News highlight

Congratulations, graduates!
Join us in congratulating the graduates from our faith community. Post-graduate: Rebecca Marquette; Wil Forrest. College and trade school: Rebecca Blackwood, Samantha Engelhardt, Brie Gordon, Ben Hoehn, Michael Hoehn, Kristina Hout, Marita Hout, Michael Lawrence, Kimberly Ragsdale, Vanessa Veltre. High school: Michael Benedict, Demetrice Daniels, Ben Lawrence, Charlie Meyers, Casey Poindexter. All the best to you in your new endeavors!

Sunday services and classes

August 16 Services

• 8:00 am: Good Samaritan Worship; Ms.Susy Robison, Volunteer Coordinator for Homeless Children's Education Fund, delivering the message.
• 10:00 am: Courtyard Worship; the Rev. Dr. Miriam Chamberlain preaching.
• 6:00 pm: Holy Ground service; The Reverend Christiane Dutton preaching. (See below for more information about Holy Ground.)

Christian Education

• Contemporaries, Journey with Scripture, Parenting Circle, Seekers: Classes resume on Rally Day, September 13.

Additional worship and prayer opportunities during the week

• Taizé prayer service: Every Wednesday, 7:00 pm in the chapel. Childcare available from 6:45 pm to 8:15 pm. August 12 Taizé service will be followed at 8:15 by a slideshow by Brother James Avant discussing his recent trip to Rome; location is second floor parlor.
• Labyrinth Prayer Walk: Mondays, 10:00 am - 3:00 pm, and Wednesdays, 10:00 am - 9:00 pm.
• Centering Prayer: Tuesdays, 7:00 pm, room 250.

ELPC News

PC(USA) seeks input on covenanted same-gender partnerships
What is the place of covenanted same-gender partnerships in the Christian community? It is a question the General Assembly Special Committee to Study Issues of Civil Union and Christian Marriage is posing to the church for input. View the PC(USA) Office of the General Assembly web page for details and guidelines for input. Deadline is August 16, 2009. Please consider advocating on this important issue.

Holy Ground Service
Holy Ground is a service of prayer for wholeness for the world, out neighbors, and ourselves. There are quiet hymns, periods of prayerful silence, and a message ending with anointing and blessing. This month's service will be held this Sunday, August 16th, at 6:00 pm, with the Rev. Christiane Dutton leading the service. The Holy Ground service is held the third Sunday of every month, from March to November.

Housing ministry opportunities with Open Hand
Please join our Housing Ministry sometime during August 13-15 as we work with Open Hand Ministries to rehab a house for a single mother who will be a first-time homeowner. The house is located in the Garfield neighborhood and is the same house volunteers helped to clean out in March. We also need volunteers to work in the Garfield Community Garden. RSVP to Emily Rosenthal (412) 963-0139 or The Rev. Patrice Fowler-Searcy, (412) 441-3800 x30.

ELPC in the Community

East End Cooperative Ministries Food Pantry
During the summer, families of children who qualify for school breakfast and lunch programs face the additional cost of providing these meals on limited budgets. The Poverty Committee and the EECM ask that we focus our summer offerings on items that can help the pantry provide lunch for children, such as: juice boxes, graham crackers, applesauce, raisins or other dried fruit. Thank you.