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.
Pentecost is coming soon! On June 5, dig your best red out of the closet and let’s celebrate the Holy Spirit spreading God’s good news through the world like wildfire.
Sixth Sunday of Easter
May 22, 2022
John 14:23-29
“Abide”
Rev. Brandon Berg
Last Sunday at First UMC
Fifth Sunday of Easter
May 15, 2022
Prelude My Jesus, I Love Thee (Theme and Variation) by A. J. Gordon; Phil Haga, pianist
Opening Hymn UMH 66 Praise, My Soul the King of Heaven
Responsive Reading: Revelation 21:1-6
Gospel Reading: John 13:31-35
Could I Stand in God’s Way?
Hymn of Benediction UMH 384 Love Divine, All Loves Excelling
Postlude Sing Them Over Again to Me by John Ribble; 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.
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 19, 2022
There are several deer who wander around the Holston neighborhood. They tend to graze fairly early, and disappear by the time we’re getting kids out the door, so I don’t often catch a glimpse of them. What I can take note of is the path of their destruction.
In our front garden are three large rose bushes. I was concerned, after our first late freeze, that we might have lost them, because they had just enough time to send out their first wave of tender leaves when the frost destroyed them. Thankfully they’re hardy, and they have filled out nicely, but they ought to have flowered much more by now.
I wondered about that early this week when I was dumping coffee grounds at their base (I read somewhere that they like that), so I took a slightly closer look. What I discovered was that where there ought to have been flowers, there were cut stems. I knew exactly how to make sense of that. The deer have done that every year, although their appetites seem to be a bit more voracious this season.
This is just part of the greening up of the world every year, though. What is decor to me is food to somebody else. Everything has its own sense of value and beauty. I’m happy for the beauty of the roses, and I’m happy ours is a neighborhood that’s safe for deer.
There is, I suppose, a season for everything. A time for roses and a time for deer.
Turn, turn, turn.
I guess I should just enjoy them while I can. I should stop and smell the roses before they’re devoured. That way everybody gets a turn.
Enjoy the Spring, friends. It apparently won’t last long.
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
Farmers’ Market
Last Saturday I went to the Bristol Farmers’ Market at the downtown Mural. What a great experience to be back to what seemed normal. The first vendor I talked with has been there for several years. BUT I didn’t recognize her! Her hair was gray, not black. I found most of the vendors were the same but changed. I think that’s the way we all are right now. Life went on during a time that seemed to stand still. It will take me time to understand the two years we “lost.”
But, did we really lose those two years? Or, did we and will we learn from the pandemic? I think I grew in my appreciation of home and family and how important they are. I grew in realizing just how much my church means to me. I grew in understanding the things we deal with in our lives changes but God is still there to help us through.
We went to our granddaughter’s graduation at the Charlotte race track last weekend. To see cars with graduates circling around the track and knowing what Gillian had gone through to earn that piece of paper gave me hope for the future.
Our church has missed so many and struggled through hard times. We can’t afford what we could before, but there is hope. We have much work to do and need everyone to pitch in!
Sue
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(First United Methodist of Bristol, Clinch Mountain District)
Calendar of Events
May 19-25, 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
7:00 p.m. AA Meetings
Thursdays 7:00pm
AA Meetings
Wednesdays
6:00 p.m. The River: a Service of Contemplative Evening Prayer
Thursdays 7:00pm
AA Meetings
May 24
Aldersgate Day
June 5-8
Holston Annual Conference at Lake Junaluska Conference & Retreat Center
June 8
Pentecost
June 12
Last Sunday for Rev. Berg
June 19
Father’s Day
Dr. Alan Gorrell preaching
4:00 Board of Trustees
June 26
Mia Foote preaching
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 