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Worship & Music
Worship on Christmas Eve and Christmas Daychristmas Eve:
saturday, December 24• 5:00p.m.—FamilyService Led by the children’s
choirs, the Sunday school children, and Shadyside’s youth, this
service is filled
with familiar carols, costumed players, and candle lighting. The
service appeals to congregants of all ages and lasts approximately
45 minutes. The Reverend John F. Magnuson will preach.
•
9:00p.m.—CandlelightServiceofLessonsandCarols,precededbyPreludeat8:40p.m.
A series of Scripture readings, carols, and hymns concludes with a
ceremony of lights in this beloved
service which began at King’s College, Cambridge, in 1918. The
Reverend Dr. Conrad C. Sharps will preach. The service will be
preceded by a choral and orchestral prelude.
ChristmasDay:Sunday,December25• 11:00a.m.—ServiceofWorship The
Reverend Dr. Conrad C. Sharps will preach.
Worship & Music
Sundays in AdventSundaysat11:00a.m.intheSanctuary“Advent” means
“coming” or “arrival.” During the season of Advent, we celebrate
Christ’s coming into the world and watch with expectant hope for
His coming again. In its historical origins, the season of Advent
was patterned after the season of Lent, a six-week period of
penitence and preparation for Easter. Similarly, the four weeks of
Advent present an opportunity for communal discernment and personal
examination, as the Church prepares to celebrate the Nativity of
the Lord and looks with hope for Christ’s return.
• FirstSundayofAdvent,November27 The Reverend Dr. Conrad C.
Sharps will preach.
• SecondSundayofAdvent,December4,withCommunion The Reverend Dr.
Conrad C. Sharps will preach.
• ThirdSundayofAdvent,December11 The Reverend Dr. Conrad C.
Sharps will preach.
• FourthSundayofAdvent,December18 The Reverend Dr. Conrad C.
Sharps will preach.
Artwork: Epiphany © Jan L. Richardson. janrichardson.com
Worship & Music
Advent VespersWednesdaysat7:00p.m.These candlelight Communion
services include homilies and music offered by the Shadyside
Strings, Chatham Baroque, and the Choirs of the Pittsburgh School
for the Choral Arts. Childcare is available.
• Wednesday,November30
• Wednesday,December7
• Wednesday,December14• Wednesday,December21
ChriSTiANEDuCATioN
Silence and Other Advent SurprisesSundaysat9:45a.m.
Nov.27—Jan.8Adult Christian Education’s topical book study reads
Enuma Okoro’s Silence and Other Surprising Invitations of Advent.
Learn more about the study on page 4 and please plan to join
us.
Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania www.shadysidepres.org
Church MouseVOLUME 47, NUMbEr 10 DEcEMbEr 2016 / JaNUary
2017NEwsLEttEr
The
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An Advent Lesson from Old Faithful
Advent is four weeks of celebration. It is a celebration and the
preparation of Christ’s coming: past and present. Many people today
give little or no thought whatsoever to Christ’s return, and others
fear or despair at the very thought of it.
What a shame, for we were created to be sons and daughters of a
living God and a living Lord — formed by God’s own hand, created in
God’s own image, saved and redeemed by the sacrifice of God’s own
Son.
Several years ago, Philip Yancey wrote in Christianity Today
about a family vacation to Yellowstone National Park. While
enjoying lunch in an inn that overlooked the famous geyser Old
Faithful, he joined the multitude at the observation window to
witness Old Faithful’s timely eruption. He noticed, however, that
as the scores of visitors made their way to the windows, most of
the waiters and busboys made haste to attend to their tables; few
if any even glanced up to witness the power and majesty of God’s
creation. Old Faithful had lost its ability to impress.
Let me ask, has Advent lost its ability to affect us and make an
impression upon our journeys of faith?
Advent is a reminder to us that we are children of God and that
Christ will one day return. It is a reminder to us that salvation
is from God and God alone. It is sin that is an intruder into our
lives and into our world — an intruder that is hostile toward every
good thing which God intends for His children.
This season is a time when all people of faith are called to a
time of repentance and preparation, for Christ is coming into the
world! We do not know when, but it should not matter. That God
should be born to us in a manger, live for us, die for us, rise
from the dead for us, says to me, it does not matter when He is
coming, but that He is coming matters.
“Do this because we live in an important time. It is now the
time for you to wake from your sleep, because salvation is nearer
now than when we first believed.” (Romans 13:11)
Conrad C. Sharps, Senior Pastor
MESSAgEFroMThEPASTor
PAriShLiFE
Christmas Open House
On Wednesday, December 7,take a break from the hustle and
bustle of this hectic season, and refresh your spirit in the beauty
and serenity of our sacred space. Warm beverages and cookies will
be available in the Sharp Atrium from 2:00 to 7:00 p.m., and the
sanctuary will be open for prayer and reflection. Elder Tim
Engleman will lead interactive architectural tours of the sanctuary
from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. Join us as your schedule permits, and please
invite friends and neighbors to this welcoming event. Consider
returning or remaining in the evening for Advent vespers, our
candlelight Communion services in the sanctuary, at 7:00 p.m.
· · · · · · · · · · New CD and Book Available ······· · · ·The
new church history book and Chancel Choir CD released in
celebration of our 150th anniversary will be available for purchase
in the Parish Hall on Sundays,December 11 and 18. Our architectural
book and other choral and organ CDs are available through the
church office. Order forms are located in the Narthex.
MuSiC&FiNEArTS
Three Choral Concerts in December
• Saturday,December10,at3:00p.m.intheSanctuary All choirs of the
Pittsburgh School for the Choral Arts perform
in a holiday concert. Tickets:www.pghchoralarts.org
• Sunday,December11,at3:00p.m.intheSanctuary The Shadyside
Chancel Choir sings in a free concert of music
for Advent and Christmas. No tickets required.
• Sunday,December18,at3:00p.m.intheSanctuary The Pittsburgh
Camerata, Pittsburgh’s premier professional
chamber choir, presents music for the season that evokes wonder
and mystery, including Josef Rheinberger’s “Evening Song,”
Palestrina’s “Creator of the Stars of Night,” Eriks Esenvalds’s
“Star,” and “Sure on This Shining Night,” by Morten Lauridsen.
Tickets:www.pittsburghcamerata.org
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MiSSioNS
Alternative Gifts for Christmas: Honoring Christ by Giving to
Others
After a joyful year of remembrance and the celebration of our
Sesquicentennial as a church family, we now turn our focus toward
the upcoming season of Advent, followed by the most miraculous gift
of all given to mankind in the form of the Christ Child on
Christmas Day.
This year, Shadyside Presbyterian Church will again provide an
opportunity to honor the birth of Jesus in a unique way, by
offering the Alternative Gift Market for Christmas. Through the
holiday event, we can support up to six of our mission partners,
including our mission partners in India, Brother’s Brother
Foundation, Garfield Community Farm, the Foundation of Hope,
Promised Land Ministries in Guatemala, and Veterans Place of
Washington Boulevard. Gifts of any dollar amount can be purchased
in honor of loved ones. You will be provided with a gift card to
present to family and friends on your list indicating that a
donation was made to one or more of our mission partners on their
behalf.
The Alternative Gift Market for Christmas will be held in Parish
Hall immediately following worship onDecember11and18. You will have
time to browse the displays for the six organizations, talk with
representatives of the missions themselves or congregants who work
closely with our partners, enjoy special food prepared by Chef
Steven Bright, and purchase baked goods from the youth within our
church. All proceeds from the bake sale will also go to support our
mission partners.
Now we begin to move forward, claim our part of the mosaic, and
continue our tradition of generously giving to others during this
season focused on Christ and all that was given to us by His birth.
Additional information will be published in the Mini-Mouse and
weekly bulletin, and order forms will be available in the Narthex
and Sharp Atrium through December 18.
Kelly L. Lewis, Alternative Gifts Committee
CAMPuSMiNiSTry
Calling All Bakers: A Sleighful of Cookies Needed for
Students
As another semester draws to its conclusion, we continue the
Shadyside Presbyterian Church tradition of providing a sweet snack
break for Chatham and CMU students in the midst of their finals.
Semester after semester, we are told by students how special this
gift is to them — that they would be thought of and cared for in
the midst of a more stressful time of the year. The Campus Ministry
Mission Action Community (MAC) again calls on you, our community,
to help by providing varieties of cookies. We need your help to
provide 2,000 cookies — that’s 167 dozen! Please join Campus
Ministry this semester in spreading the love of Christ through a
simple act of baking cookies. Sign up in the Sharp Atrium, or call
the church office to let us know how many dozen you are able to
contribute. Donations will be collected and bagged during the Time
of Fellowship following worship onSunday,December 11. Thank you for
practicing hospitality in this way during the holiday season! If
you would like to help deliver cookies to campus, please contact
Brytani Clifton or Rebecca Reeder through the church office.
The Giving Tree
On December4and11, the Community Partnerships Mission Action
Community (MAC) will again sponsor the Giving Tree at Shadyside
Presbyterian Church on behalf of the women at Sojourner House and
POWER. The tree will be decorated with special ornamental gift tags
that correspond with the name of a recipient, along with her pajama
and slipper sizes. Please look for the Giving Tree after worship
during the fellowship hour. A member of the Community Partnerships
MAC will be present to register your name along with the name of
the recipient. Gift-wrapped pajamas and slippers should be returned
to the church by Sunday,December18; the original gift tag should be
affixed to the package. Your gift, along with your thoughts and
prayers for the women of Sojourner House and POWER, are appreciated
and will be a sign to them of Christ’s love this Christmas season.
If you have questions about the Giving Tree, please contact Lisa
Iadicicco through the church office.
MiSSioNS
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LETTErToThEEDiTor
A Shady Side Christmas StoryEarlier this year, a friend of many
years, Dr. John Kudlik, professor of history at CCAC, gave me a
small tin box. “I thought you should have this,” he said.
Ordinarily when given a box, we might wonder what’s inside. In this
instance, it was the outside of the box that was of greater
interest. On the bottom of the box is the inscription shown in the
photograph: Shady Side Presbyterian, Sunday School, Christmas,
1889. Even the cornerstone of our present church building (dated
1890) is younger than this seemingly insignificant artifact of our
church’s history.
John explained that the box had been given to his mother by an
elderly friend, Mrs. Lucy Burke, who passed away in 1961. Mrs.
Burke grew up on a farm near Monongahela City, and lived with her
grandparents, Martin and Violet Coulson. How the box came into Mrs.
Burke’s possession is a mystery. But the message this simple little
box conveys is not. As we observe Advent and Christmastide in this
150th anniversary year of Shadyside Presbyterian Church, this
little box reminds us that our church began as a Sunday School for
children in the neighborhood. As we enter the 151st year of this
congregation, may we continue the mission of making the good news
of Jesus Christ known to this generation and to the next.
Elder Margaret E. Heely
ChriSTiANEDuCATioN
Silence and Other Surprising Invitations of
AdventAdultEducationTopicalBookStudy:Sundays,beginningNovember27,at9:45a.m.
You are invited to join the Adult Christian Education Team’s
topical book study, which begins studying Enuma Okoro’s Silence and
Other Surprising Invitations of Advent on Sunday,November27, led by
Tamika Barrett and Janice L. Murray.
Author Enuma Okoro invites readers to pause during Advent and
take a heartfelt look at the story of Elizabeth and Zechariah. This
faithful couple receives astonishing news in their old age.
In Okoro’s daily meditations for Advent, readers spend time with
Zechariah and Elizabeth. As they look deep inside this faithful
couple’s longings and doubts, they will increase their own capacity
for patience and wonder and be reminded of God’s promise to make
all things new.
These poetic and poignant meditations will echo long after
Christmas has passed. Their tough and tender wisdom acknowledges
both wounds and blessedness — the griefs and joys of life.
Reflection questions and a prayer challenge accompany each week’s
meditations.
Consider reading this book along with us; gather in the Sharp
Atrium on Sundays at 9:30 a.m. for fellowship before moving to the
Chapel at 9:45 a.m. This study will continue
throughSunday,January8.
Tamika Barrett
Janice L. Murray
ChiLDrEN’SMiNiSTry
Helping Children Learn About the Ways People WorshipOur
Children’s Ministry would love to see where you worship when you
are not with your Shadyside family. If you visit another church,
please bring the worship bulletin to Ellen Allston, Director of
Christian Education for Children’s Ministry, so that we can share
it on “The Bulletin Bulletin Board.” You may put your name on the
bulletin if you’d like, and you may add notes about the service or
about the place of worship, as well. Thank you for helping us to
discover more about the ways people worship.
Above: 1889 Christmas box displayed in the Stamy Room
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ChiLDrEN’SMiNiSTry
Register Now for the 2017-2018 SPCNS School YearEstablished by
several members of the Shadyside Presbyterian Church, the Shadyside
Presbyterian Church Nursery School (SPCNS) has been providing
children with a blessed beginning since 1951! At SPCNS, our
child-centered, caring environment allows children to learn
language, literacy, math, and science, and to explore God’s world,
through play.
Currently, SPCNS is accepting applications for the 2017-2018
school year. Classes are offered to two-, three-, and
four-year-olds. SPC members and returning students are given
preference for enrollment. Please call Director Mary Lang at
412-681-6311, or visit the school’s website:
shadysideschool.org.
Mission Dinner: Sojourner
HouseWednesday,December14,from6:00to7:00p.m.intheParishhall
Sojourner House and Sojourner House MOMS (Mentoring,
Opportunity, Motivation, Spirituality) provide compassionate,
faith-based residential recovery services to mothers and children
in the Pittsburgh area. Sojourner House believes women can shatter
the chains of addiction and hopelessness when surrounded by what
means most to them: their children. Over the past eight years,
Shadyside Presbyterian Church has partnered with Sojourner House in
ways ranging from transforming a vacant lot into a play yard to
hosting annual spiritual retreats. Come and hear more about this
dynamic ministry from Executive Director Joann Cyganovich and learn
of additional opportunities to walk alongside them.
MiSSioNS
Above: Joann Cyganovich, Executive Director of Sojourner
House
Stephen Ministry Education Series: Caring for Ourselves and
OthersMonday,January23,from7:00to8:30p.m.inthehulmeroom
Shadyside Stephen Ministries is sponsoring a series of
educational opportunities surrounding the issues of caring for
others in need of daily or weekly physical care, in the home or in
a professional setting. This series of lectures and discussions are
open to the public and anyone who has an interest or concern for
family or friends who are giving care to others, and those who are
in need of and/or receiving care. Join us to hear speaker Rob
Ferguson, Ph.D. Clinical Psychologist, University of Pittsburgh
Cancer Institute, on the first evening of our series, which will
address “Caring for Ourselves and Others” including: the impact of
caregiver stress on health; how to enhance stress resilience as a
caregiver; and the role of faith in caregiver health.
CArE&SuPPorT
CoMMuNiCATioNS
New Year, New WebsiteThroughout 2016, the Communications
Committee has been meeting regularly and working diligently to
re-develop and re-design the Shadyside Presbyterian Church website.
This project partially continues the committee work begun in 2012
which resulted in the establishment of a new graphic identity for
the church. As announced at that time, the graphic identity has
been integrated gradually throughout the church’s publications;
soon, the website will join our other updated materials with a
multi-phase launch. In order to bring you increased functionality
in the future — including online giving options and a private
online community portal for members to contact each other, share,
and access information — we needed first to modernize our website
platform. In January, the church will introduce a new site layout
with expanded menu options for navigation and a mobile-responsive
design. Later in 2017, we look forward to offering the
aforementioned new features, as well as additional content,
including a blog and, eventually, increased social media activity.
We are confident these efforts will better position the church for
continuing to build community online. Watch the e-newsletter for
updates in January!
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ChriSTiANEDuCATioN
Martin Luther King Jr.’s Strength to
LoveAdultEducationTopicalBookStudy:Sundays,beginningJanuary15,at9:45a.m.
You are invited to encounter a challenging yet energizing vision
of God and redemptive love in Martin Luther King Jr.’s Strength to
Love, beginningSunday,January15.
“If there is one book Martin Luther King Jr. has written that
people consistently tell me has changed their lives, it is Strength
to Love.” So wrote Coretta Scott King. She continued: “I believe it
is because this book best explains the central element of Martin
Luther King Jr.’ s philosophy of nonviolence: His belief in a
divine, loving presence that binds all life.” That insight,
luminously conveyed in this classic text, hints at the personal
transformation at the root of social justice: “By reaching into and
beyond ourselves and tapping the transcendent moral ethic of love,
we shall overcome these evils.”
In these short meditative and sermonic pieces, some of them
composed in jails and all of them crafted during the tumultuous
years of the Civil Rights struggle, Dr. King articulated and
espoused in a deeply personal, compelling way his commitment to
justice and to the intellectual, moral, and spiritual conversion
that makes his work as much a blueprint today for Christian
discipleship as it was then.
Consider reading this book along with Lee G. Branstetter and
Elder Percy M. Jackson; gather in the Sharp Atrium on Sundays at
9:30 a.m. for a time of fellowship before moving to the Chapel at
9:45 a.m. This study will continue throughSunday,February26.
Lee G. Branstetter
Elder Percy M. Jackson
MuSiCiNAgrEATSPACE
Two Concerts in January: PYSO and Oboe & Co.
• Sunday,January8,at3:00p.m.intheSanctuary Pittsburgh Symphony
oboist Scott Bell is joined by Larry Allen,
harpsichord; Francesca Tortorello, piano; Rhian Kenny, flute;
Michael DeBruyn, cello; Charlene Canty, soprano; and Brian Vu,
baritone.
• Sunday,January22,at3:00p.m.intheSanctuary The Pittsburgh Youth
Symphony Orchestra returns to
Shadyside Presbyterian Church under the direction of conductor
Francesco Lecce-Chong in a program including Strauss’s Don Juan and
Brahms’s Symphony No. 2.
Tickets for both concerts may be reserved in advance by calling
412-682-4300 or purchased at the door. Details and a full schedule
of concerts are available atwww.shadysidepres.org/migs. Oboist
Scott Bell
Prepare and Serve Dinner, Join Discussion at EECM on MLK Jr.
DayThe Hunger and Homelessness Mission Action Community (MAC)
invites you to an all-church workday, partnering with the East End
Cooperative Ministry (EECM), this Martin Luther King Jr. Day. We
will gather at the church onMonday,January16,to prepare the evening
meal for the EECM shelter dinner. That evening, we will meet at the
EECM Community House in East Liberty to serve dinner to shelter
guests. The dinner will be followed by a short program involving
discussions about Dr. King. To sign up or for further information,
please contact Rev. Todd Leach ([email protected]) or Deacon
Adam Loucks through the church office.
huNgEr&hoMELESSNESS
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Warm Up on Soup Sunday, January 29We look forward to filling the
Parish Hall with the aroma of hearty and delicious homemade soups
onSunday,January29. Would you be willing to make a pot of your
favorite soup recipe for this event? We are looking for volunteers
to contribute a variety of soups — from beef and barley to
vegetarian delights, creamy chowders, and more. If you would prefer
to make your favorite dessert to contribute, that would be
wonderful, too. The kitchen will provide bread, salad, and
beverages. Not a cook or a baker? Come and enjoy; there will be
plenty to share! Make your reservations in January by signing up in
the Sharp Atrium or by calling the church office. Could you lend us
your crockpot to keep these goodies piping hot? Let us know when
you make your reservation. There is no cost to attend.
Off the Floor Bedding CollectionAlso on Soup Sunday, January 29,
Shadyside Presbyterian Church is sponsoring a bedding collection
for Off the Floor Pittsburgh. Several items are needed to benefit
needy families in the city of Pittsburgh. The items that are most
needed include new pillows (must be new by state law); complete
queen, full/double, and twin bedding sets; blankets of all sizes
(queen are most needed); and towels and washcloths. Please put a
size label on the blankets, and bring donations to the Off the
Floor Pittsburgh truck located outside the Parish Hall. Thank you
for your kindness and generosity.
PAriShLiFE&MiSSioNS
youThMiNiSTry
Winter RetreatAll youth in grades 6 through 12 are invited to
attend the fifth annual Youth Winter Retreat at Pine Springs Camp
from January13to15.This is always a great time in the year to take
a break from school as we gather for worship and relaxation. There
will be plenty of time for games, food, snow tubing, and relaxing
with one another. RSVP to Rev. John Magnuson at
[email protected]. Cost is $50 per youth or $120 maximum
per family. Scholarships are available.
PAriShLiFE
Connections DinnerThe Parish Life Ministry Team invites church
family and friends to join us any time between 6:00 and 6:45 p.m.
in the Parish Hall for a wonderful time to connect with one another
over supper on Wednesday, January 25. The menu will include baked
ziti with meatballs; mixed greens salad; and sliced baguettes with
butter. Assorted cookies will be served for dessert. Please make
your reservation by signing up in the Sharp Atrium or by contacting
the church office by Monday,January23. The suggested donation is
$6; good will offering for children 10 and under. Nursery care is
available. If you are able, we hope you will stay for vespers.
NEWMEMBErS
Inquirers’ ClassA two-week orientation class for inquirers
occurs Sundays,January 22 and 29, from 9:45 to 10:30 a.m., and will
include an overview of Presbyterian beliefs and history, as well as
an opportunity to learn about the various ministries of SPC.
Childcare is available during the class. New members will be
received on January 29 and recognized in worship that day. If
you would like to register for the class, please contact Michelle
Dzikowski in the church office.
Mission Dinner: Coalition for Christian
OutreachWednesday,January11,from6:00to7:00p.m.intheParishhall
The Coalition for Christian Outreach (CCO) “transforms college
students to transform the world.” This ever-expanding ministry has
grown from four staff people working with students at three schools
to over 250 staff people currently working on 116 campuses across
the mid-Atlantic region and the midwest. In addition to its growing
numbers, the CCO has broadened its ministry by intentionally
reaching out to minority and international students. Through a
self-assessment a few years ago, the CCO leadership realized it was
not effectively connecting with these populations. Come hear
Michael Thornhill, the CCO’s Assistant Director of Cross-Cultural
Ministry, explain how they have strategically made great strides
toward reaching all students on campus.
MiSSioNS
Above: Michael Thornhill, Assistant Director of Cross-Cultural
Ministry with the Coalition for Christian Outreach
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BoArDoFDEACoNS Worship & Music
Sunday WorshipPlease see Advent and Christmas information on
page 1.Sunday,January1,at11:00a.m.,withCommunion
The Reverend Lynn M. Portz, preaching
BaptismoftheLordSunday,January8,at11:00a.m. The Reverend Dr.
Conrad C. Sharps, preaching
Sunday,January15,at11:00a.m. The Reverend Dr. Conrad C. Sharps,
preaching
Sunday,January22,at11:00a.m. The Reverend Dr. Conrad C. Sharps,
preaching
Sunday,January29,at11:00a.m. The Reverend Dr. Conrad C. Sharps,
preaching
Midweek VespersPlease see page 1 for Advent Vespers in the
Sanctuary.
Note: No vespers will be held on Wednesday, December
28.Wednesdays,January4,11,18,and25,at7:00p.m.
These candlelit services, including Communion, offer a more
intimate worship experience in our beautiful Chapel.
(Childcare is available.)
Live Worship WebcastSundaysat11:00a.m.
Listen online at www.shadysidepres.org/live Please share this
link with friends and neighbors
who may not be able to join us in person.
Care Packages for Students and Military
This month, the Deacons will send care packages to our college
students and military. We need current contact information for new
and existing students or military personnel. If you have a child or
loved one in college or the military, please share the recipient’s
name and address with us by contacting the church office
beforeFriday,December2.Thank you!
CoMMuNiCATioNS
Deadlines for the Mouse are the first business day of each
month.
Tuesday,January3 February issue
Wednesday,February1 March issue
Please submit Mouse articles to [email protected].
Comments are welcome.
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