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When you love someone, the best thing you can offer is your presence.
How can you love if you are not there?
~ Thich Nhat Hanh
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Sunday Preview
Sunday, July 21, 2019
Worship services @ 8:15 & 10:15 AM
Courtyard Fellowship @ 11:15 AM
Sermon:
"Deep Clean" by Samantha Gonzalez-Block
Scriptures:
Psalm 52; Luke 10:38-42
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Name tags on Summer Break
We are excited that the alcove in the narthex has some beautiful updates. Soon, we will have a fabulous new name tag caddy thanks to the creativity of a GCPC member. For now, we want everyone to be able to enjoy some space to sit down and visit for a while. If you can't remember somebody's name, find a fun way to ask them!
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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 Paul Stroebel, violin and Leonard Hollifield, guitar.
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2
nd
QUARTER CONTRIBUTION STATEMENTS AVAILABLE NOW
If you gave tax deductible gifts during the 2
nd
Quarter (April - June),
your contribution statement is available for pick up at the Welcome Desk until 7/29/19.
Help us save on postage by picking yours up on Sunday!
Please check the contribution details and pledge balances for accuracy.
Keep in mind, this statement only includes gifts made
4/1/19 – 6/30/19
; any gifts made in July will be reflected on the 3
rd
Quarter statement issued in September.
If you gave during the quarter, even if online/automatic, a statement will be generated for you. Statements help catch any errors prior to year-end and give you a more accurate pledge balance status mid-year.
If you have questions or concerns about your statement, please contact Natalie Weaver, Stewardship & Financial Administrator, at
nweaver@gcpcusa.org
or 828-254-3274, ext. 202.
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$aving on $tatements
Any contribution statements that haven’t been picked up by 7/29 will be mailed. With Forever stamps at $0.55 each, those costs can add up quickly. We had a total of 265 donors give during the 2
nd quarter…
if no one picked up their statement and they were all mailed instead, the postage alone would cost
$145.75!
What ministry or mission here at GCPC could have used these funds instead?
Stewardship isn’t just about a pledge campaign or monthly tithing, it’s an all-encompassing mindset of using the gifts we’re given in the most effective ways. Help us save on statements by picking up yours today!
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Creating Sanctuary Team (CST)
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Prayer for migrant children and their families
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Lord whose love is boundless, whose mercy knows no borders, whose grace cannot be thwarted by fences, walls or barriers, forgive us for attempting to hold back your compassion, contain your care and put limits on your kindness. You are the one who welcomes the little children. You proclaim that the kingdom of heaven belongs to them. You are the Lord who admonishes your followers to feed the hungry and care for the sick, to bind up the broken hearted and welcome the stranger.
Lord, we plead for your Spirit of tenderness to overtake our hearts, our congregations and our country. Remove from us any impediment to doing justice and alleviating suffering. Show us your way that is the way of truth, abundance and life, your way that refuses to ignore the cries of the children, the pain of their parents, the desperation of those made in your image.
As those who follow Jesus Christ who told us to ask and receive, we humbly ask for wisdom, for courage and for the will to unleash the rivers of living water you place in our hearts. May your Spirit of comfort and gentleness envelop the children languishing in poverty, bring healing to those sick in detention centers and hope to those terrified in shelters.
Let loose through your disciples your Spirit who speaks truth to power, upends cruelty and arrests exploitation. Right now, help us to prepare a place for all your children, just as you prepare a place for us — a place of refuge and safety, a place of peace and welcome, a place where all know they are valued and beloved. Amen.
--Jill Duffield.
Reprinted with permission from the Presbyterian Outlook.
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Power and Race Team (PART)
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Thank You to PART for Kingdom Bound Dance Troupe Lunch!
Last Sunday was beautiful! And so many people, with the Spirit's help, made it beautiful, powerful, and impactful. Pamela Culp and Mary Berg, gratitude goes out to you especially for your work planning this luncheon that was wonderful on so many levels. Your attention to detail, the warmth and welcome, and the effective way you gave us all a way to help are just some of the ways your gifts made the lunch a great gift to all of us!
And thanks to all of you who said "yes" and showed up and surrounded our guests with your love and attentiveness and affirmation.
Every Sunday has a God-given, Spirit-filled beauty about it at GCPC--but this one had a magnitude that will long be treasured. Thanks be to God for the powerful ways the Spirit enlivens, redeems, connects, inspires, and heals.
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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 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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Women Rowing North
by Mary Pipher
(Bloomsbury Publishing, 2019)
Women growing older contend with ageism, misogyny, and loss. Yet, as Mary Pipher shows, most older women are deeply happy and filled with gratitude for the gifts of life. Their struggles help them grow into the authentic, empathetic, and wise people they have always wanted to be.
In
Women Rowing North
, Pipher offers a timely examination of the cultural and developmental issues women face as they age. Drawing on her own experience as daughter, sister, mother, grandmother, caregiver, clinical psychologist, and cultural anthropologist, she explores ways women can cultivate resilient responses to the challenges they face, “If we can keep our wits about us, think clearly, and manage our emotions skillfully,” Pipher writes, “we will experience a joyous time of our lives. If we have planned carefully and packed properly, if we have good maps and guides, the journey can be transcendent.”
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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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Service Opportunity for Women
GCPC has a team of women who cook and serve a meal every 5th Tuesday at a transitional home for women and children in Asheville. It is a great opportunity to be present in our community with a spirit of healing, support, and love. Our team needs 3 more people to round it out.
You arrive about 5:15pm and are done by 7pm on 5th Tuesdays and enjoy a meal with about 40 women and children. The same menu is prepared each time. If you are interested in helping but cannot be present on Tuesday evenings, the team would also welcome your help with cooking.
For more details, call Nan Clarke at home 828-669-5728 or text her on her cell, 828-989-0569.
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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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Serve Potluck & Educational Event for Steady Collective on Wednesday, August 14
All are invited to join the Serve Council on Wednesday, August 14 from 5:30 - 7:30 for a potluck/educational event with GCPC ministry partner, Steady Collective. Hill Brown will update us about their work utilizing the mobile unit purchased with funds from GCPC and opioid use and needle exchange in our community. Serve Council will provide the fried chicken, and all others are encouraged to bring a dish to share.
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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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GCPC Rideshare Group on Facebook
Just look up GCPC Rideshare Group on Facebook and ask to join. As soon as your request is approved, make a post about where you’re coming from, if you need rides or can give rides to others, or both, and any types of restrictions (like mobility, or needing to arrive before or leave after a certain time, etc.)
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Men @ GCPC | Thursday, July 25 | 8:00 AM | HomeGrown (371 Merrimon Ave.)
We will meet to discuss the recent New York Times story about Rev. Amy Butler and Riverside Church in New York and what it means for progressive churches more widely.
Follow this
LINK
or google "
She Led a Famed Progressive Church. Then She Said She Was Harassed."
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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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)
Michelle Elhert (Bill McNeff's friend)
Jennifer Vaughn (Mary Berg's friend)
Louise Hill (Geneva Neeriemer's mother)
West Asheville Presbyterian Church
Hettie Lou Garland
Betty Smith
Margaret Rada
Bob Higgins
James Harwell
Joyce Summerlin
Cory Hartbarger
Mary Ellen Horne
Penny & Ray Ponder
Doris Prak
Jack Smith
Steve and Florence Riedesel
Carolyn & Trey Tingle and family
Walt Justice
Jim McLean
Our sympathy and support are extended to Ed Parker and family following the death of his father, Carlton Parker, on Friday, July 12. Please keep the family in your prayers.
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Grace Covenant Community Out and About...
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July & August Enneagram Gatherings
in the A-Frame at GCPC with Carol Hovis
- Mondays, 6:00-8:00pm: July 22, 29, August 5 & 12
- Fridays, 10am-12noon: July 19, 26, August 2, 9, & 16
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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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