If you would like to provide flowers in the sanctuary for Sunday morning services, please contact Gwen Messer at 828-506-8370, or Janice in the church office to be placed on the calendar.
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.
Church Office Hours
The office hours for Wednesday have changed
to noon to 5:00 p.m. All other days remain the same.
Dr. Yelton will be in the church office from
2:00 – 5:00 p.m. each Wednesday afternoon.
New Office Hours
Monday & Tuesday: 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Wednesday: Noon – 5:00 p.m.
Thursday: 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
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!
Send Us Your Prayer List Updates
Add this email address to your contacts list on your devices so that our staff and Pastoral Care Team can learn of your prayer requests as quickly as possible. And yes, you may still contact the church office directly at 828-586-2095 to share your prayer concerns, as well.
Mission Moment 2.21.24
Jeromy J. Wells
Chaplain at Rogers Behavioral Health, Wisconsin
It takes honesty to admit when something is no longer a good fit. It takes even more extraordinary courage to do something about it—especially when doing something about it may mean changing careers.
This was where I found myself as an Air Force chaplain over the last decade. Looking back over the incredible opportunities I had to serve others, I realized I had mishandled my symptoms of burnout and need for care. Eventually, my symptoms led to depression—one of the 12 stages of burnout. I later learned “the onset of each case is unique, making it difficult to identify burnout early in its course.”* I knew something unhealthy was happening, but I believed it was my responsibility to figure it out. And like a warrior, I pressed on.
What are the support pathways for chaplains who are hurting and need additional spiritual and mental health care?
I recently read an article by Bruce Rogers-Vaughn which inspired me to write to him. And a few days later he wrote back! His thoughtful response communicated nothing less than an “unconditional positive regard” for me. I knew it wasn’t a sales pitch, and I decided I wanted to read more from him. So, I bought his book, Caring for Souls in a Neoliberal Age.
As I slowly digested each page, I sensed I was getting closer to a well of hope, and I connected with something much more profound—something I couldn’t articulate before.
Essentially, depression is not simply a “you” problem; it’s also an “us” problem. So, yes, we have to do better with caring for ourselves. That includes recognizing the voice of depression and burnout in our peers and coming alongside them collectively. We don’t have to suffer alone.
Bo Prosser planted a seed of awareness in me over a decade ago when he said, “Jeromy, even Jesus surrounded himself with close friends.” Everything is a process. It may have taken a while, but eventually, I found my grounding and took the steps necessary for recovery and growth.
One of those steps included allowing others to become my extended family. As an only child, I always dreamed of having siblings. Now I know I have several siblings who refuse to let me handle things alone. I am forever grateful to God for bringing those people into my life. We are in this together.
Ages 70+ Lunch to Be Hosted by Children of the Church
If you are 70 years of age or older, have we got a meal for you! The children of the church invite you to a "Blooming Into Spring" lunch right after worship on Sunday, February 25, in the Mission and Fellowship Center. They are preparing a simple but tasty meal and providing entertainment to boot! It will be a good time to fellowship with new and old friends.
Please let us know that you are coming by calling the church office at 828-586-2095 by noon on Thursday, February 22!
Joe's Window
By Dr. Joe Yelton
Interim Pastor
You are smack dab In the middle of the first week in Lent. For those who observe Lent, most often we are encouraged to let go of the things that slow us down…a personal sin, an unhealthy habit, etc. perhaps it’s time that we approach this six week season leading to Easter through the back door… What are we needing to take up and live out?
You’ve heard the saying, “continue doing what you’ve always done, and you’ll continue getting what you’ve always gotten.“ I know two things about this beautiful church already: first, most of you genuinely desire to be more useful to and in deeper fellowship with Christ. Secondly, all of you want our church to grow, to find our way more deeply into the lives of our community.
If those two observations are accurate, then we need to embrace the idea that continuing to do as we’ve always done may become an enemy to our desire to be a growing, thriving Church again. There is so much about our church that is Christ honoring and fellowship building. But we find ourselves at an intersection… Do we remain where we are or, must we find fresh ways of telling that old gospel story? Let’s embrace the idea that a new vision will, without doubt, require some level of surrender of the familiar ways we’ve lived out our faith, up to now. Else, we will continue getting what we’ve always gotten. Will you join me in praying for God‘s guidance into a new way…a new day?
Join Dining for Jackson to Support Jackson Neighbors in Need
On Tuesday, March 5, Dining for Jackson will work to support Jackson Neighbors in Need. We will meet at 11:30 a.m. in the Mission and Fellowship Center of Sylva First Baptist Church. We hope you will come, bring a covered dish, donate what you would pay if you ate at a restaurant, and enjoy the fellowship of folks who have a heart for the poor.
Jackson Neighbors in Need, (JNIN) was organized in November of 2009. Its main purpose was to keep people warm from November through March and not let anyone die from the cold. This idea came about when Patsy Davis was working for Mountain Projects and was helping people in the community who were having trouble paying their power bills and had exhausted all assistance with no place to turn.
One day the money came to an end. The next person in line was a grandmother trying to raise two grandchildren. Mountain Projects had to turn her away after checking with other agencies that had also exhausted all their resources. Rumor has it, that night's homework was being done by candlelight and somehow the house caught on fire. The grandmother and the two children died in the fire. That absolutely broke Patsy’s heart. So, Patsy, together with Bob Cochran, Director of the Department of Social Services at that time, with Charles McConnell, a friend concerned about people, got together and formed Jackson Neighbors in Need. The purpose of this group was to help people when they were out of money and in a bind, to keep the heat going when it was cold. Since Charlie’s death, his wife, Ruth McConnell has worked tirelessly to make sure the needs of the poor are met.
The first year the group spent about $50 per household and served about 25 families. In the year 22-23, the group served 273 families with heat at a cost of $54,214 and special needs at a cost of $13,294. Also, many generous donations from individuals in the community made it possible to give away approximately 248 blankets, scarves, hats and gloves!
United and together we can make a difference in our community! So please join us on March 5 at 11:30 a.m. and let’s work to help the needy in our county.
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.