The Link. For those of you who haven t noticed our. Patient Persistence in Prayer

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1 The Link Westminster Presbyterian Church, Ann Arbor, mi Volume 25, number 11: November 2012 Patient Persistence in Prayer For those of you who haven t noticed our front yard, we ve been doing some work to improve its looks which didn t take much! We had a bare patch under a tree with exposed roots. I had a vision of a lawn full of thick, green grass. Before I could have that there was a lot of work to be done. In May I cutdown the tree, and then had the stump ground down; I jackhammered the sidewalk to the front porch and put in a low block wall on each side of the porch for bushes and flowers; I also laid a paver sidewalk. That took most of the summer and I was feeling that the vision of a lush lawn would have to wait until next spring. Kim called the MSU Extension office at the beginning of October and they told her that it was the best time of the year to start a lawn. I asked if she told them we live in Ann Arbor, thinking that there might be some rivalry in their advice, but she said no, she didn t tell them of course, they knew that the grass would grow up GREEN. So I recently spread 26 cubic yards of topsoil around the yard and then scattered two and a half bags of grass seed on top of it. I covered the soil and grass seed with a biodegradable covering in order to protect it and give it a chance to germinate, take root and grow. It seems a ludicrous thing to do just before the temperatures begin to plummet and the frost covers the ground and the snow begins to fall, but I did it because I was told that it is the best time to do so. After watering it for the first time, I was down on my knees squinting at the dirt to see if any of the grass had begun to grow talk about impatient! I realized I was expecting too much and so I waited a couple more days before I was down on my knees looking for signs of growth again. After a week of checking, my impatience was getting the better of me and I started to fret a little about whether the grass was going to grow at all and hold the soil together through the winter. I could imagine rain and snowmelt carrying my 26 cubic yards of dirt down the street. I did a web-search for how long for grass seed to grow? and learned that I was being impatient. Big surprise there! Forbearance is a word I like. It means patience, but has a good spiritual tone about it. In scripture we read that forbearance and patience is a characteristic of God and it is also an aspect of the fruit of the Spirit. We are commanded to be patient, to forbear in suffering which is when most of us are impatient. But patience should not be mistaken for not diligently pursuing something important. We are challenged to be persistent in regard to certain things, such as when Jesus told the story of the widow who persisted in asking for justice from the unscrupulous judge. He was teaching about how praying persistently is a sign of faith. It almost appears that he was teaching that her prayer was faithfully impatient because she knew the judge could grant her request if he wanted just as God is able to answer our faithful prayers. I have a request: I ask that you pray like Jesus told us to (persistently, even impatiently) for the seeds of faith to germinate and take root and spread in our congregation and beyond. I ask that you scatter Gospel seeds generously like you ll never run out of seeds and then pray for rain, pray for the miracle of germination, pray for the growth. Do you believe God can bring forth abundant faith? Do you believe God can transform hearts and lives? Is God capable of causing growth in matters of faith and trust? If we believe God can, then we ought to be earnestly, persistently, patiently praying. Will you join me in this prayer? Think of a patch of soil that is bare, lacking God s love, and begin to spread some seeds of love and then get down on your knees and pray over it. That bare patch may be in your own life, it may be in your home or family, it may be at work or in your neighborhood, it may be a local mission or beyond. The MSU Extension office said that the autumn is the best time to plant grass seed and though my intuition wondered if this was so, I acted on their advice. I believe and trust that the best time to pray for God to work in our hearts and through us is season-less. And I also believe that if we are persistent in this prayer, God will surprise us. By the way, our grass is growing, but prayers for it to hurry up would be appreciated as well. Blessings, Stephen Carl

2 November is Mission Month by Bill Sharp, Mission Committee elder Westminster has more than two dozen causes to which money, gifts and personal time are given each year. During November Westminster members will have the opportunity to learn in depth about a number of them as well as to learn of specific ways to pray for them and support them. Special Prayer Service followed by Prayer Vigil Westminster Mission Month begins with a short worship service on Saturday evening November 3 at 7 pm. Participating in this service will be Rev. David Kornfield of One Challenge International, along with Pastor King. Following worship you are invited to spend time at each of thirteen stations, learning about, praying for and considering how you might become involved with some of the our supported ministries. This Prayer Vigil will be a 12-hour event, concluding at 8 am Sunday November 4. Testimonies from a vigil participants Jennifer: Each week we read their names in the bulletin and we pray for them [Westminster mission causes]. We pray anywhere, anytime, in any way we choose. Yet, the faces of the lives they touch, the places where the work is being done, the ways in which God is moving and answering these prayers can remain a mystery. During the Prayer Vigil, that changes. We have the opportunity to see in specific detail how God is working in the through them to bring His great love and justice to the world. There is something very special and Spirit-filled about sitting silently in front of informational displays, in the quiet of the night, in our church home, lifting up specific names and places before the Lord. It changes us and fill us with hope in our God who is using Westminster to touch lives through our financial support, our encouragement to the missionaries and our prayers over their work. Come join in the prayer time. You will be changed in ways only God can imagine. Alice: It seems like an awesome thing to do, to attend a prayer vigil for a whole hour. Actually it is but only because talking with God is Awesome, especially when focused on concerns we all share. The Mission Committee makes it easy to participate. For each mission we support, there is a station where one can sit comfortably, read about the area of mission, meditate and pray. In addition, we are encouraged to pray for our church and our staff, using photos of each staff member and prayer suggestions. It is a blessing to see others quietly worshiping at the stations and to experience in a special way the sacred connection we have with each other and with God. The hour goes by very quickly! Education about Four Outreach Ministries Adult education classes in November will focus on four of Westminster s Mission Partners. These will take place during the 10 AM hour in the northeast corner of the fellowship hall. In addition to describing in detail the individual ministry, each of these sessions will be designed to emphasize how you can participate in the important work being done by each organization. November 4 One Challenge International, Rev. David Kornfield November 11 Latin American Fellowship, Pastor Gadiel Gomez November 18 Habitat for Humanity, Maggie Porter November 25 Salvation Army Staples Family Center, Chris Levleit Mission Causes Information Boards The thirteen boards set up in the fellowship hall for the prayer vigil will remain there throughout the month of November, in the hope that you will read them and take away a fuller understanding of the scope and needs of each organization as well as some knowledge of the individuals carrying out these ministries. October 28, the third through fifth graders in Sunday Detectives made, decorated and filled boxes to give to the guests at Riverside Community Gathering this Wednesday, Halloween. A note composed by the kids reads: Dear Riverside Community Gathering, The kids of Westminster Presbyterian Church made these Halloween boxes. We all really hope you like them. HAPPY HALLOWEEN! All the kids signed their names and at the bottom they wrote, We re all praying for you! Westminster members supported the annual CROP Walk, fighting hunger locally and beyond 2

3 Riverside Community Gathering celebrates five years In October of 2007, representatives from Westminster, First Presbyterian Church of Ypsilanti, Hope Clinic, Fort Street Open Door and gathered to plan in earnest a community meal ministry. It launched the following spring and has been providing a safe welcome, a hot meal and Christian fellowship for as many as 45 people from the Depot Town neighborhood in Ypsilanti every Wednesday night since then. On a recent Sunday evening fourteen members of the leadership team gathered for dinner to give thanks, remember and plan for the future. We incorporated thank-yous from community members as our prayer around the dinner table. Our congregation has graciously supported this ministry with funding, fresh baked breads, books, Christmas gifts, fresh produce, cards and more throughout the five years. Here, in their own words, is their gratitude expressed: Thank you for... Helping anyone and all throughout the years when things are hard. And sending us home with something. Thank you for all the kindness. Thank you for the great tasting dinner. Thanks for the bread too. Having support when you re in need means a lot. I appreciate every part you re there. I appreciate the meal every Wednesday evening. I m a senior on fixed income. The meal really helps as I have to eat out, sometimes I can t eat Riverside Community Gathering: A Christian fellowship where guests are greeted warmly and community is nurtured through a weekly meal and conversation out because I have no money to buy a meal. Thank you, food was great! Emily and son Thank you so much for all your prayers and support and love to myself, Rex, and Allan and Ron. Love in Christ, Dan Thank you for the great meal you all took the time to prepare. Thank you for your time. Much appreciated. Sue W. Thank you for the bread, the birthday cake Raymond Thank you for the wonderful bread and a pair of good books. God bless you! Thank you so much for dinner and the donation. Thank you to the men and women who took the time to bake these loaves of bread for the nutrition of the needy. Like Jesus, He took loaves of bread and fed 5,000. Thanks for everything ya ll do Nicole and family Thank you for the Irish soda bread and the meal we appreciate you. This church is awesome for hooking up all they ve hooked up in the community and town of Ypsi. You guys are like a second home, and most days I don t have nowhere to go. But Wednesdays I do. Thanks T.S. [Age 22] Thank all the volunteers for their kindness and dedication God bless Thank you from Eric I invite you to come to the prayer vigil on Saturday Sunday, November 3 4, to pray for this ministry. I also invite you to participate as the Spirit leads you Wednesday nights, 4:30 5:45 pm (First Presbyterian Church, 300 N. Washington, Ypsilanti). Cathi King 3

4 Children s News Noisy Offering, November 4, funds one of the Deacons Christmas Baskets. Please bring your loose change, and be surprised by how quickly it all adds up. Travel-size toiletries and socks are being collected by our fourth graders, now through early February, for the men who will stay at Westminster during our HEART (homeless shelter) week in February. Thanksgiving weekend Sunday school plans: Sunday, November 25, all pre-k through 5th graders will meet together, am, in rooms on the lower level. During the second worship service, following the Word Interpreted for Children, all children ages pre-k through 5th grade are welcome to leave worship and go downstairs to rooms for Advent crafts and activities. Sunday Detectives will not meet. Alphas and Omegas Schedule highlights, November and December: Weds, Nov 7, 14, 28 and Dec 12 and 19 Sats, Nov 10, 17 Sat, Sun, Nov 17, 18 Friday, Dec 7 Sunday, Dec 16 Saturday, Dec 22 Activities at 6:30 pm Football parking Rehearsal for and Youth-Led Worship (Sun, both services; 8:30 am) Til Midnight: 6 pm midnight Christmas Caroling, 12:15 pm Christmas by Candlelight, 6:30 pm Please see the web site for full details. Book reviewers wanted: Do you have a favorite book in the Westminster Presbyterian Church Library? Why not write a short review to lead others to enjoy and learn what you found so rewarding? Please contact Richard LeSueur ( r rlesueur@prodigy.net). Spiritual Classics: Timeless books that encourage us to hear and obey the word of the Lord We continue our series of reviews of classic books available in our church library. Larry Woodruff has written these as a way to assist others in their spiritual journey. These are not quick, easy reads but rather they are books that will stimulate us to examine our faith. Take time to reflect on what you are reading for there is no rushing spiritual development. A Serious call to the Devout and Holy Life, by William Law, William Law s book, A Serious Call to the Devout and Holy Live, describes his life and ministry. William Law entered Emmanuel College in Cambridge in 1705 to prepare for the ministry in the Church of England. He received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1708 and was ordained in Then suddenly his life changed. After Queen Anne died, George the First became the new king. William Law was among those who believed that another man should be king and refused to sign a statement of allegiance to the new king. Consequently William was not eligible for a position either in the church or in the college. Nevertheless he could write. He produced a number of books calling Christians to live a more faithful and devout life and to be more sincere about their faith. The famous preachers of the 18th century, John Wesley and George Whitefield, acknowledged that they were greatly influenced by William Law s books. The most popular of his devotional books is A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life. He deals with basic topics such as: On the Reward of Great Devotion ; The Emptiness of a Life not Governed by Devotion ; The Practice of Humility ; Intercession as an Act of Universal Love and The Excellency and Greatness of a Devout Spirit. Nourish your soul with good works, give it peace in solitude, get strength in prayer, make it wise with reading, enlighten it by meditation, make it tender with love, sweeten it with psalms and hymns, and comfort it with frequent reflections upon future glory. Keep your soul in the presence of God. William Law 4

5 Introducing Our New Members Margaret and Matthew Compton are transferring at a women s college in Virginia. Emily was married for 60 years and has 3 children: a son in Ann Arbor, a daughter in Hawaii, and a son in Tokyo, Japan. Emily and her husband lived in Japan for 12 years where he was a professor of economics at the International Christian University before moving to Sylvania where he taught at the University of Toledo. from People s Presbyterian Church in Milan. They have a 9-year-old son, Andrew. Matthew is an emergency physician; he enjoys swimming and cooking and looks forward to having a local church connection. Margaret, a speech therapist, is now at home with their son; she enjoys reading and her pets. The Comptons hosted an exchange student last year, a great experience. Beverly and Arden Shafer, long-time Ann Arbor Stephanie and Ken Faulk lived in San Francisco residents, are transferring from St. Andrews United Church of Christ in Dexter. They have three daughters and one son and three grandsons and one granddaughter. Arden is a CPA-financial planner and enjoys reading, travel, and time with the grandchildren. Beverly is a retired teacher and a homemaker; she enjoys cooking and baking for healthy eating, walking, reading, and knitting; a current project is making preemie hats for the NICU at Mott Children s Hospital. Both mention the outreach programs at Westminster as a draw, and Beverly adds friendly people and beautiful music. before moving to Ann Arbor; they were brought here to Westminster by friends. They have a one-year-old daughter, Averie. Ken is the theatre manager for Oakland Community College; he enjoys music, mountain biking, weight lifting, the educational benefits at Westminster, and playing with Averie. Stephanie traces her family back to the 17th-century Italian sculptor Bernini. As a young girl she participated in competitive ice skating events. She has worked as a program analyst for the Department of Veterans Affairs and loves to learn new things. She enjoys cooking and baking and is now the creator and head baker of Angel Care ministry at Riverside Community Gathering. Emily Gleason moved to Ann Arbor from Sylvania, OH, several years ago to be closer to her son and daughter-in-law who live in Ann Arbor. Emily heard about Westminster through their friends John and Beatrice Ellis. She is impressed by the outreach and mission activities of the church and greatly appreciates the ride she receives each week from nearby University Living. Emily grew up in Rochester, NY. After college, she received her master s degree in sociology and taught Sixty Plus Club meets Friday, November 16, at noon. Ralph Lange presents a program on the B-52 Stratofor- tress, one of the best-designed planes in the military. All are invited. RSVP to Bonnie Terpstra ( ) or or ). Phoebe Vance ( Advent Dinner is December 5 Watch for details later this month about this annual all-church dinner and program. 5

6 Introducing our Guests We are happy to rent parts of our building to many other organizations. We all benefit: The renters enjoy a comfortable space for their activities, our building is better-utilized throughout the week, and of course the rental income helps our Westminster budget. Russian School of Ann Arbor The Russian School of Ann Arbor was started in 2008 by a group of enthusiastic parents with the goal of offering classes in Russian to heritage-speaking children. It is still run as a non-profit by parents and volunteers, but it since its inception it grew into something much bigger than its founders first envisioned. On Thursdays and Saturdays at the facilities of the First Unitarian Church the Russian School offers children lessons in math, art, reading and other core subjects conducted in Russian, devised and taught by energetic, creative and qualified teachers. The original plan to offer educational services in Russian, however, has expanded beyond this scope. To carry out the mission of the school to support the preservation of the Russian language and culture and to aid community efforts at promotion of Russian and Eastern European culture, the school s offerings now include lessons in Russian as a Foreign Language for children and adults. The children s course is play-based and loved by both the parents and kids. Among the classes for adults the school has a fully original course in Russian through Film, Art and Music. It is a blended class where through a variety of media teens and adults learn about the Russian history and culture and study the incorporated language. Russian Summer Camp has already become a tradition. It offers kids age 5 12 four weeks of educational and entertaining programs each summer, and each week s content is different from the others. As to the youngest children, the school serves them and their parents as well. In 2011 it opened its year-round daycare program for kids age 2 K. The program, conducted at Westminster Presbyterian Church, is available both to Russian-speaking and non-russian-speaking children and offers great flexibility in scheduling for parents who can commit to anything from a few hours to three full days a week. The curriculum includes all modes of early development of speech, movement, musical ability, early literacy and numeracy and, of course, Russian. The school has a drama studio for children that meets weekly and produces two plays in Russian per school year. To facilitate the cultural exposure, the school organizes such one-time events as the Butter Week Celebration and Russian New Year Kids Party, and for the first time this year plans to have an immersion camp for children who do not speak Russian during spring break. The Butter Week Celebration in early spring is a fun event for kids and grown-ups alike, where everyone is invited to try their hand and luck at traditional Russian games, listen to Russian folk music and make and eat the fabled Russian blini. The Russian Immersion Camp will be an entertaining way for children to learn about this exciting culture while engaging in its traditional crafts, listening to its folk tales and learning a few bits of its language from the native-speaking Russians. The information of attending these and similar events is available at Proud to to be a cultural ambassador in the area, the Russian School of Ann Arbor invites everybody to stop by and see for themselves what its services are about, to meet, greet and become friends. Westminster Endowment Fund Contributions as of Sept 30, 2012 $107,960 Market value as of Sept 30, 2012 $133,861 Market value gain since Aug 31, 2012 $3,494 Minimum required principle $150,000 A good way to contribute to the Westminster Endowment Fund might be through a charitable gift annuity. Charitable gift annuities are arrangements backed the general assets of an organization such as the Presbyterian Foundation or the Vanguard or Fidelity mutual funds and provide the donor with regular payments for life. A charitable gift annuity is easy to set up through one of these organizations and is an effective and simple tool for charitable giving as well as retirement planning. 6

7 November 2012 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday * Missional Monday committee meetings include Administration, Adult Education, Children, Endowment, Fellowship, Membership, Mission, Stewardship and Finance, Worship, and Youth and Young Adults. A few committees meet at other times. Meeting locations and times are online at Please note: The official church calendar is maintained in the church office by Office and Facilities Manager Judy Slater. All event dates and room assignments in our building must be cleared with her. 9:30 am Disciple One 1 pm Book study 6 pm Disciple One 8 am Morning prayer 9:30 am Yoga with Kim 7 pm Prayer Vigil Opening Worship 8 pm 8:45 am Prayer Vigil for Missions 4 DAYLIGHT SAVING 5 6 noon Yoga with Kim 7 1 pm Needlecrafters 8 9:30 am Disciple One 9 8 am Morning prayer 10 8 am Men s Breakfast TIME ENDS 7 pm Elder and Deacon 4:45 pm Riverside 12:30 pm Kitchen 9 am Family Fun Time Worship w/ Communion training Community Gathering clean-up 9:30 am Yoga with Kim at 8:45 and 11:15 am 5:45 pm Wednesday 6 pm Disciple One Night Live! dinner and 5 th graders to Springhill activities 7 pm Property Camp through Sunday 6:30 pm Wed. Knitters Committee 7:30 pm Westm. Choir 11 Worship at 8:45 and 12 7 pm Missional 13 11:15 am Monday* committee 9 am 2 pm Westm pm Women s Bible 15 Deadline for October 16 8 am Morning prayer 17 staff retreat study issue of The Link 9 am Family Fun Time Sunday school for all meetings noon Sarah Circle; Yoga 4:45 pm Riv. Cmty. Gath. 9:30 am Disciple One 9:30 am Yoga with Kim ages at 10 am with Kim 5:45 pm Wed. Night Live! 1 pm Book study 11:15 am Sun. Detectives 7 pm Elder and Deacon dinner and activities noon Sixty Plus Club 6 pm Disciple One 7 pm Service of training 6:30 pm Wed. Knitters Remembrance 7:30 pm Westm. Choir 7 pm Deacons 18 Worship at 8:45 and noon Yoga with Kim 21 4:45 pm Riverside 22 THANKSGIVING DAY 23 Church offices closed 24 11:15 am 7 pm Session meeting Community Gathering Church offices closed Sunday school for all NO Wednesday Night ages at 10 am Live! dinner or activities 7 pm Thanksgiving Eve Worship 8 pm Westm. Choir 25 Worship at 8: noon Yoga with Kim 28 1 pm Women s Bible 29 9:30 am Disciple One 30 8 am Morning prayer 31 and 11:15 am study 1 pm Book study 9 am Family Fun Time Sunday school for all 4:45 pm Riv. Cmty. Gath. 6 pm Disciple One 9:30 am Yoga with Kim ages at 10 am 5:45 pm Wed. Night Live! dinner and activities 6:30 pm Wed. Knitters 7:30 pm Westm. Choir Westminster finances for the quarter ending Sept 30, 2012 Fiscal year 2013 income Actual 3-mo budget % actual to budget Pledges 52, , Other worship offerings 6, Building use rental 2,502 3, Misc income and transfers 409 1, Total income $62, , Fiscal year 2013 expenses Actual 3-mo budget % actual to budget Pastors and staff salaries, benefits, 32, , office expenses Christian education, fellowship, 1,182 5, deacons, worship Mortgage and property costs 7,353 35, Mission outreach 4,732 14, Total expenses $45, , And more: Bread for Riverside Community Gathering brought the first Sunday of each month Bags of groceries for the Hope Clinic pantry brought the third Sunday of each month Clothes for Fort Street Presbyterian Church Open Door program Camp Take Notice meals and New Beginning Basket supplies Westminster s Garden for Good and home grown vegetables... and so many other acts of generosity done by so many among us Year-to-date excess: $16,724 Additional donations 3-mo total Questions or concerns? Please contact Jeff Kennedy, Treasurer, or David Hammond, Financial Secretary. Needlecraft Ministry, prayer shawls 500 Faith Promise causes 3,312 Youth fundraising for mission trips 365 Total additional donations $4,177 7

8 Westminster Presbyterian Church 1500 Scio Church Road Ann Arbor, Michigan Sunday worship, 8:45 and 11:15 am; Classes for all ages, 10 am Wednesday Night Live! Dinner, classes, choir rehearsals for all ages beginning at 5:45 pm The Link Together, in community and with Communion, we celebrate those we loved and still love. All are welcome, including friends and neighbors Please bring a small framed photo of your loved one. Service of Remembrance Sunday, November 11, at 7 pm