From the Pastor's Desk

As a Lenten practice, we are engaging in the fullness of silence during the time of confession. Our Lenten “Journey to the Center: Confession at the Core” is aided as much, if not more, by silence than it is by words. At the heart of confession is the attempt, however feeble, to acknowledge things as they are long before we process, integrate or change. If you love communal quietness, this practice is designed for you. If you find extended (approx. 1-minute) silence to be uncomfortable, please spend some time preparing ahead of time. We also honor the gift of the church’s children and the ways their silence may be a work in progress. We are grateful for their sounds and noises. Verse 1 from Come and Find the Quiet Center will bring us into the confession and verse 2 will bring us out of it. I encourage you to take a look at the lyrics and allow the invitation to “be at peace and simply be” infuse you this week.

Ever onward,

Pastor Kelly

Update from your Session

On Wednesday, March, 15, 2023, the session met for its monthly meeting. A pre-session was held at 5:30 to have pictures taken for the bulletin board in the hallway. (Thank you, Ted Burney.) Members also took tours of the educational wing with Vik to view our spaces for a possible day care. The session approved April 16 and May 14 for the election and installation of new deacons and elders. The meeting ended at 8:00 with prayer requests and blessings. 

Sandy McLean, Clerk of Session

Update from Childcare Task Force

In conjunction with session, the childcare taskforce is shifting from “exploring” to “pursuing.” Over the past three months, the taskforce has cast the net wide in how Westminster might partner with the Salem community to meet critical needs of families in this post-pandemic world. We have learned about areas of high need such as infants/toddlers, the ways Employment Related Daycare, Preschool Promise, and private pay work together to serve families, as well as meeting some of the providers who are in South Salem and engaged in providing high quality care to children. Want to learn more about the state of childcare? Read here.

We anticipate the next couple of months to be marked by a number of moving pieces, some predictable and some not. The taskforce will update the congregation regularly in this Friday newsletter so stay tuned. The members of the taskforce and the elders on session are available to hear your questions, ideas, hopes and concerns. We ask for your patience as we synthesize the wisdom and work of the many committees involved – building & grounds, budget & finance, children & youth, childcare taskforce, session and Creative Discoveries preschool which is currently housed in the lower floor of the education wing. Here are a couple things coming up this week that the childcare taskforce is tackling:

• Submit interest form for Oregon state childcare capacity funds.
• Connect with Cascades Presbytery regarding grant funds for Westminster’s building use permit costs.

The taskforce meets on Thursdays at 3:30pm and the meetings are open to members and friends. Please come join us in Russell Hall if you are interested in working on this exciting project.

Childcare taskforce point of contact: Cheryl Lugenbill, clugenbill@gmail.com

Session point of contact: Clerk Sandy McLean, clerk@salemwestpres.org

Staff point of contact: Pastor Kelly, pastorkelly@salemwestpres.org

Sincerely,

Childcare Task Force: Vik Schaaf, Jill Whitney, Ted Burney, Lynnea Lyman, Lucy Foster, Bill Foster, Suzanne Taylor, Teri Mohney, Maggie Sather, Luanne Barnes, Cheryl Lugenbill, Nancy MacMorris-Adix, and Pastor Kelly Wadsworth 

Participate

Vacation Bible Camp plans are underway. We would love for anyone with a heart for children, the Bible, and activities that engage children in knowing God's love to join us in our planning. We will meet April 6 at 9:30 and invite you to join us. If you have questions, please contact Terri Crall, Teri Mohney, or Carole Brewer. We welcome your input to make this the best VBC ever! This is not a commitment to be part of the VBC staff, just to help us plan!

Men's Night Out is March 21 at 6 pm at The Ram.

Women's Night Out is April 10 at 6 pm at Epilogue Kitchen/Cocktails (corner of State and High Streets) on Trivia Night! Downtown parking only. The deadline for RSVP is April 2--no exceptions (call Michele Hare at 408-402-2396)!

Easter is coming, and you are invited to purchase flowers for the sanctuary on Easter Sunday. This year we have chosen white Martha Washington Geraniums from Egan's Gardens, and we are asking for $12 for each. After worship on April 9, you may designate it to be taken to a shut-in or take it home yourself. Special envelopes are available by the offering box in the sanctuary. We ALL want a lovely sanctuary to celebrate the Risen Lord, and you can be part of it! The deadline for purchasing this is March 30.

In preparation for the annual Easter egg hunt, we are welcoming candy donations in the narthex from 3/12-4/2. Donations should be individually wrapped and sized for stuffing into eggs. Small stuffable trinkets are also welcome!

The youth geranium fundraiser is happy to offer you Egan Garden's BEAUTIFUL Geraniums for pre-order!!! Flowers are $6 each and hanging baskets are $30 each. Flowers can be picked up on Sunday morning, May 7th from 9-11:30 AM. Delivery is available for $10 if necessary. Pre-Orders are due by April 12th. We will have a limited amount for sale out front at Westminster on Sunday, May 7th. Please make checks payable to Westminster Presbyterian Church with "Youth Missions" on the memo. All proceeds will benefit City Camp and the Puerto Rico Mission Trip. Order here. 

Holy Week

April 2 Palm Sunday: 10 am Processional Worship Service with Communion

One Great Hour of Sharing offering

April 2-April 7: Labyrinth available in Boulder Hall (self-guided)

April 7 Good Friday: 7 pm Worship Service with Communion

April 8: 9 am Easter Egg Hunt

April 9: Easter Sunday: 10 am Worship Service

Save the Date

Pick Up Sticks: Annual Grounds Clean Up: 4/15 9am-12pm

Blessing of the Animals: 4/29 10 am

New Member Class: 4/30 and 5/7 following Sunday service

Vacation Bible Camp: 6/26-6/30 for incoming 1st-5th graders

FYI

Pastor's Bible study is on Monday, March 20 @ 10:30am this coming week instead of on Tuesday, March 21. It is a one-time change.

Children's Easter books are on display in the church library! Check one out to enjoy at home.

Lenten season meditative activities are available in the narthex: labyrinth coloring page, for those who would like to try a finger labyrinth before our own Boulder hall labyrinth returns for Holy Week. It’s surprisingly meditative. Try it and see. In addition, we encourage you to venture on a meditative prayer walk on our church grounds. There are papers to help you with this in the narthex on a table near the church office windows.

Tech concerns: If you receive an email that looks like it's from a church staff member but is asking you to contact immediately and only by email, that is spam. Hint: always check the actual email address from which it came! If you have had issues with the Realm giving software (donate button on church website), try again. If issues persist, contact Terri at finance@salemwestpres.org.

Your hard-working staff are taking some time off:

Kelly – March 21-25

Krisha – March 22-27

Jeffrey – March 26

Ariana – March 26

Limited office support will be available March 22 and March 27 from 9-12.

Upcoming Celebrations of Life:

Bill Hruska--Saturday, March 25 at 2 pm at Trinity Covenant Church

Elizabeth Chrisman--Saturday, April 29, 2-5 pm (open house-style) at Willamette Valley Vineyards

Access the full church calendar here.  

Deadline for placing info in the Friday Newsletter is every Thursday at 9 am! Friday Newsletter will be on hiatus next week, so look for your next one on Friday, March 31!

Thanks



From Pastor Kelly – Thank you for all of the warm wishes and cards last week for my second anniversary as your pastor. It is an honor to serve and walk alongside such a great group of members and friends!

Thanks to congregants and community members for their turnout for the March 13 blood drive! We collected many more units of blood (or "products" as the Red Cross calls them) than the last blood drive! Let's keep that momentum up for the May drive! Thanks again, Westminster.

Regards,

Bill Nelson and Pamela Garland

Pray for

• Dianne Johnson's friend Syrie who had a bad accident last Friday.
• The Horns' friend, Jonathan, whose previously successful cancer treatment has been disrupted.
• Crystal, who needs sleep at night and full-time employment.

**If you would like a written prayer included in Sunday's worship bulletin, please email or call the church office (krisha@salemwestpres.org; 503-364-3327) or fill out the prayer request form on the website by Thursday at 10 am each week.

Give

On Palm Sunday we will collect the One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) offering. This offering is the single largest way that Presbyterians come together every year to work for a better world. The three programs supported by OGHS, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, the Presbyterian Hunger Program, and Self-Development of People all work in different ways to serve individuals and communities in need. If you would like more information about OGHS or the programs it supports, check out this short video and this engagement map. You can interactively view the map to see programs around the world that are supported by OGHS and click on any of icons to get information about specific programs and projects.

There will be special OGHS offering envelopes available by the offering box as you exit the sanctuary or you can give online using the DONATE button on our church website (be sure to select One Great Hour of Sharing in the dropdown box). I hope you will consider giving generously to support these mission programs.

Westminster Presbyterian Church