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Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church Asheville, North Carolina
www.gcpcusa.org
December 21, 2014 – 10:30 am Fourth Sunday of Advent
“It is not over, this birthing. There are always newer skies into which God can throw stars.”
-‐ Anne Weems Prelude Divinum Mysterium Wilbur Held Advent Candle Lighting -‐ Isaiah 7:14 The Garbarino Family * Call to Worship
This is the moment to prepare, to receive the good news of the incarnation. This is the day to wait, for joy is about to fill us to overflowing. This is the time to celebrate, as we listen to the Dream, as we welcome the Birth, as we embrace the Love of our God.
* Hymn 105 People, Look East BESANÇON * Call to Reconciliation * Prayer of Confession
God of the future, you are coming to bring your new world to us. We confess that we have not expected your reign, for we live casual lives, ignoring your judgment. Forgive us, we pray, and grant us wisdom to welcome your way and seek your truth. Amen.
* Assurance of Forgiveness
In all times and in all places: God is loving and faithful. Receive the gift that is yours for the taking: In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven!
* Response
* Passing of the Peace The Peace of Christ be with you. And also with you.
Faith Sharing with Children | Treble Choir Prepare a Way for the Lord! Michael Bedford Prayer for Illumination Psalter Psalm 36:5-‐10 The Word of the Lord Thanks be to God!
Music Gabriel's Message arr. David Wilcocks Gospel Matthew 1:18-‐24 The Word of the Lord Thanks be to God!
Sermon “Did That Come With A Receipt?” Kristy Farber Silent Meditation * Hymn 104 O Lord, How Shall I Meet You VALET WILL ICH DIR GEBEN * Affirmation of Faith (from Romans 8)
What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? God, who did not withhold God’s own Son, but gave Jesus up for all of us, will God not with Jesus also give us everything else?
Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Jesus who loved us.
For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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 Once He Came in Blessing Michael Burkhardt * Doxology sung to REGENTS SQUARE
Praise the Lover of Creation Praise the Spirit, Friend of Friends, Praise the true Beloved, our Savior, Praise the God who makes and mends, strong, surrendered, many -‐ splendored, Three whose Oneness never ends
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 384 Soon and Very Soon SOON AND VERY SOON * Charge and Benediction Postlude Rise Up, Shepherd, and Follow! arr. Mark Hayes
[Based on Hymn 135]
(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.
Our Life Together…
Thank You! Head Usher: Bill Gettys | Liturgist: David Bailey
Support
Stewardship Update A huge thank you to everyone who has been able to share an estimate of giving for 2015 -‐ our goal is $670,000 and as of mid-‐week this week we are at $655,000. This is great news. If you haven't yet given an estimate and would like to do, that would be wonderful. And, again, thank you all for your involvement and support of our collaborative ministry and mission.
Serve Reclaiming Christmas (reclaim: to recover; to claim back; to convert to a more usable form) This is the final Sunday to participate in our Reclaiming Christmas project. Reclaim Christmas from the commercialism and crass by supporting those for whom Christ showed special concern. Please look for our ‘Reclaiming Christmas Station’ in the narthex TODAY. The PCUSA Presbyterian Giving Catalog | Information Station Pick up the PCUSA Presbyterian Giving Catalog in the Information Station or download one at at https://presbyteriangifts.org/. Mules, chickens, moringa seeds, water wells, and other worthy projects that can be given at Christmas in the name of a loved one. This is in addition to our local Reclaiming Christmas projects, but if you've always wanted to dedicate a mule to a loved one, this is the way to do it! This Year’s Christmas Eve Offering This year's Christmas Eve offering will go directly to Eblen Charities' emergency fund. This fund covers unexpected needs like Ruth's. Ruth is 59 and lives alone after the death of her husband of over 30 years. Her income is just over the the government limit to qualify for the federal grants Eblen administers for heating assistance. Ruth's medications take almost half her monthly income, so Eblen volunteers have sent her anonymous grocery cards to help out. Stories like Ruth's are common at Eblen, and the emergency fund will help catch her and others who otherwise fall through the cracks.
Grow
Wednesday Bible Study Will NOT Meet December 24 and December 31 It will resume on Wednesday, January 7. NO Education Hour December 28 and January 4. Our 6th Annual Spiritual Retreat for Women | We Are Enough…God Is Enough Thursday, February 26 – Sunday, March 1 | Folly Beach, SC Guest Leader: Erika Ashenbrenner $140 (Scholarships Available) | Registration Ends January 31, 2015 For more information contact Kristy Farber or Heather Gast or visit our web site under GROW or pick up a form in the Information Station. 2015 Flower Chart (on bulletin board next to the elevator) Please consider signing up to give the flowers one Sunday. All that’s needed, after signing up, is to email Nancy your dedication for the Sunday bulletin and what you want ordered, and sending in your check for $40. Grace Covenant Early Sunday Service The worship committee has been working through the diversity of needs of the community at Grace Covenant and is creating a new weekly, Sunday morning worship experience beginning Sunday, March 8th. Stayed tuned for more details.
Youth Group News [Contact Emily Bentley or Katie Smith with questions]
December 21: NO Youth Group (Christmas Break) December 28: NO Youth Group (Christmas Break)
Thank you for the great fall everyone. Youth group is taking a break for two weeks and we will gather back together on January 4th at 5pm at the church. Please remember that summer conference sign ups and deposits are due on January 11th (Montreat for high schoolers is July 26-‐August 1 and Massanetta for middle schoolers is July 9-‐12).
Choir News [Contact Jeff Jones with questions]
December 21 Rehearsal and Christmas Party | 5:00-‐6:00 PM December 24 Family Christmas Eve Service | 4:30 PM (robe & rehearse) December 28 NO REHEARSAL January 4 Regular Rehearsals Resume | 5:00-‐6:00 p.m.
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 elders | deacons | congregation; Valentina Cardona & Otilia de los Rios (Jerusalem congregation); Betty Huesemann (Liz Huesemann’s mother); The Nagy Family (Dr. Barbara, Melia, Anna and Happy); The Knauer family (friends and neighbors of Ben and Jessica Graham); Frank Wilson (Martha Kisiah’s nephew); Jamie Blackburn (Laura Tompkins’ friend); Ralph Smialowicz (Amy Fowler's dad); Brian & Benjamin (Walt & Anne Justice’s grandsons); Linda Albin (Les & Susan Stradley’s friend); Jeff Riedesel (Steve Riedesel’s brother); Heath & Peggy Rada (Moderator of the PCUSA General Assembly); Barrett & Ali Payne (Commissioned to Columbia Seminary); Richard Simons (George and Gerry Simons’ son); Ruth Cannon (Steve & Florence Riedesel’s son’s mother-‐n-‐law); Stephen Billings (Anna Thomas' uncle); Naomi Cole (Anthony Cole’s mother); Stephen Parker (Pat Griset's friend);David Horne (Mary Ellen Horne’s brother); Kirstin "Fluffy" Blake (Dan and Jane Vann’s daughter-‐in-‐law); Sarah Harwell; Al Williams; Sandy Jividen; Janet Bondurant; Jack & Betty Smith; Lorraine Formato; Dana Victor Little; George Simons; Mimi Aldridge; Bettie Pritchard
Wednesday, December 24, 2014
Christmas Eve
5:00 PM Family Service 8:35 PM Folk Music Prelude for the Candlelight Service 9:00 PM Candlelight Communion Service of Lessons and Carols Calling all angels, shepherds, and wise women and men: Please join us for our annual Family Christmas Eve Service on Wednesday, December 24th at 5:00pm in the sanctuary. This service is truly a treat for all ages with carols, readings of the first Christmas, and all the children of Grace Covenant taking part! Kids, arrive a little early to pick out your costume. Hope to see you there! The 9:00 PM service will include familiar carols, scripture and Holy Communion as we gather to celebrate the Nativity of our Lord. An extended prelude of seasonal music in the Folk tradition will be led by the Appalachian Consort beginning at 8:35 PM.
Next Sunday, December 28, 2014 First Sunday After Christmas
NO Education Hour Worship at 10:30 AM
Sermon: “For The Time Being” by Mark Ramsey Scripture: John 1: 1-‐14; Luke 2: 22-‐40
CALENDAR
Sunday 21 Pritchard Park Breakfast Ministry 9:15 AM Education Hour (Special Adult Ed Offering | TPZ Cooking)
10:30 AM Worship 4:00 PM Worship @ Westminster Pres. (15 Overbrook Pl.) 5:00 PM Cherub/Treble choirs
Tuesday 23 9:00 AM Prayer Group Wednesday 24 5:00 PM Family Service 9:00 PM Candlelight Communion Service Thursday 25 Office closed Friday 26 Office closed Sunday 28 10:30 AM Worship
4:00 PM Worship @ Westminster Pres. (15 Overbrook Pl.) -‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐ Text: Praise the Lover of Creation, by Brian Wren. (c) 1989, Hope Publishing Company. Carol Stream Il. All Rights Reserved. Reprinted under Onelicense.net A -‐724337
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