Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church Asheville, North Carolina www.gcpcusa.org September 13, 2015 10:30 am...salvation is not something that happens only at the end of a person's life. Salvation happens every time someone with a key uses it to open a door he could lock instead. Barbara Brown Taylor Prelude All Glory Be to God on High Michael Burkhardt * Call to Worship God calls us by name in our dreaming and our waking; in the Divine voice and human voices. God comes to us in the silence and the noise; in the calm and the chaos. Always, God calls to us. Always, God comes to us. Let us now call God s name. Let us now come to God. Let us worship together.
* Hymn 305 Come Sing, O Church, in Joy! DARWALL S 148TH * Call to Reconciliation We break your heart, God of all the world, by the respectable lives we lead. Blessed by you with every gift, we practice thrift towards others. Forgive us for the pain we cause you and other people. Help us to make a clean break with those habits that keep us from wholeness. Open us to the movement of your Spirit within us. Teach us, feed us, encourage us in this moment so that we may go out into this world with love, passion, generosity, and humility. This we pray in Jesus name, Amen. * Prayer of Confession * Assurance of Forgiveness This is the good news we have to declare: God leads us out of the shadows to walk in the light of Christ. This is the word we have heard: our faithful God forgives us and raises us to new life. Thanks be to God. Amen. * Response * Passing of the Peace The Peace of Christ be with you. And also with you.
Prayer for Illumination Psalter New Testament The Word of the Lord Thanks be to God! The Word of the Lord Thanks be to God! Psalm 103:1-14 Acts 10:28-29; 44-48 Sermon Why are we here? Willie Jennings Silent Meditation * Hymn 322 We Are One in Christ Jesus SOMOS UNO (The choir will sing the hymn and the congregation will join on the repeat) Sacrament of Baptism for Lucas Alexander James Webb Son of Kenneth Earl Webb and Caroline Lowery Wyrosdick- Webb * Affirmation of Faith (from Iona Abbey Worship Book) Out of death came life, and God defeated evil: an empty cross and an empty tomb, a nail mark shown and a presence known. Out of sorrow came joy, and God sent the Spirit: coming like fire to all people and ages, coming to birth in the water of life. Out of difference came unity, and God's people were called: called to receive Christ in bread and wine, called to be free in the power of love. For when the Holy Spirit comes upon us, we will be filled with power, and be witnesses for Christ to the ends of the earth. Our Life Together (Please sign the Friendship Pad located in your pew) Offering (Please place prayer cards in the offering plate for the Prayers of the People) Prayer of Dedication Offertory Anthem Praise His Holy Name! Keith Hampton
* Response 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 320 The Church of Christ in Every Age WAREHAM * Charge and Benediction Postlude Postlude on CRUCIFER Charles W Ore (For some, the Postlude 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!) * Please Stand in Body or Spirit.
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. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - God Welcomes All. John Bell, (c) 2008 WGRG, Iona Community, administered by GIA Publications, Inc. Used by permission. Reprinted under copyright license Onelicense.net A- 724337 Thank You! Head Usher: Beth Kissling Our Life Together Thank you to Jeannette Williams for the flowers that decorate our sanctuary, given to the Glory of God, with thoughts and prayers for GCPC youth beginning a new academic year. God Bless. We are thrilled to have Dr. Willie Jennings with us in worship this morning. Dr. Jennings is the Associate Professor of Systematic Theology and Africana Studies at Yale Divinity School. Dr. Jennings teaches in the areas of systematic theology and black church and cultural studies. The author of numerous articles, his research interests include these areas as well as liberation theologies, cultural identities, and anthropology. Dr. Jennings is a native of Grand Rapids, Mich. An ordained Baptist minister, Professor Jennings has served as interim pastor of several North Carolina churches and continues to teach and preach in the local church. He is the winner of the 2015 Louisville Grawemeyer Award in Religion. Grow 2015 Fall Christian Education Kick- Off September 20 9:15 AM Two- Week Combined Adult Education Sermon Series Class Sept 20 & 27 Fellowship Hall Facilitated by: Kristy Farber, Rebecca Gurney, Samantha Gonzalez- Block, Cam Murchison, and Jeff Jones. On Sunday, September 20th, we begin a sermon series looking at Jesus who, after two thousand years of close study and worship, remains both unfathomable and intimate, hidden and revealed, and beyond our grasp even as he relentlessly moves toward us. We will ask each other: Who is the Jesus that I know? How do you see a different Jesus? How can we read the same books, the same Gospels, and be, at once, so certain and uncertain about different aspects of Jesus' identity, personality, and life? We'll talk together about some of these questions in our 2- week class as we look at images of Jesus in art, music, and popular culture. All children and youth Sunday School also begins on September 20
Journeys Class, Pressure Points and our new Bible Study Class will be joining this combined class and will begin meeting individually on Oct 11. Children s Choir (Cherub/Treble) Kick- Off Sunday, Sept 20 GCPC 4:30 6:00 PM (Cookout and First Rehearsal) Sundays 5:00 6:00 PM (regular meetings in the Fall) The Children s Choir will kick- off on Sunday, September 20, with a cookout and first rehearsal. Please join us with your children for the first day. Cherub Choir (Grades Kindergarten through 1) and Treble Choir (Grades 2 through 5) will meet on Sundays, 5:00 6:00pm this Fall. Registration forms will be available at the Congregational Retreat as well as on Sept 20, following morning worship. Questions? Contact Jeff (jjones @gcpcusa.org). Middle and High School Youth Group Kick- Off September 20 5:00 7:00 PM Fellowship Hall ARE YOUTH READY?! Middle and High school youth group is just around the corner and it is sure to be a blast! This fall will center around the theme, Hear Our Call, and will be filled with fun fellowship and mission service opportunities. All are welcome. We look forward to seeing you there! (There are still spaces available for Adult Volunteers). Questions? Contact Samantha at sgblock@gcpcusa.org. Handbell Choir Begins Monday, September 21 GCPC 6:00 7:30 PM (rehearsals begin) Mondays 6:00 7:30 PM (regular rehearsals in the Fall) Handbell Choir is open to high school age and adults. A musical background and music reading abilities are extremely helpful but not necessary. Questions? Want to participate? Contact Jeff (jjones@gcpcusa.org). September Circle meetings #3 Sept 28 7 PM Sophia Ungert s Home, 31 Sareva Pl #4 Sept 10 7 PM Jane Sutton s Home, 6 Holmwood Rd Leader: Jane Lee Vondette #5 Sept 14 10 AM Betsy Wilson s Home, 10 Northwood Rd Leader: Susie Churchfield Serve A Day of Service to Stop Hunger Sunday, October 4 1:15 5 PM Let s Help Stop Hunger Together! In Western North Carolina, approximately 108,000 people do not have access to three meals a day. There IS something WE can do to help. Participate in any of the day s exciting events or sponsor our GCPC Crop Walkers. Contact Nancy to RSVP for Crop Walk or to donate (nquick@gcpcusa.org). Crop Hunger Walk 1:15 PM Meet at GCPC for carpool 1:45 PM Meet at First Baptist Church (Crop Walk begins promptly at 2pm) 2:45 PM Snacks and rest at GCPC Service Project 3:15 PM Service project at GCPC, packaging beans and rice for Pine Ridge Indian Reservation Dinner & Presentation (5pm Pick- up) 4:00 PM Share a meal with Mission Co- Workers, Mark Hare & Jenny Bent- Hare and learn about Joining Hands with Haiti
Room In the Inn Sept 27 Oct 4 Volunteers & Donations of Food Needed Please look for the sign- up sheet in the narthex, beginning today. You can also sign- up online. Please see our web site under SERVE/Room in the Inn or the Thursday Weekly News email to sign up. Questions? Contact Nan Clarke (frauclarke41@gmail.com) or Susan Presson (4pressons@gmail.com). Thank you for your help! Nursery Volunteer Needed Would you like to spend time with some of GCPC's youngest children? We have been lining up our Sunday morning nursery volunteers for the coming year and only have ONE opening left to fill. This is only a commitment for 6 Sundays a year. Please email Nancy Quick, nquick@gcpcusa.org, as soon as you can to snatch up this opportunity! Painters Needed Youth Room We are looking for a few painters to help us spruce up the Youth Room as the new year begins! We only have four walls to do and could get it done in less than a day. If interested, please contact Sandra Dykes, dykes.sandra@gmail.com. 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 and Pastor Search Committee; Frank Wilson (Martha Kisiah's nephew); Linda Albin (Les & Susan Stradley's friend); Matt Lyles (Fred & Heather Hudson s friend); JoDell Hawthorne (Donna Robertson's cousin); Frances Buchanan (Brian Buchanan's mother); Dorothy LaRue Sloane (Donna Robertson's cousin); Natalie DeVito (Karen Rohls' daughter); Tricia & Steve Minnick (Mary Lou Nash's friends); Pam Morrell (Penny Ponder's daughter); Susie Moore (Ray Kisiah s sister); Lindsae Becker (Tyler Ander s friend); Brenda Taylor (Florence Riedesel s cousin); Bob McMillan (Ashley Park s father); Ian Craig (Mary Craig s son); George Dowdle (Karen Rohls friend); Carson Harris (Susie Wheelis father); Sophia Anderson (Ginnie Stevens granddaughter); Heath & Peggy Rada (Moderator of the PCUSA General Assembly); Barrett & Ali Payne (Commissioned to Columbia Seminary); Mark & Heather Merritt (Commissioned to Columbia Seminary); Richard Simons; Janet Bondurant; Jack & Betty Smith; Mimi Aldridge; Bettie Pritchard; Sarah Harwell; Mary Ellen Horne; Susan Stradley; Diane Chambers; Robin Gaiser; Virginia Bradley; Jane Lee Vondette; Lois and Donald Dossey; Hettie Lou Garland Our sympathy and support are extended to Susie Wheelis, Callie Davis and Erin Greene, on the death of their father and grandfather, Carson Harris. Next Sunday, September 20, 2015 Worship Service at 10:30 AM Combined Adult Education Class 9:15 AM Summer Courtyard Fellowship at 11:30 AM [Childcare available through 5 th Grade] Sermon: Where d he go? by Kristy Farber Scriptures: Mark 6:1-16
CALENDAR Sunday 13 9:15 AM Adult SS class 10:30 AM Worship 11:30 PM Child Protection Policy training 11:30 AM Summer Courtyard Fellowship 4:00 PM Worship at Westminster Pres. (15 Overbrook Pl.) Monday 14 6:00 PM Building Committee Tuesday 15 9:00 AM Prayer Group Wednesday 16 7:00 PM Chancel Choir Saturday 19 8:30 AM CPR/AED training Sunday 20 8:30 AM Worship 9:15 AM Education kick off 10:30 AM Worship 11:30 PM Deacons 4:00 PM PW Coordinating Team 4:00 PM Worship at Westminster Pres. (15 Overbrook Pl.) 5:00 PM Children s choir 5:00 PM Youth group