“God Knows What You Have Been Going Through. . .” Experience Holy Week at First Church

The HOPE…

Palm Sunday, March 16. Do you ever get butterflies in your stomach when you are about to do something you know will hurt you? Admitting a mistake to a friend, coming up short on a deadline, heading into a bad performance review, going in for a dangerous surgery? How do you prepare yourself for those types of events in your life. What strengths do you draw upon and what hopes do you cling to? Jesus’ ultimate example of drawing hope and gaining strength is celebrated each year on Palm Sunday. Join us this year as we journey through the various emotions of a triumphant entrance to a seemingly bleak ending. We will explore through music, scripture, prayer, and more. Our celebration of Palm Sunday will include rich anthems with our Chancel Choir and strings, deep reflective prayers, and spiritual explorations. You are invited to journey with us.

The FEAR. . .

Wednesday March 19, 6:30 p.m. Seder Meal

If it weren’t for a few turns in this ancient ritual family meal, the Holy Week Seder might seem like any other Passover. But to the traditional celebration of being brought out of slavery by the ‘blood of the lamb’ and brought safely through the Red Sea waters, Jesus adds the prediction of his own dangerous journey and ultimate sacrifice. Join the Open Table Community for a Seder celebration with Hebrew chanting, special music, and a traditional Seder meal. Reservations 412.681.4222.

The BETRAYAL. . .

Maundy Thursday, March 20, 7:30 p.m. As we experience the Last Supper, the betrayal with a kiss, and the reality of Tenebrae (darkness/shadows), we will become mindful of all the “friends” who gather at the table both then and now. We will open ourselves to experience life’s pain and brokenness and prepare to wait with repentance, humility, perseverance, and compassion for God’s healing and wholeness.

The LOSS…

Good Friday, March 21. Seven Stations. Five Hours. One Christ. Sometimes the grieving process takes a lot of silence and reflection. How do you respond to your inner discoveries as you mourn? On Good Friday our sanctuary will be open from 12:00 noon until 3:00 p.m., then again from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Seven stations will be set up throughout the room to help us dig deeper into our understanding of the “Seven Last Words of Christ.” At each station will be an opportunity for you to respond to your understanding in some way. Reflective music will be offered every 10 minutes in between moments of silent meditation. Children are encouraged to attend and a special host will be available during the evening session to help you and your children think about the meaning of this story at the children's level. We invite you to share this time with us.

The LOVE. . .

EASTER SUNDAY, March 23. A love that saves us from the fear of death and gives us the promise of new life is something to celebrate! On Easter Sunday morning, we will be sharing our joy with an Easter Party in the narthex, sanctuary, and library. (Unless, of course, the weather is good....then we will be outside.) Each activity is designed to bring you and your family closer to the promise of the Easter story. Games, crafts, food, and music begin at 9:30 a.m. Easter egg hunt will be at 10:00 a.m.

At 11:00 a.m., we gather in the sanctuary to continue our celebration of resurrection and God’s victory. We will affirm the gift of God’s transforming presence today and look with hope to tomorrow knowing that the risen Christ goes before us. A brass ensemble as well as our Chancel Choir will help us swell the power of our praise. Mark 16:1-8 is the foundational text for Pastor Wilson’s sermon: “Easter: Here and Now.”

Renovations Phase One—Church Conference March 9

The scope of work for Phase One of our building renovation and plan for funding will be presented to the Church Conference immediately following worship in the sanctuary on Sunday, March 9. The Leadership Council and the Pittsburgh District Buildings and Lands Committee have both unanimously endorsed the proposal. All members of First United Methodist Church of Pittsburgh are entitled to both voice and vote at a Church Conference. Rev. Donald Scandrol, our District Superintendent, will preside. Plan to join us for this exciting day.

Rev. Cynthia Wynton-Henry, Co-founder of InterPlay,

in Residence at FUMC March 8 and 9

If the winter has you feeling boxed in and listless, here’s your chance to burst free:

What is InterPlay?

InterPlay has been called a playshop (as opposed to a workshop) where people discover and enjoy their inner child, where we delight in our own creativity, and engage the creativity of others. Exhilarating! InterPlay breaks down barriers between people and gently opens up their positive energies. It has been used to bring diverse groups together, to clear the tension in the workplace, and to bring the fullness of our humanity into worship. Thanks to the friendship between our church and Sheila Collins, director of InterPlay Pittsburgh, we are fortunate to be the host church for Rev. Wynton-Henry's visit to Pittsburgh. You have three opportunities to participate:

Saturday, March 8, 2008, 9:30 a.m – 12 Noon: Move, Play, Perform, Lead

Cynthia Wynton-Henry and Betsy Wetzig

Two captivating women authors/teachers /dancers will help you explore your body wisdom and the physicality of effective leadership, satisfying relationships, and peak performance. Discover your natural preferences and how to move yourself and others to more ease, grace, and balance. Autographed copies of Betsy’s new book, Move to Greatness, and Cynthia’s book, What The Body Wants, will be available for purchase. Fee: $45. To register, call 412.223.2536.

Sunday, March 9, Seekers Class, 9:30 a.m.

Rev. Wynton-Henry will share the theological basis for InterPlay and introduce us to the breadth of the work which began as a liturgical dance but soon overflowed the chancel and moved into people's workplaces and community spaces. Cynthia and her co-creator, Phil Porter, have traveled around the world bringing InterPlay forms to situations needing healing and joy.

Sunday, March 9, Worship Offering, 11:00 a.m.

Pittsburgh's own InterPlay Troupe, “A Wing and a Prayer Players” under the direction of Sheila Collins, will join Cynthia in our sanctuary for a worship offering. Watch for faith, relationship, joy, and creativity to unfold in our chancel.

Want To Know More About What Is Going On??

Then check out the new calendar on the website. This is the official calendar of our church, and it is updated almost daily. If an event is underlined, click on the event to learn more details. This will also be one means to communicate when our erratic weather causes a cancellation—if an event is cancelled, it will be immediately noted on the calendar.

Bake Ethnic Breads for Our Easter Breakfast

Do you know your heritage? Would you like to know what kind of Easter symbolism your fore-bakers employed in their kitchens to represent Easter? The Christian Education Committee is inviting you to find an ethnic recipe and bake a loaf or two of Easter bread to share with our community at our Easter Party breakfast. To share who we are with each other and our visitors, a photograph of your baking team and a description of the bread’s symbolism should accompany your creation. The breads will be offered at the main entrance to our sanctuary 9:30-10:30 a.m. on Easter morning to celebrate Christ’s RISING from the dead.

Seekers Class Schedule for March

March 2 - Rev. Keith Kaufold will be sharing his ministry with the 8th Avenue Ministry in Homestead. Keith has just been appointed as a Full Time Local Pastor in this Methodist coffee house ministry with people "from the street" in this old, industrial community. The small building is located at the Homestead end of the Homestead Grays Bridge (High Level Bridge). Come and share his enthusiasm for a John Wesley type street ministry.

March 9 - Cynthia Wynton-Henry, Co-Founder of InterPlay International, and the Pittsburgh “Wing and a Prayer Players” will be special guests. They will also lead us in “Embodied Worship” at the 11:00 a.m. worship. Their leadership is underwritten by our Worship Renewal Grant from the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, Grand Rapids, Michigan, with funds provided by Lilly Endowment, Inc.

March 16 - Palm Sunday. We will have a group Bible Study on the text of Matthew 21:1-11, which is one of the accounts of the Palm Sunday journey.

March 23 - Easter Sunday. All classes will join in an Easter celebration.

March 30 - Results of the Open Table Retreat will be shared. Bob Wilson, Gail Ransom, and Tim Coles will provide leadership.

Empty Bowls on March 9

The 13^th annual collaboration to benefit Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank and Just Harvest is Sunday, March 9, 2:00 – 5:00 p.m., at Rodef Shalom Congregation. The program at this simple meal of bread and soup includes celebrity guests, children’s activities, live music, ceramic art and auction, and soup to go. Parking is available behind the temple. See information on our bulletin board. Contact 412.431.8930, www.pittsburghfoodbank.org or www.justharvest.org .

Bread for the World

Bread for the World will host its Western PA Advocacy Training Workshop at First Church on Sunday, March 9, from 2:00-5:00 p.m. Along with our Bread for the World team, you are invited to participate to learn more about Bread for the World and how we, as a covenant church, can become more involved. Brochures concerning this workshop are on the table outside of the office door.

Open Table Worship Gatherings Creatively Embrace Our Lenten Themes

Those gathering on Wednesday evenings are deepening their encounter with our church-wide Lenten themes: Humility, Compassion, Perseverance, Obedience, Sacrifice, and Service. Rosemary McMullen, artist, poet, teacher, participated and helped lead our worship as we opened ourselves to the themes of compassion and perseverance. Rosemary is an active member of the Network of Spiritual Progressives. Her participation was underwritten by our Worship Renewal Grant from the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, Grand Rapids, Michigan, with funds provided by Lilly Endowment, Inc.

While no description can capture the experience, a glimpse inside is offered:

COMPASSION: Early in the gathering we gazed at pictures that spoke of compassion; worship participants wrote phrases that arose during this visual experience. We prayed together about our encounters with the pictures. Our phrases were given to Rosemary; we continued to pray, have a wisdom circle, celebrate Holy Communion. To close, Rosemary shared the poem she wrote on compassion using the group’s phrases.

We offer Rosemary’s gift to us to you:

In the midst of war, of tears, of fears

compassion rises like flower flames—

laying on of hands

sacramental touch

offering each other

strength and weakness.

In this embrace—

a bubble

impervious to surroundings—

in absence of ego

needy and helper

melt into each other

completely.

When our hearts go out

God’s arc of love widens.

Circumstances may not change

but love shared makes all the difference.

PERSEVERANCE: After our “check-in” and chanting, we were given paper and requested to select three pastels—with one color we were to draw a line of our life coming from our past—with another color we were to draw a line of our future coming toward us. We left those two colors with our drawing. We moved from drawing to drawing, adding lines of life to each other’s work. At one point, we were requested to use the third color that we had been carrying to draw the conflict.

We placed all our drawings on the communion table—walked around them—and then shared in our wisdom circle what we saw. The relationship of perseverance to time became a predominate theme.We remembered the perseverance of many during our prayers. We celebrated Holy Communion and looked toward the future with hope.

You and your friends are welcome to participate in Open Table Worship Gatherings that begin with dinner at 6:30 p.m. in the parlor and move to the chapel as our worship continues.

Open Table on Retreat at Villa Maria, March 28 and 29

YOU are invited to join us at the Villa Maria Retreat Center on March 28 and 29 for two days of spiritual refreshment, enlightenment, and creativity. The Villa’s beautiful grounds and ecological sustainability will be our inspiration as we reflect upon our own nature-based spirituality and co-create worship according to the four paths of Creation Spirituality. We will also look at developing cultural trends and consider the kinds of worship that are evolving from them.

Really. Truly. You are invited. Even if you have never attended an Open Table worship gathering, your participation and perspectives are especially welcomed. The nature of our Worship Grant from the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship is to include in our worship development process, people with whom we feel we have affinity but have not yet been drawn to attend. Besides congregation members, we are inviting people from our neighborhoods, our outreach ministries, and community groups that share our approach to inner and outer spiritual transformation.

Villa Maria Retreat Center is slightly more than one hour north of Pittsburgh off Route 422 a few miles southwest of the I-80 and I-79 intersection. We will begin after supper, but you are welcome to take the day off and come early on Friday to enjoy the grounds and the chapel. Meal prices are quite reasonable.

This retreat is made possible through a Worship Renewal Grant from the Calvin Institute of Worship, Grand Rapids, Michigan, with funds provided by Lilly Endowment, Inc.

Order Your Easter Chancel Plants Now

Just picture how beautiful our altar will look on Easter morning with floral tributes given by you and others. The flowers can be presented in honor or memory of your loved ones. The cost is $7.50 for lilies, tulips, mums, and hyacinths.

ORDERS MUST BE PLACED BY SUNDAY, MARCH 16

******************************************************************************

Type of Plant Number of Plants

Easter Lilies _____________

Tulips _____________

Mums _____________

Hyacinths _____________

Total amount enclosed: $ _____________

Please circle whether in honor of (IHO) or in memory of (IMO) your loved one

1. IHO/IMO: ___________________________________________________

2. IHO/IMO: ___________________________________________________

3. IHO/IMO: ___________________________________________________

Women’s Retreat

Calling all First Church females!! Don’t forget to save April 18 and 19 for the Women’s Retreat! Please contact Glenna Wilson if you would like to join in the planning: 412.361.1211 or glennapgh@yahoo.com.

Marjorie Suchocki Coming to Pittsburgh Theological Seminary

By Pastor Bob Wilson

Marjorie Suchocki, Professor Emerita and former Academic Dean at Claremont School of Theology, will deliver the Albright-Deering Lectures on April 24, 2008, at 2:00 and 3:45 p.m. Her focus will be “A Plain Account of a Plain Account (of Christian Perfection)”. Dr. Suchocki has written a number of books including, Divinity and Diversity: A Christian Affirmation of Religious Pluralism and God Christ Church. Her book, In God’s Presence: Theological Reflections on Prayer, continues to have a profound effect on my life. If you are available, I would highly encourage you to attend these lectures with me.

Jonathan Martin Concert

Nationally known Gospel singer, Dove winner, and Grammy nominee, Jonathan Martin, will offer a concert at Homestead Park United Methodist Church on Sunday, April 13, 2008, at 7:00 p.m. Jonathan has appeared at Carnegie Hall, The White House, 700 Club, Gaither Homecoming Series, TBN, Crystal Cathedral, and at Dollywood. He has four #1 radio singles and eight top 10 radio singles.

Tickets are $10 (plus handling). For tickets or more information, call 1.800.236.8152 or go to www.hpumc.com . This concert is co-sponsored by Homestead Park UMC and WORD FM 101.5

First Folk

Hospitalized since last newsletter:

Elsie Hartman

Notes of Thanks:

Glenna Wilson wants to thank everyone for their prayers, cards, and concern while she limped around on one good foot. Her foot is now healed and she is pleased to be wearing matching shoes instead of her cast!

Dear Friends,

Please know how much I appreciated your thoughts and prayers during my “ankle incident.”

And the visits too! And the “errands” and chores which helped since I couldn’t drive (still can’t).

Physical therapy begins and I can return home.

God bless,

Liz Wolfskill

Dear First Church Friends,

I want to express my sincere thanks for all of your prayers, cards, flowers, and support

at the time of my father’s death. Your prayers and presence brought comfort to my entire family.

It was so special to see your faces at the funeral home and funeral service,

and to receive your cards, e-mails, and phone calls expressing your sympathy and love.

In His Love,

Nancy Kostovny

First United Methodist Church

5401 Centre Avenue

Pittsburgh PA 15232-1621

Phone: 412.681.4222

How to contact us

Fax: 412.681.4224

E-mail: fumcpgh@aol.com

Robert A. Wilson, Pastor

E-mail: a49always@aol.com

Visit our web site at:

www.firstumcpittsburgh.org

First United Methodist Church

Pastoral Staff

Bishop Thomas Bickerton………Bishop, Western PA Conf.

Rev. Dr. Donald Scandrol….Pittsburgh Dist. Superintendent

Robert A. Wilson…………………..….......................Pastor

Rev. Paul E. Schrading……………………..Pastor Emeritus

Rev. Kathy Clark……………...Participating Ordained Elder

Rev. Cathy L. Newport…….....Participating Ordained Elder

Rev. Scott Peterman…………..Participating Ordained Elder

Rev. John Wilson……………..Participating Ordained Elder

Chaplain Lynn Yeso………….Participating Ordained Elder

Everyone in the Congregation………….………...Ministers

First Church Staff

Timothy D. Coles…………………...….…Director of Music

Doodle Harris …………………….………Ministerial Intern

Patrick Haver…………...……First Food & Friends Director

Dawna Horton……………………….Infant Room Caregiver

Lamont Hunter…………..………………………...Custodian

Sherry Kaiser……………………………....Offering Steward

Nancy L. Kostovny………………..Administrative Secretary

Curtis Mitchell………...……Building Maintenance Manager

Doug Myers… Director of Youth Ministry/Ministerial Intern

Emily Nordquist…………………………Preschool Caregiver

Gail Ransom………………..... .Christian Education Director

Naomi Wells……………………………….Nursery Director

Rebecca Woomer………………………….Ministerial Intern