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Breakthrough Prayer
God, break through my hesitancy and grant me your Spirit's boldness in moments when I want to shy away from sharing my story of faith in you with others, or to share about your answers to my prayers. Amen.
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The elevator is still not functioning reliably.
Unfortunately, that is the bottom line. We are thankful that the initial diagnosis was incorrect, but problems and inconsistencies connected to a lightning storm and power surge persist. The electronics will be fully rebuilt at the beginning of October, and a temporary workaround is being explored. In the meantime, please do not use the elevator and plan your movements around the building accordingly.
We ask those who are able-bodied to park in the Chamber lot when you come to church to keep spaces with direct access to the 1st and 2nd floors available. Thank you for your help and understanding!
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Second Saturday Servants is an opportunity for you to help out First Church “by our service." The church needs YOU to help with projects both inside and outside the building. The August focus will be cleaning and organizing the kitchen.
Second Saturday Servants will gather this Saturday, August 8, from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m.
Even if you can't make it every month, be sure to add Second Saturday Servants to your calendar.
Questions? Contact Janet Townsend (townsend1625@gmail.com) or Gielda Reese (gieldareese@gmail.com).
| | Youth Group Begins Sunday at New Time | | The Youth Group resumes its regular weekly meetings this Sunday, August 9. Please note the time change! The youth will gather in the loft from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. each Sunday afternoon for learning and fellowship. For more information, reach out to Billy Price (bprice@fumcor.org). | | New Grief Support Group Begins Sunday | | |
A new Grief Support Group will be meeting Sundays, August 9 through September 27, from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. in Room 203. Anyone who has lost a loved one or who is facing other significant losses is welcome to attend.
Group facilitators are Gielda Reese, a retired school teacher who lost her 14-year-old daughter to cancer, and the Rev. Bob Cantrell, a retired United Methodist pastor. Together, they offer compassionate guidance and understanding drawn from both personal experience and years of service to others.
Attendance is limited. For more information, contact Gielda Reese (gieldareese@gmail.com).
| | Women of the Bible Study Begins August 16 | | |
Beginning on August 16, Pastor Clair will lead a new 12-week Bible study (in two 6-week segments) about women in the Bible. The study will meet weekly at 5:00 p.m. on Sundays from August 16 - September 20 and October 18 - November 22 in Room 207. This study will loosely follow the new book, Her Faith Still Speaks, edited by Sheri Carder Hood with contributions from Holston Conference Bishop Debra Wallace-Padgett and FUMC's own Rev. Stella Roberts. Stella will lead the lesson about Ruth, as that was her contribution to this book. All are invited to any or all of this study about women in the Bible.
If you would like to purchase the book, you can find it on Amazon or through Market Square Books, but it is not required for participation in the study. For more information, please contact Pastor Clair (csauer@fumcor.org).
| | Tech Ministry Opportunity | | Do you love the satisfaction of a perfectly blended sound? Are you into technology and feeling called to help make worship at First Church great? If so, then the tech team is the place for you. There are opportunities to support Sunday morning worship by running sound, lights, or slides. Contact AV Production Director, Caleb Roberts (avtech@fumcor.org), to volunteer today. | | Connect with Realm Connect | | |
Through First Church's new Church Management System, Realm Connect, you are able to update and add personal information on your own, upload profile pictures, view financial statements and giving at any time, and see pictures and contact information for other church members (an online, on-demand church directory)!
Follow the links below to get signed up and for step-by-step directions in setting up your Realm Connect account. If you have questions, call the church office (1-865-483-4357) anytime during regular business hours.
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August Special Offering -
Music Ministry
| | For the month of August, the special offering benefits our church's music ministry. We are blessed each week with talented musicians—both paid and volunteer—who commit their time and talents to benefit our church and our community. While even modest music ministries require a surprising amount of funding, ours is a vital and multi-faceted ministry that offers opportunities for singers and instrumentalists of all ages and abilities. We have a huge variety of services, events, and projects planned that will inevitably require some funding outside the provisions of the normal budget. A peek at some of the planned events can be found in Harold Hartman's most recent Church Council report. Your gifts to the special offering will help us keep our ministry going so that we can continue to bless you all and the community in new and exciting ways. We are so grateful for your support! If you would like to support the August Special Offering, follow the link below or mail a check to: First UMC, 1350 Oak Ridge Turnpike, Oak Ridge, TN 37830. Notate “monthly offering” in the memo line. | |
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Worship for August 9
Eleventh Sunday After Pentecost
Scripture Readings:
1 Kings 19: 9-13
Psalm 85: 8-13
Romans 10: 5-15
Matthew 14: 22-33
8: 45 a.m. Traditional Worship - Sanctuary
11:00 a.m. Worship - Sanctuary
Preaching: Rev. Ken Sauer, Rev. Clair Sauer
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In Sympathy
Please be in prayer for the families and friends of:
Betty Dreyer, who joined FUMC on October 27, 1968, and died on July 28, 2026. A celebration of life will be held at FUMC on Sunday, August 9, at 2:00 p.m. in the Chapel, followed by a service of committal in the Memorial Garden and a reception. The family will receive friends beginning at 1:30 p.m.
Gayle Boroughs, who joined FUMC on May 13, 1990, and died on July 30, 2026. A celebration of life will be held at FUMC on Saturday, September 5, at 12:00 p.m. The family will receive friends beginning at 11:00 a.m.
Joanne Boyle, who joined FUMC on August 20, 1978, and died on July 30, 2026. A celebration of life will be held at FUMC on Sunday, September 6, with a receiving of friends at 1:00 p.m. followed by the service at 2:00 p.m.
In the Hospital/Dismissed
None that we are aware of at this time.
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Offering 7-20-2026 through 7-26-2026: $21,732
2026 YTD Offering: $858,652
2025 YTD Offering: $827,328
August Special Offering (Music): $975.00
Thank you to all of you who mail in your financial gifts or continue to give online.
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