1st Explorers After-School Ministry Update

See what a busy schedule 1st Explorers had last week:

Monday:  Cheryl Beck continued her Chapel series of “Children in the Bible”, telling the story of the disciples turning the children and their parents away and Jesus inviting the children to come to Him.  Then there was lots of playtime outside with some indoor games at the end of the day.

Tuesday:  Emily Taylor led the children in making aluminum foil boats which they tested to see how many pennies it took to sink the boat.  The lesson being that the weight distribution of the pennies and the shape of the boat determined which boats sank.

Wednesday:  At GAs, Sandi Allen presented Madison Rooney with a handmade quilt in honor of her graduating GAs and moving on to Acteens soon.  Dr. Jeff Mathis spent time in RAs sharing that in order for them to be effective ambassadors for Christ, they need to know about Jesus’ life, His ministry, and His love.

Thursday:  Thanks to Chris Moore for arranging a visit from Smokey the Bear and the NC Forest Service.  1st Explorers listened attentively as the foresters shared information about fire safety and the important work they do. They explained the equipment on their trucks and even let the children spray one of their very powerful water hoses.

Friday:  Christmas play practice was the order of the day led by Marina Hunley-Graham, assisted by Tom Graham on the piano.  

Corn and Bean Casserole

This is a family favorite!

Ingredients
1 can shoe peg corn
1 can French style green beans
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup grated Cheddar cheese
1 can cream of celery soup
1 stick butter or margarine
2 cups Ritz cracker crumbs

Instructions
Mix together all ingredients except for butter and cracker crumbs.  Bake for 35 minutes at 350 degrees F.  Top with melted butter mixed with Ritz cracker crumbs.  Bake an additional 15 minutes. 

–Provided by Othello Crawford

Corn and Bean Casserole

Click here to download a printable version.

--Provided by Othello Crawford

Passport — Already?

Believe it or not, it is time to start planning for next summer’s Passportkids!  Sylva FBC children grades 3–6 will be at Montreat College, June 30–July 3 for a week of learning, fun, Bible study, and more. 

Please register to attend by letting Cheryl Beck know as soon as possible.  Space is limited.  A $100.00 deposit is due by November 12.  The total cost for camp is still to be determined. 

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!

Mission Friends – October 18

A new group of preschoolers will begin Mission Friends on Wednesday, October 18 at 3:30 p.m., in the preschool room of the Nursery.  This group is made up of after school kindergarten students and FBC children.

Dawnings Continues Wednesday, November 1

The second of our of four congregational meetings will be Wednesday, November 1 beginning at 6:00 PM in the Mission and Fellowship Center. A blessing for our potluck meal together will be at 5:30 PM. 

Childcare will be provided for children up through the fifth grade in our nursery. Youth are encouraged to be a part of our congregational meeting in the MFC alongside adults. 

Dawnings is a narrative-based approach for personal and congregational visioning and discernment. Our four congregational meetings this fall will help us determine together who God is calling us to be and what God is calling us to do. Our entire church's participation in this process is critical to our determining what our future will look like. 

"This is what God says,

  the God who builds a road right through the ocean,

  who carves a path through pounding waves,

The God who summons horses and chariots and armies—

  they lie down and then can’t get up;

  they’re snuffed out like so many candles:

“Forget about what’s happened;

  don’t keep going over old history.

Be alert, be present. I’m about to do something brand-new.

  It’s bursting out! Don’t you see it?" Isaiah 43:16-19

Brian Foreman, the Coordinator of Congregational Ministries for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, comments that "These last two lines of scripture are both encouragement and command. The former encourages us to remember that God is still in control. The latter reminds us of our responsibility to notice and join God in doing something brand new."

"Dawnings is a congregational resource that helps you accomplish both of these things. By leaning into a spiritual discernment process through listening and responding to stories, your congregation will open itself to its place in God's sacred story for the community."

"Congregational postures of prayer and curiosity cultivate a sense of calling, not just for the congregation, before individuals as well. What better way to "be alert, be present," and to be a part of the "something brand new" God is doing!"

An Afternoon on the Farm – Sunday, October 29

The next Family Fun Event will be held at Cheryl Beck's family farm in Graham County, near Stecoah, on Sunday afternoon, October 29.  Families with children and teens are invited to visit the farm, enjoy a cookout, see the cattle, ride horses, and maybe have a hayride!  We will carpool from the church right after worship service.  Please let Cheryl know by THIS Sunday, October 22, if your family will be participating.

Sunday School and Childcare is Available!

Join Us for Worship!

Join us for worship on Sunday morning at 10:30 a.m. in the sanctuary! Also join us for Sunday School at 9:30 a.m. for all ages!

The CDC recommends that you wear a mask indoors.
Maximize protection from the Delta variant and prevent possibly spreading it to others.

Our worship service will be streamed online at firstbaptistsylva.com.

The Hospitality Table After Worship Is Back!

Sign up here to provide goodies and beverages on Sunday mornings after worship.

When we are hospitable, our congregation can become a church on the sidewalk after worship while munching on a cookie or sipping fruit punch. Click here and find a Sunday to host our Hospitality Table!