The Weekly Word at Western Boulevard Presbyterian Church

Thursday, August 25, 2022

God Will Always Be There

Have you ever wished time would just stand still? The new school year starts next week for many families in our area, and I’m sure those of you with children are wondering where the summer has gone. Parents and grandparents ask themselves, “Wasn’t it just yesterday that they were starting kindergarten, and now we’re sending them off to high school?” The lock screen photo on my phone is of my girls from a family trip we took to Disneyworld when they were in elementary school. I know I could change the photo to something else. But it’s my small way of trying to keep time from moving so fast.

The reality is that no matter how hard we try, we can never stop the march of time. Children are born, grow up, and eventually leave the nest for college, vocation, and adulthood. Organizations move through life cycles that mirror our individual lives, and they have to adapt to ever-changing trends and times if they are to thrive. As we age and reach certain milestones, we face new health challenges or screenings that are our ever-present reminder that we aren’t as young as we once were (I had my first colonoscopy last week, so this is fresh on my mind!).

When we catch ourselves yearning for time to stop moving so quickly, and dig deeper into where that’s coming from, oftentimes it’s coming from a mindset of uncertainty and fear of the unknown. We worry about how a child will do with a new challenge that’s before him or her, and we want time to stop moving forward. We are anxious about how a leadership position will be filled at work, and we want to go back in time to when things were unchanged and easier. We are nervous about what a medical test will reveal, and we want to stay in the moment when we were oblivious to any problems with our health.

In those moments, I am grateful God is patient with me and with us. God understands we tend to be worry-warts, and tells us over and over and over, “Do not be afraid – I am with you.” Whatever may be in our future, God will be there. And the signs are around us if we’re open to hearing or seeing them. A spouse who reassures us. A friend who calls and checks-in on us. A caregiver who offers comfort. A stranger who extends a simple act of kindness.

As you walk along this journey God has laid before you, may you know that God is with you in all times – even time that seems to move too fast for your taste. For God will be with us in our future, and that is a great reassurance for us as we serve our living, loving God.

With a full and grateful heart,

Frank

THIS SUNDAY AT WBPC

Worship Service – 10:30am – Click HERE for the bulletin.

Jazz Vespers Service - 5:00pm - This will be our @ The Table Service for this Sunday, and it will be in the Sanctuary. See the announcement below for more information!

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.

BLESSING OF THE BACKPACKS – AUGUST 28

The summer is flying by! Soon it will be time to start a new school year. Students following a traditional calendar will return to school on August 29. How can the church family help the children and youth know that they venture into a new school year with our prayers and blessings? All school-aged kids are invited to bring their backpacks to the worship service on August 28 where Pastor Frank will lead the congregation in bestowing a blessing of these backpacks. Come help us fulfill our baptismal promise of nurturing these young ones as they grow and learn!

SCHOOL SUPPLY DONATIONS

At the same time we are blessing our children as they begin their school year, we have an opportunity to help the children of our community have a great start to their year, too! We’ve been contacted by the social worker at Dillard Drive Middle School asking if we could assist with specific supplies that their teachers have requested. We also have heard from our partners with Avent West Children’s Mentoring, which we host during the school year, that they also have needs for start-of-school supplies. So, here is a list for both schools: composition books, backpacks (sturdy ones), quality band-aids, feminine hygiene products, quality tissues, 5-subject notebooks, post-it notes, hand sanitizer, Clorox wipes, 24-count Crayola crayons, Crayola colored pencils, Crayola thin markers, Wide rule filler paper, Spiral notebooks (1 subject yellow, green red & blue), #2 wooden pencils, yellow highlighters, index cards, Ziploc bags (quart and gallon), Elmer’s glue sticks, pencil sharpeners, pink erasers. There are collection bins in the narthex of the sanctuary and in the hallway outside Frank’s office. Please bring your donations throughout August, and we will dedicate them on August 28 when we have the Blessing of the Backpacks in worship. Thank you for your generous support!

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

Thank you, parents, for reviewing and making updates to your child or youth’s registration recently emailed to you. Generally, the only change needed is current grade and school. In order to plan for Sunday School, nursery, Children’s Chapel and Youth Group, our hope is to have registration completed by the end of this month. If you did not receive an email or are new this year, please contact Linda Brinkworth at LHBten4@gmail.com. Thank you!

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 have fun getting started and talking about plans for our new year. Look for more details in the coming weeks, and please feel free to contact Larry Shelton (lsheltonnc@gmail.com; 919-795-4099) if you have any questions.

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: PMA global partner celebrates 50 years of helping people - Click HERE to learn more.

JAZZ VESPER SERVICE – AUGUST 28

We are excited to share that we will have a Jazz Vesper Service on Sunday, August 28, at 5:00pm, in the sanctuary. This will be our @ The Table Service for that day, and Van-Anthoney Hall and Lacy Haith (trumpet) will provide the music for this special service. This will be a unique worship experience of music and prayer based on the theme “On Any Human to Another” by Countee Cullen. The service will be recorded and posted to the church’s YouTube page, and a freewill offering will be collected to support the Yahvre Jire Children’s Orphanage in Haiti. Plan to come and invite your friends and family for this wonderful opportunity to worship God!

BIBLICAL JUSTICE FORUM – AUGUST 29

BJF will meet on August 29, and will not meet on Labor Day, September 5. We are discussing new curriculums to use starting September 12. Our meetings in August will delve into issues that affect our community and how we can be faithful citizens as God's people loving our neighbors.

On August 29. two members of BJF from West Raleigh PC, Pam Wilson and Kathy Huffstetler, will update us on their Dismantling Racism Task Force that has been meeting for about two years. They will share what they have been doing those two years and talk about goals - which are ever evolving.

We will continue meeting via zoom at noon on Mondays. All are welcome to join our discussions. Click HERE for participating in Monday's meeting.

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. Interested in joining but need a music refresher? Join us for a get-acquainted handbell rehearsal on August 31st at 7:30pm in the sanctuary. Contact Elizabeth with any questions or to RSVP at music@wbpresbyterian.org!

SCOUTING ICE CREAM SOCIAL – AUGUST 28

Are you interested in learning more about the Boy and Cub Scout Troops that meet here at Western Boulevard? You’re invited to come to an Ice Cream Social on Sunday, August 28, from 4:00-5:00pm in the Fellowship Hall! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Kevin Fischer (wkfischer1@gmail.com; 919-272-8661).

Click HERE for more information on Scouting events this fall!

UPDATE ON FELLOWSHIP HALL

We are excited about this Saturday, August 27! Youth, former youth, and adults will be coming together to install the new floor in the Fellowship Hall. 9 youth, 4 former youth and 6 adults will meet at 8:00am on Saturday prepared for a good day's work, completing the repairs to the Fellowship Hall from the flood about two months ago. In addition to installing the floor, we will also be painting some areas on the stage and the doors in the Fellowship Hall.

We are thankful that our youth and former youth (now adults!!) are coming 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.

There is still time for anyone to sign up and help on Saturday. Contact Larry Shelton (lsheltonnc@gmail.com or 919-795-4099) for details.

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. Look for more details in the coming weeks, 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: August 28-September 3

Sunday, August 28

10:30am Worship Service – Blessing of the Backpacks

4:00pm Scouts Ice Cream Social (Fellowship Hall/Outdoors)

5:00pm Jazz Vesper Service (Sanctuary)

6:30pm Worship Committee (Parlor)

Monday, August 29

12:00pm Biblical Justice Forum (Zoom)

1:00pm Staff Meeting (Zoom)

7:00pm Property Committee Meeting (Parlor)

Tuesday, August 30

5:30pm AventWest Children’s Mentoring Volunteer Training (Fellowship Hall)

Wednesday, August 31

9:30am Wednesday AM Prayer Group (Parlor)

7:30am Get-Acquainted Handbell Rehearsal (Sanctuary)

Thursday, September 1

6:30pm Bible Study (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 August birthdays!

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