Windows

March 30, 2023

Order Easter Lilies

by Monday

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

Get Montana Missions Info Here

You can find detailed information about our summer mission opportunities with Montana Indian Ministries in this downloadable document. A meeting about final plans is scheduled for Sunday, April 16, at 10:20 a.m. in the chapel.

Deposits Due Saturday for Serve Orlando

Rising seventh grade to college students, families with rising first graders and up, and adults of all ages are invited to join us on our summer Serve Orlando mission 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.

No Wednesday Fellowship

Next Week

We will not meet for Wednesday Night Fellowship during Holy Week. We will resume our fellowship supper and educational activities April 12.

Men’s Breakfast April 15

We are thankful for the success of our first men’s breakfast this year and to all the volunteers who made it happen. Onward to Second Breakfast! All males from sixth grade up are welcome to join us Saturday, April 15, at 7:30 a.m. in the fellowship hall. If you want a ride or more information, please contact the church office at 423-764-7176. Be sure to come, and invite a friend!

Get Involved in a Home Group

Our spring Home Group studies will continue through April 26. If you would like to participate in a group, 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.

We Are Ready for Sharing Christ!

We now have volunteer servers and all the food we need for the downtown community at the Sharing Christ mission on Saturday, April 8. We are looking forward to this opportunity to be of service to our neighbors. Thank you to all the FPC folks who stepped up to help! If you need to reach the coordinators of this effort, you can do so by emailing Beth Flannagan or texting her at 423-956-3837, or emailing Becca Tate or texting her at 404-790-1223.

Friends from Brazil Will Visit

in August

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, and 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.

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:

• Tony Mitchell: to the Minister’s Discretionary Education from Bandy & Jan Brownlee, from ETSU Department of Media & Communications, from Marsha Collier, from Kaye Crutchfield, from Mark Fox, from Gay Hillman, from W.D. Humphrey, from TCM Computers/Teresa Mills, from Craig & Brennan Rockett, from Jack & Carol Perkins, from Jayne Walker; to the Youth Department from Tom & Leigh King

In honor of:

• Scottie Bales: to the Memorial/Honorarium Fund from Kaye Crutchfield

On Passion Sunday we will celebrate two American women composers, both of whom display a bit of passion in the music they composed.

Our opening voluntary is a handbell arrangement of “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” by Cynthia Dobrinski (1950–2021), a composer and arranger of handbell music with more than 175 works in print. She also worked as an instructor and conducted about 350 handbell workshops and festivals internationally. Dobrinski earned her Bachelor of Music degree from Texas Christian University and her Master of Music degree in organ performance from Northwestern University. She was a Fulbright scholar and taught for 15 years at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Many of us from the Tri-Cities area had the privilege of working with Cynthia for several years when she came to direct the massed handbell choir for the Virginia Highlands Festival in Abingdon. Cynthia’s arrangement of “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” is typical of her romantic, dramatic musical style, displaying both pathos and exultation.

Sunday’s closing voluntary is another rather dramatic arrangement of “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross,” this time for organ. Diane Bish (b. 1941) is a celebrated organist, composer, conductor, and executive producer and host of The Joy of Music television series. As a concert organist, she performs throughout North America and Europe. Bish also continues to tape episodes for her television series by visiting notable organs throughout the world. Her arrangement of “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” is typical of her flamboyant style, which begins with a gentle exposition, building excitement with arpeggiated chords and increasing registrations, and ending with a final bravura flourish.

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

To the Church Triumphant

Rebecca “Becky” Busler

March 21, 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.

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.

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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.

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