East Liberty Presbyterian Church

PW Gathering | Rejoice in Hope
2021-08-05 16:00 - 18:00 (America/New_York) | PA
Join Presbyterian Women from Maine to Hawaii for an online gathering. Our theme, “Rejoice in Hope,” is based on Romans 12:12–13.
The Rev. Dr. Diane Moffett will offer a message of hope, and Irene Pak Lee, associate pastor at Stone Church in Willow Glen, Pennsylvania, will deliver the keynote address. In addition, Bible study authors, present and future, will introduce their studies.
Come prepared to be renewed and inspired. The event will be livestreamed on Presbyterian Women’s Facebook page, and an in-person watch party will be held at ELPC. For more info, email PW.ELPC@gmail.com.

Café Justo on Sale
2021-08-08 11:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | PA
We’re excited to announce that Café Justo will resume sales on the second Sunday of each month. Stop by the coffee cart in the Narthex following worship. If you are unable to pick up your coffee in person, please contact Ryan Booher at rabooherco@gmail.com to make alternate arrangements.
Coffee is $10 per bag for Robusta, Arabica, 50/50 Arabica/Robusta blend, Decaf Arabica. All varieties are typically available in ground and whole bean.
Click here to read more about Café Justo.

High School Mission Retreat
2021-08-10 - 2021-08-13 | PA
Youth who have completed 8th-12th grade are invited to go to Crestfield Camp and Conference Center for our ELPC mission retreat. A combination of service projects around the camp, worship and Bible study, and a lot of group fun after being apart for so long. We will be using Crestfield’s space but planning our own schedule, meals, and worship so youth will be big part of planning what we do.
Fill out the registration form below or contact Sara Hackett for the zoom link.

Taizé Prayer Service
2021-08-11 19:00 - 20:00, 2021-08-18 19:00 - 20:00, 2021-08-25 19:00 - 20:00, 2021-09-01 19:00 - 20:00, 2021-09-08 19:00 - 20:00, 2021-09-15 19:00 - 20:00, 2021-09-22 19:00 - 20:00, 2021-09-29 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Halifax) | ELPC – Chapel, 116 South Highland Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15206, United States
ELPC offers evening prayers with chants from Taizé every Wednesday, 7 pm, in the Chapel. The hour-long service includes sung prayers, beautiful music, a time of silence, spoken and silent prayers, and opportunities for individual prayer and anointing. For more information, view our Taizé page.
Download this week’s bulletin.

About ELPC’s Taizé Prayer Service
Our Taizé prayer service is based on a style of worship developed at the Taizé community in France founded in the 1940s by the late Brother Roger. Originally a refuge during the war, Taizé has developed into an ecumenical prayer center for visitors from all over the world. Today, the Taizé community is made up of over a hundred resident brothers, both Catholics and from various Protestant backgrounds/traditions. Taizé wants to be a sign of reconciliation between divided Christians and between separated peoples.

In Pursuit of Silence | Film Viewing and Conversation
2021-08-14 19:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | PA
In Pursuit of Silence is a documentary that meditatively explores our relationship with silence, sound, and the impact of noise on our lives. Beginning with an ode to John Cage’s ground-breaking composition, 4’33”, the film takes us on an immersive cinematic journey around the globe—from a traditional tea ceremony in Kyoto, to the streets of the loudest city on the planet, Mumbai, during the wild festival season—and inspires us to experience silence and celebrate the wonders of our world.
RSVP to Norma Meyer by Friday, Aug. 13.

LGBTQ Ministry Spiritual Gathering
2021-08-15 11:30 - 13:30 (America/New_York) | East Liberty Presbyterian Church, 116 S. Highland Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15206, United States
You are invited to the next Spiritual Gathering of ELPC’s LGBTQ Ministry to share food and fellowship at the church. Allies and LGBTQIA+ folks alike are welcome.
Contact Wil Forrest at 412.441.3800 X118 or Wil@coh.net to learn more, to RSVP, and/or to get the Zoom info to participate.
God created you. God loves you. Be yourself.

Picklesburgh Party
2021-08-20 18:30 - 20:30 (America/New_York) | PA
Picklesburgh—voted America’s #1 Best Specialty Food Festival in America—is back! We will meet at a specified location downtown and then walk over to the festivities. We will walk through the festival, eat some pickles, and then enjoy a picnic, live music, and each other’s company! Feel free to get dressed up, but let’s all wear green for fun (and great photo ops). Taking the bus or carpooling is encouraged.
Please sign up with Kelli Booher at KelliB@coh.net.

Soul Food Class Summer Session
2021-08-22 08:45 - 09:45 (America/New_York) | ELPC – Online, 116 South Highland Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15206, United States
The Soul Food adult Church School class will meet this Sunday, August 22, 8:45 am, to conclude our discussion of In My Grandmother’s House: Black Women, Faith, and the Stories We Inherit, by Yolanda Pierce, with chapter 12.
A weekday make-up session will be scheduled for those who cannot participate.
Contact the Rev. Joe Hajdu for more details.

SSL Beginners Class
2021-08-25 08:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | PA
Are You Interested in Learning Spanish? Have you ever considered language learning as a spiritual practice? Are you interested in learning Spanish as a second language (SSL)?
Come to our SSL information session on Sunday, September 26, 12:30 pm, via Zoom. This will be a new beginners class, where we can answer your questions and gather ideas of what you want to study together.
Learning a language isn’t just about vocabulary and grammar. It’s about learning a people, so I invite you to come to this information session and learn more about the unique perspective of the SSL class at ELPC.
Join us on Zoom

Coal Tubin' in Johnstown
2021-08-28 09:00 - 19:00 (America/New_York) | PA
As summer winds down, let’s venture out of Pittsburgh for some relaxing fun. YAMs will enjoy floating down The Stonycreek in inner tubes. We will leave around 9 am, float, eat dinner at a local favorite, and then return to Pittsburgh around 7 pm. The cost is $15/person ($20 if you’d like an upgraded inner tube). Scholarships are available. Please bring money for dinner.
There are many more details you need to know, so please contact Kelli Booher at KelliB@coh.net if you would like to go or if you have questions! And let Kelli know if you’re interested in riding in the church van, carpooling, or meeting us there.

Connections Group @ the Botanical Gardens
2021-09-11 11:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York) | Pittsburgh Botanic Gardens, 799 Pinkerton Run Rd, Oakdale, PA, 15071, United States
Have you been a member of ELPC’s Connections Group in the past? Would you like to reunite with some old friends? We are planning an outdoor gathering at the Pittsburgh Botanic Gardens in Settlers Cabin Park on Saturday, September 11, 11 am. Bring a bagged lunch. We’ll meet in the picnic area and then enjoy a walk through the gardens.
If you have not participated in a Connections Group in the past, you are more than welcome to join us! Connections Groups are small groups that previously met up monthly for coffee, lunch, or dinner at a restaurant or at someone’s home. Since this is difficult to do at this time, we thought it might be nice to get together so we can all remain “Connected.”
The cost is $12, $2 if you have an EBT card. Please email us at connectelpc@gmail.com if you plan to attend.

Clothing Drive for ACJ
2021-09-12 12:00 - 13:00, 2021-09-26 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York) | PA
As a Matthew 25 congregation, we are committed to supporting our siblings in Allegheny County Jail in a variety of ways, and we have been generous in response by collecting books, magazines, and toiletry items.
Now, the Justice Committee is hosting a clothing drive to provide dignity and clothing to those who are returning to our community. And you can help by donating sweatshirts and sweatpants for men and women in sizes M, L, XL, and XXL (no solid red or orange, please).
You may purchase items and drop them off following Sanctuary worship on Sunday, September 26, at the Highland Avenue entrance, or at the drop box near the security desk during the week. You also may make a monetary donation, designated “Justice Committee–ACJ Sweats,” and the Justice Committee will purchase items.
For more information, contact Judy Mancini at mancinijs@gmail.com.

Stonewall Jackson Window Updates
2021-09-12 12:30 - 13:00 (America/New_York) | ELPC – Online, 116 South Highland Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15206, United States
Following Sanctuary worship on Sunday, September 12, the Peace, Property, and Facing Systemic Racism Committees invite you to a conversation on the future of the stained-glass window depicting General Stonewall Jackson, located in our Sanctuary’s East Transept. The window has been the subject of prayerful research by a Session-appointed task force, which is ready to share its findings with the congregation.
Our conversation will include a brief overview of how Confederate monuments and symbols have been used since the Civil War to help create a revisionist history that glorifies Confederates as cultural heroes, rather than the violent defenders of white supremacist ideology. More importantly, the task force will be seeking your input on how ELPC can meaningfully respond—with justice and faithfulness—to the display of this problematic symbol in our church.
If you’re watching our Sanctuary worship service livestream on YouTube or Facebook (beginning at 11 am), you may use the same feed to see the presentation. Or, click here at 12:15 pm.
To listen to the audio portion of the presentation (beginning at 12:15 pm), you may call 301.715.8592. Enter meeting ID 883 0027 9230 and passcode [REDACTED] when prompted.

Rain Garden Workday
2021-09-18 09:00 - 12:00 (America/Halifax) | East Liberty Presbyterian Church, 116 S. Highland Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15206, United States
If you are inspired by God’s beautiful creation and like to play in the dirt, consider joining us for a workday in the Rain Garden on Saturday, September 18, 9 am–12 pm. Green thumbs are not required—just bring your energy, curiosity, and commitment to our community.
RSVP to Megan Leisher.

Church Life Sampler
2021-09-19 12:15 - 14:00 (America/Halifax) | ELPC – Social Hall, 116 South Highland Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15206, United States
ELPC’s annual Church Life Sampler will be held following Sanctuary worship on Sunday, September 19, outdoors on Whitfield Street (weather permitting). Stop by to learn more about the various ministries that are a part of our church life together!
Every committee and ministry area at ELPC will be on hand to highlight fall programming and share how you can get involved! And a special treat will be provided by the Children and Family Ministry Team for you to enjoy on your way home.

2021 CONSPIRE Conference Simulcast
2021-09-24 10:00 - 18:00, 2021-09-25 10:00 - 18:00, 2021-09-26 12:30 - 18:00 (America/New_York) | PA
Over the weekend of September 24–26, the Spiritual Life Committee invites you to join us in person at ELPC, for a virtual simulcast of the Center for Action and Contemplation’s CONSPIRE Conference, Me/Us/the World: Living Inside God’s Great Story.
In this time of great unknowing, how do we expand our sense of self to include love, healing, and forgiveness—not just for ourselves and those like us, but for the entire world? Join spiritual seekers across the world for an interactive, global gathering to experience God’s love, grace, and compassion. Presenters include James Finley, Barbara Holmes, Jacqui Lewis, Brian McLaren, Fr. Richard Rohr, and Mirabai Starr.

Participate in contemplative sits led by Fr. Richard Rohr each morning.
Connect with other participants around the globe and at ELPC.
Deepen your experience with presentations, workshops, and book talks.
Learn about opportunities to nourish your path of transformation and live into new ways of thinking and being.

Join us in person for free at ELPC! Pastor BJ will stream the conference in the McKelvy Room. Please register by Friday, September 17, and indicate the day(s) you will attend. Lunch will be provided each day. You are welcome to join us for any portion or all of the conference. Our schedule is as follows:

Friday, September 24 | 11 am–6:45 pm
Saturday, September 25 | 11 am–6:45 pm
Sunday, September 26 | 12:30 pm–6:45 pm

VIEW COMPLETE SCHEDULE

SSL Information Session
2021-09-26 12:30 - 13:30 (America/New_York) | ELPC – Online, 116 South Highland Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15206, United States
Have you ever considered language learning as a spiritual practice? Are you interested in learning Spanish as a second language (SSL)?
Come to our SSL information session on Sunday, September 26, 12:30 pm, via Zoom. This will be a new beginners class, where we can answer your questions and gather ideas of what you want to study together.
Learning a language isn’t just about vocabulary and grammar. It’s about learning a people, so I invite you to come to this information session and learn more about the unique perspective of the SSL class at ELPC.
Join on Zoom

LGBTQ Ministry Spiritual Gathering
2021-09-26 12:30 - 14:30 (America/New_York) | East Liberty Presbyterian Church, 116 S. Highland Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15206, United States
You are invited to the next Spiritual Gathering of ELPC’s LGBTQ Ministry to share food and fellowship at the church. Allies and LGBTQIA+ folks alike are welcome.
Contact Wil Forrest at 412.441.3800 X118 or Wil@coh.net to learn more, to RSVP, and/or to participate.
God created you. God loves you. Be yourself.

Environmental Book Club | Walden
2021-09-30 18:30 - 20:30 (America/New_York) | ELPC – Highland Room (Room 108), 116 South Highland Ave, Pittsburgh, PA, 15206, United States
The Environmental Team invites you to read Henry David Thoreau’s classic nature book, Walden, and join a discussion on Thursday, September 30, 7 pm.
In 1845, philosopher and writer Thoreau built a tiny cabin in the woods near Walden Pond in Concord, Massachusetts, where he lived alone and self-sufficient for two years. His observations and reflections became the basis of this book. It is an essay collection with the themes of:

Nature as eternal guide and teacher;
Living independently and breaking free from the expectations and conventions of traditional society;
Minimalism or detaching ourselves from a goal-driven, materialistic worldview; and
Self-improvement with a focus on meditation, and understanding our place in the universe.

Katherine Hackney will lead our discussion. For more information, or to tell us you are coming, contact Nancy Heastings at n.heastings@comcast.net.

Pizza and Kickball
2021-10-03 12:30 - 14:30 (America/New_York) | Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, 616 N. Highland Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15206, United States
Youth in grades 6–12 will get together for pizza and kickball at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary on Sunday, October 3, 12:30 pm. We will be walking from ELPC to PTS at 12:10 pm. RSVP to Sara Hackett at SaraH@coh.net is required.
