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PITTSBURGH: "The Holy Spirit Is With Us"
Christ the Redeemer Parish Begins Worship in its New Home
By David M. Ball
Special to Virtueonline
www.virtueonline.org
June 1, 2012
On Sunday May 27, 2012, the day dawned bright, hot and humid in Pittsburgh, a perfect day for the first worship service of the new parish of Christ the Redeemer - South Hills in its new facility. Months of preparation were complete. We had conducted a joyous final service our former facility the week before and were eagerly anticipating beginning our new mission and ministry in Canonsburg.
Despite all the preparations, we were still not sure what to expect on "opening day". The first of the many wonderful things that occurred was that a number of residents of nearby houses stopped by to welcome us to the neighborhood and wish us well. One gentleman in particular who lived across the street told us he was 85 years old and had attended church in our building when it was a Roman Catholic Church. He prayed with us and blessed us in our mission.
The main parking lot quickly filled as did our auxiliary parking area. Inside the church was a discernible air of excitement and fellowship. The Holy Spirit was among us from the very beginning. The congregation numbered 150 people, dressed mostly in red for Pentecost, with an additional 15 children in the nursery and KidzStuff. Visitors from several other parishes were there to show their support as well as the Reverends David Rucker from All Saints Rosedale and John Leggett, a retired priest.
The opening processional was "Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken", heralded by the magnificent pipe organ. Indeed, glorious things were spoken. The opening sentences were followed by several wonderful praise songs that truly resonated with the congregation. Our Rector, David Wilson, preached powerfully on Philippians 3:12-14.
.... But I press on to take hold of that for which Jesus Christ took hold of me. Brothers,, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
The parish has received many wonderful letters and e-mails from church leaders around the country and the world. Rev. Wilson and Rev. Don Bushyager shared a number of those messages with the congregation, including messages from Archbishop Robert Duncan, Archbishop Henry Luke Orombi of the Church of Uganda, Bishop Bill Wantland of the Diocese of Ft. Worth, Bishop Terry Kelshaw of the Diocese of the Southwest, Bishop Neil Lebahr of the Diocese of the Gulf Atlantic, The Reverends Ron and Ruth Bushyager of the Diocese of London, UK, the Rev. Christopher Leighton of St. Paul's Darien, CT, and the Rev. Canon Mary Hays of the Anglican Diocese of Pittsburgh. Other messages have been received from Bishop John Gurnsey of the Mid Atlantic Diocese and AMIA Bishop John Rodgers. All of the messages encouraged us in our faith and asked God's blessing on our new mission.
The service also featured the first baptism in our new home that of the son of our youth minister Jeff Minshall. How fitting to celebrate the beginning of a new life as a parish as well as a new life in Christ.
At the end of the service, Rev. David Rucker spoke briefly about his parish's move. He observed of his visit to Christ the Redeemer that this was one of the "highlight" experiences of his ministry. He noted that he could feel the joy and freedom. He has asked that he be able to send a team from his parish to Christ the Redeemer this summer to witness the joy of Christ in Sunday worship. What a powerful commentary about a great day in which the Holy Spirit did, indeed, move among us.
We thank God for His many blessings, not looking backward but moving forward to bring the Good News of Christ's redeeming grace to others.
FOOTNOTE: The parish had 150 at its first Sunday service. The remaining Episcopal congregation meeting in the old building, had six people at 8:00 and 30 at 10:30 with most of them ringers from St. Paul’s in Mt. Lebanon.
Dave Ball is a businessman and an activist Anglican layman living in Pittsburgh
