Please join us TONIGHT, April 10 in the MFC at 6:00 p.m. for Bible study, and choir practice will follow at 7:00 p.m. Dr. Yelton will lead us in Bible study. There will not be a meal this week.
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!
Joe's Window
By Dr. Joe Yelton
Interim Pastor
Do you remember the last ... the very last time you played a game which is strictly played by children? Maybe it was Red Rover. For those with a few years in the rear-view, maybe it was a game of Jacks or Tidily-Winks. Why did you never return to that game? In our macro-view, we say that we simply matured beyond such things. But that’s not the question. If Red Rover was good to play the final time you played it, wouldn’t it have been good to play again the following weekend? For whatever reason, the last time was indeed, the last time.
It’s completely normal and expected to grow out of certain behaviors as we grow into new ways of living but, don’t you wish, if only for a moment, that you could visit that “last time” once more? I’d give a lot to be able to visit with Charlie, Billy, Mike, and Larry. As children we were inseparable. Now, we practically never see one another, except for funerals.
It all makes me wonder .. .what “last times” am I experiencing right now .. .final moments that will never walk my stage again? Ten weeks ago, the Sunday prior to becoming your Interim Pastor, I attended worship at the church I pastored for 25 years. There I encountered lots of wonderful friendly faces. Among them was Larry Brooks. Larry was the quietest man I’d ever known. I’ve known him more than two decades but probably had never heard him speak more than a few dozen words. I suppose Electrical Engineer’s don’t need to speak very much. He was brilliant, kind, generous, devoted and most every other superlative I could consider. How could I have known that the last Sunday of January would be the final time to interact with Larry? I couldn’t know.
Two weeks ago, Larry and his son were killed in an automobile accident. A driver veered into their lane, hitting them head-on. Instantly, many lives were jolted by the reality of their “last time” with those men. Saturday, I attended their funeral.
You have now, but you have it only for now. Live importantly. Love deeply. Share yourself generously. Do this and you are accomplishing the Jesus thing. You see, each of us are heading toward our “last time.” Let’s arrive there having lived to the full. And when people look back and remember their final time with us, may they smile remembering.
Mission Moment 4.10.24
Karen Morrow
CBF Field Personnel, Texas
Throughout my life I have had different spiritual guides who have encouraged me in my Christian faith; the most unlikely was a new Muslim convert from the Middle Eastern unreached people group among whom we were called to work.
Ayse and her family were political asylum seekers in Germany when she came to faith through reading the Bible and dreams. She was the first in her family to become a Christ-follower; but with time, her whole family became believers. As I met weekly with Ayse to study the Bible, I was always amazed as she would share with me what God had taught her through scripture the previous week. I had a front row seat to see the work of the Holy Spirit preparing her.
Despite all our prayers, Ayse and her husband Salih’s asylum case was denied and they were suddenly taken from their apartment and deported to their home country. Ayse called me from the airport in tears, asking for us to care for her children who had not been at home when they were taken.
Ayse boldly shared her faith with the police who escorted them on the plane and testified of the angels who walked alongside them as they navigated their way back to their village in the eastern part of the country. The story of their deportation and a copy of her testimony from a German Christian magazine was published on the front page of the local paper. They feared for their lives and went into hiding. But what man meant for harm, God used for good. People came to them wanting to know more about their faith and Ayse shared of God’s work in her life.
Our German church supported them financially and helped care for and reunite them with their children. The transition was very difficult, and the family struggled to find work. With time, they became an integral part of the small but growing Christian church in this predominantly Muslim country. Today, Ayse leads Christian women’s retreats and Salih runs a kebap shop where they witness to God’s work in their lives and the joy and hope God provides.
Through it all I have had the privilege to see and experience God’s overwhelming love, protection and faithfulness to them amidst all the struggles. I see God in a new way and when personal doubts arise, I lean on God, knowing God’s faithful presence.
Pray...Give...Go.
Yard Sale! Yard Sale! Yard Sale!
Just like everything else, the price of Passport has gone up this year! The children who are planning to attend from our church hope to defray some of the expense of this wonderful camp by hosting a yard sale in early May.
As you do your spring cleaning over the next few weeks, look through your house to see what you could contribute to make the yard sale a success. You may bring your items to the Sunday School room beside the choir room, beginning Wednesday, April 10. If you need help transporting items, please let Cheryl Beck know and we can arrange to have items picked up at your home. The date of the yard sale will be announced soon. Thanking you in advance for your contributions!
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.
Easter Escape Room Was Challenging and Fun!
Seven children and youth formed two teams to solve 4 mysteries of Easter in the Escape Room (Children's Sunday School room) on April 7. They were "locked" in at 9:00 a.m. with a tasty brunch and a little over an hour to decode puzzles related to Jesus' death and resurrection. They worked hard, arriving at the final challenge around 10:10 a.m. which allowed them to receive a key to unlock the Escape Room.
Thank you to intern Kaitlyn Cabiness who introduced the participants to the Escape Room; James Wall, Rob Stokely, Brooke Dills, and Cheryl Beck, who were the "Puzzle Masters"; and Melanie Stokely who helped with the set up for the brunch.
Completing the Escape Room challenges were Lucie Moore, Mattie Moore, Truman Joiner, Liam Nelson, Layla Stillwell, Lexi Allen, and Atalie Blythe.
Kaitlyn looks on while Atalie, Mattie, and Layla discuss strategies for unlocking one of the mysteries in the Escape Room.
Truman, Lucie, Mr. Rob, and Liam worked hard to solve the puzzle of why the people in power wanted Jesus killed.
Ladies' Bible Study
Please join us for the continuation of the Ladies Spring Bible Study on Monday, April 15, at 10:00 a.m. in the Gathering Room. We are studying the Book of Esther. This study has video sessions led by Beth Moore. Study books are available in the Church office but are not required to do the study.
Congregation-Wide Conversation Date Change
Our second congregation-wide conversation has been moved to Wednesday, May 1 to follow our regular first Wednesday Potluck family meal. Dr. Yelton will lead us in a group discussion that will provide information to the Pastor Search Committee team to use in calling a new pastor. Please make every effort to attend as your thoughts and input are so important to making this a successful process. Thank you!
