Dear friends,
This summer, we continue marking this moment, both sacred and rare: the celebration of 100 years of ministry in Mt. Lebanon for St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. A full century of baptisms, marriages, funerals, confirmations, coffee hours, parish dinners, service projects, prayers whispered and proclaimed, bread broken, and lives transformed. As we celebrate this Centennial, we are not just looking back with gratitude—we are also recognizing how history shapes us today.
History is not just about the past. It is the soil from which our present has grown. At St. Paul’s, our story has been shaped by generations of people who built a church not just of bricks and mortar, but of mission and meaning. Their choices form the spiritual DNA we inherit and embody now. Some of history is something to be proud of, and part of it needs to be studied, understood, and repented. Grappling with our history in its entirety will enable us to continue to follow God’s leading today.
Our Summer theme this year is the Summer of Centennial. Each summer, St. Paul’s has a theme to help focus our energies and activities during this special season in the life of our parish. Through the Summer of Centennial, we will explore our history as a parish and how our own personal histories and stories shape our parish today.
A highlight of this summer is St. Paul’s Centennial Pilgrimages to the Hill District. St. Paul’s served the now Hill District of Pittsburgh before moving to the suburb of Mt. Lebanon in 1924. These pilgrimages, led by the Reverend Erin Morey, will help connect us to the history of that neighborhood and inspire us to see how we may continue to serve there today. These pilgrimages will happen several times throughout the summer.
As we remember our church’s history, we will share how our stories create this community. Throughout the summer, we will hold Centennial Storytelling Suppers in parishioners’ homes. At these dinners, we will eat dinner, talk about our lives, and learn about how our histories shape the parish community we are today.
There are also many other activities, events and special services this exciting summer. Please check out the Summer of Centennial page on our website for more details.
I am excited for this journey together this summer season. We hope you will join us in celebrating our Centennial at St. Paul’s this summer.
Peace,
Noah+
The Reverend Noah H. Evans, Rector