GCPC Weekly News | August 5, 2021
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GCPC Senior Highs at Montreat Youth Conference! | |
Worship Preview | Sunday, August 8, 2021 | | |
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Sermon:
"From Depletion to Renewal" by Erin Tolar, Janice Kominski, Matthew Wiedle
Scripture:
1 Kings 19:4-8
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*For the full revised common lectionary, please click here. | |
| Tuesday, August 10 | CHURCH OFFICE OPEN! | 10:00 am - 4:00 pm | | Tuesday, August 10 | Property Council Mtg. | 6:00 pm on Zoom | | Thursday, August 12 | Evening Vespers | 7:30 pm @ GCPC
(also on Zoom) | | Saturday, August 14 | Compassion Camp | 9:30 am @ GCPC | | |
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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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WE WANT TO SEE YOU in our CHURCH DIRECTORY!
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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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 requiring all participants 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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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 (8/1-8/7): Louise Root | email: lcr@rootandroot.com
Next week (8/8-8/14): Earl Fowler | email: earljfowler@aol.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
Rod and Janet Pike (Amy Pike’s uncle and aunt)
Family of Rev. Dolly Jacobs of FPC Greensboro
Kyle Holtz (Tim Hamel's cousin)
Nikita Smart (Eleanor Lane’s friend)
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
Carolyn Tingle
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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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Writing & Reflection Gathering for Parents and Caregivers | Sunday, August 15 | 6:00 - 8:00 PM | GCPC Courtyard (and Zoom)
Parents and caregivers are invited to a gathering on Sunday, August 15 from 6pm - 8pm to write, listen, share and support each other as we process our experiences through COVID & quarantine. We are meeting in person in the church courtyard, as well as virtually on Zoom. If you are coming in person, please bring a chair, writing pad & drink of choice, and plan to be masked if within six feet of each other.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84037146630
Meeting ID: 840 3714 6630 | Passcode: 789
Questions? Please email Margaret Tierney (margarettierney6@gmail.com), Anne Turnbow-Raustol (aeraustol@gmail.com), or Kate Shem (kateshem@gmail.com).
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GCPC 20s/30s Gathering: "Tubing Down the River" | Saturday, August 21 | 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM | Zen Tubing - Midtown (608 Riverside Dr., AVL)
If you are in your twenties, thirties, or beyond, let's start the new school/program year off with a ride down French Broad River! Please arrive on time and feel free to bring your own tube or borrow one from Zen Tubing. GCPC will cover the cost of all tubes and river transportation. If possible, bring some snacks or drinks to share. Don't forget your bathing suit and water shoes (if you have). Friends are welcome!
Questions? Contact Richard Coble (rcoble@gcpcusa.org) or Alex Holifield (alexandralhollifield@gmail.com)
PLEASE RSVP HERE!
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Presbyterian Womenʼs Circles are Zoom meetings. Please join us.
Circle 1: Second Monday 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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On Saturday, nine volunteers joined garden manager, Allison, in the garden. Tilling, planting, weeding, fertilizing, and harvesting all happened. 128 pounds of produce was gratefully received by the folks at the WNC Rescue Mission. Here's one of the larger of the tomatoes! Over 2 pounds in that tomato alone! It was a good day in the garden.
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On Wednesday, volunteers harvested the last of Swiss chard. They also harvested beans, tomatoes, eggplant, jalapenos, okra, yellow squash (94.5 lbs. total), planted beans in bed 1, added stringing to eggplant and tomatoes.
Keaton Hill, Barb Toth and Allison led the YTL group in the afternoon. We harvested about 35 lbs of tomatoes, bell peppers and jalapenos. About half went home with YTL or got eaten during our taste test, and the rest was donated to YMCA.
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Community Working Together | |
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Dear amazing Grace Covenant community,
BeLoved Asheville is so grateful for all the ways that we are living into ever deeper community and partnership. We are coming to you with another way to be the beloved community with and for our children and youth. We URGENTLY need your help to provide the tools that our children need to go "back to school" in the time of the pandemic. Children and youth are left once again with their school year and what life will be like up-in-the-air. Regardless, we know they will need school supplies and to know that this community is BEHIND THEM every step of the way!!
We will be sharing school supplies, backpacks, children's masks and sanitizers, equipment and tools (calculators, headphones, musical instruments, usb drives, project creating materials) with families. We will also give supplemental materials for families to share local black history, accurate people's history, and materials that celebrate people of different cultures and give our youth a sense of cultural proudness including educational local black history trading cards, cultural lessons, and Indigenous history booklets and coloring books.
Collection boxes will be located outside the Administration Building for you to contribute school supplies before or after our outdoor Sunday service on August 15th. Or you can drop off at BeLoved's donation center at 15 Overbrook Place 28805 from 11-1 each day.
This is also a wonderful way to invite your friends and neighbors into loving action with you!
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Presbyterians for Earth Care Conference 2021 "Creation Care Buffet: Come to the Table" | Sundays | August 8 & 15 | 4:30 - 9:00 PM | Online
No driving or flying or using fossil fuels to enjoy this Presbyterians for EARTH CARE online conference Sunday nights in August. Just stay in your ‘jami’s (or bikini!) and learn from some amazing national faith leaders how we, who believe in a creative, loving God are going to turn Climate Change around. It’s inexpensive - $20/Sunday evening.
This Sunday, August 8, worship will be led by Rev. Dr. J. Herbert Nelson with David LaMotte closing us out with an evening concert.
Click HERE to see the conference schedule.
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Rev. Dr. Cláudio Carvalhaes | |
‘When the Earth is sick, we are sick’
The Rev. Dr. Cláudio Carvalhaes urges Earth Care audience to ‘respond to the needs of the land’
~ by Darla Carter
With a plethora of disasters, from wildfires to floods to COVID-19, and an insatiable desire for more and more products, it’s clear that the world, including its people and systems, are out of balance, he said.
“The land is sick,” he said. “When the Earth is sick, we are sick. We are taking away more than the Earth can give.”
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Poor People’s Campaign co-Chair the Rev. Dr. William Barber II is arrested at a Moral Monday action at the U.S. Capitol on Aug. 2, 2021. (Photo by Steve Pavey/Hope in Focus) |
‘You don’t want this smoke’
Poor People’s Campaign peaceful protest for voting rights, living wage, sees 200-plus arrests
~ by Rich Copley
The Poor People’s Campaign‘s month of Moral Monday actions ended Monday with a march to the Capitol launched with some fiery rhetoric calling on Congress and the White House to secure voting rights and living wages.
“President Biden, Democrats and Republicans, the culture will put in like this: If you come for us, and we didn’t send for you, you don’t want this smoke,” the Rev. Dr. Freddy Haynes III of Friendship-West Baptist Church in Dallas thundered. “You don’t want this smoke because we are a moral army. You don’t want this smoke because we are fighting for the soul of this nation. You don’t want this smoke because we recognize we will wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against spiritual wickedness in high places. You don’t want this smoke, so go ahead, pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act. Make sure you finish it in his spirit, but make sure you pass the For the People Act as well, because you don’t want this smoke.”
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The Rev. Candace Laughinghouse |
‘We should care for the Earth as God cares for us’
Climate justice panel discusses the relevance for all people, especially communities of color
~ by Mike Ferguson
Our faith tells us we are to be people of justice because we serve a just and righteous God, and it’s up to us to be a voice for the voiceless.
That in a nutshell was the idea behind Union Presbyterian Seminary airing a one-hour webinar last week entitled “From Black to Green: Why Climate Justice Matters to Black Lives.” The seminary’s Katie Geneva Cannon Center for Womanist Leadership and its Center for Social Justice & Reconciliation hosted the webinar, available here. The talk was part of the seminary’s Just Talk/Talk Just series.
“Environmental justice is often viewed as a white issue, but everyone breathes,” said Laughinghouse, the mother of three. The source of the climate degradation that impacts communities of color in particular continues to be Western economic imperialism, Laughinghouse said. “If we can connect these issues to our faiths — and not just our Christian faith — and folks who are agnostic and not believing, this is an opportunity for us to claim our identity.”
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Defecting from Supremacy: Joining the Struggle for Collective Liberation (An Online Course for White Men with White Awake) | Sundays | August 15, 22, 29 & September 12, 19 | 4:00 - 6:30 PM
This course is designed to support men who are socially categorized as white in defecting from the roles we have been groomed to play while constructing renewed identities grounded in a commitment to anti-racism, feminism, and economic justice.* Incorporating political analysis, mindfulness, expressive practices, and strategies for taking action, our goal is to help participants break free from this socialization and join with people of color and people of all genders in building a society that works for all.
Sliding scale $100 - $300 fee for course. No one turned away for lack of funds.
Click HERE for more information
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from The Mountain Xpress. . . | |
The work goes on
~ Posted on July 30, 2021 by Jessica Wakeman
The murder of George Floyd, a Black man, by white Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin on May 25, 2020, spurred nationwide Black Lives Matter protests. In Asheville, Floyd’s murder had the immediate effect of religious institutions looking inward and engaging with their congregations around racial justice.
More than a year on from those events, many faith communities have continued that work. Religious leaders say that they’ve strengthened initiatives that were in place before 2020 and started new efforts to face the social sins of racism.
(Picture: The Rev. Claudia Jiménez of Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville says racial justice work requires humility and accountability. Photo courtesy of UUCA)
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Shiloh, Past and Present: A Virtual Panel Discussion | Thursday, August 12 | 6:30 - 7:30 PM | Online
Join us (virtually) on Thursday, August 12 at 6:30pm as we bring you a multi-generational discussion of Asheville’s historic Shiloh community. We are joined by a special moderator—Jefferson Ellison of JAWBREAKING Creative.
Founded by newly freed people after the Civil War, Shiloh is one of Asheville’s oldest historically Black communities. Due to construction of the Biltmore Estate, and later changes wrought by highway and interstate development, the community boundaries have changed over the last century and a half. Many locals still refer to both old and new Shiloh. In this special panel, community historian Anita White-Carter and a young filmmaker and activist, Ria Young, will join us to discuss their research, memories, and past and present connections to this community and its residents. Our presenters will also answer audience questions in a Q&A session at the end.
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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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Just Talk/Talk Just
As a response to the George Floyd Uprisings in the summer of 2020, and as a way to shape conversations around Race and Justice from a theological perspective, Union Presbyterian Seminary, the Katie Geneva Cannon Center for Womanist Leadership and the Center for Social Justice and Reconciliation collaborated together to create a webinar a series – named Just Talk/Talk Just - which dealt with related topics. Due to the success of the series in the summer of 2020 the production team determined to continue indefinitely.
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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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