Current news at westminster
September/October Newsletter
This Sunday's Bulletin
Chapel Open
Westminster Church is open weekdays, Monday-Friday, from 11:30am to 1:30pm for anyone looking for a quiet place to reflect, meditate, pray, or simply have a few minutes of peace and quiet in the middle of hectic weekdays. Stop in on your lunch hour or while running downtown errands. It's Westminster's gift to the community.
Choirs Start This Fall
Calling all singers and ringers! The Westminster Choir begins rehearsals on Wednesday, September 6, from 7:30-9:00pm, and welcomes new singers! The vocal choir will resume singing in worship on Sunday, September 10, with its first anthem on the 17th. The choir is open to Westminster members, friends, and the community.
Elder Care Conversation Circle for "children" of aging parents
A new support group is forming this fall (the only one of its kind in Auburn) to give people caring for aging parents the opportunity to share information and experiences and to support each other as they "parent their parents." The group will meet the fourth Tuesdays of each month at 7pm (September 26, October 24, November 28, and December 26) in the church's social room, and is free and open to the public. A flyer is here.
Rally Day: Choir, Church Family Photo, Food and Fun
Sunday, September 10 kicks off the new program year at Westminster, with the re-opening of the Children’s Worship Center, the choir back in the loft, Sunday School registration, the church family photo, and the annual fall picnic following worship! Gather immediately following worship on the front steps of the church for the photo, which will be taken once again this year by Mike Trapani. After the photo, the picnic will start, and we can catch up on each other’s news from over the summer. Hot dogs, sides, cold drinks, and dessert (cake) will be provided by deacons and members of the Worship, CE, Membership, and Mission Committees; if you’d like to bring an additional dish-to-pass, feel free but not obligated. See you all on the 10th!
Westminster Nursery School Registration
If you or someone you know is looking for a great place to begin a child's education, consider Westminster Nursery School! There are still a few openings in the Toddler, Preschool, and UPK classes. Call Director Tracy Blair for more information at 315-253-3961. School starts September 5!
Wednesday Noon Study
Beginning September 13, at noon, you will have the chance to go deeper in your spiritual journey, every Wednesday. The Wednesday-noon conversation and Bible study group will meet in the conference room of the Education Building. Together, we'll talk about how Scripture and our faith relate to our everyday living and what's going on in the world. Interactive and self-driven, these conversations will invite us to explore our most pressing questions of faith. In September, we will begin a series on Jesus' famous Beatitudes, by using James C. Howell's book The Beatitudes for Today. With the guidance of Howell, we will consider each of Jesus' well-known phrases in the Gospel of Matthew and creatively apply Jesus' teachings to our contemporary world and Christian lives. If you're interested, please contact me at pastor@westminsterauburn.org or call the church at 315-253-3331 so that I can add you to the email list.
Contemplative Hikes
Whether you want to get outdoors, need a break from the commotion of life, or are feeling drained and disconnected, this hike is for you. Spending part of the hike in silence and part in conversation, we'll find renewal as we become more mindful of our bodies, our thoughts, and the soil beneath our feet. Together, we will reconnect with God, listening for what poet Wendell Berry calls "bird song in the quiet." Beginning in September, a parallel children's program will be offered, concurrent with the adult hike. On Saturday, September 23, from 10 am to 12 pm, we will hike at Beaver Lake Nature Center (8477 East Mud Lake Road, Baldwinsville, NY 13027). It's about a 40 minute drive from Auburn. Learn more about this park: www.onondagacountyparks.com/parks/beaver-lake-nature-center. Please note the $4 car entrance fee. On Saturday, October 28, we will take a special All-Saints-themed hike at Fort Hill Cemetery in Auburn. We will walk in memory of loved ones whom have died and joined that great communion of saints (who we will remember and celebrate in worship on November 5). Anyone is welcome to join us, whether affiliated with the church or not. In fact, this would be a great opportunity to invite a friend, neighbor, or family member. The hikes will be moderate in difficulty, with incline, including dirt paths. RSVP is required. Please speak with Patrick in advance (pastor@westminsterauburn.org, 315-253-3331). Detailed information will then be provided.
Children and Worship
All ages are welcome in worship, and we also provide options for young children in nearby locations to the sanctuary. Older children (grade 3 and up) worship with their families in the sanctuary; there are lectionary-related worksheets and other resources available at the back of the sanctuary to engage children in worship. For young children, Elena Madden and Chelsea Smith provide loving care for infants and toddlers in the worship center room, with "Summer Sabbath" activities for children. We also have a Baby Corner in the sanctuary, with rocking chairs and a playmat, to provide a cozy spot for parents to cuddle with their infants and be in worship together. The Children's Worship Center will reopen September 10.
Invisible No More: The Immigrant Experience in Cayuga County
On September 14, at 7 pm, at Booker T. Washington Community Center, Kari Liberator and refugees will share their experiences in refugee resettlement and will detail how we in Cayuga County could support refugee families. Kari worked for a number of years alongside Syracuse's Interfaith Works in the aid and resettlement of individuals who have been displaced in their home countries due to conflict and persecution and have been legally vetted and admitted into the United States. According to the United Nations, the world now has more refugees than ever before. More than 65 million people have been forcibly displaced from their homes. On Thursday evening, you will have a chance to hear directly from one of those families---a family that has found a home here in the United States, as families have since the founding of our country. Through multimedia and real stories, they will help us better understand the refugee situation and how we can help, either through direct service or advocacy.
Loose Offerings
Each month, the loose change (bills and coins) in the offering plates is designated for a particular organization or cause. On the first Sunday of each month, they support the Calvary Food Pantry. The rest of the Sundays in September, they support Westminster's Christmas Giving Tree project, and will buy grocery gift cards to supplement the other gifts.
Refresh
Refresh will resume meeting Saturday, September 16 at 10 am in the Social Room at Westminster Church. Refresh is a women's group that focuses on spiritual faith formation. Upon resuming there will be discussion about the study based on the movie War Room. This year Refresh will also be looking at the women of the Bible, named and unnamed. This is a chance for women to explore the importance of the role women have had in shaping the church then and now. This year Refresh will be open to women of any age who are interested in faith formation and spiritual growth. Please bring your Bibles.
New Members!
If you’re looking to find out how to become a member of Westminster and learn more about who we are as Presbyterians, mark your calendar for the new member’s class on October 1 and 8 after morning worship.
Responding to Racism
Thanks to support from the Synod of the Northeast, members and friends of Westminster Church are invited to participate in a one-day Crossroads Workshop on Saturday, October 21, 2017 to explore racism as a systemic, institutional problem of power that goes beyond personal prejudice, develop skill to help facilitate and converse in a productive manner about race, and learn about strategic methodology to organize and dismantle institutional racism. The workshop will be held at Gates Presbyterian Church in Rochester. Registration deadline is October 9. There is no fee to attend, but participants are encouraged to share their experience and what they have learned with others in their church,and community. Contact Linda Russell (315-252-5795) for more information on registration and travel arrangements.
Sensory Mitts Ministry
If you are a knitter or a crocheter, you can help Westminster in our Sensory Mitts Ministry. A sensory mitt is a double thick mitt or muff made with embellishments attached inside and out in order to provide a stimulation activity for the restless hands of people with dementia, Alzheimer’s or autism. Making a mitt or muff is fast, easy and fun, even for you’re just a beginner. We’ll provide a pattern, instruction and yarn if you need it. For more information, contact Annette Bell by leaving a message at the church office 315-253-3331. A brochure with instructions is available here: Sensory Mitts. The group meets the third Tuesday of each month from 6:30-8:00 pm and welcomes new members. If you're a knitter or crocheter who is looking for some other options, we are also working on prayer shawls and on tiny hats, blankets and swaddles for stillborn babies (for the Pregnancy Loss Support Service at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester). Some pattern ideas are here: Bereavement Patterns
Citizen Column
Westminster is featured in a monthly column in the Auburn Citizen. Here are:
Patrick Heery's August 13 column "New Hiking Ministry Offers Renewal"
Jill Fandrich's July 16 column "The Redefinition of Missionaries"
Patrick Heery's June 18 column "Sabbath: a bus pass to paradise"
Patrick Heery's May 21 column "How does a pastor grieve?"
Jill Fandrich's April 23 column "The Gospel According to Flatland"
Audrey McNally's March 26 column "Discovering the Psalms"
Patrick Heery's Feb 26 column "Lenten Journey: Death and Beyond"
Jill Fandrich's Jan 29 column "Are We Ready For Another Reformation?"
Patrick Heery's Jan 1 column "When the Holidays Hurt"
Jill Fandrich's Dec 4 column "Need for Community and Conversation"
Annette Bell's Nov 6 column "Saints Among Us"
Patrick Heery's Oct 9 column "Does Auburn need a hero? No, it needs you"
Patrick Heery's Sept 11 column "Seeing Beyond Doom" (15th anniversary of 9-11)
Jill Fandrich's August 14 column "Auburn Youth Reflect on Triennium"
Patrick Heery's July 17 column "Where is God in times of violence?"
Jill Fandrich's June 19 column "Ordinary Time"
Patrick Heery's May 15 column "Why I Have Come to Auburn"
Jilll Fandrich's April 24 column "Church Doors Open Out,"
Dwain Lee's March 27 column "Saying Goodbye to Westminster."
Worship Resources
The bookshelf in the back of the sanctuary is stocked with books and materials for all ages to use to enhance worship. Bible picture books and storybooks will help children engage in worship, and there are large print hymnals, resources for older readers, and tactile resources, like finger labyrinths, prayer beads, and pipe cleaners. We also offer weekly activity sheets geared to the lectionary readings, as well as crayons, colored pencils, and markers.
Church App!
Check out Westminster's “app” to access events, calendar information, photos, lectionary readings, Facebook and Twitter posts, and more on your smartphone or tablet. To get the church app, search for Church Link App in the App Store on your phone or tablet. Download the app (it’s free!), and then search for Westminster by zip code 13021. The weekly bulletin is also on the app.
This Sunday's Bulletin
Chapel Open
Westminster Church is open weekdays, Monday-Friday, from 11:30am to 1:30pm for anyone looking for a quiet place to reflect, meditate, pray, or simply have a few minutes of peace and quiet in the middle of hectic weekdays. Stop in on your lunch hour or while running downtown errands. It's Westminster's gift to the community.
Choirs Start This Fall
Calling all singers and ringers! The Westminster Choir begins rehearsals on Wednesday, September 6, from 7:30-9:00pm, and welcomes new singers! The vocal choir will resume singing in worship on Sunday, September 10, with its first anthem on the 17th. The choir is open to Westminster members, friends, and the community.
Elder Care Conversation Circle for "children" of aging parents
A new support group is forming this fall (the only one of its kind in Auburn) to give people caring for aging parents the opportunity to share information and experiences and to support each other as they "parent their parents." The group will meet the fourth Tuesdays of each month at 7pm (September 26, October 24, November 28, and December 26) in the church's social room, and is free and open to the public. A flyer is here.
Rally Day: Choir, Church Family Photo, Food and Fun
Sunday, September 10 kicks off the new program year at Westminster, with the re-opening of the Children’s Worship Center, the choir back in the loft, Sunday School registration, the church family photo, and the annual fall picnic following worship! Gather immediately following worship on the front steps of the church for the photo, which will be taken once again this year by Mike Trapani. After the photo, the picnic will start, and we can catch up on each other’s news from over the summer. Hot dogs, sides, cold drinks, and dessert (cake) will be provided by deacons and members of the Worship, CE, Membership, and Mission Committees; if you’d like to bring an additional dish-to-pass, feel free but not obligated. See you all on the 10th!
Westminster Nursery School Registration
If you or someone you know is looking for a great place to begin a child's education, consider Westminster Nursery School! There are still a few openings in the Toddler, Preschool, and UPK classes. Call Director Tracy Blair for more information at 315-253-3961. School starts September 5!
Wednesday Noon Study
Beginning September 13, at noon, you will have the chance to go deeper in your spiritual journey, every Wednesday. The Wednesday-noon conversation and Bible study group will meet in the conference room of the Education Building. Together, we'll talk about how Scripture and our faith relate to our everyday living and what's going on in the world. Interactive and self-driven, these conversations will invite us to explore our most pressing questions of faith. In September, we will begin a series on Jesus' famous Beatitudes, by using James C. Howell's book The Beatitudes for Today. With the guidance of Howell, we will consider each of Jesus' well-known phrases in the Gospel of Matthew and creatively apply Jesus' teachings to our contemporary world and Christian lives. If you're interested, please contact me at pastor@westminsterauburn.org or call the church at 315-253-3331 so that I can add you to the email list.
Contemplative Hikes
Whether you want to get outdoors, need a break from the commotion of life, or are feeling drained and disconnected, this hike is for you. Spending part of the hike in silence and part in conversation, we'll find renewal as we become more mindful of our bodies, our thoughts, and the soil beneath our feet. Together, we will reconnect with God, listening for what poet Wendell Berry calls "bird song in the quiet." Beginning in September, a parallel children's program will be offered, concurrent with the adult hike. On Saturday, September 23, from 10 am to 12 pm, we will hike at Beaver Lake Nature Center (8477 East Mud Lake Road, Baldwinsville, NY 13027). It's about a 40 minute drive from Auburn. Learn more about this park: www.onondagacountyparks.com/parks/beaver-lake-nature-center. Please note the $4 car entrance fee. On Saturday, October 28, we will take a special All-Saints-themed hike at Fort Hill Cemetery in Auburn. We will walk in memory of loved ones whom have died and joined that great communion of saints (who we will remember and celebrate in worship on November 5). Anyone is welcome to join us, whether affiliated with the church or not. In fact, this would be a great opportunity to invite a friend, neighbor, or family member. The hikes will be moderate in difficulty, with incline, including dirt paths. RSVP is required. Please speak with Patrick in advance (pastor@westminsterauburn.org, 315-253-3331). Detailed information will then be provided.
Children and Worship
All ages are welcome in worship, and we also provide options for young children in nearby locations to the sanctuary. Older children (grade 3 and up) worship with their families in the sanctuary; there are lectionary-related worksheets and other resources available at the back of the sanctuary to engage children in worship. For young children, Elena Madden and Chelsea Smith provide loving care for infants and toddlers in the worship center room, with "Summer Sabbath" activities for children. We also have a Baby Corner in the sanctuary, with rocking chairs and a playmat, to provide a cozy spot for parents to cuddle with their infants and be in worship together. The Children's Worship Center will reopen September 10.
Invisible No More: The Immigrant Experience in Cayuga County
On September 14, at 7 pm, at Booker T. Washington Community Center, Kari Liberator and refugees will share their experiences in refugee resettlement and will detail how we in Cayuga County could support refugee families. Kari worked for a number of years alongside Syracuse's Interfaith Works in the aid and resettlement of individuals who have been displaced in their home countries due to conflict and persecution and have been legally vetted and admitted into the United States. According to the United Nations, the world now has more refugees than ever before. More than 65 million people have been forcibly displaced from their homes. On Thursday evening, you will have a chance to hear directly from one of those families---a family that has found a home here in the United States, as families have since the founding of our country. Through multimedia and real stories, they will help us better understand the refugee situation and how we can help, either through direct service or advocacy.
Loose Offerings
Each month, the loose change (bills and coins) in the offering plates is designated for a particular organization or cause. On the first Sunday of each month, they support the Calvary Food Pantry. The rest of the Sundays in September, they support Westminster's Christmas Giving Tree project, and will buy grocery gift cards to supplement the other gifts.
Refresh
Refresh will resume meeting Saturday, September 16 at 10 am in the Social Room at Westminster Church. Refresh is a women's group that focuses on spiritual faith formation. Upon resuming there will be discussion about the study based on the movie War Room. This year Refresh will also be looking at the women of the Bible, named and unnamed. This is a chance for women to explore the importance of the role women have had in shaping the church then and now. This year Refresh will be open to women of any age who are interested in faith formation and spiritual growth. Please bring your Bibles.
New Members!
If you’re looking to find out how to become a member of Westminster and learn more about who we are as Presbyterians, mark your calendar for the new member’s class on October 1 and 8 after morning worship.
Responding to Racism
Thanks to support from the Synod of the Northeast, members and friends of Westminster Church are invited to participate in a one-day Crossroads Workshop on Saturday, October 21, 2017 to explore racism as a systemic, institutional problem of power that goes beyond personal prejudice, develop skill to help facilitate and converse in a productive manner about race, and learn about strategic methodology to organize and dismantle institutional racism. The workshop will be held at Gates Presbyterian Church in Rochester. Registration deadline is October 9. There is no fee to attend, but participants are encouraged to share their experience and what they have learned with others in their church,and community. Contact Linda Russell (315-252-5795) for more information on registration and travel arrangements.
Sensory Mitts Ministry
If you are a knitter or a crocheter, you can help Westminster in our Sensory Mitts Ministry. A sensory mitt is a double thick mitt or muff made with embellishments attached inside and out in order to provide a stimulation activity for the restless hands of people with dementia, Alzheimer’s or autism. Making a mitt or muff is fast, easy and fun, even for you’re just a beginner. We’ll provide a pattern, instruction and yarn if you need it. For more information, contact Annette Bell by leaving a message at the church office 315-253-3331. A brochure with instructions is available here: Sensory Mitts. The group meets the third Tuesday of each month from 6:30-8:00 pm and welcomes new members. If you're a knitter or crocheter who is looking for some other options, we are also working on prayer shawls and on tiny hats, blankets and swaddles for stillborn babies (for the Pregnancy Loss Support Service at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester). Some pattern ideas are here: Bereavement Patterns
Citizen Column
Westminster is featured in a monthly column in the Auburn Citizen. Here are:
Patrick Heery's August 13 column "New Hiking Ministry Offers Renewal"
Jill Fandrich's July 16 column "The Redefinition of Missionaries"
Patrick Heery's June 18 column "Sabbath: a bus pass to paradise"
Patrick Heery's May 21 column "How does a pastor grieve?"
Jill Fandrich's April 23 column "The Gospel According to Flatland"
Audrey McNally's March 26 column "Discovering the Psalms"
Patrick Heery's Feb 26 column "Lenten Journey: Death and Beyond"
Jill Fandrich's Jan 29 column "Are We Ready For Another Reformation?"
Patrick Heery's Jan 1 column "When the Holidays Hurt"
Jill Fandrich's Dec 4 column "Need for Community and Conversation"
Annette Bell's Nov 6 column "Saints Among Us"
Patrick Heery's Oct 9 column "Does Auburn need a hero? No, it needs you"
Patrick Heery's Sept 11 column "Seeing Beyond Doom" (15th anniversary of 9-11)
Jill Fandrich's August 14 column "Auburn Youth Reflect on Triennium"
Patrick Heery's July 17 column "Where is God in times of violence?"
Jill Fandrich's June 19 column "Ordinary Time"
Patrick Heery's May 15 column "Why I Have Come to Auburn"
Jilll Fandrich's April 24 column "Church Doors Open Out,"
Dwain Lee's March 27 column "Saying Goodbye to Westminster."
Worship Resources
The bookshelf in the back of the sanctuary is stocked with books and materials for all ages to use to enhance worship. Bible picture books and storybooks will help children engage in worship, and there are large print hymnals, resources for older readers, and tactile resources, like finger labyrinths, prayer beads, and pipe cleaners. We also offer weekly activity sheets geared to the lectionary readings, as well as crayons, colored pencils, and markers.
Church App!
Check out Westminster's “app” to access events, calendar information, photos, lectionary readings, Facebook and Twitter posts, and more on your smartphone or tablet. To get the church app, search for Church Link App in the App Store on your phone or tablet. Download the app (it’s free!), and then search for Westminster by zip code 13021. The weekly bulletin is also on the app.
