Vision/Mission Statement
Our Vision: Hot Metal Bridge Faith Community seeks to be a bridge to Jesus Christ by helping people participate in the Kingdom of God.
Our Mission: We will be a bridge to Jesus Christ by participating in communion, welcoming all into community, listening and having compassion, growing in our faith and sharing Christ’s story with the community of the South Side, the surrounding neighborhoods, and the world.
Who We Are
Hot Metal Bridge Faith Community is a church that was planted in the South Side neighborhood of Pittsburgh, fall of 2004. We use a narrative style of worship that shares the story of God through drama and the arts, as well as traditional forms of worship.
Both the United Methodist and the Presbyterian Church (USA) support our church. Being connected in this way points to our deeper belief in the unity and priesthood of all believers. When we share in the Lord’s Supper, we invite all who have a heart hungry for the Gifts of God to come to the table and be served. We do not turn anyone away.
Our time of communion continues even after the bread and cup are shared. Every week, following the service, we share in a meal of tacos or soup or bagels…Through this meal, we seek to create authentic, intimate relationships with one another and with God. Communion, community and conversation are all vital elements of who we are as a church. We invite you to come and experience worship with us for yourself. Come with the expectation of learning both the joy and the struggle of being in community.
Our Philosophy of Worship
Jesus Loved a Good Story: Jesus taught the people that followed Him by telling them stories about the world around Him. In the same way we use drama as a way of sharing the stories of the Bible in new and relevant ways.
Jesus Loved To Eat: He started out changing water into wine and in the last moments before His death shared in a meal with His friends. We too love to eat and be with friends which is why after every service we sit down and have a meal together.
Jesus Loved People: Above all Jesus came to serve and love others and he expects no less from us. We seek to serve those that are in need throughout the community around us.
Our Pastors & Staff
Pastors Jim Walker and Jeff Eddings have been working together in ministry since they served together as camp counselors at Ligonier Camp in 1989. After graduating from Point Park College, they spent many years using drama to proclaim the Gospel in churches and camps across the country through a ministry called *Crosslight Productions*.
They also created an outreach to elementary schools through the Pittsburgh Children’s Museum- performing plays about conflict resolution, handling peer pressure, and reading. They are now serving the Lord together again, along with their families and many, many friends at Hot Metal Bridge Faith Community on the South Side.
Pastor Jeff Eddings:
Jeff serves this new church plant as pastor through the Pittsburgh Presbytery. He brings with him over 10 years of ministry experience and is currently completing his Masters of Divinity at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. He received his undergraduate degree from Point Park College (1990). Jeff lives in the South Side with his wife Carolyn and their two sons, Ben and Sam.
Pastor Jim Walker: Pastor Jim is a Full Ordained Elder in the United Methodist Church. He is a graduate of Pittsburgh Theological Seminary (2003). He received his undergraduate degree from Point Park College in Pittsburgh (1991). He lives in the Squirrel Hill section of Pittsburgh with his wife Brenda and their two children, Carlisle and Daniel.
Staff
Renee Greenlee:
Renee received her B.A. degree from Indiana Wesleyan University in Intercultural Studies and Writing (2002). In 2004, she began her graduate studies at Duquesne University. During that time, Renee came to Hot Metal seeking an interview for a paper she was doing on church structure and became involved in the community. She then graduated with an M.A. in Pastoral Ministry and an M.A. in Communication (2006), and Hot Metal made her an offer she couldn’t refuse. She now works as a full time staff member doing whatever needs to be done—from organizing events to answering phones and emails to counseling to…The list goes on. She lives in Mount Washington with her husband Adam and their cat Morris.
Our Beliefs
We affirm the Apostle’s Creed as our statement of faith.
We believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
We believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontias Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
We believe in the Holy Spirit,
The holy catholic Church,
The communion of saints,
The forgiveness of sins,
The resurrection of the body,
And the life everlasting. Amen.
The Bible:
We believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God, which gives it authority over our lives. In our search for God and Truth, we uphold John Wesley’s “Quadralateral” which states that we do theology by using Scripture, as well as Church Tradition, Reason, and our Experience. Therefore, each and every worship service, ministry or gathering, what we share is based on the Good News of the Kingdom of God, made possible by Jesus Christ, which we find revealed to us through Scripture.
