Westminster Presbyterian Church Weekly News
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Weekly News
Friday, October 23, 2015
IN THIS ISSUE...
Quote of the Week
"Healthy churches are congregations that keep stability and creativity in tension. They hold together the tried and true with the untried and new. They imagine what may be without neglecting what has been. They exercise prudence and faith at the same time. "
Mark Denbeaux workshop on Sunday October 18,  in Mackey Hall on community organizing and addressing racism.

Focus of the Week
On Sunday in worship we will celebrate the Reformation, always the last Sunday in October, marking the occasion in 1517 when Martin Luther posted his 95 theses on the church door in Wittenberg, Germany. As Protestants, celebrating this occasion gives us the opportunity to reflect on the tradition that grounds our faith in an ever changing world as we are constantly reforming, protesting, and living our faith anew. This call to live in the tension between "the tried and true" and "the untried and the new" is evident in this issue of the Weekly News, as we are focusing Westminster's staff on our core value to create a just and lasting culture of peace through spirituality, intentionality, and partnerships. 
Weekly Reflection
It is with excitement that the Session of Westminster introduces Emily Oshinskie in the newly created Young Adult Peace Worker (YAPW) position at Westminster. 
 
This position came to fruition from the exciting growth we have experienced as a community of faith that earnestly seeks to create a just and lasting culture of peace through spirituality, intentionality, and partnerships. The YAPW will be active in all aspects of Westminster's ministry, cultivating our identity as an intergenerational community that seeks to be "Intentionally Inclusive", especially ministering to  our children, youth and college age students. 

The position also focuses on vocational discernment for the YAPW, as many young adults complete a year of faith-based service through the Presbyterian Church (USA)'s Young Adult Volunteer (YAV) program where they experience profound transformation and find themselves discerning a call to ministry.  Westminster on the campus of The College of Wooster is an ideal community of faith for such unearthing to take place, as one can fully express oneself among an open, accepting, creative people.  
 
Not only will Emily be the first person to fulfill this ministry, but she will help Westminster to further develop  this opportunity. Emily is thrilled, nervous, and excited  to accept this new challenge; she will be transitioning from the "dry heat" 100 degree-plus desert climate of Tucson, Arizona to the Midwest winter of Wooster, Ohio. While this is new territory for her, there is nothing too foreign about the PC(USA). She has engaged in a two-week-long program at the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary for young adults exploring vocation (2009 & 2013), attended General Assembly as a Young Adult Advisory Delegate (YAAD) in 2010, and served as a Young Adult Volunteer (YAV) in Tucson this past year (2014-2015)....among a medley of other things related to this "frozen chosen." 
 
However, as much as she sees herself as a kind of "poster-child for the PC(USA)" at times, she is humbly and authentically in love with exploring other faiths, religions, cultures, ethnicities and upbringings other than her own. In particular, over this past year, she has been able to view service through a more critical lens, asking questions of: "When is the church doing more to hurt than help?" and "Am I as a white Christian viewing race through a 'colorblind' perspective?" During her YAV year, she has lived into the comfort and discomfort of intentional and accountable Christian community with other young women from South Korea, Alabama, San Francisco, Texas, and Maryland. Living in "The Borderlands" has taught Emily the importance of building up boundaries to maintain healthy relationships and practice self-care and simultaneously knowing when to cross them for the sake of reconciliation and respecting the Body of Christ in its diverse array. To learn more about Emily you can visit her blog, Desert Discoverings Emily Oshinskie's Year of Service & Simple Living in the Southwest.  
 
We are looking forward to welcoming her to Wooster and Westminster in worship on November 7, 2015!
 
Blessings and see you on Sunday,
Dries
Staff Changes
Beth Coetzee
We are very thankful for Beth Coetzee who has stepped into the Office Administrator's position since mid-August while fulfilling her duties as Student Ministry Coordinator. With the creation of the position of Young Adult Peace Worker, Beth's responsibilities will shift to become the Office Administrator with day to day administration and an emphasis on hospitality and volunteer coordination. Beth will also, in partnership with Dries, support the newly formed Congregational Care Ministry. She will continue to work 24 hours a week with main responsibility in covering the office hours (9am - 1pm: Monday to Friday) with some flex hours for meetings, church events, and work from home. 

In addition to our appreciation for the work Beth has done we also want to thank Caryl Slater, John Veney, and Josie Drushal who have helped with administration, as well as Elaine Smith Snyder and Cheryll Weiss who have helped cover the office. In the future we hope to see more people join our office team of volunteers!  Since we are thanking people who help in the office, we can't neglect Linda Barbu who comes in faithfully on Thursdays to proofread the bulletin.  
Growing Our Welcome
As a pastor there are experiences that I deeply value and one of them is coming to church early on a Sunday morning and helping to get the Church House ready for worship. There is something sacred in helping put out chairs, blowing leaves, coordinating worship with Roseanne and Ken and listening to them practice before the choir comes, visiting with choir members as they arrive, drinking a cup of coffee with someone who shows up early for worship, and touching base with one of our ushers as we make last minute arrangements for worship.  

What I love about all these activities is that they are all acts of hospitality.  These activities might seem insignificant by themselves but together they aim to make people feel welcome, loved, and embraced as we hold dear the "House" metaphor for our community of faith and are intentional in our welcome of all. As it is our desire to be "Intentionally Inclusive," the Session has realized that we need to expand our welcoming ministry and are looking for volunteers to join Bill Weiss, Ross Brazee, and Caryl Slater as ushers.  

If you feel called to a ministry of hospitality I invite you to contact Bill Weiss and volunteer to be an usher, as we minister together to nurture our welcome of members and visitors alike by creating an intentionally welcoming, safe space for all during worship. As a church we realize that many of you are busy and do a lot for Westminster as is; therefore, we are not expecting you to do this by yourself, but to be part of a team so you are not committed every Sunday. Believe me, as Pastor I try to be very mindful not to overburden our leadership and volunteers, as each one of you is too valuable to the ministry of Westminster.  

If you feel you have the gift of hospitality and feel drawn to making people feel comfortable and welcome, I invite you to prayerfully consider and contact Bill Weiss or myself  to visit with us as you explore your call to be an usher. At this point we have a draft job description and we will train volunteers to make you as confident and comfortable as possible in this very important position on a Sunday morning.

Personally, a big part of my ministry is expressed through hospitality and the welcome of all.  I find myself drawn to the entry door into Mackey on a Sunday morning, greeting people, and making them feel welcome and comfortable as they enter.  I would love for more people to join Bill, Ross, and Caryl as you work with me in extending Westminster's welcome.
With holy expectation,
Dries
Central American Medical Outreach
CAMO Sept. 2015
Looking for something worthwhile and fun to do? Join the group from Westminster next Wednesday, Oct. 28, who volunteer monthly at Central American Medical Outreach (322 Westwood Avenue, Orrville), to sort and pack hospital laundry supplies. We meet at the Church House at 9:30am the last Wednesday of each month to carpool to CAMO for our monthly volunteer time from 10am-12pm. We know that no one is able to commit to every month, but if you would be willing to be part of a pool of people we could draw on to serve this need, please email Beth or phone 330-317-9914.  The work is not too strenuous and the cause and camaraderie are uplifting.  Nothing lifts spirits like giving and nothing builds community like working together!  To find out more about CAMO's amazing work, visit their website at http://www.camo.org/.
A Day Of Remembrance 
Anne and Norman Morrison with their three children in the 1960s (Public Domain)
Sunday, November 1, 2015
Please plan to join The College of Wooster, Westminster Presbyterian Church, and The Wooster Friends for a day of "Remembrance" on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Norman Morrison's sacrificial death. (See Westminster's website for more information.) 

10:45 a.m.  Worship at Westminster with College of Wooster Chaplain Linda
Morgan-Clement preaching, "Saints and Sinners, Beloved of God" 

12:15 p.m.  Poetry, music & luncheon*  following worship in Mackey Hall

1:30 p.m.  Tree dedication, Oak Grove

*Westminster is providing homemade vegetarian lasagna (� la Linda Pattin) and drinks. We invite you to contribute a salad or dessert .  Students are invited to simply attend. Please RSVP for the lunch on SignUp Genius or e-mail Beth Coetzee. 
Announcements
  • Pack 61 would to thank the congregation for their continued hospitality and support. The pack is currently in the middle of our largest fundraiser of year, the annual popcorn sale. The proceeds from this fundraiser allow us to provide the boys with a safe and fun environment for them to learn and grow. We will be selling popcorn at the church after the service this Sunday and would appreciate your support.
     
  • Pastor Dries will be out of the office this coming week starting Wednesday,
    October 28 as he will be attending the 2015 Annual Conference & Meeting of the Israel/Palestine Mission Network of the Presbyterian Church (USA) in Chicago.  He will be joined on Friday by Beth as they will visit friends and celebrate their 15th wedding anniversary in Chicago. They will be back in the office on Tuesday, November 3rd.  For pastoral care concerns please contact the Rev. Jim Collier.
     
  • The church office is normally open from 9:00am until 1:00pm Monday to Friday. We welcome you to visit us outside of these hours by making an appointment by phoning the office during these hours or leaving a message.
Make our Pictorial Directory Complete
Earlier this year many of you indicated through our communications questionnaire that you would like a new pictorial directory.  In response to your request, Barbara Tartir and Adrian Dryer have volunteered to take the lead in this project to celebrate our church family and strengthen the bond within our congregation.  Now we need YOU to make our directory complete as we welcome you to be a part of our upcoming new directory.
For this important project, we are partnering with Lifetouch who is providing the directory at no cost to our church. Every family photographed receives a complimentary directory and an 8x10 portrait. 

PHOTOGRAPHY DATES
Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday, November 10, 11, 12, 2015
Each day from 2:00pm to 9:00pm
Worship at Westminster
Loaves and fishes
Worship is at 10:45 am on Sunday mornings in Mackey Hall

10:45am
Pastor Dries preaching

10:45am
All Saints Sunday with College of Wooster Chaplain Linda Morgan-Clement preaching, "Saints and Sinners, Beloved of God."
Communion will be celebrated.

10:45
"Service of Welcome" for Emily Oshinskie as she starts her ministry as Young Adult Peace Worker at Westminster.  Pastor Dries preaching and students and youth participating in the service.
People to People Ministries
People to People logo During the month of October, the featured collection items for our local food bank are spaghetti sauce and pasta. Let's collect at least 50 units of sauce and 50 units of pasta by the last Sunday in October! Help fill the kitchen cupboards of our friends and neighbors. 
Showing Hospitality is Peacemaking!
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 at SignUpGenius, on Sunday morning in back of Mackey Hall, or by contacting  Beth Coetzee (330-263-2398) in the church office. 
What's happening at Westminster this week?

10:15am: Meals on Wheels at the Wooster Community Center

9:30am: Choir Rehearsal in Mackey Hall
10:45am: Worship in Mackey Hall, Pastor Dries preaching
12:00pm: Fellowship in Mackey Hall
  
7:00pm: Student-led Bible Study in the Lounge
 
8:30am: Agape Latte in the Old Main Caf� fishbowl
7:00pm: Session in the Lounge
 
10:00am: Central American Medical Outreach volunteer day (meet in church parking lot at                     9:30am to carpool)
7:00pm: Choir Rehearsal in Mackey Hall

Thursday, October 29
6:30pm: Dance Group in Mackey Hall
 
Friday, October 30
10:15am: Meals on Wheels at the Wooster Community Center
 
9:30am: Choir Rehearsal in Mackey Hall
10:45am: Worship in Mackey Hall, Chaplain Linda Morgan-Clement preaching
12:00pm: Day of Remembrance in Mackey Hall (lunch, poetry, music,)
 
For the latest and most up-to-date information visit Westminster's calendar here.

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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 ethnicity, 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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Contact Us:

Westminster Presbyterian Church

353 East Pine Street, Wooster, OH 44691

 T: 330-263-2398| F: 330-263-2228
wpcwooster@gmail.com 
www.wpcwooster.org
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