Latest News: March 12-18, 2020

First United Methodist Church

Bristol, Tennessee

Your Weekly e-Newsletter and Events Schedule

March 12-18, 2020

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Third Sunday in Lent

March 15, 2020

Woman at the Well byJoseph Kleitsch

John 4:5-42

Wilderness Days: Drought and Flood

Rev. Brandon Berg

From the Pastor's Pen

I was talking with a colleague recently about a few new ministries that are developing around her, and I was struck by how creative and different they seemed. With churches shrinking all around us, we could easily give in to despair and fear, but instead there are places where diminishing resources are leading to think of new and different ways of doing things.

I think that’s really exciting.

One might even argue that it’s an ancient way of doing church. What the early Jerusalem church did was something unusual and unique to their community. They were empowered by the Spirit, every one of them, and didn’t depend on the Temple hierarchy to give them support or focus. They did what they needed to do, shared what needed to be shared, and they let the Spirit transform lives through them.

It just made sense at the time.

And it was a practice that seemed to originate from within the community.

Some of y’all have really stellar ideas. I hope you’ll feel bold enough to share them. We need your creativity. We need your imagination. We need your hope. I’m convinced that the Spirit is speaking through you, leading us in exciting new directions.

Maybe for Lent, try giving up despair and fear. Take on creativity and hope. I bet it’ll deeply shape you and bring us into places and ministry we would never have imagined.

Peace,

Brandon

Our Feed the Hungry Offering this Week Is

for Local Missions.

This mission helps members of our church family and other

immediate local mission needs.

Wednesdays at 6:00 p.m.in Tankersley Hall.

We will share a meal together prior to the study.

March 18: tba

March 25: Sue B., PG, Lucy

April 1: Common Ground

April 8: tba

For March 18, Week 3:

Essential Practice #3: SERVE

Here I am, Lord, Send Me.

"Part of what is necessary to serve Christ by serving

others is our willingness to be interrupted."

~Adam Hamilton

Last Sunday at First UMC

John 3:1-17 Blessing and Cursing by Rev. Brandon Berg

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 through Jesus the Son,

and give him the glory, great things he hath done!

~Fanny J. Crosby

We celebrated Girl Scout Sunday. In honor of the day, daisies were given to

all former Girl Scouts by current Girl Scouts in remembrance of the founder,

whose name was Daisy.

The flowers gracing the Altar area Sunday were given to the glory of God and in honor of Martha Ann Watson's March 5th Birthday by Greg and Marianna Watson-Cox.

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine, O what a foretaste of glory divine!

Heir of salvation, purchase of God, Born of His Spirit, washed in his blood.

This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long;

This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long.

~Fanny J. Crosby

Days of wandering have come upon us,

Now is the time to decide what path to follow.

Go into the wilderness, friends,

outside of the protection of family and friends.

Go into the wilderness

and proclaim there the trustworthiness

of the God of these wilderness days.

We Had A Beautiful Lenten Service

and Luncheon

at First UMC on March 11

A very sincere Thank-You to the United Methodist Women who planned, prepared, and served a wonderful meal for 90 attendees at the Lenten Service on Wednesday. You have been a blessing to many!!

Guess What Else Happened on Wednesday?

At 11:00 a.m., before the Lenten Service was to begin at 12:00 noon, two cranes arrived and proceeded to remove the old air conditioning unit from the education wing and replace it with the new one!

Group of "Eight" Meets Saturday!

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.

Click here for lunch menu

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.

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)

Services on Wednesdays 12:00 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Lunch served 12:30 p.m.- 1:00 p.m.

Everyone welcome.

Lenten Noon Organ Meditations

Central Presbyterian Church, 301 Euclid Ave.

Wednesdays 12:05 p.m.

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.

Holy Week at First UMC

Holy Monday, April 6

Holy Tuesday, April 7

Holy Wednesday, April 8

Maundy Thursday, April 9

Good Friday, April 10

All Services 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. in the Chapel

An Invitation

The Hebraic Christian Fellowship will be celebrating their Passover meal in Tankersley Hall on Wednesday, April 8 at 6:00 p.m. They have graciously extended an invitation to anyone from our church community who would like to join them. The cost of the meal is $25.00 per person. If you would like to attend, please contact Gary or Darlene Huff at sarahdhuff@yahoo.com immediately so that they may include you in their count.

The menu: Matzo ball soup and salad, Roasted Lamb, roasted potatoes, mixed vegetables and dessert prepared by Gingerbread Catering, Bristol, TN

Easter Sunday

Then came the morning

Night turned into day

The stone was rolled away

Hope rose with the dawn

Then came the morning

Shadows vanished before the sun

Death had lost and life had won

For morning had come.

~Guy Penrod

Combined Worship Service at 10:00 a.m.

Brunch at 11:30 a.m.

Egg Hunt for Children Provided by the Youth

We are requesting bags of individually wrapped candies for the Children's Egg Hunt. Candies should be small enough so that 2-3 pieces and perhaps a tiny toy can be placed inside a plastic egg.

We do not need plastic eggs – we have plenty remaining from last year.

Stand Up for Caregivers!

Protecting and advocating for the health and wellbeing

of adult caregivers

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.

Stand up for Caregivers Website

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