Afternoon in Bethlehem

Today, the people of Baldwin Community got a start on the Advent season with an Afternoon in Bethlehem! We had such a great day sharing our faith with each other and eventually the people of Overlook Green Assisted Living Center! After a wonderful lunch by our Parish Life team, we enjoyed crafts, dressing in costume and eventually a chance to sing to the people of the Living Center. Below are a few pictures of the memorable day! 

Way to Go Baldwin Community!

I walked into my office this afternoon to see a letter from the Western PA Annual Conference Camping Office. It was a list of all the churches in the Conference who sent campers to one of the three camps (Allegheny, Jumonville, Wesley Woods). I was ever so pleased to see that Baldwin Community sent 42 campers to camp this summer!!! We increased from 18 campers in 2007 to 42 in 2008! Way to go people of Baldwin Community! 

I have a deep and profound love for the camping ministries of the WPA Conference. It was at Jumonville that I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior. It is our hope that through camping, our children at Baldwin Community and the children all over can experience the love Christ has for us. 

I also want to thank everyone who gave to our Baldwin Community scholarship to assist our campers with a full scholarship this year!!! You are a blessing to many! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! 

OK This Should Not Be Happening to Me Right Now

This morning I was hit with something I did not expect. Abby and I were heading to class this morning. Abby's preschool room is the last class at the end of the hallway. I hung her little jacket on her hook and we carried her cookie cake into the classroom (It's Abby's fifth birthday tomorrow, November 7th). As we walked into the room, a little boy from our church, Jack, handed Abby something. I didn't think much of it. She then handed it to me. I looked at it and then just kept talking to Mrs. Riani and Mrs. Pavlick. Then about 10 seconds later, I looked at it again. It was a beautifully wrapped purple rose. This struck me hard! My four year old daughter just got her first rose from a boy! Abby was so tickled by this and Jack was so proud at that moment to give his "girl" a rose! I had to get a picture with my phone (I'm glad my phone has a camera for quick moments like this). Jack, thanks for giving me (and Abby) a great big smile today (and for giving me an increased heart rate)! Happy 5th Birthday Abby (Little Betty)!  

Way to Go Pastor Gretchen!

Pittsburgh Tribune Review
Voters feel tension of historic moment at North Side's New Hope church
By Asia M. HowellPOINT PARK NEWS SERVICETuesday, November 4, 2008

Gretchen Hulse, a first-time pastor at New Hope Methodist Church on the North Side, sipped her coffee in the far corner of her church lobby early this morning as she watched neighbors patiently wait, some in the bitter cold, determined to have their votes counted.
"People are very tense in this election," she said. "I mean we have the possibility of making history. They're worried about what this day will bring, but my prayer is that everyone that can vote will vote."
Voters at New Hope were lined up before the poll doors even opened at 7 a.m. Many people had turned out to vote in the presidential race between Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama.

"I usually come right around the corner every election and walk right in, vote and come out, but some of these people have been in line since 6:30 a.m.," said Michelle Clark, 38, a disabled veteran from the Central North Side. "This is new to me."
The lines were new, but the voters' concerns were familiar: Voters talked about potential problems and issues the day's events might unravel.
Stephanie Jones of Homewood, working the polls at the North Side church said, "I'm expecting a blackout, system failure, and numerous recounts -- something to change the results."
Some voters challenged the training of poll workers when they were asked for legal identification.
"A lady behind me was yelling and threatening to report poll workers because they asked her for ID," said Jackie Myers, 67, a psychologist. "Those same workers asked me, too, but I simply told them I've voted at (New Hope) every election and they were able to check me off that way."

Way to Go Gretchen! (Gretchen is in my Young Cohort Group through WPA Conference)