Passport Camp Car Wash Fundraiser
June 16th from 10 AM —1 PM
Church Parking Lot
Help us raise money to fund our children and youth’s mission camps
Youth Sunday
This Sunday is Youth Sunday! Please join us at 10:30 AM on Sunday, June 3rd for a worship service led by our fantastic youth group, featuring special music, a drama, and the recognition of our most recent graduates!
Summer Time and the Livin’ Is Easy
Although Memorial Day Weekend typically signals the unofficial start to summer, First Baptist Church got a week’s headstart.
No, I’m not referring to the typical summer-like pattern that evolves in our mountains with foggy mornings and afternoon thunderstorms. I’m referencing our children’s campout and sleepover this past weekend. As our 1st Explorers Ministry Director, Kelly Brown, details in his own reflection, the young men in our Royal Ambassador program went on a campout to the Davidson river while our Girls in Action had a sleepover at the church.
On Saturday morning, I drove across Highway 276 to rendezvous with the boys as they began to strike camp after a wet night in the Pisgah Forest. Yes, the boys and their leaders were a bit damp, but the bacon that Chris Moore was frying had everyone in a festive mood and the boys played whiffle ball beneath the drippy canopy of leaves. There was an unmistakable feeling of accomplishment among them, and I delighted in the sense of community that had sprung up among the men and boys. With the smell of a campfire flooding my nostrils, I couldn’t help but smile as the men drank coffee and the boys acted like boys. After a long and at times torturous winter, we had finally made it to summer.
Summer is a time for Sabbath-taking. It is ripe for new rhythms, late dinners and walks along a lush river valley. Summer is also a unique time for service and ministry as the season provides unique opportunities to assist our friends and neighbors while we tell them the “old, old story” of Jesus and his love. At First Baptist, we will strive to honor both rest and mission.
Here are some highlights of what we have planned for this summer:
-Sylva First Wednesdays concludes for the spring on Wednesday, June 6. Our Wednesday night programming in the fall will begin anew on August 22.
-Our joint Vacation Bible School with other downtown churches will run from June 11-15 in the mornings at Bridge Park. There are countless ways that you can serve the children and our families that week. Join us to help lead the children’s small groups, or to provide water for volunteers, or to visit with parents, or to help set-up tables and tents, or to simply be a part of the joyful chaos that is Vacation Bible School. Truly, the sound of children’s laughter is a balm for a sick and weary soul.
-Speaking of children, our 1st Explorers Ministry will again be offering their robust offering to the community with our Summer Explorers Camp. Although you may not have a child or grandchild participating in this wall-to-wall summer ministry opportunity, your Sunday School class can choose to partner with Kelly and our staff to provide unique opportunities of connection with children and their families this summer. I can think of no better ‘home’ mission opportunity than for a group, ministry, circle or couple to adopt a summer camp group of children who will be on campus with us over 40 hours each week. Think of the relationships that could be built and strengthened!
-As a church family, we’ll gather for fellowship on three Sunday afternoons this summer to relax, play and devour ice cream. Yes, we’ll be headed to the pavilion at Deep Creek in the Great Smokies Mountain National Park on June 24 where we’ll eat and play, and we’ll have our traditional potluck picnic at East LaPorte on August 26. But sandwiched between these two events will be a new gathering where we’ll have supper on the church grounds. On Sunday afternoon, July 15th, we’ll enjoy a hot dog supper followed by a veritable feast of ice cream afterward. It’s been some time since we crowned an ice cream maker champion, so get your recipes primed and ready for our contest after supper that evening.
-Of course, it’s not summer without the crack of a bat. Although our children and youth will be at their respective Passport Mission Camps the week of July 4th, that won’t stop the rest of us from taking in an Asheville Tourists game on the 4th of July at 7 PM. We’ll drive separately but sit together. And after the game, we’ll be invited to head out onto the field to take in their fireworks display. Tickets are $10 each and must be purchased by June 4th in our church office.
-Oh, and there’s much more. Our youth will be meeting together on Mondays from 4-6 PM each week, and there will be church hikes and a host of other mission opportunities to be a part of, as well. We know that your family will be traveling and vacationing this summer, but we also hope you’ll choose to broaden your chumminess with our own church family this summer, also.
Summer is a sweet, sweet gift and we’re not about to waste it. So, look around and see God at work in our beautiful mountain home. Feel the mist from a thundering waterfall. Take in an evening with friends by a fire pit. Barbecue on a rusty grill by a cement picnic table in the national park. Listen to the melody of the songbirds. And above all, be thankful.
It’s summer, and the time is ripe to play, rest and serve.
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.
RAs and GAs Activity Weekend
May 18th - 19th we will be have a Girls in Action and Royal Ambassadors activity weekend.
GAs will be having a sleepover at the church in the Mission and Fellowship Center beginning at 5:30PM and will need to be picked up by 8:30AM on the 19th. Girls of all ages are invited to stay, however we do ask that girls Kindergarten - 2nd grade be accompanied by a parent. Also, we will need some female chaperones.
RAs will be going camping at The Davidson River Campground. We will leave the church parking lot at 5:00PM and will return no later than noon on the 19th. Boys of all ages are invited to go, however we do ask that boys Kindergarten - 2nd grade be accompanied by a parent. Also, we will need some male chaperones.
Please sign-up for both events here: https://goo.gl/forms/lph51eXhs25lDorr1
Youth News
On Sunday, December 3rd at 3:00 PM, the Youth will be helping to pack Food Bags for United Christian Ministries in the Mission and Fellowship Center.
Then on Friday, December 8th at 6:00 PM, the Youth will be going on a trip with their families to see ‘The Best Christmas Pageant Ever’ in Franklin.
For more information, contact Carol Cloer at lccloer@aol.com