May 12, 2022 | ISSUE #109 |
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Love. Share. Grow. Serve. |
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Dear Bellefield Family,
We are in the heart of graduation season. Carnegie Mellon’s graduation is this weekend, Chatham’s was April 24th, Pitt’s was May 1st, and high school graduations are right around the corner. This season is a time of celebration and reflection, of looking towards the future and sharing the wisdom of the past. And for those who are attending graduation ceremonies this spring, you will hear most (if not all) of those themes touched on in a graduation speech.
The wisdom shared in these speeches is usually pithy and not new. “Freedom involves…being able truly to care about other people and to sacrifice for them over and over” (David Foster Wallace, 2005), “Accept failure and learn from it” (Carol Bartz, 2012), “You want to be in the driver’s seat of your own life, because if you’re not, life will drive you” (Oprah Winfry, 2012). In bad speeches, this wisdom is just a banal platitude. The best speeches, however, take these seemingly simple concepts and breathe new life into them. They become urgent truths that reach down into our daily struggles and successes, our hopes and fears. They become things you can build a life on.
This made me think: is there anything like a great graduation speech in the Bible? Paul’s second letter to Timothy seems to fit the bill. Paul’s ministry is coming to a close (2 Timothy 4:6), and he is passing onto Timothy his final instructions and encouragements. Similar to the wisdom of graduation speakers, there is not really anything in the letter that would be novel to Timothy. Even for someone familiar with the New Testament, there is very little that could be called genuinely “new” in 2nd Timothy. This, however, should not be seen as a problem.
2nd Timothy is critical for Timothy (and us) not because it contains a lot of new concepts, but because it reminds us of the most basic, important, life-defining things that we consistently manage to forget or treat as platitudes in the challenge of our day-to-day lives. This is the ultimate challenge of every generation, the ultimate challenge of each of our lives: to not simply inherit the eternal truths of the gospel, but to sincerely adopt them as urgent truths, the things that we build our lives on. This is why we study Bible books we have already read, why we preach the gospel over and over, why Josh teaches us that repetition is important for learning; it’s so that we might see the gospel as the urgent truth it is.
My prayer for all the graduates and the rest of us is that the truths of the gospel would be the truth that we build our lives around. That is what it means to live a life of meaning and wisdom.
In Christ,
Greg Burdette
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COMMUNITY CARE
In need of help? Looking for ways to get connected?
Connect
If you are looking for ways to connect with our community, please reach out to us using this connect form. One of our staff or leaders would be happy to talk with you.
Small Groups
If you would like to grow in your faith through joining a small group, there are a number of groups to choose from! Email Julie for more information.
Prayer
Our Prayer Team will offer prayer after our morning service. Contact Greg if you need to talk or would like prayer during the week.
Deacons
If you or your family have been experiencing spiritual, financial, or physical hardship during this time, please reach out to our Deacons who are here to help care for you.
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With the recent increase in COVID cases, we want to remind you of the following:
- Those who are sick or may have recent exposure are encouraged to remain at home and participate in our online options when available.
- We will maintain a fully masked and distanced seated section in the sanctuary for any who choose to sit there.
- Please be mindful of your interactions with vulnerable populations.
- If after attending an onsite event you test positive for COVID, we encourage you to let the group leader know so they can inform those who may be impacted.
Thank you for helping us to care for one another!
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WHAT'S HAPPENING THIS WEEK
Sunday, May 15th
- Traditional Worship Service @ 8:30am, Sanctuary
- Sunday School Classes @ 9:45am
- Modern Worship Service @ 11am, Sanctuary
- Worship Online, Livestream @ 11am
- Relaxed Worship Service @ 5pm, Fellowship Hall
Monday, May 16th
- Women's Bible Study @ 9:30am, Conference Room & Online
Wednesday, May 18th
- PRISM Women's Bible Study @ 10am, Conference Room
- Young Adult Small Group @ 7pm, Student Lounge
Thursday, May 19th
- PRISM English Conversation @ 7pm, Conference Room
- Young Adult Small Group @ 7pm, Room 203
Saturday, May 21st
- Families with Young Kids Small Group @9:30am, Room 202
- Women's ReConnect Breakfast @ 9:30am, Fellowship Hall
- Men's Game Night @ 7pm, Offsite
Sunday, May 22nd
- Traditional Worship Service @ 8:30am, Sanctuary
- Sunday School Classes @ 9:45am
- Modern Worship Service @ 11am, Sanctuary
- Worship Online, Livestream @ 11am
- Ordination & Installation Service @ 5pm, Sanctuary
- Reception for Associate Pastor Greg Burdette @ 6:30pm, Fellowship Hall
*To watch our worship service online after Sunday morning, head over to our YouTube page, click Videos and then Past Live Videos. On Monday mornings you can find the recorded live stream on the front page of our YouTube channel.
Beginning Sunday, May 29th, we'll gather for worship at 10am and 5pm.
Make sure to mark your calendars!
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Women's Small Group
May 14th
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Our women's small group is meeting this Saturday at 10:30am in the conference room. All women are invited to join!
Email Jess if you have any questions. |
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VBS Registration Open Now
June 20-23
Register by June 20
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Join us for 4 days of fun, faith, and fellowship in our annual Vacation Bible School! VBS this year will be held once again at the Vietnam Veterans Pavilion in Schenley Park, a short drive from the church.
Children ages 4-10 are invited to register as participants, and youth 11-18 as volunteers! We will be looking for friendly, caring adults to help out as well with our evening picnic in the park.
Please RSVP on Realm if you would like to come, and invite your friends!
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If you still wanted to support the work of the Women's Choice Network, it's not too late. You can bring your baby bottle with cash or check to church. Just place it on one of the two tables with the Offering Box. Or you can "fill a bottle" on line here.
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Serving those in Crisis:
Helping people of Ukraine
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Learn more about ways our missions partners and denomination are supporting the people of Ukraine during the war and how you can help.
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Guatemala Missions
Donations Needed
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A Bellefield team is headed to Guatemala in July to work along side the ministry of ASELSI. A new roof is needed for the office building and and a new supply of medicines will be given to ASELSI. The costs for these is $16,000. Please consider donating so the team can have the supplies needed for this mission trip. Donations can be made to Bellefield with a note, Guatemala mission trip. |
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Bellefield Presbyterian Church | 4001 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 | 412-687-3222 |
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