August is here! This month brings us more opportunities to reach out into the community and make connections.

The first opportunity to do so is to join us for our annual Blessing of the Animals which will take place on Tuesday, August 11. This is a fun evening filled with furry (and sometimes feathered, shelled, or scale covered) friends. We will once again be collecting donations for Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh.

I will be on vacation from July 29 through August 3. That means we will have a wonderful guest preacher for the first Sunday of the month (August 2) — the Rev. Marlaena Cochran. She is a pastor, spiritual director, and hospice chaplain, and I know that we will be blessed by her message.

Sunday, August 9 brings us to Matthew 14:22-33 where we encounter Jesus walking on water. Peter is able to accomplish this amazing feat by trusting in Jesus but, when his fear outweighs his faith, he starts to sink. What might we be able to glean from this story?

On Sunday, August 16, we will explore Matthew 15:10-20. In this part of Matthew’s gospel, Jesus reminds us that it is vital that we are mindful of how we interact with the world.

Monday, August 17 will be Prayers with the Pastor. I have been encouraged by the number of folks attending these evenings throughout the summer months.

On Sunday, August 23, we will read Matthew 16:13-20. This passage will help us ask the question of who is Jesus by looking at who the disciples thought he was.

Finally, on Sunday, August 30, we will be holding worship in the parlor for a special mission project. Throughout the month, we will be collecting items for the Shaler Area Backpack Initiative. On this Sunday, we will have a brief worship service, then we will work together to assemble the bags for our friends in the Shaler Area School District. Stay tuned for more details!

I am praying that you are all weathering the summer well and looking forward to seeing you in worship!

Pastor Emily

Tuesday, August 11 at 7:00 PM on the front lawn

Everyone is invited! We look forward to welcoming all family pets — big or small, crated, in your arms, or leashed — for a special celebration of God’s creation.

We will also be collecting food and monetary donations for Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh. As one of Pittsburgh’s largest animal shelters, it serves as a safe haven for abandoned, lost, or abused animals, providing them with food, shelter, medical care, and rehabilitation until they are either reunited with their owners or adopted into new homes. It also has a wildlife rehabilitation center that takes injured and sick wildlife and restores them to health, so they can be returned to their natural habitat in the wild.

Please bring friends and family to this fun and meaningful time together!

The Adult Fellowship Committee is holding a Bunco Night on Friday, August 14 at 6:30 PM in the church parlor.  All members and friends of GPC are welcome.

For those of you unfamiliar with Bunco, it’s a dice game that is easy to learn and fun to play.  Any of our usual “gamers” can attest to what a good time the past Bunco Nights have been.

Beverages will be provided, but we ask that you bring a finger food to share – snacks, appetizers, something sweet.

We’d like to have prizes, so we are asking participants to bring an item for our prize table. If you have something you would like to re-gift, maybe an unopened extra something you have at home or a “white elephant” gift, wrap it or gift-bag it and bring it along.

There are two ways to RSVP:

1. Sign-up sheet in narthex after Sunday worship services.
2. Email Alain Richardson.

Please join us for some great fun and fellowship.

In recent months, and through consultation with Pastor Emily and Session, the Mission and Outreach (M&O) Committee has been exploring a new approach to building stronger connections with the residents of surrounding neighborhoods.  

The congregation was recently surveyed about how they identify and perceive the culture and principles of GPC.  Supporting each other and reaching out to the less fortunate was identified as the central legacy theme.

Spurred by a generous gift from the Raynor family, and by the motivation to carry on the caring legacy of GPC, M&O will be implementing a community engagement and strengthening initiative modeled on the recent successful initiatives in Etna, Millvale, and Sharpsburg. 

In the coming months, a deliberate process will be initiated to educate GPC members about the initiative, asking for input about how to utilize GPC’s resources while staying true to Christian teaching and the legacy culture of GPC.  We will be relying upon the leadership of this congregation and volunteer efforts will be presented to our members.  But to be clear, the success of this initiative will depend on the participation, and in some cases the leadership, of community members.  The most critical contributions of GPC will be our foundation of benevolence, physical infrastructure of the church campus and the financial foundation created by the Raynor family’s contribution. 

In the weeks ahead, we will be scheduling a congregational educational and brainstorming meeting. Let us know if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions in the meantime.