Newsletter February 25-March 3, 2021

by FUMC Bristol
Posted on March 1, 2021

First United Methodist Church

Bristol, Tennessee

Your Weekly e-Newsletter and Events Schedule

February 25-March 3, 2021

Visit our website

Schedule Adjustment:

Morning worship service can be viewed on the

church Facebook page Sundays at 11:00 a.m.

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.

Second Sunday in Lent

February 28th, 2020

Mark 8:31-38

"Naming"

Rev. Brandon Berg

From the Pastor's Pen

When the kids are in school in person, I take Sarah across Volunteer Parkway and pick up another student at Innovation Academy to take them to the bus stop at Elizabeth Chapel UMC. From their house, the route involves taking TN-394 along the back side of the Bristol Motor Speedway. On some mornings, there has been a line of cars parked and running on the shoulder, lined up for almost two miles to enter the back entrance of the Speedway. I didn’t know what they were doing, at first, but after a few days I confirmed that folks were, at 7:00 in the morning, already lined up for the Speedway to open at 9:00 as a vaccination site against COVID-19.

Sure, it’s a bit batty that the wait or the process might be that long, but it makes my heart happy that so many people are enthusiastic about being vaccinated!

Of course, I hope the process gets a bit more efficient by the time it’s my turn.

But if you’re a person who has gone through that process, THANK YOU! Thank you for caring about your health and the health of your neighbors enough to take a couple shots in the arm and deal with the notorious day after shot #2, which is SO MUCH better than the disease itself.

Thank you!

And if you haven’t had your vaccination yet, when it’s your turn, don’t hesitate. Jump right in there. Don’t wade. Don’t think about dipping your toes in. Run. Run full speed. Belly flop. Get in there with enthusiasm.

Love on your neighbor, folks. Love on your neighbor by caring enough about them to get vaccinated. And whenever you have the chance to dispel myths about vaccinations and about this one in particular, do it.

Please, y’all. Take care of our community. Take care of our world. Take care of each other.

On this day, greater love has no one than this: that they get themselves vaccinated for the sake of their siblings in the human race.

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.org

and by text or call (276) 237-6498

Last Sunday

First Sunday in Lent

Words of Greeting and

Announcements

by Sue Dietz

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First Reading

Thanks to Melissa Wright

for this reading

Genesis 9:8-17 New Revised Standard Version

Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him, ‘As for me, I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you, and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the domestic animals, and every animal of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark. I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.’ God said, ‘This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.’ God said to Noah, ‘This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.’

Opening Hymn

"Be Thou My Vision"

UMH 451

sung by Phil Haga

Thanks to

Sue and Dale Dietz

for reading the

Lenten Liturgy

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Gospel Reading

led by Rev. Berg

Mark 1:9-15

New Revised Standard Version

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.’

And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. He was in the wilderness for forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him.

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.’

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Last Week's Sermon:

"Covenant"

Rev. Berg

Closing Hymn

"Shine Jesus Shine"

TFWS 2173

Sung by Phil Haga

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Images of Our Ash Wednesday Service…

Thanks to Noah Berg, Betty Curtis, and Phil Haga

for assisting with the service.

Please join us Thursday, March 4, 2021 at 10:00 am or 7:00 pm to begin discussing how we can reConnect in ministry.

In order to prepare for these conversations, please click on the link below and register for either the 10:00 am or 7:00 pm meeting.

Registration

A Note From Our

Lay Leader

The Promise

Christmas found us with a gift we must do! Our son gave us the gift of Storyworth. Each week we receive a story idea to write about from our lives. When this is all finished there will be two books. We can include pictures. (Another task I planned for the lockdown time that is still waiting in the wings!) So far, I have written about my first job (buyer trainee at Marshall Fields) and my first big trip (Lake of the Ozarks.) As I have started the project, I find myself remembering so many events and homes and activities. It has me living in the past at times both good and not so good. There must be both if you are honest. Anyway, I have found the dark, cloudy days conducive to the reminiscences.

Then came Saturday and Sunday. Sun, bright wonderful sun! I had a wonderful time walking around our yard. I keep thinking this will be the year we come up with an idea to make it awe inspiring. Has not worked in 28 years, but …. I got a surprise. Bulbs are starting to come up. The promise of flowers thrills me. Those bulbs offer a promise of good things to come.

I realize that is what Lent is too, a promise. We must go through the dark times to learn and remember the story of God’s love for us once again. It is not an easy story. It is not beautiful until the end. But it is God’s Promise for us.

Sue Dietz

Lay Servant Ministries Training Opportunity

Clinch Mountain District training: Saturday, April 10th.

Deadline to register:

Saturday, April 3rd.

For more information or to register click on the link below

Lay Servant Ministries Training

Rev. Berg streams morning prayer live on Facebook

on weekday mornings in the 8:00am hour.

Share your prayer requests with him

or join him online.

The Holston Conference offers a daily devotional authored by laity and clergy

from all around the conference.

If you would like a word of encouragement birthed from the Bible and understood through the eyes of East Tennessean and Southwest Virginian United Methodists

click on the link below.

Holston Conference Daily Devotional