“Come and See” Advent Open House
Sunday Services @ 10:30 am
Advent 1 - November 29
Message: Crazy Predictions. Is 2012 the end of the world? Come hear what God has said.
Advent 2 - December 6
Message: Blessed Assurance. Meeting Jesus with confidence.
Advent 3 – December 13
Message: Making All Things New. Jesus restores the broken. Church decorating afterward.
Advent 4 – Dec. 20
Joyful Celebration: Christmas Carols children’s pageant and brunch.
Special Events
Dec. 13
Carol singing, live nativity for kids, and refreshments on front lawn of church. 6:00 pm.
Dec. 19
Martin’s Annual Christmas Open House @ Rectory (house next to church). Everyone invited. 6 – 9 pm.
Dec. 24
Christmas Eve Service – 9:00 PM. Come let us adore Him!
A New Day for Clergy in the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh
The clergy in the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh just completed their annual Clergy Conference at Antiochian Village in Ligonier Pennsylvania, and the post realignment experience was exhilarating. Some of us present felt like frogs having been lifted out of the proverbial warming pot finally realizing what normal clergy life ought to feel like.
Because of realignment budget constraints, the normal three day conference had to be reduced to two, along with the elimination of the traditional golf outing, white water rafting, and bicycle trip option. However, the beer budget was salvaged, thanks be to God, and the traditional evening social hour brimmed with laughter and joyful fellowship. The hilarious skit, crafted by the usual cast of characters whose names need to remain anonymous, proved, with its minimal amount of poignant sarcasm, that indeed, personal transformation is possible.
Missing from the gathering, unfortunately, was the noticeable number of clergy who had joined us in the past but had decided not to realign. Also missing, but not unfortunately, were the various factions and dissentions over traditional, biblical theology and sexuality, and the often times disrespectful and contentious attitudes toward one another and the bishop. In its place purveyed a wholesome sense of fellowship and mutual affection that one can only characterize as loving, encouraging, and unified.
The highlight of the conference, undoubtedly, was the veritable feast of God’s Word served up each day by the Rt. Rev. Dr. John Rodgers. The three sessions focusing on such foundational elements of the faith as the cross, the empty tomb, justification, substitutionary atonement, and life in the Spirit made many in attendance feel as though we were walking the road to Emmaus, our hearts burning as the scriptures were opened to us in all their plain and historical meaning as once delivered to the saints. Of course, the feast was peppered with comments on the thirty nine articles and spontaneous songs of worship and praise. The result was increased and reinforced knowledge of the gospel and a renewed desire to do the work “prepared in advance for us to do.”
Archbishop Duncan placed the exclamation point on the gathering as he administered the sacraments in Holy Communion and recapped our time together with a succinct yet powerful reminder of Jesus as the absolute cornerstone of our life in ministry. After a robust singing of the closing hymn, “God of Grace and God of Glory” we filed out of the Orthodox chapel refreshed and inspired to continue in our calling, the way we should feel after a clergy conference; none of us thinking we were out of the woods completely, but with such a powerful taste of authentic Christian fellowship and Spiritual fresh air, one thing was for sure, a new day had dawned for the Diocese of Pittsburgh and no one was going back. May our time together signal a clarion call for the entire ACNA.
The Rev. Joseph R. Martin
Church of Our Saviour, Glenshaw, PA
Rector’s Message: The Habit of Worship
Hebrews 10:23-25
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (NIV)
In a recent vestry meeting the pre-meeting devotional time focused on Hebrews 10:23-25 and in particular the “habit” of worshipping together. The comment was made that the gospel message of being saved by grace alone, not works, can be misunderstood to say that since works (like going to church) are not required for salvation, they’re not important, therefore people don’t give them the attention they deserve. The discussion that followed was quite fruitful, so I wanted to share some of it with the rest of the church.
First of all, whenever we speak of the bible’s demands or commands, it has to be done with a clear understanding of the gospel of God’s grace in sending Jesus as the perfect sacrifice for sins, and our righteous standing before God as based on faith in Him and not on our own efforts. That HAS to be understood before this discussion can be had.
So when the writer to the Hebrews says, “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing,” he says it with a seriously-important tone but in the context of the great high Priest, Jesus, who has made the one, sufficient sacrifice “to take away the sins of many people.” So, knowing that we are saved by grace alone, what is the importance of corporate worship and why should we make a habit out of meeting together?
The importance of corporate worship is twofold:
1) To connect with God’s people and,
2) To connect with God himself.
You might say the horizontal and the vertical reasons.
First, the horizontal - connecting with God’s people.
This is almost self evident but people can’t get to know one another if they don’t spend time together. Of course there are other times when people can get together, but Sunday worship is a known time when believers in Christ will be gathered and relationships can be fostered. This is no small matter and one that the early church considered so crucial that they met at the risk of their lives. They were new creatures in Christ and they had to meet together. The American idea of “going to church,” as in herding in and out of a building without interacting with fellow believers was foreign to them. So was living the Christian life as a lone ranger disconnected from the body. They were family.
Interacting with fellow believers benefits in a number of ways. First, we all need people we can trust and be friends with. As Christians we need people who understand the faith and the various trials and struggles associated with living the Christian life in a predominately non-Christian world. Only believers can relate to that struggle. Second, interacting with believers increases our knowledge of the faith. As we talk, ask questions, and grapple with life, the bible, and Christian beliefs with other believers we actually grow in our knowledge and understanding. Loners often carry around quirky beliefs and fears that can be quickly corrected in the context of the body of Christ. In the end, everyone benefits when the Church gathers together.
The second reason for meeting together is the vertical - connecting with God. It is true that God is everywhere and one can pray, meditate, and commune with God alone on a hillside (or a fairway or a fishing pond), but when the people of God gather to sing hymns, read the scriptures, hear the gospel, and partake in the sacraments, God’s presence is witnessed in a profound way. In the Anglican tradition of both Word and sacrament, we utilize all of the senses in order to help us hear, see, touch, taste, and smell the good news of the gospel so that we can receive bountifully of God’s grace, love, and Holy Spirit. Such a reminder of the good news and a refilling of the Spirit are especially accessible in the gathering of God’s people together.
So, if anyone is feeling weak in the faith or disconnected from God and his people, hear this as a gracious call to Sunday worship. The whole body of Christ benefits when we gather together and grow in our relationships with one another and with Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. See you Sunday (but there’s no condemnation if I don’t).
Pgh. Anglican Missions Training Opportunity
By Deacon Kathy Walzer
Everyone is invited to the upcoming training opportunity that begins in September right here at the Church of Our Saviour. Pittsburgh Anglican Missions (PAM), a network of mission-minded Anglicans in the diocese of Pittsburgh, has planned a series of training sessions for parish missions committee members and other interested folk. This training class will consist of five sessions and will include dinner and a speaker giving different “perspectives” on mission – the Biblical, historical, strategic, cultural, and partnership perspectives. You will not be required to attend all sessions, but you will have the opportunity to do so. I will be attending all sessions and will carpool with anyone who wants to go to any of the other sessions. The only cost is a $5.00 donation to the host church for the meal. The class members are encouraged to order the book, Pathlight: Toward Global Awareness by Meg Crossman through the Trinity bookstore or through Amazon. These sessions will take place on Sunday evenings, with dinner at 5:45 pm and the teaching going from 6:30 – 8:45 (with a break). Here is the complete schedule of speakers:
Sept. 27 - Biblical Perspective: What does Scripture say from Genesis through Revelation about God’s intention to reach all nations with His blessing? The speaker is the Rev. Whis Hays and will be here at the Church of Our Saviour, Glenshaw.
Oct. 4 - Strategic Perspective: What is God doing in our generation? How can each church and believer link with His plan? The speaker is the Rev. John Macdonald and will be held at St. Stephen’s, Sewickley.
Oct. 11 - Historical Perspective: How did the Kingdom of God advance from Jerusalem to where we are today? The speaker is Dr. Theresa Newell and will be at All Saints’, Rosedale.
Oct. 18 - Cultural Perspective: How does cultural diversity connect with God’s Kingdom? The speaker will be Mrs. Sharon Steinmiller and will be at St. James, Penn Hills.
Oct. 25 - Partnership Perspective: How does the global church partner together to increase effectiveness for the Kingdom? The speaker will be Mr. Stewart Wicker of SAMS and will be at St Martin’s, Monroeville.
At the conclusion of the training, members of the class will also have the opportunity to plan and participate in a short-term mission trip either within the U.S. or abroad.
