The Weekly Word at Western Boulevard Presbyterian Church

Thursday, September 1, 2022

A Full Lord's Day

Last Sunday was a full day, with lots of various emotions flowing through me. The morning was full of excitement and joy, as many families came to church with their children for the Blessing of the Backpacks in worship. We also blessed the large number of school supplies so many of you donated in August for our community’s school children at Dillard Drive Middle School and AventWest Children’s Mentoring Program. We also gave thanks for the more than twenty youth, young adults, and adults who installed the new vinyl-plank floor in the Fellowship Hall on Saturday.

I promptly went back home after church and spent the last few hours with our daughter, Heather, whom we drove to the airport that afternoon to leave for her semester study abroad program in Paris, France. As we waited with her in the line to check-in for her flight, I remembered my parents being with me when I embarked on the same adventure my junior of college to Scotland. When it was time to part ways, it was full of tears and love, to be sure, but also a realization that a new chapter in her and our life was beginning.

Debbie and I drove back to the church and sat in the sanctuary with many of you for the Jazz Vespers Service, led by Van-Anthoney Hall and Lacey Haith. In that moment, I was grateful I could be a worship participant, and receive God’s Spirit in that time and space. Amid all my anxiety and stress of sending Heather off, I felt God’s peace and comfort in the music and poetry that was shared. It was exactly what I needed at that particular moment – another reminder that God hears us, knows us, and will always be with us, through all of the highs and lows, the busyness and stillness that life has to bring.

I pray you will know that fact of faith amid the journeys you are on. With school beginning for most of us this week and the fullness of our days that brings, may you find calm and clarity knowing you are not alone. With health challenges and test results coming back, may you know peace which abates your anxiety of what the future will hold. With the future full of uncertainty and murkiness because that’s usually how the future is, may you trust that whatever may come next, God will always love you and be there as you step forward in faith.

May your holiday weekend be full of rest and renewal for you and those you love, and may you feel God’s Spirit leading you each and every day as a disciple of Jesus Christ.

With a full and grateful heart,

Frank

THIS SUNDAY AT WBPC

Worship Service – 10:30am – Click HERE for the bulletin. We welcome Rev. Willem Bodisco Massink as our guest preacher this Sunday. We will also celebrate the Lord's Supper as part of our worship this week.

There will be no @The Table Service this week.

No Sunday School until Fall – Sunday school and Children’s Chapel are on summer hiatus. The start of Sunday School will be on Rally Day, September 11 (see below).

Click HERE for all the education offerings for 2022-23.

RALLY DAY IS COMING – SEPTEMBER 11

On September 11 we will celebrate Rally Day, the beginning of a new church school year! Come join us for breakfast in the Fellowship Hall at 9:00am. After breakfast, we will introduce this year’s Sunday school theme, “Blessed by the Fruit of the Spirit.” Then we will introduce the fabulous teachers who will lead us through this year’s engaging curriculum. Children and youth will be dismissed to visit their classrooms and meet their classmates. Mark your calendars to join your church family for the beginning of a new church school year!

REGISTRATION OF CHILDREN & YOUTH

Registration forms for Nursery, Sunday School, Children’s Chapel and Youth Group will be available on the table by the Pastor’s Office. Forms can also be requested and returned online by contacting Linda Brinkworth at LHBten4@gmail.com.

YOUTH GROUP KICK-OFF SEPTEMBER 11

Middle and High School Youth and their parents/families are invited to our WBPC Youth Group Kick-Off on September 11 at 4:00pm! We will enjoy a snack, have fun getting started, and talking about plans for our new year. Please feel free to contact Larry Shelton (lsheltonnc@gmail.com; 919-795-4099) if you have any questions. Also, if you aren’t getting youth group email updates from youth@wbpresbyterian.org, let us know so we can add you to our list.

SCHOOL SUPPLY DONATIONS

Thank you for all of the school supply donations! They have been sorted and distributed to Avent West Children's Mentoring as well as Dillard Drive Middle School. These organizations were both very grateful to receive these items.

We donated:

· 23 packs of paper

· 68 notebooks

· 70 highlighters

· 96 glue sticks

· 98 erasers

· 114 pens

· 518 pencils

· 633 healthcare related items

· 990 crayons, markers and colored pencils

· 2,400 index cards

· 3,740 binder and paper clips

· 31,675 sticky notes

MISSION OUTREACH: WELCOMING OUR NEIGHBORS

The Shams family moved into our neighborhood last month after escaping Afghanistan with the US military in September. The family has been in Raleigh for a few months and we are excited that they now have a house for their family of 7. Because of the father's work with the US Army, they fled on a 60 hour journey from Kabul to New Mexico where they stayed for two months in a camp. They are adapting to life in a new country while they speak little English and have had to move a few times already.

Four of the children will attend AB Combs in the fall and the father is working at a printing company. They are working with Lutheran Family Services for support in many areas. There are certainly needs that WBPC and our neighborhood can assist with. As we determine those needs we will be reaching out to anyone interested in helping out.

We had a lovely gathering of neighbors and church members who came on July 16 to meet and welcome the Shams to our community. Thank you to all who came! If you'd like to learn more about them and how we might be able to support them, please email Kevin Fischer at wkfischer1@gmail.com.

RESPONDING TO FLOODING DISASTERS

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) is actively responding to the flooding disasters that have happened this summer in Kentucky, Virginia, St. Louis, and Illinois. To learn more about their efforts, click HERE. If you wish to make a monetary donation to PDA, you can donate to Western Boulevard and mark it “Disaster Assistance,” and we will forward it on to PDA. Thank you for your generous response to our neighbors in need.

MISSION OUTREACH

Presbyterians Engage in God's Mission - Scaling the Truth and Spreading Reconciliation - Click HERE to learn more.

CHANCEL CHOIR AND HAND BELL REHEARSALS RESUMING!

Do you love music and want to share it with others? Join the WBPC Chancel Choir or Handbell Choir and enjoy learning music for worship, fellowship with fellow musicians and experience the joy of sharing music! No prior experience needed- we’d love to have you! Weekly Chancel Choir rehearsals will begin September 7 at 6:30-7:30pm, and Handbell Choir rehearsals begin September 7 at 7:30-8:30pm. Contact Elizabeth Davis-Everhart with any questions at music@wbpresbyterian.org!

UPDATE ON FELLOWSHIP HALL

We are thankful for our youth and former youth (now adults!!) that came together to learn from each other and work beside each other on Saturday. Thanks to Mary Todd Earnhardt, Katherine Clapp, David Reynolds (and his wife Bridget) and Cody Nance for working with us on this project. Thanks as well for John Ann Earnhardt for providing breakfast, Ron and Jennifer Pittman for lunch, Judy Shelton and Edna Earle and Joe Sturdivant for the sweet treats. And many thanks to Larry Shelton and the other adults who coordinated this entire project. Here's the finished product!

WEDNESDAY NIGHT LIVE STARTING SEPTEMBER 14

Save the date! Wednesday Night Live will be starting back on September 14, with dinner and a program each week. We will have a game night on our first gathering on September 14, as well as grilled chicken for dinner. Look for how you can RSVP for dinner in next week’s announcements and Weekly Word Email, and we look forward to seeing you on Wednesday nights!

RECEPTION FOR ANNA RICHARDSON RAAB – SEPTEMBER 18

Anna Richardson Raab is finishing her work with us as Youth Ministry Coordinator on August 31, and we want to express our deep gratitude for all she has done in her ministry here at Western Boulevard over the last five years. The Christian Education Committee will be hosting a reception for Anna after the morning worship service on Sunday, September 18, in the Fellowship Hall. Please plan on joining us that day as we celebrate Anna!

NEED A WALKER?

Lori Grippo has an extra walker that she doesn't need, and would love for it to have a new home! Call her at 919-851-9552 if you're interested.

DIVORCE CARE

If you are considering separation or divorce, don’t try to go through it alone. Connect with a DivorceCare group either in person or online. You’ll find caring people who understand the issues you face and practical counsel for decision making and managing stress. Contact DivorceCare HERE or speak with a Deacon or Elder for a list of several groups that meet in The Triangle area, churches or online.

STAFF VACATION PLANS

Frank Mansell will be on vacation September 3-5. During this time, please contact John Bayne (919-954-2076) or one of the Deacons or Stephen Ministers in case of a pastoral emergency.

PRAYER CHAIN REQUESTS

If you have a prayer concern, please contact Frank Mansell (frank@wbpresbyterian.org), Marcia Bennett (sen1969@hotmail.com), or Betty Dean (betdean@nc.rr.com) and request that it be added to the Prayer Chain. Please note that any confidential prayer requests will not be added to the Prayer Chain.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS: September 4 - 11

Sunday, September 4 - Communion

10:30am Worship Service

No @ the Table Service on September 4

Monday, September 5 – Labor Day

Church Office will be closed for the Labor Day Holiday.

Tuesday, September 6

6:30pm Deacons Meeting (Zoom)

Wednesday, September 7

9:30am Wednesday AM Prayer Group (Parlor)

6:30pm Chancel Choir Rehearsal (Sanctuary)

7:30pm Handbell Choir Rehearsal (Sanctuary)

Thursday, September 8

6:30pm Bible Study (Zoom)

7:00pm Personnel and Administration Committee (Zoom)

Sunday, September 11 – Rally Day

9:00am Breakfast and Sunday School Kick-Off

10:30am Worship Service

11:45am Session Meeting (Fellowship Hall)

4:00pm Youth Group Kick-Off (Fellowship Hall)

5:00pm @ The Table Service (Zoom)

RESERVATIONS, PICTURES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Please refer to the Calendar if you have questions about meetings. If you want to reserve a room, please email admin@wbpresbyterian.org. If you have photos from Church events this year, please share them with us. You may upload your pictures directly to our shared Church album by clicking HERE.

If you would like your birthday included on the monthly birthday list, please update your personal information on Realm or contact the church office.

WE'RE HIRING! WBPC is seeking a Director of Christian Education & Community Engagement. If you or someone you know is interested, please click HERE for more information.

Click HERE for September birthdays!

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