First United Methodist Church
Bristol, Tennessee
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Your Weekly e-Newsletter and Events Schedule |
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Second Sunday in Lent
March 8, 2020
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Nicodemus Visiting Jesus, by Henry Ossawa Tanner, 1899
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John 3:1-17
Wilderness Days: Blessing and Cursing
Rev. Brandon Berg
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Heidi grew up four years behind me in school. I got to do all the cool, big sibling, getting-older stuff first, and from four years younger, that stuff looked even cooler than it actually was. When my Boy Scout troop started camping, she was enthralled with the idea. It looked like so much fun that, at her very first opportunity, she hooked up with a Girl Scout troop. She was sure they’d be doing monthly weekend camping trips with tents and open fires and lashing together towers and hiking and all this amazing stuff.
They met and did crafts and games.
She was sorely disappointed.
My scouting experience led pretty directly to my involvement with Buffalo Mountain Camp, where I honed some climbing and rappelling skills and developed whitewater skills enough that I became responsible for writing quite a few of the Standard Operating Procedures around our high adventure activities. In the midst of developing those, I met Karoline and discovered that the Girl Scouts had been using some of the most comprehensive and highest standards in the industry for a long time already. I also found out that there are, in fact, Girl Scout troops who do all the fun stuff that my Boy Scout troop did. It wasn’t all crafts and games. It was just an unlucky chance that Heidi landed in a dud.
Both programs have a lot to offer. Both programs develop strong leaders and a better sense of cooperation and community-building than lots of young people ever experience. I wouldn’t be who I am without my experience in Boy Scouts, but I am more consistently impressed with the Girl Scout organization, and I know that a lot of that has to do with my very close relationship with someone who has been even more deeply shaped by GSUSA. My admiration and love for Karoline is the lens through which I see the Girl Scouts.
So as the anniversary of the Girl Scouts approaches, I want to celebrate them. I want to applaud how they have shaped and empowered generations of women. This Sunday is Girl Scout Sunday, and I think some of Troop 102 will be helping to lead worship in one or both services. I hope you’ll join me in celebrating and honoring them, and if you have been shaped by GSUSA, I hope you’ll allow us to celebrate you, too.
Pray for our scouts, friends. God is working through them to build better leaders for a better world. They are making a difference!
Peace,
Brandon
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The Time Changes
this Weekend.
Remember to
spring forward!
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Our Feed the
Hungry Offering
this Week
Is for
Recovery Road.
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Bristol Recovery Road is a faith based recovery program
for women who have been released from jail, providing them a safe and
healthy place to live, job training, and other basic needs until they are
back on their feet again.
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Wednesdays at 6:00 p.m.in Tankersley Hall.
We will share a meal together prior to the study.
March 18 and April 1 are still open for volunteers. See Carol to sign up.
Did you miss Session 1? It is not too late to get started!
Additional books are here! Won't you join us?
For Week 2: Essential Practice #2:
The Importance of Listening and Paying Attention
"When God sought to speak to the
human race, to disclose who God is
and who God calls us to be, he did
not send a book, he sent a Person.
Jesus was God's Word, God's message,
wrapped in human flesh."
~Adam Hamilton.
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Last Sunday at First UMC
First Sunday of Lent
Matthew 4:1-11 Wilderness Days: Life and Death
by Rev. Brandon Berg
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A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;
our helper he amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing.
For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe;
his craft and power are great, and armed with cruel hate,
on earth is not his equal.
Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing,
were not the right man on our side, the man of God's own choosing.
Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is he;
Lord Sabaoth, his name, from age to age the same,
and he must win the battle.
And though the world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,
we will not fear, for God hath willed his truth to triumph through us.
The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him;
his rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure;
one little word shall fell him.
That word above all earthly powers, no thanks to them, abideth;
the Spirit and the gifts are ours, thru him who with us sideth.
Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also;
the body they may kill; God's truth abideth still;
his kingdom is forever.
~Martin Luther
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Special Moments of Worship with Our Children |
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Cindi Carnahan created this beautiful art piece to welcome the
Hebraic Christian Fellowship. It is displayed in Tankersley Hall
in the area in which they will meet weekly on Saturdays to worship.
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March 11 – First UMC (Natalie Justice, Marion, VA)
March 18 – State Street UMC (David Jackson, Emory UMC)
March 25 – Addilynn Memorial UMC (Annette Warren, Cedar Bluff UMC)
April 1 – Virginia Avenue UMC (Estel Williams, Edgefield UMC)
April 8 – Sinking Springs UMC (Mary K Briggs, Emory & Henry)
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Services on Wednesdays 12:00 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Lunch served 12:30 p.m.- 1:00 p.m.
Everyone welcome.
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United Methodist Women Are Serving
Lunch on March 11 . . . Can You Help?
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Next Wednesday, March 11 at noon, First UMC will host the
Community Lenten Service. Lunch will be served at 12:30 p.m.
We need . . .
Helpers who can come early to help set up for lunch in Tankersley Hall.
(Church will be open at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday.)
Helpers who can assist during the meal
Helpers who can stay after to assist with the clean-up
Can you help?
Call Peggy Spangler
423.968.3981
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Next Group of "Eight" Event Planned |
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The Group of "Eight" will be heading to Abingdon, Virginia on Saturday, March 14
for a noon luncheon at the Peppermill Restaurant. A table in the downstairs
has been reserved. Please RSVP to Kathy Wagner.
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From the Finance Committee:
Thank you to those who are giving faithfully this year. The Walk study that starts this week talks about the importance of corporate as well as individual worship. because we are FAMILY, and we are here to support each other. Our report for February is not in the black but it is well up from last month’s final report. Thank you for supporting the family known as First Bristol.
If you donate goods to the church, turn in your receipt and we can give you a statement proving you donated. You will receive the statement and your receipt back for tax purposes. Keep the documents for your 2020 tax work next year. These donations can include food for a meeting, items for worship, trustee purchases…most things you buy and for which you do not receive reimbursement. (Used equipment needs to be approved by the Trustees.) Or you can ask for reimbursement and then sign the check back to the church. These donations appear on your annual statement.
Month end was -$587.70
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Lenten Noon Organ Meditations
Wednesdays 12:05 p.m.
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March 11 – Alice Sanders – Organist of First Presbyterian Church, Kingsport, TN
March 18 – Nick Andrews – Organist of St John's Episcopal Church, Johnson City, TN
March 25 – Jacob Moorman – Organ Student
April 1 – Stephanie Yoder – Organist – Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Bristol, VA
Admission is free, but donations to the music program are gratefully accepted.
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Dinner and Live Music
Saturday, March 14, 5 – 8 p.m.
St. Luke United Methodist Church
105 North St., Bristol VA
Dinner includes: pork roast, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, rolls, salad, dessert, beverages
$10 per person
Purchase tickets in advance at St. Luke,
Mon.-Fri., 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Limited Seating.
Call 276-669-2441 for more information.
No ticket sales at the door. / Sponsored by St. Luke Men's Club.
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Stand Up for Caregivers!
Protecting and advocating for the health and wellbeing
of adult caregivers
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We have been given access to en excellent resource for adult caregivers.
Click on the link below to benefit from all the valuable information provided by
Ms. Beverly Nelson. Our special thanks to Ms. Nelson for making her research
available to us.
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"Sacred Conversations on Race:
Working Toward a Beloved Community"
April 26
2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Pleasant View UMC
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Holston Annual Conference |
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June 7-10, 2020
Lake Junaluska, NC
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Coming this Summer…
Worship at Sugar Hollow
July 12
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A beautiful time to commune with God, nature, and one another.
Save the date.
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Our community and local churches have a need that Camp Bays Mountain is fulfilling. Last year forty-two campers made first time decision to follow Christ and thirty-nine indicated a call into ministry while at summer camp.
Consider a gift to enable Camp Bays Mountain to complete its funding.
When you give to camp, you are investing in the next generation.
Mail checks to Camp Bays Mountain, PO Box 2706, Kingsport, TN 37604.
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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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March 5-11, 2020
Thursday, March 5
6:00pm-Yoga with Jean-The Upper Room
8:00pm-AA
Friday, March 6
5:30pm-Belly Dancing Class-Yoga Studio
6:30pm-Belly Dancing Class-Yoga Studio
Saturday, March 7
3:00pm-Hebraic Christian Fellowship (until 8 p.m.)-TH
Sunday, March 8 – Daylight Savings Time Begins!
9:30am-The River Contemplative Worship Service-TH
9:30am-Shaw-Anchor Adult Sunday School
10:00am-Common Ground Worship-Chapel
11:00am-Traditional Worship Service-Sanctuary
12:15pm-Worship Committee-Choir Room
12:30pm-Choir Rehearsal-Choir Room
8:00pm-AA
Monday, March 9
6:00pm-Belly Dancing Class-Yoga Studio
Tuesday, March 10
8:00pm-AA
Wednesday, March 11
12:00pm-Lenten Service-First UMC-(Natalie Justice, Marion, VA)
6:00pm-The Walk Book Study-TH
6:30pm-Youth Activity
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 