HOTLINE. "Missing God?" -- excerpt from Hal Murry's Sermon on 7/29/18. Westminster Presbyterian Church. Inside this issue:

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1 HOTLINE Westminster Presbyterian Church 2155 University Ave. Dubuque, IA Inside this issue: Mission Garden 4 Youth News 3 Church News 2 4 Adult CE 3 Sanctuary Improvements 2 6 Calendar 5 Worship Scripture 6 FROM YOUR WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH FOUNDATION: Be a WILLing Christian Remember Westminster Presbyterian Church in your WILL. Volume XVIII, Issue 8 "Missing God?" -- excerpt from Hal Murry's Sermon on 7/29/18 August 2018 Most Americans say that they believe in God. Of course believing in God, and knowing God are different things. Yet, still a majority of Christians, including Presbyterians, say that they have had personal experiences of God in their lives. People describe these God moments differently: comfort in grief, healing in illness, a presence which enhances moments of beauty and joy, a light in some personal darkness, a power that brings hope when all is lost companionship in loneliness courage to say or do what seems impossible conviction to stand for justice or peace even when others won't or don't strength to be both kind and ethical in toxic work environments compassion for someone less fortunate forgiveness when we don't deserve it Many of you say that God moments happened to you in just such circumstances. Sometimes when we take a little time to reflect on our lives we can identify the very places and times when God seemed most present. But here's a question that intrigued the writer of the Gospel of Mark. What if the qualities of God: God's passions and characteristics and values and hopes for humanity became focused in one of us, in a particular a human being? Would we recognize God in that person in the moment of our encounter? Or would we miss the presence of God entirely? If this focused God dressed like us, spoke like us, worked like us, struggled like us, would we recognize God? Or would we say, that can't be God because I knew her when she was just like me, an ornery kid in Sunday School. That couldn't be God. I know his parents and they weren't saints. That can't be God, because he made a living doing the same stuff I do. Or, that couldn't be God, because God's a "winner" and winners in this culture are rich and famous and powerful. If the character and passions of God were focused in a human being would we recognize God? Mark's conviction and the substance of the Christian Faith is that everything about God that could be human was focused in a person, Jesus of Nazareth. And Mark tells us again and again, that the people whom you would expect to recognize God in an instant, don't. Family, friends, co-workers, hometown people, even powerful political leaders who want to be on the side of God all missed the cues. Why?...continued on page 2

2 Volume XVIII, Issue 8 Page 2 Church News DID YOU KNOW? A variety of Bibles are available for your use during worship. They are on the benches right behind the back pew. HAVE YOU SEEN THEM? Photos of life at Westminster are posted on Westminster's updated website and Facebook page (thanks to Allie Hinga) and also in the hallway on the nursery windows (thanks to Doug Cheever). VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! We are looking for four persons willing to serve as Video Projection Operators on Sunday mornings. You'll be part of team (which means you wouldn't have to do it every Sunday) and training will be provided. If you'd like to try it or need more information, please be in touch with Cameron Fast (cameronkfast@gmail.com) or Hal Murry (hal@wpcdbq.org). THANK YOU for your gifts to The Spirit Is Moving! capital campaign for sanctuary improvements. Work currently underway: Lighting improvements for the chancel (front of the sanctuary) which include replacing the old, inefficient spot lights with high-efficiency light bars. We'll soon have more light and more flexible lighting for less cost. Additional high-efficiency LED bulbs will be installed under the side soffits soon. The same brighter bulbs have already been installed under the choir loft. Digital screens have been installed at the front of the sanctuary. They will be used in August. A new "tech table" has been built and installed in the choir loft for sound, light and video controls. Electrical system upgrades to allow for all of the above. WESTMINSTER'S PASTOR NOMINATING COMMITTEE (PNC)continues its work of reviewing resumes, listening to sermons and conducting interviews of applicants to serve as Westminster's next called and installed Pastor. At some point in the future, the PNC will recommend a pastor nominee to the congregation. Hal Murry has served as Westminster's Interim Pastor since PNC members include Norma Smith, Moderator, Dan Tabraham, Steve Peake, Pam Adams, Deb Seiffert and Tom Stovall. This group of volunteers greatly appreciates the prayer support of the congregation. AT THE JULY MEETING OF THE SESSION (Westminster's Governing Council) three amendments to Westminster's Facilities Use Policy were approved as recommended by the Property Committee. The changes will lower building use fees for church members. 1. A Church Member may use the facility FREE of charge for a personal celebration/event of the member s family but will have to pay the hourly rate for our custodian (if any) to do room preparation, tear down and cleaning. Immediate family will be defined as spouses, children, step-children and adopted children and son/daughter-in-laws. 2. A Church Member may sponsor (1) outside group per year at a reduced rate of 50% off the normal rate charge and additionally will have to pay the hourly rate for our custodian (if any) to do room preparation, tear down and cleaning. 3. In both recommendations the current Set Up, Tear Down, and Equipment Policy must be followed. Missing God? Continued from page 1 Well, perhaps because it's so easy to be caught up in our own world -- in the culture we know, in the routines that bring order and comfort to our lives, in the concerns of making a living or getting to our next appointment or finding or saving or improving a relationship. "Get out of your box!" the saying goes. Much easier said than done! It's very possible, Mark says, to be so caught up in ourselves that we miss God's invitation to something better. Too easy, he says, to miss the whole point of living -- which is to work with God to make the world a better place.

3 Page 3 HOTLINE Youth Faith Formation News There were lots of smiling faces at Westminster the last week in June. Once again First Congregation, St. Luke s, and Westminster teamed up together for a successful VBS. This year s theme was God s Big Backyard where kids learned how to serve family, friends, the community, and Jesus. The Green Team stopped by nightly to give some green tips and Swiss Valley shared all kinds of interesting facts about butterflies. By the end of the week 109 blessing bags were made and to be passed out to the homeless, dog toys were made and given to the Humane Society, bird feeders were made from pipe cleaners and cheerios, and a cash donation had been collected and given to Swiss Valley. A top favorite activity, and messiest, among the kids were making butterfly balls. To all the VBS volunteers, kids, and anyone that made VBS donations Thank you for serving in GOD S BIG BACKYARD!!!! We had a blast! Can t wait for next year! Sunday School Begins September 9 AUGUST ADULT FAITH FORMATION CLASSES AUGUST ADULT FAITH FORMATION CLASSES meet after worship in Fellowship Hall. ALL are welcome. Child care is provided. Here are the August topics: August 5 -- "God Is Passionate About Justice and the Poor", Ch. 9 of Marcus Borg's book Convictions August "Christians Are Called to Peace and Nonviolence", Ch. 10 of Convictions August "To Love God Is to Love Like God", Ch. 11 of Convictions August General Assembly Commissioner Sue Dravis reports on the meeting of our national PC (USA) governing body which met this summer in St. Louis. Coming in September, "Aging Challenges & Resources". Watch the August worship bulletins for more information.

4 Page 4 Church News The Sympathy of the Congregation is extended to the family and friends of: Mark Oberhoffer, member Westminster Vital Statistics Average Sunday Worship Attendance for July In the Garden Gardening helpers needed -- see times below: Sunday from 3 PM to 5 PM Monday from 8 AM to 10 AM The 2nd & 4th Wednesdays of each month 3 PM to 5 PM The 2nd & 4th Thursday of each month 8 AM to 10 AM We are moving into our busy seasons with harvesting and planting second crops. In addition to that several members of the garden team will be unavailable to help late August to early September. Right now we are looking for tubes from TP rolls to grow plants in that are hard to transplant. The cardboard of the tubes decomposes quickly making them ideal for planting tender plants. Just drop them off in the Narthex or Kitchen Later this fall we will be looking for leaves -- leaves make really good garden mulch and as they decompose they improve the soil health of the garden. We have 3 active garden areas: -- the raised beds at Westminster -- the raised beds at Keller's -- the new area at Sally Stulken's These are the Mustard Seed Gardens A big thanks to Gerda Hartman -- Gerda has dropped off extra produce from her garden for us to take it to the food pantries. We really appreciate all the support for the gardens from everyone. FRESH PRODUCE given away this summer from Westminster's Mission Gardens totals 510 lbs. "YOU give them something to eat." Jesus speaking to his disciples in Mark 6. "About five thousand people were fed that day." Financial Stewardship through June 30, 2018 (numbers rounded to the nearest 1,000) Year-to-Date Operating Budget $190, Expenses 170, Income 206,000 Income over Expenses 36,000 The Spirit Is Moving! Capital Campaign for Sanctuary Improvements has raised $148,000. The goal was $100,000. For more on the status of Sanctuary improvements, see article on page 2. JULY PROPERTY COMMITTEE MEETING HIGHLIGHTS: Authorized creation of a team led by Doug Cheever to develop a plan to replace existing landscaping around the outside of the Sanctuary. Some are dying; all is past its "prime." "Low maintenance" will be a priority for new landscaping. Approved expenditures for: radon mitigation in the "Head Start wing" downstairs; routine repairs to the EPDM roof (over the hallway and Fellowship Hall). Continued conversations, in conjunction with the Sanctuary Improvements Team, related to making the Sanctuary's parking lot entrance more accessible. Welcomed new committee member Virginia Gordon. THE PROPERTY COMMITTEE held a Special Meeting on July 23 and elected George Hellert as Moderator and Pam Adams as committee Secretary. The committee gave thanks to God for the blessing of long-time Moderator Mark Oberhoffer's many leadership gifts. Mark passed away on July 15. Thanks to George and Pam for their willingness to provide leadership for the committee. Regular Property Committee meetings are held at 3:00 on first Mondays. All members and friends of Westminster are welcome to attend meetings and serve on committees.

5 Volume XVIII, Issue 8 Page 5 AUGUST Calendar go to website for a larger version Youth Group will make $4.00 off each book they sell. $5.00 off coupon inside if you spend $75 AND.25 off gallon of gas if you spend $100, plus more!!! Buy in the office anytime.

6 Westminster Presbyterian Church 2155 University Ave Dubuque, IA NONPROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID DUBUQUE, IA PERMIT NO. 577 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED Renovations are happening August 5 Sacrament of the Lord's Supper Rev. Hal Murry preaches on Mark 6:30-44 Sermon: "YOU Give Them Something to Eat" August 12 New Members Welcomed Sacrament of Baptism for Lewis Thomas McMahon Rev. Hal Murry preaches on Mark 6:45-56 Sermon: "Going Nowhere All Night" August 19 Rev. Nancy Bickel preaching Music: Merrill Crawford August 26 Rev. Hal Murry preaching Music: Timbrel and Lyre Join Us for Worship at Westminster 9:30 a.m. Sundays Contact Information: 2155 University Ave. Dubuque, IA Join us for Communion at Bethany Home August 19 at 1:30 p.m.