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We are pleased to share that we will be launching our first-ever Summer Shoppe in June of 2025. The focus of this Shoppe will be to provide food and hygiene items to families referred to us by local school systems. Summer is particularly challenging for many families facing food insecurity, as fewer resources are available to assist them during the summer months. If you would like to sponsor a family, $200 will cover the cost of food and hygiene supplies for a family of 4 to 6, or you may contribute an amount of your choosing. We are appreciative of every donation.
If you would like to make a physical donation*, we are looking for the following items:
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Laundry Pods
Bob's Laundromat Gift Cards
Razors
Toothpaste
Deodorant
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Shampoo
Conditioner
Body Wash
Bar Soap
African American Hair Care products
| | *If you are making a donation of any of the goods listed above, please drop them off in the Shoppes Room, which is 306. | | |
Many people are feeling the stress and discomfort of the prevalence of uncertainty and divisiveness in our culture. It can be a challenge to hold on to hope and to embody the goodness and kindness the world so sorely needs.
This month's Community Celtic Worship will focus on the topic of how we can stay grounded in hope and remain committed to kindness. Celtic Christianity has a positive, nature-centered, encouraging message that can help remind us of the goodness of God and of one another.
The service will be held at 5:00 p.m. this Sunday, June 8, in the FUMC Sanctuary. The service will also be livestreamed. For more information contact Pastor Jenny at 865-483-4357 or jcaughman@fumcor.org.
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Do you enjoy a good book? Join the FUMC Book Club, which meets the second Monday of each month at 1:00 in room 207. The Book Club will meet this Monday, June 9. Pictured are Book Club members after discussing the May book entitled Bridge Under the Sun, which detailed the life of Johnson City native, Gwen Terasaki, who married a Japanese diplomat shortly before World War II.
The book for June is Night Watch by Jayne Anne Phillips.
Contact Pastor Denna (dhornby@fumcor.org) for more information.
| | Raleigh Ringers In Concert | | |
Please plan to join us on Saturday, June 21, at 3:00 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room for a free concert given by the Raleigh Ringers.
Founded in 1990, The Raleigh Ringers is an Emmy-nominated, internationally-acclaimed concert handbell choir based in Raleigh, North Carolina. The group has been dazzling audiences with unique interpretations of sacred, secular, and popular music, including rock ‘n’ roll tunes for which the group has become noted, along with original compositions written specifically for The Raleigh Ringers.
Under the direction of David M. Harris, The Raleigh Ringers has performed in 39 States and the District of Columbia, as well as in France, England, and Canada. They have also appeared live on the nationally syndicated “Bob and Tom Show” radio show and on the “Hour of Power” at the Crystal Cathedral in California. In addition to eight albums, The Raleigh Ringers has released two full-length holiday concert videos.
The Raleigh Ringers performs on one of the most extensive collections of bells and bell-like instruments owned by any handbell ensemble in the world. The current grand total is 35 octaves composed of 377 individual pieces of equipment. To hear a sample of The Raleigh Ringers’ music, to see a concert schedule, or to learn more about the group, visit their website. Please contact Josh Sumter (jsumter@fumcor.org) for more information.
| | New Grief Support Opportunities | | |
The death of a loved one impacts every dimension of our lives. Trying to avoid the impact of such a loss only deepens our loneliness and sense of isolation. But there is a way toward healing and hope when we join with others who are grieving and willing to help “bear one another’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2) in a safe, confidential setting.
For the past two years, a grief support group for parents and grandparents who have lost children has been meeting on the second Monday of each month. The group will continue to meet, but with a broader focus. Some who have attended the 7-week Grief Support Groups have indicated an interest in attending a monthly support group. With this in mind, we invite anyone who has attended a previous grief support group to join with parents and grandparents who have lost children at our next meeting on Monday, June 9, 4:30 - 6:00 p.m., in Room 203.
Additionally, beginning Thursday, July 17, FUMC will offer a 7-week Grief Support Group for those who have lost loved ones or suffered other losses. The group will meet each Thursday, from July 17 through August 28, 4:30 - 6:00 p.m., in Room 203.
Co-facilitators of the Grief Support groups are Gielda Reese, a retired school teacher who lost a 14-year old daughter to cancer, and retired pastor Bob Cantrell. The public is invited to attend. Attendance is limited. Registration is encouraged. For more information or to register, contact Pastor Ken Sauer at (865) 483-3675 or ksauer@fumcor.org.
| | Volunteers Needed for the Ecumenical Storehouse | | |
Did you know that FUMCOR has been a part of the Ecumenical Storehouse ministry since it was established in 1984? This ministry is operated by volunteers from 11 community congregations on a rotating basis. The storehouse accepts, stores, and distributes household goods to families in need. The storehouse has two new volunteer opportunities.
We are seeking volunteers with availability on Saturday mornings to assist clients. Moving and lifting furniture is involved. There is direct involvement with clients. We are hoping to extend our ministry to Saturday afternoons in the future. Opening to clients on Saturdays is a direct result of the needs of some of our clients, who work during the week.
We are also seeking volunteers who are "handy." Are you able to occasionally take on a small project at home? Rewire a lamp? Clean upholstery? Make a rickety table stable? We have projects for you.
First Church also has a team that picks up donations on the first weekend of each month. We need “younger” folks to help lift and load donations.
The continued success of this ministry depends on our volunteers. For more information, please contact Barbara Hudak-Scheirer at 731-780-5689 or bhs4639@gmail.com. For more information on the Ecumenical Storehouse, please visit this website.
Thank you for your consideration of this important ministry.
| | Buddy Benches and Bottle Caps | | |
Four years ago, FUMC, in partnership with the Kiwanis Club of Tellico Village, started collecting plastic bottle caps for the club's “Buddy Benches” program. To date, FUMC has received five "Buddy Benches." Additionally, “Buddy Benches” have been installed in seven other Oak Ridge locations. The Kiwanis Club of Tellico Village has placed 78 benches in total in the surrounding area. A bench requires 200 pounds of bottled caps plus a $425 donation to cover the cost of manufacturing and transporting the bench.
For the past four years, Maxine Schultz has been coordinating FUMC’s efforts to collect plastic bottle caps and transfer the bottle caps to the Kiwanis “Buddy Bench” Coordinator, Kevin Meyer. Maxine and Bob will be moving to Prime – an Independent Senior Living facility in West Knoxville – so they will no longer have the facilities to continue collecting and transferring the collected plastic bottle caps to the Kiwanis Club of Tellico Village. Thus, FUMC needs a new Bottle Cap Coordinator as soon as possible. For additional information, please contact Maxine or Bob Schultz by email (maxbob38@comcast.net), phone (865-482-0080), or text (865-719-3230).
FUMC’s support for the “Buddy Bench” ministry has prevented an estimated 3,600 pounds of plastic from being sent to local landfills. Thanks be to God for the support of this congregation and our many friends and partners.
| | Thank You from Pastor Denna | | There are times that we must stop and say, "thank you," and this is one of those times. Each year, our pastoral compensation packages include funds for continuing education. This year, I applied for and was accepted as a Fellow for the Joe R. Engle Fellowship at Princeton University. On June 8, I will travel to Princeton University to participate in the fellowship at Princeton Theological Seminary. Mr. Engle was a layperson whose life had been formed by strong preaching. He joyfully devoted his resources to encourage and strengthen ministers in this task. Thank you for also devoting resources to enable me to participate in this fellowship. Please pray for me during this time, and I'll pray for you as well! | |
June Special Missions Offering -
Family Resource Center
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This month’s special offering will benefit the Family Resource Center of Oak Ridge. Housed in Willow Brook and Glenwood Elementary Schools, the Family Resource Center (FRC) offers a wide variety of services to our Oak Ridge Schools students and their families. Student programs include Food for Kids (which is organized and coordinated by volunteers here at FUMC, along with volunteers from other churches), school supplies, a clothing closet, and tutoring programs. The FRC also offers community resource networking, case management, and emergency assistance to families in need, covering rent, utilities, medications, gasoline, food, clothing, and transportation. Other adult programs include parenting and budgeting classes, as well as job skills and resume assistance.
According to the FRC’s website, its mission “is to assist 'at-risk’ children and their families in the prevention and eradication of problems that interfere with their ability to become fully functioning and independent members of their community.”
The Family Resource Center is a vital community resource right here in Oak Ridge. Please give generously to support its crucial mission!
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Worship for June 8
Pentecost Sunday
Wear red for Pentecost!
Scripture Readings:
Romans 8: 14-17
John 14: 8-17, 25-27
Acts 2: 1-21
8:45 & 11:00 a.m. Traditional Worship - Sanctuary
11:00 a.m. Contemporary Worship - Multipurpose Room
Preaching: Rev. Clair Sauer, Rev. Ken Sauer
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In the Hospital/Dismissed
None that we are aware of at this time.
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Our Giving
Offering 5-26-2025 through 6-1-2025: $19,296
2025 YTD Offering: $604,339
2024 YTD Offering: $552,530
May Monthly Special Offering (Music Ministries): $3,389
June Monthly Special Offering (Family Resource Center): $815
Thank you to all of you who mailed in your financial gifts or continued to give online.
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