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Worship Preview | Sunday, June 14, 2026

Third Sunday after Pentecost

In-person and online service

What’s Happening in Worship on

June 14, 2026?

On June 14th a group of ordained clergy from the GCPC Community will lead the service. Marcia invited this group to fill-in during her sabbatical on the Sundays Rev. Dr. Tami Forte Logan is absent.

The June 14th service will include:

• Listening to a choric reading of the text
• Witnessing a dramatic tableau echoing Rembrandt’s: The Return of the Prodigal
• Congregational and choral music: We the People, Gathered in this Place!
• No preaching, per se, but through song and scripture and silence and sharing… the congregation will participate in the sermon. 
• Truth-Telling prompted by the congregation’s experience with the text:
  With which character in the parable (often called The Prodigal Son) do I most identify; and how does this awareness challenge me in this day and time?” 

• A definition of a parable: 
  At its simplest, the parable is a metaphor or simile drawn from nature or common life, arresting the hearer by its vividness or strangeness, and leaving the mind in sufficient doubt about its specific application, teases it into active thought.*


*C.H. Dodd, The Parables of the Kingdom (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1961) p. 5.  

Deacon of the Week:

The Deacon of the Week is available to talk, provide support, and coordinate care if needed. You are not alone. You are loved. Please reach out to our deacon of the week if you have any needs or concerns.

This week (6/7-6/13) Margie Groves | email: margie.groves@gmail.com

Next week (6/14-6/20) Abi Hölder | email: a.bee.holder.333@gmail.com

Deacon of the Week Prayer

Spirit, guide us, help us, to be LOVE in us and through us. Each of us, uniquely given to be LOVE. Reveal our ways to be that LOVE, to feel that LOVE for us and all the ways it doesn’t feel like we can. This generative force of LOVE, this original creative force LOVE - yes, this.  

~ Margie Groves

Click here to read the "Envision the Possibilities" Stewardship Letter

How to Make Your 2026 Pledge

• Scan the QR code for a link to the online Pledge Card
• Click here: https://onrealm.org/gcpcusa/-/form/pledge/envision 
• Email your pledge and giving frequency to giving@gcpcusa.org
• Email Sue Kersbergen (sue@gcpcusa.org) or Denise Ochoa (denise@gcpcusa.org) in the Finance Office at GCPC to help you get set up. 

Summer Choir Begins at GCPC! | Sundays | 9:15 AM | Sanctuary

Come Sing this Sunday! All ages welcome! (Childcare is provided for ages 0 - K)

Come with a curiosity and joy for making music in community! No previous singing experience is necessary. Meet in the Sanctuary by the piano at 9:15 am on Sunday. We will learn a simple song or two to share in worship. Some chime ringers are needed, too!

Hope to see you Sunday!

Blessings, Ray

GCPC welcomes YTL Summer Camp!

This summer, the YTL Training Program continues its commitment to community transformation, and we are seeking your support to further this mission. By contributing to our administrative and operational costs, you invest in more than just summer programming; you provide a foundation for a lifetime of potential.

Our program operates daily from 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM, offering activities specifically designed to foster mindfulness, emotional regulation, and healthy communication among our scholars. Your support helps provide the resources necessary to turn potential challenges into legacies of success and triumph.

We invite you to consider supporting a child’s journey through the following suggested donation tiers:

 - $3,000: 9 weeks of comprehensive support

 - $1,500: 4 weeks of support

 - $750: 2 weeks of support

Thank you for your continued belief in our mission and your commitment to the youth we serve.

~ YTL Training Program

Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) Group Mtg. | Wednesday, June 17 | 10:45 AM - 12:00 PM | Garden Room (Admin. Building) 

This support group introduces techniques for daily living with such issues, led by Paul Rogers, a retired physician in our congregation and supported by other pastors in the GCPC community. We meet on the first and third Wednesdays of the month. New participants welcome at any time.

Contact Anna Louise, annalouise@gcpcusa.org, with questions.

GCPC Writing Collective | Thursday, June 18 | 5:00 PM | Indie Room

If you love to write and welcome a chance to be creative and supportive around writing in community, come to the GCPC Writing Collective on the third Thursday of the month in the Indie Room (Education Wing) at 5 pm. Come as you are and when you can. Bring a journal and something to write with or your laptop and any food you wish to have.

This will be a supportive, generative gathering that centers the way writing makes space for creativity, expression, connection, and healing. The group will be convened by Marcia Mount Shoop, Margaret Belk and others. Feel free to reach out with questions.

Cancer Support Ministry Gathering | Thursday, June 18 | 7:00 - 8:30 PM | Fellowship Hall

The Cancer Support Ministry is having a gathering on Thursday, June 18th at 7:00 PM here at GCPC. Coffee/tea and sweet treats will be served. We hope anyone that has had cancer, is a survivor, newly diagnosed or in treatment will attend. It is a great opportunity to share our experiences and create some joy in a difficult time. Please register on Realm or reach out to a committee member, Kimo Hyatt or Bill McNeff. There is no fee to attend. We look froward to seeing you there. 

Our speaker will be Kelly Harrison. Mr. Harrison is an ACE and ACSM Certified Personal Trainer. He specializes in Specialized weight loss, pre/post rehabilitation training, special populations, and sports performance. Kelley is currently working at the Reuters YMCA.

His presentation will discuss the positive benefits of exercise for those with cancer and those who are survivors.

Parents' Day Out | Saturday, June 20 | 9:30 AM - 2:30 PM | GCPC

Children up to fifth grade are welcome to join. We will spend the day outside, make crafts, and sharing meal.

The event will last from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall at GCPC.

Children are asked to bring lunch, but we will provide snacks, drinks, and dessert.

This event is free!

Our new neighbor, Mountain Madre!

Our newish neighbor, Mountain Madre, is now open for brunch on Sunday! Please stop by after church to enjoy some good eats.

They are also now open for lunch (and dinner) on Friday and Saturday as well as dinner on Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday.

The owner, Danny Scully, has been a wonderful supporter of Grace Covenant since they have moved in! Let's share some love back!

GCPC Community Garden

NEEDS VOLUNTEERS!

The 2026 garden season is just around the corner and we need more volunteers for the garden team. This is a wonderful way to commune in nature with GCPC members and neighbors alike, all while growing food to share with various communities around Asheville. All ages are welcome... come grow with us!

GCPC Nametags

If you are in need of a new nametag,

please email Anna Louise at annalouise@gcpcusa.org.

On Saturday, June 6 Team 4 had twelve garden volunteers who harvested the following produce that was shared with Loving Food Resources. They also weeded several beds and planted winter squash, cucumbers, and flowers.

On Wednesday, June 10, Team 1 had thirteen garden volunteers who harvested the following produce that was shared with the YWCA. They also weeded several beds and strung one bed.

Grace Abounds Food Pantry | Thursday, June 25 |

11:00 AM - 1:00 PM | Sanctuary

We believe the pantry embodies the church’s commitment to service and compassion. We try to keep our shelves stocked with canned goods, rice, beans, crackers, granola bars, cereal and other items. We also provide diapers, baby wipes and feminine products. Our pantry is stocked completely with donations. This is where we need your support to keep our pantry open.

If everyone in the community can bring one item on Sunday we could restock the store!

Needs for next pantry day:

• oil
• mayonnaise or miracle whip
• fruit cups

GCPC Goes to the Ballpark! | Thursday, July 2 | 7:00 PM | McCormick Field (HomeTrust Park)

Join us on Thursday night, July 2 for a Tourists’ game with your GCPC community!



All tickets cost $11.00. Please pay online with Realm or mail your check to the church (789 Merrimon Ave., AVL 28804) with "Tourists Game" in the memo line.

MISSION

The mission of the Alliance for Beyond Land Acknowledgement is to encourage individuals, faith communities, and other civic and/or charitable organizations to move beyond merely acknowledgement that the land we occupy is the ancestral land of the Anigiduwagi, more commonly known as the Cherokee, and to build stronger relationships with the Cherokee as well as other Turtle Island peoples living in our area.

VISION

We envision a day when the sovereignty of the Anigiduwagi (aka, Cherokee) over their ancestral lands is recognized and their wise stewardship respected.

GOALS

The Alliance for Beyond Land Acknowledgement formed following the Conference “Beyond Land Acknowledgement: Toward Reparations and Healing,” with these goals: 

• To strengthen relationships with Cherokees and other First Peoples with historical ties to our region.
• To learn how traditional tribal knowledge can be of benefit to everyone.
• To share ideas and resources for building understanding and solidarity with First Peoples of our region and beyond.
• To support efforts for justice, reparations, and healing from our country’s original genocide.
• To help interrupt the continuing oppression of First Peoples.

Questions? Please contact John Huie or Larry Stern who are two GCPC members of ABLA.

Family Jam | Saturday, June 27 | 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM | HomeTrust Park (formerly McCormick Field) — (30 Buchanan Place) 

Bring your kids, your friends, and your dancing shoes for a FREE outdoor concert festival! Enjoy live performances by Secret Agent 23 Skidoo, Billy Jonas Band & Bluestreak, activities for all ages, and a summer day full of fun — all while supporting Food Connection’s mission to reduce food waste and ease hunger in our community. 



• FREE Admission

• Food & Drink for purchase

• Donations welcome

If you own a business or know of one interested in sponsoring this event, reach out to Natasha for sponsorship opportunities: natasha@food-connection.org

Parking: Street parking; Memorial Lot (above the stadium); Minnie Jones Health Center (257 Biltmore Avenue)

Summer Reading/Activity Ideas for Children/Youth

Click here to see more details.

In The Heights | June 12 – 28, 2026 | Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 PM and Saturdays & Sundays at 2:30 PM | Asheville Community Theater

Music and Lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Book by Quiara Alegría Hudes

Sponsored by: The Teel Family Foundation

Community Sponsors: Cenzontle: A Language Justice Cooperative, L.E.A.F. Global Arts, Hola Carolina, PODER Emma

About the Show

Before Hamilton, there was In the Heights. With a vibrant score blending hip-hop, salsa, merengue, and soul, this Tony Award–winning musical tells the story of a tight-knit community on the brink of change in New York’s Washington Heights. Featuring unforgettable characters and songs like “Breathe,” “96,000,” and “Carnaval del Barrio,” this show is a celebration of heritage, home, and hope.

Join the Conversation: Asheville City Schools Community Engagement Town Halls

As Asheville City Schools continues planning for the future of our facilities, we invite our staff, families, community members, and partners to join us for one of two upcoming Community Engagement Town Halls.

These sessions are an opportunity to review the findings from the Facility Needs Assessment, learn more about current planning scenarios, ask questions, and share feedback that will help shape the district’s final recommendations for long-term capital investment and future facility planning.

Upcoming Town Hall Opportunities:

•  In-Person Community Town Hall

June 23, 2026 | 5:30 PM | Asheville City Schools Central Office Boardroom

•  Virtual Community Town Hall

June 25, 2026 | 12:30 PM | Virtual access details coming soon

A Wilder Way: Midwifing the World to Come in an Age of Extinction @ Dreaming Stone

Join us August 19th – 23rd as we chart a wilder path together through storytelling, skill-sharing, hands-on learning, songs, ritual, somatic practices, and homegrown feasts.

This five-day gathering features some of our most beloved and trusted colleagues. They are collaborating on a journey that will help us find our ground and gratitude, expand our connections and our capacities, and offer tools for building the bioregional and liberatory cultures that can sustain and serve our communities and watersheds. It's time to propagate alternatives!

We are making this event accessible, with worktrade and scholarship options, AND partial childcare and youth programming to support young families!!!