First United Methodist Church
Bristol, Tennessee
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Your Weekly e-Newsletter and Events Schedule
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Fifteenth Sunday After Pentecost
September 22, 2019
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Luke 16:1-13
Rich Man Parable #1: Good Stewardship of Stuff
Rev. Brandon Berg
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There is a squirrel who comes to the church and sits on our overhead brick structures to crack open nuts and have a meal. I watched him after a Sunday service once, and he didn’t seem at all perturbed about having an audience. He looked at me and went back to his business. I’ve seen the shells he has left on top of our brick entryways to the sanctuary and on top of our rain collectors. He doesn’t apparently have just one place to perch himself, but he definitely likes to be up above everybody.
I’m not really sure what to make of that. Maybe there’s no lesson to be learned from his practice. I don’t suppose he is trying to gather an audience, to eat as a performance practice. I assume he just feels safer from a higher vantage point.
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I’m glad he and his refuse caught my attention. I’m glad I allowed my attention to be caught. I get awfully busy sometimes, and I’ve noticed that I’ve been busier than usual lately. It can be easy for me to focus on a goal or be lost in my own thoughts and planning going from place to place. It can be easy for me to miss what is happening all around me.
I need to quiet myself, unlock my driven gaze, and let God distract me more.
I know there’s a place for being focused. I know there are deadlines to be met. But there are also things going on around me all the time, and they’re not clamoring for my attention. They’re just waiting to be noticed.
God, help me notice more. In the moments of surprise and joy, that’s where I’ll find you.
Peace,
Brandon
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First United Methodist Church
extends our love
and deepest sympathy to
Richard and Beverly McCallum
in the loss of Richard’s brother,
Bruce McCallum.
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Elizabeth Anne Sietins, daughter of Alexis and Jenny Sietins,
was born September 16, 2019.
Proud grandparents are Bob and Ellen Mueller.
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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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FUMC First Annual Harvest Fete Fundraiser
Saturday, September 28, 10am to 4p
We are almost ready to celebrate the fall with our Fete.
A few final pieces of the planning remain and a few jobs:
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- Make cornbread on Wednesday evening, September 25, at 6 pm in the church kitchen. We can freeze it for Saturday. Please contact Sue Dietz if you are interested in helping.
If possible a hand mixer, muffin pans and cupcake papers
will be a great help. With two ovens we can probably take no more
than a couple hours to make enough.
- We will be setting up the jumble sale on the stage on Monday, September 23. Please come in the morning if you can give a few hours to work on moving and gathering items for the sale. Bring your items now. We can’t accept last minute items. If you need to know more, contact Peggy Wilson.
- Friday afternoon and evening we will plan to set up Tankersley Hall. Some of the vendors may want to set up then. We will open at 8 am for vendors on Saturday also.
- Have you signed up to help on Saturday? If not, and you are available, contact Sue Dietz.
We are close!
Let’s have FUN and work together!
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We are asking our churches to begin preparing Cleaning Kits and Hygiene Kits for UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) to use for their disaster relief.
Click on the links below for instructions on preparing kits.
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Mission Project for Liberia
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Remember the “Hands -On Mission Project”
kits that we donated earlier this year?
The kits arrived in Liberia in late July.
Our Clinch Mountain District had a goal of
400 kits; the actual number collected was
1,000 kits!
Thanks to everyone who was able to
participate this year.
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Bristol Faith in Action is an
extension of member churches in the Bristol, Blountville, Bluff City, and Piney Flats areas.They use a Christ-centered approach to help people in financial crisis.
Currently BFIA has a critical need for non-perishable food, personal care and cleaning items. Please support them with these or monetary donations.
276-466-8292
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If God is calling you to help, contact our Children’s Coordinator, Suzanne Goyette. (home 423-753-7172 or cell 423-967-4247)
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As a part of their worship last Sunday, our children made Christmas
ornaments, which will be sold at the Fete.
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We need multiple church attenders to be trained in
appropriate ways to assist children and adults in our church and how to
handle situations that may arise.
If you have not yet participated in training but desire to do so,
please contact Suzanne Goyette.
(home 423-753-7172 or cell 423-967-4247)
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First UMC Monthly Financial Report
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August 31 Balance: (-$19,678.48)
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Worship Last Sunday
Message by Rev. Brandon Berg from Luke 15 :1-10 Recovering Lost Things
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Great news was shared during prayer and praise time, Tuesday is her birthday!
The church joined in singing happy birthday.
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To God be the glory, great things he hath done!
So loved he the world that he gave us his Son,
who yielded his life an atonement for sin,
and opened the lifegate that all may go in.
O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood,
to every believer the promise of God;
the vilest offender who truly believes,
that moment from Jesus a pardon receives.
Great things he hath taught us, great things he hath done,
and great our rejoicing thru Jesus the Son;
but purer, and higher, and greater will be
our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see.
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the earth hear his voice!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the people rejoice.
O come to the Father thru Jesus the Son,
and give him the glory, great things he hath done!
~ Fanny J Crosby, 1873
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As Autumn draws near, our Committee on Lay Leadership is prayerfully discerning the best teams to guide FUMC through 2020 and beyond.
If you have felt God tugging at your soul to take on or continue specific ministries within our church and community, please talk to a member of the Committee ASAP:
Brandon Berg, Rebekah McGrady, Alan Hale, Nate Hubbard,
Suzanne Rollins, Sue Dietz, Trinka Felty, Alan Gorrell
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The Board of Trustees
invites you to take home
to your garden
some of the richly fertilized soil under the blue tarp beside our Vance Road sign.
Take as much as you like,
and leave the tarp.
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This quarter our church will receive a check for $68.78 based on sales of FUMC families who shop at Krogers and have joined Kroger’s Community Partnership Program with FUMC as the beneficiary.
Thank you to those who participated! If you are not currently participating and would like more information, contact the church office.
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District Conference
September 29
3:00 p.m.
Pleasant View
United Methodist Church
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CROP Hunger Walk –
We are five weeks away from the
Southwestern Virginia CROP Hunger Walk
on October 6 at Emory & Henry.
We can make a difference in the lives of those who are hungry
if we will all pitch in and help.
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You may also contact David St. Clair at 276-944-4614 for more information.
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November 3
All Saints Sunday
November 17
Charge Conference
5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Weaver Memorial UMC
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Hiwassee College Alumni Association, Inc. (HCAA, Inc.) is trying to contact all persons who attended Hiwassee College to keep them informed regarding efforts to revive Hiwassee and restore it to the service it was built upon.
Below are links and address for more information:
hiwasseealumni@gmail.com (copy and paste) to send direct email
https://forms.gle/tejanSbjKu1pyens9 fill out to be added to an information list
Hiwassee College Alumni, Inc., PO Box 65, Madisonville, TN 37354
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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 Tu-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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September 19-25, 2019
Thursday, September 19
5:00pm-Reading Buddies Orientation
6:00pm-Yoga with Jean-The Upper Room
8:00pm-AA
Friday, September 20
5:30pm-Belly Dancing Class-Yoga Studio
6:30pm-Belly Dancing Class-Yoga Studio
7:00pm-NA
Saturday, September 21
9:00am-Holston Quilters Guild (until noon)-Tankersley Hall
Sunday, September 22
9:30am-Sunday School
9:30am-The River Contemplative Worship-Tankersley Hall
10:00am-Common Ground Worship-Chapel
11:00am-Traditional Worship Service-Sanctuary
12:15pm-Choir Rehearsal
8:00pm-AA
Monday, September 23 – First Day of Autumn
9:00am-Set up for the Jumble sale-come in the morning if you can
6:00pm-Belly Dancing Class-Yoga Studio
Tuesday, September 24
8:00am-Men’s Prayer Group-TH
8:00am-Meals on Wheels-Kitchen/TH
6:00pm-Martha Circle-TH
8:00pm-AA
Wednesday, September 25
6:00pm-Women will meet to bake cornbread-Church kitchen
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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