Newsletter: July 8-14

First United Methodist Church

Bristol, Tennessee

Your Weekly e-Newsletter and Events Schedule

July 8-14, 2021

Welcome to In-Person Worship Again….

If you are uncomfortable with worshiping in person or unable to join us for whatever reason, please tune in as we live-stream the service on Facebook.

Enter the narthex doors beside the sanctuary.
Wear a cloth mask that covers your mouth and nose until you are seated if you are vaccinated; if you are not fully vaccinated wear your mask continuously.
wear your mask when participating in singings and readings.
Maintain at least six feet of space between yourself and anyone outside of your immediate household.
Minimize your use of the lavatory and sanitize the spaces you use, and
Exit the Sanctuary through the side doors closest to the parking lot.

Visit our website

Schedule Adjustment:

In-person worship at 11:00a.m. Sundays in the sanctuary

can also be viewed on the church Facebook page.

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.

7th Sunday After Pentecost

July 11, 2021

Mark 6:13-29

"Breaking the Rules of Decency"

Rev. Brandon Berg

From the Pastor's Pen

We’re back in the sanctuary, worshiping together, even singing together. We’re sharing a meal together every couple weeks. We are gathering for Sunday School. It’s all very exciting after a year of sheltering in place.

Now what?

It has never been good enough for the Church to sit comfortably inside our walls, our God-shaped box we’ve made so elegant and convenient. The call of Christians has never been to warm a pew. The work of God’s Spirit always occurs outside these walls. It is neither elegant nor convenient.

Where do we start? Do we pull together a couple dozen flood buckets for UMCOR? Do we increase our giving to Help for Haiti to respond to rapidly increasing inflation and political turmoil? Do we organize a monthly worship service at one of our local assisted living facilities? Do we prepare a presence at TriPride in October? Do we pour our efforts into Recovery Road for Women? Do we recommit to Meals on Wheels or a food pantry or Hospice House?

I know we’re tired. I’m tired, too. But there is enormous and widespread need in our area for folks to be the hands of Jesus. We need to refocus and re-engage with our community. What are our priorities, and how do we live into them?

I’m not giving answers. I’m asking questions. Together, we have the answers. Together, as the Body of Christ empowered by the Holy Spirit, we can be the answers.

It's time to get moving again.

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

6th Sunday After Pentecost

‌

Greeting and

Announcements

Sue Dietz

‌

Gospel Reading

led by Rev. Berg

Mark 5:21-43 Common English Bible

Jesus left that place and came to his hometown. His disciples followed him. On the Sabbath, he began to teach in the synagogue. Many who heard him were surprised. “Where did this man get all this? What’s this wisdom he’s been given? What about the powerful acts accomplished through him? Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t he Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” They were repulsed by him and fell into sin.

Jesus said to them, “Prophets are honored everywhere except in their own hometowns, among their relatives, and in their own households.” He was unable to do any miracles there, except that he placed his hands on a few sick people and healed them. He was appalled by their disbelief. Then Jesus traveled through the surrounding villages teaching. He called for the Twelve and sent them out in pairs. He gave them authority over unclean spirits. He instructed them to take nothing for the journey except a walking stick—no bread, no bags, and no money in their belts. He told them to wear sandals but not to put on two shirts. He said, “Whatever house you enter, remain there until you leave that place. If a place doesn’t welcome you or listen to you, as you leave, shake the dust off your feet as a witness against them.” So they went out and proclaimed that people should change their hearts and lives. They cast out many demons, and they anointed many sick people with olive oil and healed them.

Opening Hymn