I am so happy to announce that the legendary Kingsmen Quartet will be singing at Harris Chapel United Methodist Church on June 3rd, 2012 for our Homecoming service at 1:00 p.m. Please mark your calendar to attend this awesome opportunity to listen to the Kingsmen sing and worship our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on this great day! Bring a friend with you. We don’t get these guys in our area often and this will be a wonderful time. Harris Chapel UMC is located at 625 Harris Chapel Road, Estill Springs, TN 37330.  The day will begin with Sunday School at 9:00 a.m., children leading the morning worship service at 10:00 a.m. for annual Children’s Day followed by dinner on the ground at 11:30 a.m. and the singing at 1:00 p.m.

If there’s one group whose name inspires thoughts of pure, passionate, solid and true music, it’s The Kingsmen. They’ve encouraged and uplifted listeners with their unique style since the conception of the group in 1956. With countless records and compilations sold, Grammy nominations, four Dove Awards and an induction into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame-class of 2000, this certainly solidifies The Kingsmen as one of gospel music’s most predominate quartets. The momentum has not stopped as the group helps define the southern gospel genre for a whole new generation of music lovers, perhaps more so than any other group.

“The key is to never lose sight of what we are working towards” says Ray Reese, Kingsmen manager and bass singer.” We tour year in and year out to spread our music to people across the country. Our music has a message, the message of Christ. Every night we work to bring His message to our audience. Our goal is to see people saved through Jesus Christ whether it is indoors, outdoors, in an auditorium, church, on cd or video “.

There aren’t too many groups today who can boast the kind of far-reaching legacy that comes with a 52-year career as one of gospel music’s most influential artists. The Kingsmen emerged in the 1950’s with their own distinct style, unleashing music that would solidify them as pioneers in the southern gospel music field. They continue to carry the legacy on today.

THE CALENDAR

ADVENT (purple or blue)
First Sunday of Advent to the Fourth Sunday of Advent

CHRISTMAS SEASON (white or gold)
Nativity of the Lord (Christmas Eve, Christmas Day)
First Sunday after Christmas Day
New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day
Epiphany of the Lord

SEASON AFTER THE EPIPHANY (ordinary time; green)
First Sunday after the Epiphany (Baptism of the Lord; white)
Second Sunday after the Epiphany to the Eighth Sunday after the Epiphany
Last Sunday after the Epiphany (Transfiguration Sunday; white)

LENT (purple; red as an alternative for Holy Week)
Ash Wednesday
First Sunday in Lent to the Fifth Sunday in Lent
Sixth Sunday in Lent (Palm Sunday)
Monday of Holy Week
Tuesday of Holy Week
Wednesday of Holy Week
Holy Thursday
Good Friday (no color)
Holy Saturday (no color)

EASTER (white or gold)
Resurrection of the Lord (Easter Eve, Easter Day, Easter Evening)
Second Sunday of Easter to the Sixth Sunday of Easter
Ascension of the Lord
Seventh Sunday of Easter
Day of Pentecost (red)

SEASON AFTER PENTECOST (ORDINARY TIME, OR KINGDOMTIME; green)
First Sunday after Pentecost (Trinity Sunday; white)
Second Sunday after Pentecost to the Twenty-sixth Sunday after Pentecost
All Saints (white)
Thanksgiving (red or white)
Last Sunday After Pentecost (Christ the King/Reign of Christ Sunday; white)

COLORS FOR THE CHRISTIAN YEAR

The Christian year contains two cycles: The Christmas Cycle (Advent – Christmas – Epiphany) and the Easter Cycle (Lent – Easter – Pentecost). Within each cycle are a preparatory season symbolized by the color purple and a festival season symbolized by the color white. After each cycle there is an ordinary time of growth symbolized by the color green. Thus there is a sequence of seasons using purple, white, and green in that order twice each year.

Purple is a color of both penitence and royalty used during the preparatory seasons of Advent and Lent. Blue, a color of hope, may also be used during Advent.

White and gold are joyous and festive colors used during the Christmas and Easter Seasons (except on the Day of Pentecost) and in other seasons on festive days such as Baptism of the Lord, Transfiguration, Trinity, All Saints, and Christ the King. White may also be used at weddings and at services where the Sacrament of Baptism is central. White is recommended at services of death and resurrection because it symbolizes both death and resurrection. At services of Holy Communion white linens on top of the Lord’s table are customary, but the paraments hanging over the front or sides of the table and the other visuals should reflect the day or season of the year.

Green, is a color of growth, used in the Seasons after the Epiphany and after Pentecost, except when special days call for white or red.

Red is a color of fire, symbolizing the Holy Spirit. It is used on the Day of Pentecost and at other times when the work of the Holy Spirit is emphasized. Red is also the color of blood – the blood of Christ and the blood of martyrs. Because of its intensity, red is most effective when used occasionally rather than continuously for a whole season. It is appropriate for evangelistic services, for ordinations and consecrations, for church anniversaries and homecomings, and for civil observances such as Martin Luther King, Jr. Day or Memorial Day. It may be used beside white and gold through the Easter Season. It may be used during Holy Week, beginning with Passion/Palm Sunday, to symbolize the blood of Christ.

Although use of these colors is based on broad ecumenical tradition, other colors have been and are being used in Christian churches. Creativity with colors and other signs for days and seasons is encouraged.

Welcome to the Harris Chapel Web site.  If you are searching for a place where you can Worship God, you have come to the right spot. Harris Chapel has been in continuous service to the Franklin County community, starting in the early 1800’s. I have been serving as the Pastor since February 01, 2010. We have an average attendance of approximately 65 to 70 people on most Sundays.  Harris Chapel has Sunday School classes for all age groups and we have a nursery and young child care on Sunday morning.  We have an active youth group and have several planned activities for the youth each year to include Vacation Bible School and Warmth in Winter, a mega-youth event hosted by the Tennessee United Methodist Conference. This past summer they went to Florida for a week of praise at Xtreme Summer and are planning on making the trip to Xtreme Winter for a New Year’s celebration. On Wednesday evening we have a joy-filled Bible study. If you are looking for a way to learn and grow in God’s Word, the Bible study is perfect for you. After Bible study we then have Choir practice for those folks who love to sing God’s praise. Our choir welcomes all as we sing from the heart. Harris Chapel is a place where everyone knows your name and loves you with Agape (God’s love) where the Bible is taught and God is worshiped.

Our Beliefs as United Methodists

With Christians of other communions we confess belief in the triune God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This confession embraces the biblical witness to God’s activity in creation, encompasses God’s gracious self-involvement in the dramas of history, and anticipates the consummation of God’s reign. There are two Sacraments ordained of Christ our Lord in the Gospel; that is to say, Baptism and the Supper of the Lord.

Baptism…

Baptism is not only a sign of profession and the mark of difference whereby Christians are distinguished from others that are not baptized; but it is also a sign of regeneration or the new birth.

Communion…

The Supper of the Lord is not only a sign of the love that Christians ought to have among themselves one to another, but rather it is a sacrament of our redemption by Christ’s death; insomuch that, to such as rightly, worthily, and with faith receive the same, the bread which we break is a partaking of the body of Christ; and likewise the cup of blessing is a partaking of the blood of Christ.

Scripture…

United Methodists share with other Christians the conviction that Scripture is the primary source and criterion for Christian doctrine. Through Scripture the living Christ meets us in the experience of redeeming grace. We are convinced that Jesus Christ is the living Word of God in our midst whom we trust in life and death.