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Westmoreland Windows
Weekly E-News
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 Westmoreland and the Weather - Reminder
Snow is in the forecast. As a reminder, here's the church's inclement weather policy in four easy steps.
- Follow the schools. If the Montgomery County Schools are closed on weekdays, the church office is closed.
- Check your email and social media. If weather is bad on a Sunday, the senior minister will make a decision and will alert the congregation electronically.
- Use common sense. If you are not comfortable traveling, please don't. Even if you are scheduled to sing, lead Church School, or chair a meeting--please be careful.
- Call ahead. Wondering if the church office is closed on a weekday or if Sunday events are cancelled? Call before you drive.
Enjoy what nature has to offer us. Be safe. Stay warm
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 Be sure to visit our Sermon Archives to read or listen to past sermons. |
| Lift Your Spirits with the Volunteer Corps! Many of us on the Volunteer Corps board have been inspired by our spirited, lively, warm and wonderful Volunteer Corps members. We know you will be too! Invite Alex, Kayla, Libby, Mary and Sarah over to share a meal with you and your family. They are all doing incredible work with social service and social justice groups in our region. The Volunteer Corps is an intentional community of four young adults living a simple lifestyle in our former parsonage on Western Avenue, just a block from church. Sarah Levine is the contact person for Westmorelanders who want to invite the volunteers over for meals or other social events. Contact Sarah at: sarah.levine@rocketmail.com or 802-275-8487. |
Sunday Flowers
 The flowers on the chancel add much beauty to our worship. Individuals or families may sign up for any given week to provide flowers with a dedication included in the Sunday bulletin.
Please contact Judy Fogt and let her know that you are interested. The cost is $55.
You can mail your check the church office or drop it in the collection plate with a notation that it is for chancel flowers.
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You are Needed in Church School
Our children need kind, caring grown ups to lead in our Preschool, K-2nd, or 3rd-5th grade class for a few Sundays over the course of the year. It's fun and important, To volunteer, contact Alexis at alexis@westmorelanducc.org or sign up at SignUpWestmoreland.org.
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| Westmoreland Sermons on iTunes! You can subscribe to the Westmoreland Sermons on iTunes Podcast! Search for "Westmoreland Sermons" or click the icon below.
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Sign Up for Coffee Hour!
 Coffee Hour is a time to welcome guests and to strengthen relationships within our church community. This ministry is vital to the life, spirit, and growth of our church. Beverages (coffee, tea, water, juice/lemonade) and tableware are provided by Westmoreland. Food is a welcome addition and is provided by Coffee Hour Host(s). Please sign up to host coffee hour (once per year is recommended) with your family or pair-up with another member of the church.
Click here to sign up!
Thanks,
Stacey Fannon
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Potluck for Families with Young Children
Saturday, March 18, 5:00pm, Home of the Shelton's
This potluck is mainly geared toward families with babies, toddlers, or school age kids who are young enough to need to come with you. But, all are welcome! We'll have some drinks (kid and adult), plates, utensils, cups, kitchen supplies, and an oven and stove fired up to reheat your dish. And please invite friends and neighbors to join you! Looking forward to seeing you at the Shelton's. For information contact Yonce at
yonceshelton@gmail.com.
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Announcing New Church Photo Directory
After 11 years and many requests, the church has embarked on a new pictorial directory for our congregation. Photo sessions will be held in the social hall April 20-22 and April 27-29 as follows:
Thursday, April 20, 2:00 - 8:30 PM
Friday, April 21, 2:00 - 8:30 PM
Saturday, April 22, 9:00 AM - 3:30 PM
Thursday, April 27, 2:00 - 8:30 PM
Friday, April 28, 2:00 - 8:30 PM
Saturday, April 29, 9:00 AM - 3:30 PM
The pictorial directory will make it easier to get to know other Westmorelanders and we need YOU to make it a success. There is no cost to participate and each household will receive a complimentary 8x10 portrait and free pictorial directory. You will also be able to purchase additional pictures for your personal use. The photo sessions are open to friends and neighbors (although of course, they won't appear in the directory). This is a chance for people you know to have lovely photos taken by professional photographers at our group discounted rates.
Vickie Allin is coordinating this project. However, we'll need volunteers to help with registration during the photo sessions. If you can spare 3 hours of your time on any photo session day, or if you can help in other ways, please contact Vickie at church or by email: vickie.allin@verizon.net.
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Exhibition of Quilt Artistry by Ann Harwell
Now through April 23
 The Westmoreland Arts Committee is announcing an exhibition featuring Fabric Artist, Ann Harwell. Her work is displayed in the Lee Hansley Gallery in Raleigh, NC, in Piedmont Craftsmen Gallery in Winston Salem, NC and in many homes. You might recall Westmoreland Arts Committee's winter 2015 exhibition of Ann Harwell's beautiful astronomy-themed quilts. This spring's exhibition will run until April 23, 2017, and features Ann's floral-themed quilts. Please enjoy the quilts with your eyes and not your fingers.
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SOME Empty Bowl Suppers
 Please join us for dinner at one of SOME's Empty Bowls suppers:
- March 20 at St. Ann Roman Catholic Church in Arlington, or
- March 21 at The Shrine of the Blessed Sacrament near Chevy Chase Circle!
A $25 ticket lets you select and take home a beautiful handmade bowl crafted by local artists, and enjoy a delicious supper of soup, bread and dessert donated by local restaurants. The proceeds from Empty Bowls helps SOME continue to provide more than 1,000 meals each day to hungry and homeless District residents.
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Craft & Beauty Market Fundraiser
Briggs Center for Faith & Action ESL Program
Saturday, March 25, 9:30 am - 3:30 pm,
Westmoreland Social Hall
Please join us for this unique Craft & Beauty Market. 30% of all sales will be donated to the Briggs Center ESL Program. Students and teachers will offer the following services and handmade items for sale:
- Hair Cutting & Braiding
- Makeovers & Manicures
- Pottery, Paintings, & Patchwork
- Kids Crafts & Face Painting
- Alpaca Gloves
- Beaded Jewelry
- Vintage Clothing
- Homemade Cupcakes
- Snacks & Refreshments
- Café Justo Coffee for sale
All Westmorelanders are invited to attend and/or participate. If you would like to provide a service, sell your homemade items, or if you have any questions, please contact Stacey Fannon at csfannon@gmail.com or 301-564-4330.
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 StillReading Book Group
Today, March 26, 4:30pm
We will meet on Sunday, March 26 at 4:30-6:00pm in the Parlor to discuss
The Betrayers
by David Bezmozgis. Winner of the National Jewish Book Award, The Betrayers tells the story of Baruch Kotler, a one-time Russian dissident who served 13 brutal years in the Gulag after being denounced by a friend. Fleeing to Israeli he has become a celebrated, but a political crisis causes him to seek refuge in Yalta-where he encounters the old friend. Please join us for discussion and fellowship, including snacks of course!
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Letters to Support Synagogues
 On Sunday, the people of Westmoreland Congregational United Church of Christ signed letters of support that will go to twenty DC-area synagogues. These letters denounce anti-Semitism, decry recent anti-Jewish threats and acts, call for national conversations of respect, express our church's commitments to peace and justice, and offer support for our Jewish friends and neighbors.
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Are you Taking Part in Upcoming Marches?
There are four national marches planned in DC in the coming weeks that resonate with the values of Westmoreland and the UCC:
- March for Science on Saturday, April 22
- People's Climate March. Saturday, April 29
- Immigrants March on Saturday, May 6
- LGBT March on Sunday, June 11
First, are you planning to take part in any of these four marches? If so, please contact Tim Tutt at timtutt@westmorelanducc.org or 301-229-7766. We are looking for people to organize Westmorelanders' participation in these marches.
Second, our Social Justice Committee is offering our building to church and school groups from across the country who may be coming to DC and who need non-luxury sleeping arrangements. Providing hospitality to marches is a way that Westmoreland can exercise the Christian virtue of hospitality and can encourage others to take part in the democratic process. Would you like to help host groups that may stay in our church? If so, please contact Caryn McTigue Musil, our SJA Chair at Musil@aacu.org.
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Bright Lights in a Wintry Climate of Deprivation - Social Justice and Action Update
The final tally is in for the series of three collections at Christmas for the grant funds that the Social Justice and Action Board will be distributing on your behalf in the fall of 2017 to social justice and service organizations in metropolitan DC. The SJA Board celebrates the generosity of Westmorelanders who donated a total of $25,489.92. This is such a witness to the core values of this church family.
We will have one more collection to enlarge that fund even more at our Easter Service. In this period of uncertainty as new federal budgets call for slashes in social services, and medical care for previously insured people under Obamacare is on the chopping block, we expect groups we have supported in the past will have even greater demands as the gap continues to widen between the rich and the poor. As was said in SJA's Mission Moment at Christmas, the kind of gifts your dollars represent don't come in a box with a bow, but offer far greater value: the gifts of dignity, transformation, empowerment, health, hope, new beginnings, employment, voice, shelter, creativity.
Thank you for sharing such treasures so that everyone may flourish in the warmth of the light.
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Adult Study - The Pastor's Class
Sundays, 9:00am, Library
You are invited to join me in the Library at 9:00 on Sunday mornings. As you may know I am in a doctoral program at Wesley Seminary, focusing on how the church engages (or not) in public life. I will lead this class based on material I am reading in my program. Each week I will bring paragraph, an idea, or an article for discussion. Your job is to show up with you best ideas.
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March Children's Collection
Razors and Shaving Cream for Samaritan Ministry of Greater Washington
 Samaritan Ministry of Greater Washington is a community partnership bringing together homeless people and others in need in Greater Washington, with support and volunteers from churches in a joint effort to improve the lives of all.
We will collect and donate the following for their clients: disposable razors (men and women) and shaving cream.
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 Want to be kept in the loop about UCC's refugee ministries? Sign up for their monthly newsletter here.
Want to take action on the justice issues you care about, including immigration and refugees? Join UCC's Justice and Peace Action Network (JPAN) here.
Want to help plan how Westmoreland will carry out our motion in Support of Extravagant Welcome to Immigrants and Refugees of All Faiths? Email Lori Mosher to get involved.
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Giving to Westmoreland
Look for information in the mail and via email about ways that you can support Westmoreland and our work in the world.
2017 Annual Giving
Gifts to support the ongoing life of our church -- music and worship, spiritual formation programs, fellowship events, staff salaries, and building maintenance. Click here to pledge on-line to the Annual Fund.
Capital Campaign
Gifts to our four-year campaign to build a new entrance, add a new elevator, add a gender neutral restroom, and make our kitchen functionable. Click here to pledge on-line to the Capital Campaign.
Children's Collection
Items collect by our children in worship each Sunday to give to local helping groups.
Special Offerings
The five UCC offerings (plus our own outreach offering) that go across the country and around the world to meet needs.
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