Home - First Presbyterian Church of Murrysville

St. Andrew Sunday

November 22, 2020

8:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. Services

Saint Andrews Sunday lifts up the Scottish Heritage of the Presbyterian Church, and includes special music, prayers and liturgies unique to the Presbyterian tradition. The service also features a bag piper, complete in appropriate attire.

We will also have a full communion service at both worship services on this Sunday, and we will provide the communion elements to those who continue to worship from home.

Peace Light

Peace Light of Bethlehem

Each year, a child from Upper Austria fetches the light from the grotto in Bethlehem where Jesus was born. The light is carried in two blast proof miners lamps on an Austrian Airlines jet from Tel Aviv Israel to Vienna, Austria from where it is distributed at a Service of Dedication to delegations from across Europe who take it back, with a message of Peace, to their own countries. Austrian Airlines then flies the miners lamps containing the Peace Light from Bethlehem to New York City. To learn more visit peacelight.org

Daily Devotion

DAILY DEVOTION

Wednesday, November 18, 2020

James 5

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We learn more in our valley experiences than on our mountaintops.

James 5: 10

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Today's full devotional is taken from Life Principle 29 (Page 147) of the Sunday School material, "30 Life Principles",

by Charles F. Stanley.

The resource used for this lesson is available by

contacting the Church office.

What's Happening:

November 11, 2020

Sunday Morning Worship

We continue to offer in-person worship at our regular service times (8:30 a.m. in Laird Hall and 11:00 a.m. in the Sanctuary), while exercising physical distancing and wearing masks. Praise be to God!

In recognition and support of those who are worshipping from home, we will continue to offer online worship on our Church website and YouTube.

Music Ministry

Our Chancel Choir has resumed rehearsals every Thursday at 3:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary.

Our hand bell choir meets every Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary.

Communion

We will share communion AGAIN on St. Andrew's Sunday November 22, 2020 at both worship services, and we will deliver communion to our members and friends who continue to worship from home. Contact the Church office NOW if you would like to have a Communion package delivered to your home on Saturday, November 21, 2020.

Murrysville Meals on Wheels

All Meals on Wheels volunteers are invited to a drive-thru appreciation event on Wednesday, October 7, 2020 from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. at Murrysville Community Park's Miracle Field where you will receive a specially prepared lunch from Pittsburgh BBQ Company (boxed up "to go") and a small gift of appreciation to thank you for your time, energy, and heart for Murrysville Meals on Wheels. Please RSVP to Lynn Staab at 724-327-6842.

Meals on Wheels has continued to operate throughout the COVID-19 crisis. We are committed to meeting the needs of our area Seniors, therefore we are dedicated to continuing Meals on Wheels. We are working together with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to meet whatever standards are necessary to clean and disinfect our facility and provide for proper meal preparation and service. However, many of our current volunteers are in a high-risk category to contract the Coronavirus, and are not able to serve at this time. We need more volunteers to operate this ministry. Please contact us through Church email (firstpresbymurrysville@gmail.com), telephone (724-327-0728), Facebook, or this website if you can help.

Partnerships

Outside groups and activities that take place in our Church facilities have returned and are following the Church guidelines for safety as outlined by the CDC. These partnerships include Alcoholics Anonymous, Chess Club, Electric Car Club, ICAN, Moms in Prayer, Girl Scouts, and the Westmoreland Intermediate Unit. If you are in doubt about a regularly scheduled event, please contact the event leader, or the Church office at 724-327-0728.

Counseling Partnership Services

Essential individual counseling services conducted by The Blackburn Center and our contracted professional counselors are continuing at the Main Church Building.

FaceBook and YouTube

We will be posting information contained on this website to the Church Facebook and YouTube pages. Both are accessible from our home page.

Email

If you are on our email contact list, you will be receiving regular updates regarding church news in your email. This will generally be through a link to the Home Page, with updated highlights.

Office Hours

Staff has returned to intermittent, on-site working hours. It is recommended that you make an appointment if visiting the office so that we can minimize the amount of person-to-person contact at one time.

Deacons are Available

We have updated our Deacon Care Lists – If you are a member or frequent attender of our church, a Deacon will be contacting you soon. They will be confirming your contact information and inquiring about your preferred method of contact. They will also provide you with the means to contact them should you have a need or concern. They are there to not only talk to you – but to listen. If you have a need, please share this with your Deacon.

Contact Us

If you are not on our regular email list and would like to be included, please provide your information in our Contact Us. We will include you in our efforts.

COVID-19 Update

We are committed to observing current State approved guidelines regarding the Coronavirus, including:

requesting that all persons in attendance be free of illness and illness-related symptoms;
limiting number of persons in attendance for gatherings;
requesting all persons wear face masks upon entering and exiting the building, in commonly used areas, and when it is not possible to social- distance six feet, or more;
providing hand sanitizers throughout all buildings;
disinfecting tables, chairs, and rooms after each use.

For a complete and detailed description of the efforts to maintain a safe and germ-free environment, please contact the Church office.

There is a place for you here.

Cast your worries and anxiety on the Lord, because God cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7

Have you ever wondered where you belong? Longed for a place to be welcomed for who you are? Searched for comfort and peace away from the storms of life? Desired to be lifted from the challenges of this world to experience the joy of life to its fullest?

We invite you experience the love of our Lord Jesus Christ in the vibrant worship and ministry here at First Presbyterian Church of Murrysville. Join in the renewal of God’s Holy Spirit as we build on established relationships in our community, develop exciting new partnerships, and create new opportunities to share the love and grace of our Lord.

Explore our website, visit our campus, and meet our people.

This is a place to grow. This is a place to feel loved. This is a place to know the Grace of God.

Rev. Edward Gray

PASTOR

Bio

Reverend Ed Gray came to First Presbyterian Church of Murrysville in October of 2017. He is a Pittsburgh native and attended Duquesne University before graduating from the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary in 1986 with a Masters of Divinity, subsequently serving congregations in both western Pennsylvania and Florida. In addition to solo pastoral, primary preaching and leadership responsibilities at First Presby, he is an active member of the church choir and frequent soloist in its expansive music ministry. Ed has also been an active participant through the years in the governance of the Presbyterian Church USA, serving in roles with local Presbytery, Synod and the General Assembly.

Ed and his wife of 31 years Karen have two sons, Eddie, a law enforcement professional in Pittsburgh and Aaron, a student at Waynesburg University. Among his many active community roles is sports officiation for a variety of school and local athletic organization programs.

Ruth Poscich

MUSIC DIRECTOR & ORGANIST

Bio

Ruth Poscich, a member of First Presbyterian Church, has been Director of Music and Organist since September 2001. She plays organ and piano for the Sunday morning services, directs the Chancel Choir, the Joy Ringers handbell Choir, and leads the children in music on special occasions. She also coordinates and directs various groups of instrumentalists who play for worship services on a regular basis. Ruth holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey, and has been a lifelong church musician. She is retired from a 30-plus-year career as an official court reporter. Most recently, Ruth conceptualized, and directs the Murrysville Cantata Choir, a community choir that offers Lenten and Patriotic Thanksgiving concerts during the year.

Lori Livingston

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

Bio

Lori has been the Administrative Assistant since August 2013. She offers assistance to the Pastor, as well as the various Church committees. She plays handbells in two Church choirs, and values her daily interaction with members of the church, as well as members of the community.

Lori is a native of Southern California, and moved to Pennsylvania 20 years ago. She resides in Murrysville with her husband and two daughters. She is active in the community as a volunteer at her church and the Franklin Regional School District.

Carol Ludovici

NURSERY STAFF

Bio

Tom Johnson

CHURCH SEXTON

Bio

Tom Johnson was born in Wilkinsburg, grew up in Penn Hills, and served in the Army in the Viet Nam era. He lives in North Apollo with his lovely wife, Sherry. He has three children (all of whom were baptized here at First Presbyterian Church), and eight grandchildren. Tom is a firearms enthusiast, and loves to bake cheesecakes for his friends (rarely keeping any for himself). In addition to being the Church Sexton, Tom also volunteers at many of the Church's events and functions.

St. Andrew Sunday

Peace Light

Daily Devotion