This year, we continue our tradition of collecting Christmas gifts and new hats, mittens, gloves, scarves, and socks for the children and youth at Kidcelerate (formerly Bethany House) in the Northview Heights neighborhood in Pittsburgh.
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Bethany House
SUMC members delivered “souper” results and helped the local food pantry tackle hunger by donating $355 in cash and several dozen cans of soup during the Souper Bowl of Caring. Thank you to all who participated.
There is much to be thankful for this Christmas season. Thanks for your selfless giving of your time and abundance.
In keeping with this year’s “Food Truck” theme, the VBS children will assemble weekend food bags for children who participate in summer learning programs at The Bridge (formerly Bethany House) in Northview Heights and blessing bags for the homeless who are served by the Daily Bread ministry in Pittsburgh’s North Side.
SUMC collected 82 coats plus 120 hats/mittens/gloves/scarves, with an additional 22 coats provided by two community partners.
Sunday’s offering will be divided between Doors to Hope and Red Stockings. Doors to Hope at Home supports 6 Western PA Conference agencies and Red Stocking supports the Health and Welfare Ministries of the Conference.
Thank you for the outpouring of donations of coats and hats, mittens, gloves, and scarves, which will be distributed on December 4th
Looking ahead, the Outreach Committee will provide Angel Tree wish tags for children and teens who are in residential mental health treatment at the Bradley Center, located in Robinson Township.
BHA has been relocated to the church next door that once housed the Church of Our Savior congregation. Tutoring is the focus at this time, as many children have had little instruction since March due to the many challenges of COVID era schooling. School supplies are needed. During February and March, SUMC will accept donations
BHA has been relocated to the church next door that once housed the Church of Our Savior congregation. Tutoring is the focus at this time, as many children have had little instruction since March due to the many challenges of COVID-era schooling. School supplies are needed.
Help keep children warm this winter! SUMC and Church Union are cooperating to collect new winter coats, jackets, hats, scarves, mittens, and gloves for needy children (toddlers through teens) in the Pittsburgh area.
As of a few weeks ago, plans were not set on the resumption of the afterschool program. Work has been done over the summer to prepare to move the pre-school to the Our Savior church building, as well as to thoroughly clean and organize the BHA house. Please be in prayer for this ministry as Church Union works on its plans for re-opening—SUMC has a long history of serving the children/youth of Northview Heights.
Using Outreach-designated funds, SUMC provided the preschool program at Bethany House with ingredients for hot breakfasts—turkey sausage, eggs, and toast was the delivery morning’s breakfast.
Thank you to everyone who is providing a Christmas gift for a child who attends the Bethany House and for helping keep the Bethany House kids warm with your donations of new socks, mittens, gloves, and hats, which will be delivered to the Bethany House along with the gifts.
Everyone, middle-school aged and older, please come to the “wrapping party” on Sunday between the services as we wrap the gifts for the Bethany House kids in the Simpson Room.
You may include this offering with your regular offering, or use the special offerings envelope found in the pews or at the back of the sanctuary. Please designate “Doors to Hope” on your envelope or check. You may also donate via EasyTithe.
Pam Honeychurch and I visited the Bethany House Academy Pre-school on November 14th to continue interviewing the children for SUMC’s Christmas gift outreach. Miss M, who oversees the preschool, was trying to fix the zipper of a little girl’s coat. I then tried to fix it. It became evident that the extremely worn coat could not be repaired.
Please consider a tax-deductible contribution to Bethany House Academy (BHA) before the end of the year, and see your gift triple.
Last call for donations to the Bethany House mitten tree and the shut-in gift bags. Please bring your donations to church Sunday, December 16th.
Thank you to everyone who is providing a Christmas gift for a child who attends the Bethany House. Your love and generosity will certainly touch the children and youth and let them know they are special and loved. If you haven’t yet brought in your gift, please bring it by Sunday at 10 am.