You are beautiful. God knows, God made you.
Celebrating the beauty God has made in creating our LGBTQ sisters and brothers on this National Coming Out Day.
God made you. God loves you. Be yourself.
Blog
Food 4 Thought Mentors
This Week in Worship: October 6-12, 2014
Here’s what’s happening in worship October 6-12, 2014.
Worship Services
Taizé – Wednesday 7:00 p.m.
An hour-long service including sung prayers; simple, beautiful music; a time of silence; spoken and silent prayers; and an opportunity for individual prayer and anointing. This week’s after-Taizé class is an extended time for prayer and music.
Journey Worship – Sunday 8:45 a.m.
An interactive, energetic service for those seeking a fresh encounter with the gospel of Jesus Christ. This week the Rev. Dr. Randy Bush will preach.
Sanctuary Worship – Sunday 11:00 a.m.
Our largest service, with music from the Chancel Choir and an organ prelude prior to the service. This week, the Rev. Dr. Randy Bush will preach.
Christian Education Classes
ELPC offers Christian Education classes for persons of all ages, from infancy through adulthood, on Sundays from 9:45-10:45 a.m. Go here for a list of our children and youth classes.
Contemporaries (Second Floor Parlor)
Discipleship: The Way of Jesus Christ
Who am I in Jesus Christ? Do I live my life differently because I believe and trust in him? What does he require of me? Am I really his disciple? Seminary Intern Paul Seif begins our conversation about Discipleship: The Way of Jesus. This series was written by the Rev. Dr. John Burgess, professor of systematic theology at PTS.
Journey With Scripture (Second Floor Library)
“Happy are those who observe justice, who do righteousness all the time” (Psalm 106:3). Like the beatitudes of Jesus this one seems as ironic and unachievable. Doing justice can be thankless, even life threatening. Listening, giving, and forgiving is hard work. And happiness appears to lie closer through other pursuits, often at the expense of others or the planet. Join us in October as we seek to understand justice through such formative scripture as the deliverance of the Israelites in Exodus, the apostle Paul’s understanding of salvation, and parables in Matthew’s gospel. God’s grace and law provide a foundation for both just ethics and deep joy.
Seek a mindshare of Christ with us as we reflect together, this week on Exodus 32:1-12; Psalm 106:1-6, 19-23; Philippians 4:1-9; Matthew 22:1-14.
Seekers (Room 234)
The Stones Cry Out
In 1948, tens of thousands of Palestinian villagers were driven from their homes, to make way for settlers in the newly created state of Israel. Palestine was the birthplace of Christianity. Palestinian Christians have played a critical role in their land’s history and the struggle to maintain its identity and their land. The Stones Cry Out is a DVD of their story. See the trailer here.
Soul Food (Room 244)
A Collection of Writings on Discernment
We will continue and possibly conclude our discussion of Discernment by Henri Nouwen. New participants are always welcome.
Stumbling Blocks of Faith
How do we remember painful things? That question seems backwards, because we typically try not to think about painful things. We work hard at forgetting bad memories and tell ourselves we should “move on” instead of dwelling on the negative moments in our lives. But some things are not easily forgotten. And, in truth, sometimes it is only in remembering and reflecting on the dark moments of life that we can find the faith and strength to walk forward into the light.
The sidewalks in many cities in Germany are made out of paving stones – gray slate pounded into the sand and clay to form a beautiful, yet uneven, walking surface beside the houses. Recently a different type of stone has been appearing in these walkways – a stone covered in hard brass and engraved with painful information. It will have a name etched into it with an inscription noting that this person used to live near here before losing her or his home and life during the time of the Nazi regime. Often it will list the concentration camp in which the person died – Dachau, Buchenwald, Auschwitz. What is interesting to me is that the German word for these pavement memorials is “stolpersteine,” which means “stumbling blocks.”
No one thinks fondly about stumbling blocks. They literally trip us up, slow us down, and can be painful. Yet they serve a purpose. They make us stop and reflect – to look back to see what we’ve stumbled over – and, in this case, to remember a part of our shared history that we are too prone to hurry past and forget. Walking past a building and knowing that once a family dwelt there who lost their lives unjustly means that you never take that building for granted again. Nor do you take for granted the freedoms that have protected your own life thus far.
As individuals and as a society, we often stumble. We carry our scars with us and our painful memories within us. But there is value in remembering from whence we’ve come and the ways we have wandered away from what is just and righteous and true. For after we pause to remember our lives’ “stolpersteine,” we then walk forward by faith – grasping once more the Savior’s extended hand that bears a scar formed by human violence – a Savior who graciously picks us up whenever we stumble and who shows us a better way.
We’ll talk more about this on Sunday, October 2 – World Communion Sunday – 11:00 am worship – East Liberty Presbyterian Church.
– Randy Bush
This Week in Worship: September 29-October 5, 2014
Here’s what’s happening in worship September 29-October 5, 2014.
Worship Services
Taizé – Wednesday 7:00 p.m.
An hour-long service including sung prayers; simple, beautiful music; a time of silence; spoken and silent prayers; and an opportunity for individual prayer and anointing. There will be no after-Taizé class this week.
Journey Worship – Sunday 8:45 a.m.
An interactive, energetic service for those seeking a fresh encounter with the gospel of Jesus Christ. This week we will celebrate the Lord’s Supper and the Rev. Patrice Fowler-Searcy will preach.
Sanctuary Worship – Sunday 11:00 a.m.
Our largest service, with music from the Chancel Choir and an organ prelude prior to the service. This week we will celebrate the Lord’s Supper and the Rev. Dr. Randy Bush will preach.
Christian Education Classes
ELPC offers Christian Education classes for persons of all ages, from infancy through adulthood, on Sundays from 9:45-10:45 a.m. Go here for a list of our children and youth classes.
The adult classes are combining this Sunday, October 5. One group annually supported by the ELPC Mission Committee is the PC(USA) Social Ethics Network. This group of religion and ethics professors helps articulate our denomination’s social witness policies. This year, their annual gathering is in Pittsburgh.
Two members of their group – Dr. Mark Douglas, Columbia Theological Seminary, and the Rev. Chris Iosso, PC(USA) General Assembly office – will lead a combined adult Church School class on The Challenges of Teaching and Living Out Christian Ethics Today at 9:45 a.m. in the Chapel.
This Week in Worship: September 22-28, 2014
Here’s what’s happening in worship September 22-28, 2014.
Worship Services
Taizé – Wednesday 7:00 p.m.
An hour-long service including sung prayers; simple, beautiful music; a time of silence; spoken and silent prayers; and an opportunity for individual prayer and anointing. This week’s after-Taizé class is Celebrations!
Journey Worship – Sunday 8:45 a.m.
An interactive, energetic service for those seeking a fresh encounter with the gospel of Jesus Christ. This week the Rev. Dr. Randy Bush will preach.
Sanctuary Worship – Sunday 11:00 a.m.
Our largest service, with music from the Chancel Choir and an organ prelude prior to the service. This week, the Rev. Heather Schoenewolf will preach.
Christian Education Classes
ELPC offers Christian Education classes for persons of all ages, from infancy through adulthood, on Sundays from 9:45-10:45 a.m. Go here for a list of our children and youth classes.
Contemporaries (Second Floor Parlor)
Prophetic Action Toward a Just Peace in Israel/Palestine
led by Bob Ross
In the wake of the ongoing atrocities in Israel/Palestine, we will explore what we as individuals and a church can do to help bring about a just peace in the Holy Land.
Journey With Scripture (Second Floor Library)
“Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5). Such an audacious statement by the apostle Paul! How could the community in Philippi – or any community – have the same mind as Christ? Here’s one good answer: “Begin with the book of Exodus, for through it God is revealed as a restless agent of social newness with the capacity to redefine the wilderness as a place of care” (Walter Brueggeman, Theology of the Old Testament).
Seek a mindshare of Christ with us as we reflect on Exodus, Philippians, and other formative scripture together: Exodus 17:1-7; Psalms 78:1-4, 12-16; Philippians 2:1-13; Matthew 21:23-32.
Seekers (Room 234)
Old-World Presbyterianism and the Reformed Tradition
led by Dr. Peter Gilmore
Join us for an historical overview of the Old-World origins of Western Pennsylvania’s Presbyterianism. We will look at experiences in Ireland and Scotland, peoples efforts to work out a connection between “faith” and “church” in their own time and place, and the links to Calvin’s Geneva and the Reformation.
Dr. Gilmore is an adjunct professor of history at Carlow and Carnegie Mellon Universities. he is also an elder at Sixth Presbyterian Church.
Soul Food (Room 244)
September: A Collection of Writings on Discernment
We will continue our discussion of Discernment by Henri Nouwen, beginning with chapter six. New participants are always welcome.
Just the FAQs: Musical Theater Workshop at Hope Academy 2014-2015
This blog post will tell you everything you need to know about Musical Theater Workshop at Hope Academy, including the schedule for Saturdays, the calendar for the entire year, what to wear and bring; our safety and respect rules, policies and procedures; and performances.
If you have any questions, or need more information, please complete this online information request form.
Just the FAQs: PBT Classes at Hope Academy 2014-2015
This blog post will tell you everything you need to know about Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre dance classes at Hope Academy, including the class schedule for Saturdays, PBT teaching artists and Hope Academy staff, the calendar for 2014-2015, what to wear, our safety and respect rules; and policies and procedures. If you have any questions, or need more information, please complete this online information request form.
ABOUT HOPE ACADEMY’S PARTNERSHIP WITH PBT
The Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School has been offering dance classes at East Liberty Presbyterian Church since 1993 as part of PBTS’ Community Schools initiative. The Community Schools initiative began as a way to build relationships with people and communities who may not have otherwise had access to the classical art of ballet. Since then, PBTS faculty members have continued to provide the highest-quality studio experience, in order to open children to the great challenges and aesthetic achievements of the professional world of dance.
For 2014-2015, the PBT dance classes at Hope Academy will focus on the music and stories of “Sleeping Beauty” and “Beauty and the Beast.” PBT is presenting these ballets this year as part of their 45th anniversary season.
This Week in Worship: September 15-21, 2014
Here’s what’s happening in worship September 15-21, 2014.
Please note: we are back to our traditional worship schedule with our 8:45 a.m. Journey worship service, Christian Education classes for all ages at 9:45 a.m., and Sanctuary worship at 11:00 a.m.
Worship Services
Taizé – Wednesday 7:00 p.m.
An hour-long service including sung prayers; simple, beautiful music; a time of silence; spoken and silent prayers; and an opportunity for individual prayer and anointing. This week’s after-Taizé class is live music on the Labyrinth.
Journey Worship – Sunday 8:45 a.m.
An interactive, energetic service for those seeking a fresh encounter with the gospel of Jesus Christ. This week the Rev. Heather Schoenewolf will preach.
Sanctuary Worship – Sunday 11:00 a.m.
Our largest service, with music from the Chancel Choir and an organ prelude prior to the service. This week, the Rev. Dr. Randy Bush will continue his sermon series.
Christian Education Classes
ELPC offers Christian Education classes for persons of all ages, from infancy through adulthood, on Sundays from 9:45-10:45 a.m. Go here for a list of our children and youth classes.
Contemporaries (Second Floor Parlor)
Jesus the Prophet & Christian Prophets Today
led by the Rev. Dr. Randy Bush
Do prophets tell the future or only speak about current issues of faith and justice? In answering that question, it is important to note that a striking shift happened between the prophetic ministry of Jesus Christ and the appearance of prophets in the early Christian church. This presentation will examine these questions and seek to draw conclusions about the role and relevance of Christian prophets today.
Journey With Scripture (Second Floor Library)
“Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5). Such an audacious statement by the apostle Paul! How could the community in Philippi – or any community – have the same mind as Christ? Here’s one good answer: “Begin with the book of Exodus, for through it God is revealed as a restless agent of social newness with the capacity to redefine the wilderness as a place of care” (Walter Brueggeman, Theology of the Old Testament).
Seek a mindshare of Christ with us as we reflect on Exodus, Philippians, and other formative scripture together: Exodus 16:2-15; Psalms 105:1-6, 37-45; Philippians 1:21-30; Matthew 20;1-16.
Seekers (Room 234)
Seekers will join Contemporaries in the parlor September 14 and 21.
Soul Food (Pastor’s Conference Room)
September: A Collection of Writings on Discernment
We will continue our discussion of Discernment by Henri Nouwen, beginning with chapter six. New participants are always welcome.
Come Out for Fun and Fellowship
This Saturday is the next LGBTQ Ministry Spiritual Gathering. WE will spend time enjoying each other over games, food and stories. All are welcome! Contact Wil Forrest for more detail.
Get the details at https://cathedralofhope.org/event/lgbtq-spiritual-gathering/