|
Click "View entire message"
at bottom of email to see the FULL newsletter
| |
Worship Previews | Saturday, December 24
Christmas Eve Services
| |
|
Candlelight Communion Service
Homily:
by Marcia Mount Shoop
Scriptures:
Isaiah 9:2-7; Titus 3:4-7;
John 1:1-14; Luke 2
Live Stream Worship Service
@ 7:00 PM Saturday
| |
| | |
Worship Preview | Sunday, December 25, 2022
Nativity of the Lord
Sacrament of the Lord's Supper
Online Youtube Service ONLY
| |
*For the full revised common lectionary, please click here. | |
|
At 7pm on Christmas Eve and online at 11am on Sunday, December 25 we will celebrate the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper.
Remember that our at home practice has been to use anything you have 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.
| |
| Thursday, December 22 | Centering Prayer | 5:00 pm | Sanctuary | | Saturday, December 24 | Christmas Eve -
Service for all ages | 4:00 pm | Sanctuary
(also on Youtube) | | Saturday, December 24 | Christmas Eve -Candlelight Communion Service | 7:00 pm | Sanctuary
(also on Youtube) | | Sunday, December 25 | Online Worship
ONLY | 11:00 am on Youtube | | Monday - Wednesday | Church Office CLOSED |
| | Sunday, January 1 | Pancake Breakfast & Worship | 9:30 am | Fellowship Hall
(also on Youtube) | | |
Stewardship & Sustainability | |
|
When you shop for gifts at
smile.amazon.com/ch/56-0588479, AmazonSmile will donate
a portion of your eligible purchases to
Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church at no cost to you!
| |
 | |
From a Friend in Finance…
You may not have met me in person before since I'm not around on Sunday, so if we haven't met yet, hi, I'm Natalie Weaver, GCPC's Stewardship & Financial Administrator! And hello again to all of you lovely folks I have had the pleasure of getting to know, in person, on Zoom, or by email/phone in my past 6 years in the GCPC Finance Office.
This is definitely the busiest time of the year for my job, when stewardship and pledge season converge at the same time as budget development and year end accounting close. Oh yeah, and just a few holidays. Wish me luck, y'all!! That said, I end up having quite a few similar questions come up, so each week I will share a tidbit of knowledge here:
-
2023 Pledge Prepays: Yep, you absolutely can prepay your next year's pledge. Please just make sure to clearly designated "2023 pledge" in the memo line of your check, on your cash envelope, or select the 2023 General Fund if giving online. All gifts received or postmarked by 12/31 will be recorded and on your year-end statement issued in January for tax purposes.
Unless specified otherwise, any gifts received before 12/31/22 will be considered current year donations towards 2022 pledges, if applicable, and gifts made 1/1/23 and after will be applied to 2023 pledges.
| |
2022 Year End Giving Cut Off
Please note that the office will be closed for the holidays Monday, 12/26 - Wednesday, 12/28 and the office isn’t open on Fridays. If you would like to make a year-end gift to be included on your 2022 giving statement, be sure to plan ahead.
Here are the ways to make your year-end gift before the 12/31/22 cut off date:
-
Give online here up to 11:59pm on 12/31
- Text "giveGCPC" to 73256, then follow the prompts
-
Mail gifts to the church office at 789 Merrimon Ave, Asheville, NC 28804 - Must be postmarked 12/31 or before
- Come by during Thursday office hours on 12/29, 10am - 4pm
-
Initiate a stock donation transfer - will be valued and applied to your given statement based on the day it arrives in our account
-
Request an IRA distribution with your financial advisor - Must be made out to GCPC and postmarked by 12/31 or before
Please feel free to contact Natalie Weaver in the Finance office with any questions or concerns: natalie@gcpcusa.org or 828.254.3274. Wishing you safe and Happy Holidays!
| |
READY TO SUBMIT YOUR 2023 PLEDGE?
Submitting your pledge is quick and easy! (Watch a tutorial video here.) Simply CLICK HERE or scan the Qr code to the right to submit your pledge online, all in one form.
If you would also like to set up automatic eGiving from your bank account or credit card, be sure to checkmark Add a scheduled gift for this pledge after the pledge confirmation and follow the prompts. These are two separate steps and forms - setting up a pledge does not renew eGiving automatically and eGiving without a pledge doesn't count towards our Stewardship and budget goals.
You will receive an email confirmation of your pledge and a separate confirmation for eGiving, if applicable. Questions or concerns? Please contact Natalie Weaver, Stewardship & Financial Administrator, at giving@gcpcusa.org or leave a message at 828.254.3274.
Keep in mind, anyone can pledge any amount - every single penny helps support the ministry and mission at GCPC!
WAYS TO PLEDGE:
-
Online pledge card HERE
-
Email giving@gcpcusa.org
-
Call 828.254.3274 and leave a message for Natalie Weaver
-
Fill out a pew pledge card and put in the Sunday offering plate
-
Request a mailed pledge card from the office
| |
Important Announcements... | |
Update from the Winter Shelter Team: | |
|
We are grateful to share that the Presbytery of Western NC has agreed to partner with the Winter Safe Shelter team to provide shelter to 10 guests at the former West Asheville Presbyterian Church. This shelter remains a referral based, 10-person nightly capacity shelter serving intact families, BIPOC, and LGBTQI individuals. More details on the webpage.
If you have questions about referrals you can contact the brilliant Operations Coordinators, Gene, Tracey, and Kat by clicking here.
Please sign up for evenings you may be able to volunteer. The link to the volunteer schedule is on the webpage, or you can access it here. Once you sign up, you will receive a call from one of the coordinators to confirm and let you know a little more.
Your pledge to GCPC helps fund the financial support GCPC is providing for this shelter initiative. If you would like to encourage others to contribute to the effort by donating funds or if you would like to donate items,
Please share the link to the Winter Safe Shelter info page www.counterflowasheville.com/safeshelter.
| |
|
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 (12/18-12/24): Pat Cheffins | email: patriciacheffins@gmail.com
Next week (12/25-12/31): Cathy Froehlich | email: oremont2@gmail.com
| |
|
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
Trey and Alisha Thompson and 3 kids - Gabi, Arlo, and Eldon (Patty and Brent Thompson's son and daughter-in-law and grandchildren)
Rebecca Longenecker-Singer (sister-in-law of Loidaly & Hans Rosario-Singer)
Bill Ross (Jonathan Ross' dad)
Dan Bronson (Laurie Stradley’s dad)
Katharine Meacham Conover (Kathy Meacham’s mom)
Diane Eubanks (Marty Johnson’s sister)
Jamie Waskey (Anna Hamel's sister-in-law)
Richard Davis (Lori Davis’s father)
Bill Brown (Mary Lou Nash's brother)
Susan Smialowicz
Doris Prak
Michelle Chromey and family
Andrea Rosal
Sharon Sasse
Lisette de Groot
Reed Carney
Laura Ross
Margaret Rada
Juanita Schneider
The family of Madge Francis wishes to convey our sincere appreciation for all of the cards, calls, emails and texts after her passing. Thank you so much.
| |
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
VRQ—BBQ Cook Team | Tuesday, January 3 | 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. Volunteers are still masking while they are there.
If you can help please contact Bill Neeriemer, bill.nmer@gmail.com.
| |
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: Second Tuesdays of each month, 10:30 a.m.
Circle 5: First Monday of each month, 11:00 a.m.
| |
|
Need to set up a church zoom meeting?
Contact Anna Louise and she can get you all set up!
| |
Community Working Together | |
|
Creation Care Alliance will hold its annual Creation Care Symposium at Montreat for clergy and faith leaders Monday, February 6, 1-5:30 pm and then an open symposium on Tuesday February 7, 8:30am-5:30pm. Grace Covenant is a progressive faith community. We have solar panels, we recycle, and we vote for laws to protect the God’s Creation, but I wonder if, as a congregation, we can’t do more. I would love for several of us to go to the Tuesday symposium so that we can get our EARTH TEAM very active again in new and ‘creative’ ways.
Check out the CREATION CARE ALLIANCE website for more info about this symposium and contact Susan Presson(4pressons@gmail.com) if interested in registering together as a faith community.
| |
|
AVL GreenWorks | DIY Litter Cleanup | Ongoing (anytime, anywhere!)
Organizing a litter cleanup with your friends, neighbors, co-workers, or other community members is easier than you may think! Asheville GreenWorks provides cleanup supplies and safety information, and will coordinate trash pick up as needed. Supplies include gloves, safety vests, trash bags, trash grabbers, and a SHARPs container. Register now to learn more about borrowing supplies to organize your own cleanup!
| |
UNC Asheville presents: | |
|
Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration Keynote Address from Clint Smith, “Our History, Reimagined” | Wednesday, January 18 | 7:00 - 8:30 PM | Lipinsky Hall
UNC Asheville presents “Our History, Reimagined,” a Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration Address from keynote speaker Clint Smith in Lipinsky Hall on Wednesday, January 18. This event is free and open to all, no tickets are required.
In a conversation exploring Civil Rights movements over the decades, as well as how memorials tie into our perceptions and collective memories of these eras, Clint pushes the audience to wrestle with the complicated truths about the country we live in and helps crystalize how this history has shaped the contemporary social, political, and cultural landscape of our world today.
| |
|
A Conversation with Ta-Nehisi Coates | Tuesday, February 28 | 7:00 - 8:30 PM | Sherrill Center / Kimmel Arena
UNC Asheville welcomes award-winning author and journalist Ta-Nehisi Coates in conversation in the Sherrill Center’s Kimmel Arena on Tuesday, February 28. The event, which will include a reading and question-and-answer session, is free and open to all but requires advanced registration through Eventbrite. Books will be available for purchase at the event.
To register, visit the event page on Eventbrite.
| |
|
|
Asheville Poverty Initiative
| | | |
|
Interfaith Initiative -
Social Justice Opportunities
| |  |
Buncombe Community Remembrance Project |
| |
Photo by Barbara Zandoval via Unsplash | |
The work of caring for immigrants is spreading north of the border, PC(USA)-sponsored webinar reports -
Broadcast brings attendees the strong voices of asylees and the people who care for them
~ by Mike Ferguson
A more humane immigration system will aid not only communities along the U.S.-Mexico border ministering to asylum seekers, but also organizations in the interior portions of the country increasingly called upon to help endangered and harassed people who are fleeing for their life.
A “Faith Call to Solidarity Along the Asylum Journey” webinar was put on Wednesday by the Interfaith Immigration Coalition and co-sponsored by Welcome with Dignity and other groups, including the Refugee Ministry of Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, which, among other services, provided translation during the webinar. Asylees spoke, as did representatives from groups working to aid and advocate for their asylum process.
Speakers included Jennifer Piper, interfaith organizing director with the American Friends Service Committee’s Denver-based Colorado Immigrant Rights Program.
| | |
|
Hosts take a look back at the initial year for the PC(USA)’s ‘Being Matthew 25’ -
Diane Givens Moffett, DeEtte Decker also touch on what’s to come in 2023
~ by Mike Ferguson
As 2022 draws to a close, the hosts of the Being Matthew 25 broadcast, the Rev. Dr. Diane Givens Moffett and the Rev. DeEtte Decker, took a look back at the content they helped to create during each monthly episode.
Watch Thursday’s broadcast, which is about an hour long, here or here. The videos created throughout the year that Moffett and Decker cited during the final installment for 2022 can be seen here.
Moffett, president and executive director of the Presbyterian Mission Agency, and Decker, director of the PMA’s Communications ministry, have hosted Being Matthew 25 since its inception in January. The broadcast enjoys on average 3,000 views monthly.
The PMA’s Rich Copley and others create the videos that are played each month. Videos were replayed Thursday and were edited for brevity.
| | |
 | |
NEW DATES!!
Fraught & Flummoxed: Courage and Creativity for the Elevation of the Gospel | January 30–February 2, 2023 | Montreat
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.
| |
|
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.
| |
|
Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church
789 Merrimon Ave. Asheville, NC 28804
828.254.3274
www.gcpcusa.org
| | | | |
