Easter Sunrise Service will be held at First Presbyterian’s pavilion Sunday, March 31st at 7am. A light breakfast will be available following the service. Attendees have been invited to provide breakfast items such as fresh fruits, donuts, pastries, bagels, etc. Coffee & other drinks will be provided by First Presbyterian.
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.
Hurray for Our Nursery Workers of the Week!
Thank you to Beth and Lucie Moore for the good work they did in the nursery on Sunday. Thank you,
Andrew and Steve Beck, for also playing in the nursery.
On March 10, Jeremy and Heather Ellenburg will be in charge of the nursery. Thank you!
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.
Church Nursery Is Looking Great!
The church nursery has undergone a complete transformation thanks to the vision of Jennie Hunter and her faithful crew of painters, decorators, and cleaners. It is beautiful! We are grateful for all the time and energy and support from the church that went into this renovation.
A special event to spotlight the nursery is being planned for the near future. Stay tuned!
Flowers for Sanctuary
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.
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!
Key Lime Pound Cake
Ingredients (Cake)
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter softened
2 3/4 cups granulated sugar
6 large eggs
3 Tbsp key lime juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 8 oz sour cream
2 Tbsp key lime zest
Ingredients Glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar
2 oz softened plain cream cheese
2-4 Tbsp lime juice additional to taste
2 tsp lime zest
key lime zest or slices for garnishing
Key Lime Simple Syrup:
1/2 cup key lime juice
1/2 cup granulated sugar
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Butter and flour a tube pan. Set aside.
Cake: In a medium size mixing bowl, use a whisk to sift together flour, baking soda and salt.
Using an electric mixer on medium-high, cream together butter and granulated sugar. Beat for 2-3 minutes or until fluffy and pale yellow in color.
To the bowl add the eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Stop and scrape the sides of the bowl periodically. Beat in key lime juice and vanilla extract.
Lower the speed of the mixer and add the sifted dry ingredients alternately with the sour cream. Mix on low speed until fully combined then increase the speed to medium, beating for 30 seconds or just until fully combined.
Use a large nonstick spatula or spoon to stir in the fresh lime zest by hand. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
Bake for 1 hour 20-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes back clean.
Cool in the pan on a wire rack while you make the simple syrup.
To make Key Lime Syrup: In a small saucepan over medium heat cook together lime juice and sugar just until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat.
Use a long skewer to poke holes all over the cake. Slowly pour lime syrup into holes, repeating until all is used. Cool in pan until it’s just slightly warm then remove from pan and cool completely.
To prepare the Glaze: In a small bowl, use an electric mixer to whip together powdered sugar with cream cheese. Add lime juice and extract. Add additional lime juice to thin to desired consistency 1 Tbsp at a time. Drizzle over the cooled cake. (Alternatively, dust with powdered sugar.)
Decorate with lime zest or lime slices and enjoy.
Store Key Lime Cake in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days or chilled for up to 7 days.
–Provided by Tonya Lloyd
Key Lime Pound Cake
Click here to download a printable version.
-Provided by Tonya Lloyd
Joe's Window
By Dr. Joe Yelton
Interim Pastor
Friends,
Isn’t it one of the great capacities of Christian faith to undermine the forces of darkness? Typically, to “undermine” strikes us as negative, an assault on good things. That’s not always the case.
When we have an infection, we take antibiotics that undermine the effectiveness of the organisms which make us sick. When I am trying to behave regarding my sweet tooth, I avoid walking by the bakery section at the grocery store, undermining my normal lack of restraint.
Jesus teaches commandingly that we should avoid (undermine) worry. Worry comes so easily and lingers so long for most of us. Jesus declares that His children now have a very real choice regarding our predisposition to worry…“consider the lilies” (Matthew 6:28-30) By submitting to the teachings of Christ, we can circumvent our tendencies to bow to the pressures of worry. It’s not easy, not ever. However, in Jesus, it happens.
Earlier in my life, my quality of living was pocked with episodes of debilitating worry. It’s so easy now to see how wasteful that was. Hours that could have been spent in the calm embrace of God‘s care were instead spent in some frantic pursuit of trying to overcome invisible enemies.
Worry still frays the edges of my daily routines. However, in Christ, there are far more victories than defeats.
There are many battles being waged in your life right now…battles that likely are unnecessary and, not yours to fight. You don’t have to continue the exhaustive search for peace. It’s readily available. The more you empty yourself of you, making room for Jesus, the more worry is undermined.
Pen Pals Begins
Thank you to the over 30 adults from First Baptist who have agreed to be Pen Pals this year. The children are waiting to hear from you! Hopefully you will hear from them soon.
