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Friday Newsletter

December 20, 2024

This Sunday--4th Sunday of Advent

10 am: Worship Service featuring cantata

11:15 am: Coffee Hour


From the Pastor's Desk


More angels have been added to the December Angel display which is now in the narthex. Come take a look, it will be up through the first week in January.


ANGEL SLIDESHOW is coming! If you have a picture of yourself with the blue angel wings in Boulder Hall, please send to the Vik, vik@salemwestpres.org, by Monday, Dec 23 @ 12pm to be included in the Christmas Eve slide show.


Tuesday Bible Study w/ Pastor Kelly:

Dec 24 @ 10:30am

Dec 31 No gathering

Jan 7 @ 10:30am


Upcoming worship events:

Dec 22 @ 10am Annual Christmas Cantata (arrive early for parking & seating)

Dec 24 @ 5pm Child-friendly Christmas Eve service

Dec 24 @ 8pm Candlelight Christmas Eve service

Dec 29 @ 10am Christmas Hymn Sing!

Jan 5 @ 10am Family-friendly worship service (first Sunday of the month)


Save the Date

January 12 @ 11:30am / 6:30pm  2025 Budget Information session for congregation. 11:30am in-person and 6:30pm online using the Tuesday Bible Study link on the website.


Peace,

Pastor Kelly

From Your Session


Your Westminster Presbyterian Session met for their stated meeting on Wednesday, December 18 at 6:00 in Russell Hall. Three elders were absent: Bill Faust, Maggie Sather and Teri Mohney. Guests were: Dick Hughes from Personnel and Ted Burney from Buildings & Grounds. Elder Training centered on the last chapter of the book Being A Church in a Liminal Time, led by Steve Kandra and Sandy McLean. The next book, Troubling the Water, by Ben McBride was handed out. The elders will start this book in January. The rest of the meeting centered on the budget: the income, expenses and priorities of session and pastor in 2025. A budget and information session will be held on January 12 at 11:30 for the congregation. The meeting closed with prayer at 8:15.


Sandy McLean, Clerk

Coming Up



December 24 @ 5 pm: Christmas Eve Children & Family Service

December 24 @ 8 pm: Christmas Eve Service

December 25-January 3: Church Office Closed/Staff Out

January 4 @ 3 pm: Doug White's Memorial Service

January 11 @ 10 am: Un-Decorating Party

January 12 @ 11:30 am & 6:30 pm: Budget Info Discussion

January 12 @ 11:30 am: Our Stories Salon

January 12 @ 12:00 pm: Next Gen Training

January 13 @ 9:30 am: Stephen Minister Training Begins

January 13 @ 6:00 pm: Women's Night Out

February 2 & 9 @ 11:30 am: New Member Class

February 12 @ 6:30 pm: Leadership Lab

February 16 @ 4:00 pm: Classical Guitar Concert (Patrick Anderson)

February 22: Bruce Reyes-Chow Event

February 23: Annual Meeting

February 28 @ 7:00 pm: Benefit Concert (Piano Trio)


For the full church calendar see here. To change or add something to the calendar, please email or call the church office (office@salemwestpres.org, 503-364-3327).

Opportunities

The Next Gen committee will be hosting a formal training in January for any adults who wish to work with children and youth 0-18. We will have two dates available to choose from: January 12 from 12-1:30 or January 15th from 6-7:30 PM. This will be a time to get a refresher in the child protection policy, figure out if you have missing or outdated paperwork, learn about classroom expectations and flow, and learn how to access and use the curriculum. Please bring your tablet or laptop if possible! Please RSVP for the date of your choice here. We are working on providing childcare for the Sunday January 12 timeframe. Lunch will also be provided on January 12. 


The next Women's Night Out is Monday, January 13, at 6 pm at McGrath's Fish House (3805 Center St NE, in Salem). Please contact: Chris Duval, duval15@comcast.net, or 971-218-0361 to sign up.

Stephen Ministry Training


SM presents classes to expose you to Stephen Ministry training. Come to one or as many as you are interested in. Classes will be held in Eastminster Room on Mondays from 9:30 am to noon beginning January 13. A list of classes is on the bulletin board in Boulder Hall.


Training materials are available for check out in the library beginning January 2. You will have a better understanding of the material if you read what's available before class.


Please let us know what classes you would like to take by a week before the class is scheduled. There is a simple sign up form to fill out. Please place it in the box provided. Look for these by the bulletin board in Boulder Hall. You may also contact Pamela Schmidling (503-930-4616) or Wendy Crane (503-581-4285).

FYI


2025 giving envelopes are available on the table outside the office for those who ordered them during the pledge campaign. If anyone else would like giving envelopes, please contact Terri Crall (finance@salemwestpres.org).


The church has the right to private access to our property from Winola St. We allow everyone to use the access, but can close it should it become necessary. In order to maintain that legal right, we are obligated to close and lock the gate for a 24-hour period once a year. A Buildings and Grounds member will lock the Winola gate from the evening of December 22 through the evening of December 23. Be prepared to use one of the alternative accesses to our property for that period.


Holiday Hours are upon us as the staff prepare to take some much needed rest between Christmas and the New Year. The office will be closed from December 25 – January 5.


This is Krisha Horn’s final week as Westminster’s Office Manager before she steps down from her role. We want to thank Krisha for her many years of service and the wit and humor she brought to the office. All the best in your future endeavors, Krisha! Come back and visit us any time. We will celebrate Krisha’s tenure during coffee hour on Dec 22, 2024 @ 11:15am. Please join us.


New office hours in 2025: 10a-2p Mon-Thurs

Welcome Chris Duval as Westminster’s interim Office Manager!

Give

We are looking for one additional volunteer for this Sunday, Cantata Sunday, December 22 to help us out in the nursery. You will be able to stream the Cantata on YouTube. We are looking for two volunteers to provide childcare for the 8 PM Christmas Eve service. You will have the option to stream the 8 PM service in the upstairs nursery. If you are child protection trained and available to do so, please sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0C4DA9A92BABFDC25-51352696-sunday#/ 


The Congregational Vitality Team is looking for people to be a part of the Westminster Greeters Team. There is a need for one or two friendly faces to stand at the front door and welcome people to worship on Sundays. It is a 30 minute commitment prior to the beginning of the service, and it is FUN!. Even if you can only sign up once every 6-8 weeks, it is appreciated. If you would like to add your name to the pool, please contact Katie Nelson (nelsonkatieallstar@gmail.com). 


This season we collect the Christmas Joy Offering, which provides assistance to current and retired church workers and their families in their time of need, and develops our future leaders at Presbyterian-related schools and colleges equipping communities of color. The gifts are split 50/50--50% goes to the current and retired church workers, and 50% goes to the students. To donate, send a designated check to the church or use one of the special offering envelopes near the box in the sanctuary. You can also simply click here and choose Christmas Joy fund to donate online. 


The Presbyterian Giving Catalog celebrates its 10th Anniversary with the 2024-2025 issue. No wrapping is needed for the 40+ gifts available through the catalog, not to mention no waste! Generous gifts to the Presbyterian Giving Catalog are signs of our gratitude: feeding the hungry, comforting the brokenhearted and sharing our faith with young and old. The catalog includes gifts that represent causes close to anyone's heart, such as hygiene kits, cookstoves, teacher training, and beekeeping supplies. 

Pray


For family and friends of Sandy Booth, who passed away recently.

In the Community


We're invited...

A Winter Solstice Worship Service

 

The contemplative worship service will observe the theme of darkness at Winter Solstice and prophetic proclamation of the birth of light from Advent. 

Darkness can be a safe place of retreat, like when bears hibernate in winter or Darkness can also be catastrophic, like when there is natural disaster or terrorism and war. 

How does Christ give us courage to continue? If you are experiencing disquiet, depleted energy, and fears for the future, join with others on Saturday evening Dec. 21st for this special Zoom gathering. We are not alone. 

 

Webinar Date: Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024 

Time: 7:30 pm EST (6:30 CST, 5:30 MST, 4:30 PST)

Presenter: The Rev. Dr. Janet Adair Hansen

Register here

Westminster Presbyterian Church

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3737 Liberty Rd. S 

Salem, OR 97302

PHONE: 503-364-3327

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