1. The Service for The Lord’s Day
July 17, 2022
11:00 am Worship Service
Sixth Sunday of Pentecost
Grace and peace. We believe God loves everyone without exception. All are welcome here.
Our mission is to experience the love of Jesus Christ by practicing
radical hospitality, forming deep relationships, and joining in shared ministry.
“The task of prophetic ministry is to nurture, nourish, and evoke a consciousness and perception
alternative to the consciousness and perception of the dominant culture around us.”
Walter Brueggeman, Prophetic Imagination
A Summer with the Prophets
2. First Presbyterian Church 2
WELCOME TO FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF ASHEVILLE
Welcome! We hope that you experience the boundary-breaking love of Jesus Christ in our
worship service and in our ministries.
If you are interested in learning more about FPCA, including membership, sharing a
prayer request, or a pastoral concern, please ill out a card from the back of the pew, or go
to our website and click Connect With Us. We welcome new members on the third Sunday
of the month our next time to join will be August 21st, at 9:45 am, in the Library.
Worship bags are available in the narthex for children. The 11:00 am service is streaming
in the Widman Room (Rm 107), down the hall from the narthex, for anyone who may
need to leave the sanctuary. Nursery is available for children through kindergarten,
and older if necessary. If you need assistance, please ask an usher for directions to the
Children’s Hall.
For worship, masks are required in the balcony and in the marked pews near the
entrances. They are required for all children’s events and rooms for ages three and older.
Small groups choose within themselves, according to their needs. Masks are optional.
The Chancel Flowers are given to the Glory of God and in memory of our parents by Sue
and Bob White.
Leading in Worship Today:
Pastors: David Germer, Patrick Johnson, Shannon Jordan
Guest Organist: Jason Jones
Choir Assistant: Kim Thomas
Cantors: Kim Thomas & Valorie Vliek
*Please stand if able.
Based on Psalm 52
GATHERING IN
P
W A
*C W Patrick Johnson
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
I will thank you forever, O God.
because of what you have done.
In the presence of the faithful,
I will proclaim God is great!
*H 39 Great is Thy Faithfulness FAITHFULNESS
3. First Presbyterian Church 3
P C
Eternal God, our judge and redeemer,
we confess that we have tried to hide from you,
for we have done wrong.
We have lived for ourselves,
and apart from you.
We have turned from our neighbors,
and refused to bear the burdens of others.
We have ignored the pain of the world,
and passed by the hungry, the poor, and the oppressed.
In your great mercy forgive our sins
and free us from sel ishness,
that we may choose your will
and obey your commandments;
through Jesus Christ our Savior.
(Silent prayer of confession)
D F
Siblings in Christ, declare with me the good news of the gospel:
In Jesus Christ we are forgiven! Thanks be to God!
As God’s forgiven people, how are we to live?
Hear now the Word of God:
God has told you, O mortal, what is good;
and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God?
C C
We cannot come before God
unless we are irst honest with ourselves about who we are,
about the mistakes we make,
and about how well or poorly we care for others.
In this spirit, let us offer our prayers to God.
The movement from
confession to forgiveness
to thanksgiving invites
the natural response
to live in a way that is
pleasing to God.
Micah 6:8
4. First Presbyterian Church 4
*P P
The peace of Christ be with you.
And also with you.
HEARING THE WORD
P I
S R
First Lesson Luke 10:38-42
This is the good news of Jesus, the Christ.
Thanks be to God.
Second Lesson Amos 8:1-12
This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
S R
*H 582 Glory to God, Whose Goodness Shines on Me GLORY TO GOD
If they ind it challenging
to participate in the
entire service, children
are invited to the nursery
during the “Passing of
the Peace.” A nursery
representative
will be in the narthex to
greet you.
5. First Presbyterian Church 5
S When Bad News is Good Patrick Johnson
RESPONDING IN FAITH
*H 773 Heaven Shall Not Wait HEAVEN SHALL NOT WAIT
Vs 1 - Cantors; Vs 2-4 All
Philippians 2:5-11 *A F
Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited,
but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form
he humbled himself
and became obedient to the point of death— even death on a cross.
Therefore God also highly exalted him
and gave him the name that is above every name,
so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue should confess to the glory of God:
Jesus Christ is Lord! Amen
P P L ’ P
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power,
and the glory forever. Amen
O I O
Today we welcome Alice Boggs Lentz, Judy Albertson, Reese Carlton, Donna Ensley,
Art Kiser, Paul McNeill, Todd Oldenburg, and Mary Jane Skinner to the ministry of
active elders.
Today we welcome Betsy Herman, Bill Kantonen, Katherine Lafrance, Len Porter,
Mary Ellen Porter, Judy Rittmeyer, and Babbie Shelton to the ministry of active
deacons.
8. First Presbyterian Church 8
More Light Presbyterians
Upcoming Events, Recent Videos, and The Sermon & Podcast Archives can be found on the front page of the
website. Announcements can be found in the E-Chronicle and on The Weekly Announcement page.
A link for both of these and The First Chronicle can be found on the main page of the FPCA Website.
40 Church Street, Asheville, NC 28801 828-253-1431 www.fpcasheville.org
Rev. Dr. Patrick W. T. Johnson..........................................................................................................................................Pastor, Head of Staff
Mary Beth Asher.....................................................................................................................................................Communications Assistant
Eve Bennett...............................................................................................................................................................................................Hospitality
Rieley Bennett..................................................................................................................................................................................................Sexton
Candace Dellinger..............................................................................................................................................................................Nursery Staff
Rev. David Germer.......................................................................................................................................................................Associate Pastor
Rev. Shannon Jordan..................................................................................................................................................................Associate Pastor
Alice Lake..............................................................................................................................................................................................Nursery Staff
Nancy McNeill................................................................................................................................................................Director of Engagement
Jeremy Roberts.......................................................................................................................................................Director of Music, Organist
Anita Sayles...................................................................................................................................................................Administrative Assistant
Kim Thomas.....................................................................................................................................................................................Choir Assistant
Liz Thurston.......................................................................................................................................................................Church Administrator
Sky Trice..................................................................................................................................................................................Nursery Supervisor
We are glad you worshiped here today.
We believe God loves every person without exception. As followers of Christ, we strive to be a holy community
that re lects the diversity of God’s creation through the welcome and full participation of every age, ability,
socioeconomic status, family background, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, skin color, and racial identity.
We lament the history of exclusion in the church. We rejoice in the wholeness that comes when we are all in
relationship together. We invite you to join us in ministry at FPCA.
SESSION
DEACONS
STAFF
Class of 2025
Judy Albertson
Reese Carlton
Donna Ensley
Art Kiser
Paul McNeill
Todd Oldenburg
Mary Jane Skinner
Class of 2025
Betsy Herman
Bill Kantonen
Katherine Lafrance
Len Porter
Mary Ellen Porter
Judy Rittmeyer
Babbie Shelton
Class of 2023
Phil Barnett
Sam Cook
Cathie Dodson
Angela Drummond
Claire Trunnell
Class of 2023
Valorie Vliek
Class of 2024
Micki Argall
Cindy Clarke
Chris DeJarnett
Seth Hagler
Alice Boggs Lentz
Zeb Potter
Bob White, Clerk
Class of 2024
Lisa Bridges
Clay Grif ith
John Meadows
Cosette Williams
Curtis Williams
9. 9
COMMUNITY JOYS & CONCERNS
Please join the FPCA Family as we celebrate joys among us and pray for loved ones. Our full list is printed once a
month as a part of the First Chronicle Newsletter. Please contact Shannon Jordan (sjjordan@fpcasheville.org or
828-253-1431 ext.125) with prayer requests and updates.
Help us stay connected by sharing your news, prayer concerns, or other requests. Pastors and staff are available
by phone, email, or appointment. The church of ice is open from 9 am to 4 pm, Monday through Friday. If you have
a scheduled hospitalization, please let us know as soon as possible so that we can support you. If you need pastoral
assistance during of ice hours, please call the church of ice. At other times, please call the pastor-on-call at
828-222-0113 and leave a message with the receptionist. An FPCA pastor will return your call. To keep your
contact information up to date, please log into your Realm account or contact Anita Sayles.
Prayers for:
MICKI ARGALL, for health and healing as she anticipates having hand surgery in late August.
DAVID and RUTH ZYRY FRANKLIN, as they make plans to move later this month to VA to be closer to family and
enjoy grandparenting.
EMILY and JONATHAN GADDIS, Emily is the daughter-in-law of Susan Gaddis and is facing extensive testing at
Duke in preparation for a lung transplant needed as a result of leukemia.
D’ETTA LEACH,who has moved to Greenville, SC to be closer to family and adjusting to a new beginning. Her new
address is 111 E. McBee Avenue, Greenville, SC 29601.
DOUG KING, father of Lauren Wood, diagnosed with bone marrow cancer. Prayers for his wife and family in SC as
they navigate his care and embrace quality time together.
MARGARET RIDDLE, who is the full-time caregiver for her husband Joe. Joe is receiving in-home Hospice care for
Parkinson’s, dementia, and Pulmonary Fibrosis. She is also in the process of selling their home.
VICKIE, niece of Douglas King, as she navigates concerns for family relationships.
CAREGIVERS providing care and support for spouses, parents, or extended family.
ALL who are in need of mental health care and are trying to ind access to appropriate support and for those
experiencing limitations due to illness.
AFGHAN REFUGEES, who are adjusting to life in Asheville, and our teams of volunteers who are assisting them.
All PEOPLE affected by war in Ukraine, those living in fear or with violence, and for the leaders around the world
to seek peace.
MEMBERS OF FPCA who have been affected by Covid 19 in recent weeks.
We Celebrate:
FPCA MIDDLE SCHOOL YOUTH Isla Johnson, Luke Johnson, Josiah Germer, Eli Oldenburg, Savanna
Reinhardt, Allison Reinhardt, Olive Gruver, & Anna Spainhour, and chaperones David Germer & Claire
Shippey, who attended camp at Massanetta Springs. FPCA youth Evan Oldenburg, Olivia Belle Traylor, and
Margaret Derry are also serving as camp counselors this week. They had a fantastic time learning about Jesus’
blessings from the Sermon on the Mount, playing gaga ball, learning new games and laughing a lot!
BIG THANK YOU to all who contributed over $2800 to Asheville Habitat for Humanity and those who volunteered
at the jobsite. The house is now under roof and ready for the subcontractors to install plumbing, electrical and
drywall. Another great effort by FPCA!
10. ANNOUNCEMENTS
FAITH FORMATION, JULY 24,
Fellowship Hall 9:45 am
This will be week ive of six weeks of exploring re lections and writings by Dietrich
Bonhoeffer. This class will be re lective and discussion-based, with the goal of helping
us be people who live our faith in daily life. Bonhoeffer’s example of living at the
intersection of scripture and culture can inspire us to do the same. This study will go
through July.
LUNCH BUNCH 11:30 AM
This summer we have a lunch opportunity to connect with new and old friends at
restaurants around town. These restaurants have parking and accessibility. Please join us
for this relationship building opportunity. RSVP to the church of ice or
sjordan@fpcasheville.org.
August 1 Outback Steakhouse; 30 Tunnel Road.
August 22 TBD
ASHEVILLE YOUTH MISSION SUMMER GROUPS
There is no group for the week of July 17th. The group that arrives on Sunday, July 24
will be from Fair Oaks PC (Oak Park IL).
WOMEN’S STUDIES BRAINSTORMING SESSION
All women of the church are invited to come to a brainstorming session pertaining to
programs for Women’s Studies for the coming year. We will meet in the Fellowship Hall
on Thursday, July 28th, at 10:30am. Please put on your best “thinking caps” and help plan
a grand year for Women’s Studies. RSVP to Mary Jane Skinner at skinnerdon@gmail.com
CHANGE IN PLANS YOUTH GROUP GATHERING TONIGHT 5:00 PM 11:00 PM
A couple of weeks ago David announced a summer lock-in, scheduled for tonight. For various reasons, we will not
be able to pull off an exceptional youth-lock-in on that day... BUT, we ARE still going to gather that evening for a
fun and memorable youth event!
Again:
NO Overnight Lock-in tonight,
YES, we do have an extended, lock-in-esque Youth Group gathering - 5:00 pm to 11:00 pm, tonight. This
event will be illed with food, active games throughout the church building, some team competitions, and
some FPCA youth favorites like Resistance and Midnight Werewolf!
11. ANNUAL CHURCH RETREAT
September 30-October 2 at Montreat Conference Center--only 30 minutes away.
The FPCA Retreat has a long history of fun, learning, activities, and rest. With a variety
of contemplative and worship activities, everyone can ind a way to connect more deeply
with God and one another. (And you really don’t want to miss the variety show!)
There are two main options for attending: Overnight or Commuter.
Overnight costs include two nights at Assembly Inn, retreat activities,
three meals Saturday, and breakfast on Sunday. Commuter costs include
retreat activities, and three meals Saturday, and breakfast on Sunday. The
deadline for commuters is August 8th.
CONNECT THROUGH SKILLS & INTERESTS
The leadership at FPCA is working hard to connect and re-connect people into the mission of God. Part of that
is knowing how you want to connect and what opportunities that you want to hear about. Please ill out a blue
interest form or go to your Realm Pro ile on you Realm App or computer and make the selections under “skills”
and “interests.”Choosing one of these opportunities is not a commitment, but an indication that you would like to
know when we have possible places of engagement. If you would like help to understand how to use Realm, please
reach out to Shannon at sjordan@fpcasheville.org!
HELP NEEDED FOR OUR AFGHAN NEIGHBORS GROUP
The two families we have been encouraging continue to progress in their journey to independence. They have jobs
and housing. Their next steps include advanced English language training, inancial literacy, and acquiring driver’s
learning permits. Transportation remains an active need.
If you have ESL, inancial literacy, or driver’s license training expertise, please let us know. We deeply appreciate
all of you who are actively helping us or providing moral support. Please direct your questions to Randy Fluharty
(r luharty54@gmail.com) or Alan Young (alan.g.young.sr@gmail.com).
Go to www.fpcasheille.org/fpca-retreat or use the QR code to register. Thank you to all of
those who signed up for the overnights at Montreat. If you missed the deadline, there are
a few rooms left. Please contact the church of ice if you would like to stay overnight at the retreat.
CHARLESTON YOUTH MISSION
We have a fantastic group going to Charleston to participate in a week of Charleston Youth Mission (a new branch
off of AYM) - July 31 through August 5. We still have a few open spots! This will be a fun, meaningful, formative
week of learning, serving, and deepening relationships. We are planning on Margaret Derry, Josiah Germer (and
friend Melody), Olive Gruver (and friend Clara), Rachel Macaluso, Nat Meadows, Riley Moss, Evan Oldenburg, and
Zeb Potter. The church is covering most of the cost for our youth participants, so the remaining cost is $150 per
person. If you (your youth) are interested, let David (at dgermer@fpcasheville.org) know ASAP!
12. THIS WEEK AT A GLANCE
Sunday, July 17
11:00 am Worship Service in the Sanctuary with Rev. Patrick Johnson preaching
with Installation & Ordination for new of icers
12:00 pm Fellowship on the front lawn or in Wallace Foyer if raining
5:00 pm - 11:00 pm Youth Group Gathering food and games.
Monday, July 18
2:30 pm - 3:30 pm Centering Prayer (Zoom) Contact Waid Shelton
Sunday, July 24
8:45 am Worship Service in Campbell Chapel with Rev. Patrick Johnson preaching
9:45 am Faith Formation (Fellowship Hall)
9:45 am Godly Play preschool - ifth grade (Room 106)
9:45 am Coffee Talk for Parents of Younger Children (Room 107/Widman Room)
11:00 am Worship Service in the Sanctuary with Rev. Patrick Johnson preaching
12:00 pm Fellowship on the front lawn or in Wallace Foyer if raining
Zoom & Registration links can be found on the church calendar at fpcasheville.org.
