Archived News
Community Thanksgiving Service – Tuesday, November 26 – Parkers Chapel FWB Church
We will be joining several other area churches for a special community Thanksgiving service to be held at Parkers Chapel Free Will Baptist Church in Kingsport on Tuesday evening, November 26, at 7:00 p.m. There will be special singing, and Rev. Jim McComas, CEO of Free Will Baptist Family Ministries, will be preaching. A free will offering will be taken to support Family Ministries. Refreshments will be served after the service. Please join us for this special night of worship, thanksgiving, and fellowship.
Wednesday Before Thanksgiving (November 27) – No Service
Craft Fair/Bake Sale/Hot Dog Lunch – November 8 & 9
Our ladies fellowship group will be having their annual craft fair and bake sale on Friday and Saturday, November 8-9, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. They will be inside our Activities Building at the corner of Bloomingdale Road and Free Will Drive. Crafts, seasonal items, and baked goods will be available. They will also be selling hot dogs, chips and drinks, so stop by for a delicious lunch!
Please support this worthy cause; proceeds will go to support our Free Will Baptist missionaries as they spread the gospel around the country and around the world.
Join Us for Trunk or Treat – October 31
Trunk or Treat
We will be having Trunk or Treat on Thursday, October 31, beginning at 6:00 p.m. We are collecting candy donations now, so anyone who wants to donate candy may bring it to the church and put it in the coat area. Please do NOT put it in the large barrels, as they will be for Second Harvest Food Bank. There will be a sign up sheet in the church foyer for those who plan to bring a “trunk” so we can get an idea of how many will be participating.
All neighborhood kids are invited to join us for the Trunk or Treat!
Food Drive
Our ladies group is once again sponsoring a drive for Second Harvest Food Bank. Barrels will be placed in the coat area next to the church foyer. Please bring donations of non-perishable food items and help fill the barrels! They will be there through the end of October.
Homecoming Service – October 27
We will be celebrating our church’s 75th anniversary during our annual homecoming service this year! The service will be on October 27 at our normal service times, with a special Sunday school service at 9:30 a.m. and a special worship service at 10:30 a.m.
During the Sunday school hour at 9:30, our Free Will Baptist Tennessee state director, Rev. Chris Dotson, will be speaking to our adult classes about “The History and Ministry of Tennessee Free Will Baptists. All of our adults will be in one combined class for this special presentation. UPDATE: Chris Dotson will not be able to be with us, so we will be having our normal Sunday school classes at 9:30. Everyone is encouraged to join us during Sunday school for some good Bible teaching.
For our 10:30 a.m. worship service, we will be having Rev. Steve Lytle preaching for us. Brother Lytle is a former Free Will Baptist missionary. He and his family were a part of our church many years ago, when he and his family lived in our mission house during a stateside term. We are excited to have him and his wife Judy back for this special service! Also during the service, our own Pastor Josh McKinney will be singing and providing us with some special music.
After the service, we will be having a meal and fellowship time in the activities building. Our church will be providing a selection of meats as well as bread and drinks. Everyone attending is asked to please bring a side dish or dessert. If you can, please sign up on the sheet in the church foyer and let us know what you plan to bring. This will be a delicious meal and a fun time together!
October Is Pastor Appreciation Month
Upcoming Craft Fair and Bake Sale
Church Picnic – Saturday, October 5
We will be having our church picnic on Saturday, October 5, at the Eastman Cabins Picnic Area at shelter number 9. We will begin at 4:00 p.m. The church will be supplying hot dogs and hamburgers. We are asking everyone to bring a side dish or a dessert. There is a sign-up sheet in the foyer of the church; please sign up if you plan to attend so we can know approximately how many people are coming and who is bringing what dishes. We know this will be a great time of fun and fellowship!
5th Sunday Night Singing – September 29
September has five Sundays, so we will be having another 5th Sunday night singing on Sunday evening, September 29, at 6:00 p.m. A special offering will be taken to benefit Free Will Baptist North American Ministries (formerly known as Home Missions). Our choir will be singing as well as several of our soloists.
UPDATE: Due to the massive flooding and destruction caused by Hurricane Helene in our neighboring counties, we made a last-minute change to the beneficiary of the offering. We were able to raise over $3,200 for the Free Will Baptist disaster relief fund. THANK YOU!
Fellowship Church Celebrating 75 Years!
Fellowship Free Will Baptist Church is celebrating our 75th Anniversary this year! Our church was organized in August of 1949. We will be having some events in October to celebrate this milestone anniversary.
Church Picnic – Our church picnic will be Saturday, October 5, at the Eastman Cabins picnic area. More details will be provided later, but please save the date on your calendar.
Homecoming – We will be having our annual homecoming service on Sunday, October 27. Former FWB missionary Steve Lytle will be preaching for us. Brother Lytle and his family were a part of our church many years ago when he and his family lived in our mission house during a stateside term, and we are excited to have him back for this special service. More details about homecoming will also be announced later, but please also save this date on your calendar.
Walk-a-Thon for Missions – September 28
Our church will be participating in a walk-a-thon to raise funds for missions on Saturday, September 28, at Laurel Run Park, Shelter 10. Registration begins at 9:00 a.m. There will be a devotion at 9:30, and the walk will begin at 9:40. This year’s walk is planned for 5 miles. A lunch, followed by a worship service, is planned for after the walk.
Mike Bays is coordinating the walk-a-thon for our church. Anyone who would like to participate in the walk should see Mike for more information.
If you are unable to participate by walking, please consider participating by pledging a donation. The walk-a-thon has been beneficial for many years in raising much needed funds for Free Will Baptist International Missions. It has kept many of our missionaries on the field when their missions accounts have fallen dangerously low. They would have been called back stateside to raise funds for their ministry without the boost from the walk-a-thon. So please pray for this project and give as generously as you can.
Women’s Conference – Liberty FWB Church, Chucky, TN
All of our ladies are invited to the Union Free Will Baptist Association Women’s Conference, which will be held at Liberty Free Will Baptist Church in Chucky, Tennessee on Friday, August 16, at 3:00 p.m. More details are on the flyer below. This will be a great time of learning and fellowship!
Yard Sale and Hot Dog Lunch – August 2 and 3
Our ladies group will be having a yard sale on Friday and Saturday, August 2 and 3, from 8:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. each day. This will be at our Activities Building at the corner of Bloomingdale Road and Freewill Drive. They will also have hot dogs, chips, drinks, and desserts! All proceeds will be going to support missionaries. Please come out to find some bargains and enjoy a delicious lunch!
Change for Life – Baby Bottle Campaign for Hope Center
This past Sunday we had Pam Crank from the Hope Center visiting with us to kick off a Baby Bottle Drive to raise money for the Hope Center. Plastic baby bottles were distributed after the service. We are now out of the bottles, but if you did not receive one you can still use a jar or bottle or whatever you may have at home. You are encouraged to fill the bottle with coins, cash, or a check and then bring the filled bottle back to the church. (Please write the checks payable to our church and make a notation that it’s for the Hope Center.) We have a plastic bin in the church foyer for collecting the bottles. Please return them anytime on or before Sunday, July 28.
If you prefer to donate online, you can go here and make a donation directly to the Hope Center. Click the “Give” button and then type “Fellowship” in the search bar to select our church so it will count toward our goal.
Your donation to the Hope Center will save and change lives! Thank you!
Union Association Northern Quarterly Meeting – July 27
We will be hosting the Northern Quarterly Meeting of the Union Association of Free Will Baptists on Saturday, July 27, at 10 a.m. Our choir will be singing. We will also be providing a catered lunch. Everyone is invited to the service.
The choir will be practicing after our regular Wednesday night service on July 24.
Upcoming Ladies Yard Sale – Donations Needed
Our ladies group will be having a yard sale on August 2-3. They are now accepting donations for the sale. Please bring anything you would like to donate to the Activities Building and put it in the back of the annex section, in the area next to the garage. Please put a price on everything except clothing, as this will save our ladies a lot of work.
Pam Crank from the Hope Center – June 30
Pam Crank, administrator of the Hope Center (part of Free Will Baptist Family Ministries in Greeneville, TN), will be with us on Sunday morning, June 30. She will be speaking about the work of the Hope Center and will also help us to kick off a special fund-raising drive for the month of July. It will be a bottle-change drive; we will be filling bottles with our change.
(Pastor Josh will also be preaching and presenting his final message from the “Mission Series,” about the mission of the church.)
Special Choir Practice June 26
New, Additional, Men’s Sunday School Class Begins July 14
5th Sunday Night Singing June 30!
We are excited to announce that 5th Sunday night singings are returning! Traditionally we have held a singing on Sunday evening whenever there are five Sundays in a month. We will be doing so again on Sunday night, June 30, at 6:00 p.m. Our choir will be reassembled for this service, and several of our congregation will be doing special numbers. (Any of our congregation who would like to sing a special needs to let Mark Adams know so he can prepare a schedule.) A special offering will be taken that night to benefit Free Will Baptist International Missions.
Website Maintenance Complete
We have finished correcting the formatting errors that resulted from the change to the new web platform. If you have any difficulties with the website or see anything that looks strange, please let us know by sending a message to the web administrator using the form on the “Contact Us” page.
We do seem to have an issue with the embedded Google map not showing on the “Maps and Directions” page. However, we have added a note on the page to scroll down and click the link at the bottom; this link takes you to the actual Google Maps page showing where we are located.
Guest Speaker May 26
Special Event for Children’s Church – Sunday, May 26
UPDATE: Date has been changed to May 26.
On Sunday, May 26, our children’s church will be showing the movie “Pilgrim’s Progress.” The movie will begin at 9:30 a.m., the time that is normally the Sunday school hour. So please be sure to bring your children at 9:30 that morning so they will be able to watch the entire movie!
Older Sermons from 2017-2019
The sermon pages for 2017-2019 have been removed. We needed to delete some files to make more space for new sermons. Selected sermons from these pages have been moved to the “Selected Older Sermons” page. We have checked everything and believe the links and the files are working fine. However, if you have any problems with any of these sermons, or any other links or files on our sites, please go to the Contact Us page and send a message to the web administrator so she can look into the issue. Thank you.
Women’s Conference at Parker’s Chapel Church – May 11
All of our ladies are invited to attend the 2024 Women’s Conference at Parker’s Chapel FWB Church here in Kingsport on Saturday, May 11, from 8:00 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. There will be speakers and special music, and lunch will be served. Also, there will be separate sessions with special speakers for girls ages 6-12. Teen girls are invited to attend the adult conference. So please bring your daughters and granddaughters, too!
Our church will be paying the registration fee for anyone connected to our church who wants to attend. There is a signup sheet in the foyer. If you have any special dietary restrictions, please make a note of that, and they will do their best to accommodate them. More information about the conference can be found on their Facebook event page, here.
Northern Quarterly Meeting of Union Association of FWB
On April 27 the Northern Quarterly Meeting of the Union Association of Free Will Baptists will be held at Eastern Star FWB Church. Our church recently voted to join the Union Association, and this will be our first meeting with them. All of our church members are invited, and Pastor Josh would love for as many of our people as possible to attend the meeting.
Chocolate Candy Easter Egg Sale!
Our ladies group will be having their chocolate candy Easter egg sale again this year. They will be selling both peanut butter and coconut flavored eggs after church on Sunday, March 17, and again on Sunday, March 24. The price will be your donation, and the proceeds will be used to support missionaries.
God’s Man Conference 2024
The God’s Man Conference will be held again this year at Evergreen Free Will Baptist Church in Erwin, TN, on March 22-23. More information can be found on Evergreen Church’s website, here. Our church will pay the registration fee for any of our men who want to attend; a sign-up sheet is in our church foyer.
December 24 – Christmas Eve Morning
Come join us as we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Sunday, December 24! We will be having our regular services, with Sunday school at 9:30 and worship service at 10:30. We will sing Christmas carols and have some special Christmas music before the message. Please remember the true reason we are celebrating and keep Christ in Christmas.
Spring Retreat – March 25-27
The Tennessee State Association of Free Will Baptists has announced that the “Spring Retreat” for 2024 will be held from March 25-27. The retreat is now the “2024 Legacy Conference—A Spring Retreat for Senior Adults” and will be held in Greeneville, Tennessee, at the historic General Morgan Inn. The featured speakers will be a father-son ministry team, Terry and Jon Forrest. Conference tickets include the conference, a full breakfast on both mornings, and a delicious dessert each night. Lodging reservations must be made directly with the hotel. More information and online registration is available at the following link: https://tnfwb.org/legacy/. That web page also has the phone number to call the hotel for your room reservation as well as a link to the hotel’s website.
Craft and Bake Sale + Hot Dog Lunch
Our ladies’ group will be having their annual craft and bake sale on Friday and Saturday, November 3-4, from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm each day, inside our Activities Building on the corner at Bloomingdale Road. They will be selling craft items, seasonal items, baked goods, and more. This will be a great time to shop for Christmas decorations or gifts! They will also be selling their famous hot dogs, along with drinks, so stop by and pick up something for lunch! All proceeds will go to support missionaries.
Trunk or Treat
Second Harvest Food Bank Drive
Our ladies group is once again sponsoring a drive for Second Harvest Food Bank through the month of October. Barrels are located just inside the entrance of the church to collect the donations. Please bring non-perishable food items and fill the barrels so we can help families in need.
Homecoming Service – November 12
We are excited to announce that we will be having our annual homecoming service on Sunday, November 12. Rev. Josh McKinney, pastor of Midfield Free Will Baptist Church, will be returning “home” to preach for us! Josh grew up in our church, became an ordained minister, and became pastor at Midfield. We are very proud of what Josh has accomplished for the Lord, and we are happy to have him back for homecoming. We are also excited to announce that the Benton Family will be singing for us!
The service will begin at a special time, at 10:00 a.m. We will have no Sunday School that morning.
After the service, we will be having a dinner at the activities building. The church will be supplying the meat and drinks. Everyone is requested to bring a covered dish with side items, bread, or desserts. We are looking forward to a great time of fellowship and food!
Get Ready for Trunk or Treat!
We will be having Trunk or Treat again! It will be on Tuesday, October 31, at 6:00 p.m. Everyone is asked to bring candy to the church starting now, so we will have plenty of candy ready to pass out to the kids. If you are able to bring your “trunk” on the 31st, you can start planning now about how you would like to decorate it. However, even if you’re not good at decorations, please don’t let that stop you from participating; we always have a fun time giving out the treats to the kids! This is a great way to let them and their families know they are always welcome at Fellowship Free Will Baptist Church!
Reminder – Upcoming Ladies’ Craft Sale
Our ladies/WAC group will be having their annual craft and bake sale on November 3-4. They are accepting donations of craft items and seasonal items, as well as baked goods, home-canned food, and more. If you have items ready to be donated, please see one of the ladies in the group.
Guest Speaker Layton Bentley – October 8
We will be having Layton Bentley, the Executive Director of Harmony Church Missions, speaking for us on Sunday, October 8. Harmony Church Missions is the church on Bloomingdale almost right across the street from us, and we are supporting them financially. Rev. Bentley will be sharing some information about the work of this mission church and he will also be preaching for us.
Guest Speaker – Eli Murdock
We are excited to announce that Eli Murdock will be returning as a guest speaker for the next three weeks. Eli is the grandson of our own C. D. and Gerry Murdock and is planning to become a minister. He impressed us so much with his recent message that we have asked him to come back and preach for the next three Sundays, beginning September 17. He will also be presenting a lesson on Wednesday evenings during those weeks. We are looking forward to hearing what Eli will be teaching us from the Word of God.
Luncheon for Pastor Will and Elizabeth – September 10
On Sunday, September 10, we will have a luncheon honoring Pastor Will and Elizabeth, following the morning church service, in the activities building. The food will be provided by Buddy’s Bar-b-q in Bristol; however, anyone who wishes to bring a dessert is asked to do so. Please come out and help us honor this sweet couple who have faithfully served us for the past several years.
Special Speaker on August 27
Special Announcement – Church Picnic THIS Saturday, August 19!!
We are having our annual church picnic THIS Saturday, August 19. The church will be having a hotdog supper; everything will be provided except dessert. Anyone who wants to bring a dessert can do so, but it is not mandatory to bring anything. The picnic will be at the Eastman Cabins Picnic Area, shelter number 30, from 4:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.
Yard Sale July 28-29
Our ladies’ group will be having their annual yard sale on Friday and Saturday, July 28-29, from 8:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. They will also be selling their famous hot dogs, along with drinks. All proceeds will go to support missionaries. Please stop by and support this work; you never know what bargains you may find! You can also enjoy a delicious hot dog for lunch! ??
They are still accepting donations of items to be sold. Please bring donations to the activities building by July 26. If possible, they ask you to please price all items except clothing.
Upcoming Ladies Craft Sale
Our ladies will be having their annual craft and bake sale on November 3-4. They are accepting donations of craft items and seasonal items, as well as baked goods and more. It’s not too early to start thinking about helping them if you would like to make crafts to donate. Canned food would also be something you may wish to prepare in advance. When you have finished preparing your items and have them ready to be donated, please see one of the ladies in the group.
Yard Sale Donations Needed
Our ladies group will be having their annual yard sale on July 28-29. They are now accepting donations of items to be sold. If you have anything to donate, please bring it on Sunday mornings or Wednesday evenings and ask Pastor Will to unlock the activity building after church. If you need to bring items on another day, please make arrangements with Pastor Will to meet you and unlock the building.
Hope Center Baby Supplies Drive – June 2023
Our ladies group is sponsoring their annual Hope Center drive. Beginning Sunday, June 11, and throughout the month of June, everyone who wants to help is requested to bring items to the church foyer. Traditionally, they have held a “baby diaper and wipes drive”; however, this year the drive is expanded to include anything “baby.” Any baby supplies you wish to donate will be appreciated. They are also accepting Walmart gift cards; the Hope Center can combine these and use them to buy larger items such as car seats and strollers.
Special Services June 18
We are excited to have the Sounds of Praise Ensemble from Southeastern Bible College coming to be with us on Sunday morning, June 18. At 9:30 a.m, we will have our Sunday school classes combined in the auditorium and the Ensemble will be singing. For our 10:30 a.m. worship service, the group will be singing again, and Brother Steve Berry, Director of Development & Donor Relations for the college, will be preaching for us. Please join us for this very special service! This is also Father’s Day, so fathers, please bring your family to church!
Summer Youth Camp/Youth Conference
Our church will be sponsoring youth camp for our kids at Camp Jacob again this year. We will be doing something different for our teens and will be taking them to the Youth Aflame youth conference in Pigeon Forge. Details are below. Please sign up as soon as possible using the sign-up sheets in the church foyer, or talk to Pastor Will if you have questions. Please don’t wait too long to sign up because the availability is limited.
Junior camp is for kids who are rising 3rd graders through rising 6th graders (the grades they will be in for the 2023-2024 school year). The date this year is June 26-30, and it will be held at Camp Jacob in Clintwood, Virginia. The church will cover the fees for any of our kids who want to go. For more information about Camp Jacob, click here.
The teens, those who are rising 7th graders through rising 12th graders (the grade for the 2023-2024 school year) are invited to attend the Youth Aflame conference in Pigeon Forge at the Ramsey Hotel and Convention Center. The conference will be held from June 19-22. Again, our church will cover the conference and hotel costs of any of our kids who want to attend. For more information, you can visit the Youth Aflame website here.
Please Join Us for Easter Sunday
Chocolate Easter Eggs Coming Soon!
Valentine’s Day Cookie & Goodies Sale
Our ladies’ group will be having their annual Valentine’s Day cookie and goodies sale after church for the next two Sundays, February 5 and February 12. Cookies and other goodies will be available for purchase by donation, and the proceeds will go to support missionaries. Please support this worthwhile project and enjoy some delicious cookies and goodies for yourself and your family!
God’s Man Conference
The God’s Man Conference is returning to Evergreen Free Will Baptist Church in Erwin, Tennessee, and will be held from March 31 through April 1. You can find more information on the Evergreen Church’s website, here. UPDATE: Our church will be covering the registration fee for any of our men who wish to go to the conference. There is a sign-up sheet in the foyer. If you have any questions about the conference, please see Pastor Will.
The Spring Retreat is Back for 2023!
The Tennessee Free Will Baptist Spring Retreat is back this year! There are a couple of notable changes this year from the previous retreats. First, the date has moved to the last week of April, the 24-26. Secondly, the venue has changed. The retreat will still be in Pigeon Forge, TN, but will be held at the Courtyard by Marriott hotel on Community Center Drive.
The retreat will feature nationally-recognized southern gospel music artist The Lore Family. Speakers will be Dr. Danny Dwyer, Rev. Jim McComas, and Tennesse State Director Pr. Chris Dotson. Registration is $249.00 per person for double occupancy and $365.00 for single occupancy. (There is a maximum of 2 people per room.) Registration deadline is March 24, but if you register before January 30 and use the promo code TNFLOCK you can save $20.
To learn more about the retreat, click here to go to the info on the Tennessee FWB website. The details are on the picture of the flyer. To register, scroll down the page and tap or click where it says “click here” and you will be taken to the registration form. If you have any questions, please text Tennessee State Director Chris Dotson at (423) 523-2887.
The Courtyard by Marriott hotel is a newer hotel and is conveniently located. For more information about the hotel and the rooms, you can visit the hotel’s website at https://www.courtyard-pigeonforge.com/.
No Services Christmas Day Due to Weather Forecast
Due to snow forecast to arrive late this week and very cold temperatures through the entire weekend, we have decided to cancel all services on Sunday, December 25. Please take time on Christmas to remember that we are celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Christmas Lunch – December 18
No Service on Wednesday, November 23
Free Community BBQ Supper – November 19
We would like to do something for our community and let our neighbors know we are here for them! Therefore, we are hosting a free community BBQ supper on Saturday evening, November 19, at 6:00 p.m. at our activities building on the corner of Bloomingdale Road. Everyone is invited to attend! We are looking forward to having a great meal and a great time of fellowship!
Craft and Bake Sale – and Hotdog Lunch, too!
Our ladies group will be having their annual craft and bake sale on Thursday and Friday, November 4-5, at the activities building on the corner of Bloomingdale Road. The sale will be from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. each day. They will also be selling their famous hotdogs! Chips and drinks will also be available. All proceeds will go to missions, so please come out and support this worthwhile project!
Trunk or Treat – October 31
Food Drive for Second Harvest Food Bank
Our ladies group is sponsoring a food drive for Second Harvest Food Bank from now through the first week in November. Collection barrels have been placed in the cloak area next to the church foyer. Please bring non-perishable food items to help local people in need. The last day to bring items is Sunday, November 6.
Church Picnic – October 22
Our annual church picnic is back! We will be having our church picnic on Saturday afternoon, October 22, from 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. at Shelter 9 in the Eastman picnic area. The church will be providing the meal; however, you are asked to bring a dessert. If you plan to attend, please sign up on the sheet in the church foyer to help with planning; but if you do not sign up you are still welcome to come!
? Trunk or Treat October 31 ?
Trunk or Treat is back! We will be having Trunk or Treat this year in the Activity Building parking lot on Monday, October 31! If you can decorate your trunk and participate, please plan to be there around 5:30 p.m. to get set up. The event will officially begin at 6:00 p.m. Please sign up or let Elizabeth Scrivner know if you are going to be able to participate. Also, we need as many people as possible to supply candy. Please bring candy to the church any time during the month of October. Let’s make this a great event for the neighborhood kids!
Yard Sale – July 29 and 30 (Hot Dogs, Too!)
Our ladies’ group will be having their yard sale on Friday and Saturday, July 29-30, from 8:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. each day. They will also be selling their delicious hot dogs! All proceeds will go to support missionaries, so please go and buy lots of stuff!
Also, if you have items to donate, there is still time to bring them to the church. If the activities building is locked, please ask Pastor Will to unlock it so you can put your items inside.
Sweets Sunday – Again!
Sweets Sunday – June 26
Our ladies are having “Sweets Sunday” on June 26! They will be selling cookies, candy, and also bread after church that morning. All proceeds will go to support missions. So bring a few (or a lot!) of dollars to donate and help our missionaries, and pick up some delicious treats to take home!
Hope Center Baby Supplies Drive for the Month of June
Our ladies group is sponsoring a diaper drive for the Hope Center during the month of June. This includes not only diapers, but also baby wipes and any other baby supply items, as well as Walmart gift cards. Please bring these items to church during the month of June and leave them in the coat room. The ladies will see that they are all taken to the Hope Center in Greeneville, TN.
Easter Sunday is THIS Sunday, April 17
Sunday School and Wednesday Evening Service Returning in May!
We are excited to announce that we will resume Sunday School on Sunday morning, May 1! The time will be 9:30 a.m., just as it was previously. Also, we will be resuming Wednesday evening services beginning May 4 at 6:30 p.m. Pastor Will will soon be announcing what we will be doing on Wednesday evenings.
Youth Camp June 20-25
We are excited to announce that we will be sending our kids and teens to youth camp this year! They will be going to Camp Jacob in Clintwood, VA, and we will be joining with another church to participate in “First Bristol Week,” June 20-25. The Junior camp is for rising 3rd graders through rising 6th graders, and the Teen camp is for rising 7th graders through age 18. Check in will be on Monday afternoon, June 20, and check out will be Saturday, June 25, at 10:00 a.m. The church will pay all registration fees for our youth! Please see Pastor Will if you would like your kids to attend. You need to register online, but Pastor Will will need to provide the special code. He will also help if you have problems registering online. Please note that space is limited for the Junior Camp, so please register ASAP to ensure your spot! For more information, go to the First Bristol Week page on the Camp Jacob website, here.
Chocolate Easter Eggs!
Our WAC ladies group will be making and selling their chocolate Easter eggs again this year! The ladies will meet in the Activities Building on Saturday, April 2, at 2:00 p.m. to finish decorating the eggs. Then the eggs will be on sale after church services the following two Sundays, April 3 and April 10. The money will help to support missions. The price this year is $3 each or two for $5. Please support our WAC and enjoy some delicious chocolate eggs!
WAC Ladies Group to Resume Meetings!
Ladies Brunch on Saturday, March 26
UPDATE: Homecoming Service This Sunday, Sept. 19
Our Homecoming service this Sunday, September 19, will begin at the normal service time of 10:30 a.m. This is a change to the previous announcement. Also, please remember, we are NOT having dinner after the service because of the surge in Covid-19 cases across the area. We are still looking forward to a special service with music from Rick Parker and Kathy Parker Arnold and a message from Rev. Josh McKinney. Please join us!
Important Announcement – Service Schedule Changes
Finally – Return to Normal in August! But with Changes!
We are happy to announce that we are going back to a normal full schedule of services, beginning in August! However, we are making a few changes, so please read carefully.
Beginning August 1, Sunday School will resume on Sunday mornings at 9:30 a.m., as in the past. The morning worship service time will remain at 10:30 a.m. Kids’ church will continue to be on the 1st, 3rd, and 5th Sundays in each month. Nursery will continue to be provided each week.
Evening services will be changing. Our Sunday evening services will be held in the Activities Building and will be a Bible study service with a lesson from Pastor Will. We will meet at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday evenings. We will also resume choir practice at 5:30 p.m. on Sundays, prior to the Bible study.
Instead of a Wednesday night service for everyone, we will be having small group Bible studies on different nights for different groups. These will also be held in the activities building, but at 6:30 p.m. We are starting with two groups. The men will be meeting on Monday evenings, beginning August 2; the ladies will be meeting on Wednesday evenings, beginning August 4. We will split into additional groups if these groups grow large enough.
We are excited about these changes and about the return to a full schedule and we hope you are, too!
Grill Out
Homecoming September 19 (Updated Info)
We have scheduled our Homecoming service for Sunday, September 19, at 10:00 a.m. There will be no Sunday school and no evening Bible study; we will have one service at the special time of 10:00 a.m. Rev. Josh McKinney, who grew up here at Fellowship and is now pastor of Midfield Free Will Baptist Church, will be preaching for us. Our special music will be provided by our friends Rick Parker and Kathy Parker Arnold. Update: Due to the recent surge in Covid-19 cases in the region, we will NOT be having a fellowship dinner after the service. UPDATE 2: The service will not be at a special time but will begin at our normal time of 10:30 a.m.
Kids’ Church Water Game Day
Our kids’ church will be enjoying a “water game day” on Saturday, July 17, at the activities building from 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. A hotdog lunch will be provided. They will get wet playing the water games, but because this is also a church activity we ask that the children dress modestly and wear shorts and T-shirts; it is fine to wear a bathing suit underneath the shorts and T-shirt. Please bring your kids for a fun time!
Upcoming Event: Kids’ Bash
We are having an outdoor “Kids’ Bash,” to celebrate the end of the school year, on Saturday, May 22, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. It will be at the Eastman Recreation Area, shelter number 44. Food will be provided by the church. Please sign up on the sheet in the church foyer. Bring the kids out for a fun time!
Spring Retreat Cancelled for 2021
Special Guest Speaker – March 14
On March 14, we will be welcoming Marcus Stephens as our special guest speaker. He and his wife, Tonya, are joining Chad and Paula Kivette in Sevierville to work as missionaries in planting the 24/7 Church. A special offering will be taken to support this important work.
Staffed Nursery Available
We are pleased to announce that we have resumed our staffed nursery during the Sunday morning service. The nursery will be available every week for babies and preschool children.
As a reminder, children’s church for school-aged kids is available virtually every other Sunday – on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month (and also on the 5th Sunday for months which have five Sundays). The school-aged children will join the adults in the sanctuary on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of each month for Family Sundays.
Exciting News – Children’s Church to Resume September 6
We are excited to be resuming Children’s Church during the morning services beginning in September! The children will be meeting together for their own class on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of each month, and also on the 5th Sunday for months which have five Sundays. The 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month will be “family Sundays” when the children stay in the main auditorium. Please join us at 10:30 on Sunday mornings!
Happy Father’s Day
Exciting News! Sunday Morning Services Resuming June 7
We will be resuming Sunday morning services next month, beginning June 7, meeting at the regular time of 10:30 a.m. Social distancing guidelines will be followed, and people are asked to sit only with their immediate family. There will be no Sunday school, no nursery, no children’s church, and no choir, as those activities do not allow for the necessary social distancing. There will be no evening services; we are only resuming the Sunday morning service for now. It will be different, but we look forward to being able to worship together again!
Happy Mother’s Day
Cancellations Due to COVID-19
Our board has cancelled all services until further notice, due to the ongoing concerns about COVID-19. Pastor Will will continue to record a message each week which we will post here on our website. Please continue to make time for God each week and listen to these messages. Please also remember to take a moment and pray for everyone on our prayer list. We may not remember all of the names, but God does!
God’s Man Conference April 3-4 – Postponed
UPDATE: Due to the coronovirus situation, this conference has been postponed. More information will be provided at a later date.
Attention all men! The God’s Man Conference will be held on Friday and Saturday, April 3-4, this year again at the Evergreen FBW Church in Erwin. The speakers will be Rev. Scott Coghill, Rev. Joe Arthur, and Rev. Jim McComas; and the cost is $25.00 per man. The purpose of God’s Man is to challenge men through powerful preaching and practical equipping to take leadership in their homes and in our churches. It is the desire of our God’s Man team through this movement to “Build Men, Restore Homes, and Honor God.” For more general information on the God’s Man Conferences, which are held in several locations around the country, click here for their home page. Information specific to the Erwin conference can be found at this link.
Spring Retreat March 9-11
The Tennessee Free Will Baptist Spring Retreat will be March 9-11, again at MainStay Suites and Conference Center in Pigeon Forge. Featured guests this year will be the Lore Family from Portsmouth, Ohio. They have ministered in hundreds of churches and venues across the US and Canada. The family makes it a point to ensure that each ministry opportunity is fulfilled in excellence and authenticity. Darren, Sandy, Fayth, and Samuel will bring a passionate, Powerful message to honor and glorify the Savior both in word and song.
There are some changes this year to the registration process. Conference-only registration is with Tennessee Free Will Baptists and does not include your hotel room; the price is $70/person. You will need to make your hotel reservation separately. If you want to stay at MainStay Suites, where the conference will be held, they have a special group rate of $85/night per room. You will need to call the hotel directly at (865)428-8350 and tell them you are attending the conference. (Choice Privilege Members please note this rate is not eligible for points, so you may want to ask about other rates.)
To register for the conference itself, you may do so online using this link and enter your credit card number. If you prefer to mail a check, or if you prefer to mail your credit card info, you can find a registration form on the very last page of the Winter 2020 ECHO newsletter, which is online at the Tennessee FWB website. The direct link to download the pdf file for the newsletter is here. Make the check payable to Tennessee Free Will Baptists and mail to the following address:
TNFWB Spring Retreat
4132 Highlander Court
Antioch, TN 37013
If you have never been to the retreat, you are missing a blessing and a fun time! The rooms are very comfortable and have a nice sitting area with a sofa, so you will also have a great place to relax.
Valentine’s Cookie Sale
Our Ladies Fellowship group will be having their annual Valentine’s Cookie Sale this year on February 2 and February 9. Cookies will be available after the morning service both Sundays, and the price is whatever donation you would like to give. The proceeds will be going to help missionaries.
Fifth Sunday Singing December 29
Revival – November 17-20
On Sunday morning, November 17, we will begin revival services with Brother Mike Cash. Brother Cash is a graduate of Southeastern Bible College and has been serving as pastor of East Valley Free Will Baptist Church in Mesa, Arizona, since 2003. He will be preaching for us in both the 10:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. services on Sunday the 17th. The revival will continue through November 20, with the Monday – Wednesday services beginning at 7:00 p.m. Please join us as we allow God to speak to our hearts through these messages.
Kidsfest Will Be Here Soon!
We are getting excited for Kidsfest! This two-day event is for children ages 5-12 and will replace our Vacation Bible School this year. It includes food, games, crafts, songs, and a message from our special guest speaker. And it’s all FREE! We know the kids will have a great time, so please bring your children or grandchildren so they can join in the fun!
(Click image for a larger view)
Ladies Banquet
We will be having a Ladies Banquet on Saturday, July 13, at 5:30 p.m. in the Activities Building. The price is $20 and will include dinner, encouragement, laughter, fun, and hearing from God’s word. Our speaker will be Alexis Taylor, who is the wife of Noah Taylor, pastor of Evergreen Free Will Baptist Church in Erwin, TN. The theme is “Making Lemonade.” When God give you lemons, make lemonade. Please sign up on the sheet in the foyer if you are planning to attend. All ladies are welcome, so please invite your sisters, daughters, mothers, friends, etc., to attend our lemonade ladies gathering!
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28 King James Version (KJV)
Easter Services
Please join us on Easter Sunday, April 21, for our worship service at 10:30 a.m. We also have Sunday school classes for all ages if you come early, at 9:30 a.m.
Easter Sunday evening will will observe the Lord’s supper in the 6:00 p.m. service. All Christians are welcome to participate; so if your church has cancelled services that night and you would like to visit, please feel free to join us.
Easter Egg Hunt
Our annual Easter egg hunt will be on Saturday morning, April 20, at 11:30 a.m. Everyone in the community is invited to join in the fun! Please bring your kids, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and neighbors promptly at 11:30; we always have plenty of eggs but they are gathered quickly!
Changes Coming Soon
As had been planned when Will Scrivner was elected to join us as Associate Pastor, he will assume the position of Pastor when current pastor Bob Lewis retires. Pastor Bob, after consulting with our church board, recently announced that his retirement date will be March 31. This means that Will Scrivner will become our new church pastor on April 1, which is Easter Sunday. We are praising the Lord for His awesome leadership in bringing us to this point! Bob and Brenda Lewis’ final service with us will be Sunday morning, March 25. That evening we will be having a fellowship for them.
(Though Bob and Brenda will not be attending Fellowship FWB Church after the transition, they are staying in the area and will remain members of our church. They want to support our church financially and help in the ministry in whatever way they can behind the scenes.)
Farewell Service and Fellowship for Jonathan and Robin Lewis
This Sunday night, October 22, Jonathan Lewis will be preaching for us one last time before he and Robin move to North Carolina. Then we will go to the activities building for a special time of fellowship and express our appreciation to them. (Their final service will not be until November 12, but we are having the fellowship a little early.) Please bring finger foods and join us in letting them know how much we appreciate their ministry with us.
Changes are Coming
Jonathan and Robin Lewis are in the process of moving to North Carolina. We hate to lose them, but we know that is what is best for their family. Recently we voted to hire Will Schrivner as our new Associate Pastor. Will and his wife Elizabeth will be officially joining us on November 1. Jonathan will remain with us for the first two weeks of November to allow a smooth transition of responsibilities.
New Year, New Website!
Welcome to our brand new website! For the past several months, we have been working behind the scenes to transition our website to a new platform and a brand new theme. We have finally completed the transition! Our menu has changed and some of your favorite pages may now be listed as a sub-menu item. For example, the Calendar page is now listed under the “What’s Happening” menu button. If you have any problems with the new site, please click here to send a message to the web administrator.
Josh McKinney’s Ordination Service
On Sunday evening, May 3, we will be meeting at Midfield Free Will Baptist Church, where we are having a joint service for the purpose of ordaining Josh McKinney to the ministry. This special service will begin at 6:00 p.m., and Pastor Bob will be preaching the ordination sermon. You don’t want to miss this exciting event!
Special Service to Congratulate Rev. Josh McKinney
We will be having a special service next Sunday afternoon, February 8, to honor and congratulate Rev. Josh McKinney, who was recently elected as pastor of Midfield Free Will Baptist Church. Many of us have watched Josh grow up in our church from a young boy to become the man of God he is today.
The special service will begin at 4:00 p.m. and will take the place of our regular evening service. We are changing the time because of Josh’s responsibilites to Midfield Church. Josh will be speaking for us during the service. Congratulations, Josh! We will miss you, but we know God has great things planned for you.
Sunday Morning Service Time Change is Permanant
On Sunday evening, August 31, the majority of the church members voted to make the morning service time changes permanent. Please join us for Sunday School at 9:30 a.m. (classes for all ages) and for morning worship service at 10:30 a.m. Sunday evening services will continue to begin at 6:00 p.m., and Wednesday evenings we will continue to meet at 6:30 p.m.
Congratulations Rev. Josh McKinney!
On Monday evening, May 6, our own Josh McKinney received his preaching license at the Eastern Quarterly Meeting of the Union Association of Free Will Baptists. He will now be under a two-year observation period, which is required before becoming ordained. Josh is currently enrolled in a Theology/Pastoral Studies program at Liberty University Online. Our church congratulates Josh on all he has accomplished so far, and we look forward to seeing how he will be used of God in the future. May God bless you, Josh!
New Security Measures
Who would have ever thought that our church would need security? The time and condition of our culture have changed enough to necessitate better security here at Fellowship Free Will Baptist Church. This is a must according to the county sheriff’s office and the district attorney’s office.
When we remodeled in 2006, we installed a security system to monitor our buildings when no one was around. Now the time has come to step up security even when people are around.
In recent days, several churches in our area have been broken into or robbed during worship services.
Beginning Sunday, August 1, we will be locking the doors of the church during service times. About 5-10 minutes into the services, an usher will lock all doors of the church, including the main sanctuary door. Please understand we are not trying to keep anyone out of our church except those who would like to do us harm. We want everyone to feel welcome, but we also want everyone to feel secure. We are having paddle locks installed on the doors so that people on the inside can get out very easily even when the doors are locked. This does meet the requirements of the fire code for Sullivan County.
There should be no problem with this new system. Just a word to the wise, come early and you won’t be locked out.
We also encourage everyone to lock your vehicles and put all valuable items inside the vehicle out of sight.
Yes, it is sad when we must go to these kinds of security measures, but the times and culture demand that we do so. If you have any questions, please feel free to call the pastor or one of our board members. They can answer any question to clarify any concern you may have.
Web Changes
The new webmaster would like to thank Connie for all the work she has previously done to develop this site. She was no longer able to maintain it, so I have volunteered to try. I have made a few changes and have some ideas that I will probably be using in the future. Any changes that I make are only to build on the hard work that Connie has already done. Thank you, Connie, for making this web site possible.