Three ladies went to Kentucky to support “our” missionary, Paula Settle. Her e-mails had been indicating a stressful several months; the death of a child after a long struggle with cancer; the stress of teenage foster children; and ending with the withdrawal of her funding from CBF next June. Paula has worked in Nada, KY, a “pocket of poverty” in the program Together for Hope for 15 years. (Incidentally, the same programs in Miami and Helena AK have also been defunded, so other missionaries are affected as well.) “What next?” is her question. Our church has supported her work through funding, sending teams to work, and this time to support her personally. She was in need of TLC which we gave her.
Thanks to the WMU groups and the Faith/Grace Sunday School class for helping to make this trip possible; funding the trip as well as sending “goodies” to cheer her. Keep Paula in your prayers.
Mission Team Report
Our Disaster Relief Mission Team will be giving a report on their recent trip to Texas on Wednesday, November 8th at 6:00 PM in the MFC during prayer meeting.
Stay Connected With Our Friends in Cuba
Hola friends and family,
We continue to be buoyed by the grace of your prayers and good thoughts. Here's a link to my blog musing from Cuba.
-Stan Dotson
En El Aire (blog by Stan on Sept 25) https://www.facebook.com/notes/stan-dotson/en-el-aire/10155683536674266/
Mission Moment
Bite 55: Trusting the Lord with all her heart
"Where we live, ID cards record your religion. One day, Sarah told me that she is proud of Jesus and wanted to change the religion on her card to read Christian. It is a big deal to change your ID card. It is not illegal to be a Christian here, but it presents challenges. Regardless, on Tuesday she went to have it changed.
By Wednesday, a complaint had been registered against her at the school where she works. However, after interviewing several hundred of her students, not one had a complaint and she was cleared! Through this change, Sarah was trusting the Lord with all her heart (Proverbs 3:5-6). Please pray for Sarah's safety as she continues to live out her faith."
- CBF field personnel serving in the Middle East
Update on Mission Team in Houston, TX
Here is an update on the work our mission team is doing in Houston, Texas. They have been hard at work cleaning out and repairing houses that suffered damage during the recent hurricanes. Continue to keep them in your prayers!
Mission Moment
"Last February, our church considered turning our Youth House into a Refugee Ministry but realized that we neither had the financial resources nor the manpower. However, conferences with the Wyatts and local pastors convinced us that with partnerships we could do this. God was at work, and all he needed was our willingness to join him. After the unanimous vote in July to offer up our Youth House, an avalanche of workers descended upon the deteriorating house and turned it into a warm, welcome home for "the least of these" coming to our shores. We are now partners in ministry, offering up what we have for God's use to benefit those who come to our country to make a new life for themselves."
- Charles Allard, pastor of Crabtree Valley Baptist Church in Raleigh, N.C., working alongside CBF field personnel Kim and Marc Wyatt
Supplies Needed for Texas Mission Trip
If you are interested in supporting the disaster relief mission trip to Texas by donating supplies, here is a list of food and drinks our team will need during the trip:
Cases of bottled water
Cases of Propel/Gatorade
Individually packaged peanuts
Individually packaged variety of chips
Cases of soft drinks
Variety of packaged snacks
Please bring items to the Loving Kindness Center, or to the Church Office.
Rock-a-Thon
1st annual Rock-a-Thon
Rocking for Missions
When: Saturday October 21st From 10:00am-2:00pm
Location: First Baptist Church of Sylva’s front common area
Mission: Our GA, RA and Acteen mission programs work hard every year learning about missionary work here and abroad. We want to provide them an opportunity to earn funds in a FUN way to help provide for a missionary project.
Rock-A-Thon description: We hope to have 10-15 school age participants, Grades 2-12, to rock in rocking chairs between 1000am-200pm.
How will they raise money? Each participant will get at least 5 sponsors to sponsor their rocking efforts per hour and also help sell jewelry, coffee, and baked goods.
How will the money be used to benefit mission services? To provide food boxes for children and youth through United Christian Ministries of Jackson County, NC.
How can I help? You can help by sponsoring your child and help them achieve their goals of 5 or more sponsors or if your child is unable to attend you can also help by donating baked goods to sell or monetary funds to First Baptist Church of Sylva/Mission programs by check or cash at our church office M-F 830am-430pm.
Can I volunteer? We would love for you to volunteer your time during the event. You can also rock for missions and have sponsors yourself or you can donate baked goods to sell or just be present to support your child at the event.
Deadline: All permission slips/Volunteers forms are due by October 4th
All sponsorship forms and money is due by Oct 18th.
Contact: Bethany Moore @ 828-226-3433 or Email cwmoore21@gmail.com
Hurricane Disaster Relief Team
FBC Sylva is putting together a group of individuals who are interested in going to either Texas or Florida to help with hurricane disaster relief. The prospective dates are Oct. 22 - 29. If you are interested in joining or donating to this cause, please contact Harold Messer: 828-586-9416, or the church office: 828-586-2095, fbcsylva@gmail.com.
Mission Moment
"An amazing thing happened. One of our newest students, Ben, from the mainland of China, had only attended our Tues./Thurs. English conversation classes a few times. in July he joined the Wednesday Bible Reading class for the first time. As soon as he walked in the classroom, he went straight to the table where the Bibles were laid out ready for class. Picking up one of the Bibles and excitingly thumbing through it he said under his breath, 'My first time to see a Bible.' I asked, 'Ben, did you say it's your first time to see a Bible?' He confirmed: 'Yes!' That moment was so special to witness. He fully participated in our class, and afterward, I gave him a Chinese-English New Testament and encouraged him to start reading it so we could talk more about it. This experience has challenged us to read the Bible with enthusiasm as if it were the first time seeing God's written word."
- Sarah Ballew, CBF field personnel in Macau, China