Featured Ministry

Noisy Offering

On Sunday, September 20, during our worship service, we will be collecting a Noisy Offering for the Olive Branch Mission. This money will go to Scarlette Jasper for purchases toward Christmas boxes.

Please consider prayerfully how much you can donate to support this impactful ministry and partner as we love God and love others together.

Hymn Sing

Sunday, September 20, 2:00 pm

Room 105

Calling Them Like I See Them

A reflection from Rory

I want to express my appreciation for the ways that you all have reached out and supported my family in this time. If you hadn’t heard, Gigi’s father died unexpectedly in an accident last week. It was sudden and jarring. The most common response I got from people was, “I don’t know what to say.” As the one who preached his funeral, neither do I. Words are one of the things I’m good at, but it’s in times like these that I realize how clumsy and impotent words can be.

What makes the difference aren’t the “right words” or doing the right thing at the right time. I don’t even know what those would be. What makes the difference is the showing up. More than anything I said or any songs that were played or any particular ritual performed, what meant the most at the funeral was that every seat was filled and that the receiving line took a 20 minute wait for the entire 2 hours. What meant the most were people who showed up and cared enough to be there.

What helped the most, that I witnessed, was this family gathering together for a meal after the services. 120 people served by a dozen women who make it their mission to host and feed people in this situation. My father-in-law was one of those dozen before he passed. At the meal, we talked and told stories and realized how connected we all were. And we ate our daily allotment of calories in homemade coconut cake and banana pudding. That always helps.

Y’all didn’t know Barry Kerr, but I think you need to know this part. He was a man who showed up and lived faith in the world. He didn’t always have the right words, and he admitted when he didn’t. But he showed up for people. He cared enough to be there. The longer I go on in ministry, the less I care about hearing more Jesus talk in the world. What I long for is seeing more Jesus in action in the world. Y’all have done that for my family this past week. Thank you. Now go and do likewise for another.

Peace, Rory

Before His Presence with Singing

“Let those refuse to sing who never knew our God”

By the time I was in second grade, at seven years old, I was already captivated by everything about church music – the organ especially, but also the choir.

My family’s seat in church gave me a clear view of our church organist and her routine: walking into the service, changing from street shoes to organ shoes, setting her registration, playing the prelude and offertory, and accompanying the hymns. After church, I always made a beeline to the organ to watch her play the postlude up close. The whole ritual had me bewitched.

The organ was a two-manual instrument with pedalboard. I was fascinated by how one keyboard could produce one kind of sound while the other produced something different.

Our second grade desks had a storage compartment beneath the desktop. To most of my classmates, that compartment held books and school supplies. To me, it was a two-manual organ. I spent way too much class time pretending to play the organ at church. One keyboard for one kind of sound, the other for another – and, of course, the floor was my pedalboard. My teacher caught me at this more times than I can count – and apparently more times than I realized.

One day, a select ensemble from the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra came to our school to perform and teach us about the orchestra. At one point, the leader offered some of us second graders the baton. “Would you like to conduct the orchestra?”

My teacher, knowing how fascinated I was with music, pointed them to me. “Tim? Would you like to conduct the orchestra?” I froze. I was embarrassed. Mortified! I loved music and was enamored with making music, but only in a totally private way. At home, I pretended to play the organ, I pretended to direct the choir. But those were my fantasies. That was my imagination – not for others to see.

My teacher coaxed and encouraged but I refused.

I still regret that. I regret my timidity and shyness. I allowed embarrassment and self-centeredness to keep me from sharing something I loved.

That memory comes back to me when I look out on our congregation during a hymn and see someone standing silently, sometimes without even holding a hymnal. I am tempted to admonish such reluctance. But then I remember the little boy who refused the baton, hiding his love of music from the world. So, I read this hymn line with sharpened ears: “Let those refuse to sing who never knew our God.”

Scripture calls us to sing. Commands us to sing. It is an imperative in at least 12 psalms, and some of those repeat the imperative multiple times.

I pray for the words – and the demeanor – to encourage those who remain silent, for whatever reason. Perhaps I can coax someone into finding their voice. God wants to hear you sing. And He wants us to experience singing for Him.

I wish someone had coaxed me more successfully when I was seven.

In Christ, Tim

Give

Ecumenical Storehouse Needs

The Ecumenical Storehouse needs the following donation items:

• Pillows (Queen and King sizes)
• Mattress covers (King and Queen sizes)
• Manual can openers
• Blankets (King and Queen sizes)

Friday, September 18

Movie Discussion

Movie: Stranger than Fiction (2006), starring Will Ferrell.

Viewing: Streaming on many platforms for about $4.

Time and place: Friday, September 18, 6:30 pm at Joy Reedy’s home.

October 1st

The Pumpkins Are Coming!!!

Monday, October 5

October FBCFBC

Join us in the library at noon on Monday, October 5, as Lela Moore leads a discussion of Theo of Golden by Allen Levi. This book was self-published in 2023 before becoming a word-of-mouth sensation, hitting bestseller lists, and later being picked up by Simon & Schuster. The story is this: An elderly man named Theo comes to Golden, a small Southern city. There he visits the local coffeehouse where he sees portraits of the townspeople, portraits drawn by a local artist. Theo decides to purchase each portrait and give it to the rightful owner. With each meeting, Theo learns more about the person, who comes away inspired by his kindness and generosity.

Saturday, November 7

Ladies, Listen Up!

November 7th is just around the corner, and you do not want to miss the FBC One Day Women’s Retreat!

Our theme this year is Bloom Where You Are Called, and it is going to be an absolutely incredible day of renewal and inspiration. We’ll be here from 8:45 am to 3:00 pm.

Registration is officially open! To lock in your spot, simply email Lola at fbcoffice@fbcoakridge.org. You can also grab a flyer with all the details out in the lobby.

Sign up soon, and let’s get ready for an amazing day together!

Children’s Volunteers

Sunday Schedule

Sunday, September 20
11:00 am Nursery: Bev Burgan & Jodie Johnson
Children’s Church: Debbie Johnson & Polly Smith

Sunday, September 27
11:00 am Nursery: Mitzi Thomas & Jackie Laney
Children’s Church: Linda Bunton & Lela Moore

Our Staff

Pastor: Rev. Dr. Rory Naeve
Minister of Music: Rev. Tim Bounds
Minister of Children: Hannah Simic
Minister of Youth: Rev. Shawn Simic
Church Secretary: Lola Murray
Facilities Manager: Chris Peterson

Wednesday Services

6:00 pm – Prayer Meeting & Bible Study
7:15 pm – Chancel Choir Rehearsal

Sunday Services

10:00 am – Sunday School
11:00 am – Morning Worship
5:30 pm – Feast (Youth)