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!
Introducing “Head In the Clouds”
—a new feature in our Chimes publication that highlights the ministry and voice of our church leadership.
The First Baptist Church of Sylva has a long-standing tradition of robust congregational singing, which has been maintained, even after the interruption of the Covid-19 pandemic. Our people make a “joyful noise” from the pews each Sunday. Led by the organ and piano, we burst into songs of various reflections of praise and adoration, commitment and Christian action, and reflective expression of faith. It has been my pleasure to lead you in song for quite some time, soon to be forty years. I am inspired and lifted up by your responses in hymnody, as I see your facial expressions that assure me that you are thinking about the words you are singing.
The lyricists and composers who have left us this library of hymns have given us a rich resource of praise and worship. You likely have noticed that when I offer prayer, I often recite verses of hymns, in order to say in poetic rhyme, the thoughts which I often want to express. There are so many messages and themes of worship which are present in the words of the hymns. Each week, we have Scriptures which are read, and Pastor Jeff preaches from the Scripture presented just before the sermon. As I am planning music for the service, I try to match the “theme” of those words in the hymns which I select, in order to maintain a direction of thought for the worship experience.
As a musician and singer, I realize that one can become involved in the aspects of singing and melody, and neglect thinking about the thoughts presented by the lyrics of the hymns. We should endeavor to absorb the message of the words while we make our “joyful noise.” I hope that everyone is comfortable with participation in hymn singing at whatever level one can achieve. (Nobody is keeping score on beautiful tone or eloquent diction.) When I face you, leading to the best of my ability, and with sincerity of purpose, I truly am blessed by your contribution to this aspect of our worship.
From time to time, people in our congregation have requested hymns which they would like to sing during worship. I invite your requests, and would appreciate your writing them on something and handing them to me (rather than telling me--because I may forget). I will certainly make the effort to include them when they are appropriate to the theme for worship. Thank you for your interest in the music ministry, and for supporting me these many years.
Bob Holquist
Minister of Music
The 1st Explorers After School Ministry college staff will be on Spring Break, March 6-10. Luckily, Jackson County Schools will be closed March 9th and 10th, too. Help is needed for the first part of the week when the program will be short staffed. If you could help on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday (1 or more days) of that week from 2:45 p.m. to 5:15 p.m., please let Cheryl Beck know. You can enjoy interacting with the children,playing on the playground, helping serve snacks, being a friendly face from our church, etc.
You will be blessed, and the children will, too!
The season of Lent is a journey with Christ to the cross. We begin the process of preparing for Easter with the imposition of ashes on our foreheads TONIGHT, February 22 at 5:30 PM in the sanctuary. Please make plans to join us as we gather for this evocative worship experience.
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!
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!
Cody and I are so overwhelmed by the outpouring of love, support, and generosity from our church family as we transition to a family of four. The diapers, wipes, additional items and prayers have meant so much to us and are a tremendous help. We want to thank everyone who has helped and prayed for us during this time, and we pray God’s continued blessings upon you all. Thank you so much, and we look forward to Sparrow meeting everyone soon!
- Janelle, Cody, Siler & Sparrow Messer
One recent Sunday, (front row) Gaye Buchanan, Sophie Powell, Truman Joiner, (back row) Liam Nelson, Lexi Allen, and Lucie Moore took time out from their study of Esther for a photo. Children's Sunday School is a great place to be on Sunday mornings!
The Children's Sunday School class has been learning about the books of the Bible and spent a few Sundays hearing the story of Esther. Gaye Buchanan is their teacher and they meet in the corner classroom on the 2nd floor facing Main Street. All children in grades 1-5 are invited to come on Sunday mornings at 9:30 a.m.
Fittingly, “Love” was the theme for 1st Explorers last week and it was displayed in lots of ways. Chapel speakers addressed the theme each day. The children enjoyed making creative and fun Valentines to decorate the 1st Explorers area.
The WMU Mission Circle met in the after school room on Tuesday morning and on-site coordinator Melanie Stokely shared highlights of the ministry. Then the group put together amazing Valentine’s goodie bags for the staff. Thank you, ladies!
Tuesday afternoon, the students, staff, and a couple of volunteers enjoyed a Valentine’s party with Valentine Bingo and cool prizes. The students made Valentines to share with their friends and teachers and heart-day themed trail mix bags. There were also homemade snacks from the volunteers. It was a really fun afternoon! Thanks to everyone who helped with the party.
At the end of the week, Kayla Maynor visited for a fun music lesson involving students and staff playing cups!
Beginning Wednesday, March 8 at 6:00 PM
in the Gathering Place Room
Join us for a season of discovery as we learn how our personal narrative has shaped and influenced our lives. With the help of the enneagram and the book, The Story of You: An Enneagram Journey to Becoming Your True Self by Ian Cron, we will learn the joy of knowing that God helps us write a new and healthier story to live by. This multi-week experience will serve as both an introduction and enrichment to the enneagram as a tool for better understanding ourselves in relationship to the world around us. Please RSVP for childcare in advance by contacting our church office: 828-586-2095, fbcsylva@gmail.com.
