Last week, a woman reached out to the church and asked if we helped families in need at Christmas I asked her what kind of need she had. She responded that she had 4 children and needed help with some toys and clothes for them She gave me their names and ages (all 4 are under 6) and the kinds of things they liked.
Last night, Tuesday, Lily and myself went shopping. We had a ball buying 2 outfits, pajamas, and 2 toys for each of them. We paid for it out of the Pastors’ Discretionary Fund. Contrary to what some people may believe, this is not a fund for the pastors’ personal use and benefit. This is a fund that you all, the members of the church, and others donate to throughout the year that Pastor Sarah and I use to assist people who are in need.
We have helped church members with bills or unexpected expenses; we have helped people that church members know; and we have helped those not connected to the congregation in any other way, except that God brings them into our path. We never give these individuals money directly Instead, we pay the agencies or companies to whom the money is owed, ensuring that it is used for the purpose for which it is intended. We also have a policy that we do not help the same person more than once in a calendar year
Due to the (sometimes) confidential nature of those whom we help, the Session has granted Pastor Sarah and I the authority to use these funds at our discretion, hence the name However, we make an annual report to the Session of whom the money was paid to and what it was used for. If confidentiality isn’t an issue, we also report the name of the person who benefitted from the expenditure.
We have other Designated Funds in our congregation to which you can make direct donations, if you so choose. Designated Funds get their name because they are funded by designated gifts outside of giving to the General Operating Budget They can only be established or dissolved bytheSession Eachofthesefundsisoverseenby a different ministry team in the congregation and expenditures must be recommended to and approvedbytheSession Theyareahealthywayfor members and other donors to make donations for specific use, while still maintaining Session control overthefundsofthechurch.
AfulllistofourDesignatedFunds,andthepurpose forwhichtheyareintended,isintheAnnualReport every year, along with a report of the balance and annual expenditures of each fund. I encourage you topayspecialattentiontothislistthisyearwhenthe AnnualReportismadeinFebruary.Then,ifyoufeel soinclined,makeacontributiontooneofthefunds that aligns with a mission or ministry initiative you arepassionateabout. GraceandPeace
UPCOMING SERMON TEXTS & TOPICS
For the last 4 months we have been following the story of God’s Kingdom People, the Israelites. As the Old Testament comes to a close, the Israelites are hoping for the promised Savior The New Testament tells the story of that Savior, Jesus of Nazareth The Life of Jesus is the second part of the Narrative Arc of Scripture and we will be looking at his story from now through May.
January 5th
January 12th
January 19th
January 26th Luke 2:41-52
Mt 3 / Mk 1 / Lk 3
Mt 4 / Mk 1 / Lk 4
Mt 4 / Mk 1 / Lk 4
Save the Date!
The Life of Jesus: Visit to the Temple
The Life of Jesus: Baptism
The Life of Jesus: Temptation
The Life of Jesus: Announces the Kingdom
The Annual Congregational Meeting will take place in conjunction with the Souper Bowl luncheon following worship on Sunday, February 9th. The luncheon and the meeting will take place in the Fellowship Hall following worship. Mark your calendars now!
Second’s
Winter Weather Policy
Now that winter is here again, we’d like to offer a reminder of our winter weather policies for inclement weather. Please remember to check Realm or the website if you are unsure. If we know of any cancellations, we will post them there.
Sunday Worship: Worship will never be cancelled due to weather, though there may be some last-minute modifications to the worship service. Please use your own discretion, however, in deciding whether to come. Safety is of primary importance; stay home if you don’t feel you can make it here safely. You can always join virtually!
All Other Activities (Choir, Committees, Fellowship, etc.): These will be determined on a caseby-case basis. The chairperson or director will make the call and contact participants. Thanks to Zoom there is always the option of meeting virtually! The church office will be closed only in the event of extreme weather.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Leslie Testerman
Fran McLean
Susanne White
Monica Casey
Arleen Reilly
Brentley Burch Williams
Blythe Lundberg
Lindsay Whitaker
Jesse Liu
SBYTERIAN
NOTICE: Presbyterian Women traditionally does not schedule a monthly meeting in January of each study year and will not meet in January of 2025. Plan on picking up with our study year on Tuesday, February 11, 2025.
PW held its December 10, 2024, meeting to feature and honor Karen Cameron who partnered with Habitat for Humanity and Second Presbyterian Church over 20 years ago to build the home where she lives today.
John Reynolds, long time mission supporter at Second Church, has followed Karen Cameron’s work and educational pursuits for over 20 years and introduced her to PW attendees at the December meeting.
Cameron completed her 20-year mortgage payments on that home while she continued to work on her personal educational goals. Today her home is mortgage free and she is a special education assistant working at Green Magnet Academy She is a grandmother and a nurturer to many
Mary Farmer, PW Treasurer, presented an honorarium to Cameron and cited her long history of working with others to demonstrate the importance of consistency in planning, budgeting, frugality, and practicing kindness to others on their life journeys.
Nichole's Posole
INGREDIENTS
110oz can of hominy drained and rinsed, 2-3lbs of diced pork meat, 2 32oz containers of beef or chicken broth, 2 tablespoons of oregano, 2 tablespoons of cumin, 1 tablespoon of salt, 1/2 cup of dark red chile powder (for a more authentic taste use fiesta menudo mix), 2 bay leaves (optional).
Posole can be garnished with avocados, diced onions, shredded cabbage, queso Blanco (white Mexican melted cheese), sliced radishes, or squeezed lime wedges.
Set on low in crockpot for 8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours. After cooking, add seasonings to taste.
"Posole is a traditional Mexican soup that is a beloved part of celebrations and family gatherings in Mexican families. The name comes from the Nahuatl word "pozolli" mea i f th f N h tl i l d b th N ti A i s from Mexic hank you
The Second Readers book for January is The Women by Kristen Hannah! Second Readers will now be meeting on the third Wednesday of the month, not the second. They gather at 11:30 in the Buckingham Clubhouse to have relaxed, but great, discussions on the various books they read. Bring a lunch and join Second Readers! If you have any questions, contact Margaret Sullivan at (865) 363-3967.
Second Family Christmas Dinner
JANUARY 2ND WEDNESDAY JANUARY 2ND WEDNESDAY
January’s 2nd Wednesday dinner and program is on January 8th. January’s 2nd Wednesday dinner and program is on January 8th. Dinner is at 6:00 p.m. with the program following dinner, usually Dinner is at 6:00 p.m. with the program following dinner, usually around 6:30 or 6:45 p.m. This month, Zach Burch from the Grow around 6:30 or 6:45 p.m. This month, Zach Burch from the Grow Team is giving a presentation on “The Effect of the Internet on Team is giving a presentation on “The Effect of the Internet on Religion.” Religion.”
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, February 6, in the Barbour room.
Disbursements:
Presbytery of East Tennessee - $1,100
Compassion Coalition Benevolence Fund- $650 – helps with short – term housing for homeless families.
First SDA Church - $650 – Help with purchasing mattresses for the SDA house where homeless families are housed for a few days.
Holston Presbytery - $3,000 – Flood victims fund for upper East Tennessee.
Presbytery of Western North Carolina - $3,000 – Flood victims fund for Western North Carolina.
Knoxville Family Justice Center - $613.50 – This is 2nd Pres 25% of Peace and Global Witness Offering. The Knoxville Family Justice Center provides a safe and supportive environment for victims of violence. Services include counseling and support services, education and resources, housing and shelter, legal assistance, orders of protection, referrals for additional social services, safety planning and support. https://www.fjcknoxville.org/
Activities for December:
December 18 – Volunteers served at Love Kitchen. Approximately 575 meals were plated and packaged for next day delivery and 250 meals were plated and packaged for serving on that same day. The volunteers also helped serve the same day meals. The group also helped sort, display, and distribute hundreds of hygiene items (shampoo, conditioner, body wash, lotion, towels, and wash cloths), to those who gathered for lunch.
Hat and Glove Tree – The GO Team is sponsoring the Hat and Glove Tree for Adults to provide winter warmth for those at the VMC Resource Center.
Permanent West View Supplies Bin – The GO Team is sponsoring the new permanent collection bin for school supplies and other needs for West View Elementary. The items requested for donation will be updated as the needs change.
GOing and Serving in 2025 – Watch for upcoming volunteer opportunities at VMC, KARM, Love Kitchen, West View, Compassion Coalition and others in upcoming weekly newsletters. Coming up in January and February – VMC and KARM.
Thanks so much to everyone who Thanks so much to everyone who remembered our family with cards, emails, remembered our family with cards, emails, and gifts during the Christmas Season. Also, and gifts during the Christmas Season. Also, thank you for all the cards, prayers, and thank you for all the cards, prayers, and meals following Tim’s recent heart surgery. meals following Tim’s recent heart surgery.
We are truly grateful to serve such a
We are truly grateful to serve such a wonderful, thoughtful, and caring wonderful, thoughtful, and caring
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C H U R C H
C L O S E D F O R N E W Y E A R ’ S D A Y
5:30 p.m. Grow Team Meeting (Small Conference Room) 6 p.m. 2nd Wednesday Dinner & Program (Fellowship Hall)
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