Category Archives: News

Pastor’s Pen

This spring is flying by! We are still in the season of Easter which continues until Pentecost. This year, Pentecost falls on the third Sunday of May. The date for Pentecost moves each year since it always occurs 50 days after Easter Sunday, and we know that Easter shifts from year to year. Our annual congregational meeting will also take place on Sunday, May 19.

We will continue to work through the Gospel of John on the first two Sundays in May. On the first Sunday of May, we will look at John 15:9-17. The passage picks up immediately after our passage from the previous week. Jesus continues to give instruction to the disciples about how to live faithfully. Jesus talks about sacrificial love and how that love is the key to experiencing God.  This week, we will look at true friendship as guided by Jesus, as well as celebrate the Sacrament of Communion.

The second week of the month brings us to the final Sunday of Easter, and we will focus on John 17:6-19. In this passage, Jesus prays for the disciples as he prepares for the events of Holy Week. Jesus reminds the disciples, through prayer, that we don’t belong in this world. We are part of this world to act as Christ on earth and share God’s love with others.

The third Sunday of May will be a busy one here at GPC. We will celebrate Pentecost by looking at the familiar passage in Acts 2:1-21. As we reflect on the flames of Pentecost, we will consider how we might be called to stand in the flames. Following worship, we will hold our annual congregational meeting where we will elect our new Deacons and Elders among other things.

Finally, on the last Sunday of the month, we will celebrate Trinity Sunday which is always the Sunday following Pentecost. According to the Book of Common Worship, “this theological festival celebrates the nature and mission of the triune God — an identity and purpose we share as those who are baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.” On this final Sunday of the month, we will take time to ponder what it means and why it matters that God is one God in Three persons.

I am looking forward to a wonderful month of worship!

Blessings,

Pastor Emily

Book Club

Remarkably Bright Creatures

The GPC Book Club meets monthly to discuss a book we have read and enjoy a dessert. We welcome all who would like to join us.

For May, we will be discussing Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt. Our discussion will be held on Wednesday, June 5 at 7:00 PM. Our hostess will be Iris Douglas. Please call Iris to let her know you are coming or if you have any questions.

The Neighborhood Table

The Neighborhood Table

The Neighborhood Table, founded and organized as a part of the Roots of Faith Ministry, is a free community dinner in Sharpsburg. It is not a soup kitchen or a handout, but a place for the Sharpsburg community to gather to support, encourage, and serve one another in the name of Jesus Christ. For the past 8 years, GPC members and friends have served fried chicken dinners there to approximately 100-150 people on the second Thursday of every month.

We are thankful for the many people who are working together to help feed hungry people in our local communities. The Giant Eagle Express in Harmarville is excited to be working with GPC in this ministry and to know that their food is helping others. GPC in turn is thankful to our team leaders, our many volunteers, the GPC Deacons, and the GPC Mission and Outreach Ministry who gave monetary donations.

Finally, we are thankful that God is guiding us.  Being a Christian brings with it the duty and the privilege of a lifetime of service. Service allows us to practice doing what Jesus would do. It connects us to those we serve and gives us a kind of satisfaction that self-interest can never offer.

Our next GPC mission service event at the Neighborhood Table will be held on Thursday, May 9 from 5:30 to 7:15 PM.  How can you help? Consider volunteering as a server.  We need about 12 to 16 people each month to help with the dinner. We welcome all who are interested in greeting, meeting, serving, and eating with our neighbors in Sharpsburg.

If you have any questions or would like to volunteer, please contact Larry or Cindy Bock, Henry or Diana Long, or Pastor Emily.  Thanks!