Westminster Presbyterian Church

As the new year continues to unfold, it is an exciting and encouraging time in the life of Westminster.  In January, we welcomed eight new members, who bring their creativity and experiences to the Westminster flock.  We celebrated a baptism that recalled God’s grace to each of families of the church.  The church has ended 2011 with a budget surplus, due to the generous giving of the congregation over the past year.  This will help to meet needs at the church in the year to come. 

And this week, the Session has voted to take the first steps in our asking a new part-time Associate Pastor to join the church staff.   This is in response to the church’s long-range planning that has been done in recent years, calling for additional emphasis on building up our work with children and families.  When we asked members of the congregation this fall to write out your hopes and dreams for the church, many of you mentioned the continuing hope of further developing our care of children and families, to pass along the faith to a new generation.

Read more: February Pastoral Ponderings...

SPECIAL NEEDS DRIVE

January 27-February 6, 2010

For Westminster’s Doorstep Missions

                Our “doorstep missions” are the local charitable projects to whose work our congregation contributes: the Eugene Mission, Hawthorne House, the Interfaith Emergency Shelter System, Sponsors, and Station 7. Each of them has many sources of monetary support—but they also need much clothing and many supplies for the needy people they help, and they depend mainly on church communities for that kind of assistance. Every year, we spend a week collecting our members’ used possessions to donate to the doorstep missions for people in need.

That week—from Friday, January 27 until Monday, February 6—is now approaching. Soon, in church bulletins, we’ll circulate an updated list of the kinds of things the doorstep missions now need. You can be sure that it will include clothing, less-perishable foods, household goods, cleaning supplies, and personal items for men, women, and children of all ages.

                John the Baptist teaches us: “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.” (Luke 3:11) This is the season to look around you at home, and survey your possessions. Some of them probably are now surplus for you, but are necessities out of reach for many fellow people in our community.

“For,” Paul reminds us, “you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.” (2 Corinthians 8:9) Whatever worldly advantages we may have, we need God’s mercy and compassion, in Christ, as much as anyone does—and Christ, in his saving work and teaching, directs us to follow him in compassionate service to “the least of these who are members of my family.” (Matthew 25:40, 45) Our Special Needs Drive gives you an opportunity to serve.

On Friday, January 27, we’ll set up tables in the Education Wing lobby and the hallway, to receive the goods that you will donate. We shall attach signs for each mission organization and list the items it requests. Please help us by sorting your items and placing them in the designated areas. You may also volunteer to help us set up and sort. On Monday, February 6, we’ll deliver the collected goods or have the missions pick them up.

If you have questions about this project, please ask Jack Maddex or Dave Holloman.

Souper Bowl Sunday                  

Is coming up…

This year the youth will be collecting canned foods for

Food For Lane County.

Please drop off donations in the bins

January 20^th – February 7^th

Why donate?

Pantries are reporting a sharp increase in the number of clients in the first quarter – indicating the need for emergency food is growing.

Oregon has nation’s highest rate (30%) for child hunger. In Lane County, 53% of the children qualify for free/reduced school meals.

The Dining Room is seeing more new people this year. In the first quarter of this year, there was a 34% increase in the number of individual diners compared to the first quarter of last year.

Oregon’s unemployment rate continues to be among the highest in the nation, hovering near the 9% mark. Most people don’t access emergency food services until other resources have run out.

1 in 3 Lane County residents is eligible for emergency food assistance.

Thank you for helping us make a difference in our community!!

 Healthy Suggestions with a Great Shelf Life:

     Canned meats (tuna, chicken, salmon, corned beef)

     Low-sugar fruit, dried fruit, jams and jellies, unsweetened applesauce

     Canned and dried beans (pinto, navy, kidney, refried)

     Canned stew, chili, hearty soups, and broth

     Boxed macaroni and cheese

     Pasta, rice, cereal, corn meal

     Cooking oil and olive oil

     Canned tomato products (whole, paste, spaghetti sauce)

     Peanut Butter

     Ethnic foods (mole, tortillas, enchilada sauce, cumin, chilies)

Afternoon Concert at Westminster

February 12, 2012 at 2 p.m.

Chris Stubbs, Director

When you enter the room before the music of Inspirational Sounds begins, the atmosphere is already charged with energy and expectation. There is no “warming up” period while the audience and performers adjust to one another. Not at all with this group! From first to last, there is just JOY! Joy beams from the singers’ faces, their body movements, their eagerness to sing. They take the listener on a veritable sleigh ride of emotion from high energy to calm meditation - - - and back again!

Inspirational Sounds, for the past 28 years, has shared their message of faith, hope and charity through the performance of African-American gospel music. This interdenominational group of 17 active members performed at Seattle’s Folklife Festival, at the Gospel Music Workshop of America’s (GMWA) regional board meeting in San Diego, and at the GMWA national conventions in Chicago, Salt Lake City and Los Angeles. Locally, they have sung at the Martin Luther King, Jr. birthday celebration, Saturday and Holiday Markets, and the Eugene Celebration. Through the efforts of Fayetta Dormer who sings with this group, Westminster is hosting their concert here in February.

It is an informal concert in which audiences are apt to stand up, sing along, clap and move with the choir. It’s all spontaneous, fun and, above all, joyful. . . all in all, a “feel good” hour that will leave you uplifted. You’ll be smiling in spite of yourself!

There is no admission charge. Donations are requested to help fund the activities of Inspirational Sounds.

 All Mariners and Those Interested in Mariners:

Circle and save Sunday February 12th.  The Mariners are gathering in the Fellowship Hall for our annual potluck dinner at 5:30 p.m. followed by entertainment provided by many talented members of our church.  Plan to come early to view and guess the names of couples in wedding photos.  If you are not a member of Mariners, but would like to learn about being a Mariner, please feel welcome to come to the dinner.  For reservations: Eileen at 541-686-8477, or Greta at 541-344-4134.

Tuesday, February 21st

6:00 - 8:00 p.m.

Join our church family for food, games, and fellowship.

Invite your friends and bring your favorite board game!

Dinner will include pancakes, fruit, coffee and juice.

Suggested donation:

$7 per person, $20 for families

All money raised will go toward youth service \

projects here in Lane County.

Contact the church office at 541-343-3140  with any questions.

The Presbytery of the Cascades will have its annual Leadership Fair on the last Saturday in February at First Presbyterian in Portland.  Please see the Cascades Presbytery website for more information.  Westminster member Tom Stocks has been on the planning team for this event, and our Director of Youth Ministries, Rebekah Hanson, will be presenting a workshop on Faith in Youth and Young Adults. 

 Please mark your calendars to come for the Lenten Retreat March 17-18, with Rev. Linda Loving presenting on finding a new depth to the life of faith through the medieval mystic Julian of Norwich.  Rev. Loving has been senior pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Oakland, CA, and House of Hope Presbyterian in St. Paul, MN.  She has background in drama, and will give an enactment of Julian of Norwich, along with a seminar on mystic spirituality.  Rev. Loving will be our guest preacher for the services on March 18^th. 

Rev. Linda C. Loving is an actress, writer, and ordained Presbyterian minister. In her twenty years in parish ministry she helped to “break the stained glass ceiling” when she became one of the few women to serve as senior pastor of a large multiple staff congregation. She is featured in the “Great Preacher Series” of the Odyssey cable network, has taught preaching at McCormick Theological Seminary, and has traveled widely as guest preacher.  She has also served on the staff of one of the denomination’s flagship churches, Fourth Presbyterian in Chicago.  We look forward to welcoming Linda to our church for the Lenten Retreat weekend!

Click here to read our brochure.

Initial planning is underway for the church’s 60^th anniversary, which will be on the last Sunday in September of this year.  Hazel Jones is working on the history of the church’s last ten years, and the Fellowship commission are beginning to plan for the gathering.