My First Blog: We hear often in sports to keep our ‘eye on the ball.’ In discipleship, our eyes are to be on Jesus. This is our struggle, isn’t it? Satan leads us astray with all “his worldly pictures.” If the job is our leader, if our hobby/sports team is our leader, then Jesus is no longer leading.

Remember: Keep your eye on the Savior!

We will discuss Matthew 16:24-28 next blog. Stay faithful, Gary

• Venture Kidz (2 yrs – 5th grade) will have a Back To School Bowling and Pizza lunch on Sunday, August 29th following 2:52 KIDS. We will return to the church at 4:00pm. There is no cost for the kids attending. Please sign up on the bulletin board outside of Amy’s office to help judge transportation needs. Any child who has not yet entered Kindergarten, must be accompanied by an adult.

• We will be having another church biggest loser weight loss competition starting in September. Anyone wanting to shed a few pounds with the help of Christian community is invited to attend a brief informational meeting on Sunday, August 29th after Sunday School in the Homebuilders classroom or see Jamie for more info.

• We will have a Singspiration on Sunday, August 29th at 6:00pm.  If you would like to participate, please see Alex.

• The Youth Group (grades 6th -12th) will be going to Putt- Putt after the evening service on Sunday, September 5th.

• On September 10th & 11th, the Children’s ministry department will have a yard sale, at Jim & Frances Blevins’ house, as a fundraiser to help offset the cost for upcoming activities and events. If you have any items you would like to donate for the yard sale, please bring them and place them in the storage building or call Amy if you need items picked up. Thank you!

• Homecoming will be Sunday, September 12th. Ronnie and Sue Downs will be with us. Ronnie is our former youth minister. He will preach during the morning worship service. We will have a covered dish lunch immediately following Sunday School. Duty Free, a bluegrass gospel group, will be singing during the morning worship service and then present a musical program immediately after lunch. Make plans now to attend and renew old friendships.

• The Hospice House is in need of canned drinks, styrofoam plates and bowls, napkins, paper towels, and Kleenex. There will be a boxin the vestibule to collect these items for the next couple weeks.

• Our Annual Congregational Meeting will be held on Sunday, August 22, immediately following the morning service.  A question and answer session will be held in advance of this meeting on August 18, following the Wednesday evening service.

• We will be having another “Singspiration” on Sunday, August 29 at 6:00 p.m.  If you would like to participate or learn more about this event, please see Alex.

• On September 10th & 11th, the Children’s ministry department (Venture Kidz) will have a yard sale, at Jim & Frances Blevins’ house, as a fundraiser to help offset the cost for upcoming activities and events. If you have any items you would like to donate for the yard sale, please bring them and place them in the storage building or call Amy if you need items picked up. Also, if anyone would like to help work the yard sale, see Amy. Thank you!

• Bristol Faith In Action serves families in our area by providing assistance to those in need. They have asked our church family if we could help collect packages of diapers, size Newborn and up.  If you can donate a package of diapers, please bring them to the church and place in the box in the vestibule. Thank you.

• The Ladies Prayer Breakfast will be August 7th from 8:00 to 9:00am at the Red Rooster Market. The speaker will be Dr. Deborah Dillard. Please see Linda Metcalfe or Judy Pierce for reservations.

• If you have a birthday in August and would like to go to breakfast on Saturday, August 7th at 8:00am at Perkins at exit 7, see Sharon Hutchinson or Janice Knapp.

• The Seekers class would like to invite the entire congregation to participate as they collect school supplies for the East Tennessee Children’s Home. Please bring you donated items to the church by August 8th, and place them in the box in the vestibule.

• Bristol Faith In Action serves families in our area by providing assistance to those in need. They have asked our church family if we could help collect packages of diapers, size Newborn and up.  If you can donate a package of diapers, please bring them to the church and place in the box in the vestibule. Thank you.

• On September 10th & 11th, the Children’s ministry department (Venture Kidz) will have a yard sale, at Jim & Frances Blevins’ house, as a fundraiser to help offset the cost for upcoming activities and events. If you have any items you would like to donate for the yard sale, please bring them and place them in the storage building or call Amy if you need items picked up. Also, if anyone would like to help work the yard sale, see Amy. Thank you!

Our next Wonderful Wednesday Community Dinner will be Wednesday, July 28 at 6:30 p.m. in our Fellowship Hall.  Invite your friends and neighbors.  Everyone is invited to this free dinner.

• Come to our Sunday evening service at 6 p.m. on April 18 and watch a very moving video on a Theology of Suffering by Joni Eareckson Tada.

• There will be a brief meeting for all walkers for the Camp ACC Walk-A-Thon immediately following Sunday School in the sanctuary on April 18.

• Appalachian Christian Camp’s Walk-A-Thon and Family Day: Saturday, April 24^th at the  Daniel Boone High School Track from 9:00am – 12:00pm.  There will be games and activities, live music, and several food stands.  If you are interested in going with our team or would still like to sponsor us, please see Amy Mullins.

• Our next Wonderful Wednesday Community Dinner will be Wednesday, April 28^th at 6:30pm.  The Homebuilders will host. We will have tacos.

• The 1^st Annual Tri Cities Women’s Prayer Breakfast will be Saturday, May 1, 2010.  Tickets are on sale now.  See Linda Metcalfe or Judy Pierce to purchase your tickets.

• Appalachian Christian Camp’s annual spring workday will be Saturday, May 8^th from 8:00am -4:00pm (lunch provided).  We’ll be cleaning, landscaping, and repairing.

• The Smokey Mountain Women’s Retreat will be May 21^st & 22^nd at Johnson Bible College.  For more information about cost and to register, go to www.jbc.edu.

• You’re invited to the Graduation Ceremony of Laura Hopkins & Terry Underwood at Bristol Tennessee High School Stone Castle on May 22, 2010 at 10:00am.  In case of inclement weather graduation will be in Viking Hall.

• Mark Your Calendar:  VBS will be June 26^th (kickoff) – July 2^nd.  Please be thinking about how you can serve this year and be in prayer for all the workers and children that will attend our VBS.  Be on the lookout for volunteer forms (coming soon) and a list of items needed for our Vacation Bible School this year.

• Invite your friends and neighbors to our next Wonderful Wednesday Community Dinner, which will be Wednesday, March 24^th beginning at 6:30pm. The Seekers class will be hosting. Our Wonderful Wednesday Community Dinners are held every fourth Wednesday of the  month.

Everyone should remember to set their clocks forward one hour on the evening of March 13, 2010 (or, by 2 a.m. on March 14, if you want to be official).

• The Sisters-In-Christ circle will meet Monday, March 1^st at 6:00pm at the church.

• Camp ACC’s annual open house is Saturday, March 6^th from 9:00am to 12:00pm.  Come meet the program directors and tour the camp.

• The Youth Group will be going to the Winter Jam Concert in Knoxville on Saturday, March 6^th from 3:00p.m. and arrive home around midnight. Cost is $10 at the door. Adults from the church are also invited to attend. If you are interested in going, there is more information and a sign up sheet outside Jamie’s office

• “Lunch and Learn” for the Audio/Video team, Saturday, March 13, from 11-2 p.m.  All sound and video techs are expected to attend this fun-filled and helpful training session.

• CHEER THEM ON!  Hallmark has a selection of encouraging cards for kids and they are giving them away for free!  Go by Hallmark until March 14^th and choose your card.  If you don’t have a kid to give it to, you can bring it to Amy to give to one of our kids here at church.

• Can you donate some items for our food pantry here at the church?  We need canned fruits, canned meats, mac n cheese, spaghetti noodles and sauce, powdered milk, peanut butter, rice, soups, etc.  We have plenty and do not need, at this time, any canned vegetables or beans.  There is a box available in the vestibule to collect your donated items.

• Appalachian Christian Camp is having a Walk-A-Thon on Saturday, April 24^th, from 9:00 – 2:00 at Daniel Boone High School.  Amy Mullins is a team leader and needs walkers and others willing to sponsor her and the team as we walk to raise money to keep the cost of camp low, raise scholarship funds, or help lower the camp’s debt.  Please talk to Amy if you are interested in becoming a walker or in sponsoring her team.  Thank you!

Our evening services (for children, youth, and adults) are canceled tonight, Wednesday, Feb. 10, due to the inclement weather.   Praise band rehearsal is canceled as well.

A verse to ponder on this wintry day:

“Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool” (Isaiah 1:18).