Windows
December 24 & 31, 2020
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It's Virtually Christmas Eve
Please join us online for worship on Christmas Eve! To help prevent the spread of covid-19 in our community, we will not hold any in-person events. Instead, we will gather virtually for our worship service, which will stream at 7:30 p.m. We would love for you to tune in at 7:00 to sing with us before the service, for we need a little Christmas, right this very minute, candles in the sanctuary, carols at the spinet or the computer or the phone or ...
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Year-End Giving
Over a long, difficult year, our congregation has generously supported the ministries of FPC with gifts of time, talent, and treasure. Thank you for your support of the church in 2020! As the 2021 Stewardship Campaign reminds us, together we become “More Than the Sum.” No one of us can do this alone. We need each other.
Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good…. For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.
—1 Corinthians 12: 4-7,12
If you are planning year-end gifts, remember that for charitable contributions to be tax deductible for 2020, they must be received in the office or postmarked by Thursday, December 31. Gifts may also be made online by going to www.fpcbristol.org and clicking on GIVE in the upper right corner of the homepage or by texting fpcbristol to 73256. If you have questions, please call the church office at 423-361-7052, or email Betsy Galliher at bgalliher@fpcbristol.org.
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Christmas Eve Offering
Please give your Christmas Eve offering this year through our website or by text or mail. (See “Give Safely” for details.) Your gift will go to our international mission partners and the Minister’s Discretionary Fund. Simply note “Christmas Eve Offering” on the memo line. Thank you!
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Worship
December 27
1st Sunday of Christmas
Virtual Only
Lesson
Psalm 148
Sermon
Praise Him
Sam Weddington
Last Sunday’s Attendance
Livestream: 84
Playbacks: 171
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January 3
2nd Sunday of Christmas
Virtual Only
Lessons
Isaiah 61:10-62:3
Luke 2:22-40
Sermon
Where Were You?
Dan Kreiss
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Calendar
Sunday, December 27
9:00 a.m.
Worship,
Virtual
10:10 a.m.
Sunday School,
Virtual
Monday, December 28
7:00 p.m.
Church offices closed
Tuesday, December 29
Church offices closed
Wednesday, December 30
10:00 a.m.
Staff Meeting,
Fellowship Hall
Sunday, January 3
9:00 a.m.
Worship,
Virtual
10:10 a.m.
Sunday School,
Virtual
Tuesday, January 5
10:00 a.m.
Staff Meeting,
Fellowship Hall
Saturday, January 9
10:00 a.m.
Women’s Faith & Fellowship,
Zoom
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Sunday Bible Study Online
We are continuing to offer an adult Bible study on Sundays on our YouTube channel. This study, Praying With the Psalms, looks at the Book of Psalms through the lens of prayer. All you need is a Bible and an open heart. Our short midweek Bible study will be available again mid-January.
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How to Join Us Online
Subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch the livestream of our early worship service and other activities. Just click here and hit “Subscribe.” You will receive notifications of new videos. We also suggest that you connect to us on Facebook. On Facebook, type in “FPC Bristol,” and several accounts will show up. Some are open to the public, while others are restricted. In either case, “Like” the page, or ask to join a group if it is closed. |
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Only Virtual Worship for Now
We have done our best as a church community to offer a hybrid worship experience of in-person and online services through most of this pandemic. However, our reasonable precautions are not enough to stem the tide of rising infections in our area. Therefore, to protect the health of the congregation and the staff, and to be a good neighbor in our community, we are suspending in-person worship at the church through at least the second Sunday in January. This is also in line with our previous action to tie our church’s gatherings to the Bristol Tennessee City Schools schedule. Until we can meet again in person, join us online on Sunday mornings at 9:00, as we worship God together. And please keep our church and our community in your prayers.
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No Rehearsals or Gatherings
To minimize the time that FPC folks spend in public or at the church, we have suspended group activities, including choir and handbell practice. Services like Meals on Wheels continue, but all volunteers must take the well-known protective measures. Please call the office before you come, and avoid in-person contact. Pray for our community as we combat the coronavirus.
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Connect and Communicate
Can you make a quick call once a month to approximately eight members of the church, to see how they’re doing and share what’s new at FPC? If so, please let the church office know. We want you on the team!
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Pastor Sam Here but Not Here
Faring better than Schrödinger’s cat (half the time), Pastor Sam will be in the office and working during the first two weeks in January. Because he is also trying to complete chapters 2 and 4 of his doctoral project, however, he will focus much of his time and effort on that leg of his work. During that period, he won’t be doing online Wednesday Bible studies, and the Friendship Class will have lesson reruns. If you have a critical need for him, please, give him a call. If you can wait a bit, he’ll be typing up a storm.
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Welcome Home, Pastor Dave!
We heard from Pastor Dave and Linda yesterday that Dave has been released from the hospital and is back home. We give thanks to God that he has progressed this far, and we pray for his continued healing. Please continue to lift up Dave and Linda in your prayers!
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Final Newsletter of 2020
You are reading the last issue of Windows for the decade that was the year 2020. We pray that your holidays are bright, warm, safe, and even merry. Happy new year! You will see us through our Windows again January 7.
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Give Safely
During the pandemic, we encourage you to use text, mail, or our website for your continued, faithful support of our ministries. You can give online by going to fpcbristol.org and clicking on “Give” in the upper right corner. You can send your pledge, offering, or special gift by texting fpcbristol to 73256. You can also mail your checks directly to First Presbyterian Church, 701 Florida Avenue, Bristol, TN 37620.
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We Are Praying Together
We are asking all members of our congregation to join our 7-12-7 Prayer Campaign. Please choose the time convenient for you (7:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., or 7:00 p.m.) and join us daily in prayer. Together we will ask for God’s guidance, deliverance, and mercy for our church, community, nation, and world. If you cannot pray at those hours, please pray when you can! We are facing great challenges, but God is greater still.
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Gifts to the Church
Memorials and honoraria are published in the newsletter only after the family has been personally notified by our business office. Today we gratefully acknowledge a gift in memory of:
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Martha Graham (mother of John Graham): to King University's Chuck Thompson Scholarship Fund from John & Alice Graham
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Birthday Prayer Fellowship
Dec. 29 Derek Dowdell, Peter Stigers, Dottie Whitesides
Dec. 30 Jason Kreiss, Teddy Testerman
Jan. 2 Charlotte Parker, Leigh Beth Phipps
Jan. 4 Scott Sams
Jan. 5 Sujean Bradley, Maria Poteat, Jim Wiseman
Jan. 6 Amelia Cordon, Camille Miller
Jan. 8 Heidi Harkleroad
Condolences
Our love and sympathy are with Bob and Peggy O’Dell in the death of his sister, Sue Ella O’Dell, December 17.
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Deadline & Subscriptions
Deadline for contributions to Windows is the Monday of the week of publication. Subscribe to our free e-newsletter by sending your name and preferred email address to kacuff@fpcbristol.org.
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In Our Prayers
Please also include in your prayers the members of our community who wish to remain anonymous.
Adam
Brian Alderman & family
Caitlin Ball
Wanda Barnes
Scott & Mary Bechtold
Joe Bell
Christy Blevins
Booher family
Sujean Bradley
Sue Ellen Bridgers & family
Bristol Tennessee City Schools
Kip Brown
Becky Busler
Carrier family
John Crewey
Sara & Sam Ferguson
Family of Keith Foster
DeeDee Galliher
Deborah Garritson
Family of Martha Graham
Scott Greene
Emma & Gina Grubbs
Ron & Sandra Grubbs
Lou Hebb
Nate, Angela, Addelynn Higgins
Davan & Kristi Johnson
Gene & Betty Keith
Marty Keys & family
Morgan & Josh King & family
Family of Dutch Kiser
June Lamb
Patsy Leonard
Nancy Lilly
Earl & Harriet Linderman
Laura & George Linke
Favour Maji
Dot Mattison
Kathy McGlothlin & mother
Alice Moore
Breanna Necessary
Martha North
Fred Parker & family
Louise Phipps
Rosa Poteat
Jodi & Kreg Ramey
Meg & Drew Rice
Family of Austin Rowell
Brittany Salter
Mark & Julianne Stapleton
Jim Swartchick
Bill & Margaret Wade
Patsy Ward
Amy Webb & family
Dave & Linda Welch
Deborah Whittaker
Laura Wilkinson
Katie Wright
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701 Florida Avenue | Bristol, TN 37620 | 423-764-7176 | fpcbristol.org
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