March 4, 2022
Join us for our Sunday Worship Service, virtually or in person, at 11:00 a.m. To watch: click the button above or visit our website, www.2ndpres.org, and click the "Sunday Live stream" button on the home page.

We will also email an active link on Sunday morning.

Also - if you click the gray button above you will be able to download the worship order so you can follow along at home!
We will be in 
PHASE YELLOW
this Sunday.
Conservatively extrapolating the data in the absence of daily numbers from the county and state, along with updated CDC data as of Thursday, we feel comfortable that the test positivity rate for Knox County will be below 12.5% on Sunday, March 6th. We will, therefore, move to the guidelines for Phase Yellow (shown below) beginning this Sunday.
This Sunday the Faith Science and the Future Sunday School Class will resume meeting in the Barbour Room at 9:45 a.m.!
The PCUSA is making an appeal to its members for funds to help support the Church’s humanitarian effort response to the war started last week when Russia attacked Ukraine. According to the United Nations High Commission on Refugees, the situation is on pace to become Europe’s largest refugee crisis this century with more than 660,000 having already fled Ukraine to neighboring countries. All neighboring countries are keeping their borders open to Ukrainian refugees, the UNHCR says.

More information on the PCUSA’s response can be found at the following links:



You can donate through either of the above websites, or you can go directly to the donation page by clicking the button below.
The PCUSA is calling on people to stand in the "GAP" - Give. Act. Pray.

Give.
Gifts can be made online by clicking the button above, by calling 800-872-3282, by texting PDAUKR to 41444 or by check made payable to Presbyterian Church U.S.A. with Ukraine, DR000156 on the memo line.

The mailing address is:

Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
PO Box 643700
Pittsburgh, PA 15264-3700

Please do not send checks directed to this cause to the church.

Act.
Urge the US Government to support generous aid for refugees and civilians suffering in Ukraine, and call for a diplomatic solution to the conflict.

Pray.
God of mercy, justice and peace
Our spirits are heavy with sorrow, our souls shocked
At the sudden and breathtaking violence,
the invasion of Ukraine by their neighbor, Russia.
We pray for lives caught in the grip of war,
who hear the bombs in the night,
the ominous movement of troops on the road into town
the whistle of incoming shells,
for a cry from a desperate neighbor or a shout of warning.
For those who huddle in subways and basements
or flee for the borders, clutching their children’s hands
We pray for families separated from fathers, brothers and sons
who must remain to fight and protect their homeland.
We pray for neighbors in Eastern and Central Europe
As their hearts and doors open to these refugees
That strained resources will become an abundance of hope
That fears and struggles with racism will yield to a generosity of profound welcome
That communities of faith within Ukraine will be protected from harm
and sustained in their efforts to feed and shelter their neighbors.
That peacemakers and protesters in Russia will be heard and their lives preserved.
May we undergird our prayers with tangible resources to help.
May we reach deeply, give generously, and welcome extravagantly.
May we lift our voices in a strong and unified advocacy.
May we all, even as we breathe in lament, breathe out mercy, hope and peace.
And in this Lenten season, when we walk the way toward death and resurrection, repent our complicity in cultures of violence and renew our efforts toward justice and peace. 
You can read the Annual Report online by clicking the button below.

If you would like a printed copy, they can be found in the atrium or narthex!
To the congregation & staff of Second,

I am truly grateful to have been a part of such a wonderful team and congregation. While I am excited for this new endeavor, the relationships formed here and the wonderful experiences I have had will always be with me. Thank you for your support and love as I continue on life's journey!

-Audrey
Audrey Johnson, our Church Office Administrator, will be leaving us later this month to pursue a new employment opportunity. For the last 2½ years Audrey has been a valuable member of our team, bringing a high level of organization, efficiency, and professionalism to her job every day. She has been especially helpful through the ups and downs and uncertainties of the pandemic, holding everything together while never losing her positive spirit and helpful, friendly demeanor.
 
Wednesday, March 16th, will be Audrey’s last day. The Personnel Team is currently reviewing and interviewing candidates for the position and we plan to have a new Office Administrator hired in time to be trained by Audrey before she departs. While we are saddened to see her go, we are excited for her in that this new opportunity will allow more room for growth and advancement in her career. Godspeed, Audrey, and thank you for everything you have done for us. We’ll miss you!
We are holding three information sessions regarding the new organizational structure presented at the Annual Congregational Meeting. These information sessions will give us a chance to have some dialogue around the changes, answer questions, and determine how we can best serve Christ through the ministry and mission of this church.

A link to sign up for one of the meetings is below. Sandwiches and drinks will be provided at the first two meetings for those who sign up in advance. A food truck will be present an hour before the third meeting so we can have a time of fellowship together.

We hope you are able to attend on of the three sessions!
WEDNESDAY NIGHT LENTEN STUDY

Please join in "Learning Forgiveness: A Lenten Study" for the 6 weeks of Lent on Wednesday nights at 6:30 p.m. both in-person as we are able and on Zoom. 
 
These next 6 Wednesday nights we will explore the often difficult task of Forgiveness. The study is authored by Marjorie Thompson.

Click the link below to download a copy of the study. If you prefer a printed copy, please contact the church office to have one printed for you.  
Wednesday Night Dinners are Back!

Prior to the Lenten Study sessions, dinner will be served in the Fellowship Hall beginning at 5:45 p.m. WE HOPE EVERYONE WILL COME for this time of fellowship before the program begins!

The menu for this week will be Poppyseed Chicken, green beans, rolls, salad, and dessert. We will also have peanut butter and jelly, bread, and fruit for those who prefer this option.

If possible, please notify Kathy Duggan at kduggan55@gmail.com or 865-441-8683 (text) to let us know you are coming, but drop-ins are welcome! We won’t turn anyone away, and we’ll have plenty of food.

We look forward to seeing you Wednesday March 9th!
Caroline Buckner has been Second’s reception coordinator for many years. Understandably, Caroline is ready to “hand off the baton.”

We are looking for two or three people to share this responsibility going forward.

If this is an area of service you would be interested in, or if you’d like more information, please contact either Marty McLean at mclean1605@gmail.com or (423) 677-7414 or Joe Clarke at jclarke859@gmail.com or (865) 335-0421.


Welcome back, Justin!

As many of you know, Justin Lattimore left Duncan & Sons a while back for another opportunity and we have had a rotating group of people filling in. The grass wasn't necessarily greener on the other side, however, and Justin contacted Duncan & Sons to see if he could have his old job back. Since they still had not assigned a full-time replacement for him at 2nd they asked if it would be okay with us if he came back. We said absolutely! So if you see Justin around the building, be sure and welcome him home!
If you like to shop, the Fish Pantry mission is in need of the following household and personal items:

-Dish Soap
-Bath Soap
-Shampoo
-Toothpaste
-Deodorant
-Pet Food Only
(small canned or bagged quantities, wet or dry for dogs or cats)

Our once-a-month Fish team receives phone call requests for food and these additional items; then they are sorted, packed, and delivered to each client's household.

All donations should be newly purchased, and any quantities would be greatly appreciated.

Please contact the church office (865.523.2189 or ajohnson@2ndpres.org)
if you have items you would like to drop off at the church.

PLEASE DO NOT DONATE FOOD (other than for pets). Thank you!
Compassionate Cuisine is a program from the Care and Compassion committee and our Cooking Teams. This group is collaborating to create a homecooked meal, and will gather safely at the church to package them into individual portions, that they will then distribute to some of our members who are living in their homes but may not be getting out and about to pick up dinner or groceries to make a home-cooked meal.

The teams would love to have your help in cooking and/or distributing meals in hopes that this ministry might be able to grow in the coming months. If you’re interested in helping by cooking a portion of one of the meals and/or would be willing to deliver some of the meals, please contact Leslie Matthews: flowlilly@gmail.com, (865) 765-0549.
Pick up your
March-April
Upper Room Devotional
in the vestibule
(Monday through Thursday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.) or at the narthex entrance into the sanctuary!
On the Pastoral Care page of our website, we will share more specific updates regarding those on our prayer list. It will be updated frequently by the church staff.

Visit our website: 2ndpres.org. The page is located under the 'Members' tab.

To keep all information private, the page is password protected. Please contact Audrey at the church office (via email: ajohnson@2ndpres.org or phone: 865.523.2189) for the password.
Our Wi-Fi network is for use by anyone who visits the building.

The network is “Second Presbyterian Church” and the password is Psalm100.

Please feel free to save it as a network that connects automatically for your device.
Prayer List:

Please keep Beverly White, Arlys Milligan, the family of Betty Charlton, Beth & Daniel Robertson, Frances Johnson, and Peter Douglas Hamilton 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.

Names remain on the prayer list 4 weeks unless requested by the individual or a close family member of the individual to keep them on longer.