The Spires

THE

SPIRES

August 9 - August 15, 2009

Glorifying God through knowing Christ and making Him known

FROM THE Senior Pastor

As United Methodist, we stand firm in the biblical tradition of the prophets Isaiah, Amos, Hosea, and Micah to champion the cause of the weak and oppressed. We hear Micah pleading for us to do justice and love mercy as ways to express God’s love. The United Methodist Church has a long history of being involved with the poor. We take our clue from John Wesley who ministered to the marginalized in and around Bristol, England. Mr. Wesley served the poor in a variety of ways as a response to God’s grace through clinics, schools, soup kitchens, and other services. The poor listened to him because he cared and they will also listen to us if we show the same kind of compassion. It is within this backdrop that we are called to minister to the least of these as Jesus has called us to do in the gospels. It was the 1972 General Conference that called United Methodist to respond to the poverty found among the people of Appalachia and to develop strategies for mission and ministry. Resolution 4001, in the 2008 Book of Resolution, also issued this clarion call to ministry. The 2008 General Conference, by adopting four areas of focus, clearly identifies “engaging in ministry with the poor” as a top priority. It is the feeling that, “ministry with the poor will mobilize United Methodists to reduce poverty and embrace the poor as valued members of the family of faith.” Strategies include Bible study and prayer, confrontation with poverty’s root causes, health care, housing, employment, micro-loans, services to economic migrants, and public policy advocacy on a global scale. It is with this mandate that we offer this Regional Conference on Poverty in Appalachia: The Church’s Response to God’s Call. This conference will take place at First Broad Street United Methodist Church on September 11-12, 2009. Reservations may be made by calling the Missions Office at 224-1531 or www.abolishingpoverty.org. The objective is to train pastors and laity, to equip them to go back into their areas and address poverty issues in their communities. We will offer in this setting five focus areas: · Biblical/theological basis for the ministry of eliminating poverty · multi-dimensions of poverty · long-term solutions to poverty · congregational models that address poverty · policy changes The end result of our work will be to establish the Holston Conference Poverty Action Team. Shalom,

You Are Invited In the spirit of fellowship between United Methodist Churches within the area, we will be starting Unity Fellowship Services among Clouds Bend, First Broad Street United Methodist Church, St. Mark United Methodist Church, and Community United Methodist Church. The schedule is as follows: August 30 Clouds Bend November 29 First Broad Street January 31 Community May 30 St. Mark Our fellowship time will begin at 4:30 p.m. with supper. Please bring a covered dish. Worship will start at 6:00 p.m. The scriptures remind us how pleasant it is for us to dwell together in unity. Inside This Issue

News/Worship Children’s Ministry Youth Singles Fall Bible Studies Discipleship Opportunities “Don’t Miss This”

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Contact Us Church Office 423-246-4471 Prayer Line 423-224-1544 Reservations 423-224-1502 Child Care Ctr 423-224-1527 Fax Number 423-246-1361 website: www.fbsumc.org

CHURCH FAMILY NEWS

WORSHIP

Recently Hospitalized . . .

Tenth Sunday after Pentecost August 9, 2009

Holston Valley: Susan Cole Discharged: Denise McCreight, Bob McGinnis, Mattie Lou Wexler, Vangie Montgomery, Gina Parkerson, David Pond, Sr., Peg Owen, Helen Poole

Contemporary Worship Services Fellowship Hall -- 8:30 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. Scripture: John 6: 35, 41-51 Message: The Bread of Life Andrew Amodei

to Ross and Zula Johnson on the death of their son, Rick Johnson, who died July 28; and Sibyl Beals on the death of her brother, John F. Owens, who died August 2.

Traditional Worship Services Sanctuary -- 8:30 a.m. - 9:40 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. Scripture: Psalm 130 Message: Morning Comes Clark Jenkins

Stock Transfer

UBS called the Finance Office on July 24 stating that they had received a stock transfer of 200 shares of Amgen Inc. for the First Broad Street account, but they had no information about where the gift came from. If you gave this stock, would you please call Mary Jane at 224-1510 or Sue Ann at 224-1509 so that we can get this correctly credited to the donor and the account. Thanks.

Sunday School - 9:30 a.m. “Joy” TV Ministry: 9:30 a.m. *see below Radio Broadcast: 10:00 a.m., WKPT (1400 AM)

To Watch JOY TV

Recent Graduates

COMCAST SYSTEMS: We are broadcasting on Sundays at 12:30 p.m.; Mondays at 7:00 p.m.; and Wednesdays at 6:00 p.m..on the following stations: Abingdon, VA Ch. 2; Bristol & Gray Ch. 14. CHARTER SYSTEMS: We are broadcasting on Sundays at 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.; Mondays at 7:00 p.m.; and Wednesdays at 6:00 p.m. on Ch. 13 for Johnson City, Kingsport and Rogersville.

Leslie Deere, Master’s, Royal College of Art Angela Isaacs, Doctorate, University of Tennessee, Health Science

Thanks for Supporting the Strictly for Hunger Table

St. Mark’s United Methodist Church 9:30 a.m. Message: Janet Manning

The Strictly for Hunger table has been sponsored this summer by the following Sunday School classes: Builders, Pairs and Spares, Greer Memorial, Crusade, Families in Christ, Believers and Inquirers. Their support has helped us to collect additional donations for our Food Ministry, which receives numerous requests for assistance each week. You can bring garden produce and baked goods or shop on Sunday and help feed families in our community. If your class would like to sponsor the table for one Sunday, please contact Melinda King at 288-5193 or [email protected].

Our Father’s Place 4:00 p.m. in the Chapel Message: Mary Lee Bagwell

Evening Worship in recess for summer to resume on September 20

E.O.R.O.

After Hours “On Call” List for the Week

Each One Reach One is the theme for our adult Sunday School classes between now and September. Each class has been given the names of FBS members who are not currently in a Sunday School Class. We hope to have a huge crowd in Sunday School on August 9, which is High Attendance Sunday. For more information about which Sunday School Class you might like to attend, please contact Margaret Deans at 224-1513. Thanks and hope to see you Sunday!

Sunday, August 9 Janet Manning 341-9233 Monday, August 10 Clark Jenkins 292-2795 Tuesday, August 11 Andrew Amodei 765-6197 Wednesday, August 12 Clark Jenkins 292-2795 Thursday, August 13 Andrew Amodei 765-6197 Friday, August 14 Jack Weikel 292-9000 Saturday, August 15 John Wilson 723-9998

August 2, 2009 Morning Worship Our Father’s Place Total Worship Attendance Sunday School

Chancel Arrangements . . . The chancel flowers are from the wedding of Angie Isaacs and Charlie Hartman on August 8.

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DISCIPLESHIP OPPORTUNITIES Nurturing - The Social Principles

Directory Prayer Ministry

AUGUST -OCTOBER 2009 Please begin praying for your new folks on Saturday, Aug. 1. Thanks so much for your faithfulness to this ministry.

We continue with our Nurturing Community section of the Social Principles. Just as a side note I will have returned from school by the time you read this. I will have to say that the nurture I receive from my church family is essential. I have missed seeing and being with you. It is good to be home. I know that there are some of you who read my article and are bored to tears with the Social Principles, but I feel it is important for the body of Christ, being the Church, to know what we take a stand on. So, to those of whom I am speaking, please bear with me. This too shall pass. • Adoption: We believe that children are a gift from God that are to be loved and nurtured. We affirm and support those parents who choose to give their child up for adoption. We recognize that this must be a tremendously difficult decision. We also affirm and encourage those who do adopt and expect to rear that child as they would their own biological child. We support the legal process, but also, open adoption so that a child may know all information and people related to them. We support foster care, international adoption, and domestic adoption as well. • Care for Dying Persons: We celebrate the fact that medical science has been able to extend human life, but we know that every human being at some point will inevitably die. “As Christians we must always be prepared to surrender the gift of mortal life and claim the gift of eternal life through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.” We support palliative care, but also understand when a family has to make a decision to discontinue medical measures. We urge all persons to talk with their family about their own desires for care. Faithful care of dying persons extends past their life to support their loved ones that are left behind. We reject euthanasia and any pressure upon the dying to end their lives. • Suicide: Of course, we don’t believe that suicide is a way to end human life, but often it is the result of depression or untreated pain and suffering of some form. We believe that all persons should be entitled to pastoral and medical care to assist with these issues. We also believe as Paul says in Romans 8:38-39, that a Christian perspective on suicide still affirms that nothing, including suicide, can separate us from the love of Christ. We deplore the condenmation that goes to the one who has committed suicide and to the stigma that their family and friends may incur. We are called to be the “Church” the body of Christ. Let us not grow weary, but be of good courage to strengthen and encourage one another. Share the Faith,

Duke Dukart– p. 1 ( Abbott – Dwain Arnold) Alice McKee– p. 2 (Loretta Arnold – Baldock), new members, and staff Pam Hutchins– p. 3-4 (Baldwin –Dail Blalock) Betty Fletcher – p. 5 (Denise Blalock –Bragg) Sara Jo Bardsley– p. 6-7 ( Bramble – Calixtro) Whitney Ross– p. 8 ( Calliham – Casey) Ann Thompson - p. 9 (Catron –Click) Cindy Lemons p. 10 (Cliffton –Cornell) Melanie and Michael Harris– p. 11-12 ( Corson-Debow) Linda Coffey– p. 13 ( Debusk-Dorton) Pam Johnson– p. 14 (Dossett – Nancy East) Nancy Fritz– p. 15 ( Todd East –Bill Evans) Garry Myers– p. 16-17 ( Don Evans – Gall) Bob West– p. 18-19 ( Galloway – Grimm) Darres Carter– p. 20-21 ( Grizzle –Jill Harris) Wayne Garland– p. 22-23 (Mike Harris –Holt) Josie Reid– p. 24 ( Honeycutt-Isley) Kathy Ladley– p. 25 ( Jackson – Andy Jones) Joyce Russell– p. 26 (Anne Jones- Kesterson) Suzan Alley– p.27 ( Ketron – Stephanie Krein) Barbara McCants– p. 28 ( Steven Krein – Isaac Larkey) Linda Martin– p. 29-30 ( Linda Larkey –Marine) Frances Eldreth – 31 ( Marshall – McCurry) Nancy Tate– p.32-33 ( McDaniel – Monroe) Debbie Wallace– p. 34-35 (Montford –Newman) Betsy Geiger– p. 36-37 (Nichols – Paulonis) Margaret Kennedy–p. 38( Peace-J.D. Poe) Sharon Blevins– p. 39-40 ( Jim Poe-Reel) Gail Dyson – p. 41- 42 ( Reeves- Bob Russell) Bob George– p. 43-44 (Rick Russell -Siner) Gail Preslar and Milton Nelson– p.45-46 (Sites – Kent Still) Mae Crowe– p. 47-48 (Stanley Still – Tholstrup) Barbara Smith – p.49-50 (Thomas – Debbie Wallace ) Karen Starnes – p. 51 -52 ( Wallin –Windle) Sarah Simpson– p. 53 ( Winegar-Zoeller)

The Read ‘Em and Reap Book Club Join the Read ‘Em and Reap Book Club at FBSUMC to discuss The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Shaffer and Barrows on Thursday, September 17; The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls on Thursday, October 15; and Broken for You by Stephanie Kallos on Thursday, November 19. Mingle and munch begins at 6:15 in the Church Library followed by discussion from 6:30 to 7:30. For more information, please contact Beth Geno at [email protected] or Kay Ann Smith at 288-2468.

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First Broad Street United Methodist Church P.O. Box 1346 Kingsport, TN 37662 423-246-4471

A MESSAGE FROM THE BUSINESS ADMINISTRATOR

Bloomingdale Retreat Center Our Bloomingdale Retreat Center is a beautiful sanctuary and asset of our Church. It covers about sixteen acres of land located at 1379 Bloomingdale Pike, only a five to six minute drive from the Church. The first half of this property was donated to the Church in 1996, but it wasn’t used much until after 2000 when the city ran a sewer line through the property which opened it up for a variety of uses. Hoyt Denton led a study team that identified uses that would support our ministries, improvements needed, and an implementation plan and presented recommendations to the CLC in March, 2002. Shortly thereafter, the second half of the property was donated that makes this a fairly self-contained area. Since these initial recommendations and the Retreat Center expansion, we have seen many improvements put into place largely though Eagle Scout projects, volunteer efforts, and a few funded projects. We have been able to put in an entrance road, build a parking lot and install a sign. Landscaping around the entrance and sign was an Eagle Scout project. A gravel road has been built to the bottom of the hill and a culvert has been installed in the main creek enables vehicular traffic into the lower part of the property. The Teammates Sunday School class funded the installation of a bridge and picnic shelter that was constructed under the very able leadership of David Draper and Bob McGinnis. A walking bridge was built at Cathedral Spring by our youth group. A recreation field was cleared and seeded by a number of volunteers. A number of trails have been cleared and developed mostly as Eagle Scout, Boy Scout and Girl Scout projects. A play area was installed across from the picnic shelter, another Eagle Scout project. A baptismal pool was build by volunteers and has been used by several Confirmation classes. Scouts and volunteers have planted hundreds of wild flowers, flowers and trees. A fire ring with seating was built as an Eagle Scout project. Two handicap accessible restrooms were constructed last year as an Eagle Scout project and we have just completed hooking these up to water and sewer. This will allow us to get rid of our Port-o-lets. Two kiosks to provide directions and information have just been completed as part of another Eagle Scout project. All of these projects have made significant additions to the utility and attractiveness of Retreat Center. And the work goes on. About a month ago, I received a call from a young man, Wade Collins of Troop 250 (not FBSUMC’s Troop), asking if we had any potential Eagle Scout Project. I had several possibilities and I had him contact Bill Grigsby. It wasn’t long until we had a proposal to do the considerable amount of work necessary to have our Retreat Center certified as a wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. I know our resident beaver who has been chewing down a number of trees is going to appreciate this. Our Retreat Center has been used for a variety of gatherings this summer and the next big event is the Church Family Picnic on Sunday, September 13th. I hope you will make plans to attend. If your Sunday School class or other group is planning a get together, please consider using our Bloomingdale Retreat Center. It will certainly give you an opportunity to enjoy and appreciate God’s wonderful world.

Non-Profit Org. U.S.PostagePd. Kingsport, TN Permit NO. 169

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GO GREEN! Read your Spires on line and cut out your paper copy by e-mailing [email protected]. Please provide your e-mail address to the Church Office so that we can notify you when the newsletter is updated. You may also opt to simply visit www.fbsumc.org and click on “Newsletter.” The new edition of the newsletter is updated by Tuesday noon each week.

Lunch Bunch The Lunch Bunch will go to Dandridge Seafood and Italian Restaurant in Dandridge, TN, on August 21. The bus will leave the Wanola parking lot at 11:00.

“Bring One” Items The Bring One items for the week of Sunday, Aug. 9, will be spaghetti sauce & noodles. The items for the week of Sunday, Aug. 16, will be canned corn, green beans, peas, and fruit. Thank you for your support.

All Church Men’s Choir As our tradition has been in recent years, all the men of the church are invited to sing at the 8:30 a.m. traditional service on each of the fifth Sundays of the year. The next fifth Sunday is August 30th so come join other men in singing praise to God. We meet at 8:00 a.m. in the Choir Room to work on a hymn or easy anthem to sing in worship. Dress is casual or regular Sunday clothes.

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