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Worship Preview | Sunday, August 7, 2022
Sacrament of the Lord's Supper
In-person Service and Youtube
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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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| Sunday, July 31- Saturday, August 6 | Senior High Montreat Youth Conference | ALL DAY, EVERY DAY! | | Thursday, August 4 | PW Circle 4 Mtg. | 7:00 pm on Zoom | | Saturday, August 6 | Garden Workday
(Team 4) | 9:00 am | GCPC Community Garden | | Sunday, August 7 | Summer Choir | 9:45 am | Choir Room | | Sunday, August 7 | Hybrid Worship
(In-person and online) | 10:45 am @ GCPC
(also on Youtube) | | Sunday, August 7 | Summer Courtyard Fellowship | 11:45 am | GCPC Courtyard | | Tuesday - Thursday | Church Office Open | 10 am - 4 pm | | Tuesday, August 9 | Property Council Mtg. | 6:00 pm on Zoom | | Wednesday, August 10 | Garden Workday
(Team 1) | 9:00 am | GCPC Community Garden | | Wednesday, August 10 | Summer Bible Study | 10:00 am on Zoom | | |
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New Bible Study Opportunity!
Metaphors that Hurt, Metaphors that Heal: Misogyny and the Prophets | Mondays Aug. 15, 22, and 29 I 6:30 - 8:00 PM I Hybrid (Zoom and GCPC Fellowship Hall)
Join us for a series of three classes that use creative writing, body movement, and art to process and challenge misogynistic metaphors in Hosea, Ezekiel, and Jeremiah.
The weeks will cover the following:
- Week 1: Metaphors in the Ancient World and Now; Hosea 2:1-13; narrative therapy exercise
- Week 2: Metaphors that Perpetuate Violence; Ezekiel 16:35-40; body practices for processing trauma
- Week 3: Re-visioning Metaphors for Thriving; Jeremiah 13:15-27; restorative artwork exercise
Content warning: The passages in this study include imagery of physical and sexual abuse. The class will employ bodily practices to process this material, and pastoral care will also be available throughout the classes. These metaphors are a part of our Scripture and therefore our culture in and outside the church. Together, we will examine, critique, and rewrite these passages from the liberative lens of faith. Facilitator: Janice Kominski
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Sunday Flowers for the Sanctuary!
There are still some dates on the 2022 Flower Chart! Please consider signing up to give flowers one Sunday. GCPC will place the order each week. Click on the button below to access the calendar and check which dates are available.
After signing up, email Anna Louise (annalouise@gcpcusa.org) your dedication for the bulletin or include it in the comment section in the sign-up.
Please mail your $75 check, payable to GCPC (with Flowers in the Memo line) to 789 Merrimon Ave., Asheville, NC 28804
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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 (7/24-7/30): Jeff Curtis | email: jandscurtis@msn.com
Next week (7/31-8/6): Justin Kyremes-Parks | email: justinmkp@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)
Vince and Michele (Gordon Gaiser’s niece and nephew-in-law)
Chip Lambert (GCPC Community member who is hiking the App. Trail)
Shabnam and Sana (Afghan Family partnering with GCPC’s Circle of Welcome)
Deanna Fleenor (Mike Fleenor's sister)
Trey and Alisha Thompson and 3 kids - Gabi 7, Arlo 5, and Eldon 3 (Patty and Brent Thompson's son and daughter-in-law and children)
Will Pressley
Ann Burnette (Amanda Pressley's friend)
Amy (Jan and John Brigham's granddaughter)
Bob Higgins
Susan Smialowicz
Doris Prak
Michelle Chromey and family
Bob Schaefer
Frances Johnson
Gloria Moe
Janet Hovis
Earl Fowler
Karen Rohls
Robin Gaiser
Daniel Breen
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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: Varies (Click here to see schedule for 2021-2022), 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 Saturday, July 30, Team 2 had 6 volunteers who harvested 5 lbs. of basil, 15 lbs. of beans, 12 lb.s of collards, 3 lbs. of parsley, 1 lb. of snacking peppers, 28 lbs. of summer squash, and 34 lbs. of tomatoes that were shared with Western Carolina Rescue Ministries. | |
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2nd Quarter Giving & Pledge Statements | Emailed 7/18
If you gave April 1 - June 30 and/or have a 2022 Pledge, you should have received an email on 7/18 with a link to a statement. These are delivered through our software from notifications@onrealm.org with a blue link towards the bottom, which will open your contribution statement in a PDF. You do not have to log into Realm or have an account to view this statement. Please review the details of your gifts and pledge for accuracy and let us know if you have any questions.
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 828.254.3274.
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Planning on giving regularly to GCPC? Let us know by submitting a pledge, which helps us maintain sustainable financials and more accurately budget. Anyone can pledge any amount- every single gift helps support the ministry and mission at GCPC!
WAYS TO PLEDGE:
Questions, concerns, or need help setting up eGiving? Contact Natalie Weaver, Stewardship & Financial Administrator at 828.254.3274, natalie@gcpcusa.org, or stop by the office Tuesdays 10am - 4pm.
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Community Working Together | |
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Interfaith Initiative -
Social Justice Opportunities
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Buncombe County Remembrance Project |
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Ami Worthen aims to illuminate, amplify, and fortify transformative community action. Her writing and collaborations are directed towards justice. Based in what is now known as Asheville, NC, a region that is the occupied territory of the ᎠᎳᎫᏪᏘᏱ Tsalaguwetiyi / Anigiduwagi (Eastern Band of Cherokee), she follows the call of collective liberation through collaborative work in community.
Click here to learn more
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WaterBear is the first interactive streaming platform dedicated to the future of our planet. It features award-winning content, a global network of over 75 non-profit partners and empowers members to take direct action to go beyond watching the content, to dive deeper, learn more and take action while watching.
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“La Cocina de Mama”
“Mama’s Kitchen”
Food truck
BeLoved Asheville is pleased to introduce "La Cocina de Mama/Mama's Kitchen" Food Truck!!
They are excited to announce a new innovative solution rolling into food deserts and cooking up healthy meals to end food insecurity. In a community labeled, "Foodtopia," hunger stalks the streets and neighborhoods. In a community known for its amazing restaurants and farms, we are still on of the most food insecure places in the country! We are working to change all that with this exciting new project!
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NC-TJRC Interest Meeting | Thursday, August 4 | 6 - 8:30 PM | Arthur R. Edington Education and Career Center (133 Livingston St) | |
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Fraught & Flummoxed: Courage and Creativity for the Elevation of the Gospel | October 10-13, 2022 | Montreat Conference Center
In a time when the gospel of Jesus is threatened by the ascendance of Christian nationalism and white supremacy, what is the apprehensive, overstretched church leader to do? How does a leader tend one’s soul for the elevation of the gospel? How do followers of Jesus meet this moment with courage and imagination?
Building on the content of past conferences such as CoInspire, DisGrace, and MLK’s Unfinished Agenda, we will engage in three days of peer learning group work in partnership with Crossroads to examine the current challenges of leadership in this time and place. Furthermore, we will critically reflect on the obstacles of leadership as well as explore tangible and embodied practices involving creativity, movement, and contemplative exercises with the goal of building capacity and endurance for this important work. All levels of interest and experience are welcome as we will host three customized tracks of learning, nurture, and growth.
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More Light Presbyterians Expanding their Board of Directors!
If you or someone you know is interested in applying for consideration, please complete the application by August 15, 2022. We hope to make invitations in early September. While a connection with a current MLP ministry or individual membership is encouraged, it is not required.
The application can be found here: https://forms.gle/xqWoJ9S2n6uLCQy26
Questions? Please contact Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow, bruce@mlp.org
Chair, MLP Nominating Committee
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The Rev. Dr. David Anderson Hooker | |
‘Two ideas trying to share space’ -
Faith-based organizations shouldn’t shy away from conflict, consultant tells ‘A Matter of Faith’
~ by Mike Ferguson
Conflict, the Rev. Dr. David Anderson Hooker likes to say, is just two ideas trying to share space.
“There’s a Christian narrative that says people should get along and go together, but conflict itself is excellent. It’s necessary to advance,” Hooker said last week during “A Matter of Faith: A Presby Podcast,” hosted each week by Simon Doong, mission specialist in the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program, and the Rev. Lee Catoe, editor of Unbound: An Interactive Journal of Christian Social Justice. “Usually, though, what happens is people make conflict personal. We say, ‘There’s a problem between us’ or ‘There’s a problem with you if you don’t agree with me.’ But conflict can show up from so many places. There’s structural conflict, interest and values differences, history — all of those can be sources of conflict that have nothing to do with relationships.”
Hooker, the principal and founder of Counterstories Consulting LLC, worked with Presbyterian Mission Agency leaders for about 18 months to help redesign the structure and purpose of the agency to better carry out the Matthew 25 vision.
Listen to Hooker’s conversation with Catoe and Doong here. Hooker enters the conversation in the 29th minute.
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Left: Cover of Church and Society, March/April 1985. Right: Cover of Basta! National Journal of the Chicago Religious Task Force on Central America, September 1986. | |
Finding and providing sanctuary -
PHS Live to look at 40-year history of immigrant rights movement
~ by David Staniunas
During the Sanctuary movement of the 1980s, American churches challenged the authority of the federal government by sheltering Central Americans fleeing civil war and paramilitary death squads.
On Aug. 18, the Rev. John Fife and Mary Ann Lundy will discuss the movement during PHS Live. Amanda Craft, manager of Immigration Advocacy in the Office of the General Assembly, will share how the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is assisting immigrant communities today.
Click here at 4:55 p.m. Eastern Time on Aug. 18 to join the session. Register in advance here.
Fife and Lundy’s story goes back 40 years, to when Tucson’s Southside Presbyterian Church defied U.S. immigration authorities by declaring itself a sanctuary for people fleeing war in Central America. One declaration opponent immediately reported the church to the FBI.
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Job Opportunity in Montreat!
William Black Lodge in Montreat is seeking to hire a new Guest Services Manager/Bookkeeper. This is a salaried part-time (25+ hrs./week) position with benefits including Board of Pensions health care. The position description is attached.
The position will begin in September. This is a great position for someone who perhaps is a parent of school aged children as the time schedule is generally between 9-2 Monday-Friday. It would also work well for someone who is specifically interested in a part-time flexible position with solid benefits.
Any person who is interested is welcome to contact:
Rev. Tommy Brown – Director of William Black Lodge – tbrown@williamblacklodge.org – 828-719-8741
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Montreat Conference Center - Women’s Connection 2022
Claimed for More: Wholehearted Living When We Are All Out of Sorts | August 12–14, 2022 | Montreat, NC
These days, we feel all out of sorts in all sorts of ways: physically, emotionally, spiritually, relationally. And yet, God claims us for wholehearted living with wholehearted faith. Come join us as we explore together what it means to be Claimed for More: more joy, more beauty, more community, more peace.
Women’s Connection 2022 will be a time for women to connect with old and new friends, a time to care for yourself; a time for space and Sabbath. As in years past, we will do this together through powerful and authentic worship led by women, space for honest and faithful conversation, and allowing time for discernment and renewing rest. Our hope is you will experience spiritual nourishment, inspiration, and discernment.
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STAFF & OFFICE SCHEDULE
Wondering who's where, doing what, and when?! Here's an overview of where you can find our full-time staff this summer and who to contact for what:
Amy Kim, Director of Formation for Children, Youth & Their Families
In Office: Tuesday & Thursday, Sunday service, Remote: Monday & Wednesday
amykim@gcpcusa.org
Anna Louise, Engagement & Communications Coordinator
In Office: Tuesday - Thursday, Remote: Monday & Friday
annalouise@gcpcusa.org
Cliff, Property Manager
In Office: Monday- Thursday, Sunday service
cliff@gcpcusa.org
Jeff, Director of Music Ministries
In Office: Tuesday - Thursday, Sunday service, Remote: Friday
jeff@gcpcusa.org
Micah, Director of Technology & Media Ministries
In Office: Weekday schedule varies, Sunday service
micah@gcpcusa.org
Natalie, Stewardship & Financial Administrator
In Office: Tuesday & Thursday, Remote: Monday & Wednesday
natalie@gcpcusa.org
Richard, Associate Pastor
In Office: Tuesday - Thursday, Sunday service, Remote: Friday
richard@gcpcusa.org
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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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