Issue #404

The Weekly AVENUE

OCTOBER 19, 2023

GOOD NEWS AND WORSHIP UPDATE

MORNING WORSHIP

Sunday, October 22, 2023 @ 11 am

"Lift Up Your Voices"

Scripture reading: Colossians 3:12-17

Rev. Brandon Davis, Pastor

both in-person and on Facebook or YouTube (click here)

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.

ELDER OF THE MONTH FOR OCTOBER - Marcia Songer

SPECIAL NEWS AND INFORMATION

SERMON NOTES

Music is a special thing. Music is something that is a part of our daily lives when we turn on our cars or phones. Music can connect us to the past and have us tell stories that we once long forgotten. Music allows us to express things too complex for our speaking voice to present. And this too, is true in our life and ministry with God. We are invited to tell God’s story over and over again through psalms, hymns, and spirit songs. Lifting our voices together with the chorus of all of creation to declare the good news of the Gospel. So join us this week as we explore how we are invited to use music and our voices to bring God glory!

Yours in Christ

Brandon

ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS

The Adult Sunday School class has begin reading and discussing John Shelby Spong’s Born of a Woman which challenges the doctrine of the virgin birth, tracing its development in the early Christian church and revealing its legacy in our contemporary attitudes toward women and female sexuality. Please order a copy of the book soon; it is available online from various sources and bookstores.

The class meets in the Poteat Library at 10 am. If you wish to join the class there is always room for one more.

NEW WALK ANNOUNCED

Our upcoming featured walk will be on the trails of Winged Deer, Park, Wednesday, November 15th at 11 am. Lunch following.

ROLL WATAUGA SQUARE

Every Halloween Watauga Avenue Church “rolls” Watauga Square Apartments. That doesn't mean we roll the building with streams of toilet paper in the traditional Halloween sense. It means we donate paper products and other household needs to be used as prizes for the residents' bingo games. So, when you are shopping this month, if you already have enough paper products for yourself, pick up a pack of four rolls of toilet paper, a roll of paper towels or a box of facial tissue. Other popular gifts suggested are personal care products like shampoo and hand lotion, tooth brushes or tooth paste, cleaning supplies like laundry detergent and bathroom or kitchen cleaners, as well as cat or dog food. Please bring your items and place them in the container in the side entry anytime through Sunday, September 29th. Let’s Roll Watauga Square in a big way. Thanks for your generosity.

TRUNK OR TREAT THIS SATURDAY

Saturday, October 21st from 3-5 pm as been set for our annual Trunk or Treat. This year it will be expanded into a mini Fall Festival. Everyone is invited to come and participate: the more the merrier! Be sure to bring those kids and grandkids! Looking forward to lots of fun !!! See you Saturday!!!

BINGO POTLUCK

The Congregational Life Committee will be hosting a Bingo Potluck for the PC(USA) churches in our community on Saturday, November 4, 2023 at 5:30 PM in the Fellowship Hall. Bring your favorite dish to share and be prepared for a fun night of BINGO with fellow Presbyterians. Stacy Larsen will be calling the BINGO games and we will have fun prizes and lots of laughter. Mark your calendars to attend and contact Stacy through email at stacyllarsen@gmail.com with any questions.

FOOD, FOOD AND MORE FOOD

The Lunch Bunch / Meal Schedule for

OCTOBER

October 22 @ Rainbow Asian Cuisine (2412 No. Roan Street)

October 29 - Fellowship Potluck Lunch following worship.

THERE IS A SUMMER SCHEDULE OF ALL LUNCH BUNCH LOCATIONS POSTED ON THE BULLETIN BOARD.

IF ANYONE HAS SUGGESTIONS FOR OTHER DINING VENUES, PLEASE CONTACT THE OFFICE TO ADD THEM TO OUR LUNCH ROTATION. THANKS.

HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE COMING WEEK

Saturday, October 21, 2023

10 am - 2 pm The River Craft and Goodies Fair @ 1st Presbyterian Church (dwtn JC)

3 - 5 pm WAPC Fall Festival / Trunk or Treat (church parking lot)

Sunday, October 22, 2023

10 am Adult Sunday School reading "Born of a Woman," by John Shelby Spong

11 am Morning Worship, Rev. Brandon Davis, Pastor (in-person YouTube / Facebook)

12:30 pm Lunch Bunch @ Rainbow Asian Cuisine (2412 No. Roan Street)

Monday, October 23, 2023

6 pm Weekly Bible Study in Conference Room

Wednesday, October 25, 2023

4 pm Meditation Circle (via Zoom)

6 pm Chancel Choir rehearsal

Sunday, October 29, 2023

10 am Adult Sunday School reading "Born of a Woman," by John Shelby Spong

11 am Morning Worship, Rev. Brandon Davis, Pastor (in-person YouTube / Facebook)

12:15 pm Fellowship Halloween Potluck Lunch (bring those spooky and creepy dishes)

Monday, October 30, 2023

6 pm Weekly Bible Study in Conference Room

Wednesday, November 1, 2023

4 pm Meditation Circle (via Zoom)

6 pm Chancel Choir rehearsal

Thursday, November 2, 2023

10 am PW meeting at the home of Jean Darling

Saturday, November 4, 2023

5:30 pm Potluck & Bingo @ Covenant Presbyterian Church. Everyone invited!!

Sunday, November 5, 2023 - DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME ENDS

10 am Adult Sunday School reading "Born of a Woman," by John Shelby Spong

11 am Morning Worship, Rev. Brandon Davis, Pastor (in-person YouTube / Facebook)

12:30 pm Lunch Bunch @ Black Olive (202 East Main Street, dtwn JC)

Tuesday, November 7, 2023

9 am Holston Presbytery @ 1st Presbyterian Church, Jefferson City TN

Wednesday, November 8, 2023

4 pm Meditation Circle (via Zoom)

6 pm Chancel Choir rehearsal

FINANCIAL UPDATE

GENERAL FUND: YEAR TO DATE:

[2023 Annual Budget - $ 177,600

Budget through OCTOBER 20, Week #42 ($ 143,446)

Receipts $ 135,016.89

Disbursements -$ 130,122.21

Balance $ 4,894.68

Please note that our financial cushion is dwindling as we approach the end of the year.

Make sure that your tithes and pledges are up-to-date. Thanks.

Please remember the 5 Cents per Meal Offering every first Sunday of the Month. The next special PC(USA) offering will

be in December for the Christmas Joy offering

God has blessed the Church with incredible leadership in every time and place, but those leaders often need to be supported by their communities as well. This Offering addresses the support needed by some of our leaders, including supporting leadership development for communities of color, and providing support for Presbyterian church workers in their time of need.

OCTOBER BIRTHDAYS

October 24 - David Hughes

October 27 - Lanny Brashear

October 28 - Fred Burrell

OCTOBER ANNIVERSARIES

October 27 - Stephen & Sue Shanks (45th)

The Chancel flowers were given loving memory of

John Harrison "Jack" Hansel

(26 June 1942 – 15 October 2022),

by his wife Ruth Crawford.

ALSO NOTE: THE 2023 FLOWER LIST IS AVAILABLE ON THE BULLETIN BOARD IN THE SIDE ENTRY FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE IN REQUESTING CHANCEL FLOWERS.

Request Chancel flowers

THOUGHTS & PRAYERS

For Friends and Family

David Ramquist; the Hughes family for son-in-law Bryce Bennett, and Debi's foster mother, Janet Vencel in Ohio; Marty Shanks; Messina Lyle; George, Jo & Nikki Rolling; Theresa Lura; Camilla Lyle's brother, Jeff McFee; Jonathan Sharp; Don Loughry; Rev. Maggie Lauterer; Sarah Suptin; Kelly Hodges.; Heather Hughes; Edna Campbell.

A JOY - Theodore “Teddy” Jordan Summers, born 10/06/23, 8 lbs 2 oz, 20.75 inches, at 2:38 pm. Gramps, Chris Summers (PO Box 238 same as time born); Great Grandma, Phyl Summers; Grand Aunt, Susan; Cousins, Megan & Emma

Prayers for others

Continue to pray for the people in Ukraine as they continue their fight against the Russian Invasion. For the recent ongoing humanitarian emergency between Israel and the Palestinians of Gaza, as well as the crisis in the humanitarian crisis in Azerbaijan with the takeover of the Nagorno-Karabakh/Armenian enclave and the Lachin Corridor and the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Nigeria; the aftermath of 6.3 magnitude earthquake in Herat province, Afghanistan and 6.8 magnitude earthquake in Morocco; New emergencies include Hurricane Lidia in Mexico; flooding in Ghana; tornadoes in Florida; and extreme heatwave in Arizona. Prayers for U.S. troops and migrants seeking refuge along the southern U.S. border. And especially prayers for our nation and for strength, endurance, faith and courage for all.

CENTER FOR DISASTER PHILANTHROPY - https://disasterphilanthropy.org/

UN OFFICE FOR THE COORDINATION OF HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS (OCHA) - https://reliefweb.int/

INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE - https://rescue.org

US FEMA - DECLARED DISASTERS - https://www.fema.gov/disaster/declarations

GLOBAL DISASTER ALERT & COORDINATION SYSTEM (GDACS) - https://gdacs.org

Prayer Requests

A BLAST FROM THE PAST

Who are these people and what are they doing ?

GREEN SPACE NEWS

In an important win for climate accountability in the United States, a move by the US Supreme Court this spring means that lawsuits seeking climate-related damages against fossil fuel companies can remain in state courts. As one of several delaying tactics employed over the past five years, the companies had argued that the cases should be heard in federal courts where they hoped for a more favorable outcome than in the states where they have caused harm. In rejecting that argument, the Supreme Court ruling allows dozens of cases to finally move ahead.

By suing fossil fuel companies for damages, states and local governments are hoping to recover some of the costs they have incurred due to climate change, including adaptation and infrastructure costs necessary to protect them from increasingly dangerous impacts. They argue that fossil fuel companies should have to pay for their share of these damages for having exacerbated the problems with their products while spreading disinformation about climate change and delaying the action needed to combat it.

(GSN #170)

VIRTUAL CREATION ACTIVITY OF THE WEEK

LENCOIS MARANHENSES NATIONAL PARK, BRAZIL

OUBO (September 2022 | 20:05 min.)

Lençóis Maranhenses National Park (Parque Nacional dos Lençóis Maranhenses^[a]) is a national park in Maranhão state in northeastern Brazil, just east of the Baía de São José. Protected on June 2, 1981, the 155,000 ha (380,000-acre) park includes 70 km (43 mi) of coastline, and an interior composed of rolling sand dunes. During the rainy season, the valleys among the dunes fill with freshwater lagoons, prevented from draining due to the impermeable rock beneath. The park is home to a range of species, including four listed as endangered, and has become a popular destination for ecotourists.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4rn3Fo_91Q&t=5s

IN THE POTEAT LIBRARY

Please remember the library is open by appointment and 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.

The Gospel of the Beloved Companion: The Complete Gospel of Mary Magdalene

By Jehanne de Quillan

(229/deQ)

The Gospel of the Beloved Companion is the first English translation of a previously unpublished first-century gospel of the same name. Originally written in Alexandrian Greek, and brought from Egypt to the Languedoc during the early to middle part of the first century, this exceptional manuscript has been preserved within the author's spiritual community since that period.

In this extraordinary book, the Gospel of the Beloved Companion comes alive to bring us a luminously poetic yet starkly objective insight into, and perhaps a new perspective on, the teachings and philosophy of one of the greatest spiritual teachers the world has ever known.

Author Jehanne de Quillan presents this translation along with a detailed comparative study between the Gospel of the Beloved Companion and the canonical and gnostic Gospels in a clear and easy-to-read format, leading the reader step-by-step to a deep understanding of this remarkable text and, perhaps for the first time, a clear and unsullied view of the woman known to most as Mary Magdalene.

REMINDERS

Congregational Concerns / Prayer Requests - Please contact the church office or Sherry Bailey with information.

Flower List - The 2023 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.

e-Avenue deadline - Please submit information to church office (office@wataugapc.org or 926-7942) at any time and for the November issue of the e-AVENUE, no later than Friday, October 17th. This includes team and committee meetings, news, planned events and other newsworthy items.

Facebook - Please remember to friend and follow our Watauga Avenue Presbyterian Church Facebook page [https://www.facebook.com/Watauga-Avenue-Presbyterian-Church-94712920937/ ]. All news and events will be reported there.

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.

WATAUGA AVENUE PC IS ON .. click and see for yourself.

Visit our website

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.)