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Weekly News                                Friday, August 23, 2013
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Change in Worship Time

This coming Sunday, August 25 we will return to our regular worship hour of 10:45 am. 

Social Justice Potluck

Radical Hospitality

Join us on this first Sunday of the month, Communion Sunday, as we "extend the table". On Sunday, September 1st  after 10:45 am worship, we will be privileged to meet Heidi Dellafave and her family.  The Dellafave family are the new owners of the Habitat Ecumenical Build home with which we are participating.  

A main dish will be provided and we ask members of the congregation to bring fruit, salad, or dessert to round out the table.
RSVP through Sign Up Genius or to Carly Jones at  cjones@wooster.edu.  

September Sign Up for Sundays
Volunteer Sighn-Up
The September signups are now available for Sunday flowers, greeters before worship, and goodies for fellowship time after worship.  If you are interested in helping, please sign up through Sign up Genius, the signup sheet at the refreshment table after church, or by contacting Carly Jones at 330-263-2398 or e-mail at cjones@wooster.edu.
Worship
Sunday, August 25th
Worship at 10:45am
College of Wooster Student Welcome
Pastor Dries Preaching

Sunday, September 1st
Social Justice Potluck
Pastor Dries Preaching
Mark your Calendars
Sunday, September 8th: Mieke Vandershall Visit

Sunday, September 15th: 
Sunday School begins

Thursday, September 19th: Vegan Potluck

Sunday, September 29th:
Habitat for Humanity Fundraiser Auction & Lunch and we welcome Rev.Tipi Jacob Nthakhe from South Africa.
School Year Office Hours

As summer comes to an end and school begins, our office hours have changed slightly:   

 

Monday: 8am-2:30pm

Tuesday: 9am-noon

Wednesday: 8am-2:30pm

Thursday: 9am-3pm

Friday: 8am-2:30pm

 

The Church Office will close occasionally for the lunch hour or for meetings. If you need assistance or would like to set up an appointment, please contact the office at 330-263-2398. 
Message from Dries

Westminster Logo As we are anticipating welcoming a new group of first years and our returning students to Westminster this Sunday, August 25, we look forward to showing these young adults that we are an open, welcoming congregation that is inclusive of all.  Hospitality is part of our way of life and grounded in our identity as a Christian community. 

The reality is that if we are not intentional on Sunday mornings in welcoming visitors, friends, and members, we are not always true to our identity and do not give full expression to our call to welcome all people.  To help us become more hospitable, think of the newcomer as a guest to be welcomed and enjoyed. Underlying the traditions of hospitality among ancient peoples was an understanding that they themselves might someday be the stranger in need of hospitality. How do we want to be welcomed when we are the stranger in a new place? It is then that the generous nature of a kind word, the offer of help, a cup of coffee, and an invitation to return becomes abundantly clear.  

All of us are responsible to welcome visitors!  Welcoming newcomers is not only the job of the usher, the greeter, or the pastor; it is the responsibility of the whole congregation to welcome our guests.  The conversation you can strike up with newcomers (and returning students) is fairly easy. Hello. What is your name? Where are you from? Please let us know if we can help you in your transition.  It is also very important to share something about yourself and your love for the church.  At all times we need to refrain from seeing the newcomer as a potential choir member, instrumentalist, giver, or volunteer teacher as such a desire interferes with a sincere welcome that simply expresses happiness that the person has come.

Looking forward to seeing you in church on Sunday welcoming students to Westminster!

 

Blessings and see you in worship,

Dries

 

PS: Please wear you nametags as we welcome new students and our new Music Director Roseanne Anfang. Remember, worship is at 10:45 am.

Collegiate Ministry

Shared Space 2013
Emi Donato (middle) with Beth (left) and Evangeline Smith (right)
When my roommate, Evangeline Smith, and I first attended a UKirk dinner, I don't think we imagined that we would become so invested in the idea of collegiate ministries that we would be sponsored by our new home church of Westminster Presbyterian to attend a conference just for that purpose--though I'm very glad to see how far we, our Wooster UKirk group, have come!  
Through our monthly meals of fellowship and community, I never realized what a great thing we were building until Diana Butler Bass, the keynote speaker at the Shared Space ecumenical collegiate ministries conference in Chicago the end of June, pointed out that most of the population of people who do not identify with a religion are of college age. As we moved through the conference, hearing horror and success stories of other colleges and their area churches, Evangeline and I, along with Beth and Dries Coetzee, began to realize how lucky we were to be a part of such a special group. Within one year, our efforts expanded from six to at least a dozen students, and not all of Presbyterian background. Having been raised Catholic and chosen Presbyterianism myself, I especially recognize the difficulty that we could have faced in overcoming the obstacle of diversity of faith. That's why I appreciated all the more the addition of the word "ecumenical" into the tagline of the conference--because all people of any religion should be able to connect to us through the community we build in the name of Christ, sharing his message in our caring actions, not just our sermons and monthly communions.  
Because the true definition of ecumenical is "world wide" or "general," the conference for me did not just speak on behalf of a group of five different denominations of Christians, but on that of all traditions, religious or not. This is what Jesus taught us: to love one another, with no stipulations, and with no regard to which church a person attends, if any. 
While the conference affirmed our faith that UKirk was headed in the right direction and allowed us to encourage others who did not have the same support of a ministry on campus, it also showed us where to go. And that place is wherever you are, doing whatever you love, and thinking of God in that moment, whether it be in our fellowship, doing service, or enjoying a home-cooked meal. In the words of Bass, the numinous, or God's truth and beauty, can be found everywhere. Our next mission is to help others realize this fact as well. And I couldn't be more excited to do so,
with all of your help!                                              Emi Donato

Monthly Volunteer Opportunity

CAMO Logo Wednesday, Aug. 28th  from 10am - 12noon will be Westminster's first regularly scheduled monthly volunteer time at CAMO (322 Westwood Avenue, Orrville).  We will be sorting, folding, and packing donated hospital linens for shipping to Honduras. Those who would like to carpool can meet at the Church House at 9:30.  All are invited!  If you are able to join us this month, please contact Beth at bcoetzee@wooster.edu.   

Habitat Ecumenical Build Update

Habitat Ecumenical Build Habitat has received approval to begin digging. Their excavator, Loren Wengerd, will begin putting in the driveway, and they will also be shooting grade for the house today, Friday, August 23rd. Heavy digging will begin on Monday and hopefully forms will be set so the footers can be poured on Saturday, August 31st.
RoseanneWelcome Roseanne!

This Sunday in worship, Westminster will welcome our new Music Director Roseanne Anfang.  Roseanne wrote the following;

 

"I am very much looking forward to working with the church staff and meeting members of the congregation.  I am originally from the Columbus area and a graduate of Capital University and The Ohio State University.  I have been a junior high and high school choral conductor for many years and am currently an adjudicator for the Ohio Music Education Association.  I completed my Master's Degree at the University of Akron in choral studies.

 

I relocated to the Wooster area 25 years ago and reside on a farm in the Triway District with my husband, William Anfang, and our two children.  Our son, BJ, is a student at ATI in farm business management, and Chrissy is a fourth grader at Wooster Township Elementary.

 

My other interests include: theater direction, Zumba, two horses I refer to as 'hay burners', numerous farm animals, and home landscaping and renovation projects. I would like to extend an invitation to anyone in the congregation who is willing to share his/her musical or theatrical talents with us!"

Habitat/Mackey Re-imagining Auction
Habitat Wayne County The Westminster Mission and Building Committees, along with our Deacons, are organizing an auction fund-raising event for Sunday, September 29th after church.  We are looking for anyone interested in donating items, talents, or time to be auctioned off to the highest bidder!

Mackey Sighn

Donations in the past have ranged from handmade items to lake house rentals to oil change cards!  We've had folks offer skills like "handy-man," baker or chef, entertainer, seamstress, gardener, artist, and chauffeur.  With a little creative thinking, you'd be surprised what you could
contribute!

If you would like to participate click here to print the contribution form (pdf), or complete the one included in your bulletin.  Forms can be returned to Sue Coleman, Shelley Peterson, Lemoine Peart, Linda Barbu, or Christine Jones.  

Passing on the Faith: Teaching the next Generation [1]
 
Blessings of teh Backpacks
The "Blessing of the Backpacks" last Sunday, August 18th, 2013
Passing on the Faith: Teaching the next Generation is a series of articles published on Patheos.com from scholars, practitioners, teachers, and parents from diverse traditions and perspectives to share their wisdom, insights, and best practices as they discern;  "How do we pass on our faith to children? This is a question most religious traditions care about deeply. We are concerned, perhaps, for our children's spiritual well-being, their moral grounding and behavior, and perhaps for the ultimate state of their souls. Without the commitment, creativity, and zeal of the next generation, our own values and beliefs may die with us. But what is the best way to communicate faith? If faith is 'caught, not taught,' then what can we do to make our spirituality contagious?" [1]
  

You Shall Teach Them to Your Children By Rabbi Brad Hirschfield; "We build the brightest future, not by worrying about the future, but by living our faith in the present." ...>>>

 

 

 
 
"Less Talk, More Action" By  Mark Yaconelli; "So much of religious education is abstract-stories, beliefs, ideas about how life works. Meanwhile youth long for experience.' ...>>>
 
 
 
 
 "My Six Essentials for Passing on the Faith" By Phyllis Tickle; "What we want to implant is an easy and natural affection for the holy, an inherent connectedness to an on-going story, and a sense of membership within a sustaining community that is always there to hold all of us as well as demand some things of us. ...>>> 
 
Collections 
Church World ServicesChurch World Service
Our annual collection for Church World Service (Presbyterian Disaster Assistance partner) is on!  We need toothbrushes and nail clippers for hygiene kits.  For school kits, we need:
 
School Kits (to make 100 kits) 

147 - 70 page spiral notebooks (enough for 49 kits)

35 boxes of 24-count crayons

30 pencil sharpeners

 

Hygiene Kits (to make 50 kits)

36 nail clippers

10 wide tooth combs

4 hand towels

Thanks for your donations to this important cause!divider People to People logo People to People Ministries Needs for August
Food: 
Staple items are always needed - We are very low on canned fruit, apple sauce, syrup, complete pancake mix, crackers, spaghetti sauce, and spaghetti.
Personal Products: 
Diapers, tampons, razors, laundry soap, paper towels, and toilet paper.
Household Items: 
We can really use bed pillows, king size sheet sets, adult sleeping bags, and wash cloths. We can also use shower curtain liners, dish sets, coffee cups, large casserole dishes, coffee pots, irons, pots and pans, crock pots, throw rugs, and sweepers.  
Clothing Items: 
Adult and children's low cuff white socks, Men's boxers all sizes, Teen boy's jeans sizes 29, 30, 40 and larger, boy's and girl's jeans sizes 6, 7, and 8, men's tennis shoes, and men's work boots.
dividerBOur Familyetween now and September 1,  Westminster has the opportunity to receive twice the reimbursement for Our Family labels.  The Mission Committee asks you to scour your cupboards for Our Family labels and bring them to the box in the narthex of the church.  We will trim or remove them, count them, package them, and send them off.  All money raised goes to help others achieve a better life.  
 
Volunteer Opportunities

Holly House HOLLY House Needs Volunteers

What:  Scraping & Preparing for Painting Exterior of HOLLY House Inc.

Where:  HOLLY House - 217 E. Larwill Street Wooster Ohio  44691

When:  Every SUNDAY in August 2013 from 12:30 - 4:30 pm **or by appointment.  Items needed for the task/Volunteers should bring - scrapers, wire brush, goggles or sunglasses, sunscreen, hats/gloves, sandpaper, or an electric sander. 

Hot dogs, lemonade, water, and chips have been donated/made available for snack or lunch.

(Adults and youth under 18 must sign a Volunteer Release form prior to working.  Forms provided by HOLLY House and are available on site. 

Volunteers must be at least 13 years of age and we ask that no children under 12 be on site for safety reasons.)

Green Tip of the Week

Commit to do your part. Simply making the decision to reduce paper usage and recycle paper can have a bigger impact than you might think. According to industry estimates, every ton of recycled paper saves:
        • 18 new trees from being harvested for pulp & paper production
        • uses 64% less energy
        • 50% less water
        • causes 74% less air pollution than the same quantity of paper from virgin wood pulp
Presbyterian Church (USA) Weekly Blogs:

August 19, 2013 World Council of Churches GENEVA Two ecumenical councils in South Sudan and Sudan have now been established. The decision comes after South Sudan's independence from Sudan in 2011 following a referendum mandated by the 2005 peace pact that ended Africa's longest-running civil war. ...�

 

August 19, 2013 Religion News Service Corrie Mitchell WASHINGTON A new voice is emerging in the evangelical community, and it's turning away from the church's vocal opposition to homosexuality in favor of a more tolerant attitude. ...�

 

Fossil Free PCUSA 08-19-2013 13:53:16 PM

Group urges Presbyterians to learn about, discuss climate change; divest from fossil fuel companies August 16, 2013 Presbyterian News Service Bethany Daily LOUISVILLE This weekend, Presbyterians and others interested in learning more about climate change and fossil fuels will gather in Knoxville, Tenn., for worship, education and small group discussions. The event is organized by members of First Presbyterian Church of Oak Ridge, Tenn., and Fossil Free PCUSA, a group calling for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to immediately stop investing in fossil fuel companies and to divest from all current holdings in the next five years. ...�


What's happening at Westminster this week?
All events can also be found on our website

 www.wpcwooster.org
We hope to see you there!  

 

Sunday, August 25, 2013  
9:30am - Choir Rehearsal in Mackey Hall.
10:45am - Worship in Mackey Hall. Pastor Dries will be preaching.
                Welcome, College of Wooster students! Brownie reception following worship. 

Tuesday, August 27, 2013 
7:00pm - Session Meeting in the Pastor's Study.

Wednesday, August 28, 2013  
10:00am - Monthly CAMO Volunteer Opportunity at 322 Westwood Ave., Orrville.
7:00pm - Choir Rehearsal in Mackey Hall 

 

Friday, August 30, 2013  
7:00am - Dance Group in Sunday School Room.

Sunday, September 1, 2013  
9:30am -  Choir Rehearsal in Mackey Hall.
10:45am - Worship in Mackey Hall. Pastor Dries will be preaching.
12:00pm - Social Justice Potluck in Mackey Hall

   

 

 
Westminster Grafic Vertical
"We are an Intentionally Inclusive Church"
Westminster Presbyterian Church embraces the "house" metaphor for our community as we worship at the Westminster Church House and have a strong sense of hospitality and desire to be a welcoming and inclusive church for all. We endeavor to give voice to a "progressive" expression of Christianity that emphasizes among other things:  
  • intellectual integrity in matters of faith; 
  • acceptance of all people regardless of race, creed, age, cultural background, or sexual orientation; 
  • openness toward the value of other religious traditions; 
  • a strong commitment to social justice, peacemaking, and the care of our planet.
Sincerely,  
Andries J. Coetzee
Pastor, Westminster Presbyterian Church
353 East Pine Street, Wooster, OH 44691