WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHDo Justice • Love Kindness • Walk Humbly

March 7, 2018

Westminster Presbyterian Church is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA).

In this IssueConcerns & Celebrations 2

March Collections 2Shop for School Supplies for Haiti 2

CROP Hunger Walk 2018 2Capital Campaign News 3

Lenten Book Read Movie Nights 4In the Library 4

Aperture: John Pavlovitz 4Seekers 4

Session Notes: February 18 5Upcoming Inquirers' Class 5

Ekklesia 5Staff Transition Ahead 5

Youth Ministry News 6Singers, We Welcome You! 6

The Loving Story 6Holy Week 7

Potluck Easter Brunch 7Westminster School for Children 7

Donate an Easter Lily 7Easter Offering 7

Preaching Schedule 8Worship Volunteers 8

Friends and fellow disciples,

As the wind blows outside, and winter (maybe!) begins to transition to spring, God is with us, Jesus Christ accompanies us, and the Holy Spirit shapes us. Scripture tells stories over and over of God journeying with God’s people in times of stability and in times of change.

We are at that kind of intersection in this season of life here at WPC. Grateful to God and building on our past, we move forward in faith.

One way that is happening is through our capital campaign, "Making Room: For Mission. For Community. For Faith." Many of

you remember when the building we now call the Fellowship Hall was WPC’s Sanctuary. The community gathered to sing and pray and hear God’s Word; to listen to anthems from the choir; to sit down on the whoopee cushion-like chairs. If you’re new to Westminster, ask one of our longer-time members about those chairs. Through weddings, baptisms, funerals, and – since the Sanctuary was built in 1987 – as the primary gathering place for meals and events, the Fellowship Hall has served us well and equipped us for mission.

But, as anyone who has been inside it knows, the building is not in good shape. Not only is it in poor condition, it is limiting our ministry for classes, groups, gatherings, community events, and more. We cannot do what we are called to the extent that we would like. We cannot hospitably welcome community groups into a dark building with tricky sound and poor lighting. Our space does not help build community. But we have a tremendous opportunity before us to increase the depth of our mission and our care for each other. We’ll be sharing details along the way –from the brochure you received in the mail last week, to the information in this newsletter, to the website at www.wpcdurham.org/making-room – so stay tuned. I am so excited for the future this campaign will enable, and who it will shape us to be, in service, together.

Our campaign will significantly improve the Fellowship Hall, the oldest building on campus and WPC’s Sanctuary until 1987. In that vein, we’re going to come full circle and are beginning a worship experiment in that space called Ekklesia, from the Greek for “a called out community,” or “a gathering of people seeking to follow Jesus.” This is not a substitute for our 8:30am and 11am worship services, which are still strong, but is designed as a complement. Our sense is that there are members of our church, and folks in the broader community, who are interested in worship that is more intimate and in a slightly different style than our present services.

We’ll try Ekklesia out this Sunday, March 11, at 4pm in the Fellowship Hall, and again on April 15and May 20. We’ll gather around the table and sing and pray in a form that is familiar but in a different kind of environment. We’ve got a great team working on these services (see page 5), and I hope you’ll come join us and invite someone you think might be hungry for it.

Building on the past, we move forward in faith. I’m grateful to be sharing this part of the journey with you.

Chris

Daylight Saving Time begins on Sunday, March 11. Don’t forget to

turn your clocks ahead by one hour.

Congregational MeetingThis Sunday, March 11

A brief meeting will take place at the start of the 11am service to vote on changes in terms of call for the pastors; present the slate of candidates for four at-

large members of the Nominating Committee (Chris Bean,

Walt Beckwith, Kevin Rosemond, Melinda Vaughn); and hold a meeting of the corporation.

The death of Kay Bailey’s sister-in-lawGloria Barton's nephewBill Burig's sister-in-lawThe death of Phil CloverHannah Criswell's friend

Donna Douglass

Amy HumphreysJudy Lamon's friend

Dawn Lamont's motherThe death of Pru Meyer's aunt

Sue MurphyThe death of Chip & Cathy Reinhardt's daughter-in-law

March 7, 2018

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Volunteer Opportunities and more

Concerns & Celebrations Please remember the following in your prayers this week.

CROP Hunger Walk 2018: Sunday, March 25

CROP Walk is an annual event that raises money for hungry people in Durham and throughout the world, symbolic of the typical daily trek for thousands in developing countries to gather fresh water. Learn more at www.durhamcropwalk.org.

The 44th Durham CROP Walk will be held on Sunday, March 25, kicking off from Duke Chapel at 2:30pm. Sign-up packets are in the Mission Center, or you can sign up, sponsor a walker, or donate at www.crophungerwalk.org/durhamnc/wpcdurham.

T-Shirts: Shirts are available for a minimum donation of $3 each. They are available every Friday from 2-4pm and Saturday from 9:30am-12pm at First Presbyterian Church (305 E Main Street).

Walk Dedication: The 2018 Durham CROP Hunger Walk will honor the memory of Chuck Davis of the African American Dance Ensemble. Chuck faithfully led warm-ups for the walk and brought energy and life to the walk that we will greatly miss. Money raised ABOVE last year's total will go to a special donation in Chuck’s honor to the Safe School Zone Project in Kenya. Durham CROP challenges teams to raise 10% more than 2017 to help create safe learning spaces for East African kids.

Contact: Neil McElroy (mcelroy_neil@hotmail.com).

Shop for School Supplies for Haiti Every Sunday in March 9:45-10:45am and 12-1pm in the Courtyard

The team going on the Haiti Education Mission Trip in April will be taking lots and lots of school supplies to 240 children in pre-K through 2nd grade at the Haiti Outreach Ministries School in Port au Prince. Help them fund school supplies by "shopping" at their store in the Courtyard for the best deals! There will be pencils, paper, books, scissors, and more.

March CollectionsFamilies Moving Forward Families Moving Forward helps provide a stable, safe, and loving environment to families with children while they are in the temporary crisis of homelessness. Westminster supports and serves with Families Moving Forward, providing meals and childcare throughout the year. They are in desperate need of these items for the home and the residents:

• Laundry Supplies: laundry detergent, bleach, dryer sheets, etc.

• Cleaning Supplies: dish soap, paper towels, shower gel, bleach

• Other items: Paper napkins, Tupperware containers, LED light bulbs

Please bring donations to the yellow collection bin in the Mission Center through the end of March.

Meals on WheelsDoorways Bible study is sponsoring a collection of Ensure for Meals on Wheels clients. All flavors of Ensure are needed, mostly vanilla. Please bring donations to the green collection bin in the Mission Center by Sunday, March 18.

Contact: Marty Warburton (martywarburton@gmail.com)

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Westminster Presbyterian Church

Capital Campaign NewsGratitude Sunday: March 18On Sunday, March 18, we'll celebrate G ra t i t u d e S u n d ay ! Our children and youth have been creating reflections on why they love Westminster, which will be on beautiful display that morning. You will be invited to fill out your own reflection during worship to add to those from our young ones. We're looking forward to this day of giving thanks!

On March 18, we will also hand out d evo t i o n a l j o u r n a l s to help us prepare our hearts and minds for the challenge before us in this capital campaign. The journals have devotions for 21 days, each followed by questions to consider, a prayer, and space to jot down your thoughts. We hope you will use these journals as you consider the prayer, "Lord, what do you want to do through me?"

Save the Date: April 15On Sunday, April 15, we'll have Mi n i s t r y S u n d ay at the 8:30 and 11am worship services. This will be a time to reflect on the ways Westminster's missions and ministries change lives in the congregation, in Durham, and beyond.

We'll also have a C e l e b ra t i o n B re a k fa s t between services in the Fellowship Hall that day! Everyone is invited to come together and share in excitement over the campaign's progress and vision. Details and invitation to follow.

2-Minute InterviewsWhat do you l ove about Westminster?

What does your f r i e n d love about Westminster?

Grab a friend or family member and invite them up to the In t e r v i ew Ro o m in Room 203.

We've set up a space for you to come and interview one another so that we might hear your stories about why Westminster matters in your life.

Have a confirmation mentor you'd like to get to know better? Invite her to the Interview Room!

Know a longtime member who can tell you a history of their love for WPC? Invite him to the Interview Room.

Curious about why someone in your family loves WPC – your child, your grandparent, even your spouse? Invite them to the Interview Room.

You are invited to record video of your interview, using the supplies and instructions ready to go in that space.* The Interview Room will be open every Sunday morning until A p r i l 8 .

*Videos will be shared with the congregation on Westminster's website and Facebook page. Recording an interview indicates your permission for having your video shared.

Gratitude cards that we'll fill out and display on March 18

March 16, 2016March 7, 2018

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Christian Education news Aperture: Third WednesdaysJohn Pavlovitz on March 21

“A Bigger Table”6:30-8pm | Music Room

As we near the end of Lent and move into Holy Week, author John Pavlovitz will join us for an evening of exploring our experiences with "A Bigger Table." All are invited and childcare will be available.

Pizza will be served for dinner from 5:45-6:15pm in the Fellowship Hall. Please sign up for dinner, Aperture, and childcare by Monday, March 19 at www.bit.ly/myWPCevent.

Lenten Book Read: Movie, Dessert, and Discussion Nights

We have two more movie nights scheduled to help us engage in the themes of our Lenten Book Read, "A Bigger Table." Join us for engaging films, tasty treats, and good conversation from 6:30-8pm in the Music Room on the Fridays below.

“For The Bible Tells Me So” Friday, March 16Through the experiences of five American Christian families, we discover how insightful people of faith handle the realization of having a gay child. Informed by such respected voices as Bishop Desmond Tutu, Harvard's Peter Gomes, Orthodox Rabbi Steve Greenberg, and Reverend Jimmy Creech, this documentary offers healing, clarity, and understanding to anyone caught in the crosshairs of Scripture and sexual identity.

“Welcome to Shelbyville”Friday, March 23A small town in the heart of America’s Bible Belt grapples with rapidly changing demographics. Longtime African American and white residents are challenged with how best to integrate with a growing Latino population and the more recent arrival of hundreds of Muslim Somali refugees.

Seekers 2nd Mondays • 7:15pm • Parlor

Starting March 12

Seekers, a WPC women’s Bible study, is beginning a new study this spring with “Interrupting Silence: God’s Command to Speak Out” by Walter Brueggemann. New women are welcome any time!Silence is a complex matter. It can refer to awe before unutterable holiness, but it can also refer to the coercion where some voices are silenced in the interest of control by the dominant voices. It is the latter silence that Walter Brueggemann explores, urging us to speak up in situations of injustice.Contact: Betty Berghaus (betty@wpcdurham.org). Books are available in Betty’s office for $12.50.

Putting Children FirstBy JoAnne Pedro-Carroll, Ph.D.Call number: 306.89 PED

Divorce Is Not the End of the World By Zoe and Evan SternCall number: 306.89 STE

These two books will be useful for families going through the difficult process of divorce. The first, written by teens with insights from their mom, will reassure children adjusting to great changes and dealing with feelings of fear, anger, and guilt. The second, by Dr. JoAnne Pedro-Carroll, offers many insights and practical advice, based on her decades of clinical work and research; she is also the mother and stepmother of seven children. Her book includes children’s art, sample scripts for navigating painful issues, and a multitude of ways to help parents adjust and grow stronger in this new life.

In the Library

Westminster Presbyterian Church Westminster Presbyterian Church

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Upcoming Inquirers' ClassInterested in learning more about WPC or becoming a member? The next Inquirers' Class begins this Sunday, March 11, in Room 105 at 9:45am. This no-obligation class is a great chance to get to know fellow inquirers; learn about the PC(USA) and WPC's ministry; meet staff and church leaders, and find out where YOU can grow and serve!

The class will run for six weeks, meeting on March 11, 18, 25, April 8, 22, and 29. Space is limited so that we might get to know one another well. Contact Barb Schmidt to sign up or learn more (bschmidt@wpcdurham.org; 919-489-4974, ext. 100).

ekklesiaa worship service @ westminster

Come to the Fellowship Hall this Sunday, March 11, at 4pm for our new worship service, Ekklesia. We'll share communion together, give our children spaces to participate and play, and join our voices in prayer and song. Come as you are, be welcomed into this space, and stay for snacks afterward.

Here's a preview of the kind of space we're hoping to build:

Session Notes: February 18Ways & Means chair Dave Pottenger updated his fellow elders on the church’s financial situation. Of note, the church currently has a healthy cash surplus, and the land debt at the time of the report was $176,056.

John Graham, co-chair of the Capital Campaign Leadership Committee, presented a report on planning for the capital campaign. In addition to a communication plan aimed at making the entire congregation aware of the campaign, and the need for it, the committee is planning a series of special events. These events include Gratitude Sunday on March 18, a Celebration Breakfast between worship services on April 15, and and Commitment Sunday on April 22. The congregation is encouraged to watch the bulletin, newsletter, website, and your mailbox for additional capital campaign communication.

Betty Berghaus, who moderated this Session meeting, explained the rigorous process used by the Roll Review Committee in making a series of recommendations to the Session. After hearing about the process, the Session approved the committee’s motion to remove 17 names from the church’s rolls. The Session is thankful for the hard, diligent work of committee members Mike Bunch, Andy Dunk, Cindy Soloe, Sam Bryan, Bill Coppridge, and Barbara Rynerson, as well as Betty for leading the group.

Jeremy TranthamClass of 2018

Staff Transition AheadWe’ll continue in a season of staff transition as Communication Coordinator Kara Pearce leaves Westminster at the end of the month to take a position with the Center for Child and Family Health. She will stay on in a contract capacity a few hours per week through the end of May to complete work on the capital campaign.

We are sad to see her go, but excited for this new opportunity for her. The Personnel Committee is putting a transition plan in place to cover her responsibilities, and a search for a new Communication Coordinator will begin soon.

When you see Kara, please take a moment to thank her for her incredible work and dedication to the community of faith at Westminster!

May we build that space together, with you alongside us!

Peace, The Ekklesia Worship Team

Cameron Carrow, Bill Fine, Abby Furman, Kathe Graves, Dick Jones, Ashley Messick, John Messick, Shannon Wylie,

Sarah Yarbrough, WPC Worship Staff

March 16, 2016March 7, 2018

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youth ministry news

YOUTH MINISTRY CALENDAR3/11 Tie -Dye Party (to prep for CROP Walk), 3-4pm, Courtyard Youth Group: Small Groups, Various Times & Locations3/14 Youth Council Meeting, 5:30pm, Youth Suite3/18 Youth Group: Flour War!, 5-7pm, Location TBA (Trinity Ave Presbyterian Member Home)

SCREENAGERSOn Sunday, February 25, parents and youth from Westminster, Trinity Avenue, New Hope, Mt. Bethel, and First Presbyterian Churches squeezed into the Fellowship Hall for a screening of the documentary "Screenagers."

The creator of the film, Dr. Delaney Ruston, says:

"When I started making Screenagers, I originally considered the title Out of Control, because that is what I was feeling like as a parent of two kids who wanted more and more screen time. Since then I have learned that so many parents feel the same.

The good news is, creating a family agreement really does help. Just the act of creating an agreement together is a major positive step. Making the agreement requires calm family talks which lead to a definition of values, setting of goals, and determination of usage limits. To help facilitate the process I want to share from my own and others’ experiences."

Learn more about the film and creating screen time contracts at www.screenagersmovie.com/contracts.

Singers, We Welcome You!Westminster’s music program doesn’t just happen. It takes a village, as they say. Singing in the Chancel Choir is a very rewarding way to serve your church. Sometimes people are understandably afraid of taking on what they think may be a heavy time commitment. But, not to worry: we are extraordinarily flexible, as any member of the choir will tell you. Every commitment is valuable, whether it is long-term or short-term.

So if you are interested in music or enjoy singing, even if it’s been ages since you’ve sung, let us welcome you into the fun-loving, nurturing community that is our Chancel Choir. Music is essential to our life as a worshipping community, and we cannot keep our worship music strong and vital without participation from the church community. The Chancel Choir rehearses on Thursday evenings at 7:30pm and on Sunday mornings at 10am.

It is not too late to join us as we prepare for Lent/Easter and our May 6 spring concert program. A choir retreat – focusing on the concert – will take place in the Music Room on Saturday, March 17, from 9:30am-12:30pm. We welcome you to come!

Contact: Monica Rossman, Minister of Music (919-489-4974, ext. 113; monica@wpcdurham.org).

The Loving Storyby Bonnie Derr

A mighty group of congregants met in the Music Room on February 23to watch a documentary based on the true story of a white man and a multiracial woman (Mildred and Richard Loving) from a small community in Virginia who traveled to Washington D.C. in 1958 to be married. Within five weeks of returning home to Virginia, they were arrested and convicted of the felony crime of “miscegenation.”

This film provided heartrending background about the persistence and dignity of this couple, who wanted nothing more than to live together with their family in their home state. They were finally paired with two young, ambitious ACLU lawyers who were driven to pave the way for civil rights and social justice through a historic Supreme Court ruling in 1967.

Join us for two more nights of revealing documentaries, rich discussion, and yummy goodies as we strive to learn the importance and relevance of a bigger table (see page 4).

Westminster Presbyterian Church Westminster Presbyterian Church

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Thanks so much to all of you for participating in our Pancakes for the Playground fundraiser on February 24. Congratulations to our lucky basket raffle winners!

We have spaces available in our two, three, and four-year-old classes for next year. Please let your friends and neighbors know, and have them call Kathy Stickley in the school office if they're interested (919-489-8432).

Remember, each year we offer financial aid to several families through the Carol Van Hise Scholarship Fund. We add to this fund each year through tax-deductible donations. Since our fund has been almost depleted this year, we ask our friends and families to remember the school when making charitable donations. Contact Kathy for more information on donating.

Again, we thank our Westminster church family for supporting the preschool program in so many ways.

Easter OfferingWPC's annual Easter offering will be collected on Sundays, March 25 and April 1. Half of the offering will support One Great Hour of Sharing, an ecumenical effort that began in 1949, and continues to provide relief to those affected by natural disasters, provide food to the hungry, and assist in helping to empower the poor and oppressed.

Children are invited to collect their offering for One Great Hour of Sharing in a colorful fish bank. Fish banks are brought in during the children's Palm & Fish Bank Parade at both worship services on Palm Sunday, March 25. If you need a fish bank, you can pick up one in the lobby of the Mission Center.

We'll share what the other half of WPC's Easter offering will go to in the March 21 newsletter, so stay tuned!

You can give to the offering by check, by texting "WPCDURHAM $50.00" to 73256 (adjust amount if needed), or by visiting www.bit.ly/wpcG-EO.

Holy WeekHoly Week will be observed at Westminster with a "silent campus" and special worship services. Only support groups like Narcotics Anonymous and those that support Holy Week worship will meet on WPC's campus. Our schedule will be:

Sunday, March 25: Palm SundayThe children's Palm & Fish Bank Parade will take place at both services. Parents, please have your children in the Courtyard 10 minutes before each service to receive palms for the parade, and don't forget the fish banks! (Extras in the Mission Center lobby.)

Thursday, March 29: Maundy ThursdayA worship service will be held at 7:30pm in the Sanctuary. Come remember the intimacy of the upper room and the Last Supper as we gather around the table in communion.

Friday, March 30: Good FridayAll are welcome to come for worship at 12pm in the Sanctuary.

Sunday, April 1: Easter SundayWorship will take place at 8:30 and 11am in the Sanctuary. A Potluck Easter Brunch will take place at 9:45am in the Fellowship Hall. All are asked to bring something to share (see below).

Donate an Easter LilyYou may make a donation to the Easter Lily Fund in honor, memory, or celebration of your loved one(s) this Lenten/Easter season. These donations will be used to purchase lilies to decorate our campus on Easter Sunday, and your dedications will be published in a special bulletin insert that day.

You can donate online at www.bit.ly/myWPCevent or complete a donation form and return it to the church office by Monday, March 26. Donation forms are available in the Mission Center as well as in worship bulletins through March 25. Forms can be placed in the offering plate with your check on Sunday or brought to the church office. Checks should be made payable to WPC with "Easter Lilies" in the memo line.

Donated Easter lilies will adorn our Memorial Garden on Easter Sunday. If you make a donation and would like to have a lily, feel free to take one from the garden after the 11am service that day.

Potluck Easter Brunch We'll gather for a Potluck Easter Brunch at 9:45am in the Fellowship Hall on Easter Sunday, April 1. Beverages will be provided.

All families are asked to bring something to share. Please sign up at www.bit.ly/wpcServe and let us know what you’re bringing.

Come celebrate with family, friends, and guests!

WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH3639 Old Chapel Hill RdDurham, NC 27707Phone: 919-489-4974Fax: 919-493-4553westminster@wpcdurham.orgwww.wpcdurham.orgwww.facebook.com/wpcdurham

The next WPC newsletter will be published on March 21. The deadline to submit material is March 14.

To submit material for publication, contact Communication Coordinator Kara Pearce (kara@wpcdurham.org; 919-489-4974, ext. 101).

The newsletter is emailed. If you would like to receive a paper copy by mail, please contact Kara Pearce.

ACOLYTES 3/11 Grace Ferguson, Kaitlyn Simonson3/18 Brennan Higgins, Sam Meyen 3/25 Thomas Dean4/1 Volunteer Needed

LECTORS3/11 8:30 Andy Collins 11:00 Mary Beck Sutton3/18 8:30 Bonnie Derr 11:00 Rachel Meyen3/25 8:30 Volunteer Needed 11:00 George Page4/1 8:30 Mike Bunch 11:00 Blair Chesnut

OFFERING COUNTERS3/11 8:30 John High, Bill Whitt 11:00 Alex & Mary Denson3/18 8:30 Mike Meyen, Jeff Scouten 11:00 Barbara Rynerson, Jules Taylor3/25 8:30 Laura & Millicent Loehr 11:00 Beth Eagen, Gloria Kanoy4/1 8:30 Dick Jones, Susan Rohde 11:00 Barb & Bill Burig

Worship Volunteers for March 11, 18, 25, and April 1

USHERS3/11 8:30 Becky & Ron Sale, Dave Pottenger, Volunteer Needed 11:00 Susan Landis & Izzie Hasse, Bill & Nancy Roberts3/18 8:30 Jackie Fryt, Brendan Turner, Louis & Mary Quin 11:00 Shelley Bainter, Marla Dunham, Jami & Ally Howell, Ella Brooks & Heath Tuttle3/25 8:30 Volunteers Needed 11:00 Kenzie Brannon; Geoff, Melinda, Jackson & Georgia Vaughn4/1 8:30 Bill & Jackie Whitt, Kathryn Bunch, Volunteer Needed 11:00 Margaret & Frank Falkovic, Gray King, Nancy Pearman, Kevin & Lori Rosemond, Pam Smith, Brendan Turner

NURSERY Every Sunday: Infants, Toddlers, 8:30 2-5 yr olds - WPC Nursery Staff3/11 2-3: Becca & Jon Owensby; 4-5: Mike & Rachel Meyen3/18 2-3: Sara Wylie, Volunteer Needed; 4-5: Rachel Chang, Alexis Franzese 3/25 2-3: Volunteers Needed; 4-5: Volunteers Needed4/1 2-3: Jeremy & Laurel Trantham; 4-5: Ashley & Hannah Messick

SOUND TECHNICIANSMarch 8:30 Gideon Segbefia 11:00 Lee Katrincic, Gideon SegbefiaApril 8:30 Derek Leadbetter 11:00 Mark Hill

To sign up for an open spot on a worship volunteer team, please visit www.bit.ly/wpcServe.

Sunday Morning Preaching Schedule

March 11 - Fourth Sunday in Lent, Daylight Saving Time BeginsPreaching: Chris Tuttle

March 18 - Fifth Sunday in LentPreaching: Chris Tuttle

March 25 - Palm Sunday, Birthday SundayPreaching: Chris Tuttle

April 1 - Easter SundayPreaching: Betty Berghaus

March 7, 2018

Westminster Presbyterian Church is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA).