Pastor's Message - February 2026

~ LXXV: A Number for New Beginnings ~

“Now the Lord said to Abram, ‘Go from your country and your

father’s house…to the land that I will show you…’ Abram

was 75 years old when he departed.”

~Genesis 12:1, 4

75 is mentioned only twice in the Bible, and both times, it’s in reference to new beginnings. The first time is this: When Abram (later renamed “Abraham”) turned 75, God called him “away from his country and his father’s house” to become the father of a great nation in a land as yet unknown. (By the time his kid was 75, I’m sure Abram’s dad was more than ready to turn his bedroom into a TV room.) The second mention of the number 75 comes in the book of Acts, where it retells the story of an elderly Jacob and 75 of his family members who emigrated to Egypt to start a new life with his long-lost favorite son, Joseph. Biblically, 75 speaks of new beginnings, which is something to keep in mind as we enter more deeply into our 75th anniversary celebrations.

It is a time of new beginnings in American church life, and Bower Hill is no exception. Think how much has changed since 1951, when church was a part of most people’s lives. As a forward-looking element of our 75th anniversary observances, we’ve planned a speaker series to address the changing role of faith in American society:

“Faith Forward: The Future of Congregational Life”

We are bringing nationally renowned experts in the field of religious trends here to Pittsburgh to talk about current findings and the changing role of religion today, as well as possible ways forward. This is a big deal! Not only has this conversation not yet been brought to Pittsburgh, but our interfaith speaker series has already aroused the interest of Pittsburgh Presbytery (co-sponsoring the events) and Christian Associates of Southwest Pennsylvania (also cosponsoring). Here’s how it’s going to look:

Wednesday, March 11, we’ll “examine the data” at Cefalo’s in Carnegie, with Ryan Burge. Who’s Ryan Burge? Google him, he’s famous! Burge is a groundbreaking author and podcaster whose work appears in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and Politico. There will be a catered dinner, a presentation by Burge, and a time of Q&A to discuss issues facing congregations today–and particularly our church.

Wednesday, April 22, again at Cefalo’s, we’ll learn from Andrew Root how church life is changing. Root is equally famous; Google him too. Root is a professor at Luther Seminary who has written a series of books about the changing place of religion in our country. This event, too, includes dinner, a lecture, and a time of discussion.

Wednesday, May 13, is a panel discussion on “ways forward” for congregations. This will be moderated by Liddy Barlow of Christian Associates of Southwest PA, and it will include Greg Jones of 1st Baptist Church, a professor at Duquesne whose work explores the intersection of faith and virtual life; Tracy Keenan, former associate pastor here at Bower Hill and retired “Missional Presbyter” in Delaware; and Eric Schaffer, former president of Rodef Shalom, who oversaw the merger of that congregation with Temple Sinai. This event is also at Cefalo’s with dinner and discussion.

The cost for each event is only $35 per person, or $90 per person for the entire series. Register soon as spaces are limited. See the brochures in the Narthex or contact the church for more information. Happy Seventy-fifth anniversary, Bower Hill. Let’s face this new day with hope and joy.

Christ’s Peace to You in the New Year,

~Brian