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Word from the Pastor:
Given and Giving
And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”
—Luke 3:22b
I want to share with you an excerpt from Henri Nouwen’s little pamphlet The Path of Freedom (pp. 34-37). It was written upon reflection of his experience of nearly dying:
“My encounter with death told me something new about the meaning of my physical death and of the lifelong dying to self that must precede it.
“My return into life and its many struggles means, I believe, that I am asked to proclaim the love of God in a new way. Until now I have been thinking and speaking from time into eternity, from the passing reality toward a lasting reality, from the experience of human love to the love of God. But after having touched ‘the other side,’ it seems that a new witness is called for: a witness that speaks back into the world of ambiguities from the place of unconditional love. This is such a radical change that I might find it very hard, yes, even impossible, to find the words that can reach the hearts of my fellow human beings.
“I know now that the words spoken to Jesus when he was baptized—‘You are my Beloved’—are words spoken also to me and to all my brothers and sisters. Once I have accepted the truth that I am God’s beloved child, unconditionally loved, I can be sent into the world to speak and to act as Jesus did.
“The great spiritual task facing me is to so fully trust that I belong to God that I can be free in the world—free to speak even when my words are not received; free to act even when my actions are criticized, ridiculed, or considered useless; free also to receive love from people and to be grateful for all the signs of God’s presence in the world.
“When I awoke from my operation and realized that I was not yet in God’s house but still alive in the world, I had an immediate perception of being sent: sent to make the all-embracing love of the Father known to people who hunger and thirst for love, but often look for it within a world where it cannot be found.
“I understand now that ‘making known’ is not primarily a question of words, arguments, language, and methods. What is at stake here is a way of being in the truth that tries less to persuade than to demonstrate. It is the way of witness. I must remain on the other side while being sent back. I have to live eternity while exploring the human search in time. I have to belong to God while giving myself to people.”
In Christ,
Pastor Sam
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Our April Mission Focus: A Place to Be
April 20 is National Family Promise Day of Giving, a good reminder to bring in packaged, nonperishable breakfast and snack foods (any size) for A Place To Be, Family Promise of Bristol’s day center for people who are homeless. (See the image above for suggestions.) A Place To Be provides food and other services for about 40 people each day and is the April Mission Focus for our church. This food is all some people will get all day, so please bring a few items to church and put them in one of the collection boxes you’ll see outside the fellowship hall and in the narthex. We are not collecting monetary gifts for this mission.
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Worship
April 23
3rd Sunday of Easter
Scripture
Psalm 110
Acts 2:33–36
Sermon
“God Has Made”
Sam Weddington
Last Sunday’s Attendance
9:00: In person: 120;
Livestream: 27; Playback: 62
11:00: In person: 92;
Livestream: 17; Playback: 61
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Calendar
Sunday, April 23
9:00 a.m.
Contemporary Worship
Fellowship Hall
10:20 a.m.
Sunday School
11:00 a.m.
Traditional Worship
Sanctuary
2:00 p.m.
Facility Renovation Exploratory Committee
Room 123
5:30 p.m.
Go, Go Jonah Youth Musical
Fellowship Hall
6:00 p.m.
Student Fellowship
Fellowship Hall
Monday, April 24
10:00 a.m.
Staff
Room 123
7:00 p.m.
Session, Deacons & Trustees
Fellowship Hall
Tuesday, April 25
7:00 p.m.
Boy Scout Troop 3
Scout Hall
Wednesday, April 26
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, April 27
7:00 a.m.
Men’s Bible Study
Parlor
1:00 p.m.
Women’s Bible Study
Room 123
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Wade Reading Room Dedication Next Sunday
We will dedicate our Wade Reading Room after the 11:00 service next Sunday, April 30. Please linger a few minutes after worship, drop by our library, and see what our volunteers hath wrought!
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Call for Graduate Information
On Sunday, May 14, we will celebrate all the new graduates in our church family. We’re asking for each graduate’s name; the school or program being completed; the degree, certificate, or rank achieved; and future plans, if applicable. The deadline for submitting this information is Monday, May 8. Please email it to Scottie Bales or call the church office at 423-764-7176. We look forward to celebrating these achievements!
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Go, Go Jonah! on Our Stage Sunday
Come to the fellowship hall Sunday afternoon for the delightful, missions-minded musical Go, Go Jonah! The best-selling Go, Go Jonah! is a 1995 Dove Award Nominee for Best Children's Musical. Our children have rehearsed for weeks, and at 5:30 on April 23 the curtain will go up. Everyone is invited to come out to enjoy the performance and support the kids. We have cookies!
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Watch for Stellar VBS on Three July Evenings
Save the dates for Vacation Bible School at FPC from Sunday, July 16, through Wednesday, July 19, 5:30–8:30 p.m. It’s going to be stellar! Get in touch with Lilly Osborne, if you’d like to help.
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Looking for Legacy Letters
As we look forward to celebrating our seniors in worship services they will lead May 14, we are collecting Legacy Letters to present to them on that Sunday. We invite family, teachers, coaches, neighbors, friends, and others to write. It is a wonderful opportunity to encourage our seniors in their future plans and faith as well as to acknowledge the beautiful gifts God has given them.
Legacy Letters describe the impact the senior has had on the writer’s life. Letters can share memories, stories, lessons learned, or significant moments. Our hope is that these Legacy Letters will give family and friends an opportunity to share the influence the seniors have had on those around them. The letters will be a beautiful collection of love and truth that they can read as they begin their new journey after high school, and serve as a reminder of the loving community that is cheering them on.
Class of 2023
Claire Hankins
Paige Helms
Payne Ladd
Chelsie Proffitt
Laynie Richardson
Maddie Smith
Logan Tudor
Ethan Webb
Grayson Webb
Jeremiah Webb
Wade Witcher
If you would like to participate, please email, snailmail, or deliver all cards and letters to Katie Arnold at the church by Friday, May 12.
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Encourage Our Confirmands
Since September 2021, our confirmation students have participated in weekly classes that have taught, informed, and challenged their ideas of faith. Watching them grow over the past school year and take ownership of their faith has been a joy and an inspiration! It will soon be time to share this joy with all our congregation.
In the combined service on Sunday, May 21, these young people will have the opportunity to proclaim their faith to our church family and become members of First Presbyterian Church. As we prepare for this special day, we ask friends and family to send in cards and letters of spiritual encouragement for our confirmands. The kind words you share will not only encourage them as they prepare to be confirmed but also be kept for years as a reminder of the great cloud of witnesses that surrounds them and that will continue to love, guide, and encourage them as they run the race.
2023 Confirmands
Palmer Akard
AJ Arnold
Lucy Bechtold
Lilly Hankins
Sylvia Kingsley
Rob Meredith
Branch Sword
Katie Arnold is your contact for more information. Please deliver all cards and letters to her attention at the church by Friday, May 19. Thank you for joining in the celebration of this important and exciting time in the lives of our students!
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Final Wednesday Night Fellowship Next Week
Our Wednesday Night Fellowship gatherings will wind up for the spring semester next week, April 26. Please join us for supper in the fellowship hall, followed by educational activities for all ages.
We’re Recruiting a Courtyard Crew
Our courtyard is a lovely, quiet area for reflection and thought in the center of the main church building. Come have a seat on the bench and enjoy the quiet time. There are two doors into this secret garden. You can enter it from the parlor or from the hall that connects the front hall to the fellowship hallway. Interested folk maintain the courtyard’s beauty with an occasional mow and trim. You're invited to join this group of volunteers! For more information, call or text Beth Flannagan at 423-956-3837.
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You Can Still Sign Up
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 return 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. Pay the deposit of $100 per person when you register. The 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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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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Tony Mitchell: to the Minister’s Discretionary Education Fund from Barb Duncan
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Tony Raccioppo: to the Memorial Fund from Cora Lee Raccioppo
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On the third Sunday of Easter we will focus on the famous Easter chorale “Christ lag in Todesbanden” (“Christ lay in death’s strong bonds”), BWV 718. We will sing this hymn, and both our organ voluntaries will be settings of the tune by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750).
The first setting (our opening voluntary) was composed relatively early in Bach’s career and is performed less frequently. For this setting, Bach gave more information than usual, including a tempo marking related to the text. The first two lines refer to the period before Easter, Passiontide. But in the second line the past tense is used: Christ lay in the bonds of death, after which he had arisen. The chorale moves faster here (Bach wrote “Allegro” in the score), making the music very positive, happy, and cheerful. Another thing Bach did was to specify which manuals to play. For the embellished melody he specified the Rückpositiv, the division behind the organist, which is closer to the people in the congregation and can be heard more clearly. At a given point in the Allegro section, Bach repeats the same notes on another manual. That creates an echo effect in spatial terms, a technique introduced by the Dutch organist Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck (1562–1621).
Our closing voluntary is the setting of this hymn that is performed more frequently. It comes from Bach’s Orgelbüchlein (Little Organ Book), which contains shorter pieces designed to be used throughout the liturgical (church) year.
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We want to pray for and celebrate with you! Send us your prayer requests and glad tidings. | |
Condolences
Our love and sympathy are with Marifer Escandon-Lopez and her family and with Justin Miller, her husband, in the death of Marifer’s father.
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In Our Prayers
We have several unnamed or private requests. Please pray for the members of our community who wish to remain anonymous.
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Ricky Adams
Wayne Ausmus
Olivia Bowen
Bud & Marg Branscomb
Bristol Tennessee City Schools
Rachel & Ben Cherry & Dean Millard
Bill Coleman
Jacob Daston
Russell Fogelman, Kelli Krajeck & Kendall
Martha & Bill Gesling
John Graham Sr.
Lou Hebb
Mike Hodge
Pat Leonard
Nancy Lilly
Mardi Long
Dot & Diana Mattison
Gabe Maxfield
Carl McGrady
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Montana Indian Ministries
National & international leadership
Lee North
Alex Plummer & brother
Pastor Bruce Plummer
Delaney Porter
Bill Prince
Cora Lee Raccioppo
Bob “Homer” Reynolds
Lynn Richards
Greg Roberts
Brenda Rogers
Harold Rutherford
Tom & Delma Slagle
Denny Smith
Teachers & school administrators
Those suffering with addiction
Scott VanNostrand
Bill & Patsy Ward
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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 | | | | |
