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Gentleness visits us. We never manipulate it or possess it.
We must accept entering its tides, treading its hollow paths,
getting lost so that something unprecedented may arise.
~ Anne Dufourmantelle
, Power of Gentleness: Meditations on the Risk of Living
Sunday Preview
Sunday, July 22, 2018
Worship services @ 8:30 & 10:30 AM
Summer Courtyard Fellowship @ 11:30 AM
Sermon:
Questions for God - "Why all this suffering?" by Richard Coble
Scriptures:
Jeremiah 23:1-6; Mark 6:30-34, 53-56
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SAVE THE DATES!
As Grace Covenant and All Souls continue our work together with the Rev. Tami Forte-Logan, Equity Missioner and Convener of Faith 4 Justice, take note of three exciting opportunities:
- Monday, August 13 - Tami will join us on our pilgrimage to the International Civil Rights Museum in Greensboro. (Details listed below in PART section)
- Saturday, August 18 - Racial Equity Workshop facilitated by Tami from 10am - 3pm in the GCPC Fellowship Hall and Atrium. Catered lunch will be served. Sign ups will begin soon!
- Thursday, October 18 - GCPC/All Souls Movie Night at 6:30pm at All Souls Cathedral. More details to come.
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Summer Choir | 9:30 AM | Sanctuary
Anyone who wants to give singing a try is encouraged to show up on Sunday mornings at 9:30 am in the sanctuary. We will spend about 40 minutes learning music for that day and then lead worship at the 10:30 service. It's fun, low-pressure and minimal commitment. . . come try it once or sing all summer - it's up to you.
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2ND QUARTER CONTRIBUTIONS ARE AVAILABLE NOW!
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Statements are available now for pick up on the credenza outside the sanctuary in the narthex.
Any statements not picked up by 7/30/18 will be mailed.
*
Please help us save on postage and pick yours up this week!
A few notes regarding statements:
- The gifts reflected are for the second quarter, 4/1/18 - 6/30/18. Any gifts made in July will be on the third quarter statement issued in September. If you did not give during the second quarter, there will not be a statement.
- The Capacity Campaign ended as of 3/31/18, however gifts for pledges in arrears or additional donations are still being accepted to help cover the renovation costs.
- Due to software reporting limitations, any non-deductible gifts, such as donor advised funds or IRA distributions, will not show in the itemized gift listing at the top of the statement. They are, however, included in the Fund Summary at the bottom and calculated in the pledge balances. If you have given non-deductible gifts and would like to see the details of each gift, we would be happy to print a personal statement for you.
Please check your gifts for accuracy and report any potential errors or concerns as soon as possible!
If you have a question regarding your pledge balance or a gift made, please contact Natalie Weaver, Stewardship & Financial Administrator, at 828-254-3274, ext. 202 or at
nweaver@gcpcusa.org
. She is in the office Tuesday - Thursday and is happy to assist.
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Creating Sanctuary Team (CST)
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Few will have the greatness to bend history itself; but each of us can work to change a small portion of events, and in the total of all those acts will be written the history of this generation.
~ Robert Kennedy
As we at GCPC speak and act tirelessly and tenaciously, both as individuals and in community, to bring justice and mercy to the marginalized and vulnerable, we write history. Writing letters, serving food, providing transportation, arranging for housing, moving furniture, serving as a companion, translating – each deed not only writes history but also creates the future.
~ Contributed by Tish Anderson
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Practicing Electoral Justice | Two Evenings with Democracy NC |
Two events hosted by Carolina Jews for Justice, GCPC Creating Sanctuary Team, and Faith 4 Justice.
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The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) reminds us that,
“People of faith have a powerful role to play in activating citizen
engagement and raising key issues with candidates.”
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This November’s election is a particularly crucial time for all of us to practice justice with our votes. There will be constitutional amendments on the November ballot that will shape the well-being of our state for years to come, and as voters, we have the power to determine that shape.
Come and learn how to practice electoral justice and how to have the most impact in your community. These events are free and open to the public. *Childcare and Language Translation services will be provided.
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International Civil Rights Center & Museum | Monday, August 13 |
8 AM - 8 PM | Greensboro, NC
The Power and Race Team are leading an intergenerational trip to the Civil Rights Museum in Greensboro.
- two 15 passenger vans (carpooling for late sign ups if vans fill up)
- meet at 7:45 am in GCPC parking lot
- bring a bag lunch
- Museum costs: $12 adults, $10 students, $8 children 12 & under. *Scholarships available for museum costs.
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Learn shared language and concepts related to social justice. Develop an understanding of how racism shows up in our lives. Become familiar with the YWCA's racial justice framework. These workshops are open to the entire YWCA Asheville Community including Fitness Club members, volunteers, donors and program participants. They are facilitated by YWCA Staff. Click
HERE to register.
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Norms for Community Discourse
The Power and Race Team (P.A.R.T.) worked together to generate norms for dialogue and discourse. Over a year ago PART shared these norms with many of our Councils, Committees, and Teams to use in meetings, classes, and events. These discursive norms are just one way we can be mindful and self-reflective as we seek to uproot different aspects of white supremacy culture. We'd love for GCPC to take another look at these norms and give them a try again. See what you notice and share it with PART. Doing this work together as a community is a great gift!
Click
HERE
for document.
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"Animals are not brethren, they are not underlings; they are other nations, caught with ourselves in the net of life and time, fellow prisoners of the splendor and travail of the earth."
~ Henry Beston from
The Outermost House
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Earth Team Meeting | Wednesday, July 25 | 6-7 PM | Jerusalem Rm
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GCPC is now a Certified Wildlife Habitat, certified by the National Wildlife Federation,
thanks to the Earth Team.
This is an agreement to continue to provide Food, Water, Cover, Places to raise young, and Sustainable Practices. If you would like to get involved in maintaining these items, building bird boxes, creating watering pools, etc, please text Betsy Richards at 770-548-0862. This is a certification that individuals can also get for their own yards.
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*Education Hour (for all ages) will resume in the fall.
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Presbyterianism 101
- Brown bag lunch discussions | Sundays | August 5, 12 & 19 |
11:45 AM - 1:00 PM | Choir Room
Who are Presbyterians? What do we believe? How are we different from other denominations like Baptists or Methodists? Where do we come from and what does it mean to be a Presbyterian in 2018? Though there are many lifelong Presbyterians in our midst, there are also many others who grew up outside of Presbyterian churches and are still learning about our denomination. Richard and Marcia will be facilitating a series of brown-bag lunches. Please come with your questions as we delve into our rich, complex, and sometimes contentious tradition. Email
Richard
with questions.
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Wisdom in the Woods | Friday, October 12 - Sunday, October 14 | Lake Logan, NC
Are you a woman who has a few decades under her belt? Do you remember bell bottoms or even poodle skirts? Would you like a chance to connect on a closer level with each other than sometimes it feels like life and schedules allow?
Announcing our second annual Wisdom in the Woods retreat! We will be taking some time together at beautiful Lake Logan which lies in a pristine valley near the Blue Ridge Parkway. This will be a time for fellowship and also digging deeper into our faith together with Samantha Gonzalez-Block who will lead us in programming.
Cost is $200 if you register by August 20th; $225 if you register after August 20th.
Registration begins now (and ends on Sept. 3)!
Forms are available
HERE
or on the credenzas outside the sanctuary.
Space is limited, so please register soon if you are interested.
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2018 Summer Women’s Book Series | Monday, July 23 | 7:00 PM | Garden Rm
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 newly revamped library annex upstairs in the Memorial Garden Overlook Please pre-read the books to ensure lively discussion.
- July 23 | Everything Happens for a Reason: And Other Lies I've Loved | Kate Bowler
- August 27 | Educated | Tara Westover
* See Out & About for an event with Kate Bowler.
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Bible Study - The Book of Romans | Wednesdays in July | 11:00 -11:45 AM | Garden Room
In place of our lectionary-based Bible study during the program year, this summer, for the months of June and July, we will be working our way through the book of Romans. Come and delve into this rich and compelling text that has been foundational to the Christian faith. For those who have not been able to come to Bible study in the past, this is a great new opportunity to engage a book with depth, playfulness, and cheer. Contact
Richard
with any questions.
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Room In The Inn | August 5 – 12, 2018 | GCPC
Room In the Inn offers a safe space for women without homes. For one week, GCPC offers 12 women shelter, food, fellowship, and safety.
Would you be able to help us?
We still need 6 overnight hosts
- men or women. We also need
drivers
to and from A-Hope to GCPC and
help with dinners
. Call Geneva Neeriemer (928-712-6108) or Beth Philipsen (828-230-7661) for any further information.
Sign up online
HERE
or in the narthex on Sunday, July 22nd.
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BeLoved hosts School Supply Drive
BeLoved Asheville is holding a school supplies drive and also raising awareness about the disparities in our educational system for African American and Latinx students. Children need safe places to grow and learn. They need pencils and books not cages!
School supplies can be dropped off at BeLoved Asheville at
39 Grove St.
in downtown Asheville. *
Please text us at 828-242-8261 to make a drop off time that is convenient for you!
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Hands & Feet of Asheville - End of Year Storytelling Event | Monday, July 23 | 5:30 - 7:30 PM |
Habitat Tavern & Commons
Help us say goodbye to our 2017-2018 Hands and Feet of Asheville volunteers by listening to their stories and to the music of
Primitive Studio
! While this event is FREE, we ask that you bring at least 1 friend who might be interested in learning more about who we are! Snacks will be provided and beverages are available from
Habitat Tavern
.
We can't wait to see you!
Click
HERE
to register!
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Click
HERE
for a link to the 2017-2018 GCPC Ministry Partners brochure.
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Support Group for Mild Cognitive Impairment | Wed, August 1 | 12:00 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 are now meeting the 1
st
and 3
rd
Wednesdays of every month.
We welcome new participants at any time.
Contact
Richard
with questions.
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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 10:30 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.]
Jerusalem Church congregation
Sherry Harcke (Les Stradley's friend)
Pat Cocke (Les Stradley’s friend)
Glenn Russell (Robin Gaiser's brother)
Francis Miller (Nancy Miller's son)
Steve and Joanna Bowman (Mike Fleenor's brother-in-law and sister)
Jerri Alexander (Phil Brown’s aunt)
Nancy and Richard Schaadt (Donna Robertson's sister and brother-in-law)
Dagmar Peguero-Olinger (Mary Craig's friend)
Virginia Bradley
Hettie Lou Garland
Dot Holladay
Teresa Stern
Betty Smith
John Curry
Madge Francis
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Grace Covenant Community Out and About...
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Enneagram Learning Opportunities
Carol Hovis will facilitate small group enneagram learning opportunities during 6 Saturdays in July & August. These are open to everyone; come once or come to all. We will use enneagram insights to learn more about ourselves in relationships, work and the world.
We will gather 10am-12noon @ GCPC on Saturdays July 28th, August 4th, 11th & 18th. There is no cost.
Please email Carol @
cmhovis@gmail.com
to RSVP or with questions.
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Love the Stranger as Yourself | Sunday July 22 | 4-5 PM |
Congregation Beth HaTephila, Outdoor Amphitheater
Carolina Jews for Justice/West is sponsoring a Teach-In on Sunday, July 22 (the Jewish observance of Tisha B'Av) to focus on the connections of this traditional time of mourning our own periods of expulsion and exile with our mourning and anger over the cruel separation of children from parents that is now taking place at the southern border of the United States.
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Ally Training | Tuesday, July 24 | 6:00 PM | New Mount Olive Missionary Baptist Church (
2 Herman St.
)
- What does it mean to be an ally to a cause, group, or organization?
- How do we center the voices of people most affected by an issue?
- How do we learn to work in community for the cause of justice?
Clarissa Harris, director of the Warren Wilson Inclusion, Diversity and Equity Office, will lead a conversation focusing on methods of supporting, encouraging, and building relationship as we work for justice.
*Please bring a light refreshment to share.
Sponsored by Christians For A United Community Advocacy Team.
For more information contact them at 828-254-48884 or visit their
Facebook page.
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Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense Meeting | Wednesday, July 25 | 6:00 PM | The Block Off Biltmore (39 S. Market St.)
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Please join us in celebrating Richard's lifelong commitment to our community with a "Crazy Scramble Golf Experience." There will be a different fun game on each hole. All proceeds benefit the Reynolds Volunteer Fire Department. Please click
HERE
to see the full flyer. G
olfers, sponsors, and volunteers are needed. Sponsorship levels are listed on the back of the brochure.
For more information, email Nancy Sheridan at
reynoldsfdgolf@gmail.com.
If you cannot participate, please consider sponsoring a First Responder to play for you. Since first responders’ salaries are so low, this would give some who otherwise could not afford to play an opportunity to get out and share the experience.
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An Evening with Kate Bowler | Saturday, August 11 |
7:00 - 8:30 PM | Montreat, Anderson Auditorium
At thirty-five, after writing her first book about the American prosperity Gospel, Kate Bowler was a professor at the school of divinity at Duke and a new mother when she received the earth-shattering diagnosis of Stage IV colon cancer. Reckoning with the news, Bowler discovered, to her chagrin, that she would have to learn how to give up her own “prosperity gospel.”
As she learns to live with cancer as a chronic condition, Bowler speaks powerfully about the ways in which her brush with mortality transformed her. She also frankly addresses the uniquely American concept that tragedy is a test of character, and looks at the different ways that people try to rationalize suffering and catastrophe, for better or worse. To learn more about Kate Bowler, visit
prhspeakers.com/kate-bowler.
Click
HERE
to buy tickets.
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Praying Scripture Silent Retreat | Monday,
August 13 - Monday, August 20 | Mepkin Abbey,
Moncks Corner, SC
Mepkin Abbey is a Trappist Monastery
(the monastic tradition of Thomas Merton) away from the hustle and bustle of the city, nestled in live oaks, along the Cooper River near Charleston, SC. The monks offer a service of hospitality: a new retreat center provides a single room and private bath for each retreatant as well as all meals from Monday supper through following Monday breakfast.
The daily rhythm of the
Praying Scripture Retreat
includes spiritual direction with Catherine Powell, DMin, two to three hours in solitary prayer with Scripture, meals together in silence, ample free time for walking, reading, napping. Though participation is at the discernment of each retreatant, we are welcome to join the Trappist monks for the Opus Dei or “Liturgy of the Hours.” The experience is very welcoming. First-timers will feel right at home. Click
HERE
to see costs and date options. Scholarships may be available if needed; email
Cathie
to find out.
A $10 deposit reserves your space – either online at
www.theanchorage.org
or by mail payable to The Anchorage, P. O. Box 9091, Greenville, SC 29604. Questions ? Please email Cathie Powell at
cathie@theanchorage.org.
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Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church | 828.254.3274
789 Merrimon Ave. Asheville, NC 28804
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