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Program staff having a moment with the sunburst | |
Worship Preview | Sunday, June 5, 2022
Day of Pentecost
Sacrament of the Lord's Supper
Sanctuary 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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| Thursday, June 2 | PW Circle 4 Mtg. | 7:00 pm on Zoom | | Saturday, June 4 | Garden Workday
(Team 2) | 9:00 am | GCPC Community Garden | | Sunday, June 5 | Hybrid Worship
(In-person and online) | 10:45 am @ GCPC
(also on Youtube) | | Monday, June 6 | PW Circle 5 Mtg. | 11:00 am on Zoom | | Tuesday, June 7 | Church Office Open! | 10:00 am - 4:00 pm | | Tuesday, June 7 | VRQ Cook Team | 4:30 or 5:30 pm @ VRQ | | Tuesday, June 7 | Guatemala Mtg. | 5:30 pm on Zoom | | Tuesday, June 7 | PW Circle 2 Mtg. | 7:30 pm on Zoom | | Wednesday, June 8 | Garden Workday
(Team 3) | 9:00 am | GCPC Community Garden | | Thursday, June 9 | Men of GCPC | 8:30 am on Zoom | | Thursday, June 9 | PART Mtg. | 6:00 pm on Zoom | | |
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
VRQ—BBQ Cook Team | Tuesday, June 7 | 4:30 PM to cook or 5:30 PM to work the serving line | Veterans Restoration Quarters
On the first Tuesday of each month a team from GCPC gathers at VRQ, 1329 Tunnel Road, to grill hamburgers, prepare and serve supper for the veterans housed there. The VRQ is continuing to require masks.
If you can help please contact Bill Neeriemer, bill.nmer@gmail.com.
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Serve Volunteer Opportunity - Sorting into Bags
You are invited to assist our Covenant Partner, Colaborativa La Milpa, with
sorting, bagging and giving food from their monthly Manna Food Bank shipment at Emma United Methodist - parking lot - 59 Adams Hills Rd (off Bingham Rd. from Emma Rd.) AVL 28806.
Join Serve Committee member Dean Presson this Monday, June 6 from 1:00 - 2:30 pm. They need volunteers! Knowing Spanish is appreciated yet not required.
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Sunday Flowers for the Sanctuary!
The 2022 Flower Chart is now available! 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:
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 (5/29-6/4): Justin Kyremes-Parks | email: Justinmkp@gmail.com
Next week (6/5-6/11): Emma Maney | email: emmabrynn14@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)
Winnie Martel (Prayers for Winnie and Susie Churchfield)
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)
Dakota Ferris (Mary Lou Nash’s grandson)
Deanna Fleenor (Mike Fleenor's sister)
Estilita Ruiz (Marta Alcala-Williams' great aunt)
Ciera Williams (ACS principal’s daughter)
Marcus Archuleta (Amy Kim Kyremes-Parks' uncle)
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)
Hans and Loidaly awaiting the arrival of their first child
Bob Higgins
Susan Smialowicz
Doris Prak
Michelle Chromey and family
Bob Schaefer
Frances Johnson
Don and Gloria Moe
Janet Hovis
Jim Froehlich
Susan McCammon
Stacy Haddenham
Earl Fowler
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Racial Justice Book Series | 4th Thursday of the month | 6:30 PM | Fellowship Hall and Zoom
The Racial Justice Book Series returns this summer with four books about the systems, consequences, and remedies of the deep entrenchment of white supremacy culture in our country and church.
All meetings will be in hybrid format. Come in person or tune in via zoom! The church library has copies of all the books. Contact Richard or Anna Louise to reserve a copy.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84687572345
Meeting ID: 846 8757 2345 Passcode: 789
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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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Saturday's Team 4 had 10 volunteers and harvested 38 lbs. of broccoli, 2 lbs. of chard, 62 lbs. of collards, and 2 lbs. of kale that was shared with Loving Food Resources. They also weeded several beds. | |
Wednesday's Team 1 had 11 volunteers and harvested 23 lbs. of broccoli, 58 lbs. of cabbage, 6 lbs. of collards, 1 lb. of kale, and 33 lbs. of onions that was shared with YTL families. They also planted yellow zucchini. | |
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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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Winter Shelter Team News
The founders of Trinity Shelter have initiated a “Room In The Inn” type of shelter for approximately ten women. Currently Jubilee in downtown Asheville has granted them the temporary use of their facilities. GCPC is supporting these folks with this endeavor. However, the GCPC Winter Shelter Team needs additional support from our congregation! We need a group of GCPC folks (women or men) who have about 2 hours to volunteer every 2 weeks.
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Here is the Need:
We need individuals to rotate in picking up two bags of soiled sheets and pillowcases from the Shelter at Jubilee every two weeks and taking that laundry to the Fiesta Laundry at 615 Merrimon Avenue (behind and below the Sherwin-Williams Paint store). The employees there will wash, dry, fold and package the sheets and pillowcases. When that cleaning process is complete, a person from Fiesta Laundry will call the GCPC volunteer. At that time, one would need to pick up the laundry and deliver the cleaned items back to the Jubilee Shelter. (Payment for the cleaning is reimbursed by the church.) Pick-ups and Deliveries to the shelter may be done anytime between 8:00 and 9:30 am, as the all the ladies and overnight volunteers leave the shelter at 10:00 am. Currently this task is being done at approximately 9:20 am. There will be an orientation for each volunteer.
Will YOU be able to help?
If you are interested in helping with this cause, please contact Beth Philipsen at onthecove@charter.net or call 828-230-7661. Thank you!
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Habitat for Humanity News!
GCPC is participating along with a dozen or more faith families in this years' Habitat for Humanity House of Faith. Next phase is to put up the roof! There are still a few shifts available on Wednesday, June 22 and Thursday, June 30. If you are interested, please contact Bill Ryan at bill73ryan@gmail.com. More information is also available at the Welcome Desk in the narthex.
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Other ways to support the Habitat house are:
- prayer for the family and builders
- send a donation directly to: Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity, 33 Meadow Road, Asheville, NC 28803. Please mention that the money is toward this year's House of Faith and is connected with GCPC.
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Green Money: Nature Makes Good Business Sense | June 2-3, 2022
Click here to see the pdf flyer version with active registration links.
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The money raised from the event will be distributed back out to initiatives that support the unhoused in our community. The Ramada resident council will vote on the distribution of funds. This is an evening organized, produced and performed by those experiencing houslessness in Asheville. This is true bottom up, community based organizing. We hope to see you and some of your friends there!
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Bountiful Cities
Bountiful Cities, one of GCPC's Covenant Partners, has been supporting low wealth communities in growing food for the last 20 years with a tool library, seed library, and free workshops. More than ever growing food=food security, but there are barriers for low wealth communities. Some people have little or no access to tools, seeds and know-how.
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Racial Justice Coalition - Call to Action
It’s been almost two years since both the City of Asheville and Buncombe County passed Reparations Resolutions, acknowledging the massive debt they owe to Black community members for hundreds of years of harm. Since that time, both governments have resisted the suggestion that they begin setting aside money in their budgets to begin paying off this Reparations debt. They have repeatedly said that they were waiting to hear such a request from the newly formed Community Reparations Commission. Now the Commission has spoken, and spoken clearly: they are asking the City and County to begin funding Reparations now, and have it be a line item in their budgets each year going forward. This is commitment. Anything less is negligence.
Will you join RJC in reaching out to the Asheville City Council and the Buncombe County Commission, asking them to act now on this important request from the Community Reparations Commission? Click here for more information and an email template you can personalize and send.
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Mass Poor People’s & Low-Wage Workers' Assembly and Moral March on Washington and to the Polls | Saturday, June 18 | Washington, D.C.
The Mass Poor People’s & Low-Wage Workers’ Assembly & Moral March on Washington and to the Polls will be a generationally-transformative declaration of the power of poor and low-wealth people and our moral allies to say that this system is killing all of us and there is no more time for silence. Click here to RSVP. Click here to find a bus stop near you!
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Buncombe County Remembrance Project | |  |
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Interfaith Initiative -
Social Justice Opportunities
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David LaMotte was the guest Wednesday on “Leading Theologically.” (Photo courtesy of David LaMotte) | |
How do we metastasize the goodness? -
David LaMotte discusses horrific violence and ‘the beautiful and wonderful things’ that are also occurring
~ by Mike Ferguson
Speaking on the broadcast “Leading Theologically” the day following the shootings at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, Presbyterian author, speaker, facilitator, composer and musician David LaMotte said that while it’s important “to name the horror of what humans are doing to each other,” it’s also crucial that we acknowledge that most of the world is at peace.
“How do we metastasize the goodness?” he asked host the Rev. Dr. Lee Hinson-Hasty of the Presbyterian Foundation. “How do we spread the things that are right and leave no room for the rest?”
Listen to the “How Change Really Happens” conversation between LaMotte and Hinson-Hasty here or here.
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Final in the Matthew 25 video discussion series released -
Guide looks at films that can be of help for a church wanting to enhance its congregational vitality
~ by Melody K. Smith
“Engaging Matthew 25 Through Film – Building Congregational Vitality” is a video guide that helps the reader answer the question: What is congregational vitality?
One might think that the vitality of a congregation or worshiping community is based on the number of members, the scope of programs, the size of financial gifts or some other statistics. That is not entirely true. A community’s vitality is primarily its spiritual strength and its capacity for purposeful mission.
This third and final issue in the video discussion series looks at five films that demonstrate, despite a myriad of problems, the church can not only survive, but become very much a vital force in bringing change to society. It is available for free digital download here.
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Fall Craft Week | September 25-30, 2022 | Montreat
Fall Craft Week is our quest here at Montreat Conference Center to celebrate the profound idea of “craft” in a world where technology dominates and where people mainly use their hands to operate smart phones and computers.
Work with your hands, your voice, and your craft to create beautiful handmade works of art as you make time for renewal in a community of artists. Come gain proficiency in an art form of your choice, and enjoy the community of other artists during a fall week in the mountains. This is a great opportunity for individuals or groups. Bring your church, community, family, or come alone. We can help you figure out all the details!
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HOW TO CONTACT STAFF:
The church office is open weekly for walk-ins on Tuesdays, 10am - 4pm. Our staff can also be reached by email or voicemail Monday - Friday. To leave a voicemail for a staff member to return your call, follow these steps:
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Call the main 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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