GOOD NEWS AND WORSHIP UPDATE
Sunday, June 26, 2022 @ 11 am
8th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Scripture: Galatians 5:13-25
Sermon "Bearing Fruit: Love"
Rev. Sharon Amstutz, Interim Pastor
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Comments: We have set our YouTube channel to accept comments. If you are viewing, we ask that you say hello or to let us know you are there so we can count you as part of our attendance.
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SPECIAL NEWS AND INFORMATION |
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SUMMER SUNDAY SERMONS: FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT |
So what’s next? With the ‘celebration’ of Trinity Sunday two weeks ago we officially reached the end of the Easter Season. So where do we go from here?
At this point the lectionary ordinarily (catch that pun, anyone??) brings us stories about what happens in the Church and the lives of individuals when the Spirit of God is turned loose. But summer is also a good time to take a break from the lectionary and preach a sermon series.
Let’s do both. The lectionary this week takes us to Galatians 5, where we find the list of the Fruit of the Spirit: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Each Sunday for the next seven weeks we will take an in-depth look at each of those ‘fruits’ from what we might call a spiritual or faith-based perspective. Remember, Paul wasn’t just commending these qualities as good traits for good people to cultivate (yep, another pun…). These are characteristics and qualities that are produced when we give the Spirit free reign in our lives, and they are the qualities that give shape to the vital, thriving gathered community of the Church. They keep us on our path.
So join us this Sunday for the first in this series as we look at what practical, mature, boots-on-the-ground love looks like in the midst of real-life, and even in those less- than- Kum ba yah moments we have in the Church. See you then!
Blessings and Peace,
Sharon
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The Afghan family that several local churches of Holston Presbytery is sponsoring should be arriving in mid-July. An apartment is currently being secured in Johnson City that will be located on a bus line and convenient to the local Islamic center. The size of the family and the ages of the children is still unknown at this time.
WAPC has volunteered to fulfill the portion of items in the Office, School & Craft supplies section of the master list of items needed by the family to get started. Here is the list of those items: pencils; ballpoint pens; ream of copy paper; flexible (not metal) measuring tape; yardstick; sewing kit with sewing scissors; various colors of sewing thread; everyday scissors; duct tape (wide); duct tape (narrow); packaging tape; notepads; sheet of first-class stamps; sheet of international-rate stamps; box of standard-size envelopes; box of legal-size envelopes.
A complete list of those items and needs of the family has been compiled and has been posted on our bulletin board in the side entry. To keep things orderly, we request that individuals sign up for the items they would like to donate to the cause. So please check the list and sign up for the items you wish to give. Also note that monetary donations for clothing are most welcome. Thanks for your generosity.
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A STROLL AT SYCAMORE SHOALS |
Everyone is invited for a stroll along the Watauga River at Sycamore Shoals State Park next Tuesday June 28th. The trail is about a mile in length, level, stroller and walker friendly and there are benches along the way.
To get to the trail, take highway 321 toward Elizabethton. The park is about 8 miles from the church. Turn left into the park from the highway and follow the road past the fort, on your left, to parking along the trail, on the right. The entrance to the park is just before you get to Sycamore Shoals Hospital.
We plan to meet for the walk at 9:30 am. If anyone wants to carpool or needs a ride, contact John Hancock or Sue Shanks or the church office.
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The Green Team recently received an estimate of the cost of adding solar panels to Watauga Avenue Presbyterian Church. The point, of course, is to reduce the church's environmental footprint. Because we are a nonprofit organization, the federal tax incentives do not apply to us, and the total cost would be prohibitive at the moment. However, the Session has approved the creation of an ongoing fund called the Energy Efficient Project to which all can contribute. Please consider this fund when making contributions. Simply route your contribution to the "Energy Efficient Project." |
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We have re-started the Lunch Bunch. We will be going to El Charolais this week (June 26) and have selected Aubrey's for the following week (July 3). If you want to join us and have a favorite restaurant that includes outdoor seating, just give the office a call so we can put it on the list. See you Sunday!! |
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The Worship Team's goal is to have chancel flowers in the Sanctuary each week or as often as possible. To do that we need your assistance. We have outlined various ways you can contribute to the beauty of our Sanctuary on a regular basis. The most economical way is to partner with someone else to share the cost of the arrangement at $37.50 each. This way flowers can be ordered and delivered conveniently. However, we also know that many of you are keen gardeners and could easily grace our Sanctuary with gorgeous bouquets. To do this you would need to commit to a date in advance on the calendar to ensure that someone hasn't already reserved that week. If you need a copy of the form just send an email or give a call to the church office. Thanks. |
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You can continue to submit changes for the WAPC directory through the end of June. We will post the copy on the bulletin board in the side entrance so you can verify the information and correct any overlooked typos. A new member directory will be emailed to everyone in July. Thanks. |
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We are still looking for a few more volunteers to assist with the Live Streaming of our Morning Worship on Sunday mornings. There are a few of us trained, but we would like to have several more individuals trained as backup. With people in and out of town over the summer, we need to be sure that we have someone running the system each week. We will be drafting a schedule that we can post to show who will be the operator on a given Sunday. Thanks for your assistance. |
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HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE COMING WEEK |
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Sunday, June 26 - 8th Sunday in Ordinary Time
11 am Morning Worship, Interim Pastor, Rev. Sharon Amstutz (in-person/ YouTube / Facebook)
12:30 pm Lunch Bunch @ El Charolais (1805 W. State of Franklin Blvd.)
Tuesday, June 28
9:30 am Stroll along the Watauga River at Sycamore Shoals State Park (everyone invited)
Wednesday, June 29
4 pm Meditation Circle (via Zoom)
6 pm Chancel Choir rehearsal
Sunday, July 3 - 9th Sunday in Ordinary Time
11 am Morning Worship, Interim Pastor, Rev. Sharon Amstutz (in-person/ YouTube / Facebook)
12:30 pm Lunch Bunch @ Aubrey's (3029 Hamilton Place)
Monday, July 4 - Independence Day
Church office - Closed
Wednesday, July 6
4 pm Meditation Circle (via Zoom)
6 pm Chancel Choir rehearsal
Sunday, July 10 - 10th Sunday in Ordinary Time
11 am Morning Worship, Interim Pastor, Rev. Sharon Amstutz (in-person/ YouTube / Facebook)
12:30 pm Lunch Bunch - TBD
Tuesday, July 12
7 pm Session meeting
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GENERAL FUND: YEAR TO DATE:
2022 Annual Budget - $ 135,000
Budget through June 21st, 2022, Week #25 ($ 64,904)
Receipts $ 68,318.50
Disbursements - $ 59,641.40
Balance $ 8,677.10
Thanks to everyone for your continued support the church with your tithes and offerings during this extraordinary time. You are encouraged to mail your pledge to us or to drop it by the church office during regular business hours. Thanks.
We are still receiving the 5 Cents per Meal offering that is usually taken on Communion Sundays. If you would like to make a contribution to this offering please do so and designate it on your checks.
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JUNE / JULY BIRTHDAYS
June 26 - Jack Hansel & Ruth Crawford
July 12 - Linda Brashear
July 16 - Anne Causey
July 17 - Susan Turner
JUNE / JULY ANNIVERSARIES
June 24 - Paul & Wilsie Bishop
June 27 - Wayne & Sherry Bailey
July 3 - George & Jo Rolling
July 11 - Fred & Alice Burrell
PLEASE NOTE: THE NEW 2022 FLOWER LIST IS AVAILABLE ON THE BULLETIN BOARD IN THE SIDE ENTRY
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For Members / Regular Attendees
Phyl Summers and the Turners in Maine; Don Loughry; Camilla & Hunter Lyle; Jack Hansel.
For Friends
Gene Barringer, Kelly & Michael Blevins and Betsy Parks, friends of Matthew & Karen Clark; Eddie & Pauline Everhart, neighbors of the Danks; Nathan Songer; Rev. Maggie Lauterer; Karen Frederick; the family of Olga Pastushenko from Odessa, Ukraine refugees in Romania; Joel Carillet, local photojournalist; Linda Solly; Sue Sheffield's nephews, Jeremiah Collins and Tanner Frye; Sue Shank's friend, Judy Klein; Sharon Amstutz's brother, Paul Hagood; Theresa Lura's cousin, Randy Carter; Sarah Suptin; church neighbor, Dorothy Harvey.
Special Prayers for Clinical and Medical Health Care Workers
The continued COVID pandemic concerns with cases still on the rise with the delta, lambda and mu variant strains, along with the new omicron virus with the highest number of overall cases in the United States, India and Brazil; a new strain BA2.12.1 subtype COVID cases are now on the rise in numerous European countries. And persons now affected by the rise in new active cases of the infectious disease, monkeypox.
Prayers for Others
Special prayers for the people of the Ukraine in light of the military invasion by Russia and the ongoing humanitarian crisis there; for our military members who serve our country here and abroad, as well continued prayers for our fragile planet during this time of extreme weather conditions, and for those who have suffered loss from recent ongoing disasters including a new humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan following the earthquake yesterday on the Afghan / Pakistan border, as well as the recent flooding in Cuba from Tropical Storm Alex, and massive rainfall in the states of Pernambuco; Alagoas and Paraiba of Northeast Brazil; and fires in California Canyon and Hermits Peak in New Mexico; and the flooding in Yellowstone National Park that washed away roads and other infrastructure, among numerous other ongoing crises and disasters. And especially prayers for our nation and for strength, endurance, faith and courage for all.
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In the foreground we see Jack Hansel and Ruth Crawford at our
125th Anniversary Dinner in September 2017. In the background
we can see Jim and Karen Foote, Fred and Alice Burrell and Hugh Broome among others. FYI - This coming Sunday is Jack and Ruth's birthdays.
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"Investing in new fossil fuels infrastructure is moral and economic madness. Such investments will soon be stranded assets—a blot on the landscape and a blight on investment portfolios. But it doesn't have to be this way." UN Secretary-General Antόnio Guterres
Nevertheless, TVA is planning new natural gas plants at a time when the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the International Energy Agency, and most scientists and economists agree we must immediately end new fossil fuel investments or face irreversible, catastrophic climate impacts.
In an April 5 press conference, the Clean Up TVA Coalition, months in the making, publicly emerged as a formidably united, thirteen-member partnership "working to propel TVA into a just, equitable, and fossil-fuel-free energy future by 2030" As Amy Kelly, Sierra Club's Tennessee Beyond Coal Campaign representative, said in Clean Up TVA's press release, "TVA needs to step up its energy efficiency and renewable energy offerings, so our power provider isn't a tagalong but a leader in the 21st century. It must reverse course and champion a new age for public power, centered on transparency, democracy, equity, and clean energy." (GSN #104)
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VIRTUAL CREATION ACTIVITY OF THE WEEK |
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Amazing Places on our Planet
(August 2016 | 8:18 min.)
Crater Lake is a stunningly beautiful lake, formed in volcano caldera, after the volcano collapsed 7,700 years ago. The lake is deep almost 2000 ft/600 m, it is 5 mi/8 km across its shorter side, a little more on the longer one.
Enjoy views of the lake with its incredible blue color from a boat, from the top of Wizard Island, the Rim Trail and the surrounding peaks - Mt Scott, Garfield Peak and the Watchman.
Music by Mystic Crock.
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IN THE POTEAT LIBRARY
NOTE: The library is open by appointment. Please remember that you are welcome to drop by the church library if you are looking for something new to read. We ask that you to sign out any books on the register sheet found on the file cabinet in the corner with the call #, book title, your name and date checked out.
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The Hidden Book in the Bible
By Richard Elliott Friedman
(222/FRI)
Renowned biblical sleuth and scholar Richard Elliot Friedman reveals the first work of prose literature in the world-a 3000-year-old epic hidden within the books of the Hebrew Bible.
Written by a single, masterful author but obscured by ancient editors and lost for millennia, this brilliant epic of love, deception, war, and redemption is a compelling account of humankind's complex relationship with God.
Friedman boldly restores this prose masterpiece-the very heart of the Bible-to the extraordinary form in which it was originally written.
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Congregational Concerns / Prayer Requests - Please contact the church office or Sherry Bailey with information.
Flower List - The 2022 Flower List has been posted on the bulletin board in the side entry. Please sign up to sponsor flowers for our weekly worship services in honor or in memory of loved ones.
Arrangements are $65 each.
Liturgists - We are always looking for new people to be liturgists. Please contact the church office, if you would like to volunteer.
e-Avenue deadline - Please submit information to church office (office@wataugapc.org or 926-7942) at any time and for the July issue of the e-AVENUE, no later than Friday, June 17th. This includes team and committee meetings, news, planned events and other newsworthy items.
Photos needed - We welcome contributions to our Facebook page via your comments and photos of church events and activities. Please also submit your photos to the church office for archiving. It will be wonderful to have a visual record of all of the positive things that Watauga Avenue Presbyterian Church does for our community.
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Established 27 September 1892, Watauga Avenue Presbyterian Church is a congregation of the Church of Jesus Christ. Reformed in theology and Presbyterian by way of organization, it is related to Holston Presbytery, the Synod of Living Waters, and to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) |
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