We will mark the beginning of Lent with an Ash Wednesday worship service in the Sanctuary, February 22, at 6:20 p.m., immediately following the Fellowship Dinner. This service provides the option for the imposition of ashes as a way to begin this season of reflection in preparation for Easter. All are welcome.

Last year the Presbyterian Church (USA) amended its constitution regarding its ordination standards for offices of ministry. In response, the Session of First Presbyterian Church of Bristol has issued the following statement:

The Session of First Presbyterian Church has been and continues to be in discernment regarding the recent constitutional change removing the requirement for ordained officers "to lead a life in obedience to Scripture ... either in fidelity within the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman ... or chastity in singleness." We are not alone in that many of our fellow PCUSA churches are also in discernment regarding this matter.

An affiliation of church leaders representing many PCUSA churches and desiring the same level of discernment as First Presbyterian has emerged. The group has chosen the name The Fellowship of Presbyterians (www.fellowship-pres.org) to reflect an intent of being one in the Spirit rather than divisive. To be as informed as possible, Gordon attended both the inaugural meeting in Minneapolis and a subsequent conference in Orlando to listen and gather information.

As your Session moves forward, we do so in prayer and through the leading of the Holy Spirit. First Presbyterian Church continues to be engaged in the work that Jesus Christ intends for our congregation. Your Session asks for your continued prayer and support so that our church will edify Christ in our community and the world.

Cathy Newton

We are sad to say that we will soon bid farewell to our Director of Children's Ministries, Cathy Newton, who, with Maleah, will be leaving us in early March to join Joel in Knoxville, where he is now working. Cathy has led the Children's Ministries with energetic faith, imagination, and love during her year and a half in the role, and even those not involved in the children's programs will miss her warm heart and deep faith.

As Cathy prepares to move, we begin our search for a new Director of Children's Ministries to coordinate children's ministries including Nursery, Sunday School, and Vacation Bible School for children from birth through fifth grade. The work week is 20 hours, including Sunday mornings and occasional afternoons and evenings. We desire applicants who have both training and experience in elementary or Christian education. Applicants should send a cover letter with a resume to the Personnel Committee, First Presbyterian Church, 701 Florida Ave., Bristol, TN 37620, or to bgalliher@fpcbristol.org by February 23.

At both services this Sunday, February 19, we will ordain and install the church officers elected by the congregation December 18. The newly elected elders, deacons, and trustee are the following:

ELDERS, Class of 2014

Chris Blankenship

Jackie Burt

Kevin Crutchfield

Peggy Hill

Jennifer Kennedy

DEACONS, Class of 2014

Toni Corder

Sandi Nelson

Stuart Parker

Tina Witcher

Ann Woods

TRUSTEE, Class of 2014

Gene Haskins

Jeremy Filsell

You won't want to miss organist-pianist Jeremy Filsell in our sanctuary on Sunday, February 26, at 3:00 p.m. Jeremy is Artist-in-Residence at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., and enjoys playing the piano as much as he does playing the organ. We are fortunate to have two very fine instruments for him to play. He will play parallel literature, Bach and Rachmaninoff, on each instrument and will close the piano half with Gershwin and the organ half with Duruflé.

Suggested ticket donation is $10 adults/all students free. This program is jointly sponsored with the Northeast Tennessee/Southwest Virginia chapter of the American Guild of Organists.

Women of all ages are invited to Heart to Heart's latest Girls' Night Out on Tuesday, February 28. We'll meet at Machiavelli's at 6:00 p.m. for an evening of relaxed fellowship and good food. Bring your friends!

A nursery will be available at the church, and children will be given dinner. Please call the church office at 764-7176 by noon on Monday, February 27, to let us know the number of children you will be bringing. Pickup time is 8:30 p.m.

It's time to register for our annual Women's Retreat, to be held again this year at Blowing Rock Conference Center in the mountains of North Carolina. Join the women of FPC March 16-18 for a weekend of Bible-based sharing and exploring led by your faithful sisters in Christ. The planning committee has devised a schedule that allows group discussions as well as quiet time, and contemplation as well as outings. There will be time for fellowship and for shopping, hiking, or napping.

Flyers and registration forms can be found throughout the church, and scholarship assistance is available. We hope you will join us!

Ride the Tiger Cat!

Mowing season starts Sunday, March 25. We are seeking still more volunteers to join our dedicated mowing crew to perform this vital task. The exciting news is that the church now owns a brand-new Scag Tiger Cat, a professional-grade, zero-turn mower that can handle the entire church yard in about three and a half hours. The old lawn tractors took about five hours.

We are also looking for people to weed the planting beds around the building every few weeks, so that the property will remain attractive throughout a very busy wedding season.

And Tom Daniel would love to have help maintaining the beautiful gardens in the inner courtyard. It's not a one-person job!

If you can donate some of your time to help with any of these tasks, please contact Randy Cook at either npolecook@aol.com or 423-956-1541.

Higher Faith Clothes Closet, opening soon in the new Bristol Ministry Mall at 21 Washington St., urgently needs clothes hangers, plastic preferred. The Clothes Closet especially needs hangers with clips for slacks and skirts. Please leave your donated hangers in or near the grocery cart in the Fellowship Hallway. Thank you!

A startup mission onsite at FPC is looking for leaders and occasional volunteers. Our church's Neighborhood Initiatives Steering Committee is launching a Bible club for the children of the Bristol Boys & Girls Club, which meets each weekday in the children's wing. This outreach will include a brief Bible lesson supplemented by fellowship and activities, like an ongoing Vacation Bible School, and family gatherings a couple of times a year.

We need two coordinators to act as liaisons with the Boys & Girls Club staff and to schedule volunteers to teach the Bible classes and lead activities. We also need shepherds, one for each age group, to come to every session and befriend the children. We need Bible teachers and activity leaders as well; you could fill both roles, or only one, and as often as you want. To learn more about this important new outreach, contact Peggy Hill at 423-652-1732 or hillp@btes.tv.

Menu

Soup

Salad

Potato Bar

Dessert

Volunteers

Morning: Emily Hyder

Server/Cleanup: John & Claire Pruner/Lee Galliher