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 is an an ordained pastor of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and is a graduate of Pittsburgh Theological Seminary (2008). 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

Mike Holohan:
Mike is a graduate of the Master of Divinity program at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary (2010). He earned his undergraduate degrees in Film Studies and English Writing from the University of Pittsburgh (2004). He and his wife, Marianne, have lived in the South Side Flats since 2005 with their cat, Alice.

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.

The Table

At Hot Metal, we believe that some of the best conversations are held around a dinner table. Through THE TABLE, a community kitchen, we will reach out to our community by offering a free meal to everyone. This meal is not only for those who are in need of a meal; it's for all of us who are in need of community. This meal is open to anyone and everyone...And we're going to need your need your help to make it happen!

SIGN UP FOR SEPTEMBER!! Each Tuesday 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Brashear Association (Corner of Sarah & 20th St. in the South Side). Sign up now!

EMAIL HOTMETAL@HOTMETALBRIDGE.COM TO SIGN UP FOR SET-UP OR CLEAN-UP. Just a few hours of your time one Tuesday evening can make a difference!

Thursday Night Worship

Location: St. Casimir's Church (entrance near the corner of Larkins Way & 22nd St.) from 7 - 8:30 p.m.

This service will be casual, yet contemplative, quiet and reverent. Come, take off your shoes, and take some time in the deeper water. The old church, currently being renovated, has no pews or chairs, so- BYOCPR (Bring your own chair, pillow, or rug).

prayer:

prayer closet one half-hour every Sunday before the service, 10:30 a.m. in the chapel. Join Peter Becker (whiteyjones@hotmail.com) and others to pray for the service and the needs of our community.

creative arts:

come Tuesdays, 7:00 p.m. at the office (2000 E. Carson St.) Everyone is welcome to come and discuss ideas for the Sunday drama and other creative ways to share the Gospel.

compassion team:

contact Ric Fera- rjf21@pitt.edu or Renee Greenlee- hotmetal@hotmetalbridge.com or 412-481-4010. If you are looking for a way to get more active in the church, do God's work, meet some great people and build REAL relationships, this is for you. We are committed to meeting the needs of our community through our community. If you have a need, we would be glad to help. Or, if there is a need you may be able to help others meet, talk to us about heading up a project.

south side:

contact Michele Margittai- michele@margittai.com & get involved with our local community! In December, we will host a toy drive for the Brashear Association. Be thinking about what special gift you can share with someone in need.

homeless ministry:

contact Doug Stadnik-- dramadifferent@hotmail.com. Each Saturday, the group makes lunches and then goes out on the streets. Show up at the Tattoo Shop (2005 E. Carson St.) at Noon on Saturdays and make a positive impact on our Pittsburgh community.

education:

contact hotmetal@hotmetalbridge.com or 412-481-4010. We offer Bible studies and educational opportunities for you. On Monday nights, The End hosts a Bible study, 8 p.m. at the Tattoo Shop (2005 E. Carson St.). On Tuesday nights & Thursday nights, we offer several options.

community:

contact John Brown to get involved in the Documentary Discussion Group-- johnrobertpgh@hotmail.com. Sunday Nights — A chance for Christians and Non-Christians to gather, eat, view and then discuss…..

mentoring:

contact David Morris -- damoroz@gmail.com. If you would like to grow deeper with a small group, think about joining a mentor group. If you would like to know more, please contact David.

children:

see Annan McGinley at the service or send her an email, anwill513@aol.com. It’s a blessing to hang out with the kids. You’ll be surprised by what you can learn from them.

hospitality:

find Cathy & Norm Eddings at the service and ask them what they need. They’ll be in the kitchen. We ALWAYS need help on Sundays for lunch. Volunteer to bring a dessert or help clean-up after lunch.