Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church Asheville, North Carolina

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Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church Asheville, North Carolina www.gcpcusa.org April 10, 2016 10:30 am Third Sunday of Easter Calling St.

1 Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church Asheville, North Carolina April 10, :30 am Third Sunday of Easter Calling St. Paul by He Qi The Apostle Paul reminds us that whoso would be a Christian must also be a nonconformist. Any Christian who blindly accepts the opinions of the majority and in fear and timidity follows a path of expediency and social approval is a mental and spiritual slave. ~Martin Luther King, Jr. Prelude Jubilate arr. Alice Jordan Introit Come, Christians, Join to Sing Benjamin Carr * Call to Worship Now is the time to sing, to sing the good news of God, who awakens us with dawn s embrace, who surrounds us with joy and life. Now is the time to offer praise to God, in every place, with every voice, to rejoice in the One who leads us through each moment with a gentle hand and a word of hope. Now is the time to join all creation in extolling God, from the depths of the sea to the farthest galaxies. We will sing the good news of Easter! We will rejoice in the God who loves us! * Hymn 369 Blessing and Honor O QUANTA QUALIA * Call to Reconciliation

2 * Prayer of Confession Now that Easter is done and gone, Holy One, we hear less of the special music, but listen again to temptation s familiar refrains, wandering the crooked streets of our old haunts, doing things the way they have always been done. God, you know the way out of our messy lives, and so take us by the hand to lead us. Wipe our busy schedules off our calendars so we may spend more time with those who need our love and attention. Challenge us to live beyond our worries and to lean into the grace, wonder, and mercy offered to us by Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen. * Assurance of Forgiveness Why should we weep? Joy comes to us this morning, and every moment of our lives. The Lamb of God has come, to share mercy and hope with us, so we can praise our God with joyous hearts. We will lift glad songs of joy, for all the blessings God has given to us. We will offer our hearts and hands in love and serve to others. Thanks be to God, we are forgiven! Amen. * Response

3 * Passing of the Peace Faith Sharing with Children Prayer for Illumination The Peace of Christ be with you. And also with you. First New Testament Reading Acts 9:1-20 The Word of the Lord Thanks be to God! Second New Testament Reading Revelation 5:11-14 The Word of the Lord Thanks be to God! Sermon The Making of Paul Paul Roberts Silent Meditation * Hymn 450 Be Thou My Vision SLANE * Affirmation of Faith (from A Brief Statement of Faith) In life and in death we belong to God. Through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, we trust in the one triune God, the Holy One of Israel, whom alone we worship and serve. In everlasting love, the God of Abraham and Sarah chose a covenant people to bless all families of the earth. Hearing their cry, God delivered the children of Israel from the house of bondage. Loving us still, God makes us heirs with Christ of the covenant. Like a mother who will not forsake her nursing child, like a father who runs to welcome the prodigal home, God is faithful still. With believers in every time and place, we rejoice that nothing in life or in death can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen. Our Life Together (Please sign the pad located in your pew)

4 Offering (Please place prayer cards in the offering plate for the Prayers of the People) (All One Great Hour of Sharing banks and collections can be placed in the baskets on the sanctuary stairs) Prayer of Dedication Offertory Anthem My Eternal King Jane Marshall * Doxology Prayers of the People Each section of the prayer will conclude: God, in your grace Please respond: Hear our prayer The Lord s Prayer Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name, Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, And the glory, forever. Amen * Hymn 826 Lift High the Cross CRUCIFER * Charge and Benediction Postlude Crucifer Charles Ore

(For some, the Voluntary serves as festive music to accompany their going back out into the world. Others prefer to remain seated and listen. Please be mindful of these different needs as you depart.

5 (For some, the Voluntary serves as festive music to accompany their going back out into the world. Others prefer to remain seated and listen. Please be mindful of these different needs as you depart. Thank you!) We gather to worship God who is larger than all our imagination! We encourage all persons to sing the gender nouns and pronouns they prefer in referring to God. * Please Stand in Body or Spirit. Thank You! Head Usher: Beth Kissling Our Life Together Thank you to Jeannette Williams for the flowers that decorate the sanctuary this morning, given to the glory of God and in loving memory of her mother, Jeannette Ralph. Building Committee Project Update The contractor selected to replace the roof and repair associated damage will begin their effort on April 18. The contractor expects 3-4 week to complete. Please pay attention to the areas marked off with cones and tape during this period. Sunday, April 10, the Building Committee will be in the narthex from 9:30 until noon to share plan options for the kitchen and bathrooms. Please stop by with your questions or suggestions. Thank you all for your encouragement, patience, and support during this effort. Grow Lord's Supper Workshop April 17, 9:15 (Education Hour) Fellowship Hall We welcome all elementary aged children and their parents to join Samantha, Rebecca, Cam and Heather at the family table as we explore this sacrament of our faith. We will be looking at the offerings we give to each other and the offerings Jesus gave to us. Please bring canned goods or spare change, if you are able! Serve All Church Service Day New Date: Saturday, April 16 9 AM 12 PM We are thrilled to be spending this year's service day, which celebrates the life of Aimee Wallis Buchanan, at Calvary Presbyterian Church. We will be helping with outdoor and indoor beautification projects. Everyone is welcome and needed! Please wear long pants and long sleeves for yard work and bring work gloves, loppers, and tarps if you have them. We will meet at Calvary at 9 AM (44 Circle St., Asheville, NC 28801). Children are welcome, but childcare is available at GCPC if needed. For childcare, you must RSVP to nquick@gcpcusa.org by Tuesday, April 12th. Marketplace AD, 2016 Thursday, April AM 12 PM First Presbyterian Calling all volunteers! Our first workday is coming up and we need your help. We will be doing craft prep to get ready for the vacation bible school. Please Heather, hgast@gcpcusa.org, if you would like to help.

6 Pritchard Park Sunday, April 17 Pritchard Park Breakfast Ministry is coming up. We need both food and servers. Sign-up will be in the Narthex today and April 10! Any questions, please contact David Bailey, or Extra RITI Needs April GCPC Fellowship Hall We've just learned from the preceding church that things that would be helpful for the women would be: nail polish, women's tops and pants (mostly larger sizes), extra yarn (one of the women crochets), purses or bags, and good books and magazines. Please leave these in the RITI box at the info station near the nametags. Thank you Global Mission Prayer Partners! Each month we share prayer support for one of our Global Mission Partners. April prayer partners are matched with women participating in the Guatemala Microloan Project. (The Guatemala Microloan Project is a joint project between the Presbyterian Women from the Suchitepéquez and Sur Occidente Presbyteries in Guatemala and the Presbyterian Women of the Western North Carolina Presbytery.) Karen is praying for the success of the Presbyterian Women s Guatemala Microloan Project; Donald is praying for Maria with her business of selling propane and pure water; Kelly s family is praying for Cristina, Lesvia and Claudia s family business raising chickens, growing bananas, and making and selling tortillas; Erskine and Nan are praying for the success of Amalia s sewing business; Flori, Ted, Collier and Charlie are praying Lesbia s bicycle tire business; Cathy and Jim are praying for Monica s home based business selling clothing and home furnishings. In May, our prayer partners will be those who work with Mark Hare and Jenny Bent in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Care 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.] Jerusalem Church congregation; Linda Albin (Les & Susan Stradley's friend); JoDell Hawthorne (Donna Robertson's cousin); Natalie DeVito (Karen Rohls' daughter); Tricia & Steve Minnick (Mary Lou Nash's friends); Susie Moore (Ray Kisiah s sister); Lindsae Becker (Tyler Anders friend); Bob McMillan (Ashley Park s father); Ian Craig (Mary Craig s son); Kathy Dowdle (Karen Rohls friend); Miranda Roop (Cindy Roop s sister); Jose Palacios (Marie Palacios husband); Pam Morrell (Penny Ponder s daughter); Betsy Needle (Robin Gaiser s friend); Debbie Bartlet (Laura Ross friend); Greg Young (Leslie Sharpe s brother); April Alexander (Robbie Hassall s friend); Bob Keever (Cynthia Keever s dad); Bill Ross (Jonathan Ross dad); Penny Mattice (Pete Mattice s mother and Tiffany Kinnaird s grandmother); Bob Coffin (Jeanne Coffin s uncle); Emma, Savannah and Summer; Heath & Peggy Rada (Moderator of the PCUSA General Assembly); Barbara McLean (Moderator of WNC Presbytery); Barrett & Ali Payne (In Seminary); Mark & Heather Merritt (In Seminary); Jack & Betty Smith; Mimi Aldridge; Susan Stradley; Virginia Bradley; Lois and Donald Dossey; Hettie Lou Garland; Jane Lee Vondette; Gerry Simons; Diane Chambers; Joyce Summerlin

7 Annual Presbyterian Women s Spiritual Retreat Saturday, April 23 9:30 AM 12:30 PM Black Mountain Children s Home Swannanoa All women of the church are invited to attend. Reverend Lynn Bledsoe will lead a two-hour interactive workshop titled Cultivating Spiritual Presence. Cost for lunch is $6.00. For more information and reservations contact Cathy Froehlich at or at oremont2@gmail.com by April 20. Youth News Youth Group "Haywood Street Congregation Visit" Meet/pick up GCPC parking lot TODAY, Sunday, April 10 *4:45 7:15 PM What does it mean to live like Christ? Just as Jesus befriended people from all walks of life, Haywood Street Congregation provides a community where everyone is welcome. GCPC's own Emily Bentley will host us as we explore this vital local ministry through worship, food, and fellowship. This is a not-to-miss event! Next Sunday s Education for All Ages 9:15 AM Pressure Points Library Pressure Points class explores thorny issues that challenge us and the 21st century church. During April and May members of our congregation as well as church staff will lead us in exploring the Problem and Possibility of Prayer. What is your relationship with prayer? What is prayer? All are welcomed to learn, listen and question together. Journeys Jerusalem Room The Journeys class discusses and analyzes everything from scriptural texts, to historical expressions of faith, to current writings. In April we will spend four weeks discussing the life and writings of Peter. Each class is conceived as a stand-alone unit, so come as you are able. On April 17 th, we will focus on the book of 1 Peter. Bible Study Sunroom Over the course of this year, we will be diving into scripture as we study a book of the Bible together. No preparation needed, just show up. Currently we are studying the gospel of Mark. CHILDREN & YOUTH EDUCATION [Contact Heather or Samantha] Preschool: Parable of the Good Shepherd Elementary: Lord s Supper Workshop Middle School & Senior High Are you ready to get ready? Youth Sunday is coming up next month and we are excited to continue planning together. Meet Katie Smith in the Senior High room and bring your great energy and ideas. We are excited to make this year's worship experience awesome and meaningful. See you there! Next Sunday, April 17, 2016 Fourth Sunday of Easter Education Hour at 9:15 AM Worship at 8:30 AM & 10:30 AM Sermon: Get Up by Rebecca Gurney Scripture: Acts 9:32-43

CALENDAR Sunday 10 Room In The Inn week 8:30 AM Worship 9:15 AM Education Hour 10:30 AM Worship 4:45 PM Youth Group 5:00 PM Children s choir Monday 11 7:00 PM Save Our Sanity Tuesday 12 8:45 AM 12

8 CALENDAR Sunday 10 Room In The Inn week 8:30 AM Worship 9:15 AM Education Hour 10:30 AM Worship 4:45 PM Youth Group 5:00 PM Children s choir Monday 11 7:00 PM Save Our Sanity Tuesday 12 8:45 AM 12 Baskets Cafe 9:00 AM Prayer Group 6:00 PM Serve Wednesday 13 11:00 AM Bible study 6:00 PM Handbell choir 7:00 PM Chancel choir Friday 15 5:30 PM real.life.stories rehearsal Saturday 16 5:00 PM Parents Night Out Sunday 17 Pritchard Park 8:30 AM Worship 9:15 AM Education Hour 9:15 AM Lord s Supper Workshop 10:30 AM Worship 11:30 AM Deacons 4:00 PM Children s choir 4:00 PM PW Coordinating team 4:30 PM Ave M

Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church Asheville, North Carolina

Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church Asheville, North Carolina www.gcpcusa.org April 24, 2016 10:30 am Fifth Sunday of Easter Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. ~ from Romans 12 Prelude