“You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous in every way. Such generosity produces thanksgiving to God through us.” ~2 Corinthians 9: 11 | | |
How well does your giving express your gratitude for God’s good work in your life? Giving is as important to our walk as Christ’s disciples as praying, reading Scripture, and joining in worship together. We should all give and give generously. That is how we say “thank you” to God. Giving is one way we prioritize God and reflect the value of God’s work in our lives. And when we are grateful, we give thanks to God first, so that God’s good work can grow to touch the lives of others.
We invite you to give in gratitude to God and be part of expanding God’s work in and through the ministries of First United Methodist Church as we celebrate Commitment Sunday on November 23. Learn more about Giving in Gratitude and make your online estimate of giving by following the link.
| | Annual Church Charge Conference | | First Church's annual Church Charge Conference will be held on Sunday, November 16, at 4:00 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room. For the first time in many years, we will hold an in-person, single-church Charge Conference, celebrating the wonderful missions and ministries of FUMC. All church members are voting members of the Charge Conference and are invited to participate in this celebration and help us prepare for our ongoing work in the coming year. | | Warming Center Volunteer Training | | |
As we gear up for the coming cold season, TORCH and Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church members, along with case workers from Helen Ross McNabb, will be hosting a meeting for past and potential volunteers of the Oak Ridge Warming Center. Topics will include the logistics of the warming center, what to expect, emergency procedures, and more. If you have volunteered in the past, or would like to learn more about being a volunteer for this life-saving service, please join in this special training on Saturday, November 22, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. at the Oak Ridge UUC (809 Oak Ridge Tpk.).
Please email Christina Elliot (christina.r.elliot@gmail.com or oruucwarmingshelter@gmail.com) to RSVP for the training or with any questions.
As a reminder, the warming center is only for adults (18+). Each winter, TORCH spends significant funds to help families with children, disabled, and sick folks in other ways. Donations are always appreciated.
| | First Recovery Annual Thanksgiving Dinner | | |
The First Recovery ministry will be holding its annual Thanksgiving Dinner on November 26. This is one of the biggest events of the year for the recovery ministry—a celebration of gratitude that, for many of the people we serve, may be the only Thanksgiving meal they experience.
This special evening is made possible through the support of our congregation and dedicated First Recovery volunteers. We are currently seeking donations of side dishes, as well as volunteers to help with preparation and serving.
If you feel led to help, please contact Matt Holder at mholder@fumcor.org or 865-603-7932.
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Any elves out there?
We need help to decorate the Chrismon tree in the FUMC sanctuary on Monday, November 24, at 5:00 p.m. It will take about 90 minutes.
The tree will be assembled; we’ll be adding the beautiful Chrismons. Invite new friends and join the fun. We need tall and not-so-tall helpers, ladder climbers, and people who stay grounded. All are welcome!
Contact: Vicki Hinkel (vhinkel@comcast.net).
| | Christmas Shoppes Is Coming | | |
It’s Christmas Shoppe time!
Our tradition of offering the respite of food, gifts, and support continues and grows. Referrals are rolling in from our area partnering agencies, and the needs are many. At this time, we have over 100 children who need sponsors. You will find teenagers asking for beds, toddlers needing a coat, and kids asking for—you guessed it—toys.
Please visit https://fumcor.org/shoppes/ or follow the link below for the Sign-Up Genius child sponsorship link.
Your unwrapped gifts are due back to the church no later than Sunday, December 7.
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We are also in need of:
- Gift cards for teenagers (fast food, Cinemark)
- New and like-new books for all ages
- Gifts for kids to give parents (candles, tools, perfume/cologne)
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Monetary donations for unsponsored children and other Shoppe needs
- Volunteers—contact Ashley Craven at fumcorshoppes@gmail.com
Thank you for your support of FUMCOR Shoppes!
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It is already that time of year to think about ordering poinsettias. These beautiful plants adorn our worship spaces during the Advent and Christmas season and may be purchased in honor or in memory of family, friends, and other loved ones. Orders may be placed by filling out an order form and returning it with cash or a check made out to First United Methodist Church with "poinsettias" in the memo line. Order forms will be available with the ushers in both worship spaces and in the office beginning Sunday, November 16. All orders must be returned with payment no later than Wednesday, November 26. Contact Josh Sumter (jsumter@fumcor.org) for more information.
| | Time To Plan Your Advent Study | | |
Have you chosen your Advent study yet? Please consider Bethlehem: An Advent Journey, written by the Rev. David Graybeal. Dave is a United Methodist Pastor and member of The Holston Annual Conference who has served churches in southwestern England and east Tennessee. He is also an adjunct professor of religion at Tennessee Wesleyan University. Dave will be here at First Church on December 14 at 4:00 p.m. to discuss his book. Look for more information about that event as the date draws closer. If you would like a copy of Bethlehem: An Advent Journey, books are available to pick up in the office for $12.
| | Beginning December 2 and continuing through the Advent season, join Gielda Reese and friends for Visio Divina. Visio divina is "divine seeing," the practice of praying with a work of art. By incorporating art into prayer, visio divina invites us to bring our sense of sight as well as our imagination into our relationship with God. Gielda will be guiding us every Tuesday morning from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. in Room 204 as we create our own artwork and grow in Christ this Advent season! So that we have enough materials, please call the church office (865-483-4357) as soon as possible to register. | | Christmas Homebound Visitation | | |
Can you deliver a poinsettia to our homebound members this Christmas? If so, please follow the link below to complete the online visitation volunteer form, or get in touch with Pastor Denna (dhornby@fumcor.org) or Betty Lou Alspaugh (alspaughbl@gmail.com). Delivery begins December 1.
| | Thank You From United Women in Faith | | The United Women in Faith would like to thank the congregation for their generous giving toward our Blanket Sunday collection. 29 blankets were donated to Ecumenical Storehouse. We appreciated the $875 collected and sent to Church Women United for their purchase of additional blankets worldwide. | | Stephen Ministry Training Rescheduled | | The Stephen Ministry training class, originally scheduled to start in September, has been postponed until January, so you still have time to sign up for this special opportunity. The class will run on Tuesday evenings for 17 consecutive weeks beginning January 6 and ending April 28. Classes will be held from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. If you are interested in joining the class, please contact Pastor Denna (dhornby@fumcor.org), Dan Ingersoll (dingersoll3@comcast.net), Anne Leitnaker (anne.leitnaker@gmail.com), or Peg Ashline (ashline27@bellsouth.net) no later than November 21. For more information, check us out at fumcor.org/stephen-ministry. | |
November Special Offering -
Christmas Shoppe
| | The monthly Special Offering for November will go to support First Church's Christmas Shoppe. Shoppes season is in full swing, and your support is greatly appreciated! Monetary donations will help provide Christmas meals and staples for families, as well as Christmas gifts for our neighbors in need. To support Shoppes and give to the November Special Offering, follow the link below. | |
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Worship for November 16
Second Stewardship Sunday - Giving in Gratitude
Scripture Readings:
Psalm 91
James 2: 14-18
Acts 4: 32-35
2 Corinthians 9: 5-8, 12-15
8:45 & 11:00 a.m. Traditional Worship - Sanctuary
11:00 a.m. Contemporary Worship - Multipurpose Room
Preaching: Rev. Ken Sauer, Rev. Clair Sauer
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In the Hospital
Mike Cates
Dee Crumm
Jim Parks
Dismissed
John Norris
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Offering 11-3-2025 through 11-9-2025: $32,203.31
2025 YTD Offering: $1,176,967
2024 YTD Offering: $1,135,661
November Special Offering (Shoppes): $1,130
Thank you to all of you who mailed in your financial gifts or continued to give online.
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