Current news at westminster
Click here for the July/August newsletter
Phased Reopening Plan
From Pastor Patrick Heery--
Westminster's session met over Zoom on Monday, July 6, to discuss Westminster Presbyterian Church's phased reopening. After much faithful and compassionate discussion, the Session decided to extend our current Phase One and renew discussions of Phase Two at its August 17th meeting. This means that Westminster will remain in Phase One of its reopening: the church buildings are open for individuals and small groups; staff are able to work at the church, while still allowed to work from home if medical reasons warrant; and worship continues online only (with exception for small funerals, weddings, baptisms, and other such occasions).
The elders expressed eagerness to return to worship and the programs of the church. They talked about how much they miss you, how much they miss singing and corporate prayer and the life of the church. But they also talked about the serious responsibility for your safety, entrusted to them. Concern was expressed for the rising number of COVID cases in the nation (the world hit its highest record in a single day recently) and for new COVID cases in Cayuga County. They also observed the number of people not respecting the precautions of wearing masks and distancing. They shared findings from medical experts, which indicate that safety measures are still paramount. At the same time, they celebrated our online worship and all the ways we have continued to be God's church in loving one another, witnessing to the gospel, and practicing justice in our community.
This was not an easy decision, and perhaps there was not a right one or wrong one to make (both options of reopening or not could have been faithful); what mattered was that your Session made its decision for the right reasons: the sacredness of life, which it is our mandate to protect; the ability to be God's church without a building; the concern for the most vulnerable among us; and the intent to respect medical experts.
I know this comes as a disappointment to many of us. While we are grateful for the care Session is taking to protect us, many of us are lonely, in need of sacred space, and longing for our church community. Online is great, but it's not the same, and it does involve losses, not just to worship, but to the people who can participate. We have some church members who are especially struggling right now; this is a hard time. So my encouragement to all of you is this: BE ABOUT THE BUSINESS OF LOVE. Request a directory from the church (some contact info is private), reach out to one another, pray for one another, stand up for one another in causes of justice, listen to one another, volunteer when safe opportunities arise. Reach out to your deacons or elders if you need help. Reach out to me if you are in spiritual or emotional crisis. As we have for the last many months, Westminster will continue to be God's church.
Read the complete text of Pastor Patrick's email about phased re-opening here.
How to watch Facebook Live
We've made joining worship on Sunday really easy. All you have to do is go to the church's Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/westminsterauburn/ at our regular worship time 9:30am on Sunday morning (you can also view the video later on the Facebook page if you can't join us live), scroll down below the banner image and see the top post on the feed; it should be the Facebook Live video (if it's not there, we haven't started yet; try again in a minute). Click on it. Now, you're worshiping with us! You can watch the video even if you don't have a Facebook account.
You can participate by adding comments, liking/reacting to the video, and sharing the video. If you have prayer concerns for yourself or your immediate family, prayer concerns you want publicly shared (remember this is live on social media), you can post those in the comment section, and they'll be included in the prayers of the service. Please do not share any prayer requests for anyone other than yourself or immediate family, and only with express permission.
August Sermons
Aug. 2: Guest Preacher Kim Patch
Aug. 9: Guest Preacher Shavonn Lynch
Aug. 16: "How to pray without words," a sermon about the challenges of prayer
Aug. 23: "Know each other, and be free," a sermon about the separations in our lives
Aug. 30: "Remember who you are," a sermon about cultural and personal amnesia
Sermons can be read here the week following each Sunday service.
Offering
Please remember that 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. Don't forget our loose change offering either! In August, loose change will support the Auburn Hunger Task Force.
Refresh
All women of Westminster, as well as any interested friends, are invited to join the Refresh Women’s study group on Saturday mornings for virtual Zoom sessions. They are studying the book Seamless: Understanding the Bible as One Complete Story. Anyone interested should email refreshwithin@yahoo.com for the Zoom invitation and the study questions. This is a time for women to connect, learn a little something about God’s Word, and share some prayer time and fellowship.
Reclaiming the Old Testament
This summer Shavonn Lynch is leading a summer course on Reclaiming the Old Testament, discussing the relevance the Old Testament has for us as Christian's today. The group meets Tuesday evenings throughout July and August at 7 pm via Zoom.
The series will journey through the Old Testament as follows:
Week 1: Unpacking the Pentateuch (Genesis – Deuteronomy)
Week 2: Role of Judges and Kings (Judges – 2 Chronicles)
Week 3: Psalms
Week 4: Wisdom (Job – Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon)
Week 5: Major Prophets (Isaiah – Daniel)
Week 6: Minor Prophets (Hosea – Malachi)
Week 7: Covenants (Noahic, Abrahamic, Mosaic, Davidic)
Week 8: Root of Jesse
Shavonn is a recent M.Div graduate of Northeast Seminary, and she is excited to offer this series to all interested. Please email lynchshavonn@yahoo.com for a Zoom invitation.
REACH on-line
Youth forums and the Children's Worship Center continue on line. Chris Patch and Noel Lardeo offer videos and Zoom chats on the Westminster REACH Facebook group page. Join the group to take advantage of educational offerings for children and families!
Contemplative Hike August 22
On Saturday, August 22, from 10 am to 12 pm, we will hike the wild beauty, rugged gorge, and numerous waterfalls of the Robert H. Treman State Park. This hike will be more difficult. Learn more: https://parks.ny.gov/parks/135/.aspx. RSVP is requested. Please contact Patrick (pastor@westminsterauburn.org).
Citizen Column
Westminster is featured in a monthly column in the Auburn Citizen.
2020 columns:
Kimberly Patch's July 12 column: Small acts bring change
Patrick Heery's June 14 column: Jesus says, Black lives matter
Patrick Heery's May 17 column: How the church's closing may be its salvation
Jill Fandrich's April 19 column: "Remaining a church through quarantine"
Audrey McNally's March 21 column: Brahm's Requiem: Comfort for the living
Kimberly Patch's February 23 column: "Following Jesus' response against domestic violence"
Jill Fandrich's January 26 column: "Change is a constant"
Older columns can be found here
Phased Reopening Plan
From Pastor Patrick Heery--
Westminster's session met over Zoom on Monday, July 6, to discuss Westminster Presbyterian Church's phased reopening. After much faithful and compassionate discussion, the Session decided to extend our current Phase One and renew discussions of Phase Two at its August 17th meeting. This means that Westminster will remain in Phase One of its reopening: the church buildings are open for individuals and small groups; staff are able to work at the church, while still allowed to work from home if medical reasons warrant; and worship continues online only (with exception for small funerals, weddings, baptisms, and other such occasions).
The elders expressed eagerness to return to worship and the programs of the church. They talked about how much they miss you, how much they miss singing and corporate prayer and the life of the church. But they also talked about the serious responsibility for your safety, entrusted to them. Concern was expressed for the rising number of COVID cases in the nation (the world hit its highest record in a single day recently) and for new COVID cases in Cayuga County. They also observed the number of people not respecting the precautions of wearing masks and distancing. They shared findings from medical experts, which indicate that safety measures are still paramount. At the same time, they celebrated our online worship and all the ways we have continued to be God's church in loving one another, witnessing to the gospel, and practicing justice in our community.
This was not an easy decision, and perhaps there was not a right one or wrong one to make (both options of reopening or not could have been faithful); what mattered was that your Session made its decision for the right reasons: the sacredness of life, which it is our mandate to protect; the ability to be God's church without a building; the concern for the most vulnerable among us; and the intent to respect medical experts.
I know this comes as a disappointment to many of us. While we are grateful for the care Session is taking to protect us, many of us are lonely, in need of sacred space, and longing for our church community. Online is great, but it's not the same, and it does involve losses, not just to worship, but to the people who can participate. We have some church members who are especially struggling right now; this is a hard time. So my encouragement to all of you is this: BE ABOUT THE BUSINESS OF LOVE. Request a directory from the church (some contact info is private), reach out to one another, pray for one another, stand up for one another in causes of justice, listen to one another, volunteer when safe opportunities arise. Reach out to your deacons or elders if you need help. Reach out to me if you are in spiritual or emotional crisis. As we have for the last many months, Westminster will continue to be God's church.
Read the complete text of Pastor Patrick's email about phased re-opening here.
How to watch Facebook Live
We've made joining worship on Sunday really easy. All you have to do is go to the church's Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/westminsterauburn/ at our regular worship time 9:30am on Sunday morning (you can also view the video later on the Facebook page if you can't join us live), scroll down below the banner image and see the top post on the feed; it should be the Facebook Live video (if it's not there, we haven't started yet; try again in a minute). Click on it. Now, you're worshiping with us! You can watch the video even if you don't have a Facebook account.
You can participate by adding comments, liking/reacting to the video, and sharing the video. If you have prayer concerns for yourself or your immediate family, prayer concerns you want publicly shared (remember this is live on social media), you can post those in the comment section, and they'll be included in the prayers of the service. Please do not share any prayer requests for anyone other than yourself or immediate family, and only with express permission.
August Sermons
Aug. 2: Guest Preacher Kim Patch
Aug. 9: Guest Preacher Shavonn Lynch
Aug. 16: "How to pray without words," a sermon about the challenges of prayer
Aug. 23: "Know each other, and be free," a sermon about the separations in our lives
Aug. 30: "Remember who you are," a sermon about cultural and personal amnesia
Sermons can be read here the week following each Sunday service.
Offering
Please remember that 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. Don't forget our loose change offering either! In August, loose change will support the Auburn Hunger Task Force.
Refresh
All women of Westminster, as well as any interested friends, are invited to join the Refresh Women’s study group on Saturday mornings for virtual Zoom sessions. They are studying the book Seamless: Understanding the Bible as One Complete Story. Anyone interested should email refreshwithin@yahoo.com for the Zoom invitation and the study questions. This is a time for women to connect, learn a little something about God’s Word, and share some prayer time and fellowship.
Reclaiming the Old Testament
This summer Shavonn Lynch is leading a summer course on Reclaiming the Old Testament, discussing the relevance the Old Testament has for us as Christian's today. The group meets Tuesday evenings throughout July and August at 7 pm via Zoom.
The series will journey through the Old Testament as follows:
Week 1: Unpacking the Pentateuch (Genesis – Deuteronomy)
Week 2: Role of Judges and Kings (Judges – 2 Chronicles)
Week 3: Psalms
Week 4: Wisdom (Job – Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon)
Week 5: Major Prophets (Isaiah – Daniel)
Week 6: Minor Prophets (Hosea – Malachi)
Week 7: Covenants (Noahic, Abrahamic, Mosaic, Davidic)
Week 8: Root of Jesse
Shavonn is a recent M.Div graduate of Northeast Seminary, and she is excited to offer this series to all interested. Please email lynchshavonn@yahoo.com for a Zoom invitation.
REACH on-line
Youth forums and the Children's Worship Center continue on line. Chris Patch and Noel Lardeo offer videos and Zoom chats on the Westminster REACH Facebook group page. Join the group to take advantage of educational offerings for children and families!
Contemplative Hike August 22
On Saturday, August 22, from 10 am to 12 pm, we will hike the wild beauty, rugged gorge, and numerous waterfalls of the Robert H. Treman State Park. This hike will be more difficult. Learn more: https://parks.ny.gov/parks/135/.aspx. RSVP is requested. Please contact Patrick (pastor@westminsterauburn.org).
Citizen Column
Westminster is featured in a monthly column in the Auburn Citizen.
2020 columns:
Kimberly Patch's July 12 column: Small acts bring change
Patrick Heery's June 14 column: Jesus says, Black lives matter
Patrick Heery's May 17 column: How the church's closing may be its salvation
Jill Fandrich's April 19 column: "Remaining a church through quarantine"
Audrey McNally's March 21 column: Brahm's Requiem: Comfort for the living
Kimberly Patch's February 23 column: "Following Jesus' response against domestic violence"
Jill Fandrich's January 26 column: "Change is a constant"
Older columns can be found here