First United Methodist Church
Bristol, Tennessee
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Your Weekly e-Newsletter and Events Schedule
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September 23, 2018
Eighteenth Sunday After Pentecost
Early Unity Service
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Christ Among the Children by Nolde Emil
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Mark 9: 30-37
Insider Talk
Rev. Brandon Berg
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From the Pastor’s Pen . . .
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Last week, hurricane Florence pounded the Carolina coast and flooded a huge swath of the Southeast. While I’m writing this (Tuesday afternoon, September 18), many areas are still inaccessible, but the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) is ready to spring into action with cleaning kits, tool trailers, Early Response Teams, and Disaster Response Coordinators “immediately when conditions permit”. UMCOR has also committed $10,000 to both the South Carolina and North Carolina conferences to assist with immediate needs on the ground.
UMCOR can do that because people like you know how important their work is, and how well and efficiently they get the job done. They can do that because there are people like you around the world who are committed to supporting UMCOR and giving to their emergency relief funds, building and stockpiling flood and cleaning buckets, and doing the local hands-on work that is required of more volunteers than I care to imagine.
Closer to home, and in the other direction, Camp Bays Mountain opened for its first Summer season this year and served 258 campers from 63 different churches. After five years of offering no site-based United Methodist camping in the Tri-Cities, you helped restart camping with a bang! Your direct gifts, your gifts to The Advance, and your apportionment giving have come together with the hands-on work and dreaming of folks around the Annual Conference to create a fully accessible, fully funded, and fully populated new camp at the foot of Bays Mountain.
Of course, you also support the Jubilee Project, Imagine No Malaria, Willow Mission , Ishe Anesu, the Henderson Settlement, and Appalachia Service Project, just to pull a few off the top of my head. Not that I would want to fail to mention Help for Haiti, Meals on Wheels, Bristol Faith in Action, Family Promise, the Hospice House, and all the other local missions you support.
Really, it’s just astounding what God’s Spirit does through us when we come together.
That’s what I hope we can celebrate this Sunday. Around the world, in different cultures, with people from different backgrounds, we all worship in vastly different ways. Even in our local church, we have some folks who respond beautifully to a traditional style of worship, and we have some folks who find much more meaning in a quieter opportunity to hear God’s voice within. I would never want to take either of those opportunities away from any of us. I see how deeply blessed we are in the different ways we worship and serve.
I think that’s fantastic.
So this Sunday, let’s celebrate our diversity. Let’s celebrate our togetherness. Let’s celebrate that we can hold those two things side by side, and celebrate what God does through this beautiful mosaic that is the Church.
I’m excited. I hope you are, too.
Peace,
Brandon
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Our “Feed the Hungry” offering this week is for Local School Missions.
This fund helps families in need within the Bristol School System.
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The church gratefully acknowledges these
gifts in Loving Memory of
Madeleine Helton
To Meals on Wheels by Russ and
Beverly Basham
To The Memorial Fund by Richard and
Beverly McCallum
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Last Sunday
Mark 8:27-38
Wisdom in the Street
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God of Grace and God of Glory, on thy people pour thy power;
crown thine ancient church’s story; bring her bud to glorious flower.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage, for the facing of this hour,
for the facing of this hour.
~Harry Fosdick
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Those who obey me will dwell securely,
untroubled by the dread of harm.
~Proverbs 1:33 CEB
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Open my eyes, that I may see glimpses of truth thou hast for me;
place in my hands the wonderful key that shall unclasp and set me free.
Silently now I wait for thee, ready, my God, thy will to see,
Open my eyes, illumine me, Spirit divine!
~Clara H. Scott
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Ms. Suzanne taught us about saying kind words. She had us hold up our hand as a cup into which she poured kind words. She then asked us to pour our cups of kind words over the head of the person sitting next to us.
Ms. Suzanne taught us the kind words she and her friends used to say to each other after youth meetings. They stood in a circle, crossed their right hand over their left, held hands, and repeated: “The Lord bless you and keep you, The Lord make His face to shine upon you and give you peace.” Ms. Suzanne remembers those very kind words – and also, how they made her feel then, and how they make her feel now.
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Passing the Peace . . . Greeting: “Peace be with you.”
Response: “And also with you.”
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Kathy Lowdermilk visited our fellowship to speak to us about a Big Brothers/Big Sisters program beginning in Bristol and how we as individuals may become involved in the life-impacting ministry to boys and girls in our community.
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Jesus and his disciples left Galilee and went up to the villages near Caesarea Philippi. As they were walking along, he asked them,
“Who do people say I am?”
“Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say you are one of the other prophets.”
Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?”
Peter replied, “You are the Messiah.”
Mark 8:27-29 NLT
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And today, the question is no less challenging than it was for Peter:
Who do you say that I am?
Lord, you are Messiah;
keep teaching us what that means.
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How You Can Help Your Fellow Americans
Impacted by Hurricane Florence
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Are you wondering how you can help? Tim Jones, Director of Communications for the Holston Conference has asked that we prepare Hygiene Kits and/or Cleaning Kits for UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) to use for disaster relief. These kits must be received at the church by Sunday, September 30 so they may be taken to the drop off location by our deadline of October 1.
You may also give financial donations to UMCOR. Checks can be made to “Holston Conference” with “Florence response” on the memo line and mailed to: Holston Conference, PO Box 850, Alcoa, TN 37701.
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The Youth-Sponsored Spaghetti Dinner Was a Huge Success!
Thanks for all the support!
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Blood pressure checks will be provided
2nd and 4th Sundays
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Erica Rakes has graciously offered to provide blood pressure checks on
Second and Fourth Sundays at the close of the worship service.
You will find her in the church library. Thank you, Erica!!
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Five-Week Study in Progress
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Alzheimer’s/Dementia: Ministry with the Forgotten by Bishop Kenneth Carder
offered in two sessions:
Wednesday mornings at 11:00 a.m.
Sunday evenings at 7:00 p.m. – Tankersley Hall
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5th and 6th Grade Bible Study
Wednesday, September 26, 6:30-8:00
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We’re going to Steele Creek Park on Wednesday, September 26 to play Disc Golf.
Join us for the fun! Meet at the church at 6:30 p.m.
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Missing Sunday School? How about “Sunday School” on some other day?
Come to an organizational meeting of a group, enjoy fellowship and plan how we might find a time and way to learn about God’s word for our life.
Book study?
Bible review?
Videos and movies?
Want to eat?
What would you like?
We’ll decide together.
Organizational meeting next Wednesday, September 19 at 5:30 at the church.
Previous Fellowship Class…..you might like this!
Those looking for a small group…..this could be it!
New to the church and want to connect and study…..try this out!
Everybody…..this could be a new way to find God in the midst of new and old friends. . .
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An Invitation from the Choir
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Join with the choir on September 23, Unity Sunday, for the
9:30 a.m. Contemplative Worship Service.
Come to First United Methodist Church’s early worship at
9:30 a.m. We will meet in the Chapel.
Bring a brunch dish.
(The choir will provide juice and drinks).
After worshiping together, we will enjoy a time of
food and fellowship and be
ready for the final day of the Rhythm and Roots
Festival downtown.
This will be FUMC’s only worship service on September 23.
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Martha Circle
Next meeting at Sue Bryngelson’s House
September 25 at 5:30. NOTE NEW TIME!
We’ll have pizza so don’t worry about supper.
Come and bring a friend.
All women of the church and your friends are welcome.
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The Date and Time of Charge Conference for
First United Methodist Church, Bristol Have Been Set:
Sunday, October 14, 2018, 5:30 p.m.
Weaver United Methodist Church
132 Peoples Road
Bristol, TN 37620
Please put this important meeting on your calendar.
This is our opportunity to voice our vote for leadership
within the local church.
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What We All Need to Know About
FUMC’s Budget
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Let’s get rid of the (Parentheses)
The General Budget account needs help! This is the account which pays our staff; keeps our lights on and the heat and water working; supplies teaching materials for classes; keeps our kitchen supplied with necessities; and supports other worship and administrative needs. The Finance Committee wants to share a weekly report of where the account stands to enable the congregation to know the facts. We are in this time together.
(The last week of September and the first week of October will be reported late due to vacations.)
Account balance as of September 1 ($12,282.76)
Income to September 16 10,019.00
Expenses to September 15 -8,637.88
Account balance as of September 16 ($10,901.64) We are Not overdrawn on our bank account.
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It was an excellent night attended by many of our FUMC parishioners.
Will sang with the choir.
Brandon read from the scriptures.
Bishop Looney delivered the message.
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2018 Holston Evangelism Conference
State Street UMC
Sunday November 4
2:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
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Cost $10.00 at the door.
Books available for purchase on site.
Childcare provided.
Sponsored by the Holston Conference Witness Team and Discipleship Teams.
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Youth Conference
REZ 2019
Pigeon Forge TN
January 25-26-27
Registrations paid by
Aug. 31 are $50
Price through September is $75,
as long as space is available.
Our cabin sleeps twelve.
See John Mack to sign up.
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Our Haitian Family – 2009 Until Now
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Djennie Besson
11th Grade
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Djennie wants to be a pediatrician.
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Bethchina Bilice
9th Grade
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Bethchina wants to be a singer.
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Jeffreyna D. Saintil
9th Grade
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Jeffreyna wants to be a lawyer.
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Michelove Bilice
9th Grade
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Michelove wants to be a nurse.
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Wesley Francois
9th Grade
Wesley wants to be a doctor.
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Loveson Saintil
8th Grade
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Loveson wants to be a preacher.
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Dorvelie Dorvil
6th Grade
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Dorvelie wants to be a nurse.
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Marvens Carliste
5th Grade
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Marvens wants to be a doctor.
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Christine Fleurant
3rd Grade
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Christine wants to be a teacher.
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Nine years of growing! Imagine where our children will be in another nine years!
Thank you for your generous giving and prayer support.
Because of you, these children have hope for their future.
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Worship in Children’s Church Last Week
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Ms. Suzanne taught our lesson from James 3:1-12 about using our tongues
to say kind words. We tore paper and made a collage of lips and a tongue.
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We divided into two classes and worked on age appropriate projects.
Mr. Mike and Ms. Kathy helped the younger children,
and Ms. Suzanne and Ms. Misty helped the older children.
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Younger children made Kind Word sandwiches and wrote letters,
“Dear Friends, Choose kind words.”
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We played the game, “Telephone.”
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We watched a video about how destructive gossip can be. When a story
gets retold, it grows. So, we must be careful what we say to each other.
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What special children we are blessed with in our church!
What a special privilege to teach them God’s good plan for our lives!
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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
call Carol at 423.652.2811 M-Th, 9-2.
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 September 20-26, 2018
Thursday, September 20
6:00pm-Yoga with Jean-Yoga Studio
6:30pm-Girl Scouts-TH
8:00pm-AA
Friday, September 21
5:30pm-Belly Dancing Class-Yoga Studio
6:30pm-Belly Dancing Class-Yoga Studio
7:00pm-NA
Saturday, September 22
Sunday, September 23
9:30am-Joint Contemplative Worship Service-TH
(Childcare is provided from 9:30am to 11:00pm.
Children may be picked up at any time.)
9:30am-Sunday School Hour
10:00am-Common Ground Service-Chapel
7:00pm-Alzheimer’s Study-Library
8:00pm-AA
Monday, September 24
6:00pm-Belly Dancing Class-Yoga Studio
Tuesday, September 25
8:00am-Men’s Prayer Group-TH
8:00am-Meals on Wheels-TH/Kitchen
5:30pm-Martha Circle-Home of Sue Bryngelson
8:00pm-AA
Wednesday, September 26
11:00am-Alzheimer’s Study-Library
6:30pm-BeTween Bible Study (5th and 6th Graders)
6:30pm-Youth (MAFIA)-Disk Golf at Steele Creek – 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 