April 2022
From the Pastor’s Desk
Last month this letter told you that I want to get to know you better and that I think a good way to do that is by scheduling individual or individual family meetings where we have more time to get to know each other. I have been able to schedule several of these meetings, but I must admit that I haven’t been making the progress that I had hoped for to get these meetings scheduled. I have no agenda for these meetings other than to plant the seeds of relationship. If you are ready to schedule a time to get together and talk, please do not hesitate to call the church office, and let’s schedule a time. We can meet wherever you are comfortable, in my church office, at your home, or even at your favorite coffee shop. I will continue to make calls, but if you are ready, don’t wait for me to contact you, please reach out to me!
The Lenten Study Lent in Plain Sight is off and running and has been well attended. It is not too late to catch one of the remaining sessions. March 24 – Coins, March 31 – Shoes, April 5 – Oil. A light meal is being served to those who arrive in Fellowship Hall an hour before the session starts. If you want to attend these studies in person, please send an email to secretary@plumcreekpc.com or call the church office so that we know to plan for you. If you would rather attend by Zoom, please send an email to either secretary@plumcreekpc.com or pastor@plumcreekpc.com so that we can get the Zoom invitation to you.
Since the last session meeting, the Session has updated our COVID protocols in response to the recent change in the CDC mask guidance. Allegheny County is currently rated a Low COVID-19 risk and the CDC masking guidance for low-risk counties is to wear a mask based upon your personal preference, informed by your personal level of risk. The Session voted unanimously to change our COVID protocols to the following: 1. Anyone working with children is asked to remain masked while doing so. 2. Elsewhere in the church you are free to choose to either wear a mask or not wear a mask as you feel comfortable. 3. Please ask if other persons sitting near you prefer to maintain social distancing of 6 feet. If they do, we ask that you respect their decision. Note that we have also removed the pew numbers that were in place as a guide for social distancing while seated.
This month we have taken steps to standardize the email addresses for all the church staff. We believe that this will present a consistent interface to the community and make it easier for everyone to contact the church staff. The email addresses remove personal identification so that in the event of a staffing change, your email address book does not need to change to reach the person filling that role. In the case of our Christian Formation Committee, we can begin to use the new email address to communicate with the community even before we complete the hiring of a new Director of Christian Formation. When that person finally arrives at our church, there will be no change to the email address to reach that person.
pastor@plumcreekpc.com – Pastor – When I arrived here, I took out an email address of pastor.frank.pcpc@gmail.com. If you are using the old email address for me, please change to pastor@plumcreekpc.com.
secretary@plumcreekpc.com Kathy Kirk – This is the email address that you have been using to communicate with Kathy. NO CHANGE
christian_formation@plumcreekpc.com Director of Christian Formation – While the position is vacant, this email address will be used by the Chair of the Christian Formation Committee. Please note that there is an underline character between the words christian and formation in the email address “christian_formation” to make the email address easier to recognize.
technology@plumcreekpc.com – Director of Media/Communications – Ian Kist is filling this position, and this is his church email address.
To God be the Glory!
Pastor Frank Hancock
Email: pastor@plumcreekpc.com
Office: (412) 793-4525
Cell Phone: (412) 860-3719 – Please feel free to leave a message
The Presbyterian Church of Plum Creek is celebrating their 60th Annual Rummage Sale!
On Friday, May 13 from 8am to 7pm and on Saturday, May,14 from 8am to 1pm. We will have tents set up outdoors to accommodate selling gardening items and plant specimens, toys for all ages, holiday lights and arrangements and baby clothing. Our big pavilion will have furniture, sports equipment, rugs, lamps, suitcases, and other wonderful pieces to buy. A few rooms within the church will be open for specialty items like men’s and women’s clothing, small appliances, pictures and frames, jewelry, and housewares. The community is welcome to participate in this wonderful outreach program.
Start your Spring cleaning NOW because we are collecting items for the 60th Annual Rummage Sale!! If you have furniture or heavy items, please ask neighbors or friends to help you get your items to the church! We do take clean clothes, small working appliances, linens, tools, and books. We do NOT take computers, mattresses, underwear, bathing suits or TVs.
It’s old, but it’s NEW!! We are going to try something different this year by inviting friends, family, and neighbors of the congregation to a pre-sale on Thursday, May 12, from 6pm – 9pm at a cost of $5.00 entry fee per person, (excluding children).
On Friday, May 13 the doors will open at 8am and close at 7pm. There will be baked goods, along with plants, housewares, linens, jewelry, small appliances, furniture, holiday items, clothing, and wonderful treasures for sale. From 11am to 1pm, we will be serving luncheon items at very reasonable prices. We will also be offering our “blue light specials” during the day.
On Saturday, May 14 the doors will open at 8am and close at 1pm. It will be “Stuff our Bag for $5” special for clothing.
Anyone interested in volunteering to help unpack boxes, organize, label and price items, we will be starting on Sunday, May 8 at 1pm. There will be sign-up sheets in the back of the Narthex for volunteers to bake, organize, and work the Rummage Sale. If you have any questions, please contact the Church Office or Joy Smith.
Blessing Box Donations
Requested donations for the blessing box in April are: paper products (individually wrapped bathroom tissue and paper towels), boxes of Kleenex, rice side dishes, boxed potatoes (au gratin, etc., not mashed), spaghetti sauce (jars or cans), liquid dish soap (small size), canned meat (chicken, tuna, spam, etc.), crackers, Other non-perishables are always accepted.
Thanks for supporting this church ministry. The blessing box is being used and you are making a difference.
Welcome Pastor Frank
Come welcome Pastor Frank with us! The Deacons are planning a Welcome Reception for Pastor Frank for this Sunday, March 27th after services in Fellowship Hall. Please join us to welcome Pastor Frank and his wife, Maria, to our Plum Creek family.
Change Sunday
The Deacons would like to thank you for your donations of change on Change Sunday. We raised $130!
Hoodies for the Homeless
As our Easter project this year, our mission committee is collecting hoodies to take to Northside Common Ministries - a men’s homeless shelter we support on the North Side of Pittsburgh.
They are requesting dark colored, new or gently used hoodies in size large or extralarge. They will be collecting the hoodies through Sunday, April 3.
The committee will then include these hooded sweatshirts with the meal they are providing to the shelter on Thursday, April 7.
If you can donate, please place them on the coat tree in the front of the sanctuary. Thanks for your support.
Lenten Study
You can still join our Lenten study based on the book Lent in Plain Sight by Jill J. Duffield. This study is offered in a combination of in-person and Zoom format. For those who can attend in person, we are offering a light supper that will begin at 6:00 p m in Fellowship Hall. If you plan to attend in person, please call (412-793-4525) or email (secretary@plumcreekpc.com) the church office to let us know how many people will be attending. If you plan to attend by Zoom, please email Pastor Frank at pastor@plumcreekpc.com so that he can send the Zoom meeting invitation to you. The zoom meeting link will be activated at 10 minutes before 7 pm.
The book is available on Amazon but, it is not necessary to purchase a book. The book contains daily studies which are grouped into weekly topics. Since the Plum Creek Presbyterian Church study is one day, Pastor Frank is summarizing the week’s study into a 45-minute discussion.
Thursday, March 31 at 6:00 pm in person or 7:00 for zoom – The topic will be Shoes
Tuesday, April 5 at 6:00 pm in person or 7:00 for zoom – The topic will be Oil
Please note that all BUT the last meeting will be on Thursday. The last meeting is on a Tuesday.
What is Happening at Plum Creek in April!
Church Information
Church Address: The Presbyterian Church of Plum Creek
550 Center New Texas Road
Pittsburgh, PA 15239
Church Webpage: www.plumcreekpc.com
Office Phone Number: 412-793-4525
Email Address: secretary@plumcreekpc.com
Office Hours: Tuesday-Thursday
10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Pastor: Pastor Frank Hancock
Business Administrator: Kathy Kirk
Director of Media/Communications: Ian Kist
Worship Services: Sundays at 10:00 a.m. (livestreamed & in-person)
Sunday School: Sundays @ 9:00 a.m.