At its recent meeting, the Session received word from Donegal Presbytery that all in-person worship and activities in congregations are suspended until further notice. This means Westminster will continue to remain closed AFTER the May 10 deadline we had originally approved on March 17. We will not consider opening AT LEAST until the Presbytery allows for that to happen, but could extend our own timetable if leaders believe it prudent to do so. We are grateful for ALL who are helping us continue our ministry, mission, fellowship and worship during this season. Your phone calls to one another; ZOOM engagements; guest book signatures; Facebook comments; emails; and financial contributions are all keeping this vibrant faith community alive and at work!!!
If you have a small business, our Serving Our Neighbor Vision Team wants to help you. Please let us know how we can support you and we will share it with the congregation by emailing Terri Pennington. Listed below are relevant websites, advocacy groups and webinars to help you through this difficult time.
- What Businesses Need to Know about the Cares Act
- COVID Resource Center
- Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce
- Southern Chester County Chamber of Commerce
- Widener Webinars on Cares Act
- SCORE
- Contact your local bank for a loan
- Pennsylvania unemployment (apply for a grant for $600/week for 4 months)
How do we face change? How do we move through suffering? How do we receive joy? How do we mature in service? In this six week film series Alexander J. Shaia uses the great map of the four Gospels, as did the early Christians, to guide us on the Christ journey of love, growth and transformation. Darkness isn’t the end, it’s the beginning. The series includes six conversation films with Alexander, a discernment and discussion guide, and transcripts of the conversation. The series invites us to discover that the darkness isn’t the end, but is rather the beginning of a new journey with Jesus. Please contact Jennie Clark if you would like to watch the films along with the Journey class on Sundays.
- April 26 “Preparing Heart and Mind for the Journey”
- May 3 “Waking and Facing Change: Climbing Matthew’s Great Mountain”
- May 10 “Moving Through Trials: Crossing Mark’s Stormy Sea”
- May 17 “Receiving Gifts: Resting in John’s Glorious Garden”
- May 24 “Maturing Through Service: Walking Luke’s Road of Riches”
- May 31 “The Essential Practices of the Journey”
Want to prepare for worship by listening to the songs we will sing in the 11:10 service? Every week, this playlist is updated to include songs for the upcoming Sunday (so long as they are on Spotify). Click here to follow the playlist.
- Live Stream Sunday Worship & Wednesday Chapel
- Children’s Bulletin available each week as part of our live stream worship.
- Faithful Family: Creating Sacred Moments at Home
- Sign up for Treasure Box Tuesday. Weekly resources & articles.
- God Space Light by Christine Aroney-Sine
- The Gift of Wonder: Creative Practices for Delighting in God (book)
- Deep Blue Bible Kids App & Resources
- FREE Resources & Seasonal weekly lessons available
- Download to Access Weekly Lessons & Video
- Illustrated Children’s Ministry
- Seasonal coloring pages & spiritual practices
- Booklist: Faith Formation at Home & Children’s Books
- Together We Pray by J.Bradley Wigger - A family prayer book for home.
- Images of God for Young Children by Marie-Helene Delval
Youth Director, Chris Clark will lead a Zoom conversation, Empathy: A Journey Inward, A Journey Outward at 11am Sunday, April 19 as part of our Journey Class. What does it take to come together as humans? What does it take to come together as the Body of Christ? We will engage these questions, reflecting on our inner lives, how we move outward to encounter one another, and how following Christ invites us on the journey of greater empathy and compassion. It is a journey on which we bring our full selves and stories that we might move toward healing, wholeness and our deeper shared humanity. You can participate by joining on Zoom. Contact Jennie Clark for meeting ID.
Pastor Ann asks you to decorate a butterfly during worship today. Butterflies are a symbol of new life and resurrection. Click here to decorate yours!
Join Chris Clark and Jon Frost every other Wednesday at 3:30pm beginning this Wednesday, April 15th, for a time of connection and conversation. Contact Chris Clark for more information.
We loved seeing how you decorated and celebrated Palm Sunday in your homes. Traditionally on Easter, Westminster members take family photos at our flower cross. This year to celebrate together, we would love to see how you decorated your home for Easter, lived streamed worship or a family's Easter photo. Send photos to Lynn George to share with your church family.
The Serving Our Neighbor Vision Team has come up with a list of ways to support our community during this pandemic. We hope you will participate in one or more activities:
- Buy gift cards to local restaurants. The funds will go to the restaurant now and you can use the gift card whenever you wish.
- Donate Blood. Blood is in great need right now. Signup with The Red Cross.
- Buy grocery store gift cards or make a financial contribution for the West Chester Food Cupboard
- Fill out our congregational survey to help us discover your talents, interests and occupation of those 18 and older.
- Make a video to put on social media (for example, making a medical mask, reading a book, teaching something) Send an email to Ken Ballinger and he will set up a time to record/edit the video.
- Offer to shop for groceries or pick up medications for someone.
- Help make hand sewn masks for Chester County Hospital. Call 610-431-5108 to schedule a pick up for the materials. Each sheet of fabric will make 20-30 masks. You can pick up fabric at the supply donation center inside the parking garage.
- Anita Gordon from the Gleaning Garden is in need of volunteers to grow/harvest plants that were to be planted at church. If you are interested, please contact her at 610-620-5059 or by email.
- Write a thank you letter of gratitude for our local medical personnel and support staff. We are hoping to have 300 letters written to distribute. If you are interested in participating, please email Ann Hatfield to obtain directions.
Over the weekend The Daily Local wrote an article about Westminster and other churches turning to technology and live streaming to hold worship. Click here to read the article.
Resources to Connect You to Faith, Family & Community: The Children’s Spiritual Growth Team realizes that families' schedules are more hectic during this time of social distancing. We are feeling isolated, trying to find new rhythms and our in-box is overwhelming. Routines as we know it are changing every day. With this in mind we would like to offer Spiritual Family Resources for your families every Friday.
- Sunday worship with families is a wonderful opportunity to gather in our virtual Westminster & KidsConnect community. A Children’s Bulletin will be included on our live stream page of our website each week.
- Elementary school leaders will send out the weekly Deep Blue Bible lesson plans and activity sheets. Please check your emails.
- Sign up for Treasure Box Tuesday and Faithful Family: Creating Sacred Moments at Home which includes weekly resources & articles.
- Other free online resources include God Space Light by Christine Aroney-Sine, and Illustrated Children’s Ministry
- Read The Gift of Wonder: Creative Practices for Delighting in God by Christine Aroney-Sine.
While we can't wave real palms together tomorrow for Palm Sunday, celebrate byfinding a green branch in your yard and hanging it on your front door, or print out this coloring page palm to wave while you worship at home. We'd love to see how you celebrate Palm Sunday by sending a photo to Lynn George.