North Hills United Presbyterian Church

Today we worshiped at North Hills United Presbyterian Church, 100 Bellevue Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15229, 412.931.2788, Rev. H. William Dambach, Pastor.


Bob’s thoughts:

This church sits in an urban setting and we were a bit late after finding a parking space a few blocks down and came in just as the service was starting.

Coming in through the fellowship area there was a directional signboard identifying a number of areas, but once we had taken a few steps we were on our own.

There is some unique stained glass, and a particular round, colorful window above the large brass cross. The choir turned and faced this cross when the offering was dedicated.

I may have missed it, but when the pastor asked for prayer requests I didn’t hear him ask for joys. However, the first request for prayer included a thanksgiving for blessings. It seemed like half the congregation voiced prayer requests. I saw this as a positive sign that this congregation knows where to take their concerns and joys.

Early in the sermon the pastor told a story of sheep and their shepherd. The shepherd placed a stick across the road and stepped over it. The first sheep likewise jumped over the stick, and then the shepherd removed the stick. Although the stick was gone, the remaining sheep all jumped in the same place.

I was remembering a church where when the guest pastor called for the congregation to state what they believed in the Apostle’s Creed the whole church stood and turned to face the rear of the church to do so. When he asked a longtime Elder, he found that the words to the creed used to be painted on the rear wall.

Yes, we are dumb as sheep, but we will be okay if we can rest secure in the Shepherd, realize our significance in Him, and follow His leading.

It is always encouraging to hear Christ using a pastor, and it was a joy to lift this church and pastor in prayer today.

Jan’s thoughts:

We arrived with just enough time to use the restrooms and find a pew, so we were blessed to be able to meet a few people and chat with the pastor after worship.

The stained glass is almost never the first thing that catches my eye, but today was the exception. The Sanctuary is on the smaller side, but the stained glass windows on the side walls displayed exceptionally colorful pictures, and the one circular window on the rear wall of the Chancel was uplifting just to view.

There was also a rough-looking cross in the corner standing about 6 feet.

I appreciated the Senior’s Bible in the pew – easy to read and an uncommon, thoughtful addition.

The bulletin was user-friendly, and I enjoyed the brief devotion on the back.

Prayer time felt comfortable and familial. Instead of raising a hand and waiting to be acknowledged prior to speaking, folks just took turns speaking out.

The sermon, entitled “Don’t Count Sheep,” was based on Psalm 23, which was read responsively, and John 10:1-21.

In the sermon the pastor pointed out that “sheep are worse than pigs: they’re stupid, smelly, and lack common sense. The shepherd protects the sheep, sometimes from its own dim-witted stubbornness. Yet the Bible calls us sheep, and we’re told that Jesus is the Good Shepherd who protects His sheep, and whose sheep know His voice. The good shepherd leads his sheep to still waters because if they are in flowing water, they’ll fall over onto their backs and drown because they can’t get up. At night the shepherd lays in the doorway of the sheep pen so a predator has to climb over him to get to the sheep.”

No wonder the Good Shepherd refers to us as sheep.

How often do we blindly follow behind others and do what they’ve done with no understanding of the reasons behind their actions…just like sheep? Repeatedly we see the flowing waters, places we knew we should avoid but that looked so inviting, only to step into them and be knocked over and unable to right ourselves…just like sheep? Over and over again we stubbornly want our freedom, so we escape from the pen, refusing the protection of the One Who loves us, Who not only would but already has given His life to protect us.

The pastor’s passionate reminder that Christ calls us by name and counts every hair on our heads, and yet we still spend our lives seeking security and significance made me wonder how much more of either there could be. Is it even possible to find more security than Christ provides? Or more significance than is present in His heart for us? Rhetorical questions, obviously...

The points were: accept His acceptance, listen for His voice, and follow in His steps. It sounds almost too simple, but that’s how we acquire Christ’s peace.

And I, for one, will never look at sheep the same way again.