Hurray for Melanie and Izzy Joiner for taking care of the nursery last Sunday.
Looks like they were busy!
Next week, Brooke Dills is in charge of the nursery. Thank you, Brooke, for helping in so many ways.
Ways to Stream Our Worship Service
Watching the Sunday worship services has become much easier to stream for remote viewers who have smart TV devices. Rather than navigating to the First Baptist Church website or to YouTube on a computer, iPad, or phone, you can now download the “Boxcast” app on the following smart TV devices: Roku, Apple TV, Fire TV, or any smart television having direct Internet connectivity. Using your device, go to the “App” icon and search for “Boxcast.” Once the “Boxcast” app is downloaded, search for First Baptist Church of Sylva. For future viewing of the service, simply click on the “Boxcast” app and click on our church’s service for that particular Sunday. Viewing the worship service on a TV screen instead of a computer device will hopefully provide a more meaningful worship experience for the remote viewer.
Mission Moment 7.17.24
Brian Foreman
CBF Coordinator of Congregational Ministries, GA
The conversion of Saul receives lots of attention in Scripture. However, there is a figure in the middle of this story with whom I resonate more each time I encounter the story. Ananias has a dream from God inviting him to go restore Saul’s vision and deliver a message of instruction from God. I cannot help but read his response to God in verse 13 in the voice of a somewhat sarcastic college student: “Lord, I have heard from many about this man!”
Consider it: God tells him to go to the most oppressive member of the Jewish religious leaders and make sure he’s all fixed up. In fact, God even tells Saul that Ananias is coming to him. I would have been sarcastic with God just to hide my fear. And yet what does Ananias do? He acts faithfully and goes to Saul. We probably do not give ordinary people credit for heroic acts like this; and yet it is Ananias that forms me to be courageous when being faithful, even in hard situations. He must have considered arrest or even death as a real possibility. That is a far more significant response to his faithfulness than any rebuke or rejection I might face.
Pray...Give...Go.
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.
Check Out the Children's Library!
Look for a new display of books designed to help children (and parents) with issues they face on a daily basis. Here are some of the titles: The Temper Tantrum Book, Let's Talk About Being Bossy, Let's Talk About Disobeying, Let's Talk About Being a Bad Sport, and Let's Talk About Whining. There are many more books in this series. They would make good discussion starters for families.
Don't forget the Reading Challenge—if you read at least five books from the Children's Library before school starts, you will receive a prize. Contact Cheryl Beck when you finish.
Some Fun Family Activities for July
Need a little inspiration to spice up the "lazy days of summer"? Here are a few suggestions:
Send a note and a photograph to an elderly friend.
Make a teepee from three long sticks and a couple of bed sheets
Make a Purple Cow: put grape juice, vanilla yogurt, and ice cubes in the blender. Enjoy!
Camp out in your backyard.
On a clear night, lay a sheet on the ground, take your favorite snack, and enjoy watching the stars.
Go fishing.
Make your own "Slip and Slide" on an incline in your yard. An old shower curtain works great!
Have your own "Family Olympics" with silly races and games. Then watch some of the Olympics on television.
Brainstorm as a family some ways to warm someone's heart. Then choose one and do it.
Go on a picnic near a creek and splash around on a hot day.
Summer fun doesn't have to be expensive. Use your imagination!
Help Support Our Students!
Support our students by donating to the Back-to-School Bash co-sponsored by Jackson County Public Schools and the Jackson County recreation department. The bash will be held on Saturday, August 3 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Jackson County Recreation Center (Cullowhee). School supplies needed include: Crayola crayons, glue sticks, marble composition books and pencil pouches/boxes.
If you prefer to donate funds, please make your check payable directly to: Jackson County Public Schools (“JCPS”). Be sure to include “Back to School Bash” in the memo line to ensure proper application and tax deductibility. Donations can be left in the box designated for this project in the Loving Kindness Room by July 18.
Drop off your donation at or mail it to:
Jackson County Public Schools
398 Hospital Road
Sylva, NC 28779
For more information or to have a booth, reach us at 828.586.3211 or info@jcpsmail.org.
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
Summer Picnic at East LaPorte Park
You and friends are invited to join us on Sunday afternoon, July 21, at 4:00 p.m. for family fun, fellowship and a covered dish picnic. We will meet at East LaPorte Park at 6912 Highway 107 in Cullowhee at 4 pm. The pavilion has been rented for the festivities. In addition to bringing your yummiest picnic dish, you may also want to bring a chair. Picnic tables and benches are available in the pavilion. Our Church will provide water, soft drinks and paper goods.
Thank You, Church Family!
A tremendous and heartfelt “THANK YOU” to the family, friends, and guests of First Baptist Sylva, for your faithful and generous support of the church’s missions and ministries! As you can see from the weekly budget report, we did not quite meet our budget target, but we came really close: 96%. This is impressive during a time of transition such as we are currently experiencing. Your gifts, both unrestricted and restricted, enabled the church to not only provide traditional worship opportunities and programming but also to accomplish the following:
support for our community mission partners
support for foreign missions, including the provision of medical and personal hygiene supplies for the community served by Kerygma Baptist Church, our sister church in Holquin, Cuba
a comprehensive refresh of our Nursery area
maintenance of our church facilities in good working order
maintenance of our facilities as an inviting and welcoming presence, inside and outside
care and outreach efforts by our Pastoral Care team
support for our quarterly Men’s Breakfasts
support for our After School program
attendance by several of our children at Passport Kids camp
hosting Pastor Ernesto and his wife, Marisol, of Kerygma Baptist Church, during their stateside visit in the spring
updating and enhancing our technology infrastructure, to include a teleconferencing room
All of these endeavors required not only financial resources, but also personal efforts, time, and commitment to make them come to fruition. For those of you who have given of yourselves in addition to your monetary gifts, we are deeply grateful! For those of you who would like to partner with the church in supporting these and other works – there’s a place for you!