Tuckaleechee United Methodist Church

06/15/2026

Sermon Notes from June 14, 2026

Pastor Owen preached on the second week of a new sermon series on the Book of Genesis with an emphasis on how to study Scripture. There are many choices of Bibles. The Revised Standard Version (RSV) was the first major revision of the Bible in 1952 after years of the King James version. The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1947precipitated the development of the RSV version of the Bible. Today, the New International Version (NIV) translation is the best-selling version of the Bible. According to Bible Gateway, The New International Version (NIV) is a completely original translation of the Bible developed by more than one hundred scholars working from the best available Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts. What is the best version of the Bible? It is the one you will read and study as you strive to enrich your relationship with God. The version you select may vary depending on what you are trying to accomplish. Another question is whether modern translations of the Bible are wrong. The answer is NO. All we have are translations of the Bible. There are no original texts available.

A critical point is understanding what the Bible is and what the BIble is not. The Bible is based on thousands of years of oral histories. Oral history is influenced by context. We need to understand the Bible is not a definitive source of history. Instead, the Bible is an interpretation of events to derive religious and theological meaning. Across thousands of years, people of faith have attempted to understand and know God. Across time, God has revealed insight that earlier people did not have.

The 50 chapters of the Book of Genesis represent two sections; chapters 1-11 include creation stories, what is referred to as a primeval history, and chapters 12-50 represent the patriarchal history. The creation stories lay the groundwork for what follows. One feature of the Bible is the use of doublets which are two different versions of the same story. In the first section of Genesis, there is a doublet about the creation.

When you reflect on the interpretation of Scriptures and what we learned in the prior sermon series on what Methodist believe, you can see important connections. You see the importance, value, and need for individual and corporate study and discussion of the Bible and other Works of Piety, as well as Acts of Mercy. Methodists believe in free will, the ability to accept God's grace and plan for salvation (or not) and embrace the idea that different people see some things differently and pursue their faith with different understandings. Howdver, as Methodists, we are united in our love of God and following God's command to love our neighbors, even those who are different from us.

Thank you Pastors Owen and Leslie for caring for your flock!

06/15/2026

06/15/2026

We are ready for VBS fun & learning. Are you?
Join us Wednesday through Friday, June 17-19, 2026. Supper will be served to participants. Stories of Jesus, crafts, games, & music. Everyone is welcome!

06/12/2026

The countdown is on for Vacation Bible School at Tuckaleechee United Methodist Church! Calling all children for three nights of fun: supper, learning about God's love & stories of Jesus, crafts, games, & music. Wednesday through Friday, June 17-19, 2026 from 6:30 until 8:30 pm.

06/09/2026

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A beautiful hymn with great sentiment. May this be an "earworm" for you today.

Take a listen: Be Thou My Vision https://share.google/NMRnTNaMC1NQqI0lG

"Be Thou My Vision" (no. 451 in The United Methodist Hymnal) is based on Irish poetry from the 8th century. It is the kind of song which connects us with generations of believers who have come before us.

Can you remember some of the saints who helped you see God's presence in the world? Who has helped you see God?

06/08/2026

It was a great pleasure to welcome Reverend , his wife, Kalie, and Camp Wesley Woods staff from England, New Zealand, and various parts of the U.S. to worship with us.

Reverend Kenneth K. Abbott (aka Abba, Desert Father) laid hands individually on each Camp Wesley Woods representative and prayed for their ministry. The congregation was asked to pray for all the Camp Wesley Woods staff and all people who minister to children. Camping Ministry is an important mission for the Holston Conference UMC. We treasure the special relationship we have with Camp Wesley Woods!

06/08/2026

On Sunday, Pastor Lelsie kicked-off a sermon series on the book of Genesis.

As we dig into the study, Pastor Leslie started with an important discussion on how to study the Bible. The Bible has been described as "the sacred scripture of Christains." Some call the Bible as Basic Instructions for Before Leaving Earth, akin to an owners manual. Pastor Leslie suggested that hermeneutics, the study of interpretation and the means for understanding words, actions, and the world around us, is particularly well-suited for the study of the Bible.

In studying the Bible, we are seeking understanding of our faith. There are many approaches for seeking understanding. Some people understand the Bible literally, while other people look at the Bible symbolically. Pastor Leslie stated, "God is too big to be understood in one way." Add to this the ideas that context matters and understanding can change and grow over time.

Methodists emphasize making room for many interpretations of scripture. We each have our own lens (our own hermeneutic) when we read and hear scripture. We get off-track with our faith when our faith is not rooted in scripture. It takes time and work to understand scripture, and our understanding changes over time and in different circumstances. We strive for a living faith, not a static understanding.

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06/05/2026

It is Vacation Bible Season! Tuckaleechee United Methodist Church will be offering VBS June 17-19 from 6:30 until 8:30 pm. Everyone is welcome! A light supper will be served to the children.

Why is Vacation Bible School Important to the Church?8

VBS is a dependable ongoing ministry. We love to invite children from the church, grandchildren and other family members, and children from the community to join us.

VBS creates lasting memories, memories that lock Bible truths in a child’s heart and mind.

VBS is an opportunity to share the gospel and help children know who Jesus is and why they need a personal Savior.

VBS helps the whole church. It is an opportunity to ignite the imagination of the church, engage adults, and focus on children, the future of the church.

06/03/2026

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"Each little flower that opens,
each little bird that sings,
God made their glowing colors,
and made their tiny wings." 🎶

"All Things Bright and Beautiful" (no. 147 in The United Methodist Hymnal) was written by Cecil Frances Alexander, an Irish writer, in 1848. It notes the work of God's creation in both the majestic--like "purple-headed mountains--and the minute--like an open flower. It invites in us an awareness of God's work around us.

🎵 "God gave us eyes to see them,
and lips that we might tell
how great is God Almighty,
who has made all things well."

💭 Where are you noticing God's good works today?

06/02/2026

LONG POST ALERT! There so many good things going on at Tuckaleechee United Methodist Church. You can view the worship from May 31, 2026, & below are notes from Pastor Owen's compelling sermon.
Here is a link to the service recording: https://www.youtube.com/live/xKrxcfl1yiM?si=ZVB29vtbYn4u8pgV

On Trinity Sunday, Pastor Owen dwelled with the question of, why when we look at the Trinity of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, does Jesus Christ get most of the attention? Why not God or the Holy Spirit?

God is a concept we are not able to comprehend. God is a mystery. The Holy Spirit is also hard to understand and explain. However, Christ walked the earth. People knew Christ. He was fully human and fully divine. We can make human connections with Christ that we cannot make with God and the Holy Spirit.

The Apostles and Nicene Creeds have core descriptions of God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit. In addition, both creeds also contain the central messages of repent and be baptized. This message is also central to comments made by Peter on the day of Pentecost at the end of Acts, chapter 2. At the conclusion of his comments, Peter also emphasized the need for believers to come together in fellowship with a commitment to serve their neighbors.

Since Easter, we have been studying grace and sanctification in Sunday School and through the pastors' sermons. Much of our study has focused on John Wesley's three types of grace (prevenient, justifying, and sanctifying grace)and his thoughts on each and types of grace. Pastor Oqwn reminded us the Good News is for everyone. THe Holy Spirit guides us into living into the Good News and sharing the Good news.

Pursuing sanctification is a lifelong journey (accepting Christ into our hearts is just the beginning). THis journey is one of drawing closer to God as an individual and in community with and for other Christians, serving God (as Christ showed us). Pastor Owen talked to us about Means of Grace (sometimes referred to as Works or Acts of Piety) and Works of Mercy.

Works of Piety Include:

Praying,

Reading, studying, and reflecting on Scripture

Partaking in Communion

Fasting

Engaging in Christian Conferencing

Works of Mercy are outward expressions of love and attending to the physical and spiritual needs of others. Works of mercy are pursued individually and in community.

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