Pastor Sam DeSocio

Tell us about yourself.

I’m a transplant from upstate NY, but I’ve been in Pittsburgh for ten years now, so it’s home. I met my wife,  Joanna,  in college and we did the “crazy” get-married-in-college thing.  We live in Upper Lawrenceville with our sons Gus, and Gabe.

What do you do for the church?

I’m the Church Planter/Teaching Elder at Grace & Peace (aka the Pastor). That means that I wear a lot of hats right now, including teacher, counselor, secretary (to myself), and administrator.

What hobbies/activities do you enjoy?

I love catching a Steeler’s or Pirate’s game,  talking about local politics, and watching movies with Joanna.  I’ve also got some art in my blood (both my parents were stained-glass artists) so I enjoy messing around in with things like painting, drawing and print-making.

What excites you about Grace & Peace Church?

I’m excited about seeing what God is going to do with and through us. There are so many opportunities in Pittsburgh, and I can’t wait to see how we will be a blessing to our city.

What’s a good book/movie you’ve read/watched lately?

I recently finished Speaker for the Dead, and that was great. Jo and I did an Oscars date night thing a while back, so we saw 127 Hours and the King’s Speech recently – both were great.

Whats your favorite place to eat in Pittsburgh?

I’m going to have to cop out and pick two places, I’d say its a split between Peppi’s in the Strip, or Thai Gourmet in Bloomfield.

If you could meet one historical person (besides Jesus), who would it be?

It probably sounds funny but John Calvin, the guy has been painted both as near messiah of the church, and vicious religious fanatic. People either love him or hate him (if they’ve heard of him).  It would be great to meet the guy and see how he actually interacted with his church and family.

Favorite Quote?

Lincoln is quoted as saying “My concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God’s side…” If he said it, I really like that change in perspective coming from one of the most powerful men that was alive at his time.

What’s the worst job you’ve ever had?

I’ve done a lot of bad jobs, but none of them for very long.  For two weeks in college, I worked for a funeral home as a handy man/cleaner.  In the two weeks I worked there I never saw another (live) person.