Windows

December 8, 2022

Walk with Us to Journey’s End Dec. 13

On Tuesday, December 13, we will once again gather for Bristol’s Journey’s End celebration! We will meet at the Downtown Center on State Street at 6:00 p.m. Every year since 1999 (excepting cancellations for weather and COVID) Bristol’s Christian community has come together to celebrate Christmas in a unique way.

Based upon the Latino tradition of “Las Posadas” (The Inns), Journey’s End reenacts Mary and Joseph’s search for a place to stay before Mary gives birth to Jesus. The holy couple goes from place to place, only to be turned away again and again. Finally, they are allowed into a stable where, among the animals, the miracle of God’s incarnation takes place. In a nod to this, our inns are storefronts on State Street, and our stable is the lobby of the Paramount Center. Stationed at each stop are singers from different church and civic organizations whose job it is to turn Mary and Joseph away. The group at the last stop relents, allowing Mary and Joseph—and all of us making the journey with them—inside for refreshments.

This is a musical celebration from beginning to end. It starts with a duet sung by the costumed student actors playing Mary and Joseph, then we all sing carols as we walk from stop to stop in this candlelit procession. We sing a bidding carol at each stop to ask for lodging and are turned away in the next verse by the choral group positioned there. That group sings a special piece that they have prepared. And the journey continues to the next stop.

Please come join us! The Downtown Center is in the 800 block of State Street, now decorated with Christmas trees. Dress warmly and wear comfortable shoes. The whole event lasts about an hour./Bob Greene

Sharing Christ First and Second

First, thank you to all who provided food and/or served at the Sharing Christ downtown mission this past Saturday! We fed 68 hungry folks. So many expressed their appreciation that it was truly a blessing to be there.

Second, there is an unmet need for meals on Saturdays in January. If you can provide food and/or serve on January 7 or January 14, please email Beth Flannagan or text 423-956-3837 as soon as you can. When we’ve determined whether we have enough hands to help, we'll provide the casserole recipe. We will use the usual menu and plan, so it should be easy to pull together.

Please respond ASAP! With the holidays right around the corner, we need to plan quickly.

Special Offerings in December

We are collecting a Special Offering for the Minister’s Discretionary Fund every Sunday in December and on Christmas Eve. Your contributions will aid a number of projects throughout the coming year, as they did flood relief and air purifier distribution this year. We will not pass a special offering plate during Sunday services but encourage you to give online to the “Christmas Offering for MDF” in the dropdown menu on our GIVE page. If you prefer to give by check, please note “Christmas Offering for MDF” on the memo line. The entire offering collected during the Christmas Eve service will go towards this special offering.

Pick Up Your Advent Devotional

Our Advent devotionals are available for pickup at the church. Reflect on the person and coming of Christ with daily scripture readings, meditations, and prayers from NIV Once-A-Day, 25 days of Advent.



Women’s Retreat Feb. 10–11

Our ever-popular Women’s Retreat is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, February 10 and 11, at Jubilee Retreat Center, 822 East Main Street, Abingdon.

Churchwide Christmas Caroling Dec. 20

Please join us for our churchwide caroling event, scheduled for Tuesday morning, December 20, at 10:00. We will meet in the church fellowship hall and go out to sing at two or three nursing homes. If you can, linger, and we’ll have lunch together at Chick-fil-A.

Children’s Christmas Play

The children’s Christmas play, The Innkeeper, is in rehearsals from 3:00 to 4:30 on Sunday afternoons. The dress rehearsal is scheduled for 10:00 Saturday morning, December 17. A single performance will be presented Sunday afternoon, December 18, at 5:30. All these events are in the sanctuary.

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 Facebook sites, go to Facebook and type in FPC Bristol. Several accounts will show up. “Like” the page or ask to join a group.

Give Safely

As a variety of viruses swirl around, we encourage you to use text, mail, or our website to safely continue your faithful support of our ministries. You can give online by going to our website and clicking on GIVE in the upper right corner. You can also send your pledge, offering, or special gift by texting fpcbristol to 73256, or mail your check directly to the church.

Join the Mass Choir to Celebrate MLK Day

Lend us your voice! It is time to gather, fellowship, and prepare for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Let’s swell the ranks of the Mass Choir for the January celebration at Lee Street Baptist Church. Two rehearsal dates have been set: December 12 and 19 at 6:00 p.m. at Lee Street Baptist, 1 West Mary Street, Bristol, VA. More practices will be scheduled later. So get the dust out of those pipes! Do a few do-re-mis, mark your calendar, and we will see you on Monday, December 12, promptly at 6:00 p.m.

Gingerbread Fellowship Fun

Our Gingerbread House event last Wednesday was a sweet way to wrap up our fellowship programming in 2022! We had a wonderful time, as you can see. Our next Wednesday evening fellowship is scheduled for February 8. We're looking forward to it already!

Both Opening and Closing Voluntaries Sunday are based on HELMSLEY, the tune used in our opening hymn, “Lo! He Comes with Clouds Descending.” This hymn by Charles Wesley points to the triumphal return of Christ rather than to the humble child in the manger, yet it is traditionally sung during Advent.

Karl Osterland’s (b. 1956) setting of HELMSLEY (Opening Voluntary) begins with a fanfare, then settles into a baroque-style trio.

Osterland began playing the organ at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Fair Haven, Michigan, when he was a ten-year-old farmboy. He earned his BA and MM in Organ Performance from the University of Michigan, studying with Robert Clark and Marilyn Mason. He also studied composition with William Bolcom there. Osterland has been Music Director and Organist at Historic Trinity Lutheran Church in Detroit since 1991.

James Vivian’s (b. 1974) setting of HELMSLEY (Closing Voluntary) is in toccata style, with flowing arpeggios in the manuals. The melody initially appears in the pedals but later is heard soaring above in the manuals.

Vivian is Organist and Director of Music at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor. In this role, he has been responsible for providing music at royal occasions, including the marriage of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and the funerals of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and Queen Elizabeth II.

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

To the Church Triumphant

Marjorie Louise Willis Harr

December 5, 2022

In Our Prayers

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

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

Monday is the deadline for contributions to Windows. Subscribe to our free e-newsletter by sending your name and preferred email address to the editor.

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