PREPARATION FOR WORSHIP

Sunday, February 2, 2014

The first question which the priest and the Levite asked was: If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me? But...the good Samaritan reversed the question: If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him? - Martin Luther King, Jr. The Lord commands us to do good unto all men without exception, though the majority are very undeserving when judged according to their own merits... Scripture teaches us that we must not think of man's real value, but only of his creation in the image of God to which we owe all possible honor and love. - John Calvin And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt. - Deuteronomy 10:19 (NEV) Vision Statement As one body of Christ, composed of diverse individuals bound together by the Holy Spirit, we will grow in the faith by training ourselves and our children to be intimately familiar not only with Scripture and our Reformed heritage, but also with their unwavering relevance for our lives and humanity today. We will build up the body of Christ until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, so that we may no longer be tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of new teaching.
- from our 2012 Vision Statement

Hearing Aids and Large-Print Hymnals are available from the ushers. Our worship service is broadcast live on WLES 590 AM and streamed live on its web-site, http://wles590.com/. For podcasts, go to www.grace-covenant.org, click on We Gather, then on Sermons. Both the sermon and the entire worship service are uploaded every Sunday afternoon. Welcome to Grace Covenant! We are grateful to have you join in worship with us this morning. We are an historic Presbyterian church with a singular mission: to train grateful disciples of Jesus Christ who are doing justice, loving mercy, and walking humbly with our God. May you be blessed through worship and fellowship this morning.

WORSHIP NOTES
Despite his blindness, John Stanley (1713-1786) was among the finest English organists and composers of his time. His first appointment as an organist was at the age of eleven, with an annual salary of 20! Stanley composed two sets of solos which are actually suites consisting of multi-movements. The solo lines may be played by flute, violin, or oboe; the keyboard part may be played on organ, harpsichord, or piano. Our choir has not had a rehearsal in two weeks because of recent weather, so today we sing a familiar work by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750). Jesu, Joy of Mans Desiring is one of the most recognizable musical works in Western civilization. The choral work comes from Bachs 32nd surviving cantata. Bach composed over 200 cantatas during his time in Leipzig, largely to meet the Leipzig Churches demand for about 58 different cantatas each year. Thodore Dubois (1837-1924) was a French composer, organist, and teacher, known for his technical treatises on harmony, counterpoint, and sight-reading. He studied under the cathedral organist at Rheims and at the Paris Conservatoire. In 1871 he succeeded Csar Franck as organist at the church of Sainte-Clotilde. In 1868 he was choirmaster at the Church of the Madeleine and later succeeded Camille Saint-Sans as organist there. His fiery Toccata is a staple in organ literature. Its central section is a quiet chorale with interruptions of the toccatas theme. A heralding conclusion incorporates every stop on the organ, to give the building a good shake!

GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
We welcome Jill Isola, Associate Organizer for RISC, as she assists in leading worship this morning! Jill is currently a candidate for ministry in the PC(USA), and she works closely with many from GCPC as she is our RISC Liaison. 5 Cents Per Meal The 5 cts a meal offering is used to help those who are hungry. A portion of the offering goes to the presbytery's hunger fund for use regionally globally, and a portion stays locally, supporting organizations like the Central Virginia Food bank and Shalom Farms. The Loaves and Fishes offering is split 50/50 between local families who have emergency needs and to supplement funds given to international missionaries supported from the church's budget. Past giving to families has included rent assistance, emergency hotel funds, and payments for medical expenses. Fellowship Hour Volunteers Needed The Fellowship Committee is looking for volunteers to host the fellowship time which occurs every Sunday after Worship. For those who have recently joined Grace Covenant, its a great way to meet other members and guests. The sign-up calendar is located in the Glass Office. To learn more about this important ministry of the church please call Kent Cardwell at 285-7044 or email him at ekcardwell@aol.com for more details.

Attention Grace Covenant Run/Walkers! The 10K Approaches! The 2014 Monument 10K is on March 29, and online registration has already started. This year, Grace Covenant will be heading an informal training team for all runners interested in preparing for the race. We will meet at Grace Covenant every Saturday at 8:00 a.m. and we will run various lengths depending on your skill/comfort level. After the run, we will journey to a local coffee shop and there we will have a brief Bible study and discussion on the Letter to the Hebrews. For further information please email Luke Woodcock at lwwoodco11@gmail.com. Date Night! Parents: GCPC will be offering free childcare on Saturday, February 8, from 5:00 - 8:00 pm. Simply drop your child(ren) (ages infant to ten years old) off at any point during that time frame. Pick your child(ren) up by 8:00 p.m. In between, enjoy your date! While there will be snacks available, please be sure your child has eaten dinner ahead of time. Children four years of age and older will have the option of watching Veggie Tales during the childcare. Please RSVP for Date Night Childcare to Vanessa Strait in the church office at 359-2463 or by email at strait@grace-covenant.org. Grace Covenant: Service Weekend Friday, February 28 - Saturday, March 1 The Missions Committee is delighted to announce and invite you to a congregation-wide service weekend Friday, Feb. 28 - Saturday, Mar. 1. It will be a time for fellowship, prayer, study, and service focused on loving God and our neighbors! On Friday, Feb 28. from 7-9 p.m., we will be showing the documentary Nefarious: Merchant of Souls to raise awareness about human trafficking. We will be working with RJI (Richmond Justice Initiative), a local Christian organization fighting against human trafficking, and also reaching out in particular to VCU students to partake. There will be a time for prayer after the documentary. On Saturday, Mar. 1, from 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., we will have a time for fellowship, Bible study, and various service opportunities. We are excited to be partnering with RJI, Shalom Farms, Boaz & Ruth, Richmond Hill/Bus Rapid Transit, and the Property Committee (we will have an option and opportunity for folks to help out around the church on projects the property committee recommends). Registration forms will be coming out soon with more details on these service opportunities, but please mark your calendars now. If you have any questions or would like more information, simply contact Nelson Reveley, nmr2uf@virginia.edu or 387-8094.

MID-WEEK FELLOWSHIP
Each Wednesday evening we gather at 6:00 p.m. for table fellowship, followed by a program from 6:30-7:15 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.

Program: Luke Woodcock presents on the PCUSAs 1001 Worshiping Communities Initiative. Menu: No-peek beef, noodles, lima beans, salad, and sheet cake. Fourth Thursdays Ministry Boaz & Ruth's restaurant, Firehouse 15, is the only sit-down restaurant in Highland Park and offers job training for program participants. GCPC is supporting this business by joining in fellowship for dinner on the fourth Thursday of each month. If you are interested in participating, please join our email list for a once-a-month reminder to RSVP. Contact Jessica Reveley at jabreveley@gmail.com.

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION AND DISCIPLESHIP

Sunday School is held every Sunday from 9:30 -10:30 a.m. The nursery crib room and Sunday School are available for children age 2 and up. CLASS TEACHER TOPIC Rm# B7 Forum Tom Miller Living the Life of Faith, Hebrews 11 Rm # 212 Grace Bible Class Bill Stuart Luke Fellowship Hall Jack Corley/Virginia Hudson A Study of Christian Marriage (joined by Vanguard and Connections classes). Disciple Bible Study is a spiritual discipline that entails thirty minutes of prayerful scripture reading per day along with weekly meetings to engage the scriptures more deeply with other participants. This commitment of time and energy to God generates lasting spiritual growth and all are invited to read along with us each week. If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact Nelson Reveley at nmr2uf@virginia.edu.
Week 20: Despising His Goodness Monday: Luke 4:16-30 Tuesday: Luke 4:31-6:16 Wednesday: Luke 14:1-24 Thursday: Luke 20 Friday: Acts 4:1-31; 12:1-11; 14:1-28; 28:17-31 Saturday: Study Manual Sunday: Rest

CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
Please pray for: Ainura Satterfields father, Sharshen, in Kyrgyzstan; Hannah Siboles mother, Melanie; Ben Gordon; Nela Bostian; Betty Clough; Bob Brooks; Ann Pais daughter-in-law, Jane Pais, with cancer; Susan Farrells grandmother Mary Lou (Uh-Oh), and her father, Jim, facing health issues, Rosie and George Turner; Brenda Harris, Steve Cobb and his family; Stuart Chapman, David Russell, and Chris Pais, serving in our nations Armed Forces.