Second Presbyterian Church
September 11, 2020
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While we are not able to worship together in person, we are worshiping together virtually! Join us on Sunday morning at 11:00 a.m. for worship by clicking the tab above, or clicking on the "Sunday Live stream" button on the home page of our website, www.2ndpres.org.
Also - if you click the blue button above you will be able to download the worship order so you can follow along at home!
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Following the Assurance of God's Love, we will pass the peace by texting one another. Choose a fellow church member, family member, friend, relative, or loved one, have their number ready to go, and send them a text that says, “May the peace of Christ be with you!" |
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The Faith, Science & the Future Sunday School class, led by Dick Dodson, uses The Wired Word curriculum which looks at current events through the lens of faith. Anyone who wishes to participate is welcome to join. Instructions for joining the class are below:
Start time: 9:30 a.m.
Phone number to call: (712) 775-8972
Conference code: 179021
*Please be advised this is a long distance call for any who
might be using a home phone with long distance charges.
Civil Unrest Spurs Discussion About What Constitutes Law and Order
This Sunday’s Wired Word lesson deals with law and lawlessness, a topic that was suggested by civil unrest following the death of George Floyd while in police custody, and serious injury or deaths of protesters and anti-protesters of various political persuasions on the streets of America. The Bible has much to say on this timely subject, so that will be our focus for this edition of The Wired Word.
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If you would like to provide a small flower arrangement for Sundays, please contact the church office and sign up to do so.
It only needs to be a small arrangement (not what we might normally do). It can be hand picked flowers or flowers bought from the grocery store. If you are unable to provide the arrangements yourselves, but would like to pay for one to be done, please send $10 to cover costs and Ileen Cheek will get an arrangement.
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Our Wednesday night Bible study will resume on September 23rd at 6:00 p.m. via Zoom. On some Wednesdays we will be discussing a movie that we have all watched. Some weeks we will watch the movie on our own, other weeks we may watch it together outdoors at the church. On other Wednesdays we will be doing a version of what we did on the 1st Wednesday of the month last year - playing games together and having a Bible study around a theme. The theme for this year is Worship and each season will be focused on a different part of the worship service. Fall is "Gathering Around the Word" and we will focus on praise as the communication of what is real. In the Winter we will look at "Proclaiming the Word", and in the Spring we will focus on "Responding to the Word".
Watch for more details in the October 2nd Edition and in this space in the weeks to come. For now, mark your calendars for Wednesday, September 23rd. We look forward to seeing everyone at 6:00 p.m. on Zoom!
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The September-October Upper Room is now available! If you would like one, Sandra Butler has copies that she would like to hand deliver to you!
Please contact Sandra directly by phone (659-4416 or 584-4397)
An electronic version of the devotional should be available soon!
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Audrey is currently scheduled to be out of the office from
October 12th - 15th (Monday through Thursday).
During that time, the church office will need someone to answer the phones, distribute the mail, and a few other simple things while she is out during the normal office hours of
Monday through Thursday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
If you are interested in possibly helping out, please
Thank you so much! - Audrey
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From the Service & Outreach Committee:
The Volunteer Ministry Center focuses on finding permanent housing for the homeless. They serve over 5,000 people annually through their services. They also provide 40 beds for emergency shelter and offer 57 apartments through Minville Manor. The center also provides dental care and served 1,400 patients last year.
Every year the VMC holds a program called "Carry the Torch". This is usually a luncheon with guest speakers and serves as a fundraiser for their services. Second Presbyterian Church supports the VMC annually as well as through this special program.
This year, because of Covid-19, the event will be offered online, via YouTube, on October 1st at 12:15 and again at 7:15. Krista Tippett, an NPR podcaster, will be the guest speaker. If you are interested in watching this ceremony via YouTube, please click the below buttons that will take you to the online event(s). This will be a very informative, interesting, and touching program on a very important mission.
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Donations to Carry the Torch may be made before, during and immediately after the event by clicking HERE.
Or by texting the code “CTT2020” to 44-321.
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The Library has discontinued The magazine “Presbyterian Outlook.” The Library budget no longer has the budget to continue this subscription costing $59.00 a year. If any congregation members wish to subscribe and then donate the magazine to the church Library, call Liz Peebles 247-4503.
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Notes from the Book Lady of Second press:
There is a copy of the book mentioned in our last email blast, Good, White Racist by Kerry Connelly. This book has appeared on many lists of books recommended for understanding racism. Another book that speaks to the times is A Letter to my Anxious Christian Friends: from fear to faith in unsettled times by David Gushee. A donation from Christina Young is challenging. The Underground Church: reclaiming the subversive way of Jesus by Robin Meyers that encourages us as Christians to “recapture the spirit of the early church with emphasis on what Christians do rather than what they believe.
On a lighter note, Matthew Rich’s book A Week Next Tuesday emphasizes “joy keeps showing up because Christ keeps showing.” For those who love our singing Bible, our hymnal - Walter Brueggermann’s book A Glad Obedience: why and what we sing will be a way to visit our hymns that we now sing at home in preparation for when we can sing together. Finally, from Jon Meacham a book of reflections on the last words of Jesus from the cross, The Hope of Glory. Jon Meacham is better known for his books about history, but this book does not disappoint.
I have at least ten new children’s books that are waiting to be loved. I would be glad to deliver them to you.
The Second Pres Book Lady
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Our blog is being updated as regularly as possible during our hiatus from in-person activities. It may be a devotion, an interesting story, something uplifting, something silly, or anything else that we think might be helpful. You will continue to get an email alerting you whenever a new blog post is uploaded.
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Welcome Finley Nelson Homer Kennedy!
Finley was born on August 7th, 2020 at 1:35 a.m.
If you would like to assist the Kennedy's with meals, please click here to sign up online!
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Worship:
The Session met for its regularly stated meeting on Tuesday, August 18th and decided to continue virtual worship only at least through September. The church building will also continue to be closed to group meetings and in-person activities indoors. With the University of Tennessee and Knox County Schools resuming classes, the Session felt it was wise to wait and see how this resumption of in-person activities in our community will impact the spread of Covid-19 before making a decision about returning to in-person church activities. Once again, this decision is not being made out of fear but out of love and concern for our members. Three people in our congregation have contracted Covid and one of those died. The Session wants to be as careful as possible before resuming indoor in-person church activities.
The church office will remain open during normal hours, as it has been, but we continue to ask that you only come to the church building for essential business and that you call and make an appointment before coming. The Session will reconsider the matter of returning to in-person worship and activities at its stated meeting on Tuesday, September 15th.
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Submissions for the October Second Edition are due September 20th! Contact the church office with your submissions! |
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Prayer List:
Please keep Aggie Bell, Will Pruitt, Dotty Barbour, Helen Ferguson, Mariann Thuesen, Donna Downen, Frances and Mary Johnson, Ken Frazer, Daniel Robertson, and Jennifer Levy-Tatum in your prayers.
Please contact the Church Office (865.523.2189 or ajohnson@2ndpres.org) with prayer concerns to be listed in the weekly email or bulletin.
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Church Office Hours of Operation:
Monday through Thursday
9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
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