Heart-ful Prayer

Written by: Kate Snyder, Executive Assistant

Today I wanted to take a minute to remind you that there is one very simple -- but very important -- way that absolutely everyone can support EECM's Have a Heart for Hunger campaign. It doesn't cost money. You don't have to collect food or make Valentines or help at the Food Pantry (although we'd love it if you did). You don't even have to leave your house.

In fact, this particular activity can be done in your pajamas while lounging on the couch.

That's right, I'm talking about the Big P -- PRAYER. At EECM, we say we're an interfaith organization and, by gum, we mean it. We want you (whoever and wherever you are) to pray for us!

Now, this may sound daunting, but here's the great thing about personal prayer: no one will hear you (well, except God obviously, which is sort of the point). You don't have to be eloquent, articulate, theologically astute, or even particularly pious. You don't even have to speak out loud.

Just take a few minutes from your day and pray for East End Cooperative Ministry. Not sure what to pray for? Here are some ideas to get you going:

• Pray for our Food Pantry clients, that they may have enough to eat this week.
  
• Pray for our Meals on Wheels clients, that they may not feel lonely.
• Pray for our Hunger Staff, that they may provide help and comfort to our clients.
• Pray for our Volunteers, that they may stay energized and committed to their work.
• Pray for EECM as a whole, that our services may continue to meet the needs of our community.

Pray for one of these things. Pray for all of these things. Pray for something else entirely (though hopefully related to EECM).

And remember that you aren't just praying for us. You're praying with us. We pray every day for our clients and staff and volunteers and programs and...for you. That's right. We pray for you, our friends and supporters, that you will continue to partner with us in our work and that you will be blessed because of your dedication and generosity.

Celebrating Martin Luther King

Written by: Kate Snyder, Executive Assistant

As an interfaith organization, EECM seeks to find opportunities for our various supporting congregations to come together. One of our most longstanding traditions of interfaith celebration is the annual Martin Luther King Celebration Service. Each year on the Sunday before MLK Day, we host an interfaith worship event, celebrating the life and ministry of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

It’s a neat service because it really does bring together a broad range of people. Borrowing from an article in Monday’s Post-Gazette: Ladies in mink hats mingled with those in Muslim head scarves. Men in sweater vests and borrowed yarmulkes talked to others in suits with shiny shoes. This year, our 24th, the service was held at the Jewish congregation, Tree of Life, and co-hosted by Lincoln Avenue Church of God.

Altogether, representatives from more than a dozen congregations and community organizations participated in the service. There were musical performances, scripture passages on the theme of justice, readings from speeches by Rev. Dr. King, and liturgical dance. My favorite performance was by the VoKols – a Jewish youth a cappella group that performed two fabulous pieces in Hebrew. They were great!

Our keynote speaker this year was the Rev. Dr. Ronald Peters, a professor at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, director of the Metro Urban Institute, and member of EECM’s Board of Directors. He spoke on the theme of the “Beloved Community” and reminded us that we still have work to do to make Rev. Dr. King’s dream a reality.

We ended the service by singing “We Shall Overcome.” The much-loved hymn was given a new feel by a cantorial soloist from Congregation Rodef Shalom who sang the first verse in Hebrew before we all joined in in English.

Hanukkah at the Orr Center

Written by: Kate Snyder, Executive Assistant

Being an interfaith organization has its challenges, especially around this time of year. Is a picture of pine trees on a thank-you card appropriate or is it too indicative of a Christmas tree? Which is the better well-wishing phrase: Happy Holidays or Seasons Greetings?

But then there are days when you realize that being sensitive to multiple faith traditions doesn’t have to be all that hard.

Last night, there was a special holiday dinner at the Orr Center. Let me set the scene for you. The Orr Center has a cozy, home-like feel. There’s a communal dining room with seating for 12 attached to a comfy living room with couches and a television. When I walked into the room last night, I was greeted by a Christmas tree glittering warmly in one corner of the living room, while at the head of the dining table stood a man wearing a yarmulke.

We were celebrating the second night of Hanukkah with the guests of the Orr Center – none of whom, to the best of my knowledge, are Jewish. But that didn’t slow them down a bit.

Our Executive Director, Myrna, and her husband Allan had agree to provide a special dinner for the guests and to share with them some of the history and significance of Hanukkah. The table was bedecked with a blue cloth and sprinkled with chocolate Hanukkah gelt and small dreidels. We all sat together as Allan explained the historical context of the holiday and the famous story of the miraculously long-lasting oil (if you don’t know the story, click here. It’s cool).

Allan lit two blue candles in the menorah and said a blessing, and we shared wine (well, grape juice) and bread. Then came dinner of matzo ball soup, chicken, and potato pancakes with apple sauce. For dessert – donuts! Hanukkah meals traditionally include fried foods, to commemorate the oil in the story.

It was fun for me to watch the guests of the Orr Center as they shared in this celebration. Some were hesitant at first, a bit bemused by the Hebrew words, the unfamiliar story, and the new foods. But they got into it quickly. After a bit of glancing around to see who would go first, they were soon all enjoying the sparkling grape juice, heading back for seconds on the matzo ball soup, and dexterously spinning their dreidels.

It was a beautiful evening. A sharing of tradition and food and fellowship. And that’s what being interfaith is all about – sharing traditions, learning new ones, and above all, joining together in fellowship regardless of our varied backgrounds.

United By What? Part 4

The question is: As an organization that embraces diversity of religious belief, what does it mean to say that we are “United by Faith?” Today's response comes from The Rev. Randy Bush, pastor of East Liberty Presbyterian Church.

If we're honest with ourselves, we're not truly united by faith because we've each developed patterns of faith "expression" (e.g., worship, polity, mission and stewardship spending priorities, fellowship and outreach programs) that are designed mostly to serve our own needs first. We maintain our own worship spaces to the exclusion of helping others; we publicize our own events over that of what others offer; we respond to needs arising from our own congregations before going outside our walls to assist others in need. In relation to ecumenical and interfaith efforts, we are not united by a shared faith perspective and common religious practices; at best, we come together despite our different perspectives and practices and occasionally have a shared sense of community during brief moments of interfaith worship or service.

From a two-dimensional perspective, (that is, considering our churches and synagogues only in terms of how we directly relate to one another), we are not as unified as we should be. However, from a three-dimensional perspective (adding God into the mix of how any two churches or synagogues relate), we are united in faith, in that the fruits of our best efforts do overlap and connect on a deep level. Think of it as ripples moving out from an array of stones thrown into a still pond. From one vantage point, the rocks never land in the same spot and are rarely even near to one another. But when seen from above, the cumulative effect of these stones (i.e., good works) does overlap and merge together into one intricate design. I believe that when people of faith do their work with integrity and conviction, as well as with an openness to similar ministries occurring all around them in other congregations, then we discover a broad unity of faith through God's grace and the "merging ripples" of our good works in the world.

United By What? Part 3

The question is: As an organization that embraces diversity of religious belief, what does it mean to say that we are “United by Faith?” Today's response comes from David Kaplan, Council of Congregations representative for Congregation Rodef Shalom.

I have for many years believed that if we as a spiritual society focused on the similarities of our beliefs rather than the distinct differences, we would live in a much more peaceful world. The members of EECM are drawn to the mission by the clear needs of our clients. Every faith espouses the mandate to care for the most vulnerable members of our society. Every faith has a mandate to feed the hungry, provide shelter for the homeless, care for the sick and take responsibility for the care of our children.

It is the desire to contribute, by virtue of our faith, which unites our members.

In the Jewish tradition, we have a commitment to, repair the world…"Tikkun Olam”. Repairing the world is far reaching and includes all manner of life and nature. We all have a responsibility to leave this earth having made it a better place. EECM provides me with a vehicle to work with people of all faiths, to repair our corner of the world.

United By What? Part 2

The question is: As an organization that embraces diversity of religious belief, what does it mean to say that we are “United by Faith?” Today's response comes from the Rev. Dr. Stuart Broberg, pastor of First Presbyterian Church and EECM Board Member.

I have read in a book (the title escapes me) that the word "faith" itself needs to be broadened and deepened to be more all-encompassing. Faith, in its old context, can be seen as linked only to a particular set of beliefs, as in, the "Faith" of the Presbyterian Church or _____________ (fill in the blank with name of a particular congregation, denomination, religious tradition).

I think we can look at the word "faith" in a much broader way and mean this, rather, "closely held values and core principles" that arise out of the human spirit and experience. Faith means drawing those values out of the people involved (from multiple faiths, congregations and belief systems) rather than imposing them from any one particular religion on the individual (or organization such as EECM).

By this reinterpretation, we would mean we are united in closely held values and core principles that lead us to concerted action to help those in need that represent a variety and diversity of religious expressions, rather than one particular "faith". The difference is this --"faith" defined as drawing lines of demarcation to exclude people versus "faith" defined as core values and principles that cross various lines and divisions and, quite to the contrary, includes people.

United By What?

Written by: Kate Snyder, Executive Assistant

If you have ever received any printed material from EECM, or checked out our website, you will have noticed a prominently featured motto – United By Faith, Dedicated To Service. This is the EECM “slogan”, for lack of a better word, an attempt to encapsulate the heart of who we are into a short, memorable phrase. It lends itself well to t-shirts and bumper stickers.

However, in the year that I have been working for EECM, I have encountered numerous furrowed or quizzically-raised eyebrows when people hear this motto. Behind the questioning looks is a question: “how can you be united by faith if you are an interfaith organization?” It’s a valid question. In our society today, we see more examples of religions in conflict than in harmony; faith has become a divisive issue rather than one which brings people together. As an organization that embraces diversity of religious belief, what does it mean to say that we are “United by Faith?”

I have my own thoughts on the subject, but you hear my thoughts often enough! Instead, over the next week or so I am going to be posting responses to this question that I have received from several leaders and members of congregations involved with EECM. I asked them to address the issue in a paragraph or two and they have responded with thoughtful, meaningful reflection. I hope you will enjoy their responses as much as I have. Stay tuned!

The Council of Congregations

If you've looked at the EECM website or read much in the blog, you've probably heard references to "member congregations" or the Council of Congregations. Everyone who works closely with EECM is very familiar with the Council but I'm guessing that this knowledge does not extend too far beyond our hallowed halls. So today we'll do a crash course introduction to the venerable Council of Congregations.

From its inception in 1970, East End Cooperative Ministry has worked collaboratively with a variety of congregations throughout Pittsburgh. As an interfaith ministry, EECM partners with adherents to a variety of religious paths, although the laws of demographics dictate that most of our participating congregations fall within the Judeo-Christian spectrum. The initial member congregation headcount was 18 and that number has grown to more than 40 over the last four decades. For a complete list of the member congregations, click here.

Each congregation designated one of its members to serve as the liaison between that congregation and EECM. Until recently, those representatives also made up the EECM Board of Directors. Two years ago, the agency restructured its Board – a board of 40 was proving unwieldy – and the representatives from the congregations now constitute the Council of Congregations, an advisory body to EECM. The president of the Council serves on the Board of Directors to provide a connection between the two bodies.

Okay, so that's the history. What does the Council do? The Council of Congregation's primary function is to serve as advocates of EECM within their congregations. These congregations support EECM financially, provide volunteers, and allow us to use their space for our programs. Their Council rep keeps them informed as to the goings on at EECM and lets them know about specific needs we might have, publicizes upcoming events, etc.

The Council also lends its support to a variety of activities throughout the year including:

* An annual interfaith celebration of the work and life of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King;

* Congregational food drives during the Have a Heart for Hunger Campaign;

* An annual "Off to College" drive to collect school and dorm supplies for EECM's Children & Youth participants who are heading off to college and life away from home;

* The Houses of Worship Architectural Tour (more details about this fabulous event will be forthcoming at the end of the summer);

* An annual fall Coat Drive to benefit the men in our emergency shelter;

*The Kristallnacht Memorial Gathering – an interfaith service that remembers those lost in the Holocaust which takes place in November;

* Holiday Gift Giving – each year EECM provides Christmas gifts to nearly 700 individuals throughout our programs. The Council participates in providing these gifts.

This is just a brief overview of all the fantastic work done by our Council of Congregations. EECM was, is, and always will be a community-based organization and we would not be able to accomplish all that we do without the dedicated service of our member congregations.

Mitzvah Day Part 2

Written by: Kate Snyder, Executive Assistant

I discovered that in my pre-Mitzvah Day blog, I forgot to mention a second aspect of EECM’s participation in the event. On Mitzvah Day, Rodef Shalom hosted a community service fair and invited representatives from various community organizations to staff a table with information about the organization as well as a small service project for members of the Calvary Episcopal and Rodef Shalom youth programs to complete right then and there.

We decided to have the kids make bags of trail mix for the men in our homeless shelter. Each child who came up to the table was asked to color in a pre-made EECM Trail Mix label that we had created. They added stick figures, flowers and short hellos to decorate the basic ingredient list then slapped the labels onto small cellophane bags. Each bag was then filled with a few scoops of home-made trail mix featuring pretzels, peanuts and M&M’s. The bags were distributed to our Emergency Shelter clients to give them something to gnosh on during the day. Yum!

Mitzvah Day

Written by: Kate Snyder, Executive Assistant

Today, class, we will begin with a brief language lesson. Our word for the day is mitzvah, which is Hebrew for “commandment.” The plural is mitzvot and is pronounced with a long “o” (mits-vote). There are a total of 613 mitzvot in Jewish law – 365 negative commandments or prohibitions (such as Thou Shalt Not Kill) and 248 positive commandments (like Honor Thy Father and Mother). The mitzvot are derived both from the Torah (the first five books of the Hebrew Scriptures: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy) and from later rabbinical commentary.

The word mitzvah has also come to express any act of human kindness, which seems very appropriate since a fair chunk of those 613 mitzvot have to do with the proper way to interact with our fellow humans.

Alrighty, let’s practice our pronunciation together:

mitzvah

mitzvah

mitzvah

Well done. You sound great!

I can hear you muttering quietly under your breath: why on earth are we discussing mitzvot today? Because, it was a fun way to introduce the Mitzvah Day Initiative! Mitzvah Day is an interfaith effort through which the members of Calvary Episcopal Church and Rodef Shalom Congregation conduct projects for area community service organizations to help them with a need they have defined. This year, April 22nd has been designated as Mitzvah Day.

The early childhood programs from Rodef Shalom will be directing their Mitzvah Day activities toward EECM. The budding chefs will be baking sweet treats to donate to our Hunger Programs and will also be doing a craft project to create center pieces for the tables at the Soup Kitchen.

Allow me to take a moment to say that Mitzvah Day is awesome. Seriously. It really is a terrific example of an interfaith collaboration to better our community and to that I must say: Rock On!

How to Have a Heart #6

How to Have a Heart for Hunger

#6 -- Pray for Our Hunger Programs and Clients

At EECM, one of the principles to which we are committed is the power of prayer. We pray for the transformation of the East End according to our faith traditions and our own understanding of prayer, acknowledging our need for divine help to carry out the ministry that we have been given.

So please join us as we pray for:

Our clients in the Food Pantry, Soup Kitchen, Men’s Emergency Shelter and Meals on Wheels—many of these individuals are not only hungry but lonely and frightened. We pray that their physical needs will be met and that they might find peace and comfort.

Our staff – we give thanks for our committed and caring staff without whom we could not offer the services that we do. We pray that they might be strengthened in their duties and that they would be a blessing to the people with whom they work and interact.

Our community – we pray for the healing of our community and for an end to hunger, poverty and suffering in the East End.

If you would like to participate more actively in the spiritual life of EECM, we are seeking clergy and lay people to act as “prayer partners” in the Soup Kitchen and Food Pantry. If you can spare an hour or two once a month to be present and available for prayer requests, please contact Suzan Krauland at 412-361-5549 ext. 411.

Food for the Soul

Note from the editors: During our Have a Heart for Hunger campaign we seek to look at and understand food in new ways. This therefore seemed like an appropriate addition to the blog! Enjoy.

Written by: Dr. William Johnson, Distinguished Professor of English, Northern Illinois University. Reprinted with permission.

One can look at food as a practical necessity of life. But one can also look at the taking of food as a mindful, spiritually deep act that nourishes both the body and the spirit. Sharing food is one of the most universal of cultural experiences. Expressing thanks for food was humankind's first act of worship, food being part of the gift of life. In every culture there are sacred beliefs or divine commandments that require honoring the giver of life through acknowledging the sacred gift of food.

By admitting us to His table, God became bound to us in a unique relationship. By admitting God to our table, we experience the love and beauty of that relationship.

In the Hebrew Scriptures, the breaking of bread symbolized the immutable bond in relationships among all people. The Covenant was reaffirmed through deeply profound meals and feasts. Even the Hebrew word for covenant, b'rith has etymological origins in the Hebrew notion "to eat."

In the New Testament it is through communion that Christians participate in God's presence with us -- and among us -- as individuals and as a community. We share the deeply transformative mystery of pansubstantiation, when bread becomes body (in whatever way we think of it) and wine becomes blood, literally feeding both soul and flesh.

Eating, dining, consuming food, all have the power to bring us into communion with one another and with the divine.

Celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Written by: Claudia Kirkpatrick, EECM Council of Congregations (Third Presbyterian Church)

This year's EECM Gathering of the Congregations and Celebration of the Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., went off very well indeed. This was the 23rd annual Celebration, held this year at Calvary Episcopal Church. As always, members of the congregations turned out in force, and they provided feedback that the Celebration was very inspirational.

The Gathering and Celebration began with Music of Celebration, with special performances by the "Friday Night Chai," Michele Gray-Schaffer director and mezzo-soprano, from Tree of Life Congregation. The First Unitarian Church Folk Orchestra followed, with Emily Pinkerton, director. And then a series of gospel songs by Demareus Cooper, from The Pittsburgh Creative and Performing Arts High School. Ms. Cooper was accompanied on the piano by Derek Schofield, minister of music at St. John's Lutheran Church. During the Entrance of the Ministers and throughout the service, the Calvary Choir, under the direction of Alan Lewis, provided anthems that beautifully reinforced the inspiring messages of Dr. King. Many of those who attended the Celebration mentioned how very wonderful they felt all the music was.

The Rev. Regis Ryan, Executive Director of “Focus on Renewal” in McKees Rocks, gave a very thoughtful sermon on the issue of hunger. Building on the challenge Dr. King posed in his Nobel Prize Lecture in Oslo in 1964 to "Feed the Unfed," the Rev. Ryan provided considerable insight into the various ways in which people can be hungry, and the ways in which all of us can help solve the problems that hunger causes.

Several stirring readings were provided by Myrna Zelenitz, Executive Director of EECM; John Mershon of Third Presbyterian Church; Philip B. Hallen, member of the Board of Directors of EECM; and Amal Namangani of the Islamic Center of Pittsburgh. Additional acclamations, prayers, and greetings were provided by Rabbi Daniel Young of Congregation Rodef Shalom; Mrs. Evelyn P. Parker of St. James A.M.E. Church; the Rev. Darnell Leonard, Associate Director of EECM; the Rev. Cynthia Bronson Sweigert, Rector of Church of the Redeemer; and the Rev. Dr. Harold T. Lewis, rector of Calvary Episcopal Church.

The turn-out for the Celebration was excellent this year, in spite of the miserable rain. Over 400 people braved the elements to attend the event. Everyone involved with EECM was very grateful to all those who assisted in making the Gathering and Celebration work so well. We hope to see everyone back again next year!

Feeding the Unfed

You are cordially invited to join East End Cooperative Ministry in celebrating the life and ministry of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Sunday, January 14, 2006

3:30 pm

Calvary Episcopal Church
(315 Shady Ave. – 15206)

The theme of this year’s celebration is “Feeding the Unfed” and the service will feature guest speaker Father Regis Ryan of Focus on Renewal.

Hope to see you there!