SUMC Announcements

Our next meeting is Monday, October 20 at 7 p.m. Kris Swaney, Pam and Laura Hess will present a program about their trip this summer to the Red Bird Mission in Kentucky. Prior to the meeting at 6:30 p.m., a special prayer service for Palestinian Christians will be held in the Chapel.

Our thanks to everyone who helped with the Harvest Festival Rummage Sale. We made over $1,000 toward our Pledge to Mission. The next Rummage Sale will be November 7 and 8. Please do not bring any computers or other electronic items. They are difficult to sell and we cannot find a place to recycle them.

Save the Date: Monday, December 8 at 6 p.m. we will have our Christmas dinner at Hoss’s restaurant in Moon Township.

To Everyone at SUMC,

Many thanks (rather belatedly…) to everyone for their cards and kind words following Greg’s Dad’s death in May. We appreciate all the blessings sent to us through you and marvel at the comfort that God sends us in such a caring community. Thanks to everyone!

Maggie and Greg Wilkinson

Thank you church for paying half of the money so I can go to camp and do fun things. Well I’m having a great time here at Camp Allegheny. I met some new friends. Thanks so much! I’m loving it here so much. I’m just so thankful that I could be at Camp Allegheny. I wish you to be blessed.

Sincerely,
Allison L.

Dear Friends,

Greetings from Colorado Springs and International Bible Society-Send The Light! On behalf of the CityReachers Pittsburgh leadership team and IBS-STL, thank you for your generous gift that will help distribute Pittsburgh specific New Testaments thought the Pittsburgh Post Gazette and door-to-door distribution.

God is opening up amazing doors across the nation to distribute His Word in a unique and cost effective manner. We are humbled and awed by the opportunity to spread God’s transforming Word to hundreds of thousands of homes across America. Isaiah 55:10-11 reminds us that God’s Word will not return empty but will accomplish His purposes!

Please continue to pray for CityReachers Pittsburgh as churches, businesses, para-church organizations and individuals work together to transform the Pittsburgh region by engaging people with His word. Please feel free to contact CityReachers Pittsburgh at www.cityreacherpittsburgh.com, ibspgh@aim.com or (412) 749-1075 if you need more information.

In His grace,
Mark Rader
Director
CityReachers

NEW CONTEMPORARY SERVICE TO BEGIN. SUMC has always taken pride in having TIME to serve God in many ways and in many places. Starting in the NEW YEAR, we will be delivering the message of Jesus Christ at a new service. This Contemporary Service will be held on Saturday evenings, at 6:30 pm in the Simpson Room.

Everyone of all ages and faiths is invited to worship in the comfortable and casual atmosphere of the Simpson Room around our round tables. There will have lively songs of praise from both vocalists and instrumentalists so be ready to raise your voice, clap your hands, and tap your toes! We will use the screen for visual presentations of thematic and seasonal pictures along with lyrics. Bible passages and announcements. Pastor Shuluga will give the message. The offering will be combined with the Sunday collection. Communion will be offered on the first Saturday of each month.

During the upcoming months, we will be assembling a team of people to help facilitate and organize this new worship service. The team will consist of singers, musicians, leaders, technicians, and servers; below is a description of the various team members.

• MUSICIANS: Our praise choir, The Last Psalm, is ready, willing, and able to lead the way with music. They welcome any volunteers to add to the sounds.
• TEAM LEADERS: We would like to have 2 people (DYNAMIC DUOS) each week to assist with the service. Teens and adults welcome. You would only have to serve once or twice between during a rotation.
• TECHNICIANS: We need volunteers to run the computer for the visual presentations and the sound system. (WILL TRAIN, EXPERIENCE NOT NECESSARY)
• SERVERS: We have many opportunities for several side jobs: ushers, coffee makers, chair setter-uppers, and greeters. ALL AGES APPLY.

To volunteer to help in one of the above position, please call the church office at 412-741-9430. Someone will contact your regarding your area of interest. PLEASE COME IN THE NEW YEAR AND BRING A FRIEND TO THIS NEW SERVICE. This is one more way that we can follow Jesus’ command to spread His Gospel to everyone!

SUMC will send a team to San Jose, El Negrito, Honduras in June of 2009. This is a United Methodist Volunteer in Missions trip and we will be ministering to the people. Our focus will be on water quality, hence our theme “Sweet Water for San Jose”. Ideas for ways we can help; building latrines, distributing clay water filters and “Life Straws” (portable individual water filters) and education.

You can read our blog from last year’s trip at the link on the SUMC website. For information about the organization running the clinic where we stay in San Jose go to www.shouldertoshoulderpgh.org. If you are interested in participating as a member of the traveling team or if you have questions, please contact Alisa Lenhardt at 412-741-6200 or alenhardt@hotmail.com We will be taking a small team of about 10 people and space is limited.

Do you enjoy the benefits of our nursery while participating in worship? Or do you like helping with kids? We are in search of someone to coordinate the nursery schedule, which can be done at home, by phone. We are also in need of adult volunteers who would like to work in the nursery on any given Sunday. Volunteers can select when they wish to work and how often. Please consider giving your time to this worthwhile and much needed program. Call Sandra Lane or Tonya Bollman if you have any questions or would like to volunteer.

Our season will kick off on October 2nd with another fabulous Salad Buffet. As always, bring your salad donation to the church no later than 10:30 the morning of the luncheon.

Hospice is a program dedicated to adding quality of life to patients who have a terminal illness. Volunteers are a vital part of Forbes Hospice. We are now in the process of recruiting volunteers for our hospice program. Posted in the back of the Sanctuary are more details about the valued program.

In order to keep in touch with our College students, we will once again initiate the College Connection. Please give/verify with Lou Ann Scott the correct mailing address of your college student. This can be done in person, by phone, or email. This is an important project to let your Youth know we are thinking of them and we surely don’t want to miss anyone.

There will be a meeting on September 14th after the church service for anyone interested in being on the Pumpkin Patch committee. Remember this is one of the many big fundraisers that everyone can participate in. There are many jobs to be done both large and small and we need YOU on this Committee. Bring your ideas; we are open for new fresh thoughts to make this the best year ever!

Speaking of Pumpkins, mark your calendar for October 4th. This is our tentative date of our first 2008 pumpkin delivery. Remember many hands make light work. If you know of any organizations that would be interested in some community service work, please tell them about this project or put them in touch with Lou Ann Scott.

Calling All Teens in grades 9-12th. We are kicking off our year with a pizza party! Be sure to bring a friend on Tuesday, September 16th. at 7:00 pm. RSVP to Aimee Scott at 724-630-9034. We need your input on our upcoming Haunted House event and what mission project we will adopt for the year.

Hope to see you there!

Youth Choir will be starting on Thursday, September 11th. We will meet from 6:15—7:00 pm in the Choir Room. All kids from 4 years old through 4th grade are welcome. Come and lift your voices in praise and song. A sign up sheet is located in the back of the Sanctuary. For more information, contact Sandra Lane.

We are looking for volunteers for the Fall/Winter season! Please consider leading our children in their worship time during the church service. The task involves watching a video with the children, leading discussion or an activity after the video, sharing news for the week, and generally engaging the children (ages 4 to grade 5). You would be free to explore any areas of interest to you: gardening, crafts, storytelling or drama are all great activities! We have resources available for you to use such as games in the library. If this is a ministry you would like to serve in, please call or email Maggie Wilkinson to sign up for a date.

We are blessed to have seven third graders that will receive their Bibles during morning worship service on September 14th. If your student is not listed please let Warren Kinneer know immediately so they too may be honored at the presentation. The name we have are: Jacob McCoy, Jarod Leonberg, Felicity Moffett, Allison Lenhardt, Franzi Nace, Jessica Hooper, Nickolas Schlund.

In early Fall we will be collecting pajamas, robes and slippers for the kids and then “wrap up” our year with our Christmas gift donation, which is a long time tradition at SUMC. These supplies will be distributed to the children through Keith Murphy who along with his dedicated staff, provide assistance to the children of Northview Heights and St. Clair Village. This program has established itself as one of the most progressive programs on the Northside and Southside of Pittsburgh. Bethany House is used by other agencies as a model for producing confident and competent children. They share with the children that it is God’s love that starts and ends each day. They know they are making a difference and that the “support from United Methodists speaks volumes in addressing the commitment to building strong minds, hearts bodies and souls.” We also look forward to having Keith and some of the kids from Bethany House speak to us in the spring at one of our Lenten Dinner programs.

The Outreach Committee

SUMC will play host to a workshop for parents of children in the 4th grade and up. The facilitator is Allen Carson, a former Quaker Valley Middle School Guidance Counselor. The 5 week course will cover such issues as:

• self esteem
• communications skills
• learning how to instill core values, responsibility, and respect in your children
• peer influence
• teen culture

This is a comprehensive course that will help parents make better connections with their children. Baby sitting will be provided in the hopes that both parents will attend the workshop. Meeting dates are September 9, 16, 23, 30 and October 7. We will meet in the Simpson Room from 6:30—8:30 pm. Cost for the workshop is $25.00 and to reserve your spot call the church office at 412-741-9430 and class size is limited to 20.

September 28

Come join us in the Simpson Room after worship and celebrate your homeland! A sign up sheet is in the back of the Sanctuary. We are looking for all dishes from appetizers, entrees, desserts, salads from various countries. We would like everyone to provide the recipes for each dish and if you feel inclined to do so, dress in traditional garments from your ethnic heritage.

Jack Michael Erdman was born on August 14, 2008. He weighed 6lbs. and 91/2 oz. and was 18 1/2” long. Proud parents are Kara (Kuriger) and John Erdman. Maternal Grandparents are Sandy and Bill Kuriger. May God bless this new life..

Clara Margaret and Willa Michele Herman –were presented for Holy Baptism onSunday August 31, 2008.

Parents are: Jason John Herman and Kelly Kristine (Scott) Herman. Maternal Grandparents are: Shawn and Lou Ann Scott, Paternal Grandparents are: Al Herman and the late Margaret (Peggy) Herman. Great Grandparents are: Bob and Dana Yant. Clara Margaret’s Godparents are: Aimee Scott and David Poluszejko and Willa Michele’s Godparents are: Stephanie Ackerman and Rob Dawson.

We pray God’s blessings on these wee little ones…

It’s time for Sunday School! Classes will begin September 21st at 9:30.

This Sunday, the 14th, we are having a Welcome Back breakfast at 9:30. All kids and their families are invited, as are all those interested in the adult Sunday School class. It is a potluck, so please bring a breakfast item to share (such as juice, milk & cereal, donuts, bagels, pastries, coffee cake, fruit, yogurt, casseroles, etc.)

Hope you all can come!