PBT Article on Churches & Recession

This week's Pittsburgh Business Times includes an article on the impact of the economy on local faith communities: "Churches feel effects of downturn, but see bright future ahead."

Mary Louise is quoted, and Sixth is offered as an example of a church that is becoming more open in communicating the realities and practicalities of its own financial needs.

Fellowship Hour: We're On for October!

The committees of Sixth take turns finding volunteers to set up/clean up and provide snacks for the congregation's fellowship (coffee-and-cookies) time after worship. The Church + Community Committee has the month of October: October 4, 11, 18, and 25.

Flood Damage Relief: Second United Presbyterian Church of Wilkinsburg

When heavy rainstorms blew through Pittsburgh on June 17, a number of churches in the Pittsburgh Presbytery sustained significant damage. In particular, Second United Presbyterian Church of Wilkinsburg suffered extensive damage to their Fellowship Hall, kitchen, two bathrooms and the downstairs hallway. They need to raise $24,880 to purchase materials and are asking for the prayers of their brothers and sisters in Christ throughout the Presbytery, and for any funding or labor that could help them through their repairs.

If you are interested in helping, through your time and talents or a financial contribution, please contact Rev. Deborah Warren at 412.242.4430.

For more on Second United's ministry, see http://web.mac.com/secondpresbyterian/iWeb/SecondUnitedPresbyterian/Home.html .

Have a Few Minutes? Speak Up!

Speaking of how we spend our time.... Nora writes that she is increasingly frustrated by the wimpiness of our elected officials in terms of tackling head-on the challenging but not impossible task of health care/insurance reform, especially in the face of hollering crowds.

Have two minutes? Read Nora's letter, below, which she has sent to her senators and congressman via email. I've included both her 'call to action' (addressed to all those who care about this issue) and her letter.

Have five minutes? Send an email to YOUR senators/representatives! Nora won't mind if you want to crib some from hers! You can find the email address for your senator (most of you reading this are probably represented by Casey and Specter) at http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm and the address for your representative at https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml.

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Hi, friends -

Our federal elected representatives have gone home for the summer without enacting health insurance reform. Worse, it's questionable whether or not they'll ever be able to break through the ties of money and influence that bind them. I sat around all last week stewing helplessly about this. This morning, as the weather threatens to stew us all in fact, I pulled myself together, and e-mailed and called Senators Specter and Casey and Congressman Doyle. My letter follows to show that I really did get in touch with them. I

If you're contacting them as well, do let me know. I'm finding it very discouraging that the legislation under discussion so far has moved far from anything that might make a difference to all the un- and underinsured in this country or to the high costs of health care, and that the mindless yelling of bought-off crowds seems to be so influential. It's hard to be enthusiastic about what's being proposed at this point. So I'd like to hear if others of you, just to get a sense of a common interest. Thanks so much!

Nora

Dear Sen/Rep:

Please work to get us real health insurance reform. So far, it doesn't look good. It looks like the vested interests, namely big health insurance and big pharma, are having their way. They're bankrolling mob pressure against any meaningful change, and they've got the "Gang of Six", led by Senator Max Baucus, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, batting around in their wet paper bag unable to do anything at all.

In fact, I heard Sen. Grassley, the ranking Republican on the Committee, say: "We've got a good health care system." What? What country is Senator Grassley living in? Canada maybe, where they do have a good health care system? Meanwhile, Kent Conrad, a Democrat on Sen. Baucus' committee, is proposing a health care co-op system. Please.

What we need is a system that will serve everyone and will save money in the long run. Single-payer health care does that. Why not work vigorously to educate your constituency about the facts of single-payer? There has not been enough information because everyone is so frightened of what the well-funded noise machine will do. Please break out of the mold and bring us a real solution to our overpriced, ineffective, and corrupt health care system.

Thank you very much.

How Do You Spend Your Time?

The New York Times posted an interesting chart on how people (over 15 years old) in the US spend their time on an average day.

It's fascinating (in ways that may or may not be healthy!). You can pick a random time -- let's say 6:50 PM -- and see the percentage of Americans who would normally be engaged in a given activity at that time. At 6:50 PM, 3% of Americans are playing sports. 1% are voluntering, while another 1% are engaged in religious activities (does blogging for a church committee count?). 24% of Americans, at 6:50 PM, would typically be watching television or a movie.