GRACE CONNECTION - Grace Covenant
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FEBRUARY 2020
GRACE CONNECTION
Newsletter for Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church
Note from the Pastor
Dear Church Family,
Beauty. I’ve been thinking recently about beauty.
It started when a friend handed me a cup of coffee
in a plain white china cup as I was preparing to hit
the road. The dark roasted coffee against the pure
white of the cup was striking. I said “wow how
lovely is this! But just give it to me in a paper cup
so I can toss it out later – that way there is no need
to return it to you.”
She said, “no worries if you do or you don’t. As a
spiritual practice, we’ve been intentionally trying to
live as simply beautiful a life as we can. You know
there is a simple kind of beauty in little things done
nicely. We’re just trying to do nicely these days.”
A simple act – a lovely and simple cup of coffee The latest on
from her hand to mine - layered with meaning. this month's issue:
Which made me start noticing… noticing little PW & PW CIRCLE NEWS - 3
things nicely done. And that grew into
intentionally trying to notice beauty in all of my SESSION, FINANCIALS, &
senses -- noticing beauty in the sound of rain, ACOUSTIC JAM - 4
beauty in bare trees against a gray sky and beauty
in the lightness of the cream that filled the fat MISSIONS - 5 & 6
French pastry. There was beauty in the softness of
the hand me down scarf around my neck, and the CHRISTIAN EDUCATION,
YOUTH GROUP - 6
warmth of the fire upon my face as the
temperature dipped.
BIRTHDAYS & UPCOMING
EVENTS - 7
And I’ve now started to think about trying to do
“beauty.” Like the lovely cup passed into my hand –
CALENDAR - 8
with no expectation that I’d return it – just the
simple wish to sip friend and enjoy loveliness. UPCOMING EVENTS - 9 & 10
Peace be with you.
FEBRUARY 2020
Continued from Pg 1.
There seems so much that is ugly, crass and cheap in the world lately or possibly that is
just where my eyes have been fixed. There is so much that we just want to toss away
because it is easier, faster and less mess to clean up. Let someone else cart out the
trash. The world one step closer to obnoxious.
It has been an interesting spiritual practice this discovering the simplicity of beauty in all
kinds of places – trying to “do” beauty, naming things as beauty that I hadn’t thought as
beauty before. It has increased my sense of gratitude to God for so many “simple” things.
I encourage you to try it for a week. Make a list every night of the beauty you have
experienced that day. Let it wash away the ugly.
Ash Wednesday is this month. Ash Wednesday, a rather bare bones, simple service of
worship. The night we place dark ashes upon our foreheads remembering the watermark
of the cross upon us. A sure sign that in life and in death we belong to God. Being
marked with that little cross of ash - another simple act layered with meaning and life, and
beauty – beauty so wide and sweet it cannot be completely understood even with
five senses.
Nonetheless, consider yourself invited to think on it, to experience it: the beautiful Christ.
Please join us at 7:00 PM on Wednesday evening, February 26th. If you need a ride to
worship, no worries. Please call the church office and we will round you up one. Give
someone the opportunity to “do” beauty in the world.
During these days of bleak mid-winter, I encourage you to seek out and experience the
beauty before you and in you. For surely the whole world is fearfully and wonderfully and
beautifully made!
Wishing you blessings of beauty.
Pastor Trish
FEBRUARY 2020
Presbyterian Women Happenings
Presbyterian Women were busy in December and January!
Thanks to everyone involved in hosting the lovely reception following the Advent cantata.
Also thanks to those who made possible the beautiful candle and wreath displayed in
memory of members who died this past year. Special holiday circle gatherings were held in
December, and our usual meetings resumed in January.
Numerous meals were delivered to church members with health or mobility concerns. We
are planning a new approach to our annual Valentines remembrance for college students,
and we are excited to try it out. PW Coordinating Team members will provide the meal for
our youth on March 1st.
We are making plans for our annual Spring Gathering and hope to publish the date soon.
The PW Coordinating Team is working with the Property Committee to improve access to
the cottage for folks who have difficulty negotiating the step. Thanks to all who support the
important work of PW!
-- Sarah Lasitter
PW Circle Info
Revive After Five Circle will meet in the Cottage, on February 4, 2020
at 6:00 p.m. to continue our study of the Ten Commandments. Call or
text Joyce Jennings (678-227-9904) with any questions.
Sharing Faith Circle will meet in the
Cottage on February 11 at 10:30 am
to continue the study on The Ten
Commandments.
FEBRUARY 2020
News From Session
Held the annual Session retreat on January 17-18. Discussed the book,
Neighborhood Church: Transforming Your Congregation into A Powerhouse for
Mission, and developed action items to set as goals for accomplishment in 2020 and
beyond. Received a report from the Space Assessment Task Force and agreed to
consider/act on their recommendations over 2020.
Held the annual congregational meeting on January 19th. Presented the 2020 budget
to the congregation as information and presented for approval changes to Reverend
Gwinn’s terms of call for 2020.
Held a stated meeting on January 20th where the Session approved the 2019
statistical report, began work on revisions to the church’s policy and procedures
manual, and elected Janice Tucker as the Elder Commissioner to represent Grace
Covenant at the February 18, 2020 meeting of Foothills Presbytery.
Respectfully submitted,
Financials Lisa Johnson
For where your Treasure is, there will your heart be Clerk of Session
also- Matthew 6:212019 was a blessed year for Grace
Covenant —- thanks to each of your sharing Time,
Talents and Treasures.
Grace Covenant Financial Report
December 2019
Acoustic Jam
Do you LOVE music? The Grace Covenant
Presbyterian Acoustic Jam will meet on
Operating Fund Month YTD Friday, February 28 at 6:30 in the Greeting
Room. We welcome folks from our church
Contrib./Revenue $34,341 $342,945
community and the community at large to join
Expenses $27,846 $362,711 us. Players of any ability level are welcome to
Surplus/(Deficit) $ 6,495 ( $19,766) bring an instrument and sit in our circle to
take a turn to lead a song or just play along
Capital Fund $ 90,707 with others. If you don't play an instrument,
Operating Fund Surplus/(Deficit) $ 68,865 come out to listen! Please bring a snack to
share when we break from the music to
fellowship. If you have questions, call
Capital Fund Rebecca or Steven Huskey at 421-7565.
Contributions $ 5,768 $ 93,157
Remain. Loan Bal. $ 250,277
FEBRUARY 2020
Missions & Outreach Summary 2019
Misssion Item Month Funds Given Hours Volunteered
PW Thornwell "Cottage" Sponsorship January $300 --
PW Safe Harbor April $250 --
PW Presbytery Mission Pledge March $100 --
PW Cottage Updates August $48 200
PW Least Coin Offering June $69 --
PW Thank Offering September $200 --
PW & Missions Christmas Offering December $300 --
PW Birthday Offering September $1,183 --
PW Bereavement Minstry Year Round $500 100
Children's Church Missions Year Round $220 --
VBS Mission Activity June -- 75
Clothing Collection January $1,054 20
Souper Bowl (Youth) February $447 4
Upstate Crop Walk March $1,017 56
Youth Ministry Christmas Activity December -- 6
Shred Day April $539 40
One Great Hour of Sharing Easter (April) $1,425 2
Mother's Day (Presbyterian Homes) May $961 2
Habitat for Humanity (Faith Building) June $1,425 55
Summer Food Drive July - August $150 / 810 items 14
Communion Food Offering Monthly 835 items / 100+ 24
Faith Walk Stop September -- 12
Mission Trip to Columbia & Disaster Aid October Reallocated 4
Bahamas Hurricane Disaster Relief October $2,250 --
Peacemaking October $400 3
Thornwell November $1,018 --
Pendleton Place Angel Tree Nov - Dec $1,419 40
Blood Donations December 6 pints --
United Ministries Coat Drive December 115 items 5
Christmas Eve Love Offering December $1,061 --
Aid to Presbyterian Missions (Water Wells) December $1,500 --
Acoustic Jam Monthly -- 20
Alzheimer's Support Group Monthly -- --
Interfaith Hospitality Network Variable $250 50
Miscellaneous Missions Year Round $1,500 --
Undie Aid: Place of hope Single $200 --
Emergency Aid Fund Year Round $800 --
Discretionary Fund Year Round $7,000 --
Soup Kitchen Monthly $2,200 250
Habitat for Humanity (Regular Support) Annoal $1,100 --
Harvest Hope Annual $1,760 --
United Ministries Annual $2,200 150
Center for Community Services Annual $1,430 100
Foothills Presbytery Annual $9,000 --
TOTALS $43,478 1,262
FEBRUARY 2020
Souper Bowl for Caring
Whether you are pulling for San Francisco or Kansas City in the Superbowl, you can team
up with others in our congregation to win in the Souper Bowl of Caring on Sunday,
February 2. This year is the 30th anniversary of this mission to fight hunger in communities
around the U.S. After worship that day, our youth will hold soup pots marked for each
team. Place your donations (checks earmarked for Souper Bowl) in the pot for your
favorite team. Proceeds will be given to Simpsonville Presbyterian’s Food Pantry.
Soup Kitchen
Soup Kitchen - Help needed! We need a
few more people to serve food at Triune
Mercy Center. Just 2 hours on a Saturday
every 3 months. Would you like to help?
Call Ian McKinley 864 607 8080.
Youth Update
Christian Education
Happy February Everybody! This month kicks off
The book selection for our Grace Readers with the Souper Bowl of Caring on February 2. In
meeting on February 24 is "The Reckoning" anticipation of the BIG game, the Youth will be
by John Grisham. collecting donations to support (insert local food
bank?) during worship.
The Grades 3-6 Sunday School will be
starting a series on "Life Hacks" in February. Up next is our youth service project! Since our
theme this year was "Let Love Lead" and
There has been some interest expressed in Valentine's Day is this month, the Youth wanted to
starting a movie discussion group at Grace give a love offering to the church. :) So, on
Covenant. The group would select a movie February 9th and 16th, the Youth Group will be
and after viewing it would meet for discussion. down at the Cottage learning how to cook a
If anyone is interested in being a part of this variety of casseroles that we will then later deliver
group please let me know to members of the church. Please email me
at bjwc1716@gmail.com. at youth@gcpc.net if you have any questions or
know of anyone that would enjoy receiving one of
our casseroles.
Thank you to Pastor Trish and McCrady Gwinn,
Mike & Catherine Haynes, Barbara Stoop, and
Jeremy & Heather Trowbridge for feeding the
youth last month! It was a pleasure spending time
with you!
- AshleyMimbela
Youth Director
FEBRUARY 2020
February Birthdays
Earl Bradham February 2
Aubrey Alomar February 4
John Forrester February 11
Kim Russell February 12
Marcie Russell February 15
Barry Graden February 16
Keith Self
Lela Graden February 18
Gloria Rogers
Chuck Wolfe
Ken Boyd February 20
Mary Ellen Vernon February 22
Everett Drake February 23
Kim Calhoun February 24
Norm St. John
SAVE THE DATE: BOOK STUDY WITH PASTOR TRISH
Sabbath as Resistance: Saying NO to the CULTURE OF NOW by Walter Brueggemann
Monday evenings: 7:00- 8:15 PM; February 24 through March 30
Walter Brueggemann writes that the Sabbath is not simply about keeping rules but rather
about becoming a whole person and restoring a whole society. He addresses our 24/7
society of consumption, a society in which we live to achieve, accomplish, perform, and
possess. We want more, own more, use more, eat more, and drink more. Sabbath as
Resistance shows us how keeping the Sabbath allows us to break this restless and
relentless cycle and focus on what is truly important: God, other people, all life. In
particular we will be thinking about resistance to anxiety, resistance to coercion, resistance
to exclusivism, resistance to multitasking and sabbath as commandment. Join me not just
in conversation but in a Lenten practice to restore our spirits.
Order the book and join the conversation!
If you need help acquiring the book call the office as well.
Please RSVP to the church office if you will be joining us (288-3951) or (office@gcpc.net)
Be sure to include your email so we can set up a group message!
Nursery provided for study.
FEBRUARY 2020 Upcoming Events
FEBRUARY 2020 Upcoming Events
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