Join us Wednesday, January 15, for a fellowship dinner at 5:30, followed by an intergenerational Bible experience led by Dan Kreiss at 6:15. Dan's program will be an opportunity for dialogue and activity among adults and youth. Come prepared to share, listen, and create together, as we gain a fuller understanding of what it means to be the body of Christ.

Wednesday Night Kids

While adults and youth participate in the intergenerational Bible experience on January 15, the Wednesday Night Kids will begin a journey back in time to the Middle Ages. Huzzah for the King! teaches children in a fun and creative way about godly character traits exemplified by Jesus.

Each lesson, based on a proverb, uses a variety of methods to help children understand and apply one character trait each week. A New Testament story from Jesus' life gives them a deeper understanding of the meanings behind the proverbs. Lessons will explore wisdom, generosity, obedience, trust, loyalty, self-control, kindness, love, cheerfulness, patience, honesty, and humility.

Come join us and meet Harry the Herald and Jorge the Jester, along with other characters from the Middle Ages, as we learn more about Jesus' life.

Church Officer Training This Saturday

PCUSA seal small FPC will hold a training event for our newly elected church officers on the morning of Saturday, January 11, in room 123. The training is scheduled to begin at 9:00 and end around noon.

Help FPC Plan Missions

This month, our Evangelism & Outreach Committee will begin strategic planning for missions. We warmly invite and encourage all interested members of the congregation to participate in this process. Our first planning session will be Sunday, January 19, at 1:30 p.m. For more information, please contact Peggy Hill at peggyhill145@gmail.com or 423-956-0209.

Volunteer for Our Family Promise of Bristol Team

FPC's Family Promise of Bristol team needs volunteers from our congregation for our upcoming rotation, January 19 through 25. We need people to bring in dinners each evening; please contact Scottie Bales if you can help with that. We also need nightly dinner hosts; please contact Nancy Allerton. We need overnight hosts as well; please contact Dan Gross.

If the Weather Outside Is Frightful

If inclement weather shows its messy face here, FPC will follow the Bristol, Tennessee, city schools' lead. Please tune in to a local radio or television broadcast to learn what that may be. We will make every effort to gather for worship, even in the unlikely event of extremely severe weather.

ASU Organ Students Present FPC Arts Series Concert Feb. 9

ASU Organ Studio

Students of the organ studio of Joby Bell, organ professor at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina, will present the next performance in the FPC Arts Series Sunday, February 9, at 3:00 p.m.

The organ studio in the Hayes School of Music at Appalachian State University was founded by H. Max Smith, who taught from 1969-1994. Brian Bailey taught from 1994-2005, and Joby Bell has taught since 2004. The students include undergraduate and graduate organ majors, undergraduate sacred music majors, and secondary students. The group participates in many creative activities such as conferences, organ tours, and organ building shop tours.

Joby Bell has served on the faculty at ASU since 2004. He teaches all the organ students and coordinates the church music curriculum. His teaching specializes in memorization and practice techniques, service playing, choral accompanying, and maintaining grace under pressure. He holds degrees from ASU and from Rice University. His teachers include H. Max Smith and Clyde Holloway, organ, and Rodney Reynerson and Allen Kindt, piano.

The following students are scheduled to perform February 9:

Nathan Brickman, from Lenoir, North Carolina, currently serves as director of music for St. Stephen's Lutheran Church in his hometown. He played his senior recital for his organ performance degree just last semester and is enjoying the well-deserved freedom that comes with graduating.
Jake Hill, from Yadkinville, North Carolina, is an organ performance and sacred music major who has already served as organist at several churches. He currently serves as organist for the First Baptist Church of Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Caroline Kimrey, from Albemarle, North Carolina, is a piano major with a concentration in sacred music. This is her senior year, and she is looking forward to graduate school in choral conducting, a recently discovered passion.
Justin Shaver, also of Albemarle, is a senior in actuarial science. He has previously served as a member of the ASU Gospel Choir, music director of Laurel Street Baptist Church in Albemarle, and secretary, treasurer, and internal vice president of the Chi Alpha Omega chapter of Kappa Upsilon Chi, a Christian fraternity, of which he is now president. This will be his first public performance on the organ; he hopes to be a church organist in the future.
Rodney Ward, from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, is a recent graduate of ASU in both sacred music and organ performance. He served as organist for Saturday masses at St. James Catholic Church in Conway, South Carolina, from age fourteen until he left for his studies at ASU. He also served as associate organist at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Conway from 2005 to 2007. His teachers include Melody Edge, piano and organ, and Ann Miles, organ. Rodney currently serves as organist for the First Baptist Church of Lenoir.
Shane Watson, from Deep Gap, North Carolina, is studying organ performance and sacred music. He has been a member of several musical ensembles, such as the Appalachian Symphony Orchestra and the Appalachian State Marching Mountaineers. He also enjoys the folk music of the British Isles and is an avid Scottish and Irish fiddler.

Through our Arts Series, FPC strives to enrich and inspire the life of the people of Bristol, share our unique and marvelous facilities, and encourage the artistically gifted of our region and beyond. Admission is a suggested donation of $10 for adults and $5 for students.

Presbyterian Women to Meet Tuesday

On Tuesday, January 14, Presbyterian Women will meet for circle at 11.00 a.m. in room 123, followed by Bible study at 11:30, then lunch in the parlor at noon. Please contact the church office at 423-764-7176 to make lunch reservations, and remember to bring your canceled stamps. We look forward to seeing you!

Two Heart to Heart Groups Resume Studies

Lynette Wallen's morning Heart to Heart Bible study will begin a new semester January 15 with a continuation of a study of the book of John. The group meets on Wednesdays, from 9:30 to 11:00, in the New Mothers' Room. Child care is available, and new members are always welcome. About once a month the group enjoys a sack lunch after studying, together with any of their children who wish to join them. Please feel free to drop in at any point!

Betsy Turnbull's evening Heart to Heart Bible study resumed its study of John's gospel January 7. This group meets at 7:00 p.m. on first and third Tuesdays in room 123. Newcomers are always welcome!

Women's Retreat Begins March 7

All women of the church and their friends are warmly invited to our annual Women's Retreat, scheduled for the weekend of March 7-9 in Blowing Rock, North Carolina. We will announce details when arrangements are completed. Meanwhile, mark your calendars for this popular event!

Salvation Army Thanks FPC's Students

salvation army kettle and bell The Salvation Army has written to thank our youth for ringing the big, brass bell for five cold hours on December 14. They inspired shoppers at the exit 7 Walmart to drop a total of $226.63 into the iconic red kettle. Way to go, kids!

Student Fellowship Resumes This Sunday

The Sunday Night Student Fellowship group will resume weekly meetings at 6:00 p.m. this Sunday, January 12.

Diabetes Test Kit Found

A diabetes test kit was found in the narthex after church December 29. It can be claimed in the church office.

From Steve & Vicki Fey

Music Notes

Sunday's music participants: Sanctuary Choir.

Composer John Horman teaching a singing class.

Sunday's music: As its anthem this Sunday, the Sanctuary Choir will sing the new hymn "Down Galilee's Slow Roadways," as found in Glory to God. The text was written by Sylvia Dunstan (1955-1993), a member of the clergy in the United Church of Canada. The text was inspired by the need for texts for adult baptism and is a reflection on the biblical narrative of Jesus' baptism. The text is set to a tune by John Horman (b. 1944), a church musician and retired public school educator living in Maryland. The melody was originally paired with a text about mothers in the Bible, and Horman dedicated the music to his mother and named it after the street where he grew up, WEST MAIN.

Rehearsal schedule: The Cherub Choir will resume rehearsals this Sunday, January 12, at 9:00 a.m., and the Jubilate Youth Choir will also resume rehearsing this Sunday, at 5:00 p.m., just before Student Fellowship activities. Sanctuary Bells will begin 2014 rehearsals on Monday, January 13, at 5:45 p.m. (not 5:30, as previously posted). New ringers are encouraged and welcome! Finally, Children's Bells, Youth Bells, and Savior's Singers Children's Choir will be part of the 2014 Wednesday programming kickoff on January 15, at their respective times.

Arts Series: It's not too early to put our next Arts Series program on your calendar! A program of organ music will be presented by Appalachian State University professor Dr. Joby Bell and several of his students on Sunday, February 9, at 3:00 p.m. Suggested ticket donation is $10 for adults and $5 for students from age 6 through college.

Pray for One Another

In Our Prayers

Mack Blevins

Frances Caldwell

Sue Cannon

DeeDee Galliher

Mary Nell Harris

Sharon Hatcher

Ann Holler

Carolyn King

Mary Landrum

Ruth Musser

Nancy Preston

Mary Rice

Virginia Rutherford

Changsub Shim

Lenita Thibault

Bob Vann

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

To the Church Triumphant

Janet Dorothy Christie Wright

January 2, 2014

George Millard King Jr.

January 7, 2014

Condolences

Our heartfelt love and sympathy are with Linda Darnell in the death of her husband, Billie Kent (Bill) Darnell, January 2.

Congratulations

We rejoice with Kathryn and Stuart Parker in the birth of a daughter, Charlotte Gray Parker, born January 2.

Birthday Prayer Fellowship

January 12 Debbie McMillin, David Phelps

January 13 Pete Holler, Nell Stigers

January 14 Chris Blankenship, Fritz Reuning

January 16 Tom Daniel, Dale Davis

January 17 Mack Blevins, Gordon Turnbull

January 18 Maddox McClain, Adrianna Nelson

Memorial Gifts

Gifts were made in memory of the following individuals during the week of December 29, 2013:

Cathy Andersen: by Mr. & Mrs. John Vann, to the Brazil Mission Fund

Bruce Bales: by Mr. & Mrs. John Vann, to the Minister's Discretionary Fund

Virginia Booker: by Mr. & Mrs. John Vann, to the Brazil Mission Fund

Kim Gildroy: by Mr. & Mrs. John Vann, to the Brazil Mission Fund

Elizabeth Harkleroad: byMr. & Mrs. Graham Barr, to the Minister's Discretionary Fund; and by Mr. & Mrs. John Vann, to the Brazil Mission Fund

Kathleen Hoback: by Mr. & Mrs. John Vann, to the Brazil Mission Fund

Martha Holler: by Mr. & Mrs. Graham Barr, to the Minister's Discretionary Fund

Louis Hyde (father of David Hyde): by Mr. & Mrs. John Vann, to the Brazil Mission Fund

Ruth Keith (mother of Linda Poteat): by Mr. & Mrs. Graham Barr, to the Minister's Discretionary Fund; and by Mr. & Mrs. John Vann, to the Brazil Mission Fund

Blake Looney: by Dr. & Mrs. Jeff McMillin, to the Student Ministries Fund; and by Mr. & Mrs. John Vann, to the Student Ministries Fund

Bob Nicar: by Mr. & Mrs. Graham Barr, to the Minister's Discretionary Fund; and by Mr. & Mrs. John Vann, to the Minister's Discretionary Fund

Jim Nickels: by Mr. & Mrs. Graham Barr, to the Minister's Discretionary Fund; and by Mr. & Mrs. John Vann, to the Minister's Discretionary Fund

Hattie Jane Ratliff (mother of Jim Ratliff): by Mr. & Mrs. John Vann, to the Brazil Mission Fund

Jane Warner: by Mr. & Mrs. Graham Barr, to the Minister's Discretionary Fund; and by Mr. & Mrs. John Vann, to the Brazil Mission Fund

Roger Williams (father of Matt Williams): by Mr. & Mrs. John Vann, to the Brazil Mission Fund

Church Calendar

Sunday, January 12

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

5:00 p.m. Jubilate Youth Choir

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

Monday, January 13

5:45 p.m. Sanctuary Handbells, Handbell Room

7:00 p.m. Building & Grounds Committee, Room 117

7:00 p.m. Worship Committee, Room 123

Tuesday, January 14

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

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

11:00 a.m. Presbyterian Women's Circle, Room 123

11:30 a.m. Presbyterian Women's Bible Study, Room 123

12:00 p.m. Presbyterian Women's Luncheon, Parlor

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

Wednesday, January 15

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

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

6:15 p.m. Intergenerational Bible Experience, Fellowship Hall

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

Thursday, January 16

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

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

8:15 p.m. Praise Team Rehearsal, 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.