Reach Out to the Neighborhood with Us! 

Did you know that more than half the homes in FPC's defined geographical neighborhood were built before 1949 and are more than 65 years old? While many are well maintained, there are families whose circumstances have prevented this care. Thus arises the opportunity to witness through word and deed, so that these families may experience more fully the love of God, one family at a time.

The Evangelism & Outreach Committee is seeking interested folks within our congregation who will be part of an outreach team that will expand our church's ever-growing presence in our community and service to our neighbors.

The vision is to come alongside those who struggle, build relationships through careful listening, and together develop a course of action in which we work with our neighbors, offering practical assistance and strategic support and inviting collaboration with other agencies. At times, we might provide relief in crisis; mostly, we will work alongside the neighbor to help make home repairs, encourage, and affirm.

There will be opportunities for training, scripture study and application, and working through each step of this process together. If the idea of helping some of our church's neighbors in need excites you, you need to be a part of this team. For more information or to sign up, contact Gordon Turnbull or Peggy Hill (423-956-0209 or peggyhill145@gmail.com). 

Register or Volunteer for Vacation Bible School 

Remember to register your children or young friends for Vacation Bible School, coming up July 20-22. Sign-up forms are available on the kiosk near the front office, at the VBS display in the Fellowship Hallway, and in the narthex. As you can tell from the wonderful displays outside both worship spaces, our theme this year is Jesus as a child in Nazareth, and our setting is a Middle Eastern marketplace.

We would love to have a few more volunteers to help our program leaders create a fun and meaningful event for the children. If you can help, please contact Lilly Osborne at 423-764-7176 or losborne@fpcbristol.org. We will hold training sessions in the Friendship Classroom on Wednesday, July 8, at 7:00 p.m., and on Sunday, July 12, at 12:30 p.m.

One way to help is to provide props, labeled so that we can return them to you. We need:

• Artificial fruit
• Artificial greenery/palm trees
• Easy-up canopies
• Flat sheets in solid colors
• Small glass jars (like those for baby food, jam, condiments)
• Wicker baskets
• Woven rugs

And we really can't say this often enough: Please label all items. Thank you!

VBS-Themed Artwork of 1940s and '50s on View at FPC 

Ethiopia Mission Trip in the Works 

Bristol Sings! July 11 to Benefit BFIA 

Tickets are available for purchase at $15 each in the church office, at the theater on State Street downtown, or online at www.etix.com. For more information or to purchase a sponsorship, contact Al Diamond at 423-914-2116 or allen.diamond777@gmail.com.

Boys & Girls Club Thanks FPC 

Two EPIC Stories of Recognition 

Hike to Elk River Falls Wednesday 

All FPC youth are invited to hike Elk River Falls Wednesday, July 8. We will meet at the church at noon and leave together from there. For more information, contact Katie Arnold at karnold@fpcbristol.org. 

FISH Your Way through Summer 

FPC students can fill summer with Fellowship in Someone's Home. They can FISH for five weeks, studying the Bible and sharing snacks, activities, and a lot of fun! Middle school students will meet from 7:00 to 9:00 on Tuesday nights, and high school students will meet at the same time on Thursday nights. The first middle school FISH meeting will be July 7; the first high school FISH will be July 9. Meeting places will be announced. Contact Katie Arnold at karnold@fpcbristol.org to take the plunge!

Next Family Fun Fellowship Will Be July 15 

The pictures above speak of the fun and relaxation to be found in our Family Fun Fellowship evenings. The next will be Wednesday, July 15. Kids and their families are enthusiastically invited to Lilly and Ray Osborne's home at 5:30 to have a lot of fun together! The final gathering of the summer will be Wednesday, July 29.  

Mown on the Fourth of July 

Larry Connolly will be mowing for the Fourth of July weekend, but don't look for fireworks on the church lawn, not after he has made it look its best. Trailing clouds of glory after helping out in many ways at the Montreat conference in June, Dan Gross will take over mowing duty July 8-18.

To join our mowing team, call Randy Cook at 423-956-1541 or email him at npolecook@aol.com. If you've never used a Scag mower before, Randy will be happy to show you how. 

Music participants: Chelsea Herron will be our soloist on July 5. On July 12, Donna Fowlkes will be our organist, and Samantha Robertson will be our soloist. The Feys will be on vacation and will be back in the office July 17. Many thanks to Pat Flannagan and Alan Hunter for their leadership in worship while the Feys were at Montreat.

Our week one group at Montreat.

Handbell practice.

Montreat: A number of church children, youth, and adults had a wonderful time of worship, singing, ringing, playing, eating, Bible study, and enjoying the beauty of Montreat during the first week of the Worship and Music Conferences sponsored by the Presbyterian Association of Musicians. The Feys are grateful to Ray and Lilly Osborne and Dan Gross and Dawn Eubanks for chaperoning Tobin Chambers, Anna Comer, Isabel Gross, Zora Gross, Daniel Osborne, Ginny Osborne, and Madison Ratliff (along with Wyatt Gross and Charlotte Osborne!). In addition, Sujean Bradley was a conferee, staying with her sister and a group from the Pulaski Presbyterian Church. Al and Loretta Thomas came for one of the week's worship services and Dan Kreiss and Mickensie Neely have had a great time as Middler Bible Study leaders. Coming for the second week will be Karen Boone and Charles Webb.

In Our Prayers

Becky Busler

Jane Crewey

Dorothy Dollar

Fred Frazier

DeeDee Galliher

Dorothy Giesler

Ron Grubbs

Will Hankins

Sharon Hatcher

Hawley Heglar

Vivian Hill

Carolyn 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.

Birthday Prayer Fellowship

July 5         Lisette Wallen

July 6         Kay Wiseman

July 7         Barbara Duncan

July 9         Harold Rutherford

July 10       Jan Eads, Ray Osborne

July 12       Jeff Looney, Olin Mumpower

July 13       Moses Ong

July 15       George Huber, Linda Pridemore

July 16       Lisa Bailey

July 17       John Blair, Dorothy Giesler, Carol Tudor

July 18       Dorothy Copenhaver

We gratefully acknowledge recent gifts in memory of the following individuals:

Bob & Catherine Faucette: from Jim & Bettie Hite, to the Capital Campaign Fund/MEP

Juanita Goforth: from the Campbell University Department of Chemistry, to the Memorial Fund

Mary Nell Harris: from Eileen K. Long, to the Children's Ministries Fund; from Charles & Alice Moore, to the Minister's Discretionary Fund; from Charles & Teralea Moore, to the Children's Ministries Fund

Sunday, July 5

8:30 a.m.        Worship, Fellowship Hall

8:45 a.m.        Kids' Kirk, Room 31

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

11:00 a.m.     Worship, Sanctuary

Tuesday, July 7

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

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

7:00 p.m.       Middle School FISH, TBD

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

Wednesday, July 8

12:00 p.m.     Youth Hike at Elk River Falls, Meet at FPC

7:00 p.m.       VBS Training, Friendship Classroom

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

Thursday, July 9

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

8:30 a.m.        Meals on Wheels, Fellowship Hall

7:00 p.m.       High School FISH, TBD

Sunday, July 12

8:30 a.m.        Worship, Fellowship Hall

8:45 a.m.        Kids' Kirk, Room 31

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

11:00 a.m.     Worship, Sanctuary

12:30 p.m.     VBS Training, Friendship Classroom

5:30 p.m.       Finance Committee, Room 123

Monday, July 13

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

7:00 p.m.       Christian Education Committee, Room 124

Tuesday, July 14

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

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

6:00 p.m.       Venture Crew 3, Cub Scout Room

7:00 p.m.       Middle School FISH, TBD

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

Wednesday, July 15

5:30 p.m.       Family Fun Fellowship, Osborne Home

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

Thursday, July 16

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

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

7:00 p.m.       High School FISH, TBD