First United Methodist Church of Bristol, Tennessee
Your Weekly e-Newsletter and Events Schedule
Welcome to In-Person Worship Again….
If you are unable to join us for whatever reason, please tune in as we live-stream the service on Facebook.
> Masks are optional – please respect the safety concerns of others.
> Minimize your use of the lavatory and sanitize the spaces you use
> If you are unwell, we hope you will stay home and join our fellowship virtually.
Office Hours Adjustment:
Church Office Hours:
Sundays 2-6 PM
Wednesdays 4-8 PM
July Only
Tuesdays 9 AM-1PM
Beginning in August
Tuesdays 4-7 PM
New Pastor Onboarding with the Annual Conference
Do you have ministry our church needs to be doing? Are there opportunities we should restart? Are you excited for where God is leading us in the future?
Everyone is invited to join us after worship on Sunday, August 7th for lunch and dialogue.
All pastors that have moved in Holston Annual Conference are sent a Facilitator to guide our group through the conversation about what works, what doesn’t, who we are, and who we hope to be. Email or call Pastor Casey with any questions.
Sunday August 7th— 12-2 PM — Lunch is provided
LOCATION Adjustment:
UPDATE: Sound System revamp is in motion. We are waiting on parts to come in to begin the installation.
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.
In-person worship is at 11:00a.m. Sundays in the Tankersley Hall (temporarily)
AND can 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. Irwin on Facebook, on Twitter, and on Instagram.
Fifth Sunday after Pentecost
July 10, 2022
Luke 10:25-37
Rev. Casey Irwin
Last Sunday at First UMC
Fourth Sunday After Pentecost
July 3, 2022
Prelude — Betty Curtis, pianist
Hymn of Praise 66–Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven
Affirmation of Faith: UM Book of Worship #529
Scripture: Isaiah 6:1-10
Send Me — Rev. Casey Irwin
Hymn of Benediction 593–Here I Am, Lord
Postlude Betty Curtis, pianist
From the Pastor’s Pen
July 7, 2022
You have been a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in distress, a hiding place from the storm, a shade from the heat. When the breath of tyrants is like a winter storm or like heat in the desert, you subdue the roar of foreigners. Like heat shaded by a cloud, the tyrants’ song falls silent. – Isaiah 25:4-5
| Tuesday night, I felt like I was caught in a flood. My children and I raced out of one activity and on to the next as the rain blew sideways and the puddles grew deeper. By the time we raced into the building for swim lessons, I felt like I had already gone swimming in my work clothes. An hour later though, I arrived home to clear skies and no sign of the storm except damp grass and a puddle near my driveway. Oh, and my soaking wet pant legs. Storms in our life are often brief, scary for just a moment, but then they pass. The stress or the pain or the conversation– the worst of it is over quickly. Visually they leave little trace. But our lives are still wet from the puddles, lingering pain from what we went through– illnesses, loss of loved ones, broken relationships, financial burden, job anxieties, fearful circumstances, grief for others’ burdens. God offers us a hiding place though, a refuge, as it’s often called in the Bible. In God, we have a safe space to process, to heal, and to seek comfort while we recover. In our Church Family, we have a place to dry off the traces of the storm and just be. I hope as I spend time hearing your stories and getting to know you that we can share some of the burdens together. Hopefully we can take shelter in the Lord, and dry off a bit together. Blessings, Pastor Casey |
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
July 1 brought our new Pastor, Casey Irwin, and her family to us. We will have a welcoming event sometime soon, but for now we are letting her get settled in.
Casey asked us to contact her so she can put faces with names. Those meetings can be in the church, in your home, at Blackbird for coffee, or for a meal. Please sign up online here, in-person on Sunday, or call the church and set a date. Casey will be working part time as our pastor and teaching school. There will always be pastoral care in emergencies. In July she will be working overtime while she is not in school. August will see her back in school. She will be in Bristol all day Sunday, and parts of Tuesday and Wednesday. The rest of her hours will be spent as needed with the church families or writing from home.
Please join me in welcoming Casey and her family.
UPDATE: For all who have contributed things for a yard sale (you know who you are) please plan on helping with the setup and selling. Watch for more information as the date is set and plans are made. We are ready to clear out the church and raise funds for the work of First and our Mission Partners. Your help is needed. Even if you didn’t contribute items, we need you too. You might take one more look around and see if there is anything else you want to clear out of your home. Do NOT bring those items until the set up days.
Meet the Pastor!
Pastor Casey would like to get to know you and your family. We have sign-ups available– through this Google Form or in-person on Sundays– to meet for coffee, a meal, a visit at your home or at the Pastor’s Office. We hope everyone connected to the church will choose a time and get to know our new Pastor.
Serve with Sunday Worship
What is God calling you to do? What ministries bring you joy?
First UMC is adding volunteers to serve once a month on a rotation for:
- Liturgist– read the Sunday Announcements, Responsive Reading, or other speaking opportunities
- Videographer– It’s easier than it sounds! If you’re not familiar with Facebook Live, Pastor Casey or another leader will have the account open for you– just click “Go Live and rotate the tripod if we need a different camera angle”
- Administrative Tasks– Choose one or several areas to serve– proofread the bulletin, check the church voicemail, run DVD and newsletter copies weekly for shut ins, address church mailers
Reply here via email or check with Pastor Casey for more opportunities to use your gifts in God’s Kingdom.
Send Your Pictures, News, and Announcements to Publish in the Newsletter
For each publication, information is needed by noon on Wednesday.
Calendar of Events
July 7-13, 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
Tuesdays
7:00 p.m. AA Meetings
Thursdays
7:00 p.m. AA Meetings
July 31
3:00 p.m. Church Council Meeting
August 7
12:00-2:00 p.m. Lunch and New Pastor Onboarding with the Annual Conference
First United Methodist Church
Rev. Casey Irwin, Pastor
322 Vance Dr., Bristol, TN 37620
www.fumcbristol.org 423-652-2811
Our Vision – Building A Community Where Anyone Can Become A Deeply Committed Christian
First United Methodist Church of Bristol 