Join us for our Christmas Eve Carol and Candlelight Service
this evening, at 5:30 p.m.
Pre-service music will begin at 5:10 p.m.
We look forward to seeing you there and being together in person this year, as we celebrate the birth of our Lord.
If you are not worshipping in person, please click the button below (or visit the home page of our website) to join us via live stream!
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The Christmas Joy Offering will be received tonight during our Christmas Eve service.
When we give to the Christmas Joy Offering, we share our love with the leaders of our Church - past, present, and future.
50% of your gifts assist current and retired church workers and their families with critical financial needs.
50% of your gifts make it possible for students to learn and grow in faith at Presbyterian-related schools and colleges equipping communities of color.
On checks please note "Christmas Joy Offering" on the memo line.
Checks can also be mailed to the church office.
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Join us in person or virtually for our Sunday Worship Service at 11:00 a.m.
If you click the gray button above you will be able to download the worship order so you can follow along at home!
We will email an active link to the service on Sunday morning.
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This flowers this week are given to honor Ileen Cheek and celebrate her birthday! |
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We are currently in PHASE YELLOW.
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MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM THE STAFF OF SECOND PRES!
The church office will be closed on Monday, December 27th
in observance of the Christmas holiday.
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A huge thank you to our very generous church family at Second Presbyterian! Each of the 125 (& counting!) animals will certainly be put to good use in the juvenile court to help reduce the stress the children experience and on behalf of Judge Irwin and Second Readers, thank you, thank you. You are a blessing. |
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The Second Readers group will continue collecting stuffed animals through December for Judge Irwin’s juvenile court.
Animals may be left in the box in the Atrium/Narthex or, if you prefer, you may make a donation and we will shop for you. The animals must be new and hopefully smallish, about 12-16 inches. Please, none of the huge ones.
Thank you for your support and let’s remember these families in our prayers.
Questions? Call Margaret Sullivan at 865-588-3103.
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A MESSAGE FROM UKIRK:
At UKirk UTK, we rely on financial support to make God’s love known to all students at UT Knoxville. Each and every gift is extremely important to the future of this ministry. Please consider financially supporting UKirk through a one-time or recurring gift. To do so, please go to our website, www.ukirkutk.org/support. We are grateful for your prayers and financial support.
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The Service and Outreach Ministry Unit would like to thank Dick Dodson and Joe Clark for their help in the application process to buy food from Second Harvest for the FISH program at Second Presbyterian. This will result in substantial savings for our church and we appreciate their assistance with this development.
The congregation of our church continues to nourish, support and care for the children at West View Elementary School. When the school asked for help in funding new playground equipment, one of our members donated the entire amount needed to replace and extend the slide. This will not only serve the children during the school day but will present a safe and fun play area for the entire community on weekends and school holidays.
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. (John 13:34-35)
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The Officer Nominating Committee is interested in your suggestions for ruling elders to serve on the Session Class of 2025.
Ruling elders in the PC(USA) are defined as "persons of wisdom and maturity of faith, having demonstrated skills of leadership and being compassionate in spirit.” They are chosen by the congregation “to discern and guide its fidelity to the Word of God, and to strengthen and nurture its faith and life.”
Please click the button below to submit your suggestion.
The deadline for submissions is January 1st.
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Our Stewardship Pledge Period is a time when friends and members of our congregation are asked to prayerfully consider our response to God’s call for our church – and our response to God’s abundance in our lives. Click the button below to read this year's stewardship letter from Tim Wright and the Stewardship Ministry Team. If you have not yet made a pledge, please consider doing so.
You may make your pledge via the button titled "2022 Online Pledge Form" below.
Thank you for your commitment to the mission and ministry of 2nd Presbyterian!
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Our Making Room Advent Devotionals are still available!
A digital version will be on our website under the “Resources” tab, or you can simply click the button below. Hard copies are also available in the vestibule and narthex.
To request a copy be mailed to you, please contact Audrey.
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Paul Sexauer is looking for a couple of volunteers to help out with the sound system on Sunday mornings. As a result of all the virtual services over the past year, a number of hardware changes have greatly simplified the process and therefore no knowledge of, or experience with, sound board operation is required. Hands on training and support during services will be provided.
If you think you might be interested, stop up in the balcony after a service and Paul will give you an overview of how it all works. Alternately, if you can stop up in the balcony between 10:30 and 10:45 on Sunday morning, Paul will give you an overview of the process and you can then sit “second chair” and watch the entire process during the service. It is really fairly easy!
We’re also looking for some volunteers to help out with the video side of the service. Stopping by the balcony after the service will allow you to see that as well. As with the sound, no technical knowledge is required to volunteer. Our goal is to have multiple volunteers so that scheduling can be as flexible as possible.
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Arts and Crafts circle of Presbyterian Women
is beginning a new project.
We are dressing dolls to donate to Isaiah 1:17 House. This is a 501-c3 organization which provides a safe place for children who have been removed from abusive situations until a foster placement can be found for them. They are removed with only the clothes they are wearing, and without any of their toys.
Since they have never had a new toy, the organization has asked that anything we donate should be new, not used.
They have plenty of stuffed animals, but were thrilled when we offered to make clothes for dolls we would purchase and donate!
We have the dolls, but realized we need something for the boys!
So, after conferring with the organization, we are asking the congregation to help us by purchasing and donating superhero action figures.
These can be any superhero, such as Spiderman, Batman, etc. Please place the action figures on or near the Christmas tree located in the atrium.
Because this is an on-going project, the items do not have to be given in time for Christmas. Children are served throughout the year, and will be allowed to select a new toy to take with them to their foster home.
I will be happy to talk with anyone who has questions.
Cheryl Ragsdale
865-684-8999
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Come join the choir!
In Phases Yellow and Green the choir will sing without face coverings. If you are interested in lending your voice to the choir, we invite you to come to the sanctuary at 9:45 a.m. Sunday morning for choir rehearsal. No experience necessary – just a willingness to sing praise to the Lord!
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Our Wednesday Night Bible Study has concluded for the semester.
Kathy Duggan will lead an informal discussion of the Gospel of Mark in January and February. The class will begin on Wednesday, January 5th.
Sandwiches, drinks, and snacks will be served beginning at 6:00, followed by a group discussion at 6:30.
Text or call Kathy Duggan at 865-441-8683 if you plan to attend so we can have enough food. If you are not a planner, come anyway and we won’t let you starve! We would love to have you, reservation or not.
We will try to arrange childcare if you let us know in advance. Otherwise, children will be welcomed and appreciated.
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If you like to shop, the Fish Pantry mission is in need of the following household and personal items:
-Dish Soap
-Bath Soap
-Shampoo
-Toothpaste
-Deodorant
-Pet Food (small canned or bagged quantities, wet or dry for dogs or cats)
Our once-a-month Fish team receives phone call requests for food and these additional items; then they are sorted, packed, and delivered to each client's household.
All donations should be newly purchased, and any quantities would be greatly appreciated.
They can be dropped off into the “Fish” bin that sits on the floor in the coat rack area just off the atrium. Thank you!
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Compassionate Cuisine is a program from the Care and Compassion committee and our Cooking Teams. This group is collaborating to create a homecooked meal, and will gather safely at the church to package them into individual portions, that they will then distribute to some of our members who are living in their homes but may not be getting out and about to pick up dinner or groceries to make a home-cooked meal.
The teams would love to have your help in cooking and/or distributing meals in hopes that this ministry might be able to grow in the coming months. If you’re interested in helping by cooking a portion of one of the meals and/or would be willing to deliver some of the meals, please contact Leslie Matthews: flowlilly@gmail.com, (865) 765-0549.
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Pick up your
January-February
Upper Room Devotional
in the vestibule
(Monday through Thursday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.) or at either entrance into the sanctuary!
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On the Pastoral Care page of our website, we will share more specific updates regarding those on our prayer list. It will be updated frequently by the church staff.
Visit our website: 2ndpres.org. The page is located under the 'Members' tab.
To keep all information private, the page is password protected. Please contact Audrey at the church office (via email: ajohnson@2ndpres.org or phone: 865.523.2189) for the password.
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Our Wi-Fi network is for use by anyone who visits the building.
The network is “Second Presbyterian Church” and the password is Psalm100.
Please feel free to save it as a network that connects automatically for your device.
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Peter Douglas Hamilton (Brice Gilmer) would like folks to know that he can have visitors and would love for people to stop by and see his Christmas decorations.
He is at Echo Ridge on Gleason Rd. (behind Bearden HS) in apartment 002.
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Prayer List:
Please keep the Robertson family, the family of Alex Robinson, Pam Maples, the family of Mary Johnson, Frances Johnson, and Peter Douglas Hamilton in your prayers.
Please contact the Church Office (865.523.2189 or ajohnson@2ndpres.org) with prayer concerns to be listed in the weekly email or bulletin.
Names remain on the prayer list 4 weeks unless requested by the individual or a close family member of the individual to keep them on longer.
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