Those wishing to join FPC are encouraged to attend the called Session of Elders next Sunday, May 15. It will be held at 10:20 a.m. in the chapel for the sole purpose of receiving new members into our congregation. If you need more information, please feel free to talk with any Elder or Dave Welch, who can also be reached at dwelch@fpcbristol.org. 

After a busy visit to FPC, Pastor Joćo Batista and his wife, Rosangela, have returned to Natal, Brazil. We hope they enjoyed their stay here as much as we enjoyed having them! On departing, they gave FPC this lovely lace tablecloth as a thank-you gift.

 

Battel, Mr. Michael Andrew (Mike)	Bloome, Mrs. Debbie Kay
Blue, Dr. Bradley Byron	Blue, Mrs. Diane Hoglund
Bobbitt, Adam Keith	Booth, Mr. Alan Edward
Borghi, Mr. Kenneth Richard (Ken)	Borghi, Mrs. Roberta Jane (Robbie)
Borghi, Mr. Nathaniel Andrew (Nathan)	Borghi, Mr. Nickolas Eugene (Nick)
Borghi, Mr. Raymond Everson (Ray)	Bowell, Mr. Andrew David (Andy)
Burkhart, Ms. Catherine Marie	Burnette, Ms. Kimberly Elizabeth (Kim)
Burton, Mr. David Fulton	Burton, Mr. Jamie Randall
Chesley, Mrs. Jana Carpenter	Converse, Dr. George Marquis IV (Mark)
Converse, Mrs. Elisa Jill (Jill)	Dixon, Mr. David
Esser, Mr. Edward Milton Jr. (Eddie)	Esser, Mrs. Dorothy Curtis (Dottie)
Fleenor, Mr. Daniel Lee Jr. (Daniel)	Fleenor, Daniel II
Gao, Mr. Hongman	Zhou, Mrs. Rui (Irene)
Gentry, Ms. Shannon B.	Gregg, Mr. Danny
Haga, Mrs. Ollie Linkous	Hagerty, Mr. Cooper Phillip
Hallum, Ms. Sara Catherine	Hardin, Mr. William Clyde III (Bill)
Harkins, Mrs. Rachel Michal	Hatcher, Mrs. Terry Lee (Lee)
Hatley, Mr. William Ray (Bill)	Helbert, Ms. Susan Lee
Helton, Miss Shannon Gail	Hite, Mr. Ryan Christopher
Houser, Mr. Raymond Kyle (Ray)	Hudler, Mrs. Rebecca Suzanne (Suzanne)
Hutton, Mr. Michael Douglas (Mike)	Johnson, Mr. George R.
Jones, Mr. Robert Alan	Jordan, Mr. Gregory Samuel Bruce (Sammy)
King, Mr. Jere Franklin (Jay)	Kirksey, Mr. Kevin Michael
Ladd, Mr. Richard Edward Jr. (Rick)	Lindamood, Ms. Lisa Marie (Lisa)
Loud, Ms. Dorothy Ann (Dorothy Ann)	Loud, Ms. Karen
Masengill, Mrs. Carrie Jean (Carrie Jean)	Massengill, Mr. Andrew Myers (Andy)
McAllister, Mr. David Brumley	McAllister, Dr. William Paul Jr. (Bill)
McCrae, Mr. Tom	McDaniel, John Edward
Messerole, Mr. Steve Curtis	Miller, Mrs. Elaine Devault
Miller, Mr. Thomas Alan (Tom)	Morison, Ms. Amelia Richmond
Morrison, Mrs. Rachel Combs (Rachel)	Mullins, Mrs. Isabel Catherine (Cathy)
Murray, Mr. Stephen Loren (Steve)	O'Dell, Mr. Mark Preston
Pecktal, Ms. Kathryn Marie	Pickle, Mr. Franklin Eugene
Rainwater, Ms. Lacey Elizabeth	Rausch, Mr. Albert R. (Rocky)
Reed, Mr. James Lee (Jamie)	Rees, Mr. Timothy George (Tim)
Rhea, Mrs. Patricia Reke (Pat)	Richards, Ms. Carol
Richards, Ms. Heather Marie	Rutherford, Mr. Samuel Bruce II (Sam)
Saddler, Mr. Richard Todd (Todd)	Santaello, Mr. Manuel Jose
Schmeltzer, Ms. Sara Jane	Schutts, Mr. Richard A. (Richard)
Shaw, Mr. Martin Anthony	Shaw, Mr. Matthew Carl
Smith, Mr. Lloyd Batre	Smith, Mrs. Evelyn K.
Snead, Mrs. Bonnie Irene	Solomon, Mr. Charles Ronald III (Ron)
Stone-Hartley, Ms. Cheryl	Swann, Mrs. Jerilyn Dawn
Taylor, Mrs. Debbie Kathleen	Thomasson, Mr. Timothy James (Tim)
Townsend, Mrs. Daphne Renee	Tretler, Ms. Sharon Angelique (Sharon)
Tucker, Ms. Adelia Warner (Dee-Dee)	Twiggs, Mrs. Mildred Jean (Millie)
Vipperman, Ms. Heather Lynn	Vipperman, Mr. Jeremy Stewart
Vipperman, Mr. Jodi Lee	Watrous, Ms. Rebecca Anne
Weaver, Mr. David Bradford (Brad)	Wilhoit, Mrs. Lisa Lee
Wilson, Mrs. Eleanor Cassler	Wilson, Mrs. Harriet W.

The deadline for contributions to, or suggestions for, the newsletter has moved to Monday of the week of publication. Windows will be published every two weeks in June and July: on June 9 and 23 and on July 7 and 21. We will return to the regular weekly schedule August 4.

A group opportunity to serve the hungry in downtown Bristol is coming up Saturday, May 21. We need FPC folks to cook food ahead of time, pack sack lunches, and serve and clean up. If you can help in any way, please contact Dottie Havlik, our coordinator for this effort, at dhavlik@charter.net.

We have the recipes, if you have the time! Our current estimate is that we will need nine chicken casseroles, six large slaws, five large cans of green beans, and a lot of dinner rolls, as well as sandwich bread, fruit, snack cakes, peanut butter and jam for 75 bag lunches. We hope to update these numbers next week. Thank you for your care and service!

Dan Kreiss will lead a team from FPC on a mission to bring light and love to inner city youth in Camden, New Jersey, this summer. This opportunity is open to all. We will serve with Urban Promise from Sunday, June 26, through Saturday, July 2, supporting established educational and social programs there. The total cost to FPC participants is $300. The deadline for registration is Sunday, May 15. Please prayerfully consider this opportunity to join in Christ's ministry of love, peace, and justice. For more information, contact Dan at dskreiss@king.edu.

We are ready for Confirmation Sunday (thank you, Aaron Brooks) and now turn our eyes toward Graduation Sunday, which will fall fittingly on Pentecost and for which Pat Flannagan will groom the church lawn. Beyond that lies Trinity Sunday, for which JB Madison will mow.

If you would like to help care for the church lawn, Randy Cook will be happy to give you a quick lesson on our Scag Tiger Cat. We welcome adults and teens, men and women for what we hope will be regular duty. If you can help for even a single morning or afternoon, please email Randy at npolecook@aol.com or call his cell at 423-956-1541. Thank you!

Sunday's music participants: Sanctuary Choir; Jubilate Youth Choir; Savior's Singers Children's Choir; Children's Handbells; Mark Mervis, Shannan Miller, Jenn Sproles, Nate Sproles.

Sunday's music: As we celebrate our confirmands, Sunday's music reflects affirming our faith and commitment to Christ. The opening hymn, "The Church's One Foundation," was one of twelve written as a reflection on The Apostles' Creed by Samuel J. Stone (1839-1900). It is inspired by the line, "I believe in ... one holy catholic church." It will be followed by "This I Believe" by Australians Matt Crocker (b. 1987) and Ben Fielding. This new song (2014) is a summary of the Apostles' Creed. In response to the Assurance of Pardon, we will sing a brief, repeated "Alleluia" by Simei Monteiro (b. 1943), professor of music and worship on the Faculty of Theology at the Methodist University in Sćo Paulo, Brazil. We began singing this at the 11:00 service when Pastor Joćo and Rosangela were visiting.

  

Matt Crocker and Ben Fielding

The Savior's Singers Children's Choir anthem, "God, You Enfold Me," is a Celtic prayer for protection and support. Hal Hopson (b. 1933) arranged music from a 17th-century melody in setting this affirmation of our sheltering in the love of God. A native of Texas, Hopson has more than 1,000 published works, almost exclusively sacred.

The Jubilate Youth Choir is singing Allen Pote's setting of Psalm 139, a strong statement of God's guidance and protection. After serving several churches as music director, Pote (b. 1945) is now a full-time composer living in Pensacola, Florida.

The Sanctuary Choir is singing a setting of the hymn text "Take my life, and let it be consecrated," by English poet Frances Ridley Havergal (1836-1879). It is her best-known text, written in response to an answered prayer when several friends claimed Jesus as their Savior. The musical setting is by David Ashley White (b. 1944). A seventh-generation Texan, he has spent his career at the University of Houston, where he was educated.

As a closing song, we will sing "O Christ, Surround Me," a new hymn (2004) with words and music by Richard Bruxvoort Colligan (b. 1976) that takes its inspiration from a prayer for protection attributed to St. Patrick. Colligan serves a Lutheran church in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. As a sending song, we will sing "We Will Walk with God," a song from Swaziland that has themes of commitment and sending.

Reformation anniversary trip: The Presbyterian Association of Musicians is providing an opportunity in 2017 to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation by touring Glasgow and Edinburgh, Scotland. We are gathering names of choir members, King students, and Voices of the Mountains folks to travel with us, and we're inviting church members and other interested parties to join us. You don't have to be a singer! Dates are July 29 through August 6, 2017. Included are a workshop and song service with John Bell of the Iona Community and a festival choir of Americans (mostly Presbyterian!) and Scots under the direction of Simon Carrington, founding member of the King's Singers, a six-voice male a cappella group. There will be other opportunities to sing as groups are interested in doing so. We may add a side trip to Ireland for a couple of days prior to July 29. Interested parties may contact us, and we will email the current itinerary. 

Dr. Brian Alderman, an ordained Teaching Elder in the Presbyterian Church (USA), serves as Chaplain and Associate Professor of Philosophy and Religion at King University. A native of Galax, Virginia, Brian pastored Madisonville Presbyterian Church and served as Chaplain at Hiwassee College in Madisonville, Tennessee, before coming to King. He also taught Biblical Studies and Religion at Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee, for six years. He and his wife, Monica Cooley Alderman, have one daughter, Ella Kate.

Except on the Sundays when we observe communion, we beautify the sanctuary with flowers for our late worship service. If you would like to place flowers in honor or in memory of someone, contact Karen Boone at 423-538-8423 or karenboone10@aol.com to arrange for a Sunday and to put the notice in the worship bulletin. You can pick up the flowers following the service or, if you wish, the Care Shepherds will distribute them to members observing birthdays, recovering from illness, or in assisted living.

 

Becky Busler

Jude Chambers

Jane Crewey

Dorothy Dollar

Mark Dollar

Fred Frazier

DeeDee Galliher

Bill Goforth

Ron Grubbs

Will Hankins

Gene Haskins

Sharon Hatcher

Vivian Hill

Nancy King

Alice Moore

David Moore

Nancy Preston

Tony Raccioppo

Mary Rice

Brenda Rogers

Virginia Rutherford

Faye VanNostrand

 

We gratefully acknowledge a recent gift to the Children's Ministries of First Presbyterian Church from Tammy and Larry Connolly in honor of Mattie Sue Connolly.

9:00 a.m.       Children's Handbells, Sanctuary

9:30 a.m.       Sunday School

10:30 a.m.     ONE Worship & Confirmation, Sanctuary

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

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

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.       Boy Scout Troop 3, Scout Wing

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

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

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

8:00 a.m.        Men's Breakfast, Fellowship Hall