Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church

Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church Asheville, North Carolina www.gcpcusa.org

April 2, 2017 – 10:30 am Fifth Sunday in Lent Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper









...the bearer of our countless hopes and expectations. We give them our trust. We give them our effort. What we ask in return is that they stay true. ~ William Ayot, "A Word from the Led"

Bell Toll



Prelude

There Is a Balm in Gilead

J. P. Carney, soloist * Call to Worship (adapted from Psalm 23)



* Hymn 610











Lynn Petersen















The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want The Lord leads me to the good grass I always have what I need The Lord comforts me And leads me by fresh, flowing streams Even when I walk in the shadow of death The Lord is always with me and always loves me.

O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing





AZMON

* Call to Reconciliation

















Psalm 51:1-2









* Prayer of Confession God of grace and mercy, We confess how hard it is to trust you sometimes. We say we want to follow you, but when life gets hard we try to go it alone. Forgive us for all the ways we try to take short cuts through the hard times. Forgive us for all the ways we try to avoid dealing with the truth. Renew in us the capacity to hear your voice. Help us trust that you know exactly what we need. Amen. * Kyrie (Kyrie Eleison – “Lord, have mercy”)

* Assurance of Forgiveness



* Passing of the Peace The Peace of Christ be with you. And also with you. Our Life Together (Please sign the pad located in your pew) Prayer for Illumination Old Testament Psalm 23 The Word of the Lord Thanks be to God!

Anthem New Testament

Homily

Angus Dei





The Word of the Lord Thanks be to God!











Robert Ray

Matthew 18:12-14; Luke 15:1-7



“The Good Shepherd” Marcia Mount Shoop Sacrament of the Lord's Supper

Invitation to The Table Prayer of Thanksgiving The Lord be with you. And also with you. Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give God thanks and praise! 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. The Bread And The Cup Please come forward by the middle aisle, beginning with the front pews. Take a piece of bread, dip it in the cup. Return to your pew by the outside aisles. You may also be served in your pew. All bread is gluten-free. (For support during the silence of Communion, please see insert.) Prayer After Communion

Offering (Please place prayer cards in the offering plate for the Prayers of the People) Offertory I Want Jesus to Walk with Me Lynn Petersen * Doxology





* Prayer of Dedication God our Loving Parent and our Good Shepherd, Thank you for all the ways you provide for us and attend to our needs. Bless these gifts as an expression of our gratitude and our hope. Help them to be instruments of your generosity and care. Amen.

* Hymn 803



My Shepherd Will Supply My Need





RESIGNATION



* Charge and Benediction (Children will be invited to come forward and help take the remaining Communion elements out for a life-giving purpose)

Postlude He Shall Feed His Flock -------------------------------------------------







G. F. Handel

(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!) * Please Stand in Body or Spirit.



We gather to worship God who is larger than all our imaginations! We encourage all persons to sing the gender nouns and pronouns they prefer in referring to God.



WORSHIP NOTE:

Invitation to the Table for Everyone

Everyone of all ages is welcome at the Lord's Table.

A special thank you to our 4th and 5th grade communion servers and worship leaders today. Earlier this morning they, along with other elementary school children, participated in a Lord's Supper Workshop to learn more about this important sacrament.



Our Life Together…





Thank You! Head Usher: Betsy Wilson | Liturgists: GCPC 4th and 5th graders

Deacon of the Week: John Curry, email: [email protected] Lend a Potted Plant for Easter Bring your daffodils, tulips, hyacinth, or hydrangeas to the narthex before noon on Saturday, April 15, between 9:30 AM and 12 noon. They will be used to decorate the sanctuary on Easter Sunday. Please wrap them in silver foil and have a saucer. Place a note with your name inside the foil so it can be returned to you after church. Questions? Contact Susie Churchfield at 828-633-1301. For God So Loved the World... During Lent, please bring in pictures of people to add to our interactive display in the narthex. These can be people in your family, people who are your friends, people you know, people you don’t know, people from magazines….all people...as we celebrate how wide God's love is.

Serve VRQ—BBQ Cook Team | First Tuesday of each Month | Next cook date: April 4 If you would like to join the list of Veteran Restoration Quarter’s cooks and servers please email [email protected] . By joining you will receive a monthly notification. If it fits your schedule for that date, you will come at 4:15 to cook or 5:45 to serve the evening meal. After serving, you may join the veterans and share the meal and conversation. You will be back on the road by 7. No clean-up. This mission service has a long history and we would love for you to be a part of the camaraderie and fellowship. Questions? Contact Jim Wallis ([email protected]) or Sergio Kavalhuna ([email protected]). Onion planting in the World Garden | Sunday, April 9 | 11:30 AM Join Buzz Durham and Heather Gast immediately following worship in the World Garden. We will be planting onions and working on onion artwork to complete our World Garden sign. Come get your hands a little dirty and your heart full! Earth Team Meeting | Sunday, April 9 | 11:30 AM | Conference Room Join the new and re-energized EARTH TEAM, formerly Caring for Creation(C4C)! We’re looking for young/old/new/experienced people who have a great love for God’s Creation. We will be planning EARTH Sunday (June 18) and also future programs for Grace Covenant and the community with movies, hikes, speakers, book discussions, lifestyle ideas, personal reflection, etc. Please come join us as we begin on this new adventure for our congregation. Questions? Email Susan Presson at [email protected].

Time for PRITCHARD PARK again! | Sunday, April 16 – Easter Sign-ups for the next Pritchard Park are in the Narthex today, April 2 and Sunday, April 9. (Last month we were subbing for a church that needed help.) Food donations and volunteers are needed. Questions? Please contact David Bailey at 777-3990 or email him at [email protected]. One Great Hour of Sharing | Fish Bank Pick-ups: Narthex | Collection: April 9 Our gifts from this Presbyterian offering support ministries of disaster response, refugee assistance and resettlement, and community development. Please take one home and collect your spare change (or bills and checks!) and return it to church on April 9th, Palm Sunday. For more info, please refer to the inserts on credenzas.

Care

SOS ~ Save Our Sanity | 6 - 8 PM | Monday, April 3 | Habitat Brewery This month’s SOS has a salsa dancing twist! All ages and levels are welcome to join Samantha for dancing and fellowship. See detailed description under Grow.

Children in Worship We are extremely grateful to have so many children part of our worship each week at Grace Covenant! We want our service to be meaningful to everyone....and here are a few things that may be helpful for children joining us... *Worship Bags-take a bag from the basket in the narthex to bring into the sanctuary. There are activities that go along with the weekly scripture and service. *Notebooks/Books-Feel free to borrow a book, bible or notebook from the shelf near the worship bags to read or draw during the service. There are additional children's books on the library shelves in the information station. You may borrow these for worship or to take home...just bring them back when you are done! *Balcony Bucket/Shelf-There is a bucket with activities that tie into the service each week along with sets of crayons, scissors, etc. Feel free to use these each week during the service! 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; Bob Keever (Cynthia Keever’s father); Margo Steyer (Mother (in-law) of Lynne & Rick Noble); Natalie DeVito (Karen Rohl’s daughter); Bob Root (Al Root’s brother); David Chiles (Angela Kemper’s dad); Carole Edwards (Bonnie Parker’s sister); Bobbie Whitener (Les and Susan Stradley’s friend); Sherry Harcke (Les and Susan Stradley’s friend); Elizabeth Nealon (Susan Mims’ friend); Irene Roop (Laura Ross’ grandmother); Kathy Robrecht (Beth Robrecht’s sister-in-law); Dey Family (Esther Colton’s friends); Barrett & Ali Payne; Virginia Bradley; Hettie Lou Garland; Dot Holladay; Sheryl Aikman & family; Jerry Bleckley; Becky Stradley; Mimi Aldridge; David Fillpot; Teresa Stern; Eve Rollins; Dave Nash; Juanita Schneider; Florence Riedesel

Our sympathy and support are extended to the family of long-time GCPC member, Jayne Patton, who died on Monday, March 27 at Highland Farms. Please keep her family in your prayers.

Youth News No youth news this weekend.

Next Sunday’s Education for All Ages | 9:15 AM

Adult Education Offerings during Lent

Asking the Hard Questions: Pressure Points | Choir Room This class explores thorny issues and new ideas that challenge us, the 21st century church, where we live—at the intersection of our faith and the world. Lent | We are now reading How God Became God: What Scholars Are Really Saying About the Bible, by Richard Smoley. We will focus on Chapters 5 & 6 for April 9. Class Hosts: Denise Snodgrass, Bill and Anne Satterfield

The Improv: Responsive Faith in an Ever-Changing World | Fellowship Hall A static faith can be unhelpful in addressing a dynamic and changing world. The Improv class looks at scripture, life, and practice, seeking to discover promising ground for faithful improvisation. Lent | We will be using Henri Nouwen’s book, Life of the Beloved: Spiritual Living in a Secular World. Class Host: Dean Presson

Digging In: Encountering Scripture | Sunroom Whether we come to the Bible with trust or skepticism, find it comforting or disturbing, have been reading it our whole lives or are cracking it open for the first time, it has something to say about who God is and who we are. Lent | We are engaging in a study of the season of Lent using the book Illuminating Lent by Donald McKim. Class Hosts: Scott & Phyllis Engels, Mary Lou Nash

CHILDREN & YOUTH EDUCATION [Contact Heather or Samantha] Preschool/Kindergarten: Easter Eggs Elementary: The Crosses



Middle School & Senior High: 9:15-10:10am: This semester, we are taking a closer look at our Biblical ancestors! Be prepared for a morning of great fun as you we take a closer look at the "Judas Iscariot: The Disappointed Revolutionary." Confirmation Class: 9:15-10:10am: No formal Confirmation class. You are welcome to attend Middle School/Senior High Sunday School and meet with Samantha for your one-on-one time.

Next Sunday, April 9, 2017 Passion/Palm Sunday Worship at 8:30 & 10:30 AM Education Hour at 9:15 AM Sermon: “Sacred Semantics” by Marcia Mount Shoop Scriptures: Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29; Matthew 21:1-11









CALENDAR











Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday













Thursday Friday Sunday







2 3 4 5

8:30 AM 9:15 AM 9:15 AM 10:30 AM 4:00 PM 5:00 PM 5:00 PM 6:00 PM 9:00 AM 4:15 PM 11:00 AM 5:15 PM 5:30 PM 7:00 PM 6 6:30 PM 7 10:30 AM 9 8:30 AM 9:15 AM 10:30 AM 11:30 AM 11:45 AM 5:00 PM

Worship with VRQ Education Hour/Q&A with VRQ Lord’s Supper Workshop Worship PW Coordinating Team PART: 5 Tricks Children’s Choirs Salsa Night w/ Samantha Gonzalez-Block Prayer Group VRQ Dinner Bible Study Centering Prayer Service Handbell Choir Choir APNC Meeting Yoga and Movement class Palm Sunday Worship with Homeward Bound - AHOPE Education Hour/Q&A with AHOPE Worship Earth Team Meeting Onion planting in the World Garden Children’s Choirs