Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Adult Vacation Bible School This Summer at EUPC





An Introduction to Spiritual Disciplines/Practices – Summer VBS for Adults

Join us for four (4) evenings in July and August to deepen and enrich your practices of prayer, worship and reading of scripture. 

Wednesday, July 17 – 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. @ Emsworth U.P.
Pastor Susan will introduce us to the practice of “centering prayer.”  Centering prayer is a method of prayer that goes deeper than verbal conversations with God.  It teaches a silent communion with God, a method of being open to the gift of God’s presence, and is a way of receiving a deep and intimate relationship with God.  Drawing upon the texts, Intimacy with God by Thomas Keating and Forty Days to a Closer Walk with God: The Practice of Centering Prayer by J. David Muyskens, we will seek to discover the healing presence and indwelling intimacy of the Triune God through this ancient practice.

Thursday, July 25 – 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. @ Emsworth U.P.
Pastor Susan will lead us in the practice of Lectio Divina  which is a method to listen to God through the words of the Bible.  The Latin words for the four aspects of lectio divina are lectio, meditatio, oratio and contemplatio which mean reading, reflection, response and rest.  This is a prayerful, contemplative way to read scripture and allow God’s word to rest in us.

Wednesday, August 14 -- Meet at East Liberty Presbyterian Church





East Liberty Presbyterian Church is located at the corner of Penn and Highland Avenues in Pittsburgh’s East Liberty neighborhood. The main entrance is on Highland Avenue. Street parking is available in the blocks close to the church, and there is also a parking lot behind the Carnegie Library.


We will gather at East Liberty Presbyterian Church at 6:45 p.m. for an hour-long Taize service of sung prayers and meditation.  East Liberty’s service is based on a style of worship developed at the Taize community in France founded in the 1940s.  Originally a refuge during the war, Taize has developed into an ecumenical prayer center for visitors from all over the world. Today the Taize Community is made up of over a hundred resident brothers, both Catholics and from various Protestant backgrounds/traditions. Taize wants to be a sign of reconciliation between divided Christians and between separated peoples.  After the service, Pastor Susan will be available to accompany those who would like to stay and walk the prayer labyrinth in ELPC’s outdoor courtyard.

Here is a brief video about the Taize community:




Thursday, August 22 – 7:00 p.m – 8:30 p.m. @ Emsworth U.P.
 On this evening Keith Mihelcic will lead a split study on two often neglected, yet vitally important "lost" disciplines:  fasting and (the practice of) solitude. In Scripture everyone from Job to Jesus practiced both and we will look at how engaging in these two "lost" disciplines will enable us to walk closer with God and live our lives more in accordance with His will.