July 16, 2020
Dear friends and fellow disciples,
By now I imagine many of us have had friends or family members who have tested positive for COVID-19. The tentacles of this virus keep spreading out, which is pretty scary. The more personal connections we have, the more we get a true sense of the toll of this pandemic beyond what we see on the news.
Last week
Urban Ministries of Durham
(UMD) sent an email to their supporters letting the community know one of their residents had tested positive and been hospitalized. Until last week, all the residents of UMD had been staying at the Marriott-RTP through an arrangement made by the city. UMD has, of course, been working very hard in partnership with the medical staff at the hospital and the Durham County Health Department to isolate and test people who came in contact with this resident.
This is a very frightening time for those of us who have the luxury of being able to quarantine at home. The toll on our overall health is real. But for those in our society who are already so vulnerable, the burden seems unthinkable. This pandemic is being experienced in so many different ways. And even when it is very hard for us, we must remember those who were hungry and might not have had a place to live before February.
Urban Ministries has listed some urgent needs below, and I hope you will help. They are having to rethink and restructure almost everything they do. All of us must increase our care and concern for our entire community. Many of you continue to bag rice and beans or help on Wednesday afternoons with Iglesia Presbiteriana Emanuel's food pantry. I am so grateful for this service. The Local Mission Committee has been working hard, and in the past few months, has given away a lot of money on your behalf and will continue to do so. They are connecting with many key partners and making sure we have a sense of their needs.
This is a hard time. And Christ calls us to serve. Let’s keep doing that good work, friends, as much as we can.
Chris
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Westminster This Week - Quick Links
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Scenes from Phase One of "Under Construction," Our Habitat for Humanity Mission eXperience!
Our Phase One Mission-X participants were challenged to decorate flower pots and share them with someone. Izzie and Finley took up the challenge, painting both flower pots and some encouragement rocks too, and secretly delivering them to their neighbors. Wonder if Charlie shared any of his delicious-looking construction project? (We bet he did!)
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Thanks and an
Update on the Congregational Survey
Thanks to the 210+ respondents to our recent survey, asking you all to share your perspectives on using our Westminster campus this summer. Your feedback will help us sort through options as we collectively navigate the implications of a pandemic. Here’s what we’ve learned:
- 62% of us said they would either wait for a vaccine or until after Labor Day to decide on returning to campus.
- 45% of us would be interested in attending a small outdoor Sunday evening worship service, with face coverings and social distancing.
- 4% of us would be interested in attending a small fellowship event inside one of our buildings, again with face coverings and social distancing.
- 16% indicated an interest in either hosting or participating in some way small gatherings either on campus or online.
In addition, we also clearly heard through your heartfelt words, caring enough about one another to urge we act with a bias of caution for the health and well-being of all members of our congregation. With these insights, as well as ongoing COVID-19 developments, and corresponding health guidance, we are updating Westminster’s “
Return to Campus Operating Guide
.” In this work, we are exploring how we best support on campus activities, like hosting a small Sunday evening outdoor service, in ways that balance the need to protect our physical health with the desire to enrich our spiritual health. We’re also discussing with the staff options for online connections. As this work progresses, we’ll be back to share more updates. Thanks again! –– Kim Garcia, Russ Lange, and Sally Keener
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Urgent Needs from Urban Ministries of Durham
Urban Ministry of Durham
’s shelter residents and staff returned to its campus after three months at the RTP Marriott. But due to social distancing requirements, UMD is unable to accommodate all its current residents - its shelter is being reduced from 149 beds to about half that. UMD now has an urgent need to house 50-60 men, women, and children. What an incredible opportunity to put our values into action! There are three ways you can support this effort:
- Donate airbeds, mattresses, twin and full sheets, pillows and pillowcases. Items can be new or gently used. Drop off at the lobby of 410 Liberty Street under the purple awning, Monday-Friday, 10:00am and 4:00 pm.
- Contribute to Project ROOF (Removing Obstacles to Occupancy Funds). Funds will be used to assist with rental deposits, first month’s rent, utility hook-ups, transportation to identified housing, and other needs directly tied to housing homeless neighbors as quickly as possible. Make a gift on UMD’s website and put “ROOF” in the dedication, or mail a check to UMD (PO Box 249, Durham, NC 27702) with memo line “ROOF."
- Open your doors. Do you have a rental property or another space that can be made available for temporary or permanent housing? Or, can you connect us to someone who does have these resources? Housing does not have to be local. Please contact Clinical Director Valerie Haywood.
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Racial Equity and Justice: Moving from Dialogue to Action
Our
Session has established a team to study and coordinate Westminster’s efforts around race. Please
contact Chris
if you'd like to be a part of it. We encourage you also to dig into the
database of antiracism resources
our staff is compiling. Here you will find materials to read, watch, listen to, social media accounts to follow, and more. This is key work the church must be involved in, and we hope our efforts will lead us to discover tangible ways we can together take action
.
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Congregational meeting after worship on August 2
Westminster will hold a congregational meeting after worship on Sunday, August 2, for the purposes of voting for the slate of candidates for the Class of 2023 officers and the two empty spots for the elders in the Class of 2021. This will be a virtual meeting, so we’ll be sending out the Zoom information for this meeting very soon.
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Update on WPC’s Missional Giving During the Pandemic
Great news! WPC's COVID-19 Relief Fund has brought in $11,300+ thus far. Our COVID-19 Team has distributed $10,000 of that money, splitting it evenly between Housing for New Hope and Durham Schools Foundation. The funds will help Housing for New Hope transition its clients from shelters to their own homes and provide them with move-in kits. Durham Schools Foundation is working to sustain food aid to families in need and improve digital equity for all children. We hope to continue making meaningful gifts to community partners in need.
To donate to the COVID-19 Relief Fund, please
give online,
or mail a check to the church. Be sure to identify your gift as a COVID19 Relief Fund donation.
In other missional giving beyond our budgeted contributions, Westminster has given $6,000 to Haiti Outreach Ministries, $4,000 to Meals on Wheels, $2,000 to Love & Nourish, and $1,000 to Iglesia Presbiteriana Emanuel. To God be the glory!
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Give Locally and Globally at the Same Time
There are so many people and organizations needing support during this pandemic that the decision of where to give support can seem overwhelming. The Global Missions Committee wants to remind you of one giving opportunity where your purchases help local staff as well as artisans around the globe. Bull City Fair Trade (formerly One World Market) has an online store where you can have your purchases shipped, delivered within a 10-mile radius, or pick them up curbside. You can also shop in the store Monday-Saturday, 11:00am-5:00pm. Face coverings are required, and the staff is disinfecting surfaces diligently throughout the day.
Shop now!
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Order Handmade Face Coverings & Help a Family in Need
A long-time member of Iglesia Presbiteriana Emanuel, who was laid off at the start of the pandemic, has begun a business making face coverings to help support her family. Angelica Moreno sews masks sized for kids, women, and men that are well-made and fitted, with soft, adjustable earbands. She uses a variety of fun and attractive prints, or you can supply the fabric if you prefer. Single masks are $10 each; $7 each if you purchase five or more. You may pick up your masks, or have them mailed to your home for a $5 shipping fee.
Shop now!
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Nominations for Elders and Deacons
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Remember Those Fish Banks?
Do you still have a fish bank full of coins at home? Although it's not practical to bring those banks to church physically, we can still make sure that offering gets to people in need. If you have a fish bank that you used to collect an Easter offering for
One Great Hour of Sharing
, please count the coins and make a donation, either online or by mailing a check to the church. Please make your donation by July 30 if you can, and be sure to note it’s for OGHS 2020 so WPC can send it on to help those served by this great organization.
Contact
:
Jennifer Feiler
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WPC Youth Group Happenings
Invite Alex to Your Porch
Alex is tired of Zoom calls and staring at screens and misses seeing our youth in person. He is inviting anyone who’d like to sit outside on the porch or in a park with lunch or a cool drink to send him an email to meet up
.
Transition & Change: A Zoom Meeting for Parents of Teens
Some folks are heading to high school for the first time, others are leaving home to begin college, and everything in between. We’re in a time of great change - Let's get together to talk about it!
All parents of teenagers are invited to gather on Zoom on Wednesday, July 29 at 7:30pm
. To prepare for this conversation, Alex is encouraging everyone to watch the 2017 film
Ladybird
.
It's about parents, class, growing up, and leaving home. Ladybird is rated-R so if you plan on watching it with young folks, we encourage you to do a bit of research about it first. Please contact Alex for the Zoom link.
An Affirmation Exchange!
Take some time to flip through Paul's letters in the New Testament. They're notes that Paul and his friends circulated to early Christian communities and they all start with beautiful affirmations - kind words sent to build up and encourage the people who read them. Affirmations are also a huge part of what we do as a Westminster community each summer at Montreat. Since we won't have the opportunity to go to Montreat this summer, WPC Youth will have an "Affirmation Exchange" by mail instead. If you would like to send or receive some kind words from other folks in the WPC Youth Group community, please
email Alex
with your name and mailing address. Use the subject line "Affirmation Exchange.”
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PLEASE REMEMBER: Westminster’s campus is CLOSED. Only church staff and essential facilities personnel are permitted on campus and inside the buildings at this time. Utilize emails and phone calls to conduct any church business you may have. For safety reasons, please avoid “stopping by” and/or entering the buildings. Thanks for understanding, and stay safe!
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