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 Chrism Mass Renewal of Vows and Blessing of Oils
A combined observance of the
Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh
and the
Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod, ELCA
Monday, April 14, 2014
10:00 a.m.
Trinity Episcopal Cathedral
328 Sixth Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
with
The Rt. Rev. Dorsey W. M. McConnell,
Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh
Presiding
and
The Rev. Kurt F. Kusserow,
Bishop of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod ELCA
Preaching
Clergy members are invited to vest (red) and process.
This Chrism Mass is open to the public.
A clergy luncheon will follow the service. Clergy are asked to register for the service by clicking here by Friday, April 4, 2014.
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Click here for details about the full series schedule and directions to the host parishes.
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 Bishop McConnell and Commission on Ministry Announce Ministry Exploration Day
Anyone interested in pursuing lay or ordained leadership is encouraged to attend Ministry Exploration Day on Saturday, April 12 at St Paul's Episcopal Church in Mt. Lebanon. This is our annual opportunity to meet with individuals to explain our vision for ministry and to discuss our discernment and ordination process for those called to ordained ministry.
Individuals are encouraged to attend with their Rector and spouse or significant other. This is an opportunity to meet the Bishop and members of the Commission on Ministry and to learn more about lay and ordained leadership as deacon or priest.
Ministry Exploration Day starts at 9:30 a.m. and ends by 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 12 at St. Paul's, 1066 Washington Road, Mt. Lebanon 15228. Lunch will be provided.
Please register for this event by clicking here.
If you have any questions about the event or our discernment and ordination process, please call the Rev. Lou Hays, Chair of the Commission on Ministry, at 412-531-7153.
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Dear Friends in Christ;
As you know Betsy and I have been active in mission for many years with Pilgrim Africa, an indigenous, non-denominational Christian relief and development organization bringing the mercy and hope of the Gospel to the people of Northeastern Uganda through education, agricultural development and public health initiatives. I blogged a great deal about Pilgrim's mission and ministry during my trip last year; to find out more, please click here.
Betsy and I are returning to Uganda from July 18th to August 4th. We will be teaming up with old friends from New York who will be leading a seminar in trauma therapy in Kampala, but we will be spending most of our time in and around Soroti, the capital of the Teso region. We usually tailor our activities to match the gifts and interests of the team who go with us.
That is where you come in!
 Please think and pray about whether you have a call from the Lord to this mission field. We are particularly interested in addiction specialists, teachers, nurses and physicians (general surgery, OB/GYN, pediatrics, hygiene education, etc.), but have taken dozens of people with a bewildering variety of gifts: actors, writers, EMT's, gardeners and horticulturists, business consultants, accountants, evangelists, and folks with gifts of prayer. Please don't think you have nothing to offer.
 The cost will be about $1,500 per person in addition to airfare. Some scholarship aid is available. In the past we have taken children as young as ten, though twelve is a preferred minimum age.
If you are interested, or would like more information please contact me as soon as possible through my diocesan email, dmcconnell@episcopalpgh.org.
Blessings, 
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Council's Budget and Assessment Working Group is preparing to develop the 2015 Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh's budget. An email was recently sent to diocesan committee chairs requesting input for their individual budgets.
To ensure we haven't missed anyone with valuable input or recommendations for the 2015 budget, we are making the same request to all members of the diocese. While all input will be considered, please understand that there are no guarantees given the difficulties we expect in balancing the 2015 budget.
Input can be provided in narrative form, by Excel spreadsheet, or both if necessary. Please submit your input by email to Steve Stagnitta, Chair of the Budget and Assessment Working Group, at sstagnit@verizon.net and Kathi Workman, Diocesan Treasurer, at kworkman@episcopalpgh.org. Deadline for input is May 1, 2014.
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 Midweek Services at UPMC St. Margaret The Auxiliary of St. Margaret Foundation sponsors a midweek prayer service in the hospital chapel at noon on the second Wednesday of each month September through May. The services for the remainder of the year will be on April 9 and May 14.
The Rev. Jeffrey Murph, Rector of St. Thomas Memorial Church in Oakmont and hospital chaplain, leads these services, with Dr. Alan Lewis, Director of Music at Calvary Episcopal Church in Pittsburgh, playing the organ. Complimentary parking is available and all are welcome to attend . UPMC St. Margaret is located at 815 Freeport Road in Aspinwall. |
Safeguarding Online:
Are You Ready For Your Summer Programs?
Child abuse awareness and prevention training are essential to our ministry to all the children of God. Through the Church Pension Group and their partner Praesidium, this required training is now available online to members of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh.
The training is offered in short, focused courses that can normally be completed in 30-45 minutes. They can be taken at an individual's own pace and on their own schedule, and from any location where a high speed Internet connection is available. Course completion is documented and recorded online for diocesan records. Participants can print a certificate of completion for their own records.
Our diocesan policy requires child abuse prevention training for all clergy and all employees of the diocese, diocesan institutions, and congregations. All adult volunteers who regularly supervise activities with children and youth in the diocese or congregations are also required to complete the training. Training is not required for volunteer Sunday School teachers who work with children during public church school hours in places where other adults are present, but it is recommended. Wardens, Vestry members and elected members of diocesan and parish committees may also find the training helpful in raising their awareness.
Safeguarding Online also offers resources for the prevention of sexual harassment. Our diocesan policy requires all clergy and diocesan employees to have this training, along with employees of diocesan institutions and congregations. Again, Wardens and Vestry members may also want to have this information.
The Diocese of Pittsburgh has its own secure Safeguarding Online page. Training participants are given a user name and password for the site. The Rev. Leslie Reimer is serving as the Diocesan Manager for the Safeguarding Online program. To access the training resources or for more information, contact her at lreimer@calvarypgh.org or 412 661-0120 x123. There is no charge for to use this program.
--Photo courtesy Sheldon Calvary Camp
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 All Our Children Partnership
All Our Children is an emerging network of Episcopal congregations that partner parishes with under-resourced urban public schools.
They want to hear from individuals, congregations, and community groups who share their passion so everyone can learn together by swapping stories, knowledge, and experiences.
Please find details at AllOurChildren.org, sign up for the newsletter, and learn more about the May 28-30, 2014 national conference in Baltimore, MD. The conference will give network members opportunities to develop relationships and share best practices, identify key learnings, and discern new ways to build meaningful relationships between Episcopal churches and public schools.
If you or your church have an active partnership with a public school, please email Charlie Emple at charlie@ststephensbos.org to get connected.
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 Pittsburgh Youth Initiative 2014 Events
March 23
| Worship w/ college students @ Heinz Chapel
| April 4-5
| Lock-In @ St. Paul's Mt. Lebanon 6pm-9am
| May 18
| Senior Recognition Dinner with the Bishop
| May 23
| Christian Avengers Pizza Party @ Calvary Church
| June 15-21
| Mission Trip to Southern West Virginia (HEP)
| July 9-16
| Episcopal Youth Event in Philadelphia
| September 12-14
| Calvary Camp Retreat/ Volunteering
| September 21
| Pirates Baseball Game W/ Calvary Camp
| October 18
| Phantom Fright Night @ Kennywood Park
| November 7 & 8
| Mission Work @ Diocesan Convention
| November 16
| Volunteer @ Shepherd's Heart Downtown
| December 5-6
| Lock-In @ Coal Country Hangout
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 Lenten Supper Series at Christ Church, North Hills Presenting a series of presentations and meditations on the topic of "Jesus, the Good Shepherd."
Sunday, March 23 - Presentation by the Rev. Dr. Kenneth Bailey, Middle Eastern Scholar
Sunday, March 30 - Presentation by the Rev. Dr. Rodney A. Whitacre, Professor of Biblical Studies, Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry
Sunday, April 6 - Presentation by the Very Rev. Dr. Justyn Terry, Dean, Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry
A light dinner will be served at 5:30 p.m. Soup, salad, bread & coffee will be provided. You are invited to bring a dessert to share. Each presentation will begin at 6:15 p.m. |
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Renaissance at Redeemer
Presenting a concert in celebration of
Bach's birthday
featuring Chatham Baroque
with Michael Lynn, flute
Justin Wallace, harpsichord
Jim Burns & Nathan Carterette, organ
Vocal Ensemble directed by Don Franklin
A birthday cake follows the concert
Sunday, March 23, 2014, at 4 p.m.
Church of the Redeemer
5700 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh PA 15217
Free will donations accepted
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 Joint Nominating Committee for the Election of the Presiding Bishop Announces Timeline
The Joint Nominating Committee for the Election of the Presiding Bishop (JNCPB) continues its work and is pleased to share with the Church its timeline for the process for the election of the Presiding Bishop at the 78th General Convention in June 2015.
On August 1, JNCPB will post the Profile and issue a Call for Nominations. Nominations will open October 1 and close October 31. JNCPB will announce its nominees in early May 2015.
For two weeks after announcement of the JNCPB's nominees, any deputy or bishop may indicate their intent to nominate other bishops at General Convention in accordance with a process that JNCPB will announce.
The identity of the additional nominees will be available by early June. Presentation of the nominees will take place at a Joint Session of General Convention.
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Bishop McConnell Visitation Schedule:
March 30: Calvary, East Liberty
April 6: Holy Cross, Homewood
April 13: St. Paul's, Monongahela
April 20: Trinity Cathedral Easter Service
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Ashes To Go in Market Square: On Ash Wednesday, March 5, the Rt. Rev. Dorsey McConnell and the Rev. Timothy Hushion from Trinity Cathedral participated in a public "Ashes To Go" initiative in Pittsburgh's Market Square following services at the Cathedral. Additional photos are on the diocesan Facebook page. --Photos courtesy Andy Muhl |
All submissions to the Grace Happens newsletter and diocesan web site are welcome and should be sent to info@episcopalpgh.org. Please be sure to include your contact information with any submission.
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