REV. DON HANSHEW, SENIOR PASTOR

REV. RACHEL COLLINS, PASTOR OF DISCIPLESHIP

New Year…So…

There's something magical about January 1, isn't there? The busyness of the past year (and the holidays) comes to a halt and people slow down for a fresh start. 

But... uhm, did anything really change? 

The habits I had yesterday didn't really disappear. The hustle at work is glad to meet you on your first day back. And the dreams you had for 2025 are still, well, dreams. So, I keep coming back to the question, “What would it take for 2026 to be different?” Seriously. 

Scripture does not glamorize “new year, new you.” It offers something better: “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed… his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning” (Lamentations 3:22–23). God’s renewal is not a once-a-year event. It is a daily gracious gift.

Over the years, I have heard plenty of New Year’s resolutions, and I have watched many fail (mine included). What has helped me is less about grand promises and more about faithful practices:

• Instead of constantly adding more to my plate, I cut out non-priorities to focus on what matters most. (This should be easy, but I find it VERY hard.)
• Instead of riding the rollercoaster of being “productive” (which can become an idol), I try to build on momentum day-by-day. (Which I have found requires some intentional journalling.)
• Instead of longing for a day off, or a vacation, I try to structure each day and each week to fuel me. (Sabbath is actually a little elusive for those who work in the church.)

If you want 2026 to be different, consider choosing one “instead of” for the next seven days. Not a resolution to impress anyone, but a small act of trust. Put ten minutes with Jesus on the calendar. Say no to one thing that drains you. Show up for worship with expectation. Serve one neighbor. Offer one prayer that tells the truth.

God is already at work, not just changing plans, but changing hearts. Let’s step into this year together, with new mercies and steady hope.

On this Christian Walk With You,

Pastor Don

Welcome to the New Year Quarterly Review!

This is a great opportunity to take a look ahead at what’s happening in the next quarter at our church, hear updates directly from the pastor, and ask any questions about ministries, programs, or upcoming events.

Here’s what you need to know:

• When: Sunday, January 4, immediately following 11 a.m. services
• Where: Wesley Hall
• Food: a light lunch will be served

This gathering is open to everyone. We’d love to see you there and share all the exciting plans for the coming months!

The Work of Christmas

By Howard Thurman

When the song of the angels is stilled,

when the star in the sky is gone,

when the kings and princes are home,

when the shepherds are back with their flock.

the work of Christmas begins:

to find the lost,

to heal the broken,

to feed the hungry,

to release the prisoner,

to rebuild the nations,

to bring peace among brothers,

to make music from the heart.

Are you ready to move forward in your relationship with God? Personal discipleship is a step in the right direction. One way to do this is to commit to reading through the Bible in one year. From January 1-December 31, 2026, we will follow the chronological timeline of Scripture. 

Daily Scripture reading will require a new commitment to growing your relationship with GOD. Let’s start together and finish strong! Reading Plan >>

Fountain City Fellowship Resumes January 7

Our fellowship meal and discipleship classes resume next Wednesday with meaningful opportunities for children, youth, and adults all in one evening. This semester offers a rich variety of ways to learn, grow, and connect, along with a tasty, shared meal.

Join us at 5:30 p.m. for dinner, followed by classes at 6:30 p.m. Whether you are coming for the food, the fellowship, or the chance to deepen your faith, there is a place for you.

We will honor our past and present church members by having a featured recipe each Wednesday night in January from the Fountain City UMC Cookbook! Meals are $5 per person and students eat free.

January 7 Menu: Chicken Artichoke Casserole submitted by Mark Biagi. Please register for meals to help out our kitchen staff! Meal Registration >>

Check out the list of classes available this semester and register for a class >>

Good Enough Faith: Letting Go of Spiritual Guilt

Second Sunday Study | January 11, 2026

9:45–10:45 a.m. | Wesley Hall

Ever feel like your faith should be more than it is right now?

More prayer. More Bible reading. More time. More energy.

If you’re juggling work, kids, schedules, and exhaustion, you’re not alone! And you’re not failing. In this one-session Bible study, we’ll explore the story of Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38–42) and talk honestly about spiritual guilt, pressure, and what faith looks like in real life. The start of a New Year often comes with pressure to “do more.” This isn’t about adding another thing to your to-do list. It’s about discovering how God meets us right in the middle of busy, imperfect lives. Whether you’re new to church, deeply involved, or somewhere in between, this conversation is for you. Come as you are. No prep required. Expect a practical, honest, and hopeful way of approaching faith in life. This is part of our monthly Second Sunday Study series facilitated by Rev. Don Hanshew.

SERVING OTHERS

Community Meal | January 24

5:30 PM in Wesley Hall

Our next community meal will take place January 24. Join us as we open our doors to the community for a warm meal and fellowship! This event is open to everyone in the church, our housed and unhoused neighbors, and anyone else who is HUNGRY. We have some great cooks so come and eat with us!

Knoxville Warming Centers

Four Warming Center sites and an overflow site will open when the temperature reaches 25 degrees and below. Our church's support is to provide rides from Cokesbury UMC to the overflow site if needed. We are seeking a driver and rider on these nights. A sign up genius will be posted soon. You have to be a church member to drive the van but anyone can be the second person on the van.

The Community Outreach Team is continuing to provide support to our unhoused neighbors by checking on them and providing warm items and other resources. Our donation ask for January includes hand warmers, gloves and thick socks. Please leave these in your Sunday School classrooms and they will be picked up. Thank you!

Helping Hands Needed to Un-Deck The Halls | Tuesday, January 6 | 9:30 a.m.

Calling all volunteers looking for fun and fellowship as we “un-deck” our tree-lined hallways. We need your assistance taking down and storing Christmas trees and decorations. Just show up!

Faith Promise is Now Part of the General Fund

The ministry once called Faith Promise, which supported local, national, and international mission partners, will now grow from the same root system as our general ministry budget. By uniting all giving into one shared commitment, we are expressing a deeper truth. Everything we do is mission. Every class taught, every child nurtured, every meal served, and every act of compassion offered in Christ’s name are all part of the same living tree that bears fruit for the kingdom of God. Having one unified budget allows us to see more clearly how the ministries of Fountain City United Methodist Church are connected. If you were previously giving to Faith Promise, please combine that giving with your General Fund contributions.

Blessing Box Needs:

• Water
• Peanut butter
• Hand warmers
• Horizon individual servings of shelf stable milk( or Kroger brand, it’s cheaper)
• Toiletries

Happy New Year! God’s blessings on all!

NEWS AND NOTES



Couples Event

We are so excited to be planning a couples event at FCUMC! Mark your calendars for March 20-21, 2026 for a fun, engaging, eye-opening weekend. Whether you're married, engaged, or even just thinking about it, you and your partner are invited to be part of our inaugural weekend! 

But first, we'd love to hear from you - please complete a short (we promise!) survey about what would help make the MOST of a couples ministry, and be the first to know what's coming!

Take the survey >>

In order to inform our community about our wonderful Sunday School classes, we have launched a Sunday School Promotional Video Initiative. You have probably seen a few of these videos on our social media! We are asking each Sunday School class to film a 30-second video that covers the following: 

1. Name of your class
2. Room number
3. Age range 
4. One sentence description of your class

These videos are being posted on the church's Instagram and Facebook page! Please complete this form to select a date and time for Britney Barthol to visit your Sunday School class. If you have any questions, please feel free to email Britney. 

FOUNTAIN KIDS & FOUNTAIN LITTLES



Fountain Kids Club on Wednesday Nights resumes on January 7, when we will have a Back-to-Wacky Wednesday Nights with a Silent Disco and Glow Party for K-5th grade students. See you next week!

23rd Annual Father Daughter Dance Registration is Open!

Saturday, January 31, 2026 | 5:30–8:00 pm

Fathers, grab your best girls and head on down to FCUMC for our ever-popular Father Daughter Dance! DJ Tara will join us once again. We will also have a special photobooth opportunity. Let’s make some memories!

Tickets are $25 per daughter and father/ father figure, and $5 per additional daughter. This is one of the biggest fundraisers for our Fountain Kids Ministry! Everyone is invited so share with your friends, your family, your neighbors, and your coworkers! All ages are encouraged to celebrate the special relationship between fathers and daughters!

Over half of the tickets have already been purchased so don’t delay! Register now >>

YOUTH MINISTRY

Resurrection 2026 | January 23-25, 2026

LeConte Center, Pigeon Forge, TN

Resurrection is an annual weekend retreat filled with worship and spiritual growth for youth and their mentors. Each year over 12,000 individuals come together in Pigeon Forge, TN to celebrate the God of The Resurrection. Through inspirational words and music led by nationally-known speakers and musicians, young people encounter the Lord in new and deeper ways. FRVR FREE is leading worship again this year, and the speaker is Paul Taylor Smith.  

Students in 6th-12th grades (and parent volunteers!) are encouraged to register! Registration includes lodging in a cabin (the Legacy Lodge in Pigeon Forge), entry to the event, and some meals. A deposit of $50 is suggested and the total cost per student is $100. Scholarship opportunities will be available to cover some of the expense for students who participate in our January fundraisers!

All students who have attended multiple youth group events in the last six months are invited to sign up, including new events leading up to Resurrection. If have a question about your student’s or your student’s friend’s eligibility, please contact Matt Randle.

This registration is for Youth Only. If you are interested in being an adult chaperone please contact Matt Randle. A parent meeting will be announced soon to discuss Resurrection as well as information for the coming year. Register >>

ADULT MINISTRY

Introducing a new group for those in the retirement season of life Seniors who want to be connected, involved, and grow together will find new opportunities for fellowship, shared experiences, and meaningful engagement in the Young at Heart Group - all while creating space for friendship, faith, and purpose. Along the way, the group will explore ways to grow in faith through conversation, learning, and serving together, while enjoying the freedom and wisdom this season brings.

Lunch Bunch

A new group is forming, and it’s all about good food and good company. The Lunch Bunch will gather once a month to enjoy a meal together while exploring new local spots. This group will meet on the third Thursday of each month, beginning on January 15. Participants are invited to bring lunch money and either:

• Meet at church at 11 am to ride the bus together for a fun and unique travel experience or
• Meet the group at the restaurant at 11:30 a.m.

For January, we’re keeping it close to home and heading to Rami’s for our first lunch outing.This group is sponsored by the Young at Heart Group, and all are welcome. Come join us as we share a meal, laughter, and time together around the table!

COFFEE & FELLOWSHIP ON SUNDAYS AT THE WELCOME CENTER

Stop by the Welcome Center before or after worship (8:00-10:45 a.m.) and let us bless you! See you Sunday!

SUNDAY SCHEDULE

8:30 a.m. Traditional Service in the Sanctuary

9:45 a.m. Sunday Morning Discipleship

11 a.m.Traditional Service in the Sanctuary

11 a.m. The Journey Contemporary Service in the Gym

Childcare and children's ministry is provided from 8:30 a.m. through the conclusion of the 11 a.m. worship services.

FOUNTAIN KIDS SUNDAY SCHEDULE

Fountain Kids Sunday School • 9:45 a.m.

Fountain Littles Sunday School • 9:45 a.m. 

Fountain Kids Bible Experience • 11 a.m.

Fountain Littles Childcare • 11 a.m.

THE SPIRIT NEWSLETTER

Check out the January 2026 edition of The Spirit Newsletter.

CHURCH OFFICE HOURS

Monday-Thursday: 9 a.m.-3 p.m. 

Friday: 9 a.m.-12 p.m.

NEXT UP AT FCUMC

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

January 6: Un-deck The Halls | 9:30 p.m.

January 7: Fountain City Fellowship resumes

January 11: Second Sunday Discussion | 9:45 a.m. | Wesley Hall

January 15: Lunch Bunch Outing | 11:30 a.m. | Rami's

January 23-25: Resurrection Event for Youth

January 27: Free Community Meal | 5:30 p.m. | Wesley Hall

January 31: Father Daughter Dance | 5:30 p.m. | Gym

Pastor On Call

After Hours & Weekends

When you need urgent pastoral care while the church office is closed, text or call 865-689-7894 to reach the

pastor on call.

Pastor Don's email:

Pastor.Don@fountaincityumc.org

Pastor Rachel's email:

Pastor.Rachel@fountaincityumc.org

Live-Streamed Worship Services:

11:00 a.m. The Journey Contemporary worship and 

11 a.m. Traditional worship

 are live-streamed on our YouTube channel. Our Tuesday night Celebrate Recovery service is live-streamed on the CR North Facebook page and available on YouTube after its conclusion.

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