PNews – 3/11/21

Posted on March 11, 2021

News from Pittsburgh Presbytery

We have been walking mainly alone for the past year through the COVID pandemic. Even when we come together, we are separated – “social distancing,” we call it. Alone, together. Jesus reminds us that we must necessarily be together. He prays repeatedly for our unity as his followers. But there is also a time to be alone. Lent invites us to follow Jesus in journeying alone with God. How do we navigate that journey in such a unique time? In this week’s meditation, The Lonesome Valley, Rev. Dr. Sheldon W. Sorge answers this question and more.
Virtual Holy Week Services!
As part of the Presbytery’s effort to support our churches in this time of COVID-related challenges, the staff of Pittsburgh Presbytery will once again be providing virtual worship resources for our congregations for Holy Week (Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter). Each service will be made available as a downloadable file that you can choose to incorporate some or all of the elements into your congregation’s own worship service or simply direct people to a YouTube link where they can watch it themselves. The materials will be posted to the Presbytery website no later than Thursday March 25th.
The National Black Presbyterian Caucus (NBPC), in Partnership with the Metro-Urban Institute of Pittsburgh Theological Seminary (MUI) and Pittsburgh Presbytery, is celebrating the annual Palm Sunday Unity service on March 28, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. The Rev. Patrice Fowler-Searcy, Associate Pastor for Mission Ministries at East Liberty Presbyterian Church, will be delivering the message for the service. They hope to see you there! Register to join!
The Mt. Pisgah Presbyterian Church has gifts of 125 blue hymnals, 58 NIV bibles, 20 choir robes, and 4 sets of paraments they would like to gift to a member congregation of Pittsburgh Presbytery. Visit our Let’s Get Connected webpage for more information
Is your congregation working to bring about social change for Christ in your community? Or is your building a historic facility and in need of improvements? Grant opportunities for either of these situations will soon be available! Click “read more” for further information.
In an effort to continue to support our Pastors during this time of virtual/online worship, our Presbytery staff has been preparing and sharing sermons and other elements for worship that can be utilized by our congregations. A new sermon, entitled What Makes Jesus Angry, prepared by Associate Minister Brian Wallace, is now available for download.
To summarize, in this sermon Rev. Wallace discusses how Jesus shows many emotions throughout the gospels. In this story, Jesus gets angry – really angry – and what makes him angry should give us all pause. The text tells us that what made Jesus really angry was the “unyielding hearts” of his listeners. What does it mean to have an unyielding heart? He goes on to explore this question and asks how we, as disciples of Jesus, are called to be people who have yielding hearts.

What Is a Decennial Filing and Do We Have to Do It?

Decennial filings are made every 10 years during the years ending with the numeral “1” (e.g. 2001, 2011, 2021). The legislative intent for requiring these filings is to identify business names that are no longer in use so that they may be reissued and placed back into the stream of commerce. By filing, the organization protects its name. For 2021, the fee for this filing is $70.00. If you choose NOT to file, you take the chance that your name will be claimed by another organization.

DO I NEED TO FILE?

If you received a postcard from the Pennsylvania Department of State, you need to file. You should check the Decennial Database to make sure:

WHY AM I EXEMPT FROM THE DECENNIAL FILING?

You may have not received the letter from the PA Department of State. This happens if a corporation has had officer information forwarded to the Department of State by the Department of Revenue during the preceding 10 years under 15 Pa.C.S. §1110 (relating to annual report information), making the organization exempt. If you have made a new or amended filing with the Corporation Bureau from January 1, 2012 through December 31, 2021 other than a decennial filing, a name reservation, name search, consent to appropriation of name or fictitious name registration you are also exempt. In summary, if you have sent any update to the Department of State that confirms your organization’s existence, you are exempt. You need to verify this by checking the 2021 Decennial Report Database.

HOW CAN I BE EXEMPT IN THE FUTURE?

The easiest way is to file an Annual Report, updating your organization’s officers. This is free, and simple to complete. You can download this form by clicking here.

This information comes from Synod of the Trinity Business Administrator Frank Orzehoski. Any questions can be directed to him at businessadmin@syntrinity.org.

Catch up on what happened at the most recent Presbytery Meeting! Read the Presbytery Digest, a summary of the actions and information from the meeting of Pittsburgh Presbytery.
Self Development of People (SDOP) is celebrating 50 years of work! SDOP is a ministry that affirms God’s concern for humankind. They are Presbyterians and ecumenical partners, dissatisfied with poverty and oppression, united in faith and action through sharing, confronting and enabling. They participate in the empowerment of economically poor, oppressed and disadvantaged people seeking to change the structures that perpetuate poverty, oppression and injustice. Visit their webpage for resources to help plan your worship and more!
Black History Month is now concluded, but our awareness can continue year-round. The Synod of the Trinity have made their resources available for viewing and small-group conversations to facilitate learning and growing through all months of the year.

Events at Affiliated Organizations

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