The sanctity of life is at the center of who we are as Orthodox Christians.

Psalm 138:13: “For You possess my heart, O Lord;You took hold of me from my mother’s womb.”

Since 1985, our centers have provided life-affirming pregnancy services to thousands of families in Pittsburgh.  At Women’s Choice Network, we empower abortion-vulnerable women to choose life.  We currently serve in four centers in our area: Oakland, Monroeville Mall, North Side, and Wexford. WCN’s services are offered to families at no charge because of the generous gifts from individuals and churches. WCN relies on local partners such as churches and dedicated individuals to provide donations that give hope to a new generation.

WCN has saved well over 7,000 babies from being aborted. The Network provides a variety of services including:

• Ultrasounds and medical consultation (85% of women who see their babies on a sonogram choose life)

• Life Support: A two-year program that provides mentoring relationships and fosters independence and transformation

• STD testing and awareness building

• APR: Abortion Pill Reversal: A protocol that, when taken within a three-day window of time, can reverse the effects of the abortion pill

• Broken Vessels: A program for women who have experienced an abortion, offering a safe place to find healing and forgiveness

• Men’s Programming: Provides instruction in basic infant care and parenting skills, as well as an opportunity for dads to bond with other dads and form life-transforming mentor relationships

• Pittsburgh Essential Speakers: A virtual program designed to equip young people to engage in healthy relationships and positive decision making; the program builds on 20+ years of outreach to local high school and youth groups. http://www.essentialspeakers.com

Under the spiritual guidance of His Eminence Melchisedek, Archbishop of the Diocese of Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania, St. Alexander Nevsky became involved with WCN in 2014 through the outreach work of the Cathedral’s then-Parish Growth Committee. In 2019, the group formed its own St. Alexander Nevsky WCN Committee, separate from Parish Growth. Our partnership has enabled us to contribute to WCN year-round in a variety of ways:

• Putting together “New Baby” and “New Mom” bags for newborns and their moms (April-May)

• Annual sponsoring of the Baby Bottle Campaign to collect money (June-July)

• Serving as an underwriter of the WCN Annual Fall Fundraiser Banquet, the network’s primary means of raising funds that enable it to operate (some 40 parishioners attend the banquet each year)

• Joining the WCN prayer chain by praying for women and men who are facing a pregnancy decision

• Purchasing gift cards for WCN to distribute to children at their Christmas events

• Collecting and donating baby items for the WCN children’s resale store and providing volunteer assistance.

The Cathedral is also involved in the Church Initiative Program that provides training and resources to help parishioners to care for men and women unprepared for pregnancy. A group of 13 parishioners completed the Making Life Disciples training in October 2017.