The Ladies Mission Circle will meet
on Tuesday, February 13 at 10:30 a.m. in the
Gathering Room. Ruth McConnell will be talking with
us about Neighbors in Need. Join us!
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.
Mission Moment 1.17.24
Dewey Bland
Chaplain at the Federal Correctional Institution
Three Rivers, Texas
Joshua had Moses (Exodus 32-33) and Elisha had Elijah (1 Kings 19:16, 19-21). I am so thankful for two godly men who have mentored me in the faith and in life. Even after their “responsibilities” toward my ministry ended, they have nurtured a sweet friendship for decades now.
Dr. Mac Wallace was my clinical pastoral education supervisor during my two-year residency in the mid-1990s. From that clinical relationship, a reciprocal fondness developed and continues today. Mac, whom I refer to as my spiritual mentor, has turned 80 now and continues to lead ministers. We have shared in many Biblical and pastoral discussions since I left hospital chaplaincy. Some of our best times together have been while on the water, wetting a hook, or playing nine-ball around a billiards table. I have been so blessed and have benefited from his genuine love for me. About 10 years ago, I gifted Mac a walking stick. To be in his presence and to feel his friendship offered me a glimpse of God’s desire to walk with me and provide for my care.
Chaplain Bill Lang was my third and fifth supervisor in the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Our friendship began in early 2001 in West Virginia. We were coworkers, a Southern redneck and a Boston Yankee, what a pair we made! We have laughed, cried, encouraged and challenged each other. We raised our families together and now enjoy long talks over the phone. As I continue my prison ministry and he has long retired, I am fully aware that even today Bill can relate to the struggles I encounter championing the First Amendment rights of the incarcerated. We have often remarked to each other, “We will have a special place, just inside heaven’s gates.”
These two men have allowed me to positively live out a warning by Robert Moore: “If you’re a young man and you’re not being admired by an older man, you’re being hurt.” Because of Mac and Bill, I have not been hurt. I will never hunger from not being fed by these two older men. I thank my God each time I remember them.
Called Church Conference THIS Sunday
Following Worship THIS Sunday, January 21
Items for Congregational Approval:
1. Calling of Interim Pastor to begin 02/04/24. This comes as a recommendation from the Board of Deacons and the Personnel Chair after reviewing resumes, phone conversations, checking references, listening to sermons, interviewing with Board of Deacons, and prayerful discernment.
2. Vote to proceed with nursery facelift. This comes as a recommendation from the Board of Deacons and Trustees and has already been approved by the Budget & Finance Committee. Please see more details in this Chimes notice from Jim Campbell, Trustee.
3. Alter slightly, for this year only, the calendar for Deacon Selection Process as written in the Bylaws. This request is made to avoid conducting church business on Palm Sunday and Easter.
From Linda Minor,
Deacon Chair
Royal Ambassadors Needs Leader
We are still in need of a leader for Royal Ambassadors. Please be in prayer that someone will come forward to teach these wonderful boys.
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.
Recipes Appreciated!
Each week we include a recipe in the Church Chimes and we hope that you are enjoying reading and trying them. You can add your favorite recipes to the Chimes by sending them to Cheryl Beck at cabeck@ncsu.edu. This is an ongoing WMU project.
Thanks for participating!
And a Little Child Shall Lead Them
I love seeing children participate in worship! Whether it’s waving the palm fronds for a Palm Sunday processional or coming to the front for the Children’s Message, or performing a skit, or reading Scripture, it just makes me happy to see them.
In the two small Baptist churches I grew up in, children played an important role in worship. We helped with the offering and we had a great youth and children’s choir that sang every Sunday. My friends and I knew that our participation was valued by the adults in the congregation. We also realized that we were worshipping the Lord in our own unique way.
Once a year we had a Children and Youth Sunday which was a very special occasion. The entire worship service was led by the young people from the music to the sermon.
These early experiences in worship leadership helped me understand how important a child’s participation can be in their faith formation. I daresay each of the children at Bethel and Jackson Line Baptist churches (who are now in their fifties and sixties) are grateful for the opportunities afforded them to have a role in worship.
Ashley Danyea, a Christian musician and educator, in her blog, offers four reasons she believes that children’s participation in worship is an important ministry of the church. They are:
Inviting: Welcoming children (and their parents) into the church and into worship is one of the greatest, most sincere ways to create a warm, inviting atmosphere.
Inclusive: Creating a place for children in worship and giving them opportunities to participate offers a message of inclusivity and acceptance and gives children responsibility, ownership, and a renewed sense of belonging.
Intergenerational: Inviting children to participate in worship gives them a unique opportunity to serve alongside older teens, young adults, middle age members, and seniors, creating a new sense of community for all.
Inspiring:Watching children lead worship — through song, word, and action — is inspiring to all involved. Everyone benefits.
Sylva First Baptist Church values children and provides many opportunities for their spiritual growth. Taking a leadership role in worship is an integral part of this growth. Thank you, First Baptist, for recognizing this and encouraging our children in this way!
My Favorite Blueberry Muffins
This is my favorite!
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white sugar (can use brown too -- or a mixture of white and brown)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries plus 1 teaspoon flour
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Grease muffin cups or line with muffin liners. Combine the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Place vegetable oil into a 1 cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup. Mix this with flour mixture. Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon flour over the blueberries and stir gently to coat the blueberries. Gently fold in the blueberries. Fill muffin cups to the top. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until done.
Note: You can swap out the all-purpose flour for self-rising flour -- and then omit the salt and baking powder.
–Tonya Lloyd
My Favorite Blueberry Muffins
Click here to download a printable version.
-Provided by Tonya Lloyd
Snacks Needed for 1st Explorers
1st Explorers After School Ministry is in need of help with snacks for the new semester. We appreciate your contributions in the fall. Your snacks help offset the cost of the ministry — and the children love them!