Westwood World A Publication of Westwood Baptist Church January 2019

Transcription

1 Pastor Mike Poole Westwood World A Publication of Westwood Baptist Church January Edition 1 A Message from the Intentional Interim Minister Entering 2019 Another Way The Christmas song We Three Kings of Orient Are was written in 1857 for the General Theological Seminary in New York City as part of their Christmas pageant. The song celebrates a dramatized version of Matthew 2:1-12. The Bible says the visitors were not kings but Magi perhaps stargazers, astronomers, or holy men trying to contact their Maker. Only three kings are named in the song but it s likely that a large entourage followed. The song names Melchior, Casper and Balthazar, all bringing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh gifts for kings, priests, and the sacred dead. Some say the star was a special alignment of Jupiter and Saturn, others say it was a comet; we don t know. But we do know this: whatever guided these Magi was itself guided by God. From Persia (southern Iran) to Jerusalem to the doorstep of the despot Herod, the Magi left the comfort of family and friends to find the One who would change their return route. Frederick Buechner writes, Whether he was born in 4 B.C. or A.D. 6, in Bethlehem or Nazareth, whether there were multitudes of the heavenly host to hymn the glory of it or just Mary and her husband when the child was born, the whole course of human history was changed. That is a truth as unassailable as any truth. Art, music, literature, Western culture itself with all its institutions and Western man s whole understanding of himself and his world it is impossible to conceive how differently things would have turned out if that birth had not happened whenever, wherever, however it did. And there is a truth beyond that: for millions of people who have lived since, the birth of Jesus made possible not just a new way of understanding life but a new way of living it. (Originally published in The Faces of Jesus) The Magi entered Jerusalem under the empirical illusion that Herod was in charge; however, they departed another way. What if another way not only signifies a different physical route, but also a spiritual way? Jesus said, I am the Way, the Truth and Life. Indeed. Dear friends, let us enter the new year celebrating the Christ who goes with us. Let us follow his Way, let us boldly embrace his Truth, let us experience the fruits of Christ s Life. May visitors come to Westwood searching for Jesus Christ, and may they too depart, as the Magi departed, another way. WESTWOOD WORLD January

2 Westwood Member News The church office will be closed from Tuesday, Dec. 25 through Tuesday, Jan. 1 and will reopen Wednesday, Jan. 2 at 8:30 a.m. The office will be closed on Monday, Jan. 21 for Mar%n Luther King Jr. Day. New Statue in Courtyard Martha Lee Fugate is being memorialized in the church courtyard with a statue of Saint Fiacre, the patron saint of gardeners (at right). Martha Lee was a devoted gardener who shared her gift with our church and our people. She passed away in April The donors wish to remain anonymous. Meal Train for Richard and Shelly Benham On Nov. 28, Richard and Shelly Benham s house was severely damaged by a fallen tree, rendering it uninhabitable. If you would like to help provide meals for them while they are displaced from their home, click this link: End-of-Year Gifts Please remember that all financial gifts to the church must be POSTMARKED BY DEC. 31. If you have questions contact Donna Hill at accountant@westwood-baptist.org. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Westwood Member News Community Involvement Church Family Night Church Life WESTWOOD WORLD January 2019 Page Adult Education Preschool & Children s Ministry Youth Ministry

3 Community Involvement Hypothermia Prevention Program February 3-10, 2019 Once again, this year Westwood will host the Hypothermia Prevention Program run by FACETS. We will welcome our homeless neighbors to the church for a warm meal and warm and safe place to sleep. There will be many opportunities for each member of Westwood to be part of this ministry. Signups will begin Jan. 6. Among the positions to be filled are: Transportation We make one trip to the Lamb Center in the morning and two in the afternoon. Each trip requires one driver of the church bus and a volunteer to ride along. Morning cleanup People are needed to arrive at 7 a.m. to wipe down the mats and to straighten up and collect trash in the narthex and Whitten Hall. Come early to eat breakfast! Hospitality Greet guests as they arrive, help hand out mats, interact with guests. Two shifts: 4:30-6:30 p.m. & 6:30-8:30 p.m. Security Work with FACETS staff member to ensure safety of guests. Security volunteers must stay awake during their shifts. Two shifts: 7 p.m.-1:15 a.m. & 1-7:15 a.m. ECHO Volunteer Opportunities As you head into a new year, you might be looking for ways to enrich your life by sharing some of your time and talent with others. As Stephen Gray can tell you, the ECHO School Partnership Program is looking for people who can spare 30 minutes a week or more to encourage local students and help them be successful like he has been doing for the past few years. You don t need a degree or special skills. ECHO also has opportunities for both daytime and evening volunteers working with clients or working with donations. Read about the many kinds of volunteer opportunities on ECHO s website at echo-inc.org under the Volunteer tab. Dick Marvin ECHO Liaison Women on a Mission Join us on Wednesday, Jan. 9 at 10 a.m. in Whitten Hall as we kick off another year of missions and fellowship. Judi Kern Joy Earner HYPOTHERMIA SHELTER DATES TO REMEMBER Signups Begin January 6 Orientation on January 27 Details for Hypothermia are still being determined. Look for special s with up-to-date information about how you can help. Begin by praying for our guests, for the faith communities that will be hosting in the coming weeks, for our volunteers and leadership team that are preparing for our week of hosting, and for the mission of this ministry. Lucinda Marvin WESTWOOD WORLD January

4 Church Family Night The Wednesday Weekly Schedule 5:30 pm Dinner 6:15 pm Preschool & Children Activities 6:15 pm Youth Activities 6:30 pm Adult Seminar 7:15 pm Sanctuary Choir 7:30 pm Middle School Girls Small Group (alt. weeks) Making Reservations Deadline is Monday at noon! Online at Communications Card in Sunday bulletin Call Church Office at No reservations for potlucks! Dinner Prices Adults/5th Grade: $5 Children: $2.25 Age 0-2: Free Family Maximum: $17 Potluck Fellowship Meals (no reservations or charge) Jan. 9 Feb. 20 March 27 The Weekly Schedule Our regular Wednesday evening schedule begins with dinner at 5:30 p.m. (reservations required), followed by youth and children s activities at 6:15, and an adult seminar at 6:30. Sanctuary Choir rehearsal begins at 7:15. Preschoolers enjoy puppet fun with Theo and Dina, choir with Mr. Ariel and Mrs. Wanda, and a story, craft, and playtime with volunteer leaders. Elementary children split their time between music and missions education. Youth activities are open to all youth and meet at 6:15 in the youth rooms. 1st Wednesday: 2nd Wednesday: 3rd Wednesday: 4th Wednesday: Upcoming Adult Seminars Youth Drama Ministry Video Bible Study Game Night (Board Games, Cards) Video Bible Study Pastor Mike will present a four-session Adult Seminar in January exploring the church profile that was created for Westwood this fall. Sessions are on January 9, 16, 23, and 30 at 6:30 p.m. in Room 204. In February Pastor Mike will lead a discussion of The Art of Neighboring by Jay Pathak and Dave Runyon. Sessions will be held on Feb. 13, 20, and 27. Books will be available for purchase of $5 at the Welcome Center. HAPPY 2019! WESTWOOD WORLD January

5 Church Life Adult Education Spring Supper Clubs for 2019 Believe it or not, Spring is just around the corner that means that we should be talking about signups for new Supper Club groups. We will start on Sunday, Jan. 6 and continue for three Sundays, until the 20th. This is a great way to get to know others better and have a great fellowship time together whether you eat in homes or restaurants. Women s Spring Retreat The 2019 Women s Retreat is coming March at Cacapon Resort State Park in Berkeley Springs, WV. Signups will begin on Jan. 20. We have a dynamic leader lined up to prayerfully challenge us to intentionally engage in the path that God has laid out for Westwood. The cost is $182 per person. Scholarships are available by ing scholarship@ westwood-baptist.org. We hope you will join us. Please contact Randi Kudner, Sarah Roberts, or Wanda Brown with questions. Sanctuary Flowers The 2019 flower calendar is now available at the Welcome Center. Flowers are $35, payable on the day of your dedication. Day/Night Bible Study Our next Day/Night Bible Study will be a six-session study using the book I Love Growing Older, But I ll Never Grow Old by J. Ellsworth Kalas. The study will begin on Monday, Jan. 7, and Tuesday, Jan. 8. Kalas explores the idea of growing older as a process and growing old as a conclusion. We ll learn how to make peace with where you are right now and how to grow personally, spiritually, and in our relationships with God and with others. The Monday morning sessions will take place from 10-11:30 a.m. in Whitten Hall and will be led by Rev. Gray. The Tuesday evening sessions will take place from 7-8:30 p.m. in Room 17/19 and will be led by Rev. Poole. Sign up at the Welcome Center; books will be available for $10. Canasta Older Adults Ministry 2 nd & 4 th Tuesdays from 1-3 p.m. in Greenspring Village Towne Center Join us Jan. 8 and 22 for fun and fellowship. Canasta is a great game that s fun and easy to learn. Games are held the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 1 p.m. in the Craft Room at the Towne Center building. For more information, see Mary Shuman or Joy Earner. WESTWOOD WORLD January

6 Preschool & Children s Ministry Church Family Night Wednesday evening activities for all ages resume at 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 9. Preschoolers enjoy choir with Mr. Ariel and Mrs. Wanda, puppet fun with Dina & Theo, and a story, craft, and playtime with volunteer leaders. Elementary children split their time between music and missions education. Rebecca Larson Preschool & Children s Ministry On the last CFN Wednesday of the year the Preschoolers were surprised by a visit from You Know Who! WESTWOOD WORLD January

7 Youth Ministry Winter Blast 2019 Ski Retreat at Bluefield College ONGOING YOUTH OPPORTUNITIES Worship Speaker: Steven Usry Band: Atlanta Worship Collective Martin Luther King, Jr. Weekend Leaving: Saturday, January 19th at 11 a.m. Returning: Monday, January 21st at 2 p.m. $179 per youth 6 youth & 2 adults are attending (Deadline to sign up has already passed) Small Groups & Leaders High School Girls meet on Tuesday nights (Sheena Forester) Middle School Girls meet on alternate Wednesdays (Megan Purkey) Middle School Boys meet every other week (alternating between Mondays and Thursdays) (Stephen Gray and Danny Purkey) High School Boys Group is forming. More information will follow. If you are interested in joining one of these groups, please contact Jessie or Susan. Wednesday Evenings 6:15-7:15 pm 1st Wednesday: 2nd Wednesday: 3rd Wednesday: 4th Wednesday: Youth Drama Ministry Video Bible Study (The Incredibles) Game Night (Board Games, Cards) Video Bible Study (The Incredibles) The Youth had plenty of Christmas fun and fellowship! Our Christmas tree (above) places Jesus right in the middle where he should be. For the Progressive Dinner we saw lots of great Christmas decoraɵons and ate lots of great food! Youth Planning Committee Meeting Sunday, Jan. 6 at 12:15pm Lunch will be provided! Anyone who is involved with our youth ministry or wants to get involved is invited to attend. Youth Scripture Readers Reading Scripture during Sunday morning is an excellent way for our youth to be involved in worship on a regular basis. If you would like to sign up to read one Sunday, please contact Jessie. Reading for Preschoolers Our youth have been reading to the preschoolers during part of the worship service. If you are interested in reading to the preschoolers in the library on Sunday mornings please contact Jessie. WESTWOOD WORLD January

8 Youth Ministry (cont d) Weekly Youth Schedule in January Sundays Cafe Sunday School Worship Youth Dinner Sunday Night Live! 9:30 am 9:45 am 11 am 6 pm 6:30 pm Weekdays High School Girls Tues. 7 pm High School Guys TBA Middle School Girls Alt. Weds. 7 pm Middle School Guys Alt. Mon. & Thurs. 7 pm Youth Activities Weds. 6:15 pm Youth Planning Committee Sunday, Jan. 6 after worship. Lunch will be provided. All are welcome! com/westwoodyouth WestwoodYouth Dear Youth and Families, We certainly had a busy and fun filled Christmas season didn t we! It s kind of a letdown now that all of that is over, isn t it? Well, not exactly or at least it doesn t have to be that way. Did you know that, according to the liturgical church calendar, the season following Advent and Christmas is called Epiphany? It begins with the story of the Magi visiting Jesus and ends with the Transfiguration, just before the season of Lent begins. Still, what does the word epiphany even mean? Here s a hint: All of the stories in this season are meant to reveal to us that Jesus is in fact the Son of God, the Messiah! Therefore, the word epiphany means a sudden revelation, a new and deeper understanding. When I was 19, I served as a volunteer with an organization called Epiphany. I was part of a group of about 25 people who planned and led a retreat inside a juvenile correction facility for young men, ages The hope was that through this ministry, these young men would have a sudden revelation or gain a deeper understanding of who Jesus is and how much he loves them, regardless of their past or present circumstances. Actually, that is something I pray will happen for our youth and families as well, that we will not see this season as a letdown after Christmas and, instead, we will be open to the new ways in which Christ s love is revealed to us and live differently because of it. Blessings, Reverend Jessie Kearns Minister with Youth /#/youth Stay In Touch! westwood-baptist-churchyouth-ministry Jessie.Kearns@westwoodbaptist.org Items for the February Westwood World are due by Tuesday, January 15 and should be sent to martha.newman@westwood-baptist.org Westwood Baptist Church, 8200 Old Keene Mill Road, Springfield, VA WESTWOOD WORLD January