 from the May 2010 issue of The Spire
InSPIREd Dear Friends, Yesterday I had one of "those days." You know, when things don't go as planned, or when you just can't seem to do anything right. I wasn't in my office more than fifteen minutes when I realized that I had walked out of the house earlier without bothering to put on a belt. Could have been worse, I suppose, but it didn't feel right and I was a little self-conscious about it. Fifteen minutes before our weekly staff meeting I went into the fellowship hall to make some coffee. I put in the filter, filled the basket with coffee, and pressed the brew button before returning to my office to get my calendar and notepad. When I got back I found the staff assembled and ready to begin. Art, our custodian, said this: "The first item on the agenda is to remind everybody that when making coffee it's best to put the coffee basket into the coffee maker before pressing start." I had failed to do this and water had spewn all over the counter and carpet. Later, while going to my car in the parking garage, I saw a vehicle approaching slowly with the driver apparently looking for a spot. I waved to her and let her know that she could have my space. She waited patiently while I tried for about twenty seconds to get into my car. The remote didn't work and neither did the key. It was only then that I realized . . . wrong car! I felt stupid. As she drove past she looked at me with that "you're stupid" look on her face. It was one of those days! There's an old Norwegian folk tale about a stone that's two miles high, two miles wide, and two miles deep located in a remote fjord. Just once a year a little bird appears and alights upon it. The bird pecks at the stone for one minute and then flies away. It is said that when that little bird has pecked away the entire stone only one second will have elapsed in all of eternity. "Those days" come and go. Great days, boring days, productive days, sad days, hot days, fun days . . . they all come and go, as well. The psalmist said, "This is the day the Lord has made!" Rejoice and be glad! Sincerely, 30 Wise Sayings "Have I not written for you thirty sayings of admonition and knowledge, to show you what is right and true, so that you may give a true answer to those who sent you?" — Proverbs 22:20-21 This month, Rev. Patterson is leading a series of Smithfield School seminars for adults on the "30 Wise Sayings" of the book of Proverbs. These sayings (chapters 22-24) offer practical advice for daily living. Join the group on May 9, 16, and 23 at 9:45 a.m. in the Women's Fellowship room. Although your experience will be even better if you are able to attend all three sessions, feel free to drop by even if you can only come once or twice. See Rev. Patterson for more information. UCC Special Offering: Strengthen the Church  The United Church of Christ will collect a special offering on Sunday, May 23. Strengthen the Church is one of four special mission offerings within the UCC. The offerings serve to fund new church starts and invigorate existing congregations, nurture pastoral and lay leadership, build youth and young adult ministries, and support the God is StillSpeaking Ministry. The ministry spreads the message of God's extravagant welcome and has reached an estimated 25 million people to date. All gifts are directed to activities and programs of local church conferences as well as the UCC's national ministries. To learn more about the Strengthen the Church special offering, visit http://www.ucc.org/stc/. Coming Events!  Potluck Lunch — May 16th Just a reminder that potluck lunch is back! Everyone is welcome. If possible, please bring something to share. You can bring a homemade dish or a store bought item or just bring yourself. The potluck will be held immediately after worship service. You may drop off your food before worship service or before Sunday School. Pittsburgh Ministerium Festival — May 23 The Downtown Pittsburgh Ministerium will hold their annual festival on Sunday, May 23, from noon until 2:30 p.m. The festival will take place in Strawberry Way and will feature food, a jazz band, activities for the kids and an appearance by Giggles the Clown! For more information, call the church office at 412-281-1811. The Strawberry Festival Offers Delicious Treats and More — June 4  Smithfield Church's Annual Strawberry Festival on Strawberry Way will take place Friday, June 4, from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The festival is being coordinated by the Fellowship and Outreach Ministry of the congregation. As always, there will be a festive atmosphere in the heart of downtown created by some good jazz, wonderful lunch foods, and of course terrific desserts, including strawberry sundaes and strawberry shortcake. This year there will be several new participants selling homemade candies and flowers. Volunteers are always needed to help with set-up, food preparation and serving, cash box, and clean-up. If you can help with the festival in any capacity, please get in touch with John Canning. "Let Your Light Shine" Camp Downtown 2010, June 21 - 25 Again hosted by First Lutheran Church Camp Downtown is a full week of Vacation Bible School fun with the churches of the Pittsburgh Downtown Ministerium. Stories, games, crafts, music, fountains, and daily field trips. Children entering grades K-6 are invited to participate as campers. Youth in grades 7-12 may serve as counselors. Adult volunteers are also needed. Please call Cora Weiland at First Lutheran Church (412-471-8125) for more information. The June Spire will include more details and a registration form. Spotlight on Help Week Every five weeks Smithfield United Church of Christ takes on a new moniker: Church of the Week. During this week, Smithfield UCC provides assistance to those in need in the form of a walk-in food pantry. The food pantry serves on average fifty families per month, providing them with canned fruits, vegetables, dry foods, meats, cheese, eggs, juice, cereal, soups, snack foods, paper products, personal hygiene items, cleaning supplies and much more.  Since 2001 Rena Thomas has been coordinating Smithfield's Walk-In Ministry. Rena is responsible for ordering and distributing food, maintaining records and monthly reporting, attending meetings, and fundraising. "I feel a fulfillment in my spirit knowing that we are able to make that much needed difference in someone's life," says Thomas. The food pantry allows participants to obtain basic necessities. And while it may not be equipped to deal with major needs, such as rent and utilities, Thomas notes the services it does provide make a great impact, "I have had people tell me that before coming to the food pantry they would use a can of soup for three meals. One woman cried when I told her we had meat. She said she couldn't remember the last time she was able to purchase meat." Monetary donations to the food pantry are always welcome and very much appreciated. All monies received are used to purchase items from the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. "I am able to purchase a case of product for as little as five cents per pound. My last order included spinach which cost me $1.92 for a case of 24 cans. As you can see," Rena notes, "I can really stretch your donated dollars." See the Outreach page for more information about the food pantry program and other outreach activities. Stained Glass Treasures: The Windows of 620 Smithfield Street 
One of the most striking features of 620 Smithfield Street is its majestic stained glass windows. The history of the windows dates back to 1875 with the Rose Window at the front of the building being original to the former church building at Smithfield Street and Sixth Avenue. (The Rose Window was subsequently rebuilt after a major fire destroyed it in 1966). The twelve side windows that line the sanctuary were designed by the Von Gretchen Studios (Columbus, Ohio, and Munich, Germany) in 1926. These windows are unusual in that each window contains two scenes. Starting at the front left and moving counter-clockwise, the upper windows tell the chronological story of the life and teachings of Jesus. The lower windows depict scenes relevant to the church's German Protestant and Pittsburgh heritage. The first window depicts Ruth and Naomi. Below is a scene of Martin Luther at Wittenberg defending his 95 theses. His ideas and objections to some of the practices of the Catholic Church helped to bring about the Reformation, leading to the creation of the Protestant Church. In the second window, the birth of Jesus is depicted. The lower scene shows Ulrich Zwingli at Zurich. Zwingli was a contemporary of Luther and a great militant preacher in the Reformation in Switzerland. His emphasis on the Bible and the divinity of Jesus gave Ulrich Zwingli great influence in the Protestant movement. The third window shows the child Jesus in the Temple while the window below commemorates the friendship between George Washington and the German general, Friedrich von Steuben. It also recognizes the general's military contributions to the success of the American Revolution, serving as example of the many ways in which Germans helped during our early years as a nation. "The windows truly are one of the most striking features of the sanctuary," notes church archivist Donn Neal, "not only because of their beauty, but because of their unusual combination of historical scenes from the church's past. When the light is right they are magnificent." Over the next several months, The Spire will take a closer look at the nine remaining stained glass windows which grace the walls of our sanctuary as well as examine the unique architecture and rich history of 620 Smithfield Street. See also Our Building and Windows Northside Urban Pathways Charter School — A Q&A with Dr. Linda Clautti Northside Urban Pathways Charter School was founded in 1998. It enrolls students grades 6 through 12, primarily serving students in the city of Pittsburgh and Mount Oliver. NUP uses the gymnasium at Smithfield for physical education classes during the school week.  Q: What is a charter school and how does it differ from a traditional public school?
Q: What is the mission of Northside Urban Pathways Charter School? How would you characterize your role within the school?
Q: What can you tell us about your faculty and students? What makes them unique?
Q: What is Northside Urban Pathways relationship to Smithfield United Church of Christ? What facilities does the school use and for what purpose?
 In the Mailbox In the church, we find love and support in good times and in times of sorrow. Greg and I are so thankful to all of you for the ways you have held us in this very bittersweet month. After the death of my father on April 6, we were grateful for all your cards, notes, calls, and e-mails, and most of all for your prayers. We received a beautiful floral arrangement from the congregation while we were in Connecticut, and the adult education class dedicated the hospitality table flowers to Dad's memory upon our return. In the face of such a sudden and untimely loss, it meant a great deal to know that you were keeping us close in heart. Upon our return from New England, you threw us the most wonderful baby shower. From the beautiful flowers and decorations to the delicious lunch buffet and desserts, the event was elegant, thoughtful, and so much fun. The games were hilarious (I particularly enjoyed the sight of the men of the church flailing to put on their socks and shoes!) and well-organized. And of course, you brought stacks and stacks of gifts, which will make our transition to parenthood so much easier. Our little girl is loved so much before she is even born, and we are humbled and grateful. Though we walk through the valley of the shadow, still our cup runneth over with thanksgiving for all the ways you care for us. Yours in Christ, Dear Friends in Christ, Thank you for your gift to the United Church of Christ Haiti Earthquake Relief fund. We recorded your gift of $1,356 on March 18, 2010. The January 12 earthquake is no longer the lead news story. Yet Haiti remains on the hearts and in the prayers of the people of the UCC. The situation remains challenging with the government of Haiti reporting a death toll of 300,000; an estimated 1.2 million homeless and long term rebuilding in excess of $11 billion. We are grateful for partnerships which allow the United Church of Christ to be present and accompany our Haitian sisters and brothers. Thank you for sharing your resources and helping to change lives. Grace and Peace, To our dear Church Family, We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your prayers, visits, food and beautiful cards that helped us through one the most difficult and painful periods of our 56 years together. We both continue to make progress after our surgeries. With your prayers and God's help we are determined to make it through this crisis and be back soon to carry on. Lauraine and Edgar Watch the just-released on-line ad for the United Church of Christ
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– through you and me!