Greenfield Presbyterian Church is an interesting little church in the small neighborhood of Greenfield, just south of the Squirrel Hill area in Pittsburgh. I don't really know how many are officially on the church rolls, but since starting there as their pulpit supply in September, 2011, I've preached to as few as five and as many as fourteen. Sadly, there are a few elders I still haven't met because they haven't been to worship.
But this little church is refusing to give up, roll over, and die. The Sunday morning die-hards are made up of four 30-something's, 3-4 of us in our 40's, a couple in their 50's, and one woman probably in her 70's. Once in a while we'll have a young 11-year-old little guy with autism-like problems, along with his mom...and that's "The Church."
They have coffee every Sunday after the service, and they have a "coffee house" every Monday evening from 6-10pm where folks in their 30's and 40's come and visit and play board games together and drink coffee or pop or tea and eat goodies (for a price). The people who come don't attend the church, except those who are in the kitchen selling the refreshments or out visiting with the people. It really is amazing.
They open the church up to outside groups in hopes of making more money to run the church - basically keep the building going. Tonight will be their last night with their haunted house. Yes, you heard me right, the church hosts a haunted house.
One of the elders asked a bunch of his co-workers from the computer gaming/programming company he works at to come help him. So they all worked for HOURS this last week putting it all together and rehearsing who's doing what! Apparently they had over 50 people last night paying $5 a piece to go through the haunted house set up in the church fellowship hall in the basement! They have goodies upstairs for sale along with a crafts table for the kids.
The next event is election day where they will have baked goods as well as soups (to eat there or take home) and drinks for sale. It's the biggest fundraiser of the year. We're hoping to partner with a new church, The Upper Room, for a Thanksgiving Day dinner, chili and caroling night, as well as Christmas Eve and Christmas Day worship services. Things are not idle here!
I'm amazed at the level of commitment of the people of this church. They pour their hearts into keeping it going...and yet, they hope for so much more...
I've been preaching a series the last few weeks entitled "A Vision for a Healthy Church" and each week I've hit on a different aspect - worship, fellowship, and this week was discipleship. As I talked about how we follow Jesus and grow in our relationship with him I passed around a sign-up sheet for people to sign-up for a Bible study and/or for the new members class. Out of the ten people there, EIGHT signed up to be a part of the Bible study and THREE wanted to be in the new members class! Ya think they're hungry?!!!
Wow. I was humbled by their desire, and convicted to get together a study that will really give them a feast of Jesus and his Word! So I lift up this little church and these committed people to God everyday praying that I will be worthy of the call to minister both to and with them. God's doing something here...and I hope that in my time here I can grow along with this faithful body of Christ. What a privilege.
~Sally
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