Five Opportunities to Serve YOUR College Students!

1. The UTK Presbyterian Center is looking for a fun space to hold our fundraiser. If you have a great space that you'd like to donate to the PC for a night of fun and funds please contact Kally at pcutk@utk.edu.
2. Visit our website www.pcutk.org each week for updates about our activities and you can even make a donation to the campus ministry via Paypal!
3. Join us for our November 20th Work Day at the PC!
4. Help send a student to the 2011 College Conference at Montreat. The cost for the conference is $163 and many of our students need help getting there.
5. Pray for the campus ministry and our outreach to college students at UTK (the REAL UT).

Advent Dinner is coming!

The staff of John Knox Center would like to invite all church professionals for an evening of celebration, fellowship, and delicious food at the annual Advent Dinner on Friday December 3, 2010. Appetizers will be served at 6:00 p.m. with dinner following at 7:00 p.m. The cost is $15 per person.

This is an opportunity for all of us in ministry around the Presbytery of East Tennessee to enjoy a wonderful evening together without the worries of meetings or business.

Children are not only welcomed; we encourage you to bring your whole family. There will be a special program for your children in the JKC Nature Center with our staff and dinner served afterwards. This will be a fun experience for your children and you have a wonderful evening in the dining hall. The cost for children is $5.

Please register online or call our office to RSVP, so we can plan accordingly. johnknoxcenter.org ~ admin@johnknoxcenter.org ~ 865-376-2236.

Educators got together recently at Rivermont Presbyterian Church in Chattanooga for sharing Scripture and prayer, planning for Advent, resourcing one another for Confirmation, and digging into homemade lasagna. As the autumn colors decorated the periphery of the meeting, our educator group celebrated ministries of learning and serving with the purpose of giving God the glory. Educators met in the Spring at the presbytery office, then during the Summer in Athens, and most recently this Fall in Chattanooga. We have been blessed with good group attendance and plan to meet this January in the middle kingdom. If you would like to participate in future educator gatherings, contact Laura Tappan at the presbytery office (865-688-5581, 800-542-4246) or Mark Lampley at Sequoyah Hills Presbyterian Church (865-522-9804).


Pictured are: back row - Laura Tappan (PET Staff), Mark Lampley (Sequoyah Hills); middle row - Ginny Baker, Angela Grobe (both Westminster), Melanie Rasnake (New Providence), Crystal Fallesen (Rivermont), Delilah Jane Phillips (Northside, Chattanooga); front row - Susan Mills (Korean, Knoxville), Loretta Bradley (Shiloh). Not pictured but attended gathering: Jan Newman (First, Soddy Daisy), Leah Grundy (First, Cleveland).

Red Bucket Special Mission Offering

Last year, there was a $30,250 budget shortfall to the Serve Team's budget, and 18 churches participated in what was dubbed Red Bucket - as in keeping our mission entities from being "in the red" in 2009. Total donations were just under $20,000, which was two-thirds of what was needed.

This year, the shortfall to the Serve Team's budget is even greater: $48,367. It also affects more than Newton Child Development Center, the Morgan Scott Project, the Marcella Center, and Sunset Gap; it also affects our two campus ministries.

The Serve Team is encouraging all 75 PET churches to participate in the Red Bucket offering, so that this very difficult financial transition will be eased as the entities seek other avenues of support going forward.

Buckets can be covered with construction paper if red ones are difficult to find. Churches decide when they want to take up this offering. The Presbytery office will accept donations at any time, but the sooner the better! Please mark the memo section: Red Bucket. The money will go to the entities based on the percentage that they would have received from the budget.

Pinto Bean Project Hits 100

The Pinto Bean Project's original goal of 50 bags has been met and doubled! To date, 100 bags have been purchased and delivered to Sunset Gap, Claiborne Hunger Ministry, Montgomery Village Ministry in Knoxville, Food/Life Services of Campbell County, Good Shepherd Center in Madisonville, Sevier County Pantry, Good Samaritan Center of Loudon County, Morgan Scott Project, and Chattanooga Community Kitchen.

Congregations can become part of the Pinto Bean Project by sending donations to: The Presbytery of East Tennessee, P.O. Box 5436, Knoxville, TN 37928-0436 (memo section: Pinto Bean Project). The cost of one 50 pound bag is $25. I am purchasing the bags from Sysco and making arrangements to deliver them to food pantries within the Presbytery as needs are brought to my attention. It has been wonderful to see groups within our churches find creative ways to raise money for this project!

Cents-Ability's Impact in 2010

Congregations can connect with the Presbytery of East Tennessee's Hunger Program through our Cents-Ability offering. Grants from this offering are making an impact on the effort to eliminate hunger in East Tennessee.

Good Shepherd Center in Madisonville ($500)
Good Samaritan Center of Loudon County ($500)
Food/Life Services of Campbell County ($500)
Chattanooga Area Food Bank's Sack Pack Program for Children ($500)
Chattanooga Community Kitchen ($500)
Sunset Gap's Food Pantry ($500)
FISH Hospitality Pantries ($500)
Claiborne Hunger Ministry ($500)
Roane County Cooperative Ministries' Garden Project ($1,000)
Fountain City Ministry Center ($500)
Morgan Scott Project's Good Earth Garden Program ($500)
Church World Service ($60.50 - Haiti relief efforts)
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance ($60.50 - Haiti relief efforts)
Scott County Emergency Food Assistance ($400.00)

New in November:

Scott County Emergency Food Assistance's grant from last month will be raised to $500
Morgan Scott Project's Emergency Food Box Program ($500)

"Do justice, love kindness, walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8

Deborah Phillips
Hunger Action Enabler
Deborah@presbyteryeasttn.org

All Saints' Day Concert at First, Knoxville - Oct. 31

Sunday, October 31 at 4:00 p.m. - Choral Evensong for All Saints' Day presented by the Chancel Choir.  First Presbyterian Church, 620 State Street, Knoxville, TN  37902.  Free and open to the public.  Nursery provided.  For further information call (865) 546-2531.

Concert flyer



Faith & Courage Exhibit at First, Sevierville - Nov. 1 - 24

First Presbyterian Church Sevierville is pleased to announce the Second Annual Faith and Courage Exhibit, recalling the service of the nation's Military Chaplains.  November 1-24, 2010; Hours:  Monday - Friday, 10 - 4; Weekends by appointment.


A Special Worship Service to recognize the service of our veterans will be held on November 14, 2010 at 10:45am.  Chaplain Thomas Chadwick, USN (ret) will preach.  He is from the Presbyterian Council on Chaplains and Military Personnel.

Exhibit and service flyer

Letter of invitation from First, Sevierville

Contact:  Brenna Smith or Pastor Terrye McAnally
500 Belle Avenue
Sevierville, TN 3862
865.453.2971
fpcssecretary@bellsouth.net

KIN Concert at Graystone - Nov. 7

The Knoxville Interfaith Network (KIN) is hosting a special concert on Sunday, Nov. 7 at 3pm at Graystone Presbyterian Church, 139 Woodlawn Pike, Knoxville.  Featuring:

• Sheryl Howard, director of music at Trinity United Methodist Church
• Anna Thomas, music director for 1^st Presbyterian, Oak Ridge
• Nancy Brennan-Strange, music director of John XXIII Catholic Campus ministry
• Alan Eleazer, former music director of Concord Methodist and Church Street United Methodist churches
  
• Karen Gilat, cantor at Temple Beth-El Synagogue
• Ballet Gloria

Hosted by Rev. Chris Buice, TN Valley Unitarian Universalist Church, and former TV news anchor Edye Ellis.  Cost: $10 per person

American Boychoir in Concert at First, Knoxville - Nov. 7

Sunday, November 7 at 4:00 p.m. - American Boychoir in Concert at First Presbyterian Church, 620 State Street, Knoxville, TN 37902.  Free and open to the public.  Nursery provided.  For further information call (865) 546-2531.

Rubenia - A Story of God's Faithfulness
by Carolyn Brannon Snyder - Elder, Rivermont Presbyterian

Ruby and Carolyn

I first met Rubenia, or "Ruby", in the summer of 2009 at the Pan American Health Center, a children's home where we volunteer on Rivermont's mission trips to Honduras.  I soon learned that Ruby was ten years old, and that she and her twelve year old brother, Dennis had run away from home and were living under a bridge when they were found by a Pan Am worker, Iris. Iris had found them while taking a walk, and had brought them to live at Pan Am until other arrangements could be made. They were living at the center when we visited for a week.

I fell in love with Ruby that week.  I fell in love with her determination. Even though she was missing her left foot and ankle and two fingers from her left hand she had no idea she had a disability.  She ran and played with the other children and even climbed a bell tower to ring the bell announcing VBS.  She brought a lot of joy to my life and found a special place in my heart.

When I returned to the States, every time I prayed, her face would be before my eyes.  I felt that God wanted me to help her.

Read more about Ruby and Carolyn.

PET well represented at Wee Kirk Conference

Sixteen people representing 7 churches in the Presbytery of East Tennessee attended the Wee Kirk Conference held at Montreat Conference Center Oct. 18-20. The purpose of the Wee Kirk Conference is to inspire, equip, motivate, encourage and provide rest and refreshment for pastors, CLPs and leaders of small churches (under 200 members). Our churches represented at the conference include Concord, First - Lenoir City, New Hope - Chattanooga, New Hope - Knoxville, Powell and First - Sevierville.

Maryville College Alumni Awards

Maryville College alumnus Carl McDonald, a member of the Presbytery's Committee on Ministry and New Providence Presbyterian Church, was honored with an Alumni Citation on October 23. The Maryville College Alumni Citation is awarded to former students who have, according to the guidelines, "rendered such service in professional, business, civic, social or religious endeavor as to benefit humankind and bring honor to the College, or who have rendered unusual service in any capacity on behalf of the College."  To find out more about Carl and his accomplishments, click HERE.

Maryville College President Dr. Tom Bogart and John Trotter.

John C. Trotter, a member of Sequoyah Hills Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, received the Kin Takahashi Award for Young Alumni at the same Oct. 23 event.  The Kin Takahashi Award is given to an alumnus or alumna who has, within 15 years of his or her graduation of Maryville College, lived a life characteristic of College legend Kin Takahashi, who, in his 36 years of living, worked tirelessly for the betterment of his alma mater, his church and his society.  To learn more about John and his accomplishments, click HERE.

We invite you to share your news with us.  All articles and news items must be submitted by the 20th of the month prior to publication.  Send your information to Dana Hendrix, dana@presbyteryeasttn.org.