Word from the Pastor

Near the end of World War II, my grandfather who was serving in the Royal Hungarian Army, was captured in Budapest. He was put on a train with other prisoners of war to be taken to Siberia. Amazingly, the conductor of the train that day happened to be a fellow from the Transylvanian village where my grandfather was born. He recognized my grandpa and slowed the train down as they were crossing the region near their birthplace. My grandpa jumped off the train and hid in the fields for several days before he was reunited with his wife and recently born baby daughter—my mom.

For my family, this is a story about the wonderous inbreaking of grace that made a new beginning, a new chapter possible for my grandpa and our family. We love to tell this story again and again. And we do it…year after year. For us, this is a story of unexpected compassion, courage and hope of what can be… of deep joy flowing from the experience of surprising, mysterious grace.

Not unlike telling the Christmas story over and over again, every year… the story of the wonderous inbreaking of God’s love into the midst of fraught and vulnerable human lives. It may seem strange to keep on repeating a story about God being born into the life of a lowly couple living in the hinterlands of the Roman empire, facing the daily struggles of people under military occupation… the story of God being born into the lives of an unwed young woman and an ordinary carpenter.

Yet, even 2000 years later, this story resonates. This story of Christmas is “weird,” as Esau McCaulley wrote in his New York Times Opinion piece last December. “Christmas… has never promised to soothe every pain or cure every ill,” McCaulley contends. “Instead, Christmas is the grand miracle that makes space for all the smaller miracles. It gives us enough hope to walk a little farther in the dark toward the glimmer of something that seems too distant to reach.”

The Christmas story is the story of divine love that unsettles traditions and customs and expectations, offering hope, healing, and forgiveness… a new beginning and growth and transformation where we could not have imagined it possible.

This story resonates still in our world fraught with wars and natural disasters, diseases, and human greed that keep so many without food, safety, and companionship. It resonates with all of us longing for fresh hope.

I’m reminded of the old adage, “I love to Tell the Story,” that goes like this:

I love to tell the story of unseen things above,

of Jesus and his glory, of Jesus and his love.

I love to tell the story, because I know ‘tis true;

it satisfies my longings as nothing else could do…

Friends, as we continue our journey through Advent toward Christmas, may we keep on telling the story. May we inhabit it. May we live it… the story of unexpected compassion, courage and hope of what can be. And may we find deep joy flowing from the experience of surprising, mysterious grace.

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Enikö

Christmas&New Year Services

December 24, Christmas Eve Service with Communion - 7:00 pm - Mackey Hall

December 25, Christmas Day - no in-person service

January 1, New Year Day Service - 10:15 am - First Presbyterian Church, 621 College Ave.

Westminster November Session Highlights

The Westminster Session met on November 16, 2022 at 6:30pm. The following are highlights from the meeting:

Clerk’s Report                                                                                                  

Membership on 9/21/2022 – 107

Communion was served to 40 on 10/2/2022 and 38 on 11/6/2022

Membership on 11/16/2022 – 107

Communications – Thank you notes from Becky Pratt, Father Anne and Presbyterian Disaster Assistance 

Pastor’s Report

• Update on my Green Card application process – Application packet is being assembled and will be submitted in the next 2 weeks.
• Vacation: November 21-28

Congregational Life Cohort



Worship Committee

• Moved to have Communion for Christmas Eve Service. Approved

Nominating Committee

• Still working on the candidates for the Class of 2025.  Proposing the Congregational Meeting for Jan. 15, 2023

Congregational Care Committee

• The Thanksgiving Bags were distributed with excellent response.

Mission Cohort

Immigration Justice

• Open Arms Hispanic Ministries is promoting the "Songs and Salsa" event and will also promote an upcoming fundraiser in early December for the IWP Centro San Jose Scholarship fund.

Benevolence Committee

• Upcoming events include Soup Sale, Celebrating Chinese New Year in January, preparing the meal at the Severe Weather Shelter on the 1^st and 3^rd Tuesdays during the winter. Salvation Army Bell Ringing once the date is announced.

Property, Finance and Personnel Cohort

Personnel Committee

• Personnel Committee moves approval of Dr. Henery’s appointment as Office Administrator as specified in his letter of appointment.  Approved

Finance

• Motion to approve the 2023 Westminster Presbyterian Church Budget - $205,919 Approved
• Motion to authorize Treasurer withdraw up to $103,294 from investment funds, when necessary, anytime during FY2023. Approved

Next Meeting Date – January 18, 2023 at 6:30 in the Lounge

Respectfully submitted,

Josie Drushal – Clerk of Session

Advent Dinner Conversations

Our dinner conversations are happening!

Last night, 21 of us met in 3 homes, enjoying sumptuous food, hearty laughs and good conversations.

The next gathering is Wednesday, December 7, 6pm in homes.

On Wednesday, December 14, we'll gather in Mackey Hall at 6pm for our final dinner. Please let me know if you'd still like to join. We'd love to have you!!

Thanks everyone who made this week's gatherings so meaningful. May the Spirit of Advent continue to enrich our lives!

Sneak peek from the dinner hosted by the Barbus... the rest of us got distracted :)

Silent Auction for IWP's Centro San Jose Scholarship Fund

Please join us for a fun evening of Central-American snacks and a silent art auction featuring works from local Latinx artists on December 2nd, 6:00 p.m. at Deli Ohio in Canton, Ohio. Proceeds from this event will support the Immigrant Worker Project's Centro San Jose Scholarship fund, helping outstanding area Latino students planning to attend or now attending college. Our church has been a generous supporter of this scholarship fund for a number of years. Please contact Cheryl Weiss for more information or to forward your RSVP for a $20 food and beverage ticket to IWP.  

Annual Hearty Italian Soup

Sale Continues

Hearty Italian Soup Sale Update

Our annual “Soup Sale” began Sunday, November 13—just in time for holiday celebrations and gift giving—and will continue until there’s no more soup to sell. We will donate this year’s proceeds to the Wooster Homelessness Taskforce, including the Severe Weather Shelter.

You can choose regular with Italian sausage or vegan for $8 a quart or $9 with Sue-min’s homemade bread. Pick up after church most Sunday’s or call 330-263-2398 to pick up during the week. If you have empty quart soup containers, please bring them to the church kitchen. We will happily use them for our next batch of Hearty Italian Soup. 

Thank you,

The Benevolence Committee

Westminster Kindness Tree

for Christmas

Once again we are growing the Westminster Kindness Tree for Christmas in Mackey Hall.

We begin the collection of non-perishable items on December 4 and it will continue through January 8, Epiphany. 

We invite you to bring canned goods to structure the tree, and boxed items (i.e. boxed instant potatoes) for the foundation. 

We will gift the collected food to the Salvation Army kitchen at the end of the season.



Let us celebrate the season with a true spirit of generosity!

Congregational Care Committee

"First Aid for Earth Emergency" No. 9

Thanksgiving 2022

                                                                                                              Juli Douglass-Gillsepie

I am thankful for the sight of birds flying over my head

As I stand on my porch, cup of coffee to warm my hands

I cannot identify the species

They fly so high

And my ignorance blocks me from matching

The distinctive beating of the wings

The visual outline of wings and tail

With a precious unique species

I am thankful for the calls and songs of a few birds

In the tall trees in my yard

The chatter of a Carolina wren

The calls of woodpeckers back and forth

I am offended by the audacity of a truck

With a sole person driving down my street spewing fumes

Though silent and invisible

Polluting and inevitably destroying

The natural scene I long to experience in my reverie

How much longer will it be 

That I can admire and enjoy a few birds in the sky?

How much longer will humans continue

To exploit birds, trees, plants, insects, animals, fish

For the sake of a fake “freedom”

And false sense of control over nature?

I am thankful that I know

There once existed harmony

Between humans and the rest of the natural world

For thousands upon thousands of years 

People know this

All is documented

Struggling to hold onto hope

Birds fly to their destination

And call down to me below

Volunteer Opportunities for the Viola Startzman Clinic

The Benevolence Committee is now offering support to The Viola Startzman Clinic.

They are seeking volunteers to send cards and notes of cheer to their clientele. You can write your own notes at home and drop them off directly to the clinic. If you do so, please mention that you are participating through Westminster Presbyterian Church.

You can also volunteer to do this at the clinic and they will provide the cards, pens and addresses. The Benevolence Committee is considering doing this as a group. If you are interested, please reach out to any member of the Benevolence Committee or contact Dawn Kridel at mdmesk@ gmail.com for further information.

The Viola Startzman Clinic is also looking for healthy, budget friendly recipes for their clientele. If you have any to share, let Dawn Kridel know and she will get those forwarded to the Viola Startzman Clinic.

Severe Weather Shelter Volunteers Needed

Janet Burkhart from the Homelessness Taskforce informed us that the Salvation Army Severe Weather Shelter will operate between December through March when temperatures "feel like" 25F or lower. We are partnering again with First Presbyterian Church to prepare and serve meals on Mondays during this period. Our congregation will be responsible for every other Monday. 

If you are interested in preparing a meal and serving at the shelter, please contact Linda Barbu. 

December - January

Hospitality & Liturgist

Westminster's worship and fellowship time is an important way to build relationships among all attending. 

We invite you to participate as a liturgist, assistant or provide flowers to decorate our alter. 

If you are able to fill one of these areas, 

please click here to sign up. 

Thank you for your contribution to our worship service.

Public Health Safety Update

WPC Current Status is:  Mask Optional. 

As masks may be required in specific, private areas,

please make note of any exception signage. 

Westminster Church will continue to encourage safe health practices 

and will adjust our guidelines as needed.

Thank you for your understanding and support to keep all of us safe.