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Westminster World
| October 2012
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Moving Forward
I am excited as renovations of the Church House are moving forward! Last year at its June meeting our Session decided to evaluate the Church House structure, identify needed maintenance and updates, and also determine what needs to be done to fulfill Westminster's mission. At that meeting it was suggested that a task force be formed to look at our building use, to determine how we can best utilize our space, to look at the furnishings and decorations of our various spaces, and to see how we can best give expression to who we are as a community of faith today. To that extent a committee was formed the beginning of this year including elders Nahida Gordon, Chris Kovach, Ferenc Relle, Caryl Slater and members-at-large Gayle Noble and Ruth MacKenzie. Over these past months the Committee has worked very hard and two of the projects they identified are moving forward.
 First of all, possibly starting next week (October 8-12), a contractor will redo part of the patio in front of the door leading into the Mackey Narthex. Some members have communicated that they would like the entrance leading into Mackey more inviting by marking the entrance, getting rid of the standing water and redoing the garden/flowerbox. This project will also include making the entrance to the Narthex handicap accessible and marking the entrance with a permanent sign. Secondly, we will be moving ahead in the next month in redecorating the The Lounge. This project should be finalized before our Intergenerational Advent Sunday School in December and will include new carpet, furniture, and paint. Included in this project is also the repainting of the Church House main entrance and the office reception area to tie the spaces together but give each a distinctive atmosphere. You can help with this project by contributing your painting skills. We are looking for volunteers to help Joe Hartzler paint. Please e-mail Dries if you are willing to help! The third project, that will hopefully get underway soon, is the installation of a new projector and screen in Mackey that can accommodate the natural light of the space. With all these projects the Refurbishing Committee did a magnificent job of keeping the original charge of Session in mind which I summed up in the July 2011 Westminster World; "To me the Westminster 'Church House' is an expression of who we are. To a big extent this was the thinking behind the design of the Church House and therefore the name "house." Reading through some of the history it seems that the designers wanted to create a space that was inviting to students and other members of our community where they could feel welcome and 'at home'.
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A Note of Thanks from Barbara Norris:
Dear Church Family,
Just a note of sincere appreciation for all you did to make my birthday special.
God's Peace and Love to you and yours.
Always - Barbara
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PC (USA) Blogs
Reflections from the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program and the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations
Learning, sharing, advocating with PC(USA) Environmental Ministries
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Due Date For November Westminster World
October 24
For contributions
please contact
Sue Brown
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 I feel we have reached a point in our ministry together to reclaim this 'house' metaphor when it comes to the Church House. As a Progressive Community of Faith, the Westminster Church House needs to give expression to who we are with our passion for social justice, to be welcoming to all people (including those who are handicapped) and to have our building be of use and service to The College of Wooster and the greater Wooster and Wayne County Communities." As a Congregation we are tremendously thankful for The College in their support and willingness to help us in our efforts of renovating, maintaining, and decorating the Church House to make it a place of worship. In this regard I am thankful to share with you that a new Lease and Memorandum of Agreement between Westminster and The College will come before the Board of The College at its October 2012 meeting. Blessings, Dries |
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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
The Epistle of James
For the month of October we will continue our journey with the the Epistle of James. This letter with its everyday wisdom inspires us to take up our full responsibility as Christians and embrace our future as a congregation grounded in Jesus and called to works of justice.
 World Communion Sunday, October 7 at 10:45 am -
A Service of Shared Food (Communion)
Pastor Dries will be preaching from James 3:13-18 and communion will be celebrated. We will also be collecting the Peacemaking Offering of the Presbyterian Church (USA).
Sunday, October 14 at 10:45 am -
Pastor Dries will be preaching from James 1:9-18; 4:1-10
Sunday, October 21 at 10:45 am -
Pastor Dries will be preaching from James 5:1-6
Sunday, October 28 at 10:45 am - College of Wooster Family Weekend
Pastor Dries will be preaching from James 1:2-4; 4:13-17; 5:7-11 After worship you are invited to join in a potluck being hosted by Westminster
and UKIRK for our College students and their parents.
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Stories for Children
The theme for Sunday School this year will be 'Stories'.
We will explore Old Testament stories in multidisciplinary
ways, New Testament stories and parables, and stories of
people in our congregation.The objective is to provide a process
to make connections from the past to the present and to create
an understanding of how people are connected through their experiences. Sunday School is from 9:45 - 10:30am.
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Adult Study on Wednesdays
 We have been very fortunate to have a constant group of about 14 participants in our Wednesday night book discussion of Saving Jesus From The Church - How To Stop Worshiping Christ and Start Following Jesus by Robin R. Meyers. Pastor Dries is leading the discussion and a light supper is served.
It is never too late to join the discussion!
For the month of October we will discuss the following chapters each Wednesday:
- October 10: Chapters 3/4
- October 17: Chapters 5/6
- October 24: Chapter 7
- October 31: Chapters 8/9
Please email Dries at acoetzee@wooster.edu with questions. |
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The Westminster Church House
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Building Committee Happenings
 The Westminster Building Committee has been very busy over the past months and has completed several maintenance tasks and upgrades to our facility. Just to name a few:
- The interior windows of the Sanctuary, Narthex and the Mackey Kitchen have been washed.
- A window has been installed in the door between the Sanctuary and the kitchen.
- A new compressor has been installed in the boiler room for heat control.
- he exterior siding has been scraped and painted including the eaves visible from the Sanctuary.
- New soap dispensers and toilet paper dispensers has been installed in all the bathrooms and above all sinks.
- We also continue to work with The College of Wooster to make the Church House more energy efficient with new heating/cooling controls being installed currently and automatic lighting in the restrooms underway.
- We are also very thankful for our Scout Troop who will help us clean all the brass in the building.
As your Building Committee we invite you to contact us with any questions or comments.
Ferenc Relle, Chair
Caryl Slater
John Veney
Sue Coleman
Dorothy Iams
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Celebrating Inclusive Community
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Civil Rights for Everyone
Pastor Dries to speak at the 4th Annual Open the Door to Equality Rally, Sunday, October 7, 2012 at the Gazebo on the Square, Downtown Wooster.
 Music at 3:45pm
Speakers 4-5pm
Speakers include:
Kim Welter, Equality Ohio
Jeff Miller, Ohio ACLU
Rev. Dries Coetzee, Westminster Presbyterian Church
Juanita Greene, NAACP Youth Council
Justin Kalinay, College of Wooster student
Bert Bishop, Ohioans for Marriage Equality
Please join us for this rally that will focus on equal rights for everyone, including the right to marry. Learn about what you can do to work for equal rights here in Wayne County and in Ohio. Celebrate the progress made in the struggle for gay civil rights with other community members-gay and straight- and affirm the right of all Americans to protection from discrimination and to equal treatment under our laws.
We hope to see you at the Rally!
Sponsored by Ohioans For Marriage Equality, PFLAG-Wooster, UUFWC Social Action Committee and Spectrum, a College of Wooster student organization
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 On behalf of the Board of Directors for Presbyterian Welcome, thank you so much for your support for the 2012 LGBTQ Inquirers and Candidates Retreat.
The focus of this year's retreat, our largest yet at 35 participants, was on the power of sharing our stories with the church. After a weekend of laughing, roasting marshmallows, singing, listening, worshiping, crying, and rejoicing together, we had to say goodbye until we will gather again next summer. We have returned to our work, seminaries, and churches, encouraged by our time together. Here are a few comments participants shared with us:
- "It has reminded me that I'm not alone and renewed me in my ministry."
- "It helps me remember why I am staying in the PC(USA)."
- "It is the place where I can be my most authentic self and learn to be that self out in the world."
- "I learned how to tell my story to be able to have more impact and trust my own voice and give myself value."
Since the ratification of Amendment 10-A, we have had the joy of celebrating the ordinations of a few members of our community. However, many who have reached the final steps of the ordination process are having a difficult time finding congregations willing to call openly LGBTQ persons.
The church still cannot be assumed to be a safe and welcoming place for LGBTQ people, which is why we continue to do the work we do, work that you make possible. Again, we give thanks to God for your faithfulness to this community and we look forward to this ministry we will grow with you help.
Faithfully Yours,
Rev. Mieke Vandersall
Minister Director
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Rainbow Scarves: Knitting and Praying Our Way, Every Day
 One of the most delightful parts of the PC(USA) General Assembly was seeing people wearing rainbow scarves everywhere they went - in the hallways, meeting rooms, plenary sessions, hotel lobbies, restaurants - witnessing to God's love for all. These days, almost every picture of the assembly includes someone wearing a rainbow scarf! In 2012, in Pittsburgh, we ran out of scarves and sadly had to turn many away during the last days of GA. This has inspired More Light Presbyterians to invite knitters and crocheters to get back to this prayerful ministry now rather than wait for Detroit in two years. |
Vegan Pot Luck
We look forward to seeing you at the next vegan potluck on Thursday, October 18th, at 6:00 p.m. in Mackey Hall. This meal is a great opportunity for WPC members, others in Wooster, and College of Wooster students to enjoy delicious food and good fellowship while learning more about sustainable living. Bring a pot-luck dish containing no meat, dairy, or eggs (no need for students to bring a dish). Enjoy being a "vegan for an evening" while building community through hospitality and shared mindfulness of sustainability, no matter what your regular eating style.
Program of the Month: Sarah-Beth Loder, College of Wooster Sustainability Coordinator and 2012 C.O.W. graduate, will share about her work. Take a look at her blog.
"Taste of BorderLinks" Cookbooks
 We now have 10 more copies of the "Taste of BorderLinks" cookbooks available at $10 each. These popular cookbooks contain healthy, sustainable and vegetarian meals inspired by BorderLinks' delegations. Books are available in the Narthex and payment can be given in the Church Office or to Bill Weiss.
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International Mission
Thanks to all who bought supplies and packed kits, 114 school kits and 69 hygiene kits will be delivered to Church World Service (CWS) to assist efforts nationally and world-wide aiding our sisters and brothers. Whether experiencing the effects of a natural disaster, war or economic hardship, these kits are a welcome sign of hope. The monetary value of our kits is $2,400 and with $400 for final delivery, this project has a total value of $2,800. Learn more about the kits. There is a tab for "Kit Reports" which tells where shipments have gone. |
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Fall Academy of Religion
 In the weeks leading up to the 2012 presidential election, the relationship between religion and politics will be discussed ad nauseam. The College of Wooster's Fall Academy of Religion will attempt to provide a context for that discussion when it presents "Priests, Prophets, and Politicians: Religion and Politics" this fall. The six-week lecture series, which is free and open to the public, begins Sept. 19 and continues each Wednesday through Oct. 24. Sessions begin at 7:30 p.m. in Lean Lecture Room of Wishart Hall (303 E. University St.). Read onThe Energy Panel
 The presidential candidates' stances on energy development, which environmental disasters we can look forward to, and what our professors have to say about it.
Tuesday, October 9th at 4:15pm in the Governance Room
What is Romney saying about coal? Does Obama support nuclear? Are the other candidates invested in foreign or domestic energy?
Find out!
A panel of diverse faculty will be present to answer questions and share from their experience.
Mark Weaver, Political Science
James Burnell, Economics
Bill Reinthal, Geology
Karen Lewis, Physics
Charles Kammer, Religion
Public statements from the candidates will be made available, but please bring relevant questions.
Event is open to all.
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For more information please contact:
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