TONIGHT, Wednesday, October 16
Join us for our Wednesday evening Bible study
TONIGHT, October 16 at 6:00 p.m. in the
Gathering Place Room. There will be no meal. Join us!
Help Needed in the Nursery During Sunday School!
We often have small ones who come to Sunday School but we do not have a permanent teacher or rotating list of parents who have volunteered to take this responsibility on. If you would be willing to check in each week to see if we have children in the nursery during Sunday School or you would be willing to be part of a group of people who rotate this responsibility, please let Cheryl Beck know.
Women’s Fall Bible Study
Begins Monday, October 21 at 10:00 a.m.
Women’s Fall Bible Study will begin Monday, October 21 at 10:00 a.m. in the Gathering Place Room. We will be studying “Jesus In Me” by Anne Graham Lotz. Books are available in the church office.
Joe's Window 10.16.24
By Dr. Joe Yelton
Interim Pastor
I had such a wonderful lunch a few days ago with David and Vanessa McDonald. Talk about good and kind people, they are amazing. They shared a story that bears repeating in this space. I didn’t get their permission to share it in this edition of Chimes, so ... this’ll be our little secret. :-)
It turns out, they were so pleased to share that they attended Sunday School earlier that morning. For three years they’ve been active in worship services, but this was their first encounter with Sunday School in our church. I had to know what prompted them to attend Sunday School that morning, and their answer was instant ... John Dills. It turns out that for a good, long while, John has invited David and Vanessa to Sunday School. However, in recent days, John turned up the heat. His invitations came more often and more directly. They relented, they attended, they thoroughly enjoyed it and yes, they shall return.
And that, my friends, is precisely how most people find a church-home and, that’s how most who are already involved, find a deeper level of commitment. Not through flowery campaigns. Not through expensive mailouts. People discover a church home or greater commitment to a church by way of personal invitations from people they respect. Clearly, David and Vanessa deeply respect John. Even more clearly, John deeply cares for them and could not let it go when it came to inviting them to discover what he had discovered.
Again, this is how growing the church is most meaningfully done. Go ye and do likewise.
(Well done, John, and ... well done, David and Vanessa). Who in your life is waiting to discover First Sylva?
– Joe
Hurray for Our Nursery Workers of the Week!
It is wonderful to have busy days in the nursery! This Sunday
was another one of those busy days. Thank you to Judy Henderson, Diane Clark, Mary Lou Millwood, and Lucie Moore for their good work with the little ones during the longer service. We appreciate each of you!
We are in need of someone to work this Sunday.
We also need folks to work in the nursery during Sunday School.
Please contact Cheryl Beck if you can help. We are thankful for your willingness to help!
We are still in need of someone to fill in on October 27 and also to work
in the nursery during Sunday school. Please contact Cheryl Beck if you can help.
1st Explorers After-School Ministry Update
1st Explorers sure are hungry when they get off the bus or church van! After all, they are growing children and they have expended a lot of energy at school. With your help we can provide them with a healthy snack each day.
Favorite snacks that Assistant Director Kayla Hartman says they enjoy are apples, pretzels, peanut butter, and chips. If you would like to contribute snacks for 30 people, put them on the cart inside the back door at church.
Love in Action
Siler Messer, six years old, volunteered for 12 hours over the weekend at a busy donation distribution site in Haywood County. He helped unload trailers, load vehicles with supplies, greet visitors, organize donations, and more. He looks forward to helping again.
Angel Biscuits
Ingredients
1 package yeast dissolved
in 2 tablespoons lukewarm water
Sift together:
5 1/2 cups plain flour
2 teaspoons salt
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons sugar
Instructions
Mix dry ingredients with 1 cup shortening. Heat 2 cups buttermilk to lukewarm and mix with yeast, then add to dry ingredients.
This mixture will keep in the refrigerator up to 7 days. Take out what you need and roll out on floured surface, cut, and bake at 425 degrees about 10 minutes.
– Provided by Othello Crawford
Angel Biscuits
Click here to download a printable version.
-Provided by Othello Crawford
Free At-Home Covid Testing Kits
Each household is eligible to request four tests at COVIDTests.gov that will be shipped directly to your home address (or PO Box). Public health officials have confirmed that these tests are capable of detecting the latest coronavirus variants circulating and causing infections. (Excerpted from AARP newsletter)
Children’s Art on Display
Check out the art exhibit on second floor outside the children’s Sunday school room. The theme is “God’s Wonderful World.”
If your child hasn’t completed a picture for the display, it isn’t too late! They can finish it up and give it to Cheryl Beck to be added to the display.