From the Pastor's Desk

We took a look at Julia Ward Howe’s Mother’s Day Proclamation last week in worship. After the Civil War, Howe, who was the composer of the song Battle Hymn of the Republic, wrote what would become an early tribute to mothers as fierce agents of peace in a warring world. It was 1870 but it just as easily could have been today. She starts off “Again, in the sight of the Christian world, have the skill and power of two great nations exhausted themselves in mutual murder,” and then continues, “Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn all that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience. We, women of one country, will be too tender of those of another country, to allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs.” Read more here. In worship this week, we will continue to look at the ways the early church understood themselves to be agents of that same peace, a traveling clinic for a sick world. Our Jewish sisters and brothers call this practice, Tikkun olam which means repairing of the world; Isaiah 58 calls us to be “repairers of the breach, restorer of the streets to live in.” Our text this week, Acts 16, is a fascinating story about how Paul and Silas found themselves doing just that and call us to something similar in our own time. See you Sunday!

Ever onward,

Pastor Kelly

Participate

Needed for Vacation Bible Camp: two large cardboard boxes (refrigerator-sized). Contact the church office or Teri Mohney if you can help!

Help out at VBC this year--contact Teri Mohney (ctmohney@comcast.net or 503-851-6160) to discuss how you can help with this fun, impactful event. Forms with various roles will be available at church on Sunday.

It's the last Sunday to sign notes of encouragement to our college age students! Please take a moment to sign the cards in the narthex. Thank you for your support of our youth! 

Come to Families Lunch on May 21, 11:30-1:00. Lunch served to all, then kids' activities and infant care available during adult program time. Youth are invited to go roller-skating (RSVP for roller skating here.)

Give blood this coming Monday, May 22 (details below!).

Save the Date

Congregational Meeting: June 11, 11 am (renewal of Boulder Hall loan)

Vacation Bible Camp: 6/26-6/30 for current Kindergarteners-5th graders. Register here or pick up a form in the narthex.

FYI

The nursery will be closing for the summer after June 4. This will give our worker and volunteers a much-needed break. Many thanks to Children’s Ministry for stepping in to fill a leadership void while the nursery is in transition. The transition will be discussed during the summer with a hope of revitalizing this ministry before fall. The space will be available as an "escape room" if needed with service streaming capabilities. Please contact Teri Mohney or Suzanne Taylor for more information.

Sunday School also takes its summer hiatus after May 21 and youth groups after May 28.

A reminder that worshipers of all ages are welcome in the sanctuary when we gather and practice together how to be the body of Christ!

Session is meeting on May 31 instead of May 17 this month.

Access the full church calendar here.  

Deadline for placing info in the Friday Newsletter is every Thursday at 9 am!

In the Community

Center 50+ South Salem Village Social & Coffee Hour. Join us on May 22, 10:00-11:00 am either in person (at Westminster) or online. Meet your neighbors and get connected! More info here.

Thanks

For Westminster's continued support of Elmarie and Scott Parker, mission co-workers in the Middle East. Read their latest hope-filled letter here.

To the Presbytery of the Cascades' New Ministry Team for supporting us financially with a grant as we seek to open a new Childcare Partnership daycare program. We were even featured in the monthly Presbytery newsletter.

Prayers for

Krystal Peterson, who has been hospitalized with pneumonia and is now home recovering.

**If you would like a written prayer included in Sunday's worship bulletin, please email or call the church office (krisha@salemwestpres.org; 503-364-3327) or fill out the prayer request form on the website by Thursday at 10 am each week.

Give

The Cancer Resource Center provides free head coverings to patients undergoing cancer treatment. We have wigs, hats, and scarves to give to patients no matter where they are being treated. As the weather warms up, some patients ask for scarves rather than a wig. This year we have very few large square head scarves. If you have a large head scarf you do not wear, would you please donate it? You can take it to the CRC in building C at Salem Hospital or you can drop it off in the church office. I will take the donations to the CRC. If you have questions, or would like to learn about the blessings of volunteering in the CRC, please contact Lynnea Lyman.

Remember to bring your fabric this week. We are starting to assemble the pillowcases for Doernbecher. Thank you to all who have donated already.

Westminster Presbyterian Church