Sunday, December 24, 2017

Smokey Bones gathering this Friday



Friday, December 29th – Dinner with ??? and friends (The mystery host will be revealed at dinner that night.)

Join us at Smokey Bones Bar & Grill, 6050 Robinson Center, Pittsburgh, Pa 15205  at 7:00 p.m. 

Contact Sheree with questions: sheree@pitt.edu

Saturday, December 23, 2017

Letter from Matthew Fisher's father about his passing

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To all of you, I am something; a friend, a former colleague, maybe a neighbor or an acquaintance. But the most important role that I have ever been fortunate enough to play has been that of a Father and today, I’m going to talk to all of you about one of my children who has made me exceptionally proud to call myself his father: Matthew J. Fisher.
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For any of you who knew Matthew, you could feel his presence just by hearing his laughter. You could hear it from a mile away. It was just like him: honest, warm, hearty and jovial. It warmed your soul. Matt was both intentionally and unintentionally funny in his sense of humor and almost always had a smile on his face. Matt found so many things to laugh about and thought that every moment of every day was a gift and tried to make everyone else feel that same positivity.
Matt never met someone he didn’t like; he was a friend to all and thought everyone was his friend. And if they weren’t at first, Matt would win them over with his kindness and thoughtfulness. He always paid attention to the little things and would go out of his way to make you that extra cookie that you liked at a work function and drop it off at your desk, or search for hours to find the perfect gift for you at Christmas or on your birthday. He loved to make people smile and feel special because to him, seeing the happiness that the people who loved him made him feel reflected onto others was the real gift he wanted them to receive.
Matt’s love for travel and adventure was palpable. He often talked about the many places he had been and adventures he had embarked on and was always looking for what he was going to check off next on his travel bucket list. Matt absolutely loved dominos, pool, and most recently discovered his love for the game of golf; but what was so endearing about my son was his eagerness to know everything there is to know about the things – and the people – he was passionate about. He didn’t just want to play, he wanted to know the history of the game, he researched equipment, and he wanted to learn the physics of how to really be good at whatever game he was playing. Just like when he got to know and love people, he wanted to really know who they were, and not just superficially. He wanted to know about their families, what they loved, what their hopes and dreams were, and he listened. And most of all, he really cared. This was Matt’s overall outlook on life: treat everything and everyone with the love and care that you would want to be treated with. Matt did this unwaveringly with everyone he ever came into contact with.
Matt also loved God and his church very much. One thing that has been unchanging in Matt’s life was his involvement in his church in Monessen, PA – Orchard Christian Fellowship – and his love for his fellow parishioners and all of the community involvement, trips, and happy times that he’s had with everyone there. Even through his move to New Cumberland, he has remained close to the church and his faith and it has remained his second home and held a huge and very significant place in his heart and in his life.
For those of you who did know Matt, you know that his biggest passion in this world was for fishing. That was something that Matt and I have shared his whole life. I have not only had the honor of being Matt’s father, but also his life-long fishing buddy. Whether it’s fresh-water or salt-water, Matt was the fisherman to beat all fisherman. His favorite place in this world to be was on a boat, out on the ocean, casting a line and reeling in a big catch. I was lucky enough to spend countless hours doing that right by his side.
But even more than his love for any of these things that I’ve mentioned here was Matt’s love for his family. Matt didn’t just have me, but he has brothers and sisters whose love for him can’t even be defined by words, that’s how great it is. Matt and his oldest brother Mike were lucky enough to live close to each other for many years. Mike is the assistant pastor of Matt’s church in Monessen and that was just such a wonderful way to be able to bring two of the most loved things in your life together: your family and your faith. Matt also spent countless hours with Mike’s family helping Mike to build his house and many wonderful memories in the process.
John, Matt’s next oldest brother, lives down in Panama City, Florida, so of course they spent many hours fishing and creating memories on his boat. Teresa, Matt’s oldest sister, has fond memories of spending time with Matt at some of Matt’s favorite kind of events: our family reunions and at family birthday gatherings, and boy were those some events for the books. Lisa, his next youngest sister, has fond memories of fishing with Matt in the Florida Keys, sometimes with Dick Phillips – one of my best friends and godfather to some of my children.
His youngest brother, Chris, looked so much like him he could have passed for his twin growing up. You couldn’t tell them apart. Matt created wonderful memories with Chris and his family on vacations together as adults. His next youngest sister, Barbara (he and all of us call her Button), has many fond memories of Matt coming down to Lake Anna to visit her and taking Matt out to the Islands. Matt just loved it there and he really kicked back and enjoyed all of the folks at LKA and always had such a blast. His youngest sister, Anna, got to spend a lot of time with him when she grew up in Pittsburgh and went to Pitt. She loved spending holidays with him at Button’s down at the lake and loved joking around with him more than anything. Her goal was always to get him to laugh; his laugh was her absolute favorite.
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Today, I’m telling you all about Matthew because this past Saturday, December 16th, 2017, my handsome, jovial, warm-hearted, loving, wonderful son passed away suddenly and unexpectedly. Matthew John Fisher was fifty-three years old. He was a graduate of Robert Morris University and had been an employee of the Pennsylvania State Liquor Control Board for over fifteen years. He loved the Pittsburgh Steelers and, like everything else in his life, he wasn’t just a Fan, he was a FANATIC. He loved ZZ Top but also classical music. He just LOVED. And boy, was he ever loved. Matthew had nieces and nephews who he loved very much. He had brothers and sisters who he loved very much who loved him back. He has a father who loves him more than words can express. He has left an imprint on this world and on all of our hearts and lives that will never be filled and I just know that he is smiling and surrounded by God and the Angels up in Heaven.
I hope that you had the pleasure of knowing my wonderful son, and if you didn’t, that you had a glimpse of just how terrific he was through my words here today.
Our family appreciates your prayers and support during this difficult time.
Matthew’s memorial service will be held on Saturday, February 10th in Monessen, PA, at Orchard Christian Fellowship at 1:00 pm

Monday, December 18, 2017

Bible Discussion this Friday

Friday Faith & Fellowship
40s+ Singles Following Jesus in Diverse Community as We Worship, Grow, Serve, and Share


Friday, December 22ndBible Discussion Andy Stanley video series “Five Things God Uses to Grow Your Faith”
Coffee at 7:15
Bible Discussion at 7:30 p.m. Heritage Room (main building) 
Afterwards we will continue our fellowship at Vincent's in Greentree
 
Allegheny Center Alliance Church
250 E. Ohio St.
Pittsburgh, PA 15212
www.acac.net

Hope to see you there! :-)

Wednesday, December 13, 2017

2 fun events this weekend!

Friday, December 15th - Sports and Games Night

Friday Faith & Fellowship
40s+ Singles Following Jesus in Diverse Community as We Worship, Grow, Serve, and Share

A continuation of lively volleyball.

Board games - bring your favorite or enjoy Farkle, Yahtzee, Bible Quiz, Rummikub, Scrabble, Bananagrams.....

Or you can just hang out and join the discussions.
Hope to see you there!
  
7:30-10:45 p.m.

Simpson Hall and Heritage Room

Allegheny Center Alliance Church
250 E. Ohio St.
Pittsburgh, PA 15212
www.acac.net


Saturday, December 16th - Movie Night at ACAC
7:30 p.m. Rooms 7 & 8
We will be watching "The Bishop's Wife"
Hope to see you there!


An angel in human form enters the life of a bishop in order to help him build a new cathedral and repair his fractured marriage.

Director:

 

Writers:

  (screenplay), (screenplay) |

Stars:

 , , 

Thursday, December 7, 2017

Room Change for Bible Discussion tomorrow (Friday)

Due to a scheduling conflict, Friday night we will be meeting in Union Place 206.
See you there!

Tuesday, December 5, 2017

Coffee at 7:15 - Bible Discussion at 7:30 p.m.

Friday Faith & Fellowship
40s+ Singles Following Jesus in Diverse Community as We Worship, Grow, Serve, and Share
 

Friday, December 8thBible Discussion Andy Stanley video series “Five Things God Uses to Grow Your Faith”
7:30 p.m. Heritage Room (main building) 
Afterwards we will continue our fellowship at Applebee's Edgewood.

Allegheny Center Alliance Church
250 E. Ohio St.
Pittsburgh, PA 15212
www.acac.net

Hope to see you there! :-)

Saturday, December 2, 2017

Special Movie Night

Saturday, December 16th - Movie Night at ACAC
7:30 p.m. Rooms 7 & 8
We will be watching "The Bishop's Wife"
Hope to see you there!
An angel in human form enters the life of a bishop in order to help him build a new cathedral and repair his fractured marriage.

Director:

 

Writers:

  (screenplay), (screenplay) |

Good Friday Celebration at the Craigs in Harmony

5TH FRIDAY ACTIVITY: Friday, March 29 th – 5 th Friday and Good Friday – Potluck and Games at the Craigs – Dale and Carol Craig have g...