Calendar of Upcoming Events

March 6 - Youth Sunday – 8:50 Spirit! Ringers & Exaltation!; 11:05 Ex! Ringers & Singers; Youth Band bothMarch 13 – Jubilation! Ringers in 11:05 worshipMarch 20 – Palm Sunday – Orchestra plays 8:50 and 11:05amMarch 24 - Maundy Thursday – 7:30pm – Clarinet Quartet & SoloistMarch 25 - Good Friday – 7:30pm – Chancel Choir – String Quartet – Tenor Sax - OrganMarch 26 – Easter Egg Hunt 10amMarch 27 – Easter – 8:50 PT, Solos & Ensembles; 11:05 Charter Ringers, Chancel Brass, and Chancel ChoirApril 10 - Music Appreciation Sunday – 8:50 Massed Choir & PT; 11:05 Massed Choir, Charter & Chancel April 17 – Earth Day Worship emphasis (April 22 - Earth Day)April 22nd & 23rd - Confirmation Retreat @ Heartland Camp (tentative date)April 23 – Chancel & Charter Outreach to Lakeview Village 10am to NoonApril 23 – Church work dayApril 24 –- Spirit! leads all of both worship services – Theme: “Sharing Our Gifts” (taken from past musicals)May 1 - 1st communion in Worship; Bell Fest 6:00 pm – “Dancing w/the Bells” including dance segments from church member dancers – Reception to followMay 8 - Mother’s Day – Joy! & Celebration! sing in 11:05 worshipMay 15 - Pentecost and Confirmation receivedMay 22 – Last day of regular SS classesMay 22 – Carnegie GCPC Presentation 7pm – Sanctuary – Choir & Orchestra present John Rutter’s RequiemMay 27-31 – Carnegie Choir Trip to New York – Sing @ Carnegie on Memorial Day, May 30th @ 8:00pmMay 29 - Memorial Day weekend – Begin summer scheduleMay or June TBA - Session retreatJune 6-10 - VBSJune 17-23 – M&M Trip to Rosebud Reservation – Mission, SD June 19 - Father’s DayJuly 3 – M&M Led Worship – One service at 10:00am + Congregational lunchJuly 7-10 or 12-15 – Massanetta Middle School Conference (completed 6th-8th grade)July 18-23 – Presbyterian Youth Triennium (completed 8th-12th grade)

GRACE notes

MARCH 2016 | VOL 34, N3

“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers,for by doing that somehave entertained angels without knowing it.”

– Hebrews 13:2

Visitors delight us.Our goal is simple: make all people feel welcomed, not overwhelmed.

We were all visitors once and remember how it feels to try a new place of worship. Attend as often as you want. Visitors are welcome at all GCPC events, classes and small groups as well as in worship. We will always be glad to see you!

Join us for coffee in between the two services or grab a cup of coffee in Heartland Hall on your way to Sunday School class. Heartland Hall is located next to the Sanctuary. There are always people to visit with or things to learn about if you want to just hang out.

Worship Schedule8:50am Praise Team Led Worship10am Church School All Ages11:05am Choral Led WorshipChildcare is provided during Worship.

Upcoming NewsletterArticle DeadlinesApril 2016 Issue - Deadline March 15May 2016 Issue - Deadline April

CHURCH STAFFPastorVacantDirector of Music MinistriesRebecca Prater, rebecca.prater@gcpc.org ..ext. 13Office CoordinatorJoy Hartke, office@gcpc.orgDirector of Youth Ministries, Miles McDonald miles.mcdonald@gcpc.org ...............................ext. 17Director of Children’s MinistriesCindy Huston, cindy.huston@gcpc.org ..... ext. 12Finance Administrator.....................Debbie MillerOrganist ........................................................ Linda DoverContemporary Music Coord.............Denice TrawickiContemporary Music Drummer..........Daniel Cole Technical Director for Worship....Miles McDonaldChild Care Coordinator ................ Carolyn ChaffinKid’s Day Out Director ......................Kathy ConnorWedding Coordinator ..................... Lara Schesser

ELDERSAustin Adams Sarah Evans Mac Fechtling Chris FryeAmy Grice Rob JonasJenna Kor Joe LillianGay Lee Ludwig-Bonney Ryan PeckJo Randolph Aaron Rickley Matt Stromberg Joy Wilson Kevin Mason - Clerk of Session

SUPPORT STAFFCommunication Elder ....................... Mac FechtlingDeacon Moderator ............................ Kathy WilliamsExecutive Committee....................... Mac Fechtling, Rob Jonas, Jo Randolph, Sarah EvansNewsletter Editor ...................................... Jami HowePrayer Chain ....................................... Cheryl JohnsonPresbyterian Women Moderator ................. vacant

MINISTRY UNITSCongregational Nurture Unit ModeratorsConnections and Care................................. Lisa FeyhEndowment .............................................. David SteenMusic ........................................................... Anne StroudGenerosity ..................................................... Bill BrownWorship ........................................................Kathy Bures

Education Ministry Unit ModeratorsAdult ...................................................Jamie PendletonChildren ..................................................Kathy HockleyYouth...............................................................Wendy KorReach Out Ministry Unit ModeratorsCommunications ...............................Cheryl PletcherWelcoming.......................................... Greg PrestridgeOutreach ..................................................Marcia TurnerKairos...........................................................Lauren Bond

Supportive Ministry Unit ModeratorsFacility .............................................................Marc FeyhFinance ..................................................... Matt McBridePersonnel ................................................ Linda Bridges

A Stephen Ministry Congregation

Inclusive. Family Oriented. Welcoming.

11100 College BoulevardOverland Park, KS 66210Phone: 913-345-1256Fax: 913-345-1198gcpc.org

Facebook: facebook.com/GraceCovenantPresbyterian Twitter: @GraceCovPres

C E L E B R A T I N G G O D ’ S A L L E N C O M P A S S I N G L O V E !

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In concern for our Muslim sisters and brothers, KAIROS composed a letter - offering our greetings of peace, love, and support. During this time of divisiveness in our nation, we could not just stand by! We must support our fellow man. Your session has reviewed and approved the letter for KAIROS to publish and send to our community Muslim congregations. Stop by the ADVOCACY SPOT on March 6 to read the letter and talk to us.

KAIROS has just submitted its 5th recertification audit applying for recognition from PC(USA) environmental ministries as an Earth Care Congregation. GCPC was one of the 1st 20 nationwide congregations to earn this certification from PC(USA). Earth Care Congregations have as one focus to care or all of God’s creation in all they do as a congregation. When you pick up your palm this Palm Sunday know that the fronds come from communities in Mexico and Guatemala, and workers receive fair wages for practicing sustainable harvesting that protects the local ecosystem. The PC(USA) Eco-Palms program protects forests and local jobs and provides sustainable livelihoods

Earth Day 2016 is coming April 22.KAIROS focus this year is Sustainable Food Sources in a Changing Climate. Grace Garden has obtained its plot in the Overland Park Garden again this year. Please join us as KAIROS works to produce healthy fresh food to a local food pantry. We were able to donate over 100 lbs of food last year alone!. Watch for more details and lots of Earth Care activities (recycling, eating & more)!! Contact Lauren Bond gcpckairos@gmail.com for more information.

Paying per capita is similar to• contributing one’s dish to a potluck meal• paying to be connected to the Internet• paying for the benefit of utilities, such as electricity, water, and telephone• pitching in with other passengers to pay for gasoline for a road trip• participating in community supported agriculture (CSA) or a similar co-opIn essence, per capita is a set amount of money (apportionment) per member that congregations pay to the larger Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Every Presbyterian shares in the benefit of the PC(USA)’s system of government, so every Presbyterian is asked to share the expenses associated with coordinating and performing the functions of that system.

Why per capita?Per capita exists as a way for all Presbyterians to share costs that belong to the whole church, to give meaning to the interdependent nature of Presbyterian polity. Per capita is part of the glue that holds Presbyterians together. It exists to allow the whole church to share equitably in those things that make us Presbyterian:• our theological identity• our connectedness• our system of mid councils that allow elders and ministers together to discern the mind of Christ• our ecumenical connections that make us part of the church universal• our core structures that keep us together as a church• our call to work for full participation in decision-making

Per capita allows us to work with other churches to further the mission of Jesus Christ around the world.Exod. 30:11-16 – “…the rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than the half shekel [for the sanctuary]….”1 Cor. 12:7 – “To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.”

The 2016 apportionment is as follows:• General Assembly apportionment $7.12• Synod apportionment $2.72• Heartland Presbytery apportionment $29.68

Grace Covenant’s 2016 apportionment is $39.52 per member. This amounts to $23,080 in our 2016 budget. You can help by contributing to this cost. An envelope was enclosed in your February envelope packet or notate on the memo line of your check.

KAIROS PER CAPITA

The monthly column highlighting teams and passionate members here at GCPC.

Wendy Kor - is the Moderator of Youth Team. She and her family have been active in the youth programs for over 9 years and the programs have been such an integral part in the lives of her three children she feels this is the right calling for her at this time.

She has been a member since 1998 and has also served GCPC as a deacon. Jenna Kor, Wendy’s daughter is also serving this year as one of the youth elders on session.

In her spare time Wendy serves on the IHN board, reads lots of books, and loves to travel.

Youth Team: This team works closely with the Director of Youth Ministries. The team members work with and support programs for youth and their parents from 6th through 12th grades here at GCPC. Please feel free to contact Wendy wendykor@gmail.com if you are interested in becoming part of this team or would like more information about our youth here at GCPC. Meeting times vary according to the activities of the programs.

Kathy Bures – Kathy is the GCPC worship team moderator as well as involved in the music ministries as director of Jubilation! Ringer & Spirit! Ringers and she is the assistant Funeral Coordinator.

You can see how Kathy’s loves of music and the words & format of worship has called her to service

here at GCPC. Over the years Kathy has served GCPC as a team member of adult education, facilities and music as well as serving as an elder on session and executive committee. Kathy and her family, Dr. George, Trey, Peter and Elizabeth have been members of GCPC since 1990.

When Kathy is not busy with GCPC activities she sells Dove Chocolates at home parties and works part-time as an executive assistant for iBossWell. In her spare time ;) Kathy reads and loves to cook in the kitchen. Her cheesecakes are fabulous! She participated in springboard diving and synchronized swimming at Iowa State and is a HUGE Cylones fan. You will frequently see her in red.

Kathy’s thoughts and prayers for GCPC: That we will remember that sometimes people do or say things they shouldn’t out of fear and anger. We need to try to understand where those people are coming from and forgive them (and ourselves). I especially pray that we will learn to LISTEN to each other!

Worship Team: This team has been working diligently to plan, develop and execute our worship experiences here at GCPC. They coordinate and work with the pastors as well as working closely with the music team to provide a meaningful worship experience for the congregation. This team provides leadership or special seasonal emphasis & themes, recruits and supports the ushers, the sound booth volunteers, projection operators, communion set up/clean up volunteers and the decorating of the sanctuary! They also oversee wedding and funeral policy and practice. If you are interested contact Kathy at kathy.bures@gmail.com this team usually meets first Tuesdays!

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SympathyOur deepest sympathy to:

Aimee Fleeman upon the death of her uncle, Gary Lori.

The Prater family in the loss of Rebecca’s nephew’s son in an automobile accident, February 1, 2016.

Ryan and Hillary Hinderliter in the death of their father, Steve Hinderliter, February 5, 2016.

Please keep these individuals and their families in your prayers at this time of grief. If you wish to send a card of sympathy and don’t have a church directory, you may call the church office at 913-345-1256 for their address.

ThanksDear Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church

Volunteering is at the very core of being a human. No one has made it through life without someone else’s help and our IHN guests are no exception. We are so grateful to you and the members of Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church.

Please accept our heartfelt thanks for hosting our families the week of February 7. We know that providing this help requires a big commitment from your congregation. Please convey our gratitude to all involved and let them know their efforts make a difference to people who need a helping hand.

Sincere Thanks,Vicki & Cheryl

Dear Grace Covenant:

Thank you for the many cards, conversations & hugs given after the tragic loss of my nephew’s 18 year old son, Tanner Rardin. Your expressions of concern and sympathy have reminded me once again how important it is to be part of a faith community like Grace Covenant. We are blessed.

Rebecca Prater

Harold and I would like to thank everyone for their prayers, cards, meals and calls during my recent surgery. Our God is an awesome God and what a wonderful church family he placed us in.

God bless you. Linda Rosine and Harold Farren

New Support Group

Jerel and I would like to thank Grace members for all the support since I learned about my breast cancer. The outpouring of concern with cards, calls and meals has really helped ease the pain. I have discovered by sharing my cancer journey, that many women at Grace have had or currently experiencing breast cancer.

After discussing the possibility of a support group for women with Poppy Zurcher, we have decided to host the first “Sharing Your Cancer Journey with Grace”.Who is invited: Any woman who has or had a female-related cancer or is interested in learning about female-related cancers.

Facilitator: Poppy Zurcher, Volunteer for the Block Cancer Hotline and Cancer AdvocateDate: Monday, February 29th Time: 5:30-6:30 pmPlace: GCPC Room 10 (Lower Level)Bring: Appetizer to share and questions for Poppy. Beverages will be provided.RSVP: Kathy Williams 913-345-1869 or kathykaskewilliams@gmail.com

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LIFE OF THE CHURCH

Surf Shack – Catch the Wave of God’s Amazing Love! Planning has started and all are invited to help! Our next decorating meeting will be Feb. 28th at 12:15 in room 25, and all are welcome to come and brainstorm with us. We’re also lining up our center

leaders, snack makers, group leaders, etc. so please contact Cindy at cindy.huston@gcpc.org to see how you can help! Think beach! Save the Date – June 6th – 10th!

Thanks to all who came to Shrove Tuesday pancakes! All you came had a great time as well as a great meal with their Grace Covenant Family. Pancakes were enjoyed by all ages!

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Fish Banks – Don’t forget to be feeding your fish banks! Money collected goes toward helping with natural disasters, providing food to the hungry, and helping to empower the poor and oppressed.

Easter Egg Hunt Now that Lent has started, we know that Easter won’t be far behind. This year the Easter Egg Hunt will be on Easter Saturday, March 26th, at 10:00. This event is run by Children’s Team, and we could always use some help. If you have any ideas, you’re invited to attend our March meeting on March 14th, or contact moderator Kathy Hockley at mdhock@aol.com.

The Amazing Stuff Workshop for 4th and 5th graders will be sometime in April, but the date is dependent on surveys returned by the parents. Parents, please reply to the email sent to you with your date choices. Since this is only offered every other year, we want to reach as many interested families as possible. This workshop is about growing up and taking care of our bodies, which are amazing gifts from God. If you have any questions, or would like to see the material, please contact Cindy.

We know nothing! Well, we don’t if you don’t tell us! If you have any questions, concerns, suggestions, or keep-it-ups, please contact Moderator, Kathy Hockley (mdhock@aol.com) or Director of Children’s Ministries, Cindy Huston (cindy.huston@gcpc.org). We don’t want to be like Schultz!

CHILDREN’S MINISTRIESInformation for ALL our members, not just those with young children!

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Summer Intern Position OpenGCPC welcomes applications for the Summer 2016 intern position. If you are interested in the position or know someone who is, please contact Miles for more information on the application and interview process. Applications are due by March 10.

“Souper” Big Thanks!Many Thanks for your “Souper” Donations! GCPC Youth would like to thank you for your generous support toward our 2016 “Souper Bowl of Caring.” We collected 741 items (4 heaping barrels) of food to share with Harvesters to feed the hungry in our own community. We can’t say THANK YOU loud enough!

Youth SundayYouth Sunday is coming up on March 6th! God welcomes you, and we welcome you too. Not some perfect fine-tuned image of you, but the real you. Big, small, awkward, tired, disheveled, fun, lazy, inquisitive, questioning, hopeful, timid, beautiful you! You can change those adjectives to better reflect yourself and can probably add some more. Our theme for this year is “Come as You Are”. All of the students are involved in planning this special day. This year we have 6 graduating seniors that will be sharing in both services. You won’t want to miss it!

Summer TripsIt’s time to break out the summer schedule to see how many church trips and adventures you can fit in! Of course our graduated 8-12th graders will set out on our annual Mission and Music Trip – this year to the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota. It will be a fun week including, play, hard work, new adventures, and a cultural experience you cannot get anywhere else in the U.S.

That same age group is also eligible to attend the big youth event that the PCUSA holds for our youth every three years, the Youth Triennium. It is an amazing week on the campus of Purdue University. Massanetta is a middle school Conference in Virginia that our students have loved attending for years! We hope to make this trip again in the summer of 2016 in addition to a local-area mission experience for graduated 6-8th graders.

Summer EventsMark your calendars now for the following youth summer events: June 6-10 VBS Helpers (completed 6th-12th grade)June 17-24 M&M Trip to Rosebud Reservation - Mission, SD (completed 8th-12th grade)July 3 M&M Led WorshipJuly 18-23 Presbyterian Youth Triennium, (completed 8th-12th grade)July 7-10 or Massanetta Middle School Conference12-15 (completed 6-8th grade)

YOUTH PAGE MUSIC NOTESLooking Ahead to Music and Worship Events March – July 2016MARCHMission & Music HappeningsM&M Candy Tube Fundraiser

~ and ~

M&M Trip Registration

Sunday, March 6 deadline

M&M Candy Tube Fundraiser

Pick up your tube of M&M candy after worship. Enjoy the candy, and return the tube to the BIG GREEN M&M with your check, cash, or coin contribution inside by Sunday, March 6. Thank you for helping our senior high students travel to South Dakota for a life changing experience: June 17-24

M&M Trip Registration

Forms Are Now Available!Sunday, March 6 – Forms and Fee are dueRegistration forms are available via email, online and on the youth board.Priority for the trip goes to the 8th-12th grade students, adults who have a “job” on the trip, and then parents of seniors. Registration is due by Sunday, March 6.

Youth Sunday, March 6

Theme: “Come As You Are”8:50am: Spirit! Ringers & Exaltation!11:05am: Ex! Ringers & Exaltation!Youth Band in both services

Palm Sunday, March 20 @ 8:50 & 11:05amOrchestra will play in both worship services8:50 Praise Team & 11:05am Chancel Choir & Trumpet

Maundy Thursday, March 24 @ 7:30pmClarinet Quartet & Vocl Ensemble

Good Friday, March 25 @ 7:30pm“Songs of the Cross”Chancel Choir, String Quartet from Heartland Chamber Music (they use our sanctuary for their recitals and have graciously offered to play in one of our worship services)Tenor Sax & Organ

Easter Sunday, March 27 @ 8:50 & 11:05am8:50 Praise Team, Solos, & Ensembles11:05 Chancel Choir, Chancel Brass, Charter Ringers & Organ

APRIL & MAY

Music Appreciation Sunday, April 108:50am: Massed Choir & Praise Team11:05am: Massed Choir, Charter Ringers & Chancel Choir

Saturday, April 23 – Charter Ringers & Chancel Choir Outreach Concert – 10am at Lakeview Village:9100 Park St, Lenexa, KS 66215

Sunday, April 24 – “Sharing Our Gifts”Spirit! (4th-7th grade choir) will lead both worship services. They will sing several songs from past musicals like Acorns to Oaks, Help Wanted, Rescue in the Night and several others.

Sunday, May 1 – Bell Fest @ 6pm

Theme: “Dancing with the Bells”Come and hear dances played on the handbells & also see some dance segments from church member dancers. Reception to follow in Heartland Hall.

Requiem by John Rutterto be presented on

Sunday, May 22nd @ 7pm at GCPCwith Grace Covenant’s Choir & Orchestra

Rebecca J. Prater, conductorand presented again at Carnegie Hall in NYC

Monday, May 30th @ 8pmwith Grace Covenant’s choir

Rebecca J. Prater, co-conductorAnd Anderson University’s choir

Anderson University, South CarolinaRichard Williamson, co-conductor

JUNE & JULY

M&M Trip to South Dakota: Fridays, June 17-24

M&M Led Worship: Sunday, July 3 @ 10am at

GCPC – Followed by an all-congregation luncheon

OUTREACH NEWS

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Colossians 3:13 “Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”

So here we are in Lent. I must confess, Lent is usually my least favorite season of the church year. It is so dark and gloomy; focused on sin and repentance. My usual feeling is “I have enough of my own guilt, thank you. I don’t need you to help me feel guilty.” Besides, I am more of a “Good News” person. Some years we have focused less on guilt and more on prayer, or service, and I like that. This year is different. This year I think we (and I) need that message of repentance and forgiveness.

I still feel the undercurrents of hurt and anger that divided our church last fall. The division is less noticeable, but it is still there. I see it in the empty seats left by dear friends who aren’t coming anymore, comments about recent sermons, and the concerned questions about our future interim. Those of us who have stayed have come together in amazing ways to keep Grace Covenant going and keep our traditions and ministries alive. But there is still the echo of choosing sides, of “us vs. them”, and the feeling of bewilderment some still have because they’re not really sure what happened or how we got where we are.

My boss says we have all graduated with honors from “MSU” – Making Stuff Up. We all do it. When we are stuck in a traffic jam and someone passes us on the shoulder, we MSU that they think they are more important than us. Maybe they do think that, or maybe a loved one is in the emergency room and they are rushing to the hospital; maybe they will be fired if they are late to work. We don’t really know. We MSU what people are thinking and what their motives are, because we are too angry and hurt to really listen, or too sure we are right to try to understand things from their perspective. It seems easier that way. Then we hold grudges and find it hard to forgive, because we still feel we have been wronged. But when we do that, we hurt ourselves more than anyone else. Forgiveness is not for the other person; forgiveness is for yourself. On his website http://learningtoforgive.com, Dr. Frederic Luskin lists 9 steps of forgiveness.

This is the 3rd step: Forgiveness does not necessarily mean reconciliation with the person that hurt you, or condoning of their action. What you are after is to find peace. Forgiveness can be defined as the “peace and understanding that come from blaming that which has hurt you less, taking the life experience less personally, and changing your grievance story.”

Blaming less, taking it less personally, letting go of pain and resentment so that you can find peace. That is what it means to forgive, and why. It is not about saying you will forget anything happened and never speak of it again. There are still discussions to be had, but it is time to heal and that cannot happen without forgiveness. Then we will be ready to have discussions in which we can truly listen to each other, and learn.

So this season of Lent, the Worship Team has decided to focus intentionally on sin, repentance and forgiveness. In worship everyone has received a small stone. Each week we hold the stones in our hands as we say the Prayer of Confession, and we urge you to carry it in your pocket or keep it near you during the week. Think of infusing the stone with all your sins and all your pain. Then, at the Good Friday service we will drop our stones at the foot of the cross – symbolically letting go of those sins and hurts as we do. It is time to forgive.

By the way, many years ago we had a conflict about a staff member and I struggled with “which side” I was on. Then I realized, I was on the side of Grace Covenant. I wanted what was best for the church and I refused to take the side of who was right or who was wrong. It freed me from the stress of that conflict and enabled me to see more clearly about what was happening. That has guided me often in the years since. Then, now, and always - I chose the side of Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church. Join me!

Wishing you peace,

Kathy Bures

Worship Team Moderator

A LENTEN REFLECTIONOur March Communion Offering will be allocated to One Great Hour of Sharing, an ecumenical effort to collect special gifts for those in need. PCUSA is one of eight Christian denominations participating in One Great Hour of Sharing. Donations to One Great Hour of Sharing enable the church to share God’s love with our neighbors-in-need around the world. Your gift helps support Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, Presbyterian Hunger Program, and Self Development of People.

Our March Donation Partner is Medical Teams International. This month we will be collecting personal care items to be assembled into family refugee kits during our Grace in Action event to be held Saturday, April 2. The kits will be shipped to Greece and distributed to Syrian refugees by Medical Teams International. The following items are needed for each care kit: 4-pack of toilet paper, 3.1 ounce bar of soap, 22.5 ounce bottle of shampoo, 4 toothbrushes, two 6.4 ounce tubes of toothpaste, 2-pack of towels, 36 count sanitary pads, 2.5 ounce hand sanitizing gel, 4 to 10-pack of shaving razors with travel size shaving cream, drawstring trash bags. Simply pick up a few (or many) of these items the next time you go shopping, and drop them in the collection box in the weekday entrance.

April 2 Grace in Action event Mark your calendar now for the Saturday, April 2 Grace in Action event from 10 AM-1PM in Heartland Hall. This is an event for all ages and a great way to teach your children about spreading God’s love.

We will be assembling family refugee kits which will be given to Syrian refugees as they arrive in Greece. These kits are among the most immediate, urgent answers to needs among refugees in the Greek Isles.

March 1 Blood Drive A Grace Covenant’s tradition is to sponsor a Blood Drive for the Community Blood Center. The blood center needs 580 donors each day to meet area hospital needs. Your next opportunity to donate blood will occur on March 1 from 2:00-6:30 PM in Heartland Hall. Our goal is to schedule 35 donors and obtain 35 pints of blood. By making one donation, you can help as many as two patients-(your blood can be divided into plasma and red cells.) Book your appointment today at savealifenow.org and enter Sponsor Code: gracecovenant. Or, you can contact GCPC member Tim Hayden at 913-897-1240 or tjhayden66@gmail.com to register.

2015 “Pass Through” Donations We are pleased to report that a total of $34,308 and a very large quantity of collected items such as food, medical supplies, clothing, and children’s toys was donated in 2015 for communion and special offerings by our congregation. The donations are “passed through” to the groups and/or agencies that were identified as the beneficiaries. Thank you for your generosity!

PRESBYTERIANS AROUND THE WORLD:

Today, Christmas is such a major holiday that it is hard to believe that it was ever different. Yet just as daily life has changed greatly over the centuries, so have attitudes toward religion in general and Christmas in particular.

(Hugh M. Van Horn, 2014).

Celebrations of Christmas PastPart II

Four centuries ago, beginning with the eighteenth century, the congregation at The Old Presbyterian Meeting House in Alexandria, Virginia did not celebrate Christmas.

According to Hugh M. Van Horn, in “A History of Christmas in Four Centuries at The Old Presbyterian Meeting House in Alexandria, Virginia” (2014), Christmas in 1790 was practiced in public worship services held only among Catholics and Episcopalians. Van Horn states that Christmas at The Meeting House was largely a non-event in the Presbyterian congregation, possibly celebrated as a private affair in the home.

Christmas, along with Easter, Pentecost, and other festivals of the ancient Christian calendar, were viewed as unbiblical relics of the Roman Church.

According to Van Horn, “there would be no organ which is [some] Scots called the ‘devil’s band’. The author notes that the congregation associated the organ with Roman Catholicism and with seventeenth century efforts to improve the English style of worship in the Church of Scotland.

The April issue of Grace Notes will begin with a description of the practice of Christmas worship at The Meeting House in 1790.

PEW DWELLERS’ HEALTH NOTES:

Nurturing – A BeginningPart VII - On the Road to CompassionIn your daily relationships with others, do you use nurturing behaviors to enhance their well-being?

Anthony Biglan, in “The Nurture Effect”, relates information about a research study on mindfulness intervention to describe how to help adults develop and use nurturing skills. Mindfulness, according to a Merriam-Webster resource, is the practice of maintaining a non-judgmental state of heightened or complete awareness of one’s thoughts, emotions, or experiences on a moment-to-moment basis. In other words, we pay attention to our thoughts without judging them.

The study used health care providers. (Escuriex, B. F. & Labbé, E. E., 2011. “Health care providers’ mindfulness and treatment outcomes: A critical review of the research literature”. Mindfulness 2:242-253).

Biglan stated that most of the studies were not randomized and that he could not conclude with absolute certainty that mindfulness helped them create a more caring environment, increased their capacity for empathy and appreciation of others, and assisted them to become less reactive or defensive in their relationships.

Biglan does support his beliefs about mindfulness in a discussion about the four ways psychological flexibility can help people become more patient, empathetic, and compassionate. The April issue of Grace Notes will include this discussion.

Church Women UnitedChurch Women United of Johnson County will celebrate World Day of Prayer on March 4, 2016 at 9:30 a.m. at Merriam Christian Church, 9401 Johnson Drive.

This program is a significant global ecumenical event in the lives of Christian women. The foundational motto, “Informed Prayer and Prayerful Action”, serves as a guide for Christian women to join together to observe a common day of prayer each year on the first Friday of March.

With understanding and fellowship, Christian women and others in 170 countries of various races, cultures and traditions, act throughout the year to increase awareness of the whole world. Enriched by their faith experiences, Christian women use their talents to serve others.

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INFORMATION OF INTEREST

Calendar of Upcoming Events

March 6 - Youth Sunday – 8:50 Spirit! Ringers & Exaltation!; 11:05 Ex! Ringers & Singers; Youth Band bothMarch 13 – Jubilation! Ringers in 11:05 worshipMarch 20 – Palm Sunday – Orchestra plays 8:50 and 11:05amMarch 24 - Maundy Thursday – 7:30pm – Clarinet Quartet & SoloistMarch 25 - Good Friday – 7:30pm – Chancel Choir – String Quartet – Tenor Sax - OrganMarch 26 – Easter Egg Hunt 10amMarch 27 – Easter – 8:50 PT, Solos & Ensembles; 11:05 Charter Ringers, Chancel Brass, and Chancel ChoirApril 10 - Music Appreciation Sunday – 8:50 Massed Choir & PT; 11:05 Massed Choir, Charter & Chancel April 17 – Earth Day Worship emphasis (April 22 - Earth Day)April 22nd & 23rd - Confirmation Retreat @ Heartland Camp (tentative date)April 23 – Chancel & Charter Outreach to Lakeview Village 10am to NoonApril 23 – Church work dayApril 24 –- Spirit! leads all of both worship services – Theme: “Sharing Our Gifts” (taken from past musicals)May 1 - 1st communion in Worship; Bell Fest 6:00 pm – “Dancing w/the Bells” including dance segments from church member dancers – Reception to followMay 8 - Mother’s Day – Joy! & Celebration! sing in 11:05 worshipMay 15 - Pentecost and Confirmation receivedMay 22 – Last day of regular SS classesMay 22 – Carnegie GCPC Presentation 7pm – Sanctuary – Choir & Orchestra present John Rutter’s RequiemMay 27-31 – Carnegie Choir Trip to New York – Sing @ Carnegie on Memorial Day, May 30th @ 8:00pmMay 29 - Memorial Day weekend – Begin summer scheduleMay or June TBA - Session retreatJune 6-10 - VBSJune 17-23 – M&M Trip to Rosebud Reservation – Mission, SD June 19 - Father’s DayJuly 3 – M&M Led Worship – One service at 10:00am + Congregational lunchJuly 7-10 or 12-15 – Massanetta Middle School Conference (completed 6th-8th grade)July 18-23 – Presbyterian Youth Triennium (completed 8th-12th grade)

GRACE notes

MARCH 2016 | VOL 34, N3

“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers,for by doing that somehave entertained angels without knowing it.”

– Hebrews 13:2

Visitors delight us.Our goal is simple: make all people feel welcomed, not overwhelmed.

We were all visitors once and remember how it feels to try a new place of worship. Attend as often as you want. Visitors are welcome at all GCPC events, classes and small groups as well as in worship. We will always be glad to see you!

Join us for coffee in between the two services or grab a cup of coffee in Heartland Hall on your way to Sunday School class. Heartland Hall is located next to the Sanctuary. There are always people to visit with or things to learn about if you want to just hang out.

Worship Schedule8:50am Praise Team Led Worship10am Church School All Ages11:05am Choral Led WorshipChildcare is provided during Worship.

Upcoming NewsletterArticle DeadlinesApril 2016 Issue - Deadline March 15May 2016 Issue - Deadline April

CHURCH STAFFPastorVacantDirector of Music MinistriesRebecca Prater, rebecca.prater@gcpc.org ..ext. 13Office CoordinatorJoy Hartke, office@gcpc.orgDirector of Youth Ministries, Miles McDonald miles.mcdonald@gcpc.org ...............................ext. 17Director of Children’s MinistriesCindy Huston, cindy.huston@gcpc.org ..... ext. 12Finance Administrator.....................Debbie MillerOrganist ........................................................ Linda DoverContemporary Music Coord.............Denice TrawickiContemporary Music Drummer..........Daniel Cole Technical Director for Worship....Miles McDonaldChild Care Coordinator ................ Carolyn ChaffinKid’s Day Out Director ......................Kathy ConnorWedding Coordinator ..................... Lara Schesser

ELDERSAustin Adams Sarah Evans Mac Fechtling Chris FryeAmy Grice Rob JonasJenna Kor Joe LillianGay Lee Ludwig-Bonney Ryan PeckJo Randolph Aaron Rickley Matt Stromberg Joy Wilson Kevin Mason - Clerk of Session

SUPPORT STAFFCommunication Elder ....................... Mac FechtlingDeacon Moderator ............................ Kathy WilliamsExecutive Committee....................... Mac Fechtling, Rob Jonas, Jo Randolph, Sarah EvansNewsletter Editor ...................................... Jami HowePrayer Chain ....................................... Cheryl JohnsonPresbyterian Women Moderator ................. vacant

MINISTRY UNITSCongregational Nurture Unit ModeratorsConnections and Care................................. Lisa FeyhEndowment .............................................. David SteenMusic ........................................................... Anne StroudGenerosity ..................................................... Bill BrownWorship ........................................................Kathy Bures

Education Ministry Unit ModeratorsAdult ...................................................Jamie PendletonChildren ..................................................Kathy HockleyYouth...............................................................Wendy KorReach Out Ministry Unit ModeratorsCommunications ...............................Cheryl PletcherWelcoming.......................................... Greg PrestridgeOutreach ..................................................Marcia TurnerKairos...........................................................Lauren Bond

Supportive Ministry Unit ModeratorsFacility .............................................................Marc FeyhFinance ..................................................... Matt McBridePersonnel ................................................ Linda Bridges

A Stephen Ministry Congregation

Inclusive. Family Oriented. Welcoming.

11100 College BoulevardOverland Park, KS 66210Phone: 913-345-1256Fax: 913-345-1198gcpc.org

Facebook: facebook.com/GraceCovenantPresbyterian Twitter: @GraceCovPres

C E L E B R A T I N G G O D ’ S A L L E N C O M P A S S I N G L O V E !

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In concern for our Muslim sisters and brothers, KAIROS composed a letter - offering our greetings of peace, love, and support. During this time of divisiveness in our nation, we could not just stand by! We must support our fellow man. Your session has reviewed and approved the letter for KAIROS to publish and send to our community Muslim congregations. Stop by the ADVOCACY SPOT on March 6 to read the letter and talk to us.

KAIROS has just submitted its 5th recertification audit applying for recognition from PC(USA) environmental ministries as an Earth Care Congregation. GCPC was one of the 1st 20 nationwide congregations to earn this certification from PC(USA). Earth Care Congregations have as one focus to care or all of God’s creation in all they do as a congregation. When you pick up your palm this Palm Sunday know that the fronds come from communities in Mexico and Guatemala, and workers receive fair wages for practicing sustainable harvesting that protects the local ecosystem. The PC(USA) Eco-Palms program protects forests and local jobs and provides sustainable livelihoods

Earth Day 2016 is coming April 22.KAIROS focus this year is Sustainable Food Sources in a Changing Climate. Grace Garden has obtained its plot in the Overland Park Garden again this year. Please join us as KAIROS works to produce healthy fresh food to a local food pantry. We were able to donate over 100 lbs of food last year alone!. Watch for more details and lots of Earth Care activities (recycling, eating & more)!! Contact Lauren Bond gcpckairos@gmail.com for more information.

Paying per capita is similar to• contributing one’s dish to a potluck meal• paying to be connected to the Internet• paying for the benefit of utilities, such as electricity, water, and telephone• pitching in with other passengers to pay for gasoline for a road trip• participating in community supported agriculture (CSA) or a similar co-opIn essence, per capita is a set amount of money (apportionment) per member that congregations pay to the larger Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Every Presbyterian shares in the benefit of the PC(USA)’s system of government, so every Presbyterian is asked to share the expenses associated with coordinating and performing the functions of that system.

Why per capita?Per capita exists as a way for all Presbyterians to share costs that belong to the whole church, to give meaning to the interdependent nature of Presbyterian polity. Per capita is part of the glue that holds Presbyterians together. It exists to allow the whole church to share equitably in those things that make us Presbyterian:• our theological identity• our connectedness• our system of mid councils that allow elders and ministers together to discern the mind of Christ• our ecumenical connections that make us part of the church universal• our core structures that keep us together as a church• our call to work for full participation in decision-making

Per capita allows us to work with other churches to further the mission of Jesus Christ around the world.Exod. 30:11-16 – “…the rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than the half shekel [for the sanctuary]….”1 Cor. 12:7 – “To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.”

The 2016 apportionment is as follows:• General Assembly apportionment $7.12• Synod apportionment $2.72• Heartland Presbytery apportionment $29.68

Grace Covenant’s 2016 apportionment is $39.52 per member. This amounts to $23,080 in our 2016 budget. You can help by contributing to this cost. An envelope was enclosed in your February envelope packet or notate on the memo line of your check.

KAIROS PER CAPITA

The monthly column highlighting teams and passionate members here at GCPC.

Wendy Kor - is the Moderator of Youth Team. She and her family have been active in the youth programs for over 9 years and the programs have been such an integral part in the lives of her three children she feels this is the right calling for her at this time.

She has been a member since 1998 and has also served GCPC as a deacon. Jenna Kor, Wendy’s daughter is also serving this year as one of the youth elders on session.

In her spare time Wendy serves on the IHN board, reads lots of books, and loves to travel.

Youth Team: This team works closely with the Director of Youth Ministries. The team members work with and support programs for youth and their parents from 6th through 12th grades here at GCPC. Please feel free to contact Wendy wendykor@gmail.com if you are interested in becoming part of this team or would like more information about our youth here at GCPC. Meeting times vary according to the activities of the programs.

Kathy Bures – Kathy is the GCPC worship team moderator as well as involved in the music ministries as director of Jubilation! Ringer & Spirit! Ringers and she is the assistant Funeral Coordinator.

You can see how Kathy’s loves of music and the words & format of worship has called her to service

here at GCPC. Over the years Kathy has served GCPC as a team member of adult education, facilities and music as well as serving as an elder on session and executive committee. Kathy and her family, Dr. George, Trey, Peter and Elizabeth have been members of GCPC since 1990.

When Kathy is not busy with GCPC activities she sells Dove Chocolates at home parties and works part-time as an executive assistant for iBossWell. In her spare time ;) Kathy reads and loves to cook in the kitchen. Her cheesecakes are fabulous! She participated in springboard diving and synchronized swimming at Iowa State and is a HUGE Cylones fan. You will frequently see her in red.

Kathy’s thoughts and prayers for GCPC: That we will remember that sometimes people do or say things they shouldn’t out of fear and anger. We need to try to understand where those people are coming from and forgive them (and ourselves). I especially pray that we will learn to LISTEN to each other!

Worship Team: This team has been working diligently to plan, develop and execute our worship experiences here at GCPC. They coordinate and work with the pastors as well as working closely with the music team to provide a meaningful worship experience for the congregation. This team provides leadership or special seasonal emphasis & themes, recruits and supports the ushers, the sound booth volunteers, projection operators, communion set up/clean up volunteers and the decorating of the sanctuary! They also oversee wedding and funeral policy and practice. If you are interested contact Kathy at kathy.bures@gmail.com this team usually meets first Tuesdays!

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SympathyOur deepest sympathy to:

Aimee Fleeman upon the death of her uncle, Gary Lori.

The Prater family in the loss of Rebecca’s nephew’s son in an automobile accident, February 1, 2016.

Ryan and Hillary Hinderliter in the death of their father, Steve Hinderliter, February 5, 2016.

Please keep these individuals and their families in your prayers at this time of grief. If you wish to send a card of sympathy and don’t have a church directory, you may call the church office at 913-345-1256 for their address.

ThanksDear Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church

Volunteering is at the very core of being a human. No one has made it through life without someone else’s help and our IHN guests are no exception. We are so grateful to you and the members of Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church.

Please accept our heartfelt thanks for hosting our families the week of February 7. We know that providing this help requires a big commitment from your congregation. Please convey our gratitude to all involved and let them know their efforts make a difference to people who need a helping hand.

Sincere Thanks,Vicki & Cheryl

Dear Grace Covenant:

Thank you for the many cards, conversations & hugs given after the tragic loss of my nephew’s 18 year old son, Tanner Rardin. Your expressions of concern and sympathy have reminded me once again how important it is to be part of a faith community like Grace Covenant. We are blessed.

Rebecca Prater

Harold and I would like to thank everyone for their prayers, cards, meals and calls during my recent surgery. Our God is an awesome God and what a wonderful church family he placed us in.

God bless you. Linda Rosine and Harold Farren

New Support Group

Jerel and I would like to thank Grace members for all the support since I learned about my breast cancer. The outpouring of concern with cards, calls and meals has really helped ease the pain. I have discovered by sharing my cancer journey, that many women at Grace have had or currently experiencing breast cancer.

After discussing the possibility of a support group for women with Poppy Zurcher, we have decided to host the first “Sharing Your Cancer Journey with Grace”.Who is invited: Any woman who has or had a female-related cancer or is interested in learning about female-related cancers.

Facilitator: Poppy Zurcher, Volunteer for the Block Cancer Hotline and Cancer AdvocateDate: Monday, February 29th Time: 5:30-6:30 pmPlace: GCPC Room 10 (Lower Level)Bring: Appetizer to share and questions for Poppy. Beverages will be provided.RSVP: Kathy Williams 913-345-1869 or kathykaskewilliams@gmail.com

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LIFE OF THE CHURCH

Surf Shack – Catch the Wave of God’s Amazing Love! Planning has started and all are invited to help! Our next decorating meeting will be Feb. 28th at 12:15 in room 25, and all are welcome to come and brainstorm with us. We’re also lining up our center

leaders, snack makers, group leaders, etc. so please contact Cindy at cindy.huston@gcpc.org to see how you can help! Think beach! Save the Date – June 6th – 10th!

Thanks to all who came to Shrove Tuesday pancakes! All you came had a great time as well as a great meal with their Grace Covenant Family. Pancakes were enjoyed by all ages!

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Fish Banks – Don’t forget to be feeding your fish banks! Money collected goes toward helping with natural disasters, providing food to the hungry, and helping to empower the poor and oppressed.

Easter Egg Hunt Now that Lent has started, we know that Easter won’t be far behind. This year the Easter Egg Hunt will be on Easter Saturday, March 26th, at 10:00. This event is run by Children’s Team, and we could always use some help. If you have any ideas, you’re invited to attend our March meeting on March 14th, or contact moderator Kathy Hockley at mdhock@aol.com.

The Amazing Stuff Workshop for 4th and 5th graders will be sometime in April, but the date is dependent on surveys returned by the parents. Parents, please reply to the email sent to you with your date choices. Since this is only offered every other year, we want to reach as many interested families as possible. This workshop is about growing up and taking care of our bodies, which are amazing gifts from God. If you have any questions, or would like to see the material, please contact Cindy.

We know nothing! Well, we don’t if you don’t tell us! If you have any questions, concerns, suggestions, or keep-it-ups, please contact Moderator, Kathy Hockley (mdhock@aol.com) or Director of Children’s Ministries, Cindy Huston (cindy.huston@gcpc.org). We don’t want to be like Schultz!

CHILDREN’S MINISTRIESInformation for ALL our members, not just those with young children!

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Summer Intern Position OpenGCPC welcomes applications for the Summer 2016 intern position. If you are interested in the position or know someone who is, please contact Miles for more information on the application and interview process. Applications are due by March 10.

“Souper” Big Thanks!Many Thanks for your “Souper” Donations! GCPC Youth would like to thank you for your generous support toward our 2016 “Souper Bowl of Caring.” We collected 741 items (4 heaping barrels) of food to share with Harvesters to feed the hungry in our own community. We can’t say THANK YOU loud enough!

Youth SundayYouth Sunday is coming up on March 6th! God welcomes you, and we welcome you too. Not some perfect fine-tuned image of you, but the real you. Big, small, awkward, tired, disheveled, fun, lazy, inquisitive, questioning, hopeful, timid, beautiful you! You can change those adjectives to better reflect yourself and can probably add some more. Our theme for this year is “Come as You Are”. All of the students are involved in planning this special day. This year we have 6 graduating seniors that will be sharing in both services. You won’t want to miss it!

Summer TripsIt’s time to break out the summer schedule to see how many church trips and adventures you can fit in! Of course our graduated 8-12th graders will set out on our annual Mission and Music Trip – this year to the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota. It will be a fun week including, play, hard work, new adventures, and a cultural experience you cannot get anywhere else in the U.S.

That same age group is also eligible to attend the big youth event that the PCUSA holds for our youth every three years, the Youth Triennium. It is an amazing week on the campus of Purdue University. Massanetta is a middle school Conference in Virginia that our students have loved attending for years! We hope to make this trip again in the summer of 2016 in addition to a local-area mission experience for graduated 6-8th graders.

Summer EventsMark your calendars now for the following youth summer events: June 6-10 VBS Helpers (completed 6th-12th grade)June 17-24 M&M Trip to Rosebud Reservation - Mission, SD (completed 8th-12th grade)July 3 M&M Led WorshipJuly 18-23 Presbyterian Youth Triennium, (completed 8th-12th grade)July 7-10 or Massanetta Middle School Conference12-15 (completed 6-8th grade)

YOUTH PAGE MUSIC NOTESLooking Ahead to Music and Worship Events March – July 2016MARCHMission & Music HappeningsM&M Candy Tube Fundraiser

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M&M Trip Registration

Sunday, March 6 deadline

M&M Candy Tube Fundraiser

Pick up your tube of M&M candy after worship. Enjoy the candy, and return the tube to the BIG GREEN M&M with your check, cash, or coin contribution inside by Sunday, March 6. Thank you for helping our senior high students travel to South Dakota for a life changing experience: June 17-24

M&M Trip Registration

Forms Are Now Available!Sunday, March 6 – Forms and Fee are dueRegistration forms are available via email, online and on the youth board.Priority for the trip goes to the 8th-12th grade students, adults who have a “job” on the trip, and then parents of seniors. Registration is due by Sunday, March 6.

Youth Sunday, March 6

Theme: “Come As You Are”8:50am: Spirit! Ringers & Exaltation!11:05am: Ex! Ringers & Exaltation!Youth Band in both services

Palm Sunday, March 20 @ 8:50 & 11:05amOrchestra will play in both worship services8:50 Praise Team & 11:05am Chancel Choir & Trumpet

Maundy Thursday, March 24 @ 7:30pmClarinet Quartet & Vocl Ensemble

Good Friday, March 25 @ 7:30pm“Songs of the Cross”Chancel Choir, String Quartet from Heartland Chamber Music (they use our sanctuary for their recitals and have graciously offered to play in one of our worship services)Tenor Sax & Organ

Easter Sunday, March 27 @ 8:50 & 11:05am8:50 Praise Team, Solos, & Ensembles11:05 Chancel Choir, Chancel Brass, Charter Ringers & Organ

APRIL & MAY

Music Appreciation Sunday, April 108:50am: Massed Choir & Praise Team11:05am: Massed Choir, Charter Ringers & Chancel Choir

Saturday, April 23 – Charter Ringers & Chancel Choir Outreach Concert – 10am at Lakeview Village:9100 Park St, Lenexa, KS 66215

Sunday, April 24 – “Sharing Our Gifts”Spirit! (4th-7th grade choir) will lead both worship services. They will sing several songs from past musicals like Acorns to Oaks, Help Wanted, Rescue in the Night and several others.

Sunday, May 1 – Bell Fest @ 6pm

Theme: “Dancing with the Bells”Come and hear dances played on the handbells & also see some dance segments from church member dancers. Reception to follow in Heartland Hall.

Requiem by John Rutterto be presented on

Sunday, May 22nd @ 7pm at GCPCwith Grace Covenant’s Choir & Orchestra

Rebecca J. Prater, conductorand presented again at Carnegie Hall in NYC

Monday, May 30th @ 8pmwith Grace Covenant’s choir

Rebecca J. Prater, co-conductorAnd Anderson University’s choir

Anderson University, South CarolinaRichard Williamson, co-conductor

JUNE & JULY

M&M Trip to South Dakota: Fridays, June 17-24

M&M Led Worship: Sunday, July 3 @ 10am at

GCPC – Followed by an all-congregation luncheon

OUTREACH NEWS

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Colossians 3:13 “Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”

So here we are in Lent. I must confess, Lent is usually my least favorite season of the church year. It is so dark and gloomy; focused on sin and repentance. My usual feeling is “I have enough of my own guilt, thank you. I don’t need you to help me feel guilty.” Besides, I am more of a “Good News” person. Some years we have focused less on guilt and more on prayer, or service, and I like that. This year is different. This year I think we (and I) need that message of repentance and forgiveness.

I still feel the undercurrents of hurt and anger that divided our church last fall. The division is less noticeable, but it is still there. I see it in the empty seats left by dear friends who aren’t coming anymore, comments about recent sermons, and the concerned questions about our future interim. Those of us who have stayed have come together in amazing ways to keep Grace Covenant going and keep our traditions and ministries alive. But there is still the echo of choosing sides, of “us vs. them”, and the feeling of bewilderment some still have because they’re not really sure what happened or how we got where we are.

My boss says we have all graduated with honors from “MSU” – Making Stuff Up. We all do it. When we are stuck in a traffic jam and someone passes us on the shoulder, we MSU that they think they are more important than us. Maybe they do think that, or maybe a loved one is in the emergency room and they are rushing to the hospital; maybe they will be fired if they are late to work. We don’t really know. We MSU what people are thinking and what their motives are, because we are too angry and hurt to really listen, or too sure we are right to try to understand things from their perspective. It seems easier that way. Then we hold grudges and find it hard to forgive, because we still feel we have been wronged. But when we do that, we hurt ourselves more than anyone else. Forgiveness is not for the other person; forgiveness is for yourself. On his website http://learningtoforgive.com, Dr. Frederic Luskin lists 9 steps of forgiveness.

This is the 3rd step: Forgiveness does not necessarily mean reconciliation with the person that hurt you, or condoning of their action. What you are after is to find peace. Forgiveness can be defined as the “peace and understanding that come from blaming that which has hurt you less, taking the life experience less personally, and changing your grievance story.”

Blaming less, taking it less personally, letting go of pain and resentment so that you can find peace. That is what it means to forgive, and why. It is not about saying you will forget anything happened and never speak of it again. There are still discussions to be had, but it is time to heal and that cannot happen without forgiveness. Then we will be ready to have discussions in which we can truly listen to each other, and learn.

So this season of Lent, the Worship Team has decided to focus intentionally on sin, repentance and forgiveness. In worship everyone has received a small stone. Each week we hold the stones in our hands as we say the Prayer of Confession, and we urge you to carry it in your pocket or keep it near you during the week. Think of infusing the stone with all your sins and all your pain. Then, at the Good Friday service we will drop our stones at the foot of the cross – symbolically letting go of those sins and hurts as we do. It is time to forgive.

By the way, many years ago we had a conflict about a staff member and I struggled with “which side” I was on. Then I realized, I was on the side of Grace Covenant. I wanted what was best for the church and I refused to take the side of who was right or who was wrong. It freed me from the stress of that conflict and enabled me to see more clearly about what was happening. That has guided me often in the years since. Then, now, and always - I chose the side of Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church. Join me!

Wishing you peace,

Kathy Bures

Worship Team Moderator

A LENTEN REFLECTIONOur March Communion Offering will be allocated to One Great Hour of Sharing, an ecumenical effort to collect special gifts for those in need. PCUSA is one of eight Christian denominations participating in One Great Hour of Sharing. Donations to One Great Hour of Sharing enable the church to share God’s love with our neighbors-in-need around the world. Your gift helps support Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, Presbyterian Hunger Program, and Self Development of People.

Our March Donation Partner is Medical Teams International. This month we will be collecting personal care items to be assembled into family refugee kits during our Grace in Action event to be held Saturday, April 2. The kits will be shipped to Greece and distributed to Syrian refugees by Medical Teams International. The following items are needed for each care kit: 4-pack of toilet paper, 3.1 ounce bar of soap, 22.5 ounce bottle of shampoo, 4 toothbrushes, two 6.4 ounce tubes of toothpaste, 2-pack of towels, 36 count sanitary pads, 2.5 ounce hand sanitizing gel, 4 to 10-pack of shaving razors with travel size shaving cream, drawstring trash bags. Simply pick up a few (or many) of these items the next time you go shopping, and drop them in the collection box in the weekday entrance.

April 2 Grace in Action event Mark your calendar now for the Saturday, April 2 Grace in Action event from 10 AM-1PM in Heartland Hall. This is an event for all ages and a great way to teach your children about spreading God’s love.

We will be assembling family refugee kits which will be given to Syrian refugees as they arrive in Greece. These kits are among the most immediate, urgent answers to needs among refugees in the Greek Isles.

March 1 Blood Drive A Grace Covenant’s tradition is to sponsor a Blood Drive for the Community Blood Center. The blood center needs 580 donors each day to meet area hospital needs. Your next opportunity to donate blood will occur on March 1 from 2:00-6:30 PM in Heartland Hall. Our goal is to schedule 35 donors and obtain 35 pints of blood. By making one donation, you can help as many as two patients-(your blood can be divided into plasma and red cells.) Book your appointment today at savealifenow.org and enter Sponsor Code: gracecovenant. Or, you can contact GCPC member Tim Hayden at 913-897-1240 or tjhayden66@gmail.com to register.

2015 “Pass Through” Donations We are pleased to report that a total of $34,308 and a very large quantity of collected items such as food, medical supplies, clothing, and children’s toys was donated in 2015 for communion and special offerings by our congregation. The donations are “passed through” to the groups and/or agencies that were identified as the beneficiaries. Thank you for your generosity!

PRESBYTERIANS AROUND THE WORLD:

Today, Christmas is such a major holiday that it is hard to believe that it was ever different. Yet just as daily life has changed greatly over the centuries, so have attitudes toward religion in general and Christmas in particular.

(Hugh M. Van Horn, 2014).

Celebrations of Christmas PastPart II

Four centuries ago, beginning with the eighteenth century, the congregation at The Old Presbyterian Meeting House in Alexandria, Virginia did not celebrate Christmas.

According to Hugh M. Van Horn, in “A History of Christmas in Four Centuries at The Old Presbyterian Meeting House in Alexandria, Virginia” (2014), Christmas in 1790 was practiced in public worship services held only among Catholics and Episcopalians. Van Horn states that Christmas at The Meeting House was largely a non-event in the Presbyterian congregation, possibly celebrated as a private affair in the home.

Christmas, along with Easter, Pentecost, and other festivals of the ancient Christian calendar, were viewed as unbiblical relics of the Roman Church.

According to Van Horn, “there would be no organ which is [some] Scots called the ‘devil’s band’. The author notes that the congregation associated the organ with Roman Catholicism and with seventeenth century efforts to improve the English style of worship in the Church of Scotland.

The April issue of Grace Notes will begin with a description of the practice of Christmas worship at The Meeting House in 1790.

PEW DWELLERS’ HEALTH NOTES:

Nurturing – A BeginningPart VII - On the Road to CompassionIn your daily relationships with others, do you use nurturing behaviors to enhance their well-being?

Anthony Biglan, in “The Nurture Effect”, relates information about a research study on mindfulness intervention to describe how to help adults develop and use nurturing skills. Mindfulness, according to a Merriam-Webster resource, is the practice of maintaining a non-judgmental state of heightened or complete awareness of one’s thoughts, emotions, or experiences on a moment-to-moment basis. In other words, we pay attention to our thoughts without judging them.

The study used health care providers. (Escuriex, B. F. & Labbé, E. E., 2011. “Health care providers’ mindfulness and treatment outcomes: A critical review of the research literature”. Mindfulness 2:242-253).

Biglan stated that most of the studies were not randomized and that he could not conclude with absolute certainty that mindfulness helped them create a more caring environment, increased their capacity for empathy and appreciation of others, and assisted them to become less reactive or defensive in their relationships.

Biglan does support his beliefs about mindfulness in a discussion about the four ways psychological flexibility can help people become more patient, empathetic, and compassionate. The April issue of Grace Notes will include this discussion.

Church Women UnitedChurch Women United of Johnson County will celebrate World Day of Prayer on March 4, 2016 at 9:30 a.m. at Merriam Christian Church, 9401 Johnson Drive.

This program is a significant global ecumenical event in the lives of Christian women. The foundational motto, “Informed Prayer and Prayerful Action”, serves as a guide for Christian women to join together to observe a common day of prayer each year on the first Friday of March.

With understanding and fellowship, Christian women and others in 170 countries of various races, cultures and traditions, act throughout the year to increase awareness of the whole world. Enriched by their faith experiences, Christian women use their talents to serve others.

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INFORMATION OF INTEREST