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Frank Cone/Pexels
Word from the Pastor:
Night and Day
If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and night wrap itself around me,” even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is as bright as the day, for darkness is as light to you.
—Psalm 139:11–12
My devotion this morning was reading Psalm 139. As I did, I ran across these two verses that have often perplexed me. Here, the Psalmist points to a great mystery: what does it mean for us to say that, to God, “darkness is as light to you”?
The mystery deepens as we look out on the wider witness of Scripture. 1 Corinthians 4:5 tells us that we are not judge, jury, and executioner, but we are to rely on the Lord, “who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness.” Matthew 5:14 has Jesus tell us that we are “the light of the world.” John 1:5, speaking of the incarnation of the Son of God, tells us that “the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overtake it.”
So why all this coziness with the dark here in Psalm 139?
I think the Psalmist is pointing to the murky quality of human life. Yes, Jesus is the light of the world. Yes, in Him, we are destined to be children of the new dawn. Yes, by faith, “God has brought [us] out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9). But we are broken “clay jars,” as Paul puts it in 2 Corinthians 4:7. Christ is our hope, bringing the ever-realized but continually possible light to shine through the cracks. In the interim, we all find ourselves in moments when we see, as the Psalmist does, that the darkness has covered us.
Losses come, disappointments mount. Sometimes we are a mystery to ourselves (Romans 7:15). Wrestling in the dark as we await the presence of the Lord is something we all have to contend with. Night settles in like a cold blanket as the chill sets in; we’ve all prayed for morning to come.
It is here that the words of the Psalmist bring illumination and power. Even in the midst of seasons when we are at our worst, God is still present. Even if the darkness settles in, there is no depth to which we could plunge that God does not see us, love us, and reach out His loving hand. Even at midnight, the darkness cannot veil the heart of God from our plight and condition.
This is good news, especially as we approach the end of our Lenten season and ready ourselves for Holy Week. In Jesus Christ we see God, who became one of us, carry our dark nights of the soul to the cross, bearing our burdens, guilt, and shame for the purpose of putting those things to death. In his death and resurrection, we see the Son rising over the horizon, with healing in his wings (Malachi 4:2).
In Christ,
Pastor Sam
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Mission Focus on Spurgeon Hope
Our mission focus this month is on assisting Spurgeon Hope Ministry to care for their community in Kaduna State, Nigeria. Our brothers and sisters there are in danger of starving. Most of them make their living by farming, but violence against Christians has forced them to give it up to avoid being killed. And with the region in turmoil, cash is scarce. We have set up a special fund for online giving. Choose "Spurgeon Hope Ministry" in the Fund drop-down menu.
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Worship
March 26
5th Sunday in Lent
Scripture
Psalm 91
Luke 4:1–13
Sermon
“Shelter from the Storm”
Sam Weddington
Attendance
Sunday: 9:00: In person: 114;
Livestream: 30; Playback: 89
11:00: In person: 102;
Livestream: 16; Playback: 55
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Calendar
Sunday, March 26
9:00 a.m.
Contemporary Worship
Fellowship Hall
10:20 a.m.
Sunday School
Serve Orlando Info Meeting
Chapel
11:00 a.m.
Traditional Worship
Sanctuary
2:00 p.m.
A&O Committee
Room 123
3:00 p.m.
Youth Musical Rehearsal
Fellowship Hall
6:00 p.m.
Student Fellowship Easter Egg Hunt
Fellowship Hall
Monday, March 27
10:00 a.m.
Staff
Room 123
7:00 p.m.
Session, Deacons & Trustees
Fellowship Hall
Tuesday, March 28
7:00 p.m.
Boy Scout Troop 3
Scout Hall
Wednesday, March 29
5:30 p.m.
Fellowship Supper
Fellowship Hall
6:15 p.m.
Adult Enrichment
Student Small Groups
Wednesday Night Kids
Handbell Choir
Room 212
7:15 p.m.
Sanctuary Choir
Room 202
Praise Band
Fellowship Hall
Thursday, March 30
7:00 a.m.
Men’s Bible Study
Parlor
1:00 p.m.
Women’s Bible Study
Room 123
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Holy Week Schedule
We will have many opportunities to worship together at FPC during Holy Week, and all services will be livestreamed as well. Our annual Egg Hunt and Barbecue will be held the day before Easter, and the church office will be closed the day after.
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Lilies for the Resurrection
On April 9 we will celebrate the Resurrection of the Lord. Let us do so in worship spaces adorned with Easter lilies in honor or in memory of those we love and appreciate. To order one or more lily plants, fill in the form and choose “Easter Lily” from the Fund drop-down menu. Each plant costs $20. The deadline for ordering is Monday, April 3.
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BAMA Palm Sunday Service
Bristol Area Ministerial Alliance invites the community to a Palm Sunday worship service at 4:00 p.m. on April 2 at Household of Faith Community Church, 412 Oakview Avenue, Bristol, VA. Rev. Rayford Johnson of Jubilee World Outreach Church in Johnson City will be the guest speaker. He will be bringing his praise team, so invite your family and friends!
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Run or Walk for Kenya
Bristol HUB—Hunt Memorial, John Wesley, Reynolds Memorial, and Trinity United Methodist churches—will hold a Fun Run fundraiser April 15 to support their joint mission team’s travel to Embu, Kenya, to continue to fund education, supplies, and food for 30 orphans there. The event will begin at 8:30 a.m. in Anderson Park, 341 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Register here by April 1 and pay $30 to run the 5K course or $20 to walk the 1-mile course. After April 1 the cost rises to $40 to run and $25 to walk.
Easter Egg Hunt and Barbecue April 8
We will hold our annual Easter Egg Hunt and Barbecue at the church Saturday, April 8, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. Come and enjoy the thrill of the hunt, music, games, fellowship, and BBQ dinner, all for free! If you feel moved to donate candy before the event, please do so—we certainly need it! For more information, contact Lilly Osborne.
Get Montana Missions Info Here
You can find detailed information about our summer mission opportunities with Montana Indian Ministries in this downloadable document. Hard copies of the document are also available at the church. A meeting about final plans has been planned for Sunday, April 16, at 10:20 a.m.
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Learn More Sunday about Serve Orlando
Come to the chapel this Sunday at 10:20 a.m. for an informational meeting about our summer Serve Orlando mission. Rising seventh grade to college students, families with rising first graders and up, and adults of all ages are invited to join us on this trip. We will leave from the church on Saturday, June 17, and drive down for a week of missions, beach, and fun. We will return home Saturday, June 24.
The cost of $400 per person includes all necessities but travel meals; a day at Universal Studios Florida Theme Park is an additional $115 per person. A deposit of $100 per person is due April 1. The total balance is due by June 17. Scholarships and family pricing are available.
Register here and pay the deposit. You can pay online here; choose “2023 Serve Orlando Mission Trip” in the Fund drop-down menu. Contact Katie Arnold for more information.
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Blue Ribbon Benefit to Aid
Abused Children April 20
The Children’s Advocacy Center of Sullivan County announces a Blue Ribbon Benefit in aid of abused children Thursday, April 20, 5:30–8:30 p.m. in the Bristol Train Station (101 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.). Enjoy a fun-filled night of food and spirits, a silent auction, and music by the Colonel Tap’s house band. All proceeds will go to aid the CAC’s continuing provision of free services to child victims of sexual abuse and severe physical abuse. Dress for this after-work event will be business casual. Tickets cost $55 per person and $100 per couple. Purchase online or call (423) 279-1222.
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Men’s Breakfast Nourished in More Ways than One
This past Saturday, the men of the church gathered for their new “3rd Saturdays” fellowship breakfast. We are thankful for the success of the program and for the hard work of volunteers like Charlie and Josh that made it happen. Forty-four men gathered for pancakes, bacon and eggs, and coffee. Afterward, we heard the powerful testimony of a speaker from our area, then gathered for prayer and sharing around tables. Our next event will be held on Saturday, April 15, at 7:30 a.m. Be sure to come, and invite a friend!
Can You Cook a Casserole for Sharing Christ?
We are scheduled to serve at the downtown Sharing Christ mission on Saturday, April 8. We need two more chicken-macaroni casseroles for dinner and two jars of grape jam. Cooked casseroles can be stored in the fridge or freezer in the little kitchen; they don’t need to be prepared on Saturday. If you can donate a casserole, please email Beth Flannagan or text 423-956-3837, or email Becca Tate or text 404-790-1223.
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Friends from Brazil Will Visit in August
FPC’s Mission and Outreach Committee is pleased to announce that Pastor João Batista and his wife, Rosângela, will visit Bristol August 10–22. In addition to pastoring our partner church in Felipe Camarão, Brazil, João Batista is the business director of Bethel School, which our congregation has lovingly supported since 2003. Rosângela is the school’s principal. They are looking forward to engaging in our church’s activities and getting to know as many of us as possible, as they did when they visited in 2016. If you would like to help plan their visit or host an event in their honor, please contact John (423-360-1153) or Karen (423-502-0114) Vann or Justin Miller at the church.
Get Involved in a Home Group
A Home Group is a gathering of friends, neighbors, family members, or several families for weekly Bible study and fellowship. Each week we provide an intergenerational study to each group and also post it on the church website under Ministries: Home Groups. Our course of study will continue through April 26.
If you would like to participate in or facilitate a group, or start your own, sign up here, and we will get you plugged in. You can join the conversation and stay up-to-date by joining the FPC Bristol Home Group Facebook group here and signing up for Home Group texts from Remind. For more information, email Dave Welch.
Join Us for Wednesday Night Fellowship
Our next Wednesday Night Fellowship will be March 29. Please join us for dinner at 5:30 in the fellowship hall and stay for educational activities for all ages.
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Free Concert, Panel Discussion of Homelessness,
at First Baptist March 28
As part of their regionwide outreach to educate our communities about the issues faced by people who are homeless, musicians of the Symphony of the Mountains will perform a free concert on Tuesday, March 28, at 6:30 p.m. at First Baptist Church in Bristol. Complimentary boxed dinners will be provided. A panel discussion by leaders of agencies that help those who find themselves without a home in our city will follow. FBC senior pastor Kris Aarons will moderate. Donations for food banks and shelters are welcome but not required for admission. First Baptist Church is on the state line at 1 Virginia Street.
A few days later, New York violinist Christina Bouey will perform Lucas Richman’s brand-new Concerto for Violin: Paths to Dignity Saturday, April 1, at 7.30 p.m. in the Toy F. Reid Eastman Employee Center in Kingsport. The Grammy Award–winning Richman wrote the work to spotlight homelessness and those working to meet the needs of the homeless. You will find more information about the April 1 event here.
In the weeks before the concerts, musicians from the symphony are performing on-site for those sheltering at Haven of Rest or utilizing one of the day centers in our community. We thank the symphony for this very important effort to bring our cities together, and for acknowledging that we find solutions to community problems like homelessness when we are all part of the discussion. /Missions & Outreach Committee
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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:
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Betty Bingham: to the Music Projects Fund from Barb Thompson
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Joanne Hatcher: to the Minister’s Discretionary Fund from Barb Thompson
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Eddie Hill: to the Minister’s Discretionary Fund from Barb Thompson
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June Lamb (mother of Alice Graham): to the Children’s Ministry Fund from Barb Thompson
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Ernie Pennington: to the Minister’s Discretionary Fund from Barb Thompson
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Tony Mitchell: to the Church Van Fund from Fred & Heidi Harkleroad; to the Minister’s Discretionary Education Fund from Betty Ball, from Fellowship Chapel, from James Grayson, from John & Ellen Manney, from Peggy Hill
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Aaron David Miller (b. 1972) is noted for the highly imaginative and creative style of his performances, improvisations, and compositions. A prolific composer, he has won critical acclaim for many of his works. He serves as the Director of Music and Organist at House of Hope Presbyterian Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, and maintains an active recital schedule. He is a forensic musicologist for Donato Music in Scarsdale, New York.
Sunday’s sampling of his work includes a setting of the chorale tune Herzliebster Jesu (our opening voluntary), which we sing as the hymn “Ah, Holy Jesus.” Miller’s rendition is livelier than this somber tune might suggest, sounding as though J.S. Bach himself composed it.
The second piece, Deo Gracias (our closing voluntary) is the tune to which we sing the hymn “O Love, How Deep, How Broad, How High.” This setting of Miller’s does not sound like something J.S. Bach might have written! The piece rages full speed ahead from beat one, relaxing somewhat in the middle section, but revving up again for an explosive finish. I will attempt to play it at the tempo the composer requests.
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Ricky Adams
Keller Alexander
Wayne Ausmus
Zach Baker
Beseech 24
Olivia Bowen
Bud & Marg Branscomb
Bristol Tennessee City Schools
Becky Busler
Rachel & Ben Cherry & Dean Millard
Bill Coleman
Barbara Daniel
Jacob Daston
Russell Fogelman, Kelli Krajeck & Kendall
John Graham Sr.
Lou Hebb
Amanda Henderson
Mike Hodge
Charles Hoilman
Bill Huber
David & Andrea Hyde
Gwen King
Nancy Lilly
Mardi Long
Toni Mari
Dot & Diana Mattison
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Gabe Maxfield
Carl McGrady
Montana Indian Ministries
National & international leadership
Lee North
Pastor Bruce Plummer
Delaney Porter
Bill Prince
Cora Lee Raccioppo
Lynn Richards
Greg Roberts
Brenda Rogers
Harold Rutherford
Samuel family
Tom & Delma Slagle
Tenna Smith
Wendy Smith
Teachers & school administrators
Loretta Thomas
Those suffering with addiction
Scott VanNostrand
Bill & Patsy Ward
Abigail Welch
Marsha Wilson
Stevie Wintz
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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. | |
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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.
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. Or send your pledge, offering, or special gift by texting fpcbristol to 73256 or mailing your check to the church.
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701 Florida Avenue | Bristol, TN 37620 | 423-764-7176 | fpcbristol.org | | | | |
