DECEMBER 2ND EDITION 2024 WEB

DECEMBER 2024 FEAR NOT: FOR, BEHOLD, I BRING YOU GOOD TIDINGS OF GREAT JOY, WHICH SHALL BE TO ALL PEOPLE. FOR UNTO YOU IS BORN THIS DAY IN THE CITY OF DAVID,

a Savior Christ the Lord.

WHICH IS

SECOND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

2NDPRES.ORG

My first Bible, probably like many of you, was a King James Version of the Bible. I received it from my aunt and uncle for Christmas in 1972 when I was 5 years old. (I’m sure I was thrilled.) I received my second Bible from the CE committee at church when I started 3rd grade. All the 3rd graders got one. They called us all down on Sunday morning during worship and presented us each with our very own red leather Bible.

Growing up, it was a day we all looked forward to.

That Bible was a Revised Standard Version, the preferred version for Presbyterians at the time.

I like going back and reading those first two Bibles from time to time. For a long time that’s pretty much all there was in America – the KJV and the RSV. Sure, modern translations have English that’s smoother and makes more sense, but there’s something comforting about reading the Biblical language from my childhood, even if it is less accessible and more difficult to understand. Something about it just seems more majestic. Take the story of Jesus’ birth, for example.

When the angel appears to the shepherds in the fields, Luke tells us they were “terrified”. That’s what the CEB and NRSV translations say. The RSV says they were “filled with fear”. All three of those translations are easier to understand than the KJV: “and they were sore afraid.” Yes - easier to understand but not nearly as mysterious!

Now let’s compare the next two verses. Luke 2:10-11 tells what the angel said: Don’t be afraid! Look! I bring good news… CEB Do not be afraid; for see – I am bringing you good news...NRSV

Those translations are both accurate and clearly understandable, but they aren’t majestic! Now, listen to this: Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news… RSV Fear not! For, behold, I bring you good tidings….KJV “Fear not!” Now that’s an angelic command! And it’s not just news the angel is bringing, it’s tidings.

Something has happened and we need to know it!

Also, notice that both the older translations use the word Behold instead of Look or See. Behold is a fantastic word! It’s not one we use very often these days, which makes it feel weighty, heavy, important.

Behold is a poetic word. Behold is meant to direct our attention to something important. Behold lets us know that this thing, this good news, these good tidings, this BIRTH is IMPORTANT! The modern equivalent would be, “Attention, everyone!”

Look and See are valid translations, but look and see are words we use every day. The birth of our Savior is not an everyday occurrence. It is something we should Behold – take in, witness, contemplate, hold onto. So I invite us all this holiday season to Behold Jesus. Let’s take some time each day to stop the holiday preparation frenzy and prepare our hearts for the “good tidings of great joy for all people.” Let’s gaze upon his beauty, rest in his presence, share with others the good tidings about his love. This Advent and Christmas season, may we become people who pay attention. May we be people who behold!

Grace and Peace...

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UPCOMING SERMON TEXTS & TOPICS This Advent we conclude the first part of our series on the narrative arc of Scripture, God’s Kingdom People. We will journey with the Israelites as their kingdom is divided, as the prophets confront them over their unfaithful behavior, and then as they are defeated and taken from their land. During this period, the Lord comforts his people through his prophets and promises a Savior who will rescue them from their enemies. On Christmas Eve we will begin Part II of our series by looking at the life of the Savior God provides.

December 1st

1 Kings 9-12

God’s Kingdom People: The Kingdom Divided

December 8th

Amos 1-2

God’s Kingdom People: The Prophets Confront Israel

December 15th

Jeremiah 31-35

God’s Kingdom People: The Prophets Comfort Israel

December 22nd

Micah 5

God’s Kingdom People: Israel Hopes for a Savior

December 24th

Luke 2:1-20

The Life of Jesus: Jesus’ Birth

December 29th

Matthew 2:13-23 The Life of Jesus: Escape to Egypt

5TH SUNDAY WORSHIP OUR NEXT 5TH SUNDAY WORSHIP IS DECEMBER 29TH. WORSHIP THAT DAY WILL BE IN THE FELLOWSHIP HALL. COME CELEBRATE THE NEW YEAR WITH WORSHIP AND FELLOWSHIP! 4

12.01 Geoffrey Kennedy 12.01 Kennen Robertson 12.04 Tinly Grimm 12.11 Sue Jacox 12.12 Kylie Beets 12.12 Jack Rosamond 12.14 Jim White

12.16 Mary Kay Sullivan 12.21 Kay Weaver 12.21 John Matlock 12.21 Doux Robertson 12.22 Lynda May 12.24 Ileen Cheek 12.28 Jessica Lewis 12.31 Emily Jones

IF WE INADVERTENTLY MISSED SOMEONE...HAPPY BIRTHDAY! PLEASE HELP US UPDATE OUR RECORDS SO WE'LL HAVE YOUR SPECIAL DAY ON FILE.

2ND WEDNESDAYS

AT SECOND PRES‌ DECEMBER 11, 6:00 P.M. IN THE FELLOWSHIP HALL

December 2nd Wednesday will be a Christmas Celebration!

We will have a great dinner with ham, mashed potato casserole, green beans, and corn pudding.

Please bring your favorite Christmas cookies to share.

After Dinner, we will sing Christmas carols!

It will be a wonderful way to begin the Christmas season with your Second Presbyterian family - feel free to invite other friends to share this fun event!

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PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN MEET DECEMBER 10TH! Don’t miss PW’s special December 10 meeting from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Second Church’s Fellowship Hall! As PW continues this year’s study of agencies that work to counter injustice, PW’s December program features Karen Cameron, a Knoxvillian that Second Church members befriended 22 years ago. She has never forgotten that time together.

Karen lives in a Habitat for Humanity house that Second Church members built for Karen over 20 years ago. Recently she paid off its 20-year mortgage! Attend the meeting, renew contact with Karen and hear her amazing life’s journey in her treasured home coupled with her personal pursuit of educational goals. Karen, now a grandmother, is a special education educational assistant working at the inner city Green Magnet Academy.

Join us for an inspiring morning with Karen’s story of struggle, determination, and success. Remember that Presbyterian Women’s monthly meetings are for all of the church’s members and visitors, regardless of gender.

CHRISTMAS

Join us for Christmas Caroling to visit some of our homebound and shut-in members on

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 15TH! We will meet at 1:30 p.m. in the church parking lot and travel together. After our caroling, we will enjoy hot chocolate and treats at the home of Helen Grant.

Everyone is invited to participate in this wonderful ministry of spreading Christmas cheer to those we don’t get to see regularly!

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WEST VIEW INTERNATIONAL NIGHT NOVEMBER 12, 2024

Attended by parents, students, teachers, and representatives from Second Pres and Westminster Pres (Community Partners). They had food samples from various countries, information tables for 17 countries, music performances, and dancing.

Big Turnout!

Thanks from the GO Team to all who attended the November 13th, 2nd Wednesday and helped fill 108 hygiene kits for Church World Services! The kits are on their way to CWS to be distributed where needed locally, nationally, and globally.

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The GO Team is responsible for extending the ministry of 2nd Presbyterian beyond the church both locally and globally through financial donations and volunteer activities. The team relies on the generosity of the congregation to fund their efforts and welcomes recommendations for donations and volunteer opportunities.

The team welcomes new members who wish to serve. The next meeting is Thursday, December 5th in the Barbour Room.

Disbursements: Presbytery of East Tennessee- $1,100 Gift Cards for West View Thanksgiving Baskets- $150 Retired Missionaries- $1000 Each year the GO Team sends $500 each to the Morgans (Les and Cindy) and the Dimmocks (Frank and Nancy). This is funded by Rennolds Endowments for that purpose with Session approval.

Tuition for Michael Marks- $4,500 Shipping for CWS Hygiene Kits- $216 This pays for the shipping for the Church World Services Hygiene Kits packed on the November 2nd Wednesday when they are distributed where needed locally, nationally, or worldwide.

Activities for October - November: October 16 – Volunteers served lunch at KARM October 24 - VMC Carry the Torch Luncheon October 30 - GO Team table at Fall Festival November 13 – GO Team sponsored 2nd Wednesday program filling 108 Hygiene Kits for Church World Services November 29 – Volunteers to serve breakfast at VMC GOing and Serving in 2024 and 2025 – Watch for upcoming volunteer opportunities at VMC, KARM, Love Kitchen, West View, Compassion Coalition, and others in upcoming weekly newsletters. Coming up in December – Love Kitchen.

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Tuition for Michael Marks Michael is a young boy from the Saint Marks Children’s Home and Orphanage in Tanzania. The director of the orphanage is Robert Marks Moshi who has visited our church. Robert is from the Maasai tribe as are most of the children at the orphanage and was an orphan himself. Tuition is for Michael to attend a private English language school. Michael is beginning junior high this coming year. 2nd Pres has been helping with Michael’s tuition for several years.

The Christmas Joy Offering provides assistance to current and retired church workers and their families in their time of need, and develops our future leaders at Presbyterian-related schools and colleges equipping communities of color.

The Christmas Joy Special offering will be received on Sunday, December 22nd and Christmas Eve, December 24th.

The 56th Annual Nativity Pageant of Knoxville Saturday, December 14 @ 3pm Monday, December, 16 @ 7pm

Sunday, December, 15 @ 3 p.m.

The one-hour performance starts in darkness; please arrive early to avoid searching for seats in the dark.

Knoxville Civic Coliseum 500 Howard Baker Jr. Ave., Knoxville, TN 37915 FREE EVENT - PARKING $5

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Received the Treasurer’s Report.

Received reports from the Preschool and Ministry Teams as information.

Approved the transfer of Brooke Frolich Morrell to Timber Ridge Presbyterian Church, Greeneville, TN. Approved the Go Team request that the Christmas Eve loose plate offering be included with the Christmas Joy Offering.

Approved the Go Team request to withdraw and use $200 from the West View Fund to be used to purchase some needed supplies for the school.

Approved the Go Team request to continue to send $500 to retired missionaries Les and Cindy Morgan.

Approved the Go Team request to continue to send $500 to retired missionaries Frank and Nancy Dimmock.

Approved the Facilities Committee’s request to provide $30,000 from Sprankle fund for preschool HVAC repairs.

HOLIDAY OFFICE HOURS The church office will be closed on Wednesday, Dec. 25th and Thursday, December 26th in observance of the Christmas Holiday.

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OCTOBER

YTD 2024

BUDGET 2024

TOTAL GIFTS

$72,565.82

$764,105.61

$833,965.00

TOTAL EXPENSES

$53,442.67

$682,616.10

$841,294.00

EXCESS (SHORTAGE)

$19,123.15

$81,489.51

($7,329.00)

9:15 a.m. Choir Practice 9:15 a.m. Faith, Science and Future Sunday School (Barbour Room) 9:30 a.m. Sunday School 10:30 a.m. Worship 10:45 a.m. Children’s Church 1:30 p.m. Christmas Caroling

9:15 a.m. Choir Practice 9:15 a.m. Faith, Science and Future Sunday School (Barbour Room) 9:30 a.m. Sunday School 10:30 a.m. Worship 10:45 a.m. Children’s Church

9:15 a.m. Choir Practice 9:15 a.m. Faith, Science and Future Sunday School (Barbour Room) 9:30 a.m. Sunday School 10:30 a.m. Worship 10:45 a.m. Children’s Church

9:15 a.m. Choir Practice 9:15 a.m. Faith, Science and Future Sunday School (Barbour Room) 9:30 a.m. Sunday School 10:30 a.m. Worship 10:45 a.m. Children’s Church

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9:15 a.m. Choir Practice 9:15 a.m. Faith, Science and Future Sunday School (Barbour Room) 9:30 a.m. Sunday School 10:30 a.m. Worship 10:45 a.m. Children’s Church

22

15

8

1

SUNDAY

30

23

10 a.m. Staff meeting (Small Conference) 5:30 p.m. Vision Task Force (Barbour Room) 6 p.m. Preschool Board Meeting (Zoom)

10 a.m. Staff meeting (Small Conference Room) 3 p.m. Budget Support Finance Team (Zoom) 4:30 p.m. Cross Ministries Board Meeting (Barbour)

16

9

2

MONDAY

31

9 a.m. Fish Pantry (Fellowship Hall) 5:45 p.m.Carol & Candle Lighting Service

24

8:45 p.m.Ukirk Basketball (Gym)

17

10 a.m. Presbyterian Women (Fellowship Hall) 5:30 p.m. Preschool Staff Party (Fellowship Hall) 6 p.m. Worship Team (Barbour Room) 8:45 p.m.Ukirk Basketball (Gym)

10

4:30 p.m. CONNECT Team 1 meeting (Barbour Room) 5 p.m. Preschool Christmas Concert (Sanctuary) 5 p.m. Facilities Support Team meeting (Zoom)

3

TUESDAY

25

18

11

4

CHURCH CLOSED

6 p.m. 2nd Wednesday Dinner & Program (Fellowship Hall)

WEDNESDAY

1 p.m. GO Ministry Team meeting (Barbour Room)

26 CHURCH CLOSED

10:00 a.m.

Arts & Crafts (Room 227)

19

12

5

THURSDAY

27

20

13

6

Deadline for Second Edition Articles

FRIDAY

28

21

9 a.m. Preschool Blue Class Pancake Breakfast (Fellowship Hall)

14

7

SATURDAY

THE SECOND EDITION

2ND PRES KNOX

WELCOMING + FAITHFUL + HOPEFUL

SECOND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 2829 KINGSTON PIKE KNOXVILLE, TN 37919

CLERGY STAFF Pastor Tim Reynolds Pastor/Head of Staff treynolds@2ndpres.org Pastor Sarah Morgan Transitional Associate Pastor for Congregational Life & Mission smorgan@2ndpres.org PROGRAM STAFF Matthew Mimbs Director of Music & Arts mmimbs@2ndpres.org Holly Grimm Children & Youth Ministry Coordinator hgrimm@2ndpres.org

SUPPORT STAFF Jack Rosamond Church Administrator jrosamond@2ndpres.org Marta P. Villalta Media & Communications Coordinator mvillalta@2ndpres.org PRESCHOOL STAFF Linda Sue Byrd Director lsbyrd@2ndpres.org Holly Grimm Assistant Director hgrimm@2ndpres.org -------------------------------------------------------CONTACT US: Second Presbyterian Church 2829 Kingston Pike Knoxville, TN 37919 Ph. 865.523.2189 Fax 865.637.2617 www.2ndpres.org

Responding in gratitude to God's love and grace, we are a welcoming, faithful, and hopeful community, following Jesus and serving him in the world.

ELDERS

MINISTRY TEAMS & MODERATORS

CLASS OF 2025 Zachary Burch Lisa Henley Laura Turner Terry Weaver

WORSHIP Betsy Foster John Gill

CLASS OF 2026 Leonard Bailey Doug Barbour Monica Casey Clara Hardin CLASS OF 2027 Betsy Foster John Gill William Owen Cheryl Ragsdale

CONNECT Terry Weaver Cheryl Ragsdale GROW Zach Burch Monica Casey Laura Turner GO Leonard Bailey Clara Hardin SUPPORT Doug Barbour William Owen PRESCHOOL Lisa Henley