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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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Worship At Westminster
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Sunday, February 1, 2015
Annual Meeting of the Congregation. Worship service at 10:45am in Mackey Hall. Service will include table fellowship with soup and bread. Pastor Dries preaching. Souper Bowl of Caring offering will be collected.
Sunday, February 8, 2015
Worship service at 10:45am in Mackey Hall, Westminster Church House. In celebration of Scout Sunday, Troop 61 and Girl Scout Troop 1695 will be assisting in leading worship. Pastor Dries sharing a meditation.
Sunday, February 15, 2015 Worship service at 10:45am in Mackey Hall. Pastor Dries preaching. Sunday, February 22, 2015 Worship service at 10:45am in Mackey Hall. First Sunday in Lent. Pastor Dries preaching. |
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Soup Sale
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 During these cold winter months, the Benevolences Committee will have soup for sale at the back of Mackey Hall each Sunday. You are invited to donate $8.00 for a quart of original recipe, vegan or gluten free Famous Hearty Italian Soup. Those who need a hand up to secure employment will thank you. The proceeds from these sales go to Wayne County Common Good/Hope Fund, who work with individuals to complete the GED requirements and obtain jobs.
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People to People Donations
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For the months of January and February we will collect soup and crackers for People to People. All kinds of soup, canned, dried, Campbell's, Progresso, Our Family, Mrs. Grass', broth, bouillon, - if it's soup, it's welcome. The People to People box is in the narthex under the coat rack bench.
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| Reflection of the Week | 
March 1st will mark my five year anniversary here at Westminster. As it is in life, I can't believe that the time has passed this quickly. I guess that the clich� holds true that time flies when you are having fun. As it is in any relationship, these milestones present themselves as a time of reflection on our life together. Experts in congregational renewal and vitality state that the fourth and fifth year of a pastor's ministry in a congregation is crucial as we have gotten to know one another for who we are, with our strengths and weaknesses. It is from this relationship of trust that we can reflect on the past, learn from our mistakes (and we thank God that we do make mistakes!) and build on our success as we work together to make our hopes and dreams for Westminster a reality.
In this discernment process I do believe it is very important for us to determine the characteristics whereby we will measure our vitality as a congregation, as it will guide our journey together. In this regard Steve Willis [1] argues:
"So today, as we evaluate the church through relentless, overbearing market analysis, we mistakenly use dominant� culture tools to understand our present situation. We have less power, less money, and fewer numbers. So we think we must be dying, because life can only be measured by numbers and money. Right? Ironically, the proof of our decline is not lessening power, money, and influence but rather our com�mercialized, dominant-culture idolization of the market. We see our situation through the same spectacles that the domi�nant, secular American culture views the world. The problem is not that we are getting smaller and more peripheral. The problem is a lethargic faith imagination and a graceless cov�enant love."
What then should we use as signs of vitality for our congregation? It seems to me that the following manifestations will lead to the abundant life that God desires for Westminster, its members, and our larger community [2]:
- Our ability to be intentional and authentic in our response to the ministry of Jesus of Nazareth.
- Our involvement in activism (not necessarily only congregational activities) where our members have the opportunity to express their faith through actions of compassion, justice, listening, and reconciliation.
- Being a caring, generous, and energetic community of faith.
- Experiencing a positive sense within our congregation and among our members and regular attenders about the Westminster ministry
- Our ability as a community of faith to listen to one another in mindfulness.
I encourage you to approach our Annual Congregational Meeting by reflecting on these signs of vitality above. I also invite you to engage in conversation on Sunday as we will have ample time to do so during worship, lunch, and the meeting after worship.
It is with excitement that I look forward to continuing to journey with you as part of the Westminster community.
Blessings,
Dries
PS: The Annual Congregational Report will be handed out on Sunday, we apologize for the delay in receiving it.
[1] From an article that was adapted and excerpted from Imagining the Small Church: Celebrating a Simpler Path by Steve Willis, copyright � 2013 by the Alban Institute. All rights reserved.
[2] "Signs of Vitality" Posted on March 11, 2013 by Alban at Duke Divinity School
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| Westminster to host a Free Showing of Selma | 
In an effort to recognize institutionalized racism and transform our community, Westminster is hosting a free showing of Ava DuVernay's Oscar-nominated Civil Rights drama, "Selma," free of charge on Saturday, January 31st at 10:00am at the Cinemark Movies 10 Wooster. This PG-13-rated movie tells the story of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s three-month campaign to secure equal voting rights. As Westminster is participating in the "Souper Bowl of Caring," we invite you to bring a can of soup to the showing to support "People to People Ministries".
Local organizations and area students are participating in this event and if you want to join us you are welcome. To reserve a ticket please e-mail Carly or phone her at 330-263-2398. You can pick up the tickets at the church office tomorrow or Dries will have them for you at the theater.
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Annual Meeting of the Congregation
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 Our Annual Meeting of the Congregation will be on Sunday, February 1st, 2015. This year we will have a different format and will worship around tables. Our service will include a sermon by Pastor Dries, reflecting on 2014 and envisioning our future. Immediately following the service, we will serve a soup and bread lunch while we hold the business portion of the Annual Meeting. The Benevolence Committee will be preparing the soup (if you are interested in helping on Saturday, January 31st, contact Sue Coleman). If you are able, please bring a batch of cookies to share for dessert.
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Souper Bowl Sunday!
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 Remember to bring your coins (and bills!) this Sunday and support our youth and children as they will collect the "Souper Bowl of Caring" collection on Super Bowl Sunday, February, 1st. Last year children of our church collected $315 on Souper Bowl Sunday. The money was donated to Trinity United Church of Christ's breakfast program, which feeds an average of 60 people 5 mornings a week.
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Join Pastor Dries in strengthening our Non-Violent Voice
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 Considering the Challenges to Nonviolence: Practical and Theoretical Saturday, March 28, 2015
Ashland University in Ashland, Ohio.
ACN's first conference aims to respond seriously to challenges, questions, and objections to nonviolence. Our keynote speaker, Robert Brimlow of St. John Fisher College and author of What About Hitler?, will consider the challenge about nonviolence in the face of injustice. Although the concept of nonviolence is often considered only in relation to political and international matters, we expect to also host presentations that consider the challenges to nonviolence in the nation, in communities, in families, and in personal relationships. The conference is interdisciplinary and will consider challenges from a variety of areas, whether practical or theoretical, such as religion, business, education, the social sector (e.g. family), arts and entertainment, government, and media.
Early bird rate (through Jan 31): $50
Regular rate (after Jan 31): $65
Student early bird rate (through Jan 31): $15
Student regular rate (after Jan 31): $25
Conference fee includes lunch and access to all sessions, exhibits and conference materials.
All fees are nonrefundable after February 28. Cancellation prior to February 28 will incur a $15 processing charge per Registration.
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Save the Date!
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 Save the date for a piece of cake
February 24, 2015
Support Pack 61 Cub Scouts
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Advocacy Training Weekend 2015 - April 17-21, 2015 in Washington, D.C.
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"Breaking the Chains: Mass Incarceration and Systems of Exploitation"
Everywhere people are facing severe human rights violations for political and economic gain.
- The United States holding nearly a quarter of the world's prisoners.
- Young children forced to work in mineral mines in the Congo.
- African Farmers forced off their land as part of corporate land grabbing.
- Low-income people in the United States whose education has been systemically neglected
How can we the church turn these tragedies into triumphs? Come to Advocacy Training Weekend to take a long hard look at these issues and seek solutions that are theologically and biblically based. Training will kickoff April 17, 2015 with Compassion, Peace and Justice Training Day, a special pre-conference for Presbyterians. Learning will continue with our ecumenical sisters and brothers during Ecumenical Advocacy Days the remainder of the weekend."As people of Hope, we are reminded that Jesus' radical message was one of liberation for all and restoration of right relationships. Through prayer, worship, advocacy training, networking and mobilization with other Christians, we will face the reality of mass incarceration and corporate exploitation, and call for national policies that bring liberation both to the prisoner and to a world in need of restoration - all culminating with EAD's Congressional Lobby Day on Capitol Hill." ...>>>
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Presbyterian Church (USA) Weekly Blogs:
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| Green Tip of the Week | 
Please unplug your cell phone charger when not in use. Unplugging the charger saves money and reduces your impact on the environment by eliminating use of standby power. Standby power, also called vampire power, refers to the electric power consumed by electronic and electrical appliances while they are switched off or in a standby mode. In the past standby power was largely ignored by users, electricity providers, manufacturers, and government regulators but became an area of concern in the first decade of the 21st century. Up to the middle of the decade, standby power was often several watts or even tens of watts per appliance, and amounted typically to 10% of the electrical energy usage of the average household. By 2010 regulations were in place in most developed countries restricting standby power of devices sold to one watt (and half that from 2013).
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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!
Saturday, January 31st
10:00am- The Benevolence Committee will be preparing soup in the Mackey kitchen for the Annual Meeting of the Congregation. If you are interested in helping, contact Sue Coleman.
10:00am - Westminster sponsoring a free showing of Selma at Movies10 Wooster
Sunday, February 1st
9:30am- Choir Rehearsal in Mackey Hall
10:45am - Worship/Annual Meeting of the Congregation in Mackey Hall, Pastor Dries preaching
Tuesday, February 3rd
7:45am - Men's Breakfast at Downtown Buehler's
8:30am- UKirk's Agape Latte in Kauke Old Main Caf�
Wednesday, February 4th
7:00pm- Choir Rehearsal in Mackey Hall
Thursday, February 5th
6:00pm- UKirk Meeting in The Meeting Place
6:30pm- Dance Group in Mackey Hall
Sunday, February 8th
9:30am- Choir Rehearsal in Mackey Hall
10:45am - Scout Sunday 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.
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Andries J. Coetzee
Pastor, Westminster Presbyterian Church
353 East Pine Street, Wooster, OH 44691
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