Friday Newsletter

It is once again time to prepare our annual reports for the upcoming annual meeting. Please submit your current report as a Word document to office@salemwestpres.org no later than February 6th. Thank you for your help in making this process smooth and timely.

Your Westminster Session met for their monthly stated meeting on Wednesday, January 21, 2026 at 6:30 in Russell Hall. All members were present. They approved the 2026 Statistical Report prepared by the clerk for the Presbytery and the 2026 Budget. They also passed a motion to sell the church van, the sale will be handled by Buildings & Grounds. The meeting adjourned with prayer at 8:00.

Sandy McLean, Clerk

MISSION ACCOMPLIHED! The last mortgage payment for Boulder Hall is history, thanks to your generous contributions! Now it’s time to pat ourselves on the back and party. Mark your calendars for Sunday, February 22nd. Immediately following the Annual Meeting, we’ll all gather in our TOTALLY PAID FOR Boulder Hall and celebrate to joyful music by the Gail Gage Jazz Band and enjoy a scrumptious baked potato bar and a tower of desserts. To round everything out, we’re asking for one more donation to the cause --- Salads! If you can bring a salad to share that would be fantastic.  

This is a big moment in Westminster’s history – hope to see you all there!

For many of us, it’s winter—and garden season may feel far away. But the inspiration of the garden doesn’t have to wait for spring. Join Green America via Zoom on Thursday, January 29, 2026, at 3:00 PM ET for a special webinar with garden lifestyle expert and author Linda Vater, who will share how to live A Year of Garden-Inspired Living—bringing simplicity, beauty, and connection into your home, even in January.

Social Justice 

Vernadene Anderson

At the monthly meeting, projects were discussed:

* New 10 am time of service sign was added to the main entrance sign

* Mental health signs such as “Don’t give Up” were placed near Liberty Road

* Logs near handicap parking spaces will be moved to Marsh Lodge and Liberty Road entrance north bank to retain the soil

* Fire drill procedures are being discussed, such as evacuating to Marsh Lodge

* Easier access to the women’s restroom is being studied as the door is heavy

* Doors to the Education wing were adjusted and rear doors to the Bruce Mash Lodge were also fixed.

Let us know if you have suggestions for tasks or would like to volunteer your time.

Ted Burney, Chair and Bill Faust, Elder

Plans are being made to celebrate our new retirees. Please let Rachelle (wsbandmom@comcast.net) if you know of anyone who retired in 2025.

As we share fellowship and news through email, it’s important that we also protect one another from digital threats. We’ve noticed a concerning trend: during times when our pastoral staff is away, scam emails impersonating church leadership tend to increase.

With Pastor Kelly going to be away this weekend, please be extra cautious with any email that appears to come from her, other staff, or the church office.

Here’s what to watch for:

• Urgent or Secret Financial Requests: Any message claiming to be from Pastor Kelly or a staff member asking you to quickly purchase gift cards, send money, or handle a confidential financial matter is almost certainly a scam.
• Strange Email Addresses: Check the sender’s email address carefully. Scammers often use addresses that look similar to ours but have small misspellings or come from public domains (e.g., `gmail.com` instead of our church domain).
• Unusual Tone or Grammar: If the wording seems odd, impersonal, or uncharacteristically urgent, it’s a major red flag.
• Unexpected Links or Attachments: Do not click on links or open attachments in suspicious emails.

What to Do:

If you receive a questionable email, do not respond. Instead, please contact the church office directly by phone to verify. This is the safest way to handle any request that feels off.

Let’s use this as an opportunity to care for one another. If you suspect you’ve received a scam email, you can help us by forwarding it to office@salemwestpres.org so we can alert others.

We are grateful for your discernment and your help in keeping our community safe, especially while our pastors are serving elsewhere.