Coming Up:



Fri. February 28 @ 7:00 pm: Benefit Concert (Piano Trio)

Sun. March 2 @ 2:00 pm: Iglesia de Christo Service

Sun. March 2 @ 6:00 pm: Youth Group

Mon. March 3 @ 10:00 am: Tai Chi

Tue. March 4 @ 5:30-7:30 pm: Ecumenical Shrove Tuesday Pancake Dinner

Wed. March 5 @ 12-1 pm and 5-6 pm: Ash Wednesday Event

Wed. March 5 @ 7-8 pm on Zoom: Leadership Lab

Sat. March 8 @11:00 am: Reading from "From Chicken to Eagle", Salem Public Library

Sun. March 9: Move clocks forward one hour

Sun. March 9 @ 11:00 am: New Member Class

Mon. March 10 @1-6 pm: Red Cross Blood Drive

Sat. March 15 @8-11:30 am: Troop 108 Pancake Breakfast & Silent Auction

Sun. March 16: New Member Sunday

Sun. March 16 @ 1-4:00 pm: Earth Summit

For the full church calendar see here. To change or add something to the calendar, please email or call the church office (office@salemwestpres.org), 503-364-3327).

Today! February 28 @ 7PM — Fusion Trio:

Join Dr. Angie Willoughby (piano), Dr. Juan Sebastian Lopez Mahecha (violin), & Dr. Lina Alejandra Aldana Porras (cello) as they present music from Brahms, Rachmaninoff, and Argentinian composer, Piazzolla. This concert is a benefit concert to support the Salem Music Lessons Project (MLP) which funds private music lessons for students in Title I schools. All donations and proceeds go to help fund this invaluable program. Free Admission | Donations Accepted. Refreshments provided.

Sunday, March 2! Iglesia de Cristo:

Iglesia de Cristo has invited Westminster members to attend their scheduled service this Sunday, March 2, at 2:00 pm. It will be a special event as their Bishop will be visiting and confirming the congregation and granting them their certification as well as ordaining their pastors. The service will begin in the Sanctuary and then move to Boulder Hall. It will be in Spanish. A celebration and taco bar will follow the service. Please consider attending this special event and supporting our fellow congregation. 

Wednesday, March 5, Ash Wednesday Activities:

Swing by the church from 12-1 pm or from 5-6 pm on Ash Wednesday to receive Ashes To Go, Silent Communion, and/or walk the Labyrinth. It is a "choose your own activity" event.

Annual Report:

For those of you who may not have read our 2024 Annual Report, you may use this QR code to access the full report.

Congregational Elections:

The Session has called for Congregational Elections on March 9, 2025, for the Elder and Deacon Class of 2028.

Elders: Dianne Greenlee, Nikki Fennell, Dick Hughes

Deacons: Katie Nelson, Rachelle Hughes

Participate:

CREATIVE BUDGETING INITIATIVE

Feb 20 – Apr 11, 2025

The session invites any individual, group or team at Westminster to propose ideas they may have for the next fiscal year utilizing the current levels of income. The elders hope this will be an opportunity for Westminster to think outside the box and consider new perspectives. In addition to Westminster’s treasures, the time and talent of volunteers is an indispensable resource as well so please feel free to include this in your proposals as well.

Creative Budgeting Initiative will run from Feb 20 – Apr 11, 2025.

1.    Project guidelines:

a.    Ask questions. Be curious & kind.

b.    Anonymous submissions are an option. 

c.     Budget & finance is hosting “office hours” during coffee hour on March 3 & April 6.

Come ask your questions.

2.    Current budget forecasts (included)

3.    Points of contact:

a.    How to submit your ideas?

                   i.     Email: clerk@salemwestpres.org

                   ii.     Drop off: Clerk mailbox in the office

                   iii.    Mail: Attn: Clerk of Session Westminster Presbyterian Church 3737 Liberty St S,

Salem, OR 97302

                   iv.     Due: April 11, 2025

Upon conclusion of the initiative, session will report back to the congregation. 

Save the Dates:

Tai Chi Classes:

Leadership Training:

Leadership Lab for elders, deacons, staff, and chairs, has been rescheduled to Wednesday, March 5, from 7-8 pm, on Zoom.

A Book Reading

by WPC Author and Editor

Rosalyn McKeown-Ice & Friends

From Chicken to Eagle:

Seven Women Paddling Whitewater and Navigating Life

Saturday, March 8, 11:00 a.m.

Salem Public Library

Anderson Room (lower level)

585 Liberty St. SE

Salem OR 97301

From Chicken to Eagle is a story of seven courageous women who took a wilderness adventure at a time—1979—when women were testing their mettle in society and the outdoors. They accomplished things that were beyond their imaginations and comfort levels, on the river and across the next forty years.

Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood. That’s why Westminster Presbyterian Church is on a mission to help save lives by hosting a blood drive on Monday, March 10 from 1:00PM to 6:00PM at Westminster Presbyterian Church. The community is invited to take part in this special event and donate blood for hospital patients in our neighborhoods and across the nation.

The need for blood is constant, but only 3 percent of the U.S. population donates . By rolling up a sleeve, donors can play a critical role in the treatment of accident and burn victims, heart surgery and organ transplant patients, and those receiving treatment for leukemia, cancer or sickle cell disease.

Also please remember folks who were injured in the California wildfires over the 2024/2025 year end season. To make an appointment or to learn more, download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Completion of a RapidPass® online health history questionnaire found at RedCrossBlood.org/rapidpass is encouraged to help speed up the donation process. And remember that there are several Whole Blood (and Double Red) appointments available between 2:15PM and 2:45PM.

Thank you for supporting the American Red Cross blood drive at Westminster Presbyterian Church! Folks often tell us that Boulder Hall is a great place to donate blood as the scenery out the windows calms them! All the best! Your RC Blood drive coordinators, Bill Nelson and Bobbie Clyde and the rest of the team of Ambassadors and helpers for the blood drive.

Bill Nelson

bnelson@pacificomm.net

Voice/Voicemail/text: (503) 576-1278

Women's Night Out:

Westminster's monthly Women's Night Out will be held on Monday, March 10, at 6pm, at Brix Tavern at Keizer Station. RSVP to Christian Arroliga at 559-680-4293.

Troop 108's Pancake Breakfast & Silent Auction Fundraiser:

Women's Retreat! May 2-4:

It’s been six years since our last Women’s Retreat, so it’s time to have another one. Come join us for a weekend (or just for Saturday) at Lincoln City. More information to come, but mark it on your calendar. Sign-ups will start on March 2. Questions? Contact Susan Ray (raysu1@comcast.net).

Opportunities:

Nurses' Christian Fellowship group is being formed in Salem. Diane Stegmeir, RN, CDCES, is starting a group for nurses and nursing students. NCF provides support and encouragement to members that face the challenges of health care and providing patient care. For anyone interested in getting together for coffee to discuss this opportunity, please contact Diane at DiStegs@aol.com or office@salemwestpres.org.

Salem First Pres - Women @ Noon:

Salem First Pres has extended an invitation to the women of West Pres to drop in or attend on Zoom, their book club at noon on Wednesdays most weeks. The book they are reading right now is "The Return of the Chaos Monsters and Other Backstories of the Bible" by Gregory Mobley. Contact Christine Talbert at 703-944-1952, or email: talbertcc@earthlink.net, if you want additional information. They are a small group with half belonging to other churches and they invite diverse perspectives and usually have lively discussions.

The Presbyterian Hunger Program strives to walk with people in moving toward sustainable choices that restore and protect all of God’s children and Creation. In Lent, we slow down, take time, and examine our internal spiritual lives and the way we live out our Christian faith in the world around us. PHP's 2025 Lenten calendar is intended to be the beginning of actions intended to create more mindful behaviors throughout the year. Access the resource here:https://hubs.ly/Q03413kW

Serve:

The Congregational Vitality Team is looking for people to be a part of the Westminster Greeters Team. There is a need for one or two friendly faces to stand at the front door and welcome people to worship on Sundays. It is a 30 minute commitment prior to the beginning of the service, and it is FUN!. Even if you can only sign up once every 6-8 weeks, it is appreciated. If you would like to add your name to the pool, please contact Katie Nelson (nelsonkatieallstar@gmail.com). 

Support:

Interested in supporting the Presbyterian response to the California wildfires? Click here: Southern California Wildfires | Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

Pray:

Jean Nelson passed away on January 19, 2025. Please keep Jean and her loved ones in your prayers.

Doris Friday passed away on February 26, 2025. Please keep Doris and her loved ones in your prayers.

Note:

We have resolved the Comcast email issues with the help of our computer gurus. Thank you all for your patience.

Westminster Presbyterian Church