February 2017
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Sunday Services *Celebration of the Lord’s Supper Journey Worship • 8:45 am Theme: Back on Track Feb. 5* Rev. Patrice Fowler-Searcy Feb. 12 Rev. Heather Schoenewolf Feb. 19 Rev. Dr. Randy Bush newsletter of east liberty presbyterian church Feb. 26 Rev. Patrice Fowler-Searcy February 2017 Sanctuary Worship • 11 am Feb. 5* Rev. Dr. Randy Bush Feb. 12 Rev. Dr. Randy Bush A Celebration of Black Song Feb. 19 Rev. Heather Schoenewolf Join us on Sun., Feb. 12, Feb. 26 Rev. Dr. Randy Bush at 3 pm, for an uplifting afternoon of song in honor of Black History Month, featuring musicians from the Labyrinth Prayer Walk ELPC Music Ministry. Mondays • 7 am–1 pm Wednesdays • 9 am–9 pm This performance is free and open to the public, so bring your friends. A freewill offering will be received. Taizé Prayer Service Wednesdays • 7 pm Live stream available at ELPC.church Rev. Mary Lynn Callahan Attend our Congregational Meeting All congregation members of ELPC are encouraged to attend our annual club one sixteen Congregational Meeting following worship on Sun., Feb. 26, in the Social For children and youth in grades 1–12 Hall. Lunch will be provided prior to the meeting in which reports and Wednesdays, from 3:30–7:30 pm financial budgets will be reviewed. Nominations for the incoming slate of officers (elders, deacons, Centennial Fund member) also will be otedv on. Senior high youth will begin a new theme by asking the big questions. Copies of the Annual Report will be available on Sun., Feb. 19 and 26. Questions are an important part of learning, especially as we try to understand ourselves, the world, and God. We will explore questions ranging from: “Do aliens Exist?” to Ash Wednesday Events “Why do Christians hurt people in the On Wed., March 1, the season of Lent will name of God?” to “What do we know begin with our Ash Wednesday service about Heaven and Hell?” featuring the imposition of ashes in the Our schedule is as follows: Chapel at 12 pm, led by Pastor Patrice. • 3:30 pm: Gathering Time/ Following the service, we will welcome Homework Help/Open Gym Dr. David Esterline, president of Pittsburgh • 4:30 pm: Opening Worship Theological Seminary, as our guest speaker in • 5 pm: Dinner Room 234. A simple lunch will be provided. • 5:30 pm: – Older Youth: Bible Study and Gym Later in the evening, all are welcome to attend a special Taizé prayer service – Younger Youth: Crafts and Gym with the imposition of ashes, led by the Rev. Mary Lynn Callahan. • 7:30 pm: Dismissal East Liberty Presbyterian Church • 116 South Highland Avenue • Pittsburgh, PA 15206 • www.ELPC.church East Liberty Presbyterian Church Pastoral Message The Cathedral of Hope The Rev. Dr. Randall K. Bush, Pastor 116 South Highland Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15206 Fill in the blank: When I think of my body right now, I’m not very fond of my (blank). The answer to this question Tel: 412.441.3800 should not be influenced by America’s flawed obsession Fax: 412.441.4422 with perfect physiques. This shouldn’t be about your measurements, weight or six-pack abs. Rather it should www.ELPC.church identify one part of your physical body. For example, at this moment I’m not very fond of my hamstrings. While being relatively tall, I seem to have short hamstrings, Staff Leadership which cause my lower-back muscles to work too hard and thus provoke periodic back spasms. When that happens, I The Rev. Dr. Randall K. Bush think very unkind thoughts about my hamstrings. Pastor In the past weeks, I’ve visited with church members in hospitals, doctors’ The Rev. Heather Schoenewolf offices, or church hallways, and heard how they were not very fond of different Associate Pastor for Educational Ministries parts of their bodies: knees that need replacing, an appendix that decided to burst, eyes suffering from macular degeneration, or cancer cells taking root in The Rev. Patrice L. Fowler-Searcy skin layers, the pancreas, lungs and breasts. The rest of their bodies were doing Associate Pastor for Mission Ministries fine. If only this one, troublesome organ, joint or body part could somehow rediscover good health like its physiological colleagues. The Rev. Mary Lynn Callahan Director of Spiritual Life Ministries and In response to these complaints, it is possible to try and see the biological Minister of Taizé Prayer “glass” as being half-full, noting that we should give thanks for the miracle of life itself and not let one bad body part distract us from the hundreds of others Linda Addlespurger within us that are doing just fine. That response may sound good in theory, but Director of Hope Academy if you are in pain, or aware of cancer cells multiplying somewhere within you, those concerns will always go to the top of your personal prayer list. Sharron Boddy Seminary Intern Should we seek comfort from scripture, such as the reminder in Psalm 139 about how “we are fearfully and wonderfully made”? There is relief in Wil Forrest remembering that God knows us well and shaped our wondrous forms. Yet there Coordinator of Young Adult are undoubtedly times when we wish God’s provision might have forestalled the and Outreach Programs growth of tumors, limited the effects of arthritis, or (speaking personally) given Sara Hackett me just slightly longer hamstrings. Coordinator of Christian Education No quick answer will take away our displeasure when some part of our body and Youth Ministry fails us. Cells live and die each day, and we are creatures forever in states of transition literally moving from life to death. The comfort of our faith, though, Pamela M. Kimmel shifts our focus from physicality to temporality—from body aches to the passage Business Administrator of time. We are sustained by the promise that all our days are known by God. Paul Martin Our times of strength and times of struggle fall within the loving consciousness Facilities Manager of our Lord. Good health may be a factor of genes, diet, exercise, and luck, just as poor health may be equally tied to a range of causes. But each day we Dr. Edward Alan Moore have is one that comes to us from God, and it exists to allow us to express Music Director and Organist our relationship with God, with one another, and with our funny, unreliable, amazing, fragile, physical bodies. The Rev. Dr. Robert Chesnut Pastor Emeritus Our bodies are not what define us; we are defined by God’s love and grace, which happens to find creative ways of being expressed thanks to our bodies. The Rev. Dr. J. Richard Szeremany This helps keep things in perspective when we’re not so pleased with every last Music Director Emeritus cell in our being. (Or feeling grumpy with our hamstrings.) So for our bodies and for the gift of this day, thanks be to God. page 2 Reaching Out • February 2017 LGBTQ Ministry At Session Meetings: Wil Forrest, Coordinator of Young Adult and Outreach Programs • Plans were made to welcome our newest group of incoming members All people are welcome to join and friends, who will be received in us at our next Spiritual Gathering worship on Sun., Feb. 19. on Sat., Feb. 11, as we share a “progressive” meal and discussion • The elders finalized preparations starting at ELPC at 12 pm, and for our upcoming annual returning after the last course that Congregational Meeting to be held afternoon. Contact Wil to get a on Sun., Feb. 26. seat in the van and/or to host a • The 2017 budget was adjusted course of our meal. positively to reflect the fact that stewardship giving surpassed our To learn more or to get involved in projection by more than $20,000. ELPC’s LGBTQ Ministry, contact Wil Forrest at [email protected] or • Reports were shared from the 412.441.3800 x14. Renovations Committee as progress was made toward hiring a general God created you. God loves you. contractor for our project. Be yourself. Lenten Devotionals for People of All Ages As we look ahead to the start of 40 Days & 40 Nights Easter Alive Puzzle Magnet our Lenten journey beginning on Devotional Booklet This devotional features six symbols of Ash Wednesday, March 1, Christian This Lenten Holy Week and Easter: palm branches, a Education (CE) is offering Lenten devotional for cup and bread, a crown of thorns, three devotionals for people of all ages. children and nails, an open tomb, These materials will be available on younger youth and an Easter cross. Sun., Feb. 26. They will be located on offers reflections on Talk about the symbols the table outside of the East Transept, Biblical characters as you put the puzzle on the Second Floor CE table, and in in the Old and New together as a family. the Social Hall during Journey worship. Testaments, with CE also will provide Devotionals for children are to the thoughtful questions about how these questions for reflection. right; older youth and adults are below. stories connect to our lives today. (Limit one per family) Greatest Thy Will be Done At the Crossroads Commandment One of Jesus’ Lent is the perfect Lenten Coin most famous season to consider Carry this coin prayers occurred the critical crossroads with you during in the Garden of of life—losses, the season of Gethsemane before transitions, choices, Lent—and anytime his betrayal, when uncertainties, and throughout he prayed, “Not my disappointments— the year—as will, but yours be those times when a reminder of done.” Prayer is a life and faith clearly the greatest cornerstone practice of our faith.