GraceCovenantPresbyterianChurchAsheville,NorthCarolina
www.gcpcusa.org
December27,2015–10:30am
Itcamewithoutribbons!Itcamewithouttags!Itcamewithoutpackages,boxesorbags!...ThentheGrinchthoughtofsomethinghehadn'tbefore!
"MaybeChristmas,"hethought,"doesn'tcomefromastore.MaybeChristmas...perhaps...meansalittlebitmore!"
~Dr.Seuss
PreludeCarolSingHymn145 WhatChildisThis GREENSLEEVES
Hymn113 AngelsWeHaveHeardonHighGLORIA Hymn134 JoytotheWorld ANTIOCHFaithSharingwithChildren*CalltoWorship
Come,allwhoseektobefedbyfaith.Thetimeofrejoicingisuponus!Letusrejoice!OurheartsaremadegladbythepromiseofGod!Christisbornandcallsustonewlife!Letusrejoice!
* Hymn152 WhatStarIsThis,withBeamsSoBrightPUERNOBISNASCITUR
*CalltoReconciliation
* PrayerofConfession Lightoftheworld,yougaveusthebirthofJesusasalightforourpath.Yetweconfessthatwestillshutoureyestothelight.Lightthepathofloveandjusticeonceagain—thatwemightbelightforourworld,aswearemadewholebyyourlove.Amen.
* AssuranceofForgivenessWhatawondrousgiftisgiven!Wewillrejoiceandbeglad!Friends,believeandlivethegoodnews:InJesusChrist,weareforgiven!
* Response
* PassingofthePeace ThePeaceofChristbewithyou. Andalsowithyou.
PrayerforIllumination OldTestament Isaiah9:2-7 TheWordoftheLord ThanksbetoGod!
Hymn146 GentleMaryLaidHerChildTEMPUSADESTFLORIDUM Gospel Luke2:8-20 TheWordoftheLord ThanksbetoGod!
Sermon “ThePerfectionofChristmas” CamMurchison SilentMeditation* Hymn120 WhereShepherdsLatelyKnelt MANGERSONG*AffirmationofFaith(fromJohn1)
InthebeginningwastheWord,andtheWordwaswithGod,andtheWordwasGod.HewasinthebeginningwithGod.Allthingscameintobeingthroughhim,andwithouthimnotonethingcameintobeing.Whathascomeintobeinginhimwaslife,andthelifewasthelightofallpeople.Thelightshinesinthedarkness,andthedarknessdidnotovercomeit.Amen.
OurLifeTogether(PleasesigntheFriendshipPadlocatedinyourpew) Offering(PleaseplaceprayercardsintheofferingplateforthePrayersofthePeople) PrayerofDedication Offertory Go,TellItontheMountain arr.MarkHayes
* Doxology
PrayersofthePeople
Eachsectionoftheprayerwillconclude:“God,inyourgrace” Pleaserespond:“Hearourprayer” TheLord’sPrayer
OurFather,whoartinheaven,Hallowedbethyname,Thykingdomcome,thywillbedone,Onearthasitisinheaven.
Giveusthisdayourdailybread;andforgiveusourdebts,
asweforgiveourdebtors;andleadusnotintotemptation,
butdeliverusfromevil.Forthineisthekingdom,andthepower,
Andtheglory,forever.Amen.
*Hymn136Go,TellItontheMountain GOTELLIT* ChargeandBenediction
Postlude AFrenchNoel LouisClaudeDaquin
(Forsome,thePosludeservesasfestivemusictoaccompanytheirgoingbackoutintotheworld.Othersprefertoremainseatedandlisten.Pleasebemindfulofthesedifferentneedsasyoudepart.Thankyou!)
*PleaseStandinBodyorSpirit.
WegathertoworshipGodwhoislargerthanallourimagination!Weencourageallpersonstosingthegendernounsandpronouns
theypreferinreferringtoGod.
OurLifeTogether…
ThankYou!HeadUsher:PaulTescione|Liturgist:JordanStokes
WednesdayBibleStudyWillNOTMeetDecember30.NOEducationHourJanuary3.
DearFriends,Asyouknow,KristyFarberhasacceptedanewcallinherministry.TheSessionhasapprovedatransitionplanforwhenKristyleavesGCPCasoutlinedintheemailsentoutonSundayDecember13.TheSessionandtheTransitionTeaminviteanywhowouldliketofurtherdiscussthesechangestomeetinthesanctuarytodayafterworship.Transitionteammembers:JeromeJones,SusanPropst,JimWallis,MaryLouNashorJordanStokes.MeetingoftheCongregation|Sunday,January3|11:30AM|Sanctuary
1. ConcurringintherequestofKristyFarbertothePresbyterythathercallasAssociatePastorofGraceCovenantbedissolved.
2. VotingtochangethetermsofRebeccaGurney'scallasDesignatedAssociatePastorbyaddingfivehoursaweekandextendingthedurationofhercallthroughDecember31,2016.
3. ActingonareportfromtheNominatingCommitteetoelectEldersandDeaconsforthenexttermofservice.
GoodbyePartyforKristyFarber!|Sunday,January3|11:45AM|FellowshipHall
Kristy’slastSundaypreachingatGraceCovenantwillbeJanuary10.WewillbecelebratingherwithareceptiononJanuary3rdafterworship.IfyouwouldliketomakeamonetarygifttoKristyinhonorofheralmostsixyearsofservicetoGraceCovenant,Asheville,andbeyond,KateShemwillbecollectingcontributionsthroughJanuary10thtopresentherwithoneconsolidatedgift.Pleasecontactheratkateshem@gmail.comformoreinformationorbringyourgifttotheofficetoHeatherGast.
Grow2016WinterWomen’sMemoirSeries|6:15PM|LibraryJoinusforaseriesofbooktalksfocusingonmemoirswrittenbypeopleoffaith.HostedbyHeatherGast,RebeccaGurney,andSamanthaGonzalez-Blockandopentoallwomenofthechurch.OnecopyofeachbookcanbefoundinthenewlyrevampedlibraryannexupstairsintheMemorialGardenOverlook.Pleasepre-readthebookstoensurelivelydiscussionbutcomeeitherway! Jan.11|StoriesofMyLife|KatherinePatterson Feb.17|TheNewYorkRegionalMormonSinglesHalloweenDance|ElnaBaker Mar.14|BreathingSpace:ASpiritualJourneyintheSouthBronx|HeidiNeumark
ServeBackyardBBQattheVeteransRestorationQuarters|1stTuesdayoftheMonthForthepast7yearsateamfromGCPChascookedandservedahamburgersupperforveteransthefirstTuesdayofeachmonth.Youcanjointhemforoneeveningorlongterm.Aftercookingandservingjointheveteransatthetabletosharethemeal.Reservationsarenotrequired.Comearound4:30andyouwillhaveajob.
Graduatingfromcollegeanddon'thaveyournextstepplannedout?CometotheHandsandFeet-YoungAdultVolunteer(YAV)coffeesocialandlearnabouthowyoucanspendyournextyearlivinginintentionalcommunitywhileservingthosewholiveonthemarginsandengageinspiritualandvocationalexploration.Over20nationalandinternationalsitestochoosefrom!Tuesday,January5thatEdna's(870MerrimonAve.)from6:00-7:30PM.ToRSVPorwithquestions,contactSelenaHilemonathandsandfeetavl@[email protected](828-273-2983).FossilFuelDivestmentOvertureConsidertheissuessurroundingthedivestmentovertureonwhichPresbyterywillvoteJanuary30,2016.Ateamofknowledgeablepeoplewillbeonhandtoidentifythemajorissues,toconsidertheoverturefrommultiplepointsofview,andtocontributetoaninformeddecision.HeldatBlackMountainPresbyterianChurchonSaturday,January9from10AM-12PM.NorthAshevilleWinterTailgateMarketBEGINSSaturday,January9|10-12:30PM|GCPCFellowshipHallTheNorthAshevilleWinterTailgate,sponsoredbytheYMCAwillopenintheGraceCovenantFellowshipHallonSaturday,January9,2016.
YouthNewsTherewillbeNOyouthgrouptoday.WewillbestartingbackuponSunday,January3,2016from5-7PM.NashvilleHereWeCome!!!!**PleaseturninfullamountforYouthMissionEducationTrip**WearethrilledthattwentyofouryouthandchaperoneswillbeinNashvillefromFriday,January15-Monday,January18.Thecostis$195.Ifyouhaveregisteredandpaidthe$50deposit,pleaseturnintherestoftheamount($145)toNancy'sbox.
SAVETHEDATESFORMONTREATYOUTHCONFERENCES2016!!!Montreatiscomingupthissummerandregistrationtimewillbeavailablesoon.WewillbeheadingtotheMiddleSchoolYouthConference(July20-24)andtheSeniorHighYouthConferenceII(June12-18).Ourhouseisalreadyreserved!
CommunityGardenSimpleRecipesfromyourkitchenCrossroadsMissionMagazinepublishedanarticleonGCPCgardeningintheirfallissue.Theynowareonamissiontobringmoreattentiontohungerandfooddeserts.Theywillusesidebarsinthearticletosharerecipesfromcommunitygardenersthatarequick,simpleandnutritious.Emailbuzzdurham@gmail.comyour3bestrecipestoshareandhopefullytheywillbeselectedtopublish!Planningour2016cropsandcalendarPlanningforspring2016isunderway.Ifyouhaveideas,nowisthetimetobringthemforward.SendanemailtoBuzz([email protected])withyoursuggestions.ThankstoWin,wehaveaddedasignificantgarliccropandwillplantaspringcropofbrusselssprouts.2016:Jan.11:deliverseedstoFirstStep March14:pickupourrobusttransplantsMarch19at9AM:plantthegarden.
CarePrayerList[Wearehappytoprayforanyonewhoisinneed.Concernswillstayonthislistforamonthunlesswehearotherwise.Pleasekeepusupdated.]JerusalemChurchcongregation;LindaAlbin(Les&SusanStradley'sfriend);JoDellHawthorne(DonnaRobertson'scousin);FrancesBuchanan(BrianBuchanan'smother);DorothyLaRueSloane(DonnaRobertson'scousin);NatalieDeVito(KarenRohls'daughter);Tricia&SteveMinnick(MaryLouNash'sfriends);SusieMoore(RayKisiah’ssister);LindsaeBecker(TylerAnder’sfriend);BrendaTaylor(FlorenceRiedesel’scousin);BobMcMillan(AshleyPark’sfather);IanCraig(MaryCraig’sson);GeorgeDowdle(KarenRohls’friend);JoyceFox(GinnieStevens’sister);DebbieStrong(RobinGaiser’scousin);PamMorrell(PennyPonder’sdaughter);RitaDiGiantomasso(KarenRohls’sister);BettyHorne(MaryEllenHorne’smother);RudyFenk(CathyFroehlich’sfather)Heath&PeggyRada(ModeratorofthePCUSAGeneralAssembly);Barrett&AliPayne(InSeminary);Mark&HeatherMerritt(InSeminary);Emma,SavannahandSummer;RichardSimons;Jack&BettySmith;MimiAldridge;SusanStradley;VirginiaBradley;LoisandDonaldDossey;HettieLouGarland;SarahHarwell;JulieHolladay
2016FlowerChart(onbulletinboardnexttotheelevator) PleaseconsidersigninguptogivetheflowersoneSunday.Allthat’sneeded,aftersigningup,istoemailNancyyourdedicationfortheSundaybulletinandwhatyouwantordered,andsendinyourcheckfor$40.
NextSunday,January3,2016SecondSundayAfterChristmas
NOEducationHourWorshipat10:30AM
Sermon:“TheSwitch”byKristyFarberScriptures:Jeremiah31:7-14;John1:1-18
CALENDAR December
Sunday 27 10:30AM Worship Monday 28 OfficeclosedJanuary
Friday 1 OfficeclosedSunday 3 9:00AM GodlyPlaytraining
10:30AM Worship 11:30AM CongregationalMeeting
FollowedbyreceptionforKristy5:00PM Children’sChoirs 5:00PM YouthGroup
