Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church

Grace Notes
Volume 42, Issue 5

May 2012

Where there is no vision, the people perish Proverbs 29:18 (KJV) Brothers and sisters in Christ I recently attended a meeting at Elijahs school with their Acting Principal. She came in a few weeks ago after some unexpected family demands prompted the former Principal (who had arrived just last summer) to leave. As she spoke, I realized how similar the schools situation was to Grace Covenants own, with respect to the frequency in changes in leadership. Both communities had functioned under three leaders in as many years; both are preparing for yet another change in leadership. While our family has been involved at this school for the last five years, most of the other parents present had not been involved as long, and were concerned about the frequency of turnover in leadership (the previous Principal had also left, after three years, because of family demands). Naturally, they were concerned that the turnover at the principals position might be symptomatic of some deeper, more troubling issues among the faculty and staff. The Acting Principal assured them this was not the case, and I was glad to be able to follow up with corroborating comments from a parents perspective. Carla and I (and our children) are actually very pleased with all the faculty and staff (and Principals) at the school. Its just sheer coincidence that the last two Principals have had to make decisions to leave in response to developments in their own families. Then the Acting Principal said something that struck me. When one of the other parents inquired about the effect that yet another new Principal might have upon the faculty, the Acting Principal replied, Oh, yes! The faculty is as interested as you are in who we will choose for the next Principal. They are really going strong in a few new initiatives that theyve developed over the past few years, and they wonder whether the new Principal will support them in those initiatives, or bring some different ideas. Where there is no vision, the people perish Proverbs 29:18 (KJV) In more contemporary translations, the word that the King James translates as vision is rendered prophecy (RSV & NRSV), revelation (NIV), or prophetic vision (ESV). And in contrast to the pop culture understanding of prophecy as something akin to fortune-telling (courtesy of figures like Nostradamus, and tabloids like The Sun and Weekly World News), biblical prophecy and revelation is much closer in meaning to truth-telling than to fortune-telling (see, for example, the prophet Nathans revelation of truth to David after he had sinned with Bathsheba, II Samuel 12:7). What Proverbs is teaching in chapter 29 is not that people need to know the future so much as they need to know Gods truth which, of course, encompasses all time, including our future. When people quote this verse from Proverbs, they usually quote only the first half, as I have above. They rarely quote the second half of the verse, which reads, but blessed is the one who keeps the law. The full scripture makes the contrast quite plain. People perish when Gods Truth Gods Will for them is not uppermost in their lives. When Gods Will is clearly not the guiding light for the people, they perish. When there is no vision when the truth of Gods Will is absent from the peoples daily lives then the people perish. But blessed is the one who keeps the law, just like the man from Psalm 1, who delights in the law of the Lord, and on His law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers (Ps. 1:3). -continued on page 10-

WEDNESDAY NIGHT LIVE

ns o n th io bser vat O

lix M Fe

sohn dels en
e

f Works o Orga n

Wednesday, May 16
6:00 p.m. Dinner in the Fellowship Hall 6:45 p.m. Program in the Sanctuary

Chris Martin, organist John Harris, narrator

Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church 1627 Monument Avenue (804)359 -2463

Volume 42, Issue 5

Page 3

The Presbyterian Women's Salad Supper is scheduled for Tuesday, May 1, at 6:00 p.m. The Presbyterian Women's Birthday Offering will be received. All are welcome. The Coordinating Team will meet at 5:00 p.m.

All Circles Meet on Tuesday, May 8

PW Circle 2 11:00 a.m. Covenant Room Hostess: Nell Dickenson

PW Circle 3 9:30 a.m. Social Room Hostess: Janet Chen oweth

PW Cir

cle 4 .m.

11:00 a

ad loch Ro 05 Kin 2 t in Sabo Manak y Nevin tess: Jo Hos

Stewardship Corner and Financial Update

Page 4

Contributions in March totaled $29,000, down from February's total of $33,800. For the first quarter of the year they total $114,500, up about 4.7% from the first quarter of last year. Expenses in March of $58,700 were relatively high due to fuel costs and improvements for tenants in the Stuart Circle Building amounting to close to $7,000. For the first quarter of the year total expenses were up about 3.6% over those of the first quarter of last year. March's expenses exceeded income by $26,300, and for the first three months of this year they exceed income by $27,000. Our Five-Cents-per-Meal offering in March was $247. Our Loaves and Fishes offering was $4,700 for the first quarter of the year.

Loaves and Fishes Fund Update:

The Loaves and Fishes Fund is a new opportunity to give to local families in need and international missions work. So far we have received 23 pledges for a total of $10,332 and gifts of $5,879. We have already allocated about $3,000 to help two local families. We are still accepting pledges and contributions to the fund. For those who have contributed or pledged already-thank you! We are also seeking input about families known to our congregation which we might be able to help with the money we have raised. Please contact Matt Hartman (212-1961, mchartman@vcu.edu).

Openers/Closers May 6 May 13 May 20 May 27 Rick Nochta Whit Whitley Hank Downing Jake Savage

Childrens Worship Kits We need volunteers to help with Worship Kits. Worship Kits are small bags we give out to children to help them follow the sermon with a bulletin and an activity sheet. Worship Kit volunteers are based on a month rotation. Contact Lisa Cardwell if you are willing to serve in this ministry at 804-285-7044 This can be done on Sunday mornings as well. Elementary Sunday School May 6 May 13 Jean Appich Kent Cardwell May 20 May 27 Katherine Baird Virginia Hudson Erika Tabor Janet Chenoweth

Wednesday Night Supper/Glass Monitor May 2 May 9 May 16 May 23 May 30 Nursery Volunteers May 6 May 13 May 20 May 27 Ann Hubbard Mary Gray Ann Hubbard Host/Hostess for the Fellowship Time Volunteers host our Fellowship Time in the Social Room after Worship on Sundays. If you would like to volunteer to host the Fellowship Hour one Sunday, please sign up on the sign-up sheet in the Social Room placed on the piano, or in the Glass Office. Grace Notes Deadline: Friday, May 18, is the deadline for submissions for our June edition. Julia Poppell Tom Miller

Worship Kits Lewis Rosebro

Going forward, the Grace Notes deadline will always be due the day after the Session meeting. The Session meets the third Thursday of every month.

PRESBYTERIAN OLDER ADULT MINISTRY -Reverend Charles E. Sutton-

May Birthdays
2- Pete Sizemore 2- Lisa Cardwell 3- C.T. Anderson 3- Allison Hazlegrove 4- Diane Davis 5- Cullen Peters 7- Jason Griffin 7- Whitney Alexander 7- Will Janney 7- Alexandria Stepahin 8- Nancy States 12- Margaret Cardwell 14- John Harris 15- Eleanor McClanahan 17- Mary Reid McCullough 20- Toni Whittet 20- Curt Kennedy 21- Jeanie Kennedy 21- Brian Baird 22- Jane Londrey 25- Erika Tabor 27- Katie McCullough 27- Alpheaus Zobule 30- Tony Manning

What is on your bucket-list? Dont have one? Neither do I. In fact I had never heard of making one. I happened to hear a discussion after the morning news on NBC on what persons included on their bucket-list. I had to call my daughter to be informed. Dad, she said, It is deciding what you really want to do before you kick the bucket. Oh! In Matthew, chapter 6, after the Beatitudes, we have Jesus warning concerning worry. Jesus mentions some basic concerns, like, what shall we eat?, what shall we drink?, or what shall we wear,? and declares that our heavenly Father knows that we need these things. But seek first his kingdom, and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. I have heard some folks speak of their desire to perform, or attend, or achieve a particular thing in a certain number countries or states. Across the lunch table one senior adult asks another, Have you written your obituary yet? No, was the reply. I cant think of anything I have done that is worth mentioning. Someone can just say that I was here for a spell. No, right now I dont have a set bucket-list. I believe God has a list for me.

Bread Breakers
Saturday, May 12, 2012 6:30 p.m. Katherine and Brian Bairds 1704 Hanover Avenue Please bring a yummy dish to share

Vacation Bible School:

Save the date!! Vacation Bible School this year will take place June 24 (Sunday) - June 28 (Thursday). This is the week after the week of Father's Day. Mark the date now on your calendars; more information will follow. If you can be of help to any part of this ministry, please contact Christopher Tweel at christopher.tweel@upsem.edu or call 304-488-1610. Thanks!

Honduras Mission Yard Sale BenefitJune 9

SPRING CLEANING? Once again, a collaborative yard sale will be held to benefit the Honduras Mission. Immanuel Episcopal Church in Old Church, Grace Covenant's partner in this important mission, has once again agreed to host the event and to supply all the manpower. We are looking for "STUFF!" In anticipation of the yard sale on SATURDAY MORNING, JUNE 9, please begin to set aside items for donation. Watch for further announcements concerning where and when your donations will be picked up. Many thanks! Ron David and Susan Pillsbury David can be reached at 804-328-2207 or by email at clwturtle@aol.com

May
Sunday Monday Tuesday
1 Staff Meeting 10:00 am Care Team 3:00 pm PW Salad Supper 6:00 pm Administration Committee Meeting at 6:00 pm
6

Wednesday

2 Junior Choir 5:00 pm CDC Board Meets 5:00pm Wednesday Night Live 6:00 pm Chancel Choir 7:15 pm

Prayer 9:15 am Sunday School 9:30 am Worship 10:55 am Fellowship Hour 12 noon Community Group/Disciple

OLDER ADULT SUNDAY

7 Mens Lunch 12 noon

8 Staff Meeting 1:00 pm PW Circle see page 3 Care Team 3:00 pm Finance Meets at 6pm Worship, Fellowship, Missions, Evangelism and CE 7 pm 15 Staff Meeting 2:00 p.m. Care Team 3:00 pm

9 Junior Choir Party 5 pm CDC Board Meets 5:00pm Wednesday Night Live 6:00 pm Chancel Choir 7:15 pm 16 Wednesday Night Live 6:00 pm
Chris Martin and John Harris program 6:45 pm

13 Mothers Day! Prayer 9:15 am Sunday School 9:30 am Worship 10:55 am Fellowship Hour 12 noon Community Group/Disciple 1pm 20 Prayer 9:15 am Sunday School 9:30 am Worship 10:55 am Fellowship Hour 12 noon Community Group/Disciple 1pm 27 PENTECOST SUN. Prayer 9:15 am Sunday School 9:30 am Worship 10:55 am Fellowship Hour 12 noon Community Group/Disciple

14 Mens Lunch 12 noon Property Committee Meeting 7:00 pm

Chancel Choir 7:30 pm 22 Staff Meeting 10:00 a.m. Care Team 3:00 pm
23

21 Mens Lunch 12 noon

Wednesday Night Live 6:00 pm

28 29 CHURCH OFFICE Staff Meeting 10:00 a.m. AND CDC CLOSED Care Team 3:00 pm MEMORIAL DAY

30 Wednesday Night Live 6:00 pm

Page 9

Thursday 3 Mothers Together 9:30 am 4

Friday

Saturday 5

10 Mothers Together 9:30 am

11

12 VCU English Dept. Graduation in GC Sanctuary 2:00 pm Bread Breakers @ 6:30 p.m. 1704 Hanover Avenue

17

SESSION 7:00 pm

18 GRACE NOTES DUE!

19

24

25

26

31

-continued from front pageYears before President Bush made his remarks about the vision thing, the importance of vision for an organization was widely understood. Amazon lists almost 1,000 titles including the word vision in its Business Management section alone. Its a widely-accepted premise that bosses need to bring a strong, clear, ambitious and comprehensive vision to a company if that company is to succeed. Yet one of the great properties of Gods living Word is how it forces us to examine our own thoughts, understandings, and pre-conceptions. And it struck me after hearing the Acting Principals remarks earlier that, while the verse from Proverbs articulates a fundamental truth, what it does NOT say is, without a Principal, the people perish without a Pastor, the people perish without a leader, the people perish As the Acting Principal unwittingly testified, the school was not helpless and directionless without a Principal. They had spent much time together discerning what was needful at their school, and were well-embarked upon pursuing those goals. Their concern as a faculty was whether the new Principal would guide and lead them in achieving the vision they had agreed upon, or whether s/he would impose a new and unfamiliar direction. One of the (many) great contributions of the Reformation to the Church was the restoration of the priesthood of all believers (cf. 1 Peter 2:9). From the closely-guarded hands of church clerics, Luther and Calvin liberated our direct access to God, achieved by Christs redeeming death on the Cross, and signified by the ripping asunder of the temple curtain (Matthew 27:51). Gods Word of Truth and Hope was no longer restricted to academic Latin and locked away in cabinets, but translated into the vernacular and given to all Gods people in order that all Gods people might have access to Gods Word Gods Truth Gods Will. In the same manner, Luther and Calvin also delivered Gods people from a position subordinate to priestly mediation, and affirmed Gods direct and personal fellowship with each of us through His Holy Spirit. No longer were Gods people dependent upon a priest to hear the Word of God and to have Gods holy will and truth explained to them. God used the Protestant Reformation to restore His people to their rightful place in fellowship with Him, not separated by a priestly mediator (or a prophet cf. our Old Testament reading from April 22), but having direct access to Him and His glory, His beauty, His truth, His love, His grace, and His will. His prophecy. His revelation. His prophetic vision. Yes, as professing Christians and heirs of the Reformed tradition, we witness to the truth that, while we are certainly and richly blessed by the ministries of our teaching elders, we are not dependent upon them for guidance and direction. For we all, as Gods royal priesthood, are given to know Gods will through the gracious blessing of His Holy Spirit. And this, my dear brothers and sisters in Christ, is why we could and why we did conduct the Mission Study. For one to dismiss it as a bureaucratic presbytery hoop to jump through before calling your next pastor is to refute, in one fell swoop, both the hard-won victories of the Reformation and the very faith that we profess. It is neither a hoop, nor is it past (though it certainly did require tremendous time, thought and prayer). The Mission Study is no less an act of faith by this congregation that Holy Scripture and the Reformers speak the truth: that God chooses to reveal His vision and His will directly to His people, and does not reserve the blessing of divine communication for an appointed (ordained) few. In the months ahead we will be looking more closely at the various parts of the Mission Study, and seeking deliberately and faithfully to bring our ministries into line with the vision that God has revealed to us. Not only will this help to bring us more closely in line with Gods Will, but it will also help the Pastor Nominating Committee to articulate to candidates both the vision God has given to us and the ways that we are seeking to be faithful to that vision. As we faithfully pursue this vision, we may free ourselves from the worries that beset the teachers at Elijahs school for we can be confident that Gods choice for your next pastor will be one to whom He has given that same vision. Yours in grateful service to our Lord --

Page 11

Grace Notes

Dinner is served from 6:00 - 6:30 p.m. Menus for May:

May 2 May 9 May 16 May 23 May 30 Meat loaf. macaroni and cheese, broccoli, salad, rolls, and lemon custard cake Spaghetti and meat sauce, garlic bread, salad and apple crisp Baked potato bar, salad, rolls, and fruit and cookies Chicken tetrazzini, Harvard beets, peas, salad, rolls and sheet cake No peek beef, noodles, mixed vegetables, salad, rolls, jello and cookies

Program for May: Christianity Explored program is from 6:15 to 7:15 every week (except May 16) in the Fellowship Hall. For more info please visit www.christianityexplored.org The program for May 16, is an organ recital presented by Chris Martin (organist) and John Harris (narrator). The program is entitled, Observations on the Organ Works of Felix Mendelssohn.

Meals are:

$5.00 per adult

$2.00 children and students

$12.00 maximum per family

The Staff
Brint Keyes

2012 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.

Interim Pastor
Revbrint@verizon.net Chris Martin

Director of Music and Organist

martin@grace-covenant.org Vanessa Strait

CLERK OF SESSION: Everett Reveley ELDERS: Jordan Ball (14) - Nominating (M); Finance Kent Cardwell (12) - Fellowship (M) Matt Hartman (13) - Missions (M) Virginia Hudson (14) - Evangelism (M) Cheryl Jacobs (12) - Worship (M); Fellowship Katie McCullough (13) - Administration (M) Dana McKnight (14) - Finance, Worship Christof Meyer (12) - Christian Ed (M), CDC (M) Tom Miller (12) - Christian Education Joy Nevin (14) - Administration Everett Reveley (12) - Finance (M) Robert Rosebro (13) - Property (M) Rob Turner (14) - Worship, Nominating DEACONS: Pat Ball (12) - Flowers Cherry Corley (12) - Communication Cards Susan Farrell (12) - Transportation, Care Nikki Hazlegrove (13) - Vice-Moderator - Meals Jan Kessel (14) - Care Team Jim McCullough (13) - Deacons Fund, Nominating Ann Pais (14) - Care Team Erika Tabor (14) - Secretary - Communication Cards Judy Waldron (14) - Moderator - Cards Dawson Watkins (13) - Care Team Carol Wood (13) - Prayer, Communication Cards Sid Yates (12) - Ushering

Administrative Assistant
strait@grace-covenant.org Martha Rubin

Bookkeeper

bookkeeper@grace-covenant.org James Greene

Temporary Sexton
Christopher Tweel

Student Assistant for Christian Education

Christopher.Tweel@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

Grace Covenant Child Development Center Nicole Williams

Director director.gccdc@verizon.net