The Children's Library at FBC, that is! On Monday, March 18, from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m., preschoolers, kindergarteners, and 1st and 2nd graders are invited to the library for an Easter story, a craft, fun snack, a game, and practice for the upcoming Palm Sunday processional. Please let Cheryl Beck know if your child is coming!
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!
Joe's Window
By Dr. Joe Yelton
Interim Pastor
This coming Sunday I will join you in welcoming our guest speaker, Dr. Andy Hale. Andy is providing assistance in our pastor-search process on behalf of Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina. Our church is on the front edge of a new effort within CBFNC to meaningfully prepare churches for the journey ahead, as well as assist in finding suitable candidates. We are in the process of piecing together a puzzle, slowly finding the fitting pieces. You are one such piece. Obviously, if you do not involve yourself, the puzzle will be somewhat incomplete. This Sunday following worship, remain for lunch. You’ll be given a roadmap of how the church may proceed in the selection process.
Walk-a-Thon for UCM Coming Up!
Everyone is invited to the Walk-A-Thon to benefit United Christian Ministries on Saturday, March 23, at Smoky Mountain High School. The "Super Hero Stroll" will take place from 12:00 noon to 2:00 p.m. In addition to the fun walk, there will be live music, face painting, a costume contest, and more.
Let your inner "super hero" come out to play and walk to raise funds for this vital ministry in Jackson County. Register at www.ucmsylva.org or call 828-586-8228.
Easter Sunrise Service
Easter Sunrise Service will be held at First Presbyterian’s pavilion Sunday, March 31st at 7am. A light breakfast will be available following the service. Attendees have been invited to provide breakfast items such as fresh fruits, donuts, pastries, bagels, etc. Coffee & other drinks will be provided by First Presbyterian.
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.
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.
Send Us Your Prayer List Updates
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.
Walk-a-Thon for UCM Coming Up!
Everyone is invited to the Walk-A-Thon to benefit United Christian Ministries on Saturday, March 23, at Smoky Mountain High School. The "Super Hero Stroll" will take place from 12:00 noon to 2:00 p.m. In addition to the fun walk, there will be live music, face painting, a costume contest, and more.
Let your inner "super hero" come out to play and walk to raise funds for this vital ministry in Jackson County. Register at www.ucmsylva.org or call 828-586-8228.
Mission Moment 3.6.24
Nataly Sorenson
Executive Director of the Gaston Christian Center, Dallas, Texas
I stumbled upon someone who has been nurturing my faith via Instagram. His name is J.S. Park. His post caught my attention and immediately I began to scroll through his feed reading about his experience as a hospital chaplain and father to a two-year-old daughter. Park shared stories about entering the room when patients were intubated, holding space for grieving families and the moments when he got it wrong. His stories resonated with me. I had recently resigned from being a hospital social worker in the intensive and neuro-intensive care units. At times, by patient or patient’s family request, I had conversations regarding faith, illness and grief. I realized not many people gave the patient or family the freedom to feel.
Reading Park’s posts felt like balm to my weary soul and reminded me of the precious work social workers, chaplains, pastors, ministers and everyday people can experience if we open ourselves to it. I think in Christian circles we often propagate the idea of false positivity. We fear the stillness; we do not want to feel the discomfort when someone shares their grief. We want to silence people’s fears, worries and pains, and we quickly brush them off with a quick blurt of “God is in control.” God says “do not worry.” “They are in a better place now.” “Look at the bright side.” And the list goes on and on.
Park shares about being present with people where they are. He says, “They say it’s not easy. But I don’t believe it’s always so hard. Sometimes it is harder not to. It can take seconds to be gracious. As simple as breathing. Or one look. It is hard to break systems. To heal DNA. To march against hostility. To create safe policy. And to protect those with stolen dignity. But it begins here, between you and me. Usually the best theology is you.”
J.S. Park has influenced my spiritual practice and theology in challenging me to be present. To live in the now—not where we romanticize the past, glamourize the future, or wish to be in the tomorrow. We become blind to the weeping mother, the angry brother and the sick child. In Scripture, we find Jesus seeing, looking and turning his gaze towards a person, a group, a crowd. We find Jesus having compassion. We find Jesus hearing and listening to those whom the rest of the group rebukes and tries to silence.
May we also live like Jesus—God with us—and be present. Present to see and hear those around us. May the divinity in us see the divinity in them.
“I see you. I hear you. I am with you. I am for you. I am here.”
J.S. Park is a Korean American, son of immigrants, hospital chaplain, and Christ-follower. He has a blog called “J.S. Park: Hospital Chaplain, Skeptical Christian—A blog for busted-up, beat-down people (like me). He is also the author of The Voices We Carry: Finding Your One True Voice in a World of Clamor and Noise. He is currently working on a second book on grief coming out in May 2024.