[PRCo] Re: Organ being installed

[Richard Allman]

Don-the congregation has somewhat over 1000 members and a dynamic pastoral 
staff. They have comfortably made the transition to what they are, an inner 
city congregation in a neighborhood whose best days are past. As per the 
associate music director to whom I spoke, the neighborhood hit the skids 
when a new traffic pattern wiped out the parking of what had been a vibrant 
retail district.When they recruited the current pastor, Dr. Randy Bush, he 
was highly recruited and agreed to come only if the congregation took its 
service to the surrounding community very seriously. He is a dynamic 
presence in the pulpit and in the community per my son the seminarian. 
Apparently @ one time according to FWS III, members were interviewed re: 
their suitability for the congregation. They also had black curbside ushers 
in white gloves who assisted the big woo-hahs into the sanctuary. Most of 
those types died off or went to some of the high falootin' congregations in 
the 'burbs, e.g. Fox Chapel PC(which parenthetically my son also 
likes!).Those now dead big deals would be surprised to see how much of the 
church's leadership is black and other minorities! the service itself is 
vibrant and they experiment w/ diferent forms of music, etc. they have a 
large outreach program including home rehab, health programs, etc. the 
congregation is diverse-like 50-50 whte-black, quite an age range. Some 
academics from the surrounding institutions of higher learning-Pitt, 
Carnegie-Mellon, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, etc. attend. Apparently 
it's also a place where members of the gay community feel safe and welcome. 
When I attended 2 weeks ago, on a not-so-nice-out Sunday, there were 400-500 
in attendance for one of 2 summer services. The prior pastor, Dr, Chestnut 
who retired 3 or 4 years ago was also committed to the community. Bottom 
line, a very different demographic from when the place was built, but in its 
way , a presence in the community. Mellons long gone. There are a couple 
PCUSA churches in downtown Philadelphia w/ very few members, but sitting on 
real estate gold mines(e.g. Arch Street). There are also some others who are 
as you describe, w/ expensive bldgs and poor , very small congregations. 
Steve(my son) points out that in the immediate vicinity, several large PCUSA 
congregations: East Liberty, Eastminster(more blue collar), 
Shadyside-Yuppies, academics, Belfield(sp.?)-Pitt campus ministry, and a 
couple others whose names escape me.RICH
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Donald Galt" <galtfd at att.net>
To: <pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org>
Sent: Monday, September 03, 2007 3:46 PM
Subject: [PRCo] Re: Organ being installed


> Just curious, what are the demographics of East Liberty Presbyterian? Is 
> the
> church thriving, or has it joined the ranks of inner-city mainline 
> churches
> whose congregations have abandoned them for the 'burbs or for 
> fundamentalist
> mega-churches, leaving them with expensive buildings and working-poor
> parishioners?
>
> And do any Mellons still worship there?
>
> Don
>
>
>