the holy season of advent prepare the way of the lord 2009.pdffirst english evangelical lutheran...

FIRST ENGLISH EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH PITTSBURGH,

December 2009

The Holy Season Of Advent Prepare The Way Of The Lord

Advent begins on Sunday, November 29. Through four consecutive Sundays, it will proclaim God’s promises, promises for the coming of his Christ and his kingdom.

Advent is not pre-Christmas shopping season. Nor does it extend the celebration of our Lord’s birth into the weeks preceding December 25. Advent is holy in and of itself. It proclaims the certainty of our Lord’s coming to a world and its people in need of redemption. It gives us time to rekindle our hope for a world that is held in the grip of terror, disease, sin, and death. It affords us an opportunity to repent of personal sin and redirect our lives. We are

given a chance to look ahead with longing and expectation to what God has in store for his children and for his world, to his promises of peace and wholeness.

The message of Advent comes through clearly in our Sunday liturgies and in the ritual action that accompanies them. We prepare to worship by confessing our sin and our need for Christ. Our confession is combined with a brief devotion at the Advent wreath, glowing with increasing brightness as we move through the four weeks of this holy season. In celebrating the Eucharist, we use the more somber music of Setting Three. The Hymn of Praise is silenced in order to be sung with new joy at Christmas.

We listen attentively to the Word of the Lord and the prophecies of his coming. The Choir sings the Proper Offertory appointed for the day to settings composed by John W. Becker. Blue, the color of hope, adorns the chancel. Stanzas of the Advent hymn, “Rejoice, Rejoice, Believers” are used as our post-communion song. The theme is our Lord’s anticipated coming as the Child of Mary, as God with us, and as our final hope.

Worship on all the Sundays of holy Advent, beginning with November 29.

First Church Alert

From The Senior Pastor

Dear People of God, We are entering into

the holy Advent season and making our way steadily toward Christmas. For many people this is their favorite time of year. They see beauty in its lavish decorations. They take delight in its culinary delicacies. They find hope in its emphasis on peace and good will. And they are comforted by family members and friends making special effort to be together for the holidays. Advent and Christmas hold many wonderful gifts for the people of God. Most of all, they hold out the fulfillment of God’s promises in the gift of his Son. It is that one very special gift which inspires all of our celebration and our generous gift giving to one another. Gifts are central to the seasons of Advent and Christmas. Much of Advent is spent shopping for them, purchasing them, and wrapping them. Christmas brings the opportunity to bestow them on those we love and on those whose care and thoughtfulness we wish to recognize in some tangible way. Again and again, however, we are reminded that our gift giving is inspired by God’s great gift to us. Our gifts to others represent a means by which we can display our gratitude to God for the grace he has shown us in the gift of his Son. We also rejoice in the very real gift of First Lutheran Church. God has blessed us all through the gift of this parish church. He has given us a beautiful house in which to praise his goodness and ask for his care. He has given us loving brothers and sisters to support us in our faith and to join us in ministry to our community and beyond. He has blessed us with the gift of his presence in Word and Sacraments and through them he has given us the gift of faith

itself. First Church is a gift from God. It is a gift God intends us to share with others. This holy time of year makes it relatively easy to do that. We can freely invite others to join us in Advent / Christmas worship. There are more than ample opportunities. We can testify to the difference our parish makes in its witness to downtown Pittsburgh and in its ecumenical commitments. We can offer others the opportunity to come into the gracious presence of Christ and receive his gifts of forgiveness and new life. We can bring others into the beauty of holiness and offer them the opportunity to be nurtured by Christ. First Church is a gift from God for us to share. It is a gift that embodies the presence and promise of Christ himself. In the joy of Advent and Christmas, let us offer this gift of God to others in need of Christ and for the honor and glory of his name.

Blessings in Christ,

The Rev. Dr. David Paul Gleason

Senior Pastor

We also rejoice in the

very real gift of First

Lutheran Church. God

has blessed us all through

the gift of this parish

church. He has given us

a beautiful house in

which to praise his

goodness and ask for his

care. He has given us

loving brothers and

sisters to support us in

our faith and to join us in

ministry to our

community and beyond.

Financial Update

Our current deficit is $26,000. Your fulfilled pledge and special year-end gifts area very much needed. Thank you!

First Church Alert

God’s incarnation in the Babe of Bethlehem, is at the heart of Christian faith. We celebrate his birth with reverence and joy. In the beauty of our magnificent church, with the Holy Mother and Christ Child looking down on us from above the Altar, we offer thanks and praise to the God who enters fully into human life because of his love for us. Our liturgical celebration of The Nativity of Our Lord, 2009 includes:

Christmas Eve Thursday, December 24

At 12:00 Noon we will celebrate The Vigil of the Nativity of Our Lord with a chorale liturgy of the Holy Eucharist. Familiar Christmas carols will replace our usual liturgical songs. This will not be just a brief noonday liturgy of the sort we celebrate on every workday of the year. This will be a rich and full celebration of our Lord’s birth in the traditional beauty of Christmas Eve. We offer this liturgy at Noon to enable older members of our parish to worship without having to be out after dark. It allows those who depend on public transportation to more easily come to worship. It also provides a convenient worship time for young parents with very small children and infants. The first of our evening liturgies on Christmas Eve is especially for children and families. At 6:45 PM an expanded Festive Prelude of Christmas music will prepare us to worship at the manger. The prelude will feature strings, handbells, and organ. Our candlelight celebration of the Holy Eucharist (The Angels’ Mass) will begin at 7:00 PM. The liturgy will be enriched by the music of our Cantate Choir, Gloria Dei Ringers, and Bel Canto. The beautiful tradition of Christmas Eve worship will once again come alive. A Festive Prelude for organ, strings, and choir at 10:15 PM will prepare worshippers for our most glorious Christmas Eve liturgy. Our celebration

of the Holy Eucharist (The Shepherds’ Mass) begins at 10:30 PM. It will be a traditional “late” candlelight liturgy. Our Parish Choir will enrich the liturgy with major choral works. A string trio will also supplement our majestic Casavant Organ. This liturgy, celebrated in the quiet of night in the heart of the city, is very special. It will bring you solemn joy as you make your way home in deep darkness, enlightened by the light of Christ.

Christmas Day Friday, December 25

Worship on Christmas morning is important to our Christmas tradition at First Church. Many members find particular joy in gathering to welcome the Christ Child into our midst in the new light of Christmas morning. As is our custom, there will be a solemn high celebration (with the use of incense) of the Holy Eucharist (The Christ Mass) at 10:00 AM on Christmas Day. Weather permitting, the liturgy will conclude with a Procession to the Crèche in the US Steel Plaza for Devotion at the Manger. The time of the service allows ample opportunity for dinner preparations at home.

Sunday, December 27 The Feast of St. John

Apostle and Evangelist; First Sunday After Christmas

Our Christmas joy will be very much in evidence as we make our way through the twelve days of the holy season. On this day, at both our 8:30 and 11:00 AM liturgies we will celebrate St. John’s life and witness to Christ. In particular, we will recall his powerful testimony to the incarnation of God in the Child of Mary, to “the Word made flesh.” We will also still be singing our well-loved carols in the beauty of a richly decorated church.

The 11:00 AM liturgy will end, weather permitting, with a procession to the crèche in the US Steel Plaza for final prayers at the manger.

Monday, December 28 The Feast of the Holy Innocents

This day reminds us that our Lord was not universally welcomed. To many, he was not a wanted Child. His coming was and is perceived as a great threat to the powerful. In our celebration of the Holy Eucharist at 12:10 PM we will remember Herod’s vicious campaign to rid the world of the Christ Child by slaughtering the Holy Innocents.

Tuesday, December 29; Wednesday, December 30

Our regular noonday services at 12:10 PM continue the celebration of our Lord’s birth.

Sunday, January 3 The Second Sunday after

Christmas Our Christmas worship continues with carols and all the joy of the season. The Holy Eucharist is celebrated at 8:30 and 11:00 AM. A procession to the Crèche in the US Steel Plaza follows our 11:00 AM liturgy, weather permitting.

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First Church Alert

From The Associate Pastor Where Have We Been (part 4)�

The struggling and discouraged congregation called First Lutheran Church, after uncertain and discouraging first years, at last found stability and strength and

purpose. William Smith, who resigned from the pastorate of the congregation after less than a year, left it a great legacy: he recommended William Alfred Passavant as his successor and prevailed upon him to accept the call. It transformed the parish. Young Mr. Passavant, he was twenty-two, arrived in Pittsburgh and began an energetic ministry that would have exhausted a lesser man. He encouraged the development of music in the congregation. He was the principal organizer of the Western Pennsylvania Synod. He served as Missionary President of the new synod, in addition to his other duties, and in its first ten years sixty new churches were established. The congregation began to grow; even the financial situation improved. Disaster struck Pittsburgh April 10, 1845. A third of the city was destroyed by fire. Pastor Passavant labored indefatigably to relieve the distress of his people and of the whole community. The city knew that there was a Lutheran Church active in its midst. Until this time, Passavant was committed to the revivalist measures that characterized much of Protestantism of the time. A trip to Europe in the summer of 1846 opened his eyes to a kind of Lutheranism that he had never known: confessional, liturgical, and active in social ministry. He brought these ideas home with him and changed the character of First Church.

He established the first Protestant hospital in the United States and brought the deaconess movement to America. In 1850 the first American deaconess was consecrated in the Seventh Avenue Church. He founded Thiel College as well as seminaries and institutions of mercy across the country. He resigned his pastorate in 1855 in order to give himself fully to these manifold interests. His successor, Charles Porterfield Krauth, was equally illustrious. He was a scholar whose brief pastorate here, 1855-1859, brightened by his warmth and humor, established life-long friendships. He left Pittsburgh for Philadelphia where he was editor of The Lutheran, then a scholarly and respected journal of theological thought and comment. When the Lutheran Seminary at Philadelphia was founded to teach confessional and liturgical Lutheranism, he was named professor, and at the same time he was professor of Moral Philosophy at the University of Pennsylvania. He was the greatest American theologian of his time. The angel font in First Church is his memorial here; in Philadelphia his memorial is the Krauth Library on the campus of the Lutheran Seminary. His enormous and wide-ranging library was the foundation of its collection.

The Rev. Dr. Philip H. Pfatteicher Associate Pastor

Visit The Crèche Across Grant Street

The world’s only authorized replica of the crèche that graces St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican is located directly across Grant Street from First Lutheran Church in the US Steel Plaza. With all the commercialization of this holy season and in the midst of a secular downtown business community, the crèche proclaims the true message of Christmas. Make a point to visit it and to pray. Weather permitting, we will conclude the liturgies of Christmas Day, December 27, January 3, and January 6, with a procession across Grant Street for devotion at the crèche.

Congregation Meeting December 6

Our semi-annual Congregation Meeting will be held at 9:45 AM on Sunday, December 6 in the nave of the church. The sole purpose of this December meeting is to take action on the Congregation Council’s Proposal for Ministry, 2010. This proposal (budget) has been developed with the involvement of parish committees, staff, and the Council itself. All Voting Members are urged to be present. Voting Members are defined as those members of the congregation who have communed and made a contribution of record in the past year.

First Church Alert

The holy season of Advent is upon us...a time of anticipation, preparation, and expectation. Our

hymns, liturgical music, and anthems focus upon the prophets' words of hope in the coming of the Savior. It is a blessed, wonderful time in the life of the Church. Our Parish Choir, youth choristers, and handbell ensemble are currently preparing music for Advent and Christmas. We are blessed with gifted and dedicated parish musicians who willingly offer time and talents in God's service. This is our duty and delight! Veni, Emmanuel!

Special Advent Concert

An Afternoon of Music for Organ, Harpsichord, and Violin: First Church's "Laudate Dominum" series is pleased to announce a very special Advent concert. On Sunday, December 13 at 4:00 PM, we will host Susan Ferre and Carrie Erdely in concert. Works by Bach, Dandrieu, Langlais, and Dupre will be featured. Susan Ferre maintains an active concert career having performed widely in Europe, including three visits to Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, Scandinavia, Brazil, Canada, and throughout the United States. She has served the faculties of Pacific Lutheran University, Southern Methodist University, University of North Texas, and the University of Paris at Vincennes. For more than twenty years, Ms. Ferre directed the Texas Baroque ensemble which brought distinction to the performances of little known works on original instruments. A Fulbright Scholar, she holds the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of North Texas. She has completed

many recordings of organ works. First Lutheran Church member, Carrie Erdely, attended Carnegie Mellon and Duquesne Universities, and earned a Master's degree in Violin Performance. She teaches at the Pittsburgh Music Academy and serves as Head of the String Department. She plays in the Wheeling, Youngstown, and McKeesport Symphonies, and teaches privately. Plan now to attend this afternoon of beautiful music. A reception will follow the concert.

German Christmas Service

A German Christmas Service will take place on Sunday, December 20 at 4:0 PM. Pastor Horst Bandle will preside. Festive German Christmas music will be featured. This year, the Gloria Dei Ringers will ring German carols for handbells. The Pittsburgh Posaunenchor (a trombone quintet) will also enhance the liturgy, and German solos and carols will be sung.

Cynthia

Pock, AAGO, n.Obl ECST

Cantor

��Enjoy Downtown Pittsburgh During

The Holiday Season

The economic vitality of downtown Pittsburgh matters to our metropolitan region. We take delight in seeing that new housing is under construction and our downtown schools and universities are expanding. There are always new restaurants in the Golden Triangle, the offerings of the Cultural District are outstanding, and while retail business has suffered some major losses, downtown still offers terrific shopping. Our community is an exciting place to be. It is especially exciting during the holidays. Colorful decorations and seasonal displays are everywhere. Department store windows are an annual delight. Parking rates are reduced in the evenings and on weekends and many downtown businesses offer help in reducing them even further. Our city is wonderfully inviting at this time of year. Pittsburgh is the city we love and where we are called to minister. Downtown Pittsburgh is our neighborhood. It is beautiful, vibrant, and safe. We are proud of what it offers and we encourage you to support its economic life. Make downtown a part of your holiday tradition.

First Church Alert

From The Director of Christian Education and Youth Ministry

As Christians, we are beginning a new year. While much of the

world starts their calendars on January 1, we start our calendar on the first Sunday of Advent. We begin each year by preparing for Christ. In Preparing for Jesus: Meditations on the Coming of Christ, Advent, Christmas and the Kingdom, Walt Wangerin writes “For nearly one thousand five hundred years Christians have spent the days of Advent not in passive inaction, but in activities strenuous and profitable: they have prepared themselves by scrubbing and cleaning their lives, by examining and repairing their souls – even as people generally prepare themselves body and home to receive a visitor of ineffable importance.” Together, we set aside these four weeks to prepare our hearts to receive the great mystery of Christ, who was born of the Virgin Mary and is coming again at the end of days. So how can we prepare for him? We can prepare for this mystery by entering the story once again. The tradition of the Jesse Tree is one way to enter anew the biblical story each day of Advent. On the first Sunday of Advent, November 29, everyone is invited to an Advent Festival at 9:45 AM in Holy Cross Hall. At this Festival, each household will receive everything they need to assemble a Jesse Tree at home. If you are not familiar with the Jesse Tree, this tradition is based on Isaiah 11:1: “A shoot will spring forth from the stump of Jesse, and a branch out of his roots.” It is a vehicle to tell the story of God in the Old Testament and to connect the advent season with God’s faithfulness for 4,000 years of history.

For each day of Advent, there is a symbol that recalls a story from the Bible. These symbols serve as ornaments for your Jesse Tree. The branch is a biblical sign of newness and was an Old Testament image for the expected Messiah (Jeremiah 23:5). Similarly, the tree also became an image of Christ, the Messiah who was crucified on the tree for the salvation of the world. With the Jesse Tree, we enter again the stories of God’s faithfulness from the Old Testament and from the gospels that proclaim the birth of the Messiah, the Son of God. As we use the Jesse Tree in our homes, we could use our Christmas trees - or perhaps another piece of greenery, a banner, or another tree-shaped frame - decorating them with the symbol ornaments you will receive on November 29. And as we decorate the tree with these ornaments, we can turn to the corresponding Bible stories. As I mentioned in my article last month, what many of us hope for most is being able to read and discuss the Bible across generations. For the Advent and Christmas season, the Jesse Tree provides the opportunity to do just this. Let’s begin our new year by reading Scripture together and preparing our hearts for the coming of Christ.

Yours in Christ,

Cora L.. Weiland

Director of Christian Education and Youth Ministry

P.S. If you are not able to come to the Advent Festival, there will be extra Jesse Tree ornaments available before or after November 29. Please contact me at 412-471-8125 or [email protected], and I will set them aside for you. Additional resources for Advent: For children, there is a beautifully-illustrated story book titled The Jesse Tree by Geraldine McCaughrean. For adults, there is a brief devotional titled The Jesse Tree: Stories and Symbols of Advent. For children as they light the advent wreath: Waiting for Noel: An Advent Story by Anne Dixon. Two other excellent reflections on the Advent and Christmas season: Watch for the Light: Readings for Advent and Christmas and God With Us: Rediscovering the Meaning of Christmas.

SAVE THE DATE!

Camp Downtown Winter Event

ICE FEST

Saturday, February 27, 2010

First Church Alert

The Christian Education Committee invites EVERYONE to an intergenerational Advent Festival on Sunday, November 29 at 9:45 AM in Holy Cross Hall. Come and learn about the Advent tradition of the Jesse Tree and how you can keep this tradition at home throughout the season. There will be refreshments and time for fellowship, too!

PLEASE NOTE: There will be no Sunday Church School Sunday, December 27 and Sunday, January 3.

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� � � � �� Cookie Walk

Sunday, December 13

During the Sunday School Hour and following the 11:00 AM liturgy in Holy Cross Hall. Don’t worry about the baking for the holidays! Do “the cookie walk” and choose a variety of homemade cookies for $5.00 per dozen.

Youth Group Caroling Party Saturday, December 19

The youth group will gather at 3:00 PM at First Church, break into groups to go caroling, and return to First Church around 6:00 PM for a light supper and

hot chocolate. Please sign up in the Parish House and indicate who can drive and who can bring / serve food and drinks. This is a much-anticipated youth event that brings smiles to our homebound members and our enthusiastic youth! Singing ability not required! Santa hats and jingle bells are a plus! Questions? Please contact Gail Carl at 412-571-9239 or [email protected] or Linda Gentile at 412-371-1022 or [email protected]

Keep the Youth Group in mind as you prepare for Christmas

The Second Annual “Advent Promise in Pittsburgh” Speaker

Series Individuals and agencies meeting

the needs of our city

For three Sundays in Advent, the Adult Sunday School Class will welcome guests from ministries and nonprofit organizations that are part of the Downtown Ministerium. December 6 The Rev. Mark Hall, Assistant Rector Shepherd’s Heart Fellowship

December 13 The Downtown Ministerium’s Walk-In Ministry

Mary Lou Procacina, program coordinator and First Church’s Administrative Secretary, and Janet Wozar, First Church member and volunteer counselor

December 20 Lois Mufuka Martin, Executive Director Bethlehem Haven

The Patriarchs

The Bread of Heaven Bible Study Class will continue their study of the “Founding Fathers” of our faith. Anne Harmon is using the combined approaches to Bible Study we discussed in “Opening the Book of Faith” to consider the Patriarchs with fresh eyes. What do their lives tell us about the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob? Do their triumphs and tragedies have meaning for our lives today? Whether you’ve been participating in this study throughout the fall or you’re attending for the first time, join the conversation to explore the lives of those who first received God’s everlasting promises. Bread of Heaven meets at 9:45 AM in the C. P. Krauth classroom.

Mark Your Calendars for Two Great Winter Events

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Sunday, January 31 Following the 11:00 AM liturgy, come and enjoy a musical by the children and young people of First Church and a pancake luncheon by the Youth Group. It is sure to be an entertaining afternoon!

Theologians-in-Residence Weekend

Saturday, February 6 Sunday, February 7

First Church welcomes two faculty members from the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg - Dr. Brooks Schramm, Associate Professor Biblical Studies and Dr. Kirsi Stjerna, Associate Professor of Reformation Church History and Director of the Institute for Luther Studies, to be our teachers for the weekend. On Saturday, Dr. Schramm and Dr. Stjerna will offer presentations on the Psalms and other prayers in the Old Testament and Luther and prayer. On Sunday, the two will lead a discussion about theological education in the Adult Sunday School Class and Dr. Schramm will preach. Watch for further details about this special weekend in the next Alert.

Adult Education

First Church Alert

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First Lutheran Church is a beautiful house of worship. That is especially true at Christmas. Each year, the task of decorating the church for our celebration of the Savior’s Birth falls to the Altar Guild and a very small group of volunteers. A handful of people do a big job. We need help! We need more of our members would pitch in. It does not take long. About three hours of work is required on the morning of Saturday, December 19, beginning at 9:00 AM. No special skills are required. Everyone is welcome.

German Christmas Service Offered

Our annual German Christmas service with lessons, carols, and preaching will be celebrated on Sunday, December 20 at 4:00 PM. The Rev. Horst H. Bandle, pastor-in-residence at First Church and pastor to Pittsburgh’s German community, will serve as the presiding minister and preacher. The service is structured around Luther’s hymn, “From Heaven Above.” It will feature special music by the Pittsburgh “Posaunenchor” (brass choir) and the Gloria Dei Ringers, as well as traditional German carols. This German celebration of Christmas is an integral part of the ministry of First Church. It is one of several services we annually offer for the German community of metropolitan Pittsburgh. We delight in welcoming guests to this celebration of our Lord’s birth and in hosting them at an informal reception following the service. Everyone is welcome.

2009 Record Of Contributions Closes On

December 31

The record of financial contributions to First Lutheran Church in 2009 will close on December 31. Offerings and gifts received after that date will be credited to giving in 2010. An unfortunate fact of recent history is that at this time of year we inevitably seem to have a significant deficit to overcome. Now is the time to fulfill pledges of support. Now is also a good time to make special year-end gifts for our ministry. Gifts, over and above regular contributions, enable us to reduce the deficit for the current year and enter the New Year on a more sound financial footing. As always, the financial gifts of members and friends are always deeply appreciated.

The Feast Of The Epiphany Of Our Lord

The Christmas season ends with the celebration of The Epiphany of Our Lord on Wednesday, January 6, 2010. The Epiphany story recounts the visit of the Magi to the Infant Christ, their adoration of the Holy Child, and their offering of lavish gifts: gold, incense, and myrrh. The Bible tells us that these wise men were “from the east.” They are recognized as gentiles, not as Jews. The Epiphany, therefore, celebrates the manifestation of the Infant Christ to the whole world and not to the people of Israel alone. Epiphany is a major festival of the Church Year and we intend to give it the attention is deserves. In addition to our

regular Noonday liturgy at 12:10 PM, we will mark the day with a full liturgical celebration of the Holy Eucharist at 7:00 PM. Weather permitting, the liturgy will end with one last procession to the crèche.

Thank you to...

AMY HANSMANN & PATTI SCHMIDT for coordinating the Family Circus Birthday Party for Martin Luther. THE SOCIAL MINISTRY COMMITTEE for stocking shelves and bagging groceries in the Food Pantry, AND for hosting the Fair Trade Luncheon on November 8. KATHY SLOSKY & JIM GRUESER FOR COLATING, LABELING AND PREPARING The Alert for mailing. BETTY SIMKO for straightening the pews and replenishing the offering envelopes and visitor cards. WALK-IN MINISTRY TEAM

Janet Bandle Alma Bucher Betty Cassler Carl Cassler Jan Kirk Karen Larson Tom Weber Beatrice Weimer Janet Wozar

HOWARD FRIDAY for coordinating the Adult Fellowship Group Mystery Dinner at the Spaghetti Warehouse on November 6.

First Church Alert

THE PARISH OFFICE WILL BE CLOSED

Friday, December 25 Thursday, December 31

Friday, January 1

A Note Of Appreciation From Lauren Milisits

November 1, 2009 Dear First Lutheran Church, Thank you so much for the care package I received a few days ago! It was definitely a surprise pick up the package and read the sender line saying, “First Lutheran Church.” It means a lot to know that you haven't forgotten about me when I went off to college, even if I am only blocks from home. The candy and treats were very much appreciated and will help keep me up during the late hours when I’m studying and finishing my piles of homework. Also, thanks for the school supplies! I can always use an extra Sharpie, and the Post-It tabs have helped me to keep track of my pages in my text books. School is going pretty well for me. Classes are tough and a lot of work, but it’s totally worth it. The late night study sessions and stressful moments when I don’t understand something all seem necessary when I do finally learn a new topic and earn a good grade on a test. I don’t think college, or CMU in general, would be worth it if I didn’t have to constantly struggle and work for everything. Aside from classes, I joined Delta Delta Delta sorority (officially initiated last Thursday) and I am also the buggy driver for Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. We’re (Delta Delta Delta) doing a lot of philanthropy events this year to raise money for Saints Jude’s so I will keep you updated on some of the fundraising events that go on during the year if anyone is interested in helping out. Also, if anyone ever goes to Carnegie Mellon’s Spring Carnival, I expect you to come check out Tri-Delta’s booth and come cheer me on in the buggy races! Overall, I love college. It’s been a fun experience so far and the people and friends that I have been meeting and making are great. I’ll “be home” over Thanksgiving break in 3 1/2 weeks, so I’ll definitely be at church then. Thanks again so much for the care package! I definitely appreciate you guys still thinking about me and sending me all of the goodies. They’ll probably be gone in a few days!

First Church Alert

Book Club News

THE DAYTIME BOOK CLUB will meet Thursday, December 10 at 12:00 noon at the home of Anne Harmon to discuss the book, The Year Of Living Biblically by A. J. Jacobs. All are welcome.

Our Friends At Holy Virgin Russian Orthodox Church

Invite you to

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Saturday, December 12 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM

Featuring homemade

Award winning Pierogies Kolbassi

Soups Fire Roasted Chicken

And more!

Eat in or take home! Chinese Auction!

Holy Virgin Russian Orthodox Church

214 Mansfield Blvd. Carnegie, PA 412-276-6234

LITURGICAL CALENDARS for 2010 are now available for $2.00 from the Parish Office.

Angel Tree

First Church, in cooperation with Trinity Lutheran (Northside) will gather

gifts for children in need. Many of these children receive no gifts other than the ones we provide. Look for the Angel Tree to appear within the next couple of weeks. Gifts are due back no later than Sunday, December

Cookies Are Needed For Two Events!

The Social Ministry Committee will be adding cookies to our Christmas Cheer Box gifts for homebound members. The cookies (please, no nuts) should be brought in before Friday, December 18. The Cheer Boxes will be assembled on Saturday, December 19 from 9:00 AM to 12:00 Noon.

Cookies are also needed for the reception that will follow the German Christmas Service, on Sunday, December 20, at 4:00 PM.

If you are willing to bake cookies, help assemble cheer boxes, or deliver them, please sign up on the sheet in the Parish House or contact the Parish Office (412-471-8125; [email protected])

You are Invited

Adult /Young Adult Fellowship Group

Please bring an appetizer, side dish or salad. Beverages will be provided along with the “famous” Susan Bruder desserts!

Sign up in the Parish House or contact the Parish Office

(412-471-8125; [email protected].) by Monday, December 7

Advent/Christmas Party

Friday, December 11 at 7:00 PM

First Church Alert CHRISTMAS 2009 POINSETTIAS ORDER FORM

Please order poinsettias NOW.

The cut-off date is Sunday, December 6

Poinsettia(s) at $8.50 each $ Enclosed Will pick up plant(s) following Christmas Eve Service Yes No Signed

Please make check payable to “First Lutheran Church.” Orders may be placed in the offering plate or sent to the attention of Mary Lou Procacina in the First Church Office (615 Grant St., Pittsburgh, PA 15219)

Please Print: In memory of In honor of In celebration of

2009 MUSIC GIFTS

If you wish to make a special gift to First Lutheran Church to support our Music Ministry, including special music for Christmas, please complete this form and send it with your check made payable to “First Lutheran Church” to: First Lutheran Church, 615 Grant Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219

You may also drop off the form and payment in the church office.

Enclosed is $ in support of the Music Ministry of First Lutheran Church. Signed Address I request the following acknowledgment be noted as appropriate in special music event bulletins. This information must be received by Friday, December 11 for acknowledgment to appear in the bulletin. Please Print: In memory of In honor of In celebration of

I am not currently on your mailing list.

Please send me information about upcoming music events.

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CONGREGATION COUNCIL

JANET KING, PRESIDENT HOWARD P. FRIDAY, JR., VICE PRESIDENT PETER VAN SICKEL, SCERETARY JAMES NEALON, TREASURER BEA HERBECK BELNAP DAVID R. CARL NANCY HEADRICK SAMANTHA KILGOUR AMY MEHTA JOSEPH OTT RANDY RAINEY STEPHAN ROTH MELISSA STROM THOMAS WEBER MARGARET WOLFRAM �

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Published monthly except the Lenten and Summer issues

Editor: Mrs. Mary Louise Procacina <[email protected]>

Copy deadline: 10th of each month

FIRST CHURCH STAFF

The Rev. David P. Gleason, Senior Pastor The Rev. Philip H. Pfatteicher, Associate Pastor Ms. Cynthia A. Pock, AAGO, Cantor Mrs. Cora Lazor Weiland, Director of Christian Education & Youth Ministry Mr. André Bierman, Tenor Soloist Mrs. Mary Louise Procacina, Administrative Secretary Ms. Mary Diego, Financial Secretary Ms. Christine G. Hoffman, Parish Secretary Mr. Daniel J. Scully, Building Manager Mrs. Margaret J. Lanyon, Housekeeper

FIRST ENGLISH EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH 615 Grant Street Pittsburgh, PA 15219

Phone: 412.471.8125 Fax: 412.471.9521 E-Mail Address: [email protected] Website: flcpittsburgh.org

Nonprofit Organization U.S. POSTAGE

PAID PERMIT NO. 899

PITTSBURGH, PA

the holy season of advent prepare the way of the lord 2009.pdffirst english evangelical lutheran...

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