Mission Moment 10.29.25

Scarlette Jasper
Field Personnel in Corbin, Kentucky 

Psalm 42:9-11a
”I say to God my Rock,
  ‘Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go about mourning,
  oppressed by the enemy?’
My bones suffer mortal agony
  as my foes taunt me,
saying to me all day long,
  ‘Where is your God?’
Why, my soul, are you downcast?
  Why so disturbed within me?”

Lament, while seemingly negative, can actually be a source of blessing. It allows for the expression of pain, grief and doubt, leading to a deeper understanding of oneself and a stronger relationship with God. By acknowledging our vulnerabilities and trusting in God’s strength, we can move from despair to hope and find renewed faith. 

Lament can be a blessing.

Lament provides a space to express our feelings of hurt, anger and frustration without judgment. It’s a way to communicate our needs and seek God’s help and comfort. By acknowledging our limitations and expressing our vulnerabilities, we can learn to trust God more fully. This process helps us to understand God’s grace, love and faithfulness. The process of lament can lead to a deeper understanding of ourselves and our relationship with God. It can help us see the world from a new perspective and grow in our faith. 

Lament is not just an end in itself; it can pave the way for hope and praise. 

By expressing our pain, we can move towards a renewed sense of hope and trust in God’s plan. When we bring our grief to God, we become more aware of the suffering of others and are more likely to listen to their pain with empathy and compassion. 

In essence, lament is a powerful tool for spiritual growth and healing, allowing us to navigate difficult times with grace and peace.

Blessing: Psalm 42
As the deer pants for streams of water,
  so my soul pants for you, my God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
  When can I go and meet with God?
My tears have been my food
  day and night,
while people say to me all day long,
  “Where is your God?”
These things I remember
  as I pour out my soul:
how I used to go to the house of God
  under the protection of the Mighty One
with shouts of joy and praise
  among the festive throng.
Why, my soul, are you downcast?
  Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
  for I will yet praise him,
  my Savior and my God.
My soul is downcast within me;
  therefore I will remember you
from the land of the Jordan,
  the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.
Deep calls to deep
  in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
  have swept over me.
By day the Lord directs his love,
  at night his song is with me—
  a prayer to the God of my life.
I say to God my Rock,
  “Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go about mourning,
  oppressed by the enemy?”
My bones suffer mortal agony
  as my foes taunt me,
saying to me all day long,
  “Where is your God?”
Why, my soul, are you downcast?
  Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
  for I will yet praise him,
  my Savior and my God.

UCM Ministries of Jackson County – Thanksgiving Gift Cards

United Christian Ministries will once again distribute Thanksgiving gift cards valued at $30 to food pantry clients for the purchase of meal items at Food Lion. We invite you to consider sponsoring one or more gift cards. Each contribution directly supports local households in need and helps provide a healthy, nutritious Thanksgiving dinner. For more information, email ucmsylva@gmail.com or call 828.586.8228.

Midweek Meals Continue

Mid-week meals continue tonight, October 22 at 5:30 p.m. in the MFC. Costs are $12 for adults, $7 for K-12th grade, and college students as well as pre-K are guests of the church (no charge). Please remember to get your reservation turned in to the office by noon Monday so we have an accurate headcount. Sign-up sheets and pew cards will be available as well! Join us!

Mid-week meals for the remainder of our current year are planned for Wednesdays, November 5 and 12. Additionally, our church hosts local congregations for our shared Thanksgiving meal and celebration on Sunday, November 23. Finally, a covered-dish is planned for Wednesday, December 17, with our First Explorers ministry sharing the Christmas Story. Remember to sign up by noon on Monday for the weekly meal and, sign up for a time you'll be available to assist with either meal prep or clean-up. 

Midweek Meals Continue

Mid-week meals continue tonight, October 22 at 5:30 p.m. in the MFC. Costs are $12 for adults, $7 for K-12th grade, and college students as well as pre-K are guests of the church (no charge). Please remember to get your reservation turned in to the office by noon Monday so we have an accurate headcount. Sign-up sheets and pew cards will be available as well! Join us!

Mission Moment 10.22.25

Michelle Norman
Field Personnel in Barcelona, Spain

"When Jesus returned to Capernaum several days later, the news spread quickly that he was back home. Soon the house where he was staying was so packed with visitors that there was no more room, even outside the door. While he was preaching God’s word to them, four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. They couldn’t bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “My child, your sins are forgiven.” – Mark 2:1-5 (NLT)

Recently, I have been reflecting on the story of the men who carried the paralytic man to Jesus. Specifically, I’ve been considering two points I had not previously considered. First, the scripture doesn’t tell us the men who carried the paralytic were his friends. We generally assume they were, but we do not know that for sure. Second, the roofs were thick, and it would have been difficult to bust a hole in it large enough to lower a man through it. It also would have created quite a racket, and definitely would have upset those listening to Jesus teach! The more I pondered these two points, the more convinced I am that the actions of these men were far more radical than I initially believed. It involved risk, it involved hard work and it was all done for someone they may or may not have considered a friend. The radical nature of this story has inspired me to consider for whom I might need to bust through roofs in order for them to have an encounter with Jesus. Where do I need to have courage to do the hard work, and maybe even cause a disruption, so that people can go beyond the barriers that keep them from Jesus. 

Maybe, given the state of our world today, you find yourself in a similar place. I offer you this blessing for when you need the courage to bust through some roofs.

A Blessing for When You Need Courage to Bust through Some Roofs
Blessings on you, dear friend.

You were just living your life and as you walked, you encountered the paralytic man, the homeless man, the hurting mother, the unemployed, the discouraged, the bullied. 

Blessings on you for stopping to respond to the call for help.

Blessings on you for gathering your friends to join in the response.

You carried the man in, hoping to see Jesus and when you arrived, you were blocked from seeing him.

But you would not let the barriers hold you back. You knew that what this man needed…what the world needed, was an encounter with the Messiah. 

Blessings on you for doing the hard work, for rolling up your sleeves and digging through the roof. Blessings on you for finding a way. 

When the barriers seem overwhelming and the way unclear, may you have the courage to carry your neighbor to the one who loves them more than they can imagine. 

Blessings on you as you find courage to bust through some roofs.

Giving the Jesus Way

United Christian Ministries is in need of cereal. 

 To donate items, please drop them off at UCM’s building at 191 Skyland Drive.  Thank you!

1st Explorers After-School Program Recap

First Explorers talked “Facing Fears” this past week, with students sharing some of the heavy burdens they carry. It is a tough time to be a young person. We ask that you join us in lifting them and their fears up in prayer, and pray that they will turn to Jesus for comfort. Students had a blast with Mrs. Kaitlyn (as usual—she is fantastic!), loved making collages with Mrs. Gaye, worked with Mrs. Marina to choose their Christmas play, colored fall-themed pages, and blew off steam with lots of outside time. 

Giving the Jesus Way

United Christian Ministries is in need of cereal. 

 To donate items, please drop them off at UCM’s building at 191 Skyland Drive.  Thank you!

Midweek Meals Continue

Mid-week meals continue tonight, October 15 at 5:30 p.m. in the MFC. Costs are $12 for adults, $7 for K-12th grade, and college students as well as pre-K are guests of the church (no charge). Please remember to get your reservation turned in to the office by noon Monday so we have an accurate headcount. Sign-up sheets and pew cards will be available as well! Join us!

1st Explorers After-School Program Recap

First Explorers had a super fun week full of visitors. Rebekah from 4H did a lesson and experiment involving yeast, where she used a water bottle and mixed warm water and yeast together. By placing a balloon on top of the bottle, the yeast rose and made the balloons blow up! Mrs Cheryl Beck has started a series on Appalachia with the children. This past week, she talked about Appalachian life and showed toys and baskets folks would have used back in the day, as well as played old-timey games with the children including “Hide the Thimble” and “Follow the Leader.” To top it all off she baked delicious molasses cookies for the children! First Explorers also discussed their anger and ways to calm down, and finished the week with a fun pumpkin painting creation.