November 30

First Sunday of Advent

Lessons

Isaiah 64:1-9

Mark 13:24-37

Sermon

Setting All Things Right

Gordon A. Turnbull

 Hymns

O Lord, How Shall I Meet You

Watchman, Tell Us of the Night

Christ Is Coming!

Anthem

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

Sanctuary Choir

Attendance on November 23

Windows

Advent Art and Gingerbread Houses Next Wednesday

Hard at work on last Advent's gingerbread houses.

Next Wednesday evening's program will be a very special event. After our  5:30 p.m. fellowship dinner of baked potato bar and soup, children will make gingerbread houses, while adults hear Bill Wade's lecture on Advent art.  Please join us December 3!

The deadline for ordering poinsettias in memory or in honor of someone, to add to the beauty of worship during Advent, is Monday, December 1. Please turn in your order form, with payment, to the church office during business hours or place it in the offering plate this Sunday. Order forms are available in the church office and in Sunday bulletins. Poinsettias are $15 each. You may pick up your plants anytime after the Christmas Eve service.

Heart to Heart Women's Ministries will hold its annual Advent event Tuesday, December 9. The women of the church are invited to bring a friend and gather for worship in the chapel at 7:00 p.m. Elizabeth Patrick will provide the message, "Sleepwalking." Dessert will follow in the Fellowship Hall.

Please call the church office or e-mail jprater@fpcbristol.org to let us know you can come.  Child care will be available at the church; please email or call to let us know how many to expect!

Coming in January! Continuing our tradition of learning together in fellowship, we will begin the new year with a new churchwide study series called EPIC: Through the Bible with Jesus. Sermon texts will be taken from The Jesus Storybook Bible. You will find order forms for free copies of this book in Sunday's bulletin.

Our next rotation with Family Promise of Bristol rolls out Sunday, December 14, and runs through Saturday, December 20. This is an especially busy and exciting time of the year for all of us, and now we have the opportunity to share some of our love and enthusiasm with the three families in this program.

Trying to raise a family in such circumstances is hard for us to imagine at any time, but during the holidays it seems unimaginable. If you find that you cannot come out and help with this rotation, these families will greatly appreciate your prayers.

Here is a reminder of our volunteering needs:

Food

Breakfast items and supplies should be brought to the church and left in the little kitchen by Sunday, December 14.

Dinner should be brought in hot and ready each evening at 5:30. This is usually done by a family or a team. If you can help with breakfast or dinner, or if you want more information, email Scottie Bales at scottie@rtherapeutics.com.

Dinner Hosts

Dinner hosts come to the church by 5:30 to welcome our guests, eat with them, and stay until the evening hosts arrive at 8:30. Some people find it easy to fix dinner and stay to host. If you're interested in being a dinner host, email Nancy Allerton at nja0510@gmail.com.

Overnight Hosts

Overnight hosts arrive at the church by 8:30 p.m., spend the night, and help with continental breakfast the next morning. Guests leave the church around 7:00 a.m., except on Saturday, when they leave a little later. For more information or to volunteer as an overnight host, contact Dan Gross at dan.c.gross@gmail.com.

Laundry

First, if anyone would like to donate some disposable baby wipes, the babies are always in need of those! On the morning of Sunday, December 21, there will be piles and piles of sheets, towels, and comforters that must be washed with bleach and returned to the Family Promise Closet.

Thank you so much for your love and hospitality to these families! If you have any questions or suggestions, please email Scottie Bales at Scottie@rtherapeutics.com or text or call her at 423-360-5357. 

Our nominating process for next year's officers has begun, and we welcome your suggestions of those members whom you see as particularly gifted for serving as elders or deacons.

Session of Elders

The governing body of First Presbyterian Church is the Session, nominated and elected by the congregation. Together with ministers of the Word and Sacrament, they exercise leadership, government, and discipline and have responsibilities for the life of this church as well as of the church at large, including ecumenical relationships.

The Book of Order offers the following guidance on this office: "Congregations should elect [as elders] persons of wisdom and maturity of faith, having demonstrated skills in leadership and being compassionate in spirit. Ruling elders are so named not because they 'lord it over' the congregation (Matt. 20:25), but because they are chosen by the congregation to discern and measure its fidelity to the Word of God, and to strengthen and nurture its faith and life."

The Session of First Presbyterian Church is normally composed of fifteen elders who serve on a three-year rotation. Annette Tudor is the current Clerk of Session; Gordon Turnbull serves as Moderator. The following members now serve as elders of First Presbyterian Church:

Class of 2014

Chris Blankenship

Jackie Burt

Peggy Hill

Jennifer Kennedy

Class of 2015

Tom Carter

Tom Faucette

Blaine Hunigan

Parker Sword

Annette Tudor

Class of 2016

Kevin Buck

Tom Daniel

Dottie Havlik

Brian Miller

Paul Warhurst

Deacons

The Diaconate, or Board of Deacons, is another body of officers ministering in the church. It is the first duty of deacons to minister to those who are in need, to the sick, to the friendless, and to any who may be in distress, both within and beyond the community of faith.

The Book of Order offers the following guidance on this office: "The ministry of deacon as set forth in Scripture is one of compassion, witness, and service, sharing in the redeeming love of Jesus Christ for the poor, the hungry, the sick, the lost, the friendless, the oppressed, those burdened by unjust policies or structures, or anyone in distress. Persons of spiritual character, honest repute, exemplary lives, brotherly and sisterly love, sincere compassion, and sound judgment should be chosen for this ministry.

The Board of Deacons of First Presbyterian Church is composed of fifteen members who serve on a three-year rotation:

Class of 2014

Toni Corder

Sandi Nelson

Stuart Parker

Tina Witcher

Ann Woods

Class of 2015

Sujean Bradley

Sue Faucette

Will Hankins

J.B. Madison

Pete Stigers

Class of 2016

Andrew Beck

Jon McClain

Chad McCracken

Lensey Richardson

Donna Sikorski

Suggestion forms for nominations are available throughout the church, or you may email your suggestion to the attention of the Officer Nominating Committee at gturnbull@fpcbristol.org.

Our recent Wednesday evening mission programs from the Evangelism & Outreach Committee invited us to consider our call to God's mission. One means of responding is through the short-term mission opportunities our church has planned through the next year. Please consider this list of trips and pray about how God is calling you to support them, whether by participating as a mission traveler or through the spiritual and practical support of a sending team. Please indicate your interest or seek more information by contacting the leaders listed for each trip.

Brazil Mission Trip. May 29-June 7, 2015. Priority to rising and graduated high school seniors. Deepening our partnership with the Presbyterian Church in Felipe Camarão, Natal, and our ministry through the Bethel School. Contact: John Vann (vannjm@gmail.com; 423-968-7802) or Katie Arnold (karnold@fpcbristol.org; 423-764-7176). Deadline for application: December 15!

Habitat for Humanity, New Orleans. Summer 2015. One-week trip, dates to be determined. Travel to New Orleans and share in the home-building efforts still going on years after Hurricane Katrina. Contact: Pete Stigers (director@helphabitat.org; 678-478-0821).

Urban Promise, Camden, NJ. Summer 2015. One-week trip, dates to be determined. East Coast urban ministry to children and youth through an established program with diverse services. Contact: Dan Kreiss (dskreiss@king.edu; 423-534-7648).

Ethiopia Mission Trip. Dates to be determined between November 2015 and May 2016; Approximately 12 to 14 days. Travel to Dembi Dollo, Ethiopia, encourage the students and staff of Berhane Yesus Elementary School, and support our mission partners in the Western Wollega Bethel Synod. Contact: Peggy Hill (peggyhill145@gmail.com; 423-652-1732).

Last year, electronic giving to FPC became possible through our website, www.fpcbristol.org. It is 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 pledge payments online.

What Is Electronic Giving?

The term electronic 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. Electronic giving works the same way as the automatic payment methods used by many people to make mortgage or utility payments and to receive payroll earnings or Social Security income.

Why Give Electronically?

It is convenient. Many people do not have checks or don't carry cash. With online giving, 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. Monthly donations can be made on the 6th or 20th; weekly donations are made on Monday. One-time donations are also an option. Your donations will be processed and deposited in the church bank account on the date or dates you schedule.

Q. When will my contribution be processed?

A. Your contribution will be processed each month on the date(s) you authorize.

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). 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 from your checking or savings account and payment by means of a credit or a debit card. 

During the month of November, FPC is responding to a request from Good News Jail & Prison Ministries for Suave shampoo. Our donations will fill a real need and be part of this ministry's outreach to those who are incarcerated locally.

Please donate only Suave brand and only regular size (not family size). The shampoo may be any fragrance. Most dollar stores and big box stores carry Suave shampoo for $1 or less. If you would like to help, please bring your donation to the church and place it in the collection bin in the music stairwell. Thank you!

We are collecting little pretzels to give a big boost to hungry Fairmount students. The small sticks and the small curved pretzels fit best into snack-sized portions for those of our Fairmount Elementary neighbors who can't afford snacks to see them through the afternoon. As always, please place your contributions in the little red schoolhouse in the Fellowship Hallway. Thank you!

High School Students: December 13

Students will gather at the church at 6:00 p.m. From there, they will be transported to different locations for the appetizers, main course, and dessert. At the dessert location, students will take part in a wild gift exchange. We plan to return to the church at 10:00 p.m.

All participants are asked to bring a portion of the meal to share. The food should be ready to serve, with the exception of items that need to be warmed up.

What to bring:

* 7th & 9th graders: an appetizer

* 8th, 10th & 11th graders: main course side dish

* 12th graders: dessert

* Everyone: 1 gift for the gift exchange ($10 limit)

* Everyone: 3 small gifts for volunteer stockings

A mission trip to Brazil for FPC's eleventh and twelfth grade students is scheduled for May 29 through June 7. We are now accepting applications. Information packets can be picked up from Katie Arnold or in the church office. Deposits are due December 15.

Sunday's music participants: Sanctuary Choir.

Sunday's music: "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" is truly the quintessential Advent song, in part because of its ancient beauty. The hymn as we know it was created in the mid-nineteenth century from materials drawn from much earlier times. The words come from a series of antiphons (short, sung responses) of the ninth century that were to be sung in the last eight days of Advent. The text was first translated and adapted by John Mason Neale (1818-1866); many authors have since made additions and changes to give us the version we sing today. Neale paired the words with a fifteenth-century French tune, a processional song that was part of a funeral service. The Sanctuary Choir will sing an arrangement of two of the stanzas made by Sheldon Disrud (b. 1924) and James Christensen (b. 1935). Much as the season builds with anticipation toward the culminating event of Christmas, so too does this arrangement begin quietly and build toward a joyous climax. The congregation will have the opportunity to sing three of the stanzas of this beloved hymn on Sunday, December 7.

Programs of note: While there will be plenty of opportunities to hear Christmas programs around our region, including those featuring the youth of our church, we particularly want to promote the concerts presented by Symphony of the Mountains. The First Presbyterian Church Handbell Choir (members of the Sanctuary Bells and Youth Handbells) is privileged to play the tune we know best as "Carol of the Bells" (Ukrainian Carol) with the Symphony on both programs this year. Concert dates are Saturday, December 6, at 3:00 p.m. at the Toy Reid Auditorium of Eastman's Employee Center in Kingsport, and Sunday, December 7, at 3:00 p.m. at the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center in Abingdon. Ringers include Taylor Connolly, Vicki Fey, Bonnie Haskins, Gene Haskins, Selma Jennings, Cyndi Madison, Daniel Osborne, Dianna Robertson, Cassie Robertson, and Jim White. Steve Fey will "shadow conduct" the symphony's conductor.

Sanctuary Choir special music: The Sanctuary's Choir's gift of music to the congregation will take place during the 11:00 service Sunday, December 14. The First Nowell is a collection of English Christmas carols, accompanied by a string quartet and organ. Soloists will be from among the choir.

Christmas pageant reminder: If your child missed the first Christmas pageant rehearsal, there is still time to join the fun! Pageant rehearsal #2 will be December 3 at 4:30, followed by dinner and gingerbread houses for the kids, and programs for the adults and youth. All four-year-olds through fifth grade (sixth graders may also participate, if they want) are invited to be part of this wonderful tradition.

Timothy Meyer Altman

Montreat bio: Instrumental Director Dr. Timothy Meyer Altman is Chair of the Music Department at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke (UNCP). He is the Director of Bands and teaches trumpet and conducting. He taught instrumental and general music at the elementary, middle school, high school, and university level in Virginia, Wisconsin, Kentucky, and North Carolina. Altman completed his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in trumpet performance at the University of Kentucky. He also holds degrees from Virginia Tech and the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. He has published articles in various journals and periodicals. His dissertation focused on works for trumpet by composer and Julliard faculty member Eric Ewazen. Dr. Altman is an active conductor, clinician, adjudicator, and trumpet performer. He has performed with numerous orchestras, concert bands, brass bands, and jazz ensembles across the country and at international conferences. He performed at the Royal College of Music in London in 2005; in Amman, Jordan, in 2008 and 2012; and throughout Italy in 2013. He is presently the principal trumpet for the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra and the Carolina Philharmonic. This is his first time teaching at Montreat and he is very excited to work with folks bringing instruments!

In Our Prayers

Becky Busler

Jane Crewey

Barbara Daniel

Dorothy Dollar

Laura Francis

Fred Frazier

DeeDee Galliher

Dorothy Giesler

Juanita Goforth

Ron Grubbs

Will Hankins

Mary Nell Harris

Sharon Hatcher

Rebekah Heacock

Hawley Heglar

Opal Johnson

Carolyn King

Ruth Musser

Nancy Preston

Mary Rice

Brenda Rogers

Virginia Rutherford

Katy Sikorski

Faye VanNostrand

Ann Woods

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

Birthday Prayer Fellowship

November 30    Charlotte Osborne

December 1       Charles Burrows, Deidre Pendley

December 5       Hannah Bailey, Laura Francis, Linda Poteat

December 6       Daniel Osborne

We recently received gifts in memory of the following individuals:

Richard King: by Mr. & Mrs. Douglas Cooper, by George & Junella McClellan, by Nancy McCracken, all to the Building & Grounds Fund

Sunday, November 30

8:30 a.m.      Worship, Fellowship Hall

9:45 a.m.      Sunday School, Education Wing

11:00 a.m.   Worship, Sanctuary

Monday, December 1

5:30 p.m.     Sanctuary Handbells, Handbell Room

7:00 p.m.     Deacons Meeting, Room 123

Tuesday, December 2

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

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

1:00 p.m.     HeartsBurn Bible Study, Burt Home

6:00 p.m.     Venture Crew 3, Room 123

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

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

Wednesday, December 3

10:00 a.m.   Elizabeth Patrick's Women's Bible Study, New Mothers' Room

4:15 p.m.     Youth Handbells, Room 212

4:30 p.m.     Children's Christmas Pageant Rehearsal, Sanctuary

4:45 p.m.     Heart to Heart Steering Committee, Room 117

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

6:20 p.m.     Adult Learning Program, Fellowship Hall

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

7:30 p.m.     Praise Team Rehearsal, Fellowship Hall

Thursday, December 4

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

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

7:30 p.m.     Troop 3 Committee, Room 163