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Worship Preview | Sunday, September 18, 2022
In-person Service and Youtube
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*For the full revised common lectionary, please click here. | |
| Thursday, Sept 15 | A Journey Through the "Revelation of John" | 6:30 pm | Fellowship Hall/Atrium | | Friday, Sept 16 - Sunday, Sept 18 | Wisdom in the Woods Retreat | Lake Logan
Canton, NC | | Saturday, September 17 | Garden Workday
(Team 4) | 9:00 am | GCPC Community Garden | | Sunday, September 18 | Hybrid Worship
(In-person and online) | *9:30 am @ GCPC
(also on Youtube)
*NOTE NEW TIME | | Sunday, September 18 | FellowshipTime | 11:45 am | Narthex | | Sunday, September 18 | Formation for All Ages | 11:00 am
*please see details below | | Sunday, September 18 | Long Range Visioning Team Mtg. | 12:30 pm | Fellowship Hall | | Sunday, September 18 | High School Youth Group | 4:30 pm | Youth Room | | Sunday, September 18 | Deacon Board Mtg. | 7:00 pm on Zoom | | Tuesday - Thursday | Church Office Open | 10 am - 4 pm | | Tuesday, September 20 | Finance Council Mtg. | 5:30 pm on Zoom | | Tuesday, September 20 | Serve Council Mtg. | 6:30 pm on Zoom | | Wednesday, Sept 21 | Garden Workday
(Team 1) | 9:00 am | GCPC Community Garden | | Wednesday, Sept 21 | Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) Group Mtg. | 11:00 am | Jerusalem Room (also on Zoom) | | Wednesday, Sept 21 | Bible Study | 12:00 pm | Jerusalem Room(also on Zoom) | | Wednesday, Sept 21 | Choir Rehearsal | 7:00 pm | Sanctuary | | Thursday, Sept 22 | Men of GCPC Mtg. | 9:00 am on Zoom | | Thursday, Sept 22 | A Journey Through the "Revelation of John" | 6:30 pm | Fellowship Hall & Atrium | | |
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Children's Formation (K-5th Grade) | Sundays | 11:00 AM | Sanctuary
The children will begin in the Sanctuary with prayer, music and storytelling. At 11:25 am they will travel to their "wondering rooms" (second floor of Education Wing) to finish their Godly Play lesson. Pick up is at noon and children are invited to take a snack home.
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Youth Formation (Middle/High School) | Sundays | Starting Sept 18 | 11:00 AM | Youth Room
After worship service starting at 11 a.m. Middle and High Schoolers will meet together in the new youth room. We will provide breakfast-like snacks and will be learning about Holy Troublemakers and Unconventional Saints. We are excited to explore this time together!
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Adult Formation: Faith and Boundaries I Sundays | September 18 -November 20 | 11:00 AM I Fellowship Hall and Zoom
Does life feel like it's out of control? Perhaps you feel like you have to say yes to everyone's requests. Maybe you find yourself readily taking responsibility for others' feelings and problems. Or perhaps you focus so much on being loving and unselfish that you've forgotten your own limits and limitations. Or maybe it's all of the above. This fall, we will be exploring a faith based approach to boundaries, a vital tool for all communities and relationships searching for ways to create space for love, compassion, and and justice.
Facilitators: Margaret Tierney, Paul Rogers, Libby Kyles, Marta Alcalá, Patty Thompson, and Dean Presson
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Bible Study | Wednesdays | 12:00 PM (note new time) | Atrium and Zoom
Join the pastoral staff to read and study our sermon texts for Sunday. No preparation needed; just come ready to open scripture and discuss!
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82947867192
Meeting ID: 829 4786 7192 Passcode: 789
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Kitchen Lost & Found
Some GCPC kitchen fairies, along with YTL staff, have completely cleaned and organized our kitchen. Many thanks for the hard work that took. In the process, they found several items that are missing their homes. Please stop by the coffee bar area in the narthex to see if any of them might be yours.
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Covenant Partner: SOS
Phyllis Utley (Ani-Kusa Cofitachequi), a Native American Tribal Clan Mother is a woman of inspiring creativity, compassion and energy! She founded SOS-Saving Our Selves- in 2017, as a “resource hub” to promote personal and collective healing. She describes it as “creative Black empowerment” and has developed a networking system of relationships to meet people where they are, and provide resources in a rapid response manner. SOS has worked extensively to empower Black youth, incarcerated Black youth and adults and their families, including helping to build relationships between children and their incarcerated parents via a creative book reading program.
A new initiative comes out of the “Warriors, Healers and Builders” workshop, which Phyllis and another SOS staff member recently attended in Atlanta. The workshop was a 3 day training program sponsored by AYA Education, with the purpose of healing the wounds of oppression by learning a set of tools and practices through the use of which people learn to value themselves and improve self esteem. One aspect of this is learning that the degree of education one has is not equivalent to their worth as individuals. There are no superiors or inferiors. Another aspect of the training is described as “Rivers of Touches”, with the goal of learning how to end a conflictual meeting on a positive note, thereby maintaining the relationship and staying engaged in order to foster ongoing communication that values the relationship.
By doing this internal work of healing, Phyllis and SOS staff both benefit themselves by doing their internal work of healing, and they benefit others. For example, SOS held a training for the Mecklenburg Co. Detention Center staff. Phyllis also uses these tools in working directly with detention center inmates, and the tools are incorporated into the already existing classes. SOS is now in the process of advocating for staff training at the Asheville Detention Center.
Phyllis is always developing new projects to benefit BIPOC. Another exciting new initiative involves SOS partnering with Meta(Facebook) to provide digital and social media training. This is offered free of charge to those coming out of the detention center. A resource provides laptops, and job fairs are sponsored by Meta. In this way, former inmates will be able to secure good paying jobs to support self sufficiency.
And, in partnering with other organizations, SOS has advocated for and achieved automatic expungement of records in NC legal cases in which the person is not convicted.
Stay tuned for another year of innovation from Phyllis and SOS.
~ Submitted by Mary Berg
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Deacon of the Week:
The deacons of Grace Covenant are 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 (9/11-9/17): Ellen Sizemore | email: ellen.sizemore@gmail.com
Next week (9/18-9/24): Skip Stansell | email: skipstansell1@gmail.com
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Prayer requests will stay on the GCPC Prayer List for one month. Please let any staff member know if you (or your loved one) would like to remain on the list for longer.
Iglesia Jerusalem congregation
Maria and Esteban Goicoechea (La Mariposa and her husband)
Seth Turnbow (Anne Raustol’s twin brother)
Trey and Alisha Thompson and 3 kids - Gabi, Arlo, and Eldon (Patty and Brent Thompson's son and daughter-in-law and grandchildren)
Sarah Ralston (Susie Bleckley’s mom)
Family of Keith Baker (Bryant Smith’s nephew)
Family of Evelyn Bradshaw (Richard Coble's aunt)
Jason Talley (friend of the Wiesner family)
Bob Higgins
Susan Smialowicz
Doris Prak
Michelle Chromey and family
Bob Schaefer
Frances Johnson
Gloria Moe
Earl Fowler
Robin Gaiser
Daniel Breen
Bill Williamson
A message from Mike Fleenor
"Thank you everyone at GCPC for your prayerful support for Deanna and those going through the last week of Deanna’s life with her. We felt it deeply."
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Blue Ridge Pride Festival | Saturday, September 24 | 11 AM - 7 PM | Pack Square
GCPC will once again participate in the Blue Ridge Pride Festival after a pandemic hiatus. We have a tent and table to represent GCPC and will be handing out goodies and showing our support. Please stop by and say hi! The GCPC table will be located on the College Street side close to the stage and the main lawn.
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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: Second Tuesday of each month (some Zoom and some in-person), 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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Need to set up a church zoom meeting?
Contact Anna Louise and she can get you all set up!
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On September 7, Team 1 had 12 volunteers that harvested 2 lbs. of basil, 17 lbs. of beans, 1 lb. of eggplant, 82 lbs. of bell peppers, 5 lbs. of snacking peppers, 19 lbs. of hot peppers, 6 lbs. of summer squash, 64 lbs. of tomatoes, and 1 lb. of turnip greens that was shared with the YWCA.
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On September 14, Team 3 had 14 volunteers and harvested 7 lbs. of basil, 29 lbs. of beans, 35 lbs. of collards, 3 lbs. of eggplant, 3 lb.s of kale, 38 lbs. of bell peppers, 8 lbs. of snacking peppers, 21 lbs. of hot peppers. 18 lbs. of winter squash, and 113 lbs. of tomatoes that was shared with the YWCA. | |
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The Power of Pledging | Part 2
As we approach the stewardship season and you review your past year of giving and consider what the next year looks like, it helps to know why your pledge matters so much. We're often asked questions like, "Doesn't a gift do the same thing, whether I tell GCPC it's coming or not?" Let's talk about the difference of pledging versus giving! It may seem like these are the same thing, but they play very different roles in the financial planning of our church.
Pledging means that you let the church know your intended giving for the next year's General Fund. This helps our Finance Council set a funded, responsible budget for Session to review and approve. Whether you choose to prepay your next year's pledge, give incrementally through the year, or pay in a lump sum at the end of the year, fulfilling your pledge means you are supporting the budget of GCPC, which includes business operations, SERVE grants, support for teams and councils, congregational care, property repairs and maintenance, personnel, and much more. See last week's newsletter for more info...
Giving unpledged gifts are still appreciated and are used to support the ministry and mission at GCPC, but are not able to be considered as a part of our planning and budgeting process. These are not a part of our budget or counted towards the stewardship campaign goals because they're unknown. As we prepare for the next year, our goal is to be able to fund our budget with pledged gifts, creating a more transparent and sustainable financial structure.
A few other reminders:
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Your gift is not considered a pledge unless you've let us know you'd like it to be.
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Pledges do not auto renew, you have to let us know annually your giving intentions.
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Online giving does not auto renew in most cases, but there is an option to add on eGiving in the final step of the online pledging process or the Finance Office can assist.
Stay tuned for the 2023 Stewardship Campaign Kick Off on Sunday, 10/2!
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Community Working Together | |
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EMERGENCY NEEDS!
We currently have emergency needs for provisions at JAMS (Jubilee Alternative Micro-Shelter) and would appreciate your support as we supply items for the freezer and pantry as well as paper goods, cleaning supplies and toiletries. For more info and to contribute to this urgent need, please contact Tish Anderson immediately at 19ppanc40@gmail.com or at 828-712-0929.
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The “Jubilee Alternative Micro Shelter” also needs volunteers. Volunteer at Jubilee! on Patton Ave. for the 5:15-8:30pm “intake” shift or come for the 8pm-9:30am “overnight” shift.
New volunteers will be oriented and will follow a veteran volunteer. To learn more and to help out, call: Pat Cheffins at (585) 766-1782.
This shelter will be open until November.
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Story Medicine Worldwide presents.... Listening To Your Body | Saturday, September 24 | 2:00 - 3:30 PM | on Zoom
Details and registration information for both offerings are available on the website: https://www.storymedicineworldwide.com
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Working Wheels - Calling All Cars!
"We probably don't have to tell you that the car market has been pretty wacky lately. Covid interruptions, supply chain issues, and microchip shortages have combined to create a very tight market across the world, and we're feeling it right here at home. Meanwhile, costs of car ownership are up, and our waiting list for refurbished cars is longer than ever.
We are working hard to spread the word about the need for donated cars, and you can help! Please tell a friend about donating a car to Working Wheels or share about us on social media. We make vehicle donation easy with free title notarization and free towing, and we keep it local--donated cars directly help working families right here in Western North Carolina. As always, we take cars in any condition--all are useful to the mission!"
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Pisgah Legal presents...
12th Annual Justice Forum | Tuesday, October 11 | 7:00 PM | Wortham Center (or online)
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We hope to see you at our 12th Annual Justice Forum. This year, we are excited to return to an in-person Justice Forum, with an option for live-streaming for those that prefer to join us virtually.
Sign Up Today
The Forum is free to attend (in-person or via live-stream) thanks to our generous sponsors. Registration is required.
$50+ – Tickets for Attending the
Pre-event Reception
You can buy reception tickets and register for the Forum (both in-person and virtually) on the Wortham Center’s website here.
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Interfaith Initiative -
Social Justice Opportunities
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Buncombe County Remembrance Project |
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Your copy should address 3 key questions: Who am I writing for? (Audience) Why should they care? (Benefit) What do I want them to do here? (Call-to-Action)
Create a great offer by adding words like "free" "personalized" "complimentary" or "customized." A sense of urgency often helps readers take an action, so think about inserting phrases like "for a limited time only" or "only 7 remaining"!
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The church office is open Tuesday - Thursday, 10am - 4pm.
We recommend calling ahead or emailing to set up an appointment if you are wanting to meet with a specific staff member. Please note, many staff are off or work remotely on Monday and the office is not open on Friday.
Coming to visit? We have a new video doorbell to assist with security. To access the building or office, please enter through the far left glass doors off the courtyard (labeled Enter). Ring the doorbell to have the door unlocked. The GCPC office is down the hall to the right, just past the Sanctuary.
You can also reach our office by phone at 828.254.3274. Follow the prompts for the staff directory to dial by name or press 0 for the main office.
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Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church
789 Merrimon Ave. Asheville, NC 28804
828.254.3274
www.gcpcusa.org
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