THE OPEN DOOR BETHEL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, USA
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Volume 18, Issue 5 October 2021
THE OPEN DOOR
BETHEL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, USA
KINGSTON, TN
In this Issue: From the Session:
Memorials During our regular monthly Session meeting on
September 19, 2021, Wendy told us that she felt the "call
Birthdays to go," and that it is time for her to leave Bethel after
serving our congregation faithfully for over 10 years.
HOME Focus Foods Although Wendy has not discerned what she will do next,
she told us that a letter about her decision was already in
Family Promise the mail to the congregation
Wendy’s last Sunday with Bethel will be October
Lakeside Market 10, and her last day in the of ce will be October 12.
Wendy has vacation days that she has not used, so she
Mortgage Report will be on vacation October 13-31. Her last day as
Bethel’s Pastor will be October 31, 2021. Wendy is
Finance Team scheduling guest ministers for October 17, 24, and 31
We learned that Rev. Dr. James McTyre
Peacemaking and Global (Transitional General Presbyter and Stated Clerk of the
Presbytery, as well as Pastor of Lake Hills Presbyterian
Mission Offering Church) will moderate our October 17, 2021 Session
Meeting. On October 17, Rev. McTyre will help the
Pastor’s letter Session understand how to move forward through the
next steps
Wendy’s call to be our Pastor is with the
Congregation, not the Session. There will be a
Congregational meeting in October to of cially dissolve
Wendy's call. This is all we know right now
In the midst of uncertainty, not knowing the path
forward is always dif cult. The Congregation and the
Session will need to work together as we navigate
uncharted territory. Bethel has existed for over 200
years, and we are con dent that God has great things in
store for our congregation if we continue to put our faith in
Him. We are very thankful that we have had Wendy’s
strong leadership since the spring of 2011 and during the
global Covid-19 pandemic. We pray for blessings on
Wendy and her family as she discerns her next calling
Cathy McDowell, Clerk of Sessio
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Volume 18, Issue 5 October 2021
Memorials
Happy Birthday
In memory of Joan Davis
from
Dave & Nancy Brask 3 Linda Preston
4 Rick Durham
In memory of Brenda
Strickling from Hannah Sherrod
Chuck & Brenda Bunc 5 Gisela Condon
Gary Lemaster Eden Sherrod
Liz Single
10 Adam Gallaher
Frank & Marilyn Harri
Albert & Rita Shesle Joe Pierce
H.R. Rayl 15 Glenn Horner
Carrie Vickers
In memory of Marianne 17 Jared McGill
Shadden from
Chuck & Brenda Bunc Harper Neal
19 Jill McMaster
In memory of Anita 20 Anne Horner
Richmond fro Caleb Sherrod
Chuck & Brenda Bunc
25 Eric Windhausen
In memory of Betty Ulrich 26 Connor Rourke
from 29 Rebecca Pierce
Terry& Charity Robbin Will Purushotham
31 Roger Richmond
In memory of Jacob Murr
fro
Jane Picke
In memory of Tom PIckel
from
Roger Richmon
In memory of Karen Schall
from
Melanie Sherro
HOME Food Collection
In memory of Alf Rybka's For the month of September our focus foods are Pasta/
mother fro Spaghetti Sauce. These and other non-perishable food
Melanie Sherro items can be brought in throughout the month and
placed in the Hands of Mercy (HOME) collection basket
In memory of Marc
Sherrod from in the Gathering Area. Thank you for supporting our
Melanie Sherro local food pantry and helping feed hungry folks in our
community.
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hVolume 18, Issue 5 October 2021
Report on Kingston Lakeside Market (Summer 2021)
Many of our 2020 vendors returned this year and from their reporting many had
a profitable year. We have grown to 34 regular vendors and a number of part time
and intermittent vendors.
We are happy to have the Defenders offer their BBQ fundraiser for Christmas gifts
for needy children. They will be with us for our Halloween Market as well. It has
also been a privilege to have Family Promise participate. They had a positive
reception by many market visitors. Another addition to our market was the UT
extension Department with Jessica and Lisa, our extension agents. They shared
educational information and also offered testing of canning equipment as well as
giving away some neat kitchen aids.
A visit by Dr. Charles Hatcher the Commissioner of Tennessee Department of
Agriculture, was an opportunity to showcase the market and the good things that
are happening. It also allowed us to explain our market mission vision as well as
the fact that our vendors pay no fees or commissions to participate.
The Commissioner encouraged us to apply for a Department of Agriculture grant
for the advancement of farmers markets. We were awarded the $1000 grant which
allowed us to purchase a commercial scales, and a vibrant new sidewalk sign. It is
our goal to rent a commercial kitchen that would allow our vendors to offer
additional items such as salsas, barbecue sauces, relishes, etc. We are looking for
reasonably priced food safety education that would benefit those vendors that use a
commercial kitchen.
The spirit of the market is amazing. The vendors are supportive of their fellow
participants. It has been heard from more than one vendor that “this is not a
market, this is a family” Another has shared that he finally has found a place
where he is welcomed and appreciated.
Special thanks goes to Bethel shoppers and market supporters. Special recognition
needs to go to Liz Singley for her bright spirit and untiring physical labor of
putting up and taking down tents. Adam Badger, our weekly security and
parking agent, has been a tremendous help. Having his presence has allowed us to
have a safe environment. We appreciate the work of Jake Horton for his legal advice
on how to operate the market under the umbrella of Bethel while reducing the
church’s financial risk.
Our final event for 2021 will be our Halloween Market, on October 30, from 10:00
am to 2:00 pm. We will be offering treats for our young visitors!
Respectfully Submitted, Elaine Steele
3Volume 18, Issue 5 October 2021
Family Promise News
•Exci ng News – Bethel will be a sta c sight for Family Promise. What does
that mean? Instead of hos ng mul ple families for a week at a me on a
quarterly basis, one family will receive overnight accommoda ons at Bethel on
the third oor in the educa on wing. We will ask volunteers to provide meals
but no overnight host will be needed. The other Family Promise host churches
will con nue their rota onal responsibili es, including providing meals during
their assigned week. This is a crea ve response to our present COVID
situa on. More details will be provided when we receive our rst family. If
you have ques ons before then, please feel free to contact Jan Rybka at
882-8836, 310-8836 or jgrybka@hotmail.
•The Family Promise annual rummage sale earned over $4400.00. Thanks to
all who volunteered, donated and/or shopped, especially those who did all
three!
•Family Promise of Roane County is a United Way agency and was a vendor at
the Pup A Palooza event this month. It was a fun day with cute kids, dogs and
other vendors who provide a variety of services to Roane County.
•Can’t say enough about those of you who went the extra mile to help Peggy,
Keith and the twins get into their new home. The twins are thrilled with their
new home, which has enough space for a pillow ght! I want to acknowledge
our friends at St. Andrews Episcopal Church in Harriman who took the lead in
this endeavor, without whom it could not have happened.
•We are excited there will be a Fall Farmer’s Market on October 30th. Family
Promise has reserved a space and plans to sell handcra s. If you are an ar st
or cra er who ‘produced more than you could gi ’ this past year, we would
love to have your dona ons for the Fall Market. I think this will do well as folks
start to prepare for the Christmas season. Contact Jan Rybka at
865-310-8836(M), 865-882-8836(H) or jgrybka@hotmail.com.
•Con nue to keep the program in your prayers. Several churches are presently
considering becoming host or support churches.
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FINANCE TEAM MORTGAGE REPORT
Bethel has two mortgage loans on our building expansion.
Information as of August 31, 2021:
1. Presbytery of East Tennessee (PET) $ 40,498.38
Monthly payment $450.00
Interest rate 0%
Remaining payments 90
1. Presbyterian Investment & Loan Program (PILP) $294,803.50
Monthly payment $5,126.78
Variable interest rate-current 4.3%
Original term beginning December, 2009 20 years
Note: Because of generous gifts to pay this mortgage early
and because of the variable interest rate, the remaining
payments cannot be precisely calculated, but the loan
should be paid off within 5 to 6 years.
A Message from the Finance Team
Thank you for your faithfulness throughout the years in
continuing to give to your church during joyful and sad times and
even during the pandemic. We have looked carefully at the giving
trends over the last 5 years and found a sharp increase in giving to
cover budgeted expenses from 2016 to 2017. Giving to the General
Fund (Budget) stayed at that higher level during 2018 and 2019,
even though the number of givers was dropping each year from 151 in
2016 to 107 in 2020.
The pandemic began in 2020 and has been a challenge to most
churches financially. Bethel has been blessed with a healthy savings
account that we have used, when necessary, and obtained a $29,700
grant in 2020 to support personnel costs. We are trusting that 2021
giving will cover all our needs through the end of the year. Please
continue to give. God’s provision has been steadfast.
5Volume 18, Issue 5 October 2021
On Sunday, October 3, Bethel will receive the Peace and Global
Witness denominational offering that supports peace and
reconciliation in the church and the world.
25% of the offering goes to the Presbytery for use in
peacemaking efforts such as hosting an International
Peacemaker annually. Bethel has been the recipient of that
program for many years. You may remember we have hosted
peacemakers from places such as Syria, Columbia, Ukraine,
and Mexico.
50% of the offering goes to the PCUSA to support the work of
peace and reconciliation being done by Presbyterians across the
globe. For example a gift of $30 would provide supplies for
displaced students around the world. A gift of $50 would
provide a food basket for refugees. A gift of $85 would provide
the funds needed for teacher training.
The final 25% of the offering stays with the local congregation
to use as they would like. Bethel’s portion will go to
Presbyterian Disaster assistance to help with much needed
disaster relief programs in South Louisiana and Haiti following
devastating hurricanes this year.
Please share generously as you support this offering knowing
that your gifts will make a lasting difference toward peace and
reconciliation her and around the world.
6Volume 18, Issue 5 October 2021
Dear Friends,
I’m not even sure how to begin this last Open Door letter. The last ten and a half years have been
such a gift and opportunity to grow as a pastor. Thank you. I remember when I began my doctorate studies
and was talking about this congregation with my group of peers. At one point one of them said I wasn’t
allowed to talk about you anymore because you were too good to be true. Surely they can’t really be that
good at being the church, he said. And yet you truly are that good at being the church. More than any
congregation I have been part of or served, you all get it. You love God and your neighbor, you do not allow
any differences of theology or politics divide you. You are a reflection, I believe of what God intends the
church to be in the world. I am more than grateful to have experienced and been part of this congregation.
You give me enormous hope for what truly is possible in the church when we love God and take to heart our
calling to be united as the body of Christ.
I am sad for my sojourn in your midst to be coming to an end, and yet, I trust that God knows what
God is doing. Moving out of what is good and comfortable and fruitful into a space of uncertainty is always
anxiety producing. Change, even good change, is hard. Know that as you as a congregation move into this
time of transition, the in between time, that you do not go there alone. The gift of the Presbyterian church is
our connectional nature. The Committee on Ministry will assign a liaison to work with the session. The
interim General Presbyter will also accompany you along the way. Our process to discern who God is calling
to serve the church as its next installed pastor does have a number of steps, all in place to ensure space for
the Holy Spirit to move and the church and the pastor to know that God has indeed called. In all my 20
years of ministry, as I have worked with congregations in transition and been in the process myself, I know it
works when it is followed faithfully. So take heart, the challenges of transition are in fact readying the ground
for fruitful years of ministry to continue.
I have been profoundly moved by your gracious generosity to me even as you have been sad about my
leaving. Your stories of the ways my ministry has impacted your life for good will accompany me through my
own journey of discerning what is next. You have been my Mordecai in sharing your thoughts of the way God
may use my gifts in the future. I am so very grateful for the journey with you as we studied, worshiped, and
served God in this place. I am forever changed for the better because of the time I have had with each of you.
Thank you isn’t quite adequate but it is deeply heartfelt and true. Each of you will remain in my heart and my
prayers.
Grace and peace, Wendy
7Volume 18, Issue 5 October 2021
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