The First United Presbyterian Church of Crafton Heights Phone: 412-921-6153 50 Stratmore Street Pastor: David B. Carver Pittsburgh, PA 15205-3640 Email: chup@chup.org Website: www.chup.org July 2014 I spent a good bit of time in the late 1970 s and the early 1980 s attempting to win the affections of one Sharon McCoy. We d grown up in the same community, and shared a church, school, etc. As we grew in our affection, I shared with her the sense that in some way I was being called and shaped by God for life as a missionary. For a long time, she tolerated that. As the term of our engagement drew near, she came to visit me at Geneva College, where I was in charge of a variety of student programs, including the Friday Night Movies. The feature flick that weekend was a classic: Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn in The African Queen. The more deeply we went into that film, the closer I inclined toward the screen, willing myself to fully engage the dark continent and seeing a future unfold where I would be sent to proclaim God s word to those who hadn t heard. At the same time, Sharon was reclining further from the screen (and, I remember with disappointment, from me!), as she experienced a physical reaction to some of the challenges portrayed in the film. With increasing certainty, she was able to voice the reality that God was not calling her to a vocation involving riverboats, leeches, and windswept rainstorms on the African savanna. We were, of course, both wrong. And, as you may know, we were both right, too. What I mean is that obviously, we do not have a vocation wherein our primary identity is that of sailing to a far-flung corner of the globe and establishing a mission outpost amongst those who have not heard. And yet, we have seen our share of African rainstorms and creepy-crawlies. Back in the day, a missionary was someone who left every part of life behind to engage fully in a community that was geographically and culturally different. Missionaries were sent, supported, and sustained and almost always, someone else. Today, the church has a deeper and more appropriate understanding of mission as simply bearing witness to the truth that we have discovered in Jesus. Some of that happens in remote places and is done by people who can stay for a long time. Some of that happens in microbursts of activity, such as when we send a group to Texas for a week. And much of that happens every day as you witness to the good news of God in Christ in your daily context. July is a Missionary Month at CHUP. You ll have the opportunity to meet and greet travelers from afar places like Texas and Malawi and South Sudan. And you ll have the chance to be refreshed locally, by joining Sharon and me at the New Wilmington Mission Conference. You can help the young people prepare for their August trip to New Jersey to help neighbors there clean up from Hurricane Sandy, or you can wander down to the South Side with Mike Keib, Joe Knouff, and Steve Imler to serve a meal to some hungry Pittsburghers. You can participate with our Cross Trainer staff in loving the children of 15205 with Jesus love. And, if you want, you can find The African Queen on Netflix or On Demand and snuggle with someone you are wooing. My point is that we celebrate that Christ s love calls us to mission all the time, everywhere. This month is a great month to look for a place where that experience can be deepened in your own life. Take advantage of the time and space and people we ve been given, and use your self as a gift to someone else. I ll see you in worship,
The Runner July 2014 Page 2 Missions July 2014
The Runner July 2014 Page 3 Special Events Monthly Meetings Open Door Steering.July 2nd @ 6:30 pm Deacon...July 14th @ 7:00 pm July 1st 6:45 pm CHUP Softball 4th Independence Day 9th 8:15 pm CHUP Softball 15th 6:45 pm CHUP Softball 20th 11:15 am Coffee Hour 24th 6:45 pm CHUP Softball 27th Partnership Sunday 31st 8:15 pm CHUP Softball June 1st August 31st Adult Faith Builders 9:00 a.m. Worship 10:00 a.m. July Birthdays 3 rd Carl Schrenker 7 th Bill Reynolds Jeff Jacob 8 th Michelle Lucas 11 th Madge Seidel 12 th Susan Barth 14 th Kelly Dix Hallie Jean Miller 15 th Paul Reed 16 th Stacey Xander 17 th Samantha Eadie Ed Schrenker, Jr. 18 th Patty Vander Meer Joe Connor 20th George Huebner Karren Sites 21st Jessica Weaver 22nd Joann Mikula Carly Barnes 23rd Thad Ciechanowski Karlena Mehl 24th Aliza Ciechanowski 25th Alison Kate Fisher 26th Jim Fuhs 27th Jessalyn Gielarowski 31st Cheri Mack Jeremiah Hyslip (son of Jim and Kim Hyslip) graduated with honors from Hopkins Academy and will be attending Fordham University. Robert Richardson (grandson of Alice Richardson Schnelbach) graduated from Central Catholic High School on May 25th. He will be attending Dayton University.
The Runner July 2014 Page 4 Baptism is a joyful event! It both celebrates God s gift of new life and calls us to active lives of service in the church. Everett Jay Dix (son of Jason and Kelly Dix) and Carter Wilson Padula (son of Jason and Amanda Padula ) were baptized on June 15th, 2014. Brogan Matthew Adler (son of Matt and Erlina Mae Adler) and Callan James McNamara (son of Mike and Jennifer Mikula McNamara) were baptized on June 29th, 2104. Thank you to everyone that came out and supported the CHUP Blood Drive on Sunday, June 1. We had an overwhelming response and collected 40 units of blood. That is AWESOME!!!! If you weren't able to make the drive, please consider making an appointment with Central Bank by calling 866-366-6771 or go online to www.centralbloodbank.org to schedule your life saving dona on. Please mark your Gregory M nensa will be finishing his law clerk degree at the Staff Development Institute in Malawi after one more semester and is very grateful for our support. He writes, Greetings to you in the name of Jesus Christ I have written this letter with the aim of thanking you for your support regarding my studies, for that I am much grateful and God must be praised Your support has been amazing to me and my entire family. Lastly, I wish you all the best in life and I ask God to guide and protect you in your everyday life together with your family and friends. With much appreciation, I thank you for your support which is so big and a miracle to my life. Zikomo kwambiri. For more information about our connection with Gregory, please see From The Deacons Desk on page 8.
The Runner July 2014 Page 5 We welcome these new covenant members to our church family. They were received by the Congregation on June 1, 2014. Please keep this for your records until you ve received your updated Church Directory. Joe & Diana Frick 409 Alice Street Pi sburgh, PA 15210 (412) 488-8907 Joe and Diana were preceded into membership by their daughter, Lindsay, who joined with the Confirma on Class last month. Joe is employed by Toshiba America Medical Systems and enjoys camping, fishing, and hun ng. Diana is a stay at home Mom and Home School Teacher who enjoys teaching, quil ng, and croche ng. They have 5 children, Joseph, Erika, Jessica, Lindsay and Cory, and they enjoy sharing me together as a family. Ben & Megan Veltman 219 Clearview Ave. Pi sburgh PA 15205 (443) 557-8376 (Ben) Ben and Megan are returning to Cra on, where Megan was raised, a er having lived in Bal more MD. Ben is employed as a Recrea on Specialist at the Pi sburgh Job Corps Center, while Megan is able to stay home with their children Lydia, Levi, and Micah. Ben enjoys sports and board games and many in the congrega on have already appreciated Megan s musical gi s. This family comes by le er of transfer from the Hun ng Ridge
The Runner July 2014 Page 6 The Putt 4 Preschool event held at Scally s Golf in Moon was a fun time for all who came out. An afternoon of mini golf or par 3 golf was enjoyed by participants. Thank you to friends, supporters and tee sponsors who made this day a success! Tim, Scott & Steve Jon, Rebecca, Glenn, Tricia & Brian Men at Work Hawaii 5-0 Barb, Jessica, Campbell, Kristen, & Michelle Andy & Joe Updates from the General Assembly The June newspapers were full of accounts describing the actions of the PC (USA) General Assembly. Among the hot-button issues were overtures dealing with same-sex marriage and Israel. The Assembly decided to permit same sex weddings by pastors and in churches where permitted by state law, even though marriage is currently described in our Constitution as being between a man and a woman. The assembly then voted to recommend rewriting the Book of Order section W-4.900 to describe marriage as "a unique commitment between two people, traditionally a man and a woman, to love and to support each other for the rest of their lives." After several other provisions, it concludes with this important qualification: "Nothing herein shall compel a teaching elder to perform, or compel a session to authorize the use of property for, a marriage service [that they believe contrary to] the Word of God. In terms of Israel, the Assembly voted to affirm the right of Israel to exist; to affirm a two-state solution to the crisis; to reaffirm our commitment to dialogue between Christians, Muslims, and Jews; and to instruct the Church to sell its shares of Caterpillar, Inc. Hewlett-Packard, and Motorola Solutions, in accord with our church s decades-long socially responsible investment (SRI) history in which we refuse to profit financially from the Israeli occupation of Palestine.
The Runner July 2014 Page 7 This letter from Anya & Nancee Maciulewski was read at the June 15th service. A copy of it is reprinted here. The Maciulewskis are returning to their home in Michigan after spending two years in Pittsburgh while Anya sought medical treatment. We shall miss them, and we pray for God to continue to heal, strengthen, and guide them. Thank YOU, Anya & Nancee, for blessing us at CHUP! As our me here in Pi sburgh draws to a close, I am reminded of Ecc. 3:1 which says, To everything there is a season, A me for every purpose under heaven. Several of you have men oned this passage to me. To THIS season, in our lives, we want to say, "Thank you, CHUP. We would not have made it through without you. Thank you Pastor Dave for responding to an email for prayer for us. From our first mee ng in the hotel where we were staying for the first six weeks, we knew God had a plan. His ways are always perfect. Before we came to Pi sburgh, we were praying for the right home for us, the right pastor(s), the right church. Guess what?! You were all handpicked by God to bless us, and that you did. You took us in and treated us like family right from the start. Tuesday morning Bible study...you rock! What an awesome bunch of Godly women! Your love and care for me through very difficult mes will never be forgo en. Thank you, CHUP, for all of the cards and texts of prayer and encouragement, delicious meals, and visits during Anya's lengthy hospital stay. Wherever we were, the staff would make men on, "That for being from out of state, we had more cards and visitors than anybody else." They wanted to know why. We told them about CHUP and how amazing you are and how much you love and serve Christ. They were amazed... Pastor George...because of your boldness to reach out to those in the CTICU for prayer, you enabled me to do the same. Thank you! Many prayers were answered! Many were blessed! Stacey and Sandi...Thank you for being true friends to Anya, daughters to me. Paul and Cheryl...Thank you for reaching out to me/us. For invi ng us to your home for Thanksgiving. We will never forget that experience of ge ng Anya up the hill in her wheelchair!! Thank you for helping us through our first Christmas here and for all of your support and friendship. Glenn and Cheri...Thank you, Glenn for befriending Tom and Cheri for being my friend. For wonderful food and fellowship. Ma and Erlina May...WOW! What can I say! You two characters and Brogan brought much joy to the hospital and our home. Pastor Dave and Sharon...Thank you, Pastor Dave for being a Godly man. For bringing Communion to us when Anya couldn't get out, and for you support, prayers at 4 am with Stacey in the hospital before transplant, the list is too long...also for the boat rides and Sharon, you pack a really good picnic! Your laughter and gentle spirit are a blessing. Season...You don't know this, but the mes you texted me for prayer support for you and your family really blessed me. Thank you, my friend. Mimi...Remember when you called me FRIEND? Thank you, FRIEND! Don, Ma, Ron, Thad and you other men...thank you for taking Tom in and talking to him when in town. I think you all get the idea...the list of Thank you's is long. These were just a few. We will be back in Pi sburgh August 13-18 for tests. We are already looking forward to seeing you all then. Thank You CHUP!!! We love you and will miss you! In Christ, Nancee and Anya Anya & Nancee posing with the cake they brought for coffee hour expressing their gratitude for the friendships made during the two years they were in Pittsburgh. Thank-you CHUP for Blessing us! We will miss you. They will be returning to Michigan, with return trips to Pittsburgh for follow-up doctor appointments.
The Runner July 2014 Page 8 For the Generous Donations! Our Lenten Offering for One Great Hour of Sharing totaled $1124.11 for the PCUSA to distribute to the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (with over $200 coming from the fish banks)! Our offerings during the Wednesday Lenten Services raised $762 to help Anya Maciulewski pay medical bills related to her lung transplant and $562 to help Gregory M nensa (son of the Reverend Ralph and Sophie M nensa) pay school fees for his law clerk degree at the Staff Development Institute in Malawi. Food Cupboard Needs The food cupboard is low on many essential items. If you are able, please contribute complete meals, canned fruit, pasta & sauce, ketchup, peanut butter & jelly, and personal care items. We also need grocery gift cards so families can buy fresh items. During the summer months, many children and families need extra support to maintain a healthy diet, so we appreciate your generosity. Opportunities for Connecting with our Church Family To help everyone connect with our church leaders, we have posted photographs of our Elders and Deacons on the new bulletin board outside the Stratmore Street exit from the sanctuary. We have begun posting photos of New Members and are working on adding the church staff. Please take a moment to learn some new names and then take the initiative to greet people! We invite you to utilize our new greeting card ministry station (behind the sanctuary near the accessible restroom) to write a note of encouragement to someone who would benefit from your care. Be sure to address the envelope and leave it in the white wire basket so that the church secretary can mail the card on Monday. If you have extra cards that you can donate to this ministry, please contact Janet Sbraccia at 412-331-0359. Anya will be heading back to her home in Michigan next month, but enjoyed an evening on Pastor Dave s boat as one way of bidding farewell to Pittsburgh.
The Runner July 2014 Page 9 Summer Mission Opportunities Participate in local mission with an intergenerational team from Malawi s Blantyre Synod from July 17th to the 29th (contact Sharon Carver at 412-937-2307). The representative from our sister church will be Mrs. Rose Chitedze, who is a school teacher and was the Session Clerk at the time of our trip in 2009/2010. We also need volunteers to host Rose for the week from July 22nd to July 29th, as well as to host small group meals in homes or at a restaurant. Watch the bulletin for a list of opportunities to connect with Rose during her time of mission in Pittsburgh. All the Malawians will attend the New Wilmington Mission Conference (http:// nwmcmission.org/ - /2014-conference) from July 19th to 22nd and we need several members to accompany them (contact Sharon Carver at 412-937-2307). REAL FOOD This initiative to give individuals of every age the opportunity to explore healthy and sustainable eating is funded by a Great Ends of the Church grant from the Pittsburgh Presbytery. Watch for bulletin notices regarding two more summer field trips to area farms to experience the food production process on Saturdays, July 12th and August 16th. Please contact Gabe Kish if you are interested in helping with our new Community Garden near the Ingram Softball Field. We hope to grow some food that we can share during our meals together in the fall. Save the Date! Support the 3rd annual youth mission team from Solomon s Porch in Texas as they partner with our Cross Trainers team from July 6th to 11th (contact Mary Beth Barnes at 412-922-5429). We encourage you to save the date for our Overnight Retreat at Crestfield Camp and Conference Center on November 21st to 22nd. Help Joe Knouff and Mike Keib host meals as part of The Table ministry at the Hot Metal Bridge Faith Community on the South Side on Tuesdays July 22nd and August 26th (contact Joe at 412-498-2546).
The Runner July 2014 Page 10 The Open Door SUPPORT CROSS-TRAINERS Sign-ups for Cross-Trainers has begun and this year there is something for all school-aged youth. Below you will find the many options available this year. To sign-up, call or email Jason (412-921-6153/Jason@opendoorpgh.org) or stop by the church to pick up your registration packet. June 29 - July 3: Promise Camp A five day sleep away opportunity for ages 7-10 July 7 - July 25: Cross-Trainers: Segment 2 - A three week camp for those that have completed grades K-12. 10:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., Monday-Friday Leaders in Training (LIT) Program - Youth that have completed grades 6-12 can apply to be in the LIT Program. Youth in the LIT program will participate in some of the day-to-day activities of camp, but will also have numerous leadership/development opportunities throughout the summer. Sponsor a Camper As many of you know, we offer Cross-Trainers at no charge to the participants. We do this to ensure all families have equal access to this important ministry. This year we anticipate that it will cost us approximately $19,501 to run the camp. We are currently seeking individuals and churches that will walk alongside us in this ministry by providing some financial assistance. Will you consider sponsoring a camper for the summer: $390.02? For half of camp: $195.01? For a week: $78.04? If you feel called to give, checks can be made out to The Open Door with Cross-Trainers in the memo line and sent to the church. Thank you!!! Feed the Staff Every day after camp, the Cross-Trainers staff gather together for a meal and a brief meeting. We are looking for people to provide lunch for 10-12 people during the 6 weeks of camp. This can happen in a few different ways. You can 1) Bring lunch to the church 2) We can come to your house for lunch 3) You can order out. There is a sign-up sheet at the church or you can talk to Jason for more information. Save The Date(s)! Calling all golfers: Join us on Sunday, August 17, for the 3rd Annual Open Door Golf Outing at Quicksilver Golf Course. Plan to join us on Sunday, October 26, at LeMont restaurant as we celebrate the ministry of The Open Door with a dinner banquet.
The Runner July 2014 Page 11 Prayers, Concerns and Joys As we enter into the summer months, a reminder that Pastor George Leitze and Discipleship Coordinator Mimi Zickefoose are on hiatus during the months of June and July. Please don t look for them to do any church business during these months but pray for them as they engage in a season of restoration and renewal with those they love. Please pray for our friends Tom, Nancee, and Anya Maciulewski as they return to their home in Michigan. If anyone would like to keep in touch, their home address is: 4264 Leonard St. NW Walker, MI 49534 Our Telephone Prayer Chain is undergoing a time of reflection. If you feel drawn to this ministry, or would like to be part of the discussion, please contact the church office (412-921-6153). 2014 Open Door Prayer List God would be glorified through the ministry of The Open Door. Life-changing relationships would develop between the kids and the volunteers. The Steering Committee would provide visionary leadership and direction according to God s will and discern the best use of the many resources He blesses us with. God would continue to provide new means of financial and volunteer support for programs, staffing, and facility upgrades. That The Open Door would be a bridge for the youth and families of this area to the ministry of The Crafton Heights UP Church. The love of Jesus Christ would be experienced in all of the relationships created through The Open Door. Articles for the August Runner are due on or before Sunday, 7/20/2014.
First United Presbyterian Church of Crafton Heights 50 Stratmore Street Pittsburgh, PA 15205 NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID PITTSBURGH, PA PERMIT NO. 862 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED The Runner 2014 Summer Worship Schedule Adult Faith Builders 9:00 a.m. Worship 10:00 a.m. A monthly News Letter Published by The First United Presbyterian Church of Crafton Heights 50 Stratmore Street Pittsburgh, PA 15205 Articles due the 3rd Sunday of each month