Instead of just donuts and coffee for coffee hour, the Sr. UOL Chapter of Carnegie, PA sponsors a $5 Luncheon with the help from many parishioners throughout the year. The proceeds of the luncheons are collected during the year and provided to a charity that the chapter selects at the beginning of each year. This past year, 2018, our chapter selected FOCUS Pittsburgh to receive the proceeds.
On Wednesday, February 6, 2018, Father John Charest & Sr. UOL Chapter members visited Father Paul Abernathy at the FOCUS Pittsburgh location and joined them in their Noon Day Prayer Service. After an inspiring service & sermon the chapter presented Fr. Paul with our check from our Luncheons and some food for their pantry shelves. Michael Kapeluck also gifted the small mission parish at the site with an icon of St. Matthew.
We were then blessed to receive a tour of their facility including their trauma response unit. Father Paul proceeded to explain all the many services their location is offering to those in need in the area. From health services, food, clothing, living assistance, lunches for children to a hot dinner meal on Wednesdays. He stated it was important to “show our Orthodoxy to the world by doing”. Everyone will be taking the message from our visit back to our Parish to continue aiding the FOCUS Pittsburgh location. A very blessed & inspiring day was had by all who attended.