This Sunday, our community voted unanimously in favor of welcoming Erin Jones to be the next pastor of Hot Metal.
Hello Hot Metallers!
I was so excited to meet many of you this weekend, and to worship with you. I am glad the Holy Spirit has moved and, through you, has called me to be your next pastor! The Spirit has constantly surprised and delighted me throughout this process, and I trust more surprises are in store as we begin our journey together!
For those of you who couldn’t make it this weekend, here’s a little bit of my story: I was born and raised in Southern California, and in the Lutheran church. Church was always a place of love and grace where I knew I was accepted as I was, and everyone else was too. I went to a Lutheran college in Minnesota, because I didn’t realize how cold snow is. But it was in the frozen tundra that I first acknowledged God’s call to me to be a pastor. After a few years working in advocacy and outdoor ministry, I landed in seminary at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkeley, California. I took my first call back in Southern California.
After a year and a half, I got married, and my husband got a job at Robert Morris University in Moon, PA. We packed up our lives in California and moved to Pittsburgh, trusting that the Spirit had something in store. I have spent a little over a year as an Intentional Interim Pastor in North Versailles, walking with them through a pastoral transition. When I read about the job opening at Hot Metal, I had a feeling deep in my gut that it was a place I wanted to be. I’m thankful I trusted that gut feeling, and that you all have affirmed that Spirit movement with the call process and vote!
My husband, Tim, and I live on the Northside of Pittsburgh with our dog, Marcus. We like the outdoors, homebrewing (ok, Tim does the brewing… I’m the taste-tester), and watching the Bon Appétit YouTube channel. I enjoy singing and Bible studies. My favorite hymn is Beautiful Savior, and my favorite book is To Kill a Mockingbird (A Wrinkle in Time is a close second).
Over the next few months I hope to meet with each of you and hear your stories. I'll start at Hot Metal in December as I take a couple of weeks to say goodbye to my current congregation and prepare to be with you all. You are doing great things in the name of Jesus here at Hot Metal, and I can’t wait to jump on board!
In Christ’s peace,
Pastor Erin Jones
Erin's Official Start Date: December 1, 2020
Many thanks & lots of love to the members of the Pastor Nominating Committee... we couldn't have gotten to this point without yinz. 💛🧡💛
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