—Acts 2:1

Last week was a whirlwind of events and headlines, and this week is the same. The CDC changed its masking and distancing guidelines for fully vaccinated folks, and we have followed its lead (be sure to check out some of those changes in this issue). The coming Sunday is Senior Sunday, and we are looking forward to hearing from our young people who are preparing to head out into the world. We’ll gather together outside for another One Worship service at 11:00, and we pray that the weather will cooperate this time.

This Sunday is also Pentecost Sunday, the birthday of the church. In our unique way, we will celebrate the gift of the Spirit filling the church and equipping us to bear fruitful witness to the Lordship of Christ. And as Acts 2:1 tells us, that day of Pentecost was one that found the disciples gathered together “in one place” as God opened up heaven to intersect with and indwell us and, through us, fill the earth with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the seas (Habakkuk 2:14).

I think that nowadays this concept of “in one place” as the starting point for all this wonder is difficult to grasp. On this side of COVID quarantines, distancing guidelines, and mask mandates, a lot has changed. The concept of place, or of gathering “in one place,” has taken on new shades of meaning that the disciples 2,000 years ago couldn’t even begin to fathom. While worshiping together in the church building makes sense as being “in one place,” does gathering digitally count as well? How about a Zoom prayer meeting? Would God have acted as he did if Peter, James, and John were gathered online to pray that fateful day?

Thankfully, we know that God is not restricted by time or place. While being gathered together “in one place” was true of the disciples on Pentecost, elsewhere in Acts it is clear that believers don’t have to be together physically for amazing things to happen. For example, Paul and Silas are in prison when the earthquake hits, and after that episode, they return to Lydia’s house to rejoin their brothers and sisters, who we can safely assume were praying for them despite the geographical separation (Acts 16). Peter is given a dream, opening the door for Gentiles to come into the church, and sending him on to Cornelius’s house despite the fact that they were in different cities (Acts 10).

In short, God is not confined by geography, and neither is our connection through the Spirit. We are one body, and we have one mission to glorify and serve the Lord. In the coming weeks and months, we will do this in a variety of places, and need not be confined to the FPC campus. Strangely, phones and the internet are powerful tools. Nothing keeps us from calling and encouraging our brothers and sisters. We can also serve in the myriad situations that arise every day, and we can serve humbly and in the name of Jesus.

The “one place” that matters above all is our place of belonging in Jesus Christ.

In Christ,

Pastor Sam

9:00: In person: 110;

Livestream: 30; Playback: 110

11:00: In person: 80;

Livestream: 9; Playback: 58

Adults interested in joining the fellowship of FPC are invited to meet with the session this Sunday, May 23, at 10:00 a.m. in the chapel. Prospective members should bring their New Member Information form with them. For more information, please email Dave Welch or call 423-764-7176.

On Sunday, June 6, at 10:15 (after the 9:00 worship service), we will hold our annual congregational meeting. At this meeting, we will go over the church’s financial report, talk about our new Legacy Giving program, hear from the Stewardship Committee, vote on the pastor's terms of call, and convene a brief meeting of the corporation. All are invited to attend, and members have both voice and vote at the meeting.

On Sunday, June 6, at 12:15 (after the 11:00 worship service), we will hold a brief congregational information meeting to review the sanctuary acoustics project and the conclusions drawn by the assessment team. We will also review and discuss future plans for updating the chapel. All are invited to attend.

Our next date to serve at the Sharing Christ Mission downtown is June 26. We will share details soon. We are grateful to everyone who serves Christ and his community by telling our story of faith in this very tangible way.

During the pandemic, we encourage you to use text, mail, or our website for your continued, faithful support of our ministries. You can give online by going to fpcbristol.org and clicking on “Give” in the upper right corner. You can send your pledge, offering, or special gift by texting fpcbristol to 73256. You can also mail your checks directly to the church.

Summer fun is on its way! Vacation Bible School is scheduled for July 11–14 from 5:30 to 8:30 each evening. To volunteer or learn more, email Lilly Osborne.

Please join Pastor Sam on Friday nights at 7:00 for community prayer. Our emphasis will be Scripture reading and prayer, but we will make time to talk as we grow in faith together.

Topic: FPC Community Prayer

Time: May 21, 7:00 p.m.

Join Zoom meeting here.

Meeting ID: 826 4875 1043

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