Taizé Prayer Service
2022-02-16 19:00 - 20:00, 2022-02-23 19:00 - 20:00, 2022-03-09 19:00 - 20:00, 2022-03-16 19:00 - 20:00, 2022-03-23 19:00 - 20:00, 2022-03-30 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.

Intermediate SSL Class
2022-02-17 16:00 - 17:00, 2022-02-24 16:00 - 17:00, 2022-03-03 16:00 - 17:00, 2022-03-10 16:00 - 17:00, 2022-03-17 16:00 - 17:00, 2022-03-24 16:00 - 17:00, 2022-03-31 16:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York)
Our intermediate SSL class meets on Thursdays, 4 pm, via Zoom. We’re finishing up the present tense and preparing to learn the past paradigm.
If you already have some knowledge of Spanish, you are welcome to join this class as we continue to learn about ourselves, our neighbors, and God through the Spanish language!
Join us on Zoom

LGBTQ Ministry Spiritual Gathering
2022-02-20 12:30 - 14:30, 2022-03-27 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.

Yoga and Mindful Meditation
2022-02-21 08:00 - 09:00, 2022-02-23 08:00 - 09:00, 2022-02-28 08:00 - 09:00 (America/New_York) | ELPC – Online, 116 South Highland Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15206, United States
Start your day on your mat, stretching, and moving your body for 45–50 minutes of gentle Hatha yoga and 10–15 minutes of guided mindful meditation.
Our mindful movement and meditation classes in February will have gentle and slow mindful movement, linking postures and breath, and end with guided silent meditation.
A donation from the heart is suggested.
Register on Zoom

Forest Bathing
2022-02-26 11:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | ELPC – Courtyard, 116 South Highland Avenue, Pittsburgh, 15206, United States
What is forest bathing? Well, it is not a nature walk or a fitness hike. It is a 60-minute, guided visit into the natural world, where we will slow down, awaken our senses, and nurture our relationship with nature. Through a series of invitations, we will find our own ways of connecting with nature as we relax into being present with the sights, smells, sounds, textures, and tastes of the woods. There’s no rush and there’s no right or wrong way to do it.
Join us in ELPC’s Courtyard to explore the hidden beauty found within the space’s architecture, plants, trees, and flowers—even amidst winter. We will have a fire for warming as we slowly reflect on the beauty of the natural world. We will sit a lot and move slowly, so dress appropriately and consider bringing a blanket.
RSVP to Pastor BJ by Wednesday, February 23.

Global Links: Youth Service Day
2022-03-05 12:00 (America/Halifax)
6th-12th graders are volunteering at Global Links, a nonprofit which shares medical surplus rescued from the US healthcare system to support health programs globally and locally. We will meet at ELPC at noon and return at 3:45pm. We will be eating lunch in the McKelvy room before we leave. Global Links requires all volunteers be vaccinated and wear masks while volunteering. Youth must be vaccinated and masked to ride in the van. Youth are also able to meet us at Global Links in Greentree at 1:00pm.
RSVP by completing the permission slip below or contacting Sara Hackett.

Contemplative & Centering Prayer for Lent
2022-03-07 07:30 - 08:00, 2022-03-14 07:30 - 08:00, 2022-03-21 07:30 - 08:00, 2022-03-28 07:30 - 08:00 (America/New_York) | ELPC – Online, 116 South Highland Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15206, United States
During the season of Lent, our Monday morning Contemplative Prayer will involve the reading of a Psalm and Centering Prayer (20 minutes of silence), in community with one another.
Click the button below at the scheduled time to join via Zoom or call in by dialing 312.626.6799 and entering meeting ID, 959 8065 3992.

Passcode: [REDACTED]

Dial-in Passcode: [REDACTED]
JOIN VIA ZOOM

Youth Roller Skating at Beulah
2022-03-13 12:00 - 15:15 (America/New_York)
6th-12th graders are going roller skating at Beulah Presbyterian Church with Beulah’s youth group on Sunday, March 13th after worship until 3:15pm. We will be eating lunch in the McKelvy room before we leave. Youth must be vaccinated and masked to ride in the van. Youth are able to meet us at Beulah Presbyterian at 1:00pm.
RSVP by completing the permission slip below or contacting Sara Hackett.

Letter from Birmingham Jail | Session 2
2022-03-13 12:30 - 14:00 (America/New_York)
Following Sanctuary worship on Sunday, March 13, the Facing Systemic Racism Committee will present our second session on the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s, Letter from Birmingham Jail. Led by Dr. Beverly Harris-Schenz, we will explore a summary of one of the seminal issues in Dr. King’s letter: “just” vs “unjust” laws.
Dr. King explains the use of “legality” in authoritarian societies, as a means to control and discriminate against marginalized people. Such “laws” apply to those groups, but rarely to those in authority. As examples, Dr. King cites laws used by segregationists in Alabama to prevent Blacks from voting; the laws of Nebuchadnezzer, which led Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego to follow a higher moral law; as well as the laws employed by Hitler to discriminate and isolate Jews, and those in Hungary against their freedom fighters.
There is no dearth of other historical examples. However, our discussion will focus primarily on how “unjust” laws have been used in the past and are currently used in our country to discriminate against and marginalize people of color. This presentation will be followed by small group discussions, both in person and on Zoom.
Join us in person in the Social Hall or online via Zoom. You also may call in by dialing 301.715.8592 and entering meeting ID 841 7387 8710 and passcode [REDACTED] when prompted.
Join via Zoom

Lenten Silent Retreat
2022-03-18 17:00 - 2022-03-20 12:00 (America/New_York) | St. Emma Monastery, 1001 Harvey Ave, Greensburg, PA, 15601, United States
In returning and rest you shall be saved.
In quietness and in trust shall be your strength.
We invite you to come away with God, in the middle of the Lenten season, for a quiet weekend retreat at St. Emma’s Retreat House in Greensburg, from 5 pm, on Friday, March 18, until 12 pm, on Sunday, March 20.
The retreat will be a time to rest your body, mind, and spirit; to play and pray; to eat and be still; to walk and sit; to talk and be silent; and to simply follow “the unforced rhythms of grace.”
“Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace… Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”—Matthew 11:28–30 (The Message)
If these words from Jesus ring true in your spirit, join us. The cost is $150. (Scholarships are available. Contact Pastor BJ at BJW@coh.net for details.) Spots are limited, so RSVP by to Norma Meyer at Norma@coh.net by Sunday, March 13.

Winter Food Drive
2022-03-20 12:30 - 14:00 (America/New_York) | East Liberty Presbyterian Church, 116 S. Highland Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15206, United States
As a Matthew 25 Congregation, ELPC actively seeks to engage in the world and make a difference in the lives of our neighbors. And one of the Matthew 25 principles that we strive to live into is to eradicate systemic poverty. One of the ways we do so is by feeding our neighbors who are living with food insecurity.
Following Sanctuary worship on Sunday, March 20, the Neighbors Committee will host a Winter Food Drive in the Staff Parking Lot on Baum Blvd. Requested donations include: canned or dried fruit, canned vegetables, cereal, crackers, individual fruit cups, jelly, peanut butter, pasta and sauces, rice, soups and broth, salt, seasonings, and spices.
Questions? Contact Tim VanFleet at tavanfleet@gmail.com or Pastor Patrice at patricefs@coh.net.

Letter Writing Event
2022-03-27 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York) | ELPC – Fellowship Room, 116 South Highland Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15206, United States
The Environmental Team of the Justice Committee will offer an in-person letter-writing and advocacy time on Sunday, March 27, following our Sunday Church School classes and our Sanctuary worship service. Topics address environmental and social justice components of the Build Back Better Act, as well as the Hopes for Homes Act.
Please join and contribute your voice to advocate for these issues. Legislators need to know that their constituents care about and want solutions to the climate crisis. If unable to join in person, sample letters, fact sheets and your representative addresses are linked below. Please write your name and address at the bottom of the letter and on the envelope.

Sample Letter for Build Back Better Act
Build Back Better Environmental Justice Fact Sheet
Sample Letter for Hope for Homes Act
Hope for Homes Act Fact Sheet
Legislator Contact Information

Contact Nancy Heastings if you have questions.

Pickleball Tournament
2022-04-03 12:15 - 15:00 (America/New_York)
Youth in grades 6–12 are getting together following worship for lunch and pickleball. There will be trophies, but no experience is needed. Meet at ELPC at 12:15 pm. We will be back for pick up at 3 pm.
RSVP by contacting Sara Hackett or completing the permission form below.
