January 7, 2022
Dear friends and fellow disciples,
First, something fun! Even though we had to tweak our plans for Christmas Eve, it was still pretty special. It was special because you showed up; you helped move chairs and light candles in the wind and shared bulletins when we ran out. You helped us take down everything in the Courtyard after the 5:00pm service and put things back in their places – thank you! Another thing you did was send me a photo of your light shining in the darkness. In my Christmas Eve meditation at the 8:00pm service, I asked you to light a candle at home and send me a picture...and you did! Here's a photo collection of some of your faces and candles from Christmas eve. These pictures were a gift to me that night. We are still connected!
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These are all wonderful examples of the ways we continue to be as flexible as possible even as we continue to respond to this pandemic. On Wednesday, Durham County had a positive Covid testing rate of 19%. With case counts and hospitalizations running very high, this week your WPC Covid Operations Team decided to take two sets of actions: We're going to push back the return of Church School for two weeks, and we're pausing congregational singing. We need a little time to sort things out after holiday travels and get a sense of where this Omicron wave is going. Please be as safe as you can, and take good care of those around you.
We will still worship, both in-person and via our live stream, though please note we won't be offering Godly Play or nursery during these two weeks. It is important to me that we remain in person on Sunday mornings when we can, and I think we can do it with spacing and strong masking practices. Everyone is in a different situation, and I believe it is important to give each other as much grace as possible.
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Also, be sure to note the beginning of the Y Learning program at WPC, the bus, and a handful of children and teachers from Hope Valley Elementary on our campus this week. As many of you remember, Westminster first started meeting in the old Hope Valley School before our present campus was built. Now students from that same school come to WPC to learn and grow! These partnerships – along with so many others, like the Westminster School for Young Children, the scouts, and La Nueva Jerusalén – matter so much. Christ came to earth, here, flesh and bone. And he calls us into relationship with those around us, to model, as best we can, something of the kingdom of God. Even in the most difficult of times, that is our call.
Blessings on this day to you and yours,
Chris
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This Week's Quick Links
Worship at Westminster
January 9 – Baptism of the Lord
11:00am Worship – In-person and on YouTube
January 16 – Second Sunday After Epiphany
11:00am Worship – In-person and on YouTube
Guest Preacher: The Rev. Vanessa Hawkins, Transitional Executive Presbyter/Stated Clerk of the Presbytery of New Hope; sister of the Rev. Jimmie Hawkins
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So Many Opportunities To Serve - Don't Miss Out!
Join the Worship Team!
The old saying “it takes a village” can easily be applied to Sunday morning worship. It takes a lot of volunteers to make it happen – Ushers, lectors, Welcome Station hosts, acolytes, offering counters, sound and video techs, and more! Visit our online sign-up to check out all the ways you can serve your church on Sunday mornings. Sign up to serve with a friend or the members of your household. Training is provided. Interested in helping with the tech side of worship? Live stream and sound tech volunteers are greatly needed. Training is provided. Please contact Mark Hill.
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Enjoy the “Ministry of Flowers” with the Flower Guild
Do you see the glory of God in flowers? When you see the arrangements in worship, are you reminded of God’s love and the beauty of God’s created world? If yes, the WPC Flower Guild invites you to join us as we gather to put together the Sunday morning arrangements for worship.
Get started by attending our annual meeting on January 16, 2022, following the 11:00 service in the Mission Center Room 105. Here you will learn about scheduling and signing up to help and will get an overview of how the Flower Guild operates. No flower-arranging experience is needed! We learn from each other and find this to be a relaxing mission that serves God and the church. It is also a good way to develop friendship and comradery among church members.
If you like what you hear at the January meeting, then come Sunday, February 13, 2022, to participate in “Flower Arranging 101,” a how-to workshop led by Marty Warburton on the basics of flower arranging. Mark your calendars for these dates and please consider joining the Flower Guild. To sign up or learn more, please contact Bonnie Derr.
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Children's Winter Coat Drive, January 7-20
The Local Missions Committee is organizing a coat drive for Hope Valley Elementary School. They need a range of sizes for that age group. Please leave any gently used or new coats in the green donations bin in the Mission Center reception area. You can drop off your donation on Monday – Thursday, 9:00am-5:00pm, and on Friday, 9:00am-1:00pm. Please contact Carolyn Davidson (919-614-6223) or Don Hertzog with any questions. Thank you very much for your support!
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Volunteer with Y Learning at WPC
Iglesia Presbiteriana Emanuel’s Food Bank
Volunteers are the heart and soul of this vital ministry to our neighbors in need. Volunteers are needed for a variety of tasks as are donations of food, rice, and beans. Get the details and sign up now.
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New Year, New Focus for Adult Christian Education
“Do you know about God? Or do you know God? There is a big difference!” — Ben Campbell Johnson
A new year lies ahead of us. There is so much we don’t know about the coming months and many feel alone, confused, and lost. It is in times like these that we need companions for the journey, as well as the Companion who promises to help us through. In 2022, we invite you to go deeper – to join fellow companions in “finding and following the God we seek.”
Coming next month, we will begin an exploration of what it means for people of faith to be on pilgrimage. Pilgrimage is both a metaphorical concept as well as a physical journey. It is to travel to a sacred place for a sacred purpose, but it is also a way of living one’s life before God. We will offer a variety of ways to explore pilgrimage and we hope you’ll join your companions on the journey!
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Aperture: 3rd Wednesdays – Rev. Paul H. Lang: Preacher, Teacher, Leader
January 19, 7:00pm, on Zoom
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Sunday Morning Elective – The PIlgrim’s Compass: Finding and Following the God We Seek
NEW DATES: Sundays, January 23 - March 6, 9:45-10:45am, Led by Cherrie Barton Henry
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Durham Pilgrimage of Pain and Hope
April 1- 3, 2022
Information Meeting: Sunday, February 6, 12:15pm
Do you want to love your city? Are you looking for ways to connect your faith with the place you live? 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. Get the details and register now Questions? Please contact Reynolds Chapman.
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