Last month we talked about what happens when anxiety is present in a congregation. I ended by saying that pastors and church leaders in healthy congregations learn to be aware of their own anxieties and then set them aside in order to use their higher order brain functions in addressing challenges When we do this, we have greater awareness (of self, others, and the environment), make better choices, and are able to offer reasoned responses In other words, we have a greater repertoire of responses available to us and are more resilient when facing crises or threats. This helps to lower anxiety in a congregation But what raises anxiety in a congregation in the first place?
There are 12 common triggers that cause anxiety to increase in a congregation: money (especially the lack of it), worship style, issues involving sex/sexuality, a pastor’s leadership style, old ways vs. new ways of doing things, growth/survival matters, staff conflicts or resignations, internal vs external focus, a major trauma (i.e. a congregational split, natural disaster, etc.), the death of a child in the congregation, building/property/space threats and matters, and the gap between the ideal and reality (usually idealizing/idolizing the past).
To be clear, these are simply “triggers” of anxiety. It’s crucial to understand this important difference People will mistakenly assume that “issues” are the cause of anxiety and if these “issues” had never surfaced then there wouldn’t be a problem and people would get along better But “issues” are not the problem; it’s the emotions surrounding them.
Certain “issues” tend to bring out strong emotions in people, and some people are more emotionally immature than others They lack the self-awareness necessary to deal with their emotions in a healthy way and so they respond to these “triggers” from their lower brain It is this immaturity, not the “issues” themselves, that creates squabbling and emotional stress between
people. Rather than differences in points of view, it is the emotional reaction to those differences that produces the tension that causes people to feel threatened. The desire to escape that tension is what leads to increased anxiety in a congregation.
This anxiety is contagious, by the way. Anxiety can provoke a mass reaction Peer pressure, group think, and mob panic are examples of infectious anxiety. Whole groups of people appear to be emotionally wired together; people overreact to one another and one person’s anxiety is enabled by a second person’s anxiety.
To relieve their anxiety, people will eventually focus it somewhere, usually the person (or persons) seen as most responsible or most vulnerable. This leads to conflict. Conflict is how congregations deal with anxiety, and we’ll be discussing that next month For now, the important thing to remember is when it comes to anxiety, healthy congregations respond to it. They don’t react to it, they don’t ignore it, they don’t dismiss it, and they certainly don’t escalate it.
Healthy congregations learn to respond to anxiety in a healthy way – by recognizing it, acknowledging it, and then choosing to respond thoughtfully, reasonably, and rationally, rather than emotionally. Healthy congregations allow for challenge and for different points of view They are governed more by insight, reflectiveness, and objectivity than by instinctual survival reactions. They develop healthy behavioral patterns that enable the congregation to analyze what is happening, evaluate the situation calmly, develop different responses, and then decide what to do.
Grace and peace...
Table of Contents Table of Contents
Upcoming Sermon Texts and Topics
We are currently following the Revised Common Lectionary (RCL) on Sunday mornings.
May 3
May 10
17
John 14:1-14
1 Peter 3:13-22
Psalm 68: 1-10; 32-35
Acts 2:1-21
Psalm 8
Church of the Savior update
Last month we announced that Church of the Savior’s last Sunday in our Fellowship Hall would be April 12 . Their gas lines did not pass KUB inspection, however, so those are being re-done. They are now saying it will be mid-late May. th
Stay tuned to the Friday E-News and Sunday Worship Bulletin for updates!
The Church Office will be closed Monday, May 25th, in observance of Memorial Day. Regular business will resume on Tuesday, May 26th.
SPC sure did use the sanctuary for the Easter egg hunt! A great time was had by all - can’t let rain stop the fun!
Connect
Next Meeting: May 12
On Tuesday, May 12, the Presbyterian Women will gather for fellowship, song, and study in the Fellowship Hall from 10:15–11:30 a.m.. All are welcome!
Join us for Arts & Crafts!
The Arts and Crafts group of PW meets on the FOURTH WEDNESDAY at 10:00 a m in room 227 upstairs) Come and enjoy the fellowship!
For Second Readers this month, we will be meeting at the Buckingham Clubhouse on Wednesday, May 20, at 11:30 AM. Our book is Swan Song by Elin Hilderbrand. Bring your lunch and feel free to join us for about an hour and a half of casual discussion and fellowship. Questions? Contact Margaret Sullivan at 865-363-3967. No reservation required.
Beginning in May, the Connect Team invites you to go to lunch with friends on the first Sunday of each month. These lunches are for anyone who would like to go out to eat with others following worship on the first Sunday of the month. The group will meet at the baptismal font and disperse from there to a designated restaurant. A reservation is not required, but if you know you're going to attend, we'd love for you to let us know by calling the church office or emailing Pastor Sarah (smorgan@2ndpres.org) during the week prior. The first Long Table Lunch will be Sunday, May 3rd, and we hope you’ll participate!
We've been made aware that a number of folks in the congregation need rides to worship on Sunday mornings, and we want to help! If you need a ride to worship, whether on an ongoing or temporary basis, please call the church office and let us know. Also, if you are willing to GIVE someone a ride to worship on Sunday morning, please call the church office or let Pastor Sarah know. Thank you so much!
Our NEXT Food & Friends is Sunday, May 10th, and all college students and young adults are invited for lunch and fellowship at a local restaurant!
If you are interested in hosting a future Food & Friends, let Pastor Tim know.
Spring Music Program
Thursday, April 23, 2026
What is
You may see this from time to time in our church calendar or on signage, so let’s tell you about it!
The SPC Preschool hosts monthly trainings for preschool directors across all of East Tennessee.
Linda Sue and Holly, our preschool director and assistant director, coordinate with Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) to provide the space for a collaborative learning environment. Trainings have included new licensure rules clarification, health and safety in childcare and many other relevant topics.
We are thankful to have the space to provide these helpful trainings as we partner with directors across all of East Tennessee!
DaleHenley, TheUniversityof Tennessee, Knoxville
A Spotlight on our Student Ministries...
Congratulationsandbestwishestoour SPCGraduates!
Henry Casey, West HighSchool
Congratulations to Henry Casey, graduating from West HS as cosalutatorian of his class. He is the son of Matt and Monica Casey. Henry has been awarded one of 15 Haslam Leadership Scholars Program scholarships. This scholarship is part of the overall Chancellor's Honors Program. Additionally, Henry has been awarded a Tocqueville Scholarship. This Scholars Program prepares students to become “civic leaders in government, law, business, and public affairs through an in-depth curriculum.”
Dale Henley will graduate from UT in May with a degree in Finance and a concentration in Supply Chain, all while working two jobs throughout his four years in college. He recently completed an internship with 21st Mortgage Company and will begin a summer internship with Tennessee Valley Authority after graduation. He is seeking a full-time opportunity to begin in the fall and looks forward to continuing his support for all things UT and Vol sports. You may catch him in the balcony many Sunday mornings working behind the scenes as one of our audio-visual technicians, and we are so grateful for his talent!
Jessie Wilson, a native of Cookeville, is graduating with her MS in Industrial Engineering from UTK. Her thesis focused on applying AI and large language models to breast cancer data to support clinicians. She previously earned her BS in Industrial Engineering from UTK in December 2024. Jessie has also been an active member of the church choir for the past two years. After graduation, she will begin a position in Enterprise Risk Management at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge. Congratulations, Jessie!
ight andI’vebeen workingwiththe children’s ministryatSecondPresforjust over a year.I worked at aPresbyterian churchinNashvillefor over a decade.WhenI was a youngster,my parentshadto alwaysdragme out ofthe church nurseryonSundays. Myplacehas alwaysbeen withthe little ones!
name is Blythe Lundberg and I’ve working in children’s ministry at d Pres since 2023. I work as a civil ineer during the week, so every Sunday I feel so lucky to reconnect with the playful part of my soul. I love getting to know each child and watching them develop their knowledge of God and the world. As the oldest of four children, it makes m at h
See a name that we missed? Let us know in the church office so we can update our records accordingly!
5/15 Tuesday Reynolds
5/20 Xavier Perez
5/22 Matt Mimbs
5/23 Holly Grimm
5/24 Neal Henley
5/25 Becky Smith
5/28 Margaret Sullivan
5/31 Leslie Matthews
We will be combining forces with our neighbors at First Presbyterian this summer for VBS, and we will have more information in the weeks ahead!
The Grow Team is in the early stages of planning a churchwide Fall Retreatthe first one in over a decade! But, we need your assistance to make this event a success -- we are looking for volunteers to join a Planning Committee to help organize the details and discuss what we would like this event to look like for SPC. If you are interested in being part of this exciting opportunity, please contact Patricia Kennedy at patricia.w.kennedy@gmail.com
beyond the
and globally
nd volunteer activities. The team relies on the gen to fund their efforts and welcomes recommendatio te opportunities. The team welcomes new me Next meeting is Thursday, May 7, at 1:00p
Disbursements:
·Presbytery of East Tennessee - $1,300. This is the monthly pledge of 2 Pres. nd
·Compassion Coalition - $500. Annual dues
·The Antioch Partners - $7,000. Donation for the support of Dan and Elizabeth Turks and their work as missionaries in Madagascar.
·UKirk at UT - $6,000 annual donation
·UKirk at UT - $1,000 for two Wednesday night meals in the next academic year and one “home cooked” meal on May 11.
Activities in April:
GoingandServingin 2026
Watch for upcoming volunteer opportunities at KARM, West View Elementary, Compassion Coalition, Family Promise and others in upcoming weekly newsletters.
If you’ve not had the chance to serve alongside our Go Team, consider coming along sometime! You are sure to be blessed (and probably have some fun, too, as pictured here)!
Team
HappyMAil FROM:
UKirk is the PCUSA-affiliated campus ministry group at UTKnoxville, and we support them throughout the year both financially and spiritually. It’s always a blessing to receive this kind of correspondence from them. We love our students! If you’re not familiar, here are some fun facts about UKirk:
Wehavedinner together every Wednesday night at 7pm as well aslunch on Mondays at11:30.
Webelieve that at the table, God’s graceis tangibly present and reminds us that we are embodied creaturesin need of love and community.
We express God’s love by caring for people, doing right by people, and providing brave and safe spaces. Worshiping together, we celebrate the sacred witness to God’s promises kept through Jesus Through hospitality, presence on campus, and offering safety, compassion, and encouragement, we provide space for difficult conversations and companionship
We share communion every Wednesday night during worship at UKirk Communion is open to anyone if they choose to partake
We are a community in conversation and we all have something to learn from one another So bring all of who you are into the conversation Bring your doubts, questions, uncertainty, concerns, celebrations and everything in between
You are welcome here
Examination of Incoming Elders
Pastors’
New elder installation/ordination on Sunday, April 26th.
