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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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Easter Sunday Flowers
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Help us celebrate Easter by purchasing flowers in honor or memory of a loved one. Any money raised over the cost of the flowers will be donated to People to People Ministries. You can find the form here or in your bulletin on Sunday. Orders are due by Palm Sunday, March 29th.
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Speaking of Movies
by Richard Figge
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Read Dick Figge's latest review of the Academy Award nominated film Whiplash.
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| Event for Families |
First Presbyterian Church is hosting an Easter Event called Walk with Jesus on Saturday March 28th from 2-4pm. It's a family event that will take participants on a journey through the final days of Jesus' life utilizing five stations - Palm Sunday, The Last Supper, Garden of Gethsemane, Good Friday, and Easter Resurrection. First Pres would love to have any families from Westminster attend. It is open to the community, so spread the word! Call or email Beth with any questions.
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| Reflection of The Week |
This week I will be very forthright in my request that I need your help in completing the electronic Weekly News survey. Click here, It will only take you three minutes!
Personally, I commit quite a bit of my time to this electronic newsletter of Westminster with the help of Carly and Beth assisting me in proofreading and keeping some of the sections up to date. For those of you who contribute to this publication, I am immensely grateful. Thank you!
When we started the Weekly News five years ago, it was a means to increase immediate communication within our congregation and also to help you prepare for Sunday morning worship. Another goal that I always wanted to accomplish with this publication was to increase conversation around difficult issues in our community and world as we reflect on them from a progressive Christian perspective. It is with a sense of gratification that our reach with this publication has grown to an average of about 90 people opening our Weekly News, exceeding our average Sunday morning attendance.
The reality is that over the past five years, my responsibility in the Wooster community and in our denomination has increased as well. For these new levels of exposure I am very grateful and count myself privileged to represent Westminster and advocate on behalf of you for a more just world.
Looking at the amount of time spent on the Weekly News, and that of my other responsibilities, the time has come for me to examine my time commitments and that of the Westminster office staff, as well as our overall communication strategy. If you are reading this letter, you can help me by completing this survey. Click here. To date, we have only received 13 responses on our online survey, which will take you 3 minutes to complete by following this link. Blessings and see you Sunday in worship, Dries
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March Vegan Potluck
|  Join us for the March Vegan Potluck (third Thursday of most months- we are a week late this month to accommodate COW Spring Break) on Thursday, March 26, at 6:00 p.m. in Mackey Hall. This meal is a great opportunity for WPC members, Wooster community members, and College of Wooster students to enjoy delicious food and good fellowship while learning more about sustainable living. Just bring a pot-luck dish containing no meat, dairy, or eggs (no need for students to bring a dish, but always welcome). Our presenter this month, Dr. Madhavi Vaidya, is a biochemist, yoga practitioner, golfer, and an avid Chef. Her cooking style is eclectic but vastly influenced by Ayurveda as she grew up in a traditional Indian joint family. After her husband developed heart disease, she began cooking following Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn's book, "Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease." Her creativity has resulted in the compilation of exotic, plant-based recipes in her cookbook, "Food for the Heart." Dr. Vaidya will share about the cookbook and its heart-healthy recipes. RSVP through Sign Up Genius, the sign up clipboard during fellowship after worship, or to the church office. |
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Children to Share Easter Baskets with Homebound Members
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 It is nearly time for Westminster's annual tradition of delivering Easter baskets to our homebound members. Under the faithful direction of Ferenc and Candy Relle, all children are invited to join in on the fun Sunday, March 29th at 9am in the Sunday School room to color eggs and decorate baskets for our homebound members. All materials will be provided. Please RSVP to Beth 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!
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Congrats Henry Gamble and Edgewood Power of the Pen!
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Henry Gamble, son of April & Harry Gamble and regular visitor at Westminster, is a member of the Edgewood Middle School Power of the Pen seventh-grade team who won first place at the regional tournament at Norwayne Middle School on March 14. The team previously competed and won first place at the district tournament at Black River Middle School on Saturday, February 7.
Power of the Pen is a writing competition for middle school students throughout Ohio. The competition aims to positively impact overall academic achievement by providing more of a focus on writing and critical thinking leading up to the competition.
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Lent at Westminster
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"Journey with us this Lent as we affirm that all of creation is a reflection of the Creator God"
Sunday, March 22
Bobbi Douglas, Executive Director of Liberty Center, speaking and Rev. Andries Coetzee leading worship on the 5th Sunday in Lent. Worship service at 10:45am in Mackey Hall, Westminster Church. Child-friendly worship. Westminster is an inclusive church.
Sunday March 29
Pastor Dries preaching and PC(USA) Young Adult Volunteer Devin Johns speaking on Palm Sunday. Worship service at 10:45am in Mackey Hall, Westminster Church House. Child-friendly worship. Westminster is an inclusive church.
Holy Week Schedule
 Thursday, April 2, Maundy Thursday
Tenebrae Service at 7:00pm in the Mackey Hall. Communion will be celebrated.
Friday, April 3, Good Friday
"Seven Last Words from the Cross/Young Unarmed Black Men" at 5:30 pm at
The Gazebo, Downtown Wooster.
You are invited to join Westminster Presbyterian Church for a Good Friday Service on Friday, April 3 at 5:30pm at the Gazebo, Downtown Wooster. This service of reflection on the death of Jesus of Nazareth will take inspiration from the seven last words of Jesus, spoken from the cross, as we relate it to the last words of young, unarmed black men killed by an unjust system. By having the service in the public square, we affirm that the death and resurrection of Jesus led to personal and political transformation as it invites us to stand against institutionalized racism and provides a space to put our faith into action. While the service takes its inspiration from the Christian tradition, this event is open to all as we work together for a more just world.
Sunday, April 5, Easter Sunday
6:30am Sunrise Service at Oak Hill Park pavilion
9:00am Easter Brunch in The Meeting Place
10:45am Easter Worship with Communion in Mackey Hall
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A Pastoral Letter regarding the passing of Amendment 14F
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Dear Friends in Christ,
Perhaps many of you are aware by now that this past Tuesday Amendment 14F (On Amending W-4.9000 Marriage) received the required majority of presbytery votes to pass. As your Moderator, and on behalf of Council whom just met on Wednesday, I write this brief note for the purpose of passing along three items of information: read the rest of the letter here.
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Presbyterian Church (USA) Advisory Committee Update
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This week Nahida Gordon, longtime member of Westminster and ordained elder, is traveling with the Presbyterian Church (USA) Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy (ACSWP) to consult with the Presbyterian-Reformed Church in Cuba. The Presbyterian News Service reports as follows on the trip:
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| | The Matanzas Evangelical Theological Seminary overlooking the bay. -Erin Dunigan |
"Following up on the 2014 General Assembly's Cuba assignment- made well before the historic announcement in December 2014 easing U.S. sanctions against its island neighbor- the Advisory Committee will be visiting Cuba March 17-21. The Assembly asked ACSWP to work with the Cuba Partners Network to better understand what it means to be the church in an already changing Cuban context. The joint US team will be meeting with representatives of the Presbyterian-Reformed Church in Cuba and other noted analysts to discuss opportunities-and challenges-in a transition period that may include the reestablishment of full diplomatic, commercial, and other relations with Cuba. The Cuba Partners Network, one of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)'s most extensive mission networks, raised funds to make the study possible, building on the many congregation-to-congregation relationships that have developed since the 1959 Cuban Revolution. All ACSWP members going contributed personally to supplement the Committee's basic meeting budget as well. ...>>>"
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Open Arms Thank You Banquet Recap
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This past Tuesday evening, March 17th, Elaine Smith Snyder, Barbara Tartir, and Cheryl and Bill Weiss attended the Open Arms Hispanic Ministry Thank You Banquet fundraiser, held at Kidron Mennonite Church. Westminster Presbyterian Church supports immigration advocacy and the work of Open Arms through its Director, Haroldo Nunes. Open Arms provides direct assistance for local immigrant needs, both physical and spiritual, and advocates for immigration reform. Westminster is one of several local churches that have worked directly with Pastor Nunes in meeting with legislators, providing assistance for immigrants, and in protesting local injustices toward Hispanic immigrants.
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Hygiene Kit Donations
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With spring and Lent comes the opportunity to collect items for Church World Service to assist our siblings in need, both nationally and internationally. Whether affected by natural, political, or economic disasters, little things mean a lot!
We need:
Nail clippers
Wide tooth combs
Bath-size bars of soap
Toothbrushes in individual packaging
Please keep these items in mind when shopping this month and next.
Your Benevolences Committee
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Habitat for Humanity in Wayne County will be sponsoring "A Hope Builder Lunch Fundraiser" this Sunday, March 22 from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. to be held at Genesis Conference and Party Center - 10265 Wooster Pike (Route 3 North), Creston, Ohio.
This is a delicious buffet style brunch, and tickets are $15 per person. For each ticket sold, Habitat will receive $7.50!
For tickets, call Beth Weaver (330 263-1713) or visit the ReStore 6096 E. Lincoln Way, Wooster.
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People to People Donations for March & April
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Think "breakfast" when you think about People to People food items for March and April - hot and cold cereals, complete pancake mix (just add water) and syrup are the most needed items. Peanut butter and jelly make tasty spreads for toast, too.
The donation bin is under the bench in the narthex.
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Presbyterian Church (USA) Weekly Blogs:
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| Green Tip of the Week | 
Do you know your recyclables?
Knowing your recyclable materials will not only help reduce the effort it takes to recycle, it also will streamline the recycling process. Here is a basic guide:
- PAPER: newspapers, phone books, magazines, junk mail, computer paper
- CARDBOARD: cereal and shoe boxes, cardboard packaging, toilet paper/paper towel tubes
- ALUMINUM: cans, aluminum foil
- GLASS: bottles, jars, condiment and spice containers
- PLASTIC: soda and water bottles, milk jugs, in general any containers marked with a 1 or 2 on the bottom.
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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 22nd
9:30am - Visitor's Breakfast in The Meeting Place
9:30am - Choir Rehearsal in Mackey Hall
10:45am - Worship in Mackey Hall, Bobbi Douglas speaking, Pastor Dries leading worship
Tuesday, March 24th
8:45am- UKirk's Agape Latte in Kauke Old Main Cafe
7:00pm- Session Meeting in the Lounge
Wednesday, March 25th
10:00am- CAMO Work Day (meet in the church parking lot at 9:30am to carpool)
7:00pm- Choir Rehearsal in Mackey Hall
Thursday, March 26th
6:00pm- Vegan Potluck in Mackey Hall
6:30pm - Dance Group in The Meeting Place
Sunday, March 29th
9:00am- Easter Basket for Homebound Members in the Sunday School Room
9:30am- Choir Rehearsal in Mackey Hall
10:45am - 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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