The Big Questions Group has started back and will meet every other Monday (so March 6, 20, April 3, etc.) 5:30pm at Eluvium Brewing in Weaverville, which has a full dinner menu. This series will be focused on Community: What is it? And how do we know if it’s good? We’ll be using a great study entitled, Called to Community. (Check it out HERE.)
Anyone’s welcome to join the conversation!
Need Any Other Fun Things?
We still have t-shirts, history books, and cookbooks left from the 100th Anniversary celebration. So if you or someone you know would enjoy one, let the church staff know. T-shirts are $12, cookbooks are $15, and history books are $15 (plus any postage if you would like us to ship it somewhere). And if you purchase any one of those, you can get a First Baptist Church Weaverville mug for free! (Mugs by themselves are $2 each.) Hurry while supplies last!
Tuesday Talks is now “Big Questions”
...and we’re starting back up with a great new book: Scandalous Witness: A Little Political Manifesto for Christians by Lee C. Camp. We’ll think about questions like: What exactly is Christianity? When Martin Luther King Jr. said that the moral arc of the universe bends toward justice, how could he make such a claim, and do we really think it’s true? And what do we mean when we say that Christianity is necessarily political?
If any of that sparks an interest for you, our first meeting is July 26th at 5:30 pm at Yellow Mug Coffee Lounge on Main St. See you then!
Tuesday Talks Resume Feb. 1 (every other week)
Tuesday Talks is starting back online on February 1st at 6 pm. We’ll be reading a great book together called “Imposters of God,” which you can purchase here. If you’d like to have a copy purchased for you and left at the church to pick up, please let the office know.
Click this link at the meeting time: Tuesday, February 1st 6 pm
Book recommendation - The Gardens of Covington, by Joan Medlicott
Readers of Jan Karon’s Mitford series will love this local author’s tale of “women and friendship, families and love, laughing through the tears, thinking with the head and the heart.” Joan Medlicott was a gifted writer living in Barnardsville who no doubt was inspired by the beauty and culture of our magnificent mountains.
Come by the Church Library or the Library Table in the Fellowship Hall and check out The Gardens of Covington, along with many other interesting books!
Book recommendation - I Have Called You Friends, by Fisher Humphreys
Do you see yourself as a friend of Jesus? Picture yourself as a guest in God’s house. Or a traveler. If you are a Christ follower, you are all of these and more. Using 10 images from the New Testament, I Have Called You Friends invites us to grasp the unique dimensions of our identity as believers. Author Fisher Humphreys has written this important book for Christians who are interested in understanding themselves and the life God is calling them to live. Presented in an easy-to-read format, this book will draw you into the depths of what it means to be a disciple of Christ. Highly recommended!
Come by the Fellowship Hall weekdays 8am-3pm to check out this book or any of the other good reads we have available!
Book recommendation - Prayer: Finding the Heart’s True Home, by Richard Foster
Do you ever feel unworthy, selfish, lost, confused in coming to God in prayer, not knowing how or what to pray? Richard Foster in his book, Prayer: Finding the Heart’s True Home, writes, “We do not have to be bright, or pure, or filled with faith, or anything. That is what grace means, and not only are we saved by grace, we live by it as well. And we pray by it.”
Come by the Fellowship Hall weekdays 8am-3pm to check out this book or any of the other good reads we have available!
Book recommendation - The Seven Last Words from the Cross, by Fleming Rutledge
As we approach Holy Week we reflect on the seven last words of Jesus from the cross. Fleming Rutledge has written a beautiful little devotional book with meditations for each word, helping us “to gain a deeper understanding of the horrific death suffered by Jesus.” She includes contemporary references, biblical scholarship, and hymns to guide our thoughts. This book will help to deepen your commitment as a “companion of Christ crucified." It is available for checkout on the library table in the Fellowship Hall.
Come by the Fellowship Hall weekdays 8am-3pm to check out this book or any of the other good reads we have available!
Book recommendation: The Simple Faith of Mister Rogers, by Amy Hollingsworth
In this book, author Amy Hollingsworth shares the insights and faith lessons she learned from her dear friend Fred Rogers. The two met when Amy was asked to interview Mr. Rogers for her job, but they quickly connected and spent the rest of his life keeping in touch through letters. Through the lens of their relationship you will see glimpses of Fred's life as a little boy, a seminary student, a husband, a father, and a friend. You can really see how his faith was central to all aspects of his life.
Come by the Fellowship Hall weekdays 8am-3pm to check out this book or any of the other good reads we have available!
Black History Month reading
Black History Month reminds us how important it is as Christ-followers to learn and to seek understanding of our Black brothers and sisters. One way to gain knowledge is by reading, especially about the history of their struggles. We have several good books on the library table in the Fellowship Hall that can help us be informed so that with God’s help we can work for racial reconciliation. Remembering Martin Luther King, Jr. gathers together the most important photographs taken of Dr. King and tells the story of this great leader of the civil rights movement. “In this book, we come to know this thoughtful minister, advocate for peace, public servant and to understand his dream.”
Come by the Fellowship Hall weekdays 8am-3pm to check out this book or any of the other good reads we have available!
New Year’s Intentions and the Gift of Reading - Jane
This new year begins as always with cold, wintry days and the time to enjoy the warmth of home. Reading is a gift during this season as we open our minds and hearts to the insights, ideas, and inspiration of the best authors, artists, and theologians.
I’m making my reading list for 2021 and finding many books in our church library that will help me to grow in my Christian walk and my understanding of our world. I hope you’ll take a few minutes to stop by the library table in the Fellowship Hall and look at the new titles we have added as well as those we have recommended this past year. If you are only going out to the store, make this short contact-free stop a part of your outing! (Ring the back doorbell Mon-Fri, approx. 9am-4pm)
May this year find you seeking truth and understanding as you expand your heart, mind, and soul in the best thoughts and ideas found in books!
— Jane McCoy
Here are 2 new books we just received that are sure to offer wisdom and inspiration to you.
Donate a Book to a Local Student this Season
The eighth annual Holiday Book Drive is taking place November 1-December 12, 2020. Despite the challenges of this year, United Way's Women United is once again joining forces with the volunteer center Hands On Asheville-Buncombe to collect books for elementary and middle school youth for the holidays.
One way to donate is by shopping at Barnes & Noble Booksellers at the Asheville Mall. You can choose books from a culturally diverse selection being offered this year, purchase at checkout, and leave them with the cashier. The books will be collected at the end of the month and distributed to community partners who will get them to students who need them most this holiday season.
You can also click here and donate online. ($12.99 is the average cost of one book).
All donated books will be distributed to programs serving diverse and under-served communities throughout Buncombe County. Last year 2,800 books were collected. Since the drive's inception nearly 13,000 books have been collected to support local students.
For more information about the book drive, including lists of suggested books and the agencies and schools distributing the books, please click here.
Need a good book? - church picks (from Sara)
Out of Exile: Fannie Heck and the Rest of the Story
Recommended by: Sara L.
Did you know that the Woman's Missionary Union (WMUC) of North Carolina was started before the national organization? Fannie Exile Scudder Heck was in her 20s and living in Raleigh when she saw a need to mobilize women into reaching out to their communities and the world by doing mission work and supporting missionaries. A contemporary of Annie Armstrong, the two women had very different views on what the national missions organization should be like, and Fannie Heck even stepped aside for several years so as to not sew division in the organization.
Be inspired by Fannie's extraordinary life and her passion for missions that brought about the formation of the largest women-led missions organization in the world, in the book Out of Exile: Fannie Heck and the Rest of the Story.
Need a good book? - church picks (from Christin)
One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp
Recommended by: Christin S.
In our busy lives, we are always making lists: to do lists, grocery lists, Christmas card lists. But what if we started a list of things we loved, of things for which we were grateful? This is the challenge that Ann Voskamp accepts and chronicles in her book One Thousand Gifts. As a farmer’s wife and mother of six children, she describes her journey of slowing down enough to see and appreciate the blessings in everyday life. Along the way, Voskamp shares how God helps us heal from loss and how to cultivate a spirit of thankfulness.
Need a good book? - Staff picks, Jane
The Only Necessary Thing: Living a Prayerful Life by Henri Nouwen
“To pray...means to think and live in the presence of God.” - Henri Nouwen
In these turbulent days, we long for closer communion with God through prayer. Henri Nouwen, one of the great spiritual writers of our time, offers an inspiring guide to “living the prayerful life” in this book. He gives an invitation to reflect on subjects such as desire, solitude, listening, discipline, forgiveness, and community. I hope you will spend time with this short book as you seek to enrich your prayer life.
The church staff has pulled some resources from our Church Library and put them on a table in the Fellowship Hall. Come by (8-3:30 Mon-Fri), choose something(s) you would like, write your name on the card along with the date, and return it within 3 weeks. It’s a great time to READ!
Need a good book? - Staff picks: Telling Secrets by Frederick Buechner
Telling Secrets by Frederick Buechner
Recommended by: Regina Johnson
In this memoir, author Frederick Buechner lays bare some of the deepest secrets in his life. He shares the secrets and explores the ways they have impacted him. He believes that as humans we all share similar secrets. By being honest with ourselves about them and with one another, we will grow. It is in sharing these secrets that we can become closer to each another and closer to God.
The church staff has pulled some resources from our Church Library and put them on a table in the Fellowship Hall. Come by (8-3:30 Mon-Fri), choose something(s) you would like, write your name on the card along with the date, and return it within 3 weeks. It’s a great time to READ!
Need a good book? - Staff picks, Regina
Learning to Walk in the Dark, by Barbara Brown Taylor
Darkness is not something that many of us seek out. However, in this book, that is exactly what the author does. She seeks out the darkness and embraces the lessons it can teach us. In the darkest night the stars shine the brightest, and in our own personal times of darkness we often encounter the holy in powerful ways. This book is a unique exploration of both physical and emotional darkness. It is equally comforting and edifying.
The church staff has pulled some resources from our Church Library and put them on a table in the Fellowship Hall. Come by (8-3:30 Mon-Fri), choose something(s) you would like, write your name on the card along with the date, and return it within 3 weeks. It’s a great time to READ good things!
Need a good book? Or movie? - Staff picks, Stuart
Beneath the Skin: Baptists and Racism
Recommended by: Pastor Stuart
This documentary is short but powerful. It is only about 45 minutes long, but it will teach you, convict you, and inspire you. It talks about the sad harsh history that Baptists have played in terms of slavery and discrimination in the South, but also issues challenges for a better future. The film interviews Baptist preachers and thinkers to discuss things like how the Bible was (mis)used to support racial oppression, and how it should inspire us to do better. Watching it is time well spent.
The church staff has pulled some resources from our Church Library and put them on a table in the Fellowship Hall. Come by (8-3:30 Mon-Fri), choose something(s) you would like, write your name on the card along with the date, and return it within 3 weeks. It’s a great time to READ and WATCH good things!
Need a good book? - Staff picks, Jane
If there was ever a time we needed a book titled Sources of Strength, it is now. Jimmy Carter has taught Sunday School since he was 18 years old and has taught at his home church, Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, GA, for over 40 years. In this book he includes 52 lessons based on Scripture, with themes such as “What We Believe,” “Christians in the World,” “When the Road Is Rough,” and “God’s Call.” I admire and respect Jimmy Carter and his life as an exemplary Christ-follower. I value his teaching and wisdom as shared in this book. I hope you’ll check it out!
The church staff has pulled some resources from our Church Library and put them on a table in the Fellowship Hall. Come by (8-3:30 Mon-Fri), choose something(s) you would like, write your name on the card along with the date, and return it within 3 weeks. It’s a great time to READ
Need a good book? - Church picks (from Pat)
The church staff has pulled some resources from our Church Library and put them on a table in the Fellowship Hall. Come by (8-3:30 Mon-Fri), choose something(s) you would like, write your name on the card along with the date, and return it within 3 weeks. It’s a great time to READ
Pat W. recommends this book and has loaned it to our library for others to read. It’s the true story of a belligerent homeless man who becomes friends with an unlikely woman. She and her husband become convicted on where they should serve, and in the end, are taught much by this street person about life and faith. It’s a powerful story on how each of us can make a difference in someone’s life by following God’s call. “Gritty with pain and betrayal and brutality, it also shines with an unexpected, life-changing love.”