When I was in high school, my AP E would regularly stress the importance of finding the theme of whatever story we were reading “You have to be detectives,” he would say, “Get to know the characters, understand the plot, notice what symbols keep appearing, listen to what the author is saying. Then you can deduce the theme ”
I wasn’t always very good at figuring out the theme. I often got too caught up in the story and the characters I often confused the subject of the story with its theme I know this because my teacher would write on my papers, “Don’t confuse the subject with the theme!”
what’s the theme of the story? Well, let’s put on our detective hats.
What is the narrative arc? The big storyline of the Bible that stretches from Genesis to Revelation? It seems to me that the story the Bible is telling of God and his people is:
Creation > Fall > Redemption > New Creation
This is the narrative arc. So the theme of the story that the Bible is telling is Redemption.
When I began to study theater and acting, I was introduced to a concept called the character arc. This is the transformative journey that a character undergoes throughout the course of a story. It represents the growth, change, or evolution that a character experiences as a result of the challenges, conflicts, and experiences they encounter along the way. Actors like to portray characters that have a good character arc. It gives us something to sink our teeth into Static characters – characters who do not change throughout the course of a story – are boring to play
At some point I learned that it’s not just characters that have arcs, stories have arcs, as well And the theme of a story is almost always found at the heart of the narrative arc. Or, as one director once taught me, “The character’s need drives the arc of the narrative. The theme will always be found at the heart of that arc. If you’re having a hard time figuring out your character’s need, work backwards from the theme ”
A lot of people think about the Bible as a collection of different books, and it is I have said many times that the Bible is more of a library than a book. That said, it is a collection of books all telling one story – the story
What about the characters? Many would say the main character of the Bible is God. If that is the case, then at the heart of God’s character arc is a need to be in relationship with us, his people. That is the whole purpose of the redemption he provides. However, some say the main character of the Bible is people. If this is the case, then at the heart of our character arc is the need to be redeemed. Either way, the story of the Bible is Good News for us – we are being redeemed in order to have a relationship with God.
We are going to spend the next 9 months looking at the narrative arc of Scripture. The first half will be called God’s Kingdom People and will look at the relationship God establishes with a particular people, the Israelites. The second half will be called The Life of Jesus and will examine how the redemption provided through Jesus extends to all people. An overview of the series from now until Christmas is on page 10. We look forward to taking this journey through the narrative arc of Scripture with you!
We will wrap up our Obscure Characters of the Hebrew Bible on September 1st with Nahum
The following week we begin a new, 9-month sermon series that follows the narrative arc of Scripture. The first half, God’s Kingdom People, will go through December 22nd and will focus on God’s relationship with the Israelites. The second half, The Life of Jesus, will begin on Christmas Eve with Jesus’ birth and conclude on May 18th with Jesus’ ascension.
Sept 1st
Sept 8th
Sept 15th
Sept 22nd
Sept 29th
Nahum 1:1-15
Genesis 1-2
Genesis 3
Genesis 4
Genesis 12
Obscure Characters of the HB: Nahum
God’s Kingdom People: Creation
God’s Kingdom People: The Fall
God’s Kingdom People: The Fallout
God’s Kingdom People: The Call
The 200th Anniversary Celebration Committee Presbyterian reactivated itself and has renamed the group the Founder’s Day Committee. Second Church is now almost 207 years old and, as far as we know, it has never celebrated a Founder’s Day. We decided that it was time to do so!
Mark your calendar for Sunday, October 20, 2024, when Second Presbyterian Church will celebrate its first Founder’s Day Celebration during the worship service and with a potluck lunch! Walk back in time with us to 1818-1820 as we reenact some of Second Church’s earliest days.
In a few short years, the Scots and Scots-Irish had settled a wild and savage land they named Knoxville, clearing the land, adding log cabins, a few board or brick houses, establishing a government with court house and jail, adding stores, ferries, grist mills, and two churches. The village had skilled carpenters, blacksmiths, traders, bakers, lawyers, doctors, a newspaper, and even a small bank.
With all its skills, productivity, and courage, the Knoxville villagers were still surrounded and isolated by vast ranges of mountains and a river that was only partly navigable. Nearby farms provided ample food but any manufactured goods had to be carried in by horse, wagon, or small boat. The village numbered about 1,000 people in Knoxville itself. It prospered, gradually becoming a trading center for nearby farmers, other tradesmen, and traveling immigrants moving further west.
Join us at Second on October 20 as we ponder such matters as why the founders chose to establish yet a third church and chose to build it so small and austere. (Ever notice how much its shape resembles the shape of our current chapel).
Presbyterian Women at Second Church has a new theme for its study year— Sept., 2024-June, 2025. It is no news to us that our earth is experiencing a wide variety of serious troubles political, economic, social, and environmental. PW’s national organization has chosen the yearly theme for mission/Bible study entitled, “Let Justice Roll Down; God’s Call to Care for Neighbors and all Creation”.
All church members and visitors are invited to Second Church’s Fellowship Hall on the second Tuesday, September 10, 2024, from 10:00 a.m. -11:30 p.m. The subject of the mission and Bible study for September is Economic Justice. Our mission speaker will be Dr. Meredith Loftis (she was the leader of our Women’s Retreat here at Second Church last November, 2023). Dr. Loftis (Associate Minister at First Presbyterian Church, Knoxville) will discuss the local organization, Justice Knox. Justice Knox was established in 2016 and provides congregations from diverse faiths and backgrounds in Knox County to act together in response to the scriptural mandate to “do justice”.
JOIN US!
Second Readers will meet at the Buckingham Clubhouse
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, AT 11:30 A.M.
We will review The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods. Leslie Matthews will lead our discussion. Please join us whether you have read the book or not. Bring your lunch. All are welcome.
Questions? Call Margaret Sullivan at (865) 363-3967
PRESCHOOL GRADUATION - CLASS OF 2024
CONGRATULATIONS, GRADUATES!
PRESCHOOL ZOO VISIT PRESCHOOL ZOO VISIT
The 3-4-year-old class "Preschool Blue" at 2nd Presbyterian Preschool had a wonderful family outing to the Knoxville Zoo. These friends will soon be moving up to our Pre-K class, which is their last class before Kindergarten in 2025.
In the picture are the Preschool Blue friends and two of their teachers.
ICE CREAM SOCIAL
Y O U T H
S .
God Establishes His Kingdom
Rebellion in the Kingdom
The King Chooses Israel
Creation
The Fall
The Fallout
The Call
The Wilderness
The Covenant
The Second Fall
Covenant Renewal
The Downward Spiral
The Demand for a King
Birth of a Kingdom
The Kingdom Flourishes
The Kingdom Divided
The Prophets Confront Israel
The Prophets Comfort Israel
Israel Hopes for a Savior
Genesis 1- 2
Genesis 3
Genesis 4
Genesis 12
Exodus 16-19
Exodus 20-24
Exodus 32
Joshua 1-8
Judges
1 Samuel 8-11
1 Samuel 13-19
2 Samuel 5-9; 1 Kings 3-8
1 Kings 9-12
Amos 1-2
Jeremiah 31-35
Micah 5
2
WEDNESDAYS
Our monthly 2nd Wednesday dinner and program resume on WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11TH.
Dinner is at 6:00 p.m. with the program following dinner, usually around 6:30 or 6:45 p.m.
This month, our very own Dr. Andrew Butler will be giving a presentation on poetry and Appalachian identity. Andrew recently received his PhD from the University of Tennessee. His degree is in poetry writing and his research has focused on the concepts of kitsch, authenticity, and Appalachian identity.
We hope to see you for dinner and some Appalachian poetry on September 11th!
y y
try of 2nd Presbyterian beyond the church both and volunteer activities. They rely on the welcome recommendations for donations and
e. The next meeting is Thursday, September 5 at
Love Kitchen - $1,000. The Love Kitchen provides meals and emergency food packages to homebound, homeless, and unemployed people of all races and faiths. https://thelovekitchen.org/
Living Waters for The World - $4,000 Living Waters for the World trains volunteers to establish and lead water mission teams that partner with communities to implement and operate sustainable water purification systems and health education programs. https://www.livingwatersfortheworld.org/ Massanetta Springs Camp and Conference Center - $500.
Montgomery Village - $2,000 The second installment of an earlier donation
WORKDAY 2024 WEST VIEW 2024 WEST VIEW
On the morning of Saturday, August 3, 24 volunteers from 2nd Pres gathered at West View Elementary School for the 16th year to help spruce up the outside of the buildings and complete inside tasks to assist teachers to be ready for the first day of school. The effort included 14 volunteers from Westminster Pres and 6 from Clear Defense Pest Control.
Outdoor work included weeding, pruning, planting, mulching, pressure washing, staining wood railings, clearing gravel from the soccer field, and general cleanup of walkways and paths.
Indoor work included providing materials for and assembling homework kits for 40 kindergarteners, separating and assembling workbook packets, dusting, cutting laminated materials for classroom use, and writing cards of encouragement to each of the 50 staff members at West View. A pre-workday activity was painting in the girls' and boys' restrooms (thank you, Doug Barbour). There was plenty for everyone to do and A LOT GOT DONE.
Beginning on Monday, September 9th, our new Church Administrator will be Jack Rosamond. If that name is familiar to you, it’s because he was one of the scholarship singers in our choir for the last several years. We’re excited to have Jack join our team at 2nd Presbyterian Church! Please stop by and introduce yourself when you get the chance. Read on to find out more about Jack…
My name is Jack Rosamond, and I am beyond excited to begin work serving the Second Presbyterian family. Originally, I was from Texas, but I moved to Tennessee during my junior year of high school. I graduated from Farragut High School in 2019 and from the University of Tennessee in 2023.
During my time at UTK, I was very active at UKirk, playing piano for worship services the majority of my time there I also served as an operations intern at Mondbiz Enterprises, working with a variety of clientele tackling a wide array of issues in the sales operations realm. Some of you may even recognize me from the Chancel choir, as I sang as a Scholarship Singer here at Second during college!
During my free time, I love to make music, play any type of game (whether of the board or video variety!), and cuddle with my dogs. I am thrilled to begin work here and start meeting y 'all!
Due to staff turnover, financials are not yet available for the month of July We will report both July and August financials in October's 2nd Edition.
This special offering will be received on Sunday, September 29, and on Sunday, October 6
Our gifts to the Peace & Global Witness Offering are helping our neighbors in need - those who live next door, down the street, and across the globe.
25% of this Offering stays with our congregation to support peacemaking and reconciliation in our community.
25% of this Offering goes to our Presbytery to join with other congregations to support peacemaking work in our region
50% of this Offering supports the work being done by Presbyterians across the globe
Our neighbors need us. Please give what you can to the Peace & Global Witness Offering.
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. THE
