The members of our Sanctuary Choir will present their seasonal gift of music to the congregation during the 11:00 service this Sunday, December 13. Accompanied by brass quintet, percussion, and organ, they will sing Dan Gawthrop's "Gloria," which had its premiere only last year. The brass players will be students from Emory & Henry College, and the percussionist will be our own Jenn Sproles. It is the choir's hope that the congregation will hear this offering as a reflection of the angels' song at the birth of the Christ Child. For more information about this special music, see "Music Notes" in this newsletter.

Bristol meteorologists forecast that at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 20, it should be 53 degrees with no precipitation after morning showers. That means it's all clear for Christmas caroling! Come to the church then for snacks and hot chocolate before taking the show on the road. We plan to sing our hearts out for others till 6:00, but we may also fill our cars with song on the way home. 'Tis the season!

We had a warm and nourishing Read and Feed last winter.

The Heart to Heart Read and Feed, a wonderful time of food and fellowship for the women of FPC, will be held on Saturday, January 23, probably around 11:00 a.m. We'll share a bowl of soup and talk about good books. Mark your calendars now and look for more details in the new year.

Volunteers in Florida sort stamps from all over.

A very heartfelt thanks to all who have been saving their canceled stamps and putting them in the box outside the Fellowship Hall! Through the end of October, Alliance Stamp Ministry made, from all their sources, $36,000 to buy Sunday School materials for use in South and Central America and in the United States. Please continue to bring your stamps to the church. It's a simple thing, but it means so much!

Sunday's music participants: Sanctuary Choir; Emory & Henry brass; Jenn Sproles, percussion.

Sunday's music: The text for the special music offered by the Sanctuary Choir this Sunday is the ancient hymn, "Gloria in Excelsis Deo," or simply "Gloria." It has its origins in a Greek hymn from the second or third century; it was translated into Latin in the fourth century, possibly by Hillary of Poitiers, and it is this text that Daniel Gawthrop has set. The hymn begins by quoting the angels' greeting to the shepherds as found in Luke 2:14, then goes on to praise the three persons of the Trinity. These words have been set a truly uncountable number of times by generations of composers. Gawthrop has broken the text into five sections, reflecting its movement from praise to reflection and back to praise. It is accompanied by brass quintet, organ, and percussion.

Christmas pageant: The annual re-enactment of the birth of Jesus by the children of our church will take place next Wednesday, December 16, at 5:30 p.m. in our sanctuary. Come support our children as they tell this most wondrous story. Youth Bells will play the prelude. The Joy Gift dinner will follow. Please make reservations for the dinner!

Programs of Note: This Friday, December 11, the King University Choral Department will present a Christmas concert in our sanctuary. Under the direction of Pat Flannagan and Shea Clay, and accompanied by Vicki Fey, the program begins at 7:30 p.m. A reception will follow in the Fellowship Hall. Admission is a can of food or a monetary donation to the Bristol Emergency Food Pantry. Then on Saturday, December 12, also at 7:30 p.m. in our sanctuary, all the choirs of the Mountain Empire Children's Choral academy will be in concert. Several of our church youth are part of this group. You can also catch the annual Tennessee High School Madrigal dinners, this Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. And you can see Erin Ginn in Bristol Ballet's Nutcracker production, all in the same weekend!

Becky Busler

Jude Chambers

Jane Crewey

Dorothy Dollar

Mark Dollar

Fred Frazier

DeeDee Galliher

Dorothy Giesler

Bill Goforth

Ron Grubbs

Will Hankins

Gene Haskins

Sharon Hatcher

Vivian Hill

Andrea Hyde

David Moore

Nancy Preston

Mary Rice

Brenda Rogers

Virginia Rutherford

Faye VanNostrand

Herb Van Nostrand

Deborah Whitaker

 

 

December 14     Jim Mayden, Wendy Olson

December 15     Jim Arnold, Lou Hebb, Laynie Richardson

December 16     Hugh Testerman

December 17     Philip Cavatoni, Harrison Gilley, Rosa Poteat

December 18     Jane Daniel, Braxton Foster, Macie Foster, Julie King,

                              Mary Rice, Grace Singleton

December 19     Brady Arnold, Blaine Hunigan, Greg Jordan, Lynn Richards

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

3:00 p.m.       Called Session Meeting, Room 123

5:30 p.m.       Jubilate Youth Choir, Music Wing

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

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

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

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

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

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

4:00 p.m.       Finance Committee, Room 123

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

4:30 p.m.       Youth Handbells, Room 212

5:30 p.m.       Christmas Pageant, Sanctuary

                         Joy Gift Dinner, Fellowship Hall (after pageant)

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

7:30 p.m.       8:30 Worship Team Rehearsal, Fellowship Hall

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

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