Children in grades 1-5 and their families at Sylva FBC are engaging in a 40-day Lenten journey to be more like Jesus everyday. Families have received a RUN AND TELL! kit with family devotionals, a 40-day scratch off calendar of activities, flower seeds, and stickers. There is even a recipe for Resurrection Rolls which Lucie Moore and her mom made on Sunday afternoon.
If you haven’t received your RUN AND TELL kit yet, let Cheryl Beck know and she will get it to you. Run and Tell!
By Dr. Jeff Mathis
Palm Sunday is the one day in the church calendar year that makes me scratch my head.
Perhaps it's the fear that you can go from being a king to a criminal in less than a week in the eyes of your own people. Think about it. If Jesus's own people greeted him with "Hosanas" one day and then shouted, "Crucify Him!" five days later, what's the lifespan of our own acceptability? Five minutes?
At the crux of it, Palm Sunday reveals that we like the idea of Jesus. We like Jesus's power, his storytelling, his compassion, and the hope that he gives us. But we balk at Jesus's demands. We shake our heads at Jesus when He doesn't do what we want Him to do. We turn our backs on Him when He doesn't become a donkey for us to ride on into our own kingdoms.
Who wouldn't relish the opportunity to celebrate Jesus's arrival on Main Street? The question is, however: What will we do when He settles in among us?
Welcome to the City (But One Wee Word of Advice)
By Ian Cowie
Lord Jesus,
If only you would come to our city like you did to Jerusalem.
We’ve some great hymns to sing to welcome you!
Our guitars would be out to lead the singing;
we’d wave our scarves and dance.
You would get a real red-carpet welcome –
five-star treatment.
There would be a real religious revival. It would be wonderful.
If only you would come here
to our country
to rescue us.
But in case you do,
just one wee word of advice –
stick to religion, but be careful.
Don’t interfere with politics, or economics, or big business and all that, and be careful not to make unpopular changes in the way we worship.
Save us from what might happen in the next life, yes,
but leave us to go on our own way,
the way we are used to in this life.
If you get it wrong for our city,
who knows?
We, too, might have to liquidate you.
“Chaplain, we are people of faith, please pray for my wife to be healed!”
That’s an actual request I received from a man whose wife was showing symptoms consistent with the very end of life. What’s a hospice chaplain to do?
On the one hand, I believe in the power of prayer and that “with God, all things are possible.” On the other hand, there is the reality that we are mortal and every one of us will die one day. There is a constant tension between these two truths. For hospice patients, the reality of the disease progression usually outstrips the hope for healing.
There is a story from the life of Jesus that helps me. It’s one of Jesus’ greatest miracles. Mary and Martha called for Jesus to come to their home because their brother Lazarus was ill. They believed that Jesus could heal him; but Lazarus died before Jesus arrived. In the most dramatic scene, Jesus stood in front of the tomb and called out, “Lazarus, come forth!” And Lazarus did! But here is something we don’t talk much about—the life story of Lazarus doesn’t end there. He lived a while longer but, eventually, like all human beings, Lazarus died. I imagine the rest of the story this way: After Jesus’ ascension (maybe weeks, months, or years), Lazarus got sick again. I picture Mary and Martha praying for their brother; maybe they called for one of the apostles to come and pray. The whole village gathered to see what would happen; but despite all their efforts, Lazarus died!
Life on this side of eternity comes to an end. While I would never say that to a patient or their family, I use my prayers to help them grasp the reality that they are facing death.
PRAY . . . GIVE . . . GO . . .
Small, individually wrapped candies are needed to fill the eggs for the annual Church Easter Egg Hunt on April 9. Please bring your contributions to the Easter Bunny's Box in the Loving Kindness Room before Easter Sunday.
First Baptist Church Flower Power Team has returned to the church gardens!
As Spring has brought some warm…and then cold weather these volunteers, and several who are not pictured will be out weekly cleaning out the flower beds, pruning…and planting!
It’s just one more way to show how much we love our church…
And, oh by the way…Did you know that—two years ago—they started renewing and maintaining the gardens at the Sylva police station?
Ingredients
1 boneless chuck roast
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 - 16 ounce jar medium salsa/picante sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
Brown meat in oil in a large heavy skillet. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over the browned meat. Cover and simmer on the stovetop for 1 hour. Add 4-6 sliced carrots and 4 quartered potatoes. Continue simmering, covered, another 1-1 1/2 hours until veggies and meat are tender.
–Provided by Judy Wilkey
Zippy Chuck
Click here to download a printable version.
Provided by Judy Wilkey
Add this email address to your contacts list on your devices so that our staff and Pastoral Care Team can learn of your prayer requests as quickly as possible. And yes, you may still contact the church office directly at 828-586-2095 to share your prayer concerns, as well.
This month’s Fabulous Fourth Sunday will be on March 26th. Our meeting this month will be at the church. We will have lunch together, either pizza or subs, then we will have a gameday with both indoor and outdoor games (weather permitting). Bring your favorite games with you next Sunday. We will gather in the basement to start. After lunch we will begin our game marathon. Vote for your lunch choice in the youth newsletter. Drinks and side items will also be provided. Come join us for a game day marathon as we spend time together! Our time will conclude at 3:00 PM.
Retreat. What does that word mean to you? For some it means backing down, running away, living to fight another day. To others it may be seen as a strategic maneuver; a way to regroup and recharge. However, you view this word, it need not be seen as a negative. Sometimes a “retreat” is exactly what we need. A retreat can also be a break from the everyday world to spend time in reflection, prayer, Bible Study and fellowship with like minded believers. These retreats help us to continue the fight as we follow our Lord into our battlefields in the world. They give us a chance to recharge pout batteries. Think of a place where you sense God’s presence strongly. It could be outside somewhere, it could be a room in your house that is quiet and peaceful. The youth recently went away for just such a retreat. We spent time away from everyday life in a place where we could refocus and spend time with God and each other. Everyone has these places. It could be a place of great religious significance. Jesus found this kind of quiet in solitude, away from the crowds that followed him, and he took time to regroup when he needed it. (Mark 1:35) He advocated taking time alone for prayer. (Matthew 6:5-8) How often, in our busy lives, do we take time to go to a “solitary place” to pray?
One of the places that has filled that need for me is the meadow at the top of Winespring Bald. Rarely have I met anyone else up there. The top of Wayah is always occupied, and usually by several people, but Winespring is very often empty. I park my vehicle, lower the tailgate and just sit and listen to the wind in the trees, the birds chirping and take in God’s creation. As I sit quietly, I listen for His voice among the soft whispers of nature. I don’t go there to petition Him or ask for favors. I go there to listen to His voice. In the stillness around me, I can hear Him. His voice is calming. His love is evident and I am refreshed by the time I spend in His presence.
In our busy lives, we need those places. We need those moments of peaceful communion with God. If we listen, He will speak. Too often when we pray we are so caught up in what we want to say to Him that we forget He wants to speak to us too. Take some time this week in your “solitary place” to listen to God’s voice. Retreat from your everyday life for a little while and let God speak. Find a place of solitude where you can listen to His voice and feel His love wrap around you!
Vacation Bible School will be here before you know it! The date for our community VBS is June 12-16. First Baptist is in charge of the set-up and take-down each day, the daily Bible story, and youth activities. Be thinking about how you can help with this very important summer event!