UPCOMING EVENTS
Appalachian Fest IV
April 27 at 5:30 PM
A celebration of the beauty, culture, creativity, and cuisine of the Appalachian region and her people (us) – through music, poetry, stories, & good food.
Bring: yourself, friends, family, Appalachian style food (soup & beans can be vegan if you leave out ham hocks and such; corn bread can also be made vegan-wise). Admission is free!
Service Opportunity with COS Youth & Fish Pantries
After church on April 28
Our COS Youth Group will be bagging groceries in the FISH Pantry immediately after worship on April 28th. We could use some help, so plan to hang out and get to know our youth a little better too.
Easter Egg Hunt
April 21 at 10:10 AM
Easter and "The Great Hunt" is coming soon. Please pick up some eggs to fill and bring back by 4/14 (Palm Sunday). They are located back by the fireplace with bags in which to transport them on the hearth, as well. (Hiders need to be at church on Easter Sunday by 9:50. Egg hunters by 10 to be ready for the hunt at 10:10! THANK YOU for making our hunt so much fun for all our kids!
Community Dinners
April & May
Community Dinners are back. These are a great way to get to know your fellow members and COS. Please consider attending a dinner where you have never been before to get to know someone new! Charts to sign up are on the table in the back of the church sanctuary.
COS Information Lunches
May 5 at 12:30 PM
May 19 at 12:30 PM
If you would like to know more about our church and the United Church of Christ OR if you are interested in becoming a member of COS, please try to attend one of our Info Lunch Sessions. For those who wish to join the church, we are planning to hold a time to welcome new members during worship, on a Sunday in late May and/or early June. All are welcome! Please sign-up at church or e-mail or call the church office (584-7531) to let us know if you are interested and whether or not you can attend on one of those Sundays or would prefer another time.
NEW Early Worship Service
Starting March 31st at 8:30-9:15 AM
This service will be similar to the 11 AM worship service in content, with a few changes to give it a distinctive character, including the opportunity to share communion at every service. Other morning activities will remain on their current schedule. Watch for more detailed info in coming weeks!
Ijams Intergenerational Outing
May 19 after worship
Our families with children would like to invite all members to join us for some hiking, playing, and general fun at Ijams Nature Center. This is a chance for families to get to know each other better and people without children in church right now to interact with our children and their families! Please RSVP if you want to go with us. Once we know how many are going, we will share details about carpooling, lunch, etc.
AKIN Monthly Meeting
April 17 at 5:30 PM
AKIN (Allies of Knoxville’s Immigrant Neighbors) is a network of people in the Knoxville, TN area who work on issues related to immigrant rights and encourage dialogue about issues related to immigrants and refugees. The meeting will be at St. James Episcopal Church.
Current Events Salon
April 26 at 7 PM
We will start by discussing the film, The Public. It is a great film, entertaining, inspiring, and provocative. It raises a lot of questions about how society treats the homeless and mentally ill. Even if you aren't able to see the film, we will use it to lead to a discussion about affordable housing in general. Please also feel free to bring up any topic that interests you.
Family Promise Host Week
April 21-28
Family Promise of Knoxville is a nonprofit organization that unites with the interfaith community to provide temporary housing for homeless families and to help homeless and low income families achieve sustainable independence. We are in need of volunteers for our host week (April 21-28) at Powell Presbyterian Church. If you would like to provide food, deliver food on Easter Sunday, or overnight host (9 PM - 7 AM), any night during our host week, please contact Stephanie Madison.
Nehemiah Action Assembly
May 6, 7-8:30 PM (with doors opening at 6 pm)
ALL COS Members are INVITED! Everyone interested in justice should attend! Gather with over 1000 people from other churches across Knox County to ask public officials to support our efforts to make changes in the areas of mental health support, education, and affordable housing for our community! At Central United Methodist Church.
COS Book Club
April 30 at 7 PM
The COS Book Club will meet Tuesday, April 30, 7:00-8:30 to discuss Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City by Matthew Desmond. The Boston Globe calls it, "An exquisitely crafted, meticulously researched exploration of life on the margins, providing a voice to people who have been shamefully ignored—or, worse, demonized—by opinion makers over the course of decades." The meeting will be at the home of Dennie Kelley and Linda Brown. Contact Ed Sullivan for more information.
COS Paddlers Club
April 20 at 10-12PM
The Paddlers have a lot of fun playing table tennis and invite new players! Whether you're a fierce competitor or a newbie, all are welcome!
Women's Spirituality Group
Every Third Tuesday - 6:30pm
The group meets for a time of learning through sharing spiritual journeys, and discussion topics vary widely. Each month this year (every third Tuesday), we are inviting one of our wise female elders to share her experience of life as a woman of faith. We gather at 6 in Shalom House to share a meal (everyone is responsible for her own food and drink) and catch up with one another. The “formal” program begins at 6:30 and ends at 8. We are an informal group, so drop in when you can.
Justice Knox Affordable Housing Summit
April 25 at 7-8:30 PM
Our presenter, Michael Anderson, Director of the Housing Trust Fund Project, Center for Community Change, is coming to town for a community meeting. If you are interested in learning about affordable housing trust funds, please plan to join us for the community meeting with Mr. Anderson on April 25!
Justice Opportunities at COS
Church of the Savior is involved in many social justice issues in our community. From environmental issues to immigration reform to affordable healthcare for all - members of COS take the lead in our community in many organizations. For more information on the opportunities to help with some of these initiatives, please see this page.
PAST EVENTS
COS Music Jam
March 9 at 6-8PM
Come to the COS Music Jam! Informal, laid back, no expectations, except to come and listen, sing, play tunes. Bring an instrument; bring a friend; bring a couple of songs to share with copies of lead sheets or music. All are welcome regardless of ability; just need the willingness to participate and share the music!
Obed Point Hike
December 19
COS Outsiders hiked Obed Point Trail on March 29th. Ann Harvey was a wonderful guide, and all involved has a great time. Be on the lookout for the next hike!
Knoxville PrideFest & Pride Parade
June 23
Thanks to everyone who made posters, walked in the parade, and volunteered to staff our booth at PRIDEFEST 2018. It was a joyful day and a great way to express the extravagant welcome of COS and God’s Love toward all
Blue Christmas Worship
December 19
We hold this special evening prayer service every year as a refuge and comfort for those who find the holidays to be difficult due to their losses, hurts, or worries. This service also serves as a time during Advent for many of us to pause and be reminded of the spiritual dimensions of this season. Join us for a time of prayers, readings, and special music meant to remind us that God’s presence is for those who mourn and for those who struggle, and that God’s light still shines into every dark corner of our world.
Santa’s Workshop
12/8 - 9AM-12PM
COS kids will share a light breakfast, make gifts for their families, and get their picture taken with Santa! Parents---you get a morning off to shop or just rest. We will be taking donations to cover the cost of materials and as a fundraiser for the youth group. Suggested donation is $10 per child but give whatever you can...we want all our little elves to participate!
COS Kids Camp - Our Beautiful Little Planet
June 18-21
We had a total of 22 kids who participated in Kids Camp this year. Our Beautiful Little Planet program focused on ecology and Creation Care; we learned about protecting our water sources, recycling, reusing by shopping at thrift stores, and saving energy. Thank you to all who helped make it happen!
Keeping Families Together Immigration Rally
June 28
Thanks to everyone who showed up at the keeping Families Together rally to support immigrant families in our community and protest policies like 287-G locally and the Trump Administration’s zero tolerance policy at the border. Your presence and your voice make a difference to our neighbors!
Wild Goose Festival
Youth Event
July 12 – 15
Our youth group attended the Wild Goose Festival and had a blast! We camped out and took part in an art, music, and story-driven transformational experience that was grounded in faith-inspired social justice.
COS Stewardship Event: Biblical Discoveries Across Jordan
October 14
Dr. Gerald Mattingly, renowned biblical scholar and archaeologist, will bring the biblical history of Jordan to life in a vivid & engaging lecture. Our visit includes time in his lab and an opportunity to explore the University Biblical Antiquities Museum.
MLK Memorial March
January 21
Thanks to everyone who represented COS over the MLK weekend – at the MLK Community Forum on Friday, the Women’s March on Saturday, inside giant puppets (made by the Collins family!) and in the streets at the MLK March on a COLD Monday (over 20 COS’ers at last count), at the Jobs with Justice banquet on Monday night, and in other settings as well! Your presence is a faithful witness for social justice!