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Weekly News Friday, August 1, 2014
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Get Involved
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Help 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 (330-263-2398330-263-2398) in the church office.
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People to People Summer Collections
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The Benevolences Committee would like to concentrate on providing cereal and oatmeal to People to People during May through August. With children home during the summer, cereal makes an easy snack as well as a breakfast and the pantry always seems to need it. Cereals which are lower in sugar and higher in protein are most helpful.
Dorothy Iams and Jean Brazee, regular volunteers at People to People, mentioned in worship that there is also a strong need for peanut butter, 4 to 6 oz. empty glass jars with lids, and dish detergent.
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What has Boy Scout Troop 61 been up to?
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Recently (7/6 - 7/12 for the Boy Scouts, 7/9-12 for Cub Scouts) - the Troop and Pack went to Summer Camp at the Seven Ranges Boy Scout Reservation. The troop took 19 Scouts, and 7 adults. The Webelos took 11 youth and 8 adults. During their time at camp, the boys worked on Merit Badges, Camp Honors Requirements (Identifying Trees, Plants, Bugs, Animals and Constellations). Many worked on service projects to make the camp better. On Thursday night, the Troop hosted dinner in our campsite for the troop, Webelos, parents and alumni. There were about 70 people sharing fellowship and a meal. We all had a wonderful time.
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Help us to make Westminster more Intentionally Inclusive!
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As an "Intentionally Inclusive" community of faith, we have been fortunate to see an increase in the number of individuals and organizations calling "Westminster Church House" their home. In the last several years we have worked hard to update the "Church House". However, to meet our future goals and be more hospitable, we find we need to build a bathroom on the same level as Mackey Hall. In order to reach this goal, we need your help to bring this project to fruition. Read more on how you can help!
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Worship At Westminster
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Sunday, August 3, 2014
Worship service at 10:00am in Mackey Hall, Rev. Andries Coetzee preaching. Communion will be celebrated.
Sunday, August 10, 2014
Worship service at 10:00am in Mackey Hall, Rev. Andries Coetzee preaching.
Sunday, August 17, 2014
Worship service at 10:00am in Mackey Hall, Rev. Andries Coetzee preaching. Westminster will be celebrating the Blessing of the Backpacks as we prepare to send our children back to school.
Sunday, August 24, 2014
Worship service at 10:45am in Mackey Hall, Rev. Andries Coetzee preaching. Westminster will welcome first year and returning College of Wooster students in worship and with a brownie reception following.
Sunday, August 31, 2014
Worship services at 10:45am in Mackey Hall, Rev. Andries Coetzee preaching.
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Reflection of the Week
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We are glad to be back with the Weekly News after our summer break! Much has happened in the Presbyterian Church since our last mailing the end of May.
On Saturday, June 21st when the actions of the 221st General Assembly took effect, many believe that our denomination moved in a direction of becoming a more just, inclusive, and Christ-like community, while others feel like we have abandoned the Bible. In the coming weeks we will examine the decisions made by the Assembly and publish links to articles with different views. We will also take time to relate the implications to our ministry here at Westminster.
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Twelve for Tea
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On Saturday, July 26, twelve members of Westminster traveled to the picturesque town of Canal Fulton to the Dragonfly Tea Room for high tea. To show our appreciation, the Benevolence Committee members hosted those who have opened their homes to travelers as part of Westminster's Bed and Breakfast hospitality. 
We left bewildered by the many choices of tea and impressed with the quiche, soup, finger sandwiches and sweet treats. Tea drinkers were Linda & Greg Barbu, Sue Coleman, Janelle & Jim Collier, Nahida & Don Gordon, Lee Peart & her granddaughter Caroline, Shelley Peterson, and Candy & Ferenc Relle.
Proceeds from the Bed and Breakfast program fund our mission efforts.
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Habitat Updates
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Ecumenical Build Dedication - On Sunday, June 22, Habitat dedicated the Mechanicsburg Rd, house built for Heidi Dellafave. A video of the event was filmed, and each church that participated will receive a copy. Thanks to all for making Heidi's dreams come true! We hope to begin another ecumenical build in July, 2016.
 The 75th House - Groundbreaking for Habitat's House #75 took place on July 5 in Orrville! Donations collected so far equal about $10,000. Chuck Jones and his elderly father will be the recipients. ReStore Relocation - The ReStore is moving to 6096 East Lincoln Way in Wooster! The official opening is September 15, but Habitat wants to take advantage of the traffic on East Lincoln Way during their famous BUY-WAY Yard Sale. During the August 7,8, & 9 event, Habitat will be operating the ReStore business at the new location during regular store hours (9-4), which means the ReStore will be CLOSED at our old store during those days. On Thursday the 7th, we will have cookies and treats. On Friday the 8th and Saturday the 9th, we will offer free hot dogs, drinks, and chips - donations, of course, will be accepted! Interested in participating in the BUY-WAY sale? We're offering 12x12 rental spaces for $25 for the entire weekend. Call Ron Woodward, ReStoreAssistant Manager, at 330-465-7569330-465-7569.
Romanian Guests! Mario De Mezzo, The Director of Habitat for Humanity Romania, and Ionut Raita, the Operations Director of Habitat Romania, will be visiting Wayne and Holmes Counties in August. Both Holmes and Wayne Counties are financial contributors to Habitat's work in Romania. The pair will be visiting our counties, and the two Habitats will host them for four days.
Two community events have been scheduled around the pair's visit. The first event is in Wayne County at Westminster Presbyterian's Mackey Hall at 7:00 p.m. on Weds., August 13th. Mario will be speaking about his country's culture and its struggles with housing and current flooding problems. The meeting will be of interest to anyone who would like to learn about another country! The second event will take place at New Point Community Church, 8882 Ohio 39, Millersburg on Friday, Aug. 15, beginning with a social time from 6:00-7:00 p.m. followed by a more formal service of singing and Mario speaking from 7:00-8:00 p.m. Bluegrass and BBQ, a fundraiser sponsored by TJ's Restaurant, Wayne Savings Bank and Hearts for Habitat, will take place August 25th from 4:30 - 9:00 at TJ's in downtown Wooster. Tickets are $20.00 if purchased in advance and $25.00 at the door. Live music will be available throughout the evening by 'The Backroom Boys,' John Schmid, and Upriver. BBQ chicken and pork will be options with corn on the cob and other delicious sides! Gift baskets will be raffled off, and there will be also be 50/50 drawings. Tickets are available at the ReStore, TJ's Restaurant, and Buehler's - Downtown, Milltown, and Orrville.
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Take Action for Gaza
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 | | Yasmine Perni |
Many of us feel feel helpless as we witness the violence in Gaza and see the humanitarian crises unfolding before us. We often forget that one thing we can do is to better educate ourselves regarding Israel/Palestine and bring some sanity to the dialogue in the United States. On Wednesday, July 30th Westminster Presbyterian Church did just that! A group of about 25 community members joined in The Lounge for a viewing and discussion of The Stones Cry Out, led by the filmmaker, Yasmine Perni, and learned more about the plight of Palestinian Christians. Yasmine Perni is a graduate of the University of London's School of Oriental and African Studies and has worked as a journalist, photographer, television producer, and mother. Perni went into documentary film-making inspired by the Christians of Palestine, whose story of perseverance and pride has been largely obscured by the headlines.
As the ground assault in Gaza continues, The Presbyerian Church (U.S.A.) joins ecumenical and interfaith partners calling for an immediate ceasefire to all violence. In his recent statement regarding the violence in Gaza and Israel, PC (USA) Stated Clerk, Grayde Parsons, writes, "We call upon all parties involved to stop the violence and agree to an immediate cease-fire, under which the borders of Gaza can be opened to humanitarian aid and desperately needed medical assistance for the sick and wounded."
The PC(USA) stands beside both Israelis and Palestinians working for a non-violent solution to end the conflict. We oppose violence in all of its forms. It must be made clear that in Gaza, where 1.8 million people live under complete blockade in a 140-square-mile area, with borders controlled by Israel and Egypt, civilians are often in harm's way from Israeli fire, regardless of the intended target. At the same time, we condemn rockets from Gaza launched indiscriminately into southern Israel. These hostile actions do not contribute to the possibility of peace. Read more about the PC (USA) Action Alert.
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Green Tip of the Week
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Sunscreen's Impact on Coral Reefs
Coral reefs are an extremely important part of our environment; they contain biodiversity unlike any other ecosystem in the world. The millions of unusual animal and plant species living in coral reefs would not be able to survive without their coral habitats. And, as the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration explains, coral reefs are our "medicine cabinet of the 21 st century," as they will likely yield important new discoveries and help cure diseases. If you're still in doubt about the importance of coral, reefs protect coastal areas from storms and erosion, and even remove and recycle excess carbon.
But, these amazing ecosystems are increasingly threatened. A study published in the Journal of Environmental Health Perspectives found that by promoting viral infection, sunscreens potentially play an important role in coral bleaching. It is estimated that up to 6,000 tons of sunscreen is released annually by tourists in reef areas, and because sunscreens are often petroleum based, they don't biodegrade.
When chemicals in sunscreen come in contact with reefs, the coral becomes stressed, pushing out the algae living inside and leaving behind a vulnerable skeletal structure. As coral reefs lose their biological inhabitants due to toxins, pollution and increased temperatures due to global warming, they also lose their pigments, becoming "bleached."
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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, August 3rd
10:00am - Worship in Mackey Hall, Pastor Dries preaching
Tuesday, August 5th
7:45am - Men's Breakfast at Downtown Buehler's
Thursday, August 7th
7:15am - Dance Group in Mackey Hall
Sunday, August 10th
10:00am- Worship in Mackey Hall, Pastor Dries preaching
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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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