JUNE 2021

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 10612 DAYTON PIKE , SODDY DAISY , TN 37379

MAIL: P.O. Box 9, SODDY DAISY, TN 37384 TEL: (423) 332-2327 E-MAIL: FIRSTPRESBYTERIAN@EPBFI.COM

KNITTED TOGETHER
“… speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up into Him in every way who is the head, into Christ, from
whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every joint with which it is supplied when each part is
working properly, makes bodily growth and upbuilds itself in love.” Ephesians 4:15-16
“For Thou didst form my inward parts, Thou didst knit me together in my mother’s womb.” Psalm 139:13

LET’S PRAY Pastor’s Notes

TOGETHER
Members & Participants
Sherry Clark, Billy Crowe, Danny
Curvin, Gene Curvin, Irene
Ammons, Bud Ellis, Judy Ellis,
Barbara Newman, Gary Newman,
Jan Newman, Lorie Tessmer,
Charlie Burks
Family & Friends
David McCarell, Sophia Turner,
C.B. Spicer, Barbara Castleberry,
Tillery Phillips, Stephanie Phillips,
Bill Shelton, Jackie Sherrell, Shirley
Jewell, Kim Alexander Burchard,
Steve Everett, JoAnn Clift, Donnie
Clift, Deloris White, Jerry Hanes,
Caroline Stanley
Military
Thomas Pelham and Family
(Thomas is the son of John and
Jody Pelham; grandson of Billy
Crowe), Tristan Curvin (Gene and
Dottie’s grandson)
In the month of May, we started the weekly Bible Study that meets
in person every Wednesday nights. We are going through the
book, “Purpose Driven life” by Rick Warren. In Ch. 19, the author
introduces us to the Biblical Fellowship. We are to share our true
feelings (authenticity), encourage each other (mutuality), support
each other (sympathy), forgive each other (mercy), speak the truth
in love (honesty), admit our weaknesses (humility), respect our
differences (courtesy), not gossip (confidentiality), and make group
a priority (frequency). Paul talks about belonging to Jesus Christ,
Paul explains that we are the ones that God has called to be
together to be the church.
We have to remember that we belong to Jesus Christ.Therefore,
Christians have both a privilege to know God’s unconditional Love
(God) and ability to share that Love (God) together and with those
who do not know God. There is new life in Jesus Christ, which the
Scripture says that the old life has gone and new has come. The
new life in Jesus calls us together to proclaim what God has done
through His Son, Jesus Christ who saved us all.
God is able to change everything even now after more than a year
of shutdown. God is able to restore and God is able to rebuild
what was lost. Remember that you are called by God and God is
asking for you to come to Him and come together as Body of
Christ and truly live the life as the followers of Christ.
“Through Him and for HIs names’ sake, we received grace and apostleship
to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes
from faith. And you also are among those who are called to belong to
Jesus Christ.”

Rev. Peter Choi

 JUNE 2021

CHURCH News From The Session

SCHEDULE
The session is following the progress of the Pew Refinishing
Services along with receiving an estimate for the carpet replacement
for the whole sanctuary including the choir section.
Sunday Worship 11:00 am
As we opened up the church, the session has been looking
Nursery into placing projection or Tv’s in the sanctuary for multimedia
experience and decided to go with the 80” or bigger TVs to
NOT OPEN be placed in the sanctuary. This will help the church by less
printing on paper and aiding the worship experience with
song lyrics and sermon notes to follow along during worship.
Children’s Worship The outreach committee, Becky, Effie, Jan & Gary, and the
NOW OPEN!
Women of the Church are following up with our church
members focusing on those who are on the prayer list and
following up with them with phone calls and care cards. Also,
the session would like to create an updated photo directory in
Wednesday Bible Study the coming months. Thanks to Ray along with Doug, Gary,
and Bill Rock, the bushes that were dying in front of the office
NOW IN PERSON & ZOOM were pulled out and they will be replaced soon.
Adult Bible Study 7:00 pm During the last months, we have noticed the returned mail for
Prayer Meeting those who sent the donations to 10612 Dayton Pike address,
(Followed by Bible Study) which is our physical address. Due to the lack of a mailbox on
the church grounds, the session will work with the USPS to
have a physical mailbox or remedy the return mails issue. In
Ministry Opportunities the meantime, please send all the mailing to P.O.Box #9
Soddy Daisy, TN, 37384. (notice the post office zip code is
‣ Newsletter Editor: Monthly unique) Please understand when you send a mail to the
church address, it does not automatically get forward to our
‣ Women’s Bible Study: Monthly
Teaching opportunity P.O. Box. Thank you to all those who have sent in the
donation multiple times to reach us.
The worship committee is planning to have communion on
Father’s Day on the 20th of June. Lastly, Pastor Peter is
praying and preparing for afternoon worship on Sunday's
gearing towards families and youth. The worship is designed
to invite anyone who would love to come out around 4 or 5
PM EST followed by a meal when it is possible.

 JUNE 2021

WOMEN’S MINISTRY Finances

We thank those of you who have contributed your o ering this past
Women’s Bible Study month. We encourage everyone to con nue their nancial
stewardship. The following is the status of the church’s nances as of
2nd Tuesday of every month May 31, 2021. The checking account includes the $153,913.63 from
our matured Cer cate of Deposit. Some of these funds will be
Next Meeting: transferred into our Schwab investment account. The Bequests/
June 8th, Tuesday @ 10AM Special Dona ons includes dona ons in memory of Nita Crowe and
Dora Sowell. Annual income from thes and o erings has paid for
69% of our expenses.

Accounts Status Balance

Checking $186,568.34
MEN’S MINISTRY Money Market $74,354.74
Investments $400,148.84

Men’s Breakfast TOTAL $661,071.92

1st Saturday of every month Income Year 2021 May 2021

General O ering $30,202.00 $8,280.00
Next Meeting:
OGA Pres Special O ering $0.00 $0.00
July 3, Saturday @ 9:30AM
Bequests/ Special Dona ons $700.00 $370.00
Investment Income $25,928.85 $2,181.41
TOTAL INCOME $56,830.85 $10,831.41

TOTAL EXPENSES $43,542.77 $ 7,779.83

Pastor $30,027.40 $5,508.86
Admin & Finance $3,820.98 $0
Chris an Educa on $150.00 $30.00
Building & Grounds $5,603.24 $1,540.97
Congrega onal Care $441.15 $0
Mission & Outreach $1,500.00 $300.00
Worship $2,000.00 $400.00

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 JUNE 2021

Men’s Breakfast

Lane Kelly (in the picture left)

He is one who is standing on the street near
Soddy Daisy Walmart with the sign
“Trust in Jesus”
We invited Lane to the Men’s Breakfast in May and he
shared his testimony with us. We praise God for His
works through Lane and we pray for God to continue
to work through him.

 JUNE 2021

Church Yard

Thanks to all who have

worked together for the
church yard!
(Ray Tessmer, William Rock,
Gary Newman, Doug Stephensen)

 JUNE 2021

News from the Missionary

Hello everyone! Another month has passed in the year of 2021 and as always God has been faithful. So I
am happy to report in this letter that by His grace, I was able to enjoy His gospel even more. Everything
until now has been grace and I can only hope that God has blessed all of you as well throughout the
month of May. I pray that you also experienced His love and will continue to experience Him more. May
God bless you wherever you are reading this letter!
Our mission team went through a one-month prayer intensive training period. In other words, basically all
we did this month was pray and read the Bible. That was it. Whether we prayed with the other missionaries
that are also living in this community or prayed in our own personal time, we did nothing but focus on our
spiritual relationship with God. During this time, I read the Bible a lot (from Leviticus to Judges… I guess I
can’t say that’s a lot..) and learned so many things. Since all of our time spent throughout the day were
mostly spent in front of the Bible, we got to meditate on many things, such as the love of Christ, God
purpose and man’s choice, and so on. So much grace was poured upon us through our personal prayer
times with God and many things that we didn’t know about our lives were also revealed to us by Him. If I
were to explain all the things that God has spoken to me though this month, I’m sure that my letter would
be at least 10 pages long. So, to keep things short I am just going to share a few things that God has
showed me through prayer.
There was always something in my heart that I couldn’t let go. That one thing was my free time. In other
words, the time that I used for me. Time that I used to think for myself, my future, and plans. Time that I
used to satisfy myself with things that were not the Bible. Internet, sports, conversations with friends.
Although these things wouldn’t really be considered as ‘bad’, because of all these things, I couldn’t really
give my full attention towards the gospel and all these things ended up as distractions and hindered me
from giving my all to the gospel. Not only that, some of the old habits that I had before I met the gospel,
started coming up again. Lustful thoughts, laziness, complaining, judging. All the things that I had already
died to became a trap for me again.
If there was one thing that God revealed to me about myself, it is that my being seriously does not enjoy
prayer. My flesh and sinful self despises the Bible. That is why I have to choose to believe in God every
single day. As Joshua told the people of Israel to choose who they will serve, I learned that I also have to
choose every minute I’m awake whom I will trust (Joshua 24:15). “I have been crucified with Christ and I
know longer live.” (Galatians 2:20) Through this intensive period, if there is one hope and motive that God
has put in me, it is that I want to love Christ more. After seeing how easy it is for me to desire other things
God revealed to me that prayer isn’t done for any other purpose. It’s because we love God and want to
believe in Him more that we offer ourselves during that time.
The only things that we did this for this month is pray, read the Bible, and evangelize, so I could say that
not a lot happened. However, through all these little things that we did, I received much grace and learned
so much. I wouldn’t change how we spent this month.
Please pray for the ‘Why Not? Camps’. The youths in Korea are starting to turn back to God. That’s why
they need your prayers so that they may continue to have a heart for God. And pray that every moment I
live may be an opportunity to worship Him even more and more.
As always thank you again for supporting me and praying for me. I will continue to pray for you as well.
Gabriel Chung from Korea

 JUNE 2021

Into the Light: Finding

Women’s Hope Through Prayers
of Lament
By Lynn Miller
Bible Study “One of the
foundational points of
Tuesday, June 8 @ 10am the study is that, in
scripture, lament
(In person & zoom) usually leads to hope.
After crying out to
Join us in studying and learning God, the one who
the word of God together, laments remembers
God. And while that
sharing and encouraging one doesn’t fix things in the moment—the injustice,
another in God’s love. Please the loss, the wrong still exist—the one who
contact church for zoom laments is strengthened to face the world and to
hope. When we lament, we move from suffering
information to join or for any
to faith. In our faith there is hope. We lament in
questions. order to hope. Recovering lament may be one of
the church’s most timely gifts to the world.”
423-332-2327
soddydaisypc@gmail.com - from presbyterianwomen.org

Bible Study The Purpose Driven Life

By Rick Warren

And Prayer “This is more than a

book; it is a guide to a
40-day spiritual journey
Every Wednesday @ 7pm that will enable you to
(In person & zoom) discover the answer to
life’s most important
We invite you in studying the word question: What on earth
am I here for?
of God together and to come to By the end of this
know more about God and His will, journey you will know
and to pray with us and see the journey you will know God’s purpose for your life
works of God. Please contact church and will understand the big picture - how all the
pieces of your life fit together.”
for zoom information to join or any
- Rick Warren
questions.
423-332-2327 soddydaisypc@gmail.com

 JUNE 2021

Bible Learning Resource

Our church is signed up with Rightnow Media, the largest Bible learning resource. Rev. Peter will
be sending invitation email for you to have the access to this resource. Due to the church account
everyone, including anyone outside the church who has the interest, has free access with working
email. Please request for more information by contacting Rev. Peter.

“Our mission is to work

with the global church to

inspire people to love

others before self and

Christ above all”

Children’s worship is now open!

We want to invite and encourage all children to come to church
and worship with us. Let’s learn about God and have fun time
together with many fun activities!

Come and join us! Sunday @ 11am

 June
SUN MON TUE WED THUR FRI SAT

1 2 3 4 5
Men’s Breakfast

6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Worship 11AM Presbyterian Bible Study 7PM
Women’s (In person & Zoom)
Bible Study 10AM
(In person & Zoom)

13 14 15 16 17 18 19
Worship 11AM Session Meeting Bible Study 7PM
6:30PM (In person & Zoom)

20 21 22 23 24 25 26
Worship 11AM Bible Study 7PM
Father’s Day (In person & Zoom)
Communion

27 28 29 30
Worship 11AM Bible Study 7PM
(In person & Zoom)

June Birthday June Anniversary

6/3 Judy Ellis 6/16 Aurora Williams

6/8 Morgan Hopkins 6/17 Dena Hopkins
6/13 Presleigh Brown 6/29 Gene Curvin

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10
Soddy Daisy, TN 37384
P.O. Box 9
First Presbyterian Church
Newsletter will be published monthly near the 1st of the month. Please send items to publish to Pastor
Peter, soddydaisypc@gmail.com by the 20th of the previous month. Thank you.
Our newsletter staff is: (production manager); Jim Hargrove (distribution manager).
Review editors include Ef e Heiss, Doug Stephenson, Danny Durvin, Peter Choi.
Please give Jim Hargrove (423-760-8787; jhargrove@epb .com) the names, mailing addresses or email
addresses of family and friends, and possible new members, so that we can send them our monthly
newsletter. Please let Jim know if you prefer your newsletter via email.
Newsletter can also be found on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fpc37379
Church telephone number: 423-332-2327
Church email: rstpresbyterian@epb .com
JUNE 2021