Freedom Church

We made it safely to Pittsburgh! Our week started with settling into the youth house at Elfinwild Presbyterian Church, where we’ll be staying for the week, enjoying a classic Pittsburgh dinner of pierogies, sauerkraut, and kielbasa, and celebrating a teammate’s birthday! We are so excited for this week and to see how God will move.

Our Sunday begins by attending service at Elfinwild Presbyterian Church! We’re so excited to gather as one body in Christ and lift our praises to Him together!

After church, we made our way down to Pittsburgh’s vibrant Strip District, a lively neighborhood that’s known for its mix of specialty shops, historic marketplaces, delicious restaurants, and unique Pittsburgh stores. It was the perfect way to explore the city and enjoy some quality time together as a team!

While exploring the Strip District, our Praying Pelican Missions staff shared stories and insights about Pittsburgh’s rich history and culture, giving us a deeper understanding of the city we’re here to serve in.

Our evening was spent with the Elfinwild Presbyterian Youth Group, who welcomed us so warmly into their community! We gathered around a bonfire, played games, lifted our voices in praise, and shared a devotional together. It was such a blessing to be united as one in Christ to fellowship, worship, and grow together in His presence.

Our morning began at Light of Life Ministries, where we volunteered in their donation center. The center receives thousands of donated items each week for those in need. Volunteers like us carefully sort, organize, and prepare these items for distribution to community partners, who ensure that clothing and essentials reach the people who need them most.

We wrapped up our morning by finishing the sorting of incoming donation bins at Light of Life. We sorted through and emptied 12 large bins in total! It was such a blessing to serve alongside the incredible staff who work tirelessly to provide for those in need within the community. We’re so grateful to God for brining us together to meet them and serve with such purpose and joy!

This afternoon, we headed over to Northside Common Ministries to serve! This incredible organization provides a wide range of support to those in need across the Pittsburgh community, including a food pantry, shelter for unhoused men, job placement assistance, nursing services, a free community closet, and more.

our first project at Northside was helping to rebuild the community closet, which had been temporarily cleared out for renovations. It was such a great start to our partnership and a wonderful way to help restore a space that serves so many!

We wrapped up our afternoon by continuing our work in the free community closet at Northside! It was such a joy to partner with this amazing organization and share the love of Christ with those in the community.

We closed out our night in worship, prayer, and heartfelt conversation. It was such a blessing to gather together, lift our voices, and give thanks to God for all He’s done and for His goodness that never fails.

This morning, our team split into two groups to serve at two different ministries. One group returned to Northside Common Ministries, where we had the opportunity to serve in their food bank. Community members came through to pick out the food they needed, and we were able to serve alongside the incredible volunteers who faithfully help run the food bank. It was truly such a blessing, and 164 households were provided with food for the week! We’re so thankful to see how God is moving through Northside and the impact it’s having in the community.

Meanwhile, the rest of our group served at The Red Door, a ministry dedicated to supporting the homeless community in Downtown Pittsburgh. The Red Door provides meals, clothing, toiletries, and other essential services to those in need.

We helped by handing out clothing, making sandwiches to serve to the community, and organizing some of the clothing rooms. It was such a blessing to come alongside an organization doing incredible work and to witness how God is moving in powerful ways in throughout Pittsburgh.

Our afternoon continued with everyone coming back together to keep working on organizing the free community closet at Northside. We sorted shoes, hung up jackets, and organized shelves, among other things! It’s really starting to come together! It’s been such a joy to see the space transform little by little and to know it will bless so many people in the community.

We closed out our day the best way we know how, with praise, worship, devotions, and heartfelt conversation. It was such a beautiful time to come together and thank God for all He’s done and all He continues to do. He’s moving in powerful ways, and we’re so grateful to see His hand at work.

This morning, we split into two groups once again, with one group going to Northside Common Ministries and the other group going to The Red Door. At Northside, we helped run the food bank and serve community members in need. Meanwhile, at The Red Door, we sorted and organized clothing donations and helped distribute clothes to members of the homeless community in Downtown Pittsburgh. It was such a blessing to serve alongside these incredible ministries again and to see how powerfully God is moving through them.

We wrapped up our afternoon at Northside Common Ministries by putting the finishing touches on the free community closet! Using our ministry funds, we were even able to bless the closet with toiletries, toys, and various household items. We’re so thankful for our time at Northside and for how God brought us together in service. He’s moving in powerful ways, and it’s such a joy to be part of it.

we closed out our night once again with praise, prayer, devotions, and meaningful discussion. It’s such a gift to gather together as a team and reflect on all that God has done today and throughout this entire week. We’re truly so blessed!

We closed out our night once again with praise, prayer, devotions, and meaningful discussion. It’s such a gift to gather together as a team and reflect on all that God has done today and throughout this entire week. We’re truly so blessed!

Today is recreation day, a wonderful opportunity to explore the city, unwind, and bond as a team! We began our morning by taking in some of Pittsburgh’s beautiful historic architecture, then spent time exploring the Carnegie Museum of Art and Natural History.

Our recreation day continued with another visit to the Strip District for some delicious food, followed by stops at The Point and the historic site of Fort Duquesne. We then rode the Dusquene Incline and enjoyed the beautiful view of the city. The afternoon concluded at an overlook of the city, where we spent quiet time in prayer and reflection. It was such a meaningful moment to pray over the ministries and people we’ve met and served with, and to rest in the presence of God.

Our week in Pittsburgh has come to a close, and it’s time to say “see you later”! We’re heading home with full and grateful hearts, thankful for all that God has done this week. It’s been such a blessing to serve here, to meet so many incredible people, and to partner with ministries making a real difference. This week was powerful, and we give glory to God for His goodness and faithfulness through it all.