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Weekly News Friday, August 8, 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 sheet in Mackey Hall, or by contacting Carly Jones (330-263-2398) 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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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 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
| The Assembly In Brief of the Presbyterian Church (USA) had the following to say about the biannual meeting of our denomination.
"The 221st General Assembly (2014) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (GA221) will most likely go down in history as one that said "yes" on a number of controversial issues that have been before various Assemblies without resolution. GA221 took purposeful action on the questions of same-gender marriage, divestment from companies pursuing non-peaceful business practices in Israel-Palestine, including the Confession of Belhar in the Book of Confessions, and reorganizing and revitalizing synods. The 654 commissioners spent a great deal of time crafting messages and means for interpreting their actions, emphasizing the importance of individual conscience in Presbyterian polity, and devising plans for church leaders to visit all 171 presbyteries to seek as much reconciliation as is possible in a deeply divided church." In the following weeks we will explore some of the decisions made, or as our denomination put it, "controversial issues" as it relates to the ministry of Westminster. As always we encourage you to add your voice to the discussion.
Israel/Palestine This week we are looking at the Assembly's decision to divest from companies profiting from the occupation. As many of you know by now I attended the Assembly as a commissioner from Muskingum Valley Presbytery and served on the Middle East committee of the Assembly. If you would like to see my speech during the plenary discussion, click on the link below and forward to 1:49:58 on the timeline.
In the days after the assembly I wrote an article that was published last week on the website of the The Plain Dealer Cleveland. Mark Braverman, author of Fatal Embrace: Christians, Jews, and the Search for Peace in the Holy Land and A Wall in Jerusalem: Hope, Healing and the Struggle for Justice in Israel and Palestine, wrote the following about the article in his blog entitled "I encourage you to read the whole blog, especially for how Coetzee responds to the challenging comments. It is clear that it is his experience growing up in apartheid South Africa that provided the moral platform for this pastor's clarity and courage. "I personally support divestment and spoke in favor of it on the plenary floor," he wrote, "based on my experience of growing up in South Africa during the height of the apartheid years, as part of the white Afrikaans-speaking minority who oppressed the black majority." The lessons he draws for today speak loud and clear..."
See below in the Weekly News, the official stance of the Presbyterian Church (USA), a video of Nahida Gordon being interviewed by Amy Goodwin on Democracy Now, and a new Action Alert for Israel/Palestine from the Presbyterian Church (USA).. |
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Church World Service School Kits
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Back to school sales are a common part of August and help us economically collect school supplies for Church World Service
school kits.
To achieve our goal of 100 school kits we'll need the following items:
282 #2 pencils
160 spiral notebooks with 70 pages each
70 large erasers (not pencil cap style)
55 hand-held pencil sharpeners
50 boxes of 24-count crayons
40 pairs of BLUNT tip scissors
One-third of all kits CWS collects come from Ohio, so our contributions make a significant impact helping our sisters and brothers affected by natural disasters and human-made disasters such as war or political unrest. Please contribute what you are able and remember "little things mean a lot".
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GA 221 and Israel/Palestine
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The 221st General Assembly (2014) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) approved a measure recommending that the Board of Pensions, the Foundation, and its members divest from three corporations whose products it believes contribute to the Israeli occupation of Palestine. The companies-Caterpillar, Hewlett-Packard, and Motorola Solutions-are used by the Israeli government in the occupied territories and are not in compliance with the General Assembly's policy on socially responsible investing. The PC(USA) has a decades-long history of socially responsible investing. The General Assembly measure also says that this action does not indicate an alignment with the overall global Boycott, Divest and Sanctions (BDS) movement. It affirms the importance of economic measures and cooperation between Israelis and Palestinians that support and advance a negotiated two-state solution, and encourages Presbyterians to travel to the Holy Land to give broad support to the Christian, Jewish, and Muslim communities throughout the Middle East. The General Assembly also called for a study to determine whether a two-state solution continues to be viable. Regarding Zionism Unsettled, the assembly declared that the publication does not represent the views of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (GA221 on Israel-Palestine).
For more resources from the Presbyterian Church (USA) click here).
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Nahida Gordon on Democracy Now with Amy Goodwin
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 | | Pressuring Israel, Presbyterian Church Divests From Firms Tied to Occupation of Palestinian Land |
In what is being hailed as a major milestone for the global campaign to boycott and divest from Israel over its treatment of Palestinians, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) voted to divest from three companies that it says supply Israel with equipment used in the occupation of Palestinian territory. According to the church, the three firms - Motorola Solutions, Caterpillar
,and Hewlett-Packard - profit from the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land by selling bulldozers, surveillance technology, and other similar products. The decision passed by seven votes, 310 to 303, making the Presbyterian Church the largest religious group to vote for divestment. We are joined by two guests: Dr. Nahida Gordon, a Palestinian-American professor who is a member of the steering committee of the Israel/Palestine Mission Network in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.); and Rabbi Alissa Wise, director of organizing at Jewish Voice for Peace. See the transcript of video below here.
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Habitat Upcoming Events
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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 Wednesday, 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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News from Kate
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 Kate Taber, Presbyterian Church (USA) Mission Co-Worker in Israel and Palestine since 2014
Serving at the invitation of Palestinian churches in Bethlehem and elsewhere in the Holy Land.
"On Thursday, July 31, I had the privilege of interviewing our friend and Nathan's colleague, Sami Abdelshafi, in order to share with you what it's been like to be in Gaza in the midst of Operation Protective Edge. He is a journalist and political consultant, and also works for The Carter Center's conflict resolution program. His family is from Gaza, though none but him remain there. He has American citizenship as well, but returned to Gaza in 2004 and has been living and working there since...>>>
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More About Divestment and Israel/Palestine
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 Presbyterian Church (USA) has tough love for Israel
By Jeff Paschal
Recently the Presbyterian Church (USA)'s General Assembly (basically the clergy and laity voting delegates to our national assembly) voted to divest from three U.S. corporations "whose products it believes contribute to the Israeli occupation of Palestine." This column is an attempt to clarify that action and respond to the controversy that has followed it. As with all my columns, I speak for myself, not for my entire congregation....>>>
Presbyterians Divest from the Israeli Occupation: The End of the Beginning?
by Robert Naiman
When there is a just resolution to the Israel/Palestine conflict, I will claim that June 20, 2014 marked a turning point. That was the day that the Presbyterian Church, USA voted to divest from Caterpillar, Hewlett-Packard and Motorola Solutions as a result of these companies' continued involvement in the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and these companies' continued refusal to change their policies....>>>
Let's Tell the Truth About This International Madness
The horrible human costs and increasing danger the world is now facing in Gaza, Ukraine, and Iraq show the consequences of not telling the truth. And unfortunately, we seem to mostly have political leaders who are unwilling to admit the truth of what's happening, deal with root causes instead of exploiting symptoms, and then do everything possible to prevent the escalation of violence and further wars. Instead we have politicians who are mostly looking for opportunities to blame their political opponents, boost their own reputations, and protect business interests. As people of faith, we are called to speak the truth in love. It's time for some truth telling....>>>
'Silence Is Betrayal:' Speaking Out for Peace
by Ryan Herring 08-05-2014 | 2:43pm
As a black American I march because my people know what it is like to suffer the brunt of unjust systems. As Kristian Davis Bailey points out: "The experiences of African Americans and Palestinians with systemic mass incarceration are also strikingly similar. Forty percent of Palestinian men have been arrested and detained by Israel at some point in their lives. (To put this in perspective, the 2008 figure for Blacks was 1 in 11.) Israel maintains policies of detaining and interrogating Palestinian children that bear resemblance to the stop and frisk policy and disproportionate raids and arrests many of our youth face."...>>>
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Take Action for Gaza
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The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Office of Witness mourns the daily loss of life and destruction of infrastructure resulting from the nearly month long military operation in Gaza. We hope that the most recent ceasefire, announced on August 5, 2014, will allow for much needed humanitarian aid work in Gaza and allay the fears of Israelis and Palestinans. In this uncertain time we offer prayers for the Palestinians and Israelis who have been affected by this recent escalation in violence. We grieve with the familes in Palestine who mourn the loss of loved ones. According to the most recent UN Report, more than 85% of those killed in Gaza have been civilans, including over 400 children. We likewise grieve with those in Israel who mourn the loss of loved ones including the families of the 64 soldiers, 2 civilians, and 1 foreign national killed. The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) deplores violence in all of its forms and stands beside Israelis and Palestinians who are working to end the conflict through non-violent means.
An immediate cessation of violence, however, will not produce a lasting peace in Palestine and Israel. All aspects of the illegal Israeli military occupation of Palestine must be addressed in order to help bring about a sustainable and just peace for all parties. Shortly before its August recess, Congress voted to provide Israel with an additional $255 million dollars in military aid. At the 221st General Assembly (2014), The PC (USA) "[called] for all foreign aid given by the U.S. government-including aid to Israel and the Palestinian Authority-to be comprehensively and transparently accounted to the American people and held to the same standards of compliance with all applicable laws." As Members of Congress spend August recess back in their home state and districts, reach out to your Representative and Senators. Let them know that U.S. military aid to Israel must not be used to further support the occupation of Palestine.
Click here to contact your Members of Congress today!
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| Did you know the Presbyterian Church (USA) boycotts Israeli settlement products? |
Adding to its long history of prophetic action for peace in Palestine-Israel, the 220th General Assembly (2012) of the PC (USA) overwhelming voted to boycott all products made in illegal Israeli settlements. Limited only toward private companies profiting from the occupation of Palestine, the boycott is a tangible, and non-violent economic mechanism Presbyterians can utilize to work for peace for Israelis and Palestinians. Click here to learn more about the boycot, including information about which companies to boycott.
Take action now to work for peace in Israel-Palestine, sign on to the PC (USA) boycott of Israeli settlement products here!
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Green Tip of the Week
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What would summer be without barbecues, picnics, and spur-of-the-moment meals eaten outdoors? Take the "heat" out of summer cooking with these simple ideas:
- Use less energy. Take advantage of the summer's garden-fresh produce to whip up salads and other side dishes that require little or no cooking energy.
- Consider a gas grill. If you barbecue frequently at home, consider replacing your charcoal grill with a gas one. Gas grills generate fewer air pollutants than burning charcoal.
- Choose meals that don't need to be reheated to be enjoyed as leftovers.
- Get a burner feature. When buying an outdoor grill, choose one that also has a burner feature. You'll be able to cook as well as grill outside, helping to keep your kitchen cool and minimize indoor air conditioning needs.
- Choose green materials. When hosting friends at your house, use reusable or biodegradable cups and encourage recycling of cans and bottles.
- Encourage guests to bike or carpool to your event. Hold it at a location convenient to public transportation.
- Fill up pitchers of water and other beverages instead of buying individual portions.
- Buy organic and locally grown vegetables and meat as often as possible.
Tips if using a charcoal grill:
- Apply the minimum amount of lighter fluid (which contributes to air pollution) to ignite the charcoal.
- Use lump brands of charcoal made from invasive trees species or harvested from sustainably managed forests instead of briquettes. Conventional briquettes may contain coal dust or other additives as binders.
- Use a chimney starter to eliminate use of lighter fluid altogether. These metal cylinders are filled with charcoal and lit on fire using the aid of scrap paper at the bottom. Once the entire column of charcoal is lit, dump the charcoal onto your grill for a more eco-friendly barbeque.
Tips from earthshare.org.
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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 10th
10:00am- Worship in Mackey Hall, Pastor Dries preaching
Monday, August 11th
12:00pm - Building Committee Meeting in the Lounge
Wednesday, August 13th
8:00am- Benevolences Committee Meeting at Shelley Peterson's Home
5:00pm- Personnel Committee Meeting in Pastor's Study
7:00pm - Habitat for Humanity Speaker in Mackey Hall
Thursday, August 14th
7:15am - Dance Group in Mackey Hall
Sunday, August 17th
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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