2008 Allocations: A Look at the Pie

LOL! OK, at Sue's request, here's my attempt to post the pie chart on the blog.

How 'bout them slices, eh? And the little square raindrops where a legend to the chart used to be.... It looks better as a powerpoint slide, promise.

This pie shows how the Church + Community's funding pot was allocated this year.

The light blue slice shows the portion of our budget that went to local cooperative ministries (EECM, Wilkinsburg).

The royal blue slice is the portion that went to local hunger relief (Just Harvest, EECM Food Pantry, Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank).

The teal slice is the portion that went to Presbyterian mission efforts: Church World Services, Presbyterian Disaster Relief, Camp Crestfield, Malawi Partnership, and the Lazarus Fund.

The pea green slice is for local social justice efforts at the Mars Home for Youth and the Neighborhood Academy.

The gray slice shows support for the people of developing countries through gifts to Global Links, support for the CROP walkers, Goats for Gifts (Rwanda), and the March for Darfur.

There's a very slender black slice to represent the amount remaining in our budget.

Those Boots Were Made for.....

Walking! And caring! And giving!

The CROP Walk envelopes have now all been turned in, and Sue Koehler proudly reports that Sixth Presbyterian Church walkers collected donations totaling $4,064, the largest East End church contribution by a mile!

Congratulations and a big round of applause for all the walkers and donors.

Lunch at the Neighborhood Academy

Diana reports that Friday's lunch at the Neighborhood Academy was "enthusiastically devoured."

Many thanks to all those who helped: Sue Koehler, Louise Craft, Carol and Bill Beggs, Michael Schrecengost, Dave Wood, Jan Fisher, Jim McDowell, Larry VanDyke and Louise Ford. And very special thanks (and a round of applause) for the woman who pulled it all together: Diana Wood.

Diana will be proctoring the NA study hours tomorrow (Tuesday, 5:30 to 7:30 PM). That's a volunteer opportunity open to all, so please let Diana know if you're interested.

The next Sixth-in-the-Neighborhood-Academy is scheduled for WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11. Cooks and servers are needed -- just let Diana know if you can help out. We have funds to help reiumburse the cost of the food!

EECM Food Pantry

The EECM Food Pantry has put out an "all points bulletin" to alert congregations in the East End of their urgent need for food to restock the pantry shelves.

Please consider bringing some canned goods or other pantry staples to church with you on Sunday. There are baskets at the front of the sanctuary for your contributions.

Good News!

Good news!

1) This morning's Post-Gazette reports that UPMC will not close House of Hope: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08341/933262-114.stm

Excerpts from the story (including quotes from Mary Louise applauding the wisdom of keeping the program alive):

"The House of Hope -- the program in Braddock that helps pregnant women who are working to overcome addictions -- will continue operating, but eventually it will be moved....."

"Word was spreading and hopefully the outpouring of support caused this change," said the Rev. Mary Louise McCullough, pastor of Sixth Presbyterian Church in Squirrel Hill. "It's wise on the part of these folks at UPMC to realize that this is a facility that should not go."

After learning of UPMC's initial plan to close House of Hope, the Rev. McCullough sought to persuade churches to donate money to keep the program open for a few months until alternative funding could be found.
She also spoke of the planned closing from her pulpit, which prompted leaders of her church to write letters on behalf of the program to board members of UPMC and Heritage Health Foundation, the charitable arm of UPMC Braddock.

"We so often are angry and upset and think there's nothing we can do about things," she said. "Sometimes you lose the sense that people will actually respond. But I'm very happy and I'm sure the people in my church who were involved will be very happy.""

2) Pittsburgh Presbytery rejected a proposal from Bellefield Presbyterian to eliminate a perceived "loophole" in presbytery's ordination standards. See http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08341/933252-53.stm

Excerpt follows (guess we'd be included in the "foes" category!):

Pittsburgh Presbytery refuses to change policy on gay pastors
Court would have stricken rule, foes say

Pittsburgh Presbytery, which has a history of opposing gay ordination, has rejected a proposal intended to close a loophole that supporters believed could open the presbytery to openly gay pastors....

Jesus, The Bible, and Homosexuality

Starting January 4th, Sixth's adult Sunday School class will discuss Jack Roger's Jesus, The Bible, and Homosexuality: Explode the Myths, Heal the Church.

Ever found yourself tongue-tied trying to explain why we're a More Light Congregation, even though you know in your heart and soul it's what you believe is right and just? This class will give us all a chance to explore together the way the Bible does (and does not) talk about homosexuality and a faith-filled life.

Class begins at 9:50 AM in the Parlor and runs for four weeks: January 4, 11, 18, and 25.

Rally for House of Hope: December 11, 2008

On Thursday, December 11th, a rally will be held in front of UPMC Braddock to protest UPMC's decision to close the House of Hope. The rally is expected to run from 11:15 AM till 12:45 PM.

House of Hope was designed to help addicted, homeless women who are pregnant or new mothers. It offers a small-group (only five clients at a time) residence setting for 90-day stays, during which the women get treatment and counseling for their addiction. Their babies get to stay with them during their treatment stay.

UPMC has announced its intention to close House of Hope on January 2nd as a cost-cutting move.

Below please find C+C Committee Member Margaret Miller's letter to the Post-Gazette about this (11.23.2008):

Care betrayal

To those at UPMC who are closing House of Hope, I know these are difficult economic times. However, as I read about all the new projects that UPMC has money for, I cannot for the life of me see why keeping House of Hope would put such a strain on UPMC's budget.

If indeed it is true that UPMC or its foundation did not have sufficient funds available to continue to support House of Hope, this surely is no excuse for keeping the annual budget a secret. Perhaps some other group could try to undertake supporting it.

I know that the hospitals that make up UPMC's facilities here in Pittsburgh were, for the most part, started by members of various religious communities. This seems like a betrayal of this caring impulse.

MARGARET R. MILLER
Point Breeze