Dinner on the Grounds July 15 with Bluegrass Dessert!

The Darin and Brooke Aldridge Band

Mark your calendars now for a great event on Sunday, July 15: a potluck dinner on the grounds at 5:30 p.m., followed at 7:00 by a very special outdoor concert by the Darin and Brooke Aldridge Band. We look forward to this opportunity for relaxed fellowship and a big gathering on the church's front lawn. Stay tuned for directions about what you can bring, and start spreading the word now to friends and neighbors who will not want to miss this great concert.

Mortgage Elimination Project

In the next few weeks, you will hear about efforts to eliminate the debt incurred when the church completed renovations about three years ago. Nearly $2 million has been paid to date on the original project. The end of 2012 marks the completion of the 2009 capital campaign, at which time we will owe slightly more than $1 million on the debt. 

In the coming weeks, church families will be asked to make a pledge over a period of years to eliminate the current loan. Your church officers, trustees, committee members, and staff have already pledged generously to this project. We hope that everyone will want to participate at some level of giving to this project over and above regular pledges. 

Please keep this effort in your prayers as you hear more about it, and consider your level of support for this endeavor.

Financial Summary for May 2012

Thank You, Courtyard Crew!

In this photo taken in late June, the FPC Courtyard Crew is caught in the act of cleaning up the courtyard. On Friday mornings through May and June they fought unseasonable heat, thirsty insects, irate mother birds, and poison ivy, earning sweaty bodies and sore backs and the satisfaction of seeing the fruits of their labor. They removed at least a ton of debris by cutting, chainsawing, weeding, and lots of heavy-duty pruning. Now behold the glory of God's creation! Thank you, Courtyard Crew!

Annual Area Women's Gathering Set for Tuesday

The Women of Central Presbyterian Church invite the Women of First Presbyterian Church to the annual Area Gathering, next Tuesday, July 10. Registration will begin at 10:40 a.m., and the program will begin at 11:00 a.m. Lunch will follow. RSVP by calling 276-669-3157.

Heart to Heart Events

Cluster Bible Study Opportunities

Mark your calendar for two opportunities for Bible study in July. We call these events clusters.  They are not ongoing studies but onetime events for sharing the blessings of God's Word together.  The Morning Cluster will meet Thursday, July 12, at 11 a.m. at the home of Vivian Calcote, 1 Greentree Drive.  Lynette Wallen will lead the study.  The Evening Cluster will meet Thursday, July 19, at the home of Donna Sikorski, 725 Euclid Avenue.  Karen Vann will lead the study.  We hope to provide child care for these events, as well; call the church to find out more about that.  For other questions, please contact Elizabeth Patrick at (423) 956-9716 or elizabethpatrick22@hotmail.com.

Kid Connection News

To lend us a marketplace item or to volunteer, contact Ann Abel at 423-764-7176 or aabel@fpcbristol.org, Tina Witcher at 423-538-3850, or Ruthie Blair at 423-797-1815. 

Youth Group News

Adults: Join Our Youth Leadership Team

Do you have a passion for youth ministry? FPC's new Director of Youth Ministries, Katie Arnold, is looking for adults to serve on a team that will assist in planning, making decisions for the Youth Ministries, and recruiting volunteers to minister to FPC youth.

Join the team July 9 at 7 p.m. in the Youth Wing to discuss the future of the FPC Youth Ministries. If you have questions, contact Katie at karnold@fpcbristol.org.

Youth Group News

Gone FISHing through August 2

Our summer of fun with FISH continues with the following hosts.

The Middle School FISH will meet:

July 10: Blairs

July 17: Pruners

July 24: Osbornes

July 31: Looneys

The High School FISH will meet:

July 12: Wallens

July 26: Pruners

August 2:   Blairs

Youth Group News

Laurel Falls Day Trip July 11

All youth, rising sixth-graders through college age, are invited to join the FPC Youth Ministries for a hike and picnic at Laurel Falls on Wednesday, July 11. We will leave from the church at 10 a.m. Be make sure to wear comfortable hiking shoes, bring water and a sack lunch, a backpack to carry the lunch in (two or more people may want to share a backpack), and clothes that dry quickly. Wear a bathing suit under your clothes if you want to swim at the falls. There is no place to change at the falls, so swimmers will be wet on the hike back to the trailhead. For more information, contact Katie Arnold, Director of Youth Ministries, at karnold@fpcbristol.org.

Youth Group News

Register by July 15 for the Last Hurrah of Summer!

FPC Student Ministries is planning a Saturday filled with fun and adventure for rising sixth-graders through college-age youth on August 4. We will meet at the church at 9 a.m., head for Doe River Gorge in Hampton, and return around 6 p.m.

Join us and zip down a 700-foot water-landing zipline, get blasted by the blob, swim in the lake, enjoy the white sand beach, and play water basketball and volleyball. If your adrenaline still needs charging after that, engage in a battle at the paintball course, enjoy a guided horseback trip, or take a scenic ride on the railway.

The cost of the adventure-filled day is $18. If you use the paintball course, there is an extra charge of $20 for a bag of 500 paintballs (these can be shared). Horseback riding is an extra $20 per person.

Reservations are necessary and spaces fill up fast, so send the Doe River release form and $18 to Katie Arnold by July 15 to guarantee your spot. Checks can be made payable to First Presbyterian Church.

Rally Day Celebration August 12

It's time to celebrate the incredible Christian Education at FPC! Join us during the Sunday School hour on August 12 at 9:45 a.m. Enjoy a continental breakfast, entertainment from the Children's Ministries, news about what's happening for the next school year, information for students moving up to a new class, and news about all the adult Sunday School classes. This celebration will take the place of Sunday School. All classes are asked to join in the fun!

Flexible Schedules!

FPC Outreach to Boys & Girls Club Needs Volunteers

Our church will begin the Boys & Girls Club Bible Outreach in September, and we're looking for people who can give an hour or two of their time to make the program come alive.

The Neighborhood Outreach Steering Committee is planning an hour's worth of Bible study and fun twice a month during September, October, and November and again in February, March, and April. That's six sessions in all, and the activity hours will be from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. here at the church.

The good news is that the Boys & Girls Club is flexible, so we'll be able to pick the days of the week to match the availability of our volunteers. There are several age groups of kids, and their programs can be on different days, so now's the time to get involved so we can work around your schedule!

We need people to do a brief devotional, or lead a craft, or play a game. Other activity ideas are always welcome. And when we say flexible, we mean it! You can come one time. Or you can do one craft with all the age groups. Or you can come once a month. You can choose an activity that takes 15 minutes, or one that takes 45 minutes, or anywhere in between. You get the drift. Whatever time you have, we can plug you into the program. We even have books full of devotional, crafts, and game ideas so you can select something that suits your skills, interests, and personality.

If you feel led, we even have several opportunities for you to be the shepherd for one age group, to come twice a month to be the friend who stays with the group, gets to know them, and prays with them. The Boys & Girls Club staff will accompany each group, too, so you'll have help with that shepherd ministry.

For more information, or to volunteer, please contact coordinators Peggy Hill (423-652-1732 or hillp@btes.tv) or Donna Sikorski (dgsikorski@bvunet.net or 423-646-1213), or call the church office. You can also find details at www.fpcbristol.org/sending/opportunities/. Look under "Serving Opportunities," and you will see the heading "NEW FOR 2012!" Boys & Girls Club Outreach is in the list below that heading.