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This year's Ordination Exploration Day, to be held at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Mt. Lebanon on Saturday, April 13, will be interactive and informative. Participants will be able to meet Bishop McConnell and members of the Commission on Ministry.
"I'd encourage anyone to attend this day who thinks that God may be calling them toward a deeper expression of ministry or mission," said the Rt. Rev. Dorsey McConnell, bishop of Pittsburgh. "This may or may not mean ordination. You don't have to have it figured out. But hearing some of the possibilities might help you get clearer on what God is asking of you."
This will be the fourth annual Exploration Day under the discernment and ordination process in Pittsburgh.
"We have learned from our previous sessions and have intentionally made this day more interactive and relational. Participants will have a greater opportunity to be heard, to make connections with each other and with the representatives of the diocese, and have all of their questions answered," said the Rev. Lou Hays, chair of the Commission on Ministry.
The day begins with registration and refreshments at 9:30 a.m., includes lunch, and concludes by 2 p.m. The program is designed for individuals who are interested in ordination, their spouses or significant others, their rector or priest in charge if they are members of a parish, and any other support person they would like to bring. Please register online here, no later than April 10.
St. Paul's is located at 1066 Washington Road, Mt. Lebanon, PA 15228.
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 The public is invited to a combined observance of Chrism Mass, Renewal of Ordination Vows and Blessing of Oils by the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh and the Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod, ELCA Monday, March 25, 2013 10:00 a.m. First English Evangelical Lutheran Church 615 Grant Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219 The Rt. Rev. Dorsey W. M. McConnell Bishop of the Episcopal Docese of Pittsburgh
Preacher and The Rev. Kurt F. Kusserow
Bishop of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod ELCA
Presiding Clergy members are invited to vest (red) and process.
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 Cursillo Ultreya
Saturday, March 16, 2:30 p.m., at Community of Celebration, 809 Franklin Ave., Aliquippa, PA 15001
What is Cursillo?
Cursillo is a movement of the church. Its purpose is to help those in the church understand their individual callings to be Christian Leaders. The leadership may be exercised in work situations, in the family and social life, in leisure activities, and within the Church environment. Leadership, in Cursillo, does not mean power over others, but influence on others; all of us need to be aware that we can exert a positive influence on those around us. Cursillo is patterned on Jesus' own example. He searched out and called a small group of potential leaders (pre-Cursillo); He trained them by word and example and inspired them with a vision (Three-Day Weekend); He linked them together and sent them out into the world to bring the world to Him (Fourth Day).
What is Ultreya?
Ultreya is an on-going, follow-up program for people who have made their three day Cursillo, linking them together in a Christian community that helps them support one another in their attempts to remain Christ-centered. Apostolic enthusiasm is sustained as participants share their lives in Christ and are inspired by the lives of others in the areas of faith, holiness, and evangelization. Ultreya provides the continued support to make the Cursillo experience a lifetime one.
Cursillo means "workshop" and Ultreya means "onward" or "proceed further on".
If I didn't go to Cursillo can I come to the Ultreya?
Absolutely! Attendance at a Cursillo is not mandatory and you won't be checked to see if you know the "secret handshake." (There is no secret handshake!) Attend the Ultreya at the Community of Celebration in Aliquippa on March 16 and see what Cursillo is all about.
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Click here for a printable poster and driving directions.
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 Around the Diocese
Bishop McConnell's Visitation Schedule
March 8-13: House of Bishops Meeting
March 17: St. Stephen's, Wilkinsburg
March 24: St. Mark's, Johnstown (Palm Sunday)
March 31: Trinity Cathedral (Easter Festival Eucharist)
Free Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) in Brackenridge: The VITA program is open Saturdays, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. in the ground-level office of St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, 989 Morgan St., Brackenridge, PA 15014, and will be in operation until March 30. Call 724-625-2238.
Clergy Renewal of Vows and Chrism Mass will again be a joint event with clergy from the Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod of the ELCA and will be held at First Lutheran Church, Downtown, on Monday, March 25 at 10 a.m. Click here for more information and to register.
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 2013 ECW Grants & Scholarships Available
Grants
The Diocese of Pittsburgh's Episcopal Church Women (ECW) will again be making outreach grants in the Spring.
The ECW particularly seeks to support "hands-on-ministries" that help children, adults and families in need of assistance with food, nutrition, health care, housing, education and counseling.
The grants are primarily designed for ministries within the diocese and with the goal of even distribution across all districts. It is hoped that these small grants will enable the continuation of existing ministries on the local level. However, the ECW will continue its policy of also awarding grants to some national and international ministries such as ERD.
Click here for the grant application and submission instructions. Applications for the Spring 2013 grants must be submitted before April 1st.
Scholarships  The ECW established the Memorial Membership Fund to aid students with educational grants. The fund was begun in 1927 to be used for two missionary training scholarships. In the 84 years of its existence, the scope of the fund has widened to include nursing, theology and other humanitarian fields of study.
Funds are raised through gifts from individuals or groups in memory of a loved one or friend. This money is invested and the interest used for the granting purposes.
Each applicant must:
- be an Episcopalian in good standing (active) in a parish in the Diocese of Pittsburgh,
- have completed one year of college or the equivalent,
- be pursuing education in either church or humanitarian related fields,
- submit an application, including a letter stating goals and need, and
- submit a reference letter from their parish priest.
The Memorial Membership Committee will consider each request based on individual need and circumstances. Scholarships are completely unencumbered and may be used as needed to aid the recipient in achieving their educational goals. Each eligible applicant is able to apply once a year for three years.
The applications must be received prior to April 1, 2013. The application form is available online by clicking here.
For additional information please contact Nancy Kenny at 724-325-4769. |
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Parting Shots
The diocesan Social Justice and Outreach committee organized a repack day at the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank on March 9. As you can see, they repacked a lot of oranges!
  
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All submissions to the Grace Happens weekly newsletter are welcome and should be sent to asmuhl@episcopalpgh.org. Material should be sent before the close of business on Monday to be considered for inclusion in the current week's newsletter. Please be sure to include your contact information with any submission.
Submissions for publication of items on the diocesan web site and calendar should also be sent electronically to asmuhl@episcopalpgh.org.
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