NewsFlash fromEast Liberty Presbyterian Church
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Life is good. Love is real. And God is... well, God.
News highlight
September Reaching Out
Read the September Reaching Out newsletter on the web. The Rev. Bush's pastoral message is included in this Flash (see below.)
Rally Day is next Sunday, September 13
Our church school classes and services return to their regular times on Rally Day, September 13: Good Samaritan at 8:00 am; Journey at 8:45 am in the Music Room, and the Sanctuary service at 11:00 am. Please join us at 9:30 am in the second floor hallway for a light continental breakfast before classes start at 9:45.
Sunday services and classes
September 6 Services
- 8:00 am: Good Samaritan Worship; The Rev. Dr. Scott Sunquist preaching, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.
- 10:00 am: Summer Sanctuary Worship; the Rev. Heather T. Schoenewolf preaching.
- Contemporaries, Journey with Scripture, Parenting Circle, Seekers: Classes resume on Rally Day, September 13.
Additional worship and prayer opportunities during the week
- Taizé prayer service: Every Wednesday, 7:00 pm in the chapel. Childcare available from 6:45 pm to 8:15 pm. September 2 service followed by "Writing as Existential Dialogue," class led by Laurie Arnold. Second floor parlor.
- Labyrinth Prayer Walk: Mondays, 10:00 am - 3:00 pm, and Wednesdays, 10:00 am - 9:00 pm.
- Centering Prayer: Tuesdays, 7:00 pm, room 250.
ELPC News
Lift up your voice
You are invited to become one of ELPC's "songbirds"! Join us on Thursday, September 10, 7:00pm for rehearsal. We sing a variety of musical styles. If you can read music and might prosper from guided rehearsal, please come join us! For questions, contact Jon Tyillian or The Rev. Dr. J. Richard Szeremany, (412) 441-3800 x24.
Deacon's Bulb Sale: Be a "Garden Angel"
Each year, the Deacons provide food baskets at Thanksgiving for community families in need. Please help fund this great project by supporting the Deacon's "Bulb Sale," where you can purchase (flower) bulbs for your garden. If you're not a gardener, please consider purchasing bulbs that can be used to help beautify ELPC's grounds! You'll find order forms in your Sunday bulletin. Payment is due September 13, with delivery on October 11.
Connections dinners
Connections dinners are small (7-10) groups of people who meet for conversation and a pot-luck dinner, usually in each others' homes. This is a great way to meet, have fun, and get to know your fellow church members! Look for the sign-up sheets during Fellowship time on Sundays: September 6, September 13, September 20.
Presbyterian Women Fall Retreat, Horizons Bible Study Returns
"Christ Our Hope" is the theme of this year's Presbyterian Women's retreat, September 26, with Dr. Ellen McCormack leading. The retreat will be held at ELPC from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm. Join us for singing, worship, workshops and fellowship.
"Horizon Bible Study" returns on Tuesday mornings. Join us at 10 am on September 8 as we read “Joshua: A Journey of Faith.” We will explore themes such as leadership, the promise of land, the concept of holy war, and outsiders becoming insiders; we also learn to find rest in the mercy of God. A potluck lunch follows. Bring something to share and beverages are provided. Call Mary Alice Lightle, (412) 682-1504 for more information.
ELPC in the Community
East End Cooperative Ministries Men's Shelter
During the month of September, the Deacons are collecting razors and bar soap for the EECM'S Men's Shelter. Donations may be left in the hallway baskets. Thank you.
Pastoral Message
by The Rev. Dr. Randall K. Bush
Who taught you how to drive a car? My father first put me behind the wheel of a pickup truck and had me drive around a field while he put bales of hay in the back. My brother taught me how to drive a manual transmission on an inclined driveway and revealed the tricky nuances of a clutch. But my main instructor was Mr. Gilman, the high school Drivers Ed teacher.
Mr. Gilman was an imposing figure who took a bit too much pleasure in showing us those warning films about what can happen to distracted drivers. While I was seated behind the wheel with Mr. Gilman in the passenger seat, he would insist that I keep my eyes moving and bark out: "Be aware of what's ahead of you and beside you. Check your mirrors. Check your gauges. Check your blind spots." It seemed like there was too much information to take in, process, and remember. In time, it becomes second nature to keep our eyes moving and stay aware of what's happening around us. I'm grateful for the lessons hammered into my head by my demanding teacher.
This month, our church activities start up again in earnest. On Rally Day, we return to three services each Sunday morning, with Christian Education for all ages, and an array of programs and committee tasks for the whole church family. It can feel a bit like driving a car while merging onto a busy highway, balancing our commitment to church worship with obligations at work and home. So in the spirit of Mr. Gilman, I encourage you to "keep your eyes moving" and be aware of what's happening around you as you continue your own journey of Christian faith.
For example, faith involves "checking the rearview mirror." Pause occasionally to reflect on the path you've traveled so far in your life. Remember the people who've been important to you, what they've taught you, and what advice they would've given you today. Faith also involves "checking your side mirrors." See the people beside you on the road of life and seek to travel peacefully with others, knowing that many are in pain or anxious or lonely in their own private lives.
"Check your blind spots." Hopefully there are honest friends and family members who remind us of those things about ourselves we cannot see on our own. Know that no one is perfect and the thing we find most objectionable in others is often present in our own behavior. "Say a prayer when you get behind the wheel," literally and figuratively. Quiet yourself before you drive, trusting that God is with you and is more important than any errand you're so anxious to complete.
Lastly, "enjoy the view through the windshield." May your life offer you wide vistas and attractive horizons, so that your days are infused with hope. Remember the opening verse of Psalm 121: "I lift up my eyes to the hills–from where will my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth." We do not travel alone; neither need we travel aimlessly. May the presence of God's abiding love and the gifts of grace, patience, and good humor mark your "road trips" this day and always.
Randy Bush