Windows

January 5th, 2024

Join us for a monumental celebration at Lee St. Baptist Church on January 14th at 3:00 pm for an event you won’t want to miss! Experience the city’s most impactful Martin Luther King Jr. service and announce our new leader, Rev. Mabry! This gathering promises to be a powerful convergence of faith, community, and hope. Reflect on the legacy of Dr. King’s tireless fight for justice and equality.

Join us Friday February 9th, 6:00 pm-9:30 pm and Saturday February 10th, 8:00 am-3:30 pm for the annual FPC Women’s Retreat! We will meet at King University Chapel and Dining Hall for Worship, Scripture, Reflection, Fellowship, Food! Our speaker is Laura Hicks Hardy, sharing on the topic of Sabbath Rest. Any women who would enjoy this time of rest, rejuvenation and friendship! Invite your friends and family! Register online, or by filling out a paper registration form at church. $75 total cost (includes 3 meals and all retreat materials), with $25 deposit due by February 2nd. Scholarships are available!

Remember to Return your Pledge

We are slowly bridging the gap in our funding for our ministries in 2024. We have now received $588,502 in pledges for next year and need $196,498 more to reach our goal of $785,000. If you have not yet sent in your pledge, you can still submit the card you received in the mail (also available at the church) or access online giving through the QR code. If you have any questions about stewardship, reach out to any member of the committee. The members of the Stewardship Committee are Bruce Gannaway and Pete Holler.

Great Escape

Great Escape is a camp for middle schoolers (rising 6th - 8th) to breakaway, grow, learn and have the best week of their life! Get ready for a week of high energy games, engaging speakers and an awesome worship band. First Pres will be attending the Smokies location, held at the Ocoee Retreat Center in Ocoee, TN. The group will depart Monday, July 22 and return Saturday, July 27. Mornings include breakfast, quiet times and recreation. Afternoons include lunch, recreation, free time, small groups and an afternoon session! Evenings include dinner, evening sessions, counselor meetings, and aftermaths. This is an event you won’t want to miss! Start inviting your friends and get your $100 deposit turned in ASAP to reserve your spot.

Zambia Mission Trip

Greetings from FPC Members Mark and Catherine Bell,

We would like to invite you all to prayerfully consider joining us for our next mission trip to beautiful Zambia, Africa from May 16-31, 2024 through our ministry partnership with the Phoebe Foundation Africa (PFA). If you decide to go, you will be an answer to prayer for our Zambian friends. Over the years, since our first trip to Zambia in 2011, this beautiful African country has become our second home. We fell in love with the culture, the people, and the churches and are in awe of the spiritual maturity of our friends and leaders that live in this majestic part of the world. We feel blessed that, through our friendship with Pastor Chris and Phoebe Chanda, the Zambian founders of PFA, we have been a part of carrying out the mission of this Christ-centered ministry. There are various roles that you can engage in during this trip including, leading Bible studies, sharing the gospel through fellowship @ soccer matches, playing soccer, sharing sermons, facilitating group discussion at a counseling conference, speak at the counseling conference, provide meals to vulnerable children at a feeding program, attend &/or pray at home visits and/or distribute Bibles & donations. The deadline to sign up for this trip is February 1st, 2024. To apply and learn more about this mission opportunity, email the Bell's at ezer072663@gmail.com Thanks so much!

Yours in Christ, Catherine & Mark Bell

Is FPC's Brazil Mission Trip 2024 Calling You?

Planning is underway for FPC’s 17th visit to northeast of Brazil! We will travel to the city of Natal on Saturday, May 18th and return to Bristol on May 26th (Note: The dates have changed from the prior announcements). The week will be filled with worship, work, and time to connect with and encourage the church families in Felipe Camarão and Cidade Nova and the Bethel School students and staff, all of whom are such important parts of FPC’s global connection in the name of Jesus. Whether your first time thinking of traveling or you are someone who’s made the trip many times, each visit offers a unique opportunity to see and share in life with our Brazilian brothers and sisters. Prayerfully consider if God is calling you. To learn more about this year’s trip, please contact Justin Miller or Dave Welch or visit the FPC website. Applications are due on or before January 7, 2024. Vamos! Let’s go!

Gifts to the Church

Memorials and honoraria are published in the newsletter only after the family has been personally notified by our business office. Today we gratefully acknowledge the following gifts in memory of:

• Richard Bingham, Brother of Bill Bingham: to the Minister’s Discretionary Fund from Jim White
• Becky Busler: to the Minister’s Discretionary Fund from Jim White
• Mattie Connolly, Mother of Lary Connolly: to the Minister’s Discretionary Fund from Jim White
• Roy Connor Brother of John Connor: to the Music Projects Fund Jim White
• Viola Havlik, Mother of Robert Havlik: to the Children’s Ministries Fund from Jim White
• Blaine Hunigan: to the Minister’s Discretionary Fund from Jim White
• Nancy Lilly, Grandmother of Sam Weddington: to the Minister’s Discretionary Fund from Jim White
• Antonio Madison, Mother of J.B. Madison: to the Children’s Ministries Fund from Jim White
• Carl McGrady: to the Minister’s Discretionary Fund from Jim White
• Joyce Samuel: to the Minister’s Discretionary Fund from Jim White
• Lynn Vandebrake: to the Minister’s Discretionary Fund from Jim White
• Eddie Wagenhals: to the Minister’s Discretionary Fund from Jim White
• LaVerne Willian, Grandmother of Laura Ong: to the Music Projects Fund from Jim White

In honor of:

• Jerry SwamSidi: to the Staubach Well Fund from Bill & Billie Whisnant
• John & Karen Vann: to the Brazil Fund from Bill & Billie Whisnant
• Sam Weddington: to the Montana Indian Ministries from Bill & Billie Whisnant

Organist's Footnotes

For Christmas Eve this year I created two new settings of Martin Luther’s hymn Vom Himmel hoch da komm’ ich her (From Heaven Above to Earth I Come). Before we leave the season of Christmas, I thought it might be nice to hear one more setting of this hymn, this time, by the master himself, Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750). Bach composed several settings of Vom Himmel hoch for organ. I have chosen a fugal setting, BWV 700 (our Opening Voluntary). Bach takes the first line of the hymn and does a “pre-imitation” of it on the manuals, concluding with the tune in the pedal. Each subsequent phrase of the hymn, in turn, is treated similarly. Bach calls for organo pleno which essentially is full organ, and appropriately so. It is the angel’s message of good news that should be boldly proclaimed.

Our Processional Hymn “Wild and Lone the Prophet’s Voice” is about John the Baptist, whose act of baptizing Christ we celebrate this Sunday. Its tune ABERYSTWYTH is set by Ashley Grote (b. 1982) for our Closing Voluntary. He is joined by fellow Brits Malcom Archer (b. 1952) and Christopher Tambling (1964-2015) with settings of “See, Amid the Winter’s Snow”, by Sir John Goss (1800-1880), which I will play for the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. For the Offertory Anthem, the Sanctuary Choir will sing an arrangement of “See, Amid the Winter’s Snow” by Jonathan Willcocks (b. 1953). Finally, with the beginning of the New Year, there are a number of new responses which are being introduced, which we will sing until the first Sunday of Lent. One of these, “Everyone Who Longs for the Boundless Love of God” (Hymn 849) is a Korean hymn which will serve as our Congregational Response following the Benediction.

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



Condolences

Our deepest condolences to Robin Leonard, Evan, and Alec North on the passing of their beloved Leonard “Lee” Edward North on December 28, 2023.

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.

Wednesday of the week of publication is the deadline for contributions to Windows. Subscribe to our free e-newsletter by sending your name and preferred email address to the editor. Livestream our worship services and other activities at  FPC Bristol on YouTube. Click on the link and hit Subscribe to receive notifications of new videos. Find us on Facebook at FPC Bristol. Several accounts will show up. “Like” the page or ask to join a group.

We encourage you to use text, mail, or our website to safely continue your faithful support of our ministries. Give online here; choose a fund from the drop-down menu. Text fpcbristol  to 73256 to send your pledge, offering, or special gift to the church. Messages and data rates may apply. Message varies frequency. Text HELP to 73256 for help. Text STOP to 73256 to cancel. If you prefer, you may mail your contribution to the church.

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