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First Baptist Church Weaverville is seeking a part-time Organist. Someone who feels called by God and has a great love for church music.
Qualifications
Education: 4 year college music degree preferred. ( 2-4 year college degree acceptable)
Experienced on the organ and piano, to help guide the church in worship.
Comfortable with a wide variety of musical styles.
Possess good interpersonal skills and relates well to all age groups.
[Click on job title to read more….]
It's hard to believe, but the time to prepare for Easter is soon upon us. Much like Advent is a time to get ready for Christmas, the time to get ready for Easter is Lent. It is focused on prayer, repentance, and self-reflection. We'll begin our preparation for Easter with an Ash Wednesday worship service February 14 at 6:00 pm in the Fellowship Hall. It will be an opportunity to be still, listen for God, and hear a reminder of humility. All are invited to come worship.
On Sunday, December 10, the Personnel Committee presented to the church Chuck Taft as their recommendation for our minister of music. There was a meet-and-greet fellowship time that morning with Chuck and his wife, Renee, then the church voted in a called business meeting during worship to officially call Chuck to the position. We are very excited about him becoming a part of our church family. Chuck is already known by many in our congregation, having grown up around Weaverville and graduated from North Buncombe High School. He has directed his Reuter Center Singers choir when they have performed in our sanctuary many times, he directed the Messiah performance here last December, and he is an adjunct instructor at UNCA and Mars Hill. (Read his bio here.) We welcome Chuck’s passion for ministry, talents in music leadership, and heart for the Lord as he blesses our church in the future!
To help with your Christmas shopping this year, we are offering a special deal on cookbooks. Buy 2 get 1 free. What a deal! Why buy one for $15 when you could get three for $30? To purchase your copies please contact the church office.
Now through Dec. 14, we will be collecting items for the Give Together Food Drive sponsored by the North Buncombe High School Student Council. Once collected, the food will be distributed to the Flat Creek Food Pantry, ABCCM, and MANNA Food Bank along with school counselors to give to student families as needed. Place donations in the wrapped gift box located in the Fellowship Hall beside our normal ABCCM-North food donation basket.
Requested Items:
• Non-perishable canned food; vegetables/fruits, soups, beans
• Instant Oatmeal, pasta, rice, jelly, and ramen noodles
• Cornbread mix, granola bars, etc.
We are collecting items to donate small gift bags to the residents of Mars Hill Manor Retirement Center and our church's homebound. The Youth Advisory Panel of WMU NC (Woman's Missionary Union) will put the bags together, and our Pauline Snelson Women's Mission Group will deliver them. Items will be collected through Wednesday, Dec. 6, and we hope to make 100-125 bags. Please help us spread holiday cheer by donating chapstick, small tissues, travel size hand lotion, and/or individually packaged cookies or crackers into the labeled box by the elevator outside the Fellowship Hall.
Our friends at North Buncombe Middle School have invited us to participate in a donation drive for students in need of warm items this winter. A box has been placed near the elevator on the first floor for donations of new or gently used socks, gloves, knitted hats, earmuffs, scarves, small blankets, or coats.
A lot of time and work has gone into making the bathroom in our vestibule look presentable. Now it's beautiful! Thank you to everyone who planned, worked, and set it up to help our space look lovely.
The sanctuary gutter repair work has started and will take about two months, depending on weather and availability of supplies. We continue to raise money for the repairs. Please make this a matter of prayer as we address the big repair cost. So far people have pledged $61,300! Our goal is $80,000, so we're making progress! May it inspire others as well to help our sanctuary building look its best. Pledges and/or donations can be made by contacting Debbie Sprinkle at the church office (645-6720, debbie@fbcwvl.org).
Learn more about the great Reuter Center Singers program here.
Primary Function:
The Minister of Music is responsible for leading the church in a dynamic music ministry that will inspire and enhance congregational worship and fellowship. They will engage all ages in a variety of music experiences and education. They will promote music as a vital part of worship and spiritual growth.
[Click on job title to read more….]
First Baptist Church Weaverville is seeking a part-time Organist. Someone who feels called by God and has a great love for church music.
Qualifications
Education: 4 year college music degree preferred. ( 2-4 year college degree acceptable)
Experienced on the organ and piano, to help guide the church in worship.
Comfortable with a wide variety of musical styles.
Possess good interpersonal skills and relates well to all age groups.
[Click on job title to read more….]
Yuri Sipko, a pastor and former president of the Union of Baptists in Russia, had to flee the country in August when authorities attempted to arrest him for publicly praying for peace in Ukraine. He anticipated the government’s action after his participation in a virtual prayer vigil in February. The event was hosted by Mission Eurasia on the one-year anniversary of the invasion.
Pastor Sipko said, “The law makes it a crime to call the war a ‘war’ and does not allow anyone to call for peace in Ukraine. But I prayed for peace and said it is a crime to drop rockets and bombs on the Ukrainian people.”
He evaded capture at his Moscow home on Aug. 8 and has since been placed on a most-wanted list for disseminating “false information” about the invasion. “It is a terrible thing when the word ‘peace’ is outlawed. Everything is upside down in Russia. But until I am gagged, I will continue to speak out. The gospel and Christianity compel us not to remain silent. Jesus Christ was not silent, and the apostles were not silent. Paul was not silent even when he was in prison. I am merely following the example of the gospel and such great Christian witnesses.”
Mission Eurasia is a Nashville-based global ministry helping Sipko with living expenses while he is in hiding. Mission Eurasia president Sergey Rakhuba said that Pastor Sipko “left his house in a t-shirt and jeans and barely managed to escape. They came after him with special police, like SWAT teams. They wanted to arrest a pastor for saying, ‘Stop killing people’ and ‘Stop bombing people.’ The state threatens evangelicals and there is no religious freedom under Putin. Only the Russian Orthodox Church has freedom, and the state threatens evangelicals with imprisonment.”
He added a plea for US churches to continue helping and praying for Ukraine: “Ukraine is a very resilient nation, but they need help defending their country, feeding their people, and protecting their right to freely worship God.”
We had a great hike this month! We went out to Mill Ridge, near Hot Springs, for some lovely views in perfect weather.
Church volunteers had a great time working at the Mountain State Fair this year! In the Break Tent we made coffee and sandwiches for fair workers 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!
We were truly blessed to hear from Amy Meinch recently in Bible Study. She shared her family’s struggle with childhood cancer and the loss of their daughter, Kalina. It was convicting, moving, sad, informative, and inspiring. She said, “Your church is different. You are a light. You are all beautiful people. Thank you for becoming advocates!” We learned how we can show love to families in that situation: be with them, cry with them, ask them about their child. And we learned about treatments for childhood cancers: there’s not many. To see the slides Amy used during her talk, click here.
September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and Weaverville is getting involved. Gold is the color, since children are more precious than gold, so everyone is encouraged to show their gold. Amy says, “Are you in Weaverville and want a gold mailbox? I’ll come spray it!” The Fire Department is wearing supportive t-shirts this month and have sprayed the fire hydrants gold. There are QR codes around the hydrants for people to scan and donate money to fund childhood cancer research that is more effective and less toxic.
The Police Department is helping organize a 2nd Annual Childhood Cancer Research Fundraiser for the Art in Autumn Festival next Saturday on Main St. They will have great raffle prizes from local businesses at their booth during the festival. 100% of raffle monies go to funding research.
Also, Melinda Knutson is a local photographer whose family has battled childhood cancer. She will have a tent in front of our church during Art in Autumn and offer photography sessions, then give the proceeds to childhood cancer research.
AND if you go to Blue Mountain Pizza this month and donate money to childhood cancer research, they will double it! Then, on Thur., Sept. 21, Blue Mountain will donate 25% of its proceeds that day.
If you have any questions about these events or childhood cancer in general, you can e-mail Amy Meinch here.
Cases of Covid-19 are at an eight-month high in Buncombe County, but it can be hard to find testing kits. The church has a few tests available. They are in the copy room next to the phone if you or a family member needs one. (Only take ones that you need, since we have a limited number.)
