Looking Back (and Forward!

Discipleship
Sunday, pg. 2

People

pg. 4

Group,

August

Musicales, pg.
8

An Evening
with Dr. Joan
Gray, pg. 17

Fall

Sermon
Series
Overview, pg.
18

Nominating
Committee
Nominations,
pg. 19

Volume
1 45, Issue 8 August 2015

It has been quite a summer! Alongside our weekly worship, in

which we have enjoyed a host of excellent worship leaders to
accompany Chris, many have enjoyed combined Sunday
school class. There we have considered the history of worship
in the church and how previous generations of Christians
encourage, challenge, and inform our worship today.
Still others have been regular participants in the six-week Food and Faith series
hosted at different homes in the Richmond area. Many thanks to Susan Farrell,
Cheryl and Bill Jacobs, Everett Reveley, Brian and Katherine Baird, and Pete and
Suzanne Sizemore for hosting those!
A number of congregants took time to nurture children in the knowledge and love of
Christ. We had a wonderful VBS with the CDC children involved, and we had a
number of folks who went to Shalom Farms and Maymont Park in order to work
with the children from STEP.
Throughout all of this, our Fellowship Hall has been under renovation, and it is
nearly finished! I am grateful for the many who have contributed their time and
creativity to seeing this through. In particular, many thanks are due to the
Fellowship Hall Renovation Committee: RoseMarie Bundy, Cal Gray, Cheryl Jacobs,
and Carson Price. As well, a big thanks is due to the Building Fund and all those
who have contributed to it. Their generosity has ensured we can update and refresh
that space as we seek to offer the generous hospitality of Christ to all who enter.
Finally, our APNC has continued to work hard, and we are nearing the time when
we will formally open our search for an Associate Pastor who will lead us in
strengthening and growing our Christian Education that all (those among us and
those God is yet calling) may grow as followers of Jesus. Please be in prayer for this
committee and their important work.
While the summer has been full of Gods faithfulness, we are excited for what God
will yet do in the coming months. Be sure to check out our
longer-than-usual Grace Notes because it is filled with
numerous opportunities to grow, serve, and follow Jesus as
the Grace Covenant family.

Christian Education and Discipleship

Summer Sunday School
Worship in the Church over Centuries
Join us Sundays this summer at 9:30 a.m. in the Grace Bible Classroom (212).
This summer we will be exploring the history of worship from the early church to the present. What forms have worship taken and why? What has remained constant? What has
changed? And how does looking to those who have gone before us inform how we worship faithfully today? We hope you will join in the class! Bobby Hulme-Lippert and Christopher Tweel will
be leading the course.
DATE

CLASS TOPIC

TEACHER

August 9

Worship in the Church: Challenges and Opportunities

Bobby

August 16

Worship in the Church: Weddings and Funerals

Christopher

August 23

Worship in the Church: Weddings and Funerals

TBD

For more information, visit the GCPC website at grace-covenant.org

Join us September 13!

9:30 a.m. on Sunday, September 13 in the Fellowship Hall we will have a
pancake breakfast to celebrate Discipleship Sunday. The staff of Grace
Covenant is looking forward to cooking and serving pancakes to our church
family.
We will be gathering in the Fellowship Hall for celebration and reflection
on what a new year at Grace Covenant has in store for each of us.
Start the fall off with the fellowship of our whole family, some great pancakes, and the opportunity to
see where we as a church will be answering the call of the Holy Spirit this coming year.

Date Night

Grace Covenant is happy to offer this blessing up to our families again on

Saturday, August 22, from 5:00 - 8:00 p.m. A charge of $5 per child will help
defray the costs of child care, though there is a $10 maximum per family with
more than two children. Please RSVP by 3:00 p.m. Thursday, August 20,
to the church at info@grace-covenant.org or 359-2463 with name of child and
2

Christian Education and Discipleship

Grace Bible and Forum Classes!
Starting September 20, Grace Bible Class and Forum Class will combine into Forum
of Grace for Sunday School in the Grace Bible Classroom (212).
Many things about these two classes will stay the same. Their dependence on deep
biblical truths and the weekly wrestling with tough theology that all disciples need as a
part of their own daily life. This change comes as a result of many kinds of blessings in
our church family; new spaces for a wonderful and successfully expanding CDC program as well as the Spirit-led continually reforming styles of education we experience
at the church.
Every year our teachers and leaders work hard in prayerful discernment on where
God's urging lies in our methods and our content -- we are excited for another new
year at Grace Covenant!

Wednesday Night Suppers this fall

This fall to pair with the new look of our Fellowship Hall, the Christian Education Committee is excited to offer some exciting new programs as well as some great meals for the whole family.
Our programs will be led by authors like Charlie Summers and Kris Norris, musicians, local leaders, as
well as providing space to look at how we deal with loss, issues in our families as we age, and some
time to just laugh and enjoy the space together as a church family.
The dinners that we share this fall will largely come from Relay Foods, a local provider or organic sustainable produce and meats. You can expect the same great home-cooked style, but with greater attention to fresh, organic ingredients. We are excited that our food practices here at the church will reflect
some of the work we have done this summer studying how our food habits and our theology as a
church align.
Mens Group - The next mens group will meet on August 5 at Postbellum (1323 W.
Main St.) at 7:30 p.m. Join us for fellowship and conversation. For more information
contact, Christopher Tweel at christopher@grace-covenant.org or 359-2463.

Presbyterian Women
etings
e
M
e
l
c
r
i
C
e in
will resum
r
Septembe

Cell: 804-356-4624

The third house is the Lunings House. The River will be on your right.
356-4624

Luning

e
ut
o
R

7
61

Ro

#4

zz
Pi

Did you see the drone at Grace

Covenant?!

The roofing company we have contracted to do some

repairs, brought its drone to take images of the roof and
assess what needs to be done. In the photo on the left,
the CDC children and teachers are enjoying the unique
sight!

Mission and Justice Ministry

Grace Covenant Bearing Witness with Living Waters
for the World!

The Missions Committee is excited to share some updates on Grace Covenant's involvement with Living
Waters for the World (LWW). As many heard during our VBS last year, LWW is a PC(USA) mission
project rooted in the confession that Jesus Christ is Living Waters for our Bodies and Souls. LWW
bears witness to Christ by assisting communities and congregations around the world that lack access to
clean drinking water, empowering their local leaders to build, operate, and sustain water purification
systems and health education for their communities.
To date, Katie McCullough, Michelle Hulme-Lippert, and Nelson Reveley have gone through the official
training for LWW, and Jessica Reveley and Susan Pillsbury David are excited to join in our LWW crew
too. Our team is also partnering with a LWW group from Trinity Presbyterian Church, just outside Philadelphia. Grace Covenant has partnered closely with folks from Trinity Presbyterian in the past for our
KHISH medical mission trips to Honduras.
To date, in conjunction with LWW coordinators in Honduras, we have identified and been in communication with a local congregation in southern Honduras Agalteca Presbyterian Church and its pastor
Antonio Zavala that is in need of clean water. Agalteca lies north of Honduras capital Tegucigalpa,
and it fits the parameters for a LWW water purification system, namely having access to electricity and
flowing water.
Nelson Reveley will be joining with two of our partners from Trinity Presbyterian and the Honduras
LWW coordinator to visit Agalteca this coming September 21-24. During this trip, we will not only be
building relationships with our brothers and sisters in Agalteca, but also doing further water tests and
negotiating a covenant with Agalteca's leaders regarding the possibility and details of an installation
and education trip in early 2016.
If you would like to learn more or join the LWW team, please just reach out to Nelson Reveley
(nmr2uf@virginia.edu) or anyone from our LWW crew!

Mission and Justice Ministry

Shalom Farms
Join us Saturday, August 15, from 8:00 am to 12:00 noon at Shalom Farmsa local food access and community development ministry shalomfarms.org as we
help ensure that everyone in our city has access to God's bounteous gift of nutritious produce. Please RSVP to Nate McKinnon at nathaniel.mckinnon@gmail.com
or 732-618-7077. Carpooling from the church parking lot at 8:00 a.m. (and returning by 12:00 noon) is possible if there is interest. Otherwise, you can meet us
out on the farm at 9:00 a.m. (1033 Rock Castle Rd., Goochland, VA 23063)!

Food Donations Needed!

There is an additional way to give to the incredible ministry happening at the William
Byrd House. As we know, this ministry for students also feeds them as part of their plan
to increase wellness and success at school.
Pick up a labeled grocery bag and fill it with the listed items! These are items that this
ministry has identified as needed and is a great way to remind ourselves to continue our
contributions. Thank you all for the amazing support you continue to show!

CDC Update
Grace Covenant,
As July comes to a close we begin setting our sights on
Augusts theme of animal habitats. Children will learn what an
ecosystem is, and explore different ecosystems all around the
world. They will discover habitats in different climates, like the
desert and tundra, and what kinds of plants and animals live in
those climates.
Learning about such drastically different weather and
temperature patterns also gives us the opportunity to start learning
about how animals and plants learn to adapt to their surroundings,
like how penguins huddle in a circle and take turns being in the middle so they all stay warm. Well
marvel at how even animals can use methods like taking turns, and how that is so similar to what we
do!
Likewise, we will look at different cultures around the world. From tribes in Africa to the
indigenous people of Alaska, well look at things like how they build their houses, what they wear, and
how they cook their food to acclimate to their conditions.
How are we as people the same as animals? How are we different? How are we similar and
different to each other? Well even explore these questions as we study the world map.
Nicole Flournoy
Director of the Child Development Center
7

August Musicales
August Musicales 2015
Grace Covenant
Presbyterian Church

1627 Monument Avenue Richmond, Virginia

359-2463

(between the Lee and Stuart Monuments)

Wednesday, August 12
7:00 p.m.
Christopher Martin, organ
Director of Music and Organist
Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church

Wednesday, August 19
7:00 p.m.
Robert Murray, violin
Ardyth Lohuis, organ

Wednesday, August 26
7:00 p.m.
Members of the Atlantic Chamber Ensemble
Richmond, Virginia

Summer Snapshots

August
Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesd

2
9:15 Prayer Team (Social Rm)
9:30 Sunday School (see pg. 2)
10:55 Worship
12:15 Fellowship Hour

5
7:30pm Mens G

9
9:15 Prayer Team (Social Rm)
9:30 Sunday School (see pg. 2)
10:55 Worship
12:15 Fellowship Hour

10
7pm Worship Comm.

11

12
2pm Care Team

16
9:15 Prayer Team (Social Rm)
9:30 Sunday School (see pg. 2)
10:55 Worship
Congregational Meeting
12:15 Fellowship Hour

17
CDC Closed

23
9:15 Prayer Team (Social Rm)
9:30 Sunday School (see pg. 2)
10:55 GCPC Worship
12:15 Fellowship Hour

24
Deadline for Grace Notes
Submissions

30
5th Sunday Luncheon
12:30 Prayer Group in the Chapel

31

7pm August Mu

18

7pm Session Meeting

19
2pm Care Team

7pm August Mu

25

26
2pm Care Team

7 pm August M

10

** Reminder!
August 24 is the deadline for submissions
for our August edition of Grace Notes.

day

Thursday

Friday

Saturday
1

Group

6
10am CDC Chapel

7
7am Morning Prayer
(Sanctuary)

13
10am CDC Chapel

14
7am Morning Prayer
(Sanctuary)

15
8am Shalom Farms

20
10am CDC Chapel

21
7am Morning Prayer
(Sanctuary)

22
5pm Parents Night Out

27
10am CDC Chapel

28
7am Morning Prayer
(Sanctuary)

29

usicales

usicales

Musicales

11

5pm People Group at Jean Appichs

River House

REGISTER NOW!

September 26, 2015, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Seminary for a Day

Union Presbyterian Seminary - Richmond
Campus
Seminary for a Day began on the Richmond campus in 2012 as a bicentennial celebration event, designed to opening the seminary up to the church. Enjoy a full day of keynote
addresses and workshops, connections with old friends and new, and a taste of what seminary education is like. The day features the faculty and staff of UPSem in Richmond.
There will be workshops in the morning and afternoon; choose one workshop in the
morning and one in the afternoon.

Event Location: Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond, 3401 Brook Road

Registration: $25 includes refreshments and a box lunch on campus Register
by September 18 in order to ensure you will receive a lunch
CEUs: 0.5
For: Church leaders and members, clergy, and those interested in learning more
about their faith
For more information and to register go to http://www.upsem.edu/sfaday
Schedule of Events
Saturday, September 26, 2015
9:00 a.m. Registration
9:15 a.m. Keynote I
Frances Taylor Gench Watts Chapel
Worshiping Doubters: The Church in Mission
10:00 a.m. Break

12

Schedule of Events Cont

10:15 a.m. Morning Workshops (choose one)
How the New Testament Became the New Testament Brian K. Blount
Ethical Literacy: Understanding Earthly Stories with Heavenly Meaning Katie G. Cannon
Recent Discussions in the Theology of Food Dawn DeVries
Hospitality and Gratitude Signs of Christian Community: Lessons from the Early
Church Paul Galbreath
When Sundays Come Quicker than Sermons Cleophus J. LaRue
Biblical Interpretation and Pastoral Responses for Contemporary Social Concerns
John Carroll and Carol Schnabl Schweitzer
12:00 Noon Lunch
1:15 p.m. Afternoon Workshops (choose one)
Faithful Discipleship in the Age of Social Media Samuel L. Adams
Telling Her Story: Women in Christian Tradition Christine Luckritz Marquis and Beverly
Zink-Sawyer
Why Evangelism? John Vest
Theologically Educated Pastors: The Rise, Fall, and Resurrection of a Profession?
Ken McFayden
And You Thought the Book of Order Was for Geeks! H. Carson Rhyne
Human Spirituality 101 Cindy Kissel-Ito
3:00 p.m. Keynote II
Cleophus J. LaRue Watts Chapel
The Shape of Christian Preaching in the 21st Century

From Our Presbytery

Next Presbytery Meetings:
Called Meeting: Tuesday, August 11 at 4:00p.m.
Location: Laurel Presbyterian Church,
Glen Allen.
Saturday, October 17, 2015
Location: Second Presbyterian Church,
Richmond

13

Announcements
Ash Wednesday Service Background and Details
IOpeners
grew up in a Presbyterian
Church that did not have an AshFellowship
Wednesday service.
The whole idea of Ash
Hour
and Closers
Wednesday struck me as something for other people, and I really had no appreciation for it one way or
2 which
McCullough
August
Lloyd
Bostian
another
until2I
began
serving
a couple different PresbyterianAugust
congregations
had the service.

August
9 Atchison
August
know,
Rickthere
Nochta
As
many of9
you
is no biblical requirement to hold
an Ash Wednesday
service or to use ashes
much as there is no biblical requirement to celebrate Christmas or Easter (though we celebrate the truths beAugust
16
Savage
August
16 KentStill,
Cardwell
hind
them year-round).
Ash Wednesday has been observed
by many
Christians
for at least the past ten
centuries.
It
is
the
day
that
marks
the
beginning
of
Lent

a
six-week
period
preceding
Easter (Lent, too, is
August 23 Manning
August
23

Hank
Downing
not in the Bible).
August 30 Brian Baird

August 30 Rosebro

Around the tenth century, Christians began placing ashes on their forehead to signify their need for repentance, presumably emulating the likes of Job who repented in dust and ashes (Job 42:6). Notably, the ashes
were done in the shape of the cross a symbol of the Good News. Thus, even as the ashes spoke of a need to
repent (turn to God) they alsoEveryone
spoke of resurrection
power and hope.
is

in August...

part of the

2 Zhuping
Ling
The first time I had ashes placed on my forehead, it didnt do
anything (and
never does!). However, the
weneed grace3
Bob
Copeland
visible ashen mark helped mefamily
considerwhen
again my
even
as the
cross-shape prompted me to give
together
on of what3
thanks for the Life in which Ieat
already
stand because
Jesus
hasDavid
done on the cross. The ashes also made
Ron
Wednesday
me face anew the fact that I will
one day die, which renewed4
myThatcher
hope and thanks
for the hope I have in
Hartman
Christ Jesus. Paradoxically, then,
the ashes-receiving proved5
uplifting!
course, this is in keeping with the
nights!
Jessica Of
Reveley
Gospel which always cuts to the heart (Acts 2:37) and convicts
even
as
it
heals and binds up wounds.
6 Bill Bridenstine
6 Liz Malan

After receiving ashes, I went to research the topic in more detail.

I realized
that while there exists no Bible
7 Eva
Chenoweth
verse that says we must observe Ash Wednesday or impose ashes, there is a good theological reasoning un7 Nina Chenoweth
derpinning the service. In many ways, the service enacts our call to confess our sins to another, to weep with
9 Ray Davis
Wedding
one
another, and to know anew the Gospel hope (which can only be appreciated by naming, not avoiding, the
9 Dottie-Ray Koch
darkness).
Announcement!

10 Llewellyn Harvie

Hannah M. Coltrain and James W.

Charlie
Appich
III the people of God
To be sure, there is nothing magical about the service or the11
ashes.
Indeed,
when calling
Hamrick,
Jr.,
will
be
married
in
a
11 clothing
Nell Dickenson
to repentance, the prophet Joel says, rend your hearts not your
(2:13). The prophet Isaiah likewise
small
private
ceremony
on
Friday,
12
Rob
Turner
tells the people to stop fasting and repenting in dust and ashes and instead get up and do justice (Isaiah 58:5September
4, 2015.
15
Phil Coltrain
8).
In other words,
the prophets are calling the people out for
thinking
that they can perform external acts of

worship (like tearing their clothes or wearing ashes in repentance)

that willPrice
take the place of actually giving
15 Garland
their hearts and doing the real work of the Lord in the world.15
WeSteve
are wise
to avoid any imposition of ashes if
Satterfield
we think they gain us favor with God or have some power in15
andGary
of themselves.
Flake

Volunteers
Needed!

16 Liz Coping

However, because the ashes can be a particularly poignant way

many Christians
17for
Everett
Reveley to know anew our hope
in Jesus Christ, ashes will be offered at our Ash Wednesday18
service
at 7pmCrawford
on Wednesday, February 18th
Fielding
in the chapel. The ashes will be entirely optional you may choose whether or not you come forward to re19 Scott Boze III
ceive them. If you When
do come
forward, I will
put the ashes on your forehead in the shape of a cross with the
Wednesday
Night
22 Anna Mustanski
words, Consider yourself
dead
to back
sin and
(Rom 6:11). My prayer is that through the
Suppers
start
upalive
we in Jesus Christ
23
Chris in
Martin
service
worship God
meetbe
uswilling
in such to
a way
renewed
our hope and assured once again
need of
volunteers
whowill
would
ro- that we are
23
Beth
Nochta
that
we
rest
in
the
promise
of
the
One
who
has
come
to
bring
Life
and
Life
Eternal.
tate weekly to buzz people in the back doors
26 Walter Lumpkin
during WNS. If you are interested in vol28 Jim McCullough
unteering, please contact Phil Coltrain at
29 Virginia Sommers
305-3489.

30 Holland Mesco
31 Lauren Corby

14

Announcements

Ash Wednesday Service Background and Details

Call
for
Honduras
I grew up
in a Presbyterian
Church thatVolunteers!
did not have an Ash Wednesday service. The whole idea of Ash

Wednesday
struck
me as something
for other
people, andits
I really
had no appreciation for it one way or
Grace
Covenant
Presbyterian
Church
is continuing
partneranother
until
I
began
serving
a
couple
different
Presbyterian
congregations
ship with KHISH (Kurtz Humanitarian Initiative for Southern which had the service.
Honduras) to help provide for the physical well-being of the
As many
you know,
there is no through
biblical requirement
to hold
an Ash
Wednesday service or to use ashes
people
of of
southern
Honduras
basic medical
and
dental
much as
there
is no biblical
requirement
to celebrate
or Easter (though we celebrate the truths behealth
care
clinics
at the Hospital
San
LorenzoChristmas
and Honduran
hind them year-round). Still, Ash Wednesday has been observed by many Christians for at least the past ten
area churches. Our annual Honduras mission trip is less than
centuries. It is the day that marks the beginning of Lent a six-week period preceding Easter (Lent, too, is
six
away! The dates for the eye surgery team are January 1-8, and for the medical/
notmonths
in the Bible).
dental team January 2-9. Potential participants may arrive on January 1 or 2, and may depart
on
January
8, 9,century,
or 10. Christians
No medical
problem!
There
istheir
a role
forforeveryAround
the tenth
begantraining?
placing ashesNo
on their
forehead to
signify
need
repentbody!
For additional
details,
see of
KHISH's
(KHISHProjectVision.com).
There,
will
ance, presumably
emulating
the likes
Job who website
repented in
dust and ashes (Job 42:6). Notably,
theyou
ashes
find
a
Proposed
Itinerary
and
a
description
of
the
team's
work.
Full
funding
for
the
participawere done in the shape of the cross a symbol of the Good News. Thus, even as the ashes spoke of a need to
tion
fee(turn
($1500)
is they
available
for interested
GCPC
volunteers
repent
to God)
also spoke
of resurrection
power
and hope. on a first come, first served basis
(each team member is responsible for making his/her own airline reservation, and for covering
Theexpense).
first time I had
ashes
placedlike
on my
forehead,
do anything
never does!).
this
If you
would
to be
a partitofdidnt
the 2016
KHISH(and
Mission
Team, However, the
visiblecontact
ashen mark
helped me consider again my need grace
evenmember
as the cross-shape
prompted
me to give
please
susan.pillsburydavid@gmail.com
or any
of the Mission
Committhanks
for
the
Life
in
which
I
already
stand
because
of
what
Jesus
has
done
on
the
cross.
The
ashes
also made
tee. Questions? Please call Susan Pillsbury David at (804) 387-2302 or
me
face
anew
the
fact
that
I
will
one
day
die,
which
renewed
my
hope
and
thanks
for
the
hope
I
have
in
email susan.pillsburydavid@gmail.com.
Christ Jesus. Paradoxically, then, the ashes-receiving proved uplifting! Of course, this is in keeping with the
Gospel which always cuts to the heart (Acts 2:37) and convicts even as it heals and binds up wounds.

Fellowship Announcements

After receiving ashes, I went to research the topic in more detail. I realized that while there exists no Bible
verse that says we must observe Ash Wednesday or impose ashes, there is a good theological reasoning underpinning
the service.
In many30!
ways,
theare
service
enacts
The
next one
is on August
You
invited
to aour call to confess our sins to another, to weep with
one another, andluncheon
to know anew
Gospel hope
(which
congregational
in thethe
Fellowship
Hall
aftercan only be appreciated by naming, not avoiding, the
darkness).The lunch will be box lunches provided by
worship.
Cuisine A La Carte. Please RSVP for this luncheon in
To of
bethe
sure,three
therefollowing
is nothingways:
magical
about
the service or the ashes. Indeed, when calling the people of God
one
email
info@graceto repentance,phone
the prophet
Joel says,
rend your
hearts
not your clothing (2:13). The prophet Isaiah likewise
covenant.org,
359-2463,
or provide
your
RSVP
people to stop fasting
in dust and ashes and instead get up and do justice (Isaiah 58:5ontells
thethe
communication
card inand
therepenting
weekly bulletin.
8). In other words, the prophets are calling the people out for thinking that they can perform external acts of
Asworship
with each
Sunday
the Session
take
(like5th
tearing
theirluncheon,
clothes or wearing
asheswill
in repentance)
that will take the place of actually giving
some
give
updates
onwork
aspects
of the
and mission
of the
will also
be aif
their time
heartstoand
doing
the real
of the
Lordministry
in the world.
We are wise
to church.
avoid anyThere
imposition
of ashes
time
for Q&A.
we think
they gain us favor with God or have some power in and of themselves.

5th Sunday Luncheon

However, because the ashes can be a particularly poignant way for many Christians to know anew our hope
in Jesus Christ, ashes will be offered at our Ash Wednesday service at 7pm on Wednesday, February 18th
in the chapel.
The ashes
will beDinner
entirely for
optional
you may choose
whether
not you come forward to reBe on the
lookout!
Six sign-ups
will begin
inorSeptember.
ceive them. If you do come forward, I will put the ashes on your forehead in the shape of a cross with the
words, Consider yourself dead to sin and alive in Jesus Christ (Rom 6:11). My prayer is that through the
service of worship God will meet us in such a way that we are renewed in our hope and assured once again
that we rest in the promise of the One who has come to bring Life and Life Eternal.

Dinners for Six

Social Hour on the Terrace

During the months of September and October the post-worship social hour will take place on
the terrace, weather-permitting. We look forward to enjoying the fall weather together! Of
course, if the weather does not cooperate, then we will gather in the Social Room. Look in your
bulletin for any updates or changes.
15

Adventures in
Marriage
Unlock the Best in Your Relationship
Learn proven and practical skills with marriage experts from First Things First.
All skills will be practiced exclusively by couples and they will not need to share with the group.
Date/time: Saturday, September 12, 2015
Location: Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church

9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

1627 Monument Ave. Richmond, VA 23220

Cost: FREE for Presbytery of the James church members & guests. Others: $25 per person or $40 per couple
Registration:
FREE: For Grace Covenant, Westminster, Tuckahoe & PBYJames members & guests: names/phone/e-mail /
church if any email, info@grace-covenant.org
Others : Register online at www.firstthingsrichmond.org : $25 per person or $40 per couple
Childcare: Available from GCPC $10 per child: names/ages / parent cell: info@grace-covenant.org
Instructors: Dianne & Bob Ruthazer, CFLE Founders of First Things First and the Marriage & Relationship
Coaching Center. Richmond areas Marriage Experts Educating and Coaching Couples for over 20 years and
married 36 years themselves (they laugh: 34 years happily married). They bring proven skills and humorous
personal stories to help you have fun while you make your good marriage better!
Church questions: 804-359-2463
First Things First or program questions: bob@firstthingsrichmond.org or 804-402-8004

Adventures in Marriage Unlock the Best in Your Relationship

Topic 1
Languages of Love and Killer Marriage Tips
Topic 2
Listen to We: Communications for Intimacy
Topic 3
Right & Left: Appreciating Personality Differences

Hosted by Grace Covenant Presbyterian, Tuckahoe Presbyterian, Westminster Presbyterian,

and the Presbytery of the James

16

Save the Date

SAVE THE DATE
6:00 p.m. Friday, October 30, 2015
An Evening with Reverend Dr. Joan Gray, author of
Sailboat Church
On Friday, October 30, please join us for a special event in the Fellowship
Hall. We will begin the evening at 6:00 p.m. with a chili cook-off! All are
welcome to bring a chili. Sign-ups for the chili cook-off will be available in
October. All others are invited to provide a small dessert to share.
Following dinner, we will have a special presentation on the mission of the
church from Reverend Dr. Joan Gray, the author of Sailboat Church, which is
the book that the GCPC officers have been reading, discussing, and praying
through during the course of this year. A biography of Dr. Gray is provided
below.
This event will go from 6:00-8:15 p.m. and childcare will be provided
throughout that time.

Reverend Dr. Joan Gray

Joan Gray grew up in South Carolina. She received a Bachelor of Arts summa
cum laude from Presbyterian College in Clinton, SC, then graduated from
Columbia Theological Seminary with her Masters of Divinity. In 1994 Joan
received a Masters of Sacred Theology in Spiritual Direction from General
Theological Seminary (Episcopal), New York City. She earned her Doctor of
Ministry degree from Wesley Theological Seminary, Washington, DC, in 2009.
The topic of her D.Min. research was helping congregations heal after conflict.

In 1978, Joan was the first woman ordained to pastor a church in Atlanta
Presbytery, PCUS. Since then she has worked with ten churches in the Atlanta
area. Her ministries have included solo pastor, associate pastor, lead pastor/
head of staff, parish associate, and interim pastor. Joan served as Moderator of
the 217th General Assembly (2006-2008) of the PCUSA. More recently, Joan has
served as Interim Vice President for Student Services and Dean of Students for Columbia Theological
Seminary. Currently, she is the Interim Associate Pastor at Decatur Presbyterian Church, Decatur, GA.
Joan's publications include Presbyterian Polity for Church Officers (fourth edition, 2012), co-authored
with the Rev. Joyce C. Tucker in 1986, and Spiritual Leadership for Church Officers, released 2009.
Sailboat Church: Helping Your Church Rethink Its Mission and Purpose, was published in 2013. Joan is
married to Bill Gray, a ruling elder in the PC(USA) and an attorney in the firm of Ogletree, Deakins,
Nash, Smoak, and Stewart. The Grays live in Atlanta, GA.

17

Worship
Weekly Sunday Morning Prayer
The best way to start a Sunday morning, or any morning, is with prayer. Each Sunday morning at 9:15
9:30 in the Social Room we have a time of prayer and all are welcome to participate. It is a prayerful
time when hearts are quieted and focused on God, joys and concerns are shared, and prayers are raised
in word and in spirit. It is a special time of caring, friendship, and blessing; please come and pray with
us.

Monthly Prayer Group

A prayer group meets after the worship service on the last Sunday of each month. We will pray in the
chapel from 12:30-1:00 p.m. following the 11:00 a.m. church service. For more information please
contact Itunu Adekoya at 309-310-1424 or historybegins1727@yahoo.com, Susan Farrell at 359-6222
or omatalsbh@gmail.com, or Carol Wood at 282-2446 or ctwood7@gmail.com Please join us for
our next meeting August 30!

Road Trip Through the Old Testament

Summer is a time for road trips. Along the way, you inevitably meet new
folks locals, fellow vacationers, curious sojourners, and everything in
between. And they all have a story.
This summer, in worship, we will be taking a road trip through the Old
Testament and visiting with a variety of folks. In particular, we will take time
to meet some of the lesser-known characters and consider the ways that their
stories are our stories and all of them ultimately part of Gods Story. As with
any good road trip, we trust we will be challenged, changed, and refreshed for
having made the journey.
Sunday Sermon Schedule
Sunday, Aug.9

Cyrus the Great, Ezra 1:1-11

Sunday, Aug. 16

Elijah, 1 Kings 18:20-40

Sunday, Aug. 23

Gideon - Judges 6:11-24

Sunday, Aug. 30

Naaman, 2 Kings 5:1-14

Fall Sermon SeriesFreedom: The Story of Gods People

It is a story of deeply good news. It is the central story that Gods people have recounted from generation to generation because it is the story of a God who continues to move a people from
oppression to freedom
injustice to justice
deprivation to delight.
bondage to new birth.
Join in worship this fall as we consider the book of Exodus and discover how the story continues to unfold in and through our lives and this world.

18

Nominating Committee Nominations

The following people will be nominated by the Nominating Committee at the called
congregational meeting on August 16, immediately following worship. Nominations
from the congregation can also be made at that meeting.
DEACONS

ELDERS

Lisa Cardwell
Mary Gray
Margaret Harvie
Steve Kemp

Susan Boze
Ray Davis
Bill Jacobs

Nominating Committee

TRUSTEE

Kent Cardwell
Cheryl Jacobs
Dana McKnight
Carson Price

John Roberts

STEWARDSHIP CORNER
The General Fund recorded a sizable deficit in June as a result of the usual low level of summer
contributions, the absence of rental income due to timing, and high expenses due to renovations
on the Fellowship Hall and property taxes on the Stuart Circle Building.
Junes contributions of $29,100 were down one-third from a strong record
in May, and for the first half of the year their total of $219,200 was down
about 15% from the same period last year, due primarily to the receipt of
some large mid-year contributions last year. Expenses in June totaled
$56,400 and included $13,600 in audio and other improvements in the
Fellowship Hall and $4,500 in taxes on the Stuart Circle Building. Expenses exceeded income in
June by $26,500.
June s Five Cents Per Meal Offering was $35, Loaves and Fishes, $325, and the Mercy offering
$45.
During June a bequest was received from the estate of Elisabeth Trollinger.

19

The Staff
Bobby Hulme-Lippert
Pastor
bobby@grace-covenant.org
Christopher Martin
Director of Music and Organist
martin@grace-covenant.org
Christopher Tweel
Director of Christian Formation &
Pastoral Assistant
christopher@grace-covenant.org
Nelson Reveley
Parish Associate for Outreach &
Adult Discipleship
nmr2uf@virginia.edu
Amy Kempel
Director of Communications
amy@grace-covenant.org
Martha Rubin
Office Manager/Bookkeeper
bookkeeper@grace-covenant.org

Church Office Hours:

Mon., Tues., and Thurs., 9:00 a.m.- 3:30 p.m.
Wed., 9:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Fri, 9:00 a.m.- 12:00 noon
Phone: (804) 359-2463
Fax: (804) 278-6298
grace-covenant.org
Sundays:
9:15 a.m.
Prayer Together in the Social Room
9:30 a.m.
Sunday School for all ages
in the Education Building
10:55 a.m.
Worship Service
in the Sanctuary
12:15 p.m.
Congregational Fellowship
in the Social Room

GCPC Child Development Center

Church Officers
Our Elders serve the church as leaders.
Our Deacons lead the church in service.
Please feel free to approach them
with any questions or feedback about Grace Covenants
ministries.

CLERK OF SESSION: Everett Reveley

ELDERS
James Atchison (16)
Virginia Hudson (17)
Cheryl Jacobs (15)
Caroline Leith (15)
Katie McCullough (16)
Everett Reveley (15)
Lewis Rosebro (17)
Pete Sizemore (16)
Rob Turner (17)

- Finance (C-M)
- Mission (M), Nominating
- CE (M)
- Property (Co-M), CE
- Administration (M)
Stewardship (M)
- Property (Co-M)
- Administration (Co-M)
- Worship (M)

MODERATOR OF THE BOARD OF DEACONS: Lisa Cardwell

DEACONS
Itunu Adekoya (16)
Lisa Cardwell (15)
Courtney Clements (15)
Phil Coltrain (16)
Mary Gray (15)
Cynthia Holmes (17)
Jan Kessel (16)
Dottie-Ray Koch (17)
Sallie Leys (17)
Jessica Reveley (16)
Jennifer Schooley (15)
Dawson Watkins (17)

- Prayer (M)
- Flowers (M)
- Visitation (Co-M),
Fellowship
- Glass Office (M),
Deacons Fund
- Meals (M),
Visitation (Co-M)
- Fellowship (M)
- Care Team (M),
Transportation (M)
- Fellowship
(Food Committee)
- Greeters/Ushers
- Justice (M)
- Guests Follow-Up,
New Members (M),
Deacons Fund
- Deacons Fund (M)
Care Team

TRUSTEES:
Caroline Leith (17)
John Roberts (15)
Warren Zirkle (16)

Nicole Flournoy
Director
(804) 213-0200
director.gccdc@verizon.net
gracecovenantcdc.com

20