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To take shape
a journey must have
fixed bearings,
as a basket has ribs
and a book its themes.
~ Marilou Awiakta, from
Selu: Seeking the Corn Mother's Wisdom
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Sunday Preview
Sunday, July 7, 2019
Sacrament of the Lord's Supper
Worship services @ 8:15 & 10:15 AM
Courtyard Fellowship @ 11:15 AM
Sermon:
"Carry On" by Marcia Mount Shoop
Scriptures:
Isaiah 66:10-14; Galatians 6:(1-6), 7-16
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Summer Music Happenings
- Summer Choir rehearses Sunday morning at 9:15am and is open to all. If you'd like to give singing a try, please join us in the sanctuary.
- Instruments of Grace - GCPC is blessed with a number of talented members. Each week this summer a different musician will share their gifts in worship. This week we are fortunate to have Phoebe Probst, Viola and Robin Gaiser, Native American Flute.
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Sign up for Courtyard Fellowship!
Courtyard Fellowship has begun for the summer and we need volunteers to sign up to host and provide refreshments. This is a great opportunity for your church group to share about their ministry/activities or for families to extend hospitality to your church family.
Click
HERE to sign up for one Sunday this summer!
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2nd Quarter Statements Coming Soon!
Giving statements for the 2nd Quarter (April - June) with pledge balance updates will be available in the coming weeks. Watch the newsletter and Welcome Desk for an announcement when they're ready to pick up!
Please note: If you did not give April - June, a statement will not be generated. If you have questions on your pledge balance or would like to confirm a prior period gift, please contact the Finance Office at 828-254-3274, ext. 202 or
nweaver@gcpcusa.org
.
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Creating Sanctuary Team (CST)
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~ Created by El Centro youth of Henderson County 2003
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El Centro, a division of Latino Advocacy Coalition of Henderson County and GCPC ministry partner, offers four core programs to effect systemic change for the Latino community. Of particular significance is the organization’s advocacy for workers’ rights and provision of legal assistance regarding housing, immigration, domestic violence, and racial discrimination. El Centro works closely with Pisgah Legal Services; Jacob Oates, who was hired by PLS with financial support from GCPC in 2017, is the immigration attorney associated with El Centro. Other programs that El Centro oversees include leadership development, information and referral to support agencies, education. All services are free to minorities and members of the WNC Latino community. To learn more about how you can support the work of El Centro, you may contact Executive Director Sergio Fernandez at
elcentro.lac@gmail.com.
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Power and Race Team (PART)
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The Racial Justice Book Series | Thursday, July 11 | 6:00 - 7:30PM | Choir Room & Indie Room
For July
,
we are reading
Raising White Kids: Bringing Up Children in a Racially Unjust America
by Jennifer Harvey.
Heather and Richard invite young families to our next Racial Justice Book Series, where we will be meeting to discuss Jennifer Harvey's book. We are hoping to have the adults in one room talking about the book while Heather and our volunteers separate to talk through an age appropriate book or movie on the themes of racial justice. Then we will all come back together for debriefing together and pizza! Please RSVP at this
Google Form.
"
With a foreword by Tim Wise, Raising White Kids is for families, churches, educators, and communities who want to equip their children to be active and able participants in a society that is becoming one of the most racially diverse in the world while remaining full of racial tensions. For white people who are committed to equity and justice, living in a nation that remains racially unjust and deeply segregated creates unique conundrums." (Amazon)
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Digging Deeper - Native American History | Getting to know our Cherokee Indian neighbors
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The Native American genocide began with the Doctrine of Discovery penned in 1452:
“Pope Nicholas V issued to King Alfonso V of Portugal the bull Romanus Pontifex, declaring war against all non-Christians throughout the world, and specifically sanctioning and promoting the conquest, colonization, and exploitation of non-Christian nations and their territories.” This Doctrine was and continues to be a destructive justification in USA law and in the World. It was repudiated by PC(USA) last year at the 223rd General Assembly (2018). You can read a copy of the GA report on the Doctrine of Discovery
HERE.
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100 Ways to Support—Not Appropriate From—Native People
by Simon Moya-Smith
Don't even think about calling anyone/anything your spirit animal.
"
Natives have been so cancelled out of the American conversation that people don’t even know where to begin to include us. “What do we call you? ... American Indian? Native American? Do you guys still live in tipis?” These questions are still asked today—and they will continue to be asked unless we put together some kind of list, a collection of do’s and don’ts, and share it widely... Wait. Hang on a tick. What do we have here?..."
This article was originally published on Broadly, a former VICE website focused on gender and identity.
Click
HERE to read the full article.
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Oconaluftee Indian Village | Saturday, August 10 | 12-7 PM | Cherokee, NC
Carpool or van for an afternoon in the Oconaluftee Village, picnic on the grounds and an evening of Cherokee storytelling around a bonfire. Registration form is available at
http://bit.ly/CherokeeVillage or there are also some hard copies at the Welcome Desk. Adults - $20; Children (6-12) - $12; Children 5 & under - FREE. Pre-registration is required and full payment (made to GCPC) is due to Sherrie in the office by August 4th.
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Part of what
PART
does is to inform Grace Covenant about
racial equity work going on in the larger community.
The following are some events that PART recommends.
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More Light Teach-In: Racial Justice
Jessica Vazquez Torres is the Lead Trainer for the 3-part series and brings a wealth of knowledge and passion around racial justice. As the National Program Coordinator for
Crossroads Anti-Racism Organizing and Training
, Jessica has years of experience training folks on how to begin the conversation about dismantling systemic racism.
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Part 1 will:
Define racism and white supremacy; Discuss the ways in which white supremacy shows up in our everyday contexts, and distinguish white supremacy from projected notions of racism; Connect the ways in which race and gender are linked, and why it is essential that conversations about gender are also conversations about racism.
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Part 2 will:
Define white fragility and identify how it shows up in conversations about racial justice; Look at how white fragility can be triggered even when we aren't discussing race; Discuss ways to engage our own fragility and that of the people with whom we are working.
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Part 3 will: Distinguish between decentering whiteness and white silence; Discuss the ways white supremacy appears in spaces even when no white people are present; Offer a theological praxis for working to dismantle systems that uphold white supremacy and division.
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Earth Team Hike to Lane Pinnacle | Thursday, July 11 | 8:30 AM - 2:00 PM | Meet in GCPC Parking Lot
Hikers meet at GCPC at 8:30. We will carpool to the trailhead on the Blue Ridge Parkway at Potatoe Field Gap. The hike to Lane Pinnacle is only 4 miles round trip, but is steep and challenging in places. There is a spectacular view from Raven’s call and the Pinnacle overlooking the Asheville watershed. We will also see lots of garnets in rock faces near Potatoe Field Gap. Bring plenty of water, lunch, and wear sturdy hiking shoes. Hiking poles can be helpful too. We should be back to the Church about 2PM. Text Les Stradley at (828) 329-3332 to sign up.
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Grace Will Lead Us Home: the Charleston Church Massacre and the Hard, Inspiring Journey to Forgiveness
by Jennifer Berry Hawes
On June 17, 2015, twelve members of the historically black Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina, welcomed a young white man to their evening Bible study. He arrived with a pistol, 88 bullets, and hope of starting a race war. Dylann Roof’s killing of nine innocent people during their closing prayer horrified the nation. Two days later, some relatives of the dead stood at Roof’s hearing and said, “I forgive you.” That grace offered the country a hopeful ending to an awful story. But for the survivors and victims’ families, the journey had only just begun.
In this beautifully written book, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jennifer Berry Hawes provides the definitive account of the tragedy’s aftermath. With unprecedented access to the grieving families and other key figures, Hawes offers a nuanced and moving portrait of the events and emotions that emerged in the massacre’s wake.
This is the story of how, beyond the headlines, a community begins to heal. The two adult survivors of the shooting begin to make sense of their lives again. Rifts form between some of the victims’ families and the church. A group of relatives fights to end gun violence, capturing the attention of President Obama. And a city in the Deep South must confront its racist legacy. An unforgettable and deeply human portrait of grief, faith, and forgiveness, this book is destined to be a classic in the finest tradition of journalism.
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Education Hour (for all ages) will resume on September 15th!
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*Nursery care is available throughout Sunday morning beginning at 8:10 am.
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OTHER EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES...
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2019 Summer Women’s Book Series | Last Monday of the month | 6 PM | Garden Room
Join us for a series of book talks. Open to all women of the church. One copy of each book can be found in the church library. Please pre-read the books to ensure lively discussion.
- July 29 | Wearing God: Clothing, Laughter, Fire and Other Ways of Meeting God | Lauren Winner
- August 26 | If Oceans were Ink: An Unlikely Friendship and a Journey to the Heart of the Quran | Carla Power
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Summer Bible Study – The Gospel of Mark | Wednesdays in June and July | 11:00 – 11:45 AM | Garden Room
"How could such a painful story of fear, betrayal, sufferings and death also be the 'good news of Jesus Christ' (1:1)" asks one commentator of the Gospel of Mark. Come join us as we seek to answer this question through a deep reading of Mark, the oldest canonical Gospel in the New Testament. Together, we will examine what Mark believed about Jesus, how he understood this "Good News" for the world, and what this book means for our lives today. Come to every meeting or stop by when you can. Contact Richard,
rcoble@gcpcusa.org
, for more details.
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Room In The Inn (RITI) | July 7-14 | GCPC
LAST CALL for volunteers to sign up before our guests arrive
this Sunday, July 7th!
Please take a moment to click on the
link and see if there are any last minute needs you could fulfill to help RITI function smoothly. Set up and take down always go quicker with many hands and we often have need of more drivers.
A huge thank you to all those that have already signed up to help. It truly takes a village.
Members of the RITI team (
Tish Anderson, Sally Booher, Nan Clarke, Beth Kissling, Geneva Neeriemer, Lynne Noble, Susan Presson, Linda Pyeritz, and Beth Philipsen) are available to answer questions
. Remember: sign up online
HERE.
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Habitat for Humanity News
The 28th Presbyterian/United Methodist Habitat house is about to kick off in Habitat's new neighborhood, Curry Court in Candler.
We have spots available on:
- August 5, Aug. 13, Aug. 21, Aug. 22, Aug. 29, Sept. 9
- GCPC Mamas Group will have a day on Saturday, Sept. 7th (probably)
- Youth and Youth Advisors will have Saturday, Sept. 14th
Please contact Bill Ryan (
bill73ryan@gmail.com) with any questions or to get a shift scheduled. Thank you for your continued support of Habitat!
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Ministry Partner News and Events...
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Food Connection Volunteer Opportunity
Food Connection needs your help! We are currently seeking volunteer drivers, food packers and distributors to help us rescue the surplus fresh meals from Ridgecrest Conference Center and connect them with mobile home communities in Swannanoa and Black Mountain. This is an ideal opportunity for faith groups, couples, or parents with teenage children.
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News from CIMA
The General Assembly is expected to quickly move
HB 370, NC’s Show Me Your Papers Law
, through the Senate and onto the desk of Governor Roy Cooper. Once on his desk, the Governor will
only have 10 days
to veto the bill. As you may well know, if passed, HB 370 would be devastating for immigrant communities and communities of color, who would be subject to increased surveillance, interrogations, detentions and deportations by sheriff offices assisting immigration agents.
Join the #StopHB370 coalition
in urging
all
NC elected officials to oppose HB 370 and any other anti-immigrant law that requires police to operate as Trump’s deportation force.
- Contact your State Legislator by email (Link) or phone (Link)
- Ask your sheriff to publicly oppose the bill: Link
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Hands & Feet End of Year Storytelling Event | Monday, July 15 | 5:30 - 7:00 PM | THE BLOCK off Biltmore (
39 S. Market St.
)
Come and hear stories of the challenge and growth that can happen through service and help us say goodbye to our 2018-2019 volunteers! Bring your family and friends and mingle with the Hands and Feet of Asheville (YAV) Board of Directors, volunteers and our community partners. Snacks and good company provided! *Please notice the new location! You can register for this event
HERE.
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Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) Group | Wed., July 17 | 12 PM | Garden Room
This support group introduces techniques for daily living with such issues, led by Paul Rogers, a retired physician in our congregation. We meet the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of every month.
*New participants welcome at any time.
Contact Richard, rcoble@gcpcusa.org, with questions.
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Centering Prayer | Wednesday Nights | 6:30 - 7:00 PM | Sanctuary
Sacred and shared silence is a profound gift of many religious traditions of the world. And Christianity has a rich and ancient tradition of intentional and prayerful silence as a spiritual practice. There are many gifts in these practices that touch every part of who we are as human beings. Centering silence calms the nervous system and positively supports all body systems. It teaches the mind to quiet and to open itself up to mystery and creativity. Centering silence strengthens our connections to each other and to the world around us. Sacred silence teaches us to listen devoutly, humbly, and with trust. It helps us befriend the unknown.
It is beautifully simple and a spiritual skill whose gifts goes deeper and gets more powerful the more one practices it. This practice is open to all and is come as you are able. Questions? Contact
Marcia.
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Nursery Volunteers Needed
As we look toward populating the Nursery Volunteer Schedule for 2019-2020, would you consider volunteering for one of our teams? Being part of a team means that you serve alongside our Nursery Staff for 6 Sundays (out of 52 Sundays) in one of our three nursery rooms (Infants, Toddlers or Preschoolers). The time commitment is 10:15AM-12:00PM September through May and 10:00AM-11:30AM June-August.
Please consider this opportunity to serve Grace Covenant by helping to grow our children. If you have questions, contact Heather Ferguson,
hferguson@gcpcusa.org
.
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Deacon of the Week
Each Sunday morning there will be a deacon available for everything from praying with you to giving you a tour of the building. This deacon will be wearing a purple sash and stationed in the narthex before 10:45 worship and in the front of the sanctuary after worship. He or she is also available during the week if you or someone you love needs assistance from our board of deacons.
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Prayer List
[We are happy to pray for anyone who is in need. Concerns will stay on this list for a month unless we hear otherwise. Please keep us updated.]
Iglesia Jerusalem congregation
Pat Cocke (Les Stradley’s friend)
Deborah Strong (Robin Gaiser's cousin)
Nancy and Richard Schaadt (Donna Robertson's sister and brother-in-law)
Louise Seitz (Janet Schifflin's friend)
Jeffrey Ferris (Mary Lou Nash's son)
Robin Smith (Beth Robrecht's sister)
Rebecca Wells' brother, Jamey
Natalie C.
Jennifer Moore (Amanda Pressley's daughter)
Dorothy Zuck (Pat Durham's mother)
Richard Stump (Marcia Mount Shoop's friend)
Michelle Elhert (Bill McNeff's friend)
Jennifer Vaughn (Mary Berg's friend)
Jim Wyrosdick (Caroline Wyrosdick-Webb's father)
West Asheville Presbyterian Church
Hettie Lou Garland
Betty Smith
Margaret Rada
Bob Higgins
James Harwell
Joyce Summerlin
Cory Hartbarger
Mary Ellen Horne
Penny Ponder
Doris Prak
Jack Smith
Steve and Florence Riedesel
Our sympathy and support are extended to Carolyn and Trey Tingle following the death of Carolyn's mother (and new GCPC member), June Collins. Please keep the family in your prayers.
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Grace Covenant Community Out and About...
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SAVE the DATES:
July & August Enneagram Gatherings
in the A-Frame at GCPC with Carol Hovis
- Mondays, 6:00-8:00pm: July 8, 15, 22, 29, August 5 & 12
- Fridays, 10am-12noon: July 12, 19, 26, August 2, 9, & 16
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"Resilience for Social Activists" Workshop with Margaret Benefiel | Wednesday, July 17 | 5:45-8:30 PM | Black Mountain Library Education Room (
105 N Dougherty St, Black Mountain
)
In twenty-first century Western (white supremacist) culture, leaders are rewarded for
drive, decisiveness, productivity,
and
long work hours.
Especially in
the social justice arena, burnout is rampant. And in these times, when we add in current levels of anxiety and grief about the climate crisis, there is often an additional layer of exhaustion and despair that activists must contend with.
What might it look like for activists to step back and take time to cultivate depth in their inner lives, to step off the treadmill and take time away for personal reflection, in order to
develop more resilience?
What might leadership that arises from a core of contemplative grounding and compassion look like?
This will be an experiential workshop, in which your own experiences will serve as the basis for reflection and discernment. Stories of resilient activists and principles of resilient activism will complement personal reflection.
Margaret Benefiel is a long time Quaker and Contemplative. She is the Executive Director of the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation and Program Director of the Soul of Leadership Program. (Find out more at shalem.org)
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CoInspire - Liberating Imagination, Eviscerating Racism | October 7-10, 2019 | Montreat Conference Center
Montreat Conference Center will host CoInspire, the second in a series of conferences addressing systemic racism in the church. Their first conference, DisGrace, lived in lament for the ways in which the sins of racism thwart individual people and institutions, infecting congregations and denominations with death-dealing dehumanization.
In response to the racism and violence in our world, this event seeks to bring together people of faith in order to disarm prejudices that divide us and equip each other for practicing resurrection as new creations in Christ. We will delve into the questions around the toxicities we are currently breathing into our bodies and exhaling into the shared air. CoInspire will examine ways that we, as members of Christ’s body, might co-inspire one another to liberate imagination for new ways of being, and examine ways we can conspire to eviscerate the racism within our church. We will seek to identify those things we want to breathe in to precipitate a pathway to eviscerating the racism in our country and our world.
Traci Blackmon, executive minister of justice & local church ministries for The United Church of Christ and senior pastor of The Kind United Church of Christ, will be the conference’s preacher.
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Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church | 828.254.3274
789 Merrimon Ave. Asheville, NC 28804
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