Women’s Missionary Union met in November to discuss future projects. We are helping provide snacks for SCC students and provided soup for the homebound program at Western Carolina University. The annual Christmas party will be at Linda Stewart’s home on December 12. Please bring a toy for a child and a salad for lunch.
UCM Food Drive
United Christian Ministries has asked churches to provide food for children who may not have food at home during their time off from school during Christmas Holidays. Our church needs to supply 200 individual cups of applesauce and 100 cups of mac and cheese individual servings. Those can be dropped off at the church’s Loving Kindness Center by December 15.
Join Us for Worship!
Join us for worship on Sunday morning at 10:30 a.m. in the sanctuary! Also join us for Sunday School at 9:30 a.m. for all ages!
The CDC recommends that you wear a mask indoors.
Maximize protection from the Delta variant and prevent possibly spreading it to others.
Our worship service will be streamed online at firstbaptistsylva.com.
First Explorers Update
Interim Director Andrew Beck reports that 1st Explorers enjoyed a good week of learning and fun last week. In Chapel on Monday, Cheryl Beck led a discussion of how to handle conflicts like Jesus wants us to. The children shared stories of times they were faced with problems with kids at school. On Tuesday, Reverend Blake Daniel from the Presbyterian Church, talked about the meaning of the Advent candles.
Wednesday, Pastor Jeff led the RAs in talking about and arranging the Nativity scene. The GAs made hot chocolate and dessert.
On Thursday, Generation Kids came and shared a story and games. They brought lots of candy for the kids. The week rounded out on Friday with practice for the upcoming play “Let Heaven and Nature Sing.” Thank you to our door volunteers who greet children and parents. We appreciate you!
Flowers for Sanctuary
If you would like to provide flowers in the sanctuary for Sunday morning services, please contact Gwen Messer at 828-506-8370, or Janice in the church office to be placed on the calendar.
December Calendar
Pastor Appreciation and Farewell Party
YOU ARE INVITED to a pastor appreciation and farewell party on Sunday, December 10 at 4:00 p.m. in the MFC. Join us as we celebrate the Mathis family and show them our love and appreciation for the many years they have shared with us.
Let Heaven and Nature Sing!
You are invited to a wonderful celebration of the true meaning of Christmas on Wednesday, December 20, at 6;00 p.m., in the MFC. 1st Explorers and children of the church are working hard to prepare for an outstanding hour of skits, Scripture reading, and music. “Let Heaven and Nature Sing” will make you want to sing along with the enthusiastic voices of our children. Please come! Doors open at 5:45 p.m.
The Christmas Play
The air in the Sunday School room was charged with the sounds of children talking, giggling, and rehearsing their lines. Occasionally, a child would peek out the door to see who was in the audience. Moms tied the robes that had been borrowed from Dads’ closets on feisty shepherds while another Mom worked at straightening the wings and halos of would-be angels. The Wise Men looked for the gifts they had misplaced while Mary clutched a favorite baby doll wrapped in a handmade afghan. Joseph stayed as far away from Mary as he could until it was absolutely imperative that he stand beside her at the manger scene.
Then the lights dimmed in the small sanctuary and the children were ushered in when it was time for them to appear. A few lines were misquoted and sometimes an actor needed a prompt from the director but when the full cast was assembled in the Nativity tableau, it was a precious sight for all the people gathered there. Grandparents beamed from the audience and parents were proud (and relieved) that their children had been part of this special event.
What a magical night -- the Christmas play when I was growing up! Many of you know what I am talking about because you grew up being a part of this annual tradition at your church. Sometimes it was a contemporary piece that reminded us of the true meaning of Christmas and we would be dressed in regular clothes. These plays usually required more script memorization than the Nativity scene which was often narrated by a teen or an adult. How we worked at remembering our lines!
If music wasn’t part of the play, there was always carol singing afterward and we grew to know “Joy to the World”, “O Little Town of Bethlehem”, “We Three Kings” and all the other songs by heart.
At the conclusion of the program, Santa made an appearance and everyone got a treat bag filled with candy, peppermint sticks, nuts, and an orange. Happy and contented, we packed into our cars and headed home -- another Christmas Play behind us.
Church Christmas plays with children are still magical to me, but, as an adult, I see them in a new light. I’ve been the mom behind the scenes, the one making a costume, or helping organize. A fond memory of this experience was when Andrew was three years old and the parents of preschoolers at Sylva FBC had to dress their child as a stable animal for a Nativity play. We finally decided that Andrew would be a dalmation. Now, I don’t think a dalmation was present for the first Christmas but Andrew did a good job watching over Baby Jesus. As a parent and now Children’s Ministry Director, I am always excited to see children perform and speak and sing in public. I also realize how much work goes into something like a Christmas play.
That’s why I am grateful for Marina and Tom Graham who are leading our 1st Explorers and children from church in the Christmas production “Let Heaven and Nature Sing”. It will be held on Wednesday, December 20, at 6:00 p.m., in the Mission and Fellowship Center. Marina has been working for 3 months to prepare an outstanding hour of skits, Scripture reading, and music with the children. Tom is lending his musical talent to add traditional songs of Christmas to the program. You’ll laugh at the comedic adventures of the angels, you’ll be comforted by the familiar Scriptures, and you’ll want to sing along with the enthusiastic voices of the children. Come and relive the magic of children telling the “old, old story of Jesus and His love”. You will be glad you added this to your holiday season!
Thank you, Marina and Tom!
Family Christmas Fun Event Was Great Fun!
Thank you to the families who participated in Sunday's Family Fun Event. After a pizza, salad, and dessert lunch, we made Sock Snowmen, Skinny Popsicle Snowmen ornaments, a Baby Jesus ornament, and Ojo de Dios ornaments. There was a Christmas scavenger hunt won by Lucie and Wyatt (everyone got prizes!), a Guess the Number of Peppermints in the Jar (won by Chris Moore, and a Pin the Features on Frosty game designed by Andrew Beck. Families also received the Advent devotional packet, "Ordinary Wonder", to use during the next 4 weeks. A great time was had by all!
Left: A blindfolded Strider Drum adds arms to Frosty under Andrew Beck's direction.