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.
Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany
February 6, 2022
Luke 5:1-11
“Here I Am”
by Rev. Berg

Last Sunday at First UMC

Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany
January 30, 2022
Prelude I Need Thee Every Hour (theme and variation) by Robert Lowery; Phil Haga, organist
Opening Hymn UMH 361 Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me
Responsive Reading: Jeremiah 1:4-10
Gospel Reading: Luke 4:21-30
Ministry on the Edge
Hymn of Benediction UMH 413 A Charge to Keep I Have
Postlude Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee by Steven Oswald; Phil Haga, organist
Three Springs United Methodist Church has issued a challenge to the churches of Bristol. They are turning Super Bowl Sunday into Souper Bowl Sunday and collecting soup for the Proverbs 3:27 Mission at Hunt Memorial United Methodist Church. Rev. Terry Fleenor has already been promised $1000 of product from Food City, and is working on other connections. What do you think we can do? Let’s put our hands to work to feed our local folks who live with housing insecurity. We are Christ’s hands today!
Camp News
February 2022
Current Camp Needs
We are currently looking for used EMPTY Lysol wipe containers, they do not need to be the Lysol brand just the cylindrical containers. If you would like to help us accumulate these please let us know by contacting us at 423-349-8401. We appreciate your generosity.
Amazon wish list
We have an Amazon Wish List that has been created for Camp Bays Mountain. There are multiple items on the list that we will need before summer camp gets started. If you are interested in purchasing something from our wish list please follow this link. https://campbaysmountain.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=4a17cbf2bb496b3ced2b9319b&id=8beadc862d&e=f23250abd0
We are Hiring!
If you are someone you know is interested in working at camp this summer please apply online. We are looking for counselors (18+ years old), support staff (16-18 years old), and adventure staff (21+ years old). https://campbaysmountain.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=4a17cbf2bb496b3ced2b9319b&id=1bf8d98617&e=f23250abd0
From the Pastor’s Pen
February 3, 2022
The sun rose today as though nothing was amiss. Confident, nonchalant, she peeked over the mountains, smiled at the clouds, beamed at the frost.
As though there were no pandemic.
As though millions weren’t displaced.
As though the earth were not crying out for mercy.
Perhaps we are not her problem, surrounded by violence and rage and death. Perhaps she already knows who has the last word, that violence and rage and death are already conquered and extinguished and destroyed.
Perhaps we should be so confident.
The sun will rise tomorrow, too.
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.
The Love Beyond Borders campaign aims to raise funds for the equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines around the world. The initiative has emerged from First United Methodist Church, Boise, ID and seeks to engage The United Methodist Church in supporting COVAX alongside UNICEF, the key vaccine delivery partner.
All funds raised will be sent to UNICEF for this project. More information about Love Beyond Borders is here.
A Note From Our Lay Leader
I asked Dale what I should talk about this week. He said, “Too much paper.” He was sorting all the insurance and tax information. I think the government must think we need lots of things to read to keep us busy! We shred anything bearing our names. Maybe we could start ticker tape parades in downtown Bristol? You know the paper I’ve been trying to organize reminds me of trying to organize my days. Something is always coming up to catch my attention. It’s that way with my prayer life too. I start with the best of intentions, but a noise, a thought, a worry sneak their way into my time. Do you have that problem? I learned a trick in yoga about thoughts that swirl around as you try to meditate. Just imagine them sailing out of your head each time you are bothered by them. I forget that helpful tip too often.
Let us pray….
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
Carol and Doug Taylor
Kathy and Ray Feagins
Newcomers and Friends of Bristol TN/VA

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Calendar of Events
Feb 2-9, 2022
Sundays 6:08 pm
Bristol Hub Youth at Reynolds Memorial UMC
Thursday, Feb 3
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
Tuesday, Feb 8
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