St. Paul’s Annual Meeting and Parish Brunch
Sunday, February 23
Combined Worship at 9:45am in the Sanctuary
Annual Meeting and Parish Brunch at 10:45am in the Undercroft
Join us for combined Worship at 9:45am in the sanctuary. Then, the annual meeting will begin at 10:45 in the Undercroft, and will include an all parish brunch and table discussions.
Rebecca Oreto from the church office will also be there to help people get set up with Breeze and to take photos for their profiles.
During our Annual Meeting, children are invited to join us in the Big Room (directly under the Undercroft) at 10:45am for a special program (see below).
St. Paul’s Annual Report
Download the 2024 St. Paul’s Annual Report here.
Vestry Elections and Nominees
The election of new Vestry Members will take place on the weekend of the Parish Annual Meeting, Feb. 22-23, 2025.
Polls will be open for in-person voting for Vestry on Saturday, February 22 from 5:45-6PM , and Sunday, February 23 from 8:45-9:45 and 10:45- 11:15AM.
The nominees for three year Vestry terms are:
Don Bair – first three-year term
Elizabeth Brinzinger – first three-year term
Gretchen Crane – second three-year term
Paul Golebie – second three-year term
Nominee Bios are listed below.
Help prepare for the Annual Meeting Brunch
The Annual Meeting Brunch needs your help. Please consider making a strata (egg casserole) for Sunday, February 23 at 10:45 following the combined worship service at 9:45.
If you can make a strata, please contact Karen Viggiano by calling or texting (412) 445-3260 or stop by the doughnut table. Here is a recipe. Thank you!
Meet Ryan the BugMan
Children’s program in the Nursery School Big Room during the Annual Meeting
During the Annual Meeting children and youth are invited to the Big Room to meet The Bug Man! The BugMan will share a large variety of REAL insects and Arthropods, many of which are the largest species in the world! The audience is encouraged to touch or pet the harmless LIVE bugs!
This motivational and informative program inspires young minds to pursue and experience the incredible world of insects and teaches many basic principles of Entomology.
Vestry Nominees
Don Bair
1. Approximate date you connected with St. Paul’s: January 2021
2. Other family at St. Paul’s: wife, Amy
3. Profession: Director of Operations for a restoration company.
4. Do you have prior Vestry service? No
5. Past & present church related activities & ministry within & outside the Church:Member of the Building Committee
Attend weekly small group meeting
Usher
Flower delivery
Help with meal outreach programs
6. Where do you see your passions & gifts strengthening St. Paul’s mission? I am passionate about growing my faith at St. Paul’s and being an active party of this community, where God’s love is a shared experience. I strive to work collaboratively, focus on solutions, and make informed decisions.
7. Most transformative moment at St. Paul’s: The first time I came to a service at St Paul’s, it felt like the church I grew up in- welcoming and the people were happy to be there on Sunday.
8. Some of the core values of our church are Inclusiveness, Learning, Service, Community, Social Justice, Stewardship and Faith. Give an example of how you see St. Paul’s demonstrating a commitment to one of these values. St. Paul’s encompasses all its core values by action. Service is one way, we as a community, share the love of God with those in need. A look at the weekly email highlights the ways we can serve others with compassion, generosity, and faith.
Elizabeth Brinzinger
Approximate date you connected with St. Paul’s: October 3, 2021
Other family at St. Paul’s: Regina Brinza (spouse)
Profession: Administrative & Financial Coordinator for the Occupational Therapy Department at the University of Pittsburgh.
Do you have prior Vestry service? No.
Past & present church related activities & ministry within & outside the Church: Chancel Choir, Handbell Choir, Handbell Ensemble, St. Paul’s 101, St. Paul’s 201, Lenten Supper & Study – The Book of Job (2023), Sacred Ground, singer at 8:45 worship service, Women’s Retreat, LGBTQIA Potluck Dinners, Fellowship Commission, Choir Room Organizer, St. Paul’s Lay Delegate at Diocesan Convention.
Where do you see your passions & gifts strengthening St. Paul’s mission?
I like to believe I possess quiet strength. I may not be the first person to introduce myself to someone new and I am not particularly effusive, but it is not because I do not care; I care deeply but prefer to listen and observe first. When I speak, it is often from a place of understanding, careful thought, and logic. (For all you Trekkies out there – sometimes I feel part Vulcan.) Combine this with my calm demeanor, and my positive outlook and I am a pretty strong communicator. I’m passionate about the culture that drew me in to (and kept me involved in) St. Paul’s life. It is important to me that this continues, and I believe my quiet strength is a good fit for ensuring this is cultivated through our growth and the goals we, as a parish, set forth to achieve.
Most transformative moment at St. Paul’s:
Through many moments both large and small, St. Paul’s has been transformative for me; it has become another place that feels like coming home when I walk through the doors. If I have to choose just one, though, I guess I will say when my wife and I were asked to be one of the families to light the advent wreath for service. It is one thing for a church to support the LGBTQIA+ community, but it is another to put one of those families in front of the rest of the congregation as an example of a legitimate and authentic Episcopal family. I knew in my head that St. Paul’s was a welcoming home, but I don’t know that my heart truly believed how much we belonged until we, our small family of two, was asked to light the wreath.
Some of the core values of our church are Inclusiveness, Learning, Service, Community, Social Justice, Stewardship and Faith. Give an example of how you see St. Paul’s demonstrating a commitment to one of these values. My aforementioned “transformative moment” captures inclusiveness well. However, one statement I love to hear and whole-heartedly believe that ties together so many of the core values listed above is the following, “This is God’s table, it is not our own. All are invited to join in God’s feast.” If you live this statement, not just think about it in a literal way for communion at church but actively live this statement – all of our core values can be tied back to it.
Gretchen Crane
1. I have been a St. Paul’s member since birth.
2. My husband, Eric and I were married at St. Paul’s. Our adult daughters, Abigail and Rachel, were baptized and confirmed at St. Paul’s like me. Abigail was also married through St. Paul’s.
3. Profession: Retired Special Educator
4. I have served on Vestry for 3 years.
5. Church experience: Past Sunday School Teacher (18 years) – Present Eucharistic Minister and Visitor, Stephen Minister, Altar Guild, Outreach Commission, Usher, St. Paul’s Nursery School board member, 100th Anniversary Co-Chair
6. I plan to continue serving the church community through the ministries mentioned above.
7. Over the years, I have seen many transformative moments at St. Paul’s. Most recently, I have seen parishioners and friends serve the community by preparing and delivering thousands of meals to those suffering from food insecurity. I am thrilled to be part of a faith community that consistently gives back to those in need.
8. While St. Paul’s core values of Community and Service are important to me, I also value Inclusiveness. Regardless of your age, faith background, or life circumstances, “God Loves You – No Exceptions”, as St. Paul’s tagline states.
Paul Golebie
1. Approximate date you connected with St. Paul’s: I started attending St. Paul’s during Lent in 2015 and was received into the Episcopal Church in 2018
2. Other family at St. Paul’s: No other family members attend St. Paul’s
3. Profession: I am the Director of Training Operations for Inovalon
4. Do you have prior Vestry service?
I am currently a member of Vestry and the Treasurer. I am a member of the Finance and Worship Commissions and have previously served as Chairperson of the Finance Commission and Co-chair of the Worship Commission.
5. Past & present church related activities & ministry within & outside the Church:
I have been involved in Music Ministry with the 8:45 Band, Lectoring, the Sound System, Morning/Evening Prayer Groups, Worship Commission, Finance Commission, Friends of Music, Taize Prayer Service Planning, Small Group Discussions, Phone Call Outreach, The Good Book Club, Communion appointments, Covid Safety Greeting.
6. Most transformative moment at St. Paul’s:
Being received into the Episcopal church, with the community surrounding that occasion, instilled in me a spirit of belonging which helped me realize that I had found my spiritual home.
7. Some of the core values of our church are Inclusiveness, Learning, Service, Community, Social Justice, Stewardship and Faith. Give an example of how you see St. Paul’s demonstrating a commitment to one of these values. St. Paul’s engages in numerous activities that foster the development of our faith including the offering of various worship styles, numerous Bible Studies, adult forums, and offering St. Paul’s 101, 201 and 301. These are but a few of many ways St. Paul’s helps us deepen our faith.