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Westminster World
| March 2012
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 Several members of Westminster have commented on my sermon of last Sunday, in which I talked about the Presbyterian belief, that "God alone is Lord of our Conscience" and how Westminster expresses it. Some members have asked me to print my sermon as they would like to read it again. As we prepare for the visit this weekend from Hedy Epstein, I do think it is important to revisit my words. Following is an edited version of the last part of my sermon: This past year Westminster has been very vocal in saying what we believe:
1) By sending an overture to our Presbytery which passed with a majority vote and will now go to General Assembly, calling the suffering of the Palestinian people by the Government of Israel, apartheid, and as we educate ourselves regarding the Middle East in sending a study seminar, consisting of Don & Nahida Gordon, Beth & Dries Coetzee and five students to Israel/Palestine to see for themselves and to form their own opinions as to this age-old conflict and as our Session reacted positively to Hedy Epstein's offer to speak at no cost here at Westminster next weekend.
2) By speaking out against racism and profiling, right here in Ohio as our BorderLinks group participated in a dialogue with the new police chief in Apple Creek where profiling of immigrants has taken place and also as 16 members of our congregation participated in a fundraiser for Open Arms Hispanic Ministries, and as Dick Beery, Beth, and I are leaving in two weeks with six students to Tucson, Arizona to educate ourselves on issues relating to immigration.
3) And also, by taking a leading role this past week against the closing down of Lincoln Way Elementary School. Several members of our congregation wrote letters to the Board of Education and Editor of the Daily Record, a petition was initiated and gathered over 800 signatures, and eleven from Westminster attended the School Board Meeting on Monday night, February 27, where we spoke out again for the families and community of Lincoln Way.  | | A group of community members hand a petition signed by over 800 people against the closing of Lincoln Way Elementary to the Wooster Daily Record |
Of all these efforts to speak our conscience, our position on Israel/Palestine garners us the most criticism. In our efforts to encourage peace in a similar way that the Presbyterian Church (USA) encouraged peace during the years of apartheid in South Africa, some people say that we are pro-Palestinian and anti-Semitic, but in the words of Desmond Tutu, we are not pro-this or -that people; we are pro-justice. We are pro-freedom. We are anti-injustice, anti-oppression any- and everywhere that it occurs. So therefore we are not criticizing Jewish people. We are criticizing and we will criticize, when they need to be criticized, the government of Israel.
"Those who are powerful have to remember the litmus test that God gives to the powerful: What is your treatment of the poor, the hungry? What is your treatment of the vulnerable, the voiceless? And on the basis of that, God passes God's judgment." (Tutu, Desmond (2011-05-03). God Is Not a Christian: And Other Provocations (Kindle Locations 1340-1342). Harper Collins, Inc.. Kindle Edition.)
 As a congregation of the Presbyterian Church (USA) our denomination calls us "to participate in God's mission to care for the needs of the sick, poor, and lonely; to free people from sin, suffering, and oppression; and to establish Christ's just, loving, and peaceable rule in the world" (Presbyterian Church USA Book of Order).During this season of Lent we affirm in the words of the  "Confession of 1967" that the life, death, resurrection, and promised coming of Jesus Christ has set the pattern for the church's mission. Christ's life as a human being involves the church in the common life of all people. Christ's service to people commits the church to work for every form of human well-being. Christ's suffering makes the church sensitive to all the sufferings of humankind so that it sees the face of Christ in the faces of people in every kind of need. Christ's crucifixion discloses to the church God's judgment on human's inhumanity towards other humans and the awful consequences of its own complicity in injustice. In the power of the risen Christ and the hope of his coming, the church sees the promise of God's renewal of humanity and of God's victory over all wrong.
And this is why we are speaking out against the injustices we see; this is why we have hope that peace based on justice is possible for the people of Israel/Palestine, and this is why we as a congregation join the efforts of our denomination and our ecumenical partners in saying that we will do all we can to assist the people of Israel/Palestine in achieving peace which is within their grasp.
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Cookies Needed for Sunday
 We are in urgent need of cookies for Sunday night for the Hedy Epstein event. We are expecting a number of people from the community and campus and need some cookies for the reception after the event. Please bring them to church on Sunday or contact Barbara Tartir if you need more information. |
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People-to-People
The suggested food donation for People to People Ministries is all things fruit - canned fruit, applesauce, gelatin, juices, etc. All contributions are welcome, but if you need a focus, fruit is it!
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Sunday Morning Childcare
We are excited that we now offer childcare on Sunday mornings. Westminster recently hired two Interns , Jessica Jackson and Samantha Murdock. Samantha, a first year student, grew up Presbyterian and is from Dayton, OH and Jessica is a senior from Atlanta, GA. Both these students are warm, enthusiastic young women who care deeply about young children. Make it a point to welcome them.
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Student Minsitry
We are fortunate to have a number of international students from the OARDC worshiping with us on a regular basis. Most of these students have left families behind in their home countries in order to make a better life for them all. Two such students are Joshua Amimo from Kenya and Zufan Sisay Worku from Ethiopia. Their presence among us is a blessing to our community of faith. One way in which we can support them is to reach out a hand of caring to their families back home. We are asking for monetary donations towards clothing, toys, and books for their children and also volunteers to shop for them. The names of Joshua's and Zufan's children are listed below. Please pray for them and also the spouses who are missing the comforting presence of Joshua and Zufan at home. Because they are part of our church family, we have a very tangible connection with their families across the ocean. Please help us demonstrate the love we are called to share with all of God's children by donating and/or volunteering your time. You may make your checks out to Westminster, with "International Students" in the memo line. Contact Beth if you'd like to help.
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Due Date For April Westminster World
March 27
For contributions
please contact
Sue Brown
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(Listen to past sermons on our website)
Westminster Presbyterian Church is a safe place for all people
to worship regardless of race, creed, age, cultural background
or sexual orientation.
Childcare is provided during worship
 Sunday, March 4, 10:45am - Second Sunday in Lent - Communion
Pastor Dries will be preaching; Hedy Epstein, Peace Activist and Holocaust Survivor, will lead an intergenerational Sunday School at 9:45 and speak during worship.Communion will be celebrated.
 Sunday, March 11, 10:45am - Third Sunday in Lent - Celebrating the Gifts of Women
Rev. Virginia Birks will be preaching. Celebrate the Gifts of Women Sunday honors women who contribute their gifts to the church and community, lifts up issues of women' s rights, and focuses on the role of women in our communities and world.
 Sunday, March 18, 10:45am - Fourth Sunday in Lent
Pastor Dries leading worship with Divine Kwasi Gbagbo, a student at Kent State University, preaching. God has blessed Westminster with Divine's presence among us, especially through his gift of music and his deep faith in God. Divine will return for the summer to his native Ghana.
 Sunday, March 25, 10:45am - Fifth Sunday in Lent
Pastor Dries preaching on Hebrews 5:1-10
A Lenten Carbon Fast
The spiritual practice of fasting, accompanied by prayer and meditation, moves us to be more open to the will of God in our lives. Fasting helps us listen to what God wants us to be and to do." During Lent this year, we invite you to try a "fast from carbon," that is, to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide you put into the atmosphere. See our Carbon Fast Calendar (Theme and quotations from: http://www.ecfvp.org/vestrypapers/caring-for-gods-creation/a-lenten-carbon-fast/ )
Holy Week
Sunday, April 1, 10:45am - Palm Sunday
Thursday, April 5, Maundy Thursday with a soup & bread supper at 6:00pm in the Meeting Place followed by a Tenebrae Service. Communion will be celebrated.
Friday, April 6, Good Friday Service of Silence, Reflection & Liturgical Actions at 7:00pm in Mackey Hall.
Sunday, April 8, Easter Sunday including Sunrise Service, Breakfast, Easter Egg Hunt, and Worship at 10:45am
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Intergenerational Sunday School
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Intergenerational Sunday School: Sunday, March 4th at 9:45 a.m. in The Lounge
This Sunday, March 4th, all ages are invited to gather during Sunday School time for an intergenerational presentation by Hedy Epstein. Here is an opportunity for you to share Westminster's passion for social justice with the children of our church. Please come strengthen the bonds that nurture community while supporting our guest speaker.
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Adult Education: Sundays at 9:30 a.m. in The Lounge
Adult Sunday school discussions in March will start with Hedy Epstein, who will be with us on March 4th.
On March 11, 18, and 25 Matt & Lauren will wrap up their
discussion on "Way Beyond Vietnam." The class explores the tension between the teachings of Christ and the glorification of militarism in American culture.
In April the classes will be focused on the environment, as our Green Peace Initiative will lead us in discussion and also in worship on Sunday, April 22, Earth Day.
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Children and Youth Ministry
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Children's Sunday School - 9:45 in the Upstairs Room
During the month of March our children will talk more about "community" and how here at Westminster it extends beyond our immediate neighborhood and town.
March 4: Intergenerational Sunday School with Hedy Epstein.
March 11: We will talk more about Hedy and community!March 18 & 25th: We will do projects around our Lenten Carbon Fast and our obligation to the world community/ earth.Coming Up!
Making Easter baskets with Ferec Relle on Pam Sunday, April 1. Plan to come to church to assemble baskets and then join the Relles and other deacons to take the baskets to our home-bound members.
See you at Sunday School!
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Local Mission
"Our Family" Labels and Soup for Sale
As you prepare meals for your family on these rainy cool days please remember to save the labels from Our Family Products and deposit them in the collection box in the narthex. The money earned by redeeming these labels goes to local mission.
And, if you are too busy to cook, remember that the Mission Committee has their Famous Hearty Italian Soup for you - both regular and vegan. See Krista Asher, Linda Barbu, Chris Jones, Shelley Peterson or Sue Coleman to purchase or order. This project supports the Hope Fund.
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Middle East Peace
Peace activist and Holocaust Survivor to visit Westminster the weekend of March 4th, 2012
 Hedy Epstein, peace activist and holocaust survivor, will present at Westminster in Mackey Hall March 4th at 7 pm. Hedy began speaking to audiences in 1970. Her topics include her Nazi Holocaust experiences, her work at the Nuremberg Medical Trial, and her five trips to Palestine since 2003. Equally conversant in English and German, she has spoken in the US, Germany, and Austria to audiences of schoolchildren, college students, and adults. In addition, she has appeared on several radio and television shows as a guest. She is a member of the Speakers Bureau of the St. Louis Holocaust Museum and Learning Center.
In addition to speaking locally, nationally, and internationally, Hedy has appeared on local, national, and international radio and TV programs as a guest.
Hedy has received many awards. Among the most recent ones are the 2005 Imagine Life "Education through Media Award" and the 2008 American Friends Service Committee's "Inspiration for Hope Award." Read more about Hedy by visiting her website.
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Immigration Advocacy
 | | 2010 Westminster BorderLinks delegation |
A group from Westminster will be participating in a BorderLinks delegation from March 10 - 17. Since 1987, BorderLinks has been facilitating delegations in the Arizona-Sonora region. These immersion visits offer groups the opportunity to interact with our neighbors in the U.S. and Mexico. Delegations visit with individuals and organizations that provide basic assistance to migrants, create community-based alternatives, advocate for just policies, and much more. Participants will meet with people that are directly affected by current economic and immigration policies, and will be empowered to work for justice. We pray for Dick Beery, Beth & Dries Coetzee and students, Alex Muto, Amanda O'Donnell, Erika Takeo, Giang Nguyen, Nileema Khan, and Wyatt Smith as they depart for Arizona/Mexico.
Your donations (in lunchboxes in the Narthex and by the refreshments) during the Lenten  season support the Children's Food Security Program at the BorderLink's-supported "Casa" (Home of Hope and Peace ) in Nogales, Mexico. The program serves children of extreme poverty in the neighborhoods adjacent to the Casa Community Center and provides what for many is the only nutritious, healthy, and hygienic meal they receive during the day over the course of the school year. Our March BorderLinks delegation will be staying over-night at the Casa and will see the Food Security Program in action.
Westminster Presbyterian Church has been an active supporter of the Open Arms Hispanic Ministry at Salem Mennonite Church led by Pastor Haroldo Nunes. On Feb. 23, sixteen members of our congregation attended the Open Arms fundraiser at Das Dutch Kitchen, where we learned about the work of the ministry, both as a safe place for local Hispanic immigrants to worship and as a source of support in the immigrants' lives.
Pastor Nunes and an ecumenical group of which Westminster is a part, recently met with the newly-appointed chief of police in Apple Creek, Ohio. During this open and positive meeting, the group discussed rights of immigrants in the county, and the new Apple Creek administration (mayor and chief of police) reiterated their commitment to change in its relations with Hispanics. The town leaders, as they look for fresh beginnings in police-community relations, will continue discussions with local Hispanic immigrants. The strength of our ecumenical support has been an important factor in positive change in Apple Creek's relations with its Hispanic residents and neighbors.
 In addition to Westminster's on-going support for Hartville Migrant Ministries, we are collecting several items for the Welcome Bags that Hartville Migrant Ministries offers to every new seasonal farm labor family arriving to the Hartville area in the spring. The task of planting, tending, and harvesting the row-crops in the area is performed by over 375 men and women with their families: migrants from other countries and also from various states.
The Welcome Bags contain various useful linens. We would like to help provide: Cotton blankets (twin or full) and bath towels (darker colors are better, with regards to both bedding and towels). Please bring your donations to the collection box in the narthex during the month of March. We will deliver our contributions to Hartville in April.
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CAMO Volunteer Opportunity
 Many of you will remember Kathy Tschiegg who spoke in worship at Westminster a couple of years ago. Kathy, a former Peace Corps nurse who saw too many Honduran infants and children die due to a lack of medical equipment and technology, launched Central American Medical Outreach in 1993. Today, CAMO is one of the most recognized non-profit health care organizations in the region. It serves around 100,000 people annually with services ranging from breast exams and prosthetics to neo-natal care and eye surgery. What makes CAMO different is that it seeks to build a network of long-term, multi-disciplinary public health care providers who offer continuing care to needy families.
CAMO depends on kind-hearted volunteers who regularly lend a hand in the U.S. as well as on spring and fall teams in Honduras. We are fortunate that this organization's US headquarters is right next door in Orrville, Ohio, and they are always in need of more help in their warehouse.
Here's your chance to "make a difference in the life of a stranger". Westminster has arranged to take a team to Orrville from 10am to 2pm on Saturday, March 31 to sort and pack laundry for the hospital in Santa Rosa, Honduras. No special skills necessary. While deciding if you are willing or able to volunteer, please go to CAMO's website. I think you will see that this is an organization well worth your time. Please contact Beth if you are interested.
P.S. We will get a tour of the Orrville facility and lunch will be provided.
 | | What Can One Person Do? |
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Good coffee for a good cause
 Westmisnter's deacons are now supporting the Presbyterian Coffee Project by serving fair trade coffee on Sunday mornings, at special events, and meals. This project offers a special link between congregations and communities around the world. Churches can now reach out to neighbors overseas not only with the prayers and offerings we give, but with the goods and products we purchase. A warm cup of coffee (or tea) in our hands is perhaps the most tangible daily connection we have with farmers around the world. It represents warmth, hospitality, fellowship, hard work, and life's pleasures both fine and simple. Buying fair trade through the Presbyterian Coffee Project ensures that more of the money we spend on coffee reaches the hardworking farmers who actually grow it.Participating congregations testify that the Presbyterian Coffee Project is a great way to help people in need while enjoying fellowship and an excellent cup of coffee. Fair trade practices complement our mission with farmers in Latin America, Africa, and Asia as well as our commitment to stewardship of the natural environment. By using fair trade coffee in our congregations, offices, and homes, Presbyterians help guarantee that farmers will earn the income they need to feed their families, educate their children, and improve their communities. Fair trade is a simple solution that means the difference - quite literally - between surviving and not surviving for small-scale coffee farmers.
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Thursday, March 29th
Please join us at our next vegan potluck on Thursday, March 29th, at 6:00 p.m. in Mackey Hall. The Westminster vegan meals are as much an opportunity for fellowship with members and friends of our congregation and with increasing numbers of students (who like to be fed!) as anything else.
The majority who have attended the pot lucks are not vegans, but enjoy attending in order to try some interesting recipes, visit with each other, and meet C.O.W. students as we explore an ever-widening array of flavors within a plant-based diet. Many who attend have interests ranging from sustainable living to healthy eating to simply a love of good food and fellowship.
Bring any vegan dish you wish (containing no meat, dairy, or eggs). See our website for recipe ideas. Students: no need to bring a thing.... Just come to enjoy some good food and fellowship.
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 Lenten Carbon Fast
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Friday
March 2 | Purchase permanent cloth or canvas bags and use them for your future grocery shopping. Save plastic bags and re-use, or recycle them at
grocery stores. | | |
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Saturday
March 3 | Caulk and weatherstrip around doors and windows to plug air leaks. Insulate your walls and ceilings; this
can save about 25% of home heating bills. | | |
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Sunday
March 4 | "Receive the world God has given. Go for a walk. Get wet. Dig the earth."
~ Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury | | |
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Monday
March 5 | |
Run your dishwasher only with a full load. Use the energy- saving modes when available. Don't use heat when drying your dishes. MAR. 22
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Program your thermostat to turn down the heat during the day, and again at night while you are sleeping. Set it to turn on shortly before you wake up, and again before you come home at night.
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Reward yourself with Fair Trade chocolate for all of your actions so far!
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Thursday
March 8 | |
Make a point of switching off all lights as you leave the room.
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Friday
March 9 | |
When boiling or heating water on the stove, use a pan with a lid. Only use as much water as you need.
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Reward yourself with a cup of Fair Trade coffee
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Sunday
March 11
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Think about the environment Jesus lived in and how it affected his ministry. Reflect on examples of Jesus drawing on his environment for illustrations and inspiration.
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Monday
March12
| Turn down your water heater; 120 degrees is usually hot enough. Wrap your water heater in an insulating jacket
if the water heater is over 5 years old or has no internal insulation.
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Tuesday
March 13
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Re-wear clothes which arenʼt dirty and only run your washing machine when you have a full load. Using the cold water setting saves energy. Set aside old or unwanted clothes for recycling.
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Wednesday
March 14 |
Take a walk in your community. Greet your neighbors with a smile. Listen to the birds, look at the trees, and feel the rain, snow, or sun on your face. Rejoice in all creation! |
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Tuesday
March 15
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Check your tire pressure. Low tire pressure means high energy/fuel consumption.
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Friday
March 16
| Say No to Unwanted plastic Bags (SNUB). Use cloth bags for planned shopping
trips, but also stuff 1-2 small plastic bags in your coat pockets for impromptu purchases
- thatʼs one less new bag used. |
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Saturday
March 17
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Utilize local shops or farmers markets where available instead of driving to the supermarket.
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Sunday
March 18
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Think prayerfully about how we are using up our resources at an unsustainable rate. Reflect on the fact that the richest 20% of the worldʼs population consumes 80% of its resources, while 80% of the population has to make do with the remaining 20% of resources.
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Monday
March 19
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Go meat-free for the day. The production of meat uses more carbon than the growing of grains, vegetables, and fruits. See Meatless Mondays
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Tuesday
March 20
| Clean or replace air filters as recommended. Replacing a dirty furnace filter can save 15% of the energy used.
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Wednesday
March 21
| Watch a movie, film or documentary about faithful environmentalism and /or energy & climate change. Good choices include:
Renewal
Kilowatt Ours
An Inconvenient Truth
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Thursday
March 22
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Stop unwanted junk mail to save trees, cut down on carbon emissions, and to reduce waste.
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Friday
March 23
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Consider the carbon impact of having a fire in your fireplace. If you must have a wood fire, look into a fireplace insert, fireplace fan, or high- efficiency wood or pellet stove. Be sure to check for local burn bans before lighting up. And make sure to get your chimney cleaned at least once a year too, for fire safety.
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Saturday
March 24
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Turn the water off while brushing your teeth. If you have children, teach them to do the same.
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Sunday
March 25
| The Bible says that in Jesus all things in heaven and earth were created, and through him all things will be reconciled. How do
you think he would judge the way we live in the earth today? Take time to reflect on this both globally and personally.
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Monday
March 26
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If your family has more than one car, use your most fuel efficient vehicle for most trips, and the larger, less fuel efficient one only when needed. When making your next car purchase, choose one that gets good gas mileage, or consider a hybrid.
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Tuesday
March 27
| Contact your local utility to find out what resources are available to help you become more energy
efficient. Many utilities offer free or reduced cost energy audits, rebates on energy- saving appliances,
low-cost weatherization programs, or other energy services. |
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Wednesday
March 28 | |
As you plan your garden, consider planting native plants that require less water. For vegetables and flowers, purchase organic seeds from your local nursery.
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Thursday
March 29
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Obey the speed limit when driving. Every 10 mph faster reduces fuel economy by about 4 mpg, a figure that remains fairly constant regardless of vehicle size.
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Friday
March 30
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Consider joining a religious environmental organization, and sign up for their e-mail newsletter.
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Saturday
March 31
| | Plant trees or shrubs next to your house. This cuts down on cooling costs in warm weather. |
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For more information please contact:
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