Wednesday Program Update

Series on Moravian Tradition Continues

Logo of the Moravian Church

Next Wednesday, October 17, we take up the second of Dr. Pat Flannagan's three-part series on the faith, liturgy, and music practices of the Moravian Church. The music of the Moravian Church has always been intended for amateurs and for congregational participation, and this series will culminate fittingly on October 24 in a celebration of worship through a traditional Moravian love feast.

Fellowship Dinner for October 17

Please join us next week for a relaxed meal and fellowship at 5:30, before the evening programs begin. Emily Hyder will help Mary Lee Schiesz with her morning preparations; David and Sherry Worley will serve; and Kevin Buck will take charge of cleaning up.

Wednesday Night Kids

We have learned of the wonderful earth God has created. Now, as we begin our study of the fifth day of creation, God will fill the waters and the sky with living creatures. "And God said, 'Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the dome of the sky.' Come join us as we learn about the variety of fish and birds that were created to live and multiply in the place God called into being. Classes are available for four-year-olds through first-graders and second- through fifth-graders. Our time of study goes by quickly as we learn through experiments, music, and a variety of activities.

Children's Ministries News

Kids' Kirk at Both Services This Sunday

On October 14 Kids' Kirk will be offered at both the 8:30 and the 11:00 worship services. We will be learning about "Jesus at the River." Children will hear about the baptism of Jesus, which marks the beginning of his ministry and is still a sign of our relationship with God. Kids' Kirk is for four-year-olds through first-graders.

3-4-5 Hot Dog Roast!

Kids in grades three through five are invited to a hot dog and marshmallow roast to be held at the Osborne home on October 21 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. We will gather around the fire pit, then participate in games and activities of the fall season.

Bring your friends, dress warmly, and come for a good time. The Osborne home is located at 149 Maxwell Drive, Bristol, TN. Contact Ann Abel at anntabel@gmail.com for more information.

Student Ministries Event

Come Out for 5th Quarter Fun This Friday Night!

 Our third postgame "5th Quarter" will be tomorrow, Friday, October 12. All high school students are invited to gather around the bonfire for games and s'mores. Bring your friends and join us at the Carter family's home, 1720 Clifton Road, Bristol. Our 5th Quarter events are held after Tennessee High School home football games; we will light our last bonfire of the season October 26.

Parents: Please sign up to help chaperone and assist with parking. Drivers: Please be very careful as you come up and down the Carters' driveway!

Student Ministries Fellowship Sunday Dinners

We are looking for families to provide dinner for Student Ministries Fellowship gatherings on Sundays. If you are interested in preparing a meal or providing a purchased meal, please contact Diedre Pendley at pendleyd@btcs.org. Growing teens need a lot of food!

Middle School Mania Coming Up October 19

Sixth- through eighth-grade students are invited for a night of crazy fun next Friday, October 19. The mania will take place from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. at FPC. Bring friends and energy! Some of the activities will be outside, so dress accordingly. Oh yeah, and you may get a little MESSY!

New Starting Date

Confirmation Classes Begin October 21

Beginning October 21 and continuing through the end of the school year, Gordon Turnbull and Katie Arnold will lead a confirmation class on Sunday mornings at 9:45. This is a new starting date.

Confirmation class leads up to the opportunity to make a public affirmation of faith and become a member of First Presbyterian Church. This class is offered to students who are in eighth grade or older. For more information or to sign up for the class, please contact Katie by calling the church office or emailing karnold@fpcbristol.org.

Join Heart to Heart's Creeper Trail Hike Next Sunday

Join Heart to Heart on the Virginia Creeper Trail!

Heart to Heart Women's Ministry cordially invites all the women of FPC (and their friends!) to hike the Virginia Creeper Trail next Sunday, October 21. We will meet at the church at 1:30 p.m. and carpool to the trail.

Please call the church office at 423-764-7176 or email Jane Prater at jprater@fpcbristol.org  to let us know you can attend. We are looking forward to walking and talking together in the brisk fall air!

Men Retreat to Serve Again

The Men's Ministry is sponsoring a service retreat to Washington, D.C., October 26-28. We will travel Friday evening, work at the D.C. Food Bank on Saturday, take in city offerings Saturday night, then worship at National Presbyterian Church Sunday morning and return that evening.

Informational flyers are available throughout the church. Total cost for travel, two nights' lodging in a hostel, and some food (dinner on Saturday is not included) is only $60. Reserve your spot with a $10 deposit.

You will need to pack a sleeping bag (or sheets and a blanket), a pillow, a towel and toiletries, ear plugs, work clothes and gloves, and comfortable shoes. Please let Dave Welch know if you are willing to drive your car; we will pay for the gas.

Scholarships are available. If you have any questions, please contact Dave at dwelch@fpcristol.org.

Service Opportunities at FPC with Family Promise of Bristol

At the end of the month, we at FPC will take our second turn at hosting local families in need in our church building. For a week beginning Sunday evening, October 28, FPC will provide food and shelter for families selected for the Family Promise of Bristol program.

Please think about whether you can help by doing any of the following between October 28 and November 4:

• Provide prepared foods for breakfast or lunch
• Provide an evening meal
• Serve as an Evening Host (be at the church from 5:30 to 8:30 one evening and eat dinner with the families)
• Serve as an Overnight Host (spend the night at the church from 8:30 p.m. to 7:30 a.m.)

Scottie Bales is the Food Coordinator; contact her at 423-360-5357 if you can contribute food or help prepare a meal. Nancy Allerton is the Evening Host Coordinator; contact her at nja0510@gmail.com or 423-612-0051 if you are willing to spend an evening with our families. Dawn Eubanks Gross is the Overnight Coordinator; contact her at alexjean7@yahoo.com or 423-534-4758 if you are willing to spend the night at the church with our families.

To volunteer or to learn more about this ministry, you can also contact Chris or Jennifer Kennedy at jenniferchisler@hotmail.com or 423-383-2535. Please join us in this rewarding endeavor! - Chris and Jennifer Kennedy

It's Snacktime Again at Fairmount School

The Neighborhood Initiatives Steering Committee is continuing its practice of helping Fairmount Elementary School with its snack program this school year. We're asking folks to bring in boxes of plain or cinnamon Teddy Grahams and put them in the Little Red House in the Fellowship Hallway. The committee will take them to the school, and the teachers will divide them into snack portions as needed.

The Neighborhood Initiatives Steering Committee has been providing afternoon snacks for students whose parents cannot afford to purchase them. Kay Ward, the community outreach liaison at Fairmount, works with the committee to identify the children in need and to distribute snacks to the teachers to hand out each day. Kay has discovered that there are at least two children in each of 23 classrooms whose parents cannot give them snacks. That adds up to a need for 46 snack portions every day, a total of 230 snacks per week, or 920 snacks each month.

Your loving contribution will give dignity to children from low-income families by allowing them to enjoy snacks with their classmates, and tide them over until the end of the school day. Say a prayer of blessing as you send them on their way!