First United Methodist Church of Bristol, Tennessee
Your Weekly e-Newsletter and Events Schedule

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.
> Wear a cloth mask that covers your mouth and nose continuously.
> 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
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.
Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany January 30, 2022
Luke 4:21-30
“Ministry on the Edge”
by Rev. Berg
Last Sunday at First UMC

Third Sunday after the Epiphany
January 23, 2022
Prelude As the Deer by Martin Nystrom; Phil Haga, organist
Opening Hymn UMH 101 From All That Dwell Below the Skies
New Testament Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a
Christ, The Body, and The Body that Is Christ’s Church by Melissa Wright
Hymn of Benediction UMH 395 Take Time to Be Holy
Postlude Heralds of Christ, Who Bear the King’s Commands by G. W. Warren; Phil Haga, organist
From the Pastor’s Pen
January 27, 2022
To each of you who has helped guide us through nearly two years of the COVID-19 pandemic:
Thank you.
To you who have been faithful in your giving, in your attention, in your attendance; your prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness:
Thank you.
To you who have done your best to keep your family and your community safe:
Thank you.
To you who have been patient, as love is:
Thank you.
To you who have been kind, as love is:
Thank you.
Your actions and your attitude make a difference. You make a difference.
Rhetorically, this is the place where I should bring in hope, where I should say, “look, things are turning around,” but you know as well as I do that they aren’t. So this is the place where I say:
You’re doing important things. Keep them up.
Keep doing all you can to show the love of Jesus to each other. It matters. Keep doing all you can to ensure that vital, life-transforming ministries continue.
And for all you’ve done and all you’ll keep doing, thank you.
Peace,
Brandon
Morning Prayer
Rev. Berg streams morning prayer live on Facebook on weekday mornings in the 8:00 am hour.
Share your prayer requests with him or join him online.

HELP FOR HAITI UPDATE
The items collected for the Haiti earthquake are on their way to Haiti. The Preptits took them to Memphis to start them on their way. There is a person chosen to pick them up and save them until they can be used. Right now the Preptits are not able to travel to Haiti. The situation is just too dangerous.
Please pray for the Haitian people and the Preptits. This is a most difficult time.
A Note From Our Lay Leader
I heard a respected pundit talk about how this pandemic has changed us all and how we need to look at ourselves and make sure the changes are good. I’ve taken a little time to do that and have to agree I have changed. Have you? I love being home as long as I can get out a very few times each week. I’m not sure just what group activities I wish to return to when I feel it’s safe. After worshiping in my pj’s it was a little hard to get dressed and return to church in person. All I can say is I’m so happy to be back in the pews. To see dear friends most Sundays has been a balm to my soul. I realize how important each of us is to the First family. Melissa talked last Sunday about the importance of the parts of the body. That Bible verse always makes me wonder just which part I am. Sometimes the eye, sometimes the foot, sometimes the hand, sometimes the heart and sometimes a toe nail. Which parts do you bring? Which of our missing parts can you supply. Please return to our body soon.
Sue
From the Finance Committee:
The year-end report is not good. We finished with a -$41,348.27 balance. This means we have borrowed that much from our restricted accounts. We owe that much to ourselves! Also, you may remember we have had two PPP loans during the pandemic.
We have some money left in the restricted accounts. The Trustee Committee can free this money for other uses. To date they have not had to do that. We are getting rent from three sources. All of those involved in church work have done their best to hold down expenditures.
We are not alone in this financial position. This has been the story for many churches. What can you do or suggest to make 2022 a year we begin to build back? We have a history of missions and community involvement. Let’s come out of our Covid coma and know God is with us in this time of worry.

Memorials for Richard Rollins
Robert and Carol Wright
Martha Bryan

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Calendar of Events
Jan 27-Feb 2, 2022
Sundays 6:08 pm
Bristol Hub Youth at Reynolds Memorial UMC
Thursday, Jan 27
8:00pm – AA
Jan 30
11:00am – Sunday Service at FUMC and available for viewing on Facebook and You Tube
8:00pm – AA
Tuesday, Feb 1
10:00 a.m. King University Faith and Culture Speaker Series: Beauty from Ashes: A Purpose and a Call by Natasha Sistrunk Robinson at King University Memorial Chapel
7:00 p.m. King University Faith and Culture Speaker Series: A Sojourner’s Truth: Choosing Freedom and Courage in a Divided World by Natasha Sistrunk Robinson at Lee Street Baptist Church
8:00pm – AA
Feb 6
11:00am – Sunday Service at FUMC and available for viewing on Facebook and You Tube
3:00 p.m. Administrative Council
8:00pm – AA
Feb 7-9
Ministers’ Convocation in Pigeon Forge
Feb 10
Southern Christian Coalition Book Study
Feb 13
4:00 p.m. Board of Trustees
Feb 14
Feast of Saint Valentine
Feb 17
Southern Christian Coalition Book Study
Feb 24
Southern Christian Coalition Book Study
Feb 27
Transfiguration Sunday
Feb 28
9:15 a.m. King University Faith and Culture Speaker Series: In Concert: the Becky Fuller Band at King University Memorial Chapel
7:00 p.m. King University Faith and Culture Speaker Series: In Concert: the Becky Fuller Band at Birthplace of Country Music Museum
First United Methodist Church
Rev. Brandon Berg, Pastor (276.237.6498)
322 Vance Dr., Bristol, TN 37620
www.fumcbristol.org
Our Vision – Building A Community Where Anyone Can Become A Deeply Committed Christian