April 30, 2020
Dear friends and fellow disciples,
We’ve made it another week! You have made it. I am so proud of the ways you all are acting with courage and wisdom and grace in this very difficult time. But even if you haven’t felt yourself moving with grace, cut yourself some slack. You are loved. Be kind to yourself and be kind to those around you. That’s how we are going to make it through this. Together. I am grateful for you all and for the ways we continue to stay connected. Know I very much miss seeing you and pray you are safe.
Below you can find many opportunities to connect and to serve the broader community. We have neighbors to love! Read through it all, and I challenge you to find a way to connect and support the work of the church in this time. Being church matters so much.
One more thing we're doing is adding a blog from our staff. Regularly you’ll find reflections from our team on how they're thinking and living in all of this. A post on something I’ve just finished reading kicks it off:
check it out.
Stay safe, take care of each other, and be in touch.
Chris
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Westminster This Week - Quick Links
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SUNDAY: Communion at Home
(Yes, you read that right!)
This Sunday, we’re going to do something many of us never imagined we’d do: We’re going to take communion together...virtually! That means each of us will celebrate communion in our homes as part of our worship on Sunday.
This isn’t the way we prefer to be in communion with one another, but now more than ever we as Christians long to meet Christ at the place where he has told us we will always find him. It’s time to gather with Jesus and the communion of the saints at God’s table; gathered to be fed, filled, and nurtured by the Spirit’s vision of the world. With bread and cups in our hands and all of us doing this together, this sacrament will be a real celebration of Holy Communion. Our PC(USA) denominational leaders and your Session have both approved
this means of communion during this time
.
As your household - whether there is one of you or a dozen - prepares for communion, we ask that you make a few advance preparations.
Get the details in this video by Cherrie
, or follow the steps below:
- Select a cup and plate to use. Your every-day cups and plates will work just fine, or you can get fancy and break out the china. Listen to the Spirit and do what you think most honors this time and space.
- Find some sort of bread. A freshly baked loaf, a biscuit, a piece of gluten-free bread, or a cracker - it’s up to you.
- Find some sort of drink. Grape juice or wine are obvious choices, but any other kind of juice, coffee, tea, or even water (baptism!) will work. Again, listen to the Spirit’s call.
- Place your items in a central place before worship begins. This could be a table, a small stool, or a coffee table in front of your viewing monitor. When the time comes to share the elements, the pastors will instruct you what to do.
If you need help securing any of these items,
email us
by Friday evening, and we will get them to you. If you're interested in making your own bread (as some of us did for Maundy Thursday), try this
one-hour, four-ingredient recipe
.
Because this is a new experience for us all, be sure to take some time to reflect after worship on Sunday. As you eat lunch, ponder these questions to yourself or with those around you:
- What did you notice?
- How did this experience expand your understanding of the ways Jesus meets us in communion?
- What concerns did you have doing communion this way? In the end, were they justified?
- Reformed Christians like to say that a sacrament is an “outward and visible symbol of an inner and spiritual grace.” How did this celebration of communion meet that definition of sacrament?
- Are there other things in your life that might be sacramental by this definition of sacrament?
Those interested in reflecting further on this experience are invited to join the pastors in a Zoom time of reflection on Sunday at 5:00pm. To participate, send an email to
westminster@wpcdurham.org
by 3:00pm on Sunday, and a Zoom meeting connection will be sent to you by 4:30pm.
Contact:
Cherrie Barton Henry
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Sunday Worship Services on YouTube
- Go to https://bit.ly/WPCyoutube to reach Westminster’s YouTube channel. Our worship services will air on Sundays at 11:00am.
- We’ll also post a direct link to the day’s service on Westminster’s home page and Facebook page by 10:45am on Sunday morning.
- Hover your mouse over the lower part of the video to bring up the controls. Click the “CC” icon there to turn on closed captioning, if it’s helpful to you.
- You don’t need a Google or Gmail account to watch our videos, but it’s free to create one.
- If you have an account, be sure to check in and comment in the live chat. You can also subscribe to our channel and receive notifications when new videos are added. NEW challenge: Help us reach 200 subscribers by May 10!
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Join a NEW or Ongoing Online Bible Study!
Connect with your Westminster community, and join together online to learn and study God’s Word:
- NEW Midweek Online Study Group Interested in joining a NEW small group that meets during the evening? Want to connect to others online while exploring some aspects of faith and life? This time is an opportunity to take steps toward new patterns of Christian discipleship. What new thing might God be inviting us to begin? We aim to start this four to six week study the week of May 3. If you are interested, please complete this quick survey. Contact: Marietta Wynands
- NEW “Office Hours,” A Pop-Up Bible Study Cherrie Henry is engaging with this study designed to meet the needs of pastors and congregations during our season of social distancing. Brennan Breed of Columbia Theological Seminary, and Chris Holmes of First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta, are teaming up with guest professors to offer an in-depth, unrehearsed five-week study of Paul’s letter to the Philippians. Contact Cherrie Barton Henry if you’d like to participate with her in this study.
These Westminster groups welcome you to participate in their Zoom gatherings:
- Monday Morning Bible Study (Mondays, 9:30-11:30am) - “Unafraid: Living with Courage and Hope During Uncertain Times” We know Jesus tells us, “Do not be afraid,” but with everything going on in the world, how is it possible not to be anxious? In this five-week study beginning May 4, author Adam Hamilton explores the worries and fears most of us experience and shares practical steps for overcoming them with the help of Scripture and a bit of faith. The series consists of a DVD and discussion via Zoom. Contact: Helen Harrison
- Bible Round Table (Sundays, 9:45am) The Bible Roundtable plans to begin its study of the book of James on April 26. We hope you will sign in and join what is always a friendly, lively interactive discussion. Contact: Sam Bryan
- Sojourners (Sundays at 9:45am) This group continues to work its way through the book, We Make the Road by Walking, by Brian McLaren. Contact: Kay Wellemeyer
- The Present Word Join this group in exploring the theme of justice through the eyes of the prophets. The Present Word is available online, so even if you don’t have a copy of the book, you can still access the materials. Contact: Pete McWilliams to join.
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How You Can Help Neighbors in Need
Our Local Missions Committee has been hard at work checking in with our 20+ community partners to see how they’re doing, what their needs are, and how the Westminster family can help.
View the listing of community needs
the Local Missions Committee is has put together and find out what you can to do help your neighbors in need.
This listing will be updated with new help requests as we are made aware of them, so check back frequently (
https://bit.ly/WPClocalmissions)
.
Here are some new help requests that have recently come to our attention:
- Volunteers are needed to help with food distribution through Durham Feast, and PORCH of Durham is collecting donations of food and grocery store gift cards. Get the details.
- Iglesia Presbiteriana Emanuel is in need of volunteers (age 14 and up) to direct traffic during their weekly food-giveaway on Wednesdays from 2:00-3:30pm. Volunteers will not come within 10 feet of any person or touch anything; traffic is directed by hand signals. Alex and Josh volunteered this week (see photo) and reported the process ran very smoothly. Sign up now.
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Please Update Your Contact Information
Our Tree callers are going strong, contacting WPC folks each week for conversation and comfort. Along the way, we’ve learned we need updated contact information for many of you. Also, if you are giving to the church through your
myWPC account
, the address we have in myWPC must match the address of your credit card billing statement for your donation to go through. Please take a moment to review and update your information in myWPC. We’d especially love it if you’d update your photo!
View instructions
for updating your myWPC profile, giving online, and more.
Contact
:
Barb Schmidt
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Westminster’s First Quarter Financial Report
By Dave Pottenger, Chair, Ways & Means Commission
With the ongoing uncertainties of the current crisis, the Ways & Means Commission felt it important to update the congregation on our current financial condition.
Through the end of the first quarter, WPC’s operating results are quite favorable. We are normally blessed with an early year surge of giving, and that trend has continued this year. For this we are deeply grateful! At the same time Westminster’s staff has kept a close eye on spending needs and have been successful in bringing them in just under the first quarter’s budgeted amount, putting us in a strong financial position at the conclusion of the first quarter.
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Westminster School for Young Children Shares Love & Support
It has been a month since Westminster School students graced our doors. In the spirit of togetherness, WSYC would like to share some love with the community:
- If you have a small business that is currently offering services or shipping items, WSYC wants to support you. Click here to respond with your business name, description of your services, and website address. WSYC will share your business info with school families and on its social media. View the list of businesses, and please consider supporting them.
- WSYC is organizing a schoolwide gratitude project to thank the essential personnel bravely putting themselves in harm’s way to keep us all safe. Consider making a card for essential workers in your daily life - postal worker, sanitation collectors, cashiers, delivery drivers, etc. Or, create a sign that says “thank you” and send a photo of your child(ren) or family holding the sign. We have several Westminster members and WSYC parents and friends on the front lines, so let’s show our appreciation! Please send photos to Katie Donoway.
- If you are an Amazon customer, please consider using AmazonSmile and designating Westminster Presbyterian Church as your nonprofit benefactor. When you do, WSYC will receive a donation from the cost of your purchase.
Thank you for joining together to support our school, families, community, and all essential personnel.
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THANK YOU!
Update on the Easter Offering
Thanks to everyone who gave to our Easter Offering. Your generosity brought in
$11,829.51
- double last year’s amount! The funds will be evenly divided and donated to the
Durham Nativity School
and PC(USA)’s
One Great Hour of Sharing
fund.
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Avoid Scammers During the Pandemic
Scammers are out in full force during this crisis, sadly. Please remember: No one at Westminster will ever send you an email asking for money or gift cards. The IRS will not call you to tell you there’s a problem with your check or ask you for your social security number over the phone or email.
Read advice from the FBI’s financial crimes division
to learn more about the scams out there and how you can protect yourself. If you receive a suspicious email that appears to be from someone at Westminster, do not respond; instead contact
Sharon Morgan
,
our Business Manager
.
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Recommendations from WPC Staff
Things to do, watch, read, and listen to during quarantine
This week we’re enjoying recommendations from Sharon:
- A big-time animal lover, Sharon suggests a virtual trip to the North Carolina Zoo. There’s tons of online options to enjoy, including live educational seminars with animals, weekly science experiments you can do at home, videos of the Zoo’s animals, art projects, and downloadable coloring pages for the kids. Check it out at www.nczoo.org/virtual-visit.
- Gen Xers in the congregation will enjoy Sharon’s other pick: www.free80sarcade.com. Play classic video games for free online (yes, including Pong).
What brings you comfort during these days?
Email your suggestions
to us, and we’ll share them in our weekly e-news and on social media.
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Westminster’s campus is closed through May 17. If you have questions about any of our ministries, please
email the church office
, and we will be in touch. Thank you.
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