Palm Sunday, April 9 @ 11AM in the Sanctuary
Emerging Worship. Palms will wave, the Praise Ensemble will lead us in making a joyful noise, and the events of the first Palm Sunday parade will be remembered. We will listen to an interesting encounter within the family that gave up their donkey so Jesus would have something to ride into Jerusalem. Wednesday, April 12 @ 7PM in the Lounge Lenten Discussion Group. The last of this 6-week journey enriching our lives as disciples by focusing on the virtue of forgiveness in our relationships. Maundy Thursday, April 13 @ 7PM in the Gathering Place Jesus was born, raised, and died a Jew. The Christian church is an offshoot of Judaism. The misunderstanding, rancor, and blood-letting that has occurred between Jews and Christians is one of Satan’s greatest victories. In our own humble way, we will attempt to cross that divide on evening of Maundy Thursday. The worship service will be patterned after the Seder meal our Jewish brothers and sisters share on Passover. We will conclude with a celebration of Holy Communion. This service will take place in groupings gathered around tables in the Gathering Place. Good Friday, April 14 @ 7PM in the Sanctuary On the evening of Good Friday, you are urged to become part of the somber and meaningful time of worship when we will walk through the darkest hours in the lives of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The service is muted, the lights are low, the singing is reflective. We will honor and praise the God who loves us so much that he sacrificed himself for us. Easter Sunday, April 16 @ 11AM in the Sanctuary Easter Sunday. The morning it all began. Lift up your voices – sing and rejoice with us! Life overcomes death. Hope overcomes despair. The future is brighter than bright. Rejoice with us. Commune with us. Worship with us. TIFFIN (Ohio) – The Concert Choir and the Chamber Singers, the premiere choral ensembles of Heidelberg University’s School of Music and Theatre, will perform at First Presbyterian Church of Edgewood, 120 E. Swissvale Ave., in Pittsburgh as part of their annual spring tour.
The concert is scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday, May 15. Under the direction of Dr. Greg Ramsdell, director of choral activities and associate professor of choral music education, the 50-member vocal ensemble will present a concert with the theme “Up.” Through its repertoire, the choir will explore the many diverse meanings of “up” – a small and unassuming word that is rich in nuance. The first half of the concert will depict a journey of the soul that begins with hope and longing and progresses through fulfillment, adoration, prayer for deliverance and praise. The texts for the second half trace a voyage of the spirit from cries of victory and anguish to acceptance in the face of loss. “Whether or not the relationship of each piece to today’s concert theme is readily apparent, we hope there will be no question that each piece of music on the program has been expertly wedded to inspiring texts of universal appeal,” Ramsdell said. Several selections feature solos or accompaniment by students from the choir. Featured soloists include Heather DeJonge on piano, Alexis Cook and Cedric Robinson on violin, Will Sweeney on viola and Teddy Berger on percussion. Since its inception in 1938, the Concert Choir has achieved the distinction of being one of the premier collegiate choral ensembles in the Midwest. Open to all Heidelberg students, regardless of major, the Concert Choir rehearses three times each week and performs more than 15 concerts each year, including a domestic tour and a performance of Handel's “Messiah” as part of Heidelberg’s Christmas concert at Tiffin’s Ritz Theatre for the Performing Arts. Ramsdell is in his sixth year as the Concert Choir’s director. In addition to his conducting responsibilities, he teaches undergraduate courses in conducting and secondary choral methods. He also teaches graduate courses in curriculum development, research in music education, music theory, and choral arranging. Ramsdell received his undergraduate and graduate degrees in music education from Bowling Green State University. In 2006, he earned his doctorate in choral conducting performance from the University of Kansas. Prior to joining the Heidelberg faculty, Ramsdell taught junior high general music and oversaw a large junior high and high school choral music program in Greenville, Pa. He also taught at Westminster College in Pennsylvania and at the University of Central Arkansas. The concert is free and open to the public. A freewill offering will be taken in order to offset the choir’s travel expenses. Hi everyone,
It has been a while since I served a church with such a healthy relationship with a scout troop. Thanks to Charlie Huse, Amanda Smith, Liz Held, and John Foster, the FPCE and Scout Troop 23 relationship is strong. This Sunday the Scouts and their families will join us for worship. The Scouts will help during the service in a variety of ways. The Scouts model for us what Jesus means when he says – “You are the light of the world….you are the salt of the earth….” I will talk about that idea during the sermon. We will celebrate the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper as well. See you Sunday, Pastor Michael Click below to view a PDF of the narrative sections of the 2016 FPCE Annual Report, which will be distributed to the congregation at this morning's annual meeting. ![]()
Please come and join us Sunday January 1st for our regular worship service (11:00 AM).
It isn’t very often that we get to spend the first hours of the first day of a new year with our cherished church family. I can’t think of a better way to start it out! Come and sing some songs, share some stories, and let joy ring anew in your heart! Does anyone know what “Auld Lang Syne” means? Any good Presbyterian should know. Come and find out this weekend. Grace and Peace, Jeff p.s. Adult Sunday School is NOT happening. We will pick up next week with the book of Obadiah. Congregational Meeting
Sunday, December 11 This serves as official notice that we will conduct a congregational meeting immediately after worship on Sunday, December 11. At this meeting you’ll get a chance to see and comment on the 2017 budget before it is formally adopted by the session. We also will elect officers to the class of 2017, allowing new officers to attend their January meetings, and then they’ll be installed at a later date. The Session values your input and seeks to be responsible stewards of your money. Copies of the proposed budget will be available at least one week prior to the meeting. Please make every effort to attend this meeting. Call for 2015 Reports On Sunday, January 29 immediately following worship, the Annual Meeting of the Congregation will be held to receive the approved 2017 budget and ministry team reports. If you are the staff member, chair or secretary of a ministry team or organization within the church, please have your narrative report into the church office by January 22. It can be given in hard copy or e-mailed to Judy at [email protected]. ![]() I am always humbled by the brothers and sisters who take time each day to “do their devotions.” My mother led her five children in devotions many mornings before we walked up the hill to Belle Stone Elementary School. I was not impressed with her commitment until I got older. Mom, in her quiet steadfastness, introduced her children to an important spiritual discipline. We were Methodists, so Mom turned to The Upper Room for inspiration. Over the years, I have explored a wide variety of resources to start my day on the right foot. One evening, as I browsed through the devotional literature shelf at Barnes and Noble, I picked up a piece that intrigued me - One Hundred Blessings Every Day: Exercises for Personal Growth and Renewal Reflecting the Seasons of the Jewish Year. I like it. Not only do I gain understanding of the unique Jewish calendar, but I am inspired by reflections of our Jewish brethren. And Jesus was born, raised, and died a Jew. The autumn season here in the United States corresponds to the Jewish month called Tishrei, which means “to begin.” The first day of the month of Tishrei is Rosh-Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. It stirs my soul to think that Jesus celebrated these holy days as he grew up. Our Advent (synonyms would be arrival, emergence, dawn, birth, rise) has much in common with the Jewish New Year. The Jewish symbol for the month of Tishrei is a scale. A scale represents the idea of balance. This image caused me to reflect. As we wend our way through the years we are given, it is remarkably, predictably true that our lives become unbalanced. Too many demands. Too much to do. Too much information. Too many temptations. Too many lies. Too much “this world” and not enough of “God’s world.” Advent is a time for us to step back, step away from the scary, divisive times we are in and check out our balance. I won’t speak for you, but my life is often out of balance. Advent is a time for me to rediscover that for every mistake I make, there is mercy. For every sin I commit, there is forgiveness. For every despairing thought, there is the grace of a long-suffering and everlastingly loving God. Advent is the time to find my balance, to repent, to turn toward God. As one ancient Jewish Rabbi named Vilna put it, “Each day should be a new experience. Each day we have the opportunity of a fresh start. Each person who repents is like a newborn child.” Or, as another ancient Jewish prophet put it, “Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.” May the peace of Christ which surpasses all understanding be with you. Pastor Michael ![]()
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![]() The Music Ministry of the First Presbyterian Church of Edgewood is proud to host the annual Women's Choral Festival for the 3rd consecutive year. This event brings together female vocal ensembles from the Pittsburgh and surrounding areas in an afternoon full of music. The concert is free and open to the public. This year's festival will take place on Sunday, November 13 at 3:00PM in the FPCE Sanctuary. Choirs participating for 2016 include: University of Pittsburgh Women's Choral Ensemble Duquesne University Pappert Women's Chorale Belle Voci Community Women's Choir Fox Chapel Area High School Vulpes Cantantes ("Singing Foxes") Mt. Lebanong High School Triple Trio Doors open at 2:30. Parking is limited. ![]() AN ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20 THE MINISTRY OF FPCE ENTERS ITS 125TH YEAR We are planning a big celebration and would like you to be part of it! On Sunday, November 20, we will honor the 125th Anniversary of this church of Jesus Christ. In 1891, Benjamin Harrison was in the second year of his first and only term as President of the United States, trouble was brewing between Carnegie Steel and the Amalgamated Iron and Steel Workers Union in Homestead, PA, the spelling of Pittsburgh was changed to Pittsburg, the legendary Connie Mack was behind the plate for the Pirates; the borough of Edgewood was three years old, and the First Presbyterian Church of Edgewood held its first worship service on Sunday, December 20 in a frame structure on Edgewood Avenue between Elm and Maple Streets. Much has changed since 1891. Years of happiness and sorrow, tragedy and celebration, good times and bad unfolded beneath the gaze of an Almighty and Merciful God. Yet through it all, Jesus Christ, the Alpha and Omega, who is the same yesterday, today, and forever, held his church in his heart. That heart continues to pound with love for the Edgewood community, this congregation, and the church universal. In that love is our hope. On Sunday November 20, we will give thanks and praise to God for the 125th Anniversary Celebration of the ministry and mission of the First Presbyterian Church of Edgewood. The worship service will be filled with lovely music, at least one pastor who served FPCE in the past, and a Celebration of Holy Communion. During the catered luncheon, we will hear from other previous pastors, listen to some of the fascinating stories from our past (Rhonda Apessos has become the church historian), and have an opportunity to take a couple of tours of the church building. We very much hope that you will be able to join us for worship and the luncheon to follow. PLEASE RSVP BY CALLING THE CHURCH OFFICE AT 412-241-4613. |
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