Who Speaks for God? by Pastor Michael

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1 Newsletter Title October Kid s Club, 6 p.m. Film Series, 6 p.m. 3 Saturday Center, 12:30 p.m. 4 Children s Activity Time, 10 a.m. Benevolence Fair, 12:30 p.m. Inquirer's Class, 12:30 p.m. 6 Worship, 4 p.m. Knitting Circle, 6:30 p.m. Meditation Circle, 7 p.m. 7 Men s Group, 7:30 a.m. Taizé, 7 p.m. 9 Kid s Club, 6 p.m. 10 Saturday Center, 12:30 p.m. 11 Children s Activity Time, 10 a.m. Inquirer's Class, 12:30 p.m. 12 Office and Building Closed in observance of Columbus Day 13 Worship, 4 p.m. Meditation Circle, 7 p.m. 14 Taizé, 7 p.m. 16 Kid s Club, 6 p.m. 17 Saturday Center, 12:30 p.m. 18 Children s Activity Time, 10 a.m. Orchestra Amadeus, 2 p.m. 20 Worship, 4 p.m. Meditation Circle, 7 p.m. 21 Taizé, 7 p.m. Pub Theology, 8 p.m. 23 Kid s Club, 6 p.m. 24 Saturday Center, 12:30 p.m. 25 Children s Activity Time, 10 a.m. LYRA concert, 12:30 p.m. 27 Worship, 4 p.m. 28 Taizé, 7 p.m. 30 Halloween Party, 6 p.m. 31 Saturday Center, 12:30 p.m. Who Speaks for God? by Pastor Michael This has always been a thorny question. Denominations have split and wars have been fought over how we ve answered this. I ve been thinking about this as I watched the Pope s visit to New York City. Many view him as one who speaks for God. He certainly has the titles to back this up. Pope Francis is the Bishop of Rome, Vicar of Jesus Christ, Successor of the Prince of the Apostles, Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church, Primate of Italy, Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Roman Province, Sovereign of the State of Vatican City, and Servant of the Servants of God. However, I don t think the world Catholic and non- Catholic alike is watching him because they believe he s speaking for God. I think people are following him because they believe he s listening to God through the cries of those in need. Though he speaks from balconies, most often he s on the streets. Though he spends time listening to dignitaries, he prefers to listen to the poor. When he speaks, people know that what he offers is from listening carefully for God s voice in the voices of the poor, the homeless, and the vulnerable among us. I think this is why people are so attracted to the Pope. Before you think I m switching Christian camps, I do have issues with some of the Pope s doctrinal stances. But he reminds me that rather than debate who speaks for God, we should all be listening for God, especially in the voices of those we so often dismiss. Maybe we all need to ask, Who should I be listening to today? Looking for Scripture Readers by Pastor Jes I love Scripture and I love when we read the Scripture together as a church family. The holy words create a new world of redemption and hope of God s love in Jesus in our own lives. West End is known for wrestling with Scripture. In our Adult Education class we look at the Bible from a variety of perspectives, wondering what it means for our lives today. In Children s Worship the kids memorize passages that will provide hope well into adulthood. We use our minds and hearts to listen to what the Spirit is doing in the text. We read with 21st century questions and first century eyes. If you ve wondered how to get involved at West End, let me suggest that you consider signing up to be a Scripture Reader in worship! Anybody is welcome to read the Bible in worship. It s a great way to serve our community and it s a great opportunity to get to know your church a little better. If you re interested, just me. -Pastor Michael.. God s grace and peace be with you Pastor Jes Kast-Keat jkaskeat@westendchurch.org

2 Page 2 We will meet on Wednesday, October 7 at 7:30 a.m. Our Men s Group is a casual meeting that allows us to build friendships and share life together. We d love to have you be a part of this. Pub Theology will meet on October 21 at 8:00 p.m. This month s topic is Jeopardy! Come and play a game of theology jeopardy over a pint of the beverage of your choice. Music Notes from Cynthia Powell Follow us on Want to keep up with what s happening with your WECC family? Go to Facebook : WestEndChurchNYC and It s a great way to stay connected to our community. Music, at its best, honestly composed and performed, has the power to cut through our barriers and go to the essence of our highest selves emotionally, intellectually and spiritually. We ve already had glorious offerings by the West End Choir and guest instrumentalists, and we re excited to welcome several new professional singers to the West End Choir: Emilia Donato and Nina Dante, sopranos, Bradley King, tenor, and Malcolm Couden, bass. I m very pleased to announce that our Taizé candlelight services will begin again on Wednesday, October 7 from 7:00 to 7:45 p.m. in the sanctuary. Singers and instrumentalists grace this service, which is augmented by poetry, scripture readings and candle lighting. Taizé was founded in 1940 in eastern France by Brother Roger Schütz, a Reformed theology student, who followed his dream to build a community offering reconciliation and hope in the face of the horrors of war. Taizé is still a place where visitors from all over the world gather in prayer, song and reflection. October 18 brings special music for the Blessing of the Animals service. Plan to bring your friends of all species (or favorite stuffed animal) to this joyous event! On Sunday, October 25, the award-winning Russian vocal ensemble LYRA will grace our service and sing an anthem with the West End Choir (in Russian!). After the service they ll present a mini-concert of Russian folk songs in the Chapel during lunch (12:30 start time). Admission is free. See you in church, Cynthia Powell Minister of Music

3 Page 3 New Online Class Beginning November 2 Creating Common Good with Rachel Held Evans Economic inequality is becoming easier and easier to spot in North American life. Learn how popular writer Rachel Held Evans, who is troubled by these injustices, is finding inspiration in the Bible and other young leaders. This is a three week class through our new online learning initiative Faith on the Go. It s a great way to further our faith amidst our busy schedules. Here s how it works. After registering, you ll receive an invitation to join the class. This will allow you access to the videos, handouts, and private forum that class members have for discussion. Each week we watch a short video that introduces the week s topic, and then we have discussion through the online forum. The discussion is moderated by one of our pastors. You can watch the video at your convenience and post thoughts and questions at any time. The class continues for four weeks. At the end, we ll meet after Sunday worship for lunch to discuss what we ve learned and how we re applying it. It s going to be an engaging and enriching time together! To register, Pastor Jes (jkastkeat@westendchurch.org). ADULT CHRISTIAN EDUCATION On Sundays, October 4, 11, 18, and 25 we ll study Scripture from the Lectionary. Join us in Room 6 at 10 a.m. Meditation Circle Join us on Tuesdays October 6, 13, and 20 for meditation, contemplation and prayer from 7 to 7:45 p.m. in Room 5 Our circle is a quiet place to connect with yourself, others and God. Together, we share prayers of thanksgiving and support.

4 Sermons October 4 Worldwide Communion Sunday God s Dinner Table October 11 God s Gone October 18 Blessing of the Animals Our Loveable Pets October 25 Being Bold BOOK CLUB The WECC book club will not meet in October. On Friday, November 13, 2015, we will discuss Dragonwyck by Anya Seton. We will meet at 7 p.m. in Rooms 1 & 2. On Friday, December 11, we will discuss The Elegance of a Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery. For more information contact Kay at uyterlinde@hotmail.com or call A Neighborhood Church for all People

5 The New Amsterdam History Center Is Pleased to Invite You to a Very Special Event New York City and Water: A Historical Perspective Featuring: Writer Russell Shorto on the Dutch as pioneers of water management Historian Gerard Koeppel on water in New Amsterdam Historical Painter Len Tantillo on New Netherland s waterways Special Envoy for International Water Affairs, Kingdom of the Netherlands, Henk Ovink on water management issues now and in the future Presentations to be followed by Q&A Monday, October 26, :30 to 8:30 p.m. CUNY Graduate Center 365 Fifth Avenue at 34 th Street, New York SPONSORED BY THE CONSULATE GENERAL OF THE KINGDOM OF THE NETHERLANDS RSVP to: info@newamsterdamhistorycenter.org

6 Navigating the Tensions Between Tradition and Modernity in the 21st Century Whether in Karachi or Canarsie, the dilemma confronting young people today is how to reconcile the mantle of traditional family values with the dream of independence and self-expression. In scenes from her critically acclaimed one-woman show, Pakistani-British-American playwright Nadia Manzoor uses poignant personal stories to shatter the illusion that there is security in family tradition. Uplifting and empowering, she shares her journey to self-fulfillment as an independent woman. Nadia is joined by author and activist Irshad Manji and financier Riaz Siddiqi in an interactive panel. Together, they explore how the issues faced by the playwright symbolize the misunderstandings and tensions between the US and Pakistan, a key programmatic emphasis of Intersections International. Tickets are $20 through Group discounts available. For more information rsvp@intersections.org or call us at (212)

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