Friday Newsletter

The Family Building Blocks Diaper Drive is running through the month of April. This drive provides diapers for classrooms and for families in need. As prices rise, young families need our help. Sizes 5-7 are the most needed and wipes are also needed. Please help fill our crib in the Narthex to overflowing! Questions? Contact Nancy MacMorris-Adix nancymac93@gmail.com

Buonginno! Women's Night Out will be April 13, 6:00 pm, at Olive Garden. Please join us! Contact Nancy Crawford - nmcnarycrawford@gmail.com OR (503) 540-8770

Men's Night Out will be April 21, 6:00 pm, at Thompson's Brewery. Please Join us!

Contact John Dalen - john.m.dalen@gmail.com OR (503) 551-7791

Worship is one of the core ministries of our church. That mission has many separate yet related elements that involve staff members, volunteers, a variety of spaces and activities, video, and audio equipment. Each element is part of the mission where important tools are employed, maintained, and ultimately used to make our worship as effective as possible. The equipment, along with the screens and sound system are important tools in that effort, as are the instruments.

As part of a plan to update and enhance our worship space at some point, we are taking the first step in moving the piano to the main chancel area, and moving the organ console to the sanctuary floor. (The pipes are separate and will remain where they are in the wall over the chancel area.) The logic is that the piano is used constantly, often for worship leading, and is on a dolly that provides flexibility of location, depending on its use. The organ console occupies a significant amount of floor space and is used much less. After consideration by the Worship Committee and music staff, and approval from the Session, contingency funds from last year’s budget were approved to enable the project to get started with this move. Any plans to begin to update the audio and visual equipment depends on an efficient and permanent placement of the larger instruments. The usefulness and sound generated by each will be important in determining the specific upgrades needed should the church be able to undertake that project at some point.

This initial step reflects our commitment to thoughtful stewardship of both our space and our resources, ensuring that every element of worship supports our shared purpose of glorifying God and engaging our in-person and online congregants meaningfully. By making these adjustments now, we are laying a practical and intentional foundation for future improvements, while continuing to honor the traditions and strengths that define our worship experience. We appreciate the congregation’s support and flexibility as we move forward, trusting that these changes will enhance both the beauty and effectiveness of our worship for years to come.”

-Worship Committee

Our Stories on Sunday, April 12th. Ann Baumann will share about her career and mission trips to Vietnam working with children who were deaf or hard of hearing, their families and the teachers who served them. Our Stories begins at 11:30 a.m. in Russel Hall.

for questions please contact Rosalyn - rosalynmckeown@hotmail.com

Each spring, the Westminster bylaws require session to hold a congregational meeting for the election of the new class of elders, deacons, and nominating committee. In addition, the Book of Order charges Presbyterian congregations to elect “ruling elders and deacons that express the rich diversity of the congregation’s membership and guarantee participation and inclusiveness.” (G-2.0401)

The Nominating Committee, whose purpose is to provide a diverse and inclusive slate of candidates, has nominated the following members for service to the church: 

Elders:

         Christian Arroliga

         Heidi Coleman

         Steve Kandra 

Deacons:

         Pam Garland

         Michele Hare

         Chuck Baumann

Nominating:

         Jackie Hilfiker

         Susan Tanabe

         Kay Woody

         Rachelle Hughes

         Sandy McLean

Questions? Contact Sandy McLean, the Clerk of Session (clerk@salemwestpres.org)

Dear Friends,

The Congregational Vitality team would like to invite frequent visitors and friends to a series of classes on Presbyterian Beliefs. The class is designed for people who are interested in learning more about what Presbyterians believe, why, and how it is evolving. The four sessions will be led by Pastor Kelly and will include history, theology and the popular aliens-physics-AI-oh my. This will be the third time that we have offered this popular and informative opportunity. The classes will be held April 19, 26 and May 3 from 11:30am-1:00pm in Russell Hall. Attendees will be encouraged to bring a lunch if desired. If you have any questions and/or want to sign up for the class, please contact the church office: office@salemwestpres.org. 

Yoga will be held in Eastminster from 3-4 pm weekly. Please join us! questions? Contact Nancy Crawford - nmcnarycrawford@gmail.com

Monday, May 11, 2026

01:00 PM - 06:00 PM

Westminster Presbyterian Church

3737 Liberty Rd S, Salem, OR 97302

Room Name: Boulder Hall

As always you can sign up by calling Bill Nelson or Bobbie Clyde or visiting redcrossblood.org

Kind Regards,

BN

Please mark your calendars for the semi-annual new members class, which will be held May 17 and 24 from 11:30am-1pm, following worship and coffee hour. please contact the church office: office@salemwestpres.org. 

The 37th Annual Westminster Festival of Fine Arts will be held October 16-18. Our Call for

Artists is now underway. The Festival provides a venue for artists who work in all kinds of 2D and 3D media: wood, glass, fabric, paint, metal, jewelry. As always, we are looking for unique and original works of art individually created by the artist. No art assembled from commercial patterns, kits or molds, or created with the use of artificial intelligence will be accepted. We thank you in advance for only submitting original, hand-crafted art!

If you would like to submit your art for inclusion in the Festival, go to salemwestpresartfest.com and take a look at the complete Call for Artists. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact Sheila Powell or Jean Severson at wpcfafestival@gmail.com.