GCPC Weekly News | February 18, 2021
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GCPC Alive and Well This Week!
Adult Education 2/14
Communion 2/14
MCI Group 2/17
Bible Study 2/17
Ash Wednesday Drive-Through
Ash Wednesday Drive-Through
Ash Wednesday Drive-Through
Ash Wednesday Service
Worship Preview | Sunday, February 21, 2021
First Sunday in Lent
Sermon: "Orienting" by Marcia Mount Shoop
Scripture: Mark 1:9-15


Live Stream Worship Service @ 10:45 AM Sunday
One Great Hour of Sharing is the single, largest way that Presbyterians come together every year to work for a better world. 
February 17 - April 4, 2021

As Jesus says in Matthew 25, the Church belongs with those in need — whether it is offering relief from natural disasters or the ravages of war; access to food, water and healthcare; or coping with the pandemic. Through our gifts to One Great Hour of Sharing, we are there because we are the Church, together.

Join with Presbyterians worldwide in sharing God’s love with our
neighbors-in-need around the world.
Winter "Me & White Supremacy" Study @ GCPC
We still have space in the Winter Reflection Group 4 for the Me & White Supremacy Study initiative at GCPC. Dates are still TBD.
Check the website for updated registration information.

If you have questions, please email Anna Louise.


Keeping the Faith
2021 Stewardship Campaign
2021 PLEDGE CAMPAIGN PROGRESS
WAYS TO PLEDGE FOR 2021:
  • Sign into your Realm account online or on the Realm Connect mobile app and enter a pledge under the Giving tab. Detailed instructions with photos are here.

  • Email Natalie Weaver your total pledge amount and planned giving frequency (i.e. weekly, monthly) to have her enter it on your behalf.

  • Contact the Finance Office at 828-254-3274, ext. 202 or nweaver@gcpcusa.org to request a printed pledge card be mailed to your home address.

Click here to watch a video example of how to pledge in Realm.
Recurring Weekly Zooms:
If you are a part of a group, Team, or Circle at GCPC and you want to have a Zoom meeting, let staff know. We will help you get set up on our GCPC Zoom account for group gatherings and meetings. You can schedule your meeting on the calendar with Anna Louise, and any staff member can help you get set up for your meeting if you have questions. 
Spiritual/Pastoral Support
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(2/14-2/20): Bill Ryan email: bill73ryan@gmail.com
Next week (2/21-2/27): Jeff Curtis email: jandscurtis@msn.com
Prayer List

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
Marcia Zuzel (friend of Kim Hottle and Melissa Shook)
Ryan Lockett (nephew of Denise Lockett)
Jennifer Martin (Yvonne Smith's daughter)
Truly and Eric Mount (Marcia Mount Shoop’s parents)
Phoebe Rauscher (Friend of the Bleckley and Merrill families)
Anthony DiGiantomasso (Karen Rohl’s nephew)
Bertilda Arteta (Marta Alcala-Williams' mother)
Paul Rogers’ Mom (in Arkansas)
Lester Lowe and family (brother-in-law of Karen Rohls)
Leslie Maddrell (Martha Seddon’s mother)
Connie (Robin Gaiser’s friend)
Stephen (Robin and Gordon Gaiser’s friend)
Sheldon Smith (Beth Robrecht’s brother-in-law)
Addi Hopkins (friend of the Kyremes-Parks family)
The Hopkins family on the death of their daughter Stephanie (friends of the Kyremes-Parks family)
Phil and Pat Cocke (Jerry Bleckley’s friend)
Bob Higgins
Florence and Steve Riedesel
Roslyn Carney
Susan Smialowicz
Laura Ross
Bill Williamson
Queen Mother Maggie Belle Gladden
Woody Catoe
John Mount Shoop
Maria (Mapi) Mendoza-Worley
Vann Vogel
Formation/Education
Adult Formation
Lenten Adult Education - Lent of Liberation | Sundays February 21- March 28 | 9:00 AM | via Zoom
Beginning Sunday, Feb. 21 and going through the Sundays of Lent, conveners of the Me and White Supremacy groups will be leading discussions of the daily devotional Lent of Liberation by Cheri Mills.

This Lenten devotional invites readers to understand and reflect on the ongoing legacy of slavery in America today. Each of the forty devotions includes the testimony of a person who escaped slavery through the Underground Railroad, a Scripture passage, and a reflection connecting biblical and historical themes to challenge modern readers to the work of liberation in themselves and their communities.

Each week will be a time for us to reflect on the devotionals the week prior and go deeper into how they speak to our lives today. Copies of the devotional will be available to pick up for free at the church office. Please email Richard at rcoble@gcpcusa.org if you would like a devotional. 

Join Zoom Meeting

Meeting ID: 917 3507 6887
Passcode: 789
GCPC 20s/30s Gathering "Zoom Trivia Night” | Thursday, February 25 | 6:00 PM | via Zoom
If you are in your twenties or thirties (or nearly these ages), let's test our knowledge in all things trivial Thursday 2/25. Bring a drink of your choice or some snacks, open up a computer and get ready for a whole lot of fun, fellowship, and challenges! Our great friends Alex Hollifield and Ben Kees will be hosting our event - Thank you Alex and Ben!!! We look forward to seeing you there and sharing a night together as we say goodbye to the winter of 2021! ALL ARE WELCOME!


Join Zoom Meeting

Meeting ID: 823 6853 2474
Passcode: 789
Enneagram Reunion Gathering for GCPC Parents | Wednesday, February 24 | 6:30-8:30 PM | via Zoom

Facilitated by Carol Hovis, all parents are welcome. If you don't know your enneagram type, contact Carol. Email Carol if you would like to participate.
GCPC Parents Introduction to the Enneagram System of Personality & Essence | 3 Saturdays | February 27, March 6 & March 13 | 9:00 - 11:00 AM | via Zoom

*While initially this series targeted parents of children ages 0-5th grade, we would like to expand the offering to parents with children birth-18 years of age. We believe the breadth of our experiences will provide wisdom for us all. As we share space together we may create some break out space for certain stages of parenting.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to Carol or Amy Kim with any questions.
Carol Hovis, certified Enneagram Teacher and Spiritual Director, will lead us in an introduction to the enneagram system of personality & essence. Parents can determine and deepen the understanding of their own type as well as the parenting gifts and challenges of all nine types. In addition, we will consider how we nurture children who lead with each of the nine distinct perspectives of being in the world.  

RSVP to Carol Hovis by February 22nd!
What is the Enneagram? 
 
The Enneagram is a powerful tool for personal and collective transformation. Stemming from the Greek words ennea (nine) and grammos (a written symbol), the nine-pointed Enneagram symbol represents nine distinct strategies for relating to the self, others and the world. Each Enneagram type has a different pattern of thinking, feeling and acting that arises from a deeper inner motivation or worldview. Learning about these patterns fosters greater understanding through a universal language that transcends gender, religion, nationality and culture. While we are all unique, we share common experiences. (The Narrative Enneagram)
The GCPC EARTH Team invites you to join "Growing Together: Restoring Faith, Creation, Justice"

It only takes one hour on each 2nd Thursday of January thru May. Jim Branden and Susan Presson will be facilitating the sessions. "Growing Together" is a national pilot program for people of faith in recognizing our call to work for God's Creation. It is a small commitment of time as we work to reinvigorate the GCPC EARTH Team. With this study we will see what 'next steps' we at Grace Covenant can take to heal Creation.

GROWING TOGETHER connects the dots between faith, science, and creation care. See dates and topics for each session below. You can also learn more about the Growing Together program and can register HERE, noting GCPC as your church. 

Program details:
Growing Together: Restoring Faith, Justice, Creation | 7:00 PM 

  • Mar 11 - Purchasing: Living Simply and Justly 
  • Apr 8 - Recycling: Soil & Compost 
  • May 13 - Growing: Pulling it Together
Sunday Evening Bible Study & Prayer Group will not meet this Sunday, February 21. We will resume on Sunday, February 28th.

Presbyterian Women’s Circles are Zoom meetings.
Please join us.

Circle 1: First Tuesday of each month, 10:00 a.m.

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

Circle 3: (FEB Mtg. will be on 2/18) Second Thursday of each month, 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.
Children & Youth Formation
Pre-K - 3rd Grade Sunday Morning Adventure | 10:15 am | Zoom
You'll get an email every Friday with the Zoom link for our Sunday 10:15am check in. Email Anna Louise if you did not receive the link.
4th & 5th Graders CONNECT Class | Sundays | 5:00-5:45pm | Zoom
Each week, families will receive an email with a unique login for class. If you would like to be on the list, please email Anna Louise.
Youth Group | Sunday, Feb. 21 | 5:00-6:30 PM on Zoom
This week we will gather for games and connection. We will take a look at the story of Jesus' baptism and temptation, and what those stories might mean for us as we pursue "new horizons" through the season of Lent. We can't wait to see you there!

Contact Cat Kessler if you have questions or need zoom information.
SIGN UP FOR CONFIRMATION (Fall 2021):
Attention current 8th-11th graders! Because of the pandemic, we are moving Confirmation to Fall 2021, with some special programming in the late Spring and a request to participate in one of the summer conferences (info below).

Our theme for the year is "Faith Voyage." This will be a sacred and exciting time to explore your faith in community. And it is a whole lot of fun!

Register for the 2021 Confirmation class by clicking here. This class is for youth who have completed 8th-11th grade by summer 2021. More information about exact times/dates/etc. is forthcoming, but registration will help us plan accordingly and have materials ready.
SIGN UP FOR SUMMER OPPORTUNITIES!
Middle School Massanetta Youth Conference (Week 3: July 8-11):
This is for youth who will have completed 6th, 7th, or 8th grade by this summer. The theme for 2021 is "Rooted in Love." The daily schedule includes recreation, workshops, energizers, worship and many fun activities. The discounted cost is $300 if you register HERE by February 28, 2021 (cost goes up $10 each month). Full and partial scholarships are available. It's going to be an adventure to remember!
Senior High Montreat Youth Conference (Week 5: July 25-31):
This is for youth who have completed 9th, 10th, 11th & 12th grade by this summer. The theme for 2021 is "Called to Connect," and we will be renting a house in Montreat together for the week. The schedule includes morning energizers, music, keynote, small groups, recreation, evening worship, and many other fun activities. The discounted cost is $500 if you register HERE by February 28, 2021 (cost goes up $10 each month). Full and partial scholarships are available. Don't miss out on the fun!
Community Working Together
Creating Sanctuary Team (CST)
“We have several families in North Carolina in serious financial distress. In some cases, their husband/dad is at Stewart Detention Center, and in other cases, their husband/dad has been deported. Food Lion is their preferred grocery store and we really need Food Lion gift cards to send in care packages,” the directors of El Refugio in Decatur, GA, have written.
 
To support El Refugio’s work with these families in need, you may donate a cash gift or a Food Lion gift card available at www.foodlion.com/departments/gift-center. At this time, donations should be made by check payable to El Refugio. You can send your contribution to El Refugio, P.O. Box 3996, Decatur, GA 30031. Please note on the envelope ATTN: Patti Ghezzi.
                                  
~ Submitted by Tish Anderson, CST Member
PC(USA) Black History Month Service | Wednesday, February 24 | 9:00 AM | PC(USA) Facebook Page
“Black history is important for all people because Black history is American history,” says the Rev. Michael Moore, Associate for African American Intercultural Congregational Support in the Presbyterian Mission Agency’s Racial Equity & Women’s Intercultural Ministries (RE&WIM).

On Wednesday, Feb. 24, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) will celebrate Black History Month with a special worship service led by RE&WIM. The service this year will be live streamed on the PC(USA) Facebook page starting at 9 a.m. Eastern Time.

The theme for this year’s service is adapted from Maya Angelou’s poem of liberation and survival, “Still I Rise.” Moore will be the preacher.
The YWCA is relaunching the 21-Day Racial Equity and Social Justice Challenge with new content and continue to engage our community on issues of race, power, privilege, and leadership in 2021. Sign up to receive daily emails with the option to read an article, listen to a podcast or reflect on a personal experience on different social justice topics. Based on the premise that it takes 21 days to build a habit, the 21-Day Challenge aims to continue heightening our community’s wisdom on the numerous racial and social injustices still present today, and, most importantly, how to end them—until justice, just is. 

Our all-new Challenge continues the conversation and dives into subjects including Reparations, Sports, Gender-Based Violence, and Environmental Racism starts March 1, 2021. Join us and register today!
How do Christians confront the evil of white supremacy theology? Presbyterian leaders talk about white supremacy and Christianity in light of the Jan. 6 Capitol attack
To address the question, the Rev. Shanea D. Leonard, Associate for Race and Gender Justice, and the Rev. Lee Catoe, Managing Editor of Unbound: An Interactive Journal on Christian Social Justice and Associate for Young Adult Witness, took a deep dive into the history of Christianity in the United States and how it has been used to promote white supremacy and vice versa. Click here to read the full article.

Want to see what colonized theological education looks like?
Co-Moderators take up the issue in latest broadcast of ‘Good Medicine’

Colonized theological education, according to Williams, grafts people into an “intellectual lineage” that makes them more suitable to reinforce the colonial kinds of structures, power relations and social order that the enterprise and theological education of America has been compatible with for 200 years. He adds that the consequences of this formula are endless.

Click here to view the entire broadcast.

Stewardship & Sustainability GIVE HERE
Remote Giving

Here are a few different ways to stay up-to-date on your giving remotely:

  • MAIL gifts to the office at 789 Merrimon Ave, Asheville, NC 28804
  • BANK BILL PAY mails checks remotely, one-time or on a recurring schedule - contact your bank to set this up
  • ONLINE at https://onrealm.org/gcpcusa/give/now
  • TEXT "giveGCPC" and AMOUNT to 73256 (i.e. giveGCPC $100)
  • MOBILE through the Connect - Our Church Community app

Interested in setting up online recurring giving? Follow these simple step-by-step instructions to self-manage eGiving through Realm or return this signed authorization form to have our Finance Office set up on your behalf.

If you have any questions, please contact Natalie in our Finance office at nweaver@gcpcusa.org or by leaving a message for Natalie Weaver at 828-254-3274.
GCPC Out & About Online
PWNC Annual Spirituality Retreat | "Celtic Spirituality II" | March 12-13 | via Zoom
Experience the prayer, poetry, folklore, and spirituality of the Celtic Christians of old — and how their lyrical, down-to-earth, and hope-filled wisdom still speaks to us today. If you attended our retreat in 2019, you can expect to build on what you learned then. More time will be devoted to putting these spiritual disciplines into practice. The 2019 event is in no way a pre-requisite for this year’s retreat. First time attendees are more than welcome! For all who attend, our time together will explore ways for us to celebrate Celtic wisdom and weave it into our lives here in the 21st century. We will pray together, enjoy the poetry and stories of the Celtic saints, and seek the still, small voice of God. Carl McColman will be the retreat leader.
STAY CONNECTED
HOW TO CONTACT STAFF DURING OFFICE CLOSURE:

Our staff are all still working remotely as the office remains closed due to the pandemic. To leave a voicemail for a staff member to return your call, follow these steps:

  1. Call the 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. 
Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church | 828.254.3274 
789 Merrimon Ave. Asheville, NC 28804