Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church

Grace Notes
Volume 44, Issue 4

April 2014

Reasons for Thanks!

It is an exciting time of the year! Holy Week is nearing, spring is on its way, and there is much around the church for which we can be thankful. I am particularly thankful for our Confirmation Class. Virginia Hudson and Katherine Baird have been faithfully leading Reagan, Cameron, and Avery (see photo) through Confirmation for the past couple of months. On March 22-23, the confirmands and their leaders had an overnight retreat at Grace Covenant. During that time, Christopher Tweel, Luke Woodcock, Virginia, and I all had a chance to teach different lessons pertaining to the Christian faith. I can assure you that we have an incredibly faithful, inquisitive, and passionate group of disciples soon to join the church! I am also grateful for our new website! Go ahead and check it out at www.grace-covenant.org. The information is largely the same as the previous website, but the new one is far more user-friendly. It also offers a great space on which we can feature photos and weekly -updated details about upcoming events. We hope this assists you in knowing all that is going on in the life of the church. Equally, we hope this helps our many prospective visitors gain a sense of who are and what God is doing among us. Please be sure and thank Nate McKinnon for the many hours he gave in pulling this site together. As well, Christopher Tweel and Everett Reveley worked diligently to place the bulk of the content onto the website. -continued on page 10

Bri

ng a

Saturday, April 19 10:00 a.m.

frie nd!

t ske ! a b g ng a huntin i r B gg e for

the y! t e Me Bunn ter s a E

At the home of Margaret and Dick Cardwell 7105 University Drive

Questions? Call the church office at 359-2463

Palm Sunday Breakfast at Grace Covenant

Please plan to join us for breakfast on Palm Sunday, April 13, in the Fellowship Hall. We will gather at 9:15 a.m. to share our morning meal. Afterward, we will walk next door to the steps of First English Lutheran for our combined Stuart Circle Parish service at 9:45 a.m., followed by the annual Palm Sunday procession at 10:00 a.m. Please bring a breakfast food to share. The CE Committee will have the tables set and the coffee and juice ready for all! Contact: Cheryl Jacobs at 355-7310 or by email at bill.cher.jacobs@mindspring.com for additional information.

MID-WEEK FELLOWSHIP
Each Wednesday evening we gather at 6:00 p.m. for table fellowship, followed by a program from 6:307:15 p.m. All are welcome! Childcare is available. For more information contact Vanessa Strait in the church office at 359-2463, or info@grace-covenant.org Meals for April:
April 2- Meat loaf, mashed potatoes and gravy, lima beans, salad, and peach cobbler. April 9- Baked macaroni and cheese, cabbage, peas, salad, rolls, and sheet cake. THURSDAY , April 16- Ham, sweet potato casserole, green beans, rolls, salad, and
chocolate clair cake.

April 23- Lasagna, garlic bread, salad, fruit, and cookies.

April 30- Chicken tetrazzini, green beans, Harvard beets, salad, rolls, and apple crisp.

An Abiding Hope: The Presence of God in Exodus and Deuteronomy

The PW are currently studying:

All Circles Meet on Tuesday, April 8

PW Circle 1 le Evening Circ 7:00 p.m. venue 1502 Park A ryl Jacobs Hostess: Che

PW Circle 2 11:00 a.m. Vanguard Room Hostesses: Brenda Harris and Maria Rachal

PW Circle 3 9:30 a.m. Social Room Hostess: Lynn Norris

CDC Update
Well, I think we can all sigh a huge breath of relief that this winter is behind us and Spring is officially here. Someone tell the weather man that snow is not allowed to fall after March 20 this year! Speaking of weather, thats exactly what well be learning about this month in school: everything that makes Spring, Spring! Spring is defined mostly by the ups and downs of cold, windy, and sunny days, so our kids will be tracking which days are like a lion and which days are like a lamb. Theyll learn what kinds of clothing you wear for Spring weather, and maybe take advantage of a windy lion day to fly a kite! Spring is a time for change, not just with the weather but with our whole scenery. This is a great chance for all of our students to actually see those changes through budding flowers, green grass growing, and leaves returning to trees. Even the animals change their behavior to adapt to the weather, and well learn what kinds of things they do in the spring. This month will be full of sensory, hands-on experiences to learn about our world and how it changes from season to season. We cant wait! CDC Director, Nicole Williams

VBS Is Coming!
Vacation Bible School will be June 14-18. You can register between April 27 and June 8. Andwe still need volunteers! Can you help with crafts? Or music? Or Bible stories? Let Christopher Tweel know: christopher.tweel@upsem.edu.

3rd Saturdays at Shalom Farms!

This month Shalom Farms will be on the 2nd Saturday, April 12, because of the Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 19.
Join us the third Saturday of every month, for a morning out on the farm as we assist in ensuring local, healthy produce is available to everyone in our city. We will leave from the GCPC parking lot at 9:00 a.m. and return by 1:00 p.m. Bring along a sack lunch. Please RSVP to Nelson Reveley, nmr2uf@virginia.edu or 387-8094.

Bifocals Theater to Perform a Play By Janet Chenoweth

The Bifocals Theater group will be performing a play by Janet Chenoweth throughout the month of April. The play is a one- act comedy entitled Fraught with Danger. There will be three performances at The Children's Theatre of Virginia (formerly Barksdale Theatre) in Willow Lawn, where the tickets cost $10.00. Then the play will go on tour of many Richmond senior communities, where it will be presented for free or at a low cost. Please check your community calendar to see if it is coming to your area. The play is a rollicking comedy about two senior ladies who are accidentally left behind in Amish country by their tour bus. They encounter many wacky and dangerous characters along the way, and you'll be on the edge of your seat until the curtain falls. Janet will post more information including performance dates on the Fellowship bulletin board.

April
Sunday Monday Tuesday 1 Wednesday 2 Care Team 3:30 pm
Kids Choir 4:30 pm Junior Choir 5:00 pm WNL 6:00 pm Chapel Service 6:35 pm Chancel Choir 7:15 pm

6 Handbell Choir 8:30 am Prayer 9:15 am Sunday School 9:30 am Worship 10:55 am Appreciation Luncheon 12:30 pm 13 PALM SUNDAY Handbell Choir 8:30 am Breakfast at 9:15 am First English Lutheran at 9:45am Procession 10:00 am Worship 10:55 am Fellowship Hour 12:15 pm

7 Mens Lunch 12 noon

8 PW CIRCLES see page 3 Staff Meeting 11:00 am Nehemiah Action 6:30 pm Finance Committee 6:00 pm Ebenezer Baptist Church Worship Committee Meeting 7:00 pm 14 Mens Lunch 12 noon
Christian Education Meeting 6:00 pm

9 Care Team 3:30 pm Kids Choir 4:30 pm Junior Choir 5:00 pm WNL 6:00 pm Chapel Service 6:35 pm Chancel Choir 7:15 pm

15 Staff Meeting 10:00 am Deacons Meeting 6:00 pm

16 Care Team 3:30 pm CDC Board Meeting 5:00pm

20 EASTER SUNDAY! andbell Choir 8:30 am Prayer 9:15 am Sunday School 9:30 am Worship 10:55 am Fellowship Hour 12:15 pm 27 Handbell Choir 8:30 am Prayer 9:15 am Sunday School 9:30 am Worship 10:55 am Fellowship Hour 12:15 pm

21 CHURCH OFFICE CLOSED GRACE NOTES ARTICLES DUE!!!!!

22 Staff Meeting 10:00 am Admin. Committee Meeting 7:00 pm

23
Care Team 3:30 pm Kids Choir 4:30 pm Junior Choir 5:00 pm WNL 6:00 pm Chancel Choir 7:15 pm 30 Care Team 3:30 pm Kids Choir 4:30 pm Junior Choir 5:00 pm WNL 6:00 pm Chancel Choir 7:15 pm

28 Mens Lunch 12 noon

29 Staff Meeting 10:00 am

Grace Notes Deadline: April 21 is the deadline for submissions for our May edition.

Thursday 3 CDC Chapel 4 10:00 am

Friday

Saturday 5

10

CDC Chapel 11 10:00 am

12

17 MAUNDY THURSDAY CDC Chapel 10:00 am Dinner 6:00 pm Maundy Thurs. Service 7:00 pm Chancel Choir 8:00 pm 24 CDC Chapel 10:00 am SESSION Meeting 7:00 pm

18 CDC CLOSED CHURCH OFFICE CLOSES AT 12 NOON 25

19 Easter Egg Hunt 10:00 am The Cardwells House 7105 University Drive

26

Openers/Closers
April 6 April 13 April 20 April 27 Charlie Appich Lloyd Bostian Kent Cardwell Charlie Appich

April Birthdays
3- Dick Cardwell 3- Nolen Spivey 4- Leslie Hartman 5- Jordan Ball 6- Paul Wilson 6- Theo Zobule 7- Sanny Zobule 10- Ashby Price 12- George Gray 12- Sandra Lumpkin 13- Harrison Campbell Hackett 14- Rob Rosebro 15 Jane Nelson 16- Ann Hubbard 16- Philip Janney 17- Willem Meyer 19- Amanda Dickerson 19- John Ryan Mustanski 20- Judith Frayser 26- Stephen Coltrain 26- Eason Reveley 28- Jo McMillin 29- Christopher Winston

Fellowship Hour
April 6 April 13 April 20 April 27 Jan Kessel Lewis and Rob Rosebro Sallie Leys Warren Zirkle

Easter Sunday Flowering of the Cross

This is a gentle reminder from the Worship Ministry to bring your cut flowers for the flower cross on Easter Sunday. This is a beautiful and long-standing Grace Covenant tradition. We ask that you bring flowers from your yard (or those you have purchased) to completely cover the form of the cross that sits in the front of the sanctuary during our Easter worship service. After worship the cross is carried outside and put on our front steps as a visual witness that Grace Covenant is indeed celebrating and rejoicing in the resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Many of our neighbors and the Monument Avenue Easter parade stop to take pictures beside this cross each year. Please help us continue this tradition and bring your flowers for the cross on Easter Sunday.

Easter Sunday Hallelujah Chorus

One of the great Easter Sunday traditions at Grace Covenant is the singing of Handels Hallelujah Chorus (Messiah) to conclude our worship service. We invite all worshipers in the sanctuary to come forward to join the Chancel Choir in singing this uplifting choral benediction. The church owns a few extra scores of the Hallelujah Chorus that it can pass out to worshipers; however, if you own a copy, we ask that you please bring it with you on Easter Sunday.

Easter Sunday Musical Offerings

Prelude: Carillon de Westminster Louis Vierne Anthem: Christ Has Conquered (Christus Vincit) Joseph Noyon Handbells: Victory (The Strife Is Oer) Jeffery Honor Benediction: Hallelujah Chorus (Messiah) G. F. Handel Postlude: Toccata (Organ Symphony No. 5) Charles-Marie Widor

-continued from front page Finally, I am grateful for Gods immeasurable faithfulness. A recent visitor came by my office last week. She talked about getting to meet and know some of the folks who have been part of Grace Covenant for the past 60, 70, and 80 years. At one point she said, You know, you can tell a church by its fruit. And these are some remarkable people! Praise God for Gods continued faithfulness in maturing this congregation in the likeness and love of Jesus Christ. The fruit is evident and cause for thanks. I pray God continues to bless you and keep you as we journey toward Easter. In the Risen Christ, Bobby

Check it out. Grace Covenant has a new website!

Go ahead and check it out at www.grace-covenant.org. The information is largely the same as the previous website, but the new one is far more user-friendly. It also offers a great space on which we can feature photos and weekly-updated details about upcoming events.

HOLY WEEK AT GRACE COVENANT 2014

Upcoming Services
PALM SUNDAY April 13, 2014 9:15 a.m. 9:45 a.m. Palm Sunday Morning Brunch Fellowship Hall Stuart Circle Parish Palm Sunday Service First English Lutheran

10:00 a.m. Stuart Circle Palm Sunday Procession Monument Ave. 11:00 a.m. Palm Sunday Worship Sanctuary MAUNDY THURSDAY April 17, 2014 6:00 p.m. Dinner (instead of Wednesday) 7:00 p.m. Communion Service Sanctuary

GOOD FRIDAY April 18, 2014 7:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m. Prayer Vigil Sanctuary EASTER SUNDAY April 20, 2014 Bring flowers for the Flowering Cross

A Rookie Runners Perspective

The moment we turn the corner I see them. The horde. The thousands huddled together. Never have I seen this many people congregated together. I take the next few moments to fight the rising anxiety building in my belly, turning my gaze away from Broad Street and the starting line. Eventually I look back, collect my thoughts, and notice the group slowly marching by, making their way to the starting line, inch by inch. The standard they bore, TA, read identical to the heat of the race that I had been assigned. Before I could eagerly bound off toward my wave, Brain Baird calls upon me to say a quick prayer, and so I do, thanking God for the weather (which was neither too cold nor too hot, and that had been, up until this point, barely drizzling most refreshingly), and asking for Gods grace and protection over all who were running today. After the prayer, I dart off into the multitudes, soon finding myself marching along with the Macedonian phalanx of neon and Nike, making our way to the starting line. Although it seemed to take forever, the signal to begin took me off guard and the crowd erupted into a hesitant trot all around me. I quickly force my way to the front of my heat so that I am not caught behind those who have opted for a more leisurely pace than my own. The first mile seems to consist of my weaving in and out of the crowd. No deep thinking. No revelations of any sort. I simply keep my mind on not running into whoever was in front of me. It is all I need to keep my pace. The start of the second mile my body begins to protest. Maybe I have run this first mile too quickly, maybe I havent trained hard enough, maybe I havent had the proper amount of rest and the most quality diet over the course of the last few days. I dont know. My mind becomes obsessed with the difficulties of my body for the second mile. All I can think about is wanting to stop and the absolute certainty that I cannot, that I will not, stop. As I round the corner and turn around about three miles in, my mind drifts. The gentle mist of rain, that had been so refreshing, begins to fall a little heavier, I think back to January, to the beginning of Grace Covenants Monument 10K training team. For the next several minutes I picture each practice and think back to each sharp breath of cold winter air we gulped down finishing our first three-mile run together, then our first four-mile run, five-mile run. I remember the early Saturday mornings when 13 or 14 of us gathered for the run, and I remember the mornings when only a handful of us managed to show up, ragged and frosty in the winter that has lasted far too long. I remember trying to keep up with some of our faster members as they casually chatted about this and that, with me struggling beside them, doing everything I can to insert a winded grunt or head-shake in place of a real contribution to the conversation. I can see, barely, with my glasses being left at GCPC, the four -mile sign, and I think to myself that I will miss our weekly runs. The fifth mile proves to be the most difficult. I cant keep focused on anything. My mind darts back and forth. My stomach growls. I think back to Firehouse 15 and the spaghetti dinner from the night before. I think of the afternoon of house painting for Boaz and Ruth during our Service Day, and I think of all of the wonderful work that this organization is doing. I think of all the hard work Jessica Reveley and Greta Kidd and so many others have put into cultivating this partnership between Grace

As I begin my sixth mile, I am hit with a wave of unexpected exhaustion. I panic. What about my time? I think to myself. If I slow down now, wont that through off this good pace Ive been able to keep? The questions make it worse; my legs begin to drag. However I am fortunate. Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church is not far into this sixth mile. I know that the hospitality station that Virginia Hudson and so many others had worked hard to set up and run is within reach. My strides lengthen, and my pace picks up again. Then I can hear them, those Grace Covenant folks standing soaked in the rain hooting and clapping and filling this runners heart with joy and invigoration. Then I can see them, so great a cloud of witnesses, rooting me on, rooting us all on. I forget about my time and I run. The last leg of the race, I do not think. I am filled with the Holy Spirit through the love of such a supporting and loving church community. I dont notice the blister that is taking up half of my right foot, and I dont feel my lungs gasping in labor much harder than they are used to. I can think only of the love of God expressed through the love of organizations like Grace Covenant and Boaz and Ruth. As I finally pass the finish line, I have no idea my time, I can think only of the love of God. Thank you so much to everyone who participated in Grace Covenants Monument 10K and thank you so much to everyone who worked so hard to see the partnership between Grace Covenant and Boaz and Ruth. These last few months of training with everyone has been an absolute delight and I am thrilled that I had the opportunity to be a part of this!
Thanks again and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. Hebrews 12:1-2

- Luke Woodcock

Good Friday Prayer Vigil

On Good Friday the Sanctuary will be available from 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. for prayer. As in past years we will have prayer guides available for those who would like to use those. There is no need to sign up for a particular time-simply come anytime during the day and stay as long or as briefly as you like.

Centennial Celebration
In April 2015, Grace Covenant will celebrate the centennial of its founding by the union of Grace Street Presbyterian Church and Church of the Covenant. Descendents of original members will be invited to join us in this celebration. Our archives contain a 1915 directory of membership and a 1922 listing of members. Some current members of Grace Covenant are descendents of early members and some of them have been identified and they are listed below. If you can provide corrections or additions to this list, please contact Marjorie Adams at 264-6786. (Early members names from the lists are underlined above the names of descendents who are currently members.): Mrs. J. H. Adams (Minna Dietrich) Edward Reeves Adams and Mrs. Adams (Marjorie) and Robert Edward Adams Mrs. William P. Birchett (Ethel Overton) Mary Birchett Whitley and Mr. Clarence Whitley William Henry Harris John H. Harris Mr. and Mrs. L. Edwin Harvie Lucy M. Harvie Mr. and Mrs. Llewellyn K. Harvie Margaret Harvie Cardwell (Mrs. Richard H. Cardwell, III) and Mr. Cardwell E. Kent Cardwell, Mrs. Cardwell (Lisa) and Grace, Edwin, and Benjamin Virginia Lewis Cardwell Rosebro (Mrs. Robert R. Rosebro), Mr. Rosebro and Margaret and Elizabeth Lewellyn Kent Harvie, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Robert Lecky, Jr. Franklin B. Stone (Mrs. Robert Lecky Stone) Dr. and Mrs. C. Browne Pearson Ann Pais (Mrs. C. B. Pearson, Jr.) Robert McLean Whittet Antoinette Whittet (Mrs. R. McLean Whittet, Jr.) Dorothy Walz (Mrs. A. Ray Dawson) Dottie-Ray Dawson Koch, Kathy Koch Winston and Katelyn and Christopher J. H. Warthen, Jr. Henry J. Warthen, III Mrs. I. N. Yonan Rebecca Yonan

Stewardship Corner
Februarys contributions of $32,200 were up about 8% from Januarys total, excluding $3,000 in contributions for prior year pledges, but they were down almost 5% from February a year ago. For the first two months of this year total contributions of $82,885.08 are up 2.8% over the same period last year, but after adjustments for contributions received last year for this year and for contributions relating to prior year pledges, they are down just slightly. Total income of $107,800 for the first two months of this year is up 15% from last year due in large part to increased rental income. Expenses of $57,000 in February were up slightly from the prior month, with both months being relatively high due to fuel bills, property taxes on the Stuart Circle Building, and a quarterly insurance payment. For the first two months of this year expenses of $113,300 are up about 9% from last year, over half of which is increased fuel costs. Expenses exceeded income by $13,900 in February and by $5,500 for the first two months of the year. In February our Five Cents Per Meal offering was $347 and Loaves and Fishes $517.

The Staff
Bobby Hulme-Lippert Pastor bobby@grace-covenant.org Chris Martin Director of Music and Organist martin@grace-covenant.org Vanessa Strait Administrative Assistant strait@grace-covenant.org Martha Rubin Bookkeeper bookkeeper@grace-covenant.org Christopher Tweel Christian Education Coordinator for children Christopher.tweel@upsem.edu Luke Woodcock Seminary Intern luke.woodcock@upsem.edu Church Office Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. 5:00 p.m. Phone: (804) 359-2463 Fax: (804) 278-6298 www.grace-covenant.org Sundays: 9:30 a.m. 10:55 a.m. 12:00 noon Sunday School for all ages in the Education Building Worship Service in the Sanctuary Congregational Fellowship in the Social Room

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 Jordan Ball (14) Matt Hartman (16) Virginia Hudson (14) Cheryl Jacobs (15) Caroline Leith (15) Katie McCullough (16) Dana McKnight (14) Christof Meyer (15) Joy Nevin (14) Everett Reveley (15) Pete Sizemore (16) Rob Turner (14) - Nominating (M), Finance (Co-M), Property (Co-M) - Missions (M) CE/Discipleship (M), Fellowship (C-M), Administration (Co-M) Worship (Co-M), Evangelism (M) Fellowship (Co-M) Finance (Co-M), Property (Co-M) - Administration (Co-M) - Worship (Co-M) Flowers Fellowship Deacon Fund Meals Care Care and Deacon Fund Greeters and Ushers Visitation

Church Officers

DEACONS Lisa Cardwell (15) Courtney Clements (15) Phil Coltrain (16) Mary Gray (15) Jan Kessel (15) Ann Pais (14) Jennifer Schooley (15) Judy Waldron (14)

Greeter/Usher - Jennifer Schooley (Jan - Apr), Courtney Clements (May-Aug), Erika Tabor (Sept - Dec) Guest follow-up/Inquirer Class - Erika Tabor (14) Justice Ministry - Jessica Reveley (16) Glass Office - Phil Coltrain (16) Moderator - Erika Tabor (14) Secretary - Judy Waldron (14) TRUSTEES: Caroline Leith (14) John Roberts (15) Warren Zirkle (16)

Grace Covenant Child Development Center Nicole Williams Director director.gccdc@verizon.net www.gracecovenantcdc.com