Dear friends and fellow disciples,   The news of the death of our beloved Pastor Emeritus, Haywood Holderness, has brought us all manner of emotions – shock, sadness, gratitude, and love. He was a truly extraordinary person.    We all have stories. Many, many stories. And I bet most of them are true! 😉 Haywood was a larger-than-life figure in so many ways.

I want to tell you one of my favorite Haywood stories. After I was called to be your pastor in 2008, the very first letter I received in the mail was from Haywood. I pulled it out of a drawer this week, and an image of it is included in this newsletter. He wanted nothing more than to offer me his support, and this was because, above all, he wanted Westminster to succeed, to thrive even after his retirement. He sent me this kind note, and we met for lunch not long afterward. We both knew that for this church to do well he and I needed to work together. He was such a gift to me, as he was to so many of you. It would have been very easy for someone of his stature and influence and gifts to do less, but he loved this church. He loved you all so very, very much. That is something we will always share.   I look forward to us worshiping together on Saturday, remembering dear Haywood, surrounding his family with love, supporting one another in our grief, and offering our gratitude to God. Peace, Chris

A Service of Witness to the Resurrection for the Reverend Haywood D. Holderness, Jr. Pastor Emeritus of Westminster Presbyterian Church Saturday, June 25, 2022, 2:00pm Read about Haywood, and view the bulletin for the memorial service. Childcare will be available beginning at 1:15pm. Preludes begin at 1:30pm. The service will be live-streamed to our YouTube channel beginning at 1:30pm. If you are comfortable walking a little farther, please park in the church's overflow lot (next to the church parking lot exit drive), or across the street at Markham Chapel Baptist Church, to make space for visitors and family. The service will be simulcast to the Fellowship Hall, where overflow seating will be available once the Sanctuary reaches capacity. The family will receive guests in the Fellowship Hall after the service. Donations in Haywood's memory can be made to Westminster Presbyterian Church, with “in memory of Rev. Holderness” in the memo line. Please mail to Westminster Presbyterian Church, Attn: Finance Dept., 3639 Old Chapel Hill Rd, Durham, NC 27707. If you prefer to make an online donation, you can donate to the Holderness Fundin his memory here.

Comeback Sundays for Fun & Fellowship This summer we invite you to slow down, stick around after worship, and enjoy some simple activities or conversations, as we remember the joy of Christian fellowship.

Comeback Sunday on June 26: Hike at Brumley Nature Preserve Let's enjoy God's creation together at this Triangle Land Conservancy park! Pack a picnic lunch or stop for lunch after worship before heading to the Brumley NORTH entrance: 3620 Old State Hwy 10, Chapel Hill, NC 27514. It's a 15-minute drive from Westminster. We'll meet in the Brumley parking lot around noon. Remember your water bottle and bug spray, and wear closed-toe shoes. This beautiful preserve includes mature hardwood, young pine, and forests surrounding streams, wetlands, ponds, and the ruins of several homes. There are several trails, and participants will decide the length of this hike together. All are encouraged to walk the new healing labyrinth at the end of this outing. Contact Marietta with any questions. Upcoming Comeback Sundays: July 10: Get a behind-the-scenes look at WPC’s organ, led by Monica. July 17: Discuss Kate Bowler’s latest book, No Cure for Being Human, with Chris and friends. July 31: Chris leads a conversation on Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel. Join us if you’ve read the book or watched the TV show. August 7: “Talk-back” session with Cherrie to unpack the messages of Jonah Chapter 4.

Volunteers Needed to Help Homeless Families Here's a wonderful volunteer opportunity to prepare and serve a dinner for the clients at Families Moving Forward. It's a great way to see what WPC and other organizations do to help homeless families in our community find permanent housing. It's a very rewarding hour or two of your time! Please sign up if you can help on any of the dates posted. Thank you for your participation. Please contact Pat Trost with any questions. Fellowship Committee: Helping Hands Needed Do you enjoy helping with dinners or special events? Do you love cooking for family and friends? Do you like helping folks come together for food and friendship? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then the Fellowship Committee is the place for you! Volunteers are currently needed to help set up and serve lemonade in the Courtyard after Sunday worship. This is a super-easy assignment, and you'll meet new church friends in the process! Sign up now Also, the Fellowship Committee is creating a “casserole list” of volunteers who would be willing to occasionally provide a casserole or other food item for church events. Please contact Suzanne Graham if you're interested.

Summer Camp Season is Here! Register Today for "Wild Wonder: A Rocha Creation Care Camp," July 11 - 15, 9:00am-12:00pm   All kids rising K through 6th grade are invited to a week of outdoor fun immersed in the wonders of God's created world! Through daily devotions, nature study, and play, campers will learn that all of God's works are good and that they are beloved creations. Wild Wonder is “summer camp meets Bible School” – it’s outdoors, super fun, and dedicated to learning about God and caring for God’s amazing creation. It’s a win-win-win! Check out photos from last summer's MissionX fun. Bring your friends! Calling all volunteers! We need your help to make “Wild Wonder” fun, meaningful, and memorable! Come, lend a hand, and have a great time with the kids. Adult and youth volunteers are encouraged to take part. Sign up now or contact Marietta with any questions. A Rocha USA is a national community of Christians working in biodiversity conservation to protect and restore vulnerable habitats, species, and communities. Their key areas of work in the US are marine conservation, climate action, and habitat preservation. There are A Rocha organizations around the world; this Creation Care Camp is one of their resources to help children, parents, and churches get outside to spark their imaginations as they learn about God and explore the world around them.

Register for Wild Wonder

Sunday, June 26 – Third Sunday After Pentecost, Birthday Sunday 9:00am Adult Church School Classes Summer Choir Rehearsal 9:30am  Nursery opens for Infants and Toddlers 10:00am Worship – Sanctuary & YouTube Sermon Series: Explore Psalm 46 with Cherrie Worship Bulletin & Announcements 11:00am Lemonade in the Courtyard 11:20am Commission to examine Inquirers 11:30am MissionX Volunteer Training 12:00pm Comeback Sunday at Brumley Nature Preserve – Meet at North Entrance Parking Lot 5:00pm   Diaconate Meeting – Zoom

Thank You, Eagle Scouts! We’re grateful to Eagle Scouts Vinton Euler and Evan Dysart-Chappell for making some really nice improvements to WPC’s campus. Vinton built three new benches and installed a gravel walkway for the Memorial Garden. Evan built a bridge to make getting to the overflow parking lot easier. Pretty awesome 👏👏👏 Thanks, Vinton and Evan!

Welcome, New Members We're so excited that these wonderful folks have chosen to join the WPC family! They've completed their new member class and met with the Session and will be received by the congregation in July, along with a few others (we'll introduce you to them a bit later). Pictured from left to right: elder Helen Tharrington, elder Russ Lange, Kathryn Galey, Matt Warren, Mary Jo Harrod, David McAdams, Beth Hensley, elder Mark Hill, and Phyllis Grube. We look forward to getting to know each other!

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