Latest News: June 4-10, 2020

First United Methodist Church

Bristol, Tennessee

Your Weekly e-Newsletter and Events Schedule

June 4-10, 2020

Photograph by Karoline Berg

Visit our website

Trinity Sunday

June 7, 2020

"The Trinity" by Fr. John Giuliani

Matthew 28: 16-20

God in Community

Rev. Brandon Berg

Schedule Adjustment:

Morning worship at 11:00 a.m. via Facebook Live

The River and the Traditional service will not gather

until further notice per Bishop Taylor.

Our virtual worship together will take their place

until our time of social distancing is lifted.

If you have not connected to FUMC via Facebook,

please go do that. You can also connect to Rev. Berg

on Facebook, on Twitter, and on Instagram.

He will try to share uplifting and empowering things

on those media.

From the Pastor's Pen

This is not my original idea, but as the Teacher reminds us, “There is nothing new under the sun.” Sometimes it’s best just to repeat or magnify somebody else’s ideas.

Luke remembers Jesus saying this:

Suppose someone among you had one hundred sheep and lost one of them. Wouldn’t he leave the other ninety-nine in the pasture and search for the lost one until he finds it? And when he finds it, he is thrilled and places it on his shoulders. When he arrives home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Celebrate with me because I’ve found my lost sheep.’

The ninety-nine aren’t unloved. They are important. They matter. But the one in danger is the immediate priority.

The shepherd doesn’t concern himself with accusing or berating or belittling the sheep for being in harm’s way. He simply goes out, finds the lost sheep, cradles it home, and celebrates its recovery.

That sheep matters in that moment.

Most of us already understand why “all lives matter” is irrelevant and belittling. But if you are not among those, and you are a person who still responds to “black lives matter” with that statement or some other red herring, let me offer the Parable of the Lost Sheep as a Biblical foundation for supporting the Black Lives Matter movement.

This is what is necessary in this moment.

Lend your voice to this moment. Better still, magnify the voice of a person of color. It is well past time to end more than four centuries of systemic racism. Use your words and your presence to bring healing and unity. Reject all the words and actions that build walls and undermine someone else’s dignity, even the words and actions that seem miniscule or harmless. All your words make a difference.

So if you haven’t started yet, arrange your words and actions around these words:

Black lives matter.

Peace,

Brandon

While we are practicing social distancing in response to the COVID-19 outbreak,

FUMC will not be keeping regular office hours.

If you need to reach Rev. Berg, he will still be responding by email at

pastor@fumcbristol.wpcomstaging.com

and by text or call (276) 237-6498

Last Sunday

Luke 24:44-53

Common English Bible

Jesus said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the Law from Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms must be fulfilled.”

Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures. He said to them, “This is what is written: the Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and a change of heart and life for the forgiveness of sins must be preached in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. 49 Look, I’m sending to you what my Father promised, but you are to stay in the city until you have been furnished with heavenly power.”

He led them out as far as Bethany, where he lifted his hands and blessed them. As he blessed them, he left them and was taken up to heaven. They worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem overwhelmed with joy. And they were continuously in the temple praising God.

Psalm 104:24-34

Adapted from the New Revised Standard Version

O Lord, how manifold are your works!

In wisdom you have made them all;

the earth is full of your creatures.

Yonder is the sea, great and wide,

creeping things innumerable are there,

living things both small and great.

There go the ships,

and Leviathan that you formed to sport in it.

These all look to you

to give them their food in due season;

when you give to them, they gather it up;

when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.

When you hide your face, they are dismayed;

when you take away their breath, they die

and return to their dust.

When you send forth your spirit, they are created;

and you renew the face of the ground.

May the glory of the Lord endure for ever;

may the Lord rejoice in God’s works—

who looks on the earth and it trembles,

who touches the mountains and they smoke.

I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;

I will sing praise to my God while I have being.

May my meditation be pleasing to him,

for I rejoice in the Lord.

UMCOR Disaster Response

FUMC-Bristol recognizes June 7th to support the disaster response efforts of

the United Methodist Church.

UMCOR’s administrative costs are covered by donations received on UMCOR Sunday (formerly One Great Hour of Sharing), along with other undesignated gifts made throughout the year. None of UMCOR’s support comes from apportionments;

it’s all second-mile, voluntary giving.

Please donate generously using the link below to help replenish UMCOR funds.they can be ready t help where needed.

UMCOR Disaster Response USA

Our Book Study

continues this Wednesday via zoom.

It's not too late to join; all are welcome.

We will be studying "Part Four: Voice"

led by Brandon

Here's the link to participate:

Topic: Glory Happening book study

Join Zoom Meeting

https://umcom.zoom.us/j/91143262294?pwd=OU91V01RdEdSRThBcldrenVBSUlwdz09

Meeting ID: 911 4326 2294

Password: 633880

Here's a link to purchase a copy:

Amazon: Glory Happening

During our period of virtual service, please be reminded of three ways

that you may contribute your tithes and offerings:

Personal check via mail to the church

Holston Conference free online giving tool.

Click below to be directed to that website, and choose

Clinch Mountain District.

https://holston-reg.brtapp.com/ChurchOffering

Bank draft from your personal checking account. A permission form and voided check are needed to initiate this. Leave a message with Carol to have the form mailed to you.

There is room at the table for Dinner for ? participants.

The Angry Italian was the restaurant of choice this last Tuesday. This is a fun way to find new places to eat and visit some of our favorites. Please, feel free to send votes each week or new suggestions.

I have received positive responses about trying a Tuesday tailgate in the church parking lot. this would depend on the weather for the day. Chairs, social distancing, and good food ! –Sue D.

A Note From Your Lay Leader,

Sue Dietz

I am writing to you today in tears. This last week has been so hard. I knew we had nothing to brag about with race relations, including Native Americans and people of color. While in college in Iowa I wanted to be in the Peace Corps. I wanted to march with Martin Luther King, Jr. I lived through my folks living in D.C. when Castro was threatening to bomb them. I had never heard of Gay, let alone LGBTQ. But the tinderbox that has been lit now is beyond my understanding. I do not even know what to say to those whom I have denied social justice by my staying unaware of what was happening. A trip to South Dakota a few summers ago brought awareness of indignities done to Indian nations and their people. I talked to Mary Burns about what she had been through as she grew up and later when she had her own children and worked. I finally understood why I was a Methodist…social justice. No matter what our political stance, I think we as Methodists must search for ways to support social justice for our brothers and sisters who are suffering from many different problems.

How can I as one person do this? I am old and frightened. I am ready to just pull into my shell and not put my head out again! Well, it is time to pull on my big girl bloomers and pay attention to what is happening to those who are not like me. I have to realize that we all basically have the same needs and wants. I need to watch what is being proposed for laws and speak out if I find inequality. And, how about a big smile for those I meet…not easy in a mask! Little acts with many people can add up to a big statement.

Let us as a Methodist family pay attention care, and speak. Welcome all, show love and speak out.

Finance Report

From Sue Dietz

At the moment we are at (-$1334.32) This was a month of change for finance reporting and work.

We have been assigned a new accountant at the firm that does some of our work. This has made for a few hiccups but will free up Crystal and give us someone who can stay on top of our accounts. Crystal has had to assume many more duties due to the death of one of the partners. She will continue to work with Dwayne Green as he learns about “the Methodist way” and our account.
Due to this change, the automatic giving was missed and corrected the end of the month. Apologies to anyone this may have bothered. Dwayne will be on top of this from now on.
We also discovered that through miscommunication our Conference tithe has been missed through April. I’m so glad to report that this has been corrected. Thus the negative account balance this month.
We have another month and some of our SBA loan remains. I’m also glad to tell you that the designated accounts are healthy.
Help for Haiti received a grant from the Conference.

Please, remember the church with your tithes and gifts. We can add to the automatic withdrawal account at any time if this would be convenient for you. It’s not complicated. We hope to have a positive number by the end of June with the help of the church family.