REV. DON HANSHEW, SENIOR PASTOR

REV. RACHEL COLLINS, PASTOR OF DISCIPLESHIP

What Happens When We Die? 

A couple of weeks ago, we gathered in Wesley Hall for our monthly Second Sunday class at 9:45 a.m. My intent was to faithfully wrestle with one of the oldest questions there is: What happens when we die?

Since then, a number of people have asked me about the class. So, in case you missed it, or want to sit with it again, here is a brief recap.

First, we need to remember that the Bible is not a travel brochure for the afterlife. It does not give us a step-by-step itinerary or answer every question we may have. And honestly, that is comforting to me. What the Bible does give us is something better than a map. It gives us a promise, and a person behind the promise.

That person is Jesus. 

In John 11, Jesus is standing outside a tomb, while his friend's grieving family stand right in front of him, and says: "I am the resurrection and the life." He does not say, "I know the plan, so follow these steps." He says, "I am the answer." So often, I think we misunderstand and think that Christian hope is built on our ability to explain everything. It is not. It is built on who Jesus is and what God has promised. One of the persistent questions I hear about death is “What happens right when we die?” The Bible does give us a glimpse. Jesus says to the man on the cross beside him, "Today you will be with me in paradise." There is comfort, and also mystery, and healthy faith makes room for both.

This is one of the reasons Lent is such a meaningful season for me. The forty days before Easter are a natural time to slow down and think about what we really believe, what we are holding on to, and what we are afraid of. Lent is about repentance and reflection, and it is also about making room for questions we usually try to avoid. Death is one of those questions. And asking it honestly can actually deepen our faith rather than shake it.

Years ago, a mentor of mine taught me this: the worst thing is never the last thing. The Bible does not answer everything. But it says, clearly and repeatedly, that God does not lose what God loves.

If this stirs something in you, I hope you will keep following that curiosity. Talk to someone you trust. Slowly read 1 Corinthians 15 or Psalm 23 this week. Come find Rachel or me in the hallway. We want to hear your questions because we feel you do not have to carry them alone.

In Easter Hope,

Pastor Don

Compline Prayer Service at 9 p.m. | YouTube Live

Join Pastor Rachel along with various guests online every week night during Lent to close your evening in prayer. 

Lenten Worship

During Lent, our worship series is based on the Bishop Will Willimon book The Last Supper. Pastor Don and Pastor Rachel will preach out of the key verse each week. Read along on your own as we meet Jesus around the Table on the way to the cross. 

Join us for Worship during Holy Week!

The Sanctuary will be open for people who would like to spend some quiet time in prayer and meditation on March 30, 31 and April 1.

Music will be played to encourage stillness and mindfulness of the holiness of the season. Please enter through main Sanctuary doors. 

Fountain City Fellowship on Wednesday Nights

Our fellowship meal and discipleship classes bring 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 the 5:30 p.m. dinner, followed by classes at 6:30 p.m. Whether you're coming for the food, the fellowship, or the chance to deepen your faith, there is a place for you. Meals are $5 per adult, and children 18 & under eat free.

March 25 Menu: Chicken Enchiladas with White Sauce (recipe by Chelsey Kent). Please register for meals to help out our kitchen staff. Meal Registration >>

Fountain City Fellowship Birthday Cake!

Everybody has a birthday, and everybody deserves to be celebrated! On the last Wednesday of each month at Fountain City Fellowship, we’re making space to honor the people God has placed among us. If your birthday falls in that month, your meal is on us, and we’ll have birthday cake ready, too. So come hungry, bring a friend, and let us celebrate you! If it’s your month, we want to sing for you, smile with you, and remind you that you matter here!

No Fountain City Fellowship During Holy Week

We will not have Fountain City Fellowship on Wednesday, April 1. There will be no meal and no programming except for the Step Studies and ELL classes. Those two groups will meet as scheduled and childcare will be provided.

SERVING OTHERS

They may look like simple bags of rice and soy, but Rise Against Hunger meals represent the hopes and dreams of people worldwide. Join our 12th Annual Rise Against Hunger Meal Packaging Event on Saturday, March 28, when we will package 40,000 meals to help alleviate hunger worldwide!

We need volunteers to sign up to package meals (100 individuals per meal packaging shift), as well as a clean-up shift. We also need strong individuals to unload the truck and set up on Friday night. This is a family-friendly and multi-generational project with tasks for all ages!

Friday, March 27 | 5:30-7:00 p.m.

Unload the Rise Against Hunger truck & set up for Saturday’s meal packaging event. We need strong, able-bodied folks to unload the truck and carry food and equipment (up to 50 lbs.) to the Gym.

Saturday, March 28 | Three Shifts

Meal Packaging Shift One: 9:00-11:30 a.m.

Meal Packaging Shift Two: 12:00-2:30 p.m.

Clean up shift: 2:30-3:30 p.m.

Sign up for a shift

Donating to Rise Against Hunger in honor or in memory of a friend or loved one is an Easter tradition at FCUMC. For $10 per dedication, your loved one will be honored or memorialized in our Easter Sunday bulletin on April 5. For inclusion in the dedication list, all requests must be received by noon on Tuesday, March 31. Dedication request

For decades, Holston Conference has made a significant impact on children in Liberia and Zimbabwe through Hands-on-Mission kits.

Thanks to the generosity of Holston churches, millions of dollars of school supplies, food buckets, and health kits have continued to flow to our mission partners in Liberia and Zimbabwe, serving as vital lifelines of support.

This year, we continue the special tradition but with a new twist. FCUMC will assemble kits for children in Liberia, however, we will also provide $5 virtual kits to Zimbabwe. We encourage Sunday school classes, small groups and individuals to participate in this special mission of the Holston Conference. The deadline to turn in buckets and checks to the church office is May 2. For details and the bucket supply list, please visit our website.

Join Fountain City UMC's Grow Group!

We Need Help with the FCUMC Grounds

Love to get your hands in the soil? New spring flowers pushing up through the ground get you excited? Do you find satisfaction in pulling weeds, deadheading flowers, and cleaning up flower beds?

If you said yes to any of these questions, you are invited to join the volunteer group that cares for the FCUMC grounds! It’s almost time to mulch beds and plant spring flowers. We need help tending the gardens through spring, summer and fall. Email Prudence Spencer or Nancy Nolen to sign up!

Join us on March 28

for the FCUMC Community Meal

Our community meals are coordinated by the Community Outreach Team. Meals are prepared by the group that hosts them, and we have great food every month. This meal is open to everyone, church members, friends, and all our neighbors. Come join us!

Blessing Box Needs

• Water
• Chunky soups
• Granola bars
• Tampons

Here is a fun fact: FCUMC provides 20-25 pounds of food and hygiene items daily. That translates to 140-170 pounds per week; 7300-9125 pounds per year. After approximately 4.5 years a grand total of 29,000-36,500 pounds of food and hygiene items provided by FCUMC faith community! And that doesn’t count community donations. Well done and thank you for supporting our community!

NEWS AND NOTES



Team Craft | Craft & Bake Sale

Team Craft is having a craft and bake sale to raise money for materials for blankets to handout on the Project Inasmuch Day of Service.

You don’t want to miss out on all of the great crafts and baked goodies! See you there!

Time Apart and Tablescapes

Our UWF District Time Apart will be held tomorrow, March 21 at Church Street UMC. There will be a light breakfast from 9:00-9:45 a.m. and the program will begin at 10:00 a.m. Rev. Sabine Collins (Concord UMC Administrative Pastor) will be the guest speaker. An offering will be collected for Centro Hispano. If you plan to attend, please let your circle leaders know today!

Wesley House Tablescapes will take place on Saturday, April 18 at Cokesbury UMC. Our unit has reserved one table for eight people. Please let Martha Routh know as soon as possible if you would like to attend (865-803-9861).

Scroggie Mission Endowment Fund

Every year, the Scroggie Mission Endowment Committee is tasked with the thoughtful care of stewarding Lucy Scroggie's generous financial gift to fund missions. Through a formal grant process, the committee vets applications to ensure Lucy’s heart for missions is well represented by her dollars.

In life, Lucy was whip smart and adventurous, with a heart for mission work. She was valedictorian in high school and went on to earn her B.S., M.S. and PhD in various chemical sciences. She was a creator and craftswoman, from photography to needlepoint to woodwork. Her attitude of service and generosity was evident in everything she touched.

Lucy passed away in 2007 at the age of 72, and in her death bequeathed Fountain City UMC a financial gift to fund missions. Through her endowment, she also bestowed our church the honor and privilege of granting hundreds of thousands of dollars to charitable organizations in Knoxville and beyond. As a church, we have born witness to the ripples of Lucy’s legacy, the deep meaning and faith of her life still creating waves beyond her death. 

Scroggie Mission Recipients 2026 | Totaling $43,855

• Celebrate Recovery North at FCUMC
• FCUMC - Come Home to Bethlehem 2026
• FCUMC - Fountain Kids Vacation Bible School 2026
• FCUMC - Rise Against Hunger | March 2026
• Jubilee Project Safe & Healthy Homes in Hancock Co, TN
• UTK Wesley Foundation Spring Mission Trip
• Norwood UMC Food Ministry
• FCUMC “This is Us” Couples Event & Couples Ministry Launch
• Isaiah 117 House
• FCUMC - Kitchen Ministry | One More Meal Mission
• FCUMC - Young Adult Ministry | Young Adult Discovery Conference

You don’t want to miss the next Linking Laity for Empowerment on Tuesday, March 24 at 7 p.m. We will have some interesting historical facts about Holston and get a peek at the archives at Tennessee Wesleyan University. The guests will be Mike Feely and Jason Stubblefield. If you have any questions, please email Becky Hall.

Register >>

FOUNTAIN KIDS & FOUNTAIN LITTLES



At Kids Club on Wednesday night, Miss Kim shared a science experiment about the tomb of Jesus.

Attention Parents

New resources available on the parent resource walk on 2nd floor.

Have You Registered Your Kids For….

Wacky Wednesday Summer Day Camps at Fountain City UMC

Our Summer Day Camps offer opportunities for kids to get active, build friendships and explore Bible stories with their Fountain Kids friends. With three themed Wacky Wednesdays, we are sure that your kiddos will enjoy this time to engage in something they already love or find new interests! Make plans now to join the summer fun! Register for each day camp on our website!

June 10 | Sportmania 

Lots of sports fun with basketball drills and competitions, a Bible lesson, lunch, and a trip to Top golf!

June 17 | Cooking Class, Picnic and Sky Zone

We will have a cooking class with a lesson about food in the Bible led by FCUMC’s amazing Chef Teisha, followed by a field trip to Beardsley Farm with sack lunches for a picnic. Next, we will travel to Sky Zone Trampoline Park. What a fun day!

June 24 | Sportalooza

Let’s play basketball. Let’s play pickleball. Fun and run! We will have a Bible animal lesson, followed by an early lunch before departing for Pigeon Forge to ride go carts, grab some ice cream and have more fun!

Congratulations to Fountain Kids' own Sarah Shipman for

crossing the finish line at her first 5K. Well done, Sarah!

Fountain Littles and Fountain Kids have a special prayer request

Our numbers are growing and we are loving it and would love to see more! We hear comments from parents that kids love it here, they love the leaders, they ask to come here and they do not want to leave. And hey, we have room for more!

Our request is for prayer. Our request is not for money because God will honor our work and bless us with what we need. Our request is simple. As our leaders and small group workers teach about the life, love and sacrifice of Jesus, we ask that our church comes together and prays that God would send us more children.

We are asking that you stop at either 9 a.m. and/or 9 p.m. and pray that God moves in the hearts of grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles to see our church and the love and resources we have for children. Jesus said, let the children come. Fountain Kids says we are ready. Let more and more children come.

Miss Donna

YOUTH MINISTRY



FCUMC Youth Late-Nighter

We are having a later-nighter event on Friday, April 10! The cost is $15 per student, which covers food and games. We will play individual and group games with lots of prizes, and most importantly-have fun! If a FCUMC Youth Group student brings a friend, both will receive a $5 discount on their registration when they sign up together! This event is open to all students grades 6-12. If cost is a concern or you have other questions, please contact Matt Randle.

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 March 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

March 20-21: This is Us Couples Weekend

March 22: Craft & Bake Sale | 9:15-11 am | Wesley Hall

March 22: Vision Team Prayer Service | 2 pm in the Chapel

March 28: Rise Against Hunger Meal Packaging Event | Gym

March 28: Community Meal | 5:30 pm | Wesley Hall

March 29: Palm Sunday

April 2: Maundy Thursday Worship | 7:30 pm | Sanctuary

April 3: Good Friday Worship | 7:30 pm | Sanctuary

April 5: Easter Sunday

April 5: Butterfly Release | 10:45 am | Courtyard

April 10: FCUMC Youth Late-Nighter | 5 pm-12 am

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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