From Seeds to Harvest: Mapping Our Financial Assets

How can we position First Baptist Church of Sylva to continue its mission to “Do Justice, Love Kindness, and Walk Humbly with Our God,” both now and in the years to come? Our annual budget, while critical, is only one part of the picture. Effective stewardship of the resources with which our church has been blessed requires deliberate and periodic review, discussion, and decision making. Such an effort is especially needed when, as in recent years, the church has experienced significant and mostly positive financial events.

To that end, the Deacons, Trustees, and Budget and Finance Committee will be meeting together on Wednesday, August 30, 2023, in the Mission and Fellowship Center. We will serve a light meal beginning at 5:30 p.m. and at 6:00 p.m. we will begin a conversation about our off-budget financial resources. The goal of this conversation is to promote awareness and understanding of what those resources are, where they come from, and how they are being used in alignment with our mission to Do Justice, Love Kindness, and Walk Humbly with Our God.

This meeting is open to anyone in the church who is interested in participating, whether it is to engage in the discussion or just to listen and learn. As the purpose of this conversation is primarily to be informational, there will be no proposals or motions to debate, no votes to tally, no offering plate passed, and not a pledge card in sight.

Please join us on August 30!

Doll Donation to Baptist Children's Homes in Clyde in Honor of Ruth Crawford

The family of Ruth Crawford, in her memory and what would have been her 100th birthday, July 23, has donated dolls to the Baptist Children’s Home in Clyde. If anyone would like to honor Ruth’s memory with a donation or doll for the Children’s Home, please bring them to the church office, and I will take them to Clyde and notify the family of your contribution. 

–Linda Stewart 

No-Bake Lemon Icebox Pie

Ingredients
Crust
1 1 /2 cups graham cracker crumbs (10 to 12 whole crackers)
1/4 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
Pinch of salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel

Instructions
In medium bowl, mix Crust ingredients.  Press evenly into ungreased 9-inch pie plate.  Refrigerate 1 hour.  In large bowl, beat Filling ingredients until smooth.  Spread evenly in crust.  Refrigerate 6 hours or until set.  Serve with whipped cream if desired.

—Provided by Cheryl Beck  

No-Bake Lemon Icebox Pie

Click here to download a printable version.

–Provided by Cheryl Beck

Hurray for Our Nursery Workers of the Week!

Hurray for Judy Seago for substituting in the nursery during Sunday School last Sunday. 
She was a lifesaver!  And, thank you to Melanie Joiner for serving in the nursery during worship.

Next Sunday, Brooke Drum has nursery  responsibilities.  Thank you, Brooke!

There is still room on the schedule to serve “the least of these”
on Sunday mornings.  It is a blessing to see their smiles and enthusiasm as you spend
time with our infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. 
Please contact Cheryl Beck (cabeck@ncsu.edu) if you would like to help.

WMU in Action

Seven ladies from First Baptist Church Missions Circle attended the WMU Regional Meeting at Lighthouse Baptist Church on August 12. We learned about WMU programs and were able to make friends with other WMU members at churches in our region. Thanks to all who attended from our church. I was very proud to have so many people from our church attend. Thank you.

– Gaye Buchanan, WMU Director

Save the Date! Homecoming 2023 Is Sunday, October 15

We are thrilled to announce a very special Homecoming celebration as we honor Dr. Bob Holquist for his remarkable 40 years of dedicated service as our Minister of Music. This momentous occasion calls for a grand reunion, and we are calling all FBC Choir alumni to join us in this joyous event.

On Homecoming Sunday, we will gather on October 15 in worship to celebrate Dr. Holquist's incredible contributions to our church and community. Prepare your vocal cords, as all former FBC Choir members are invited to return and raise their voices during the 10:30 AM worship service. Let us fill the sanctuary with the harmonious sounds of praise and gratitude!

In addition to the exciting reunion of our FBC Choir, we are honored to welcome former FBC pastor, Rev. Ed Beddingfield to fill our pulpit. Presently serving as the pastor of Memorial Baptist Church in Buies Creek, NC, Rev. Beddingfield will grace our service with his leadership. 

After the worship service, we will continue the festivities with a feast for the ages in the Mission and Fellowship Center. It will be a time of fellowship, laughter, and reunion. This is an opportunity not to be missed as we commemorate Dr. Holquist's extraordinary tenure and the impact he has made on our church family.

Please help us spread the word about Homecoming 2023. In particular, share this announcement with any FBC Choir alumni or former members of our congregation who may not be aware of this special Homecoming celebration. Let's come together to make this day truly spectacular!

Save the date, mark your calendars, and join us on October 15 for a day filled with reunion, celebration, and gratitude. We look forward to seeing you there!

Interested in Being on the Team?

Jackson County Church League Volleyball

All games will be played on Monday nights at the recreation center in Cullowhee starting in September. Contact Andrew Sherling at 828.293.3053 ext. 6 or andrewsherling@jacksonnc.org for additional information. Register online at rec.jacksonnc.org before August 31.

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