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Friday Newsletter

August 2, 2024

This Sunday


10 am: Worship Service w/ Communion in Boulder Hall with guest preacher Rev. Deb Patterson

11:15 am: Coffee Hour


Nursery care available.

Don't forget to check your garden to add to the Plethora of Produce this week. Leave a veggie, take a veggie at Sunday service!

Register for next Saturday's event here.

Looking Ahead


June 25-August 20: Tuesday Bible Study (10:30 am)

July 7-August 25: Sunday Morning Worship in Boulder Hall 

July 27-August 9: Youth Puerto Rico Mission Trip

August 10: Weekend event with Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow

August 11 & 18 @ 11:30 am: All Family Gatherings

August 14 @ 6:30 pm: Leadership Lab (for all elders, deacons, chairs, & staff) via Zoom

August 26-August 30: Vacation Bible Camp

September 8 @ 11:30: Church Picnic & Fall Festival for teams and committees to share what they are working on and invite new volunteers


Access the full church calendar here. To add or correct something, please email office@salemwestpres.org.

FYI


Pastor Kelly is out of the office July 26-August 9. For pastoral care needs, please contact the church office.


Deadline for the Fall 2024 Special Edition newsletter is Aug 23 (due to office@salemwestpres.org).

HELLO WESTMINSTER FAMILIES! 

Thank you to all the families who gathered for the ALL-FAMILY INFORMATIONAL CALL on July 22. The slides that were presented are now available here. Some structural changes for Infant-Children-Youth ministry are being discerned and Westminster’s families are key to this decision-making process. Beginning Sept 1, 2024 two important things will happen:
  1. Infant-Children-Youth will move to a unified steering committee model. This team will support the ministry initiatives in each of the age groups – infants, children & youth. Please consider serving in one of these roles. They are critical to the success of this ministry. 

a. Chair/co-chair

b. Volunteer coordinator

c. 3-4 age group representatives

d. Elder(s)

e. Staff

f. CYPP rep (Children-Youth Protection Policy)

2. Westminster will try out a new model for infant-children-youth ministry. 

Which model? Well, that depends on what the parents & families want to try! 

3 possibilities include:

             i.      First Sunday Family Worship – Focusing the service on the faith formation of children (i.e. children’s sermon, play/pray area, songs, age-appropriate liturgy, worship mentors, etc). There would not necessarily be traditional Sunday school (b/c faith formation would occur on First Sunday) the other weeks of the month although families could still get together for social/fellowship gatherings. Nursery would be available all weeks.
              ii.      Sunday Morning Model – This is closest to what is happening now; includes a redistribution of resources, funds & volunteers to streamline efforts.
              iii.      Evening Children’s Church – A dedicated service just for children, nursery included, at another time during the week that aligns with the schedules of busy families.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS:
Parents – Please attend an in-person session on Aug 11 or Aug 18 @ 11:30am.
Volunteers/grandparents/staff – Another Zoom session will be planned for you, time TBD 
Questions? Contact Rachelle Hughes (wsbandmom@comcast.net), Susan Tanabe (malarkeyt5@comcast.net), or Luanne Barnes (luannebarnes91@gmail.com). 

Opportunities


Women's Night Out is Monday, August 12, at 6 pm at McMenamins Thompson. Please RSVP to Linda Miller at 503-363-8939 or joelindamiller@comcast.net.


Tuesday morning Bible studies continue (10:30 at the church) this summer. Anyone is welcome to join!

Give


From our Buildings & Grounds committee: Salem for Refugees Donation request! Due to several large families arriving, we need more Infant/Toddler Restart Kits. Check out this flyer for instructions on what to include in these kits. We have plenty of tubs - come pick one up and fill it with fun baby stuff! This is an amazing way to support new families and we are grateful for your support. Donations can be dropped off Mondays through Thursdays between 9:00 and 5:00, and Fridays between 9:00 and 12:00.


Table of Plenty update: If you read Julie Rowher's letter to Westminster in the newsletter a couple of weeks ago, you know that the Table of Plenty is in need of food. TOP is now serving between 50-70 families each week and that takes LOTS of food. So folks, it's time for us to "get back in the saddle again" and start returning to our pre-covid ways to fill our Table of Plenty bins which are located by the drinking fountain. Needed? canned vegetables and fruits, canned beans--black, navy, garbanzo, kidney, and baked--cooking supplies, soups, tomato sauces, chili, canned spaghetti, ravioli, cereals, pastas, peanut butter, and canned meats and fish. No perishables, only canned or packaged foods, and not opened. Here are the suggestions, so let's fill those bins. Just a can or two each week adds up!


As our new childcare center, Blue Bells Academy, continues to grow and thrive here at Westminster, we are looking for a few people to step in and serve as a liaison team between the childcare and the congregation. This would mean being a point of contact for Blue Bells leadership to communicate with us if a need arises or there is a way we can help them out! We are experiencing a really exciting time at Westminster as we become a leader in transforming church education wings into hybrid childcare/Sunday school spaces. Currently Blue Bells is providing care for 30 children and expects to continue to enroll families through the summer into the fall. If this sounds like something you have some energy to contribute to, please contact Vik Schaaf (vik@salemwestpres.org) or Jill Whitney (jaredandjill34@msn.com). Thank you so much for prayerfully considering this way to help Westminster as we move into the future! 


The School Supply Drive is on! During the months of July and August, we are collecting basic school supplies for several schools in our area. Collection boxes have been set up in the Narthex. Any donations are appreciated – paper, pens, pencils, crayons, markers, binders, folders, etc. Thank you in advance for helping make this school supply drive a success.


Vacation Bible Camp is approaching and many kids are already signed up! For those who would like to help during the week of August 26-30, please let Terri Crall (tcrall71@gmail.com) know you are willing to volunteer. Together, we can create a fun and educational experience for our kids!

In the Community


Salem for Refugees also asked us to ask you for leads on available rental properties, spare rooms, etc., to help support their mission of helping several new neighbor families find stable housing. You can contact them directly at housing@salemforrefugees.org or talk to the church office.

Friday Nights for the Future: a Summer Heatwave Film Festival


Everyone is invited - 7 pm on Fridays


1st Congregational UC 

700 Marion St. NE

Parking lot and entrance are south of the church.

Refreshments and discussion follows the film viewing.


No registration required.


Sponsored by Salem Environmental Faith Network, for which WPC is on the steering committee.

Westminster Presbyterian Church

YouTube

3737 Liberty Rd. S 

Salem, OR 97302

PHONE: 503-364-3327

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