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| | Democracy Now: Private Prisons for Immigrant Families Grow Despite Court Ruling Against "Detention as Deterrence" |
"In 2014, thousands of children, alone or with families, crossed the U.S./Mexico border seeking safety in the United States. They fled extreme violence and poverty in Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. They faced abuse and violence as they crossed Mexico. In the United States the migration gained national attention and became politicized by electoral politics. In response to the increased numbers of immigrants crossing the border, the U.S. government stepped up the enforcement of immigration laws, detention, and deportation. United Methodists responded with an outpouring of love, care, and support. These immigrant children and families are indeed the faces of Jesus Christ in our midst. Jesus said, "Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me," (Matthew 25:40)..." ( United Methodist Woman, Campaign to End Family Detention).
This coming Sunday we invite you to build on Westminster's long history of advocating for the stranger and the most vulnerable in our midst as we speak out against Family Detention. In addition to being educated on "Family Detention" by immigration lawyer Brian Hoffman, there will be an opportunity to make a financial contribution during the lunch following worship. The proceeds will go to support the pro-bono project at the Dilley Family Detention Center. See the pdf flyer here to find out other ways you can join the Campaign to End Family Detention.
As we look beyond our worship on Sunday and continue our advocacy, I am looking for a co-host to screen a 30-minute video by Grassroots Leadership, No Sanctuary: Big Business and Family Detention at Westminster. Please e-mail me here if you are willing to join me as co-host.
To further educate yourself I invite you to read a blog post entitled What Migrant Families Face at Dilley Detention Center by Linda Hartke (05-11-2015) posted by Sojouners on God's Politics. A blog By Jim Wallis and friends.
One month ago, I toured the U.S. government's family immigration detention center in Dilley, Texas with a delegation of Roman Catholic and Lutheran faith leaders. It was a difficult and deeply moving day. Family immigration detention centers incarcerate immigrant mothers and children, many of whom fled Central America for their lives. More than 90 percent of these families suffered sexual, domestic, or physical violence, had their lives threatened by gangs, or experienced similar traumas. These are not threats or abuses to be taken lightly. When migrants who suffer these threats are deported, they are often targeted and killed upon return to their home country.
Nevertheless, the United States welcomes these families seeking safety with incarceration. They are frequently jailed for months, with little knowledge of their term length or if they will be deported. In detention, as basic possessions as their shoelaces are taken away. Children often lose weight. Mothers and children are isolated for punishment; infants are baptized in an ad-hoc fashion. Currently, more than 1,000 mothers and children are detained in detention centers. The government is planning to expand this number to 3,700. ...>>>
Blessings and see you in worship on Sunday,
Dries
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| | April Gamble, Dave Schmidt, and Eric Miller inspect Westminster's garden beds at Wooster Community Hospital's GreenPoint Garden |
 Sunday, May 17, 2015 at 9:30am Come discuss and learn more about
Westminster's garden projects for the summer with April Gamble. Currently we are planning to do planting the weekend of May 29th at the Wooster Community Hospital's GreenPoint Garden. Sunday, May 24, 2015 No Discipleship class over Memorial Day Weekend.
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"Fish and Loaf" by Hazel Shreve
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Worship is at 10:45am (10:00am starting May 24) in Mackey Hall in the Westminster Church House, 353 E. Pine Street. At Westminster we believe that worship is everything we do, both inside and outside the church. The worship life of our community is defined by our calling to peacemaking, a more just future for our world, and our desire to be mindful and "Intentionally Inclusive" as symbolized by the mosaic that is purposefully positioned for worshipers to see as they leave Mackey Hall. The fish was the first symbol to be used by Jesus followers with the bread and fish combined refer to Jesus' miraculous feeding of the multitude.
Joint Worship at 10:45am with The Wooster Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) focusing on the US/Mexico Border crisis and family detention with Wooster native and immigration attorney Brian Hoffman as guest speaker. Worship will be followed by a fundraiser lunch to support pro-bono work for families at the Dilley Family Detention Center. ...>>>
Today our summer schedule starts as we gather at 10:00am in Mackey Hall, Westminster Church House, 353 E. Pine Street for worship. As we celebrate the Day of Pentecost on Memorial Day weekend we will keep in mind that Memorial Day, unlike Pentecost, is not on the Liturgical calendar of the Church. ...>>> Worship at 10:00am in celebration of Trinity Sunday. In recognition that the doctrine of the Trinity has become a stumbling block for many, worshipers will be invited to experience the mystery of the Divine through silence, music, prayers and poems. The service will include a live performance of "Spiegel im Spiegel' by Arvo Part. ...>>>
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 Faith in Action: Immigration, Sunday May 17 |
Westminster and The Wooster Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) will host a joint worship service focusing on the US/Mexico Border crisis and family detention with Wooster native and immigration attorney Brian Hoffman as guest speaker. Worship will be followed by a fundraiser lunch to support pro-bono work for families at the Dilley Family Detention Center
Click here for more information on the event.
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Pentecost Sunday is May 24th! 
A gift to the Pentecost Offering helps the church encourage, develop, and support its young people, and also addresses the needs of at-risk children. Forty percent (40%) of the Pentecost offering can be retained by individual congregations wanting to make an impact in the lives of young people within their own community. The remaining 60% is used to support ministries of the Presbyterian Mission Agency. Read more here.
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This past week we have received a note from Mary Stockton, member of First Presbyterian Church and regular attender at our Vegan Potlucks.
"I am a volunteer for Meals Together, an ecumenical, free community meal that is held at the United Methodist Church in Wooster each Thursday evening. You may be familiar with it. For over 25 years, Meals Together has been providing a hot meal virtually every Thursday night. Each year, about 4,000 meals are prepared and served by generous volunteers. We are able to cover the cost of the food through donations. Meals Together has significant financial need right now, so we are expanding our efforts to raise funds. This June 3rd, we are going to try to raise some money through the Bob Evans "Dine to Make a Difference" program."
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Speaking of Movies by Richard Figge
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Woman in Gold
The Nazis' looting of European art is an extraordinary story, and it deserved a better recounting than it received in the 2014 film The Monuments Men, which lost its way while trying to tell too much.
Simon Curtis's new film Woman in Gold succeeds much better in its account of a single case, thanks to an intelligent script, production design, and especially an outstanding performance by Helen Mirren.
Gustav Klimt's 1907 portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer has been referred to as Austria's Mona Lisa. Klimt completed it over a period of three years. It hung in the residence of the wealthy Bloch-Bauer family, the site of a distinguished Viennese salon frequented by the outstanding lights of music, literature, the arts, and politics.
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If you live in a typical U.S. home, your appliances and home electronics are responsible for about 20 percent of your energy bills. The following tips could save energy and money. Clean the lint filter in the dryer after every load to improve air circulation. Also, consider air-drying clothes on clothes lines or drying racks.
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What's happening at Westminster this week?
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For the latest and most up-to-date information visit Westminster's calendar here. |
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On Sunday, May 24th we will begin our summer worship time of 10:00am in Mackey Hall. Please make sure you mark your calendar so that you do not miss any of the great worship and music planned for this summer. 
