Westwood World A Publication of Westwood Baptist Church October 2014

Transcription

1 Westwood World A Publication of Westwood Baptist Church October Edition 10 A Message from Our Senior Pastor Several years ago, Cindy and I received a letter from a law firm in Indiana. Our first thought was that it was probably just another piece of junk mail, randomly sent out to try and draw unsuspecting persons into some questionable scheme. But upon opening the envelope, we were surprised to find notification that a good friend had left us a small amount of money in his will. Harold, his wife Mildred, and her mother Ollie had adopted us as seminary students and provided many meals and wonderful times of encouragement and fellowship over the years. The money they so generously left us has been spent, but the inheritance of friendship lives on in our warm remembrances of these dear friends. To be an heir, in its best sense, is a sign of connection. It signifies a depth of relationship that binds one together with another or others. There is a heritage shared, a story that reminds one that he or she does not exist apart, but shares a connection with someone else. In writing to the church in Rome, Paul reminded his brothers and sisters in Christ that they shared a bond, as he wrote, together with Christ we are heirs of God s glory. Because of God s work of salvation and by their faith in the living Christ, they shared an inheritance that was to empower their daily lives, giving strength and encouragement for whatever they faced. These were powerful words of authentic relationship that connected them to their contemporaries, to generations gone before, and to those yet to be born. You and I continue as heirs of God s glory. We have been blessed by the faithfulness of others who have shared with us the great good news of the gospel and who have provided a heritage of faith that still informs our steps today. That is why I believe it appropriate to embrace the theme, Heirs of God s Glory for our stewardship emphasis this year. As we continue to celebrate Westwood s 50 years of ministry, we are being continually reminded that others have gone before us, paving the way for the service, ministry, and fellowship we enjoy today. Take a moment to think about someone at Westwood who has blessed your life. Most, if not all of us, could probably think of more than one person. I also believe that others most likely think of you when they remember the blessings of relationship with Christ through this body of believers. I will begin October 5 with a message entitled, Fruitful Living, based on Colossians 3:1-13, and conclude on November 2 with Sharing the Blessing, based on Acts 20: Throughout the month we will be considering the blessings, costs, and opportunities of this inheritance of faith we share in Christ and as members of Westwood. I hope you will join me in worship for this special time and be reminded that you, too, are an heir of God s glory! If you haven t done so already, make your reservation for the 50th Anniversary Dinner at Westwood on November 8, and plan to be in worship on the 9th for a very special conclusion to this year-long celebration of heritage we share as part of the Westwood family. Check out this edition of the Westwood World for further details. Jim Abernathy WESTWOOD WORLD October

2 Westwood Member News In Our Prayers... Al Sanders; Anne Daly; Andy Willetts; Berkley McKenzie; Betty Helfenberger; Bobby Royce; Cathy Hallmark s brother-in-law; Cathy Moody s father; Dave Nachison s father; Dave Schmitz; Dennis Hunt s father; Ed & Karen Armstrong; Ed & Joan Tarlosky; Eileen Griffith; Elise Clark; Emilie Bretz; Eric Williams; Ernie Kirkland; Faye Riley; Gary Gillespie; George Stone; Greisy Acosta s mother, Gregoria Hernandez; Helen Hill; Jackie Weaver; Jennifer Maguire; Jewel Bowers; Jim Abernathy; Jim Crupper; Joshua Brown; Kathy Boothe; Kevin & Nancy Kersh; Landon & Christina Taylor s friends, Joe Murphy and Olivia Hilton; Lauren Caruso s grandfather, Italo Cosentino; Lee Christensen; Lynda Mooney; Lynne Storer s grandson, Bo Storer; Martha Newman s brother-in-law Jim Smith; Martha Siemering s granddaughter, Olivia; Myrt Gildea s sister-in-law, Marge Blose; Nancy D Ambrosio; Olga Teutler s father-in-law, and her son-in-law s father; Pam & Thomas Daly s friend and neighbor, Maryann Ridge, and Pam s co-worker Afanyi Apaki; Paul & Tammy Hagen s friend Michelle Present; Rita Pearsall s daughter, Sherry; Rita Roberts niece, Karen Van Name; Ryan Balluck; Stephanie Wilson s mother, Linda Gibson; Tom & Barbara Hall s brother-in-law Joe Cook, and their friends Margaret Sutton and Kathy Eaton; Wakie Paganelli; and Yvonne Bryant. With Sympathy We mourn the passing of Don Anderson on September 18. Our sympathy goes to his children, grandchildren, and sister. We mourn the passing of Margaret Brown, who died on September 26. Our sympathy goes to her family. We express Christian sympathy also to Yvonne Bryant on the passing of her uncle, to Homa Sherdel whose husband has passed away, and to Rich Hawk on the passing of his mother. There will be a Quarterly Church Conference on Sunday, October 26, at 7 p.m. in the music suite. All are invited to attend. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Westwood Member News 2 Stewardship 3 Church Family Night 4 50th Anniversary 5-6 Community Involvement 7 Women on a Mission 8 Page Church Life 9 Adult Education 9 Preschool and Children s Ministry 10 Youth Ministry 11 Stewardship 12 Seniors Ministry 12 WESTWOOD WORLD October

3 A Special Invitation Heirs of God s Glory... A Stewardship Journey October 5-November 2 together with Christ we are heirs of God s glory. Romans 8:17b Join us each Sunday in worship for a journey into the stories of God s blessings past, present, and future! R.S.V.P. Pray, asking God to speak to you during this emphasis. WESTWOOD WORLD October

4 Church Family Night Wednesday Nights Church Family Night is back! Enjoy food, fellowship, music, and learning with your church family each Wednesday starting at 5:30 p.m. Dinner reservations must be made by Mondays at noon. (See reservation information below.) Church Family Night The Weekly Schedule Our regular Wednesday evening schedule begins with dinner at 5:30 p.m., followed by children s and youth activities at 6:15, adult seminars at 6:30, and Sanctuary Choir practice beginning 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 meet with Andre Towner for activities after dinner. Adult Seminar Begins October 22 On October 1 and 8, Randa Gray will finish the seminar, Forgiveness: Finding Peace through Letting Go. The next adult seminar begins on Wednesday, October 22. The 4-week seminar is entitled Jesus is the Question and is based on the book of the same title by Martin B. Copenhaver. In the Gospels, Jesus asks many more questions than he answers. Join Rev. Gray as we consider the many questions of Jesus and what they imply about following him. Potluck Fellowship Meals We give our cooking teams and our children s and youth workers a break with potluck meals every month or two. These special evenings focus on fellowship, intergenerational mission and other opportunities. Our first potluck is on October 15. Bring a dish to share. No reservations are required for potlucks. Make a Reservation Reservations are required for CFN dinners (except potlucks). They can be made by turning in a form found in the pews, or you can go online to to make weekly or standing reservations. Dinner costs $4 for those in fifth grade and older, $2.25 for children, ages 2 and under are free, and the family maximum charge is $17. Mark your calendars now for these important CFN dates: November 26 No CFN (Thanksgiving Week) December 10 Last CFN of 2014 January 7, 2015 First CFN of the New Year 2015 February 11 April 1 May 6 No CFN (Hypothermia Prevention Week) No CFN (Holy Week/Spring Break) Last CFN until fall WESTWOOD WORLD October

5 50th Anniversary Westwood Youth Support Mission Work Through Impact! Virginia Student missions is one of the foundation blocks upon which the Westwood Student Ministries Program is built. Although there are many different short-term mission events and opportunities for our students throughout the year, for the past 16 years the week-long Impact! Virginia Program has been the highlight of our summer program. Impact! Virginia is a coed, hands-on ministry for teens in Virginia. Each year Baptist youth come together in each of four different locations across the state. They join forces to make an impact on local communities through ministry projects focusing on home renovation and construction needs of low-income, elderly, and special needs families. Impact! Virginia works with local housing and social service agencies as well as Baptist Associations to designate priority housing needs. Work includes painting, roofing, cleaning, interior/exterior renovation, and general carpentry. Participants work all day on their sites under the supervision of qualified construction coordinators and other adult leaders. Evenings are devoted to high energy devotional services and fellowship. Westwood has participated in the Impact! Virginia Program for 16 years, starting way back in In that time we have sent almost 450 Westwood students into God s mission field under the guidance of more than 115 Westwood adult volunteers. We have covered the state from Wise in far western Virginia to Eastville on the Eastern Shore, and our students have probably worked on more than 150 different home sites. And the stories over the years are amazing The 16-year-old girl who became the recognized team leader for a roof re-shingle job. The three middle school students who worked all week to shore up rickety under-house pilings, replace completely rotten joists, and put down new plywood to create a new living room floor. The student interaction with the elderly female homeowner who was right in the middle of the construction fray because she was so thankful for the work going on around her. Wheelchair ramps (some as long as feet), repaired door frames, new porch rails, rebuilt decks, new roofs. The girl who accepted Christ in her life while kneeling in a bathtub in the middle of the debris from a handicapped bathroom makeover. And on and on and on We have changed lives. The homeowners that we helped had necessary repair and reconstruction work done, but they were also uplifted by the spirit and enthusiasm of a caring group of Christian teens. The lives of our own students were changed as they were surrounded by a large group of other teens of the same faith background. The lives of our adults were changed while seeing these young people grow and mature in their ability, their confidence, and their faith. And the life of our congregation has been changed as the infectious missions spirit works in our midst. We are given the opportunity to work with our students in our Youth Ministries Program for only a few years. Our goal is to plant a seed; to create a missions spirit in our students that will grow in our youth group today, and continue to grow into the next generation as they become adults with families of their own. Tom Kern WESTWOOD WORLD October

6 50th Anniversary (cont d) Upcoming Special 50th Anniversary Events There are several upcoming events related to Westwood s 50th Anniversary celebration that you will not want to miss. Please be sure to mark your calendars. Dedications Church-wide Clean-Up Day Sat., Oct. 18, 9 a.m. Sunday Worship with Special Music by The PromisedLand Quartet Oct. 19, 11 a.m. (Read more on p. 9) Senior Adult Sunday Worship Oct. 26, 11 a.m. 50th Anniversary Dinner and Program Sat., Nov. 8, 5 p.m. 5-6 p.m. Gather to Visit with former members and staff 6 p.m. Dinner in Whitten Hall and Narthex. Cost for dinner: Adults $15, children age 10 and under $9. Child care for children 4 and under available by reservation. R.S.V.P. by October th Anniversary Worship Service Sun., Nov. 9, 10:30 a.m. Forms for dedications made in honor or in memory of Westwood persons can be found at the Welcome Center. Donations of $5 are suggested. Names will be listed in the Order of Worship on November 9. (Donor names will not be listed.) A Special Request from 50th Anniversary Committee Please send a personal message (note, , phone call) to former members whom you would really like to see and encourage them to come for the anniversary weekend. You may be surprised at the outcome. Thanks! Sheena Forester WESTWOOD WORLD October

7 Community Involvement ECHO ECHO gladly receives computer hardware donations to refurbish and give to their clients for their use. They can accept the following items: Computers with USB port(s) Computer monitors flat screen (LCD only) Computer speakers, keyboards, mice, cables, power supplies, adapters These items can be dropped off any weekday from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at ECHO, 7205 Old Keene Mill Road, Springfield. Coats for ECHO Now that fall has arrived, ECHO will be concentrating efforts to provide warm coats for children and adults who need them this winter. If you have a clean, gently used coat or jacket in your closet that you aren t using any longer, give it a second life by donating it to ECHO. Place your donation in the gray bin outside the church office or take it directly to ECHO. Autumn Thank You More than 1,000 backpacks filled with gradeappropriate school supplies were given to ECHO client families before school began in September. Sixty-two volunteers stuffed the backpacks with thousands of items donated by our generous community, including the school supplies you donated during our ECHO emphasis month in June. ECHO will continue to collect school supplies throughout the year. Thank you for your ongoing support of this project. Weekend Food Packs Our project to provide weekend meals to students who need them is off to a fast start in its second year. Women on a Mission filled 36 food packs during their September meeting to help get us started in the new school year. We still need your donations of items on our needs list. Dick Marvin What goes into a weekend food pack? Start with a 1-gallon Ziploc Bag and fill each bag with: 2 Breakfasts: instant oatmeal, small box of cereal, or granola bar 4 Proteins (lunch & dinner): cup of soup, ramen noodles, Easy Mac, can/pouch of tuna or chicken, Vienna sausages, single serving ravioli, Beef-A-Roni, spaghetti, or peanut butter crackers 2 Fruits: applesauce or any single-serving fruit cup, dried fruit 1 Milk: long shelf-life 1 Juice: 100% juice box or pouch 1-2 Snacks: pudding, fruit snack, crackers, pretzels, cookies, or cheese crackers WESTWOOD WORLD October

8 Women on a Mission Women On a Mission We re Off to a Busy Start! In September, Westwood Women on a Mission assembled and packed 36 Weekend Food Packs that will go to children in area schools. These packs provide food for the weekend to children who receive free breakfast and lunch during the school week. Westwood will once again participate in this program throughout the year. A group of ladies sewed Little Dresses for India which were given to Leena Levanya when she visited Westwood in September. An important part of each dress is the cute buttons that adorn the pocket. During our September meeting, the ladies sewed buttons onto pockets and made the dresses ready to please 27 little girls! October Activity We are starting Christmas early! At our October 1 meeting, we will decorate and fill 20 Christmas stockings. They will be delivered to eastern Kentucky for use in December by missionaries working with people in need who live in Appalachia. Please join us on Wednesday, October 1 at 10 a.m. for a time of discovery, fellowship, and mission work. Blankets Needed Once again, Westwood Women on a Mission are asking you to donate new or like-new receiving blankets and baby blankets/afghans, until the middle of October. We use these items as the basis for layettes we assemble as our annual November project. We have been blessed to be registered as a charitable organization with the Parents of Multiples group, and so we are able to receive free sleepers and onesies from items not purchased at their semi-annual consignment sales. We match these items up with the blankets you donate, and then we assemble it all into layette kits which are given to area hospitals and other organizations that help needy new moms. Our goal is to donate two hundred layettes again this year, but we can t do it without your help. If you hate to shop or just don t have the time, you can give a financial contribution to either Joy Earner or Judi Kern and we ll do the shopping for you. There is a Pack-N -Play playard in the narthex for your items. Thank you for your support of this very worthwhile mission project. Judi Kern and Joy Earner To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1 WESTWOOD WORLD October

9 Church Life Work Day Volunteers Thanks to everyone who participated in the workday on September 13. We got a lot done! In preparation for our 50 th Anniversary celebration in November, we will have one more clean-up day to work around and inside our building on Saturday, October 18, starting at 9 a.m. Our Property Team is planning tasks from yard work to painting, so plan to join the fun on one or both of these dates, and help spruce up our building and grounds. Mark your calendar! Adult Education New Sunday School Class for Adults A new Sunday morning Bible study group is being formed for couples and singles in their mid- 20s to mid-30s. Beginning Sunday, October 5, this class, named Connections, will meet in Room 17, and it will be led by Stephen and Randa Gray. This will be a discussion-based class that centers around engaging the Christian faith amidst the things in life that keep us on the go work, social life, family, children, etc. This class will be informative with a relaxed atmosphere. Invite young adults you know to check it out! PromisedLand Quartet Westwood will host the PromisedLand Quartet in morning worship, Sunday, October 19. K.C. Armstong, who has sung at Westwood with the Army Chorus and Brethren through the years, recently joined this group, and he contacted us to see if we would be interested in hosting them. As music is so much a part of our heritage at Westwood, we thought this would be a great opportunity to host this quartet and celebrate the variety of music that has made Westwood such a blessing through the years. Invite a friend to join you for this gospel concert. The church office will be closed on Monday, October 13 for the Federal holiday. Please note, we will receive a love offering for this group at the service. WESTWOOD WORLD October

10 Preschool and Children s Ministry FunDay School Our Story Joseph and Pharoah Genesis 39:20 41:57, 45:1-15, and 50:15-21 Joseph has such a big story that it covers many chapters in the book of Genesis. By the time of this story, the people of God have grown generations beyond Adam and Eve and include the many descendants of Abraham and Sarah. Their grandson Jacob has 12 sons, one of whom is Joseph. He gets sold into slavery by his jealous brothers after making them very angry, and he finds himself alone in Egypt having to make his way. That s where we will pick up the story. We will learn how God took the bad decisions of Joseph s brothers and used them for good for his family and for the people of Egypt. Connect Class We are continuing the Unit 1: Beginnings study through the book of Genesis. We will study the Flood and the Tower of Babel, then do a rewind of the unit to wrap up the month. Church Family Night in October Throughout October, the preschoolers will continue their Bible study with Mrs. Dina and Theo at 6:15 p.m., followed by choir with Mr. Ariel and Mrs. Wanda, and craft and story time. Elementary students will talk about what missions work is and how we work together with God to make His kingdom a reality. We will also talk about disaster response ministries. Volunteers are always needed at 6:45 p.m. in the Art Room, #106. Come join the kids for choir with Pat Close at 6:15 and fun and learning at 6:45! Open Planning Meeting All those in the church who are interested in the Preschool and Children s Ministry are invited to a meeting on Sunday, October 19, at 9 a.m., in the FunDay School Art Room, #106. Come join in and participate in planning with the team. PASSPORTkids! Camp 2015 Our families met on September 21 and chose to attend the July 29 through August 1 PASS- PORTkids! camp session at Eagle Eyrie Conference Center in Lynchburg, Virginia. Camp is open to third through sixth graders, and it is always a great time. Reserve a spot now for your child by contacting Holly Bryant. The camp deposit is $60 and the total cost to attend camp is $150 for your first camper and $125 per child for additional campers from your family. Looking Ahead Sunday, Nov Operation Christmas Child shoebox packing during FunDay School Tuesday, Nov Westwood s traditional Thanksgiving Soup Supper Wednesday, Nov No Church Family Night Sunday, Dec. 7 - Children s choir presentation in worship Wednesday, Dec Night of 2014 Holly Bryant Last Church Family Our Memory Verse Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good. Genesis 50:20 WESTWOOD WORLD October

11 Youth Ministry Emergency Care and Medical Release Forms All youth group members (and friends participating in events with us) need to submit new Emergency Care and Medical Release forms for the year. Copies can be obtained from the Youth section of the Westwood website or from the church office. Upcoming Activities Youth Retreat at Eagle Eyrie October 3-5, Cost: $45 We'll travel to the luxurious Eagle Eyrie Conference Center located in scenic Lynchburg, Virginia. During the weekend, we will join youth from throughout Virginia in worship, breakout sessions and free time. The $45 fee covers food, lodging and all retreat materials. Nutrition Lab Meal Preparation Monday, Oct. 13 (Columbus Day) As part of our continuing outreach efforts, we ll be working a three-hour shift involving basic food preparation including chopping, peeling, or washing food at the DC Central Kitchen's Nutrition Lab. This will help produce some of the 10,000 meals DC Central Kitchen volunteers help prepare on a daily basis. Belvedere Cornfield Maze Saturday, Oct. 25 from 2-10:30 p.m. Cost: $5 Pig races, Pumpkin Patch Slide, and Hayrides! That s right, time to head on out to the Maize Maze Adventure at Belvedere. After a days worth of fun we ll relax by the bonfire for roasted hotdogs, smores and tales of valor and woe. Meetings Youth Advisory Committee (Adults) Saturday, October 11 at 9 a.m. Coordinate support for upcoming youth activities and evaluate the effectiveness of our ministry to our youth and community. Youth Leadership Council (Youth) Sunday, October 12 at noon (following worship service) Plan upcoming activities and discuss ways of ensuring the youth ministry remains relevant to young people. Weekly Youth Schedule Sundays Cafe & Announcements Youth Sunday School Morning Worship Youth Choir Youth Band Youth Dinner Sunday Night Live! Wednesdays Church Family Night Meal Youth Activities Be blessed, Andre Towner Stay In Touch 9:30 a.m. 10 a.m. 11 a.m. 5 p.m. 5 p.m. 6 p.m. 6:30-7:45 p.m. 5:30 p.m. 6:15 p.m. Andre (703) / andre.towner@westwood-baptist.org Westwood Baptist Church Youth Ministry Youth youth WESTWOOD WORLD October

12 ~ Older Adult Fellowship Upcoming Events Canasta 2nd & 4th Tuesdays from 1-3 p.m. Greenspring Village Towne Center Craft Room Join us on October 14 and 28 for fun and fellowship. Canasta is a great game that s fun and easy to learn. Alexandria Harmonizers Holiday Program Friday, December 5 at 6:30 p.m. Cost: $27 We have only a few tickets left for this popular production. RSVP today to Judi Kern at ABOVE: An unexpected photo op on the trip to Ladew Gardens in Monkton, MD in September. Photo by Bob Fugate. Christmas Party Thursday, December 11, 2014 Save the date! Look for details coming soon. Rita Roberts DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME ENDS November 2 Items for the November issue of Westwood World are due by Wednesday, October 15, and should be sent to Martha Newman at martha.newman@westwood-baptist.org. Westwood Baptist Church, 8200 Old Keene Mill Road, Springfield, VA WESTWOOD WORLD October