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Weekly News Friday, November 1, 2013
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Worship
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Sunday, November 3rd
All Saints Sunday with
Pastor Dries preaching and David Noble sharing about "Faithful Giving". College of Wooster senior, Emily Cherney will be our guest speaker at the November Social Justice Potluck after worship.
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Children's Education
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Last week in Sunday School Janelle
Collier led a discussion on All Saints. This coming Sunday everyone is encouraged to bring a framed picture of a loved one that has passed away, in official celebration of All Saints Sunday.
In Sunday School this week (meeting at 9:45), Barbara Tartir will help the kids decorate cards to include in the fall bags for our homebound members. Our children will be helping the Deacons pack bags on the 10th.
Evangeline will be out of town for the annual meeting of the Covenant Network of Presbyterians in Chicago.
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Ecumenical Build
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Check out these updates on the exciting time we're having with the six churches involved in the Ecumenical Build!!
Thank you all for being a part of this, we couldn't do it without you.
God bless you,
Beth Weaver
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November Social Justice Potluck
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 The November Social Justice Potluck will be this Sunday after 10:45am worship. This month's program will be presented by College of Wooster senior Emily Cherney who is majoring in Religious Studies and Communication Studies. She will be sharing about her experiences working with and interviewing Palestinian refugees at Aida Refugee Camp (located outside of Bethlehem, West Bank) and will explain how this shaped her Independent Study. A main dish will be provided. 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.
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Be a part of Westminster's Radical Hospitality!
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Here's how you can help keep Westminster a warm and welcoming community of faith! Sign up to be a Sunday morning greeter, to provide flowers, clean up after communion, or bring goodies for fellowship time after worship. If you are interested in helping, please sign up through Sign Up Genius, on the sign up board to the right of the name tags in the back of Mackey Hall, or by contacting Carly Jones ( cjones@wooster.edu or 330-263-2398) in the church office.
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Breakfast with Pastor Dries
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 Join me for breakfast on Tuesday, November 5th (always on the first Tuesday of the month) at the Downtown Buehler's at 7:45am. Hope to see you there!
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Soup Sale
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 Don't miss out! The soup sale is going on now with proceeds going to the HOPE (Helping Others Prepare for Employment) fund. Use the attached Order Form to reserve your soup today!
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Contributions to the Weekly News
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Contributions for our Weekly News are due by 8:00am on Thursday mornings. If received later, they will be published in the next week's edition
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Message from Dries
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Fabricio Beltran and Greg Peterson working at the Habitat House
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This week we have much to celebrate at Westminster! Last weekend numerous members of our congregation participated in volunteering for the Habitat Ecumenical Build, extended hospitality to The College of Wooster students and their families through our Bed & Breakfast program and a lunch reception after worship, attended the Israel Palestine Mission Network Conference and the Stated Meeting of the Synod of the Covenant where they presented an overture for the Presbyterian Church (USA) to engage the US Government to promote peace in Israel/Palestine. In a very real way, through sweat, engagement, and advocacy we made real the Kin-dom of God among us, that is a place where "all are welcome, worthy, and invited; lives are transformed and empowered; and the fruits of God's gentle justice bloom throughout all Creation" [1].
This weekend we continue to do so as Westminster helps support a group of students from the Office of Interfaith Campus Ministry at The College of Wooster to attend the annual meeting of the Covenant Network of Presbyterians by providing rides to and from Cleveland where they will take the Megabus to Chicago. We are also providing snacks for the trip and a gift certificate to provide one of their lunches. Also on Sunday we will have our monthly Social Justice Potluck where College of Wooster senior Emily Cherney will share her experiences working with and interviewing Palestinian refugees at Aida Refugee Camp (located outside of Bethlehem, West Bank). Just a reminder that these Social Justice Potlucks are very much intended to promote peacemaking as we believe that a "potluck is not only a great way to eat, but also a concrete demonstration of what we value in our lives: equality, inclusion of all, compassion, and generosity" [2].
During worship on Sunday we will celebrate All Saints Sunday as we remember and give thanks for all those who have gone before us and have joined "the great cloud of witnesses".
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." -(Hebrews 12:1-3)
Here at Westminster, as in many other communities of faith, these are the people who have shaped and formed our faith and inspired us to make a difference in the world we live. This Sunday we will invite all of you who want to share a story and/or picture of such people in your lives to join us for worship as we will display their pictures and also give opportunity during worship to share short stories as well as lift their names in prayer.
As we start our stewardship campaign for 2014 on Sunday, we  will give thanks for the generosity of these saints with the theme "Faithfulness Sustains the Generations". On Sunday we will especially give thanks to one such saint, Alice Noble, whose generosity enables us today to engage in many of our peacemaking activities. During worship David Noble will share his family's story of making the world a better place for all through "Faithful Giving".
Together in the journey,
Dries
[2] Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer and Bret Hesla, 2005: "Worship in the Spirit of Jesus: Theology, liturgy and songs without Violence". The Pilgrim Press: Cleveland, Ohio
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Don't forget to turn your clocks back!
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All Saints Sunday, November 3rd: Remembering That Great Cloud of Witnesses
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 On Sunday, November 3rd we will be celebrating All Saints Day, a time to remember Christians of every time and place, honoring those who lived faithfully and shared their faith with us. During morning worship we will recognize and celebrate "all the saints who from their labors rest". We invite you to bring a photo(s) to worship of a loved one(s) (friend/family/educator/mentor) who has died, encouraged you in life, and whom you want to remember and honor. The pictures will be displayed in Mackey Hall during worship, thus being a very real presence in our remembrances.
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The Fruits of our Labor
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 | | College of Wooster Students work at the Restore with Beth Coetzee |
Westminster's Habitat for Humanity work day at the Ecumenical Build site and at the Restore was a great success last Saturday! We had many volunteers, both Westminster members and friends and College of Wooster students, and were even joined by some members of First Presbyterian.
This mission project has certainly been a successful one from the very beginning! When members of your Mission Committee first attended an informational meeting down at the Habitat office back in March, we weren't sure our "little" church could really make a meaningful contribution. Were we ever wrong!
We want to thank everyone who jumped in with both feet to make our participation in the Ecumenical Build quite the amazing success! From our first fundraising effort - the fun-filled Rubber Ducky Races in July - to the very successful Habitat Auction at the end of September, so many of you contributed so generously. We easily raised the $5000 we had committed to the Habitat project. Combining our efforts through the Pursuing Fruitfulness campaign made it possible for us to also raise approximately $4500 needed to "re-imagine" our own "house, " and these amounts were generously matched by Dave and Gayle Noble.
Once again we have proven that Westminster may be small, but we are mighty! Together we invested in our community and in our worship space, and moved faithfully towards those congregational goals of risk-taking mission and service, and certainly extravagant generosity. Let the people say..."Amen!"
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| "Pursuing Fruitfulness" Stewardship 2014 |
"Consider how your giving can transform your life and that of others."
This fall we have met our challenge of "Pursuing Fruitfulness". You helped Westminster raise $20,000 in total with $5,000 for our contribution to the Habitat Ecumenical Build and $15,000 for our Mackey Re-imagining Project. On Saturday, October 26, many of you participated in one way or another to make our contribution to the Habitat Ecumenical Build a huge success.
Now we ask you to do the same for Westminster's annual stewardship drive. In the coming weeks we urge you to prayerfully reflect on your commitment to Westminster for this coming year and to consider how your giving can transform your life and that of others.
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Sunday, November 3
"Faithfulness Sustains the Generations"
We will celebrate All Saints Day, a time to remember Christians of every time and place, honoring those who lived faithfully and shared their faith and resources with us. As part of our Stewardship Campaign we will contemplate how we can sustain the ministry of Westminster through our giving.
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Sunday, November 10
"Stewardship is Faith in Action"
At Westminster, mission is the heart of our response to God's call to ministry. On this Mission Sunday, Pastor Dries will preach on stewardship and our Mission Cohort will lead us in considering Westminster's vision for outreach in 2014.
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Sunday, November 17
"Commitment Sunday"
We ask that you prayerfully consider how thankful giving can transform your life in response to God's generosity. We invite you to bring your completed pledge cards to worship in support of the mission and ministry of Westminster in 2014.
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All Saints Meditation by Debbie Rundlett
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 "Well, He's No Saint!"
Reposted from the Muskingum Valley Weekly Mission Update 10/31/13
That was the expression my grandmother used in response to odd behaviors of family members that she did not consider appropriate. While we weren't sure what would constitute a "saint," we were pretty clear when we were outside the bounds of sainthood. Still, her expression prompted the question: "What exactly is a saint?"
Different religious traditions use the term in different ways. In the Roman Catholic and Anglican traditions, individuals who have led particularly holy lives attain "sainthood." Yet the Apostle Paul in Romans 1:7 is clear that we are "called to be saints." So, what then is a saint?
My favorite definition of a saint is a person whose life reflects the love of God. Simply put, a saint is a person whose actions and being shine the love of God into the lives of others. Being a saint is not about being perfect. It is about being holy. We are not holy because we never sin. We are not holy because we are perfect. We are holy because we are set apart through our baptism to reflect the love of God. We express this holiness when we allow our lives to be formed in response to God's forgiveness and love. We live as a holy people when we allow the Spirit of God to work through us to heal the world.
Do you know any saints? I do! I can name a long list of people through whom I have experienced the love of God and in whom I have seen God's love shine. I can even name some saints in this presbytery.
God has blessed all of us with saints who have touched our lives. The Apostles' Creed speaks of "the communion of saints," calling us to remember all the saints who have touched us.
This coming Sunday is All Saints Sunday. Liturgically, it is one of the days set aside to honor and celebrate the saints in our lives, the people in whom God's light has shined for us. As the old hymn reminds us:
They lived not only in ages past, there are hundreds of thousands still;
The world is bright with the joyous saints who love to do Jesus' will.
You can meet them in school or in lanes, or at sea.
In church, or in trains or in shops, or at tea*
For the saints of God are just folk like me, And I mean to be one too.
Blessings, all you who are called to saints!
Deborah Rundlett
General Presbyter, Muskingum Valley Presbytery
*Yes, this is a British hymn! :)
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| Building An Inclusive Church |
 Because Westminster strives to be "Intentionally Inclusive", I invite you to join me in attending the "The Building an Inclusive Church" training as it will help us to design and implement a process for our congregation to publicly and intentionally welcome people of all gender identities and sexual orientations. The "Building an Inclusive Church" training will equip us with ways to create dialogue and deepening relationships throughout the congregation rather than sparking debate and division. There are two upcoming training opportunities in our area in 2014:
Feb. 21 - 22, 2014, Columbus, OH
Feb. 28 - March 1, 2014, Cleveland, OH
Please e-mail me if you are interested in joining me and specify your preferred date.
Dries
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Mark your Calendar: Upcoming Dates
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Mission Sunday, November 10th: We invite you to join us for a worship service focused on Westminster's Missions followed by a conversation about our vision for 2014. We invite all to bring something to eat and have enough to share with others.
Stewardship Sunday, November 17th: In our "Pursuit of Fruitfulness" we invite you to pledge your commitment to Westminster for 2014.
Alternative Gift Market, December 1st:
First Presbyterian Church in Wooster from 12:00 to 2:30
December Social Justice Potluck, December 8th
Soup luncheon with speaker who has benefitted from the HOPE (Helping Others Prepare for Employment) fund
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Presbyterian Church (USA) Weekly Blogs:
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What's happening at Westminster this week?
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All events can also be found on our website
www.wpcwooster.org
We hope to see you there!
Sunday, November 3, 2013
9:30am - Adult Education in the Lounge
9:45am - Children's Education in the Sunday School Room
10:45am - Worship in Mackey Hall, Pastor Dries Preaching
12:00pm- Social Justice Potluck, Speaker C.O.W. Senior Emily Cherney
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
7:45 am Breakfast with Pastor Dries at the Downtown Buehler's
Thursday, November 7, 2013 6:00pm - UKirk in The Meeting Place7:00pm - Dance Group in Mackey Hall Saturday, November 9, 2013 11:30am-1pm - Evelyn Camp Craig reception at the Wooster Inn Sunday, November 10, 2013 9:30am - Choir Rehearsal in Mackey Hall
9:30am - Adult Education in the Lounge9:45am - Children's Education in the Sunday School Room 10:45am - Worship in Mackey Hall, Pastor Dries Preaching 12:00pm - Mission 2014 Conversation in Mackey Hall 12:00pm - Deacon's Meeting in Mackey Kitchen
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"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,
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Andries J. Coetzee
Pastor, Westminster Presbyterian Church
353 East Pine Street, Wooster, OH 44691
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