Because of a change in the needs of two congregations, I will be free for preaching on February 26. My remaining preaching dates for February are as follows:
January 29, 2012, at 10:30 AM, at the First Presbyterian Church of East Brady.
February 5, 2012, at 11:00 AM, at the Ebenezer Presbyterian Church in Lewisville.
February 12, 2012, at 10:00 AM, at the United Presbyterian Church in Homer City.
February 19, 2012, at 11:00 AM, at the Dayton Glade Run Presbyterian Church.
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Five Sundays ahead
I am booked to preach the next five Sundays:
January 29, 2012, at 10:30 AM, at the First Presbyterian Church of East Brady.
February 5, 2012, at 11:00 AM, at the Ebenezer Presbyterian Church in Lewisville.
February 12, 2012, at 10:00 AM, at the United Presbyterian Church in Homer City.
February 19, 2012, at 11:00 AM, at the Dayton Glade Run Presbyterian Church.
February 26, 2012, at 9:00 AM, at the Atwood Presbyterian Church in Rural Valley, and at 11:00 AM at the Plumville Presbyterian Church.
I believe these will be my first times preaching in East Brady, Homer City, Dayton Glade Run, and Plumville.
January 29, 2012, at 10:30 AM, at the First Presbyterian Church of East Brady.
February 5, 2012, at 11:00 AM, at the Ebenezer Presbyterian Church in Lewisville.
February 12, 2012, at 10:00 AM, at the United Presbyterian Church in Homer City.
February 19, 2012, at 11:00 AM, at the Dayton Glade Run Presbyterian Church.
February 26, 2012, at 9:00 AM, at the Atwood Presbyterian Church in Rural Valley, and at 11:00 AM at the Plumville Presbyterian Church.
I believe these will be my first times preaching in East Brady, Homer City, Dayton Glade Run, and Plumville.
Saturday, December 03, 2011
Preaching in December
I'll be preaching three times this month.
December 4 at 11:00 AM at the Tunnelton Presbyterian Church.
December 25 at 9:00 AM at the Plum Creek Presbyterian Church, in Creekside, PA.
December 25 at 10:30 AM at the Washington Presbyterian Church, in Home, PA.
December 4 at 11:00 AM at the Tunnelton Presbyterian Church.
December 25 at 9:00 AM at the Plum Creek Presbyterian Church, in Creekside, PA.
December 25 at 10:30 AM at the Washington Presbyterian Church, in Home, PA.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Two trips across the river
In the last fortnight I've made a couple of trips that were significant to me back across the Allegheny River from where I live in Lower Burrell.
On Sunday, June 19 I went to Brackenridge to officiate at the wedding of Brian Waters and Heather Basista.
It was a beautiful day in the park along First Avenue. On the heels of a long spell of rain, we were able to complete the service without anyone getting drenched.
The couple had decided to include a ceremony I had never seen before. Similar in concept to the unity candle, the couple poured two colors of sand into a common vessel.
The following Saturday, June 25, I went into Tarentum because I had heard about a Mission Fair and Strawberry Festival that was going to happen at the Central Presbyterian Church of Tarentum. I crossed the bridge early and walked around Tarentum for a while. A friend recognized me while we crossed a street going in opposite directions. "Five days away from heroin," he announced with a smile.
I gave him a thumbs up and said, "Keep it up." What a difficult journey people face when fighting addictions. It can be a very long journey that one has to start over many times.
I decided to use some of my free time to relax in Riverview Park for a little while. I sat at a bench and looked across the river. Water is such a significant symbol of God's activity for me, representing cleansing, healing, renewal, freedom, and also destruction.
Over at Central Presbyterian Church I found a flurry of activity, and I appreciated the opportunity to chat with many old friends. The Clothing Closet had changed its hours for this event, and many people were checking out the clothing that was available. A number of organizations had representatives at tables: The Allegheny Valley Association of Churches, the Alle-Kiski Hope Center, the Highlands Family Center, Tarentum History and Landmarks, Central Quilters, to name just a few. There was an a la carte lunch, and the dessert was cake and strawberries and ice cream. The whole event was to support mission, generating funds that would not stay in the small congregation.
On Sunday, June 19 I went to Brackenridge to officiate at the wedding of Brian Waters and Heather Basista.
The couple had decided to include a ceremony I had never seen before. Similar in concept to the unity candle, the couple poured two colors of sand into a common vessel.
The following Saturday, June 25, I went into Tarentum because I had heard about a Mission Fair and Strawberry Festival that was going to happen at the Central Presbyterian Church of Tarentum. I crossed the bridge early and walked around Tarentum for a while. A friend recognized me while we crossed a street going in opposite directions. "Five days away from heroin," he announced with a smile.
I gave him a thumbs up and said, "Keep it up." What a difficult journey people face when fighting addictions. It can be a very long journey that one has to start over many times.
I decided to use some of my free time to relax in Riverview Park for a little while. I sat at a bench and looked across the river. Water is such a significant symbol of God's activity for me, representing cleansing, healing, renewal, freedom, and also destruction.
Over at Central Presbyterian Church I found a flurry of activity, and I appreciated the opportunity to chat with many old friends. The Clothing Closet had changed its hours for this event, and many people were checking out the clothing that was available. A number of organizations had representatives at tables: The Allegheny Valley Association of Churches, the Alle-Kiski Hope Center, the Highlands Family Center, Tarentum History and Landmarks, Central Quilters, to name just a few. There was an a la carte lunch, and the dessert was cake and strawberries and ice cream. The whole event was to support mission, generating funds that would not stay in the small congregation.
Friday, February 25, 2011
My next four preaching engagements
Three of my next four preaching engagements will take me to congregations that I will visit for the first time.
Sunday, February 27, 2011 at 8:30 and 11:00 AM at the Newlonsburg Presbyterian Church in Murrysville.
Sunday, March 6, 2011 at 11:00 AM at the Ebenezer Presbyterian Church in Lewisville.
Ash Wednesday, March 9, 2011 at 7:30 PM at the Atwood Presbyterian Church.
Sunday, March 13, 2011 at 11:00 AM at the Trinity Presbyterian Church in Clarksburg.
I am looking forward to visiting the Ebenezer Presbyterian Church again, and to visiting the Newlonsburg Presbyterian Church, the Atwood Presbyterian Church, and the Trinity Presbyterian Church for the first time.
Sunday, February 27, 2011 at 8:30 and 11:00 AM at the Newlonsburg Presbyterian Church in Murrysville.
Sunday, March 6, 2011 at 11:00 AM at the Ebenezer Presbyterian Church in Lewisville.
Ash Wednesday, March 9, 2011 at 7:30 PM at the Atwood Presbyterian Church.
Sunday, March 13, 2011 at 11:00 AM at the Trinity Presbyterian Church in Clarksburg.
I am looking forward to visiting the Ebenezer Presbyterian Church again, and to visiting the Newlonsburg Presbyterian Church, the Atwood Presbyterian Church, and the Trinity Presbyterian Church for the first time.
Wednesday, January 05, 2011
Map of some churches in the area
For a few years I have been assembling a map on Google Maps to record and share the locations of area churches I have visited. I created this map because, as a transplant to Western Pennsylvania, my early experience was that any journey far from home was almost certain to cause me to get lost at least once.
When I started using a Garmin nüvi to get around, I continued to use Google Maps in satellite view to identify the precise location of churches I planned to visit, and sometimes I would remember to update this map after I actually visited the place.
A few months ago, disaster struck when the GPX file in which I had been recording the locations of churches got corrupted while I was updating it to my nüvi. (Yes, I know - when adding data to a file it is always a good idea to keep a backup copy.) Fortunately, I had remembered to put some of what I had learned on this map as I originally researched the information for my nüvi. As I rebuild my GPX file, I will continue to update this map.
I've also learned over recent years that the internet lacks information about the locations of many rural churches. Sometimes the only address on the internet is a P.O. Box or the location of the manse, or the home address of a church officer who receives the church's mail. If it will help someone else, I'd like to share my map of these places of worship with others.
I don't vouch for the completeness of this map. I do vouch for the fact that I have been to each of these churches, and that they are at the locations represented on the map. (If you see any errors, please let me know.)
View Churches around Tarentum in a larger map
When I started using a Garmin nüvi to get around, I continued to use Google Maps in satellite view to identify the precise location of churches I planned to visit, and sometimes I would remember to update this map after I actually visited the place.
A few months ago, disaster struck when the GPX file in which I had been recording the locations of churches got corrupted while I was updating it to my nüvi. (Yes, I know - when adding data to a file it is always a good idea to keep a backup copy.) Fortunately, I had remembered to put some of what I had learned on this map as I originally researched the information for my nüvi. As I rebuild my GPX file, I will continue to update this map.
I've also learned over recent years that the internet lacks information about the locations of many rural churches. Sometimes the only address on the internet is a P.O. Box or the location of the manse, or the home address of a church officer who receives the church's mail. If it will help someone else, I'd like to share my map of these places of worship with others.
I don't vouch for the completeness of this map. I do vouch for the fact that I have been to each of these churches, and that they are at the locations represented on the map. (If you see any errors, please let me know.)
View Churches around Tarentum in a larger map
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Preaching in January 2011
In January I will have a full month of guest preaching, with commitments made for each of the five Sundays.
January 2, 2011, 11 AM at the Presbyterian Church of Goheenville, Templeton, PA.
January 9, 2011, 9:30 AM at the NuValley Presbyterian Church, Rural Valley, PA.
January 16, 2011, 8:15 and 10:45 AM at the Westminster Presbyterian Church, Greensburg, PA.
January 23. 2011, 10:45 AM at the Worthington Presbyterian Church, Worthington, PA.
January 30, 2011, 10:45 at the Apollo United Presbyterian Church, Apollo, PA.
Some of these are churches where I have preached before, but there is always something new. This will be my first time at the Presbyterian Church of Goheenville, but I have been past it a number of times. This church is along the route I normally follow when I make the long drive from Lower Burrell to visit my parents and siblings in Cooperstown, New York. I pass it during the first hour of my journey up, and it is one of the landmarks that tells me I am getting close to home on the return trip. I am probably not the only preacher whose attention is drawn to houses of worship when on long trips. I usually find myself wondering about how the congregations that use those buildings reach out to their communities. I am looking forward to the first time that I actually will stop in Goheenville.
When I saw that I was going to preach at NuValley Presbyterian Church, I did a double-take. My printed 2009 directory for Kiskiminetas Presbytery does not list that church. Then I learned that this is a new congregation formed from the merger of two congregations that had done many things together over the years. In fact, just last January I preached for both of the congregations that went into the merger. At each church I had conversations with leaders of the two congregations in which they told me about their upcoming decision on merger. They felt trepidation about whether they could get the merger to happen, but it was clear to the leaders on both sides that the merger was something that had arisen out of the shared lives and ministries of the two congregations. I am looking forward to January 9 when I will guest preach for the first time at the NuValley Church, barely five months into its existence and service as one congregation.
I have not preached at the Westminster Presbyterian Church before, but that was where I met with a team from the Committee on Ministry of Redstone Presbytery about being put on their pulpit supply list. This will be an interesting and full morning of two services, with an informal service with Communion early, and then a traditional service later.
I believe this will be my second time at the Worthington Presbyterian Church. I preached there at the beginning of this month for a service of Communion. They have many friendly people and a lovely, intimate worship space with the Table in the center.
I have preached a few times at the Apollo church, and look forward to being back with their friendly people and fascinating architecture.
January 2, 2011, 11 AM at the Presbyterian Church of Goheenville, Templeton, PA.
January 9, 2011, 9:30 AM at the NuValley Presbyterian Church, Rural Valley, PA.
January 16, 2011, 8:15 and 10:45 AM at the Westminster Presbyterian Church, Greensburg, PA.
January 23. 2011, 10:45 AM at the Worthington Presbyterian Church, Worthington, PA.
January 30, 2011, 10:45 at the Apollo United Presbyterian Church, Apollo, PA.
Some of these are churches where I have preached before, but there is always something new. This will be my first time at the Presbyterian Church of Goheenville, but I have been past it a number of times. This church is along the route I normally follow when I make the long drive from Lower Burrell to visit my parents and siblings in Cooperstown, New York. I pass it during the first hour of my journey up, and it is one of the landmarks that tells me I am getting close to home on the return trip. I am probably not the only preacher whose attention is drawn to houses of worship when on long trips. I usually find myself wondering about how the congregations that use those buildings reach out to their communities. I am looking forward to the first time that I actually will stop in Goheenville.
When I saw that I was going to preach at NuValley Presbyterian Church, I did a double-take. My printed 2009 directory for Kiskiminetas Presbytery does not list that church. Then I learned that this is a new congregation formed from the merger of two congregations that had done many things together over the years. In fact, just last January I preached for both of the congregations that went into the merger. At each church I had conversations with leaders of the two congregations in which they told me about their upcoming decision on merger. They felt trepidation about whether they could get the merger to happen, but it was clear to the leaders on both sides that the merger was something that had arisen out of the shared lives and ministries of the two congregations. I am looking forward to January 9 when I will guest preach for the first time at the NuValley Church, barely five months into its existence and service as one congregation.
I have not preached at the Westminster Presbyterian Church before, but that was where I met with a team from the Committee on Ministry of Redstone Presbytery about being put on their pulpit supply list. This will be an interesting and full morning of two services, with an informal service with Communion early, and then a traditional service later.
I believe this will be my second time at the Worthington Presbyterian Church. I preached there at the beginning of this month for a service of Communion. They have many friendly people and a lovely, intimate worship space with the Table in the center.
I have preached a few times at the Apollo church, and look forward to being back with their friendly people and fascinating architecture.
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