Congratulations to the Neighborhood Academy!

The Neighborhood Academy is the 2010 Peace Partner Award Recipient for its peace building contributions to Youth Services! The Academy is being recognized for its "long standing commitment to developing the mind, body and spirit of students and for working to break the cycle of poverty and violence."

The Peace Partner Awards are part of the Center for Victims of Violence and Crime's (CVVC) Peace-It-Together Community Initiative (PITCI). The Peace Partner Awards honor those persons and organizations who, through their work or service, help individuals, families, and communities heal from violence and crime and who embody the spirit of PITCI by resolving conflict, restoring relationships, and building peaceful communities in the Greater Pittsburgh Region. The Neighborhood Academy was nominated by Diana Wood, who coordinates Sixth's lunch brigade volunteers at the Academy.

The 2010 Peace-It-Together Community Initiative Reception and Peace Partner Awards Ceremony will be held on Wednesday, February 24, 2010 from 5:00 – 7:30 PM at the Regional Enterprise Tower in downtown Pittsburgh.

'Zombies' Protest Closing of UPMC-Braddock

From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

Zombies in movie makeup, pushing hospital IV stands and portraying what they said will be the results of corporate greed that caused UPMC to suck the life out of Braddock by closing the hospital there, marched on the nonprofit's Downtown corporate headquarters at noon today.

"I couldn't make it to a hospital in time because UPMC is closing Braddock," Emily Gorda, 29, of Braddock, one of the zombies in crusty gray makeup and a backless hospital gown, said explaining the symbolism during the march from the Greyhound Bus Terminal to the U.S. Steel Tower on Grant Street. "Our community is on life support. UPMC should be ashamed."

When the dozen zombie marchers reached the front of the skyscraper -- which houses UPMC offices -- their ranks swelled to about 40 protesters who held a mock UPMC board meeting on the sidewalk.

Filmmaker and Braddock resident Tony Buba, who worked on George Romero's "Night of the Living Dead" and "Dawn of the Dead" horror movies, said the demonstrators were trying to draw attention not only to the closing of Braddock Hospital, scheduled for Jan. 31, but also the need for health care coverage and the closing of community hospitals, especially in poor and minority communities.
This story continues at www.post-gazette.com/pg/09352/1021997-100.stm

For more on efforts in support of Braddock, see www.savebraddock.com

Highlights from December Meeting

The peacemaking overture to General Assembly for which 6th was a cosponsor was passed at the Pittsburgh Presbytery level.... The panel discussion held at the seminary on the role of faith in our stance on the death penalty drew a small but interested audience..... CROP Walk contributions increased by 10+% from last year....The Neighborhood Academy has been nominated for a Peace Partner Award through the Center for Victims of Violent Crimes.... Concerned action and awareness on the situation in Braddock/closing of the UPMC hospital there goes on (the Tribune-Review has been a good partner in keeping this in front of the public eye)....Next lunch at the Neighborhood Academy is February 4th....Volunteers at Global Links are having *fun* while doing good! -- and the high level of participation has earned 'points' that may enable 6th to send medical packets to Nicaragua as part of our developing relationship with the community of El Porvenir....The Committee is interested in learning more about anti-sweatshop legislation; the law was initially introduced as the Decent Working Conditions and Fair Competition Act..... The June 2010 mission trip will be an exciting and challenging opportunity for adults at Sixth!

Fellowship Hour (AKA Coffee & Cookie Time!)

Sixth shares a time of fellowship in the chapel after each worship service. Because we're good Presbyterians, we've tried to make that job one that's both decent AND in 'good order' by having each church committee take on the responsibility of finding volunteers for a month o' Sundays. Volunteers are not necessarily from that committee, but the committee makes sure the month is covered. Then -- because we *are* orderly! -- Shirley sends general instructions. These are not rules, but guidelines so that if you've never 'done fellowship' before you have some sense of how to go about it. For instance, Rich generally takes care of the coffee part of it! Hurrah!

The Church & Community Committee's next month o' Sundays for Fellowship is May 2010. We have three volunteers so far: Carol B. for May 2nd; Fred for May 9th; and Maggie for May 23rd.

If you know of anyone who might like to sign up, please show them the sign-up sheet in the chapel or contact Shirley. After someone puts his or her name on the sign-up sheet, Shirley will email the instructions to them.

Many thanks to all who volunteer for this gracious sharing of time.

Building Our Relationship with El Porvenir

The youth of Sixth Church traveled to Nicaragua in the summer of 2008 to work with the people of El Porvenir, a coffee cooperative whose coffee many of us continue to buy and enjoy. Adults from Sixth are developing the relationship through a mission trip planned for late June of 2010 (tentative dates: June 17-27).

Sara and Chris Berg came to the Church + Community Committee meeting this Sunday to distribute packets (of information AND forms) for adults who are interested in going and to answer questions. Sara stressed the physical nature of this trip. El Porvenir is at least three hours from a major city hospital; located at the top of a remote volcano, El Porvenir is accessed by dry river bed and rough trails. The work that the mission group will do will be physical: carrying heavy loads, feeding animals, weeding, moving rocks, etc.

The number of people who can go on the trip will be limited primarily by two factors: (1) transportation -- how many people can be safely accomodated in the type of vehicle needed and available for the trek to El Porvenir; and (2) number of translators -- there must be one translator for every 4 non-Spanish speakers.

If you are interested in going, please contact Sara or Chris Berg, Fred O'Leary, Peter Kaplan, Cliff or Nora Johnson, or Brenda Flores. Sara needs to have a solid count of the number of participants by January 9th; your initial deposit for the trip will be due in early February.

The Church + Community Committee voted to allocate some of this year's remaining funds directly to El Porvenir in support of their work and acknowledgement of our relationship with this community.

Address to Covenant Network

In our December Sixth Sense newsletter, Pastor Mary Louise speaks about an amazing speech given by Mark Achtemeier to the Covenant Network of Presbyterians and reprinted in the Presbyterian Outlook magazine. It speaks strongly to our More Light sense at Sixth, and gives hope for positive changes to come. Click here for a link to it, or here to grab a copy in PDF format.

Gospel Weekend featured in "News from Presbytery"

The Good News from Sixth Presbyterian & Bethesda United Presbyterian Church, Pittsburgh: Sixth Presbyterian Church and Bethesda United Presbyterian Church welcomed more than 250 people to worship together on October 25 at the close of a rousing and spirited gospel weekend at Sixth led by Dr. Anthony Leach, professor of music from Penn State University.

Nearly 100 people sang all day on Saturday, learning nine anthems and songs, and enjoying lunch through a grant from the Amos 5:24 Task Force. Singers formed a gospel choir for Sixth's Sunday worship, including folks from Bethesda, Bethel and East Liberty churches and others.

Rev. Eugene Blackwell preached and Rev. Karen Battle joined Rev. Mary Louise McCullough of Sixth to lead a dynamic worship service, all made possible through a Transformation grant from Pittsburgh Presbytery. The weekend, especially worship, was truly transformational!

Christmas Joy Offering

The Christmas Joy Offering is one of the four special offerings designated by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to provide congregations direct ways of supporting specific causes. Half of the contributions to the Christmas Joy Offering are distributed to the Board of Pensions for assistance programs that provide support to retired and active church workers and their spouses and families. The other half supports Presbyterian-related racial/ethnic education through the General Assembly Council.

Sixth is grateful to Diana Wood for her work in coordinating our congregation's opportunity to participate in this annual offering.