Each family within our congregation is an important part of the life of First Presbyterian Church. Our offerings of time, talent, and money, added to other members' gifts, help to bless our church family and many in our community.

The Stewardship Committee encourages prayerful reflection on moments of grace in the life of our church and on how each of us can respond in gratitude through sacrificial giving. Our hope is for all of us to participate in the 2014 Operating Budget Stewardship Campaign.

2014 Operating Budget Stewardship Campaign Update (as of October 28)

Number of pledge commitments received to date: 113

Dollar amount of pledge commitments to date: $458,310

Operating budget income goal: $952,514

Percentage of goal reached: 48.12

Wednesday Evening Programs: Finance and Faith Series Begins

You won't want to miss our new three-part series, Faith and Finances, led by Tom Faucette, which gets under way at 6:15 p.m. on Wednesday, November 6. Join us at 5:30 for fellowship over a meal of soup and salad accompanied by cheese-pepperoni bread. Sixth- through twelfth-graders will head upstairs to the Youth Wing for Student Ministries small-group discussions at 6:00, and Wednesday Night Kids will gather at the hall door when they see the Kid's Time sign, also around 6:00.

Wednesday Night Kids

In our next lesson we will learn that God is eternal. Through disappearing peanuts, the destruction of a ziplock bag, and hula hoop games, we will learn that God always has and always will exist and is not bound by time. We will review the life of David and consider Psalm 102:12, "But you, O Lord, are enthroned forever; and the fame of your name endures to all generations." We may even try out the Airzooka again. Come join us as we celebrate our eternal God!

Deacons' Leaf Day Blows In on November 16

The Deacons' Household Task Team is happy to announce that our annual Leaf Day will be Saturday, November 16. We are now recruiting people to serve on teams armed with rakes and blowers and ladders to take care of leaves and gutters.

To Serve

If you are interested in serving on a Leaf Team, email Gordon Turnbull at gturnbull@fpcbristol.org or call him at the church to get your name on the list. On Leaf Day, team members will meet at the church at 9:00 a.m. for coffee, doughnuts, and directions, then head out on their rounds. Each team should be finished by noon.

To Request Service

If you would you like a visit by a Leaf Team, please call the church office at (423) 764-7176 to let us know. We will call back to confirm before the Saturday event.

Presbyterian Women Meet November 12

On Tuesday, November 12, Presbyterian Women will meet in room 123 at the church at 11:00 a.m. Bible study will follow at 11:30, and we will have lunch together in the parlor afterward. Please remember to make lunch reservations with the church office and bring any cancelled stamps with you. We look forward to seeing you!

Men's Breakfast This Saturday, November 2

The men of the church have returned to their original breakfast schedule: the first Saturday of the month at 8:00 a.m. All men of FPC and their friends are invited to November's breakfast this Saturday in the Fellowship Hall.

Alternative Giving Program Begins Soon

christmas box

As the holidays approach, the members of the Evangelism & Outreach Committee present an opportunity for members of First Presbyterian Church to honor anyone on their gift list through Alternative Giving.

Alternative Giving is simply the making of a donation to one of the many ministries our church supports, in honor of someone for whom you would otherwise have purchased a different kind of gift.

Watch for more information, coming soon in Windows and on our website!

You Can Now Give on Our Website

We are pleased to announce that online giving to FPC is now possible through our website, www.fpcbristol.org. Our hope is that you will find this capability both a convenient way to make pledge payments or other donations and also a practical help in tracking your stewardship commitments.

Note: You cannot make a pledge commitment online; you do that in the usual way. But you can make online pledge payments.

What Is Online Giving?

The term online giving encompasses a wide range of secure, automatic payment methods that can be used to make regular church offerings and other contributions without writing checks, carrying cash, or preparing envelopes. It works the same way as the automatic payment methods that many of us use to make mortgage or utility payments and to receive payroll earnings or Social Security income.

Why Give Online?

It is convenient. You do not need to write checks or bring cash to church when you contribute automatically. Your contributions are transmitted electronically and deposited directly into the church bank account.

It keeps you on track with stewardship commitments. When you schedule automated offerings, you don't have the worry of falling behind on pledge payments.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. How do automatic contributions work?

A. You choose your payment method, start date, frequency, and contribution amount. Your donations will be processed and deposited in the church bank account on the date or dates you have scheduled.

Q. When will my contribution be processed?

A. Your contribution will be processed each month on the date or dates you have authorized.

Q. What if I need to cancel or place my donation on a temporary hold?

A. You can edit, suspend, or cancel a scheduled transaction in your online giving account. Please notify the church business administrator, Betsy Galliher, if you encounter any problems.

Q. What can I use to show that I made a donation?

A. The itemized list of electronic transactions that appears on your bank or credit card statement can be used as proof of your donations. You can also view and print your online donation history (see below). In addition, FPC mails contribution reports in July and October as well as year-end Charitable Contributions Reports for tax purposes.

Q. How do I get started?

A. To get started, go to www.fpcbristol.org and click on the Online Giving button at the top right of the page. You will then see the first screen of Vanco's secure online giving service. You will first create an online profile (use the button in the lower right quadrant). This is a one-time task. Please review the information you enter, then be sure to save your profile. It will enable you to change or stop a recurring donation at any time, and it will allow you to view and print your online donation history.

After you have saved your profile, you will see the Online Donation screen. Follow the prompts to schedule your transactions. You will be asked for a payment method in the Account drop-down menu on the Donation Information screen. You will be able to choose from direct debit of your checking or savings account and payment by means of a credit or a debit card.

Put Your Stamp on Mission Work

The Presbyterian Women want your used stamps, except those featuring the US flag or the Liberty Bell. The PW participate in a program that transforms all other used stamps into thousands of dollars for mission work around the world. Please bring your used stamps (a bit of envelope is OK) to the church and put them in the special box outside the Fellowship Hall. Or you can give them to a PW member. Thank you!

Fairmount Snack Program Goes Back to School

School is back in session, and that means it's time to perk up the hungry students in our neighborhood school who can't afford to buy snacks to see them through the afternoon. We are now collecting small pretzels. The small sticks and the small curved pretzels are best for fitting into snack-sized portions for our Fairmount Elementary kids. As before, please place your contributions in the little red schoolhouse in the Fellowship Hallway. Thank you!

Final 5th Quarter at Central Christian Church Tomorrow Night

After the Tennessee High School home game tomorrow, Friday, November 1, the FPC high school youth's final 5th Quarter party of the football season will be held at Central Christian Church, 424 Melrose Street, Bristol, Tennessee. Be there!

Sunday Night Youth Learn to Let It Go

The Sunday Night Student Fellowship begins a challenging new round of discussion and reflection November 3. The three-part series Let It Go considers anger and revenge, the deserving and the undeserving, and forgiveness and healing. Sixth- through twelfth-graders meet in the Youth Wing at 6:00 p.m.

November 3: The Grudge

Bottom line: The more we hold a grudge, the more the grudge has a hold on us.

At some point in all our lives, we will come face-to-face with a very tough decision: whether or not to forgive. And while the idea of getting revenge might seem right in the moment, in the long run the only person it truly hurts is us. So if holding on to a grudge isn't the best thing for us, what are we supposed to do? And who is ultimately responsible for making it right?

Our Hot Dog Roast Was on Fire!

Third- through fifth-graders were having too much fun to feel the cold last Sunday. They tracked down items in a scavenger hunt, then gathered round the fire pit behind the church to roast hot dogs and, of course, marshmallows for s'mores. Thanks to the adults who joined in the fun: Brian and Shannan Miller, Allison Brooks, and Suzee Bolick.

Children to Help Lead Early Worship Nov. 10

For several months now, we have been opening our Sunday School hour by singing "Jesus Says, 'Don't Be Afraid,'" led by Shannan Miller. At the 8:30 service on November 10, our Sunday School children will help lead us in worship by singing this song. We will review during Sunday School on November 3, and then ask the children to gather at 8:15 on November 10. Ms. Shannan has distributed information sheets; if you didn't get one, or need another, just ask.

From Steve & Vicki Fey

Music Notes

Sunday's music participants: Sanctuary Choir; Alan Hunter, organist; Bill Criswell, director. The Feys will be in Albuquerque, New Mexico, at the second of the new hymnal launch events. Steve will teach two classes, and Vicki will play for the worship services and a choral music reading session. Lilly Osborne will take the Cherub Choir rehearsal Sunday morning, and there will be no Jubilate Youth Choir rehearsal Sunday afternoon.

Daniel Pederson

Sunday's music: In his benediction, Joshua asked the people of Israel, "Whom will you serve?" Composer Daniel Pederson took these words from Joshua 24:14-16 and used them as inspiration for the Sanctuary Choir anthem, "We Would Serve the Lord." Pederson wrote from the Christian's perspective, "all our praises you deserve; O Jesus Christ, our Lord!" He presents the text at times as a question-and-answer dialogue and then as a clear declaration of living out our faith.

Christmas pageant: The children's choirs have been rehearsing music for the Christmas pageant and are now trying out for speaking parts. The Christmas pageant is open to all children, age 4 through fifth grade. Children who would like to be in the pageant may come to either of the children's choir rehearsals or show up at the first pageant rehearsal on Wednesday, November 20, at 4:30 p.m.

Program of note: The Feys will play a program of organ and piano solos and duets on Sunday, November 10, at 3:00 p.m. at Colonial Heights Presbyterian Church, 213 Colonial Heights Road in Kingsport. The church has a recently installed pipe organ purchased from FPC in Johnson City and completely reworked by Colby and Associates of Johnson City. The program is free and open to the public.

Pray for One Another

In Our Prayers

Elizabeth Blankenship

Mack Blevins

Sue Cannon

Bill Darnell

DeeDee Galliher

Mary Nell Harris

Sharon Hatcher

Carolyn King

Mary Landrum

Bill Linderman

Ruth Musser

Nancy Preston

Mary Rice

Bob Vann

Janet Wright

An extensive list of prayer concerns, "Pray for One Another," is available for pickup at the church each week.

To the Church Triumphant

Cathy Andersen

October 26, 2013

Birthday Prayer Fellowship

November 3 Charles Webb

November 4 Nancy Preston, Paul Warhurst

November 5 Becky Adams

November 6 Baylor Ratliff, Louise Rutherford, Owen Smith, Karen Vann,

Elliot Williams

November 8 Danae Kreiss

November 9 Ann Arnold, Dawn Regan

Standard Time Tiptoes In Early Sunday Morning

Daylight Saving Time ends at 2:00 a.m. this Sunday, November 3. Remember to set your clock back one hour when you retire Saturday night. We'll see you on standard time Sunday morning!

Church Calendar

Sunday, November 3

8:30 a.m. Worship, Fellowship Hall

9:00 a.m. Cherub Choir, Room 209

9:45 a.m. Sunday School

11:00 a.m. Worship, Sanctuary

6:00 p.m. Student Ministries Fellowship, Youth Wing

Monday, November 4

7:00 p.m. Board of Deacons, Room 123

Tuesday, November 5

9:00 a.m. Staff Meeting, Room 123

10:00 a.m. Morning Prayer Group, Conference Room

1:00 p.m. Women's HeartsBurn Bible Study, Jackie Burt's Home

7:00 p.m. Betsy Turnbull's Heart to Heart Bible Study, Room 123

7:00 p.m. Boy Scout Troop 3, Scout Wing

Wednesday, November 6

9:30 a.m. Lynette Wallen's Heart to Heart Bible Study, New Mothers' Room

9:30 a.m. Lorri Looney's DVD Bible Study, Parlor

4:15 p.m. Heart to Heart Steering Committee, Room 117

4:15 p.m. Children's Handbells, Room 212

4:45 p.m. Youth Handbells, Room 212

4:45 p.m. Savior's Singers Children's Choir, Room 209

5:15 p.m. Baby & Toddler Care, Nursery

5:30 p.m. Fellowship Dinner, Fellowship Hall

6:00 p.m. Wednesday Night Kids, Rooms 11 & 31

6:00 p.m. Student Ministries Small Groups, Youth Wing

6:15 p.m. Adult Learning, Fellowship Hall

7:15 p.m. Sanctuary Choir, Room 202

Thursday, November 7

7:00 a.m. Men's Bible Study, Parlor

12:00 p.m. Noon Bible Study, Room 117

8:15 p.m. Praise Team, Fellowship Hall

Windows is a publication of First Presbyterian Church, Bristol, TN. Please direct questions and suggestions to the editor, Kathy Acuff, kacuff@fpcbristol.org.