From the Pastor's Desk

This week we have a guest preacher in worship, Doug Odell, from Family Promise here in Salem, OR. Family Promise does wonderful work in the community and I hope you will have a chance to talk and meet with him. I will be attending Family Weekend on Saturday & Sunday for my eldest son, Zack, who is moving into his dorm and starting his freshman year at the University of Washington. It is a big milestone for our family! 

We will pick back up our church-wide conversations about mental wellness when I return. This week I had the chance to hear Deb Wright, a local suicide prevention advocate, speak and I wanted to share with you something I learned. We have a new number - 988. It is available across the U.S. and it is a suicide and crisis lifeline. Anyone can call it any time of day and be connected with a mental health professional. Read more about it here: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline | Federal Communications Commission (fcc.gov). 

In the meantime, check in with yourself and check in with a friend in the church. We can be a place of healing and support for one another. None of us travel this life perfectly and we can use a little assistance every now and then when we get too stressed or too disordered in our thinking. Bringing order out of chaos is, after all, how we all began. 

Ever onward,

Pastor Kelly

From Your Session

The Session of Westminster Presbyterian Church met on Wednesday, September 20 in Russell Hall. There was a 5:15 pre-session video: “What’s Really Causing Church Decline and What Can We Do About It?” featuring Dwight Zscheile, the author of The Agile Church which both the Session and the staff are reading this fall.

The regular meeting began at 6:00. The elders received the current draft of the Strategic Plan and acknowledged the dedicated work of the Strategic Planning team members: Shawna Clowser, Wendy Crane, Bill Faust, Michael Goodenberger and Betsy Romeo. Nancy MacMorris-Adix was the session liaison. The session sends their sincere thanks. A copy will be made available to all of the ministry areas later this fall with a final plan rolling out at the 2024 Annual Meeting in February. The elders also began looking at the 2024 budget and how to best position Westminster for robust ministry and operations in the year ahead. Session also reviewed next steps with the scouts and the possibility of a future building use agreement. Presentations from Gifts, Endowments and Memorials (GEM) plus the Events Committee were scheduled for October.

Respectfully submitted,

Sandy McClean

Clerk of Session

Participate

The Photo Directory Committee would like to thank all the people who have gotten their photo taken over the last month or so. We will be editing the photos and getting them ready to put in the updated directory. If you missed your opportunity, not to worry! We are planning to be available immediately after worship this Sunday, September 24, to take your photo. Please head back to the Eastminster Room on Sunday if you are able. We will be available until about 1:00 pm. It is also an option to submit your own photo: send it to westpresphotos@gmail.com. Please include the name of the person(s) in the subject line of the email. If you have any questions, please contact Katie Nelson: 503-580-5631 nelsonkatieallstar@gmail.com.

Volunteers needed for Westminster Festival of Fine Arts. The Festival will be held October 12-15, but set-up begins October 8. Several types of roles and many hands go into making this wonderful community event a reality. Sign up in the narthex or here.

Come join the Pastor’s Bible Study Tuesdays from 10:30-11:30am. We will be reading through the Narrative Lectionary Year 2. Everyone is welcome.  

Go Deeper

Considering becoming a member at Westminster or interested in learning more about being Presbyterian? Join the new members' class meeting October 8 and 15, 11:30-1:00. RSVP to the church office (office@salemwestpres.org) or talk to Pastor Kelly or Katie Nelson.

Want to contribute musically at WestPres? If you are a vocalist or instrumentalist and are interested in being on the worship team, please reach out to Ariana Recher (ariana@salemwestpres.org) or Jeffrey Larkin (music@salemwestpres.org) for more details on rehearsals and Sunday service!

The Outreach Committee is looking for a few more volunteers to be on the Greeter/Welcome Desk Team. If you enjoy smiling and being the first friendly face that welcomes others as they enter our narthex Sunday morning, then this opportunity is for you! Most greeters sign up monthly on a rotation basis. Training provided. Please contact Katie Nelson, 503-580-5631 (text) or nelsonkatieallstar@gmail.com.

Leadership Corner

Check out this article from the Presbyterian Mission Agency for elders. This month's edition is called "Studying Scripture and the Issues of Christian Faith and Life."

Save the Date

October 12-15: Fine Arts Festival

October 18: Salem's 34th Annual Peace Lecture

October 22: Stewardship Pancake Breakfast

October 25: Trunk or Treat

November 8: Leadership Lab

November 12: Stewardship Hoedown Luncheon

In the Community

Meet our new (Eugene) neighbor! Rev. Maggie Lewis is a Presbyterian minister and is the new Campus Pastor at the University of Oregon. She is eager to meet fellow Presbyterians on campus and is available to reach out to U of O students that may be interested in the Koinonia Center. Read more here: Who We Are – The Koinonia Center.

Moms Demand Action is hosting a Regional Suicide Prevention Awareness Virtual Event on Wednesday, September 27, 7-8 pm. The price of easy access to firearms for someone in crisis is high. Join us for a discussion about suicide prevention and ways we can all take action, including some new, original research. RSVP to get the Zoom Information.

FYI

The new church calendar is online now. Access it here. You'll notice it looks quite different. The most important thing to know is that it is interactive. You can scroll down to see everything, you can click to move to a different month or day. The other big difference is that the version on the website is now only showing West Pres events, not everything going on in our building. Questions? Ask krisha@salemwestpres.org or call the church office. Committee chairs and ministry leaders, please take a moment to make sure you've communicated about dates/times of meetings and other events, including what space in the building you prefer to use.

Keeping Our Church Clean and Attractive--Buildings and Grounds would like to remind everyone that it is good stewardship to leave an occupied area of the church in as good or better condition as it was found. Please do your part by cleaning and tidying properly after use--we do not have daily custodial staff, and it is up to us to make sure the space remains usable for everyone.

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

Pray

Nancy Kandra has really been struggling with her polymyalgia this summer, and she is having trouble shaking the summer illness that is going through the neighborhood.

Steve Kandra's friend Nick Macy, Tulelake, California, restored a WWII vintage AT-6 fighter airplane and has raced it for 20 years. Nick was killed in a routine landing at the Reno Air Races this past Sunday. Another pilot, Chris Rushing, was landing at the same time and he was also killed. Nick leaves a large family and a grieving community.

Pray for the current family in Winola House. Hanaa contacted us wishing to find a permanent home soon. They and Salem For Refugees are looking for a place for them, but please pray and if you know of anything available, please contact the church office (503-364-3327), and we will put you in touch with them. They are looking in South Salem, preferably for a detached house with two or three bedrooms, for $2000 or under including utilities. Their daughter has started at Sprague and is doing well--they hope to keep her there.

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

Give

Presbyterian Peace and Global Witness program began in 1980 and is shared with congregations during the month of September and celebrated on World Communion Day on October 1. In addition to supporting worldwide mission, the local portion of our offering will be donated to Fire Relief outreach.

Learn about the vital projects here and pick up an informative handout and a donation envelope at the sanctuary entrance table.

Give blood September 25 (1:00 pm to 6:00 pm). As always to schedule your appointment, contact Bill Nelson at bnelson@pacificomm.net or (503) 576-1278 or Pam Garland at (503) 551-2998.

Westminster Presbyterian Church