This Sunday we welcome guest preacher Rev. Ellie Johns-Kelley

She serves as Ministry Relations Officer for the Presbyterian Foundation, supporting congregations across the Allegheny and Chesapeake region. In this role, she partners with churches to cultivate a culture of generosity, offering seminars and workshops, developing comprehensive fundraising and gift plans, and providing coaching for finance, stewardship, and endowment committees.

“Building relationships and resourcing churches to strengthen funding for their ministry are my top priorities,” Ellie says. “I am passionate about helping congregations recognize the breadth of resources available through the Foundation and collaborating closely with other agencies of the PC(USA).”

Before joining the Presbyterian Foundation in 2013, Ellie served nearly four years as Pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Warren, Pennsylvania. She previously held leadership roles at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary as Director of the Summer Youth Institute and Assistant Director of Admissions.

An active leader in the wider church, Ellie is a member of the Presbytery of West Virginia, where she serves on the Committee for Nurture and Relationships. Over the past 25 years, she was deeply involved in the Presbytery of Lake Erie, most recently serving as Co-Moderator of the Administrative Committee and President of the Trustees. Her broader service includes work with the General Assembly Permanent Judicial Commission, Regional Resource Person for the Theological Education Fund in the Synod of the Trinity, participation on the Synod’s Campus Ministry Task Force, and service as a synod commissioner.

Ellie received a Bachelor of Science in biology at Muskingum College and a Master of Divinity from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. She resides on a farm in Carmichaels, PA with husband Dr. Eric Kelley and two daughters.

The Lazarus Fund Offering, one of the six Presbytery special offerings we collect at Northmont each year, is received throughout the month of February. The fund, a Pittsburgh Presbytery initiative, started during the economic struggles of 1984, but the need continues today. It makes grants of direct aid available to families in crisis, who are struggling to pay for basic survival needs. 70% of the undesignated funds provide emergency assistance to session sponsored families and the remaining 30% provide economic and employment development assistance. Designated funding supports the Caring Program for Children.



The fund has no overhead and is administered through a special committee of the Presbytery. Please consider helping families in need by contributing to the Lazarus Fund. Checks can be made out to Northmont UP church, marked for the Lazarus Fund. Thank you.

THANK YOU for all the cards and prayers during Bob's surgery, rehab and recovery.

~ Bob & Cathy Koehler

Spirituality Discussion Group

Five Weeks of Sharing During Lent

Rev. Alick Kennedy will be conducting another class aimed at helping people to deepen their faith and strengthen their devotional life.



The classes will be held on Wednesdays,

beginning Feb. 25, through March 25,

2:00 - 3:30pm in the Berean Rm.

The schedule of studies will be as follows:

Wed. Feb. 25

Session One: The Practice of Self-Emptying, Rediscovering the Fast (Ch. 5 in Soul Feast)

Wed. March 4

Session Two: Self-Examination, Confession and Awareness

Wed. March 11

Session Three: The Gift of Spiritual Direction

Wed. March 28

Session Four: The Spirit of Hospitality

Wed. March 25

Session Five: Developing a Rule of Life

Participants are asked to obtain a copy of the book Soul Feast, by Marjorie J. Thompson (newly revised edition). This is the same book that was used last year, so those who participated then should already have the book. If you’re planning to join the class and don’t have a book, please reach out to Alick immediately and he’ll help you get one.

All are welcome to join the class. If you have any questions, you may speak to Alick at church on Sundays, telephone 412-780-5723, or email kennedyalick@aol.com

Clef Notes

Music Director, Stephen Schall

stephen@northmontchurch.org

This Sunday is the last before Lent begins. As it happens, I am also preparing for an organ recital at the Princeton University Chapel on March 5, so I hope you will indulge me as I play a larger prelude than usual. The piece is J. S. Bach’s Prelude in E-flat Major, BWV 552.

It comes from a four-volume collection published during Bach’s lifetime with the modest title Clavier-Übung (“Keyboard Practice”). In reality, the collection is monumental, and parts of it are extraordinarily demanding. The third volume, published in 1739, is devoted entirely to organ music. It opens with this grand prelude, followed by twenty-one chorale preludes and four organ duets, and concludes with the famous E-flat Fugue—sometimes called the “St. Anne” Fugue—which I played at the close of our anniversary year.



I hope you enjoy it!

"The Pittsburgh Concert Chorale presents Rachmaninoff: All-Night Vigil.

Experience one of the most beautiful works ever written for choir, sung entirely without instruments and filled with warmth, depth, and quiet power. Despite the name, All-Night Vigil runs just over an hour. March 7–8. Visit www.PCCsing.org for locations and ticket information."

Ash Wednesday 319 Soup Dinner

and Service on Feb. 18 at Wexford Community Presbyterian Church.

Dinner at 6pm

and Service at 7pm.

Northmont is asked to bring bread to share.

YOUTH SPRING RETREAT

The retreat will be the weekend of Feb 27-Mar 1 and is FREE to all participants.

Please sign up below:

Specialized Ministry

Click the picture to learn more about each ministry.