Current news at westminster
Click here for the November/December newsletter
Online-Only Worship
Due to the exponential rise of positive cases of COVID in Cayuga County, Westminster's Session voted to return to online-only worship until further notice. There will be no in-person worship for the time being. Worship will take place on Facebook Live, over the phone, and through weekly mailings. The church buildings will, for now, remain open, and small groups are still welcome to meet. Session will revisit this decision to assess the safety of returning to public worship, but with numbers continuing to rise, we will not be gathering in person for worship during Advent and Christmas.
We know that this news comes with deep sadness. The thought of not being able to celebrate Christmas together, with candlelight and hymns, is a profound loss. This December, we may find ourselves more than ever on that road to Bethlehem with Mary and Joseph, not knowing where we will lay our heads, not knowing what the future holds. But because we know the rest of that story, we will trust that God goes with us, and that no matter where we are, that star will shine all the brighter, leading us to Christ. We will discover new riches in our worship. Several special services will be live streamed from the sanctuary, with candlelight, the music of the organ, solos, and a liturgist. As we have these past many months, we will find creative and faithful ways to remain connected, to serve our community, and to grow in our relationship with God.
Upcoming Sermons
Nov. 22: "Meeting God in the other," a Matthew 25 sermon for Christ the King Sunday
Nov. 29: "Mountain dreaming," an Advent sermon about hope
Dec. 6: "The five daily questions," an Advent reflection on the simple prayer that can give your life new purpose and worth
Dec. 13: "Seeking joy," an Advent reflection on suffering and relief
Dec. 20: "Where is God?" an Advent sermon about Mary
Dec. 21: "Befriending the dark," a Longest Night sermon
Dec. 24: "No room in the church," a Christmas Eve sermon about rediscovering the birth of Christ amid the loss of so many valued traditions
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.
Covid-19 can't stop Santa!
Christmas Giving Tree Wish List here.
The Covid-19 pandemic has hurt a lot of our neighbors in Cayuga County. Especially hard hit are families living with limited resources: income, food, house, etc. Sometimes, Christian love is prayer; sometimes, it's advocacy; sometimes, it's a hug and a listening ear; and sometimes, it's the warm beaming smile of a child and their parent(s) on Christmas morning. As we gather to celebrate our Lord's birth, Westminster is again joining forces with the Cayuga County Early Intervention Program to help make Christmas a time of joy for some of their clients (as well as a few of our own church families). Covid-19 restrictions have restructured the process. The detailed instructions and complete list are here.
Stewardship 2021: Set Sail with Hope
As you continue your faith journey with Westminster, please invest in our future by committing to a financial pledge for 2021. Your church is in need of your financial commitment to support our staff, mission, programs, and building. That's why we have made our theme this year: Set Sail with Hope. If the past months have taught us anything, it is that life and relationships are precious and God will lead us through these unpredictable times, if we let God steer us. Click here for our stewardship campaign letter, and click here for our pledge card. Please return your pledge as soon as possible to help us plan the 2021 budget.
Offerings
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! November loose change supports the Veterans Clinic services.
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. 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.
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, December 19, from 1 to 3 pm (note the time change), we will take a special Advent saunter along the Cayuga Community College Nature Trail, right in our Auburn backyard. The word saunter comes from the Middle Ages, when Christians would go on pilgrimages to the Holy Land. As they passed through villages and were asked where they were going, they would reply, "A la sainte terre." And so they became known, in our parlance, as saunterers. And so during this hike, so close to Christmas, we will saunter to the Christ child and his birth, stopping periodically and observing prayer stations. This is an easy trail. RSVP is requested. Please contact Patrick (pastor@westminsterauburn.org, 315-253-3331). Detailed information will then be provided.
Ode to Joy Skinner Organ Restoration Campaign
This fall marks the beginning of 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 in August with church officers, and generous donations/pledges are coming in. In early September, all 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 carefully 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.
Book Group
The Westminster Book Group will meet on Zoom the third Thursday of each month at 7pm to discuss the following books. Email ann@annlwiley.com for more information. The book group will resume in-person meetings when it is safe to do so. Upcoming books are:
December 17, 2020 Selections from Christmas books in Westminster collection, members choice
January 17 and February 21, Presidents of War, Michael Beschloss, chapters on World War I and World War II, led by Tony Gero.
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.
2020 columns:
Patrick Heery's November 2 column: From Protestantism to protest
Jill Fandrich's October 4 column: Being a sailboat church
Audrey McNally's and Jill Fandrich's September 7 column: Ode to Joy, Restoring Auburn's 1926 Skinner Organ
Jill Fandrich's August 9 column: Faith evolves through doubt
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
Longest Night Service
December 21 is the longest night of the year, with darkness stretching for almost 15 hours. It evokes the feeling of darkness which sometimes pervades our lives, when we feel lonely, hopeless, isolated, afraid, or despondent. The Longest Night Service acknowledges these times of darkness and brings a message of hope that every day a little more light will shine, even if it seems imperceptible at the time.
Westminster will hold its Longest Night service for the church and for the community on Monday, December 21, at 7pm. At this time, the service is planned to be on-line only, but will be live-streamed from the sanctuary. Luminaria are planned for the outside steps and walks of the church, sending a message to the community that “A light shines in the darkness and the darkness will not overcome it.”
Please join us for the Longest Night service this year, and invite your friends, family, and colleagues who might need to hear the message of hope that it offers.
Christmas Eve
Whoever would have imagined that we would not be gathering for Westminster’s beloved Christmas Eve candlelight service in the sanctuary this year. When Covid restrictions began in March, we hoped that we would be together for Easter! And here we are planning a Christmas Eve service to be live-streamed from the sanctuary to worshipers on Facebook Live.
The good news (in addition to the really good news of Christmas, of course) is that so many more people will be able to join us in celebrating the birth of the Messiah. Imagine Christmas Eve worship with friends and family from all over the country joining in! It will be different, but better in some ways too. This is an opportunity to celebrate and share the joy of Christmas beyond our walls! Join Pastor Patrick, a liturgist, and Lori Rhodes Pettit in worship on Thursday, December 24, at 7pm on Facebook Live, joining our voices from our homes singing “Joy to the world! The Lord has come!”
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 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!
Online-Only Worship
Due to the exponential rise of positive cases of COVID in Cayuga County, Westminster's Session voted to return to online-only worship until further notice. There will be no in-person worship for the time being. Worship will take place on Facebook Live, over the phone, and through weekly mailings. The church buildings will, for now, remain open, and small groups are still welcome to meet. Session will revisit this decision to assess the safety of returning to public worship, but with numbers continuing to rise, we will not be gathering in person for worship during Advent and Christmas.
We know that this news comes with deep sadness. The thought of not being able to celebrate Christmas together, with candlelight and hymns, is a profound loss. This December, we may find ourselves more than ever on that road to Bethlehem with Mary and Joseph, not knowing where we will lay our heads, not knowing what the future holds. But because we know the rest of that story, we will trust that God goes with us, and that no matter where we are, that star will shine all the brighter, leading us to Christ. We will discover new riches in our worship. Several special services will be live streamed from the sanctuary, with candlelight, the music of the organ, solos, and a liturgist. As we have these past many months, we will find creative and faithful ways to remain connected, to serve our community, and to grow in our relationship with God.
Upcoming Sermons
Nov. 22: "Meeting God in the other," a Matthew 25 sermon for Christ the King Sunday
Nov. 29: "Mountain dreaming," an Advent sermon about hope
Dec. 6: "The five daily questions," an Advent reflection on the simple prayer that can give your life new purpose and worth
Dec. 13: "Seeking joy," an Advent reflection on suffering and relief
Dec. 20: "Where is God?" an Advent sermon about Mary
Dec. 21: "Befriending the dark," a Longest Night sermon
Dec. 24: "No room in the church," a Christmas Eve sermon about rediscovering the birth of Christ amid the loss of so many valued traditions
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.
Covid-19 can't stop Santa!
Christmas Giving Tree Wish List here.
The Covid-19 pandemic has hurt a lot of our neighbors in Cayuga County. Especially hard hit are families living with limited resources: income, food, house, etc. Sometimes, Christian love is prayer; sometimes, it's advocacy; sometimes, it's a hug and a listening ear; and sometimes, it's the warm beaming smile of a child and their parent(s) on Christmas morning. As we gather to celebrate our Lord's birth, Westminster is again joining forces with the Cayuga County Early Intervention Program to help make Christmas a time of joy for some of their clients (as well as a few of our own church families). Covid-19 restrictions have restructured the process. The detailed instructions and complete list are here.
Stewardship 2021: Set Sail with Hope
As you continue your faith journey with Westminster, please invest in our future by committing to a financial pledge for 2021. Your church is in need of your financial commitment to support our staff, mission, programs, and building. That's why we have made our theme this year: Set Sail with Hope. If the past months have taught us anything, it is that life and relationships are precious and God will lead us through these unpredictable times, if we let God steer us. Click here for our stewardship campaign letter, and click here for our pledge card. Please return your pledge as soon as possible to help us plan the 2021 budget.
Offerings
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! November loose change supports the Veterans Clinic services.
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. 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.
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, December 19, from 1 to 3 pm (note the time change), we will take a special Advent saunter along the Cayuga Community College Nature Trail, right in our Auburn backyard. The word saunter comes from the Middle Ages, when Christians would go on pilgrimages to the Holy Land. As they passed through villages and were asked where they were going, they would reply, "A la sainte terre." And so they became known, in our parlance, as saunterers. And so during this hike, so close to Christmas, we will saunter to the Christ child and his birth, stopping periodically and observing prayer stations. This is an easy trail. RSVP is requested. Please contact Patrick (pastor@westminsterauburn.org, 315-253-3331). Detailed information will then be provided.
Ode to Joy Skinner Organ Restoration Campaign
This fall marks the beginning of 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 in August with church officers, and generous donations/pledges are coming in. In early September, all 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 carefully 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.
Book Group
The Westminster Book Group will meet on Zoom the third Thursday of each month at 7pm to discuss the following books. Email ann@annlwiley.com for more information. The book group will resume in-person meetings when it is safe to do so. Upcoming books are:
December 17, 2020 Selections from Christmas books in Westminster collection, members choice
January 17 and February 21, Presidents of War, Michael Beschloss, chapters on World War I and World War II, led by Tony Gero.
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.
2020 columns:
Patrick Heery's November 2 column: From Protestantism to protest
Jill Fandrich's October 4 column: Being a sailboat church
Audrey McNally's and Jill Fandrich's September 7 column: Ode to Joy, Restoring Auburn's 1926 Skinner Organ
Jill Fandrich's August 9 column: Faith evolves through doubt
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
Longest Night Service
December 21 is the longest night of the year, with darkness stretching for almost 15 hours. It evokes the feeling of darkness which sometimes pervades our lives, when we feel lonely, hopeless, isolated, afraid, or despondent. The Longest Night Service acknowledges these times of darkness and brings a message of hope that every day a little more light will shine, even if it seems imperceptible at the time.
Westminster will hold its Longest Night service for the church and for the community on Monday, December 21, at 7pm. At this time, the service is planned to be on-line only, but will be live-streamed from the sanctuary. Luminaria are planned for the outside steps and walks of the church, sending a message to the community that “A light shines in the darkness and the darkness will not overcome it.”
Please join us for the Longest Night service this year, and invite your friends, family, and colleagues who might need to hear the message of hope that it offers.
Christmas Eve
Whoever would have imagined that we would not be gathering for Westminster’s beloved Christmas Eve candlelight service in the sanctuary this year. When Covid restrictions began in March, we hoped that we would be together for Easter! And here we are planning a Christmas Eve service to be live-streamed from the sanctuary to worshipers on Facebook Live.
The good news (in addition to the really good news of Christmas, of course) is that so many more people will be able to join us in celebrating the birth of the Messiah. Imagine Christmas Eve worship with friends and family from all over the country joining in! It will be different, but better in some ways too. This is an opportunity to celebrate and share the joy of Christmas beyond our walls! Join Pastor Patrick, a liturgist, and Lori Rhodes Pettit in worship on Thursday, December 24, at 7pm on Facebook Live, joining our voices from our homes singing “Joy to the world! The Lord has come!”
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 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!