June 2022
From the Desk of the Pastor
I have confirmed with Heather McGarvey that she will be sharing a message with us on Pentecost Sunday, appropriately titled “Something New!” her message will be based upon Isaiah 43:16-21 and Acts 2:1-4. I invite you to come and hear how God is doing something new, even in 2022! As a bonus, Heather has agreed to offer us some special music after her sermon titled “Praise to the Lord!”. I have listened to the selection on a YouTube video, and I am sure that you will enjoy this arrangement of what I am sure you will find to be a familiar tune.
Time has gone by so fast since I started here in January. Already I am beginning my sixth month with you and the time has gone by quickly. I want to thank you for your support and let you know that I am feeling comfortable and welcomed here. That being said, I want to let you know that I have two vacation weeks scheduled, one in June and one in July. My daughter Sarah is getting married. My June vacation is for her wedding in New York and a reception for her Pennsylvania family and friends. In July we will be travelling to her fiancé’s home in Wisconsin to celebrate a reception for the Helberg side of the new family. On Sunday June 12, Reverend Jane Duffield will be filling the pulpit. On Sunday, July 10, Reverend Bruce Ford will be filling the pulpit. Please give both a warm Plum Creek Presbyterian Church welcome.
During a visit to a member who is confined to a nursing home, I was asked about home communion. With the onset and long-term impact of Covid, it has been quite some time since we have offered communion to members of our congregation who are not able to be with us on a communion Sunday. I plan to restart our home communion program by offering training on a Sunday after worship in June so that we can begin again to include our home bound members in this important and special sacrament. The training should last no more than 30 minutes. I am hoping that enough qualified members are willing to be trained so that we have several teams to offer home communion. If enough teams are trained, we will be able to alternate months when a particular team needs to serve. Each team must have at least two members who have been ordained as either a Ruling Elder or a Deacon. You do not need to be currently serving on either the Session or the Board of Deacons to be eligible. Please contact the church office to express your interest and willingness to be trained and participate in this important ministry.
The Session is updating our building use policy so that we can be able to make our facility available to new outside groups for their regular meetings. We hope to have our first new group begin using our facilities over the summer. I will share more details as information becomes available.
You have probably noticed in the Caller article offered by our new Director of Christian Formation, that we will be offering several summer programs for the youth of our church and their friends. I am hoping that we can generate some excitement inside our congregation and in the community with our outreach to “new to us” organizations and community youth.
Each month I will continue to send out requests for visits. I know that this time of year many of you are busy with your gardens, spring sports, or other activities. Know that it is not my intention that these meetings be a burden nor a requirement, but rather a fun time that gives us an opportunity to get to know each other. I am hoping that over the summer you will find some time in your schedule for one of these visits.
To God be the Glory!
Pastor Frank Hancock!
Email: pastor@plumcreekpc.com
Office: (412) 793-4525
Cell Phone: (412) 860-3719 – Please feel free to leave a message
Welcome Carolyn Leah
Director of Christian Formation
Carolyn comes to Plum Creek as Director of Christian Formation with more than 30 years of experience in Christian Education. She has lived and worked in the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh for most of her life. Carolyn grew up in the Penn Hills area and confirmed in Rosedale United Methodist Church where, as a young adult, she was asked to be in charge of the youth group, children’s Sunday School and Adult Education areas. She has been called to serve three Presbyterian churches within the Pittsburgh area, including Beulah Presbyterian Church in Churchill for the last 13 years and will continue serving Beulah and Plum Creek under our new partnership in Christian Education. Carolyn also served the LOGOS Ministry, a national afterschool ministry for eight years where she helped to train and assist churches in the facilitation of their midweek programs across the country.
Carolyn became a Certified Christian Educator in the PCUSA in 2017 and is currently working on a certification in Spiritual Formation. She serves the national Association for Partners in Christian Education (APCE) under the Ministry Team for Advocacy for Christian Educators and serves the Eastern Regional APCE as President. Her two adult children, Andrew and Jillian, and their spouses and three grandchildren (soon to be four), make up her family. At home, she enjoys time with her orange tabby cat, Colby, and her Sheltie, Savannah. She loves hiking in the mountains and taking photographs of nature and wildlife. Her favorite “God spot” is Shenandoah National Park and she tries to travel there at least once a year for rest and renewal. She has completed the training to be a Pennsylvania Master Naturalist and continues to add service and education hours to her certification. She enjoys helping people integrate their spiritual life with the wonder of nature. Her true passion is to meet children, youth, and adults where they are in their faith journey and to help them grow in their faith through new experiences with scripture, serving, worshiping, and being in relationship with one another and with Christ. She sees discipleship and faith formation as broadly encompassing the whole life of faith across and between generations. She is excited to pioneer this new shared partnership in Christian Education!
Wednesday Summer Club is Back!
Plum Creek will once again be hosting Wednesday Summer Club days for children completing Kindergarten through Sixth grade. The Summer Club days begin at 9 AM and end at 3 PM. Children will experience a day of fun and fellowship based on a Christian theme for the day. There will be eight Wednesdays of Summer Club in two four week sets, with a break over the week of the 4th of July.
Dates for Summer Club are:
June 8 July 13
June 15 July 20
June 22 July 27
June 29 August 3
The fee for each day is $10 per child, with a maximum of $25 per family. Registration is available at https://bit.ly/3wEfXTg. Contact christian_formation@plumcreekpc.com with any Summer Club questions.
Plum Creek Youth Gathering
The youth (currently in grades 6 and above) will gather on Wednesday, June 1 from 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM for dinner, fun, fellowship and idea sharing and summer planning time with our new director of Christian Formation, Carolyn Leah. We will meet around back in the pavilion. Youth are encouraged to invite their friends to join us. Weather permitting, we will have a bonfire. Register here : https://forms.gle/Ue37zejvqRTW9GYQ7 and Contact Carolyn at Christian_formation@plumcreekpc.com with any questions. We will also be needing adult/parent volunteers for the evening and you can volunteer at the same email above.
Pre-K Event
Carolyn Leah, the new Director of Christian Formation at Plum Creek PC is beginning a monthly gathering for pre-K children and their grown-ups to share a Bible story time, craft, games, snack, and more. Our first gathering of Faith Sprouts will be Monday, June 27 from 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM. During the summer months, we will meet outside in the pavilion or in the fellowship hall if the weather is an issue. Each child or multiple children from the same family are asked to have at least one adult attend with them. This is a time for child/children and their grown-up to share in the faith-building time together under Carolyn’s leadership. We encourage you to invite your neighbors and friends. It will be a good time to get to know Carolyn as well. You may register at https://forms.gle/o7mVJ2H7Z4gY3iN97
STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL!
June 10
Starts at 4 pm!
A Wrap on Sunday School!
Our children's Sunday School is taking a break for the Summer. Please see the details for our Summer Club included in this newsletter. Sunday School will start again in September.
60th Annual Rummage Sale Roster/Report 2022
Thanks to all of you that helped during the 2022 Rummage Sale! Thanks to those of you that donated to the sale! Thanks to those of you that made something for the bake sale or donated money to help our cause! Thanks to those who helped set up tables and tents, sort through boxes, priced items, were cashiers, bagged items, cooked food in the kitchen, carried purchases to cars, or just “made deals with customers”, and those that helped to clean up when the event was over. Thanks to you that collected items from people’s houses to bring to church! Thanks to those of you that prayed for us and for good weather! An army of 35 people from Plum Creek Church and the surrounding neighborhood were involved in making this event happen. It was a pleasure working and chairing this event which brings fellowship, fun, and a winning relationship with the Congregation and the Community.
Charities where we donated Rummage, after our sale:
Stuffed animals, scarves, housewares, glasses, mugs, all sizes of men’s, women’s, and children’s clothing, plastic mugs, plastic plates, pots, pans, dishes, roasting pans, baking equipment, toys, small electrical appliances, comforters, bedding, metal hangers, Christmas trees, wreaths, – Vietnam Veterans
Furniture, mirrors, desks, lamps, sporting goods – Blessing Board in Oakmont
Men’s clothing, men’s shoes, blankets - Under the Bridge Charity
Clothing, coats, jackets, blankets – Reclamation Welcome Home Shelter, Free Store in Braddock, Shephard’s Heart, Community Clothes Closet
With the help of the 35 people, we were able to raise:
TOTAL $5356.25
2021 Totals $5055.34
With a grateful heart for all the work that went into this, THANK YOU!!!
Joy Smith
