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"...and I taste in my natural appetite
the bond of live things everywhere."
~ Lucille Clifton
,
from "Cutting Greens"
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Sunday Preview
Sunday, September 29, 2019
Sacrament of the Lord's Supper
Worship services @ 8:15 & 10:45 AM
Education Hour (for all ages) @ 9:15 AM
Homily:
"The Good Provider" by Marcia Mount Shoop
Scriptures:
Amos 6:1a, 4-7; Luke 16:19-31
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Memorial Garden Rededication Service immediately following 10:45 worship this Sunday, September 29.
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This Eucharistic Life: A Grace Covenant Podcast around the Table
In this episode, we introduce our fall theme, this Eucharistic life, and ask how the table supports and challenges our community's life of faith today.
Leaders of each of our adult education classes share powerful insights about how "This Eucharistic Life" shows up in their classes this Fall.
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Help GCPC at Blue Ridge Pride! | This Saturday, September 28 | Available slots 9:00 - 8:00pm | Pack Square, Downtown AVL
This Saturday, GCPC is excited to have a booth at Blue Ridge Pride! In order to make this happen, we need individuals and families to be at our booth to share about GCPC and the ways we strive to share God's love abundantly. Questions? Contact Samantha
sgblock@gcpcusa.org
.
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Children and Youth Worship Leaders for October
Participating in worship as an acolyte, pouring at the baptismal font, or carrying in the communion cup or bread are all valuable experiences for our children and youth. These holy acts are invaluable to the forming of young faith. Through this participation, children and youth come close to the mysteries of our sacraments and begin a deeper understanding of what is means to be part of the community of followers of Jesus Christ.
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Siblings in Christ,
As we explore "This Eucharistic Life" together this Fall, the Stew Crew is particularly on the look out for signs of the abundance we find at Christ's Table.
This Sunday, September 29 kicks off our 2020 Pledge Campaign. We can hardly wait to explore how life abundant shows up at GCPC! We all have beautiful stories to share about what makes Grace Covenant such a vital and life-giving family of faith.
In Gratitude,
The Stew Crew
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Pledge Statement Email
If you have a pledge with an outstanding balance of 65% or more, you should have received an email within the last two weeks. This was from our Finance Office and "
View your pledge statement"
will link to a report available in our new software. Please take a moment to review the statement and contact Natalie Weaver, Stewardship & Financial Administrator, at 828-254-3274, ext. 202 or
nweaver@gcpcusa.org
with any questions or concerns.
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You’ve been reading her journal for eight weeks. Now hear her speak…
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Childcare Volunteers Needed to Support Immigrants Taking ESOL Classes
One of the biggest challenges that adults face when trying to access education is childcare. The Literacy Council of Buncombe County teaches English to over 200 adult immigrants every year, in one-on-one and small-group settings.Their small group classes meet at many different sites around the county- mostly churches and schools- and they have just been notified that three sites which previously offered childcare during their classes can no longer do so.
They have an immediate need for a few responsible adults to supervise children (usually 2-5 children ranging in age from toddlers to middle-schoolers) once per week from 6-8 pm at First Baptist Church of Weaverville on Mondays; the Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club on Mondays; and at Erwin Middle School on Tuesdays.
The commitment is from September 2019 through May 2020. Classes do not meet on school holidays or snow days. Middle and high school students are welcome as assistants, with at least one adult supervisor onsite at all times. It's not necessary to speak a language other than English to do this, but some knowledge of Spanish or Russian could be helpful.
Middle- and high-school students would be welcome as assistants, with at least one adult supervisor onsite at all times. It's not necessary to speak a language other than English to do this, but some knowledge of Spanish or Russian could be helpful.
If you are interested, or know someone who might be interested, please contact either Erin Sebelius, ESOL Director at the Literacy Council of Buncombe County at
esol@litcouncil.com
or GCPC member Anne Callison Stokely at
annecallison.stokely@gmail.com.
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Power and Race Team (PART)
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PART Meeting | Thursday, October 10 | 7 PM | Fellowship Hall
It's time for the Power and Race Team to up our game around accountability and transformation in our community of faith and in the larger community. This meeting is an opportunity for anyone who has been doing the hard of dismantling and disrupting white supremacy culture to strategize about next steps together.
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CoInspire - Liberating Imagination, Eviscerating Racism | October 7-10, 2019 | Montreat Conference Center
In response to the racism and violence in our world, this event seeks to bring together people of faith in order to disarm prejudices that divide us and equip each other for practicing resurrection as new creations in Christ. We will delve into the questions around the toxicities we are currently breathing into our bodies and exhaling into the shared air. CoInspire will examine ways that we, as members of Christ’s body, might co-inspire one another to liberate imagination for new ways of being, and examine ways we can conspire to eviscerate the racism within our church. We will seek to identify those things we want to breathe in to precipitate a pathway to eviscerating the racism in our country and our world.
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Earth Team Meeting | Wednesday, October 2 | 5:30 PM | Jerusalem Room
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This Sunday's Education Hour (for all ages)
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Adult Education - Fall Term | Sept. 15 - Nov. 24 | 9:15 AM
Pressure Points - The Church and Native Americans: Grappling with the Past, Facing the Future | Fellowship Hall
This 11-week program will outline a Christian's response to social issues related to Native American Peoples of North America. This will involve educating ourselves about the history of native peoples (from their perspective using The Great Courses as an academic basis for this education) prior to European contact and the philosophical/theological/political concepts that were employed against Native peoples after contact. In the second half of the course's term, we will deal specifically with Cherokee Indian issues as a case in point of our country's and our church's involvement in oppression of native culture, highlighting the Cherokee Nation/ECBI's response to that oppression. Ultimately, we would like to posit for our class how we should prayerfully yet actively respond to these issues in the future.
Facilitators:
Buzz Durham, Mike Fleenor, Jaan Ferree, Mary Berg, Marcia Mount Shoop
The Improv -
The Spirituality of Vulnerability: Brené Brown and Richard Rohr
| Choir Room
“Vulnerability is the birthplace of love, belonging, joy, courage, empathy, and creativity. It is the source of hope, empathy, accountability, and authenticity. If we want greater clarity in our purpose or deeper and more meaningful spiritual lives, vulnerability is the path” (Brené Brown,
Daring Greatly). In this class, we will be discussing how the insights of shame researcher Brené Brown and spiritual writer and Franciscan friar Richard Rohr can inform our spiritual lives.
Facilitators:
Richard Coble, Nancy Gaskin, Paul Rogers
Digging In - Living the Questions: Taking the Bible Seriously | Jerusalem Room
Living the Questions is for those who are looking for a resource that encourages questions they’ve always wanted to ask and sparks open dialogue in a safe place. It’s also for those who have stopped taking the church seriously and for those asking what a meaningful faith can look like today. Living the Questions provides a context where people can be liberated from stagnant clichés, pursue their questions and deepen their understanding as part of a life-long spiritual journey. This video-based program (along with downloadable participant guides and readings) includes conversations with scholars, theologians and clergy. Spirituality, Bible, God, creation, Jesus, Gospels, Paul, and evangelism are some of the topics we’ll consider.
Facilitators:
Denise Snodgrass and Tim Hamel
Toddlers (ages 2-3) | “God Loves Me”
| 9:15 – 10:15 AM | Toddler Room (downstairs, Children’s Center)
Preschool/Kindergarten (ages 4-5) | Godly Play
| 9:15 –10:15 AM | Preschool Sunday School Room (downstairs, Children’s Center)
Elementary (grades 1-3) | Godly Play
| 9:15–10:15 AM | Temple Room (Education wing, upstairs)
Elementary (grades 4-5) | “CONNECT”
| 9:15–10:15 AM | Indie Room (Education wing, upstairs)
Middle School & Senior Highs (grades 6-12)
| 9:00-10:15 AM | Youth Rooms, (Education wing, upstairs)
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*Nursery care is available throughout Sunday morning beginning at 8:10 am.
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OTHER EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES...
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Bible Study | Wednesdays | 11:00 AM | Garden Room
Join the pastoral staff to read and study our sermon texts for Sunday. No preparation needed; just come ready to open scripture and discuss!
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Movie Night -
The Mission
| Sunday, October 6 | 7:00 PM | Sanctuary
Continuing to grapple with the past conquest of Europeans over Native Americans
through video and film. The setting for this feature length film is South America—the Guarani Indians and their European encounter. A British period drama film about the experiences of a Jesuit missionary in 18th-century South America. Please join us.
*This movie is part of the curriculum for the Pressure Points class this fall.
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Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen
by Jose Antonio Vargas
When Vargas was twelve, he was brought from his home in the Philippines to California to live with his grandparents. With the help of his community, he succeeded in school and went on to become a Pulitzer Prize-winnng journalist. Yet his undocumented status weighed heavily, as he constantly had to lie in order to move through life. Eventually, Vargas went public about his status and founded Define American, an immigrant advocacy organization. Through a series of short essays, he meditates on the difficulty of reconciling his Filipino and American identities, race, the role of journalism and media in the immigration debate, the challenges of living as an undocumented public figure, and the harshness of current immigration policy. He intersperses facts about immigration throughout and argues that immigrants deserve to be a formal part of America. A thought-provoking, moving, and highly personal account of Vargas’ struggle to belong.
Jose Antonio Vargas will speak at the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium in the Cellular Center at 7:00 p.m. on October 3.
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VRQ-BBQ Cook Team |
Next cook date: October 1st
| 4:30 or 5:30 PM | Veterans Restoration Quarters (
1329 Tunnel Road
)
On the First Tuesday of each month, a team of folks gather at the Veterans Restoration Quarters to grill hamburgers and prepare supper for more than 200 US Armed Forces Veterans living in transitional housing at the VRQ — an ABCCM Ministry. Team volunteers begin to gather at 4:30 to prepare the meal and fire up the grills; to help serve the meal come at 5:30. The evening meal is served at 6 and the team joins with the veterans at their table for supper. Commitments can be for one Tuesday or more. Email
Bill Neeriemer with questions.
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An Evening with International Peacemakers! | Friday, October 4 | 7:00 - 8:30 PM | GCPC Fellowship Hall
The Serve Council invites you to join our ministry partners Mark Hare and Jenny Bent and a group from Serve to Lead as we welcome Reverend Maria Bock Barett from International Peacemakers. The Rev. María Bock Barett serves as coordinator of social action for the Dominican Protestant Church (Iglesia Evangélica Dominicana). Rev. Bock has served as pastor to a number of marginalized, urban congregations in the capital of Santo Domingo, as well as working as a volunteer in the social action arm of the church, which she now coordinates. Rev. Bock is one of a dozen
2019 International Peacemakers
visiting congregations and mid councils this fall on behalf of the
Presbyterian Peacemaking Program
. The International Peacemakers Program is made possible through generous gifts to the
Peace & Global Witness Offering
.
We'll gather in the Fellowship Hall for dessert and coffee.
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Ministry Partner News and Events...
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Pisgah Legal Services' Annual Justice Forum featuring Jose Antonio Vargas | Thursday, October 3 | 7:00 PM | Thomas Wolfe Auditorium (U.S. Cellular Center)
Jose Antonio Vargas is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Emmy-nominated filmmaker, author of
Dear America: Notes of An Undocumented Citizen and a leading voice for the human rights of immigrants. He is the Founder and CEO of Define American, the nation’s leading nonprofit media organization that fights injustice and anti-immigrant hate through the power of storytelling.
For the first time, the Justice Forum is free to attend thanks to our generous sponsors. Tickets to the pre-forum reception are $60 per person. Availability is limited. Click
HERE
to register.
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MCI (Mild Cognitive Impairment) Group | Wednesday, October 2 | 12:00 PM | Garden Room
This support group introduces techniques for daily living with such issues, led by Paul Rogers, a retired physician in our congregation. We meet the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of every month.
*New participants welcome at any time.
Contact Richard,
rcoble@gcpcusa.org
, with questions.
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“Winner Winner Wednesday Dinner” | October 9 | 6:00 PM | Fellowship Hall
Second Wednesday Dinners are BACK!!! Take a break from cooking and make some space for connecting with your church community. Local caterer, Daniel Young of "Turk Da Jerk Catering on the Go" will treat us to a tasty culinary experience that will have gluten-free, dairy-free and vegetarian options available. These events are intergenerational.
*RSVP to Sherrie,
smeehan@gcpcusa.org
, by 12:00 pm on Friday, October 4
th
so we can have an estimate.
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Wisdom in the Woods is full for this year!
Please contact
Anna Louise
if you would like to be put on the waiting list.
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PW October Circle Meetings
#1 |
Tuesday, October 1 | 10:00 AM | GCPC Fellowship Hall (hosted by Juanita Schneider and Marlene Walshin) | Study Leader: Carol Kavalhuna
#2 |
Tuesday, October 1 | 7:30 PM | Nancy Gettys (150 David Biddle Tr., Weaverville) | Study Leader: Denise Snodgrass
#3 |
Thursday, October 10 | 7:00 PM | TBA | Study Leader: Margaret Tierney
#4 |
Thursday, October 10 | 7:00 PM | Lesli Hollowell (1 Sunset View, AVL) | Study Leader: Mary Lou Nash
#5 |
Monday, October 7 | 10:00 AM | WNC Baptist Home (213 Richmond Hill Dr.) | Study Leader: Susie Churchfield
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Centering Prayer | Wednesday Nights | 6:30 - 7:00 PM | Sanctuary
Christianity has a rich and ancient tradition of intentional and prayerful silence as a spiritual practice. Sacred silence teaches us to listen devoutly, humbly, and with trust. It is beautifully simple and a spiritual skill whose gifts goes deeper and gets more powerful the more one practices it. This practice is open to all and is come as you are able. Questions? Contact Marcia at
mmshoop@gcpcusa.org
.
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Deacon of the Week
Each Sunday morning there will be a deacon available for everything from praying with you to giving you a tour of the building. This deacon will be wearing a purple sash and stationed in the narthex before 10:45 worship and in the front of the sanctuary after worship. He or she is also available during the week if you or someone you love needs assistance from our board of deacons.
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Please note that changes are always possible. Check the youth emails, facebook and remind messages for the most updated info.
In the spirit of our theme "fearless faith," the calendar has lots of surprises. We hope that your youth will be fearless and attend all of the exciting and formative things that we have planned!
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Youth Sunday School:
Youth Choir, Drama & Fun
(6th - 12th graders) | Sundays | 9:00 - 10:15 AM | Youth Rooms
This fall we will be fearlessly jumping into our faith in creative ways. We will begin at 9:00am sharp with breakfast, followed by Youth Choir, Energizers, Games and and an on-your-feet Bible Study. See you at the first class and get ready for a fun, meaningful experience!
Questions? Contact Samantha at
sgblock@gcpcusa.org
.
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THIS WEEKEND:
SPECIAL YOUTH GROUP: "Prez-Beez Youth/Adult Softball Game" | This Sunday, September 30 | 5:00 - 7:00 PM | Meet/pick up Martin Luther King Park (
50 Martin Luther King Jr Dr.
)
It's a super special youth group with
youth vs. adults
! We will be playing (or cheering each other on) in a softball game with GCPC's own Prez-Beez! No experience or athletic skills required! Dinner will be provided! Wear comfy clothes and shoes to run in
. If you have, wear a GCPC Youth or purple shirt and bring a mit
! We will have extra supplies for all! Parents and families are invited to come cheer us on!
For food and supplies purposes,
please RSVP here
!
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REGISTER BY THIS WEEKEND:
Youth Mission Earth Day | Sunday, October 20 | 12:00 - 6:00 PM | Meet/pick up at GCPC parking lot
Asheville Youth Mission & Creation Care Alliance are hosting a day focused on caring for God's creation through outdoor service projects. Lunch will be provided! GCPC will cover the majority of the cost for its participants. Please bring $10 (check to GCPC or cash) to offset the cost of lunch and programming. Full/partial scholarships available.
REGISTER HERE
by Sunday, September 29th.
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Raleigh Youth Mission Education Trip | January 17-20 (MLK Jr. Weekend)
Are you ready to be fearless together? We will be heading to our state capital, Raleigh to do transformative service projects, explore how laws impact our society, and consider how our faithful voices can make a difference. Get ready to grow side-by-side and have a whole lot of fun!
We are hoping to charter a bus (and have Eduard as our driver!!) and need 35 people in order to get it, so please claim your spot today
! The cost is $200 (full and partial scholarships available).
Register digitally HERE ASAP and submit your deposit by October 15th
.
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Youth Committee Meeting | Tuesday, Oct 1 | 6:00 - 7:00 PM | Garden Room
All Youth, Adults and Parents are invited to join the Youth Committee, where we will work together to ensure that that this will be a meaningful year for GCPC youth. We will discuss programming, youth leadership and more. Come lend your voice to this meeting or feel free to jump in another month. See you then!
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Prayer List
[We are happy to pray for anyone who is in need. Concerns will stay on this list for a month unless we hear otherwise. Please keep us updated.]
Iglesia Jerusalem congregation
Pat Cocke (Les Stradley’s friend)
Deborah Strong (Robin Gaiser's cousin)
Nancy and Richard Schaadt (Donna Robertson's sister and brother-in-law)
Louise Seitz (Janet Schifflin's friend)
Jeffrey Ferris (Mary Lou Nash's son)
Rebecca Wells' brother, Jamey
Jeff Combs (Bill McNeff's friend)
West Asheville Presbyterian Church
Sarah Ralston (Susie Bleckley’s mother)
Marcia Zuzel (friend of Kim Hottle and Melissa Shook)
Virginia Bibee (Jamie Bibee Lloyd's mother)
Hettie Lou Garland
Betty Smith
Margaret Rada
Bob Higgins
James Harwell
Joyce Summerlin
Cory Hartbarger
Mary Ellen Horne
Penny Ponder
Steve and Florence Riedesel
Donna Robertson
Elizabeth Fisher
Beth Robrecht and Family
A Service to the Witness to the Resurrection and Thanksgiving for the Life of June Collins will be held this Saturday, September 28 at 2:00 p.m. in the sanctuary. There will be a reception in the atrium following the service.
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Grace Covenant Community Out and About...
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2019 Enneagram Gatherings
October-November
resume
October 4th
through
November
22nd
Mondays, 6-8pm
and
Fridays, 10am-12noon
in the
A-Frame @ GCPC.
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Informational Gathering: Pilgrimage to Cuernavaca, Mexico | Thursday, September 26 | 4:00-5:30 PM | Jerusalem Room at GCPC,
(
Pilgrimage to Cuernavaca, Mexico - March 3-12, 2020 with Heather Ferguson and Carol Hovis.)
If you are interested & cannot attend today's meeting, let
Caro
l
and
Heather
know. We will make our final decision by Monday, Sept. 30th
.
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Annual Helpmate Domestic Violence Awareness Vigil | Friday, October 11 | 6:00 - 7:30 PM | AB Tech Conference Center (
16 Fernihurst Drive
)
Refreshments and Information Tables at 6pm. Program begins at 6:30pm including survivor testimony, reading of NC homicide victim's names, and performances by Allison Hammond and Womansong. Free and open to the public.
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The North Carolina Presbyterian Historical Society's Fall Meeting | Saturday, October 12 |
Davie Street Presbyterian Church
, Raleigh
We’ll be celebrating the very interesting 151-year history of Davie St. and the early history of African-American Presbyterian congregations in North Carolina. Registration is $16, including morning coffee and lunch. The schedule, registration form, and address are on our website
www.ncphsociety.org
or contact our secretary, Flo Durway, 919-977-8897,
floanddan74@gmail.com
.
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Rev. Dr. Brian Blount to Speak in Lenoir | Saturday, October 13 | 3:00 PM | Zion United Church of Christ (
1019 College Avenue SW
)
The president of Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond, Virginia, Rev. Dr. Brian Blount, will be a guest lecturer and preacher for First Presbyterian Church of Lenoir. He will speak on “The History of Racism in the Reformed Tradition.”
Dr. Blount has been president of Union Presbyterian Seminary and Professor of New Testament since 2007.
First Presbyterian Church of Lenoir is a member of the Presbyterian Church (USA) denomination. It regularly meets to worship at The Zion U.C.C. building on College Avenue on Sundays at 11:00 a.m. The minister, Rev. Beth Ann Miller, is a graduate of Union Presbyterian Seminary, as have been many of the previous ministers of First Presbyterian of Lenoir, including Rev. T. Hartley Hall IV, who later became the fifth president of the seminary.
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Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church | 828.254.3274
789 Merrimon Ave. Asheville, NC 28804
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