With Christ as our cornerstone we Believe, Become, Belong, Build
Messenger September, 2021
Worship with us Sundays at 10:00 am in person
or online at wpcw.org/worship

We will return to 2 services on Sunday, September 19.
9:00 am and 11:15 am
Sunday School at 10:10 am
Awesome night at Palmer's!

A big thank you to the
Christian Ed committee for sponsoring this great evening! Everyone had fun!
Important Message from the CMST!
Please click the button below for an important request from the Congregational Mission Study Team! Your attention and response is so important.
Women Build for Habitat for Humanity
On Saturday, August 14, I was fortunate to participate in a Women’s Build with Habitat for Humanity, helping build a new home. In addition to working on the home, we learned more about the organization and the variety of ways they assist families and revitalize our community. It was interesting to learn that the organization has a waitlist of more than 200 families who wish to enroll in their programs. Each applicant is carefully vetted, ensuring that their debt-to-income ratio meets the standards set by Habitat for Humanity to qualify for a home loan. If approved for Habitat for Humanity’s zero interest home loan and prior to taking ownership of their home, the new homeowner must also complete 300 hours of service usually helping to build other homes, their home, and serving with other community organizations. In addition to providing interest free loans to qualified families and helping with the construction, Habitat for Humanity also provides home improvement workshops to educate new homeowners how to make small repairs to their homes, maintaining the initial beauty.
             
Habitat for Humanity not only build new homes, they also work to restore and remodel homes, keeping the original character and charm within the neighborhood alive and well. We were fortunate to tour some of these revitalized homes and were astonished by their beauty. We also learned that Habitat for Humanity provides micro-grants for families to implement a project that enhances their community. Some past grant winners used the money to plant flowers on the corners of the street, made wreaths for neighbors, and pulled together kids in the neighborhood to paint yard signs for all of their neighbors. Our Habitat Leader mentioned that these micro-grants are a great way to allow the neighbors to come together, bond, and support one another. They have also noticed, as they work to restore and build habitat homes, other homeowners in the neighborhood are inspired to enhance their own homes, further revitalizing the neighborhoods.
             
As for the build itself, it was wonderful serving with friends and learning new skills. We installed a window, cut and installed soffit, and placed shingle caps on the roof. It was a day full of hard work, laughter, and only a couple of nails were dropped.. yeah, only a couple. 😊 We are already looking forward to the next build, hopefully you can join next time, too!

Pictured below are Blair Voigt, Kassy Grosser, Becca Hoffman and Jodi Fabrizio!

Have a great day,
Kassy Grosser
We are exciting to welcome Cam Mears
as our new Meisteringer Bell Director!
Hello! My name is Cam Mears, (they/them), and I am so excited to work with the Westminster Presbyterian Bell Choir!

I study music education at Wartburg College where I am involved with The Wartburg Choir as well as our own small bell ensemble. In my free time I love to hang out with my orange tabby cat, play piano, cook, and watch movies with my roommates. 
New Music Director!
With great delight and appreciation, Elder's Seeking Wisdom announces that Session hired Charissa Lambert in a combined position of Director of Music and Contemporary Worship Leader. Charissa brings decades of experience and deep knowledge of and commitment to Westminster children, youth, and adult music programs.
From Pastor Ken
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2, NRSV
 
As many of you know, I did not come to Presbyterianism until I was in my 30s. My previous denomination was becoming increasingly doctrinaire and frowned on anything outside of a very narrow orthodoxy. It certainly frowned on my penchant for asking questions. Part of what attracted me to our denomination was its openness to new ideas and to my questions.
 
Asking questions is an important part of growing and learning anything. Sure, someone can tell us what to think and do and believe, but that’s always going to be ‘head’ knowledge, not ‘heart’ knowledge. Only by asking questions and puzzling over answers can we acquire a deep, visceral, ‘heart’ knowledge of anything – be it love, baseball or God.
 
As Christians, learning about God is at the center of our faith. As Christians, we know the greatest and most joyful life comes from living like God. Our greatest and most joyful life comes from loving and caring for others the way God does. The more we ask questions about God, the more we share our questions with others and learn together, the more we know about God. The more we know about God, the more we can become like God and the more joyful and fulfilling our lives will be.
 
That is why I am so glad that our Christian Education ministry is resuming this month. Once again, we will be able to gather together (Covid willing, if not then some other way) to share our questions and concerns, learn from each other, care for each other and grow in faith together. 
 
Furthermore, growing in faith does not just benefit us as individuals. It benefits our church as well. As more and more of us grow in faith and learn how to please God, the more our ministries will align themselves with God’s desires for us. That will make us a stronger, more viable, more Christ-centered church.
 
I encourage all of us, from the oldest to the youngest, to come together to learn and grow in faith. Individual, daily Bible study is important but reading our Bibles by ourselves doesn’t let us hear our friend’s perspective and it doesn’t let us help answer our friend’s questions. Worshipping together is important, but only doing so 2 or 3 times a month is going to leave us spiritually hungry. 
 
Please, come and find a Sunday School class. Come and find a Bible study. Come and bring your questions and your new ideas to a place and a people who know their importance to our spiritual renewal. Come and help us all, as individuals and as a church, grow in faith and ministry together.
 
God’s peace to all,
Pastor Ken
Upcoming Events
Card Making Class
All are invited to join this class that meets next on September 9 from 2:00 – 4:00 pm in Room 216. Cost is $15 for 4 kits, which include craft instruction and supplies.  Bring a friend for a time of fun and fellowship. Must sign up ahead of time.
Back to Church Picnic September 12
The Deacons are hosting a catered meal as a "Back to Church" celebration as our fall programming kicks off!

Lunch will be served following 10:00 am worship on September 12, outside on the north lawn. Bring a lawn chair or blanket to sit on. We will provide burgers, hotdogs, beans and potato salad.

Reservations must be made by noon on Thursday, September 9. Sign up in the Welcome Center or at wpcw.org/back, or email jodi@wpcw.org
Begin 2 services, Sunday, September 19
9:00 Traditional Worship in the Sanctuary
10:10 am Sunday School for all ages
11:15 pm Contemporary Worship in the Shared Life Center
Women's Book Club
The Westminster Women's Book Club meets via Zoom on the 3rd Sunday of the month at 6:00 pm. This group is open to all women! If you would like to be added to the Zoom invite list contact Sandy Lewis at sandycnm@cfu.net or 319-504-2802 or Vicki Grimes at vicki.grimes@uni.edu or 319-240-5296.

September 19 - "American Sherlock" by Kate Winkler Dawson
October 17 - "American Dirt" by Jeanine Cummins
Fall Fest at Barn Stahl Farms
Join us Saturday, September 25 for our annual Fall Fest gathering. We will once again meet at Barn Stahl Farm in Wellsburg beginning at 4:00 pm. Tickets are $7per person, which includes a meal. Kids 2 and under are free. You will pay when you get there.
 
Attractions include a Petting Zoo, Pumpkin Patch, Wagon Rides, Corn Maze, Jumping Pad, 25 foot slide and much more! Wear your favorite Westminster shirt and join us for this fun-filled event!

Sign up in the Welcome Center or at wpcw.org/fall or email jodi@wpcw.org
Labyrinth Events
The Westminster Deacons are excited to announce that we will be bringing in Marion Patterson, a Veriditas Certified Labyrinth Facilitator, to lead us through a variety of exercises on our recently installed labyrinth. Marion will be here for two days so everyone in all age groups can have a chance to learn more about this wonderful prayer tool.

Mark your Calendars
Wednesday October 13 & Sunday October 24
Christian Education
Wes Pres Wednesday
Starts September 8
This year we are excited to be bringing back almost all our previous Wes Pres Wed offerings. Yep, that means, meals, choirs, and games will be back. (Hooray!!! OH Yeah!! High Five!)

But we also recognize that community spread is still high in our county, and we will be starting this year with various precautionary measures in place to keep each other safe. After all, Jesus did tell us to love each other. (Ah man!! Come on Jesus! Don’t look at me like that. Okay, fine, your right).

Practically, that means meals will be served rather than buffet style, and eating will be done with pod seating. Additionally, masks and social distancing will be required while transmission rates are high.

I know this may be frustrating, but the hope is that we will be able to continue to have a range of activities, have fun while we do it, strengthen each other in our faith, and do it all safely. Thanks ahead for your cooperation and participation.

If you have not registered your kids or youth, please go to wpcw.org/wpwreg.

Please reach out to me if you have any questions or concerns.
Pastor Dan.
319.234.5501

Here is a look at the weekly schedule…
WPW Dinner
Hey Friends! We are still on the hunt for 2-3 more volunteers to help ONCE per month to cook the Wednesday night meal. The menu will be planned, all the supplies will be bought and you will be teamed with another volunteer!

Please call Dee with your interest to help! 234-5501.
Children and Youth Sunday School
On Sunday Mornings we offer Sunday School For all Ages:
  • 3yr-1st Grade will meet in the room across from the Nursery with Carolyn Weichers and Christina Sales.
  • 2nd – 5th Grade will meet in the Children’s Choir Room with Trisha Crawford and Angelina Abbott-Patel.
  • 6th – 8th Will resume Confirmation in the MS room with Scott Cose, Pastor Dan and others teaching.
  • 9th-12th Grades will be encouraged to join the Adult Classes this year.
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Sunday Morning Bible Study – Feasting on the Word
For the last couple Sundays in September (19 & 26), Adult Education will focus on the Lectionary texts used in worship. They will be using the popular curriculum, “Feasting on the Word,” to guide their time of looking deeply into the scripture, its background, and applying to their lives today. Bring your favorite study Bible if you have one!

Heads Up - In the month of October we will be moving into a series called, Difficult Conversations, geared to help our church talk about some thorny issues. The first topic: Faith and Politics. Come ready to engage, listen, and love people with different points of view.
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Adult Journey
The fall Journey class begins Sunday, September 26. This class is an uncommon, faith-deepening and life-transforming experience where together we will discover a richer, deeper relationship with God and each other. This world needs “deep” people; people who will live faithfully from the inside out. Do you ever wonder if there is more to this life with Christ? Have you been called to something greater? We all want a deeper relationship with God but we don’t always know how to get there. This class is now full. Contact Troyce Vich if you have interest in future opportunities or would like to ask questions.
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Wednesday Groups
The Wednesday Adult group will start gathering on September 8, and decide together what topical study they will use for the fall. These groups meet from 6-7pm. Women in Rm. 216 and Men in the Adult Library.
Monday Morning Bible Studies
Women's Bible Study: Meets Monday mornings at 9:00 am on Zoom only. This class is led by Cathy Young. All women are invited! If you would like to be added to the email list to Zoom in with them, send a message to cathyyoung4@gmail.com

The Men’s Bible study is currently reading: Making Sense of Scripture: Big Questions About the Book of Faith by David Lose. 

Talk to Pastor Dan if you want to learn more about joining these groups.
Finance
Finance – Monthly Recap
For July Westminster received $49,589 in pledges and revenue versus last year’s $69,425. Last year’s July figure included a $32,000 subsidy from the Endowment. Year-to-date, we show giving at $337,570 or 51 % of the budgeted receipts which is about $63,710 behind last year, the majority of this decrease is due to lower collected pledges and the afore mentioned Endowment transfer.
 
Total expenses stood at $48,575 for the month versus $56,565 last year. Year-to-date expenses were $313,074 or 47% of budget and lower than last year’s $387,311. As you remember current expenses for the music program are running lower than budget due to the open music director position, however the personnel and music/worship committees have plans in place to gear up for the Fall.
 
From a historical view, revenues typically run lighter in the Summer months as people are on vacation and the Church pares back on services.
 
As a reminder, Westminster’s budget for 2021 is $665,681 which includes $73,156 in reserves and $77,710 in endowment support. 2020 budget was $775,505.

John Speas
Finance Chair
Giving
Please support the ministries of Westminster at wpcw.org/giving or by using the Kiosk on Sunday mornings..
Mission
3rd Annual $7,000 Blessing

The Mission Committee is excited to once again announce The $7,000 Blessing. This special gift of $7,000 will be given to an organization in the Cedar Valley decided on by the congregation later this fall. You, yes YOU, get to help decide which Cedar Valley organization will receive this special gift. 
 
Why $7,000? A donation of $7,000 can accomplish things that smaller gifts might not. An organization can immediately consider larger endeavors, new programs, or expansion of services that they might not be able to consider, possibly coupled with other funds or matching gifts. This is an opportunity for our church to help a local organization make a larger impact!
 
Here’s how the process will work: anyone in our congregation can nominate any non-profit service agency or organization in the Cedar Valley. You can pick up a nomination form from the office or download the form from our website.
 
Be thinking of that special agency or organization you would like to submit for this gift. We will open up nominations on October 1 and you will have until November 1 to submit. The Mission committee will then select three finalists and announce them ahead of the vote on Sunday, November 21.
How Can You Help?
Scrip
The Scrip tables will be open on September 12 and 26. Supporting this program supports Westminster's budget! You can also purchase cards in the church office during the week. Help give back to your church by purchasing Scrip cards before you run to the grocery store or fill up the tank.
Presbyterian Pantry
The pantry is open on the 1st Saturday and the 3rd Thursday of the month. We are always needing volunteers to help pass out food on these days but we also need help pre-packing the food the day or two prior. You can call the church office at 234-5501 if you want to come in and help pack. Go to wpcw.org/volunteer to help when the pantry is open. We currently need 2 people to sign up for September 4 and 6 for September 16.

In August we served 44 and 50 households.

Another way you can help is by providing items that we cannot get from the Food Bank such as paper products and personal care items. Below is a list of products needed. You can drop them off on Sunday morning in the Welcome Center or to the church office during the week!

  • paper towels
  • toilet paper
  • Kleenex
  • bar soap
  • toothbrushes & toothpaste
  • feminine hygiene products (tampons, pads, pantyliners)
  • men's & women's disposable razors
  • women's shampoo & conditioner
  • men's shampoo
  • kids' 3 in 1 body wash, shampoo, conditioner
  • deodorant
  • shaving cream
  • diapers
  • diaper wipes
  • adult diapers
Worship In Person or Live Stream
We worship in person each Sunday at 10:00 am or you can view from the comfort of your own couch! You can watch Sunday’s worship service with us live, or any time after by visiting wpcw.org/worship.

Sunday, September 19 we will begin 2 services at 9:00 am and 11:15 am.
Session Minutes
If you would like to read the minutes from the August 24 session meeting, click HERE.
Thank you to all who sent cards to me during my confinement!

Opal Hanna
A quick look at what's coming up in October:

  • October 2 Presbyterian Pantry
  • October 13 Labyrinth Event
  • October 21 Presbyterian Pantry
  • October 24 Labyrinth Event
  • October 24 Pumpkin Carving
  • October 29 Youth Dance
  • October 29-30 Fear Factor Lock-In

To view the church calendar, go to wpcw.org/calendar
Visit us online at wpcw.org