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GOOD NEWS AND WORSHIP UPDATE
MORNING WORSHIP
Sunday, January 15 2023 @ 11 am
Sermon - "This is My Story" | Scripture reading - John 9:1-41
Rev. Brandon Davis, Pastor
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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.
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Installation of our new Elders: Wilsie Bishop (Class of 2025); Susan Turner
(Class of 2025); Nancy Fennell (Class of 2024); Dick Lura (Class of 2025).
Thanks for your service.
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SPECIAL NEWS AND INFORMATION | |
ANNUAL REPORTS DUE / ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING
For Elders and others reporting for various teams, groups, and committees, please email a copy of your report to the church office NO LATER THAN FRIDAY, JANUARY 13TH. Your timeliness will be greatly appreciated.
Our Annual Congregational Business Meeting and Souper Lunch will be held on Sunday, January29th following Morning Worship. Please be there!
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ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS
UPCOMING READ
The Adult Sunday School class has begun reading and discussion Adam Nicolson's book, "God's Secretaries: The Making of the King James Bible."
The class meets in the Poteat Library at 10 am.
If you wish to join the class in the coming year there is always room for one more and you should have time to purchase or obtain a copy of this book. There are hardback, paperback and Kindle versions available through a variety of sources online.
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FOOD, FOOD AND MORE FOOD
IF ANYONE HAS SUGGESTIONS FOR LUNCH BUNCH DINING IN 2023, PLEASE CONTACT THE CHURCH OFFICE SO IT CAN BE ADDED TO THE LIST!!
January 15 @ Southern Craft BBQ
January 22 @ Rainbow Asian Cuisine
January 29 @ Annual Congregational Business Meeting & Souper Lunch
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FROM THE PASTOR
In Epiphany we celebrated the light of the world that had come into the world. The Aha, or Eureka moment is the light bulb being turned on so that things that were once hidden, are now seen. This week, as we continue to tell the story of Jesus from the Gospel of John, we are again reminded that “While I [Jesus] am in the world, I am the light of the world.” (John 9:5) In this story, the light of the world, brings light into the man born blind. Using the earth and the dust to illuminate this man’s world. He went, he washed, he came back seeing. This is our invitation as well. To go, follow Jesus. To be washed and be made new in Christ. And come back to proclaim the Good News!
Yours in Christ,
Brandon
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HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE COMING WEEK | |
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Thursday, January 12, 2023
2 pm Green Team meeting via Zoom
Friday, January 13, 2023
Annual Reports must be received by the Church Office
Sunday, January 15, 2023
10 am Adult Sunday School - reading "God's Secretaries" by Adam Nicolson
11 am Morning Worship, Rev. Brandon Davis, Pastor (in-person YouTube / Facebook)
12:30 pm Lunch Bunch @ Southern Craft BBQ
5 pm Lecture by Rev. Dr. Anna Carter-Florence @ Colonial Heights Presbyterian Church, Kingsport
Wednesday, January 18, 2023
4 pm Meditation Circle (via Zoom)
6 pm Chancel Choir rehearsal
Saturday, January 21, 2023
5 pm Special Mission Presentation & Potluck Dinner @ Covenant Presbyterian Church
Sunday, January 22, 2023
10 am Adult Sunday School - reading "God's Secretaries" by Adam Nicolson
11 am Morning Worship, Rev. Brandon Davis, Pastor (in-person YouTube / Facebook)
12:30 pm Lunch Bunch @ Rainbow Asian Cuisine
Wednesday, January 25, 2023
4 pm Meditation Circle (via Zoom)
6 pm Chancel Choir rehearsal
Sunday, January 29, 2023
10 am Adult Sunday School - reading "God's Secretaries" by Adam Nicolson
11 am Morning Worship, Rev. Brandon Davis, Pastor (in-person YouTube / Facebook)
12:15 pm Annual Congregational Business Meeting & Souper Lunch
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5th TUESDAY - PERSONAL HYGIENE BAGS
Just a friendly reminder and plenty of notice that there will be four PW 5th Tuesday Work Days coming up in 2023 (January 31, May 30, August 29, and October 31). It will be time to make more Hygiene bags during the coming year. So bring your (travel sized) items to fill those bags, including: shampoo, conditioner, combs (for men), hairbrushes (for women) small tissues, lotion, emery boards, toothpaste, toothbrush (and cover), Chapstick, face cloth, deodorant, soap and handwipes. Also remember to bring in those magazines, notepads, greeting cards, and calendars. The items you bring should be placed in the Mission Team room just off the Heritage Room.
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SPECIAL INVITATION FROM COLONIAL HEIGHTS PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH - January 15th
CHPC is celebrating their 75th anniversary in ministry on January 15, 2023. They will be joined by the Rev. Dr. Anna Carter Florence, the Peter Marshall Professor of Preaching at Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Georgia! Dr. Carter Florence is a nationally known Presbyterian preacher who is passionate about creative strategies for communities to engage and encounter the biblical text. They are delighted to welcome her into the pulpit on January 15 to celebrate with them and to host a community conversation with her later that afternoon about the Book of Jonah. All are welcome to join them in worship and to attend this public event at 5pm. Please spread the word about this great opportunity to learn and worship as they give thanks to God for their past while looking forward to their future!
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SPECIAL INVITATION FROM COVENANT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH - January 21st
Grace and Peace!
Covenant Presbyterian Church is hosting a visit from our Mission Co-Workers at the US/Mexico border on January 21st and 22nd. Mark and Miriam Adams Maldonado have been involved with the ministry of Frontera de Cristo for 25 years, working to foster a community of hospitality, justice, and compassion on both sides of the border.
There will be a Mission Presentation and Potluck Dinner on Saturday, Jan. 21, beginning at 5:00pm. As friends of Covenant, we wanted to extend this invitation to your church & worshipping communities as well. Come to learn more about immigration and this unique ministry, and share food, fun, and fellowship!
If you have any questions, feel free to let me know.
Blessings to you on this last day of Christmastide!
Rev. Maggie Rust
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TUSCULUM THEOLOGIAN-IN-RESIDENCE FEBRUARY 2023
For over 30 years Tusculum has sponsored the Theologian-in-Residence Series. The theme for this year's lecture series is "The Satan and the Forces of Evil" led by Dr. Ryan Stokes, director of graduate theological studies and associate professor of Biblical Studies at Carson-Newman University. They will be held in person and via Zoom.
The series will consist of four lectures on Fridays in February beginning at 10 am:
February 3 - "The Origin of Satan: the Satan in the Old Testament"
February 10 - "Fallen Angels, Evil Spirits and Demons"
February 17 - "The Satan in the Dead Sea Scrolls and Other Early Jewish Writings"
February 24 - "Satan in the New Testament'
It is necessary to register in advance so they have an accurate headcount for seating, and more importantly for each of the lunches. If you plan to join by Zoom, please be sure to provide your email address. Please contact Kim Kidwell, Associate Vice President of Institutional Advancement at 423-636-0525 or 423-636-7303 x5788 (office) or 423-525-7745 (cell). Or you may send an email to kkidwell@tusculum.edu.
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GENERAL FUND: YEAR TO DATE: | |
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[2023 Annual Budget - $ 177,600
Budget through January 13th, Week #2 ($6,831)
Receipts $ 7,680.00
Disbursements -$ 7,158.66
Balance $ 521.34
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JANUARY BIRTHDAYS
January 17 - Bob Caponero
January 25 - Hugh Broome
JANUARY ANNIVERSARIES
January 22 - Bob & Suzanne Caponero
PLEASE NOTE: THE 2023 FLOWER LIST IS AVAILABLE ON THE BULLETIN BOARD IN THE SIDE ENTRY
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For Friends
The family and friends of Elijah Berry who diede recently, friend of Matthew Clark; the Saunders family in the recent loss of their mother, Helen Gentry Saunders; Ginger Helm's brother, Larry Ray Davis (pancreatic cancer); Camilla Lyle; Don Loughry; George, Jo & Nikki Rolling; Rev. Maggie Lauterer; Stephen Patrick's cousin, Linda Strock, diagnosed with stage4 inoperable esophageal cancer (squamous cell); Sally Gerhardt's son, Fritz, scheduled to have a stem cell transplant on January 16th; Nathan Songer; Sue Sheffield's nephews, Jeremiah Collins and Tanner Frye; Sue Shank's friends, Judy Klein, Mary Murphy and Rev. Dodie Rossell; Sarah Suptin; church neighbor, Dorothy Harvey; Kelly Hodges..
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. Please be mindful of the rise in influenza cases this season. There is now a worldwide increase in measles due to the lack of vaccination during COVID, as well as outbreak of avian flu..
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 throughout the U.S. including various storms and weather phenomena including earthquakes in California, and tornados in the central and southeastern US and harsh winter weather New York. Ongoing disasters include flooding in Western Australia and the Philippines; the prolonged water crisis in Jackson, Mississippi; the various complex humanitarian disasters worldwide as well as new disasters now unfolding: increased volcanic activity of Mount Kilauea. 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/
US FEMA - DECLARED DISASTERS - https://www.fema.gov/disaster/declarations
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We will miss having Sally Gerhardt in our garden. She has dedicated many hours to keeping our garden in order these past several years.
It will be sad to see her leave. Best wishes, Sally!!
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There is great news for conscientious consumers who don't want to keep flushing away some of the earth's last great primary forests. The number of sustainable options for household tissue products is greater than ever before. Proof positive is the most recent Issue with Tissue scorecard issued by the Natural Resources Defense Council. It ranks the forest-friendliness of more than 140 tissue products including toilet paper, paper towels, and facial tissue. In all, 34 products received a grade of A or A+ even as major brands such as Charmin, Cottonelle, and Quilted Northern continue to earn Fs for driving the destruction of Canada's ecologically vital boreal forest.
Not only is Canada's boreal forest the homeland of hundreds of indigenous communities and habitat for abundant wildlife; it is also the world's most carbon-dense forest, holding twice as much carbon in its soils and trees as all of the world's oil reserves. Yet more than a million acres of the forest are clearcut each year to make throwaway tissue products.
Issue with Tissue is available online. (GSN #131)
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VIRTUAL CREATION ACTIVITY OF THE WEEK | |
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YANT FLAT, LEEDS, UTAH
AMAZING PLACES ON OUR PLANET
(NOV 2016 | 5:56 min.)
Yant Flat (also known as Candy Cliffs) is a spectacular rocky plateau near Saint George in Utah, covered with colorful patterned sandstone rock formations. Yant Flat is not yet widely known but in many respects it rivals the beauty of the famous Checkerboard Mesa, The Wave, Valley of Fire, White Pocket.
The exposed red rocks extend several miles east to west, spanning 500 feet or more of elevation, though the best area appears to be from the end of the trail a mile or so southeast. Lower down the ground is much less steep, more overgrown and has smaller erosive features. The main section is characterized by domes and cones, cliffs and ledges, and U-shaped gullies, with all surfaces generally quite smooth, though crossed by thin, parallel ridges and grooves due to the underlying cross-bedding. Some areas have neat hexagonal patterns. In a few places, the predominantly light-colored sandstone is interrupted by small, jagged intrusions of much darker rocks, resembling partly buried dinosaur bones. The wavy color patterns range in scale from thin parallel lines just a fraction of an inch apart to broad, curving bands several feet wide. Most colors seem somewhat faded however; there are few really bright patches. The cliffs face southeast so are best visited in the morning.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgkpoNOlJ88
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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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Breakfast with God: Inspirational Thoughts to Start Your Day God’s Way
By Honor Books, Inc.
(242/BRE)
Here's the nutritious spiritual breakfast you've been craving! These fresh one-a-day meditations give you a powerful combination of scriptures, stories, quotes, and other uplifting ingredients to get you going--and growing--in the right direction.
That cup of coffee may be the first thing your body craves in the morning, but your heart and your mind also need wake-up stimulation--from God's Word! From the Quiet Moments With God series of devotionals, Breakfast With God gives you a balanced beginning to every day. You'll find renewed enthusiasm, challenging direction and a quiet refuge on every page.
You wouldn't expect to make it through the morning without a nutritious breakfast, so why skimp on spiritual nourishment? Start your day with full-strength spiritual inspiration!
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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.
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 February issue of the e-AVENUE, no later than Wednesday, January 18tth. 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.
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WATAUGA AVENUE PC IS ON .. click and see for yourself. | | |
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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.) | | | | |
