Fall Lecture Series at Church of the Covenant features renowned pastor
The Rev. John Guest, minister-at-large for Christ Church Grove Farm in Sewickley, will speak about “Beating Mediocrity: Prayer That Works” during the Fall Lecture Series at Church of the Covenant, 267 E. Beau St., Washington.
The series will be held from 7 to 8 p.m. Tuesdays, Sept. 27 through Nov. 1.
During the past 20 years, Guest has been invited to address major cities as a spokesman for the Christian faith throughout the United States and around the world. In this role, he has spoken to nearly two million people.
He was born and raised in Oxford, England. While training to become an engineer, Guest came to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ at a Billy Graham crusade in 1954. Following his graduation from Trinity College in Bristol, England, in 1961, he was ordained in the Church of England. He also holds honorary doctorates from Geneva College and Grove City College.
Guest came to the United States in 1966 to work for Scripture Union USA among high school and university students.
In 1968, he was called to Pittsburgh to work for the Pittsburgh Experiment, with a vision that Pittsburgh might become as famous for God as it was for steel. As part of that vision, Guest founded in 1970 the Coalition for Christian Outreach.
For more information, call Church of the Covenant at 724-222-0190 or visit www.ChurchoftheCov.org.
Calvin United Presbyterian Church in Brownsville has launched a campaign to fund Thanksgiving and Christmas food baskets for roughly 50 families from the Brownsville area served through a local food bank co-sponsored by the Brownsville Area Ministerial Association.
The food bank provides a gift card so families can purchase holiday food items. The cost per holiday ranges from $1,800 to $2,100, depending on the number of registered families.
In the past, Calvin UP funded the holiday gift card, but the need has grown significantly so it is seeking support from the community.
Donations can be sent to: Gary Seelye, financial secretary, Calvin United Presbyterian Church, 116 Willow St., Brownsville, PA 15417. Checks should be made out to Calvin United Presbyterian Church and specify “Holiday Dinner Project” on the memo line.
The Rev. Doug Gebhard has joined Chartiers Hill United Presbyterian Church as its interim pastor.
Gebhard was born and raised in Penn Hills. He graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 1971, and in 1989, earned his master of divinity from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. His early ministry was to installed positions, but he discovered a new calling circa 1998 to interim ministry.
Gebhard has served churches as large as 3,000 and as small as 65, and has ministered in Pennsylvania, Florida, North Carolina and, most recently, New York. He’s also worked as a nursing home chaplain and as a hospice bereavement care coordinator.
Prior to ordained ministry, Gebhard worked in the music business in sales, promotion, music journalism and as a guitarist. He’s an avid music lover, whose tastes include rock, reggae, blues and bluegrass.
He and his wife, Dr. Susan Gebhard, are moving from Stockbridge, Mass.