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
LOCATION Adjustment:
Due to the sound problems in the sanctuary, Administrative Council has moved the Sunday service to Tankersley Hall until the sanctuary sound equipment is updated.
NEW PROJECT at FIRST
A substantial memorial has been given by Peggy Callison for Russ Basham. This has been designated for the planned audio/visual upgrade in the sanctuary.
In-person worship at 11:00a.m. Sundays in the Tankersley Hall (temporarily) 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 of Easter
Mother’s Day
May 8, 2022
John 10:22-30
“Like a Shepherd”
Rev. Brandon Berg
Last Sunday at First UMC
Third Sunday of Easter
May 1, 2022
Prelude I Need Thee Every Hour by Robert Lowery; Phil Haga, pianist
Opening Hymn UMH 453 More Love to thee, O Christ
Responsive Reading: Revelation 5:11-14
Gospel Reading: John 21:1-19
Do You Love Me?
Hymn of Benediction UMH 89 Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee
Postlude Heralds of Christ by G. W. Warren; Phil Haga, pianist
Many Hands Make Light Work, So Please Lend Us Yours!
Opportunities to help FUMC clear space and raise funds:
Yard Sale: Let’s organize a Yard Sale and turn all those donated items into much-needed funds for our church and ministries. We’re looking at a weekend in June or July and we’ll need volunteers to access, price and photograph goods; move tables and items to set up beforehand; work the register and help people shop and check out during the event. If you can help with any of this, or want to be involved in the planning process, contact us using the form below.
Harvest Fete: It’s time to plan the Fall Harvest Fete! It was a successful, fun event when we had it pre-covid, so let’s come back better than ever! We’re needing people to begin planning on a Task Force, so if you can help with Kids Activities, Vendor Coordination, Jumble Sale Organization, Art Auction, Bake Sale, Advertising, Food Truck/Snack Sales, or Volunteer Coordination, then please fill out the form below.
It’s been a long winter, as they say, but we have wonderful news!
We’re delighted to announce 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗣𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗲 will be in concert again, May 14, 3:00 & 7:00 pm, at the ETSU Martin Center for the Arts! Proceeds benefit Isaiah 117 House, a marvelous ministry that serves kids awaiting foster care placement.
Need convincing? Have a sneak peek:
Book your groups TODAY–and together, we will celebrate what God is doing for precious foster children in East TN & beyond!
Tickets: www.milavox.org
$25 individual, $20 groups of 10 or more. See you soon!
Deadline to Register March 18
May 2-4, 2022
3171 Parkway, Pigeon Forge, TN
HANDS ON MISSION-LIBERIA
Helen Roberts-Evans Director, Department of General Education and Ministry, Liberia Conference of the UMC. The local church should write one check for total kits to their district office (EX: 10 kits x $5 = $50). Please do not put money in the container! We will be collecting Hands on Mission buckets and kits once again this year. Collection date will be June 1st-2nd at Fairview UMC in Maryville. The local pick up will be
Clinch Mountain: School Kits — Goal 400 Pack all items in a 2-gallon Zip-Loc bag.
- 1 12” ruler
- 1 small calculator
- 1 10-12 pk. pens (blue or black)
- 1 coloring book
- 1 10-12 pk. pencils
- 1 pack erasers
- 1 100-150 sheet pk. notebook paper (wide-ruled)
- 1 small dictionary (new or used)
- 1 box crayons or markers (24 ct.)
- 3 spiral notebooks (70 ct.)
- 1 pair flip flops (adult M-L size)
- 1 poncho (adult).
Mission School Kit Drop-Off – Tuesday and Wednesday – May 24 & 25 – 9am – 4:30pm
Reynolds Memorial UMC Bristol, VA
Need Mission Kit Receiving Team Help!
We need help Tuesday and Wednesday, May 24th and 25th, 9am – 4:30 pm.
Please email or call the District Office cmdist@holston.org ~or~ (276) 628-4421
BRING ANY EXTRA INGREDIENTS
We have 55 Dictionaries here at the Clinch Mountain District Office if anyone needs some. $1.00 to purchase. Please call or email the District Office.
Camp News
April 2022
Male Camp Counselors needed!!
We have a great group of young adults already secured to work at camp this summer. We are still looking for two young adult males to finish our crew. We need these counselors to love Jesus, love working with children, and love the outdoors. They must be 18 years or older when camp starts (June 5th). The weekly salary starts at $325. We pay for all training certifications along with housing and food while they are at camp. They can apply online at www.CampBaysMountain.com
Registration is open!
We have reached almost 50% of our registration goal! Help us to get to 400 campers this summer. Spots are filling up, so if you want to make sure your camper is at camp this summer register today! Register online at www.CampBaysMountain.com
Amazon Wish List
Are you wondering how you can help Camp Bays Mountain? Well purchasing something off our Amazon Wish List would help us tremendously. Please have the items shipped to the camp at 500 Hood Rd Kingsport, TN 37660.
From the Pastor’s Pen
May 5, 2022
On Tuesday evening, my family crossed Volunteer Parkway to attend the 90th Annual Spring Band Concert at Tennessee High School. Honestly, a high school band concert isn’t something I’m likely to attend without knowing at least one of the performers. To an untrained ear, it can be tedious and flat. To a trained ear, a high school performance can get really painful.
This was neither.
I’m not going to claim that the performance was perfect. That would be a lot to expect. But the ensemble stayed rhythmically together. They followed the dynamic expectations of the director. They played with expression. They held their intonation with remarkable consistency.
I’m impressed with the performers. I’m impressed with their director and his staff. I’m even impressed with the audience, who behaved more appropriately than I’ve seen an audience behave for a high school performance in a long time.
In a week that’s been heavy with scary, heartbreaking news, that concert was a moment of beauty.
I needed that.
I encourage you to find moments of beauty like that. Gosh, if you want to hear another one of Tennessee High’s ensembles, there’s a Percussion Ensemble concert on Saturday at 6:30. I bet it’ll be quite a treat, too. The Jazz Band will also be playing.
Sure, I’m plugging an event my kid is in. I’m also plugging an event I think you’ll enjoy.
Find moments of beauty. Let them refresh you. They’re good, which is exactly how God created the cosmos. In the midst of all the ugly that people can do, let those things remind you just how good God is.
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.
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
You are the Key
I’ve had a couple days of anger regarding the leaked court papers. I’m trying to get ready to go dog sitting for four days and then my driving to Charlotte for our granddaughter’s graduatioon. I keep telling myself if I can make it to UVA and can make it to Concord NC. I can’t say I was particularly fun to be around today. Dale would probably agree.
Rev. Berg writes this week about finding moments of beauty. I want to tell you about one I had today…the River Service at church. I wanted to support the River even though I didn’t feel much like going. I’m so glad I did. We step back from our days, be they good or bad. We sing a few simple chants. We celebrate communion. We pray. I left the service ready to let go of the day and rest for the next.
I leave you with our closing:
For the day now done, thanks be to God.
For the rest before us, thanks be to God.
Because God never sleeps so that we can, thanks be to God.
But before the day is done, let God’s holy name be praised; and let God’s people say, “ Amen.”
Sue
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(First United Methodist of Bristol, Clinch Mountain District)
Calendar of Events
May 5-11, 2022
Sundays
9:30 a.m. Sunday School
11:00 a.m. Morning Worship
6:08 p.m.: Bristol Hub Youth at Reynolds Memorial UMC
Wednesdays
6:00 p.m. The River: a Service of Contemplative Evening Prayer
Thursdays 8:00pm
AA Meetings
May 8
Mother’s Day
May 24
Aldersgate Day
June 5-8
Holston Annual Conference at Lake Junaluska Conference & Retreat Center
June 12
Last Sunday for Rev. Berg
July 3
First Sunday for Rev. Casey Irwin
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
First United Methodist Church of Bristol 