Windows

September 15, 2022

We delivered necessities to the McRoberts community August 30.


How We Helped Flood Victims


In late July many parts of Eastern Kentucky, West Virginia, and Southwest Virginia were awash in historic flooding. Many people’s homes were destroyed, and many communities lost entire school buildings. When the devastation occurred, it was clear that the community of First Presbyterian in Bristol desired to help.


We were fortunate to have a contact, Cassie, who lives in Eastern Kentucky and had direct knowledge about the communities most affected. After consulting her, our team made our first trip to deliver bottled water and other necessities to Pike County on August 8. We did not see much of the areas damaged by flooding during that trip, and in retrospect it was probably safer that way, since many roads were still severely flooded. We took supplies to a local volunteer fire department that had itself been flooded back in January. They were very thankful for these supplies, and we continued our relief project throughout the month of August.


Back in Bristol, we continued to collect supplies and monetary donations. I reached out again to Cassie for her thoughts on how the money could best be used. After exploring the question, she responded that Letcher County schools were hit hard by the flooding. Many school buildings were lost, and many families were displaced. Cassie said that there was a specific need to help rebuild a couple of school libraries. Our team thought that would be a wonderful way to help this community. We planned a second trip for August 30.


We drove to meet Letcher County Public Schools Superintendent Denise Yonts, and in our conversations with her, we learned that 40 employees of the school system lost everything they had and 80% lost something. It was clear that this area was in need. We donated $5,000 to help rebuild two school libraries.


We also delivered supplies to the community center in McRoberts. In this area our team saw firsthand a small part of the destruction that had taken place. I remember riding with Pastor Sam and saying to him, “This looks like we’re driving through a set of the show The Walking Dead.” Buildings were abandoned and some had completely fallen over, bridges had collapsed, and marks showing where the water had been were still visible a month later. Here we met a few community members, one of whom was an elementary school teacher whose school was completely destroyed in the flood. They were glad and grateful for our donations, and they expressed their sincere thanks to the First Presbyterian community for all our assistance during their trials.


About a week after our return, we learned that the FPC community had continued to give to this cause. It is such an encouragement to see a church so willing to help those in need! We again have just over $5,000 to donate. The remaining donation will be sent to the Letcher County Board of Education specifically to aid and assist displaced families and employees of the school system.


On behalf of those we met, and our delivery team, thank you First Presbyterian for your generous support of our brothers and sisters in need!


Grace and peace,

Justin Miller

Worship

September 18

15th Sunday after Pentecost

 

Scripture

Psalm 25:6–10

Ruth 1:12–18

John 21:15–19

 

Sermon

Steadfast

Sam Weddington

 

Last Sunday’s Attendance

9:00: In person: 99;

Livestream: 29; Playback: 62

11:00: In person: 75;

Livestream: 16; Playback: 42

Calendar

Sunday, September 18

9:00 a.m.

Contemporary Worship

Fellowship Hall

 

10:10 a.m.

Sunday School

 

11:00 a.m.

Traditional Worship

Sanctuary

 

3:00 p.m. 

Evangelism & Outreach Committee

Room 123


4:00 p.m.

BAMA Harvest Service

Fellowship Hall

 

6:00 p.m.

Student Fellowship

 

Monday, September 19

10:00 a.m.

Staff Meeting

Room 123

 

7:00 p.m.

Buildings and Grounds Committee

Room 123

 

Tuesday, September 20

7:00 p.m.

Boy Scout Troop 3

Scout Hall

 

Wednesday, September 21

5:30 p.m.

Fellowship Supper

Fellowship Hall

 

6:15 p.m.

Adult Enrichment

Student Small Groups

Wednesday Night Kids

 

7:15 p.m.

Sanctuary Choir Practice

Room 202

 

Praise Band Practice

Fellowship Hall

 

Jubilation Youth Choir Practice

Room 209

 

Thursday, September 22

7:00 a.m.

Men’s Bible Study

Parlor

 

1:00 p.m.

Women’s Bible Study

Chapel

 

Saturday, September 24

8:00 a.m.

Troop 3 Yard Sale

Church

Troop 3 Begins Accepting Yard Sale Items Sunday

Boy Scout Troop 3 will hold their annual yard sale next Saturday, September 24, from 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the church parking lot. The scouts will begin accepting items to sell this Sunday, September 18, from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m., and continue Monday, September 19, through Thursday, September 22, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Please take your donations to the Scout Hall.


The scouts want donations of:

  • Clothes
  • Books
  • Toys
  • Furniture (but see list below)
  • Anything else you can think of that people at a yard sale might want!


They do not want:

  • TVs
  • Mattresses
  • Particle-board furniture
  • Large furniture
  • Upholstered furniture

Come to Wednesday Night Fellowship

Our Wednesday night programming continues September 21 with supper in the fellowship hall at 5:30, again paid for by a generous benefactor who has underwritten all fellowship meals for the month. After supper, there will be activities for children, teens, and adults. Pastor Sam will lead the Adult Enrichment program in the chapel in our Life Together series. Please join us!


Life Together for Home Groups

Our latest Home Group curriculum, Life Together, is about how we can be new persons and communities centered in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Access the curriculum on our website or watch for it to drop on our Home Groups Facebook site.

BAMA Community Harvest Service Here Sunday

This Sunday, September 18, the Bristol Area Ministerial Association will hold a community harvest service in our fellowship hall from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. Our children’s music ensembles, the Praise Band, and the Sanctuary Choir will all participate in the service. BAMA is a multidenominational group of local ministers who have banded together to more effectively reach their communities with Jesus’ message.


Give Safely

We encourage you to use text, mail, or our website to safely continue your faithful support of our ministries during the pandemic. You can give online by going to our website and clicking on “Give” in the upper right corner. You can send your pledge, offering, or special gift by texting fpcbristol to 73256, or mail your checks directly to the church.

How to Join Us Online

You can watch the livestream of our worship services and other activities at FPC Bristol on YouTube. Click on the link and hit “Subscribe” to receive notifications of new videos. To connect to our various Facebook sites, go to Facebook and type in FPC Bristol. Several accounts will show up. “Like” the page or ask to join a group.

Organist's Footnotes

For Sunday’s organ music, I have selected two movements from the work Pictures at an Exhibition, by Modest Mussorgsky (1839–1881). Mussorgsky composed this work, a suite for piano solo, in just three weeks in 1874. Each piece reflects a painting by the composer’s artist friend Viktor Hartmann (1834–1873). Hartmann’s works were on display at an exhibition following his untimely death. Pictures at an Exhibition is wildly popular today, thanks in part to Maurice Ravel’s (1875–1937) masterly orchestration of the work in 1922. Some of Mussorgsky’s contemporaries, however, “shook their heads in bewilderment.” Noticing their bewilderment, Mussorgsky seemed to feel that he had gone too far. He put his work aside and did not pursue publication. It was only in 1886, five years after his death, that the composer’s colleague and friend Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844–1908) had it published.


The organ transcription I will play is by Keith John (b. 1953). Born in Gloucester, England, he was a chorister in the Cathedral Choir under the Organist and Master of Choristers, Herbert Sumsion. He was awarded a scholarship to the Royal College of Music, where his professors were Ralph Downes (organ), Bernard Roberts (piano), and Ruth Gipps (composition). 


Watch Gary Stewart Tribute on YouTube: I want as many people as possible to view Dave Williams and Jerry Poteat’s masterly recording of last Sunday’s musical tribute to Gary Stewart. You will find it here.

Pray for One Another

We want to pray for and celebrate with you! Send us your prayer requests and glad tidings.



In Our Prayers

Please also pray for the members of our community who wish to remain anonymous.


Wayne Ausmus

Bud & Marg Branscomb

Kim Bright

Bristol Tennessee City Schools

Charles Burroughs

Becky Busler

Tom & Nancy Carter

Rachel Cherry

Cole family

Bill Coleman

Russell Fogelman, Kelli Krajeck & Kendall

DeeDee Galliher

Brenda Gilespie

Lou Hebb

Charles Hoilman

John & Karen & family

June Lamb

Justin & Merifer

Nancy Lilly

Toni Mari

Diana Mattison

Dot Mattison

Montana Indian Ministries

National & international leadership

Pastor Bruce Plummer

Cora Lee Raccioppo

Seymour Ray

Margaret Jane Rice

Lynn Richards

Les & Kathy Samuel

Wendy Smith

Teachers & school administrators

Scott VanNostrand

Bill & Patsy Ward

Michael Weller

Jerry & Darlene West

Marsha Wilson

Virginia Wilson

Stevie Wintz

Our COVID Protocols

The session strongly encourages masks for those not fully vaccinated, or at higher risk of complications from COVID-19. The session encourages everyone to consult their medical professional about vaccinations and boosters.

Deadline & Subscriptions

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701 Florida Avenue | Bristol, TN 37620 | 423-764-7176 | fpcbristol.org