Current news at westminster
Click here for the July/August newsletter
Hybrid worship: One community together in spirit
After a long year of physical separation due to Covid, we are again worshiping together on site! And we are doing a new thing. We are designing (and experimenting with) a hybrid worship experience that is engaging, meaningful, and Spirit-led for both in-person and online worshipers, creating a single, unified community that stretches across pews and data streams. Hybrid worship simultaneously engages in-person worshipers and worshipers attending from home. Livestream worship will be on Facebook Live. In person worshipers are expected to practice safety precautions (masks if you're not vaccinated, hand washing and sanitizing, social distancing, etc) and there will be no singing, no handshaking or hugging, no coffee hour. Join us in-person or online at 9:30am every Sunday morning! Summer Sundays, we will worship on the front lawn (weather permitting).
Rejuvenate with Midweek Worship
Join us for a midweek online devotional service to give you just the pick-up you need. This 30-minute, online-only, intimate service takes place Wednesdays at 7 pm, broadcast from the pastor’s study on Facebook Live. It features weekly Communion, music, prayer, Scripture, and an interactive spiritual discussion.
Upcoming Sermons
July 4: "Hidden Bibles—evangelism reconsidered," a sermon about reclaiming our Christian identity
July 11: "David danced," a sermon about joy and why it sometimes scares us
July 18: "One new humanity," a sermon about division and reconciliation
July 25: "Rediscovering Bathsheba," a sermon about a silenced but important woman of the Bible
August 1: Kim Patch preaching
August 8: Pulpit supply
August 15: "Living bread," a sermon asking "What is Communion?"
August 22: "Who's against you?" a sermon about the problem of evil
August 29: "A song of love," a sermon about God's desire for us
Sermons can be read here the week following each Sunday service. We also have a new YouTube channel, where we are posting the video versions of sermons each week. Complete services are always available to watch on our Facebook page.
Shred Day
Bet you spent some time cleaning up and out during COVID times and now you have the opportunity to dispose of all those unneeded, but important papers in a safe way. We are hosting SHRED DAY 2021 on Saturday, July 17 from 8 – 10 am.
Come in the Court Street entrance, stop and unpack your boxes and drive off. It is that easy. We are asking a $5 donation per box or whatever you think is right. Cash or checks only. Not for business disposal.
Church open weekdays
Our church is open during the summer on weekdays from 11am to 2pm, thanks to the leadership of Bronwyn O’Connor and a team of volunteers who greet and assist guests and visitors. The sanctuary is open for those who’d like to sit with the beauty of the Tiffany Window, and there is a picnic table in the meditation garden, and park benches out front for those who’d like to enjoy a good book or lunch away from their offices. Stop by any weekday!
Offerings
Whether you are worshiping from home or on site, the ministry of the church continues, and it depends on your offerings. You can mail a check, set up automatic pay with your bank, or donate online. In July, loose offerings support the Cayuga County Senior Nutrition Program (commonly called "Meals on Wheels"). August loose change offerings support school supplies and backpacks for Auburn area children. When you make your donation online, simply check the box "Loose change", or when you mail your check, write "Loose change" in the memo section.
Refresh
Looking for renewal and a deepened connection with God and other women? Join Refresh, which meets monthly on Zoom. The group is starting a new study of The Faithful, learning about the lives of people in the Old Testament. In addition to study and discussion, Refresh invites personal sharing and prayer, fostering deep bonds of sisterhood and community. Stop by the church to pick up your copy of the book. Email refreshwithin@yahoo.com for more information.
Contemplative Hikes
Spent partly in prayerful silence and partly in conversation, our contemplative hikes offer renewal as we reconnect with God, the earth, and ourselves.
On Saturday, July 24, from 10 am to 12 pm, we will hike among the stunning woods and waterfalls of Fillmore Glen State Park. It's always a favorite! This is a beautiful but fairly strenuous hike, involving occasional steep incline. It's about 30 minutes from Auburn.
On Saturday, August 28, from 10 am to 12 pm, we will hike the geologic wonder and botanist's paradise that is the Clark Reservation State Park outside of Syracuse. Set aside for Revolutionary War veterans in 1792, the park features a glacial lake, quiet woods, and a limestone outcropping offering beautiful views. There are both easier and rugged portions to this hike. It's about 40 minutes from Auburn.
RSVP is requested. Please contact Patrick (pastor@westminsterauburn.org, 315-253-3331). Detailed information will then be provided.
Westminster Book Group
The Westminster Book Group meets on the third Thursday of each month at 7:00pm on Zoom but will take a break in the summer. Looking ahead to the fall, the group plans to discuss News of the World by Paulette Jiles in September, The Engineer’s Wife by Tracey Enerson Wook in October and Ordinary Light: A Memoir by Tracy K, Smith in November. Contact Ann Wiley at ann@annlwiley.com for a Zoom invitation.
Ode to Joy Skinner Organ Restoration Campaign
Westminster has embarked on a three-year capital campaign to help pay for the full restoration of our magnificent Skinner pipe organ (Opus 579) built in 1926. The Ode to Joy campaign was launched last fall when members and friends of Westminster Church were sent a special mailing, including a letter, brochure, and pledge card. Please read the Ode to Joy materials and consider how you might joyfully respond. Through congregational and community support, foundational grants, and loans, Westminster Church's Skinner organ will continue to make a joyful noise to the Lord for many generations to come.
Closed captioning on Facebook Live
Did you know you can turn on closed captioning for Facebook Live worship? If you are hard of hearing, or want to keep the volume low on your computer, or find that closed captioning helps you follow along better, just follow these simple instructions: https://www.facebook.com/help/427723640933279
Citizen Columns
Westminster is featured in a monthly column in the Auburn Citizen.
2021 columns:
Jill Fandrich's July 11 column: Reflections on four decades of change
Patrick Heery's June column: A love letter to our Catholic brothers and sisters
Jill Fandrich's May 16 column: Put love into action on Day of Service
Patrick Heery's April 18 column: It's Easter and we've lost Jesus
Jill Fandrich's March 21 column: Finding God in the ordinary
Patrick Heery's February 21 column: Is Scouting worth saving?
Shavonn Lynch's January 24 column: Women connect through Refresh
Older columns can be found here
Coat Tree
The Mission Committee has set up the Coat Tree in the hallway of the Education Building to provide coats, gloves, hats and scarves to members of our community in need of warm winter clothes. If you have gently used, clean coats (adult’s or children’s), please consider donating to the coat rack. Please hang your coats on the rack and place winter hats, gloves and scarves in the boxes below. The Coat Tree is suspended until further notice due to Covid-19 concerns.
The Little Free Library
The Little Free Library in front of our church is always in need of good quality books for children, youth, and adults. You can leave donated books in the library itself or drop them off to the church office. And while you're there, check out the Little Free Library for some new reading material for yourself!
Hybrid worship: One community together in spirit
After a long year of physical separation due to Covid, we are again worshiping together on site! And we are doing a new thing. We are designing (and experimenting with) a hybrid worship experience that is engaging, meaningful, and Spirit-led for both in-person and online worshipers, creating a single, unified community that stretches across pews and data streams. Hybrid worship simultaneously engages in-person worshipers and worshipers attending from home. Livestream worship will be on Facebook Live. In person worshipers are expected to practice safety precautions (masks if you're not vaccinated, hand washing and sanitizing, social distancing, etc) and there will be no singing, no handshaking or hugging, no coffee hour. Join us in-person or online at 9:30am every Sunday morning! Summer Sundays, we will worship on the front lawn (weather permitting).
Rejuvenate with Midweek Worship
Join us for a midweek online devotional service to give you just the pick-up you need. This 30-minute, online-only, intimate service takes place Wednesdays at 7 pm, broadcast from the pastor’s study on Facebook Live. It features weekly Communion, music, prayer, Scripture, and an interactive spiritual discussion.
Upcoming Sermons
July 4: "Hidden Bibles—evangelism reconsidered," a sermon about reclaiming our Christian identity
July 11: "David danced," a sermon about joy and why it sometimes scares us
July 18: "One new humanity," a sermon about division and reconciliation
July 25: "Rediscovering Bathsheba," a sermon about a silenced but important woman of the Bible
August 1: Kim Patch preaching
August 8: Pulpit supply
August 15: "Living bread," a sermon asking "What is Communion?"
August 22: "Who's against you?" a sermon about the problem of evil
August 29: "A song of love," a sermon about God's desire for us
Sermons can be read here the week following each Sunday service. We also have a new YouTube channel, where we are posting the video versions of sermons each week. Complete services are always available to watch on our Facebook page.
Shred Day
Bet you spent some time cleaning up and out during COVID times and now you have the opportunity to dispose of all those unneeded, but important papers in a safe way. We are hosting SHRED DAY 2021 on Saturday, July 17 from 8 – 10 am.
Come in the Court Street entrance, stop and unpack your boxes and drive off. It is that easy. We are asking a $5 donation per box or whatever you think is right. Cash or checks only. Not for business disposal.
Church open weekdays
Our church is open during the summer on weekdays from 11am to 2pm, thanks to the leadership of Bronwyn O’Connor and a team of volunteers who greet and assist guests and visitors. The sanctuary is open for those who’d like to sit with the beauty of the Tiffany Window, and there is a picnic table in the meditation garden, and park benches out front for those who’d like to enjoy a good book or lunch away from their offices. Stop by any weekday!
Offerings
Whether you are worshiping from home or on site, the ministry of the church continues, and it depends on your offerings. You can mail a check, set up automatic pay with your bank, or donate online. In July, loose offerings support the Cayuga County Senior Nutrition Program (commonly called "Meals on Wheels"). August loose change offerings support school supplies and backpacks for Auburn area children. When you make your donation online, simply check the box "Loose change", or when you mail your check, write "Loose change" in the memo section.
Refresh
Looking for renewal and a deepened connection with God and other women? Join Refresh, which meets monthly on Zoom. The group is starting a new study of The Faithful, learning about the lives of people in the Old Testament. In addition to study and discussion, Refresh invites personal sharing and prayer, fostering deep bonds of sisterhood and community. Stop by the church to pick up your copy of the book. Email refreshwithin@yahoo.com for more information.
Contemplative Hikes
Spent partly in prayerful silence and partly in conversation, our contemplative hikes offer renewal as we reconnect with God, the earth, and ourselves.
On Saturday, July 24, from 10 am to 12 pm, we will hike among the stunning woods and waterfalls of Fillmore Glen State Park. It's always a favorite! This is a beautiful but fairly strenuous hike, involving occasional steep incline. It's about 30 minutes from Auburn.
On Saturday, August 28, from 10 am to 12 pm, we will hike the geologic wonder and botanist's paradise that is the Clark Reservation State Park outside of Syracuse. Set aside for Revolutionary War veterans in 1792, the park features a glacial lake, quiet woods, and a limestone outcropping offering beautiful views. There are both easier and rugged portions to this hike. It's about 40 minutes from Auburn.
RSVP is requested. Please contact Patrick (pastor@westminsterauburn.org, 315-253-3331). Detailed information will then be provided.
Westminster Book Group
The Westminster Book Group meets on the third Thursday of each month at 7:00pm on Zoom but will take a break in the summer. Looking ahead to the fall, the group plans to discuss News of the World by Paulette Jiles in September, The Engineer’s Wife by Tracey Enerson Wook in October and Ordinary Light: A Memoir by Tracy K, Smith in November. Contact Ann Wiley at ann@annlwiley.com for a Zoom invitation.
Ode to Joy Skinner Organ Restoration Campaign
Westminster has embarked on a three-year capital campaign to help pay for the full restoration of our magnificent Skinner pipe organ (Opus 579) built in 1926. The Ode to Joy campaign was launched last fall when members and friends of Westminster Church were sent a special mailing, including a letter, brochure, and pledge card. Please read the Ode to Joy materials and consider how you might joyfully respond. Through congregational and community support, foundational grants, and loans, Westminster Church's Skinner organ will continue to make a joyful noise to the Lord for many generations to come.
Closed captioning on Facebook Live
Did you know you can turn on closed captioning for Facebook Live worship? If you are hard of hearing, or want to keep the volume low on your computer, or find that closed captioning helps you follow along better, just follow these simple instructions: https://www.facebook.com/help/427723640933279
Citizen Columns
Westminster is featured in a monthly column in the Auburn Citizen.
2021 columns:
Jill Fandrich's July 11 column: Reflections on four decades of change
Patrick Heery's June column: A love letter to our Catholic brothers and sisters
Jill Fandrich's May 16 column: Put love into action on Day of Service
Patrick Heery's April 18 column: It's Easter and we've lost Jesus
Jill Fandrich's March 21 column: Finding God in the ordinary
Patrick Heery's February 21 column: Is Scouting worth saving?
Shavonn Lynch's January 24 column: Women connect through Refresh
Older columns can be found here
Coat Tree
The Mission Committee has set up the Coat Tree in the hallway of the Education Building to provide coats, gloves, hats and scarves to members of our community in need of warm winter clothes. If you have gently used, clean coats (adult’s or children’s), please consider donating to the coat rack. Please hang your coats on the rack and place winter hats, gloves and scarves in the boxes below. The Coat Tree is suspended until further notice due to Covid-19 concerns.
The Little Free Library
The Little Free Library in front of our church is always in need of good quality books for children, youth, and adults. You can leave donated books in the library itself or drop them off to the church office. And while you're there, check out the Little Free Library for some new reading material for yourself!