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Weekly News Friday, March 28, 2014
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Children's Education
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It has been quite some time since our last Sunday School! We will be meeting this Sunday at 9:45! We'll be continuing our conversation of violence in the Bible, and look specifically at how the Bible addresses violence against women.
On April 6th, Sunday School will be dedicated to Westminster's annual tradition of delivering Easter baskets to our home-bound members. Under the faithful direction of Ferenc and Candy Relle, all children are invited to join us Sunday, April 6th at 9am in the Sunday School room to color eggs and decorate baskets for our home-bound members. All materials will be provided. Please RSVP to Beth or myself if you plan to help deliver baskets after church so that we have adequate transportation for the event. Come one! Come all!
All children and grandchildren (and children-at-heart) are welcome!
See you Sunday!
Evangeline
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Get Involved
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Joe Hartzler will be the April Hospitality Coordinator. To help Joe make Westminster the warm and inviting place we are called to be, sign up to be a Sunday morning greeter, to provide flowers, or bring goodies for fellowship time after worship. If you are interested in helping,  please sign up through Sign Up Genius, on t he sign up board to the right of the name tags in the back of Mackey Hall, or by contacting Carly Jones (330-263-2398) in the church office.
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Bed & Breakfast Program
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 Our website is receiving requests for hospitality for the last weekend in April (26, 27, 28) due to a College of Wooster event for accepted students who have not committed to attending the College and for graduation weekend, May 10, 11, 12, 13. Please contact Linda Barbu, bed and breakfast coordinator, if you can commit to hosting visitors for either or both of these times.
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Speaking of Movies
by Richard Figge
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Non-Stop
 In Jaume Collet-Serra's very entertaining action-thriller Non-Stop, Liam Neeson is Bill Marks, an air marshal on a transatlantic flight who starts receiving text messages from someone on the plane. Unless $150 million dollars is deposited in an offshore account, the messages tell him, someone on the plane will die every 20 minutes.
The setup seems outrageous. Is someone on the ground, or in the plane, playing a joke?
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Reflection of the Week
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 | | Visiting HEPAC in Nogales, Mexico |
Re-entry
This past week was tough! For Beth and I, re-entering our life here in Ohio was challenging as we are filled with images from the US/Mexico border. After seeing the struggles of so many people crossing the border in search of a better life, one tends to get overwhelmed. What is hopeful is the determination of so many people forming a network of caring and active communities working together for justice and peace in the borderlands, making our world a better place for all. I am so grateful to return to a community that is part of that network here at Westminster. We, with the eight College of Wooster students on Westminster's delegation, are looking forward to sharing our images with you on Sunday, April 6 during worship, as well as at noon during the Social Justice Potluck.
Spring Break
This coming week Beth, the boys, and I will be visiting Beth's mother in Harlingen, TX for Spring Break (in addition, daughter Allison and son Harrison will be joining us!). We will be leaving this Saturday, May 29 and return next Saturday, April 5th (we will be in worship on Sunday, April 6). If you have pastoral care needs, please phone Carly at the Church Office and she will put you in touch with one of our deacons or area pastors.
Worship this Sunday 
This Sunday the Rev. Dr. Linda Morgan Clement will be preaching in our Lenten series, "Overcome Violence: The Power and Promise of Peace", as we focus on violence against women. "Celebrate the Gifts of Women Sunday" was celebrated across the PC(USA) on Sunday, March 9, to coincide with International Women's Day, March 8, a day established by the United Nations in 1975 to recognize and celebrate women for their achievements without regard to divisions, whether national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic, or political. In her letter promoting Women's Sunday Linda Valentine, Executive Director of the Presbyterian Mission Agency wrote:
"Rev. Mark Koenig, director of the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations, observes: "International Women's Day calls us to remember with thanks the women who have used their gifts to seek justice for all women and all people. It invites us to rejoice for the women whose gifts enrich our lives today. It challenges us to renew our efforts to ensure that all women reach their full potential. And it draws us into the future with hope as we imagine, and make real, the opportunities for all women to use their God-given gifts."
Please join with your sisters and brothers in celebrating the gifts of women - past, present, and future - as together we affirm in Christ that we are 'no longer strangers and aliens, but . . . citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God' (Eph. 2:19)."
I will keep you in my prayers on Sunday as we worship with Beth's mother, Mary Alice, at First United Methodist Church in Harlingen, TX.
Blessings,
Dries
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Lent @ Westminster
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March
30: Fourth Sunday in Lent
10:45am Violence against Women
Rev. Dr. Linda Morgan Clement preaching
April
6: Fifth Sunday in Lent
10:45am Violence and Immigration
The Westminster delegation to BorderLinks will lead worship
12:00pm Social Justice Potluck focusing on Immigration and the experiences of the Westminster BorderLinks delegation.
13: Palm Sunday
10:45am Liturgy of the Palms
The Gomes Choir will share their energy and music during a worship service that will mark the beginning of Holy Week.
7:00pm Cantate Singers will present a program of evening songs, including the Mozart Vespers, with a chamber orchestra.
17: Maundy Thursday
6:00pm Monthly Vegan Meal
7:00pm Communion Service in The Meeting Place
18: Good Friday
6:00pm Meditative Service
20: Easter Sunday
6:30am Sunrise Worship at Oak Hill Park pavilion
9:00am Brunch in The Meeting Place
10:45am Easter Service with Communion
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| Caring for our Blessings |
 As Doug Drushal led us to consider how we can protect our environment in his sermon of April 16th, perhaps we should consider some ways we have been blessed. We are very fortunate to have the piano we use in worship each Sunday. It has been heavily used for that and other activities, so in order to keep it functioning at its best in the future, there are some use related instructions that have been developed. Those will be posted on the piano (as well as attached here) for all of us to assure the continued "health and safety" of this blessing.
Submitted by the Building Committee
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April Social Justice Potluck
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On April 6, we will host our monthly Social Justice Potluck. Join us on this first Sunday of the month, Communion Sunday at noon, as we "extend the table".
Local Chef Linda Patten will again provide the main dish. We invite you to bring a salad or dessert to round out the table. Students needn't bring food, just come!
The program for April's potluck will be presented by the 2014 WPC BorderLinks delegation. This group of eight College of Wooster Students will share with us their experience and what they brought back from their trip to the US/Mexico border during Spring Break. RSVP through Sign Up Genius, to Carly in the Church Office, or on the Sign up board in the back of Mackey Hall.
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Adult Education
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 Adult Education for Sunday, March 30, 2014
Attendees at Adult Education this coming Sunday plan to discuss Chapter 20 entitled "Creative Transformation" in the book "Living the Questions - The Wisdom of Progressive Christianity" by David M. Felten and Jeff Procter-Murphy.
The authors contend that "A rapidly growing segment of the population is not involved in organized religion of any sort - and they are not just waiting to be invited. According to Christian pollster George Barna, they are 'passionately disinterested in the church." "People no longer see the church as the sole keeper of salvation. Seekers of spiritual integrity and members of the 'Church Alumni/ae Association' are finding their own creative ways to fulfill the deepest longings of their souls, free from the perceived, and often very real, hypocrisy of the church." For many church attenders "Experiencing a sense of belonging and acceptance is the primary benefit of a faith community." Next in importance is community "that supports their beliefs and perpetuates their preferences and prejudices most closely."
With this critique of the present day church, the authors proceed to suggest the path for change and transformation of the church so that it becomes a life giving element in our modern society.
This Sunday's Adult Education will discuss the authors' criticism of the church, especially as it relates to Westminster: Is there a need for change and transformation here at Westminster as well as the church as a whole?
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Next Book for Adult Education & Upcoming Speaker
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 On Sunday April 16 we will begin discussing the book, Authentic Hope: It's the End of the World as We Know It but Soft Landings Are Possible by Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer during Adult Education. "The world and nation we've known are coming to an end. It s not that we don't have a future, but the future we do have will differ radically from what we have come to experience as normal. Financial meltdowns, failed wars, melting ice caps, protracted unemployment, the end of cheap oil, and unprecedented droughts, floods, and heat waves all point to one central reality: Like it or not, it is all but certain that both as individuals and as a nation our futures will be marked by disruption and discontinuity. Although this is a scary thought, Authentic Hope builds on a more positive premise: that we have both an opportunity and a responsibility to shape the quality of our future. Whether events five, ten, or thirty years from now play out according to our worst fears or our better selves will be determined by many factors, including our capacity honestly to face problems, to envision and embody alternatives, and to cultivate and sustain hope (amazon.com)."
We have four more copies available for $18.00, but you can order it yourself at your preferred bookstore, and it is also available on Kindle for $9.99 and Nook for $10.99.
Save The Dates: May 17th & 18th
 | | Jack Nelson Pallmeyer |
We are inviting you to join your Westminster family and the community on Saturday, May 17th & and Sunday, May 18th to spend time with author Jack Nelson Pallmeyer. Jack is Associate Professor of Justice and Peace Studies at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota. He is a graduate of St. Olaf College where he majored in Political Science. Jack did his theological training at Union Theological Seminary in New York City where he received a Master of Divinity degree. Jack is an activist academic whose life and work are focused on addressing the political, economic, faith, and foreign policy dimensions of hunger and poverty.
Jack is one of the founders of the Minnesota Arms Spending Alternatives Project (mnasap.org), a grassroots initiative to build a state-wide movement to shift federal spending priorities from militarization and war to meeting essential needs.
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Easter Flowers
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 As we prepare for Easter, we will be collecting donations for the Daffodils, Tulips, Royal Geraniums, and of course Easter Lilies which will compliment our sanctuary Easter Sunday. If you are interested in donating a flower in memory/in honor of a loved one, please fill out the Flower Order Form and return to the church office or place in the offering plate during worship before Sunday, April 13th. All additional money raised will be given to People to People ministries.
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| Health Kits |
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Brushing teeth is a daily routine most of us take for granted--but not seven-year-old Mohammed, who has been living in a tent city where water can be scarce. After the October 2005 earthquake that flattened Mohammed's hometown, CWS provided refugees with shelter, water, sanitation, schooling, CWS Health and School Kits, and medicine. Photo: Annie Griffiths for CWS
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As part of Westminster's response to our Lenten call to "Overcome Violence: The Power and Promise of Peace", we ask you to participate in our yearly Church World Service Hygiene Kit collection.
Please consider purchasing hand towels, nail clippers, wide tooth combs, and toothbrushes (individually packaged) to complete hygiene kits for Church World Service Gifts of the Heart. These are a component of the Presbyterian Church's disaster assistance helping those who are victims of war, natural disasters or economic injustice. Clean hands, teeth and face can bring some normalcy to a disrupted life. Church World Service is a partner organization of Presbyterian Disaster Assistance.
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Clemency for Arthur Tyler
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 Arthur Tyler will be executed on May 28, 2014 unless the Governor intervenes. The co-defendant in this case, Leroy Head, confessed no less than eleven times that he killed the victim, Sander Leach. Today Leroy Head is a free man while Mr. Tyler awaits the death penalty. The clemency phase is Mr. Tyler's last chance to receive a fair sentence. In a case so riddled with doubt and inconsistencies, the Governor would be more than justified to ensure the integrity of our criminal justice system by commuting Mr. Tyler's sentence. Write Governor Kasich today and urge him to grant clemency for Arthur Tyler.
Get involved & write Gov. Kasich Read the full story
From the Synod of the Covenant
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CAMO Fundraiser
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Central American Medical outreach is hosting its 9th annual Golf Scramble at the Pines Golf Club in Orrville on Saturday June 21st.
CAMO is a non-denomination, faith-based nonprofit that provides humanitarian aid to the people of Honduras. For more information about CAMO or the golf outing, please visit www.CAMO.org or call our office at 330-683-5956. Please join us for a great day of golf for a great cause!
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Green Tip of the Week
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Birds on the Wing
Colorful to see, a delight to hear, birds lend grace and beauty to our surroundings and provide natural insect control. To make your residence or neighborhood an inviting sanctuary for birds, create places for them to nest, feed, drink, and wash. Here's some advice on birdhouses, feeders, and birdbaths:
- Birdhouses. If suitable natural nesting habitats such as old trees are in short supply, build or buy a birdhouse and install it out of reach of cats, squirrels, and other predators.
- Feeders. Commercial bird feeders are available in most hardware stores, but you can also make feeders out of plastic bottles or milk cartons that can be hung from safe places such as a clothesline.
- Cultivated flowers also are especially attractive to some birds, particularly goldfinches, house finches, juncos, white-throated sparrows, and hummingbirds.
- Bird Baths. Birds are most comfortable with a rough-surfaced source of water about 2 feet wide, no more than 2 inches deep. A shallow dish or gently-sloping bowl placed right on the ground will do, as will a plastic or terra cotta plant dish or inverted metal trash lid. Put the bath out in the open, not close to shrubs or places where cats can hide. A thorny bush or protective brush pile may make the birds feel more secure.
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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, March 30, 2014
9:30am - Adult Education in the Lounge
9:30am - Choir Rehearsal in Mackey Hall
9:45am - Children's Education in the Sunday School Room 10:45am - Worship in Mackey Hall, Rev. Dr. Linda Morgan-Clement will be the guest preacher
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
7:45am - Men's Breakfast at Downtown Buehler's
8:30am - UKirk Agape Latte in Old Main Cafe
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
8:00am - Mission Committee Meeting at Greenleaf
7:00pm - Choir Rehearsal in Mackey Hall
Thursday April 3, 2014
6:00pm - UKirk in The Meeting Place
6:30pm - Dance Group in Mackey Hall
Sunday, April 6, 2014
9:00am - Children's Education in the Sunday School Room, Easter Basket preparation 9:30am - Adult Education in the Lounge
9:30am - Choir Rehearsal in Mackey Hall
10:45am - Worship in Mackey Hall, Pastor Dries will be the preaching
12:00pm - Social Justice Potluck in Mackey Hall, BorderLinks delegation presenting
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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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