Hebron Highlights*

‘Hebron’ was the original name of the 1790 congregation that is now

‘Jonesborough Presbyterian Church’

August, 2019

Jonesborough Presbyterian

Church 128 West Main Street

P O Box 383

Jonesborough, TN 37659

423-753-6162

Pastor: Reverend Allen Huff

Clerk of Session: Bill Reese

Treasurer: Sarah Gibson

Office Staff: Monica Moore

Music Director: Cherry Smith

Youth Director:

Brooke Ransdell

Pianist: Jeri Paolini

Nursery: Debbie Walls

Leigh Anne Hieronymus

WebMaster: Bill Reese

Newsletter Editor:

Monica Moore

Parish Nurse: Carol Jernigan

Dear Friends,

August 2019 Dear Friends, In recent years, I have, like many others, struggled with the diminishing presence and relevance of the Church in the world. In the face of an uncertain future, I sometimes feel the discouragement so acutely as to imagine finishing out my working years doing something other than “professional ministry.”

When pondering why the Church is losing ground, I can’t get away from how far that we, the ecclesia, the “called out ones,” have simply turned inward. We do need to define ourselves clearly. It just seems to me that we’ve traded the certainty of finite definitions (doctrines, policies, and procedures) for the demands of the much more open-ended path of Jesus-following faith. As important and helpful as creeds, policies, and procedures can be for the Church, they all-too-easily become the focus of our labors to the exclusion of Jesus’ call to live lives of humility, compassion, mercy, justice, and peace, all of which are components of Love.

My moments of discouragement disturb me, but I have, so far, managed to return to my conviction that the Church, for all its petty shortcomings and perilous idolatries, is still the Body of Christ. Who we fundamentally are is not determined by how we explain atonement or perform baptism, but how we embody Resurrection, how we express gratitude, joy, and indignation, how we embrace people (within and beyond our congregations) who suffer from hunger, poverty, grief, trauma, and neglect, and how we care for a planet straining ever more feverishly to sustain all the lives that depend on it.

We are The Church when we trust our whole selves to God, whose Creation teems with such gratuitous beauty and diversity and such heartbreaking anguish as to shout to all with ears to hear that Agape Love transcends every distinction of ethnicity, race, and religion. When we fail to reflect the transforming Love of Jesus, we become his antithesis, not his body. Christians operating such a “church” not only disconnect from the world, they endanger it with loveless judgments and fearful condemnations.

In First John we read these eternally defining words: “God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgment, because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. We love because he first loved us.

Continued on Page 2

Continued from Page 1 Those who say, “I love God,” and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen.” (1 John 4:16b-20) The word “love” has been bandied about so glibly that we often fail to feel its holy gravity pulling us toward all that God calls Beloved. And for the life of me, even when I get bewildered into despair, I can’t think of anyone or anything that gets excluded from God’s Belovedness. As long as even a few prayer-actioned disciples continue to embody their Belovedness and to seek it in others, the Church will remain. In some form. So, for better or worse, here I stand. In the Church. In Love. Shalom,

Allen

Congregational Meeting: We will have a congregational meeting following worship on Sunday, August 11. The purpose of this meeting will be to vote on their slate of new officers for the Class of 2022.

Session Highlights Session Meeting Summary - July 23, 2019

Mary Noel has resigned as Clerk of Session and from the Session due to her and Bob moving to Asheville,

NC at the end of July. Bill Reese was elected as Clerk to serve for the remainder of 2019.

Mark McCalman was received into membership on transfer of letter from Munsey Memorial Methodist

Church in Johnson City.

We had a very successful Vacation Bible School in July, serving 12 children with help from a lot of

dedicated volunteers from our congregation.

Mission dates to remember:

August 19 & 27 – Family Promise

Saturday, October 5 – Loaves and Fishes

Saturday, Sept. 21 – Mental Health First Aid

December 23 & 26 – Family Promise

The sanctuary air conditioning replacement has been completed and all invoices paid.

The Nominating Committee has prepared its recommendations for the Session class of 2022. A

congregational meeting was set for Sunday, August 11 following morning worship to hold the election of

elders.

August Lectionary Readings Eighth Sunday after Pentecost - August 4 Hosea 11:1–11; Psalm 107:1–9, 43; Colossians 3:1–11; Luke 12:13–21 Ninth Sunday after Pentecost - August 11 Isaiah 1:1, 10–20; Psalm 50:1–8, 22–23; Hebrews 11:1–3, 8–16; Luke 12:32–40 Tenth Sunday after Pentecost August 18

Isaiah 5:1–7; Psalm 80:1–2, 8–19;

Hebrews 11:29-12:2; Luke 12:49–56

Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost August 25

Jeremiah 1:4–10; Psalm 71:1–6;

Hebrews 12:18–29; Luke 13:10–17

Family Promise August 19th and 22nd

Please volunteer there is a signup sheet in the narthex

*Beginning Aug 1st weekly Al-Anon Meetings 7:00 PM in the Youth Room

JPC’s Film Group will meet on the second and fourth Monday of each month @ 7:00 PM

Jonesborough Yarn Party Monday August 12, 6:00-8:00 pm in the Fellowship Hall, we meet the second Monday of each month. It is a social group that gets together once a month to knit, crochet, or spin. It's a fun way to meet others in the community that shares this interest. If anyone has questions, please ask Emily Webb or Deb Burger. Everyone is welcome!

August, 2019 Events Calendar Thur 1st *Beginning Aug 1st weekly Al-Anon

Meetings 7:00 PM Youth Room Sat 3rd *Shalom Circle 10:30 am Sun 4th *Book Study 5:00 PM Mon 5th *Admin 6:00 PM Wed 7th *C L&M 5:30 PM Sun 11th *Picnic/Cookout/Swim at the Saylors’ *Book Study 5:00 PM Mon 12th *JBO Yarn Party 6:00 PM *Film Group 7:00 PM Sat 17th *Scrapbooking 11:00 am Sunday 18th *Book Study 5:00 PM Mon 19th *Stewardship & Finance 6:30 PM *Family Promise Tue 20th *Worship 6:00 PM *Christian Ed 7:00 PM Thur 22nd *Women’s A Capella Group 10:00 Thur 22nd *Family Promise Sat 24th *Memorial service 11:00 am for

Sara Jane Florence, lunch will follow Sun 25th *Missions following Worship Service *Book Study 5:00 PM Mon 26th *Film Group 7:00 PM Tue 27th *Snack & Yack 12:00 PM (Earlier Time) *Session 6:30 PM

Special note for all choirs, all practice will resume the week August 11th.

August Assignments August Comm. Prep Team: Irene Mitchell, Charlotte Pahris August Communion Servers: Russell Mays, Susan Widener, Jeff Jernigan, Bill Reese & Pam Dunn

August Elder on Call: Pam Dunn August Offering Counters: Gordon Edwards Susan Widener August Greeters: Susan & Dan Widener

PLEASE

Connect with us Audio of sermons is now on the church web page Online: Web Page: www.jpcusa.org Office emails: office@jpcusa.org Phone: 423-753-6162 Pastor Allen’s sermons can be found on his blog: https://jabbokinthefoothills.blog.

If you do not see your Birthday listed in the

Bulletin or Newsletter, please call Monica in the

church office (423)753-6162 or email the

church office office@jpcusa.com

August Birthdays

Sara Cash 3

Charlotte Pahris 7

Rebecca Wolfe 11

Ed Logan 14

Jesse Dykes 15

Jeri Paolini 17

Brooke Ransdell 17

Ann Florence 18

Karen Childress 22

Susan Hager 26

Patty Starkey 30

Please Pray For the Following People (For those in our congregation who are aware of illness or life events among our

long-time or infrequent congregants, please notify the church office 753-6162 and Allen We continue to strive to keep our prayer ministry active and alive. Thanks to all who participate in this vital ministry of the church. Church Members: Evelyn Adams, Mary Bray, Summer Buchanan, Sara Nan Byrd, Betty Correll, the Crow and Knight families, Kathie Dameron, Pam Dunn, Joseph Dykes, the Florence family, Charlotte McDonald, Jill Sauceman, Bob Scheu, Richard & Rhonda Schwerdtfeger, Cherry Smith, Cheryl Smith, Larry Smith, Tony Smith, Ruth Verhegge, Beverlee Wightman On-going Prayers for our Homebound Members and Friends: Alisa & Barbara Goolsby, Elizabeth Hoss, Brenda Young (mother of Leslie Sharpe) Church Prayer List of Friends and Relatives Renee Weems Bennett, Arlene & Ed Binney (Carole Isom’s aunt & uncle), Margaret Bollman (Jim’s mother) Melissa Bauers (Kathie Dameron’s daughter), MaryAnn Eppich, (Heather’s mother, son & daughter-in-law of Pat & Jim Bollman), Pat Bond, Robert Bowers, Glen Burkett (Gary’s brother), Jim Brandt, Brooke Brantner (granddaughter of Richard and Rhonda Schwerdtfeger), Kay Brown, Lucille Broyles, Buchanan/ Curtis family, Nicholas Chambers, Ray Clayton, Wade Cole, Cliff Dameron (Kathie Dameron’s father), Lucy & Larry Daniel (friends of Shirley Ratliff), Tony Davis (nephew of Eva Garst), Tony Denton, Don Donoghue and family, the family of Pam Dunn, Mike Eads (friend of Jill Sauceman), Lois Earing (Karen Earing Winter’s mother), Todd Eastet, J.R. Ellis, Kris and Mary Ann, Gabe Filson, Melanie Fitz, Becky Floyd (friend of Chuck Collins), Ken France (friend of Gordon Edwards), Lynn & Anne Franklin (friends of Becky Wolfe), Faith Fullbright (granddaughter of Jim & Charlotte Pahris), Regina Fullbright (daughter of Jim and Charlotte Pahris), the family of Michelle Story Garst, Curt Gentry, Jan Gould, Mary & Jerry Graves, James Gregg, Haley Gregory (Becky Wolfe’s niece), Amy Harr, Mary Helfrich (Bob McDonald’s sister), Joyce Harrison (friend of Marat Moore), Emma Harrod (daughter of Mark & Jodi Harrod, Jan Hearne, Carol Hieronymus Robin Hill, Allison Holt, Joe Huffman, Joe Hyder (Cousin of Joanne Comer), Patty Ivens (friend of Becky Wolfe), Rose Jackson, Stevan Jackson, Barbara Kirchner (sister), Bob Kirchner (son), Bill Lockhart, Randy Logan (Rebecca Comer’s brother-in law) Charlsie Lowe, Ross & Gaynell McGee, Angie McGee, Cheryl McLaughlin, Joshua & Catherine Marshall, Diana Miller, Vincent Miller (Shirley Ratliff’s brother), John Mills (Ann Florence’s son), Eric Montgomery, Family of Faye Mitchell, Barbara Leonard Morrison, Darcy Murphy (great niece of Eva Garst), Henry Owens (Kathie Dameron’s nephew), Michelle Pahris (Jim & Charlotte’s daughter), Jeri Paolini, Melanie Phipps (Bob and Charlotte McDonald's daughter-in-law), Amy Strickland, Carol & Jacob Plummer, B.J. Roberts, Doris Robinson, Lawson Salinas, Carol Scott, Michael and Darlene Senft, Audrey Hill Sinisi (Joanne Comer’s cousin), Heather Sheets (Ann Florence's daughter), Judy Shelton, Dorothy Jackson Shell, Walter Sherfey, (friend of Sam & Irene Mitchell), Susan Stacy, Sonya Stacy) Emily Sloan, Jean Soergel, John and Ylonda Spears (cousin of Charlotte Pahris), Michael Smelser, Nancy Sullivan, Edie Stephens, Carrie Stewart & family, Pat & John Taylor, Brenda Tilley (Pauline Douglas’s friend), Emma Treadway, Janet Walker, Billy & Beth Whittington, Mary Sanders, Brownie Walton, Wanda Ward, Dean Wells, John Wilcox (Brother in law of Charlotte & Bob McDonald) Drane Wilkinson’s family, Ruth Williams

If you have a prayer request, please call the church office,

(423) 753-6162, or send us an email: www.jpcusa.org You may also fill out a prayer request card, located near the visitor’s book and in the pews, and drop your

prayer request in the offering plate.

A Memorial Service will be held for Sara Jane Florence on Sat. Aug. 24, 2019 at 11 a.m., with lunch to

follow, at Jonesborough Presbyterian Church, 128 W. Main St. Jonesborough, TN.

The Rev. Allen Huff will be officiating. Sara Jane was the daughter of Wilma Florence, sister of Ann, Lea,

and Joe Florence. All are invited to join in celebrating her life.

PLEASE HELP! Anyone wishing to help at the JAMA Food Pantry on a 4th or a 5th Thursday of the month:

Please see Jim Cash for details. The Food Pantry welcomes your help in serving those in need

JAMA Food Pantry is in great need of: Soups, Peanut Butter, Flour, Sugar, Cornmeal, Jams, Jellies, Pork and Beans, Instant Potatoes, Cereals, Spaghetti & Sauces, Sugar, Dried Beans,

Canned Fruit, Meats, Vegetables & Large Paper Bags.

Snack & Yack – August 27th 12:00PM –Note the Earlier Time! One Acre Cafe

603 W Walnut St, Johnson City, TN 37604

Would you like to learn to be a better communicator, to listen more carefully and

compassionately? If so, the Congregational Care/Visitation team (Carol Jernigan,

Lee Clements, Mike Floyd, Zel Hester, Stuart MacLean, and Allen Huff) invite

you to participate in a six-week study on a book entitled Hearing Beyond the

Words by Emma J. Justes. The initial purpose of this biblically-grounded study

was to begin preparing a group of people to serve on a visitation/care team, but

the study is open to all who want to deepen their capacities for listening and

caring. The study group will meet on Tuesday afternoons, September 10-October

22, from 1:30pm-3:00pm in the Fellowship Hall. We will order the books on

August 20. To sign up, please call Monica in the church office (423-753-6162).

If you have any questions, please call Carol Jernigan (901-485-4280).

Health & Wellness Newsletter August 2019

Caring for One Another

In Steven Covey’s Book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, we learn that “Next to physical survival, the greatest need of a human being is to be understood, to be affirmed, to be validated, to be appreciated.”

In Dr. Gary Chapman’s Book, The 5 Love Languages, we learn that we all have preferences for how we communicate are feelings of appreciation and love for one another.

Dr. Jean Watson, in her book, Human Caring Science: A Theory of Nursing, she states, “As a beginning we have to learn how to offer caring love, forgiveness, compassion and mercy to ourselves before we can offer authentic caring, tenderness, compassion, love and dignity to others.

So my question to you is- Do you know your love language and the love language of those people that are in your life?

Here is a brief description of each language: Words of Affirmation – Mark Twain once said, “I can live for two months on a

good compliment.” Verbal appreciation and words of encouragement that can bolster confidence and overcome insecurities are included in this love language.

Quality Time- As Ram Dass once said, “Be Here Now”, It’s about focusing all your energy on the recipient. Aspects of this love language are self-revelation and sympathetic listening.

Tangible Gifts- Giving and receiving gifts that are personal and well thought out will be a means to deepening a relationship with the individual that prefers this love language

Acts of Service- Simple chores can be a very powerful expression of community and respect. Servant Leadership is based on this love language.

Physical Touch- A warm handshake, a pat on the back, or a consoling hug. This love language is different for everyone. It is important to learn one another’s preferences.

Stop by the Vital Signs Table to take a short quiz to find out your Language of Love and Appreciation!

Picnic/Cookout/Swim August 11, 2019 4:00 PM Frank & Rock Saylor*

Jes & Leigh Anne Hieronymus 1240 Skyline Drive

Jonesborough

Please bring your favorite side dish, salad or dessert

Cherry’s Musical Notes

*Sunday August 11th

Handbells will resume at 9:45 am *Wednesday August 14th

Choir will resume at 6:45 PM *Thursday August 15th

Golden Heirs will resume at 6:30 PM

The Session of Jonesborough Presbyterian Church

Class of 2019 Class of 2020 Class of 2021

Gordon Edwards Kathie Dameron Karen Welch Bill Reese Pamela Dunn Susan Hagar Pat Wolfe Ashley Wilson Russell Mays Jeff Jernigan Susan Widener

Clerk of Session: Bill Reese, Vice Clerk: Pam Dunn Session Ministry Teams Worship: Chair: Susan Widener, Vice Chair: Ruth Verhegge, Summer Buchanan, Jeri Paolini, Marcy Hawley, Cherry Smith, Emily Webb, Irene Mitchell, Marat Moore, Charlotte Pahris, Jill Sauceman, Eva Garst, Leigh Anne Hieronymus Christian Education: Chair: Bill Reese, Cherry Smith, Cheryl Smith, Marianne Huff, Brooke Ransdell, Kailey Amburgey, Josh Heltzel, Zach Weller, Kathy Mays, Kathie Dameron, Deb Burger Congregational Life & Membership Development: Chair: Kathie Dameron Teresa Hansen, Charlotte Pahris, Rebecca Comer, Sharon Anderson, Joanne Comer, Bunny Downing Mission: Chair: Ashley Wilson, Vice-Chair: Karen Welch, Terry Welch, Marilyn & Summer Buchanan, Carol Jernigan, Carol Salinas, Jonathan Webb, Karen Welch, Mark McCalman, Marianne Huff Property & Safety: Chair: Gordon Edwards Jim Cash, Graham Norman, Larry Garst, Jim Pahris, Bob Scheu, Tim Winter, Neil Comer, Rick Gibson, Andy Hixson, Pauline Douglas Stewardship & Finance: Chair: Pat Wolfe, Vice Chair: Jeff Jernigan, Jim Rhein, Recording Secretary: Bob McDonald. Treasurer: Sarah Gibson, Ray Marney, Eva Garst, Tim Winter, Scott Starkey, Allen Huff, Jeff Jernigan Administration: Chair: Pam Dunn, Vice Chair: Russell Mays, Mike Floyd, Hal Knight, Ruth Verhegge, Pat Wolfe, Mary Bray

Hebron Highlights August, 2019

Jonesborough Presbyterian Church P.O. Box 383 Jonesborough, TN37659