First Presbyterian Church  |  701 Florida Avenue  |  Bristol, TN 37620  |  423-764-7176  |  www.fpcbristol.org
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In This Issue
Nominees for New Pastor Nominating Committee Needed May 29
May Session Highlights
Don't Miss Mission Mondays in June!
Next Family Promise Rotation Begins June 5
Help Inner City Youth through Urban Promise
Fun Fusion Excursion
Fun Family Fellowship Next Wednesday at the Church
VBS News
Thanks for Our Beautiful Courtyard
May June Come In?
Party in the Fellowship Hall Sunday Evening!
Music Notes
Elizabeth Patrick Completes Series on Holy Spirit
Guest Preacher June 5: Dr. Don Hudson
ONE Worship Coming Up in July
Prayers for Our Pastoral Searches
Pray for One Another
No Newsletter June 2
Church Calendar
Worship
May 29
9th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lessons
John 15:1-5
Galatians 5:13-26
Sermon
Quench Not the Spirit: The Fruit of the Spirit
Rev. Elizabeth Patrick
Songs (8:30)
Holy Spirit
I Need Thee Every Hour
Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing
Holy Spirit, Living Breath of God
Christ Be All Around Me
8:30 Worship Team
Anthem (11:00)
Halle, Halle, Halle
Sanctuary Choir
Last Sunday's Attendance
8:30: 107; 11:00: 108
June 5
10th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Communion
Lessons
1 Kings 17:8-24
Luke 7:11-17
Sermon
Picking Up Sticks
Dr. Don Hudson
Anthem (11:00)
Bread of the World, in Mercy Broken
Sanctuary Choir

Windows

on First Presbyterian Church

May 26 & June 2, 2016
Nominees for New Pastor Nominating Committee Needed May 29

FPC is seeking nominees for a Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC) to be representative of the entire congregation. The PNC will take on the task of nominating a full-time, installed pastor for election by the congregation. The Church Officer Nominating Committee will begin making the selection for the PNC during the week of May 29.
To nominate a member of our congregation to serve on the PNC, fill out the form available at Sunday worship and place it in the collection plate. Alternatively, you may email Dave Welch at dwelch@fpcbristol.org.  Once the slate of nominees for the PNC has been determined, the Session will convene a called meeting of the congregation for the specific purpose of electing the Pastor Nominating Committee.
The PNC's first task will be to complete a Ministry Information Form (MIF). The MIF will serve as an announcement of what we are looking for in a full-time pastor and who we are in terms of the size of our congregation, our programs, our vision, and other essentials. Once approved by the Session, this form will be posted online with the PCUSA Church Leadership Connection to advertise the position so that interested pastors can apply.
Statistics show that this search process most often takes between 18 and 24 months. Meetings are usually weekly but can be more frequent, as the committee digs into the task before them. After an extensive search and interviews of finalists, the PNC will recommend a candidate to the congregation.
The Church Officer Nominating Committee is composed of Chuck Thompson, Chair; Scottie Bales, Andrew Beck, Beth Flannagan, and Heidi Harkleroad. We encourage you to contact any member of this committee for more information about the duties and expectations of the Pastor Nominating Committee.
May Session Highlights
PCUSA seal small FPC's Session of Elders met Monday, May 23, and was pleased to reflect upon God's continued provision for the church and to respond in grateful prayer. The Session celebrated the recent confirmation class's professions of faith, their baptisms, and their joining the fellowship at First Presbyterian Church. The Evangelism & Outreach Committee shared that the dates for the next intergenerational mission trip to Natal, Brazil, have been established: from May 26 through June 3, 2017. The E&O Committee also shared God's rich blessing in local care: the Neighborhood Outreach Team, Sharing Christ, Family Promise, and proposals for local hunger relief grants being made of the Holston Presbytery. Finally, the Finance Committee reported that the congregation's ongoing faithful commitment to their pledges allowed a positive cash flow (revenues minus expenses) for the month of April.
The Session of Elders wishes to remind all members of First Presbyterian Church that they are always welcome to attend its meetings. The Session meets on the fourth Monday of every month, at 7:00 p.m., in room 123. Each monthly agenda includes a time for members of the congregation to ask questions and voice concerns, whether in person, by letter, or by email. 
Don't Miss Mission Mondays in June!
FPC will hold Mission Mondays in June. Mission Mondays are an opportunity for families to get together and serve in the community. We will meet at the church at 10:30 every Monday in June. After meeting at the church we will go out to serve. We will possibly have an opportunity for lunch and playground time afterward. Details will be provided as they become available, or contact Lilly Osborne at losborne@fpcbristol.org. 
Next Family Promise Rotation Begins June 5
The first full week of June brings our turn in the local church rotation in the Family Promise of Bristol program. We are looking for volunteers to help us care for a homeless family at one or more points from late afternoon on Sunday, June 5, through early morning on Sunday, June 12. Here is a reminder of our volunteering needs.
Food
We need volunteers to bring in breakfast items or prepared dinners. Breakfast items and supplies should be brought to the church and left in the little kitchen by Sunday, June 5. Dinner should be brought in ready to serve at 5:30 each evening from Sunday through Saturday. This is most easily done by a family or a team.
Dinner Hosts
Dinner hosts come to the church by 5:30 to welcome our guests, eat with them, and stay until the overnight hosts arrive at 8:30. Some people find it easy to fix dinner and stay to host.
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.
Laundry
On the morning of Sunday, June 12, we will have piles of sheets, towels, and comforters to wash with bleach and return to the Family Promise closet at the church. This is a task that can be done at your convenience.
Contact Information
To volunteer for any or all of these tasks, or to ask a question or make a suggestion, please email Dottie Havlik at dhavlik@charter.net. If you know of folks who may want to help in any way, please encourage them to step forward, or ask Dottie to contact them. Thank you so much for your hospitality to our guests!
Help Inner City Youth through Urban Promise
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.
Fun Fusion Excursion
The fifth and sixth graders of our Fusion fellowship group had a wonderful time hiking and exploring the spillway of South Holston dam after church on Sunday, May 22.

What a beautiful day!

Fun Family Fellowship Next Wednesday at the Church
The Children's Ministries will hold a Fun Family Fellowship event next Wednesday, June 1, at 5:30 p.m. All three Fun Family Fellowship events planned for June will be held outside, behind the church. If it rains, we will use a room in the Children's Wing. The remaining gatherings in June are scheduled for the 15th and the 29th. Plan now to join us!
VBS News
The theme for this summer's Vacation Bible School is "Cave Quest: Following Jesus the Light of the World." VBS will meet at the church from 9:00 to 12:00 on the mornings of July 11-13. Lilly Osborne, Director of Children's Ministries, is the coordinator. Look for more information soon!
Thanks for Our Beautiful Courtyard
View from the entrance.

The church courtyard is especially beautiful this spring, and we have Bill Whisnant and Tom Daniel to thank for it. They have been working away faithfully to make it a joy to see and a place of serenity for those of us who are not bent over the push mower or hunched over the flowerbeds. Tom denies responsibility for much of it, reporting that Bill "is now the prime mover behind the courtyard, especially with the display of roses, pansies, and other colorful annuals." Tom claims to be "primarily the backup mower" now. However the responsibility falls, we give thanks to and for our volunteer gardeners! Give yourself a minute to step in and enjoy this quiet garden when you're at the church.



May June Come In?
Constantinople, May 29, 1453-ish
Can we call May 29 Ordinary Time when it is, in fact, End of the Middle Ages Day? Doubtful. We have no doubt, however, that Larry Connolly will have the lawn fit for ushering in another renaissance. That may or may not come this time around, but we can count on Roger Sikorski to do the thing right for World Environment Day, June 5. Dan Gross will take it from there to give us a well-groomed lawn for June 12.
If you would like to help mow 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 pitch in for even a single morning or afternoon, please email Randy at npolecook@aol.com or call his cell at 423-956-1541. Thank you!
Party in the Fellowship Hall Sunday Evening!
Please join us in an anniversary and birthday celebration this Sunday, May 29, from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. Joyce and Sam Samuel will be the honored guests. It wouldn't be a party without goodies, so come enjoy pizza, cake, and soft drinks. Come one, come all, but please do not bring a gift!
From Steve & Vicki Fey
Music Notes
Sunday's music participants: Sanctuary Choir; Jenn Sproles, percussion.
Sunday's music: The Sanctuary Choir anthem, "Halle, Halle, Halle," is a traditional Caribbean song that has been transcribed by John Bell and Graham Maule, the music
Marty Haugen
and worship leaders of the Iona Community of Scotland. Marty Haugen, a noted American composer who has written music extensively for use particularly in the Catholic Church, added an accompaniment. He has also added verses to be sung over the repeating refrain with text drawn from a number of scriptural sources. As we continue in the celebration of the Spirit, this joyous affirmation is an appropriate addition to our worship.
Music participants for June 5: Sanctuary Choir; Pat Flannagan, director; Joby Bell, organist.
Substitute organist for June 5: While the Feys are on vacation, the substitute organist on Sunday, June 5, will be Dr. Joby Bell, Professor of Organ at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. The Feys first got to know Joby when they were working in Kingwood, Texas, and Joby served as organist at First Presbyterian Church of Houston while completing doctoral work at Rice University. Joby was the organ recitalist at the Montreat Conferences on Worship and Music when the Feys directed in 2015. An internationally recognized performer, he is one of the featured recitalists this summer at the national conference of the American Guild of Organists.
Parament color: Beginning this Sunday and continuing until November 20 (Christ the King Sunday), the color of the paraments in the Sanctuary is green. This time is referred to as the Season after Pentecost, or Ordinary Time. Through these months, the church follows the stories of the people of God in both the Old and New Testament, and green, a color of life, is appropriate to this full season of worship.
Elizabeth Patrick Completes Series on Holy Spirit

This Trinity Sunday, guest preacher Elizabeth Patrick completes her sermon series on the Holy Spirit in the communal life of the church and in our personal lives of faith. A member of FPC, Elizabeth is an ordained pastor of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and a graduate of Erskine College, Duke Law School, and Princeton Seminary. She served as solo pastor of Mt. Zion Presbyterian Church in Sandy Springs, South Carolina, before moving to Bristol. She and her husband, Dr. Bill Linderman, a professor of mathematics at King University, have two sons, Henry and Ben. 
Guest Preacher June 5: Dr. Don Hudson
Dr. Don Hudson
Our guest preacher for Sunday, June 5, will be Dr. Don Michael Hudson, who teaches Biblical and Religious Studies as an Associate Professor and Chair of the Philosophy and Religion Department at King University. He lectures and writes in the areas of Hebrew Language and Literature, Religion and Politics in a Global Context, Levantine Archaeology in the Late Bronze/Iron 1, and Religious Radicalism. He serves on the governing board of the King Institute of Faith and Culture and manages King's participation in the Tel Azekah archaeological dig with Tel Aviv University and Heidelberg University. He is the author of books and articles in the academic and trade arenas and is the cofounder of The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology.
ONE Worship Coming Up in July

In about a month and a half, we will hold another joint service at 10:30 a.m. Please join us Sunday, July 10, for ONE worship, to be held this time in the Fellowship Hall. As usual, all Sunday School classes will begin at 9:30. This will be a wonderful way for families to prepare for Vacation Bible School, which will be held July 11-13. Be sure to join us!
Prayers for Our Pastoral Searches
Please join our Session of Elders in prayers for both the continuing search for an interim pastor and the beginning of the process of finding our next full-time, installed pastor. The congregation is invited to join with the elders in these two opportunities. The first is daily at noon, praying wherever you may be. The second is as part of an open gathering every Wednesday evening at 6:00 in the church chapel. Materials, Bibles, and hymnals are available for this prayer time.
Pray for One Another
An extensive list of prayer concerns, "Pray for One Another," is available for pickup at the church each week.
 
In Our Prayers
Jude Chambers
Mark Dollar
Fred Frazier
DeeDee Galliher
Bill Goforth
Ron Grubbs
Sharon Hatcher
Vivian Hill
Nancy King
Harriette Massengill
Peggy Peters
Tony Raccioppo
Mary Rice
Al Thomas
Faye VanNostrand
 
Birthday Prayer Fellowship
May 29       Trevor Dowdell, Sandra Grubbs, Melody Wise
May 31       Ernie Pennington
June 1         Emily Estes, Sandi Nelson, Annette Tudor
June 2         Bella Bane, Heather Dotterweich
June 3         Nancy Butterworth
June 4         Sally Buck
June 5         Laurie Boyd
June 6         Stella Kite, Lisa McClain, Lynne Testerman
June 7         John Roberts, Sam Samuel
June 8         Beckham Schiesz
June 9         Courtney Cavatoni
No Newsletter June 2

This is the first newsletter of the biweekly summer schedule. The next issue of Windows will be delivered June 9. Thanks for reading!
Church Calendar
Sunday, May 29
8:30 a.m.       Worship, Fellowship Hall
9:45 a.m.       Sunday School
11:00 a.m.     Worship, Sanctuary
6:00 p.m.       Samuels' Party, Fellowship Hall
Monday, May 30
Church office closed for Memorial Day
Tuesday, May 31
9:00 a.m.       Staff Meeting, Room 123
10:00 a.m.     Morning Prayer Group
7:00 p.m.       Boy Scout Troop 3, Scout Wing
Wednesday, June 1
4:30 p.m.       Heart to Heart Steering Committee, Room 117
5:30 p.m.       Fun Family Fellowship, Behind Church
6:00 p.m.       Open Prayer Gathering, Chapel
7:30 p.m.       8:30 Worship Team Rehearsal, Fellowship Hall
Thursday, June 2
No newsletter this week
7:00 a.m.       Men's Bible Study, Parlor
12:00 p.m.     Noon Bible Study, Room 117
Sunday, June 5
8:30 a.m.       Worship, Fellowship Hall
9:45 a.m.       Sunday School
11:00 a.m.     Worship, Sanctuary
Monday, June 6
10:30 a.m.     Mission Monday, Meet at FPC
7:00 p.m.       Board of Deacons, Room 123
Tuesday, June 7
9:00 a.m.       Staff Meeting, Room 123
10:00 a.m.     Morning Prayer Group, Conference Room
7:00 p.m.       Boy Scout Troop 3, Scout Wing
Wednesday, June 8
6:00 p.m.       Open Prayer Gathering, Chapel
7:30 p.m.       8:30 Worship Team Rehearsal, Fellowship Hall
Thursday, June 9
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

Windows is a publication of First Presbyterian Church, Bristol, TN.  Please direct questions and suggestions to the editor, Kathy Acuff, kacuff@fpcbristol.org. Deadline for contributions is the Monday of the week of publication.