Category: News & Events
CHRISTMAS NEWSLETTER 2022
ADVENT: WAITING!
Happy New Church Year! Christ’s church year began Sunday the 20th, with the days of “Advent” (coming), a time of waiting: for the “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah) to be born–a baby in a barn. And so, we wait for the joyous moment. We hope that Christmas this year will be that for you! In faith, the Christ child–good news!–will break into our world.
In the four Sunday services of Advent and on Christmas day we will light the five candles of an Advent wreath in our sanctuary, with scripture reading by our members and friends.
CONGREGATIONAL MEETING
We met on the 4th at the close of worship for the purpose of electing a Nominating Committee. Our bylaws require the committee be composed of three members, one of whom is an elder currently serving on the session, to be the chair. We elected—by acclamation—Bob Gossett as Chair and Karen Phillips and Jackie Gordon. This Committee is charged with Nominating Two Elders to join the Session, our governing body beginning January 1.
NATIVITY SCENE SET-UP AND CHURCH CHRISTMAS DECORATION: DONE (almost)!
Thanks so much to the folks who turned out last Saturday to decorate the church and assemble the “creche”—and bring lunch! We’ll get the lights and Angel on asap!
POT-LUCK RETURNS!
We have wanted for so long to have Sunday potluck dinners in our Fellowship Hall again, which were a casualty of Covid! We are going to try December 18, ask people to bring whatever they want, and see what happens!
CHRISTMAS EVE CANDLELIGHT SERVICE: NO SERVICE ON CHRISTMAS DAY
Come join us at 6PM Christmas Eve for what is probably our most beloved of services! Sing the carols. Remember the Greatest Gift. We have decided not to have service on the 25th.
The Session:
Bob Gossett, Worship & Facilities rigossett44@gmail.com 828-692-6097
Pamela Ice Williams, Congregational Care 828-891-1469
Reva McClure, Mission and Outreach debby.vial@gmail.com 502-407-7402
Don Wauchope, Clerk and Finances rdwauchope@gmail.com 828-862-3502
Patricia Gash, Treasurer pgash@comporium.net 828-506-4276
MEET OUR NEW MINISTER
Meet Deck and Deb Guess
Originally from Union, SC, Deck has been coming to the Asheville area for years as a participant and occasional leader at Montreat, Deb for even longer. Deb grew up in Bristol, TN, and has considered the mountains home, even during her years of exile. They feel blessed to have found their retirement nest in Arden, near two of their four incredible grown children. They both love the mountains, mountain people, mountain culture and are delighted that God has called Deck to serve Etowah as part-time Stated Supply Pastor.
Deck has had training as both a Natural Church Development coach and a Transitional coach and has worked with 7 or 8 churches in that capacity. He is excited to begin work with Etowah PC to explore and develop its current mission.
One of Deck’s favorite aspects of ministry is worship leadership. He loves to preach the Word but in recent years has a deepening appreciation for how music and art open people up to God. Music and visuals often communicate on levels deeper than words and they can be avenues for everyone to engage more fully in worship.
Deck told the Lord he didn’t want to go to Mississippi or Florida. Of course, he was called first to Mississippi for 5 years (to the church where Don Wauchope was on the Pulpit Nominating Committee and served as Choir Director!), then to Florida for 6! Those were wonderful experiences and he has learned just to go with God’s flow.
Even though she has “officially” retired from church work (Christian Educator for Providence Presbytery, Director of Campus Ministry for Charleston Atlantic Presbytery), Deb is still active in artistic pursuits with Re:Create and the Art, Recreation, and Worship workshops at Montreat. She is also a jewelry artist and teaches jewelry making.
During his down time, Deck enjoys tennis, skiing, and has been known to work in fused glass. He also has quite a collection of quirky socks. (People pull up his pant legs to check them out.) Socks have spawned quite a few children’s sermons. Deb and Deck’s first and only grandchild, Clark, lives in Swannanoa. Deb’s current call is to support our son Josh and his wife Lydia in helping Clark grow in faith at their church in East Asheville. Consequently, she will be worshiping at Etowah regularly, but less frequently than she would under other circumstances.
Deck looks forward to his first “official” Sunday in the pulpit on September 18th.
August 2022 Newsletter
CROSS ROADS
Etowah Presbyterian Church Newsletter
August 2022
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P. O. Box 384 – 41 Presbytery Place, Etowah, NC 28729
(Brickyard Rd. At U.S. Highway 64)
Bill Gash Organist Patricia Gash, Treasurer Judy Harden, Pianist
Dear Friends in Christ,
Greetings from the Session at Etowah Presbyterian Church. We hope you are doing well!
Ike Kennerly Completes interim Pastorate
Although it’s been some months ago (April) we need to belatedly express our profound gratitude for Ike, once again, coming to our rescue and leading us the first third of this year after the retirement of Becky Stanley. Ike’s long and close relationship to this church provides him with a special perspective of our church’s situation, and his professionalism and vision was a real shot in the arm for us. Thank you and Godspeed, Sir! It also was a pleasure see Margarette again!
A Cook, a Shepard (with an a) and a Phillips
With Ike’s departure our Retired-Minister corps—Tom Cook, Mike Shepard and Tom Phillips—have been filling our pulpit with inspiration, wisdom and wit. Tom is also serving as Moderator (chair) of Session meetings, the administration of the church. It is priceless to have these gifted folks in our congregation.
Reverend J. Decherd Guess–“Deck”— to discuss a possible call as our Minister
Deck preached the last two Sundays of July, and will meet with the Session in two weeks. We are very hopeful & praying mightily about this!
Mary Jean Welch Moving to Athens, Georgia
Mary Jane and her husband Billy were active members and leaders of this church and are remembered by many of us. On the 16th of this month she is moving to be nearer her children. Contact us if you would like her new address etc. Send her a note, she loves us!
Check out our new website EtowahChurch.org
It’s a work in progress but it is up to date and tells our story…
God keep you…
Don, for the Session:
Bob Gossett, Worship & Property rigossett44@gmail.com
Pamela Ice Williams, Congregational Care
Reva McClure, Mission and Outreach
Don Wauchope, Clerk and Finances rdwauchope@gmail.com
Patricia Gash, Treasurer
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Easter Sunday 2022: “Come Home!”
We used our email list to invite as many former members as we could reach, and told them to “Come Home” for Easter. We wound up with a congregation of 26, including a half-dozen beloved folks we were so glad to see again!
It was a joyous occasion. Pastor Ike told us that Easter promises that, besides the dash between the birth and death dates on our tombstones, there is another dash that belongs after the death date…
“Maundy Thursday” Evening Communion Service Held
“Maundy Thursday” is an ancient celebration on Thursday of Holy Week, before Easter Sunday. We take communion in a simple, quiet service because on the Thursday of the Last supper before his arrest, he commanded us to take communion in his memory. It is a time of reflection before the Friday sadness of Jesus’ death and the Sunday joy of the resurrection.
Etowah Presbyterian Church 
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