On Wednesday, June 12, around 20 new friends from La Esperanza gathered at our church for a fun-filled day. The group spent the morning at Mangum Pottery, was served a delicious hotdog lunch by our church volunteers, then spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the Nature Park.
La Esperanza is an outreach ministry that serves Latino individuals and families in Madison, Buncombe, and Yancey counties. They came to our church this past Mother's Day to share about their work, and we are very excited about our new partnership with them. Please let Regina know if you are interested in being a part of our church volunteer team at future La Esperanza events.
An Update from Missionaries to Ukraine
Last year we were honored when missionaries to Ukraine that we support, Gennady & Mina Podgaisky, spoke at church one Sunday. Their ministry, calling, and determination was inspiring. Recently, Gennady wrote an update on how things are going in Ukraine and what their mission work involves these days. We continue to pray for peace and that Russia will stop its invasion. Here are some things Gennady reports:
Since the war started in February 2022, we have visited Ukraine twice: the first time in August 2022 and the second time in April 2023. Both times the fighting was raging on the eastern and southern fronts of the country.
The war is still going on, but now people’s focus has turned towards the future, which looks a bit brighter and more hopeful. The people of Ukraine understand that victory in this unjust and unprovoked war is possible. Ukrainians know that millions of people have prayed and are still praying for the end of the war and for the restoration of peace and for justice.
We saw signs of hope and resilience as we drove by towns and villages damaged from the war. Streets were cleared of the debris and rubble, many houses were repaired, and fences fixed. Black traces from fires on buildings were painted over or covered. There is hope in the future for Ukrainian people.
Faith Foundations Class
For the month of September during the Sunday School time, Pastor Stuart will lead a class for upper elementary and middle school students. It will cover the foundations of faith—God, Jesus, baptism, the Bible, church, the Holy Spirit, and more. It will be a rich time for kids to learn about the building blocks of faith and to ask all of the great questions that they can think of. We hope all of our awesome kids will participate.
Blessing of the Backpacks – Sunday, August 27
As we approach a new school year, we want to help students, teachers, and workers get ready for it. So on the Sunday before Buncombe County schools go back, we’ll have a Blessing of the Backpacks time in worship. All the bags and backpacks will be laid around the floor of the altar table, and in the middle of the service we will say prayers of blessing over them for the new school year.
Students of all ages are encouraged to bring their bags, notebooks, or laptops—elementary, high school, college, or professional. And all teachers are encouraged to bring their work bags as well—briefcases, satchels, whatever you use. We want to fill them all with blessings for a new year!
Ukraine Missionaries Update
Three months ago we got to meet in person the inspiring missionaries Gennady and Mina Podgaisky, who our offerings help to support. For 20 years they have served in the areas around Kyiv, Ukraine, running a ministry center for youth and foster families. Soon after they spoke in our worship service, the Podgaiskys were able to return to Ukraine for the first time since the Russian invasion started in February.
After returning safely to North Carolina, where they have been staying during the invasion, they gave a presentation at a recent Cooperative Baptist gathering about their trip. Sadly, their ministry center, Village of Hope, had been destroyed by Russian missiles.
Fortunately the Podgaiskys were able to travel safely and avoid areas that were being shelled. They asked us to pray for them as they continue to minister to Ukrainians, many of whom are now refugees in countries around the world. They asked us to pray that Russia would stop its invasion. They asked us to pray for people in Ukraine being killed and places being bombed. And they asked us to pray for their ministry center, Village of Hope, that used to house foster families and host youth retreats, as it tries to rebuild.
Baptists in Ukraine Update
As the war in Ukraine passes its seventh month, Ukrainian forces have reclaimed parts of occupied territories. Fighting has intensified in the east and south. And recently, Russian attacks have included major city centers, sending many back into underground bunkers. Baptists in Kyiv commented, “It feels like we are back on Feb. 24.”
In spite of all the death and destruction, Ukrainian Baptists continue to serve as witnesses of hope, living between deep grief and thanksgiving. They grieve the recent loss of a pastor killed in Kharkiv. They grieve the church in Zaporizhzhya that was shut down as Russian soldiers stormed into worship and collected all the congregation’s information. They worry for the lives of a pastor and his wife who were kidnapped on Sept. 21 in Mariupol. They grieve the loss of 46 damaged or destroyed churches and the 200 scattered congregations that are no longer meeting. (The photo is rubble from a Baptist church in the Donbas region, hit by Russian shelling.)
Yet Ukrainian Baptists express deep gratitude for God’s continued work in Ukraine. They are grateful for the ways they have been able to serve people with food, water, energy, transportation to safety, and care. They are grateful for opportunities that the aid brought: Thousands of people have started following Jesus through the witness of Ukrainian Baptists; 2,300 baptisms have happened over the last three months, with 15,000 starting to visit churches. One church in Nikopol had to hold worship three times on a single Sunday in September because 600 people showed up to the church that could only hold 200.
Baptists in Ukraine and the neighboring countries have served an estimated 500,000 people over the past seven months. A remarkable number, since there are only 250,000 Baptists in the whole area. Many Baptists did not expect to be so involved for so long, but as leaders in Moldova commented recently, “We learn to trust in God, to be perseverant, to love God and the people in spite of all the challenges and threats.”
Mountain State Fair Ministry
Church volunteers had a great time working at the Mountain State Fair this year! In the Break Tent we made coffee and sandwiches for fairworkers to have for free, at the Ministry Booth we gave out teddy bears and offered prayer support to folks walking by, and in courtesy carts we gave rides to people with mobility needs. In everything, we got to show the love of Jesus!
Blessing of the Backpacks – Sunday, August 28
As we approach a new school year, we want to help students and staff get ready. On the Sunday before Buncombe County schools go back, we’ll have a Blessing of the Backpacks time in worship. All the bags and backpacks will be laid around the floor of the altar table, and we will say prayers of blessing over them for the new school year. Students of all ages are encouraged to bring their bags, notebooks, or laptops—elementary, high school, college, or professional. And all teachers are encouraged to bring their work bags as well—briefcases, satchels, whatever you use. We want to fill them all with blessings for a new year!
Ukrainian Refugee Family Update
Recently our church family was introduced to Kate, Peter, Daniel, and Eliza Bochevar. They are a lovely family from Ukraine that has travelled through many countries to arrive in Arden to stay with family. In June we shared a meal with them at the campus ministry house at UNC Asheville, and in July the oldest child Daniel went with our youth to camp. While continuing to minister to their family, we have asked what their most pressing need is currently. They responded that they would like our help in finding an affordable and reliable car to buy or borrow while they are here. If anyone knows of a vehicle that fits that description that they could borrow/rent/purchase please Regina know.
We greatly appreciate everyone for helping us serve this family in our community and will keep you updated as needs arise.
Ukraine Missionary Testimonies Here!
We were honored to host Gennady and Mina Podgaisky in July. They are Cooperative Baptist missionaries in Ukraine that we support through our missions offerings. For 20 years, the Podgaiskys have served in Kyiv and beyond, running a ministry center for youth and foster families called Village of Hope. (To read more about the Podgaiskys and their ministry, click here.)
During the Sunday School hour at 9:45, the Podgaiskys showed a video presentation in the Fellowship Hall and answered questions. In worship they spoke about the incredible mission work they have done in the past and what they have had to do since the Russian invasion began. Watch their presentation below:
Ukrainian Refugee Family Update
It was a lovely evening a few weeks ago when a few FBCW folks and others got to have dinner with the Bochevar family, who are refugees from Ukraine staying in a cousin’s home in Arden. David Stone arranged for the campus ministry house at UNC-Asheville to be available, great food was enjoyed, and new friendships were made. We look forward to getting to know the Bochevars more in the weeks ahead. The first fun update is that their 16 year-old son Daniel joined our youth boys next week for Youth Camp. And we’ve invited their 9 year-old daughter Eliza to participate in our weekly Kids Summer Arts Camp.
They are from the town of Irpin, which is just outside of Kyiv. They left when Russian missiles started falling on their neighborhood and eventually bombed their building. To read about what has happened in their town, you can read this report from the BBC. It is completely heartbreaking.
We plan to support the Bochevars and other Ukrainians who might end up in our area as they flee from danger.
A Poem for Hard Sundays – “Church Is Hard”
Church is hard.
Church is hard for the person walking through the doors, afraid of judgment.
Church is hard for the prodigal soul returning home, broken and battered by the world.
Church is hard for the woman who looks like she has it all together, but doesn’t.
Church is hard for the couple who fought the entire ride to service.
Church is hard for the single mom, surrounded by couples holding hands, and seemingly perfect families.
Church is hard for the widow and widower with no invitation to lunch after service.
Church is hard for the deacon with an estranged child.
Church is hard for the choir member overwhelmed by the weight of the lyrics in that song.
Church is hard for the man insecure in his role as a leader.
Church is hard for the single adult praying God brings them a mate.
Church is hard for the teenager, wearing a scarlet letter, ashamed of their mistakes.
Church is hard for the sinners.
Church is hard for me.
It’s hard because on the outside it all looks shiny and perfect. Sunday best in behavior and dress.
However, underneath those layers, you find a body of imperfect people, carnal souls, selfish motives.
But, here is the beauty of church.
Church isn’t a building, mentality, or expectation.
Church is a group of sinners, saved by grace, living in fellowship as saints.
Church is a body of believers bound as brothers and sisters by an eternal love.
Church is a holy ground where sinners stand as equals before the Throne of Grace.
Church is a refuge for broken hearts and a training ground for mighty warriors.
Church is a converging of confrontation and invitation. Where sin is confronted and hearts are invited to seek restoration.
Church is a lesson in faith and trust.
Church is a bearer of burdens and a giver of hope.
Church is a family. A family coming together, setting aside differences, forgetting past mistakes, rejoicing in the smallest of victories.
Church, the body, and the circle of sinners-turned-saints, is where God resides, and if we ask, God is faithful to come.
So even on the hard days at church,
The days when I am at odds with a sister or brother. When I’ve fought with my spouse because we’re late once again. When I’ve walked in bearing burdens heavier than my heart can handle, yet masking the pain with a smile on my face. When I’ve worn a scarlet letter, under the microscope. When I’ve longed for someone to hold, or fought tears as the lyrics were sung. When I’ve walked back in, afraid and broken, after walking away.
I’ll remember, God has never failed to meet me there.
(partially attributed to Jacob Waldron)
Children's Summer Offering
This summer our children have been collecting an offering for the non-profit organization charity: water. We learned that 785 million people in the world live without access to clean water. (Twice the population of the US, and nearly 1 out of every 10 people worldwide.) Unlike those of us with plumbing, many people, mostly women and young girls, have to walk for hours a day to collect water for their families, and often the water is dirty and riddled with disease-causing bacteria. In order to address this problem, organizations like charity: water raise funds to help dig wells and install filtration systems. This not only increases people's health but also increases the chance for children to go to school and get an education. If you would like to find out more about this organization and their work, click on the image below to watch a short video, or visit charitywater.org. You can join our kids' effort by giving online or by giving money to the church and designating it to this offering. 100% of the funds go to clean water projects.
Mars Hill University plants a prairie, thanks to Shaelyn!
On a campus hillside at Mars Hill, our very own Shaelyn Roberts has been working with her biology professor to help native grasses and flowers retake the land from invasive species. The project began in the 2019-2020 school year with several students growing native seedlings. Now Shaelyn is taking the student lead on the project for her senior seminar in field biology. She got a grant to purchase seeds, supplies, and testing equipment. As the new prairie grows, maintaining the area will be easier, as the native flora will need mowing a lot less than it does now. It will also be a good habitat for birds, reptiles, insects, and other pollinators. And it provides the university with a new living lab for students to learn from and contribute to.
For more pictures of the group of students and faculty who helped plant, click HERE.
To read more about the project and Shaelyn’s great involvement, click HERE.
Remembering Billy Atkins, brother of Joyce Boyette
Our very own Joyce Boyette was interviewed on WLOS this past Memorial Day to talk about her brother, who died in 1962 after being drafted into the Army. A monument has been erected to remember the 107 people who died when their plane crashed in the Pacific. What a fitting story it was to hear on Memorial Day, a great person to learn about from Joyce, and a way to share love with her family.
To read the story and watch Joyce’s interview, click HERE.
A poem to bless times of transition
"Trust in the Slow Work of God" by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
Above all, trust in the slow work of God.
We are quite naturally impatient in everything to reach the end without delay.
We should like to skip the intermediate stages.
We are impatient of being on the way to something unknown, something new.
And yet it is the law of all progress
that it is made by passing through some stages of instability—
and that it may take a very long time.
And so I think it is with you;
your ideas mature gradually—let them grow,
let them shape themselves, without undue haste.
Don’t try to force them on,
as though you could be today what time
(that is to say, grace and circumstances acting on your own good will)
will make of you tomorrow.
Only God could say what this new spirit
gradually forming within you will be.
Give Our Lord the benefit of believing
that his hand is leading you,
and accept the anxiety of feeling yourself
in suspense and incomplete.
A Prayer Song to Start Every Day – “I Arise Today (The Deer’s Cry)”
The lyrics of this song are attributed to a prayer by St. Patrick. Sometimes referred to as “St. Patrick’s Breastplate,” it is a beautiful prayer acknowledging God’s presence all around us, and inviting it into our lives. It also invites the life of Christ to fill up every part of our day, our body, and our spirit. (The words of the prayer were put to music by the Irish composer Shaun Davey, and sung by Rita Connolly.)
“I Arise Today (The Deer’s Cry)”
I arise today, through the strength of heaven;
Light of sun, radiance of moon,
Splendor of fire, speed of lightning,
Swiftness of wind, depth of the sea,
Stability of earth, firmness of rock.
I arise today, through God’s strength to pilot me;
God’s eye to look before me, God’s wisdom to guide me,
God’s way to lie before me, God’s shield to protect me,
From all who shall wish me ill, afar and a-near,
Alone and in a multitude.
Against every cruel merciless power
That may oppose my body and soul.
Christ with me, Christ before me,
Christ behind me, Christ in me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,
Christ when I arise, Christ to shield me.
Christ in the heart of every one who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of every one who speaks of me.
I arise today.
Encouragement & Awareness through Dance
The dance ministry of First Congregational Church Asheville has put together a video that focuses on mental health and shines a light on challenges for those with mental illness. They use the song “Go Light Your World” by Chris Rice to illuminate these struggles. One of the dancers and choreographers is Smitty Dotson-Smith, daughter of Howell & Jeanette Smith. Let the dance and song cause you to think about the light of your candle and others’.
To watch and listen, click HERE.
A Song of Honesty and Determination – “All I Can Say” by David Crowder
When we pretend that we can always do everything ourselves, we eventually run out and realize that’s not true. Even though God promises to help us through everything in life, we often don’t turn to God until we’ve run out of energy trying to handle everything with our own willpower. So at that point, when we’re finally tired enough to ask God for help, we realize that God’s comfort and strength were there waiting for us all along.
“All I Can Say” by David Crowder
Lord I'm tired.
So tired from walking.
And Lord I'm so alone.
And Lord the dark is creeping in,
Creeping up to swallow me.
I think I'll stop, rest here a while.
[Chorus:]
And this is all that I can say right now. I know it’s not much.
This is all that I can give. That’s my everything.
And didn't you see me crying?
And didn't you hear me call your name?
Wasn't it you I gave my heart to?
I wish you'd remember where you sat it down.
[chorus]
I didn't notice you were standing here.
I didn't know that that was you holding me.
I didn't notice you were crying too.
I didn't know that that was you washing my feet.
A Song of Invitation – “Lord, I Come” by Michael John Clement
Sometimes we need a simple invitation to do something powerful. This song invites us, simply, to do the most powerful thing and connect with the presence of the Lord. It calls us to invite God’s Holy Spirit to wash us clean as we see Jesus, even though we are fallen and broken. And because we are, we cannot help but cry holy.
“Lord, I Come” by Michael John Clement
Lord, I come in worship.
Let me see Jesus.
Fall on me, Spirit, wash me clean.
Let me come fallen,
Let me bow broken,
Touch my heart, Spirit, pour on me.
Let me come into your presence and cry holy.
Let me rise upon your mountain and cry holy, holy.
Holy, holy. Holy is the Lamb.