Joshua House is the focus of July’s Collection Barrel
Joshua House provides hope and support for at-risk Harrisburg youth, particularly through educational and vocational opportunities. Please use the following list to help us collect needed items for this important ministry in the Harrisburg community.
Book bags/Backpacks (greatest need for elementary students)
Scissors for K-8 Pencils
Pens Glue sticks
Elmer’s glue Lined paper
Folders Crayons
Notebooks Three ringed binders
Colored pencils Colored markers
Incredible Upcoming Outreach Opportunity
The Extending God’s Love team and Session have endorsed a proposed partnership with Market Square Presbyterian Church to sponsor a newly resettled Afghani family!
Details are still in the works, but Dr. Phuong of the International Service Center (ISC) is considering pairing us with a family who is living on Front Street. The husband/father had worked with the US Army, has a job, and speaks English. The wife/mother is expecting and will be learning English. They also have a two-year-old daughter.
We would be involved in activities like helping the mother learn English, reading to the child, driving them to medical appointments and the grocery store and providing guidance in shopping, helping them become familiar with the area, and helping them learn to drive.
Market Square and Pine Street hope to have a meeting in the next week or two with Dr. Phuong to learn more about this sponsorship. Market Square has already recruited volunteers, and Pine Street signups will begin this Sunday, June 10. Roger Olson, whom many of you know, will be the Market Square co-chair. To represent Pine Street and provide a balanced leadership team for the family, we are looking for a woman co-chair volunteer. Please contact Audrey Light if this project speaks to you and you would consider being Pine Street’s co-chair.
Sermon Series
Beginning this Sunday, Matt will be preaching a series of sermons based on the book “Half Truths” by author and United Methodist pastor Adam Hamilton. This series will explore some common sayings that Christians say that are half-true, like, “Everything Happens for a Reason.” If you would like to read this book along with the sermon series, it can be found on Amazon and other book retailers.
Exciting news for July 15th 3rd in the Burg
We’ve got rhythm! Join us at Pine Street Presbyterian Church for 3rd in the Burg Friday, July 15. The gallery will be open 6p-9p. We will be making some rhythm and music with our guests, The Harrisburg Drumming Circle! They will be playing from 6:30p-8p outside, weather permitting. Bring your drum, rattle or rain stick and join in this interactive event! Don’t have something to make noise with? No worries, there will be extras to share.
The drumming group regularly meet on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday evenings of every month at Kunkle Plaza for “Drumming Along the River”. You can check out their Facebook Page for more info.
Sunday Morning Adult Forum
Please join us on July 17, 24, 31 and August 14 during the Sunday school hour (8:45 am to 9:45 am) for an adult forum series entitled Christianity and War presented by Dr. Lee C. Barrett.
For centuries Christians have disagreed about the circumstances that would justify going to war, either on the part of individuals or political communities. The Bible does not provide a definitive answer. Large portions of the Old Testament seem to advocate wars of total annihilation, while in the New Testament Jesus exhorts his followers to love their enemies and to turn the other cheek. Given such interpretive latitude, some Christians have embraced pacifism, some have sponsored holy wars, andsome have formulated criteria for “just” wars. We will examine the pros and cons of all of these positions, with special attention to the situation in Ukraine and the plight of contemporary refugees.
Lee holds four degrees from Yale University, including a doctorate in Religious Studies, and is a professor of theology at Lancaster Theological Seminary. Prior to this, he taught at what is now Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond. His research and teaching interests include Reformed theology, religion and culture, the contemporary significance of theological traditions, and religion and the visual arts. He is the author and editor of several books and articles on Søren Kierkegaard, an influential nineteenth century theologian, and has been the past president of the International Søren Kierkegaard Society.
PrideFest Volunteers Needed
Pine Street Presbyterian Church will once again have a presence at the Central PA PrideFest which will be held on Saturday, July 30, from 11 am to 6 pm. The 2022 Pride Festival is celebrating its 30th anniversary, and will be returning to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Capitol Complex Grounds at the Emergency Responders Plaza (Third and North Streets between the State Museum and the Commonwealth Keystone Building). The Pride Festival of Central PA made history in 2017 as the first Pride Festival in the nation to be held on the grounds of a State Capitol.
We are looking for volunteers to help staff Pine Street’s booth in shifts of one to two hours. Please sign up at the Welcome desk if you are interested in helping Pine Street reach out and engage with members of the LBGTQ community in this way. You do not have to be LGBTQ to volunteer. All are welcome and encouraged to participate! Contact Sue Wilson by e-mail at [email protected] if you have any questions.
Current COVID Procedure
Pine Street Presbyterian Church will follow CDC guidelines to ease masking requirements and allow in-person gatherings, including food. While Dauphin and Cumberland Counties are in the low or medium community levels (according to the CDC’s “COVID-19 by County” page found at
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/covid-by-county.html). Masks will be optional for all Pine Street events, including worship. Session and staff will monitor the community levels and change health and safety guidelines if the local counties are high. Worshipers are welcome to wear masks if that helps them feel comfortable in worship.
Dates for your Calendar
Sunday, July 10 — Fifth Sunday after Pentecost 10:00 am Worship — Matt Drumheller Preaching
Friday, July 15 — 6:00 pm 3rd in the Burg — Harrisburg Drumming Along the River
Sunday, July 17 —Sixth Sunday after Pentecost — 8:45 am Adult Sunday Morning Forum Christianity and War | 10:00 am Worship — Matt Drumheller Preaching
Sunday, July 24 —Seventh Sunday after Pentecost — 8:45 am Adult Sunday Morning Forum Christianity and War | 10:00 am Worship — Matt Drumheller Preaching
Saturday, July 30 — 11:00 am to 6:00 pm, Central PA Pride Festival — First Responders Plaza, State Capitol Grounds
Sunday, July 31 —Eighth Sunday after Pentecost — 8:45 am Adult Sunday Morning Forum Christianity and War | 10:00 am Worship — Guest Preacher TBA