From the Pastor's Desk

It is Lent! The focus this year is “Journey to the Center: Confession at the Core.” We participate in confession (and the assurance of pardon) in each worship service. This part of our tradition has a long history and is integral to our faith. Confession is so much more than listing off all of one’s misdeeds (although it is that too). When we widen the concept, we find ourselves drawing on consciousness, acknowledgement, truth telling, and honesty. When we are honest about ourselves and the world, there is blessing in that truthful act. When we confess our hope and fears, our strengths and weaknesses, and our joy and our pain – it is all confession. Bringing the parts of our lives that are in our subconscious up into our conscious mind is, in fact, this very act. It can be a marvelous gift. This work, though, is almost impossible without leaning on the spiritual practices of silence, quiet and meditation. In worship this week we are going to embrace a time of silence bracketed by "Come and Find the Quiet Center". If this is a new song to you, take a listen here. We are also going to engage with Maya Angelou’s wonderful poem Still I Rise as part of our confession and communion. I’ll see you on Sunday.

Ever onward,

Pastor Kelly

Participate

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!

Women's Night Out is March 13 at 6 pm at La Hacienda Real (3690 Commercial St SE). Please RSVP to Nancy Crawford (nmcnarycrawford@gmail.com; 503-540-8770) or Sue Ray (raysu1@comcast.net; 503-319-0511) if you are up for an evening of fun!

Red Cross Blood Drive is March 13, 1-6 pm in Boulder Hall! We need the congregation and community to pitch in and give so that we can retain Westminster's record of being the longest continuously running church-hosted American Red Cross blood drive in Salem!! For those who want to DOUBLE their donation of red cells (and still keep all that plasma, platelets and white cells!) there are at least 8 "Double Red" appointments available throughout the day. This can truly be a life giving donation. Even if you think you may not be eligible to give blood, please call/message Bill Nelson (503-576-1278, bnelson@pacificomm.net) or Pamela Garland (503-551-2998) to check. The ARC has recently relaxed some of the previous restrictions on giving blood, including restrictions on recent travel to Europe. Even if you had a poor experience in the distant past we believe that your 2023 blood giving experience will be smooth, painless and will give you the satisfaction of giving someone a gift that few can duplicate! Call Bill, Pamela, or sign up here today. 

Save the Date

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

FYI

If you use the building outside of regular church hours and are the last one here, please take the extra moment to make sure the building is secure when you leave--lock the doors, set the alarm, and double-check. The front doors can be a finicky. As you're going out the main doors, make sure the righthand door is closed properly first and then leave through the lefthand door, allowing it to close on its own behind you. Then turn around and check. If you need training, please ask!

Things are always changing, but we do have a recent version of a members/friends directory available. You can grab a hard copy in the church office or from the welcome desk, or find it on our website under the About Us tab. The password to access it is: access2022.

Deadline for placing info in the Friday Newsletter is every Thursday at 9 am!

Pray for

Evelyn Aiken, who suffered a stroke this week.

The Romeo family as they mourn the passing of Jeffrey's dad at the age of 101 and navigate the moving of his mom into memory care.

Daniel, cousin of Barb Friday's, who has undergone a bypass surgery in California.

**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

The One Great Hour of Sharing offering is coming up in April. Sunday School kids will receive their fish offering banks as Lent begins and will spend the next six weeks saving up to share with those in need. Maybe you want to join them this year! Fish banks are available in the narthex.

Westminster Presbyterian Church