Happy Friday Westminster,

I have several things to share with you: (1):  Helpers needed for VMC lunch. This Sunday, Sept 26th the Fry Family will be serving lunch at the Volunteer Ministry Center (5th & Broadway).  They need 2-3 people to help them prepare (easy!) and serve the meal.  No experience necessary. Youth are more than welcome. The Frys are happy to provide transportation to/from the church if needed.  Meet at VMC at 11:15 and finish at 12:30pm. To volunteer please call Jean or Mike at 692-3065. (2): Online registration  for Olan Mills Photography begins today. You can sign up online for your photo appointment  until October 7th. Just push the link button on the home page. Easy as pie!  If you want to wait until sign ups are held at church, those dates are October 10, 17, an 24th. Every family who gets their picture taken gets a free 8×10 picture as well as a copy of the church directory. (3) Breakfast in the Smokies will be held on Saturday, October 2nd at 9:00 a.m. at the Metcalf Bottoms Picnic area. What an awesome Westminster tradition. You can’t beat this good ‘ole mountain breakfast. Sign ups are very helpful to the members of Fellowship Ministry Team who are hosting this event. You can either email me or sign up on Sunday in the Schilling Gallery. For those who want to, we will take a hike after breakfast to “work off” our yummy breakfast. If you want to sit around the fire and fellowship – that is awesome too. (4) Adult Sunday School options for this coming Sunday: i)  Contemporary Issues (Fellowship Hall) will be discussing Anti-Immigration Sentiment in Tennessee. Fran Ansley, Distinguished Professor of Law Emeritus, UT College of Law, will be the guest speaker. ii) Faith Topics (McKinnon Room) will study Chapter Two of “Soul Feast”, by Marjorie Thompson. Books are available for $10. iii) Special Topics (Library) will discuss chapters 3-5 of “Boundaries With Kids” by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Thompson. The class will cover the topics of kids needing parents with boundaries, actions and consequences, and responsibility. iv)  Bible Experience (Prayer Room) will be examining the psalms by looking for the hymns and the prayers and their use by the people of Israel in worship, by Jesus, by the New Testament writers, and by the early church.

Have a beautiful weekend!

Renee Wiesehuegel

(865) 584-3957 ext. 100

Happy Tuesday, Westminster! WOW - We are full steam ahead and I am lovin’ it!

Calendar of Events:

Tuesday, Sept 21: “BLT” (Bible Lunch Theology) begins. Buran will be hosting this 10 week series on the Parables of Jesus. If you want to read the parable before class, we will be studying Mark 4:1-20. I look forward to this study – thank you Buran! This class will meet in the McKinnon Room. Just a reminder – you are more than welcome to bring your lunch.

Wednesday, Sept 22: WWW or “Wednesdays with Westminster” begins

5:45 p.m. – Dinner  (You do not need to make reservations, and the dinner is free unless you want to make a donation at the door.)

6:30-7:30 p.m. – Activities

A nursery is available for infants through age 4, and programs for ages 5 through 5^th grade.

For all middle schoolers, high schoolers and adults we will have these choices:

Inside activity – Ginny Baker, our Director of Christian Formation and Lay Ministries, will speak to us about her background and vision, with time for questions and answers.

Outside activities – Choose from frisbee, bocce ball, corn hole, ladder ball, touch football or kickball. If it rains, we will have inside board games.

Thursday, Sept 23

Thursday Fellowship – 7:00 a.m. I have the study that John Muntz will be leading. If you want a copy of it prior to this men’s bible study, just let me know so that I can email it to you.

WOW! We are full steam ahead and I am lovin’ it! J

Good Afternoon Westminster! What an eventful week we are having here at Westminster! Thanks to all of you who came to the JoAnn Reafsnyder Memorial Library dedication on Tuesday. I hope that you find it a place to come study, research, and gather with one another on a regular basis. There are a lot of awesome books for all of us to check out and read!  What a beautiful place to celebrate the life of a beautiful lady!!!

With so much going on, I plan to send out a “Week at a Glance” every week.

Thursday, September 16

6:00 p.m. Teacher Orientation/Dinner

7:00 p.m. Handbell Choir

Saturday, September 18

Habitat work (I think this is the final work day) If you can help, please email Jay Schmid (wpc.habitat@gmail.com).

Sunday, September 19

Worship times are 9 and 11 a.m.

Sunday School for all ages at 10:00 – the following are the Adult classes:  Bible Experience: Studying Psalm 38 – in the Prayer Room

Contemporary Issues: “Mountain Top Removal in Appalachia” – guest speaker – Fellowship Hall

Special Topics: “Boundaries with Kids” written by Dr. Cloud and Dr. Townsend – in the Library

Faith Topics: “Soul Feast” by Marjorie Thompson – in the McKinnon Room

Diaper Round Up will be held from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. It will be held in the courtyard.

Choristers: 5:00 p.m.

Monday, September 20

Online registration for Olan Mills portraits will begin sometime in the late afternoon (once they set up the account). I will send you all those details beginning Monday. Online registration is from Sept 20 – October 7. You can also sign up for a date while at church on October 10,17, and 24). The dates that the photographer will be here at Westminster are: November 1, 2, 22, and 23; December 2,3, and 4. They guarantee pictures to be back in time for Christmas. Each family who gets their picture taken will receive one free 8×10 and also a church directory. I hope that you will make plans to participate! Price lists will be available prior to the sitting.

Tuesday, September 21

Bible Lunch Theology (BLT) – The first parable that will be studied is the Parable of the Sower (Mark 4:1-20). We will meet in the McKinnon Room. Buran will be leading this study.

Wednesday, September 22

Wednesdays With Westminster (WWW) begins!!! Come to church for dinner (5:45), fellowship, and study! AND – to meet our newest staff member – Ginny Harville Baker! J Ginny will speak to us about her background and her vision for Christian Formation and Lay Ministries here at Westminster.

We will be getting our new phone system installed on Wednesday, September 8th. The company doesn’t expect a long disruption that day with the phone but I just wanted to let you be aware of the possibility.  I look forward to the upgrade!

An Open House is scheduled for September 12 during the 10:00 a.m. Sunday school hour. Worship services will switch back to 9:00 and 11:00 a.m. I am excited for the fall programs to begin! The Christian Education committee will be sending out information concerning this new style of “Rally Day” in the days ahead.

Ginny Baker, our soon-to-be Director of Christian Formation and Lay Ministry, will be arriving in Knoxville on Monday, September 13. She is going to let me know how many volunteers she will need; but I know we will need at least a hand full of people to help move her into the house they are renting.  If you are able to help, please call the church office. Also – please pray for safe travels. Wisconsin to Knoxville is a VERY long drive – especially in a U-haul! What an exciting time in the life of Westminster Presbyterian Church!

We will be begin the process of our new church directory in the coming weeks. After interviewing five different companies, we have decided to continue our relationship with Olan Mills. We will each get a printed directory as well as use of an online directory that will be hosted from our website. Each family who gets their portrait done will receive a free 8 x 10 picture. The pictures will arrive by Christmas – just in time for presents to loved ones! The dates Olan Mills will be here photographing are: November 1 and 2, November 22 and 23, and then December 2, 3, and 4. Online registration will take place from September 20 to October 7. Registrations on Sundays will be offered October 10-24. Smile!

I don’t know about you – but I have to be reminded daily what my calendar holds for the day. If you ever want to know what is happening at Westminster on any given day – you can log on to our website to look at the calendar . Please let me know if an event needs to be added to our calendar. It gets updated all the time!

Several people over the summer months have had the joy of setting up the new JoAnn Reafsnyder Memorial Library. There are books for all ages so please come check it out anytime! We are putting the finishing touches to it this week (computer being installed and Wi-Fi capabilities). Buran is planning a dedication of the Library on September 14. I appreciate all the MANY wonderful angels who have been working hard behind the scenes to make this Library what it is today!

Speaking of calendars – mark April 1,2, and 3 as Westminster’s next All Church Retreat!