May 15, 2019

Dear friends and fellow disciples,

What a joy Sunday morning was! The weather held out, and we were overwhelmed with families in support of our 2019 Confirmands. It was a day of celebration, an important step on the journey of faith for these youth people, and for the church as a whole. A special word of gratitude to the Confirmation teaching team: Kim and Paul Garcia, Shelley Bainter, and Alex Stayer-Brewington.
TONIGHT: Aperture with Tom Miller
Come to hear the fascinating histories of white and African-American cemeteries in our city from the resident expert. We’ll have dinner at 5:45pm in the Youth Suite, then gather to hear Tom speak at 6:30pm in the Music Room. We’ve got plenty of meatloaf and mashed potatoes on the way, so please join us even if you didn’t have the chance to sign up. This is our last Aperture of the program year, and I hope to see lots of WPC friends there! Contact : Kristina Gilbert
SUNDAY: Teacher Appreciation Brunch 
We’ll celebrate the hard work and dedication of our wonderful teachers on Sunday with our annual Teacher Appreciation Brunch, 9:45-10:45am, and a special time of recognition at worship. Come for the food, be nourished by the fellowship, and show your gratitude for our teachers. (Note: Church School classes for children and youth will not meet.) Contact : Kristina Gilbert
SUNDAY: Celebrating Carol Van Hise
We will offer thanksgiving for the life and ministry of Carol Van Hise, as she retires from Westminster School for Young Children after an incredible 50 years of service. We’ll have “Wisdom & Wishes” cards available on Sunday morning for you to write a note of appreciation for Carol, which will be included in a special memory album that our preschool staff is preparing. Join us for cake in the Courtyard after the service. Contact : Kathy Stickley
Call to Prayer & Iftar Meal with the Divan Center, May 27, 7:30pm, WPC Fellowship Hall
May 6 marked the start of Ramadan, the most holy month of the year for our Muslim brothers and sisters. We’re excited to welcome our friends from The Divan Center, a Turkish Muslim community in Cary, on Monday, May 27 at 7:30pm . We'll meet in the Fellowship Hall to observe their evening prayer, discuss our faith, and then break Ramadan fast with them. We did this last year, and it was truly an incredible evening. Don’t miss it!
We Love Our Worship Volunteers!
You may not know it, but it takes a sizable team of folks to make worship happen each Sunday. Beyond our staff and wonderful choir, there are teams of ushers, lectors, acolytes, sound techs, and others on whom we depend to bring it all together. As we look to the new program year, there are many worship volunteer teams that need to be filled. Members of our Worship Committee will be available before and after worship for the next few Sundays to share info, dates, and details. I encourage you to consider signing up. Contact: Bill Fine
 I'll leave you on this happy note. On Monday afternoon I walked into my office and found a piece of paper on my desk. It was a copy of one of the pages from the pew pads, where you sign your name each Sunday. Someone who had visited the church last Sunday wrote in the "comments/questions" section of the page, "A day full of hope and promise!" I couldn't agree more!

Grateful to be in this with you all,