First United Methodist Church of Oak Ridge Archives

First United Methodist Church mission team kicked off Christmas Tree sale on Friday, Nov. 24

Posted at 9:44 pm December 1, 2017
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Submitted photo

The First United Methodist Church of Oak Ridge mission team kicked off its Christmas Tree sale on Friday, November 24.

For almost 60 years, First Church and other local Methodist churches have sold Christmas trees to benefit local, regional, and international missions, a press release said.

“This year is no different, with sales going to benefit mission work in Puerto Rico and Honduras, recovery efforts in Florida and Texas, and disaster relief kit distribution centers in Louisiana,” the press release said. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge faith leaders condemn racism, hatred, ask City Council to do the same

Posted at 11:48 am August 16, 2017
By John Huotari 15 Comments

Reacting to the deadly violence at a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, this past weekend, Oak Ridge faith leaders on Monday, Aug. 14, 2017, condemned white supremacy, racism, anti-semitism, and other forms of hatred, and they asked the Oak Ridge City Council to adopt a resolution expressing similar sentiments. The statement of condemnation was read by Derrick Hammond, pastor of Oak Valley Baptist Church. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Reacting to the deadly violence at a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, this past weekend, Oak Ridge faith leaders on Monday condemned white supremacy, racism, anti-semitism, and other forms of hatred, and they asked the Oak Ridge City Council to adopt a resolution expressing similar sentiments.

The statement of condemnation of hatred and racism was read by Derrick Hammond, pastor of Oak Valley Baptist Church, during a Monday evening meeting of the Oak Ridge City Council as 14 other clergy members stood by him in support.

It came two days after a 32-year-old Virginia woman was killed and 19 other people were injured after a car plowed into counter-protesters on the day of the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville. About two hours after the car crash, two Virginia state troopers who both have East Tennessee ties were killed when their police helicopter crashed and burned; the helicopter had been involved in providing surveillance and information during the day, the Charlottesville Daily Progress reported.

“This past weekend, a 32-year-old young lady by the name of Heather Heyer lost her life, and many others were seriously injured at a Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia,” the Oak Ridge faith leaders said in their statement delivered to City Council on Monday. “The white nationalists, neo-Nazis, Ku Klux Klan members, and other ‘alt-right’ hate groups were gathered in order to ‘take America back.’

“While the kind of hate, bigotry, and white supremacist ideology that we witnessed in Charlottesville is not new to America, this racist minority movement has been emboldened by what they perceive as support for their un-American world view. Their rhetoric and actions threaten the historic progress our ancestors, from many faiths and ethnic backgrounds, have made toward equality for all. It is now our responsibility and privilege to celebrate the rich diversity of our nation and continue their work. [Read more…]

First United Methodist has Vacation Bible School this month

Posted at 11:37 am June 5, 2017
By Emily Dennison Leave a Comment

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First United Methodist Church of Oak Ridge will celebrate recent renovations with an open house on Sunday evening, Jan. 8, 2017. The church is located at the intersection of Oak Ridge Turnpike and North Tulane Avenue. (Photo courtesy Jeff Kile)

First United Methodist Church of Oak Ridge will be hosting Vacation Bible School “Mighty Fortress” from June 19-22 (Monday-Thursday) from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Children from 4 years old through 5th graders are welcome. FUMC is located at 1350 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

For more information or to volunteer, contact Erin Webb at [email protected]. [Read more…]

First United Methodist hosts ETSU BucsWorth Men’s Ensemble on Friday

Posted at 1:45 pm April 19, 2017
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

ETSU BucsWorth Men’s Ensemble (Submitted photo)

As part of the Newsong Concert Series, First United Methodist Church of Oak Ridge will host the East Tennessee State University BucsWorth Men’s Ensemble on Friday, April 21, at 7:30 pm in the Sanctuary. All are welcome to attend. The suggested donation is $10, a press release said.

BucsWorth Men’s Choir was formed in the early 1990s at East Tennessee State University as a primarily a capella chamber ensemble called “10 BucsWorth”—which referred to the number of guys in the ensemble and a play-on-words reference to the ETSU mascot, the Buccaneers, the press release said. In 2013, the ensemble was expanded to a full men’s choir under the direction of Alan Stevens. [Read more…]

First United Methodist Church celebrates renovation in open house Sunday

Posted at 10:22 am January 8, 2017
By Jeff Kile Leave a Comment

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A new cross is installed at First United Methodist Church of Oak Ridge in November 2016. (Photo by Julio Culiat)

First United Methodist Church has an open house today to celebrate a recent renovation.

The open house is from 5-7 p.m. Sunday, January 8.

During the $600,000 renovation, the church upgraded audio visuals in both worship spaces, erected two new signs, and completely renovated the youth loft, second floor restrooms, hallways, welcome center, and classrooms. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Symphony Orchestra performs All-Mozart Concert on Saturday

Posted at 1:10 pm November 4, 2016
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Gabe Lefkowitz (Submitted photo)

The Oak Ridge Symphony Orchestra and Oak Ridge Chorus will perform an All-Mozart Concert on Saturday.

The concert is presented by the Oak Ridge Civic Music Association, and it will be led by Maestro Dan Allcott.

It’s scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, November 5, at the First United Methodist Church of Oak Ridge.

The concert will feature the Oak Ridge Chorus performing Mozart’s “Coronation” Mass with the Oak Ridge Symphony, and Mozart’s “Divertimento in F major.” The concert will also feature guest artist, Gabriel Lefkowitz, currently in his final season as concertmaster of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, in a performance of Mozart’s “Violin Concerto No. 5.” [Read more…]

First United Methodist announces two new staff members: Rev. Rachel Witt, Seth O’Kegley

Posted at 10:23 am June 29, 2016
By Kathy Gillenwaters Leave a Comment

The Rev. Rachel Witt, new associate pastor at First United Methodist Church in Oak Ridge. (Submitted photo)

First United Methodist Church of Oak Ridge has announced that two new staff members will be joining the church’s ministry team on July 1. The Rev. Rachel Witt will be assuming the position of associate pastor, and Seth O’Kegley will begin serving as music director. Their first Sunday in worship with the congregation will be July 3.

Originally from Kingsport, Witt has a bachelor’s degree in religion and a minor in music from Emory and Henry College in Emory, Virginia. She graduated in May with a Master of Divinity degree from Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. She has served as a clergy intern at Church Street United Methodist in Knoxville and at Bethlehem United Methodist Church in Waxhaw, North Carolina.

Her experience also includes working as a counselor at Buffalo Mountain Camp outside Johnson City and as a summer youth ministry intern with the Holston Conference United Methodist Church based in Alcoa. Witt will be sharing in preaching and pastoral care responsibilities and will also provide leadership in outreach to young adults as well as various other ministries, a press release said.

A native of Fredericksburg, Virginia, O’Kegley has a bachelor’s degree in music education from East Tennessee State University in Johnson City. He graduated in May with a master’s degree in choral conducting from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. [Read more…]

Yoga, Christian contemplation offered at FUMC

Posted at 11:44 pm September 13, 2015
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

The First United Methodist Church of Oak Ridge is pictured above. (Photo by First United Methodist Church)

Submitted

For some yoga and prayer go well together because they experience yoga as a way to pray with the body, uniting body, mind, and spirit. For others, yoga, with its careful use of breathing and postures, serves to quiet and focus the mind, thus beautifully preparing us for prayer. First United Methodist Church of Oak Ridge, 1350 Oak Ridge Turnpike, will again be offering classes which combine yoga and Christian prayer. The classes will be led by professional yoga instructors and the Rev. Jenny Caughman.

In these classes, we will practice yoga with conscious awareness of God’s constant presence with us. Yoga can be used to open ourselves up to the spirit. In the words of Fr. Thomas Ryan, when practicing yoga “one creates an atmosphere of calm, peace, and silence without and within, establishing a harmony between body and spirit so that nothing hinders the working of grace, the Holy Spirit. The aim is to bring tranquility to one’s mind from anxieties and problems; and to render it available to the Spirit.” This class will seek to make us increasingly open to the Spirit by integrating Christian contemplative prayer with the practice of yoga. [Read more…]

Pancakes with Santa fundraiser for CONTACT Care Line on Saturday

Posted at 11:42 pm December 4, 2014
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CONTACT Care Line is hosting a Pancakes with Santa fundraising event this Saturday, December 6, from 8 to 10 a.m. at the First United Methodist Church at 1350 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

Santa Claus and Mrs. Santa will be there to greet children of all ages, and parents can take photos of their children with Santa, a press release said. Youth choirs will entertain the crowd with carols, and there will be plenty of merry elves serving pancakes with butter and syrup, bacon, fruit juices, hot chocolate, milk, and coffee too.

CONTACT is in its fifth decade serving people in need throughout East Tennessee, the press release said. Trained volunteers field nearly 19,000 critical support calls every year. Anderson County, where CONTACT is headquartered, has one of the lowest suicide rates in the state of Tennessee. However, suicide is on the rise in Tennessee and across the United States. [Read more…]

Hospital discharge options to be discussed Sept. 18

Posted at 8:48 pm September 8, 2014
By Carolyn Krause Leave a Comment

Meg Tonne, parish nurse at First Presbyterian Church, will moderate a panel on hospital discharge options on Sept. 18.

Imagine you’re in the hospital for five days. You receive medications, diagnostic tests, and other hospital services, and you have Medicare.

Then, when your doctor wants to send you to a skilled nursing facility like NHC, you find out you’re classified as “outpatient observation.” Medicare will not cover your stay at such a facility unless you’ve been in the hospital for three nights as an inpatient.

After you’ve been discharged from the hospital and taken home, your son decides to hire a private caregiver for you. The caregiver does not work for a licensed home-assistance agency.

The caregiver, who is not bonded and has not had a background check, steals your expensive jewelry, camera, and some cash, but you can’t prove it. Your son fires the caregiver and hires a contract worker with a licensed agency.

The new caregiver hurts her back lifting you. Could you be sued? How can you avoid getting in such bad situations?

“When you are discharged from the hospital, you face many choices when your stress levels are high and time is limited,” said Meg Tonne, parish nurse at the church who coordinates the luncheons. “You may not understand what the options are for different levels of care and whether you qualify for the level you think you need.” [Read more…]

First United Methodist will simulcast Bible teacher, author on Sept. 13

Posted at 7:46 pm September 3, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

First United Methodist Church of Oak Ridge will simulcast well-known Bible teacher and best-selling author Beth Moore live from Fort Wayne, Indiana, on September 13, for the Oak Ridge area.

An estimated 250,000 women around the world are expected to participate in this live Internet streaming event, which will feature Moore’s dynamic storytelling and passionate Bible teaching in a down-to-earth style that is relevant to women’s lives, a press release said.

Moore has authored dozens of Bible studies, books, and devotionals specifically for women for nearly two decades. Moore’s organization, Living Proof Ministries, is based out of Houston.

“We want to welcome all women in the Oak Ridge area, no matter your faith background, to this free simulcast,” said the Rev. Crystal Smith, associate pastor at First United Methodist Church. “We hope the day will bless you and strengthen your walk in faith, and that through this event, we’ll be a blessing to other women as well.” [Read more…]

First Steps Child Development Center starts new calendar in fall

Posted at 12:50 pm March 18, 2014
By Dawn Huotari Leave a Comment

First Steps Child Development Center, located within First United Methodist Church in Oak Ridge, has announced new hours and a year-round school calendar.

Beginning in August, the center will be operating on a year-round basis from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. during the week instead of following the Oak Ridge school system calendar. The center will be in session most weeks of the year, including summer months and both fall and spring breaks.

To avoid losing their child’s spot in class, parents interested in the traditional academic calendar may pay a “holding fee” for the summer session. [Read more…]