Earth Day Vigil

Earth Day Vigil | Sunday, April 24 | 5:30-6:30 PM | Cathedral of All Souls

The Creation Care Alliance of Western North Carolina invites you to join us for a vigil celebrating God's creation and calling on people of faith to care for it.  We will gather in the grass of All Souls Episcopal Cathedral for an afternoon of song, reflection, and to hear messages of inspiration and action from local faith and community leaders. All are welcome!

Katherine Hayhoe Events

Katharine Hayhoe | Climate Change Evangelist | Two Special Events:

Register online here or email Scott at Creation Care Alliance. Listen to Katharine Hayhoe talk about climate change in terms of both faith and science here.

• "Faith, Science and our Changing Climate" | Tuesday, April 5 | 7 PM | First Baptist Church
  Open and free to the public.

• Spiritual Leadership Breakfast for Clergy and Faith Leaders | Wednesday, April 6 | 8:30 - 10 AM | GCPC Fellowship Hall
  "Communicating Change: A faithful approach to our Changing Climate with Katharine Hayhoe"

Fossil Fuel Divestment Overture

Fossil Fuel Divestment Overture | Saturday, January 9 | 10 AM - 12 PM

Black Mountain Presbyterian Church

Consider the issues surrounding the divestment overture on which Presbytery will vote on January 30, 2016. A team of knowledgeable people will be on hand to identify the major issues, to consider the overture from multiple points of view, and to contribute to an informed decision.

Caring for Creation Adult Education: December 6 and 13

Special Adult Education Offering: Emmanuel and the Ecosystem 

A-Frame Room | December 6^th and 13^th | 9:15

Jeanne Coffin, a biologist with a background in community development and conservation, is offering a two-week class. She will be bringing her journey as a Christian in environmental science to the table as we explore our role as people of God in the ecosystems of which we are a part, and what that means for our health and the health of the world. Join us for a nerdy and faithful advent discussion about how we live into Christ’s presence in and hope for our broken world.

Climate Change and Food Production Lecture: November 4

Caring for Creation Meeting: 11/8

We will have a Caring for Creation(C4C) meeting Sun. 11/8 in the Jerusalem Room after church for us all to catch up on what all is happening in WNC - Pope's Encyclical and studies going on about that, what Creation Care Alliance (CCA) is doing, Paris Talks, Divestment, Audubon's focus on climate change, etc. There are several local speakers we may want to invite for an evening program.We will also think about what C4C wants to accomplish in the next year.  Our own Cam Murchison, who's the Creation Care guru for Montreat, will join us. Everyone interested in Creation Care is invited. Ask Susan Presson (450-4145) if questions.

TerraCycle List

GCPC Recycles with Terracycle:

Please Note, Collection List Has Changed

Please help us care for creation by collecting the 

following items and deposit them in the labeled bin

located at the Information Station. Pick up a bookmark with the current list of collection items or click on this document. (note, items have changed since last year). More information can be found at the GCPC website, click HERE. Terracycle gives us "points" for what we collect, and those points get turned directly into donations to Charity : Water. Email Jade Baker with questions. Thank you from Caring for Creation!

Clothing Swap: Thank You!

Last Sunday's Clothing Swap was a success! We had two rooms full of clothing, toys, and dress-up items, and happy "shoppers" found costumes for Halloween and clothes for their kids (and their own) new seasons. The items that were left at the end were donated to local nonprofits. Thanks to all who shopped and donated!

September 24: Program at St. Eugene's on Pope's Call for Ecological Action

Caring for Our Common Home:

Responding to the Pope's Call for Action

Thursday, Sept 24 | 6-8 PM

St. Eugene's Catholic Church | 72 Culvern St. 

Join us for this discussion, to be inspired by the words of Pope Francis' Encyclical. We will watch the Pope's address to Congress and discuss what the message means to the world. A light dinner is included. Sign up at this LINK or through this EMAIL. The event is sponsored by the Creation Care Alliance of Western North Carolina. Contact Susan Presson if you want to carpool from GCPC.

Airport Greeters Needed!

The DOWN-TO-EARTH ADVOCACY AND ACTION conference will be at Montreat Tues.-Fri. 9/15-18.  This is a big conference sponsored by Presbyterians for Earth Care.  There will be people flying in from all over the country, and we have been asked to serve as greeters at the airport on Mon. 9/14 and Tues. 9/15.  There will be regular shuttles from the airport to Montreat, and we are hoping to have a person at the airport to greet people and direct them to the shuttle.  Please call Susan Presson 450-4145 or email if you are able to be a greeter for 2 or more hours on this Mon. or Tues.  You will be given a snazzy Presbyterians for Earth Care t-shirt to wear in the airport!

Earth Care Congregation

As an Earth Care Congregation in the Presbyterian Church, we have committed to caring for creation through our worship, education, outreach, and facilities. Last Sunday's sermon by Cam Murchison was about wheat and weeds and "how God is always about wheat and never about weeds." (Click HERE for the sermon) The service was filled with music and prayers about our earth. Susie Churchfield made the pulpit parament, a picture of the earth. The Caring for Creation committee challenges you to look for ways GCPC is living out this call. 

Advocating With Compassion: March 5 Event

Advocating With Compassion, sponsored by NC Interfaith Power and Light

Thursday, March 5 | 5:30-7:30 PM | A-Frame | RSVP for Dinner

NC Interfaith Power and Light will hold an "Advocating with Compassion" training and dinner about effective, compassionate ways to speak with our legislators.  It will be a valuable training for anyone, but particularly in conjunction with the trip to Raleigh.  Contact Susan Presson (828-450-4145) for more information and to RSVP for dinner.

Earth Care Congregation

During the Faith Sharing Time in worship last Sunday, we talked to the kids about what it means to be an Earth Care Congregation. Along with two other congregations in our Presbytery, we have pledged to protect, cherish and work justly in our care of the earth in our worship, education, facilities and outreach. Each year we will obtain 50 points in order to continue with this designation.  Contact Tamara Puffer for more info. Click HERE to learn more about Caring For Creation.

Terracycle

GCPC Recycles with Terracycle!

Terracycle gives us "points" for what we collect, and those points get turned directly into donations to CharityWater.org. Every item collected makes a HUGE difference. Learn more! Questions? Contact Jade Baker.

Caring for Creation Updates

---

Caring For Creation (C4C)  

National Drive Electric Week Celebration | Sunday, September 21, 2014, 1 - 4 PM

Asheville Public Works Parking Lot, 161 South Charlotte Street.  

Click HERE for more information. Contact Dean Presson (450-0974) with questions.   

People's Climate March | NYC | September 20-21

Billed as the biggest climate march ever, this demonstration is aimed at the United Nations during their annual meeting to spur the participating countries (US especially) to take tangible steps to address Climate Change. The bus to NYC leaves Saturday, September 20 and returns early Monday, September 22. The bus fare is $125, and the bus is already half full. Reserve your spot by contacting: dgenz@skyrunner.net.

Click HERE to learn more. Contact Susan Presson (450-4145) with questions.

ASAP Farm Tour (34 Farms)| September 20 - 21

Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP) is looking for volunteers to help organize and run the tour, as well as participants to take the tour. Please check out the link to ASAP with more information, including a list of the farms participating, and links to purchase tickets, as well as fill out a volunteer form. This is an extraordinary opportunity to connect people firsthand with the producers who grow their food. Contact Robin Gaiser for more information (505-1747).

GCPC Recycles with Terracycle!

Terracycle gives us "points" for what we collect, and those points get turned directly into donations to CharityWater.org. Every item collected makes a HUGE difference. Learn more! Questions? Contact Jade Baker.

Creation Sunday Success!

Thank You for Making Creation Sunday a Success!

THANK YOU to all who helped with the logistics, food, lambs, worms, bunnies, red-tailed hawk, milkweed balls, tire gardens, recycling tips, and all the great booths for Creation Sunday. Grace Covenant surely does appreciate what God has created. May we continue to care for all that has been given us in the future plans, and life for the church, and in our everyday lives.

Caring for Creation Educational Opportunities in June

Lots going on with Caring for Creation this spring! Keep up with all the latest on the C4C Facebook page!

June 1 | Creation Sunday

Pre-Worship Gardening and Post-Worship Fun | Front Lawn

Bag Gardens at 9 AM and fun C4C Informational Booths after worship!

June 8 | Pentecost

C4C Class | Library

"Creation's Groaning: Biblical, Theological, and Spiritual Responses". Presentation by guest speaker Cam Murchison. Open to all adults and children in 5^th grade or above. No Childcare.

June 15

C4C Class | Library

How can individuals and families care for creation?

Several brief presentations and group break out for brainstorming and discussion. Come to learn and bring your ideas! Childcare available for kids up to 5th grade (or they are welcome to join us for the program). 

June 22

C4C Class | Library

What can/should the church (and specifically GCPC) be doing to advocate for and take care of the Earth?

Presentations and roundtable discussion - bring your ideas! Childcare available for kids up to 5th grade (or they are welcome to join us for the program).

Terracycle at Grace Covenant!

GCPC is now recycling with Terracycle!

Please help us care for creation by collecting the following items and depositing them in the labeled bin in the information station. 

·       Any flexible cheese wrapper - even the individual slices! 

·       Cell phones

·       Energy Bar Wrappers - any foil lined bar wrapper 

·       Scotch tape cores & dispensers - any brand 

·       Personal Care items - toothpaste tubes, tooth brushes, floss containers,    mouthwash & deodorant containers, plastic soap wrappers 

·       Brita brand anything - even the filter wrappers. 

Terracycle gives us "points" for what we collect, and those points get turned directly into donations to CharityWater.org. Every item collected makes a HUGE difference (Ex: collecting only THREE cheese wrappers gives clean, safe water to one person for an entire week). Questions? Jade Baker jaderyan22@gmail.com.

View a list of recyclabe items HERE.

Check out CharityWater HERE. 

 Thank you from Caring for Creation!

HOPE RISES! An Interfaith Earth Day Celebration | April 22 | 7-8 PM | Pritchard Park

Western North Carolina Green Congregations invites you to join us for HOPE RISES!, an interfaith vigil celebrating God's creation and calling on people of faith to care for it.  Join us for an evening of song and ceremony!

Dinner In the Dark

Dinner In the Dark | Monday, November 4 | 6:00 PM

Upper Anderson Auditorium, Montreat NC | Potluck

RSVP by Contacting Kristy Farber (kfarber@gcpcusa.org)

Bring a covered dish and join others as you experience how it feels to live with Energy Poverty, learn about the hazards of cheap heating fuel, and discover the potential of clean energies, such as solar. Consider donating to the Light Foundation to help fund their partnership with the United Nations High Commission of Refugees to provide solar lights for 20 medical clinics, 20 schools, and 10,000 dwellings (homes) in UN sponsored camps for 350,000 refugees, who fled the volatile region of Darfur, Sudan. Learn more here:http://www.lightfoundation.org/