activities.
Thursday, March 29: Maundy Thursday - Join us at 6:30 PM in our church sanctuary for a special Maundy Thursday service.
Friday, March 30: Stations of the Cross - Our sanctuary will be open all day for you to have an experiential journey with Christ to the cross through stations that will include scripture readings and object lessons.
Sunday, April 1: Easter Sunday - Celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ with us at First Baptist Church in Sylva on Easter Sunday morning, April 1st at 10:30 AM. An Easter Egg Hunt for children will take place on our playground immediately following our service. Bring your family to worship and hear the story of Easter with us.
Gardner-Webb University Concert Choir
The Gardner-Webb University Concert Choir is a mixed, auditioned touring choir composed of students from a variety of musical backgrounds and scholastic fields. They perform sacred and secular music from all historical periods in churches, schools, and at University functions. Each year they tour throughout the Carolinas and the southeast, and have performed in New York, D.C., Europe, the Holy Land, Costa Rica, and last year to Ireland. They have been invited to sing at the NC American Choral Directors Association conference in recent years. Dr. Paul J. Etter is their conductor.
Located in Boiling Springs, 50 miles west of Charlotte, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina in Boiling Springs. GWU is home to nearly 4,000 students from 40 states and 15 foreign countries, and includes a total of 5 professional schools, 2 academic schools, and 13 academic departments offering over 80 undergraduate and graduate major fields of study. Founded in 1905, Gardner-Webb University, a private, Christian, Baptist-related university, provides outstanding undergraduate and graduate education that is strongly grounded in the liberal arts while offering opportunities to prepare for various professions. Gardner-Webb is committed to the liberal arts as the best preparation students can have for rewarding, meaningful lives, and provides exceptional educational opportunities within a Christian environment. GWU is proud to have been honored by the John Templeton Foundation as a “Character-Building College,” the U.S. President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll since 2008, and 1 of 24 universities nationwide to receive an “A” from American Council of Trustees and Alumni.
Dr. Paul J. Etter is in his seventeenth year as Director of Choral Activities/Coordinator of Worship Leadership and also the Chair of the Department of Music. A GWU Excellence in Teaching award winner, he teaches conducting classes, worship leadership classes, and conducts the GWU Concert Choir, and each spring the Choral Union performs a major choral/orchestral work. Dr. Etter has been actively involved leading church music for nearly thirty-five years, is in demand to lead clinics and festivals in area churches and schools, and serves as the treasurer for the NC chapter of the American Choral Directors Association.
Pulpit Guest for Sunday, March 4, 2018
After a 13-year career in church music, serving congregations in Alabama, Virginia and Kentucky, the pursuit of a new ministerial calling led Seth Hix and his family to North Carolina, where he earned a Master of Divinity degree from Wake Forest University School of Divinity. Seth began as Church Engagement Coordinator for CBFNC in June f 2017. His responsibilities include providing leadership of the Ministerial Transitions Team, Reference and Referral program, and a focus on strengthen relationships with local congregations. Seth and his wife, Genelle, live in Greensboro, NC with their two young children, Caleb and Madilyn.
Choral Worship with Gardner-Webb Concert Choir
On Sunday, March 11, we have a special treat in store for us during the 10:30 worship hour. The Gardner-Webb University Concert Choir will present a "sermon in song." The choir is under the direction of Dr. Paul Etter and accompanied by Timothy Scruggs. Several of our church families will be keeping students in their homes, and we will be serving them a covered dish lunch following the service. The housing is covered, but if you would like to support this effort by bringing food for the lunch, please contact Virginia Burrell, who is coordinating the meal. I know that you will enjoy this special music from one of our NC Baptist universities.
Bob Holquist
Sundays in February
Communion in Worship
Please join us in celebrating the ordinance of communion in worship this Sunday, January 28th.
Christmas Eve Candlelight Service
Begin your family’s Christmas celebration with the story of Christ’s birth. Join us at 5:30 PM on December 24th for First Baptist Church of Sylva’s Christmas Eve Candlelight Service. Our family friendly event will capture the magic of Christmas with familiar carols, the retelling of the Christmas story and the glow of candlelight. Don’t miss this opportunity to create lifelong memories with your entire family!
Christmas Choir and Drama Performances
Join us for worship on Sunday, December 17th at 10:30 AM as our Children’s Choir & Drama Troupe will be sharing the Christmas story!
Our Worship Service will also be featuring our Adult Choir as they share songs of the season.
