 | |
We Resolve to Help the Children of Kenya
“Does it make you a king to have more and more cedar? Did not your father have food and drink? He did what was right and just, so all went well with him. He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well. Is that not what it means to know me?” declares the Lord.
—Jeremiah 22:15–16
The new year is here, and I have been reflecting on the tradition of New Year’s resolutions. We may look to a new year as a fresh start, an opportunity to try something new or do something we’ve been putting off, or take on a healthy habit.
I’ve made my share of resolutions over the years, to exercise, follow a new diet, and read more. I’ve always thought such resolutions were meant to be a personal, individual goal. However, this year I am wondering what it would be like to make a resolution with the goal of benefiting someone other than myself. Maybe this is fresh in my mind from our recent Home Group series on community. I’m interested in seeing what a communal resolution to serve others would look like.
One resolution many people make is to have a stronger faith. They want a deeper connection with God, to be more dedicated to reading scripture and praying. They desire to know God more. One way to know the Lord better is by caring for the needs of others. Don’t just take my word for it. Jeremiah 22 is a reminder of what it means to know the Lord. Take verses 15–16 as an encouragement for how we as a community can create a resolution to know the Lord more by caring well for the needs of others.
|  | |
In this new year, we of FPC have resolved to feed children through a special offering that will go to support Visions of Glory in Kenya. Visions of Glory is a nondenominational church committed to doing the work we read about so often in scripture: caring for the poor and placing the needs of others above our own. Many of us had the opportunity of meeting the leader of this ministry, Bishop Jeremiah Kibobi, when he preached here April 7, 2019, and led our Wednesday night Adult Enrichment program March 4, 2020. We have been heartened by his work in his community, especially through the school his church established. Called Magnet, it educates orphans and other vulnerable children so that they can break away from poverty.
Bishop Kibobi confirms that it has been a challenging three years in Kenya since the onset of Covid-19, which cost many people their livelihoods. A four-year drought has resulted in low-yield harvests and high food prices, killed the vegetation that domestic and wild animals need to survive, and brought about a famine.
The county of Kajiado, the home of Visions of Glory, is one of the areas hardest hit by the drought and other devastations of climate change. They are struggling to feed the children. Because poor harvests and the high costs of importing food are worsening a desperate situation, Visions of Glory has asked us to send them any amount we can to enable them to store up foodstuffs like maize, beans, rice, cooking oil, and sugar while they are still available. Their goal is to raise $30,000 to purchase food for the school for one year. Our help in offsetting these costs will go a long way toward providing for many families who have gone without food.
The school’s monthly food budget is as follows:
|  | |
FPC will take up a special collection for this purpose in both services on Sunday, January 29. You can also give online here. If you prefer to send a check, mail it to Visions of Glory, 284 Mount Zion Church Road, Jonesborough, TN 37659. You can learn more about the ministry here. /Justin Miller
| |  |
|
Worship
January 15
2nd Sunday after Epiphany
Scripture
Psalm 40:1–4
1 Corinthians 1:1–9
John 1:29–42
Sermon
“Come and See”
Sam Weddington
Attendance
Christmas Eve: In person: 391;
Livestream: 24; Playback: 119
Christmas Day: In person: 170;
Livestream: 20; Playback: 75
New Year’s Day: In person: 146;
Livestream: 30; Playback: 80
January 8: 9:00: In person: 162;
Livestream: 48; Playback: 85
11:00: In person: 102;
Livestream: 18; Playback: 52
| |
Calendar
Sunday, January 15
9:00 a.m.
Contemporary Worship
Fellowship Hall
10:20 a.m.
Sunday School
11:00 a.m.
Traditional Worship
Sanctuary
Monday, January 16
Office closed for Martin Luther King Day
7:00 p.m.
Buildings & Grounds Committee
Room 117
Tuesday, January 17
10:00 a.m.
Staff
Room 123
7:00 p.m.
Finance Committee
Zoom
Boy Scout Troop 3
Scout Hall
Wednesday, January 18
7:15 p.m.
Sanctuary Choir
Room 202
Praise Band
Fellowship Hall
Thursday, January 19
7:00 a.m.
Men’s Bible Study
Parlor
1:00 p.m.
Women’s Bible Study
Room 123
| |
Congregational Meeting Jan. 29
The annual meeting of the congregation will be held in the fellowship hall Sunday, January 29, at 10:20, following the 9:00 worship service. All are invited to attend, but only members may vote. We will be presented with a financial statement from the previous year, and we will vote on the new officers presented by the Nominating Committee. The corporation of the church will also convene. Children’s and students’ Sunday School classes will meet, but adult classes will not.
Women’s Retreat
Feb. 10–11
Our Women’s Retreat is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, February 10 and 11, at Jubilee Retreat Center, 822 East Main Street, Abingdon.
| |
|
Seven delightful FPC folks stand ready to serve at the mission Jan. 7.
Sharing Christ Made a Bright Start to the New Year
We are grateful to all the faithful volunteers who contributed in so many ways to our last Sharing Christ effort January 7! We started off the new year right, both for ourselves and for the people who came in from the cold to worship and share a meal. Thank you all!
| |
|
Give Safely
As a variety of viruses swirl around, we encourage you to use text, mail, or our website to safely continue your faithful support of our ministries. You can give online by going to our website and clicking on GIVE in the upper right corner. You can also send your pledge, offering, or special gift by texting fpcbristol to 73256, or mail your check directly to the church.
| |
|
How to Join Us Online
You can watch the livestream of our worship services and other activities at FPC Bristol on YouTube. Click on the link and hit “Subscribe” to receive notifications of new videos. To connect to our Facebook sites, go to Facebook and type in FPC Bristol. Several accounts will show up. “Like” the page or ask to join a group.
| |
|
Table of the Lamb
On December 18 the congregations of our partner churches in Brazil—Felipe Camarão and Cidade Nova—hosted a neighborhood dinner called Mesa do Cordeiro, or Table of the Lamb. Dressed in their Bristol mission team shirts from this past summer, they prepared and served a delicious meal for 60 of their neighbors. All were fed physically and spiritually that evening in an event that brought tremendous joy to many as they celebrated the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
| |
|
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:
-
Carl & Celia Ault: to the Flower Fund from Judy & Fred Slaughter
-
Carolyn Bailey: to the Minister’s Discretionary Fund from Gil & Eric Bailey
-
Howard & Dorothy Barger & Betty Barger: to the Memorial Fund from Linda Barger
-
JoAnn Hatcher: to the Minister’s Discretionary Fund from Kaye Crutchfield, from Tim & Linda Martin, from Bill & Billie Whisnant
-
Eddie Hill: to the Minister’s Discretionary Fund from Kaye Crutchfield
-
Nancy King: to the Memorial Fund from Kaye Crutchfield
-
Betty Kirksey: to the Memorial Fund from Diane Harrison
-
Peggy Nicar: to the Memorial Fund from Ginger Cain
-
Tony Raccioppo: to the Memorial Fund from Cora Lee Raccioppo
In honor of:
-
Fitz & Esme Anderson & Vivian Celia Slaughter: to the Minister’s Discretionary Fund from Judy & Fred Slaughter
-
Bruce Coleman & Reginia Greene: to the Minister’s Discretionary Fund from Tom & Sue Faucette
-
Tom & Sue Faucette: to the Minister’s Discretionary Fund from Bruce Coleman & Reginia Greene
-
John & Karen Vann: from an anonymous donor
| |
|
“In all the creative periods of the world of artistic output, the life-giving elements have always come from contemporary creators. It seems to be an established truth that if our artistic lives are to be enriched, our peace must be disturbed; and the potent creator is always a disturber of our peace. Whether we be creators or amateurs, we cannot run the risk of stagnation through the non-acceptance of the new creation, which should always be welcomed, not only because of its newness but because it informs us of things of beauty in terms of today.”
David McK. Williams wrote these words in 1949 in the preface to the American organ anthology that he edited. His words were quoted in The AGO 90th-Anniversary of American Organ Music, published by Oxford University Press in 1988. A copy of this beautiful, hardcover volume was generously given to me by Andrew Hicks, a former organist here at First Presbyterian Church. I have made good use of this treasure trove over the years, though some of the compositions included in this anthology may forever be beyond my abilities as an organist. The serene setting of “Jesus Calls Us” (opening voluntary) by Emma Lou Diemer (b. 1927; pictured) is one notable exception. It was originally published in 1979 in With Praise and Love: Settings of 19th Century Hymn Tunes for Organ, Volume II, when Ms. Diemer, still a potent creator today at age 95, was in even greater demand as a commissioned composer. Ms. Diemer is Professor Emeritus of Music Theory and Composition at the University of California at Santa Barbara as well as Organist Emeritus of First Presbyterian Church in Santa Barbara. We will sing “Jesus Call Us” near the end of Sunday’s service.
William Billings (1746–1800) composed the tune lewis-town to set two paraphrases of Psalm 133. His creation was first published in The Continental Harmony (1794). We will sing this tune to words from The Iona Community in Hymn 651, “I Waited Patiently for God.” Not finding any settings for organ of this marvelous tune, I decided to compose one myself. Sunday’s closing voluntary, “Variations on lewis-town,” is so new, it is not even finished as of this writing, but it will be by Sunday! Beyond a doubt, the greatest catalyst to creativity the world has ever known is a firm deadline. /Bob Greene
| | |
We want to pray for and celebrate with you! Send us your prayer requests and glad tidings. |
To the Church Triumphant
Charles “Blaine” Hunigan Jr.
December 24, 2022
| |
Condolences
Our love and sympathy are with Larry and Tammy Connolly on the death of Larry’s mother, Mattie Sue McRary Connolly, January 7.
| |
In Our Prayers
Please also pray for the members of our community who wish to remain anonymous.
| | |
|
Keller Alexander
Wayne Ausmus
Ralph Booher
Olivia Bowen
Bud & Marg Branscomb
Bristol Tennessee City Schools
Becky Busler
Tom & Nancy Carter
Rachel & Ben Cherry & Dean Millard
Bill Coleman
Connolly family
Jacob Daston
Dax & family
Russell Fogelman, Kelli Krajeck & Kendall
Lou Hebb
Charles Hoilman
Hunigan family
David & Andrea Hyde
Allen & Sharilyn Jones
Gwen King
Nancy Lilly
Liston family
| | |
|
Toni Mari
Dot & Diana Mattison
Anthony Mitchell
Montana Indian Ministries
National & international leadership
Pastor Bruce Plummer
Cora Lee Raccioppo
Seymour Ray
Lynn Richards
Earl Rose Sr.
Tom & Delma Slagle
Wendy Smith
Teachers & school administrators
Scott VanNostrand
McKinley Wagner
Jane Chambers Walz
Bill & Patsy Ward
Abigail Welch
Marsha Wilson
Virginia Wilson
Stevie Wintz
| |
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. | |
701 Florida Avenue | Bristol, TN 37620 | 423-764-7176 | fpcbristol.org | | | | |
