Lent 2024

This Wednesday, February 14, is Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of the season of Lent. If you didn’t grow up with Lent (and I know many of you didn’t, myself included), here’s a bit of background.

The word “Lent” comes from the Old English word for “springtime.” It refers to the length of time before Easter, traditionally forty days, when the Church prepares to commemorate Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. Just as Advent helps us prepare spiritually for Christmas, Lent helps us prepare spiritually for Holy Week and Easter.

You may be asking, Do I have to observe Lent?  The first answer is, Of course not! But the second answer is, Why wouldn’t you?  This season is a gift to us in which we may pause and reflect on our lives in light of Jesus Christ. So, I encourage you to observe it this year. Typically folks use this time as a chance to give something up: certain foods, certain media, certain habits. In recent years it’s become popular to take something on: daily prayer, for instance, or journaling or Sabbath-keeping. Regardless, the goal isn’t self-promotion (pride) but self-effacement (humility). What will help you humble yourself over the next forty days, so that you can see Jesus more clearly? Whatever the answer is… do it.

For a special focus during Lent, we will be offering a prayer group beginning on February 21 at 6:00pm in the Garden Room (next to the Fellowship Hall).  Be on the lookout for more information!

February Pastor's Letter

Dear church family,

“I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.” – Philippians 3:10-11

If you’ve been in church with us recently, you’ve heard me quote this Scripture from Paul’s letter to the Philippians. It’s a passage that I believe God highlighted for me at the beginning of the year, and it’s been guiding my study, preparation, and preaching through the Gospel of Luke this winter. I share it with you because perhaps it reflects your desire, too: “I want to know Christ…”

But how do we know Christ? We are, after all, Christians (or “little Christs”), so shouldn’t knowing Jesus be our primary focus? Our modus operandi, our raison d'être, our mission in life? Absolutely. None of us would disagree… yet we might admit that such a task is easier said than done. After all, we can’t meet Jesus for a cup of coffee the way we might meet each other at City Lights or Bojangles; we can’t shake his hand or give him a hug or hear him laugh. But that doesn’t mean we can’t know him.

This is where Scripture comes in: we can open our Bibles and learn more about Jesus in the Old and New Testaments (not just the gospels), because we believe that “every story whispers his name.” This is why prayer is so important: we can speak to Jesus and invite him to speak to us in return, as “deep calling unto deep.” And this is why worship, fellowship, and service are integral to being the church: we can spend time together as the body of Christ, remembering the one who said, “I will be with you always.”

So, I invite you to get to know Christ at First Presbyterian Church as February begins and as we celebrate the beginning of Lent, the 40-day period of repentance and renewal before Holy Week and Easter. Lent provides us with the opportunity to examine our lives – not in order to feel miserable because of our sins, but to feel grateful, and to live gratefully, because of our Savior. Lent is, therefore, the perfect time for us to commit (or re-commit) ourselves to the dusty road of discipleship, and to meet Jesus there. I hope you’ll come along.

See you Sunday,
Blake

Prayer in the Season of Lent

The season of Lent has begun!

To guide our time through this holy season, we will be offering a Lenten Prayer Group starting on March 8 at 6:00pm. The goals for the group are simple: we will learn about prayer, and we will pray. No preparation is necessary, other than a heart that is open to the Lord and to your brothers and sisters in Christ.

There is, however, a video series that will aid and deepen our group.  It’s called “Rule of Life: Prayer,” from Practicing the Way, and you can learn more about it by clicking here.  The website will ask you to register, which will grant you access to our church's group page!

We hope to see you on Wednesday nights starting March 8!

Schedule:

• Week 1—March 8—Talking to God

• Week 2—March 15—Talking with God

• Week 3—March 22—Listening to God

• Week 4—March 29—Being with God

• Week 5—April 5—Following God’s Direction

*Please notify the Church Office if you need childcare.

Resources for Prayer

Podcast: “Rule of Life: Prayer” – available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts online.

Prayer Room: Our church Prayer Room is available for you to use anytime the church is open. It is located across the hall from the Sanctuary.

Books about Prayer

There are more books on prayer than anyone could ever read! Where should you begin? Here are some resources that I (Blake) have found especially helpful in my journey with Jesus:

For a general introduction to prayer: Richard Foster, Prayer

• Richard Foster is the founder and former president of Renovaré, an interdenominational Christian ministry that focuses on spiritual formation. I read through this book when I was first ordained in Raleigh and found Foster’s wisdom and insights to be profoundly helpful, especially for a beginner in the school of prayer.

For a guide to praying with Scripture, especially the Psalms: Eugene Peterson, Answering God

• Eugene Peterson is one of my favorite writers and thinkers. In this book he not only explores the importance of prayer for the Christian life, but he opens up the Psalms as the prayer-book of the Bible. In these cries of joy and lament (and everything in between), we see every human emotion laid bare before the face of God.

For a study of prayer through a Reformed lens: P.T. Forsyth, The Soul of Prayer

• Forsyth was a titan of late-19th/early-20th century Scottish theology, and this book bears witness to that fact. Short but chock-full of rich theology and pastoral reflections, this is a must-read for anyone who hopes to recover the practice of prayer in our Presbyterian tradition.

For a study of prayer through an ancient lens: Gabriel Bunge, Earthen Vessels

• I read through this book in 2016, during my first Lenten season in Sylva, and it quickly became one of my favorites. Bunge began as a Catholic priest and monk and later converted to Orthodoxy, and his writing represents his commitment to both the church and the Great Tradition of the Christian faith. Read this book for a look at how the communion of saints have prayed through the ages, and be encouraged to go and do likewise.

Devotionals

These books are meant to be read slowly and contemplatively – more for the “heart” than for the “head” – and often in conjunction with Scripture.

For a short, grace-filled daily devotional: Brennan Manning, Reflections for Ragamuffins

• This was my daily devotional during my first year of marriage to Erin, and I can still picture the kitchen table in Costa Rica where I would sit each morning and drink my coffee and read this book. Manning was a master teacher of the gospel of grace, and this book — full of insights from his various other books — does not disappoint. Read a page each day and be challenged and encouraged by the goodness of God.

For a longer devotional that focuses on morning, noontime, and evening prayer: Phyllis Tickle, The Divine Hours

• To go deeper in prayer, many Christians take on the practice of praying “the hours,” which refers to praying three, five, or even seven times a day on a regularly-scheduled rhythm. These books (three in all) provide guidance for doing this. Tickle was an Episcopalian and draws heavily from the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer, but this is a helpful resource for anyone desiring an ordered prayer life. It has been my guide for years, one that I read nearly every weekday morning.

For a compendium of daily, household prayers: McKelvey & Bustard, Every Moment Holy

• I confess that I haven’t spent much time with these prayers yet, but trusted friends rave about this as a beautiful resource for daily faithfulness – especially for those who have read Tish Harrison Warren’s Liturgy of the Ordinary and who want to take the next step.

Of course, these lists aren’t exhaustive: there are so many other resources for you to explore. Many of our church members have benefited from Oswald Chambers’ book My Utmost for His Highest. Many have enjoyed Philip Yancey and Timothy Keller’s books (both called Prayer and both in our church library). Many in our church have been blessed by the ministry of Presbyterian Reformed Ministries International. Ask the Lord and your trusted friends to help you and to teach you as we go deeper in prayer together. And above all, don’t let your desire to learn get in the way of Jesus’ invitation for you to actually pray!

Ash Wednesday

Next Wednesday, February 22, is Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of the season of Lent. If you didn’t grow up with Lent (and I know many of you didn’t, myself included), here’s a bit of background.

The word “Lent” comes from the Old English word for “springtime.” It refers to the length of time before Easter, traditionally forty days, when the Church prepares to commemorate Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. Just as Advent helps us prepare spiritually for Christmas, Lent helps us prepare spiritually for Holy Week and Easter.

You may be asking, Do I have to observe Lent?  The first answer is, Of course not! But the second answer is, Why wouldn’t you?  This season is a gift to us in which we may pause and reflect on our lives in light of Jesus Christ. So, I encourage you to observe it this year. Typically folks use this time as a chance to give something up: certain foods, certain media, certain habits. In recent years it’s become popular to take something on: daily prayer, for instance, or journaling or Sabbath-keeping. Regardless, the goal isn’t self-promotion (pride) but self-effacement (humility). What will help you humble yourself over the next forty days, so that you can see Jesus more clearly? Whatever the answer is… do it.

For a special focus during Lent, we will be offering a prayer group beginning on March 8 at 6:00pm in the Fellowship Hall.  Be on the lookout for more information!

Pastor's Letter

March was a month of patience for my family.

First of all, this is because we’ve had a house full of literal patients. First, it was me and my sons. All of us tested positive for COVID in early March and were quarantined for a whole week (thankfully, with mild symptoms). Then, it was my wife and my sons. They tested positive for the flu in late March and were quarantined for another whole week (unfortunately, with fairly serious symptoms). As I write this we are all on the mend, thanks be to God. But it was a difficult month of being patients and learning patience.

In the midst of this, we have also tried to practice Sabbath during the season of Lent. Sabbath, you likely know, is a day of rest that honors the Lord. While we have dipped our toes in the waters of Sabbath over the years, my family and I have never made a formal Sabbath commitment. But we felt God leading us to do so this year for the 40 days of Lent. So, starting March 4, we have been “shutting down” on Friday nights for a solid 24 hours. We cycle laundry, go to the dump, pre-cook meals, clean the house, and remove notifications from our phones and other devices by 5pm on Friday so we can simply enjoy family time until 5pm on Saturday. We try not to be legalistic about it – after all, Jesus tells us that “the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” – so if we have to throw a load in the wash or run an errand, we do so. But by and large, we try and spend that time in rest, play, and worship together. Which, yes, also requires patience.

The root of the word “patience” is “suffering.” And the root of the word “suffer” is “endure” or “bear.” To have patience, then, is to endure or to bear hardship as it comes, in whatever form. Such hardship could be as denying yourself email or TV for a day. It could be something larger, like the sickness of children. Or it could be something even more dire than that – things we shudder to name and that impact entire communities, as we have experienced recently in Sylva. We learn patience when we move through such times with the twofold recognition that we can’t do it on our own, and thus that we are wholly dependent on God’s grace. Indeed, patience is a fruit of the Spirit for this very reason.

The good news of Lent is that our patience leads us somewhere – to Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and the cross, and, beyond that, to the beauty of the empty tomb and the victory of Easter. Our suffering and endurance opens us up to the good news of Jesus. This is why the early Christians talked about Sabbath as the “eighth day,” a day signaling that God’s new creation has now begun in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. And it’s why one of those early Christians, Paul the Apostle, was able to pen those triumphant words: “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

I hope you will join us in worship and life together this April as we continue to make our way down the dusty road of discipleship. In these difficult days, let’s pray for the Spirit to grow patience in us, let’s look out for each other, and let’s remain confident that the risen Lord Christ leads the way.

See you Sunday,
Blake

Lent 2022

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Next Wednesday is Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of the season of Lent. If you didn’t grow up with Lent (and I know many of you didn’t, myself included), here’s a bit of background…

The word “Lent” comes from the Old English word for “springtime.” It refers to the length of time before Easter, traditionally forty days, when the Church prepares to commemorate Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. Just as Advent helps us prepare spiritually for Christmas, Lent helps us prepare spiritually for Holy Week and Easter.

You may be asking, Do I have to observe Lent?  The first answer is, Of course not! But the second answer is, Why wouldn’t you?  This season is a gift to us in which we may pause and reflect on our lives in light of Jesus Christ. So, I encourage you to observe it this year. Typically folks use this time as a chance to give something up: certain foods, certain media, certain habits. In recent years it’s become popular to take something on: daily prayer, for instance, or journaling and letter-writing. Regardless, the goal isn’t self-promotion (pride) but self-effacement (humility). What will help you humble yourself over the next forty days, so that you can see Jesus more clearly? Whatever the answer is… do it.

For a special focus during this Lenten season, we at First Presbyterian Church are studying Following Jesus by Henri Nouwen. Want to read along? You can order a copy by clicking here. We will be meeting on Wednesdays at the church from 6:30-7:30pm for discussion and prayer. We welcome you to join us as we walk the way of Christ together.

• To learn more about Ash Wednesday, click here.

Lent Study: "Following Jesus"

The season of Lent has begun, and we at First Presbyterian Church will be studying the book Following Jesus by Henri Nouwen, starting March 9 at 6:30pm. Questions? Contact the church office!

Here is the study outline:

• March 2 - Ash Wednesday Worship (please read the Introduction and Chapter 1 before next week!)

• March 9 - Chapter 1: The Invitation

• March 16 - Chapter 2: The Call

• March 23 - Chapter 3: The Challenge

• March 30 - Chapter 4: The Cost

• April 6 - Chapter 5: The Reward

• April 13 - Chapter 6: The Promise

The Season of Lent

This Wednesday is Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of the season of Lent. If you didn’t grow up with Lent (and I know many of you didn’t, myself included), here’s a bit of background…

The word “Lent” comes from the Old English word for “springtime.” It refers to the length of time before Easter, traditionally forty days, when the Church prepares to commemorate Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. Just as Advent helps us prepare spiritually for Christmas, Lent helps us prepare spiritually for Holy Week and Easter.

You may be asking, Do I have to observe Lent?  The first answer is, Of course not! But the second answer is, Why wouldn’t you?  This season is a gift to us in which we may pause and reflect on our lives in light of Jesus Christ. So, I encourage you to observe it this year. Typically folks use this time as a chance to give something up: certain foods, certain media, certain habits. In recent years it’s become popular to take something on: daily prayer, for instance, or journaling and letter-writing. Regardless, the goal isn’t self-promotion (pride) but self-effacement (humility). What will help you humble yourself over the next forty days, so that you can see Jesus more clearly? Whatever the answer is… do it.

For a special focus during this Lenten season, we at First Presbyterian Church are studying and praying through Backyard Pilgrim by Matt Canlis. Want to read along? You can order a copy by clicking here. We are also meeting on Wednesday at noon for “Wednesdays on the Way” to walk on the Sylva Greenway while we discuss each week’s readings. We welcome you to join us as we walk the way of Christ together.

Wednesdays on the Way

Join us for “Wednesdays on the Way,” a weekly, walking book study for the season of Lent.

First, purchase a copy of the book Backyard Pilgrim by Matt Canlis and commit to reading it one day at a time.

(You may find it helpful to watch the short documentary film Godspeed first, which you can do by clicking here. This came before the book and will help you get the bigger picture.)

Click to order!

Then, join us on Wednesdays at 12:00pm during Lent (2/17-3/31) to walk the Jackson County Greenway. We will discuss each week's reading while we walk. Wear your mask, move your body, celebrate creation, and connect with your church family. Here is the schedule:

• 2/17 - Week 1 - What Kind Of Parent Is God?

• 2/24 - Week 2 - What Makes Kids Flourish?

• 3/3 - Week 3 - What Do Fearful Children Do?

• 3/10 - Week 4 - Who Began To Risk Being Found?

• 3/17 - Week 5 - Where Was Jesus Found For Us?

• 3/24 - Week 6 - What Has Jesus Done For Us?

• 3/31 - Week 7 - What Is Jesus Doing For Us Now?

Cancellations due to weather or other circumstances will be announced in our weekly church email. When in doubt, call or email the church office.

We hope you’ll join us as we walk the way of Christ in this very special season.

Pastor's Letter

“This is the way.”

So says the titular character in The Mandalorian, a hugely successful TV show (and current favorite of the Daniel family) now streaming on Disney+.  The Mandalorian is a bounty hunter who abides by an ancient belief system called the “Way of the Mandalore,” which requires him, among other things, to keep his helmet on whenever he’s in the presence of other people.  So, throughout the show, characters will ask him to remove his helmet and he refuses, saying: “This is the way.”

I wonder if we Christians can learn something from this sci-fi hero – not so much about helmets (although, perhaps, mask-wearing?), but about faithfulness and discipleship.  Like the Mandalorian, we have a way to follow through life.  Except our way is not an ancient belief system, but a person who is himself the Way.  Remember what Jesus told his disciples in John 14?  “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”  Remember what Jesus said to the fishermen in Mark 1?  “Come, follow me.”  These verses remind us that if we want to know the way, we should start by knowing Jesus – and then we should follow as he leads us. 

My hope for myself, you, and our congregation is that we might walk in the way of Christ in every aspect of our lives.  These are disorienting times, and it’s easy for us to lose our way.  We Christians, like everyone else, have not been at our best lately. As the world has changed around us, we’ve struggled to find our footing.  Yet God is good, his grace is sufficient, and he invites us again and again back to the way of Christ.  We know from Mark’s Gospel that this is a way of baptism, calling, friendship, mission, and compassion.  As Lent begins, we will see that it’s also a way of cross-bearing, simplicity, service, and self-giving love.  None of this is easy, but it’s so, so worth it.  This is the way.

Yours in Christ,
Blake

Worship from Home - 3/29/2020

An Order of Worship for the Lord’s Day
March 29, 2020
Fifth Sunday in Lent

Prelude

“Praise to the Lord, the Almighty” – performed by Michael Collings

Call to Worship – Psalm 23 (NLT)

The Lord is my shepherd;
    I have all that I need.
He lets me rest in green meadows;
    he leads me beside peaceful streams.
    He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
    bringing honor to his name.
Even when I walk
    through the darkest valley,
I will not be afraid,
    for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
    protect and comfort me.
You prepare a feast for me
    in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
    My cup overflows with blessings.
Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the Lord
    forever.

Opening Prayer

Lord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day.  Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity.  In all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose, through Jesus Christ my Lord.  Amen.

Opening Song

“Come, Christians, Join to Sing”

Prayer of Confession

If you, O Lord, kept a record of sins, who could stand?  But with you there is forgiveness.  Please hear me as I confess my sins, and please remind me of your unending grace.  (Silent confession)

Assurance of Pardon – Psalm 130:7-8

Israel, put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and with him is full redemption.  He himself will redeem Israel from all their sins.

Scripture Reading – Romans 7:14-8:4

We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!

So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Sermon – The Prayer of Jesus: Lead Us Not into Temptation

Hymn of Response

“I Want Jesus to Walk With Me”

Affirmation of Faith – from The Second Helvetic Confession

Jesus Christ is the only Savior of the world, and the true awaited messiah. For we teach and believe that this Jesus Christ our Lord is the unique and eternal Savior of the human race, and thus of the whole world, in whom by faith are saved all who before the law, under the law, and under the Gospel were saved, and however many will be saved at the end of the world… Now there only remains for all of us to give all glory to Christ, believe in him, rest in him alone, despising and rejecting all other aids in life.

Prayers of the People

Heavenly Father, maker of heaven and earth, you are our help; we lift our eyes to you.  As we walk this Lenten journey during such a strange and disorienting time, we trust in your Son to sustain us.  Please hear our prayers of joy and our prayers of lament, that they may rise like incense to you.  Confident of your love and led by your Spirit, we lift up:

• Our family, friends, and church family from whom we are separated this morning…

• Our neighbors in need in Jackson County…

• Healthcare staff providing medical care and working double-time…

• Those currently infected by the coronavirus, and those who care for them…

• Medical and scientific experts seeking ways to control the spread of the virus…

• Children out of school, employees out of work, and all who find their lives upended by the coronavirus…

• Public officials making difficult decisions about closings and quarantines, and those who feel burdened by those decisions…

• Christians throughout the globe who endeavor to bring healing, justice, and peace…

We lift up these prayers, trusting that you hear us.  And we pray now as Jesus taught us:

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

(To share individual prayer requests, visit this online form: https://bit.ly/2TTLAF3)

Tithes and Offerings

What do we have that we did not receive?  With gratitude for the gospel, we share our time, talents, and resources with the Lord. You may give financially by visiting www.sylvapres.org/giving, or by dropping a check off at the church or sending one to FPC at P.O. Box 2152, Sylva, NC 28779.  Thank you!

Offertory

”Canco del Lladre” - performed by Michael Collings

Doxology

Praise God from whom all blessings flow!
Praise Him all creatures here below!
Praise Him above, ye heavenly hosts!
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Amen.

Closing Song

“O Love that Will Not Let Me Go”

Benediction

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever he may send you. 
May he guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm. 
May he bring you home rejoicing at the wonders he has shown you. 
May he bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  
Amen.

Children’s Church Lesson

Pastor's Letter

Wilderness is a major theme in Scripture.  Think of Moses and the Israelites in the book of Exodus, or Jesus being tempted by the devil in the Gospels.  The wilderness is a place of testing and trial, in which we see our sins with honesty and humility.  It’s also a time of restoration and renewal, as we learn to trust God and receive his grace in a whole new way.  We may not always like the wilderness, but notice that the Lord always leads his people through it – and they never emerge the same as they were before.

The season of Lent is like that: a 40-day wilderness pilgrimage with Jesus as our guide.  As we begin Lent together, I encourage you to spend some time reflecting on this theme.  What do you need to get rid of to start your wilderness journey?  Are there temptations or distractions that stand in your way?  If so, let them go and let the Lord take their place.  On the flip side, what do you need to take on to help you along the way?  Is there a Bible study, prayer retreat, or service project you can jump into to help with the journey ahead?  If so, commit to it and trust that Jesus will use it for your betterment. 

As a church we’ve been studying the Lord’s Prayer on Sunday mornings.  If you need direction, why not start there and pray it slowly and intentionally every single day?  We have prayer guides online and here at the church to guide you in this – just ask me or Emily and we’ll help you out.  For now, I’ll leave you with Jesus’ own words from Matthew 6, beautifully translated by Eugene Peterson in The Message:

Here’s what I want you to do:

Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God.  Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage.  The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace…

This is your Father you are dealing with, and he knows better than you what you need.  With a God like this loving you, you can pray very simply. Like this:

Our Father in heaven,
Reveal who you are.
Set the world right;
Do what’s best—
    as above, so below.
Keep us alive with three square meals.
Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others.
Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil.
You’re in charge!
You can do anything you want!
You’re ablaze in beauty!
  Yes. Yes. Yes.

With you in the wilderness,

Blake

Ash Wednesday

This Wednesday is Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of the season of Lent. If you didn’t grow up with Lent (and I know many of you didn’t, myself included), here’s a bit of background…

The word “Lent” comes from the Old English word for “springtime.” It refers to the length of time before Easter, traditionally forty days, when the Church prepares to commemorate Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. Just as Advent helps us prepare spiritually for Christmas, Lent helps us prepare spiritually for Holy Week and Easter.

You may be asking, Do I have to observe Lent?  The first answer is, Of course not! But the second answer is, Why wouldn’t you?  This season is a gift to us in which we may pause and reflect on our lives in light of Jesus Christ. So, I encourage you to observe it this year. Typically folks use this time as a chance to give something up: certain foods, certain media, certain habits. In recent years it’s become popular to take something on: daily prayer, for instance, or journaling and letter-writing. Regardless, the goal isn’t self-promotion (pride) but self-effacement (humility). What will help you humble yourself over the next forty days, so that you can see Jesus more clearly? Whatever the answer is… do it.

For a special focus during this Lenten season, we at First Presbyterian Church are studying and praying through the Lord’s Prayer. You can order a great study guide through City Lights bookstore by clicking here.

Prayer Resources

“Lord, teach us to pray.”

This was the request, the plea, the prayer of Jesus’ disciples — and it’s ours as well. For several months this winter season, we are pondering the mystery of prayer by going deeper into Scripture with Jesus as our guide. Here are some resources to help us along the way.

Soaking Prayer & Prayer Ministry

We have an active and vibrant prayer ministry at First Presbyterian Church. Why not use this as an opportunity to go deeper with trusted brothers and sisters in Christ?

• Prayer Ministers are available after every Sunday Worship Service and would be happy to pray with you. You can also contact these prayer ministers if you would like to set up an appointment to receive prayer in a quiet, confidential setting. (Please call the church office for more information.)

• Soaking Prayer is offered on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of each month at 7:00pm in the sanctuary. This is a time to receive prayer in a non-threatening, Spirit-filled environment.  Simply come into the sanctuary, write your prayer requests on a card offered to you, and rest in silence as our prayer ministers lift you up to the Lord in prayer.

Prayer Retreat

Join us for a church-wide gathering on March 21, 2020 to go deeper in the practice of prayer.  We will meet in the Fellowship Hall at 9:00am, spend time in group discussion, and take time to actually pray before breaking for lunch at 12:00pm.  There's no cost, but please do RSVP by calling the church office (586-4256) or visiting our Facebook Event page so that we know how much food to get.  Come and bring a friend — no experience necessary!

Books, Devotionals, and Study Guides

There are more books on prayer than anyone could ever read! Where should you begin? Here are some resources that I (Blake) have found especially helpful in my journey with Jesus:

For a general introduction to prayer: Richard Foster, Prayer

Richard Foster is the founder and former president of Renovaré, an interdenominational Christian ministry that focuses on spiritual formation. I read through this book when I was first ordained in Raleigh and found Foster’s wisdom and insights to be profoundly helpful, especially for a beginner in the school of prayer!

For a guide to praying with Scripture, especially the Psalms: Eugene Peterson, Answering God

Eugene Peterson is one of my favorite writers and thinkers. In this book he not only explores the importance of prayer for the Christian life, but he opens up the Psalms as the prayer-book of the Bible. In these cries of joy and lament (and everything in between), we see every human emotion laid bare before the face of God.

For a short, grace-filled daily devotional: Brennan Manning, Reflections for Ragamuffins

This was my devotional in my first year of marriage to Erin, and I can still picture the kitchen table in Costa Rica where we would sit each morning and drink our coffee and read this book. Manning was a master teacher of the Gospel of Grace, and this book — full of insights from his various other books — does not disappoint. Read a page each day and be challenged and encouraged by the goodness of God.

For a longer devotional that focuses on morning, noontime, and evening prayer: Phyllis Tickle, The Divine Hours

To go deeper in prayer, many Christians take on the practice of praying “the hours,” which refers to praying three, five, or even seven times a day on a regularly-scheduled rhythm. These books (three in all) provide guidance for doing this. Tickle was an Episcopalian and draws heavily from the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer, but this is a helpful resource for anyone desiring an ordered prayer life. It has been my guide for years, one that I read nearly every weekday morning.

For a study of prayer through an ancient lens: Gabriel Bunge, Earthen Vessels

I read through this book in 2016, during my first Lenten season in Sylva, and it quickly became one of my favorites. Bunge began as a Catholic priest and monk and later converted to Orthodoxy, and his writing represents his commitment to both the church and the Great Tradition of the Christian faith. Read this book for a look at how the communion of saints have prayed through the ages, and be encouraged to go and do likewise.

Of course, this list isn’t exhaustive: there are so many other resources for you to explore. Many of our church members have benefited from Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest. Many have enjoyed Philip Yancey and Timothy Keller’s recent books (both called Prayer). Many of our prayer ministers have been blessed by the ministry of Presbyterian Reformed Ministries International. Ask the Lord and your trusted friends to help you and to teach you as we go deeper in prayer together.

Yours in Christ for the journey ahead,
Blake

Service of Lament for Victims of Gun Violence

Every year thousands of people die due to gun violence in the United States. While few of these deaths make headlines, each represents a life mourned by others, a life of unmet possibilities, a life of a beloved child of God. As a community of faith, it is right that we should gather to remember the sacredness of those lives and to reflect on the loss they mean to us all. The downtown Sylva churches invite you to join us on Thursday, April 4 at 12:00 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church of Sylva for a brief service of lament, prayer, and hope.

A Blessed Lent

Today is Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of the season of Lent. If you didn’t grow up with Lent (and I know many of you didn’t, myself included), here’s a bit of background. The word “Lent” comes from the Old English word for “springtime.” It refers to the length of time before Easter, traditionally forty days, when the Church prepares to commemorate Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. Just as Advent helps us prepare spiritually for Christmas, Lent helps us prepare spiritually for Holy Week and Easter.

You may be asking, Do I have to observe Lent?  The first answer is, Of course not. But the second answer is, Why wouldn’t you?  This season is a gift to us in which we may pause and reflect on our lives in light of Jesus Christ. So, I encourage you to observe it this year. Typically folks use this time as a chance to give something up: certain foods, certain media, certain habits. In recent years it’s become popular to take something on: daily prayer, for instance, or journaling and letter-writing. Regardless, the goal isn’t self-promotion (pride) but self-effacement (humility). What will help you humble yourself over the next forty days, so that you can see Jesus more clearly? Whatever the answer is… do it.

For a special focus during this Lenten season, several of us here at First Presbyterian Church are watching and discussing the short film Godspeed. Click here to watch the film, and then explore their website for additional resources.

A Blessed Lent

Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of the season of Lent. If you didn’t grow up with Lent (and I know many of you didn’t, myself included), here’s a bit of background. The word “Lent” comes from the Old English word for “springtime.” It refers to the length of time before Easter, traditionally forty days, when the Church prepares to commemorate Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. Just as Advent helps us prepare spiritually for Christmas, Lent helps us prepare spiritually for Holy Week and Easter.

You may be asking, Do I have to observe Lent? The first answer is, Of course not. But the second answer is, Why wouldn’t you? This season is a gift to us wherein we may pause and reflect on our lives in light of Jesus Christ. So, I encourage you to observe it this year. Typically folks use this time as a chance to give something up: certain foods, certain media, certain habits. In recent years it’s become popular to take something on: daily prayer, for instance, or journaling and letter-writing. Regardless, the goal isn’t self-promotion (pride) but self-effacement (humility). What will help you humble yourself over the next forty days, so that you can see Jesus more clearly? Whatever the answer is, do it.

Much more can be said — but for now I’ll leave you with the sage words of St. Ambrose of Milan. Let’s pray this together, and mean it:

O Lord, who has mercy upon all:
take away from me my sins,
and mercifully kindle in me
the fire of your Holy Spirit.
Take away from me the heart of stone,
and give me a heart of flesh,
a heart to love and adore You,
a heart to delight in You,
to follow and enjoy You, for Christ's sake,
Amen.

Image credit:  Agnolo Gaddi, “Crucifixion”