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First United Methodist Church

Bristol, Tennessee

Your Weekly e-Newsletter and Events Schedule

July 4-10, 2019

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Fourth Sunday After Pentecost

July 7, 2019

Philippians 1:6

Nate Roark

From the Pastor’s Pen

We are en route to Michigan for our annual pilgrimage to visit family and friends. Even for a trip involving children, it has taken longer than anticipated. Traffic has been building, leading up to the Independence Day holiday; the kayaks we chose to bring this year have presented challenges; our GPS (or perhaps our ability to understand it) has thrown us off course multiple times; and our overnight stay to break up the trip left something to be desired.

This, I suppose, is why we seek prayers for travel mercies. Traveling is not merciful.

But in the midst of the tension and stress of travel, we have time set aside with family. That is what we should embrace. We should be enjoying the company of the family God has given us.

I know things aren’t always smooth as we try to be in community with each other. We don’t always treat each other with the kindness and patience we ought to. But part of being the Church is leaving space for the mistakes that happen as we navigate our sanctification, leaving a little grace for the flaws of humanity.

In different ways, to different degrees, we are all seeking after holiness.

We are trying to be more like Jesus.

Let’s do it with a measure of patience for each other. Maybe we don’t deserve it, but we sure need it.

Peace,

Brandon

P.S. It’s my intention to step fully into vacation for the next week and a half. I don’t plan to write an article next week, but if you have something you’d like to share, send it in. If we find ourselves flooded by your responses, maybe we can space some of your submissions out into upcoming newsletters.

Have a Happy and Safe Independence Day!

Church offices will be closed July 4 in observance of the holiday.

Pastoral Emergency Contacts

I will be on vacation with my family over the next two weeks. In the event of a pastoral emergency, I will have my mobile phone on me (276) 237-6498, but I will be unable to return while we are out of town. If you are in need of pastoral care, two colleagues have agreed to be emergency contacts.

During the week of July 1, the Reverend Rosa Slavik (Trinity UMC) will be available. Her phone is (276) 492-9568.

During the week of July 8, the Reverend Caroline Hawthorne (Hunt Memorial and St. Luke UMC) will be available. Her phone is (423) 963-9703.

I apologize for failing to publish this information in last week’s newsletter and bulletin. We will ensure that it is published this week.

Peace,

Brandon

Feed the Hungry Offering

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.

Our Help for Haiti Mission Team Needs You!

It is an urgent time this summer to be able to position our mission to provide the necessary support for education and housing costs due this fall.

To set up a monthly sponsorship, please contact Carol in the main FUMC office at

(423) 652-2811. Leferne Preptit (verdieu34@yahoo.com) or Haiti team member

Nate Hubbard (nhubbard1985@yahoo.com) are also available to help answer any questions or organize a presentation to a potential individual donor or group outside FUMC.

Help for Haiti Mission Team

In Loving Sympathy

The members of First United Methodist Church extend

our love and deepest sympathy to

Brenda and Jim Hobbs

and to

Vangline and Dean Chafin

in the passing of Brenda and Vangline’s Brother

Glenn B. Jenkins

on June 29, 2019

Memorials

The Church Gratefully Acknowledges these Gifts

in Memory of Shirley Olsen

to the Memorial Fund by Louise Akard Bowdoin, Donna Bowdoin,

LaVonda Keel, and Nancy Vernon

and to Meals on Wheels by Larry and Kathy Wagner

In Worship Last Sunday

Pastor Berg shared the

message Determination from Luke 9:51-62

O God, our help in ages past, our hope for years to come,

our shelter from the stormy blast, and our eternal home!

A thousand ages, in thy sight, are like an evening gone;

short as the watch that ends the night, before the rising sun.

~Isaac Watts, 1719

This is my song, O God of all the nations,

a song of peace for lands afar and mine.

This is my home, the country where my heart is;

here are my hopes, my dreams, my holy shrine;

but other hearts in other lands are beating

with hopes and dreams as true and high as mine.

My country’s skies are bluer than the ocean,

and sunlight beams on cloverleaf and pine;

but other lands have sunlight too, and clover,

and skies are everywhere as blue as mine.

O hear my song, thou God of all the nations,

a song of peace for their land and for mine.

This is my prayer, O Lord of all earth’s kingdoms;

Thy kingdom come; on earth thy will be done.

Let Christ be lifted up till all shall serve him,

and hearts united learn to live as one.

O hear my prayer, thou God of all the nations;

myself I give thee; let thy will be done.

~Lloyd Stone, 1934

Fall Fete

Please join the fun!

A Fete is a gala day · garden party · bazaar · fair · feast · festival · jubilee ·

Keep September 28 open for a fall celebration at the church. Plans are only forming but it is hoped to have a bake sale, craft and art sale, small yard sale, games and any other things you can think of for raising money for the general account and introducing folks to First UMC.

Please contact Julie Blanton or Sue Dietz if you want to help plan and/or contribute to the craft and art sale.

We need a few folks who enjoy working on publicity including posters, tv and radio and newspaper.

How about a group sponsoring a bar-b-que sandwich and drinks sale?

If we work together and contribute our own talents, we could have an outreach time and help raise some money for the church. This is being sponsored by the Finance Committee.

Children’s Ministry

We only have a month until school starts. If you would like to help teach, plan a special event, or help us in any way…. please contact Mike, Suzanne, or Brandon.