Mission Moment 1.18.23

Karen

CBF Field Personnel in Northern Africa

In 2021, I moved into a new apartment across town. I love it for so many reasons: The rooftop access shows off spectacular sunsets; I have many windows and plenty of fresh air; and I’ve been able to decorate the entire place according to my whim and fancy. I knew before I moved in that there was a mosque on the nearby street corner. I didn’t quite realize how loud the calls to prayer would be over the loudspeaker! Several times a day, I hear a voice start to intone the ancient formula that calls Muslims from around the world to pray. “Allahu akhbar… God is greater…”

The call to prayer reverberates so loudly in my house that often people I’m speaking to can hear it over the phone. It interrupts my Zoom meetings and sometimes I have to pause in the middle of a conversation to wait the 30 seconds or so before the quiet of the neighborhood returns. The call to prayer accompanies me before I wake up in the morning and after darkness falls at night. 

When I first moved to Northern Africa, I was enchanted and delighted to hear the calls to prayer over loudspeakers in every part of the country. I used to challenge myself to pray at the same time that I heard the reminder—an auditory cue to call me back into relationship with the One who is greater than my busy schedule. But, these days, the call to prayer has become just a routine background noise as I learn to absent mindedly continue on with my daily priorities.

I’m challenged by my Muslim neighbors who take their responsibility to pray seriously and earnestly. I thought that praying five times a day would be an easy habit for me. After all, aren’t we as Christians called to pray without ceasing? In reality, though, I’m finding that even setting aside five times a day to pray requires discipline and practice. Committing myself to a life of prayer requires more than just assuming that God is with me and listening in on my day-to-day business. A life of prayer does require us to stop, breathe and return to our Creator, our Source of being, our Sustainer. And it’s helpful to have such a reminder blasted into your home every day!

Pray...Give...Go.

Hurray for Our Nursery Workers of the Week!

Thank you to Gaye Buchanan for teaching children’s Sunday school and then going right into the nursery to provide care for three little boys.  She said it was so much fun to hear them jabbering to one another!

On January 22, Heather and Jeremy Ellenburg are in charge of the nursery.  Thank you for volunteering!

There is still room on the schedule to serve “the least of these”
on Sunday mornings.  It is a blessing to see their smiles and enthusiasm as you spend
time with our infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. 
Please contact Cheryl Beck (cabeck@ncsu.edu) if you would like to help.

Jackson Neighbors in Need: Charlie's Challenge

This is an RSVP-required event since we need to have prior knowledge of attendees.  

Thank you!

Attention church members born in 1943!

Please call the church office at 586-2095 to speak with Janice during office hours, or to leave a voice message anytime.  More details to follow. Thank you!

Pork Chops

Ingredients
8 or 10 thin pork chops
Salt 
Pepper
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup catsup
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Instructions
Brown the chops in a large electric skillet.  Pour off fat.  Season chops and top with onion slices.  Combine soup, sauce, and catsup; pour over chops.  Cover, simmer for 45 to 60 minutes or until tender.  

–Barbara Vance

Pork Chops

Click here to download a printable version.

Provided by Barbara Vance

Giving the Jesus Way

United Christian Ministries is in need of  pasta sauce, ramen, pancake syrup, applesauce (6-pack individual cups), and laundry detergent. To donate items, please drop them off at UCM’s building at 191 Skyland Drive. Thank you!

Join Us THIS Sunday!

Be sure to join us in worship THIS Sunday, January 22 as we commission our mission trip team to be ambassadors to Kerygma Baptist Church in Holguin, Cuba.  Our Cuba Mission Trip is January 27-31.

Church Nursery Update

With a new year comes a new schedule for nursery workers.  We appreciate all those who helped last year.  A new schedule is being devised and will be sent out soon.  

If you would like to volunteer in the nursery during worship service or Sunday School, please contact Cheryl Beck.

Recipes Appreciated!

Each week we include a recipe in the Church Chimes and we hope that you are enjoying reading and trying them. You can add your favorite recipes to the Chimes by sending them to Cheryl Beck at cabeck@ncsu.edu. This is an ongoing WMU project.

Thanks for participating!

Sylva First Wednesday Returns February 1!

Join us for a time of table fellowship on Wednesday, February 1! Whether food from your kitchen, the grocery store, or a restaurant, you may put your food offering on the tables in the MFC beginning at 5:15 p.m. A blessing will be offered at 5:30 p.m, and then we will dig in!

At 6:00 p.m., we will watch the fourth episode, season two, of the series, The Chosen. In this episode, titled, “The Perfect Opportunity,” we will encounter a charismatic fisherman drowning in debt; a troubled woman wrestling with real demons; a gifted publican ostracized by his family and his people; and a religious leader struggling with his beliefs.

We look forward to seeing you and your family!  Children have their own dedicated time together while the adults and youth watch The Chosen in the Mission and Fellowship Center.