Spring Cleaning, with Breakfast to Boot! 

Our Deacons are organizing our annual Spring Cleaning Day for the morning of Saturday, April 25. We are inviting volunteers to sign up to help provide household help and yard work for church members who request it. In addition, we anticipate some available tasks within the church. This is a great opportunity for families to serve together, and for people of all ages to join in service and fellowship.

As a special incentive, the Fellowship Committee is encouraging folks of all ages by providing those who attend with a breakfast. Starting at 8:30 a.m., we will serve in the Fellowship Hall an old-fashioned, Southern breakfast of biscuits, sausage, and gravy. We will have orange juice for the children and coffee for the adults. We anticipate starting work a little after 9:00 and finishing no later than noon.

If you are interested in receiving some help at your home, please call the church office and let us know! If you would like to join a work team to offer this kind of support, we are glad to sign you up as well! All interested should look for the flyer in this Sunday's worship bulletin. Or you can call the church (423) 764-7176 or email gturnbull@fpcbristol.org to let us know.

Strategic Planning Conversation at Wednesday Program 

Our Wednesday evening program on April 22 features an opportunity for all in our church to participate in our ongoing strategic planning process. The committee invites you to join in small-group conversations to offer your input on our church, its identity, and our future. Your voice and views are important to our church's life and ministry!

If you participated in the congregational survey a few weeks ago, thank you! Your input is still welcomed and needed at this Wednesday's gathering! If you have not yet shared your perspective on our church, please plan to do so on Wednesday evening. Please join us for dinner at 5:30; the program will start at approximately 6:10 and conclude by 7:00. 

Dessert Fundraiser for Family Promise of Bristol 

There is no charge for this event, but the organizers hope we will join in supporting the good work of Family Promise to help homeless families with children to become self-sufficient.

RSVP to Sandra Willis at nanadadaw@btes.tv or (423) 652-2442, or to Patsy Tauscher at patsytauscher@yahoo.com or (423) 612-3576, to indicate your intention to attend.

Brazil Mission Trip: Grin and Bear It 

We are collecting items to take on our Brazil mission trip, coming up May 29. We invite your support of this mission to strengthen our long partnership with the Felipe Camarão Presbyterian Church and preschool.

We are asking for a particular item each week in this process. The item of the week is toothpaste. We need full-size tubes rather than the smaller, travel size, and they can be any brand or kind.

You will find a special box to receive items for the Brazil trip outside the Fellowship Hall. We will move it to the narthex after early service each Sunday in the collection process. Sunday, May 24, is the last day on which we can accept donations, but you may continue to bring any of the items on our list until then. Thank you for your support!

You will find a few changes from previous bloodmobile visits when Blood Assurance comes to FPC April 22. Their bloodmobile will be in our front parking lot from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m., an hour longer than the Marsh bloodmobile and a convenience for those who attend the Wednesday evening programs. It is helpful to eat a good meal and drink plenty of fluids within four hours of your appointment, so come to the fellowship dinner, stay for the evening program, then stroll out to the parking lot and save a few lives!

Blood Assurance requires a photo ID and allows youth as young as 16 to give blood, if they have a consent form signed by a parent. All donors must weigh at least 110 pounds. Please add your name to one of the sign-up sheets at the church!

The Mowers That Bloom in the Spring 

The rain is flowing, the grass is growing, and we are mowing. All sing the mowers that bloom in the spring, tra-la! Randy Cook is the first to be seen on our lawn; he will be followed by Jim White in the last week of the month.

The congregation and staff of FPC deeply appreciate those who perform this necessary service for the church. We welcome volunteers at all seasons! To sign up, just callRandyat (423) 956-1541 or email him at npolecook@aol.com. He will give private lessons on the Scag Tiger Cat to any volunteer who wants them.

Snacks for Fairmount Students 

We are collecting cookies for our young friends at Fairmount Elementary School. The Neighborhood Initiatives Steering Committee is asking us to fill the Little Red House in the Fellowship Hallway with boxes of vanilla wafers. The committee will take them to Fairmount, where teachers will divide them into portions for the youngsters whose parents cannot afford to send snacks to school with them. Let's make sure all students get a midafternoon energy boost!

Start Your Engines!

The seventh through twelfth graders in FPC's Student Fellowship will meet downtown this Sunday, April 19, for a creative race weekend challenge. We will gather at 6:00 p.m. at Wellness Yoga for two hours of crazy fun! Bring friends, wear your best race fan outfit, come hungry, and be ready to hit the downtown race track in your very own race car!

Wellness Yoga is located across from the library in the former Inari Wine building at 39 Piedmont Avenue, Bristol, Virginia. For more information, contact Katie Arnold at karnold@fpcbristol.org. 

Since autumn, our confirmation students have participated in weekly classes that have taught, informed, and challenged their ideas of faith. Watching them grow over the past school year and take ownership of their faith has been a joy and an inspiration! It will soon be time to share this joy with all our congregation.

In the combined service on Sunday, May 10, these young people will have the opportunity to proclaim their faith to our church family and become members of First Presbyterian Church. As we prepare for this special day, we ask friends and family to send in cards and letters of spiritual encouragement for our confirmands. The kind words you share will not only encourage them as they prepare to be confirmed but also be kept for years as a reminder of the great cloud of witnesses that surrounds them and that will continue to love, guide, and encourage them as they run the race.

The following are the Spring 2015 confirmands: Daniel Osborne, Dillon Pendley, Cameron Perry, Angelica Poteat, Rosa Poteat, and Madison Ratliff.

If you would like to participate, please deliver all cards and letters to Katie Arnold at the church by Monday, May 11. Katie is your contact for more information, at karnold@fpcbristol.org. Thank you for joining in the celebration of this important and exciting time in the lives of our students! 

Every year we look forward to honoring the achievements of all the new graduates among us. As graduation time approaches, we are planning a Sunday of celebration at both worship services on May 17, when we will recognize those among us who are completing degrees or certifications or graduating from high school, college, or other programs.

If you or a member of your family will be graduating from high school, college, or any other educational or training program this spring, please let us know by calling the church office at (423) 764-7176.

We need the following information by Monday, May 11, for our recognition efforts: graduate's name; current (not future) school or program; degree or certification earned; and field of study.

Thank you for your help!

The final Student Fellowship gathering of the school year, on May 17, will be a dinner meeting in honor of its high school seniors. Student Ministries is now soliciting "Legacy Letters" to present to these seniors at that time. These will be letters written by family and friends to describe ways in which the senior has affected their life. Letters can share memories, stories, lessons learned, or significant moments. This is a wonderful opportunity to encourage seniors in their future plans and faith as well as to acknowledge the beautiful gifts God has given them.

The Student Ministry Seniors are Paul Blair, Alex Eleas, Briggs Evans, Abby Frick, Danae Kreiss, Austin McReynolds, Josh Pruner, Melody Wallen, and Stephen Welch.

Our hope is that each Legacy Letter will serve as a reminder to these young people of the loving community cheering them on as they begin a new journey after high school. If you would like to participate, please mail or deliver all cards and letters by Monday, May 11, to Katie Arnold at the church. 

EPIC Small Group Forming

A new group is forming and welcomes any interested individuals or families. Child care will be available for families with young children, and we hope to find a day and time that is convenient for as many people as possible. The group will meet once or twice per month.

The first meeting is scheduled for Thursday, April 30, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in Room 163 (Friendship Classroom).

For more information, contact Amber Warhurst at amber.warhurst@gmail.com.

The next story in our churchwide study series, EPIC: Through the Bible with Jesus, is "The Warrior Leader," the tale of Joshua and the battle of Jericho, as retold in The Jesus Storybook Bible. Please join us this Sunday, April 19, for lessons and a sermon drawn from Joshua 3, 6.

Sunday's music participants: Sanctuary Choir, Jubilate Youth Choir.

Sunday's music: The Sanctuary Choir anthem for this week, "If Thou But Suffer God to Guide Thee," is an arrangement of a hymn whose text and tune were written in 1640 by 19-year-old Georg Neumark (1621-1681). During the first half of his lifetime, when the Germanic states were ravaged by the Thirty Years War, young Neumark was traveling for safety with a caravan to Konigsberg to attend the University when they were attacked by robbers. He lost all his belongings, forcing him to return home destitute. He was eventually befriended by a pastor, found employment, finally advanced his education, and had a successful career. He was inspired by these events to write this text based on Psalm 55:22, "Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved." The stirring musical arrangement is by Jody Lindh. A native of Kansas, Lindh retired in 2013 after serving as music director of University Park United Methodist Church in Dallas, Texas, for 45 years.

Roger Emerson

As a prelude to the 11:00 service, the Jubilate Youth Choir will sing "Elijah Rock!," an arrangement of a traditional spiritual made by Roger Emerson (b. 1950). As is often the case with spirituals, it is a blending of several biblical stories. The main idea of the song is that Elijah, and by extension our God, is a rock that we can stand on in the face of any adversity. Emerson's musical setting captures the excitement inherent in the text.

Montreat bio: We are thrilled that Dan Kreiss will be part of our Montreat Middler Bible Study team! Dan has been in youth ministry for 30 years in a variety of positions in both New Zealand and the US, including Youth for Christ, church youth pastor, boys' home supervisor, and school chaplain. He has also coached a multitude of sports in an effort to connect with young people on their terms. He teaches in and directs the Youth Ministry degree program at King University and is studying toward his M. Div. in pursuit of ordination. Dan is particularly passionate about working with youth outside traditional ministry contexts: urban settings, athletics, camps, and outdoor adventures. He has been married to Cindy for 25 years, and together they have four children ranging in age from 12 to 23.

Children's choirs: Parents, although the program year is winding down, attendance at the last few Wednesday rehearsals is crucial. Choir awards dinner night is May 6, and the Children's Bells and Savior's Singers Children's Choir will participate in worship Sunday, May 10. In addition to working on music for that service, we are continuing to rehearse the musical. Parts will be assigned and scripts sent home by May 6. If you haven't yet received a copy of the rehearsal CD, please let us know.

There are three Cherub Choir rehearsals left in this program year: April 19 and 26 and May 3. We still need parent helpers for April 19 and May 3. 

In Our Prayers

Becky Busler

Jane Crewey

Dorothy Dollar

Fred Frazier

DeeDee Galliher

Dorothy Giesler

Ron Grubbs

Will Hankins

Mary Nell Harris

Sharon Hatcher

Hawley Heglar

Vivian Hill

Carolyn King

Nancy King

Sue Olsen

Nancy Preston

Mary Rice

Brenda Rogers

Virginia Rutherford

Katy Sikorski

Faye VanNostrand

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

To the Church Triumphant

Juanita Goforth

April 12, 2015

Birthday Prayer Fellowship

April 19         Betty Kirksey, Jeff McMillin, Barb Thompson

April 20         Amy Benjamin

April 21         Ruby Warhurst

April 22         Peter Dotterweich, Murphy Holmes

April 23         John Dabbs

April 25         Aaron Brooks, Betty Johnston, Donna Sikorski

We recently received a gift to the Blake Looney Memorial Montreat Worship & Music Scholarship Fund from Lorri Looney's Heart to Heart Bible Study Group and in honor of Lorri Looney.

Sunday, April 19

8:30 a.m.     Worship, Fellowship Hall

9:00 a.m.     Cherub Choir

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

11:00 a.m.   Worship, Sanctuary

4:00 p.m.     E&O Committee, Room 117

5:15 p.m.     Jubilate Youth Choir, Music Wing

6:00 p.m.     Student Fellowship, Wellness Yoga of Bristol

Monday, April 20

4:45 p.m.     Administrative Committee, Room 117

Tuesday, April 21

9:00 a.m.     Staff Meeting, Room 123

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

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

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

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

Wednesday, April 22

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

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

4:00 p.m.     Bloodmobile, Front Parking Lot

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

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

5:15 p.m.     Baby & Toddler Care, Rooms 34-37

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

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

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

6:20 p.m.     Strategic Planning Conversation, Fellowship Hall

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

Thursday, April 23

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

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

Saturday, April 25

9:00 a.m.     Spring Cleaning Day, Fellowship Hall