Lent 2024

This Wednesday, February 14, is Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of the season of Lent. If you didn’t grow up with Lent (and I know many of you didn’t, myself included), here’s a bit of background.

The word “Lent” comes from the Old English word for “springtime.” It refers to the length of time before Easter, traditionally forty days, when the Church prepares to commemorate Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. Just as Advent helps us prepare spiritually for Christmas, Lent helps us prepare spiritually for Holy Week and Easter.

You may be asking, Do I have to observe Lent?  The first answer is, Of course not! But the second answer is, Why wouldn’t you?  This season is a gift to us in which we may pause and reflect on our lives in light of Jesus Christ. So, I encourage you to observe it this year. Typically folks use this time as a chance to give something up: certain foods, certain media, certain habits. In recent years it’s become popular to take something on: daily prayer, for instance, or journaling or Sabbath-keeping. Regardless, the goal isn’t self-promotion (pride) but self-effacement (humility). What will help you humble yourself over the next forty days, so that you can see Jesus more clearly? Whatever the answer is… do it.

For a special focus during Lent, we will be offering a prayer group beginning on February 21 at 6:00pm in the Garden Room (next to the Fellowship Hall).  Be on the lookout for more information!

February Pastor's Letter

Dear church family,

“I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.” – Philippians 3:10-11

If you’ve been in church with us recently, you’ve heard me quote this Scripture from Paul’s letter to the Philippians. It’s a passage that I believe God highlighted for me at the beginning of the year, and it’s been guiding my study, preparation, and preaching through the Gospel of Luke this winter. I share it with you because perhaps it reflects your desire, too: “I want to know Christ…”

But how do we know Christ? We are, after all, Christians (or “little Christs”), so shouldn’t knowing Jesus be our primary focus? Our modus operandi, our raison d'être, our mission in life? Absolutely. None of us would disagree… yet we might admit that such a task is easier said than done. After all, we can’t meet Jesus for a cup of coffee the way we might meet each other at City Lights or Bojangles; we can’t shake his hand or give him a hug or hear him laugh. But that doesn’t mean we can’t know him.

This is where Scripture comes in: we can open our Bibles and learn more about Jesus in the Old and New Testaments (not just the gospels), because we believe that “every story whispers his name.” This is why prayer is so important: we can speak to Jesus and invite him to speak to us in return, as “deep calling unto deep.” And this is why worship, fellowship, and service are integral to being the church: we can spend time together as the body of Christ, remembering the one who said, “I will be with you always.”

So, I invite you to get to know Christ at First Presbyterian Church as February begins and as we celebrate the beginning of Lent, the 40-day period of repentance and renewal before Holy Week and Easter. Lent provides us with the opportunity to examine our lives – not in order to feel miserable because of our sins, but to feel grateful, and to live gratefully, because of our Savior. Lent is, therefore, the perfect time for us to commit (or re-commit) ourselves to the dusty road of discipleship, and to meet Jesus there. I hope you’ll come along.

See you Sunday,
Blake

The Season of Advent

We invite you to join us for Advent worship this year as we watch and wait for our coming King!
See below for various events, services, and opportunities to celebrate this special season.
Questions? Email the Church Office or call 828-586-4256.

This year’s Advent Devotional Guide is from Christianity Today. Copies are available in the entry hallway of the church! Suggested donation: $5 to the church.

Join us for a Pizza & Salad dinner with the Gieser family on Dec. 15 at 6pm! We will hear more from Jim & Julianna, and their children Timo, Mattias, Hawk, and Ruth, about the good work God is doing through them in Cape Town, South Africa.

Our Advent music program, “Care for the Stranger,” will take place Dec. 16 at 6pm. There will be a potluck finger food celebration following the program. The suggested donation is $5 but we will take any amount you can give. We would love your presence!

The Advent season is not always "merry and bright." Join us in the Sanctuary for a simple worship service of music, Scripture, and prayer as we walk through the darkness together and renew our hope in Jesus Christ, the light of the world.

All are welcome to this family-friendly service of worship on Christmas Eve! A reception will follow in the Fellowship Hall.

December Pastor's Letter

Dear church family and friends,

December is here, and another Advent season has arrived. In just a few short weeks, we will celebrate the birth of Jesus and the coming of our Savior and Lord. In the meantime, what do we do? We worship, pray, and prepare. We decorate our houses and set our tables and open our hearts in wonder. We resist the all-consuming commercialism of our culture and make space for contemplation. We seek justice, show mercy, and walk humbly with God (Micah 6:8). In all this, we watch and wait for the coming of the King.

As we do, I want to invite you to trust, yet again, that this waiting time is not wasted time. As much as we want to rush the process and celebrate Christmas prematurely, God is up to something by inviting us into this time of anticipation. Just think of the Israelites wandering in the wilderness, or crying out in exile. Think of Elizabeth and Zechariah, John the Baptist, and – of course – Mary and Joseph. Think of those shepherds, keeping watch over the flocks by night. The hope, peace, joy, and love of God’s people is always forged in the crucible of waiting.

I hope you will take a look at our church calendar and website. There are wonderful things taking place in the life of our congregation, and you are welcome to get involved in any of them. (If you need help, just let me know.) Together, let’s recommit ourselves to walking the dusty road of discipleship, trusting that Jesus was, is, and always will be leading the way.

Yours,
Blake

“As his sheep, we have been given a bountiful lot of prosperity and protection… What does this look like? We might imagine a herd of docile sheep resting freely under a shady tree as he stands with staff in hand, ensuring total serenity in his care. His peace ushers eternal shalom into every avenue of life.”

- from The Eternal King Arrives: Journeying Through Advent with Our Humble and Mighty Savior (our Advent devotional guide this year)

October Pastor’s Letter

Dear church family,

Every year I have the privilege of meeting with seven other pastors for study, conversation, recreation, and prayer. These retreats are sponsored by the Foundation for Reformed Theology, which was established by the late Dr. John Leith, a longtime professor at Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond, VA.  Dr. Leith was devoted to the training and nurturing of pastors, and his Foundation ensures that this legacy continues for generations to come. 

As part of the Foundation, our group has to select a bibliography to read from each year.  (We don’t just get to hang out!)  This year’s topic was “Reformed Piety,” which refers to spiritual formation and faithful living as followers of Christ.  Our list included writings by John Calvin, Karl Barth, Howard Rice, Donald Bloesch, and Belden Lane, all of whom helped us think deeply about the difference Jesus makes in our everyday lives. 

Perhaps Calvin summed up this theme the best:

“We are not our own: let not our reason nor our will, therefore, sway our plans and deeds.  We are not our own: let us therefore not set it as our goal to seek what is expedient for us according to the flesh.  We are not our own: in so far as we can, let us therefore forget ourselves and all that is ours.  Conversely, we are God’s: let us therefore live for him and die for him.  We are God’s: let his wisdom and will therefore rule all our actions.  We are God’s: let all the parts of our life accordingly strive toward him as our only lawful goal… We are consecrated and dedicated to God in order that we may thereafter think, speak, meditate, and do nothing except to his glory.”

Do you hear the refrain?  “We are not our own… we are God’s.”  May that be the basic witness of our lives and our congregation as we move into October and a new season of life together.

Yours in Christ,

Blake

Fall Book Study

Join us this fall for a study of the book A Walk Through the Bible by Lesslie Newbigin!
We will meet in the Fellowship Hall on Wednesday Nights from 6:00-7:00pm, starting Sept. 27.
Books can be purchased at City Lights Bookstore for $12.
Please contact the Church Office if you need childcare!

Schedule:

• 09/27 – Week 1 – Ch. 1: A Unique Account

• 10/04 – No Meeting (Family Night Supper)

• 10/11 – Week 2 – Ch. 2 & 3: Chosen by God

• 10/18 – Week 3 – Ch. 4: Judges, Kings and Prophets

• 10/25 – Week 4 – Ch. 5: Return and Renewal

• 11/01 – No Meeting (Family Night Supper)

• 11/08 – Week 5 – Ch. 6: God’s Kingdom and Jesus

• 11/15 – Week 6 – Ch. 7: Sacrifice

• 11/22 – No Meeting (Thanksgiving Break)

• 11/29 – Week 7 – Ch. 8: Future Revelation

“What is there within the Bible? What sort of house is it to which the Bible is the door? What sort of country is spread before our eyes when we throw the Bible open? The answer is a strange, new world – the world of God.”

— Karl Barth

Pastor’s Letter

Dear church family,

Over the summertime, my family and I have enjoyed taking Saturday trips to forested spots near Sylva.  Our favorites thus far have been the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest near Robbinsville and the Cradle of Forestry in America near Brevard.  Both locations have afforded us beautiful picnic areas, intrepretive knowledge of history and landscape, and long, peaceful walks in the woods.  I highly recommend you visit them, even if you’ve already been there before.

There’s something special about trees, isn’t there?  They offer us shade and fruit and lumber.  They’re a haven for pollinators and other creatures.  They purify the air around us.  They direct our eyes down – towards the earth – and up – towards the heavens – and in this they reorient us to the things of God.  As Joyce Kilmer himself wrote, “I think that I shall never see / A poem lovely as a tree… / Poems are made by fools like me, / But only God can make a tree.” 

Is it any wonder, then, that Scripture talks a lot about trees?  There’s the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in Genesis 2; the tree of wisdom in Psalm 1 and Proverbs 3; and the new tree of life in Relevation 22.  Remember that the cross of Jesus is often called a tree throughout the New Testament (“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.’” – Galatians 3:13).  And then, remember how Jesus described himself as a vine (very similar to a tree!), and his followers as his branches, in John 15.  So, yes, there is something special about trees.

This doesn’t mean we worship trees – we Christians aren’t pagans or pantheists.  But it does mean we see them as signposts of the Kingdom, reminding us of God’s goodness in creation and of our call to be stewards of that creation.  In this last stretch of summertime, I hope you spend some time among the trees.  And, as you do, give thanks to the God who made them.

Yours in Christ,

Blake

Pastor's Letter

Dear church family,

Ordinary Time is here. This is the season of the church calendar that begins on Pentecost and lasts until Advent, some six months later. We might think it’s an uneventful time — after all, there are no major church holidays to celebrate — but it’s a season full of meaning and growth, should we have the eyes to see it and the hearts to receive it.

For instance, ordinary time is when we will have Vacation Bible School, one of my favorite weeks of the year. This summer, we are partnering with three other downtown congregations (First Baptist, First United Methodist, and St. John’s Episcopal) to offer fun, fellowship, and faith formation for children at Bridge Park. We’d love to have you get involved! You can find more information and register by clicking here.

Ordinary time is also when we welcome our seasonal members and visitors back into our midst. Our brothers and sisters in Christ from Florida, South Carolina, California, South Korea, and elsewhere call Sylva “home” for the summer months, and we are delighted to have them as a part of us while they are here.

And ordinary time is when we have fun together. Not that we don’t have fun the rest of the year — we do! — but this season affords us even more opportunities to cook out, hang out, and reach out to the community that’s buzzing all around us. (Just come to our Fourth of July celebration or September campout to see what I mean.)

In her wonderful book Liturgy of the Ordinary, Tish Harrison Warren reminds us of this simple truth:

“The new life into which we are baptized is lived out in days, hours, and minutes. God is forming us into a new people. And the place of that formation is in the small moments of today.”

I like that — “the small moments of today.” Being a Christian doesn’t have to be any bigger than that.

I am so grateful to have a church family to be “ordinary” with, and I hope you will join us for worship and life together this summer as we keep following Jesus, one day at a time.

Yours in Christ,
Blake

Hymnal Transition

This Sunday we will say “goodbye” to our well used and much loved church hymnal, The Worshiping Church, and say “hello” to our new church hymnal, Lift Up Your Hearts. We hope you will join us for worship as we learn more about our new hymnals and allow them assist us in our worship of God!

All copies of The Worshiping Church have been pulled from the sanctuary and placed on tables in the Fellowship Hall. Church members are welcome to take one of these hymnals for themselves. Below is a list of hymnals and dedications, in case you would like one given by, in honor of, or in memory of, a specific person:

• To FPC by Joe & Charlotte Cowan

• To FPC by Dave & Terry Dornberg (3)

• To FPC by Jim & Sylvia Smythe (2)

• To Mrs. Clyde Law by Lyn Davis

• To Jimmy Lane by Lyn Davis

• To FPC by Bob & Martha Vodak

• To Jimmy Lane by Constance Miller

• To FPC by David Noland

• To Malvery Botner by Taft Botner (75)

• To various by Bob & Mildred Thutt (27)

• To FPC by Lewis & Dorothy Farmer (7)

• To Mrs. Clyde Law by Elizabeth Cope

• To Jimmy Lane by Elizabeth Cope

• To Mildred Lane by Jimmy Lane (17)

• To FPC by Dave & Terry Dornberg (3)

• To Jimmy Lane by Norma Fulk

• To Jimmy Lane by Bill & Bobbie James

• To Jimmy Lane by Kathleen Stewart

• To Jimmy Lane by Judge & Mrs. James Stephenson

Pastor's Letter

Dear church family,

Spring is an active time time in Sylva. It always is! Ask almost anybody in our community – landscapers, college students, rafting or fishing guides, or families with young children – how they are doing these days and the answer will likely be, “busy.” Busy with work, study, soccer games, or social events. Busy with chores or doctor’s appointments. Busy with keeping up with the Joneses or keeping up with the world.

And, of course, not all of the spring shuffle is bad. I can certainly relate to the satisfaction that comes at the end of a full day. But there is a difference between work and toil, between God-ordained service and stewardship, and sin-distorted labor and drudgery. The challenge is determining which is which – even in the church. Because congregations are not immune to busyness. If anything, we pride ourselves on bustling gatherings and packed calendars just like any other organization, only we do it in the name of Jesus.

Thankfully, we have a Lord who is patient with us, a God who walks at three miles per hour. When we’re prone to hurry our way through things, I imagine he says, “Slow down and take your time.” When we fuss and stress over our many duties and obligations, I picture him smiling and saying, “Look at the birds of the air and the flowers of the field.” When we worry that we’re not relevant or successful enough, I wonder if he simply says, “Remain in my love.” Take some time this month to think about what the Lord might be saying to you.

One of the best books I’ve read on this topic is John Mark Comer’s The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry. We have a copy in our church library, if you’d like to take a look. In page after page, Comer makes the case for a less hurried and more mindful, thoughtful, and prayerful life, and he offers many helpful steps for putting this into practice. Here is one of my favorite lines: “The solution to an overbusy life is not more time. It’s to slow down and simplify our lives around what really matters.” And what really matters? Perhaps our congregation’s mission statement says it best: loving Jesus, loving his curch, and loving our neighbors as ourselves. Can we slow down and simplify ourselves around that?

Yours in Christ,
Blake

Prayer in the Season of Lent

The season of Lent has begun!

To guide our time through this holy season, we will be offering a Lenten Prayer Group starting on March 8 at 6:00pm. The goals for the group are simple: we will learn about prayer, and we will pray. No preparation is necessary, other than a heart that is open to the Lord and to your brothers and sisters in Christ.

There is, however, a video series that will aid and deepen our group.  It’s called “Rule of Life: Prayer,” from Practicing the Way, and you can learn more about it by clicking here.  The website will ask you to register, which will grant you access to our church's group page!

We hope to see you on Wednesday nights starting March 8!

Schedule:

• Week 1—March 8—Talking to God

• Week 2—March 15—Talking with God

• Week 3—March 22—Listening to God

• Week 4—March 29—Being with God

• Week 5—April 5—Following God’s Direction

*Please notify the Church Office if you need childcare.

Resources for Prayer

Podcast: “Rule of Life: Prayer” – available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts online.

Prayer Room: Our church Prayer Room is available for you to use anytime the church is open. It is located across the hall from the Sanctuary.

Books about Prayer

There are more books on prayer than anyone could ever read! Where should you begin? Here are some resources that I (Blake) have found especially helpful in my journey with Jesus:

For a general introduction to prayer: Richard Foster, Prayer

• Richard Foster is the founder and former president of Renovaré, an interdenominational Christian ministry that focuses on spiritual formation. I read through this book when I was first ordained in Raleigh and found Foster’s wisdom and insights to be profoundly helpful, especially for a beginner in the school of prayer.

For a guide to praying with Scripture, especially the Psalms: Eugene Peterson, Answering God

• Eugene Peterson is one of my favorite writers and thinkers. In this book he not only explores the importance of prayer for the Christian life, but he opens up the Psalms as the prayer-book of the Bible. In these cries of joy and lament (and everything in between), we see every human emotion laid bare before the face of God.

For a study of prayer through a Reformed lens: P.T. Forsyth, The Soul of Prayer

• Forsyth was a titan of late-19th/early-20th century Scottish theology, and this book bears witness to that fact. Short but chock-full of rich theology and pastoral reflections, this is a must-read for anyone who hopes to recover the practice of prayer in our Presbyterian tradition.

For a study of prayer through an ancient lens: Gabriel Bunge, Earthen Vessels

• I read through this book in 2016, during my first Lenten season in Sylva, and it quickly became one of my favorites. Bunge began as a Catholic priest and monk and later converted to Orthodoxy, and his writing represents his commitment to both the church and the Great Tradition of the Christian faith. Read this book for a look at how the communion of saints have prayed through the ages, and be encouraged to go and do likewise.

Devotionals

These books are meant to be read slowly and contemplatively – more for the “heart” than for the “head” – and often in conjunction with Scripture.

For a short, grace-filled daily devotional: Brennan Manning, Reflections for Ragamuffins

• This was my daily devotional during my first year of marriage to Erin, and I can still picture the kitchen table in Costa Rica where I would sit each morning and drink my coffee and read this book. Manning was a master teacher of the gospel of grace, and this book — full of insights from his various other books — does not disappoint. Read a page each day and be challenged and encouraged by the goodness of God.

For a longer devotional that focuses on morning, noontime, and evening prayer: Phyllis Tickle, The Divine Hours

• To go deeper in prayer, many Christians take on the practice of praying “the hours,” which refers to praying three, five, or even seven times a day on a regularly-scheduled rhythm. These books (three in all) provide guidance for doing this. Tickle was an Episcopalian and draws heavily from the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer, but this is a helpful resource for anyone desiring an ordered prayer life. It has been my guide for years, one that I read nearly every weekday morning.

For a compendium of daily, household prayers: McKelvey & Bustard, Every Moment Holy

• I confess that I haven’t spent much time with these prayers yet, but trusted friends rave about this as a beautiful resource for daily faithfulness – especially for those who have read Tish Harrison Warren’s Liturgy of the Ordinary and who want to take the next step.

Of course, these lists aren’t exhaustive: there are so many other resources for you to explore. Many of our church members have benefited from Oswald Chambers’ book My Utmost for His Highest. Many have enjoyed Philip Yancey and Timothy Keller’s books (both called Prayer and both in our church library). Many in our church have been blessed by the ministry of Presbyterian Reformed Ministries International. Ask the Lord and your trusted friends to help you and to teach you as we go deeper in prayer together. And above all, don’t let your desire to learn get in the way of Jesus’ invitation for you to actually pray!

Ash Wednesday

Next Wednesday, February 22, is Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of the season of Lent. If you didn’t grow up with Lent (and I know many of you didn’t, myself included), here’s a bit of background.

The word “Lent” comes from the Old English word for “springtime.” It refers to the length of time before Easter, traditionally forty days, when the Church prepares to commemorate Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. Just as Advent helps us prepare spiritually for Christmas, Lent helps us prepare spiritually for Holy Week and Easter.

You may be asking, Do I have to observe Lent?  The first answer is, Of course not! But the second answer is, Why wouldn’t you?  This season is a gift to us in which we may pause and reflect on our lives in light of Jesus Christ. So, I encourage you to observe it this year. Typically folks use this time as a chance to give something up: certain foods, certain media, certain habits. In recent years it’s become popular to take something on: daily prayer, for instance, or journaling or Sabbath-keeping. Regardless, the goal isn’t self-promotion (pride) but self-effacement (humility). What will help you humble yourself over the next forty days, so that you can see Jesus more clearly? Whatever the answer is… do it.

For a special focus during Lent, we will be offering a prayer group beginning on March 8 at 6:00pm in the Fellowship Hall.  Be on the lookout for more information!

Pastor's Letter

Dear church family,

If you’ve watched TV over the past few months – especially a major sporting event – you’ve likely seen advertisements for a new campaign called “He Gets Us.” The ads are in black in white, depicting images of ordinary life and people while a narrator describes a particular theme and how, surprisingly, it points to Jesus. (One ad, for example, addresses loneliness and culminates with the words, “Jesus felt alone, too. He gets us.”) The ads then direct viewers to learn more at a website: hegetsus.com.

Intrigued by all this, I recently listened to an interview with Jason Vanderground, a marketing professional and one of the campaign managers for He Gets Us. I learned a lot. For instance, Vanderground explained that the ads were devised by Christians trying to use journalism to spread the gospel to a wide audience. He said they have spent approximately $100 million on the ads, with plans to double that amount over the next year. And he said that reactions to the campaign have been predictably diverse. For instance, surveys indicate that some people (Christians and non-Christians alike) have been intrigued and drawn in, while others have interpreted it as contrived and gimmicky; some have questioned its theological and political orientation, while others have questioned the ethics of spending so much money on an ad campaign. What’s undeniable, he said, is that it has a lot of different people talking about Jesus.

I’ll admit: in listening to the interview, I was won over by the campaign’s intentions. For the first time, or the first time in a long time, we all need to get to know Jesus — to take a good look at him in Scripture; to read about what he says and does in the gospels; and to consider if our lives line up with his life, if our mission look like his mission, if our spirits are immersed in his Spirit (and not vice versa). Indeed, as Dietrich Bonhoeffer once wrote, “When Christ calls a man, He bids him come and die.” To die to selfishness and sin, and to rise again to new life in him.

This is the motivation behind our current winter sermon series. From now through Easter, we’re taking a closer look at Jesus by reading sections of the gospel of John. John gives us a perspective like no other, in which Jesus identifies himself with the God of Israel, the great “I Am,” in some creative and powerful ways. “I am the bread of life,” he says. “I am the true vine.” “I am the resurrection and the life.” Each of these descriptions shines light on the one who came as the light of life, the very presence of God with us and for us. I hope you’ll join us this month for Sunday worship and other events in our life together as we take a deeper look at the ways he gets us.

Yours in Christ,
Blake

Winter Sermon Series: "I Am"

Who is Jesus? What does it mean to meet with him? How can we spend time with him, learn from him, and be led by him? One major way is by reading the Bible. On page after page, the words of Scripture bear witness to the Word who took on flesh and dwelled among us. Indeed, as Sally Lloyd-Jones says in The Jesus Storybook Bible: “Every story whispers his name.”

Trusting that this is so, we will be studying Jesus on Sunday mornings for the next few months at First Presbyterian Church! We'll look specifically at the ways Jesus presents and describes himself in the gospel of John, paying special attention to the "I am" statements scattered throughout the book ("I am the bread of life," "I am the true vine," etc.) What is Jesus teaching us in these statements? What does it reveal about who he is and who we are in his light?

I invite you to join us for Sunday School and worship this wintertime as we go deeper in life with God and life together.

Yours,
Blake

Sermon Scriptures & Topics

• 1/15/2023 - John 1:1-18 - I Am the Word

• 1/22/2023 - John 3:1-21 - I Am the Son of Man

• 1/29/2023 - John 4:1-26 - I Am He

• 2/5/2023 (Guest Preacher; Scripture TBD)

• 2/12/2023 - John 6:25-51 - I Am the Bread of Life

• 2/19/2023 - John 8:12-30 - I Am the Light

• 2/26/2023 - John 10:1-21 - I Am the Good Shepherd

• 3/5/2023 - John 11:1-27 - I Am the Resurrection and the Life

• 3/12/2023 - John 14:1-14 - I Am the Way

• 3/19/2023 - John 15:1-8 - I Am the True Vine

A New Hymnal: Next Steps

Hymnal Update

The Worship Committee would like to thank everyone for the feedback you have provided as we have researched newer hymnals that might enrich our worship together. Your thoughts and concerns support our guiding principles that a hymnal must be biblically based, support our reformed tradition of worship, honor the centuries of great hymns that have been foundational to our worship, and include the best of the more recent hymns that can deepen our worship.

We reviewed several hymnals and are excited to report that we have found one which we feel will support our worship for years to come. Lift Up Your Hearts is, as the editors write, a collection of hymns that is “biblical, Reformed, balanced and accessible.” It contains the hymns we have treasured for generations as well as the best of new hymns, songs from the global church and settings of all the psalms. In addition the hymnal is a rich source of prayers, litanies, scripture readings and creeds that will enhance our worship.

We would like to make a more detailed presentation about the hymnal and encourage you to attend the February 1st Family Night Supper to learn more about Lift Up Your Hearts. We think you will agree that the creators of this hymnal succeeded in creating a resource that “is deep enough to give voice to our praises and laments, contain both our sung prayers and God’s words to us, and play a significant role in the faith formation of Christians young and old alike.” The purchase of new hymnals will be totally supported by donations. Each hymnal will cost $20 and there will be the opportunity to designate hymnals in honor or memory of loved ones. Donations can be made by check or online to the Hymnal Fund.

Steve Baxley, Worship Committee chair

Click here for Hymnal Fund donation forms, or see below!

First Presbyterian Church Hymnal Fund

We are starting to collect donations for the new Hymnal Fund. The cost of each hymnal will be $20. If you would like to make a donation in honor or memory of someone, please fill in the information below and return it to the church office (forms will be available to you on Sunday mornings). Bookplates will be added to hymnals as designated.

Name: ________________________________

Amount:_______________________________

In Honor / Memory of (circle one):

Name __________________________________

Given by _________________________________

Questions? Contact Steve Baxley or Pastor Blake Daniel.
Learn more about Lift Up Your Hearts by clicking here.

Pastor’s letter

Dear church family and friends,

I’ll admit it: I like the end of December and the beginning of January more than any other time in the winter season. It has a “calm after the storm” quality to it. Candles have been lit, presents have been opened, cookies have been eaten, and – though it’s likely a mess from all the hustle and bustle – our house (and the church) feels lived-in and enjoyed, allowing for a time of rest and celebration.

The lyrics of “O Holy Night” have special meaning for me this year:

Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
‘Till he appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,”
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.

A new and glorious morn, indeed! Because of Christmas, the light has come. Because of Christmas, we know God has descended to us (rather than waiting for us to ascend to him), revealing himself in Jesus, Emmanuel, and promising to be with us always. Because of Christmas, nothing can ever be the same. The time of getting ready is over; the time of resting and celebrating is here.

As we move into a new year, it’s worth looking back to reflect on a rich and rewarding 2022. It has not always been easy, but it has been good. As the year began, we were still in a pandemic holding pattern: meeting inside but without much singing; oscillating between color codes and safety protocols; unsure and insecure about the state of our membership, the fragility of our finances, and the precarious condition of the church in America – to say nothing of personal struggles and grief.

Throughout it all, however, you’ve shown up and pulled together as the body of Christ. Our staff members have worked hard and led us well. Our elders, deacons, and committees have attended to the various needs of the church. And we were able to gather inside for Christmas Eve worship for the first time since 2019, lighting candles and proclaiming the good news that Christ the Savior is born. Thanks be to God!

May the Lord grant you rest and celebration, and may you have a Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and Blessed Epiphany season. I look forward to seeing you in 2023.

Blake

Pastor's Letter

Dear church family,

Advent is upon us! This is one of my favorite times of the year, and for good reason. While the world around us focuses on the commercial and sentimental aspects of the season (and we do, too), the church makes space for something deeper, richer, and more important: the remembrance of Jesus’ first coming and the watching and waiting for his coming again. Advent, therefore, begins in the dark and moves towards the light. But, as the preacher and writer Fleming Rutledge reminds us, we “should not move too quickly or too glibly, lest we fail to acknowledge the depth of the darkness.”

For some people, this might sound a bit glum or depressing. “Acknowledge the depth of the darkness? Where’s the Christmas cheer?!” How easily we forget that Jesus was born to a world of conflict. The people of Israel were scattered and living under the thumb of the Romans. Hunger, sickness, injustice, and spiritual confusion were the norm. Those old enemies of sin, death, and the devil ran rampant. And still, he came.

Are we much different today? While we live on the far side of the manger, cross, and empty tomb, we still groan under the weight of discord and division. Don’t take my word for it; just scan today’s headlines. As I write this, I am seeing reports of a shooting in Colorado Springs. There is continued fighting in Ukraine. Many are worried about the spread of RSV, Influenza, and Covid. The list goes on. It seems we know something about sin, death, and the devil, too. And still – Jesus comes to us by his Spirit, and he promises to come again. This is grace.

My invitation for you this Advent is this: name the darkness in the world and in your heart, and turn your face towards the light yet again. Start with showing up on Sunday mornings – come to sing and pray, to listen and learn, to give and receive in the presence of God and others. Then start showing up during the week – come to Family Night Supper, our Christmas Music Program, and Worship on the Longest Night. Find someone to read our Advent devotional with you. Sign up to serve in the community. Or simply make space for silence in a busy season. Watch and wait for Jesus because, as John’s Gospel reminds us, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” Thanks be to God!

With you in Christ,
Blake

Advent 2022

Sunday, November 27 marks the beginning of the season of Advent, a time of watching and waiting for the coming of Jesus. We invite you to prepare for “the Promised One” as we move through this season together!

In-person worship services take place in the sanctuary at 11:00am on Sundays. We will continue live-streaming for those who prefer to worship from home via our YouTube page. Here are the upcoming Scripture readings:

• 11/27 - Isaiah 2:1-5; Matthew 24:36-44 (1st Sunday of Advent)

• 12/04 - Isaiah 11:1-10; Matthew 3:1-12 (2nd Sunday of Advent)

• 12/11 - Isaiah 35:1-10; Matthew 11:2-11 (3rd Sunday of Advent)

• 12/18 - Isaiah 7:10-16; Matthew 1:18-25 (4th Sunday of Advent)

• 12/24 - Isaiah 62:6-12; Luke 2:1-20 (Christmas Eve)

• 12/25 - Isaiah 52:7-10; John 1:1-14 (Christmas Day)

Need a guide through the season of Advent? We recommend The Promised One, a collection of devotions published by Christianity Today. We will have copies of this devotional available at the church (suggested donation: $10), or you can purchase an online copy here.

Our Christmas Music Program will take place on Dec. 11 at 6pm in the Sanctuary. Members of both our adult and children’s choirs will perform Advent and Christmas music for all to enjoy! We hope to see you there.

We are hosting a service of Worship on the Longest Night on Dec. 14 at 6:00pm in the Sanctuary. This will be a simple, contemplative service of wholeness and healing in which we share our grief, name our struggles, and claim the promises of God to make all things new.

We will also be having a Candlelight Service of Worship on Christmas Eve. We will gather on Dec. 24 at 6:00pm in the FPC Sanctuary, and a reception will follow in our Fellowship Hall. Everyone is welcome, of any age, from our congregation and community!

Pastor’s Letter

Dear church family,

Fall is here!  The temperature is dropping, the leaves are turning, pumpkin is in everything, and church programming is in full swing.

In the midst of it all, I’ve been reflecting on some famous words from John Calvin:

“Our wisdom, insofar as it ought to be deemed true and solid wisdom, consists almost entirely of two parts: the knowledge of God and of ourselves. But as these are connected by many ties, it is not easy to determine which of the two precedes and gives birth to the other.”

Calvin began his most famous book, the Institutes, with these sentences to remind us that stories matter — both God’s story and our personal stories.  If we desire wisdom, he says, we need to explore and understand these stories and see Jesus at the center of them, since he is the one who holds them together.

I’ve been thinking about this because of our upcoming visit from Dr. John Swinton, a professor at the University of Aberdeen School of Divinity in Aberdeen, Scotland.  I have been learning from John for over a decade and am so delighted for us to host him in Sylva on October 15.  He is what’s known as a “practical theologian,” meaning that he studies human experience in light of the Christian faith.  His teaching and writing has focused on issues such as dementia, disabilities, and the problem of evil and suffering.  As a former psychiatric nurse and chaplain, he has a special interest in those who live with mental health challenges.

It’s this latter topic that John will be discussing while he is with us, based on his recent book, “Finding Jesus in the Storm.”  He will address questions such as, What kind of life has God created us for?  How do people with mental health challenges experience that life?  And how can the church be a community not of condemnation, but of care and spiritual connection?  Following this presentation, we will eat lunch together and have a chance to ask John questions about these important topics.

I hope you’ll join us this fall for John’s presentation, services of worship, and other events in our life together.  Come to church willing to listen and learn.  Come ready to reflect and respond.   Most of all, come seeking knowledge of God and of yourself — because such is the path to wisdom.

Yours in Christ,

Blake

A New Hymnal: First Steps

The Session and Worship Committee at First Presbyterian Church are exploring the possibility of purchasing new hymnals for worship use. We have created this website as a resource for the congregation. Please take a look at the links and information below.

Letter from Steve Baxley

I love hymnals. I have eighteen different hymnals on my bookshelves at home. I come by this naturally since, from time to time, my father led the music at the churches we attended as I grew up, and many of the hymnals on my shelves were his. During my years as a minister of music, I added to my collection and our hymnal, The Worshiping Church, is among them. It holds a special place in my collection and not just because it is the hymnal of our church. The first person listed on the Editorial Committee that created the hymnal is Kerchal Armstrong. He and his wife were my favorite babysitters when I was a small child. Another member of the committee, Robert E. Webber, was my teacher for my Certificate of Worship Studies. It is one of the best of the new hymnals and hymnal revisions of the early 1990s. The beginning of the foreword to The Worshiping Church touches on the “reasonable lifetime” of a hymnal, the ‘“hymnal explosion”’ of the previous twenty years, and the changes in styles that had occurred during that time, all leading to the need for the creation of this hymnal. Our hymnal was first published in 1990 and, since that time, the “explosion” of excellent new hymns has continued if not increased. You will be familiar with a few of these hymns that we have sung with the words printed in our bulletins. “Holy Spirit, Living Breath of God” and “Blest Are They” are examples of new hymns coming from the United Kingdom and the United States. As music being sung in the global community becomes more accessible, great hymns from other cultures around the world are now being added to new hymnals. The growing interest in singing the Psalms has led to new, beautiful settings of these biblical texts. Changes in style during this time have meant that new hymns are more lyrical, accessible, and singable and often speak to issues for the church today that were not issues for our early hymn writers.

The Worship Committee at First Presbyterian Church is looking at new hymnals to see what is available that might contribute to our worship together. Church musicians say that the life of a hymnal is usually 20 – 25 years and ours is now 32 years old. There is an amazing body of hymns that was not available to the committee that created The Worshiping Church, and there have been more recent hymnals published that include the best of the new generation of hymns. Our guiding principles are that a hymnal must be biblically based, support our reformed tradition of worship, honor the centuries of great hymns that have been foundational to our worship, and include the best of the more recent hymns that can enrich and deepen our worship.

As part of our exploration of the hymnal’s place in our worship, we seek your input to help guide us. If you would like to share your thoughts on the place of hymnals in your worship experience, please fill out the questionnaire above. You will also find more information about the importance of hymnals at this link and new information will be posted in the weeks ahead. Also feel free to reach out to me at church or call or email me.

In Christ,
Steve Baxley
Chair, Worship Committee