First United Methodist Church
Bristol, Tennessee
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Your Weekly e-Newsletter and Events Schedule
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August 5, 2018
Friendship Day
Eleventh Sunday After Pentecost
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2 Samuel 11:26-12:13a
Bread that Gives Life
Rev. Brandon Berg
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From the Pastor’s Pen . . .
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August is beginning and bringing us into the dog days of Summer.
The last gasps of vacation are being desperately clung to.
Band camps and football camps and other preparatory work is being made to get a strong start on the season.
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It’s that time of transition for all our families who have students or careers attached to the school calendar. Personally, I’ve never been away from that annual ebb and flow. I went nearly straight from my undergraduate program into graduate school, married a teacher, and had Noah come along with two years left of seminary.
Maybe there will come a day, a couple decades down the road, when I won’t be so tied to the school calendar.
But for now, it is one of the major forces shaping my sense of the passage of time. It and the liturgical calendar and the Annual Conference calendar pretty well define my understanding of the shape of each year, and they don’t change all that much. We still live in a world in which those calendars shape each other.
So next week, the shape of our time shifts back into the routine of the school year. On Monday, Sullivan County and Bristol, Tennessee students return. On Wednesday, Washington County students return. On Thursday, Bristol, Virginia school hallways finally fill again.
This year, though, our local United Methodist churches are seizing an opportunity that we really ought to model in every component of our lives.
We are going to pray for our schools.
We are going to publicly pray for our schools.
We are going to gather at one time, at every public school in Bristol, and intentionally pray for students, faculty, staff, administration, parents, facilities, transportation; and we are going to pray that we keep praying for them, and that our prayers grow feet so that God can make a difference through us in the schools God has placed in our care.
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So on Sunday, August 5, before any students begin class, we will gather at 7:00 in the evening at our schools and simply pray. I’ll be helping to lead our time at Anderson Elementary, but if you are better connected to one of our other schools, please get yourself there. Somebody will be doing exactly the same thing.
It’s a simple thing you can do to lift up our schools and everyone related to them. It’s not a political statement, and the event has been cleared by the superintendents of both Bristol school systems. All the principals know what’s going on. Come on over to the school, and let’s pray together.
Peace,
Brandon
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Our “Feed the Hungry” offering this week is for Bristol Faith In Action.
BFIA is a cooperative outreach ministry of the churches of Bristol and the local community, formed to serve any persons whose circumstances leave them with significant physical, social, emotional or spiritual needs.
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First Pray of School
Anderson Elementary School
August 5, 7:00 p.m.
All our United Methodist churches have been invited to pray for our schools
as the school year begins.
Pastor Berg will help lead prayer at Anderson Elementary, but every school in
the Bristol, Virginia and Bristol, Tennessee schools will host a
First Pray of School simultaneously.
Please make a point to show your support for your local school and to begin
this year in the practice of prayer.
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The Church Gratefully Acknowledges a Gift to Holston Home for Children
in Memory of Paul Emmett Ramey by Catherine and Rick Rollins.
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Congratulations to Two of FUMC’s Fine Artists!
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Congratulations to two of our members, Ernestine Blanton and Mary Jane Bradbury.
Both ladies had paintings juried into the
2018 Virginia Highlands Festival Art Show in Abingdon, VA.
Mary Jane’s acrylic painting is a portrait of her granddaughter
Olivia Bradbury-Bittinger.
Olivia’s mother and church member Julie is certainly proud!
Ernestine received an Award of Excellence for her watercolor of
violets under a crab apple tree, and her white orchid painting
was chosen as well to hang in the show.
If you go to the Virginia Highlands Festival this year be sure to drop by the
Arts Depot to see all of the wonderful paintings!
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Many thanks to everyone who was able to contribute to our food pantry collection for Ballad Hospice House in Bristol. The food will be dropped off August 1.
Gratefully,
Julie Blanton
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Thank You for Helping at the Church!
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We had an energetic group including: Dow Strader, Mike Teague, Tom Felty,
David Swecker, David Latham, Suzanne Goyette, Doug Taylor, Carol Taylor,
Brandon Berg, Rebekah Berg, Sarah Berg, Kathy Mack, and John Mack.
We worked hard to weed and trim the gardens.
Several brave souls climbed onto the roof of Tankersley to try to determine our leaking problem.
Safety tape was replaced on several steps.
Falling room number plaques were rehung with double sided tape.
A tremendous thank you to all who helped!
If you could not be there last Saturday, please consider joining us next time.
Many hands make light work!
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Last Sunday
John 6:1-21
Bread that Persists
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Giving to Holston United Methodist Home for Children
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A time for young disciples and young at heart
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Come, every soul by sin oppressed, there’s mercy with the Lord;
and he will surely give you rest, by trusting in his Word.
For Jesus shed his precious blood rich blessings to bestow;
plunge now into the crimson flood that washes bright as snow.
~John H. Stockton
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O let the Son of God enfold you with his Spirit and his love.
Let him fill your heart and satisfy your soul.
O let him have the things that hold you, and his Spirit like a dove
will descend upon your life and make you whole.
~John Wimber
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Sunday, August 5, 2 – 6 p.m.
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For FUMC Youth, the Blackbird Is Calling . . .
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Labyrinth and Blackbird
Wednesday, August 8
6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Meet at the Church
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FUMC Youth Gathered for a Night of Games
this Summer
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Youth Rocked Tankersley Hall During
July 18th’s Rock Band Night
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Youth Conference
REZ 2019 Coming to
Pigeon Forge TN
January 25-26-27
Registrations paid by
August 30 are $50.00.
Our cabin sleeps twelve.
See John Mack to sign up.
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Worship in Children’s Church Last Week
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Ms. Misty taught us about the parable of the ten talents from Matthew 25:14-30.
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We welcomed new friends and enjoyed time with our friends.
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We helped Mr. Mike feed the fish.
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Ms. MIsty brought us Baklava for our snack. It was very sticky and sweet, but good!
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We signed cards to be mailed to friends who cannot come to church.
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Good News about Matching Funds
from Camp Bays Mountain!
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GOOD NEWS! We have exceeded the $25,000 matching funds for the Pool Bath-House match challenge. Thank you to everyone who has given toward this match!
BETTER NEWS!! The matching grant has been increased to $40,000 and the deadline extended to Labor Day!
Please continue to make and/or seek donations to the pool bath-house – they will be matched up to $40,000.
The estimated total cost to complete the bath-house is $150,000–$175,000. The $40,000 matching funds being raised plus the funds already in the bath-house project account get us within $60,000-$80,000 of the total estimated cost.
The pool bath-house is a naming opportunity. If you or someone you know may have interest in sponsoring a camp facility and having your family name or the name of a loved one on a building at camp, contact Pastor Brandon. He will connect you with the individuals who direct that process.The pool bath-house will be located in a prominent position at camp and will be used by nearly everyone who comes to camp during the summer or for a retreat.
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Coming Soon!
Calling All 5th and 6th Graders in
the Church and Neighborhood
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A Bible Study on Wednesdays, 6:30 p.m.
Watch the Newsletter and Bulletin for Further Details . . .
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N.O.W. (Night of Worship)
Saturday, August 4, 2017 @ 3:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Farmers Market, State Street, Bristol
N.O.W. (Night of Worship) is an annual event started to share our Christian faith
with the public with live music and testimonies from the stage.
There will be food, games, giveaways, fun and fellowship.
The event has always been directed towards offering an evening’s relief to the
local homeless population, but open to the public as well. There is no charge.
Come out, enjoy the evening with us and let those that are suffering know that
God loves us, ALL.
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Art Showing and Sale
by Artist Jim Nixon
In the Fellowship Hall
Wallace United Methodist Church
13141 Wallace Pike, Bristol, VA
Saturday, August 4, 2018
10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Lighthouses, Cabins, Barns, Waterfalls, Flowers, Birds, many others.
Come and see. Find a special gift for a special occasion.
Refreshments Served.
A portion of the sales will be given to the Church for their Sign Fund.
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Send Your Pictures and Announcements
to Publish in the Newsletter
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Send your photos and announcements for the Newsletter
For each publication, information is needed by noon on Wednesday.
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Your Church Event and Planning Calendar
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Week of August 2 – August 8, 2018
Thursday, August 2
6:00pm-Yoga with Jean-The Upper Room
6:30pm-Girl Scouts-TH
8:00pm-AA
Friday, August 3
5:30pm-Belly Dancing Class-Yoga Studio
6:30pm-Belly Dancing Class-Yoga Studio
7:00pm-NA
Saturday, August 4
Sunday, August 5
9:30am-The River Worship-TH
9:30am-Sunday School Hour
10:00am-Common Ground Service-Chapel
11:00am-Worship-Sanctuary
(Childcare is provided from 9:30am to 12:00pm.
Children may be picked up at any time.)
12:10pm-Choir Rehearsal
2:00pm-Game Day (until 6pm)-TH
8:00pm-AA
Monday, August 6
1:00pm-Food Pantry Volunteers (until 4pm)-Bristol Emergency Food Pantry)
6:00pm-Belly Dancing Class-Yoga Studio
7:00pm-NA
Tuesday, August 7
8:00am-Men’s Prayer Group-TH
8:00pm-AA
Wednesday, August 8
6:30pm-Youth Event-Labyrinth and Blackbird-Meet at the church.
To make changes or additions to the calendar contact Alan Gorrell 423-652-7377
or Sandy Gorrell 423-652-1987.
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First United Methodist Church
Rev. Brandon Berg, Pastor (276.237.6498)
322 Vance Dr., Bristol, TN 37620
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Our Vision–
Building A Community Where Anyone
Can Become A Deeply Committed Christian
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First United Methodist Church of Bristol 