Proclaiming the news and events of

First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) of Oak Ridge

Some of the lyrics are…

It was not until the past several months that I truly understood these lyrics. Up until

then, I thought that I had a blessed life and that it could not get much better. That

was until I met Debbi and my whole life changed. It was in this woman that I realized

that I had received the perfect gift from God.

I realized I never wanted to part with this gift and so last month when I was home

visiting my family I asked her to marry me. As many of you know, she said yes and I

could not be happier.

So now that you know your preacher is getting married, Debbi and I would like to invite

we enter into a covenant of marriage with God and with one another.

My hope and prayer for all of us is that we take the time to stop and appreciate every

gift, no matter how big or how small, we receive from God.

Shalom,

Michael

We concluded our evening Lenten Services on Sunday, March 28, with a magnificent service by the choir. This was a culmination

of four wonderful services. On behalf of the Worship Ministry Team, I thank the following for

designing and leading the services:

Week 1: Jesse and Gerri Bradshaw

Week 2: Tom and Pat Row

Week 3: Michael Fetty

Week 4: Church Choir

We appreciate everyone’s contributions.

new list of upcoming reads.

May: “Same Kind of Different as Me” by Ron Hall

June: “Saving Sailor” by Renee Reva

July: “Infidel” by Ali Hirsi Ayaan

Aug: “Catcher in the Rye” by J.D Salinger

It was also decided that the restaurant at the Double Tree is a better atmosphere for our

discussions, so we will be meeting there for a while ... at 6:00 pm. Happy Reading!!

Experienced quilters, non-quilters and wanting to learn, and anyone just plain curious ... all are welcome. Mark your calendars

for Monday, May 10th and plan to meet in the church library from 6-8 pm.

of food, fellowship, and whatever else they decide to do (movie, bowling, board games, or just dinner). Names of those who

signed up to participate are put in a hat every six months and are randomly drawn to make up the small groups. The group

members meet together to decide when they want to meet and what they want to do.

The current list of dinner groups was drawn in January, and is posted on the bulletin board outside the office. If you

didn’t sign up before the groups were organized, you are welcome to join one of them now ... or wait until the groups are formed

again in June. It’s fun. And it allows us to get to know more about one another in a small group setting.

Greensboro, North Carolina. For more than 50 years, Disciples women have been gathering for worship,

study, and mission. Along the way, we have become friends with women from all over the country and even the

world. Through them and the QA experience, our relationship with God has grown deeper. Come enlarge our

circle of faithful women. You will enjoy outstanding speakers, powerful preachers, gifted teachers, and

inspiring musicians. You will share the time of your life with thousands of women (and a few men) . . . and you

will be missed if you aren’t with us!

As the theme suggests, we will be challenged to be awakened to new ways of living out our Christian

faith in these days and “for such a time as this.” We will be awakened to how our collective praise, our shared

wisdom, and our joyful service make the Body of Christ a stronger witness in our troubled world. Check out the website

planned just for you . . . a Disciples woman of ever awakening faith.

ADFAC’s Crisis Cupboard has been chosen as the 2009-2011 Tennessee Disciples Women’s Ministries Service Project. The

Crisis Cupboard provides basic personal hygiene items not covered by food stamps. Items such as toilet paper, cleaning supplies,

laundry detergent, diapers (especially medium and large), shampoo, sanitary napkins/tampons, dishwashing soap, toothbrushes

and toothpaste, travel toiletries, deodorant, and disposable wipes.

These items will help the disabled, the elderly, and the working poor in the Appalachian counties of Anderson, Campbell,

Claiborne, Morgan, Roane and Scott. Adding one or two of these items to your cart each time you shop would be one way to

easily collect these much needed supplies, and it wouldn’t add much to your bill, but over the next couple of years, these one or

two items each shopping trip would add up to a mountain of help for our neighbors in need. Collection tubs are in the narthex.

WHAT: Youth Day Hike

WHEN: Saturday, May 15, 2010 (leaving FCC at 10am, returning at 3pm)

WHERE: Camp Pellissippi at Norris State Park

WHO: all FCC Youth and friends who love hiking

Hike leaders and contacts: Linh Le, Bob McLaren, Heather Smith

If you have any questions, call Rex Harris at 640-5067.

Beginning Memorial Day weekend (5/30) through Labor Day (9/5), we will begin our Casual Summer Sunday’s and our summer

ministry, and fellowship experiences will kick into high gear.

Sunday School will be taking a sabbatical over the summer, but we will gather the second Sunday of

each month (6/13, 7/11, and 8/8) from 9:30 - 10:15 am for outdoor opening exercises. Here we will

get together and sing camp and Sunday school songs from yesterday and today.

Children Worship and Wonder will be on summer break from 6/6 to 7/25. During this time if you

wold like to plan a special activity for the children of the church, please let Michael know.

Picnic and Praise on the Pad (P3) will be returning as well. Here we will gather one Wednesday

evening per month 6/9, 7/7, 8/4) to fellowship wuth one another while we enjoy a picnic dinner outside on the grounds, followed

by a time for praise and worship. If you are interested in helping plan the picnic meals, or if you would like to lead us in an

outdoor praise and worship service, contact Michael for more information.

Vacation Bible School is coming to FCCOR July 12-16. Getg ready for a week of excitement as we bring this exciting ministry

back to the church. VBS is a time for everyone to get involved and also a time for us to show out hospitality to children and

their families outside the walls of our church. If you are interested in helping with VBS please see Barbara Wilson or Nancy

Denton.

Finally, our worship service will have a new feel, or at least a cooler one, as robes and ties will be shed for more casual attire

this summer.

Be sure to mark these important dates on your calendar and remember ... Summer at FCCOR means FUN!!!!!!

VOLUNTEER MOWERS NEEDED

Keep in mind this “grass growing season’” we will need help keeping the lawn looking good. If you can

help - once, twice, thrice - get in touch with Jerry Harris or Ray Irminger. Your help will be greatly

appreciated.

When we hear the word “stewardship” in church, we immediately think money. Yes, we need to be good stewards of our money,

but we also need to be good stewards of all our resources.

Our first step at FCC in becoming good stewards is recycling all that we can. A recycle bin is in the

kitchen, and one is in the office area. Items that can be recycled are: plastics #1 through 7;

paper/cardboard; aluminum, tin and steel cans; and glass. Please DO NOT put Styrofoam plates and

cups, plastic ware, communion cups, or food boxes/containers that have grease on them in the recycle

container. Make sure the recycle symbol (a triangle) is on the plastic and that inside the triangle is a

number 1 through 7. Your Sunday bulletin can be left on your seat for recycling.

A special container for aluminum cans is in the kitchen. These cans are sold and the money given to the

building fund. Thanks to Bill Wilson for taking care of this.

Did you know that five plastic soda and water bottles yield enough fiber for 1 XL T-shirt, 1 square foot

of carpet, or enough fiber to fill a ski jacket?