August and September have given me some great opportunities to talk to people about God and the Bible. I was asked by Conference to teach one day of a class at the Bhutanese Nepali Church of Pittsburgh. We were covering the Salvation History class that Marion Bontrager of Heston teaches - over a two week period with the Youth of this congregation. It was really great to be able to interact with these young people and talk about the history of the broader church. We have also begun the discipleship class again here at Stahl. There are four participants meeting weekly. We are using God’s Story, Our Story by Michelle Hershberger as the start of the conversation and also digging into many significant Bible stories. Teen Breakfast Club on Tuesday mornings has begun again, I am cooking and doing devotions regularly for these JCS and Township students. We have also been covering ground in the book of Acts in the Kitchen Sunday School.
I have also been putting focus on worship lately. Working on themes for the fall and already reviewing our denominational Advent themes. I am serving as the music director this year, and I hope you all have enjoyed the diversity of music that has happened. I was glad to welcome Dan Becker to share his original compositions based on the Psalms, to have our friend Dan Gates play us some songs on the harmonica and also to have Jonathan Shetler step up to be our song leader last Sunday. It was a pleasure to help Melanie Quinn tell the story of the work she is doing in Botswana, Africa and I think those who heard it were surprised and delighted to hear both what God is doing there, and the struggles that she faces in this place and culture.
Also, serving as the Vice President of Saint Francis Sharing and Caring has become a bit more time intensive as we have started the work of designing and planning to build a new facility which would house both the food pantry and the thrift shop. It is exciting to visualize the reality of a new space that would save us money, and allow us to serve the community better. It is also overwhelming to work with a large group on a project that has been in the works many times over the past decades. Please pray for the board and the building committee as many decisions must be made, and finances must be raised for this goal to see its completion.
Finally - I have finished writing a paper based on my Sabbatical Study. Here is a link to this paper.
- Bob Brown, pastor
I have also been putting focus on worship lately. Working on themes for the fall and already reviewing our denominational Advent themes. I am serving as the music director this year, and I hope you all have enjoyed the diversity of music that has happened. I was glad to welcome Dan Becker to share his original compositions based on the Psalms, to have our friend Dan Gates play us some songs on the harmonica and also to have Jonathan Shetler step up to be our song leader last Sunday. It was a pleasure to help Melanie Quinn tell the story of the work she is doing in Botswana, Africa and I think those who heard it were surprised and delighted to hear both what God is doing there, and the struggles that she faces in this place and culture.
Also, serving as the Vice President of Saint Francis Sharing and Caring has become a bit more time intensive as we have started the work of designing and planning to build a new facility which would house both the food pantry and the thrift shop. It is exciting to visualize the reality of a new space that would save us money, and allow us to serve the community better. It is also overwhelming to work with a large group on a project that has been in the works many times over the past decades. Please pray for the board and the building committee as many decisions must be made, and finances must be raised for this goal to see its completion.
Finally - I have finished writing a paper based on my Sabbatical Study. Here is a link to this paper.
- Bob Brown, pastor
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