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Sunday, April 28, 2024
The Fifth Sunday of Easter
8 a.m. - The Holy Eucharist, Rite II
A said service of Holy Communion
in the Chapel
9 a.m. - The Holy Eucharist, Rite II
A service at the Crossing,
with congregational hymns and organ music
11 a.m. - The Holy Eucharist, Rite II
A service at the High Altar in the Church
with music for choir, organ, and congregation
[This service will be Livestreamed]
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Guest Preacher
On Sunday, April 28 at the 11 a.m. service, Calvary welcomes the Rt. Rev. Matthew Cowden, Bishop of West Virginia, to be our preacher. He was consecrated as Bishop Coadjutor of West Virginia on March 12, 2022, and became Bishop Diocesan on October 14, 2022. After an early career as a college theater professor, he followed his joy to pursue ordained ministry and received his Master of Divinity degree at Virginia Theological Seminary. Bishop Cowden was ordained deacon and priest in 2006. He served parishes in the Dioceses of Virginia and Northern Indiana. Bishop Cowden is a friend and recent colleague of our former Associate Rector, the Rev. T.J. Freeman.
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The 169th Annual Parish Meeting
of Calvary Church will be held
on Sunday, May 19, 2024
at 10 a.m., in the Parish Hall
Election of members of the Vestry and Parish Council
will take place and reports from the Wardens,
Treasurer and others will be given.
Please make every effort to attend.
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A Death in our Parish Family | |
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Amidst the ever present hope of Christ’s resurrection, it is with sadness that we share the news that James Knight, our beloved retired sexton, died on Saturday, April 20. James worked for Calvary for 41 years, serving under four rectors. He was a fixture at Calvary, fixing cranky boilers, making candles, and devotedly caring for this building. He was known and loved by many who walked through our doors. James retired in October 2022 due to health issues.
Following James’ expressed wishes, there will be no funeral or memorial service. Instead, we are planning a festive lunch on Sunday, September 29, after the 11 o’clock service, when we will honor and celebrate him. More details to come. Please join us in holding his family and friends in your prayers.
Rest eternal grant to your servant, James, O Lord: And let light perpetual shine upon him. May his soul and the souls of all the departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
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Upcoming Funeral Services at Calvary | |
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All of us go down to the dust; yet even at the grave we make our song: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Amidst the ever present hope of Christ’s resurrection, we share news about the funerals of four faithful and longtime parishioners of Calvary Episcopal Church. All are welcome to attend these services.
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A service to celebrate the life of Patricia (Patsy) Smith will be held at Calvary on Friday, May 10 at 2:00 p.m., with a reception to follow in the Parish Hall. Patsy died on March 6, 2024.
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A service to celebrate the life of Genevieve Garvin-Isaac will be held at Calvary on Saturday, May 11 at 11:00 a.m., with a reception to follow in the Parish Hall. Genevieve died on October 11, 2023.
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A service to celebrate the life of Lee O’Nan will be held at Calvary on Saturday, May 18 at 2:00 p.m., with a reception to follow in the Parish Hall. Lee died on April 14, 2024.
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A service to celebrate the life of Jules (Jay) Labarthe, Jr. will be held at Calvary on Saturday, May 25 at 11:00 a.m., with a reception to follow in the Parish Hall. Jay died on March 28, 2024.
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Please join us in holding Patsy, Genevieve, Lee, Jay, and their families and friends in your prayers.
Rest eternal grant to your servants, Jay, Lee, Genevieve, and Patsy, O Lord: And let light perpetual shine upon them. May their souls and the souls of all the departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
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The deadline for submission of news and notices for the next issue is Friday, May 3, 2024. Please e-mail your text to calvary@calvarypgh.org or deliver it directly to the church office. | |
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We are very pleased to report that the Capital Campaign currently has 90 pledges and one-time gifts totaling $2,918,874 which is 49% of our $6,000,000 goal. While this is great progress, we need to have many more members participate in the Campaign. In order to facilitate this, we are offering several opportunities to learn about the Campaign and make it easy to pledge.
During the early phase of the Campaign we organized neighborhood Awareness Gatherings, mostly in members’ homes, to reach other members and share details about the Campaign. These were followed by individual meetings to solicit pledges to the Campaign. However, we understand that while an Awareness Gathering fits some members’ needs for information, not everyone wants to, or has the time to attend an informational meeting. To address that, and simplify the process, we are offering several ways for you to get the information you need to participate in the Campaign.
To that end, please send an email to us at campaign@calvarypgh.org:
1. If you would like to attend an Awareness Gathering. Once we have enough responses we will organize a meeting around the schedules of those who respond. As with all prior gatherings, this will be an informational meeting only; you will not be solicited at the meeting. Afterwards you will be contacted personally to discuss your participation in the campaign.
2. If you just have a few questions, either about the Campaign or methods to pay your pledge. The appropriate committee member will respond to you. All discussions are confidential and it is not necessary to discuss your pledge amount.
3. If you are ready to make your pledge, and want a pledge form. Please specify whether you would like to have a hard copy sent in the mail. Otherwise you will receive the form attached to an email.
All the above methods are also available ‘in person’ every Sunday in the Parish Hall before and after services. The Campaign Committee Co-Chairs and Ambassadors will be in the Parish Hall near the children’s progress chart and will happily address your questions and comments. They will have relevant documents available for you: the Campaign Case, the Campaign Project List, a List of Naming Opportunities, a description of the numerous “Ways of Giving,” and Campaign FAQ’s. As outlined above, you may also request to be put on the list for an Awareness meeting, request a pledge card or have a Campaign person contact you for specific questions.
We look forward eagerly to sharing the details about this critical campaign and to having you join us as we work together to meet the financial goals needed to preserve, sustain, and share Calvary’s buildings and mission!
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| The wonderful campaign video that was produced by our talented Rector, is now available for your viewing pleasure on YouTube. The link to watch it is https://youtu.be/oR-VBMGHrw0, or click the thumbnail below. As you are watching it, please take a minute to jot down any questions that it raises for you and bring them to one of our sessions for answers. | |
A Priest and a Rabbi Walk Into a Classroom | |
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Rabbi Aaron Bisno and the Rev. Jonathon Jensen will continue to teach a class together. We will focus on the great stories of Judaism in the Book of Genesis. The classes will be in person in McClintic Hall, also known as the choir room, on Sundays at 10 a.m. Sessions are recorded and available on Calvary’s YouTube page. All are welcome to attend.
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Because the Pittsburgh Marathon route limits access
to Calvary on May 5, we will have a celebration of the
Holy Eucharist only at 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
The 5 p.m. service will be Livestreamed.
The Parish Council is hosting the second annual
Finish Line Party after the 5 p.m. May 5
Marathon Sunday service.
This party will provide a chance for parishioners
from all services to meet and celebrate Calvary.
Activities for all ages will include:
*Icebreaker BINGO
*Selfie photo station with horse racing photo props
*Make your own fascinator headpiece –
instructions and supplies provided
*Children’s Noodle Race (swimming pool noodles
decorated as horses)
*Hat parade and contest (wear your favorite headwear –
creative, crazy, whatever!)
We ask folks to bring a cold appetizer for eight
to share as we chat and play.
Sign-up sheets are on the table in the Parish Hall.
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Children’s Liturgy of the Word (CLW) at the 11 a.m. Service is a special time for children to pray, ask questions, and hear the good news of God’s love. The Sunday scripture readings are proclaimed and explained on a level appropriate to children ages 4-11. Any child in this age group may participate – no registration is necessary. Children are invited to gather with adult leaders ass the beginning of the service, no worries! Drop in and join us in the Refectory.
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Open on Sundays from 8:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and for other church events as published. Details at
https://www.calvarypgh.org/the-nursery
| Faith Formation Highlights | |
The Faith Formation students celebrated Good Shepherd Sunday by listening to the Parable of the Found Sheep, reflecting on the Good Shepherd's determination to find
the one lost sheep and the joyous
celebration upon its return, reminding us of Jesus' unconditional and never-ending love. The children were encouraged to think about the names of the sheep, the feelings of the lost sheep, and the Good Shepherd’s joy upon finding it. They also pondered the significance of the sheep being individually known and cared for by the Good Shepherd, like Jesus' relationship with each of us. As an activity, the younger students created a special, personalized gift to take home as a surprise for their families at the end of the school year.
The older students participated in a lesson focusing on Creation Care, as part of the "Season of Creation'' series. The focus was on understanding our role as stewards of the environment, emphasizing the theological and ecological significance of caring for creation. We were delighted to welcome guest speaker, Laura Everhart, a member of the Calvary Creation Care team, who shared practical stewardship strategies like recycling and composting. Students engaged in a thoughtful discussion about ways they can help care for creation both globally as well as right here in our neighborhood. We also had a chance to take a quick look at the raised bed gardens to assess readiness for planting.
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As an additional enrichment activity, students took a close-up look at various wonders of nature under the microscope, marveling at the intricacies and beauty of God’s creation, even on the smallest scale. The day concluded with a brainstorming session on ways the youth of Calvary can be part of the Calvary Creation Care initiatives and ideas for future collaboration within our community. Thank you, Laura and the Creation Care team for sharing a hopeful vision of the future and inspiring us all to do our part!
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The Calvary Creation Care Committee
You are invited to a work day with Grounded Strategies on Saturday, May 4 at 400 Sherwood Road, Wilkinsburg, 15221, from 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. (lunch included). Activities include: Clean and stage outdoor spaces, Light fence line clean up, Minor outdoor prep items. Supplies will be included, but bring your outdoor tools if you like! Gloves, shovels, trowels, all the good stuff. This event is organized by Grounded Strategies, a Pittsburgh nonprofit that cleans up vacant lots and updates community spaces in the community. There is a sign up sheet on the table in the Parish Hall.
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Click the image above to open a PDF for printing | |
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Evening Prayer on Mondays and Thursdays will continue through the Easter Season. We will meet each Monday and Thursday through May 23 at 6 p.m. in the Lady Chapel. (The only exception is Ascension Day, Thursday, May 9, when Evensong will be offered at 7:30 p.m.). Please join us!
Praying at certain points of the day has its origins in Judaism and was practiced in the early church and monastic traditions. Evening Prayer is derived from the monastic prayer services and is one of the Daily Offices found in our Book of Common Prayer. The service of Evening Prayer is about 20 minutes long and includes Psalms, Scripture, and Prayers for the day (but no sermon or music).
If you have questions or are interested in helping to lead this service, please contact Steve Shandor (steve.shandor@gmail.com) or Michael Salmon (oriolefish@gmail.com).
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Stop by the Bookstore to see our large selection of newly arrived greeting cards as well as blank cards for you to write your own heartfelt message to someone you miss, you love, who helped you, or you are thinking of. In addition, an assortment of cards including blank, birthday, and get well are available in variety packets of five cards for only $1! At this price, why wouldn’t you send a card or two? The impact can be immeasurable when someone receives a card.
The Bookstore is open on Sunday from 8:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Call the Bookstore at 412.661.0120 ext. 133 (please leave a message) or email at bookstore@calvarypgh.org and we will contact you. Cash, check, Discover®, MasterCard®, and Visa® along with touch-free payments are accepted.
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You can support the Calvary Bookstore both in-person and now online. Instead of using Amazon to find any books that you are interested in, please turn to Bookshop.org, type zip code 15206 in the Bookstore Near Me box, click on Calvary Bookstore, then the red Support this Shop! box. You will be taken to the Calvary Bookstore homepage on their site where you will find suggested readings. You can also use the search bar to find most any book your heart desires. The books will be sent directly to you.
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Spiritual Reflection –
Kate Bowler
Adult spiritual formation may be described as the step-by-step discovery of God’s presence in our lives and our personal transformation along the way. Calvary’s Spiritual Reflection meetings continue to be a regular and familiar forum for small group sharing and prayer.
For this term we use Kate Bowler’s Good Enough. Bowler is a Duke religion professor best known for her book, Everything Happens for a Reason (and other lies I've loved), written after her Stage IV cancer diagnosis at age 35. Good Enough is a collection of devotionals and prayers "overflowing with grace, good humor and clear-eyed counsel," says one reviewer.
Meetings are held in the Evans Room from 7-8 p.m. on the first and third Tuesday evening of each month. The meetings are hybrid, allowing “in person” conversation while others join remotely using Zoom. Our next meeting date is May 7.
Email Matt Muldoon (mattmuldoon@msn.com) or Sondra Krimmel (sskrimmel@gmail.com) for information or to be added to the email list. Please feel welcome to join us at any time.
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The Contemplative Prayer group meets for silent prayer and reflection, both in person and on Zoom Mondays at 7 p.m. in the Evans Room. For more info and a Zoom invitation, contact Lucy Weingartner at lweingartner20@gmail.com | |
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East Liberty Valley Historical Society Talk
“The Legacy of George Westinghouse,” 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 1, in the Parish Hall. In this illustrated talk, David Bear, founding president of The Westinghouse Legacy, provides an update on developments in Westinghouse Park, including its arboretum certification, the city’s new master development plan, and an effort to archaeologically explore the historic site. He also will introduce a new project to honor and archive the Westinghouse legacy. This talk is part of the East Liberty Valley Historical Society’s Marilyn Evert Lecture Series.
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The diocese is hosting a celebration of our ministries together on Saturday, May 18, at Trinity Cathedral from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
This promises to be a day of joy-filled celebration. With our Fall diocesan convention mostly focused on business, this is an opportunity for the whole diocese to get together for fellowship, idea-sharing, and worship.
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Keynote Speaker
We are excited to have Bishop DeDe Duncan-Probe from the Diocese of Central New York, and a nominee to be our 28th Presiding Bishop, join us as our keynote speaker.
Read more about Bishop DeDe's nomination in a story from Episcopal News Service here.
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The day will begin with a continental breakfast in the cathedral's Parish Hall and fellowship in the nave with a Ministry Fair highlighting our ministries together.
A tentative agenda is below. So we can plan for the breakfast and hospitality we ask attendees to register for the event here. There is no cost to attend.
An important piece of this celebration will be the Ministry Fair with tables highlighting our ministries together, with plenty of time set aside for fellowship and exploring our diverse ministries. If your parish ministry or related organization would like to be represented, please fill out this form and we will reserve a table for you. It will be a great opportunity to highlight your ministries, upcoming events, and to celebrate our successes over the past year together.
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Tentative Agenda
8 a.m. Display Table Setup
9 a.m. Continental Breakfast & Registration in the Parish Hall; Visit Display Tables in the Nave
10 a.m. Welcome! Bishop Ketlen
10:15 a.m. Keynote Address by Bishop DeDe Duncan-Probe, Bishop, Diocese of Central New York
11 a.m. Break; Visit Display Tables; Refreshments in the Parish Hall
11:30 a.m. Plenary Session, Part 2 in the Nave
12:15 a.m. Noontime Prayers
12:30 p.m. Adjourn
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2024 Sacred Ground Dates Announced
Sacred Ground is part of the Beloved Community Initiative, the Episcopal Church’s long-term commitment to racial healing, reconciliation, and justice in our personal lives, our ministries, and our society.
There will be sessions of Sacred Ground going on at various locations throughout the Diocese of Pittsburgh this year. Please encourage friends, family, fellow parishioners and other congregations or faith based groups to participate.
There are some very positive changes to Level 1 based on feedback from the surveys from participants. This will give us time to implement some of the new initiatives (less readings, more up to date articles, more discussion time, and only 8 sessions). We are also adding a "Sacred Ground" Level 2 for those who took Sacred Ground and want a deeper dive into the content, more research and/or more action oriented programming. The level 2 sessions consist of 6 sessions.
New Level 1 Session for Sacred Ground on Tuesdays at St. Thomas Church, Oakmont, at 6 p.m. Dinner will be provided.
New Level 2 Sacred Ground Sessions on Thursdays at St. Thomas Church, Oakmont, at 6 p.m. Dinner will be provided.
New Level 2 Sacred Ground Sessions on Wednesdays, through May 8, 2024 in the Conference Room at Calvary Church, East Liberty, at 6 p.m. Dinner will be provided.
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Office Hours: Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
AA: Alcoholics Anonymous; CYAM: Calvary Young Adult Ministry;
ESL: English as a Second Language
Friday April 26, 2024
5:00 p.m. Dixon-Ernst / Nesbitt Wedding Rehearsal
Saturday April 27, 2024
Zita of Tuscany, Worker of Charity, 1271
4:00 p.m. Alix Dixon-Ernst / James Nesbitt Wedding
Sunday April 28, 2024
The Fifth Sunday of Easter
The Holy Eucharist at 8, 9, and 11 a.m.
10:00 a.m. Children/Youth Formation
10:00 a.m. Priest/Rabbi Class
10:00 a.m. Gospel and Breakfast (GAB)
10:00 a.m. Choir Warm-up
11:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist with Guest Preacher:
the Rt. Rev. Matthew Cowden
11:00 a.m. Children’s Liturgy
12:00 p.m. Coffee Hour
12:15 p.m. Phillips Baptism
Monday April 29, 2024
Catherine of Siena, Mystic and Prophetic Witness, 1380
6:00 p.m. Evening Prayer
7:00 p.m. Contemplative Prayer
Tuesday April 30, 2024
11:00 a.m. Staff Meeting
7:00 p.m. AA Meeting
Wednesday May 1, 2024
Saint Philip and Saint James, Apostles
9:00 a.m. Wednesday Workspace
10:00 a.m. ESL Conversation Class
12:00 p.m. Holy Eucharist
6:00 p.m. Sacred Ground Level 2
6:00 p.m. Interlude Group
7:00 p.m. East Liberty Valley Historical Society Lecture
Thursday May 2, 2024
Athanasius at Alexandria, Bishop and Theologian, 373
6:00 p.m. Evening Prayer
6:30 p.m. Mahjong
7:00 p.m. Choir Rehearsal
Friday May 3, 2024
Elisabeth Cruciger, Poet and Hymnographer, 1535
Agape Deadline
5:00 p.m. Wedding Rehearsal
Saturday May 4, 2024
Monnica, Mother of Augustine of Hippo, 387
4:00 p.m. Anne Hazlett / John Witherspoon Wedding
Sunday May 5, 2024
The Sixth Sunday of Easter; Pittsburgh Marathon
8:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist
5:00 p.m. Holy Eucharist
6:00 p.m. Finish Line Party
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An archive of the past months weekly email blasts
may be viewed on the Calvary website at
www.calvarypgh.org
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