Windows

November 17, 2022

What’s coming up in 2023?

• International Worship and Food Festival: Spring. Join us at FPC for worship, Word, and prayers followed by a time of fellowship and enjoyment of a variety of international foods served by nationals in our community and King.
• KU-Reach Podcast: Spring: FPC College ministry will start a podcast in the AC Adam recording room with the mission of reaching King students, challenging their faith in Christ, and equipping them to grow into maturity in Christ. Our vision is to bridge the gap with King and draw young people to the saving knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

• Beseech 2023: Spring. Join us at King on March 22 for 24-hour prayer, reading of scripture on the hour, and worship.
• KOINONIA: Fall. FPC will host FCAs from several colleges for a one-day Fall Retreat of worship, Word, and prayers.
• Serve Bristol: Fall. We will partner with King University to serve our Bristol, TN, & Bristol, VA, communities.

Want to get involved?

Contact Jerry Swam Sidi. Meet with FPC College and Creative Ministry interns before or after the 9:00 Sunday service. /Rev. Jeremiah Swam Sidi

Thanksgiving Offering for BFIA This Sunday

In both services this Sunday we will seek to benefit Bristol Faith in Action through collection of our annual Thanksgiving offering. The interdenominational agency reaches into the community to share the gospel and help our neighbors dealing with adversity. BFIA helps with utilities, rent, prescriptions, and commodities such as diapers and food, and it provides referrals for financial counseling, education placement, job placement, alcohol- and drug-abuse programs, and people in violent or abusive situations. Services are available to most residents in the two Bristols, Blountville, Bluff City, and part of Piney Flats. Please be generous.

Remember to Return Your Stewardship Pledge

We have now received $623,720 in pledges, leaving a need of $91,660 to fully fund our ministries in 2023. 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 below.

If you have any questions about stewardship, reach out to any member of the committee or read this. The members of the Stewardship Committee are Barb Duncan, Chase Mitchell, Matt Peltier, Karen Pennington, Jerry Poteat, Annette Tudor, and John Vann.

Now Accepting

Officer Nominations

The Nominating Committee is accepting nominations for the offices of Elder, Deacon, and Trustee of FPC Bristol through November 23. Five elders and deacons and one trustee will be elected for three-year terms that begin in January.

Options for submitting nominations: 

1. Use the QR code above.
2. Email your recommendations (or questions) directly to the committee.
3. Access online nomination forms that provide a definition for each position here and here.
4. Pick up printed forms in the church office, outside the worship spaces, or from the pew racks. Completed forms can be submitted to the church office, placed in the Connect visitor-card boxes, or attached to an email to the committee.

Thank you for your prayers and your assistance in identifying whom God is calling to serve our church in these ways.

DIY Fun for Students at AR Workshop Nov. 27

Student Ministry invites all 6th–12th graders to a night of DIY fun at the AR Workshop on November 27. Want to create some decorative items or make a Christmas present for someone? Come create with friends, and fellowship together! We will gather at 5:00 p.m. at the AR Workshop in downtown Bristol (located inside the Foundations building at 626 State Street).

To participate, you must preregister and pick out the project you would like to do. If you would like to customize wording or do a Bible verse, please specify it in the notes when registering. FPC is offsetting the total cost, so you will not be asked to pay when registering, but you will need to bring $20 with you to the event.

Register here (password: GIFT).

Help Us Hang Those Greens Nov. 27

We would love to have your help with the annual Hanging of the Greens, Sunday, November 27! Come help us decorate the church for Advent and Christmas. A delicious lunch will be provided to thank—and bribe—you to maybe even help us take it all down in January! We’ll work after both services, so you can come when you can that morning. It’s a great way to get the holidays started! To join us or learn more, call or text Katie Sword at 423-914-2181.

No Wednesday Night Fellowship Next Week

Our Wednesday Night Fellowship will take Thanksgiving Eve off—we have turkeys to wrangle and cranberries to corral! We also will not hold music rehearsals on November 23. We will return to our regular schedule November 30, when we will enjoy the last fellowship supper of the year. Be sure to join us for the meal to fuel up—our gingerbread house construction event follows!

Life Together for Home Groups

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

Pick Up Your Advent Devotional

Our Advent devotionals are available for pickup at the church. This year we are using the meditations reflecting on the person and coming of Christ offered in NIV Once-A-Day, 25 days of Advent. Each daily reading includes scripture from the NIV, a meditation written by Dr. Kenneth Boa with Joan Alan Turner, and a prayer.

Christmas Play Rehearsals

Rehearsals for our children’s Christmas play, The Innkeeper, are held on Sunday afternoons from 3:00 to 4:30 in the fellowship hall. The play will be presented Sunday, December 18, at 3:00. To learn more, contact Sujean Bradley, Melissa Galliher, or Lilly Osborne.

Women’s Retreat Feb. 10–11

Mark your calendar now! Our ever-popular Women’s Retreat is scheduled for Friday, February 10, through Saturday, February 11, at Jubilee Retreat Center, 822 East Main Street, Abingdon. Yes! It’s the place with the labyrinth! We’ll announce details of the weekend soon.

We're Ready for Sharing Christ Dec. 3!

With Thanksgiving next week, FPC folks responded quickly to our call for help with our upcoming service day at Sharing Christ. Thanks to our faithful volunteers, we’re in good shape to serve at the downtown mission on December 3. Coordinators Beth Flannagan and Becca Tate thank everyone who answered the call!

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

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.

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:

• JoAnn Hatcher: to the Minister’s Discretionary Fund from Margaret Wade, from Billye Whitaker
• June Lamb (mother of Alice Graham): to the Children’s Ministry Fund from Kelley Mayden
• Tony Raccioppo: to the Memorial Fund from Cora Lee Raccioppo

Our Opening Voluntary, “Come, Ye Thankful People, Come,” and our Closing Voluntary, “Ring Merrily,” are handbell arrangements by Barbara Baltzer Kinyon (1929–2021). Kinyon received her Bachelor of Music Education degree from Northwestern University in Evanston, IL, and her master’s degree from the Eastman School of Music (University of Rochester) in Rochester, NY. She spent her professional life as a solo pianist, college professor, church organist, private piano and pipe organ instructor, and handbell conductor, composer, and clinician.

Kinyon was professor of music theory and composition at Suffolk Community College on Long Island for 25 years. She was deeply involved in church music ministry as organist and conductor of handbell choirs at the Setauket Presbyterian Church in Setauket, NY. Kinyon wrote and published more than 225 handbell compositions. She also composed and arranged choral music. For most of her adult life, she resided in East Setauket and Stony Brook, NY.

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.

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.

Deadline & Subscriptions

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