Leap of Faith
by Kelly Herman
Our contemporary worship service began in 2009 at the encouragement of our minister of music, a few members of our congregation, our contemporary band, and our pastor. What started as a pretty calm, typical 1990’s contemporary worship service (even though it was 2009), has evolved into an uplifting, joyous start to our Sunday. In our 17 years, we have enhanced our sound and are always looking for new ways to bring the good news of Jesus to worship through song, prayer, and action.
Leap of Faith, our SUMC worship band, leads the congregation with joy and love. Our band includes Jack Moffett, Richard Fairlie, Johnathan Burnett, Scott Spencer, Genevieve Moffett, Joe Boward, Mark Wiggins, and Kelly Herman. Leap of Faith released their first album, The River Rises, in April of 2024, and they’re working on another one for 2026! They will also be playing at Annual Conference in June of 2026, a huge honor they’ve been wanting for many years. You can hear their original songs on any streaming platform and also during services on Sundays.
We welcome all on Sunday mornings at 9:00 am for moving music, a strong message, and beautiful prayer—contemporary style.
Music Ministry
by Erik Kolodziej
As we enter a new calendar year, I am filled with gratitude and excitement. I am entering my third year as your Music Director and am thankful for the opportunity to minister and grow alongside this beautiful and special community. Music at Sewickley United Methodist Church is not just something we do; it is a way we pray, celebrate, and live out our faith together.
This past year has been one of remarkable musical and spiritual growth. Our musicians have risen to new challenges, deepened their artistry, and led worship with reverence and passion. A special highlight was our Christmas Eve service, where Wesleyan Voices and the Clocktower Ringers offered a gorgeous, hopeful, and joyful musical celebration of the birth of Jesus.
Looking ahead, there is much to anticipate. We are beginning the final phase of our organ restoration project, a milestone that will ensure this beloved historic instrument continues to support worship and community music-making for another 100+ years. We are also excited to continue the BROADcast Concert Series, brought to the community by the Charles Wesley Music Foundation. The Spring 2026 lineup brings inspiring musicians and meaningful performances into our sanctuary and the wider community. The first concert takes place on Friday, February 20, and features an organ recital to raise awareness and funds for the instrument’s restoration. Additional concerts are scheduled for March 14 and April 13. Mark your calendars now, and share these dates with your family and friends.
Furthermore, our music ministries continue to grow. New voices and new ringers are always welcome, and there is a place for musicians of all backgrounds and experience levels. If you have ever thought about singing, ringing, or returning to music after some time away, I invite you to take that step. All are welcome to sing. All are welcome to ring.
As we begin 2026 together, my hope is that music at SUMC continues to be a source of connection, healing, joy, and faithful expression. Thank you for your encouragement, your participation, and your support of this ministry. I am grateful to walk this journey with you, and I look forward to all that God has in store for us in the year ahead.
Neurodiversity Support Ministry
by Bill Utterback
In nudging me toward our new Neurodiversity Support Ministry, God shared light through an email. The message from an expiring friendship dropped into my inbox in mid-July, with nothing written in the subject line: “I don’t think it’s good for us to continue our correspondence. I do wish you well, but please don’t contact me anymore.”
For more than a year, I had been connecting with an adult with autism. They were both a friend in ministry and a friend beyond ministry. It was, for me, a nourishing experience. Among the topics we explored were their experiences as a child, youth, and young adult living with autism. They brought new light to my children’s and middle school ministries.
Through spring, my friend struggled with some major life transitions. They shared their pain. It felt excruciating. I suggested help from the medical world, and my friend rightly felt betrayed. As a child and youth living with neurodiversity, they felt the weight of multiple adults insisting on help from the medical world. When people tell you that you need to be fixed, you begin to feel broken. I think I made my friend feel broken again. My opportunity was to love, value, and encourage my friend. My opportunity was to listen to their insights and experiences. My opportunity was to support them, to say I feel your stress, but I see your strength and courage and imagination and faith in God. Instead, I said, “Get help.” I joined the chorus of voices who had made them feel broken for so long.
Through the email, God was telling me I needed help. God was telling me that neurodiverse people are created in Their image, and I need to be more aware of the ways we can walk together. In nudging me toward our new Neurodiversity Support Ministry, God shared light through text messages.
On one of our first nights of Vacation Bible School in August, one of our squad leaders noticed a child who needed an amended path through the week. Vacation Bible School, at times, can be noisy and busy and stressful. This was a child we didn’t know. Parents hadn’t mentioned neurodiversity or autism, but it was clear the child was struggling. Multiple voices and hearts from the Vacation Bible School team jumped into the text conversation. Every voice spoke with love and imagination and patience. Some spoke with experience. We found the child a buddy and some sensory tools, and their path through the week improved. There were multiple campers living with neurodiversity, and we had insightful, patient hearts meeting each one of them.
In nudging me toward our new Neurodiversity Support Ministry, God shared light through a new encounter. In late summer, I met Ken, an adult living with autism, at a weekend Christian retreat. We bunked in the same cabin. People were uncomfortable with Ken. One man moved out of our cabin, and no one sat with Ken at meals. I didn’t want to be uncomfortable with Ken. I joined him at meals. I was always his partner in group activities. We had some good conversations, and there were times when he pulled on his noise-reducing headphones. We separated, but we found each other again and again. I valued him. We were a good team. God was working on my heart.
Through the summer, God kept telling me that I need to grow in my awareness of people living with neurodiversity. They were also telling me that my Sewickley United Methodist Church family was able and willing to embrace people living with neurodiversity. The voices in the Vacation Bible School text conversation brought their energy to our new Neurodiversity Support Ministry, where many hearts are responding to God’s nudges. I have joined them in a walk toward a greater relationship with children, youth, adults, and families living with neurodiversity. We want to find better ways to love, connect, include, and engage.
The ministry team met in October and December and began providing sensory kits in the days before Christmas. You can find them hanging in the narthex. The sensory kits were used during a December concert and in the Christmas Eve worship services. We’ve taken a small step, and we pray that those families felt welcomed, valued, and loved as family.
We will grow into the new year and encourage all in our church family to grow with us. We will look toward more tools and safe spaces in our building. We will work for new ways of communicating. We will seek understanding through workshops, speakers, and reading material. All are invited.
The ministry team includes people with experience in medicine and psychology. We have people with classroom experience. We have people with family experiences. We are convinced that we have a church family with a truly inclusive heart. We are convinced that our church family believes that “the good news of great joy for all the people” (Luke 2:10) includes persons living with neurodiversity. If God has been nudging you, join us. Pray for us. Share your thoughts, suggestions, and insights with us. Look for Amanda P. or Pastor Hannah at church, or send an email or a text. God’s light moves in many ways.
Patton Library
by Jess Duvall
The hustle and bustle of the holidays have drawn to a close, and now we look ahead to… the long, dark months of winter. Blah! Not so, dear reader. Now is the perfect time to introduce the Scandinavian concept of hygge (pronounced Hoo-ga). Hygge represents a culture of coziness, joy, and wellbeing. It means creating a warm atmosphere and enjoying the good things in life with good people (or even with yourself). Hygge is, at its core, simply a practical way of creating sanctuary in the middle of a very real life. Doesn’t that sound nice right about now?
Hygge can manifest in different ways for different people. It might be putting on cozy clothes and snuggling up with a good book and some hot chocolate, or calling friends and loved ones to chat, or maybe having a board game or movie night. At the same time, it could be a walk in the woods, or stargazing on a clear night. Hygge can be anything you’d like it to be, the point is to cultivate coziness in the way that feels right for you.
Since one of the core tenets of hygge is sharing it with others, let’s also think of spreading hygge to our neighbors in need. Take a look around your house. What items evoke feelings of hygge for you? Maybe a scented candle, your favorite teapot, or an indulgent personal care item? Whatever it is, get a new one (or two) and bring them to our Home Goods Community Closet. It can be important to have more than just the basic needs for survival met during hard times.
I hope that you will consider making the practice of hygge a part of your life this winter. And (shameless plug) if you are looking for the perfect book to snuggle up with, our Patton Library is fully stocked with a plethora of choices to suit any interest.
Young Adult Group
by Violet Murphy
We’re delighted to share about a new Young Adult Group (name to be determined) coming this month. The group will meet every other week starting on Saturday, January 10, from 7:00 pm–9:00 pm, and will be guided by Jonathan Burnett. The first meeting will be held at Caliente Pizza and Draft House in Sewickley, with the shared appetizer covered. Subsequent meetings will be held at different local establishments of the group’s choice. The group will follow a podcast series called The Bible Project, hosted by Tim Mackie and Jon Collins. The first subseries the group will dive into is titled “How to Read the Bible.” Participants can listen to the podcast episode within the two weeks leading up to the meeting, and at the meeting, the episode will be discussed in depth, exploring how the concepts apply to our lives, our faith, and how we engage with the world around us. Please contact Violet Murphy at educationcoordinator@sewickleyumc.org with any questions.
Education Committee
by Violet Murphy
The Education Team is looking to grow our volunteer team. Here is the Education Committee’s message to potential Education volunteers: We value your time and gifts, and we’d love to explore where you could best help us as an Education Program volunteer. Our goal is to build a robust group of volunteers that is founded on a culture of reciprocity and support, offering those values not only to the people we serve but to the volunteers that make what we do possible. Please consider exploring the possibility of volunteering with us. Contact Violet Murphy at educationcoordinator@sewickleyumc.org to express your interest in volunteering or with any questions.
Men’s Ministry
by Paul Leone
“Take It to the Lord in Prayer.” Let us join in prayer for our new Men’s Ministry that will commence on January 24 in the Basement Social Hall at 9:00 am. Be sure to use door number 10 for entrance. “Men Together,” a conversation rooted and grounded in relationship with Jesus and each other.