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Calling People with Big Hearts and Helping Hands
Atonement, Carnegie, Needs Help with Christmas Dinner Outreach
Are you looking for a way to make your Christmas holiday extra special this year?
Consider volunteering an hour or two on Christmas Day, Thursday, December 25, with the good folks at Church of the Atonement, 618 Washington Avenue in Carnegie, as they reach out to share the love of Jesus Christ through providing a free and full Christmas dinner with all the trimmings from Noon to 3 p.m.
For the past thirty years, Atonement has been opening their doors to anyone who wants to come, eat, and enjoy fellowship with other people on Christmas Day. Normally about 200 people attend and they also prepare and deliver carry-out meals to another approximately 70 people.
As one of our smaller parishes in the diocese, they would greatly appreciate help from anyone who would be able to join them and assist in the following ways/times:
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10 to 11:30 a.m.
| Help cut desserts and prepare salads for serving and/or help set-up the tables.
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11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
| Help pack meals for delivery and assist with/deliver meals to local area residents (Carnegie and the South Hills).
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Noon to 3 p.m.
| Help serve food to those who come in to dine. Greeters are also needed to help circulate around the tables, welcoming and engaging diners in conversation while they eat.
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2:30 to 4 p.m.
| Help clean up, which includes washing pots and pans.
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If you and your family/friends would like to volunteer or if you have any questions about this dinner, please contact Joyce Corkery at 412-276-0366 or via email at joycor640@comcast.net. If you would like to help but cannot attend, homemade desserts are always welcome.
Make your Christmas a bit merrier this year - and make someone else's Christmas merry, too. |
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 Diocesan ECW Pack & Play For The Seamen's Church InstituteOn Thursday, December 4, at 10:30 a.m., in the St. Paul's, Mt. Lebanon, Parish Hall/Undercroft, ECW members from throughout the diocese to pack Christmas boxes that will be delivered to mariners prior to Christmas. The morning will conclude with a delicious lunch.
The Seamen's Church Institute is North America's largest and most comprehensive mariner's service agency, promoting safety, dignity and improved working and living conditions for millions of men and women serving in the maritime workplace. Founded in 1834, the Institute is a voluntary, ecumenical agency affiliated with the Episcopal Church.
 Needed are donations of good hand lotion, chewing gum, wrapped candy, puzzle books, microwave popcorn, lip balm, personal size facial tissue, playing cards, new or used DVDs of recent, first-run movies, and paperback books. Items can be left in the St. Paul's office marked Seamen's Institute. Deadline for donations is Tuesday, December 2.
Please help this wonderful ministry and fellowship opportunity. Please RSVP to Mary Sweeney at 412-561-5933 by Monday, December 1. Volunteers are also needed to deliver the boxes to installations along the rivers. Call Betty Duckstein at 412-489-5227 to help with delivery. 
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The Society of Saint John the Evangelist Provides Digital Advent Calendars
- Insta Advent Calendar: You are invited to contribute to an Advent calendar on Instagram this season. Using a word for the day provided by the brothers of the Society of Saint John the Evangelist, take a photo using that word and #Adventword in the caption. Sign up to be part of the initiative.
- Pinterest Advent Calendar: The Society of Saint John the Evangelist will reveal a new image, word, and meditation on Pinterest each day in Advent. Follow the board. Want to embed the board on your website? Instructions are here.
- Advent Calendar via Email: The Society of Saint John the Evangelist offers a daily email featuring a word, meditation, and image. Subscribe now to start receiving the Advent emails.
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 Children Ministry Team Meeting and Workshop
The Children's Ministry Team (CMT) will meet on Thursday, December 4 at 1 p.m. at the Olive Garden Restaurant on Greentree Road. All are welcome to attend. If you have any questions, contact Joyce Donadee at jdjdonadee@gmail.com.
The CMT will sponsor its third Godly Play Materials Workshop on Sunday, January 11, 1 p.m. at St. Andrew's in HIghland Park. |
 "Open Hearts in Bethlehem" opens new view of Christmas
Almost everyone has seen the Christmas story portrayed in television programs, movies, local church pageants, plays, and live nativity events.
But are those presentations accurate?
"Open Hearts in Bethlehem," is a one-act, 50-minute musical drama that faithfully presents this world-changing event in the context of Middle Eastern culture, allowing people to take a close look at what really happened during the first Christmas and to celebrate with accuracy the joy of Christ's birth.
Written by world-renowned Middle East and Biblical expert Dr. Kenneth E. Bailey, the play will be presented at 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, December 12 and 13 and at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, December 13 and 14. in the sanctuary of Trinity Presbyterian Church, 110 East Market St., Mercer, PA 16137.
 Dr. Bailey spent 40 years living and teaching in seminaries and institutes in Egypt, Lebanon, Jerusalem, and Cyprus. His area of specialty is the cultural background and literary forms of the New Testament. He continues to be a much sought-after teacher and presenter at conferences and events in the Middle East, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and North America. Additional play information is found on the Trinity website: http://trinitypc.wix.com/mercer |
 Messiah Sing-Along at St. Brendan's
St. Brendan's Episcopal Church in Franklin Park is presenting its 7th annual Messiah Sing-Along conducted by Woody Brown. The event is free and everyone is invited to join in the fun of singing this great piece or to just come and listen!
The sing-along will be on Sunday, December 14 at 2 p.m. People are encouraged to bring their own music, but scores will be available for purchase at the door.
For more information please visit St. Brendan's website at www.stbrendans.org. |
Blue Christmas Service Returns to Redeemer
Holiday times can be especially hard for those who are dealing with loss, grief, or loneliness. For many among us the sights and sounds of the season bring memories of past losses and we find ourselves alienated from the insistent holiday rush around us.
The Church of Redeemer, 5700 Forbes Avenue in Squirrel Hill, will hold a "Blue Christmas" service on Sunday, December 21, at 7 p.m. The simple Blue Christmas service offers a chance to acknowledge these feelings and seek reconciliation. All are welcome. Refreshments and fellowship will follow the service.
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Bishop McConnell's Visitation Schedule:
November 30: St. Paul's, Kittanning
December 6: All Saints, Bridgeville, 4 p.m.
December 7: Advent, Jeannette
December 14: Nativity, Crafton
December 21: St. Barnabas, Brackenridge
Leadership at these parishes are reminded to complete and submit this form at least two weeks in advance of their visitation.
Welcome to the Rev. Nancy Threadgill, new priest-in-charge at St. Mark's Johnstown
Retired Clergy & Spouses Lunch: Tuesday, December 2, 12:00 Noon, St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, 220 Eighth Avenue, McKeesport, PA 15132
Clergy Association Advent Day of Reflection: December 3, 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at St. James, 11524 Frankstown Road, Penn Hills, PA 15235
Cookies and Evensong @ St. Matthew's: Saturday, December 6, 2014, 2 - 5 p.m. St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, 336 East Tenth Avenue, Homestead, PA 15120
Youth Service Opportunity at Shepherd's Heart Fellowship: The Pittsburgh Youth Initiative and youth from the diocese will participate in Shepherd's Heart mission work and worship service on December 14 at 4:30 pm. Please contact Brent Hansen for more information, to make a donation, or to register to help at bhansen@episcopalpgh.org or 412-491-9738
Epiphany Luncheon & Baby Shower: Benefits Jeremiah's Place, a newly opened crisis care children's nursery for ages newborn to six years. Saturday, January 10, beginning at 12:30 p.m. at Calvary Episcopal Church in East Liberty. Details at www.episcopalpgh.org/epiphany-luncheon-baby-shower/
Creating Common Good: A Practical Conference for Economic Equality: January 22-24. A 2015 Trinity Institute Web Conference at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 1066 Washington Road in Mt. Lebanon. Additional information about participating in the event at St. Paul's, co-sponsored by St. Paul's and the Social Justice and Outreach Committee, please visit www.stpaulspgh.org/creating-common-good/
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Parting Shots
During the recent Diocesan Convention Eucharist, every parish was given Pray and Play bags that were designed and assembled by the junior Girl Scout Troop 57003 from St. Paul's, Mt. Lebanon. The Children's Ministry team had decided that they wanted to provide some objects for children to use, when needed, when they are at church. Special thanks goes to their leader, Lisa Brown.
--Photos courtesy Andy Muhl |
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The deadline for submissions for the next issue of Grace Happens is December 2, 2014.
Future 2014 issues:
December 9 - Submissions due 12/2
December 23 - Submissions due 12/16
All submissions to the Grace Happens newsletter and the diocesan web site are welcome and should be sent to info@episcopalpgh.org. When possible, the copy should be in a Word document and all original logos, pictures and artwork should be attached separately. Please be sure to include your contact information with any submission.
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