Current news at westminster
Hybrid worship: One community together in spirit
We offer a hybrid worship experience that engages both in-person and online worshipers, creating a single, unified community that stretches across pews and data streams. Livestream worship is on Facebook Live. Join us in-person or online at 9:30am every Sunday morning!
Loose Offerings
Westminster contributes its “loose change” in the offering plates each month to local organizations who help others in our community. The first Sunday of each month, loose offerings support the Calvary Food Pantry. In June, they support the Transportation Project for Cayuga County, aka the SCAT Van, which provides door-to-door transportation for seniors and disabled individuals.
Children and Youth Ministries
On Sundays, the nursery is open to children birth-3 years old. Children ages 3 through 2nd grade join Miss Cait in the Worship Center to hear the Parables of Jesus. Children ages 8 and up are encouraged to participate in worship with their families. Our Prayground has a variety of resources for children and youth of all ages, and is a great place for families to worship together.
Committees welcome you!
Westminster holds quarterly planning forums to get input, ideas, and inspiration from members and friends about our ministry together as Christians. The work of the church is then largely carried out through our programmatic committees and small groups, who always welcome new members for short-term or longer commitments. Talk to the following committee moderators if you’d like to be more involved, in whatever way and whatever level you choose. Paul Dungey chairs the Worship Committee, Audrey McNally chairs the Christian Ed Committee, Susan Marteney chairs the Mission Committee, and Diane Lehner chairs the Membership Committee. The Social Justice Small Group (Brian and Ashley Teucke) also meets monthly to plan meaningful ways to advance the Matthew 25 work of our church. The Property Committee (Beth Salvage), Finance Committee (Alice Hoatland), and Personnel Committee (Brian Teucke) provide other opportunities to be involved.
Meet & Greets with Pastor Adam
The church is organizing home-based small-group meetings beginning in June for Pastor Adam and Amanda to get to know us and for us to get to know them. If you would like to attend one of these get-togethers, please contact the church office at [email protected] or sign up on the sheets in the narthex.
Personal Care Pantry
Westminster’s Personal Care Pantry team welcomes donations for their monthly ministry which provides personal care and cleaning supplies. Items especially needed are women's sanitary products. If you have questions or would like to help with the pantry, contact Anne Malvaso, Shelley Pantaliono or Susan Marteney.
Baccalaureate Service June 22
We will recognize members of our church family who are graduating from high school, college, and graduate programs at our annual Baccalaureate Service on Sunday June 22. Please join us as we recognize our graduates, announce the recipient of this year's Gilchrist Scholarship, and also commission Lily Thornton on her Presbyterian Youth Triennium experience. We will also thank our Christian Education staff and volunteers.
Clothing Donation Opportunity
Our neighbor down the road, the Auburn United Methodist Church located at 99 South Street, has recently started a Clothing Closet which is open for donations and shopping every Thursday from 2 – 4:30. They welcome clothing for men, women and children along with linens such as towels, curtains and blankets. A relationship is in place with Seward and Genesee Street Elementary Schools to assist kids in need. They also partner with several migrant projects and supply household linens as requested. While most items are for sale, they discount or offer free items as requested and to the schools. Any proceeds go to other mission projects of the church. For more information, call the Methodist Church at 315.253.6295.
Breaking News! Fall Rummage Sale!
There will be a fall rummage sale October 3 and 4 at the church, so start putting aside all that "good stuff" you no longer need but someone else might! What sells are kitchen wares, dishes, pots and pans, seasonal decorations, books, small furniture, records, craft supplies, linens, antiques, framed art and various tchotchkes. No clothing or appliances! There will be drop-off days in the fall; watch for more information in the coming months.
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.
2025 columns:
Rev Adam Demetro's June 8 column: Tearing Down the Walls
Jill Fandrich's May 11 column: What it means to be a Good Samaritan
Jill Fandrich's April 13 column: Holy Week and the Triumph of Love
Rev. Adam's Demetros' March 16 column: How do we hold all things together?
Jill Fandrich's February 16 column: Westminster welcomes new pastor
Rob Schemerhorn's January 18 column: Baptism and Change
Older columns can be found here
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!
Capital Projects
Our church is more than a building, but we also acknowledge that the historic edifice which houses our ministries is the home in which we meet, worship, work, and serve the community. That home, however, is over 150 years old, and in need of constant care and maintenance. In 2020, we decided to complete a comprehensive property conditions study to efficiently plan for building repairs and renovations. We felt this was the best way to be good stewards of our property and our limited financial resources, helping us prioritize projects in a multi-year plan. Using a grant from the Sacred Sites Program of the NY Landmarks Conservancy, we engaged the services of Beardsley Inc to complete the conditions study. They provided us with a comprehensive study last year, outlining an array of top, medium, and lower priority projects to address over the next five years. We have already undertaken the first phase to abate the water damage to our foundation and walls by diverting storm drainage and installing gutters and downspouts. This work was top priority to stop further damage, and now we are able to can undertake further repairs. The proposed projects for 2023 involve bringing certain items up to code (electrical, lighting, etc.), repointing the masonry where needed, and shoring up the sanctuary basement where needed. These are important for keeping everyone safe and for maintaining the integrity of the buildings’ structure. Here are the documents with details about the capital projects which are priorities at Westminster:
Click here for the assessment of our buildings and capital project recommendations, from the architectural firm Beardsley.
Click here for the slideshow summary of the Beardsley report.
Click here to read the 2024 Annual Report
We offer a hybrid worship experience that engages both in-person and online worshipers, creating a single, unified community that stretches across pews and data streams. Livestream worship is on Facebook Live. Join us in-person or online at 9:30am every Sunday morning!
Loose Offerings
Westminster contributes its “loose change” in the offering plates each month to local organizations who help others in our community. The first Sunday of each month, loose offerings support the Calvary Food Pantry. In June, they support the Transportation Project for Cayuga County, aka the SCAT Van, which provides door-to-door transportation for seniors and disabled individuals.
Children and Youth Ministries
On Sundays, the nursery is open to children birth-3 years old. Children ages 3 through 2nd grade join Miss Cait in the Worship Center to hear the Parables of Jesus. Children ages 8 and up are encouraged to participate in worship with their families. Our Prayground has a variety of resources for children and youth of all ages, and is a great place for families to worship together.
Committees welcome you!
Westminster holds quarterly planning forums to get input, ideas, and inspiration from members and friends about our ministry together as Christians. The work of the church is then largely carried out through our programmatic committees and small groups, who always welcome new members for short-term or longer commitments. Talk to the following committee moderators if you’d like to be more involved, in whatever way and whatever level you choose. Paul Dungey chairs the Worship Committee, Audrey McNally chairs the Christian Ed Committee, Susan Marteney chairs the Mission Committee, and Diane Lehner chairs the Membership Committee. The Social Justice Small Group (Brian and Ashley Teucke) also meets monthly to plan meaningful ways to advance the Matthew 25 work of our church. The Property Committee (Beth Salvage), Finance Committee (Alice Hoatland), and Personnel Committee (Brian Teucke) provide other opportunities to be involved.
Meet & Greets with Pastor Adam
The church is organizing home-based small-group meetings beginning in June for Pastor Adam and Amanda to get to know us and for us to get to know them. If you would like to attend one of these get-togethers, please contact the church office at [email protected] or sign up on the sheets in the narthex.
Personal Care Pantry
Westminster’s Personal Care Pantry team welcomes donations for their monthly ministry which provides personal care and cleaning supplies. Items especially needed are women's sanitary products. If you have questions or would like to help with the pantry, contact Anne Malvaso, Shelley Pantaliono or Susan Marteney.
Baccalaureate Service June 22
We will recognize members of our church family who are graduating from high school, college, and graduate programs at our annual Baccalaureate Service on Sunday June 22. Please join us as we recognize our graduates, announce the recipient of this year's Gilchrist Scholarship, and also commission Lily Thornton on her Presbyterian Youth Triennium experience. We will also thank our Christian Education staff and volunteers.
Clothing Donation Opportunity
Our neighbor down the road, the Auburn United Methodist Church located at 99 South Street, has recently started a Clothing Closet which is open for donations and shopping every Thursday from 2 – 4:30. They welcome clothing for men, women and children along with linens such as towels, curtains and blankets. A relationship is in place with Seward and Genesee Street Elementary Schools to assist kids in need. They also partner with several migrant projects and supply household linens as requested. While most items are for sale, they discount or offer free items as requested and to the schools. Any proceeds go to other mission projects of the church. For more information, call the Methodist Church at 315.253.6295.
Breaking News! Fall Rummage Sale!
There will be a fall rummage sale October 3 and 4 at the church, so start putting aside all that "good stuff" you no longer need but someone else might! What sells are kitchen wares, dishes, pots and pans, seasonal decorations, books, small furniture, records, craft supplies, linens, antiques, framed art and various tchotchkes. No clothing or appliances! There will be drop-off days in the fall; watch for more information in the coming months.
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.
2025 columns:
Rev Adam Demetro's June 8 column: Tearing Down the Walls
Jill Fandrich's May 11 column: What it means to be a Good Samaritan
Jill Fandrich's April 13 column: Holy Week and the Triumph of Love
Rev. Adam's Demetros' March 16 column: How do we hold all things together?
Jill Fandrich's February 16 column: Westminster welcomes new pastor
Rob Schemerhorn's January 18 column: Baptism and Change
Older columns can be found here
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!
Capital Projects
Our church is more than a building, but we also acknowledge that the historic edifice which houses our ministries is the home in which we meet, worship, work, and serve the community. That home, however, is over 150 years old, and in need of constant care and maintenance. In 2020, we decided to complete a comprehensive property conditions study to efficiently plan for building repairs and renovations. We felt this was the best way to be good stewards of our property and our limited financial resources, helping us prioritize projects in a multi-year plan. Using a grant from the Sacred Sites Program of the NY Landmarks Conservancy, we engaged the services of Beardsley Inc to complete the conditions study. They provided us with a comprehensive study last year, outlining an array of top, medium, and lower priority projects to address over the next five years. We have already undertaken the first phase to abate the water damage to our foundation and walls by diverting storm drainage and installing gutters and downspouts. This work was top priority to stop further damage, and now we are able to can undertake further repairs. The proposed projects for 2023 involve bringing certain items up to code (electrical, lighting, etc.), repointing the masonry where needed, and shoring up the sanctuary basement where needed. These are important for keeping everyone safe and for maintaining the integrity of the buildings’ structure. Here are the documents with details about the capital projects which are priorities at Westminster:
Click here for the assessment of our buildings and capital project recommendations, from the architectural firm Beardsley.
Click here for the slideshow summary of the Beardsley report.
Click here to read the 2024 Annual Report