Westminster Presbyterian Church

Where Faith and Life Connect

New Blessings to Come:
Visioning Task Force Report to the Session

Honoring the past and embracing the future,
I am grateful for my life’s experiences and
I accept new blessings to come. [1]

Westminster’s recently adopted mission statement says,

We seek to follow Christ in an open, inclusive community of faith where God’s transforming love for all creation is celebrated through worship, discipleship, and service.

Westminster’s new mission statement tells us why we are here.  The purpose of this Vision Report is to show where we want to go or, more importantly, where is God calling us to go? Implementation of these statements is outside the scope of our charge. However, we plan to make ourselves available to session, ministry leaders, and the congregation as we grapple with the sometimes tough issues and decisions about how we live our life together.

We hope that this vision will be beneficial to leadership and lay ministries as a means to assess what we are doing now and to ascertain what we need to do continually to create a community that is grounded in God’s purpose.

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Our Vision for Westminster

We envision Westminster as a spiritually vibrant church that inspires each member. Its staff and lay leaders will guide our congregation as a whole, and our members as individuals, into a deeper encounter with God as revealed by Jesus Christ.

Westminster will integrate the spiritual, mental, physical, and relational dimensions of life so that all work together with a sense of consonance that brings wholeness and holiness to life; in other words, a place where faith and life connect… in worship, discipleship and service.

In Worship

We envision encountering God in worship in ways that are life changing. By the grace of God, preaching will be inspirational, relevant, and accessible; participation of the laity, both adult and youth, will be enhanced; music will build upon its foundation of excellence with a broad variety of styles and cultural traditions, breathing spirit and vitality into a worship experience alive with God’s presence.  To further experience the sacred, Westminster will create opportunities to celebrate special cross-cultural and inter-faith services.

Our joyful worship at Westminster will glorify God as we marvel at the mystery of God’s presence, and as we reach out to welcome a broad and diverse community, essential to the future of our church.

In Discipleship

We envision Westminster Presbyterian Church as a place where the call to grow as disciples of Jesus Christ is heard, shaped and nurtured.  We understand our development as disciples to involve growing in our understanding of the Christian faith and of the world around us, growing in our relationship with God, and growing in our relationships with one another.

Growing as disciples of Christ will mean deepening our spiritual formation as we discern the will of God in our daily practice of the Christian life. The congregation will have opportunities to be involved in faith development experiences, whether it is through classes, small groups, or mentors teaching others. Our teaching ministry’s purpose will be to lead people to a close relationship with God, not just to gain knowledge about God.

With worship that nourishes, and a teaching ministry that strengthens, shapes and forms, Westminster will be a community that is grounded in God’s purpose.

In Service

We envision, by God’s grace, Westminster’s ministry to grow more outward in focus, while continuing our strong history of nurturing and supporting the needs of people in our congregation. We will connect faith and life by the kinds of ministries and concerns which we support as a congregation, and individually by the kind of impact we have in the daily living of our lives in service to others, just as Christ served.

We see this unfolding through a process of discernment, where congregation members identify their God-given gifts. Then, having been equipped with the needed resources and empowered with purpose, congregation members inspired for service will be engaged in ministry in our church, community and the world.

Our commitment to community and world service needs will be reinforced by our financial support, and will be demonstrated in the way we allocate our financial resources to outreach organizations and for other meaningful issues or causes.

Growing into the Vision and Mission

We hope this Visioning Task Force Report will serve as a guide for shaping the future and direction at Westminster as we continually seek to be disciples of Christ and discover what God is calling us to do and be.  We anticipate that much of what we describe in this Report will unfold gradually and organically as we grow into the Vision and Mission.  As we listen to and follow God’s call, Westminster will continue to become a place where faith and life connect, in worship, discipleship and service.

Visioning Task Force

Jean Bonnyman

Tim Crais

Terry Crow

Kristi Gorden

Judy Jorden

Tim Ryan

Chris Van Beke

Rev. Dr. Buran Phillips, ex officio

Rev. John Linton Muntz, ex officio

[1] Daily Word, 12/29/09

• Palm Sunday, March 28: Worship services at 9:00 and 11:00 a.m. with Sunday School for all ages at 10:00 a.m.
• Wednesday, March 31: Lenten Soup dinner at 5:45 p.m., followed by a Lenten Service in the Sanctuary
• Maundy Thursday, April 1: Communion Service and Tennebrae Service at 8:00 p.m.
• Easter Sunday, April 4: Worship services at 9:00 and 11:00 a.m. Easter Breakfast and an Easter Egg Hunt at 10:00 a.m.

We do hope that you make plans to share your Holy week with us at Westminster Presbyterian Church!

Every so often in the life of our church we convene all of the Neighborhood Groups for something very important. That time has come once again. During April and May we will be convening all of the neighborhood groups to take part in a presentation and discussion of the Vision Report which you have recently heard referenced by Rev. Phillips and others. It is time for all of us to review our new Vision and Mission statements and discuss how we as a church can grow into the new vision and mission.

You will soon be contacted by your Neighborhood Coordinator to come and participate in a 1 1/2 hour meeting. Leading the meetings will be a team of two elders, one Vision Task Force person, and one facilitator. The first half hour will be a meal and the next hour will be the presentation which will involve your participation and idea sharing. When your neighborhood coordinator contacts you, we hope you will mark your calendar and then attend this very important meeting in your neighborhood.

By participating in the meeting you can help shape the future of Westminster Presbyterian Church.

Happy Monday Westminster! I hope that you are having a great start to your week. I thought worship was really awesome yesterday. I loved the Westminster Strings music and I keep thinking about Buran’s message.  The Lord’s grace is such a powerful thing. It is so easy to take it for granted…. I also appreciate all the busy “angels” who worked over the weekend on the beginnings of our new and improved Reafsnyder Memorial Library! I am excited to see it come to life. And if this isn’t enough; I came into the church office this morning to find Bill Chappell’s grandfather clock. Words cannot begin to tell you how special this is to me for he built it with his very own hands. Every time it dings I just feel his hugs and laughter. It is amazing of how much that man’s presence was part of the everyday life of Westminster. I just plain miss him – as does so many of you all.

Couple of things to share with you:

Volunteer Ministry Center Breakfast is this coming Sunday. If you can help serve, please call Paula Hogan (357-2038). Her devotion to this community outreach is amazing! We appreciate you Paula!

Lenten soup dinner and vesper series continues Wednesday at 5:45 p.m. We hope that you make plans to join us!

Hugs and more hugs,

Renee  Wiesehuegel

Good Afternoon Westminster,

There are a lot of exciting things going on here at Westminster! I know our lives get crazy hectic during this time of the year but I want to encourage you to come to the Lenten Evening Vespers Service tonight (and future Wednesday nights until Easter). The soup dinner is at 5:45 pm and the service begins no later than 6:30 pm. We all have to eat dinner and more importantly – we all need to get off our merry-go-rounds to ponder and reflect what is happening in our lives. I love the setting of the service, the enriching music, the scriptures that are read and prayers that are lifted up to the Lord. I appreciate all the people who have already shared the musical talent that the Lord has blessed them with (Deborah Phillips, Lisa Ellis, Laura Dupper, Jo Ann Powell, Joanne Bendy, Daniel Berry, Ibbie Muntz, Margaret Harrison, and Meredith Mackay) and look forward to future services. Westminster is very fortunate to have so many members who give so freely of their time and talents!!! Read a sample of tonight’s service at the end of this announcement and do make plans to come tonight! Hope to see you there! Hugs – Renee Wiesehuegel

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From Lisa Trofatter:

Three nights to remember, BRAVO!!

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Westminster Players’ production of the Trip to Bountiful.  Whether you acted, supported set or costume production, publicized, or attended a performance, you were critical to the success of the play. If you attended,  you understand the depth of emotion and life experience that the actors shared through their performances. We are all someone’s child, we have all experienced disappointment and even in caricature we can recognize something familiar in our families and ourselves from portrayals of the cast. It was an emotional and exceptional three evenings of theater at Westminster. If you missed it, perhaps you can borrow a video from one of the company. The Holy Spirit was certainly with us on those nights. Blessings upon Westminster Players and this  congregation for supporting a ministry that without question allows us to experience and develop the talents God has given us in as we explore life through drama. 

 * * *

 The Order of Worship                                                                                                                                              3-10-2010

 LENTEN EVENING VESPERS SERVICE

 OPENING MUSIC   Bless the Lord, My Soul                                                                                           Jacques Berthier

 OPENING SENTENCES:                                                                                                         Patrick of Ireland – 389-461

                Christ be with me, Christ within me,

                Christ behind me, Christ before me,

                Christ beside me, Christ to win me,

                Christ to comfort and restore me,

                Christ beneath me, Christ above me,

                Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,

          Christ in hearts of all that love me,

          Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

 RESPONSORIAL PSALM   Psalm 23                                                                                            Howard Hughes, S.M.

(Congregation will sing refrain as directed.)

 SCRIPTURE READING                                                                                                                                       Mark 8:27-37

 SILENT MEDITATION ON THE SCRIPTURE

 PSALM 25   I Lift My Soul to You, Lord                                                                                                Swedish Folk Tune

              arr. Michael Burkhardt

 I lift my soul to you, Lord; I trust, O God, in you. Show me your paths and guide me; teach me all I should do. Remember your great mercy, your everlasting love; forgive me, God my Savior; my guilt and sin remove.

 Your covenant and mercy are with me all my days to comfort and to bless me when I walk in your ways. Whenever I look upward, I find you waiting there, to bear me and to keep me safe in your loving care.

 PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING AND INTERCESSION:

                Let my prayer rise before you as incense, O God,

The lifting of my hands as an evening sacrifice.

                                 (Prayer continues…)

 SILENCE:

                (Leader concludes the silence…)

Loving God, as you have shared life and love with us, lead us to share ourselves, that in the giving of our lives others may recognize your love. Direct our steps in discipleship, and protect our souls in faith, in the name of Jesus Christ, who commanded us to love by his righteous example, and who taught us to pray…

THE LORD’S PRAYER

 CLOSING MUSIC   Day Is Done                                                      Welsh Melody

                                                                                                                       Ar hyd y nos

 (Music may be found in blue Presbyterian Hymnal, No. 544, stanza 1.)

Day is done, but love unfailing dwells ever here.

Shadows fall, but hope, prevailing, calms every fear.

God our maker, none forsaking, take our hearts, of love’s own making;

Watch our sleeping; guard our waking. Be always near.

 THE BENEDICTION:

    May the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace through the power of the Holy Spirit.

     Amen.

The Peace of Christ be with you.

 And also with you.

   (Pass the peace with one another as you leave)

 Thank you to this evening’s musicians, Ibbie Muntz, Margaret Harrison and Joanne Bendy.

I don’t know about you, but just the thought that it is March 1st makes me excited that Spring is just around the corner!  I appreciate the fact that the Lord graces us with seasons – with each season giving us new hope and new beginnings.

This week in a glance at Westminster:

Wednesday – we continue our Lenten series with a simple meal of soup and bread at 5:45 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall – followed by a service in the Sanctuary.

Friday/Saturday/Sunday – Westminster Players present  The Trip to Bountiful by Horton Foote March 5, 6, and 7, 2010 at 8:00 p.m. Please make plans to attend! They are still in need of some ushers to hand out programs and collect donations at the door. Please let us know if you can help out .

Hugs,

Renee Wiesehuegel

To review the study guide for the Lenten Series Sunday School class for February 21, 2010 click here:

http://www.wpcknox.org/studyguide/christianity-for-the-rest-of-us-chapters-1-3.doc

Books are available in the church office for $15 each.  We hope you’ll join us in the McKinnon Room at 10:00 a.m. each Sunday throughout the Lenten season.

Westminster’s Ash Wednesday service will be held at 7:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary on February 17, 2010. Ash Wednesday began as a day of penitence to mark the beginning of the Season of Lent – the forty days preparation for the celebration of Easter.  A Lenten Series will be offered each Wednesday evening beginning February 24 through March 31. We will gather at 5:45 p.m. for a simple meal of soup and bread, followed by a service of evening prayers in the sanctuary. This reflective time focuses on scripture, song and prayer as we prepare ourselves for Easter. In addition to the Wednesday night program, our adult Lenten Series during the Sunday School hour will study the book entitled “Christianity for the Rest of Us: How the Neighborhood Church is Transforming the Faith” by Diana Butler Bass. We hope that you will join us!

Raise your hand if you are ready for Spring? I sure am. With a wintry weather forecast for the next 3 out of 4 days – I was elated when Dick and Joanne Steinle told me about an upcoming bulb giveaway. “Knoxville Green” has given out 1.5 million bulbs and plan to give out more tomorrow morning (Feb 13) from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. However, they expect that all the bulbs will be given away by 1 pm. They will be at Winston Square (202 North Seven Oaks Drive). It is in the first center PAST Home Depot on Kingston Pike. This same group is responsible for all the lovely daffodils that carpet the land along Pellissippi Parkway.  Maybe I will get to see you out there in the morning. =) If I don’t see you there, then maybe I will see you at the Progressive Dinner Saturday night at 6 p.m. There are 72 of us meeting at Charles Town Landing and then going to our host families for dinner and then all ending up at Westminster for a yummy dessert. I can’t begin to thank the Fellowship Ministry Team for all your behind-the-scene work for this annual event! You are awesome!

Hope you have a very Happy Valentines weekend.

Hugs,

Renee Wiesehuegel