Good Luck, Jimmy! Vacation Bible School. Music Camp

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1 June / July Volume 61, Issue 6 Good Luck, Jimmy! Vacation Bible School It s not too late to register kids aged 3 years through completed 5th grade for Vacation Bible School which will be held on June 11 14, 9am noon. It is also not too late to offer to be helping hands for this Bible School or for the Small Blessings Bible School to be held on June 18, 19 and 20 from 9 11:30 am. Call the church office or Candy at candy@grace.to. Also, if you would like to donate some supplies to help with the events, there is a list available on the Kiosk. This includes snack items and also some supplies to be used in some of the mission projects that the children will be doing. Music Camp Monday - Thursday June a.m. - Noon For Grades completed K - 8th With a Special Program on Sunday, July 1st Registration Forms are on the Kiosk in the Narthex A farewell reception will be held following the 10:45 am service on Sunday, July 1, to honor Jimmy Steele. Everyone is encouraged to come to Conway Hall to thank Jimmy for his ministry to the youth and families of Grace Covenant and to send Jimmy, Katie and Hadley off with blessings and best wishes. Inside this issue:e: Get to Know a Deacon..2 & 4 Youth Calendar Message from Maynard... 7 See the church calendar online: announcements/weekly-calendar/

2 Page 2 June / July 2018 Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Thanks to you all at Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church - your prayers and offerings are greatly appreciated! Your ministry in our midst is a blessing indeed! By God s grace and your support, lives are being transformed in the name of Jesus Christ through the important work of this ministry we share. Grace and Peace, The Rev. Elliot M. Smith President Thornwell Children s Home To the Members of the Outreach Committee: Thank you on behalf of the retreat participants for making the 2018 All Church Retreat possible and affordable. Everyone who attended had a wonderful time and can t wait until next year! We are extremely grateful for the support and generosity of the committee and hope you will all make plans to join us next Memorial Day Weekend! We extend our Christian love and sympathy to the family of Mary Crosby who passed away on Saturday, April 28, Cookie Sunday! On the fourth Sunday of each month we accept donations from the congregation. These cookies are served at hospitality time after the second worship service each week. Please leave them in the Narthex or, better yet, bring them over to Conway Hall and join the fellowship! Thank you! Get to Know a Deacon My name is William Frank Quiett and the last name really is pronounced Quiet, which is hard to believe once you get to know me. I am also known as The Amen guy by those poor souls who sit in the back right side of our church. Both the Amen and sitting preference are directly reflective of my being a Baptist most of my life. I am a native Floridian, retired from the space programs at Kennedy Space Center (several times) and live with my beautiful wife Carole within 2 miles of our church. Together the Lord has blessed us with a large combined family that are spread out over the US and locally. I love to run (well it is more of a jog now) and have placed 1st in my age group several times lately which has caused me to change my mantra to If you can t beat them, out live them! Old age does have some perks! I am honored to be your Deacon and have accepted the responsibility of providing transportation for our members who need assistance in getting to a doctors appointment, grocery store or whatever. Please do not hesitate to contact the church office if you need this or other assistance and either myself or one of the volunteers for the transportation ministry will be more than happy to assist you. May God continue to pour out His richest blessings on you and yours, Frank Change of Address Walter Wiese

3 June / July 2018 Page 3 Feed My Sheep Even youths grow tired and weary and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40: From the Outreach Mission Committee With the passing of Mother s Day and the onset of Father s Day, the Outreach Mission Committee began to center on What is Family and how do we at GCPC support them? Definitions of family range from the traditional; a group consisting of parents and children living together in a household, to the far reaches of a group with common characteristics; plants, spiders or compounds. In the middle, is the extended family; a group of people who genuinely love, trust, care about and look out for each other. Donna Throneburg s favorite Bible verse (Isaiah 40: 30-31) reminds us that every human stumbles, falls and grows weary. How does GCPC bring the Lord into these people s lives so that they can run and soar with their family? Each year GCPC gives both financial and physical aid to many different groups. This article will center on three that relate to the family. Representing the traditional family is Family Promise which provides families shelter, meals, transportation and supportive services for up to 90 days. Most families are able to transition into permanent housing with the help of Family Promise. GCPC co-hosts with Conway United Methodist Church and Diana Ibarra is our contact person. Outreach gives money from the Endowment Fund each year to this very important support for families and Seekers Sunday School Class provides many meals for the families. The extended family is seen at Russell Home for Atypical Children. Russell Home has been in existence since 1951 when Vantrease Grandma Russell welcomed the first profoundly disabled child into her home to live with her family. Russell Home was the first such home given a license in Florida and still operates as the only non-profit care facility for severely disabled children in Central Florida. Many of the children who live there are now in their 40 s, 50 s and 60 s. GCPC has a very personal tie to the Home as its director is Vantrease Beam (granddaughter to founder, Mrs. Russell) and her husband, Mike Beam, will be our youth interim leader. Each year the home receives money from the Outreach Committee through the GCPC Endowment Fund, left-over food from several church meals and private donations from Alternative Christmas. Last is the communal family, one that joins together because they have similar characteristics: GCPC Family Retreat at Cedarkirk. This is a time for our church family to play, talk, pray and learn together. The Outreach Mission Committee augments the per capita price of this event by offering money from the Endowment Fund for this worthwhile Memorial Day Weekend. Each of these different families has times when they stumble, grow weary and cannot walk without growing faint. Thanks to the Endowment Fund and private donations, GCPC is able to offer help so that families can have hope in the LORD who will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles!

4 Page 4 June / July 2018 Congratulations to Small Blessings toddler through three year olds who had their Spring Program on May 17th and also to the four year olds who graduated on May 24th. Grace Covenant s sanctuary was filled with families and friends for these exciting occasions. Summer Fun begins at Small Blessings on June 4th. Some of the special activities the children will enjoy throughout the summer are: water play, cooking to go along with the theme of the week, a train ride around GCPC s campus, a visit by a petting farm and a performance by a dance company. GCPC wishes all at Small Blessings a happy and safe Summer! Get to Know a Deacon (Part 2) I am Lamar Turner and happy to be a new Deacon at GCPC. I see it as a chance to help people whether it be in a bad circumstance or other situation. I believe we all should live by the Golden Rule. I grew up in a small town in Alabama. My family moved to Auburndale, FL when I was in the 10th grade. I finished high school there, joined the Marine Corps.and my military career ended 34 years later. I got a BS from Troy State University; then taught school and coached for three years. I wasn t happy with that career choice so I got in to construction. My construction career began, coincidently, when I retired from the military. I moved to Orlando with a construction company in 1996, and have been here ever since. Shortly after I met my wife, I began attending GCPC, was married here and have grown roots here. I have two wonderful children; Cooper, 18, and Carlee, 13. I cherish this church and the people that I have grown to love and appreciate. Now is my time to pay it back. Lamar Send Grace Notes items to Jane Heppner at jane.gracenotes@gmail.com The next newsletter will be the August issue. Please submit articles by July 15th. Lifeline Screening will once again be at Grace Covenant on July 12. This offers preventative health screenings to detect early risk for cardio vascular, heart disease and certain types of cancer. The screenings are easy, painless, affordable and convenient. Reports are sent to you so you can share with your physician. Appointments are scheduled directly with Lifeline Screenings and may be made online or by calling More information will be available in the bulletin and on the Kiosk closer to the screening date. Sharing Your Gifts On Sunday, May 6, at the beginning of the worship services, those attending were asked to fill out a sheet highlighting ways we each, as members of this faith community, can help out. If you were not here on that Sunday, forms are available on the Kiosk and can be placed in the offering plate or returned to the church office. This does not mean you automatically volunteer. It just makes available the names of people to be contacted to request help when it is needed. Thank you for filling out this form.

5 June / July 2018 Page 5 Rooted Student Ministry Schedule June 9-16 Saturday - Saturday High School attend Montreat Conference with mission in Asheville July Tuesday - Sunday Middle School Conference at Maryville College August 5 Sunday trip to Springs (Details TBA) August 6-11 Monday - Saturday Give Kids the World August 9 Thursday 7pm-8:30pm, Youth Committee August 19 Sunday 5:30pm-7pm, Ice Cream Sundae Kick-Off August 26 Sunday 5:30pm-7pm, Youth group & dinner Stay tuned for more activities like movies/bowling/escape room/ putt-putt/mystery trip/sak/top Golf events Thank you to everyone who contributed to our various fund raisers over the past school year! As I wrap up my time serving at Grace Covenant, I want to again say thank you so much. I am so grateful for the support you have offered not just to the youth group, but to my family over the years. Your prayers, kind words, and encouragement have meant so much to me and I will miss you all. Grace Covenant will always have a special place in my heart and will always be a place my family knows we can call home. I would love to keep in touch with you. My new address will be jimmy.steele@palmschurch.org. We will send you our new mailing address as soon as we have one and look forward to hearing about the many great things that God has in store for GCPC in the years to come. In Christ, Jimmy Steele Congratulations 2018 Graduates! Kiersten Leeann Diaz Kaki Irie Gallagher Camille Elise Kalis Colin McNeill Kelly Grace Elaine McCarey Jacob Patrick McCarey Tulsa Mitrovich Apopka High School Chloe Jade Neusanger Cooper Lamar Turner Andrew John Beekman BS in Business Admin. University of South Carolina Mary Jane Neusanger Master of Business Admin. Webster University James E. Pate Commissioned Lay Pastor Univ. of Dubuque Theological Seminary Ashley Boos Pritchard Doctorate of Pharmacology University of Florida Summer Trip Our youth are in great hands as Mike Beam takes over as the Interim Director of Youth and Families. Seventeen of our high school students along with four dedicated adults (Mike Beam, Carolyn Castagno, Brian Gallagher, and Carole Pate) will once again head to Montreat where the theme will be Lift EVERY Voice. Our Middle School students will return to the Montreat Middle School conference where the theme will be Living Mosaics. This conference will be in July and will be held on the campus of Maryville College in Maryville, TN. Please keep the youth and their leaders in your prayers over the summer as they travel to these exciting and meaningful conferences.

6 Page 6 June / July 2018 Table Talk Returns in August The Table Talk experience will once again be offered on Wednesdays, August 1, 8, 15 and 22. This a chance to gather around a table of 8-10 to eat together while spending time in study together. The meal is provided; there will be a donation basket to cover expenses. You will be able to choose between three classes. Registration forms will be in the bulletins on Sundays in July. Registrations are due by July 29th. The three classes will be: 1) Tech Class for the Tech-Challenge led by Kathy Roberts 2) Study on one the works of C.S. Lewis led by Reese Laughlin 3) Building Blocks of Community led by Jim Pate. More Opportunities for Congregational Fellowship FAMILY FUN NITES Tuesdays, June 19 and July 17 6:29 pm Conway Hall On June 19, you are invited to bring the covered dish of your choice (bread, drinks and dessert are provided) and join us for great fellowship and fun and games around the tables. On July 17, we will have our annual Picnic Nite. Hot dogs and sloppy joes, drinks and dessert are provided. You bring a side dish to share. Hope to see you there! FOURTH THURSDAY S AT THE GARDEN Thursdays, June 28 and July 26 at 6:30 pm Olive Garden Restaurant on East Colonial Come one, come all to the Olive Garden Restaurant - a time to rest, relax, laugh and enjoy good food in the company of friends and family. No program, no agenda.just a time to meet new friends and spend time with those you know. Everyone welcome! School Supplies For Students In Need The youth group is once again asking for your help in collecting school supplies as part of a back to school back pack fill project for students in need in our community. During the month of July, there will be a collection box in the narthex and items may be turned in until August 5 th. Backpacks are needed for all ages. Suggested items needed include but are not limited to: pencils, notebook paper, crayons, markers, rulers, scissors, glue, etc. Be on the lookout for a more detailed supply list in the bulletin throughout the summer. Book Corner Check out this great summer read for kids..available in the GCPC Library Sparky and Millie s Ocean Adventure By: Alicia Knecht In this read aloud book, children will see God s handiwork in His creation and learn that our unique gifts are meant for serving others. (Ages 4-7) Presbytery s annual FISH (Fresh Ideas Start Here) training event will be held on Saturday, August 25. Many workshops are offered for different areas of ministry. Location and more information to follow.

7 June / July 2018 Page 7 Message from Maynard We have a lot happening in our church these days. Let me update you on three important issues. OUR YOUTH DIRECTOR. Jimmy Steele will be leaving us on July 1st when he becomes the youth director of Palms Presbyterian Church in Jacksonville Beach. He has done a great job here and we are grateful to him for his leadership. We wish him well where he is going. Our youth will continue to be in good hands for the next few months with our Interim Youth Director, Mike Beam. Mike has been working with our youth for a while and has a long history of service in other churches as a youth director. We are continuing to search for a youth director. We will keep you posted! OUR SISTER CHURCH, ORLANDO PRESBYTERIAN. The Orlando Presbyterian Church continues to worship at our church on Sundays at 5pm. I continue to serve as their supply pastor and will continue to do so through August 31st. We originally expected my work with them to conclude several months ago. Presbytery has formed an Administrative Commission to help the Orlando Presbyterian Church discern its future. This group of elders and pastors from other congregations has been given the authority to take action to close the congregation without any further approval from the Presbytery. The congregation is being given time to make proposals on how to continue as a church, and at this point there is a proposal from church members to close, while another group is continuing to study ways to continue. We should know something very soon about the future of our sister church. Scripture for June & July 3 Luke 4: Luke 15: Kings 5: Mark 4: Chronicles 24: 14-19, John 1: Kings 19: John 6: Psalm 23 GENERAL ASSEMBLY. The General Assembly is the national level of our church. It is made up of pastors and ruling elders elected by the presbyteries. I have often attended as an observer, and this year I will be a voting commissioner. Looking ahead, it seems that we are in for a cordial, collegial and peaceful gathering. Absent from the agenda are many of the important but divisive issues of the past assemblies, such as marriage and ordination concerns. What is present in the agenda are many motions and overtures that fall under the heading of A Way Forward. A lot of work has been done to consider how our denomination can move forward into the future. That promises to be an exciting part of our work at the assembly. The meeting will be June in St. Louis.

8 JUNE/JULY 2018 GRACE COVENANT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH Non-Profit Organization U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit No Orlando, FL Return Service Requested Sunday Worship: 8:30 & 10:45 a.m. Office Hours: Monday Thursday: 8:30 a.m. 3 p.m. Friday: 8:30 a.m. noon 1655 Peel Ave., Orlando, FL Phone: churchoffice@grace.to To: Dr. Maynard Pittendreigh Senior Pastor Candy Vander Weide Commissioned Lay Pastor Join the fun and raise some money for the GCPC Scholarship Fund!! Save the Date: Saturday, June 23, :30 pm - Conway Hall Ladies Day Handbag Bingo (...where the prizes are purses!) Presale Tickets = $10.00 (includes 4 cards for 8 games) Light refreshments will be served. For more information contact : Jane Heppner at or jane.heppner@gmail.com