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Deadline for contributions to Windows is the Monday of the week of publication. The newsletter is emailed a minute after midnight on Thursday morning.
Windows is a publication of First Presbyterian Church, Bristol, TN. Please direct questions and suggestions to the editor, Kathy Acuff, [email protected].
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Worship
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September 3
13th Sunday after Pentecost
Communion
Lessons
Exodus 3:1-15
Matthew 16:21-28
Sermon
Cross Walking
Dave Welch
Hymns
In Christ Called to Baptize
Bread of the World in Mercy Broken
Blest Be the Tie That Binds
Anthem
God of Love
Sanctuary Choir
Last Sunday's Attendance
8:30: 106; 11:00: 114
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on First Presbyterian Church
August 31, 2017
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Pledge to Engage in Stewardship
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Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Generations of families have worshiped at First Presbyterian Church through sermons, music, and prayer for more than 150 years. Each month this year you have seen examples of stewardship in action at FPC through discipleship, service, and worship. Even in the midst of the current challenges and changes within our congregation, the love of God continues to provide for us and our neighborhood through many FPC service ministries such as Healing Hands Health Center, Bristol Faith in Action, Family Promise, Christian Hands Ministry, and Community Bible Study. Mission ministries serve more distant congregations in Brazil, Ethiopia, India, and Africa.
God continues to bless us and this community through the ministry, outreach, and programs provided by First Presbyterian Church. Our church remains a pillar of this community, and the work that we do is a direct reflection of the love and generosity of our Father.
We are asking that you continue to
engage
:
- engage in the life of this church (rooted in discipleship)
- engage in the ministry it provides to those in our community and the world (rooted in service)
- engage in caring for our facilities (rooted in worship)
We often talk about members giving of their time, talents, and treasures, and we ask you to prayerfully consider what that means for you and your family. How can each of us best serve God's great plan through the work of First Presbyterian Church? We can begin with prayer, praying that God speaks to each of us, as He does through our vision verse, 1 Peter 4:10: Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms.
We are asking everyone to be engaged in the ministries and the future of First Presbyterian Church. Please prayerfully consider a pledge to the church to ensure that our vision is secured now and for generations to come. If you are so moved, join with your brothers and sisters in Christ on Sunday, September 24, as we commit our pledges before God, thanking Him for His grace and love.
Yours in Christ,
Stewardship Committee
Susan Abel, Rebecca Beck, Tom King, Jerry Poteat, Katy Stigers, Sara Stocstill, Dave Welch
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1 Peter 4:10 states, "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms." It is this verse that has called us to reflect on stewardship in our own lives and the life of the church and that begs us to engage with one another to the glory of God.
Over the past few months, the congregation has had the opportunity to provide examples of the giving of time, talent, and treasure, whether it be giving personally of our own gifts or being the recipient of others' gifts. We have compiled the cards we received and have placed them on the Stewardship board as a visual representation of how richly blessed our congregation is and how FPC shares our many gifts with our community and the world. Note how colorful the board is! It is not merely one gift that sustains us and moves the mission and vision of FPC forward; it takes the sum of all of our gifts to fully and wholly serve God.
A few examples from the board:
- Time: those who volunteer to teach Sunday School classes
- Talent: those who share their musical gifts through the Sanctuary Choir and Praise Band
- Treasure: "God does not care how much you give, he cares how much you keep for yourself."
The board is located in the Fellowship Hall, and we invite you to come up, read the cards, and witness the love and bountiful blessings of FPC and our congregation. The blue cards represent stewardship of time, the yellow cards represent stewardship of talent, and the green cards represent stewardship of treasure. Extra cards and pens have been placed at the bottom of the board for those who wish to add examples. We are abundantly blessed with an active and giving congregation, which allows FPC to be a beacon of hope, security, and love in our own lives and the lives of those we serve.
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Sure, it's nearly fall, but everything's coming up roses for our new program year and our new look. Consider our new logo. We've never had one before. In redesigning our website, we created a logo and a brand that represents our church body. We will use variations of the new logo to identify the different ministries within our church. (Thank you to our Long-Range Task Force, which got this project off the ground!)
Both the rose window in our sanctuary and our story are centered on the cross; both are represented in our new church logo. The inner quadrants symbolize the four gospels that are our core belief. The inner circle represents our ministry to our local church body, and the outer circle our ministry to our community and the world. The many colors symbolize the diversity in our church body and our desire to include, love, and care for all people.
Our New Website
Please take a few minutes to visit our new website:
http://fpcbristol.org/. We think you will find it informative and easy to navigate. While you're there, you can enter a drawing to win an FPC logo shirt, or cut to the chase and order one. Unisex T-shirts cost $10 each and come in sizes from toddler to 4XL. Women's and men's polos range from small to XXL and cost $20 each.
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We Need Overnight Hosts Monday and Tuesday
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If you can volunteer one night of service at the church next week, we want to hear from you! We need
overnight hosts for Monday, September 4, and Tuesday, September 5. Please feel free to invite a friend to volunteer with you. You would arrive at the church by 8:30 p.m. and stay until our two small families leave at 7:00 the next morning. That's all there is to it! Our guests retire to their rooms after they've tidied up from dinner, so bring a book, work some crosswords, watch a DVD. We have comfy rollaway beds and snacks for you, but you will need to bring your own linens or sleeping bag.
Both Family Promise's on-call phone number and Dottie Havlik's phone number will be posted at the church. In the unlikely event that you need help or advice, someone will always be available.
Please contact
Dottie Havlik to volunteer. You can reach her by email at
[email protected] or call or text her at 423-956-6747. Thank you!
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Fundraiser for Abby Welch Next Thursday
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Our own
Abby Welch, daughter of Linda and Dave Welch, is raising money to teach English as a Second Language in Cape Town, South Africa, and you can help! Abby invites the congregation (and friends!) to a fundraiser dinner at the church at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, September 7. If you would like to attend or contribute, please call or text 423-956-0274.
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Reception and Gift for Shannan
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A reception to honor
Shannan Miller will be held September 24, after the 8:30 service. We need volunteers to bake cookies, and we are collecting a cash gift.
Scottie Bales and
Anne Southerland will collect monetary donations until
Wednesday, September 20. You may give your contribution to either Scottie or Anne when you see her at church, or email
[email protected] or
[email protected] to make other arrangements. Do not give your donation to the church; this is a gift directly from us, so it cannot be tax deductible. Above all, come say goodbye to Shannan, who is leaving us after 17 years as a vital presence in our early worship service.
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Wednesday: Theology of Salvation and Luther's Breakthrough
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Join us next Wednesday, September 6, as Dr. Martin Dotterweich leads the third of six Adult Learning programs examining the background and significance of Martin Luther's famous posting of the 95 Theses, which led to the Reformation. Next week's program will look into the theology of salvation and Luther's evangelical breakthrough.
Before the evening programs, we will share a fellowship dinner of pizza, salad, and cookies at 5:30 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. The Adult Learning segment will follow at 6:20, and the Middle School Gathering and Wednesday Night Kids will meet separately at 6:00. High School Small Groups will meet at 7:00.
We still have some books in the Fellowship Hallway to choose among for your own. We have commentaries, devotionals, fiction, and nonfiction, all free to a good home!
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Women's DVD Bible Study Starts Back Next Week
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Lorri Looney's Wednesday morning Heart to Heart Bible Study will kick off next week at 9:30 in the Coffee Klatch room. In September each two-hour session will focus on
Loving Well, a four-week study by Beth Moore. Workbooks will be available at the first meeting on
September 6.
Beginning October 4 and continuing through December 13, the group will tackle Moore's newest release, The Quest. Workbooks will be available at the October 4 meeting.
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Vanilla Wafers for Fairmount Kids
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It's time again to collect snacks for the students at Fairmount Elementary! About 80% of the children get help with lunch, but their families can't afford to buy snacks to get them through the afternoon slump. That's where we come in. We collect the snacks from our generous church family, and the Christian Hands Ministry folks make sure they get to the school. We are now collecting boxes of
vanilla wafers
. Please bring them to the Little Red House in the Fellowship Hallway to help our friends at Fairmount get through the long fall afternoons. Thank you!
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No Roses Harmed in the Mowing of the Lawn
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Don't worry. Despite what we said earlier in this newsletter, there are no roses poking their noses up through the church lawn, and no one would mow them down if they did. Our mowers know the proper procedure with roses: stop and smell same. The grass, on the other hand, is in for it. We have our limits.
Roger Sikorski will show no mercy as he sets the lawn to rights for Communion Sunday.
Randy Olson will thwart the grass's ambition to rise ever higher as he grooms it for our 2018 Stewardship Pledge Campaign Kickoff on September 10.
Feeling ruthless, or just outdoorsy? Join our mowing team. You can sign up even in the depths of winter. We welcome men and women, adults and teens. Hey, bring the family! Younger children can move debris to the curb, and a parent or elder sibling can mow. It's done in a trice and you mow only thrice! If you're unfamiliar with Scag mowers, Team Captain
Randy Cook will be happy to give you a lesson on our Tiger Cat. If you can mow even once during the growing season, please email Randy at
[email protected] or call his cell at 423-956-1541. Thank you!
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Sunday's music participants: Sanctuary Choir.
Sunday's music: The anthem, "God of Love," is a communion text set to music by Wolfgang Amadé Mozart (1756-1791). Much is known of the musical prodigy who began composing at the age of 5. Unfortunately, by the age of 35, he was physically and
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Mozart
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emotionally spent. Many have called him the "perfect musician," but according to Georg Solti, who was once the conductor of the Chicago Symphony, "Mozart is as good a reason for mankind's existence as we will ever find." The text of this anthem petitions that God be present with us in the celebration of the Eucharist.
Organist's footnotes: Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck (1562-1621) was a Dutch composer, organist, and pedagogue whose work straddled the transitional period from the Renaissance into the Baroque. He was among the first major keyboard composers of Europe, and his work as a teacher helped establish the North German organ tradition.
The composer most probably spent his entire life in Amsterdam, only occasionally visiting other cities in connection with his professional activities. His popularity as a composer, performer, and teacher increased steadily during his lifetime. Contemporaries nicknamed him Orpheus of Amsterdam, and even the city authorities frequently brought important visitors to hear Sweelinck's improvisations.
Sweelinck's only duties in Amsterdam were those of an organist. His employment allowed him time for teaching, for which he was to become as famous as for his compositions. His pupils included the core of what was to become the North German organ school: Jacob Praetorius II, Heinrich Scheidemann, Paul Siefert, Melchior Schildt, and Samuel and Gottfried Scheidt. Students of Sweelinck were seen as musicians against whom other organists were measured. Sweelinck was known in Germany as the "maker of organists." Sociable and respected, he was in great demand as a teacher.
Bell choirs back in the swing: The Handbell Choirs are starting rehearsals again, directed by Bob Greene. Youth rehearse on Wednesdays from 4:15 to 5:00 p.m., beginning September 6. Adults rehearse on Mondays from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., beginning September 11.
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An extensive list of prayer concerns, "Pray for One Another," is available for pickup at the church each week.
In Our Prayers 
DeeDee Galliher
Bill Goforth
Ron Grubbs
Jo Ann Hatcher
Vivian Hill
Tony Raccioppo
Lynn Richards
Virginia Rutherford
Sam Samuel
Cassie & Michael Thornton
Birthday Prayer Fellowship
Sept. 3 Nancy Carter, Kinser Crutchfield
Sept. 4 Jess Beckner, Judy Slaughter
Sept. 5 Randy Cook, Jack Richardson
Sept. 6 TJ Abel, Margaret Wade
Sept. 7 Mary Ellis Rice, Patsy Ward
Sept. 9 Scottie Bales
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We gratefully acknowledge recent gifts in memory of the following individuals:
Fred Frazier: to the Minister's Discretionary Fund, from Peggy Peters
Sharon Hatcher: to the Memorial Fund, from Lucie & Ted Hagen
We are thankful also for a gift from Nancy De Friece to the Capital Campaign Fund/MEP, in honor of
Harold & Virginia Rutherford.
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Sunday, September 3
8:30 a.m. Worship, Fellowship Hall
9:45 a.m. Sunday School
11:00 a.m. Worship, Sanctuary
Monday, September 4
Church office closed for Labor Day
Tuesday, September 5
10:00 a.m. Morning Prayer Group, Conference Room
7:00 p.m. Boy Scout Troop 3, Scout Wing
Wednesday, September 6
9:30 a.m. Heart to Heart DVD Bible Study,
Coffee Klatch Room
4:15 p.m. Youth Handbells
5:15 p.m. Baby & Toddler Care, Rooms 34-36
5:30 p.m. Fellowship Dinner, Fellowship Hall
6:00 p.m. Pastor Nominating Committee, Room 117
6:00 p.m. Wednesday Night Kids
6:00 p.m. Middle School Gathering
6:20 p.m. Adult Learning Program, Fellowship Hall
7:00 p.m. High School Small Groups
7:15 p.m. Sanctuary Choir
7:30 p.m. 8:30 Worship Team, Fellowship Hall
Thursday, September 7
7:00 a.m. Men's Bible Study, Parlor
12:00 p.m. Noon Bible Study, Room 117
5:30 p.m. Abby Welch's Fundraiser Dinner, Youth Wing
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