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Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.
~ Lewis Carroll
, Alice in Wonderland
Sunday Preview
Sunday, October 14, 2018
Worship Services @ 8:15 & 10:45 AM
Education Hour (for all ages) at 9:15 AM
Sermon:
"Threads, Needles, and Camels" by Richard Coble
Scriptures:
Amos5:6-7, 10-15; Mark 10:17-31
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The Spirituality of Parenting | Sundays | 5:00 – 6:00 PM | October 14 - November 4 | Fellowship Hall
Can the every day mundane practices of parenting actually be spiritual practices? Do our lives with children bring us opportunities to practice our faith in new ways? In this class we will explore how parenting (across generations and within communities) helps us learn about ourselves, our humanity, and our Creator. We will also investigate ways to infuse our lives with new practices that enhance our capacity to notice and honor the sacred trust of caring for and living with children. We invite all congregants, of all seasons of life, to come and share your experiences and learn about parenting as a spiritual practice.
Facilitators:
Marcia Mount Shoop, Richard Coble, Heather Ferguson and Carol Hovis.
*Childcare will be provided for these classes.
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"How Can We Keep From Sharing?" Update
We had a great kick off week with this year's Stewardship Pledge Campaign! As of 10/11/18, here's where we are on our pledging:
57 Pledges Received, 25% of 230 Goal
$315,584 Pledged, 31% of Goal
If you have questions about your gifts or pledge, please contact Natalie Weaver, Stewardship & Financial Administrator, at 828-254-3274, ext. 202 or
giving@gcpcusa.org
.
If you haven't already, please complete your 2019 pledge card, handwritten or
online
, and return to the Finance Office by
October 28th.
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UNDERSTANDING AUTOMATIC GIVING:
When completing your 2019 pledge card, you'll see two automatic giving options:
bill pay
OR
bank/credit card draft.
These are both great ways to make your recurring gifts easy, but it's important to understand the difference in setting them up.
BILL PAY
:
This is
self set-up
between you and your bank. Most banks offer bill pay as a service to their customers for little or no charge. You designate the amount, frequency, end date, and linked account to have a check cut and mailed to GCPC.
Be sure to include your envelope # in the memo line for accurate record keeping.
BANK DRAFT OR CREDIT CARD ONLINE
:
These are gifts made
through GCPC
and can be self set-up or our Finance Office can assist. Donations run through Vanco, our payment provider. Online gifts can be set up through the website,
www.gcpcusa.org
, by clicking the
$
at the bottom of the home page or using the
Give + Mobile app.
If you'd like our staff to set up the transaction for you, we must first have a
signed authorization form
on file to act on your behalf.
*NOTE* Most general fund authorizations expire at the end of the year and require a re-authorization to set up a new draft to match your new pledge.
Please contact Natalie Weaver, Stewardship & Financial Administrator, with questions about automatic payments or to request assistance in setting up a bank draft/credit card online through GCPC's website. 828-254-3274, ext. 202 or
nweaver@gcpcusa.org
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Creating Sanctuary Team (CST)
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According to
explore-hispanic-culture.com, “The Quince Años celebration - also known as
Fiesta Quinceañera,
Quinces or
Fiesta Rosa – is a very popular tradition is most Latin American countries.
The Fiesta Quinceañera marks the rite of passage from girlhood to young womanhood.
Each country and/or community has a slight variation of the celebration, but it generally consists of a big party with the
Quinceañera as the focus of the event.
For this special day, the girl wears a very elaborate dress, usually in a pastel color. Most parties also include a waltz, which the girl dances with her father, older brother or other male relative.
Nowadays, many girls do opt for a less formal party and some even take a trip with family and/or friends as an alternative to the traditional ‘quince’.”
~ Contributed by Jim Stokely
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Power and Race Team (PART)
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The Racial Justice Book Club | TONIGHT, Oct. 11 | *7:00 PM | Jerusalem Room
Back by popular demand, the Racial Justice Book Club enters its second year with a new list of 12 books examining institutional and interpersonal racism and racial equity. Come and join us for all twelve discussions or for just one or two. All are welcome, whether you have read closely or are just interested in learning more about the subject. Copies of the books can be found in the church library.
For October
, we are reading
I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness
by Austin Channing Brown.
(*Note new time)
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"Twelve Angry Jurors" | October 4 - 20 (Thursdays - Saturdays) | 7:30 PM | Asheville High School Theater Arts Building
AHS Theatre is very proud to partner with Different Strokes! Performing Arts Collective to bring their production of
Twelve Angry Jurors
by Reginald Rose.
With the permission of the publisher, Different Strokes! has taken Reginald Rose’s original cast of 12 white men, and swapped it out for a cast of 12 very diverse jurors. Aside from the natural outcomes of obvious casting choices, nothing else has been changed from the original stage play.
Twelve Angry Jurors
has a lot to say about how our own biases, including issues of racism and discrimination, affect the basis on which the American dream, and the American Judicial system were built.
Click here for more information and tickets.
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"The Deepness of the Blue" | Friday, October 12 @ 7:30 PM & Saturday, October 13 @ 4:00 PM | Central UMC (
27 Church St.
)
Asheville Choral Society presents a celebration of the music and poetry of African-American composers and authors. This concert’s music includes beautiful melodies, driving rhythms and powerful messages – an evening of engaging music that highlights underrepresented artists and composers of color. The central piece on the program is William Averitt’s
Deepness of the Blue, a 5-movement setting of Langston Hughes’ moving texts on love and the struggle of the human experience. Other selections include Rosephanye Powell’s
The Word was God, Anthony Trecek-King’s (current conductor of the Boston Children’s Choir)
I’m Building Me a Home and the gorgeous Harry T. Burleigh arrangement of
Deep River.
Click here to buy tickets.
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This Sunday's Education Hour (for all ages)
Adult Education - Fall Term | September 16 - November 18
Pressure Points - Connecting Mass Incarceration and Forced Deportation: A Faithful Conversation about Justice |
*Fellowship Hall (note room change)
Members of two active groups in our congregation, PART (Power and Race Team) and CST (Creating Sanctuary Team), will co-facilitate a 10-week series to explore "Capital J" Justice. We’ll explore connections and commonalities between issues of power and race, mass incarceration, immigrant detention, and forced migration. The discussion-based class will utilize a variety of resources, including segments of two films,
Healing Justice
and
The Genesis of Exodus
. We’ll examine and reflect on how we, as followers of Jesus, can interrogate U.S. practices, laws, and systems while bringing theology into the realm of social justice.
Facilitators:
PART and CST
Digging In - Women of the Old Testament | Jerusalem Room
This class will offer a fresh look at some of the women in the Old Testament who may have unfairly been the recipients of negative press. Many of these women have been portrayed as failures: evil, irrational, unfaithful. Could this be due to an effort to reaffirm the structures of patriarchy in spite of Jesus' explicit affirmation of women?
*This week we will be covering Jezebel.
Facilitators:
Barbara McLean and Jamie Lloyd
The Improv - God at the Movies and Theater |
*Choir Room (note room change)
You sit down in your favorite theater, and Jesus walks up and asks to share your popcorn. You think, ‘What is God doing here at the movies?’ In this intergenerational class, Senior high youth and adults will be exploring how movies and plays can deepen or change how we understand our lives and our faith. A list of titles can be found on our website under Adult Education. For information or to host a screening, reach out to
Richard
or
Samantha
.
*
This week we will be covering The Laramie Project (movie, NR).
Facilitators:
Richard Coble and Samantha Gonzalez-Block
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Toddlers (ages 2-3) | “God Loves Me”
| 9:15 – 10:15 AM | Toddler Room (downstairs, Children’s Center)
Preschool/Kindergarten (ages 4-5) | Godly Play
| 9:15 –10:15 AM | Preschool Sunday School Room (downstairs, Children’s Center)
Elementary (grades 1-3) | Godly Play
| 9:15–10:15 AM | Temple Room (Education wing, upstairs)
Elementary (grades 4-5) | “CONNECT”
| 9:15–10:15 AM | Indie Room (Education wing, upstairs)
Middle School (grades 6-8)
| 9:15-10:15 AM | Middle School Classroom, (Education wing, upstairs)
Senior Highs (grades 9-12)
| 9:15-10:15 AM |
*Choir Room - note room change
, (Education wing, upstairs)
*Nursery care is available throughout Sunday morning beginning at 8:10 am.
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BeLoved Asheville's "Liberation Station" Open House & Space Blessing | TONIGHT, October 11th | 6-8 PM | 10 North Market St., 3rd floor
Come celebrate BeLoved Asheville’s new space! ASURJ has cancelled its monthly potluck and is encouraging folks to attend this special event which will include light refreshments, music by Rhoda Weaver, space blessing by Vahisha Hasan , opportunities to meet artists and justice leaders, and chances to get involved with this unique community of intersectional justice in the heart of downtown Asheville.
Read the full press release here.
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Room In The Inn (RITI) | October 28 – November 4 | GCPC
RITI returns to Grace Covenant at the end of October! We are still in need of:
overnight hosts and some drivers.
The sooner we fill the slots, the better prepared we are to host the women.
Please consider
signing up in the narthex (before or after the 10:45 AM worship) or online
HERE
. Many thanks to those who have already signed up
to help with this important ministry!
*
In addition to ladies socks of any style, please also consider donating lightly used ladies' clothing. This includes casual wear, clothes suitable for work, and clothes appropriate for job interviews.
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Pritchard Park Breakfast Ministry | Sunday, October 21 | Last Sunday to sign up!
The Pritchard Park breakfast is an outreach ministry shared by other area churches. Our congregation supplies breakfast in downtown Asheville to feed the hungry on the third Sunday of every other month. Look for Cathy Byers and the sign up table in the narthex on Sunday for ways in which you can help!
Food donations and volunteers are needed.
Questions? Please contact David Bailey,
david.bailey@unitedwayabc.org
, or call him at 777-3990.
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YTL Annual Breakfast Fundraiser | Saturday, October 27 | 9 - 10:30 AM |
Tried Stone Missionary Baptist Church (100 Carroll Ave.)
Join one of our ministry partners, YTL Training Programs, for their Annual Breakfast Fundraiser. This free event is an opportunity for you to hear their year-in-review, and to learn about opportunities to get involved with and/or financially support their programs.
Click here to register.
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Message from Ministry Partner, Center for Participatory Change
Dear Grace Covenant Friends,
The Black Love Learning Exchange just completed our third session of CPC’s train-the-trainer model. Everyone has gifts and knowledge to share, so we are building our collective analysis around structural racism and racial equity and healing in community.
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We dreamed of this work years ago, and now it is coming to fruition. Thank you for supporting our work! We are grateful! ❤️
Tamiko Ambrose Murray & Shuvonda Harper
Center for Participatory Change
Racial Equity Circle Co-coordinators
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Click
HERE
for a link to the 2017-2018 GCPC Ministry Partners brochure.
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J.O.Y. Group Potluck | Sunday, October 21 | after 10:45 worship | Fellowship Hall
The J.O.Y. (Just Older Youth) Group will hold a potluck lunch after church on Sunday, October 21st. Please make plans to attend!
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"2nd Wednesdays"
Fellowship Dinner
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The turnout for dinner topped 80 people! It was great to see everyone enjoy table together.
Our next "2nd Wednesday Dinner" will be on November 14th. If you'd like to help with set up or clean up please email
Sherrie
.
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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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THIS WEEKEND:
Youth Group "Caring for GCPC!" | THIS Sunday, October 14 |
5:00 -7:00 PM | GCPC
We need all hands on deck in order to "be the change" here at church. Our Sexton, Exly is leading the way as we work in teams to clean and care for our church home. We will also play games and have a delicious dinner provided by the Gast and Hamel families. If you have a vacuum that we can borrow for the evening, please let
Samantha
know.
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RSVP ASAP for events listed below:
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New Youth Group Event:
Indoor Rock Climbing! | Next Sunday, October 21 | 5 - 7pm | Smoky Mountain Adventure Center (173 Amboy Rd.)
Let's reach for the stars and climb our way there! Meet at Smoky Mountain Adventure Center
or
at GCPC. Please eat an early dinner beforehand and snacks will be available. GCPC will cover the cost for all climbers, so please
RSVP HERE ASAP, so that we can secure the reservation.
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Middle School Retreat 2017 ~ Camp Grier | Friday, Nov 9th, 5:15 PM - Sunday, Nov 11th, 12 PM | Old Fort, NC
Youth (grades 6-8) are invited to a fun-filled weekend with youth from across our presbytery. We will hike, play games, do energizers, and creatively explore our faith together. The cost is $95 and full/partial scholarships are available.
*
Register digitally HERE
.
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Senior High Camping Trip | Saturday, November 3rd, 2 PM - Sunday, November 4th, 2 PM | Celo (Meet/pick up GCPC parking lot
)
Senior Highs,get ready for an outdoor adventure camping, hiking, hanging out by the campfire and worshiping in the woods! We will camp near Dean Presson's cabin in Celo. The cost is free and please note if you have a tent we can borrow.
*Register digitally HERE
.
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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
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)
Nancy and Richard Schaadt (Donna Robertson's sister and brother-in-law)
Dagmar Peguero-Olinger (Mary Craig's friend)
Shaketia Simpson and children (Habitat Partner family)
Jon Breen (Daniel Breen's uncle)
Buster Fipps (Amber White's stepfather)
Hettie Lou Garland
Dot Holladay
Teresa Stern
Betty Smith
Madge Francis
Margaret Rada
Steve Dykes
Marty Johnson and Gabe Boehm
Bob Higgins
Laura Ross (death of her grandmother)
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Grace Covenant Community Out and About...
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Enneagram learning opportunities with
Carol Hovis!
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Weekly enneagram gatherings
on different topics pertaining to all 9 types, will occur
Monday evenings, 6-8pm
and
Friday mornings, 10am-12noon
in the A-Frame Room (October 1st thru December 14th), facilitated by Carol Hovis. For more information, including cost and content, email Carol,
cmhovis@gmail.com
. All are welcome. Click
HERE
to see flyer.
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An Evening with Kate Bowler | Saturday, November 3 | 7 PM | First Presbyterian Church
Kate Bowler, author of
Everything Happens for a Reason (and other lies I’ve loved)
will speak at First Presbyterian Church, Asheville.
Diagnosed with stage IV cancer at the age of 35, Kate writes powerfully about the transformation she has experienced in the face of tragedy. As a young mother living with cancer and a historian of American religion, Bowler frankly address 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.
Dr. Bowler will speak in the Sanctuary from 7-8 pm and allow time for questions. Signed copies of her memoir will be available for purchase. Tickets are $10 in advance and selling fast!
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Presbyterian Disaster Assistance
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance enables congregations and mission partners of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A) to witness to the healing love of Christ through caring for communities adversely affected by crisis and catastrophic event.
After all the recent devastating climate events, there are so many places that could use further aid. Give to a disaster/relief effort of your choice by designating the Disaster Response “DR” project you would like to support.
Click HERE for a full list of accounts
(and online links to donate).
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*You can also donate:
By mail:
Presbyterian Church (USA)
P.O. Box 643700
Pittsburgh, PA 15264-3700
By telephone:
Call (800) 872-3283
to give by credit card
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The three-day event will feature a variety of topics, including race in education, social justice, and history while highlighting regional African American culture, with a theme of “Making the Invisible Visible.”
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*Please note the new meeting day for Open Hearts is Wednesday (1st and 3rd of the month).
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Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church | 828.254.3274
789 Merrimon Ave. Asheville, NC 28804
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