HOPE CIRCLE BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP
Open minds
Hope Circle will meet on Monday, April 11th at 7:00 PM in the
parlor to discuss the book Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok.
Kimberly is a young Chinese immigrant immersed in a culture and language
she struggles to understand. Not only does she excel in school and work in a
factory, she takes on increasing family responsibilities as she acclimates to her
new surroundings and her parents do not. Kimberly must ―translate‖ herself
between her worlds and find the balance between duty and her ambitions.
The 5th anniversary of Hope Circle Book Discussion Group is coming in
June; we have read and shared our thoughts on over 50 books. Through our
time of sharing, we have grown in our Christian lives as we viewed the human
condition described in works of general fiction and non-fiction. Please con-
sider joining us on the 2nd Monday of most months for a time of sharing and
fellowship based on books that deal with a wide variety of topics.
U2CHARIST
A Worship Experience Featuring the Music of U2
as performed by ―The Reply‖
Saturday, April 16
7 PM
Oakmont United Methodist Church
Fifth and Maryland Avenues
412-828-9499
www.oakmontumc.org
Freewill offering to benefit Nothing But Nets
APRIL 2011 Open hear t s
Open door s
Happy New Year?
Are you ready to celebrate a new year? When you read that you may wonder if I
am using an ‗old‘ pastor‘s page article and forgot to edit it. I didn‘t; I have been
thinking about new life and ‗ new years.‘
In calendar years we celebrate a new year on January 1. On the Christian calen-
dar, used for choosing colors and scripture readings, the new year begins with
Advent. You may have noted various new year observances in other religious
groups. As I was thinking about the emphasis on new life and spring coming, I
began thinking about Easter as new year.
Jesus‘ resurrection from the dead gave each of us new opportunity for life eter-
nal with Him. The disciples and others who followed Jesus believed He was
raised from the dead. We, too, have the choice to believe in Jesus, His life, death
and resurrection. Then we can choose to follow Him. Jesus‘ resurrection gives
new life and new hope to all those who believe in Him.
Jesus‘ resurrection also gives hope that we, too, will benefit from His conquering
death by the resurrection. Paul writes of this hope in 1 Corinthians 15:
54When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable,
and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is writ-
ten will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in vic-
tory." 55"Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is
your sting?"56The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is
the law. 57But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through
our Lord Jesus Christ.
On Easter we will rejoice in the resurrection of Jesus. Happy New Year of life
and hope and promise as children of God.
Blessings,
Pastor Linda
 24 Hours That Changed the World MEMORIAL GIFTS
Gifts to the Memorial Fund : In memory of Bill
Walk with Jesus and the disciples and experience what they did from the Deitch fromEmma Lee Crannell and in memory
Meal in the Upper Room through to the resurrection! of Virginia Jones from Betty Hunter, Becky Hous-
April
Walk with Jesus on his final day. ton and the Pennington Family.
3 Grace Campbell
Sit beside him at the Last Supper. 5 John Burrows
Pray with him in Gethsemane. 10 Galen Chapa NEWSLETTER
Follow him to the cross. 11 EmmaLee Crannell Please submit articles by April 15.
Desert him. Deny him. 12 Ron Standifur
Experience the Resurrection. Bob Rudy
Through April 27, our church will offer this seven-week study as a 13 Suzy Hunter GENERAL FUND NUMBERS
sermon series and for Bible Study 10 a.m. Tuesday morning and 7 Diane Kennedy FOR FEBRUARY:
p.m. Wednesday evening. The material is authored by Adam Hamilton, a 14 Robin Curry Income $ 16,512.19
15 Shawn Sweeney Expenses $ 20,436.15
United Methodist Pastor from Kansas. Plan to attend – and invite others to
17 James Robertson, Balance 2/28 $ 605.15
join us. 19 Willow Banas The Mission Share was paid in February.
David Dezzutti
Dillon Provenza
20 Audra Assad
WENDY’S FUNDRAISER
Oakmont United Methodist Church 21 Bob Rotter
Monthly Emmaus get together 24 Kim Marotta
25 Matthew Rajkowski The Finance Committee has approved
Let Your Light Shine 26 Jim Ashbaugh a dinner fundraiser at Wendy‘s in Harmarville the
Mark Di Cocco third Monday of each month in place of our Pizza
First Thursday of the Month Bill Handyside Hut Night. 20% of all orders between 5-8 pm on
6:30 pm - 7:30 pm Matt Provenza that night will be contributed to OUMC‘s General
April 7, 2011 27 Garnet Hildebrand Fund. You do not need to have a bulletin insert
29 Jackie Ashbaugh or any paperwork with you.
Genevieve Aubele
30 Bob McElhose
MOMMY, DADDY & ME
INDOOR YARD and BAKE SALE We meet in the nursery @ 9:30
April 8 and 9 If we inadvertently AM on the first and third
9 a.m. to 3 p.m. missed listing your birth- Thursday of the month. If you
Donated items can be brought to the church. Items day, please call the have a child age 4 or under,
brought the week of the sale can be left on the stage. church office and let us please join us for some indoor playtime! The
Baked goods can be put in the kitchen on Thursday or know. nursery is fully stocked with blocks, dolls, kitch-
Friday. ens, and cars...great fun for the kids, not to men-
tion moms and dads. :) Hope to see you there!
Joy & Willow (23 mos.)
412-849-1831 or joycottrill@gmail.com
 REPORT FROM TINA WHITEHEAD
I‘m writing to you from the Oakmont church office. I just arrived
home yesterday (March 16) and was immediately put to work!! It‘s good to
be back, but as I wrote on my Facebook page, I‘m not sure if I left home
this week or came home. My heart is in both places.
Most of the past month was focused on our International Conference in
Bethlehem which was held Feb. 23-28. Over 300 were in attendance, from
15 countries. As I mentioned last month, the theme was ―Challenging Em-
pire: God, Faithfulness and Resistance.‖ It turned out to be an excellent
event, not just of presentations, but of worship and eyewitness visits.
Our opening worship took place outdoors next to the ―Wall‖ that sur-
rounds Bethlehem. As we worshipped and listened to the Rev. Mitri Raheb
give an inspiring message taken from Matthew: ―Blessed are the meek, for
they shall inherit the earth,‖ we could see behind him not just this 26 foot
high, concrete wall, but the refugee camp next to us and illegal Israeli set-
tlements on a hill in the distance. It was a very powerful setting and a tre-
mendous beginning to our 5 days together.
Our next worship was 2 days later, following ―field trips‖ to various villages
and neighborhoods in and around Jerusalem. This time we worshipped at
the Church of All Nations at Gethsemane. Archbishop Thabo Makgoba of
Cape Town was the speaker and in his message he compared his experi-
ences in South Africa with what is happening today to the Palestinian peo-
ple. A lovely, humble man, he follows in the footsteps of Bishop Des-
mond Tutu as an international voice for peace and justice.
In terms of speakers, it was a joy for me to listen to and talk with Fr. John
Dear, a Jesuit priest whose work I had read and used for retreats a few
years ago. His topic was on the spirituality of resistance, how to live the life
of peaceful resistance that Jesus empowers us to live. I hope to have op-
portunities to share more on that with you over the next few months.
Easter blessings,
Tina
EASTER FLOWERS FOR THE ALTAR
Flowers for Sunday, April 24 must be ordered and
paid for no later than April 3, 2011. The cost for tu-
lips and hyacinths are $5.25 each and the cost for an
Easter Lilly is $6.95.
Please complete the form below and return it to the
church office with your check made out to OUMC and
marked ―Easter flowers‖. Flowers should be taken
home with you following the 11:00 am service on
Easter.
Tulips: Red ____ Yellow ____ Pink _____
Hyacinth: Blue ____ Pink ____ White ____
Easter Lilies _______
Ordered by ___________________________________
In Memory of _________________________________
In Honor of __________________________________
You also have the option of donating toward the purchase of Giant Eagle gift
certificates for the local food bank. Your name will be listed in the morning
bulletin along with the names of those who order flowers. Donations must
be received by April 3.
Amount donated for the food bank _________________
By _______________________________________
In Memory of _______________________________
In Honor of ______________________________
 UMW NEWS
Well, Dear Friends,
If you did not attend the Ladies' luncheon, you missed out on a big blessing! We
try to reach out to ladies of any age, so you may want to mark your calendar for
the next one!
I am so grateful for the ladies that help me every time there is a luncheon. They
work so well together, and don't complain. One Presbyterian called us "a kitchen
clique"! We had a good laugh on that one, because we welcome extra help, pro-
vided we know ahead of time!
Now we are working on the next project for April. We have so many items to sell
for this Indoor Yard Sale, that we are going to have it two days this year! Friday,
April 8 and Saturday April 9, we will open our doors at 9:00 and work until 3:00
both days! Needless to say, we could sure use your help in organizing as well as
bringing your clothes and "Attic Treasures". You might think this event is too
much work for you, but I can almost guarantee you we have a great time getting
it ready!
I usually have to ask folks to help with the clean up, but I would love it if you
would volunteer! The final cleanup goes fast, and St. Jude's gets what we are left
with. It is a win win situation all around for the participants. I have personally
found things I needed, and the prices I've paid come under my budget!
So please mark April 8 and April 9 on your calendar! I am looking forward to
seeing you!
Love in Jesus,
Jan
Oakmont UMC
Monthly Covered Dish Luncheon
Sunday, April 10 at noon.
Plan to be there!
GREENSBURG DISTRICT CONFERENCE
Greensburg District Conference will be held on Sunday, April 10 th beginning at 4
p.m. at the Christ United Methodist Church, Youngwood. You can now register
and pay online. Just go to www.wpaumc.org/register.
Once again, our congregations are asked to collect an offering on April 10, the
day of District Conference. The goal is one dollar per average worship atten-
dee. The monies collected can be sent directly to the District Office, but if you
prefer, arrangements are in place to receive the offering that afternoon.
We need you to be present along with officers from your congregations. Please
contact the office for additional information.
OAKMONT BOROUGH OPENS NEW NEIGHBORHOOD PARK
This spring, Bocce courts will be available for use by residents
of Oakmont at a new park recently built next to the Borough
Building. League play is tentatively planned for he months of
May through September, five nights a week, from 6:30 till
dusk. Open play will be on weekends and on weekdays. De-
tails for all play will be forthcoming.
Give to Pacific Emergency Advance #3021317
A massive earthquake hit Japan on Friday, March 11, triggering a 33-foot tsu-
nami that swept away everything in its path.
UMCOR is working through relief and church partners in Japan to respond to
the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear explosions. Current partners include
Global Medic and the United Church of Christ in Japan.
The immediate response includes meeting the most pressing basic humanitarian
needs of surrounding communities in damaged areas in northern Japan: drink-
ing water, basic food, basic cooking and eating supplies, clothing, and fuel.
United Methodists and friends are urged to pray for the people of Ja-
pan and support UMCOR’s relief efforts through giving.
On your gift write Pacific Emergency Advance #3021317
 CHILDREN AND YOUTH
Greetings! And Happy Spring!! The older I get, the more wimpy I am about
the winter.
The Little Ones children‘s group is moving to Sundays: the first Sunday of the
month from noon to one thirty. This is replacing Wednesday evenings. Sunday
seems to be a better day to meet. Hope to see you all!!!! I have missed my little
group.
The youth group is moving along. In March we watched a documentary about
homeless people in Pittsburgh which featured a man who we knew from the
Hot Metal Homeless Ministry. In fact we met him when we served at ―The Ta-
ble.‖ His name is Al and he managed (with much help and support) to get a job
and then an apartment. It was very inspiring and made us proud to be a part of
the homeless ministry.
On April 10th we are taking a little field trip to ―Dave and Busters‖ after church.
Anyone who is interested please contact me on Facebook or at 889-4589.
During Easter week we are participating in the 30hr famine to raise money for
World Vision International, We will break the fast and end with a ―Lock In‖ on
Friday the 22nd. We will be putting health and school kits together as one of
our service projects. If you would like to donate items for the kits, here is a list
of what we will need:
School Kits
 1 pair blunt scissors rounded tip only no plastic scissors please
 3 pads of paper or 150 sheets of loose leaf
 1 hand held pencil sharpener must be at least one inch long
 30 centimeter ruler
 24 count box of crayons
Health Kits
 1 hand towel 15” x 25” to 17”x 27”
 1 comb—needs to be sturdy and at least 8‖ long
 1 metal nail file or clipper no emery boards or toenail clippers please
 1 bath size soap 3 oz. and larger sizes only
 1 toothbrush adult size only do not remove from original packaging
 6 adhesive bandages ¾‖ to 1 ― size common household band aids
 1 plastic bag one gallon size sealable bags only
$1.00 to purchase toothpaste
The year is flying by! I wish time would slow down just a little bit.
Camp Connects Kids with Christ
After 10 years as an educator and 30 years directing a United Methodist Camp,
Larry Beatty is convinced that camp ―is one of the best sources of emotional
growth, learning, fun and adventure available to a young person during the sum-
mer vacation months.
―Our summer camp programs offer a safe place to learn social, physical and
spiritual skills in a nurturing environment,‖ Beatty, president of Jumonville,
wrote in an online Jumonville brochure.
The experiences can provide a child with an anchor of support in a sea of choice
and can lead to a lifetime of growth and spiritual discovery, he said. Beatty gave
three main reasons to send a child to camp:
To be part of a unique community where children and youth can be silly,
have fun, and meet new friends – and be in a Christian atmosphere where they
can ask questions, explore new ideas and practice spiritual disciplines
To be themselves in a place where all are accepted, regardless of background.
To increase self-esteem and independence in a nurturing and challenging envi-
ronment away from mom and dad, yet in a safe environment.
The Rev. Bill Blair, pastor of First UMC in Titusville put it more simply.
―Camping helps evangelism,‖ he said.
Part of the children‘s ministry at the Titusville church involves helping children
go to camp. The congregation pays one-half of the fee for each child, Blair ex-
plained. The parents of many of those children are not church members, but the
children attend the Kids for Christ program on Wednesday nights.
Several other churches either help neighborhood children attend camp or assist
a less affluent congregation to send their kids.
It‘s one of the best ways to connect children and youth with Christ and a faith
community. Many of our clergy were involved in Christian camping as children,
and remain involved today.
Our three Western PA United Methodist camps offering a myriad of experiences
for children, youth and families. Visit wpaumc.org/camping for informa-
tion on all that’s offered and links to the three camps – Camp Alle-
gheny, Jumonville and Wesley Woods—or call the church office.
EASTER EGG HUNT
Mark your calendars
April 16th 10:30
Bring a friend and your children
The Witness team would like to thank all those who
came out for the
Jesus Loves You Snow Much Festival with Pancake Brunch