On Tuesday, July 2, Dining for Jackson is supporting the Meals on Wheels program for Jackson County. We hope you will bring a covered dish and join us in the Mission and Fellowship Center of First Baptist Church of Sylva at 11:30. You will be able to hear about their amazing impact in our county. For example, the total number of meals provided to seniors in Jackson County from July 1 of 2023 to June 1 of 2024 totals 28,979!!!
Giving the Jesus Way
United Christian Ministries is in need of: shampoo (prefer 2-in-1 shampoo & conditioner), body wash, deodorant, toothpaste, child diapers (all sizes), cereal, spaghetti sauce and spaghetti noodles. To donate items, please drop them off at UCM’s building at 191 Skyland Drive. Thank you!
Joe's Window
By Dr. Joe Yelton
Interim Pastor
Recently I began the work of unpacking some basic theology that has been within me since childhood. I’m wishing to give greater depth to my oft superficial brush of “I believe.” It began with a quote from the great CS Lewis: “It is Christ Himself, not the Bible, who is the true word of God. The Bible, read in the right spirit and with the guidance of good teachers, will bring us to Him. We must not use the Bible as a sort of encyclopedia out of which texts can be taken for use as weapons.”
Each Sunday as we receive a reading from Holy Scripture we respond, “The Word of God for the people of God “ ... or similar. And it’s true but accentuates our need to understand that JESUS IS THE WORD OF GOD ... and the Bible is the pointer used, along with good instruction.
When we insist that the Bible be received literally, we potentially suffocate what those very words are to provoke within us. Literal readings of the Bible can be used to justify slavery, the subjugation of women, the separation of the races, and the demoralizing of the poor, to name a few. Instead, when we leap forward and allow Jesus to BE the Word of God, we begin living the mind of WWJD ... What would Jesus do? When we sharpen that understanding, we likely become more forgiving, gentle, compassionate and faithful.
Jesus is the Word of God. When we allow Him to guide our interpretation of Holy Writ, we become better agents of His grace and goodness.
Joe
Thank You, Church Family!
Dear Church Family,
Thank you for your support during these last weeks. Through your prayers, words, hugs, cards, emails, phone calls, visits, flowers, food, and memorials, I have felt the love and comfort of Christ. Thank you to those who were able to travel the many miles to Mom's services in GA/TN as we remembered and honored her. She has left us a mighty legacy of serving others and sharing Jesus.
Thank you for your compassionate and caring ministry to our family You have walked along side us, held us close, and lifted us up as we have traveled this road of both sadness and joy. Sadness that Mom is not physically with us here on earth where we can enjoy her company. Joy in knowing that she is healed and happy in heaven with our Lord, her family, and many friends.
I am, indeed, most humbly grateful. It is well with my soul.
Linda Minor
Dear Friends in Christ,
Thank you so much for the many cards, prayers, food, and for those who took me to my doctor’s visits and helped get my groceries.
I am delighted to be back with you, my extended family!
In Christian love,
Your bionic organist,
Lorie
A 1st Explorer’s Love Story
Emily Alexander and Aaron Wilhoit met while working in the 1st Explorers After School Ministry at Sylva FBC in 2018 and 2019. They fell in love, graduated from WCU in December 2019, and married in December 2022.
The next chapter in their love story is the birth of a baby boy, Elliot, in July. They live in Powder Springs, Georgia. Emily's mother is Dana Ayers, a member of Sylva FBC.
If you would like to remember Emily and Aaron and their time with 1st Explorers by selecting a baby gift from their registry, go to: www.babylist.com/list/baby-reg-emily-wilhoit.
Sunday School and Childcare is Available!
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.
New Church Safety Team
The Deacons of our Church support the idea of establishing a safety team to address any emergencies that we may be faced with in the future. I have been in touch with our local Sheriff’s Department and they are willing to help establish and train a Safety Team for our church. The first step is to see who would be interested in being part of this team. There are many different needs to be filled to establish such a team. Thus many different skill sets will be needed. If you are interested in being part of the very first Safety Team established at Sylva First and are willing to participate in the required training please contact me at jddills1@gmail.com or by phone at 828-506-3815.
Thank you,
John Dills
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.
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.