United Christian Ministries is in need of: canned soup, canned chicken and Boost. To donate items, please drop them off at UCM’s building at 191 Skyland Drive. Thank you!
Mission Moment 2.12.25
Alicia and Jeff Lee
CBF Field Personnel, Skopje, North Macedonia
“Around the table we offer friendship and celebrate life. Our meals offer a divine moment, an opportunity for people to be seduced by grace into a better life, a truer life, and a more human existence.” —Tim Chester, A Meal with Jesus
What is saving my life right now? That question is one of intrigue. There is a plethora of different things that we cherish in life at this moment. Family, friends, work, school, nature. All these things are integral to our life now. Living in Macedonia, these are foundational to culture and relationships. Specifically, we would like to mention the time we spend with our friends.
In Macedonia, we have a cultural event that is called Kafana. This event revolves around good company and good food. In Macedonia, meals are an event, and Kafana is the biggest of mealtimes. Kafana is a group of friends coming together in a traditional restaurant for about five hours. There is music, food and conversations. The culture of Macedonia is based on connecting with friends over a good meal.
Relationships are essential for survival here in Macedonia. We have been truly blessed over our 12 years in Skopje to have made several close friends. These friends have become part of our family. It is difficult to live away from our biological family. But because we have built great relationships here, we are able to survive through the joys and sorrows that this life brings. Life is a journey of ups and downs, and it is better to have a friend to journey with. One of our favorite movies is “Cool Runnings” in which the lead, Derice Bannock, gives the bobsled the name “Cool Runnings.” When asked what it meant, Derice says, “Peace be the journey.” We must have peace on our journeys.
One of our great friends exposed us to the great 13th century poet Rumi. And we would like to leave you with one of his poems.
Choose Love
Because of the beloved
My heart is happy,
My soul illuminated.
From the beloved’s greenery
Hundreds of blessed rivers
Are flowing to the rose gardens.
In order to enter into your rose garden,
The soul makes peace with the thorns.
Choose love, choose love.
Without this beautiful love,
Life is nothing but a burden.
Pray, Practice, Ponder
Jesus was always inviting people around the table for food and fellowship. Even on the night before his crucifixion, he gathered his disciples, his friends, around a time for what we refer to as “The Last Supper,” the basis of our ritual of Communion or Lord’s Supper. Gathering around the table can be a deeply holy, relational and spiritual experience. When is the last time you gathered with friends or family for an extended and leisurely meal? What was is like for you? Today, ponder the mystery of sacred time around the table, and how it connects us to God and others in new and surprising ways.
Jackson County Youth Chorus
Sign up now to sing in the Jackson County Youth Chorus! This is for singers in grades 3–8. Rehearsals begin on Monday, March 10 and run from 4:15 to 5:15 p.m. each Monday. The end-of-semester concert will be on Friday, May 23. Rehearsals will be held at FBC Sylva. For more information or to register, contact Director Sarah Hall at sfhall3@gmail.com or 704.245.2302. Click here to view an event flyer.
Midweek Meal & Activities
We had the most extraordinary beginning to our midweek meal with 70 feasting together. Let’s keep the momentum going, inviting others to join us and enjoying the deepening of our fellowship.
Please spread the word. And remember, preschoolers and college students’ meals are free, grades 1 to 12 are $7, and adults are $11. The menu this Wednesday is fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, and a roll. Join us!
REMINDER: Reservations must be made before noon on Mondays.
Below is the schedule for our Wednesday evening activities:
The meal begins at 5:30 p.m. each Wednesday. Group time begins approximately 6:10 p.m. and goes to 6:45 p.m. This group time is for college students and adults.
Our youth will meet from 6:10 to 7:00 p.m. in the youth room.
Our children also meet from 6:10 to 7:00 p.m, and they will be in the children’s department for a devotional, activity and play time.
Choir rehearsal follows at 7:00 p.m.
We can’t wait to see you on Wednesday evening!
Jackson Neighbors in Need
1st Explorers After-School Ministry Update
The explorers enjoyed our first rays of sunshine in a while and spent a lot of time outdoors! We spent the week playing different games, freeze dances, and the floor is lava. On Friday, Mrs. Kayla taught in Jesus calming the storm and brought out the big parachute to demonstrate the stormy sea. We then played a variety of trust games to talk about trusting Jesus!
Wednesday Evening Supper Ministry
Begins February 5 at 5:30 p.m.
Our weekly Wednesday evening prayer and study time will be enhanced with meals! The menu for February 5 is lasagna, salad, rolls and cookies (made by that always delicious cookie maker, Tonya Lloyd). See you there!
Jackson Neighbors in Need
Giving the Jesus Way
United Christian Ministries is in need of: canned soup, canned chicken and Boost. To donate items, please drop them off at UCM’s building at 191 Skyland Drive. Thank you!
Mission Moment 2.5.25
Karen Morrow
CBF Field Personnel, Fort Worth, Texas
“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus.” – Colossians 3:17
When asked “What is saving my life these days,” my response is the smiles and laughter of refugee women. Their resilience and thankfulness for simple acts of kindness bring me great joy.
The old saying “a woman’s work is never done” rings true for refugee women. They are the primary physical and emotional caregivers for their families who have often gone through trauma before arriving in a safe place in the United States to start a new life.
Initially, hope springs forth from the women and then the challenges of navigating life in a new country without the ability to speak English, without an understanding of how our systems work and the difficulty in finding jobs to support their families turn the women to despair. They have given and given and have nothing left to give.
Recognizing that most of these women come from communal societies where life is lived in multi-generational homes, we saw a need to build community support within their cultures and cross-culturally with other women for friendship and support.
This past year, we began Healthy Hearts and Homes—a weekly program designed to use art, music, movement and education to provide refugee women a space to heal while building friendship and community.
Each week, American women gather to share their talents with refugee women—watercolor painting, glass mosaics, string art, floral arrangements, yoga, dance, etc. The opportunity to create is healing and movement releases the tension in their bodies. Communication is limited as most refugees don’t speak English; but through charades, Google Translate and lots of laughter, friendships are formed and community built.
Periodically, we host educational events with translation led by medical professionals on such topics as when to see a doctor, home health care for children, women’s health care and more. The women are eager to learn and thrilled to receive medicines and other medical items.
Walking alongside refugee women as they transition to life here brings me joy. What act of service brings you joy?
Pray, Practice, Ponder
Today, take a moment to consider what life is like for refugee women and the challenges they face. Pray for these women and those serving refugees. Ask yourself how you might be a part of welcoming refugee families. What resources or connections do you have that might bless these families? Ask God to show you tangible ways you can be involved.
Pray. . .Give. . .Go.