Christmas Eve Newsletter

Holiday Hours

The office will have reduced operations between Dec 25-Jan 3 so the staff can rest and spend time with their families. 

Dec 25 – 27 Closed

Dec 28 Worship @ 10am

Dec 29-31 office will be open from 10am-12pm run by volunteers

Jan 1-3 Closed

Jan 4 Worship @ 10am

For urgent requests, please contact an elder or a deacon. 

Elders: Sandy M, Bill F, Steve K, Angie W, Maggie S, Nikki F, Dianne G, Dick H

Deacons: Lori D, Nancy M, Linda M, Betty F, Rachelle H, Bill M

Upcoming Worship schedule: 

12/24 @ 4pm Christmas Eve Service

12/24 @ 8pm Christmas Eve Service

12/28 @ 10am Service of Christmas Poetry and Carols (Children’s program available)

1/4 @ 10am Regular service (Pastor Kelly will provide brief remarks about the Boy Scouts lawsuit that Westminster is a part of).  

Upcoming Tuesday 10:30am Bible Study schedule: 

Dec 30 – No meeting

Jan 6 – John 2:1-11

Thank you!

The 2025 Christmas Cantata was a full house at Westminster with over 40 musicians offering an incredible musical experience full of beauty and energy. A sincere thank you to all of the voices and instruments that made it possible.

Sunday’s Listening Session with elders Maggie Sather and Angie Willoughby will be in Boulder Hall after worship.

We welcome your suggestions, questions, comments or concerns about Westminster. We’re here to listen, answer questions, and ensure your ideas or concerns reach the right people.

In 2026, the Listening Sessions will continue on the second Sunday of the month, beginning Jan. 11.

--WPC Session

I grew up going to church by myself. I would go to the little neighborhood church until the fire and brimstone style of the pastor scared me away. Then I attended the youth group at University Presbyterian Church in Seattle. I went with my neighborhood friends. I joined the church at 14. I stayed with that group until I went to college. Marriage followed. Then children. I changed my membership from University Presbyterian in Seattle to University Place Presbyterian in Tacoma. I continued to go to church, usually alone. My children were baptized at that church. I tried to attend activities for children. My kids attended the youth group and participated in building projects in other places. I looked at options for work with refugees. My church had a program for refugees. I took on the education of a mother and daughter. We worked on English and the tasks necessary to learn a new set of rules in a new country. The women were wonderful. We became good friends. One job was teaching them enough English to pass their citizenship tests. They both passed.

The directory is updated an accessible online. Please visit https://onrealm.org/salemwestpres and log in to see it!

If you do not have a log in, please create one. This will send a request to the office to be accepted. Once you are accepted you will be notified via email and able to access the directory online.

There will be limited available printed copies of the directory at the welcome table.

You probably have a few emails from OnRealm about privacy. These are from changes made by office staff. This occurred because the online directory was very out of date, so we made mass changes. Only members who have a password protected account have access to the online directory. the online directory is how we create the printed copies. if you wish to opt out of the directory please email office@salemwestpres.org.

Thank you for all your support of Westminster throughout 2025.

If you would like to make an additional end-of-year gift or have not made a 2026 pledge, it’s not too late.

If you are someone who needs to take a Required Minimum Distribution from your IRA, you can have the money sent directly to a qualified charity, such as Westminster, so you don’t have to pay income tax on the withdrawal. (Check with your IRA administrator or financial adviser for how to do this.)

As always, you can donate on the church website, send a check to the church office, put it in the lockbox on the office door, or use the offering box during worship.

To make a 2026 pledge, go to the website and click on Special Projects, and then on Stewardship 2026. Your pledges enable Session to plan a thoughtful operating budget for the coming year.

Our Stories: Science and Religion

January 11th at 11:30 in the Russel Hall

Speakers: Gene Ice, Jim Nishimura, and Bernie Woody. 

Come hear two physicists and an engineer talk about their careers and gain insights into the compatibility between science and religion.