February 11, 2022
Dear Friends,
Wanderlust! Definition: intense longing for or impulse to travel.
With COVID being what it's been and winter taking its usual long winding path to Spring, are you feeling a bit of wanderlust?
As your worship planning team held its planning session for Lent this year, we admitted that we all had itchy feet. That's why a theme for Lent this year around the ancient pilgrimage practice became so appealing. From that wandering Aramean we know as Father Abraham; to the Hebrew children crossing the wilderness and then the Jordan into the land of promise; from Jesus who was born while on the road with his parents and later called himself "The Way;" to Paul and the saints who spread across our globe for the love of Christ, we Christians have been and still are, a pilgrim people. We are a people with itchy feet, always on the way.
This Lent, we are excited to explore this idea of being pilgrims on a pilgrimage together. Toward that end, we will be setting up an outdoor labyrinth on Campus on the playfield behind the garage. Labyrinths were one way our ancestors took virtual pilgrimages. Walking a labyrinth's circuits –ours has seven, one for each week of Lent – they would imagine themselves going from where they were to where, for their hearts' sake, they heard God calling them to be.
We hope that during this Lent, you will visit our labyrinth (alone or with your family or a friend) to learn more about the spiritual gifts of walking and contemplating life's walk with Christ. You'll find some "helps" for that walk in an infobox at the start of the labyrinth. Physical steps paired with a focused spirit can be transformational...and it might just help with your wanderlust too.
Mark Ash Wednesday, March 2, on your calendar now! Our 7:30pm service will be a perfect opportunity to "step off" into our journey toward Easter.
Buen Camino!
Cherrie
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Westminster This Week – Quick Links
This Sunday at Westminster – February 13
9:30am Nursery for Infants and Toddlers
9:45am Adult Church School Classes – Mission Center and Zoom
Church School Elective Class: “The Pilgrim's Compass”
Church School for Children and Youth – Mission Center
"Strings & Sounds" Music for 2’s-K – Mission Center
Confirmation Class – Fellowship Hall
WPC Parents’ Fellowship Time – Mission Center Reception Area
11:00am Worship in the Sanctuary and on YouTube
12:30pm Children and Youth Protection Policy Orientation and Training – Mission Center Room 105 and Zoom
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A big thank-you to everyone who donated diapers to the Diaper Bank of North Carolina in celebration of the Stayer-Brewington family 👶 That's a whole bunch of diapers, y'all!
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SUNDAY: Children’s & Youth Protection Policy Training After Worship
Are you new to Westminster and have an interest in participating in children’s or youth activities? We would love to welcome you! All children’s and youth volunteers need to take part in the Children’s and Youth Protection Policy (CYPP) Training. Our next opportunity to do so is Sunday, February 13 following worship at 12:30pm in Mission Center Room 105. This essential training will be led by Director of Christian Education Marietta Wynands and Pastor for Youth Alex Stayer-Brewington. If you can come in person, please bring a bag lunch; drinks will be provided. If you need to join us via Zoom, check your email for the link after you register. Register here
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Sign Up Now for the Durham Pilgrimage of Pain and Hope, April 1- 3, 2022
The Durham Pilgrimage of Pain and Hope is an opportunity to connect Durham’s story, your own story, and God’s story. Through a weekend of visiting important places, hearing the stories of leaders who have shaped the city, and engaging in Biblical reflection with a cohort of fellow pilgrims, participants reckon with the challenges Durham has faced and witness the hope in our community. Westminster Presbyterian Church will be going on a pilgrimage April 1, at 3:00pm through April 3, at 4:00pm. Join your fellow WPC pilgrims on this unforgettable walk! The cost is $150 per person. Register now
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“Who, What, When, and Y?”
Aperture: Third Wednesdays with Forrest Perry, YMCA Regional Vice President and WPC Member
February 16, 7:00pm on Zoom
Join us for our February Aperture as WPC member, dad, and Regional Vice President of the Y, Forrest Perry, shares about his life-long passion and experience with the YMCA. Learn about its history, current mission and vision, as well as what’s happening right here at Westminster Presbyterian Church. Register now
Forrest Perry, a North Carolina native, has worked for the YMCA for 27 years. He got his start at 16 as a summer camp counselor and now serves as a regional vice president overseeing operations in Durham, Orange, Chatham, and northern Wake counties. He has found his YMCA career to be a true calling and a blessing to have walked alongside many people through their own personal and spiritual development. Forrest and his wife, Rebekah, joined WPC in 2013. They have been married 14 years and have two adorable children, Turner (8), and Merritt (3).
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Baptism: A Sacraments Study for Families
Sunday, February 20, 9:45-10:45am
Children in 1st - 4th grades, along with their parent(s) or a caring adult, are invited to explore this significant milestone together through caring conversations, Scripture, and ritual. Each household will take home their very own Blessing Bowl. Please contact Marietta to save your spot.
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LAST CHANCE to Register for Spring Women's Retreat, March 11-13 at Holden Beach – Just 3 spots left!
Act quickly to claim your spot at the upcoming Spring Women’s Retreat, March 11-13, at Holden Beach! Experience the blessing of hospitality to God, from God, to ourselves, and to each other at this relaxing retreat facilitated by MJ Junkin, certified spiritual director. Safety precautions for Retreat participants include:
- All participants must be fully vaccinated and boosted
- One person per bedroom
- Registration is limited to 15 participants
- Masks will be worn indoors
- Spend plenty of time outdoors
- Registration fee (minus $50) is refundable
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Attention, Families: Reserve Your Lent & Easter@Home Pack
The seasons of Lent and Easter are central to the Christian faith. Westminster wants to support you and your family as you journey through them together. Our Lent & Easter At-Home Pack will help you explore simple ways to experience the richness of the season together. This year’s pack will include a special gift from WPC – a newly published book by Traci Smith called Faithful Families for Lent, Easter, & Resurrection (while supplies last). You’ll also receive some simple activities and tools for your family to create sacred moments at home. Reserve your family pack now
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Our 2021 Christmas offering raised $20,536.78! As a result, each of our five partner organizations – CASA, Families Moving Forward, Habitat for Humanity, Housing for New Hope, and Urban Ministries of Durham – received a gift of $4,100+. Thank you for your amazing generosity!
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