Do something kind for yourself this year: work on your Spirit, work on your heart, and all else will follow! All information about the five new groups is available on our Growth Groups page.
If you accepted membership on a church committee, changes are effective with the new year. The January newsletter lists all of the church committees and their membership.
Our monthly luncheon is this Thursday, January 6, 11 am - 12:30 pm, in the Simpson Room. Meals are available to dine in or as take-out.
If you are interested in helping with the January 6 takeout or eat-in meal, please contact Sandra Kuriger at 412-741-9473.
If you are an envelope user, your envelopes are ready for you to pick up on the table in the back of the sanctuary.
In response to the dangerous tornadoes that swept across the country and extensive damage reported in many states, UMCOR has been in contact with Conference Disaster Response Coordinators and provided immediate early response funding immediately
A summary of the outreach activities SUMC conducted throughout Advent.
To give to this special offering, please mark your gift “Human Relations,” or chose that option on EasyTithe.
Are you skilled in social media, marketing, or advertising? Our Marketing Committee is looking to expand our team.
Vitalant will conduct blood drives on Sunday, April 24th and Sunday, September 25th right here at SUMC.
UMCOR (UMC Relief Agency) and its partners are responding to disasters both around the world and in the United States, including the areas devastated by the December 11 tornados.
Anyone wishing to have Church Council approval of Resolutions to be presented at the annual Western Pennsylvania Conference of The United Methodist Church should present the resolution in writing to either Rev. Hannah Loughman or Council Chair, Mitch Hortert, on or before December 31.
For December’s Food Pantry Collection, the suggested items are pasta sauces and pasta (or canned items like ravioli).
There will be a Three Rivers Ringers concert at St. Stephen’s on Saturday, December 18th, at 4 pm. The handbell concert is free—they are only asking for donations. Masks are required.
Get the details for all of our services, from Christmas Eve through the Sunday after.
A memorial service for Bola will be held here at Sewickley UMC on Saturday, December 18th, at 11 am. The service will also be available via Zoom at for those unable to attend in person.
In December, on 3 separate days, as a small token of appreciation, SUMC will be providing meals for the hospital staff treating COVID patients at Sewickley Valley Hospital.
We brought lollipops to reward the kids for using their Children’s Church activity time to fill shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child. No game. No craft. We had a service project in front of us.
The Bible story we shared that morning featured the boy who offered his lunch to Jesus, who then used the fish and small loaves to feed thousands. We do our best for Him, and trust Him to use it in miraculous ways.
Can you guess what happened?
The lollipops went into the shoeboxes. The children didn’t ask us about it. They understood: We give him our best and trust him. The kids were listening!
And, yes, we know that the OCC people no longer accept candy in the shoeboxes.
Grace found and removed the lollipops as she spent more than an hour re-packing the shoeboxes. The children were not listening when I said the lids to every box need to fit. They stuffed each box beyond capacity and handed them to Grace, who is gifted with much patience and the ability to cram notebooks and crayons and slippers and sunglasses and balls and dolls and dinosaurs neatly into small spaces.
Jade, Bella, Gideon, Jordyn, Amelie, Christian, Emma, Roger, and Evan spent their Sunday hour filling boxes, and four of them returned after the service to fill more boxes.
This is our 11th year of filling OCC shoe boxes, and each year brings a new Light into the process. This year, He shined the light on the youngest among us and their willingness to serve and share and do their best for Him. While the boxes are intended to share His Love and Light with children around the world who would not have anything for Christmas, and may not know Jesus, they also serve to shape the hearts of our children.
Thank you, from the Fellowship of the Cross, to everyone who contributed. For the 10th consecutive year, we have filled at least 100 shoeboxes. We have contributed more than 1,100 boxes, reaching Africa, South America, Central America, Caribbean nations, and Ukraine.
Thank you to those who contributed shoeboxes and wrapping paper, and thank you to Kara and her daughters, Elliett and Evarett, for again wrapping 100 boxes for our project.
Thank you to everyone who contributed gifts to fill the boxes. Every box was blessed with an array of school supplies, a tooth brush, a washcloth, sunglasses, socks, a stuffed animal, a ball, adhesive bandages, tissues and “wow” gifts from a menu that included t-shirts, flip-flops, ball caps, bandanas, dolls, hair accessories, flashlights, water bottles, cups, and toys.
Thank you to everyone who contributed financially.
Thank you to the Pumpkin Patch team and the Sale for Missions team for supporting our project in multiple ways.
Thank you, Pastor Hannah, for your support and for the Christmas in July idea that accelerated our gathering. Thank you, Pam H. for your energy in so many areas. Thank you, Martha, for all you have done for us since we launched in 2011.
We haven’t talked about next year yet, but I know of nine children who want to help, and I recently found a bag of pencils and glue sticks in our collection box outside the church office. We accept donations year-round, and we never have too much. Grace will make it fit! But we cannot pack lollipops!
The Fellowship of the Cross
Pamela Mayo
Grace Rogansky
Bill Utterback
Be on the lookout for some growth opportunities. Beginning the second full week of January 2022, we will be hosting growth groups once again.
Please join in prayer for the areas affected and consider a gift to UMCOR Disaster Response