CAMINA en la LUZ — WALK in the LIGHT

Children in the 1st Explorers program and from the FBC congregation worked on a beautiful felt banner for the children of Kerygma Baptist Church which was presented to Pastor Ernesto and his wife Marisol during worship on Sunday, April 21.  With the theme "Walk in the Light" — Jesus being the LIght of the World — the banner for the children of Kerygma Baptist Church featured a bright yellow sun set in a blue sky.  The children learned to use fusible webbing and a hot iron to adhere the felt pieces.

Assisting with the presentation were Abby Pittman, Adalyn Davis, and Lexi Allen.  A big shout out to David Jons who helped with the translation of the theme into Spanish — Camina en la Luz.

Wyatt and Adalyn Davis display the Walk in the Light banner they helped create and which was presented to Pastor Ernesto and his wife Marisol for the children of Kerygma Baptist Church in Holquin, Cuba.

Three girls presented the banner during Worship: Lexi Allen, Adalyn Davis, and Abby Pittman.

Babysitting Training Continues

Thank you to Sandi Allen who taught the third session on handling emergencies while babysitting and first aid.  The participants are getting better prepared to be responsible babysitters.  Attending this session were Lexi Allen, Alex Wittekind, Ella Dux, Madison Rooney, Ivy Abbott, and Zoey Muse. 

Joe's Window

By Dr. Joe Yelton
Interim Pastor

To the surprise of no one, our church has been in numerical decline for many years, even decades. The fact that most congregations are in a similar state is of little solace. Addressing this is perhaps the most meaningful book to date, The Great Dechurching by Jim Davis and Michael Graham. It does the hard digging of data, helping discern how this slow but steady decimation of American church life happened. 

Basically, the book addresses three phases: Phase One, “How big is the dechurching problem?” Phase Two, “Who is leaving, and why?” Phase Three, “What is happening in Evangelicalism?” 

In the coming mid-week studies, information from this book will permeate our sharing. This is the kind of information which, to me, seems imperative, needing to be addressed as part of our new pastor selection work. 

You know the adage: “Continue doing what you’ve always done, you’ll continue getting what you’ve always gotten.” Can we, right from the start, commit to the hard work of doing things differently, when justified? In making our church more relevant, we must mitigate old habits that no longer serve us, or God. 

Christ is constantly wanting to pour fresh living water into the cisterns of faith that lift Him up. Our church is doing so much of that. We have loads of relevancies that bring the Gospel up close. Well done! Still, we need to look within and discover the places where familiarity has become an enemy to our message in the community. There is so much love within our congregation, and giftedness like I’ve rarely encountered. We have a bright future. To get there though, each of us will have to let go of some sacred cows that are no longer necessary. In their places, we must take up a new thing that tells that old, old story in fresh, relevant ways.

Ladies' Bible Study

Please join us for the continuation of the Ladies Spring Bible Study on Monday, April 29, at 10:00 a.m. in the Gathering Room. We are studying the Book of Esther. This study has video sessions led by Beth Moore. Study books are available in the Church office but are not required to do the study.

VBS – Hold the Dates!

This year's Community Vacation Bible School will be May 28-31, at Bridge Park.  Please make every effort to have your children participate.

Volunteers are also needed.  Please contact Cheryl Beck for more information.

Roadside Clean-Up

Would anyone be interested in assisting with a roadside clean-up effort for Jackson County? If so, please contact Norma Clayton at 828-506-9241. More details will be provided as they become available. Thank you.

Take Note of the Accompanying. . .

There is so much going on in the next month. We hope that you will download and print out the attached list of events so you can be sure not to miss all of the fun!

Thank You to Our Church Family

The Family of Tom Jones would like to thank First Baptist Church for the use of the Mission and Fellowship Center this past Saturday for the Celebration of Life for our brother, Tom.  It was a wonderful tribute to the life of Tom and we thank all who attended for your presence.

We owe a special thank you to Tonya Lloyd for all your help in making this possible and also thank Jim Campbell for helping with the sound system.

—Much love to all of you. Barbara Jones, Claude and Patricia Jones, Gladys Jones, and Betty Blanton

Cornbread Salad

Ingredients
1 cake of cornbread, crumbled
Red onion, diced
Celery, diced
Green pepper, diced
1 can Mexicorn, drained
1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
Cheddar cheese, shredded
Mayonnaise
Sour cream

Instructions
Mix all ingredients together.  Add equal amounts of mayonnaise and sour cream to other ingredients to bind them.

– Provided by Barbara Vance

Cornbread Salad

Click here to download a printable version.

-Provided by Barbara Vance

Dining for Jackson to Help Full Spectrum Farms

Please join us on May 7, 11:30 a.m. in the Mission and Fellowship Center of Sylva First Baptist Church as Dining for Jackson County works to support Full Spectrum Farms. This organization was founded in 2002 by parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Full Spectrum Farms is a non-profit organization serving individuals with ASD in western North Carolina. Their programs are 100% supported by the generosity of donors and all donations directly support their client programs and core farm operations.

The farm has thirty-four acres where individuals with ASD can live, work, and explore in a safe and encouraging environment.  Full Spectrum Farms provides a unique model for ASD services as a nurturing community where individuals with ASD can live and work with a focus on organic farming and natural crafts and art.

Autism spectrum disorder is a condition related to brain development that impacts how a person perceives and socializes with others, causing problems in social interaction and communication. The disorder also includes limited and repetitive patterns of behavior. The term “spectrum” in autism spectrum disorder refers to the wide range of symptoms and severity.

The Farm helps individuals with autism spectrum disorder develop lifelong learning and living skills through projects such as woodworking, pottery, and weaving, as well as growing and selling organic produce and flowers. Their clients have access to a fully-functioning organic garden, chickens, and grounds to partake of a wide range of farm activities. 

They also offer Neurodiverse Life Coaching for people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and for parents/caregivers of people with ASD. In June they will offer two sessions of youth summer camp in cooperation with Southwestern Community College’s Occupational Therapy Assistant Program. Applications for both programs are available now; email erin@fullspectrumfarms.org for a copy or more information or you may call Erin McManus, the director at 828-293-2521. Erin works tirelessly to coordinate weekly programs, plan special events, manage donations, and cultivate relationships in the local community.

We hope you will bring a covered dish and join us as we work to support Full Spectrum Farms.  We promise a lunch filled with good food, warm fellowship, and an opportunity to learn more about Full Spectrum Farms.