GCPC Weekly News | July 29, 2021
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GCPC Senior Highs at Montreat Youth Conference! | |
Worship Preview | Sunday, August 1, 2021
Sacrament of the Lord's Supper
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Sermon:
"Draw Near" by Richard Coble
Scripture:
Exodus 16:2-4, 9-15
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*For the full revised common lectionary, please click here. | |
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This Sunday we will celebrate the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper.
Remember that our COVID practice has been to use anything you have at home for your elements. Your bread can be a cracker, bagel or even a donut. Your cup can be a glass of water or anything else you have on hand.
The spirit of our Presbyterian practice of Communion is that the body of Christ is not found in the elements themselves, but in the community gathered together to share this meal of revolutionary love.
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July 25-31 | Senior HIgh Montreat Youth Conference |
Montreat, NC | | Saturday, July 31 | WNC Presbytery Meeting | 9:00 am via Zoom | | Tuesday, August 3 | CHURCH OFFICE OPEN! | 10:00 am- 4:00 pm | | Tuesday, August 3 | VRQ BBQ Dinner | 4:30 or 5:45 pm @ The VRQ, Swannanoa | | Tuesday, August 3 | Worship Council Mtg. | 5:30 pm on Zoom | | Wednesday, August 4 | MCI (Mild Cognitive Impairment) Group | 11:00 am @ GCPC
(also on Zoom) | | Wednesday, August 4 | Youth Committee Mtg. | 6:00 pm on Zoom | | Wednesday, August 4 | Garden Steering Team | 6:15 pm on Zoom | | Thursday, August 5 | Men of GCPC Gathering | 8:30 am @ GCPC
(also on Zoom) | | |
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VOLUNTEERS NEEDED for the GCPC VRQ Cook Team!
(see below for details)
VRQ—BBQ Cook Team | Tuesday, August 3 | 4:30 or 5:45 PM
On the First Tuesday of each month, a team of folks gather at the Veterans Restoration Quarters, (1329 Tunnel Road) to grill hamburgers and prepare supper for more than 200 US Armed Forces Veterans living in transitional housing at the VRQ— an ABCCM Ministry. Team volunteers begin to gather at 4:30 to prepare the meal and fire up the grills; to help serve the meal come at 5:45. The evening meal is served at 6 and the team joins with the veterans at their table for supper. Commitments can be for one Tuesday or more.
Contact Bill Neeriemer if interested in joining the team.
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WE WANT TO SEE YOU!
Are you sporting a new stay-at-home hairstyle? Did you grow a beard over COVID? Did your kiddos grow two feet? We want to see! It's been a while since we all got together and we have had quite a few new faces join our community in the last year, too, so it's about time to update our Realm directory photos.
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WAYS TO SHARE YOUR SMILING FACES:
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Open your Realm Connect app on your smartphone
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Select ... More at bottom right
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Select Profile from the list
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Click on the pencil logo next to the circle at the top center with your picture icon to edit
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Select New Profile Photo
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Choose Take Photo to open your phone camera or Choose Photo to select from your existing photos
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Scale, move, and frame as desired and click Apply at the bottom right
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Register or Sign In to your account at onrealm.org/gcpcusa
- Click the drop down next to your Name on the top right and select My Profile
- Hover over the photo or photo icon until you see the pencil logo, click to edit
- Select New Profile Photo
- Choose a photo from your computer and click Open
- Drag and resize the photo as needed, then click Save
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The Prez Beez are back!
We need to register by this weekend.
Fall Softball starts soon! One game a week on Tuesday evening. Anyone interested please contact Bill McNeff at 828-458-7737 or Terrence Greene at 828-273-1256 ASAP. Coed league open to ages 18 to 100+. 16 and 17 year olds can play with written parental permission.
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Wisdom in the Woods 2021 | Friday, October 1 - Sunday, October 3 | Lake Logan, NC
“ Into the woods I go, to lose my mind and find my soul. “ John Muir
Wisdom in the Woods for the Wise Older Ladies (age 50 and older)
It’s that time again.... walks by the lake, laughter, games, gratitude, prayer, reflection and joy. Come Celebrate a weekend with GCPC Wise Women.
Jeannie DuBose is our facilitator this year and the program is entitled "Knowing Self, Knowing Others, Knowing God." We look forward to time for fellowship and also digging deeper into our faith together.
*We are asking all participants to be fully vaccinated for this trip.
Reservations begin with lunch on Friday and check-in begins following that. The program portion will begin on Friday evening after dinner, continue through Saturday and conclude after Sunday breakfast. Check-out is at 10:00 am Sunday. Free time is also built into the schedule to enjoy the beautiful setting.
Cost: Includes meals (Friday lunch – Sunday breakfast) and programming
- EARLY BIRD RATE: (PAID IN FULL by August 17th): $275 (double occupancy); $375 (single occupancy)
- STANDARD RATE: (MUST REGISTER by August 17th and PAY IN FULL by Sept. 15th): $300 (double occupancy); $400 (single occupancy)
Scholarships available upon request.
Registration begins now and ends August 17th!
Click HERE to sign up!
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GCPC Covenant Partner,
Hood Huggers International
Amid the city of Asheville’s long-overdue and fraught public conversations about systemic racism and reparations, a gifted, action-oriented resident of West Asheville is making a difference in a variety of meaningful ways. DeWayne Barton is the founder and creative force behind Hood Huggers International (HHI), a community organization building greater communication, connection and wealth in under-served and underestimated neighborhoods in the Affrilachian region through the arts, environment, and social enterprise.
HHI’s primary social enterprise, Hood Tours, offers weekly walking and driving tours of Asheville to both locals and out-of-town visitors - highlighting Asheville’s rich black history and resilience, while encouraging tour participants to find ways of supporting this or their own community’s health. Hood Tours provide a powerful antidote to what DeWayne characterizes as ‘creative pretending’, pointing out that while Asheville’s City Council has adopted various policies to address racial inequities, in his words, ‘the blood’ is missing. He expresses concern that ‘we are all operating in silos’ adding, ‘We need to help the city.’
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An important way in which HHI is helping the city is by mentoring local youth through Hood Huggers International-Under Instruction (HHI-UI). For example, HHI-UI actively involves youth in both Hood Tours and Peace Gardens & Market - an additional social enterprise designed to expand health-promoting greenspaces while generating revenue and creating various opportunities within the community. In addition to learning about and assisting with Hood Tours, youth are actively engaged in all aspects of Peace Gardens & Market, from maintaining the gardens to maintaining the budget. Youth also help with construction, repair and maintenance projects throughout the neighborhoods – learning essential and transferable skills that will better position them as they move into the workforce or launch their own businesses.
HHI is currently working on several strategic initiatives, including enhancing an ongoing partnership with the Burton Street Recreation Center and others, continuing to maintenance two historic African-American cemeteries, supporting expansion of solar projects throughout the neighborhood, as well as developing a plan for the Burton Street neighborhood in anticipation of the impact of the proposed I-26 expansion – involving youth in all of these efforts. DeWayne and the Hood Huggers team are preparing to launch their first capital campaign in support of Blue Note Junction – a health and business incubator complex that will be located in the Burton Street Community. Stay tuned to their webpage or sign up for their newsletter to stay updated on their efforts and progress.
GCPC’s Serve Council is grateful for the opportunity to join in covenant partnership with Hood Huggers to support action-oriented efforts which help the city of Asheville by promoting, protecting, and monetizing African-American spaces and nurturing the next generation of Asheville’s Black leaders.
~ Alexandra Lusak and Amy Wiesner, Serve Council Members
...with gratitude to DeWayne Barton and Safi Martin at HHI for the privilege of working together to prepare this information.
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Deacon of the Week:
In this time of physical distancing, the deacons of Grace Covenant continue to be available to talk and pray with you by phone or online and to coordinate care. If
you have difficulty reaching your assigned deacon or if you do not know who your assigned deacon is, please feel free to reach out to our deacon of the week.
This week (7/25-7/31): Mary Berg email: marhber@hotmail.com
Next week (8/1-8/7): Louise Root email: lcr@rootandroot.com
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Prayer requests will stay on the GCPC Prayer List for one month. Please let any staff know if you (or your loved one) would like to remain on the list for longer.
Iglesia Jerusalem congregation
Ryan Lockett (nephew of Denise Lockett)
Jennifer Martin (Yvonne Smith's daughter)
Sheldon Smith (Beth Robrechtʼs brother-in-law)
Alyse Pryzant Pribish (Ashley Cooper's mom)
Marie and Jose Palacios and family (Marie is the presbytery coordinator of Guatemala partnerships)
Harold Shook (Melissa Shook's father)
Bill Ross (Jonathan Ross' dad)
Family of Lilian Propst (niece of Marc and Susan Propst)
Travis Heck (Brian Cook’s brother)
David Good (Amber Cook’s dad)
Cherie Parsons
Bob Higgins
Florence and Steve Riedesel
Roslyn Carney
Susan Smialowicz
Laura Ross
Bill Williamson
Queen Mother Maggie Belle Gladden
John Mount Shoop
Elizabeth Fisher
Doris Prak
Dan Blake
Mary Lou Nash
Shelia Chapman
Our sympathy and support are extended to Marta Alcala-Williams and family on the death of her mother, Bertilda Arteta, in Miami on Tuesday, July 20.
Our sympathy and support are extended to Paul Rogers and family on the death of his mother, Maude Jeter, on Tuesday, July 20 in Arkansas.
Please keep these families in your prayers.
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Evening Vespers | Thursday, August 12 | 7:30 - 8:00 PM | Outside @ GCPC
Evening vespers will be outside. In the event of rain, we will use the narthex with all the doors open and canopy in the courtyard.
You can also join this service via Zoom.
Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/98906064373
Meeting ID: 989 0606 4373 | Passcode: 789
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GCPC Compassion Camp | Saturday, August 14 | 9:30 - 11:00 AM
For our final Compassion Camp Saturday together, we will meet on the church lawn for a Bible story, community building, music, movement, creating, playing and a sending. The theme for these times is Lovingkindness.
Lovingkindness is the utmost form of selfless love toward ourselves and others. The practice begins with focusing on self-compassion because once we have compassion for ourselves, we can have compassion for others.
These sessions are designed for families to participate together (no drop-off).
Families with Children 0-5th grade will meet from 9:30-11:00 am.
Please wear comfortable clothes, a water bottle and a blanket to sit on.
Masks will be worn by staff and volunteers.
As always, this is open to the community, please invite friends to join us!
Please email Amy Kim to let her know you will be coming.
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Outdoor Worship Service | Sunday, August 15 | 10:45 AM | GCPC Lawn
On Sunday, August 15, worship will be outdoors on the GCPC lawn. This service will be a hybrid event, so you can come in person or watch the live stream on our youtube channel. Worship will start at 10:45 as usual.
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Presbyterian Womenʼs Circles are Zoom meetings. Please join us.
Circle 1: First Tuesday of each month, 10:00 a.m.
Circle 2: First Tuesday of each month, 7:30 p.m.
Circle 3: Third Thursday of each month, 7:00 p.m.
Circle 4: First Thursday of each month, 7:00 p.m.
Circle 5: First Monday of each month, 11:00 a.m.
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Setting up Zoom Meetings:
If you are a part of a group, Team, or Circle at GCPC and you want to have a Zoom meeting, let staff know. We will help you get set up on our GCPC Zoom account for group gatherings and meetings. You can schedule your meeting on the
calendar with Anna Louise, and any staff member can help you get set up for your meeting if you have questions.
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Our garden is beautiful!
Recently gardeners have harvested cucumbers, beans, squash, okra, chard, jalapenos, eggplant and bell peppers. Now tomatoes are starting to ripen.
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Maintenance, including weeding, fertilizing, pesticide spraying, removal of spent beds followed by tilling and replenishing with new plants, and staking and stringing plants, continues.
This week Buncombe Beekeepers provided a talk/demonstration to YTL in the garden.
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Community Working Together | |
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Wild Goose Festival NEEDS VOLUNTEERS! | Sept 2-5 | Hot Springs, NC SPIRIT | JUSTICE | MUSIC | ART
Wild Goose Festival grows each year, and with that growth, our volunteer needs grow. We need your help to fill some of the slots on our volunteer teams.
Are you planning to volunteer, but just haven’t completed your application form? Don’t delay. Take the time and get that form in today!
If you’re already a volunteer or are just interested in helping us spread the word about our need for volunteers, would you please share our our volunteer application link (below) with your friends, family, network, and groups?
https://wildgoosefestival.org/get-involved/volunteer/
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Racial Justice Coalition Action Alert! Nothing For Us Without Us - Let Black Community Members Choose Their Reparations Representatives
Earlier this month, the City of Asheville started soliciting bids for a “Reparations Process Project Manager.” This firm or individual will coordinate the formation of the Community Reparations Commission, the group that will lead the development of recommendations for short, medium, and long-term solutions to racial disparities in the City and County. An important aspect of this process, as outlined by City Manager Debra Campbell back in February, was that Black community members would play a decisive role in determining who represented their interests on this Commission. However, the new Request for Proposals materials that the City has released about this new position are vague about the selection process of the Commission, implying that the Reparations Commission members might now be entirely chosen by City Council and the Buncombe County Commission, rather than Black community members.
Will you contact City Manager Debra Campbell today and ask her to ensure that the Community Reparations Commission will be primarily selected by Black community members rather than entirely selected by City and County officials? Click here for more information and an email template you can adapt and send.
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‘Wait on the Lord and be of good courage’-
Stated Clerk urges patience on returning to in-person worship
Over the past several months, churches across the country have enjoyed a return to in-person worship as millions of people began receiving vaccinations against the COVID-19 virus. Many churches have relaxed guidelines completely while others have continued to practice social distancing and other measures.
The recent surge in the Delta variant of the virus has caused many to reconsider standards for in-person gatherings. But that decision rests with the congregations and their sessions, according to the Stated Clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
The Rev. Dr. J. Herbert Nelson, II says the rise in variants and the upcoming flu season have once again raised anxiety. He says the challenge now is to “wait on the Lord and be of good courage.”
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Presbyterians urged to speak out for millions of undocumented people
Washington Office calls for passage of Senate bills providing 5 million people with a path to citizenship
~ by Rich Copley
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Office of Public Witness is asking people to contact their senators on behalf of millions of people living in the United States without immigration status.
The Capitol Hill office (OPW) is calling for support of two bills before the Senate — the American Dream and Promise Act and the Farm Workforce Modernization Act — which, among other things, provides a pathway to citizenship for people living under Temporary Protected Status (TPS), Dreamers and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients, and essential workers.
This Action Alert provides tools for people to directly contact their senators, including text for a message.
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Earth Care Conference spreads out buffet of events online
Once-every-two-years conference goes virtual in August with variety of speakers, workshops
~ by Rich Copley
Presbyterians for Earth Care has a reputation for presenting its conferences every two years in appropriately picturesque locations such as the Presbyterian conference centers Ghost Ranch in New Mexico, Montreat in North Carolina and Stony Point in New York.
Like most other conferences the past 16 months, this year’s Presbyterians for Earth Care (PEC) Conference will be a bring-your-own-aesthetics affair. But the grassroots group is providing a packed and balanced lineup of speakers, worship leaders, and workshop facilitators for three consecutive Sunday afternoons and evenings — Aug. 1, 8 and 15 — on Zoom.
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A voting rights call to action
Advocacy Committee for Women’s Concerns calls on Presbyterians to raise their voices
~ by the Advocacy Committee for Women’s Concerns
The Advocacy Committee for Women’s Concerns released the following letter on Wednesday:
"Across the nation, state governments are stripping away the rights of voters. On Friday, July 16, the women of the Congressional Black Caucus, including the chair of the caucus, U.S. Representative Joyce Beatty of Ohio, were arrested as they sang in the lobby of the Hart Office building on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol. On Monday, July 19, the Rev. Cindy Kohlmann, Co-Moderator of the 223rd General Assembly (2018), and the Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis, co-chair of the Poor People’s Campaign, were arrested along with about 75 other individuals at the Women’s Moral Monday March on Washington after they refused to heed the warning of police to disperse as they sang and protested for voting rights and a living wage. . ."
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from The Presbyterian Outlook. . . | |
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Presbyterian camp land in Oklahoma returned to Cherokee Nation
~ by Leslie Scanlon
On paper, this might have seemed like a straightforward property transaction: On June 23, Cherokee Nation acquired about 200 acres in Sequoyah County in eastern Oklahoma, land on which since the early 1950s the Dwight Mission Camp and Conference Center has operated a Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)-related summer camp.
Like many stories involving land, people and history, dig a little deeper and you’ll find this one’s complicated — a story of intertwining connections between Presbyterian missionaries and Native Americans going back 200 years; of the nation’s scarred history In its treatment of Indigenous people; of a boarding school at Dwight Mission that educated generations of Cherokee children; of the economic difficulties confronting many Presbyterian camps and conference centers; of land that’s been long-cherished and is now returning to the Cherokee people who lived there before the state of Oklahoma ever existed.
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Pisgah Legal needs local government support to prevent a loss of services for survivors of domestic violence.
As the eviction moratorium ends on July 30, Pisgah Legal is preparing for a flood of cases from tenants facing eviction and possible homelessness. Another impending crisis is facing survivors of domestic violence, as millions of dollars in lost state funding is threatening to disrupt services for victims of domestic violence, child abuse, sexual assault, and human trafficking. Read more about these funding cuts here.
In the midst of these crises, there are opportunities to help meet the need. Buncombe County Commissioners will vote in August on how to allocate part of the $50 million in federal COVID Recovery Funding provided by the American Relief Plan Act (ARPA). In response to the County’s request for proposals, Pisgah Legal collaborated with other local nonprofits and submitted applications for funding to support homelessness prevention and protect victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse.
Lend Your Voice
Contact Buncombe County Commissioners today and ask them to approve Pisgah Legal's applications for funding these essential programs.
It's as easy as emailing the County Commissioners by visiting the Buncombe County Commissioners webpage and clicking the "all" button when using the “Email Us” form to ensure that each County Commissioner receives your email.
CLICK HERE for more information and a sample script.
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Pledge Check In | 2nd Quarter Giving Statements
If you gave April 1 - June 30, you should have received an email on 7/22/21 with a link to your 1st quarter giving statement. These will come through our software from notifications@onrealm.org with a blue link towards the bottom, which will open your contribution statement in a PDF. This shows the details of all donations made in the 2nd quarter and your pledge summary at the bottom, if applicable.
As a reminder, you can access your giving history and YTD gifts in real time by logging in at onrealm.org/gcpcusa and clicking the Giving tab. You can adjust the filter to show specific dates or funds.
Questions or concerns? Contact Natalie Weaver in the Finance Office at nweaver@gcpcusa.org or leave a message at 828.254.3274 and she will return your call.
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Summertime Stewardship
Are you looking forward to time outside and away
from screens, but concerned about staying on top of your pledged giving? Don't worry, there are ways to give easily remotely, even automatically!
MAIL gifts to the office at 789 Merrimon Ave, Asheville, NC 28804(the office remains closed but we are checking the mail)
BANK BILL PAY mails checks remotely, one-time or on a recurring schedule – contact your bank to set this up
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ONLINE at https://onrealm.org/gcpcusa/give/now
or through your Realm Connect smartphone app
TEXT "giveGCPC" to 73256 on your mobile device, then follow the prompts
Interested in setting up online recurring giving? Follow these simple step-by-step instructions to self-manage eGiving through Realm or return this signed authorization form to have our Finance Office set up on your behalf.
If you have any questions, please contact Natalie in our Finance office at nweaver@gcpcusa.org or by leaving a message for Natalie Weaver at 828-254-3274.
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HOW TO CONTACT STAFF:
Our staff are all still working remotely as the office remains closed due to the pandemic. To leave a voicemail for a staff member to return your call, follow these steps:
- The Church Office is open on Tuesdays, 10am - 4pm.
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Call the office at 828-254-3274.
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Listen through the office closure notice, which will then take you to a staff directory.
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Enter the first 3 letters of either the staff member's first or last name on your phone keypad (i.e. to reach Natalie Weaver, you'd enter 628 for NAT or 932 for WEA).
- You'll be directed to the staff member's individual voicemail, where you can leave a message to be returned as soon as possible.
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If you just want to leave a message for the general voicemail box, press 0.
You can also reach our staff by email- please see our website for each staff member's individual email address.
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Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church
789 Merrimon Ave. Asheville, NC 28804
828.254.3274
www.gcpcusa.org
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