In the News

2022

  • Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter Jesse Bunch interviewed Pastors Heather and Patrice at a Silent Vigil in Support of Women’s Rights held in response to the Supreme Court of the United States’ decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.

2021

  • The stories of churches serving in a pandemic year are full of faithfulness. Faithfulness not defined as unfettered success, but as ministry done at full sprint and in new ways. Read what Pastor Patrice and other faith leaders had to say in an article from The Presbyterian Outlook.
  • ELPC and the Pittsburgh Chapter of the National Black Presbyterian Caucus hosted an interfaith Vigil for Racial Justice on April 23, 2021. Local media outlets covered the peaceful event. Here are some media clips talking about the event.

2020

  • Pastor Randy wrote an op-ed piece for the Tribune-Review, exploring the coronavirus pandemic, church life, and racial tensions.
  • ELPC and the local chapter of the National Black Presbyterian Caucus hosted a Prayer Vigil for Justice on June 3, 2020. Local media outlets covered the hour-long, peaceful witness, which brought together roughly 500 community members in remembrance of George Floyd and in support of change.
  • The spring 2020 issue of Off the Bluff, a student magazine at Duquesne University, featured an interview with Pastor Randy talking about the work ELPC is doing in the community.
  • The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) website featured an article on the work Pittsburgh Presbytery is doing to dismantle structural racism. Pastor Randy and other local church leaders are quoted.
  • In May, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette explored what changes will be made to church services—especially as it relates to singing—once worshipers gather together in person post-COVID-19. Pastor Randy and other faith leaders weighed in.

2019

  • Pastor Randy and Rabbi Jamie Gibson led an educational tour of Palestine and Israel in November 2019. Travelers from ELPC and Temple Sinai learned more about Christian and Jewish faiths, as well as the history behind important sites from both perspectives. Learn more about their journey in an article by The Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle.
  • ELPC member Lucy de Barbaro spoke with WTAE-TV Pittsburgh‘s Shannon Perrine about “Greening the Grid” and choosing a clean energy provider for your home. Click here to see what she had to say.
  • The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette featured an essay by Pastor Randy, titled “How Isaiah Berlin’s hedgehog and fox parable relates to our current political moment.”
  • Pastor Randy was quoted in a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article, titled “‘They’re human beings’: Peduto, community leaders react to ICE’s nationwide raid,” denouncing the proposed upcoming ICE raids on migrants, working families, and fellow members of our community.
  • The summer 2019 issue of Shady Ave magazine featured a profile on Pastor Randy—discussing his past, ministry, and thoughts on East Liberty Presbyterian Church and the community.
  • WQED recently featured ELPC as part of their Pittsburgh Together campaign. Watch the segment featuring Pastor Randy.
  • ELPC is pleased to announced that our renovation project won a 2018 Building Excellence Award from the Master Builders’ Association. This prestigious recognition honors the work of our architects Pfaffmann + Associates, contractor Landau Building Company, and our entire faith family. Enjoy this short video and learn more about our nearly 100-year-old church’s transformation.

2018

  • ELPC was recognized by RESETTM Air as the word’s first-ever cathedral to receive RESET Air Certification for Interiors. Read a Q&A with our church’s renovation project team by clicking here.
  • Grateful for the pastoral leadership and wisdom of Pastor Patrice Fowler-Searcy as our community grieves the loss of life in the Tree of Life synagogue shooting. Click here to read Pastor Patrice’s comments, featured in Pittsburgh Magazine.
  • On Wednesday, March 14, ELPC’s pastors held a special event, called Gather to Remember, Pray for Change, to commemorate the one-month anniversary of the Parkland, Florida, high school shooting. Community members united to honor the memory of those who were killed and recommitted themselves through prayer and action to bring about substantive change and effective gun control legislation. Click here to read notes from the Rev. Dr. Randy Bush, senior pastor at ELPC.
  • The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette published an article by Diana Nelson Jones, titled “Walkabout: Our youth can make America civilized again.” The Rev. Dr. Randy Bush provided comments, discussing how Pittsburgh teenagers are leading the campaign for legislative change and common sense gun safety laws.

2017

  • The Rev. Dr. Randy Bush and the Rev. Heather Schoenewolf participated in the 2017 Hosanna Preaching Prize competition on the topic of Blessed: Preaching “Israel” as Ancient Symbol and Contemporary Reality. Pastor Randy received first place for his sermon, “Unfaithful Phrases: My Country Right or Wrong.” Pastor Heather was awarded second place. Congratulations to our well-spoken pastors! http://tiny.cc/elpc-pastors-recognized
  • The Pitt News student newspaper recently featured an interview with Wil Forrest, ELPC’s coordinator of outreach programs, discussing the pervading misconception that being LGBTQ+ and religious are mutually exclusive. Read the article, “Ministry makes room for intersecting identities.”
  • Faith & Leadership magazine, an online publication of Leadership Education at Duke Divinity, highlighed the wonderful ministry and talents of the Rev. Patrice Fowler-Searcy, ELPC’s associate pastor for mission ministries. Read the article, “Seminary students and their professor benefit from the wisdom of a local pastor.”

2016

  • The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette published an Op Ed article written by the Rev. Dr. Randy Bush, titled “Quantom Theology 101.” The article discussed how people of faith can grow with the advances in science. Pastor Randy and Arthur Kosowsky, a University of Pittsburgh professor of physics and astronomy, are presenting a two-week series on “Quantum Theology” at ELPC on Sundays, Sept. 18 and 25, at 9:45 am.

2015

  • The Synod of the Trinity posted an article about a recent Malawi Mission Trip, on which Pastor Randy participated with other Pittsburgh Presbytery delegations.
  • The work of East Liberty Development, Inc., was recently featured in The Guardian, a Pulitzer prize-winning British newspaper and one of the largest English language newspapers in the world, reaching approximately 9 million readers daily. The article discusses the power of community-led revitalization and ELDI’s mission to make East Liberty a safer and more vibrant place to live, work, and play.
  • The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette discussed how ELPC and St. James A.M.E. Church in Larimer recently came together to send a message of unity in response to the shootings at the Emanuel A.M.E. Church in Charleston, South Carolina.
  • The Presbyterian Church USA is changing its Book of Order to allow for gay weddings, and ELPC is leading the way in welcoming gay couples to a traditional marriage service. The Rev. Dr. Randy Bush was recently interviewed by KDKA  about the change.
  • ELPC’s Rev. Dr. Randy Bush, Rev. Heather Schoenewolf, and Rev. Patrice Fowler-Searcy were honored as 2014 Dignity & Respect Champions by the Greater Pittsburgh Dignity & Respect Campaign Council on January 12. The annual event highlights the previous year’s champions as well as its initiatives. Champions are selected each month from nominations submitted by the community. Read more courtesy of New Pittsburgh Courier from January 16, 2015.

View 2014 and earlier stories on the ELPC News Archives page

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