Stephanie Dickerson will be giving a presentation on “Wi-Fi in Schools & Health" at the Rotary meeting Thursday, August 8 at noon.
Non-members are welcome to attend this meeting which will be held in our Mission Fellowship Center.
Family Mission Ideas for the Rest of the Summer
Along with vacations, pool time, visits to relatives, and lots of “down time,” consider adding some ways to reach out to others and share Christ’s love in meaningful ways. Try one or more of these Family Missions Ideas:
Gather some of the items listed in the Church Chimes that are needed at United Christian Ministries and deliver them to UCM.
Support the local animal shelter. Visit and find out what they need, then gather supplies to assist them.
Pray as a family for the missionaries featured each week in the Church Chimes.
Look at the Prayer List each week and make cards to send to people on the list.
Honor first responders by making cards and taking some snacks to the fire or police station. Pray for first responders.
Have a yard sale for missions. Decide where the money will go. Invite other families to sort through old toys, clothes, and household items to sell.
Think of a family needing help right now. Pack a box with groceries from your pantry. Write a note to let them know they are on God’s mind. Shhhh.....don’t sign your name. Secretly deliver the groceries.
Leave a package of peanut butter crackers, bag of cookies, or other prepackaged food item with a thank you note for your mail carrier. Include Psalm 139:14.
Go for a walk or bike ride with your family. Pray for families as you pass each home.
Pick up trash or help clean an area in your community.
LIVE A MISSIONAL LIFESTYLE AS A FAMILY!
Super Good Deeds Scavenger Hunt!
WHEN: Saturday, August 10, 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
WHERE: Scotts Creek Baptist Church
WHO: Church Youth Groups
WHAT: Good deeds scavenger hunt throughout the community, cookout, music, games, and a speaker.
Learn more about this special event at Sunday School on Sunday. Open to all youth going into 6th grade to 12th grade.
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!
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!
Our worship service will be streamed online at firstbaptistsylva.com.
Help Support Our Students!
Support our students by donating school supplies 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.
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.
Mission Moment 7.31.24
Matt and Michelle Norman
CBF Field Personnel, Spain
Baptist theologian Paul Fiddes has been a major influence in my (Matt) life as I reflect on what it means to practice my faith as mission. The context that Michelle and I minister in here in Barcelona is very relational. We often find ourselves having conversations about life, hopes, fears, God and Christianity over coffee or a meal. Meals here in Spain can take hours as one is expected to sit, eat and then enjoy each other in conversation called sobre mesa, translated as “around the table.”
At the core of most of the ministry that we do—whether with immigrant and refugee mothers and their children, giving food to people in need, coming alongside pastors as they seek to help their churches engage their local communities, developing trainings for church leaders and pastors who lack access to theological training, engaging in our community group, or simply reimagining what church looks like in such a secular, post-Christian society at our Mosaic ministry—is a focus on developing relationships.
When I reflect theologically on why building relationships seems to be at the core of all we do, Fiddes offers helpful insight. He observes that the theological idea of the Trinity helps to define what it means to be a person created in God’s image. Personhood becomes something tied to relationship. Being a person means having a distinct identity, an otherness that only makes sense relationally. Fiddes says that God is best described as an “event of relationships,” and “not as three individual subjects who have relationships.” Fiddes expounds, “Talk about God as an ‘event of relationships’ is not, therefore, the language of a spectator, but the language of a participant. It only makes sense in terms of our involvement in the network of relationships in which God happens.”
The significance of this perspective from Fiddes is that it helps one understand ministry as sharing oneself with another as God does within Godself. We find relationship at the core of all that we do here in Spain because God is relational. In the Trinity, we see God giving Godself to the world in ministry. Our missional call is to participate in this ministry by sharing who we are and by inviting others to share who they are as well. In so doing, transformation happens as God, present and ministering, helps us all become who we are created to be. This transformation is our hope here in Spain.
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 7.31.24
An interesting situation popped up this past week. It began almost three weeks ago when I was scheduled for jury duty in Buncombe County. On the night before, as requested, I called in and discovered that they needed only groups 1-11. I was group 12. Though I take my civic duty seriously, I confess that I was elated that my service for jury duty was unnecessary.
Then, a few days ago, I received a phone call from someone claiming to be from the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office saying that two warrants for my arrest had been drawn against me because I hadn’t shown for jury duty. I explained that I called and was unneeded. “Yes, but you were sent a letter after that telling you that you needed to check in on July 18th, and you didn’t show.” Pretty soon, though very convincing, I began to realize that this was a scam ... even after he gave me docket numbers. He told me there were two fines totalling almost $2,000, else a deputy would come to my house and escort me downtown for arraignment.
I responded, “do what you wish ... “ and hung up. I checked with the Sherriff’s Office and was assured that this isn’t how that office operates and that unfortunately, though convincing, it was all a scam.
So, why would I spend so much of your time telling you of this enterprising afternoon a few days ago? Several reasons: first, I want to remind you that there are many unscrupulous people who are more than willing to separate you from your hard-earned money, and often, they are very convincing. Secondly, let’s remember that in our present national climate, there are a lot of enterprising politicians willing to tell us anything ... ANYTHING, in hopes of securing our vote. It may sound convincing, and at times, may be truthful. But be reminded, just because someone is saying something you want to hear or espousing something that sounds right to your moral ear DOES NOT necessarily mean you are being dealt with honestly.
It’s a lot like trying to respond meaningfully out of your personal faith. You may come to a point in which you really aren’t clear on how to respond. In those situations, remain silent. Wise people typically have great ease in silence. There is much to be learned there. If the words won’t stop, if the pressure heats up, if the volume rises ... it’s probably a scam. Just saying.
1st Explorers After School Ministry Right Around the Corner
With school just a few short weeks away, the 1st Explorers Ministry is gearing up to serve children during after school hours. This important outreach of the church can benefit from your involvement. How?
Pray for the staff, the children, and their families.
Provide healthy snacks throughout the year for those hungry children.
Volunteer to lead an activity—something that you would like to share. Are you good at making things, do you like to bake, have you traveled to interesting places, are you good at playing games? Think about ways to connect your skills with the children.
Be a part of our "Backdoor Brigade." Folks are needed from 2:50 p.m. to 5:20 p.m. to greet the children when they arrive, to greet parents when they pick up the children, and to say "Bye" when it is time for the children to go home. These people put a face to Sylva First Baptist Church.
We try to keep tuition costs at a reasonable price but sometimes families struggle to make their payments. There are supplies that need to be replenished throughout the year. Sometimes special needs arise. If you would like to know how you can help in contributing monetarily, contact Marina Graham-Hunley for more information.
Thank you, First Baptist, for being a beacon of light to these children and their families!
