Feburary 2007

	Emmanuel Christian Church News March 2008
Pittsburgh, Pa.

Elementary (K-grade 5); Leviathan (grades 6-8); 4Twelve (grades 9-12)

The book was ‘Blue Like Jazz’ last month, and some of us met down at The Vault to chat about it. We drank coffee, munched on cookies and sandwiches and cakes, and had a lovely, lively discussion. And best of all, we met a very nice woman called Nancy who saw the poster on the wall and came along to join us! And while I don’t think I’ll be doing a Book Report every month (there won’t be space for anything else!), there were a couple of points that came up in the conversation that I thought were worth passing on.

The first has to do with politics. Well, political parties, actually - which are not only inevitable, but necessary in a democratic society. But as Don Miller, the author of the book, complained, sometimes it seems like the church is too closely connected to one political party. Most of his experience is with conservative evangelical churches, so it will come as no surprise to learn that he thinks the church is too much like the Republicans. But I can tell you, from my own experience, that it works the other way, too. I regularly attend a Christian conference in England where admitting that you voted for George Bush is akin to confessing that you secretly date Beelzebub. And, trust me, most of the folks at this event would think that was being hard on the devil!

So it goes both ways. The problem, of course, is when we start judging each other on our politics, or acting like one option is the only option a true Christian could/should/or would consider.

These are just two examples, but coincidentally, they could be two of the questions that define the upcoming election. The fact, however, (whether we like it or not, and no matter how hard we find it to accept), is that there are Christians on all sides of these questions. And what we need most of all is the grace to talk. And listen. And reason. And try to understand. And respect each other. Because we’re probably never going to agree. One of the things we talked about was ‘prayer.’ And no, not as in ‘I’ll pray for you and then you’ll vote like I do!’ No, it had to do with prayer in the context of making church decisions. It seems simple when you think about it, but as the author suggested, in church we often do everything but pray (or, in the best case, before we pray!) when we’re trying to determine which programs to implement, which missions to support, and which new initiatives to explore.

We consult and strategize and attend conferences and read the latest books, when maybe what we should be doing is getting down on our knees and simply asking, ‘Lord, what do you want us to do here? And how do you want us to do it?’ He may well send us to a consultant or a conference or some newly-published resource. Or he might show us something that the smartest expert hasn’t yet thought about. He is God, after all, and as that verse in Isaiah 40 makes clear, there’s nobody who counsels him! And I guess that means that prayer isn’t just the best place to start, it’s the only place.

There were lots of other things that came up, as well, and I’m sure the folks who were there would be glad to tell you about it. It should be easy to identify them – they’ll be the ones on their knees, praying hard for God to show them how best to love/put up with/try not to strangle their Democratic/Republican friends.

Then again, you could always read the book. Or you could read this month’s book, ‘The Year of Living Biblically’ by A.J. Jacobs. It’s all about a totally non-religious guy who decides to try to live by the rules he finds in the Bible for twelve whole months! Can’t wait to see how that turns out. And if you can’t either, come join us at 6:30 p.m., at The Vault, on March 25^th.

We look forward to you, your family and friends being a part of our worship during this Holy Season at Emmanuel Christian Church . . .

“The angel said to the woman, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; He has risen, just as He said.” - Matthew 28:5-6

Any candy you are willing to donate for the day school children at Holy Family Institute* would be appreciated for our Cup of Cold Water service project. Please place all donations in the big basket located in the back of the Sanctuary. We will be filling the baskets on Sunday, March 9^th at 6:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall and delivering the baskets to Holy Family on Monday, March 10^th at 2:30 p.m. Please keep this project and all the children and employees at Holy Family in your prayers. *Holy Family Institute was founded in 1900 by the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth. Today, Holy Family touches the lives of more than 5,500 children and 6,000 families in need each year with a comprehensive network of care that provides programs and services in a nurturing and caring environment.

“And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward.” Matthew 10:42

The March Senior Luncheon is being held on Monday, March 3^rd at 11:30 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall. Come join us for a charming feast of macaroni and cheese, stewed tomatoes and a magically surprising dessert! Be a friend and bring along a friend for lunch! If you have any questions regarding this lunch or wish to help in some way, please call Peg Hartman.

It’s lots of fun so plan now to join us for the 4^th Annual ECC Soup Cook-Off on Sunday, March 16^th following the service. Maggie Orr is our reigning Soup Chef of the Year, so make and bring your best soup so that you can become the new “ECC Soup Chef of the Year”. You will have the chance to try all the soups, and then vote for your favorite chef or chefs. The cost of a vote is $1.00, which will go to help His Place (an inner-city mission on the North Side of Pittsburgh and an outreach project of the Christian Churches of Pittsburgh). You may vote a maximum of five times. Please sign up on the sheet in the back of church if you would like to participate. Also, please bring a dessert if you are able to (no sign-up needed). If you have any questions, please see or call Tim Lego.

A mission moment from Nadine Robbins . . . Once peaceful, Kenya (in Africa) has been subjected to an outbreak of violence following their presidential elections. Terrible conditions have resulted with houses being burned, stores looted and destroyed. People have been killed in the war against other tribes. A church, in which refugees from riot areas had taken shelter, was burned and 40-50 people burned to death. Many people are starving and have lost everything. It looks like the beginning of an ethnic cleansing. Many of us have been concerned for the safety of the Howard Crowl Family and their co-workers. The Crowls are one of the missions which our church supports. At the latest report they were in a relatively safe area and thank God, but they are urgently begging for prayers for Kenya and the safety of innocent people. Mim, a woman who heads up the mission which houses and cares for many young boys who were formerly refugee street children, had an incident to relate. Driving home one day she witnessed an accident. Mim slowed down and was stopped by an apparent hijacker. The man had a hand grenade strapped to him and carried an AK47. He ordered her out of the car and at that moment a shot was fired and she saw a man involved in the accident fall dead. The man then fired another shot just as a racing sedan pulled up. Men from the sedan yelled for the hijacker to get in, and they sped away. Mim said afterward that she was fine and that God had given her a sense of peace throughout the entire event. We never know what is happening in the lives of our missionaries from day to day. We need to cover them daily with God’s protective care through our prayers.

Put your reading glasses back on and join in the fun at our 2^nd Book Club happening on Tuesday, March 25^th at 6:30 p.m. at The Vault. The book we’ll be discussing is “The Year of Living Biblically” by A.J. Jacobs. Please have the book read in its entirety before our get-together. Bob Hartman will be heading up the discussion.

There will be an Elders’/Deacons’ Meeting on Sunday, March 2^nd at 6:00 p.m. in the Parlor. If you have a need or concern, please contact any elder prior to the meeting.

If anyone is interested in getting involved in the Maintenance Ministry, there will be a meeting after the worship service on Sunday, March 9^th. Questions? Please call Jesse Justice.

Youth News! Donna Ford is our new Deacon of Youth and sends along the following:

This year, the Youth will be attending a CIY (Christ In Youth) conference at Milligan College near Johnson City, Tennessee. This could be a banner year for attendance by Emmanuel with the potential of 20 youth attending. What a fantastic mission that would be!

We will leave on Monday, June 30^th and return on Saturday, July 5^th. Don’t worry about fireworks, our experience has been that wherever there are Emmanuelites, there are sparks and celebration!

Please be in prayer for this mission and the folks that are attending. The total cost per youth is yet to be determined, but will be around $340, so fundraising will be necessary in order to allow all that wish to attend to do so. If you feel led to sponsor a young person or the group as a whole, please see Mark or Donna Ford. Donations of any size are appreciated and will be distributed as you instruct.

DEPOSITS OF $50 ARE DUE NO LATER THAN SUNDAY, APRIL 13^TH. The Youth are encouraged to find a means by which to earn the deposit without asking for it from their parents. How much sweeter is something when your own sweat equity is involved. If you have a job that one of the youth can help you with and earn a few bucks, please either see one of the youth, Mark or Donna, and the job will be coordinated.

Did you know that a Teen Bible Study (with dinner included!) meets each Monday from 5:15 PM -6:30 PM in the ECC Parlor? If you haven’t attended one of our studies, you are missing out. Questions? See Donna Ford.

The Senior & Junior High Youth will be venturing out to Lazer Tag on Sunday, March 9^th. More details to follow.

Calling All Youngsters! Ages Cradle through 5^th grade!!! Sunday, March 30^th – Join us following the morning worship at Kid Company, Northway Mall for a fun time of pizza, story time and romp and roll. Entry Fee, Pizza and Soda will be provided for children 5^th grade and below. Parental supervision and transportation of your child is necessary. More details? Please contact Donna Ford at 412-398-1400 or donna.ford@vzw.blackberry.net.

Elementary Youth Group (K-5^th Grade) – First and Third Sunday of each month – 6 PM-7:30 PM (Chris and Mandy Basel)

Leviathan Youth Group (6th-8^th Grade) – Sunday Evenings – 6PM-7:30 PM (Mark Ford)

4Twelve (Senior High – 9^th-12^th Grade) – Sunday Evenings – 6 PM-7:30 PM (Donna Ford)

March 16^th – Leviathan and 4Twelve – Bob Hartman to speak on his travels abroad

March 30^th – Elementary - Outing at Kid Company; Leviathan – Regular Youth Group; 4Twelve – Lesson with Movie Night at the Church

April 13^th – Youth Sunday – Youth will present the worship and message on Sunday morning. From 6 PM-7:30 PM Leviathan – Regular Youth Group; 4Twelve – Special Outing/Details to follow

Week of April 27^th-May 2^nd – Youth Group Set-Up for Flea Market – details from Peg forthcoming – in order to receive financial credit for CIY, you must work a required number of hours which will be determined soon.

May 3^rd – Flea Market – Everyone start saving your treasures and bring them to the church beginning in April.

West Hills Christian Church, 965 Thorn Run Road in Moon Twp. is once again presenting “Behold The Lamb”, a powerful depiction of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. There are six performances: Saturday, March 8^th @ 7 pm, Sunday, March 9^th @ 4 pm, Saturday, March 15^th @ 7 pm, Sunday, March 16^th @ 4 pm, Thursday, March 20^th @ 7 pm and Friday, March 21^st @ 7 pm. The presentation is free but you must have a ticket for admission. Ticket Reservation: 412-264-9392 or westhillscc.org

The Shepherd’s Door, a Christian bookstore at 563 Lincoln Avenue in Bellevue (across from The Rusty Nail) has been opened by Bellevue Christian Church. If they don’t have what you want, they can order it. They have a paid part-time manager; all other help are volunteers. Once they are making a profit, it will all be put back into community work. If you’re willing to help out with this project by volunteering, you may call Kelly Hill at 412-761-4310.

Everyday, the Ronald McDonald House provides a place for families to stay while their children are being treated in nearby hospitals for serious illnesses. Donated pop tabs are submitted for recycling to obtain funds to support the operating costs of the House. It takes 1,267 tabs to equal 1 pound. More and more canned goods are using “pop” tabs. You may include tabs from canned soups, fruits, dog or cat food, canned meats, pop, etc. The collection bins are at the tables at the front and back of the Sanctuary.

Thanks so much to everyone who signed up to be a part of our Church Rotation. Please note that if you are unable to serve on your scheduled Sunday, you must contact someone else in the rotation to be your substitute or to switch with you. Thank you for serving.

First-Time Visitors…Our Gift Of Thanks To You … As a thank you for visiting with us at Emmanuel Christian Church, we will send you a card for a free 12 oz. drink from The Vault, a coffee and tea bar in Brighton Heights at 3619 California Avenue. This offer is being made to all first-time visitors to our Sunday services who give us their contact information. Even if you’re not a first time visitor, The Vault is a great place to stop any time. The hours are Monday-Saturday, 7 am-8 pm.

Be Environmentally Responsible! Our church is partnering with Abitibi Consolidated, the world’s largest newspaper manufacturer and world’s largest newspaper recycler. A bright green and yellow paper retriever bin is located in our church parking lot. Here is a list of what is acceptable to put in the bin:

Newspaper, Magazines, Catalogs, Mail, Envelopes, Folders, Fax and Copy Paper, Colored Paper, Shredded Paper. Please, no phone books or cardboard, plastic, glass, metals, trash.

Please remember our shut-ins in your prayers. They would love to hear from their church family. All correspondence may be sent to them as follows:

The ECC April Senior Luncheon will take place on Monday, April 7^th at 11:30 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall. Soup, Rolls, Dessert, Beverage & Fellowship will be served – Free!

Mark Hartman will be playing ‘The Beast’ in Avonworth High School’s Spring Musical, Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast”. Peformances are April 11, 12, 18 and 19. Please see Mark if you have any questions.

Come join us on Saturday, April 26^th at 7:00 p.m. for the Crossbearer Café. Invite some friends and meet in the Sanctuary for a great praise and worship session led by Ron Zanski. Afterwards, come downstairs to the Fellowship Hall for some coffee, dessert, music, games and fellowship. Please bring a dessert to share. Questions? See or call Tim Lego.

Beginning in April you may bring in your “treasures” for our Annual Flea Market, being held on Saturday, May 3^rd from 8-2 in the Fellowship Hall. As you clean out your closet, garage or junk drawer, please bring in unwanted, sellable items for our sale (Please – No Clothes). If you have any questions and/or would like to help with the Flea Market in any way, please see Peg Hartman. Help is needed the week before, during and immediately following the flea market. All proceeds benefit our young people attending the Christ In Youth conference this summer.

The 16^th Annual Susan G. Komen Race For the Cure is on Sunday, May 11^th (Mother’s Day) at Schenley Park, beginning at 8:45 a.m. Entry forms to register are available at each church entrance or you may register online at www.komenpittsburgh.org

The Annual Memorial Day Picnic will be on Monday, May 26^th from 12-8 at the Air Force Reserve Base in Moon Township. You must sign up if you plan to attend or even think you may attend. If your last name begins with A-N, please bring salad and vegetables. If your last name begins with O-Z, please bring dessert and drinks. Meat and buns will be provided. Also, please bring snacks to share if you wish along with board games, bats, balls, tennis equipment, roller skates/blades, chairs, blankets, etc. Questions? Please see or call Tim Lego.

“Jesus had a remarkable way of being a friend to every person he met. We sense in him the ability to welcome the stranger, to find the hidden gift in those others called sinners, to strengthen the ability of the loving to love more. He loved some by confronting them with the ways in which they were unloving and exploitive of others. He challenged the hypocritical in those who made it their right to judge others with constant reminders that we not only must not but cannot judge another. He found important ways to invite all to discover and cherish the lovable in themselves .”

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