Rejoice!

Last month we shared with you the joyful news that gifts and pledges for the Rejoice Campaign exceeded our request. Your abundant generosity allowed the Board of Trustees and Session to look again at our needs for worship and to make decisions about how to steward the money that was given above what we requested.

Much of our focus is on the Great Room, where about 80 people worship each Sunday morning. his is how we plan to spend some of the money:

  • Repair the Great Room folding wall: The wall that divides the Great Room from the alcove is partially open on Sundays during worship. Some of the paper on the panels has been destroyed over time. We are replacing the paper on panels that are in poor condition.
  • Replace the portable walls in front of the stage in the Great Room: When the stage is not in use, we protect it and the equipment on it with portable walls. The two largest date back to the 1950’s, are in poor condition, and are quite heavy.
  • Replace 150 stack chairs in the Great Room: Eighteen years ago the church invested in high quality stack chairs. We use them a lot. They get stacked, moved, re-stacked, and sat upon many times throughout the week. For a couple of years, they have begun to break. We’ve welded many of the broken ones, but it is time to begin the process to replace them. One hundred and fifty is half of the number we need, and we are budgeting for the other 150 to be replaced over the next three years.
  • Mount the speakers in the Great Room from the ceiling: There are two large speakers at the front of the stage. They are currently protected during the week by the portable walls that move in and out of the space. However, they are very large and could be knocked over accidently. By suspending them from the ceiling we remove this risk.
  • IPad for the sanctuary: The new technology we are installing in the Sanctuary affords us new possibilities. This IPad     allows the preacher or speaker to control the technology seen on the screen.

This list does not exhaust our resources, so we will continue to study other needs. We’ll keep you informed of any updates.

Thank you, The Board of Trustees and Session

mission spotlight

Mission Spotlight: November 2015

Laundry Love Reflections: Fran Belden

I had hoped to be involved with Laundry Love from the time Grace first started the mission project, but our life got in the way, and October was my first opportunity to do so.

Catherine provided valuable advice by suggesting I work the second shift as first is usually “pretty hectic” (her words).  I arrived early, assuming I could watch the others, gain my bearings, and be completely informed by my time to start.  Let me just say it wasn’t quite that simple.

There were a total of 35 people,, and while I only had a small portion of those, I was still quite awkward remembering each person’s name, where their washer was and how close they were to finishing and thus needing a dryer, especially since most dryers were still in use. After a while I learned to balance the plastic butter tub holding the quarters entrusted to me, along with slips of paper, each with a name identifying “my people”, and a writing pen. (A word to the wise: always bring lots of pockets as hands must be free!)

I’m finding it hard to express why I enjoy this type of ministry so much. The people who brought in their laundry were largely appreciative, patient, and delightful to get to know.  I didn’t have one person assigned to me with whom there wasn’t an some type of connection and a desire to know better. From their ease in conversation I believe that feeling was returned.They asked about Grace and seemed extremely interested that this is one of our missions.

I was tired afterwards, but it was that really good type of tired.  I mean the kind where you think “Wow, I was ready to be through.”   That thought was almost immediately followed by “I can hardly wait to do it again.”  A little over two hours of my time provided some of the best therapy I know where to find.

 

Sunday Morning Schedule: November 2015

9 am          Worship in the Great Room

10 am        Education and Fellowship (see below)

11am         Worship in the Sanctuary

Worship at 9 am is in the Great Room and is led musically by our band. The style is less formal than the 11 am service. The 11 am service is in the Sanctuary and is led musically by our choirs. The style is more traditional.

On Sunday, November 22, we have ONE worship service at 10:30 am and no Sunday School classes. The worship service is in the sanctuary with lunch to follow in the Great Room.

On Sunday, November 29, the only adult class to meet is the Steamer Group. Children and youth meet this day.

Here’s where you will find education and fellowship opportunities at 10 am for the first three Sundays in November.

Children

  • Children ages 0-Pre-K: A nursery is available all morning from 8:50 am – 12:15 pm. From 10 – 10:45 M Colissa Fry leads a Sunday School lesson for these children. They will use the Feasting on the Word curriculum.
  • Kindergarten – 2nd grade meets in room B10 (in the basement). Merodee Grannis and Kendall Drake teach using the Feasting on the Word curriculum.
  • 3rd grade – 5th grade meets in the Tower Room (on the 2nd floor). Geoff Snook and Sherry Camargo teach using the Feasting on the Word curriculum.

Youth

  • 6-8th graders meet in the Youth Center (downstairs)
  • 9-12th graders meet in the Youth Center (downstairs)

Adults

Growing in Faith – Join a Group for Five Weeks

These groups met October 18 and 25 and continue November 1, 8, and 15. Groups meet from 10:00 – 10:45 am.  There are three groups during this series, and all use the same study materials.

Each group explores the meaning of salvation using the series For the Life of the World. Read below to see which group is the best fit for you.

For the Life of the World with Cheryl Lyda & Randy Routsong in Room 101

The material is presented in a scaffolding format as we unpack sections of each video in a start, stop, discuss manner, building on learning from previous sections. Dialogue is in both large and small group format.

For the Life of the World with Kelly McFall in Room 103

This group relishes in the post-modern quirks of the series. Instead of trying to understand everything, this group immerses itself in the material, focusing on the experience more than getting to one set answer.

For the Life of the World with Tom Rhoads in The Chapel

This group is large group discussion based with Tom using primarily the Socratic Method. Come and explore the material together.

If one of those groups isn’t for you, you are always welcome to join the Steamer Group.

Location: Room 209

  • November 1, 8, 15, and 29 – Lee Parker teaches the Steamers

November Youth Schedules 2015

If you would like to get on the Student Ministry email list for either IGNITE or INSPIRE/WYLDlife, please email your request to Kirk Anderson.

IGNITE (All High School aged youth)

  • November 1, 8, 15 and 29: Sunday discussion (10 am – 10:50 am). We continue our video series “For the Life of the
    World” as we look at how we are to be exiles in this world to be in God’s world.
  • Tuesday Chess Club (3:30 – 4:30 pm) in Room 101 led by Ann Graham!
  • Wednesday Fellowship (5:30 – 7:15 pm) – Dinner at 5:30 pm followed by games and discussion. We meet November 4 and 18.
  • Lock-in is scheduled for Friday, November 6 starting at 7 pm and ending on November 7 at 7 am. For more info contact Kirk.

INSPIRE (All Middle High aged youth)

  • November 1, 8, 15 and 29: Sunday discussion (10 am – 10:50 am). We use Spice rack to look at being thankful and the Christmas season.
  • Tuesdays: Bible Study at Robinson during the lunch period.
  • Tuesdays: Chess (3:30-4:30) in Room 101, led by Ann Graham
  • Wednesday Fellowship (3:30 – 4:45) in the Youth Center, We will meet the 4th, and 18th.
  • WYLDlife Club (after school to 5 pm) is scheduled for the 6th and 20th, Youth meet at the Robinson cafeteria and then walks to Grace. Pick-up will be the Battin street fountain entrance.

 Save the Dates 2016

  • Westminster Woods Winter Retreat
    • Middle High January 30 – February 1
    • High School January 23 – February 25
  • Westminster Woods Summer camp dates
    • WMW Summer Camp 2016 Family Camp:  May 27-29
    • 3rd & 4th Grade Camp: May 31-June 3
    • 5th & 6th Grade Camp: June 6-10
    • 7th & 8th Grade Camp: June 13-17
    • High School Camp:  June 20 –26

[button url=”https://www.westminsterwoodscamp.com/” target=”” size=”small” style=”orange” icon=”” popup=”” title=””]Westminster Woods Camp Info[/button]

  • IGNITE Mission Trip: July 15 – 24