Ordination of Rebecca Young

The Pittsburgh Presbytery of the PC(USA) invites you to celebrate the ordination of Rebecca L. Young on Saturday, June 11, at 2:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary of Shadyside Presbyterian Church (SPC). The Reverend Dr. Christine Chakoian will preach, and a reception in the Parish Hall will follow the service of ordination.

A ministerial daughter of SPC, Rebecca is a graduate of Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and recently accepted a permanent call to serve as a staff chaplain at Grant Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio. In consultation with Scioto Valley Presbytery in Columbus, Ohio, Pittsburgh Presbytery has approved Rebecca’s ordination as a Minister of Word and Sacrament in the PC(USA) to the validated ministry of hospital chaplain. We thank God for the blessing Rebecca has been to our church family and for calling her into ordained ministry. It is a blessing for us to be able to celebrate this special occasion with her. Please support Rebecca through your prayers and your presence at the service as she officially begins her ministry.

Concerning Communion

The Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper will be celebrated during the service of worship. You may partake in Communion in several ways:

• Ushers will invite you to come forward by way of the center aisle. Please continue to wear your mask over your nose and mouth while moving throughout the Sanctuary. At the Chancel steps, you will receive a piece of bread from the pastor and a cup from one of the Communion servers. Please return to your seat using the side aisles and wait to partake of the elements until all congregants have returned to their seats so that we all may commune together.
• If you prefer to remain in your pew to commune, you may choose to bring your own elements from home; alternatively, you may use the pre-packaged elements available in the Narthex.
• Gluten-free, vegan Communion wafers also are available in the Narthex for those who prefer them.

About Rebecca Young

A member of our church family since 2013, Rebecca Young began attending worship at Shadyside Presbyterian Church (SPC) after moving to Pittsburgh for graduate school in the summer of 2012. Rebecca recently served as a ruling elder with Shadyside’s Session for four years. During that time, she served on the Adult Christian Education Committee, as well as the Budget and Finance Committee. In addition, Rebecca also has served on the leadership team of SPC’s Young Adult and Graduate Student Ministry and has enjoyed working with the church’s youth group and our local and international mission partners.

Rebecca previously became an Inquirer under the care of the Session of SPC in April 2019. Since then, she served as student pastor at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian and Emsworth United Presbyterian Churches, in addition to serving as a chaplain at UPMC Shadyside Hospital. In January 2021, the Commission on Preparation for Ministry of Pittsburgh Presbytery unanimously approved Rebecca’s transition from Inquirer to Candidate for Ordination with the PC(USA).

In May 2021, Rebecca graduated from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary (PTS) with a Master of Divinity degree. During her time at PTS, she served as the student body president and worked as a researcher for the World Mission Initiative. Rebecca then completed a chaplain residency at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, where she served as a chaplain for the neo-natal intensive care unit and level-one trauma emergency department. In February of this year, Rebecca accepted a permanent call to serve as a staff chaplain at Grant Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio.