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#GCPCathome . . .and in the Sanctuary!

Click here to read the Holy Week GraceNote!

*For the full revised common lectionary, please click here.

Every Sunday of Lent we will celebrate Communion.

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.

Reserve a space for childcare this Sunday!

Please follow this LINK to reserve a space for your child 0-4 years of age for childcare on Sunday, April 3rd @ 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. 

As long as it is dry outside we plan on spending the majority of the morning outdoors. Please dress your children with this in mind. We will have a table in the welcome center to check your child in and do a temperature check. Please do not hesitate to reach out to [email protected] with any questions or if you have any issues with the reservations.



All families are encouraged to submit a family health & wellness form. This will help us know more about your children’s health needs as we move forward. Please contact Cat Kessler if you have any trouble submitting the form.

Adult Education: The Poetry of Lent I Sundays | March 6 - April 10 I 9:00 - 10:00 AM | Fellowship Hall or Zoom

Join Zoom Meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83005641333

Meeting ID: 830 0564 1333 | Passcode: 789

Hybrid Lectionary Bible Study | Wednesday, April 13 | 10:00 AM | Atrium (masked) or via 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/93439349183

Meeting ID: 934 3934 9183 | Passcode: 789

Palms for Palm Sunday

Sunday April 10th is Palm Sunday where we celebrate the Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. As a part of this celebration we wave palms in celebration of this day. If you are in town we will have palms available to pick up Saturday at Grace Covenant in the courtyard beginning at 10 am for you to use with online worship.

There is also a printable palm here  for you to color or print in color.

Deacon Helpers Needed!

Our deacon helpers are an informal list of GCPC community members who get updates when there is a congregational need. These needs include meals, rides to doctor appointments, and other concerns that come up in the church family. We are so thankful for everyone already on the list for all they do for our congregation! There also is room for it to grow as our congregation grows! Please contact Richard for more info or to be placed on the list.

• GCPC Devotionals



• Email [email protected] 

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 (4/3-4/9): Kimo Hyatt | email: [email protected]

Next week (4/10-4/16): Bill McNeff | email: [email protected]

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

Debi Miller (friend of Marcia Mount Shoop) 

Maria and Esteban Goicoechea (La Mariposa and her husband)

Winnie Martel (Prayers for Winnie and Susie Churchfield)

Jennifer Martin (Yvonne Smith’s daughter)

Phil Noland (Kelly Spradlin's friend)

James F. Smith (Bryant Smith’s father)

Gaden Maney (Emma Maney’s father)

Jeffrey and Jennifer Hedges (Parents of Landon, Joe and Janice Brumit's godson, who passed away on March 14)

Seth Turnbow (Anne Raustol’s twin brother)

Loyda Kyremes (Amy Kim Kyremes-Park's mother)

Vince and Michele (Gordon Gaiser’s niece and nephew-in-law)

Connie, Jeff and Kevin (Robin and Gordon Gaiser’s friends)  

Bobby (Robin and Gordon Gaiser’s friend)

Gayla Fedele (friend of Karen Rohls)

Jeanine Buelens (relative of Bill McNeff)

Bill Ross (Jonathan Ross’ dad) 

Chip Lambert (GCPC Community member who is hiking the App. Trail) 

Jordan Lemmond (Matt Wiedle and Lara Hollaway's son) 

Bob Higgins

Susan Smialowicz

Doris Prak

Michelle Chromey and family

Baby Miriam, Jade and the whole Baker family

Mary Ida Spradlin

Susie Wheelis

Sherrie McCleary-Small

Family of Jane Lee Vondette

Being Vulnerable

Being vulnerable at one’s job is tough. In some cases it may not be wise which is unfortunate. I believe that we as Jesus followers are called to be bravely transparent and honest with those around us. In our dog-eat-dog world, this isn’t always possible.

Here is a story of a vulnerable person in his place of employment although I doubt he would use that word to describe his actions. Ten years ago, I had Thumb Basil Joint Osteoarthritis. To a layperson (such as myself) that meant I didn’t have enough cartilage in my thumb joint so the bone was rubbing onto the bone. 

After a time of trying not to use it, I decided I needed surgery. The surgery was successful and outside of not being able to swim at the Y, it wasn’t too bad. The correction lasted for about two years when it started becoming weak again. I went back to the doctor and he told me that in about 4% of the cases this type of surgery was unsuccessful. I fell into that 4%. 

He said there was another surgical procedure that could be performed but he had only completed it a few times and recommended another surgeon in his practice who had performed this procedure in that way numerous times. The doctor was honest with himself and with me. He could have just agreed to do the surgery but instead he suggested I look into other surgeons with more experience with this type of surgery. In this way he was honest and openly transparent which I appreciated. I’m sure he would not have used the term vulnerable to describe his action, but that is exactly what it was.

I had the surgery in Charlotte and it was successful. I have another issue with a finger in that hand – hopefully it’s not related to the Osteoarthritis. I will return to the first surgeon who made himself vulnerable.

We talk a lot about vulnerability here at Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church but what does it mean to you? I would be interested in any thoughts you might have. My email is [email protected].

Hybrid Spring Memoir Series | Monday, May 2 | 6:00 PM | Fellowship Hall and Zoom

Join us for a series of book talks focusing on memoirs written by people of faith. Please pre-read the book to ensure lively discussion. The church now has copies of the books. Please contact Richard or Anna Louise if you would like to come by and borrow one of the copies.

• May 2 | Poet Warrior by Joy Harjo | Facilitator: Alexandra Lusak

Racial Justice Book Series | May - August | 6:30 PM | 4th Thursday of the Month

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.

• May 26: The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We can Prosper Together  by Heather McGhee
• June 23: Unbroken and Unbowed: A History of Black Protest in America by Jimmie R. Hawkins
• July 28: White Too Long: The Legacy of White Supremacy in American Christianity by Robert P. Jones
• Aug. 25: Wilmington's Lie: The Murderous Coup of 1898 and the Rise of White Supremacy by David Zucchino

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.

Presbyterian Womenʼs Circles are Zoom meetings. ​​Please join us.

Circle 1: Second Monday of each month, 10:00 a.m.

• Cathy Froehlich - 775-1016, [email protected]

Circle 2: First Tuesday of each month, 7:30 p.m.

• Ann Brown - (828) 279-4917, [email protected] 
• Heather Hudson - 501-442-6223, heh[email protected]

Circle 3: Varies (Click here to see schedule for 2021-2022), 7:00 p.m.

• Andrea Rosal- (828) 545-8466, [email protected]
• Angela Kemper - (828) 301-1475, [email protected] 

Circle 4: First Thursday of each month, 7:00 p.m.

• Frances Johnson – 628-4742, [email protected]
• Connie Jones – 231-2680, [email protected]

Circle 5: First Monday of each month, 11:00 a.m.

• Lynne Noble – 803-206-3821, lynnesno[email protected] 

Need to set up a church zoom meeting?

Contact Anna Louise and she can get you all set up!

Donate a rock for our new flower beds!

Have an extra rock or two laying around that you don't need? We are looking for rocks about the size of a cantaloupe or a football, or maybe a spaghetti squash, to help line our new perennial flower beds at the Community Garden. The rocks will delineate the flower beds and help keep grass from creeping in. You can paint or decorate your rocks or just leave them be. We can have a rock decorating day with kids at the church when we get enough. Please drop off your rocks by May 1st in the black bin labeled, GARDEN RICKS" in the GCPC courtyard or down by the compost bins at the Community Garden near McDonald's parking lot.

Last Friday, YTL participants helped Allison plant carrot seeds and broccoli and spinach starts in the World Garden outside the Administrative Building.

Thank you YTL!!!

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:

• Online pledge card HERE (Watch a tutorial video here.)
• Email your pledge intention to [email protected]
• Call 828.254.3274 and leave a message for Natalie Weaver
• Pledge Card in the pew, office, or request to be mailed

Questions, concerns, or need help setting up eGiving? Contact Natalie Weaver, Stewardship & Financial Administrator at 828.254.3274,  [email protected], or stop by the office Tuesdays 10am - 4pm.

GCPC's Circle of Welcome continues to support our Afghan friends as they acclimate to living in Asheville. Gratitude goes out to all for your prayers and efforts! Contact Lara Hollaway at [email protected]  to help with these needs or if you would like to help in other ways. 

Habitat for Humanity News!

Volunteer dates are still available on the calendar! If you are interested, please contact Bill Ryan at [email protected].



GCPC will be participating along with a dozen or more faith families in this years' Habitat for Humanity House of Faith. There will be several ways to help, but for now we are looking for construction volunteers, with no experience required.

The house construction begins on Tuesday, April 26 and we work Tuesday through Saturday until July 1st, with the weeks of June 7-18 off. All days are 8:15 -3:15 except Friday which is 8:15-noon. There will be no more than 8 volunteers on the site and we will be closely supervised by a patient and pleasant professional. Anyone age 16 and up can help.

Information is also available at the Welcome Desk in the narthex.

GCPC Staff member, Micah Hayes, also serves as Communications Coordinator for the UNC Asheville Prison Education Program.

Click here to see his latest newsletter and /or subscribe.

Haywood St. Congregation

PBS stations throughout the country will be broadcasting the documentary on the Haywood Fresco in April and May. Locally, the film will be broadcast on SCETV in Asheville on April 11 at 10pm, WTVI in Charlotte on April 16 at 11pm, and on the WORLD Channel on Easter at 12:30pm (EST). For more air date times and locations, please check your local PBS listings. The film is available to stream until May 1, 2022 at  PBS.org.

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:

1. Call the main office at 828-254-3274.
2. Listen through the office closure notice, which will then take you to a staff directory.
3. 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).
4. You'll be directed to the staff member's individual voicemail, where you can leave a message to be returned as soon as possible.
5. 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. 

• Click for the Online Calendar
• Click to Make a Secure Donation or Give a Gift  

Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church

789 Merrimon Ave. Asheville, NC 28804

828.254.3274 

www.gcpcusa.org