Even though schools are not on a normal schedule, children still need school supplies. Please bring your donations and place them in the box labeled "School Supplies" in the Fellowship Hall. Below is a list of needed items:
Gallon or quart plastic reclosable bags
Glue sticks
Crayons
Washable markers
Crayon boxes
Tissues
#2 pencils
Highlighters
Colored pencils
Due to recalls, schools are NOT accepting hand sanitizers.
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.”
Come Thirsty by Max Lucado
“Whoever drinks the water I give will never be thirsty. The water I give will become a spring of water gushing up inside that person, giving eternal life.” John 4:14
Have you been sipping out of a swamp? Drinking the deluge of life? There’s stuff in that water that you were never meant to drink. Don’t you long to flush out the fear, anxiety, and guilt? You can. All are welcome. You don’t have to be rich, religious, or successful. For the sake of those who need your love, hydrate your soul! Heed your thirst. Drink deeply and often, and out of you will flow rivers of living water. There is no heart too dry for His touch!
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!
Here are some new books added to our collection to help us learn and grow:
Reconstructing The Gospel: Finding Freedom from Slaveholder Religion by Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove
Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove grew up in the South as a faithful church-going Christian. But he gradually came to realize that the message his Church proclaimed was not good news for everybody. The same Church that sang “Amazing Grace” also perpetuated racial injustice and white supremacy in the name of Jesus. Reconstructing the gospel requires facing the pain of the past and present, from racial blindness to systemic abuses of power. When the gospel is reconstructed, freedom rings for both individuals and society to heal our land.
The Cross and the Lynching Tree by James H. Cone
The cross and the lynching tree are the two most emotionally charged symbols in the history of the African-American community. Theologian James H. Cone explores these symbols and their interconnection in the history and souls of black folk. Both the cross and the lynching tree represent the worst in human beings and at the same time a thirst for life that refuses to let the worst determine our final meaning. While the lynching tree symbolized white power and black death, the cross symbolizes divine power and black life God overcoming the power of sin and death.
Stand Your Ground: Black Bodies and the Justice of God by Kelly Brown Douglas
On the Sunday morning after the acquittal of Trayvon Martin’s killer, black preachers across America addressed the questions his death raised for their communities: “Where is the justice of God? What are we to hope for?” Kelly Brown Douglas examines the myths and narratives underlying a “stand-your-ground” culture, taking seriously the social as well as the theological questions raised by this and similar events, from Ferguson to New York. As a mother, she writes: “There has been no story in the news that has troubled me more than that of Trayvon Martin’s slaying [because my son] looks like Trayvon.”
Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson
From one of the most brilliant and influential lawyers of our time comes an unforgettable true story about the redeeming potential of mercy. Bryan Stevenson was a young attorney when he founded the Equal Justice Initiative, a legal practice dedicated to defending the poor, the wrongly condemned, and those trapped in the furthest reaches of our criminal justice system. One of his first cases was that of Walter McMillian, a young man sentenced to die for a notorious murder he didn’t commit. It transformed his understanding of mercy and justice forever.
Just Mercy: A True Story of the Fight for Justice by Bryan Stevenson (Adapted for young adults)
This is the young adult adaptation of the #1 bestseller; which the New York Times calls “as compelling as To Kill a Mockingbird, and in some ways more so.” This powerful testament to how one person can make a difference focuses on the redeeming potential of mercy.
Rethinking Incarceration: Advocating For Justice That Restores by Dominique DuBois Gilliard
The United States has more people locked up in jails, prisons, and detention centers than any other country in the history of the world. Mass incarceration has become a lucrative industry, and the criminal justice system is plagued with bias and unjust practices. Dominique Gilliard explores the history and foundation of mass incarceration, examining Christianity’s role in its evolution and expansion. Discover how you can bring authentic rehabilitation, lasting transformation, and healthy reintegration to this broken system.
Are you new to the church or the area? We would love to get to know you better! Say hello on our Guest Information form here: https://forms.gle/VFsJgsNevywMj6wu5
Is there something we can be praying about for you or others? We welcome the opportunity to lift it to the Lord in prayer. Requests and praises, worries and celebrations are all welcome. You can mark how private you would like it to remain. Share a Prayer Concern here: https://forms.gle/d4SzGXKzKNYkyQFY6
We have beautiful cloth masks available in the church Fellowship Hall. They are handmade by our own Deanna L. If you need a mask, please come by the church from 8:00 am to 3:30 pm, Monday through Friday, and take one for yourself and other family members if they need one.
The film Just Mercy invites everyone, especially those in the church, to confront the unjust nature of our nation’s criminal justice system. The film provides a sobering glimpse into how race, class, and systemic sin affect verdicts. Upon graduating from Harvard Law School, Bryan Stevenson moved to Montgomery, AL, to provide legal defense for those awaiting execution on death row. Instead of choosing a comfortable lifestyle, he chose to serve the “least of these.” His faith inspired him to use his education and commit his life to serve a population that most of society ignores. The film follows Stevenson’s mission to free Walter McMillian, an Alabama death row inmate wrongfully convicted of murder.
During the month of June, Warner Bros. is making Just Mercy available to rent for free. We invite you to watch the film anytime during the month and then join us for a discussion on June 28 guided by Cindy T. It is open to everyone in our church family and anyone you would like to invite. (Sign-in info will be provided later.)
You can stream the movie for free online at Redbox and Amazon. If you do not have internet access and would like to view the movie on DVD, let Regina know and she can coordinate a free rental for you.
Welcoming Justice: God’s Movement Toward Beloved Community, by Charles Marsh & John Perkins
On February 7, 1970, John Perkins, an African American Baptist minister was beaten nearly to death by police officers in the town of Brandon, Mississippi. While recovering during a lengthy hospital stay, Perkins received a vision of Jesus’ suffering on the cross, a vision he called a conversion of love and forgiveness.
Perkins's subsequent ministry became a magnet that drew many people to Mendenhall, MS. One of them was a recent college graduate named Charles Marsh, the son of a Southern Baptist pastor in Laurel, MS. From their meeting in 1980, a friendship was forged.
Welcoming Justice recounts their inspiring conversations and provides a model for necessary conversations we could have today.
The church staff are pulling some books from our Church Library and putting them on a table in the Fellowship Hall. Please come by (8-3:30 Mon-Fri), choose a book(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!
Walking Across Egypt, by Clyde Edgerton
If you’re wanting a fun, quick read this summer and one that will bring a smile, check out Walking Across Egypt. North Carolina author Clyde Edgerton has written the story of Mattie Rigsbee, a strong-minded senior adult who offers young, wayward Wesley Benfield a slice of pound cake, kindness, and prayer. (Caution: Wesley uses a few words you won’t hear in Sunday School!)
The church staff are pulling some books from our Church Library and putting them on a table in the Fellowship Hall. Please come by (8-3:30 Mon-Fri), choose a book(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!
Leap Over a Wall: Earthly Spirituality for Everyday Christians, by Eugene Peterson
From the same author who also wrote The Message, this book is about the life of David and it will intrigue you as you read each part and each story of his life. It is not a novel but a book that depicts each story and life event as an individual devotion. David, Israel's greatest king, is one of the most amazing men who ever lived and is known as being a man after God's own heart. Anyone who reads it will also love the stories and life lessons from Peterson's work.
The church staff are pulling some books from our Church Library and putting them on a table in the Fellowship Hall. Please come by (8-3:30 Mon-Fri), choose a book(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!
The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom
This is a book that Sara introduced us to recently during one of our morning fellowship times over Zoom. It is the story of a Dutch Christian family during WWII that live out their faith in amazing ways and join the underground resistance to help the Jewish people in their hometown. Eventually, the family is caught and imprisoned. During their imprisonment at a German concentration camp, Corrie and Betsie ten Boom read together from a Bible they were able to smuggle in and find encouragement from 1 Thessalonians 5:14-18. They have the faith and courage to thank God for all circumstances, even unpleasant ones. They even find the strength to thank God for the many fleas they have in their barracks and later find out it was those very fleas that are the reason they are left alone by the guards and were given the freedom to move around as they did in the barracks, freely sharing the Bible with the other women there. It is an amazing story of faith, family, and love. It will be one that will be sure to stick with you long after you have finished it.
The church staff are pulling some books from our Church Library and putting them on a table in the Fellowship Hall. Please come by (8-3:30 Mon-Fri), choose a book(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!
In response to the coronavirus pandemic, the ASPCA is providing free cat and dog food, and access to urgent veterinary care for WNC residents. Location and details about these free services will be provided when an appointment is made. Appointments can be requested by calling the following ASPCA hotlines…… [click View Post above to continue reading]
Free Wi-Fi
All Buncombe County Public Libraries have left the wi-fi on while they're closed. If you park or stand close to the building, you will be in range. Remember to stand 6 feet apart or stay in your car if you go. The password is "readmore.”
Free Audio Stories for Kids
As long as schools are closed, kids everywhere can instantly stream a huge collection of stories online for free through the Audible service: https://stories.audible.com/start-listen
To keep all children fed during the pandemic, Buncombe County Schools is serving breakfast from 7:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. and lunch from 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., Mondays through Fridays to anyone 2-18 years of age at the following locations. (Weekend meals will be distributed on Fridays during lunch times.) Locations include Weaverville Elementary, North Windy Ridge Intermediate, Black Locust Trailer Park, and many others around the county. You can find student meal site through an interactive map, or simply text ‘FOODNC’ to 877-877. For information and locations go to https://www.buncombeschools.org/cms/One.aspx?portalId=92531&pageId=7539788
Community Resources in Buncombe County for Helping with Financial Needs
As our community is working to address the needs of those impacted by COVID-19, please know that what is available to help may change…. [Click to read more]
Sundays: PO Box 547, Weaverville, NC 28787
Small Group Bible Study: 9:45 am info@fbcwvl.org
Worship: 11:00 am 828-645-6720
Youth Group: 6:00 pm Directions: Click here
Wednesdays:
Prayer & Bible Study: 6:00 pm
Choir Practice: 7:15 pm
