Westwood World A Publication of Westwood Baptist Church May 2018

Transcription

1 Westwood World A Publication of Westwood Baptist Church May Edition 5 A Message from the Intentional Interim Minister Let s Keep Listening and Praying In the mid-1960s, West Springfield was the cutting edge of the suburban dream. White middle class professional and educated families were snatching up newly built houses before the paint dried. Typical all-american families in the hood near what would become Westwood were pouring into Christian congregations. Especially, they were drawn to churches with family programming and well-organized youth groups. Churches built and they came. A church s median age might be very young. Local blue laws bolstered congregational success by eliminating Sunday competition. Westwood and the neighboring hood flourished. In those early days, 99.5% of those living in Fairfax County were, like Bruce Springsteen, born in the USA. Most were Christian and white. But that was then, and this is now. Fifty years later, 97% of the housing in West Springfield has existed 30+ years. The percentage of Fairfax residents born outside the country has gone from.5% to 30% almost one in three, mostly brown and non-english speaking; 38% of families near Westwood speak a non-english language at home; and the number of languages spoken in Fairfax County schools is, safe to say, well over 100. All that, friends, and we ve only just begun to understand the scope of cultural changes since Westwood began. For example, consider the impact of cultural changes such as civil rights, racial integration, the displacement of industrialism by information technologies, and the degree to which supporting services such as food stamps, Medicaid, transportation, public schools, etc. have been altered. Let s consider one additional variable: religion. Half a century after the West Springfield hood and Westwood were formed, religious affiliation has experienced a 180-degree turn. Currently, the website Bestplaces.com reports 46.38% of the people in Fairfax County have no religious affiliation, i.e., 1 of 2 people have no connection with organized faith. Of those who do, Catholics are 18.01%, and the largest Protestant group is Baptist at 3.5%, nearly a third fewer than our Muslim friends at 4.78%. Someone recently said, We need to focus our resources and efforts outward to the community. I hear this voice quite often. Most are not referring to our current effective ministries such as Hypothermia Prevention or ECHO. Nor are they speaking of creation care. As wonderful as these ministries truly are, no one thinks they alone can sustain Westwood s future. What if God is calling Westwood to concentrate energies and resources toward neighbors and soon-to-be friends in the community who potentially will become passionate partners in Christ s Kingdom work? Not for the purpose of sustaining a congregation, but for expanding God s work through Westwood? Friends, don t panic. God knows the way forward. Let s keep listening. The Transition Team is entering a very important phase of their work. None of us can afford to take the summer off. The team desires more than ever to be helpful to the congregation. Again, keep listening... and praying. Pastor Mike Poole WESTWOOD WORLD May

2 Westwood Member News In Our Prayers... Al & Carolyn Sanders, and their son Steve; Aminata Jalloh and her father; Andy Willetts; Ann Williamson; Anne Daly; Berkley McKenzie; Bob Nelson s friend R. Michael Anderson; Bob Shelton; Byrdie Fash; Carolyn Dickens friend Teri; Cathy Hallmark s brothers Pete and Tommy; Chase Shelton and family; Chuck Young; Dale Yingling and family; former member Danielle Yeager s son-in-law Andy McDonald; Dave Bergmann*; Dave Schmitz; Del Purkey s father; Dianne Winegar; Donna Young s father; Duke Wheeless; Ed & Karen Armstrong; Ed Tarlosky; Eddie Maguire s brother Bob, and his friends June & Joe and Angie; Elise Clark; Eric Williams; Faye Riley; Greisy Acosta s mother; Helen Hill; Jackie Weaver; Janet Heine; Jean Purkey; Jim Crupper; Jim Moody s father; Josh Towner*; Joy Earner s neighbor David; Joyce Taormina; Kathy Boothe; Kathy Freeman s father and mother; Kay Cumbie; the Keene family s friend Addy; Landon Taylor (El Salvador); Laura Nachison s nephew Brady; LaVonne Boyer, her daughter Mary, and her granddaughter Elena; Lee Christensen; Lera League; Lynda Maguire, and her friend Annette; Marie Skalski, and her friends Suzan and Dale; Martha Newman s sister, Mary Ellen; Megan Purkey s friend Suzanne and Suzanne s boyfriend Ralph s family; Mindy Burts mother; Nancy & Warren Graham; Nicholas Frazier; Olga Teutler s father-in-law and her friend June s mother; Pam Daly, and Pam and Thomas Daly s friend Maryann; Paul Sonnhalter; Phil Alexander; Richard Benham s wife, Shelly; Rita Pearsall; Sally Miller; Sandy Milam s sister Cristy and her brother Win; Sonja Beavers mother; Stephanie Moerman; Sue Latham; Tom and Deanita Verbeck s son-in-law Scot, and their niece Pam; Virginia Hole s neighbor Louisa; and Yvonne Bryant. *Active Duty Military With Sympathy We mourn the passing of longtime Westwood member Alleen Wheeless. We extend our deepest sympathies to her husband Duke and their family. We mourn the passing of longtime Westwood member Wallace Brinkley. We extend our heartfelt sympathies to his wife Phyllis and their family. We extend our Christian sympathies to Patti Heller on the passing of her mother, and to Martha Newman on the death of her aunt Jeanne Dorr. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Page Westwood Member News 2 Summer at Westwood 3 Deacon Nominations 4 Community Involvement 5-6 Women on a Mission 7 Older Adult Fellowship 7 Church Life 8 Adult Education 9 Sanctuary Team 9 Preschool & Children s Ministry 10 Youth Ministry WESTWOOD WORLD May

3 June Summer at Westwood Get out your planning books we ve got a busy summer ahead! Watch for details and more events in upcoming Sunday bulletins and the Westwood Express. Friday, June 8 Westwood Night at the Nationals Saturday, June 9 MACBF Great Obstacle Race Sunday, June 10 Mandatory Impact Training #1 Wednesday-Saturday, June PASSPORTkids! Camp Sunday, June 24 Mandatory Impact Training #2 July Sunday, July 1 Mandatory Impact Training #3 Monday-Friday, July 9-13 Vacation Bible School Saturday, July 14 U.S. Army Chorus Concert Sunday-Saturday, July Impact Virginia! TBD August Red Activities especially for Youth Green Activities especially for Children Black Open to Everyone Congratulations to John and Erin Hawk on the birth of John Richard Hawk IV on April 25. The baby s grandparents are Rich and Susie Hawk. Ask the Lord for rain in the springtime; it is the Lord who sends the thunderstorms. He gives showers of rain to all people, and plants of the field to everyone. Zechariah 10:1 (NIV) WESTWOOD WORLD May

4 Deacon Nominations Deacon Nominations The Nominating Committee is charged with the responsibility of recommending men and women to serve a term of three years on the diaconate. This year we will select seven persons to serve as deacons. Church policy dictates that the committee poll the church for two consecutive Sundays seeking recommendations from the church body. Any church member may recommend as many as two persons for each vacancy. Please give prayerful consideration to this selection process and bear in mind the following guidelines as set forth in our bylaws: Characteristics of a deacon outlined in Acts 6 and I Timothy 3 Gifts of caring for and ministering to persons Qualities of faithfulness in support of Westwood, her ministries, and life together Look for ballots in Sunday bulletins on May 6 and 13. Enter up to 14 nominations and sign your ballot. Place signed ballot either in the offering plate or in the church office. WESTWOOD WORLD May

5 Food Fight! Join other churches and organizations in our area for another Food Fight on May 4-6 at the Dulles Expo Center in Chantilly. This year s Food Fight is being coordinated by Feed My Starving Children and New Hope Church. The challenge this time is to pack 3.5 million meals as well as to bring canned goods donations for Capital Area Food Bank. Together we can feed our neighbors, near and far. Volunteers are needed! Go to to learn all about the Food Fight and to sign up to help pack. There are also opportunities to help financially with paying for the meals. Community Involvement Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive ECHO continues to provide food and personal care items to our neighbors who require some assistance. Although June is Westwood s month to support ECHO directly, May offers another type of opportunity to help ECHO help others. Flags at Quantico On Saturday, May 26, we will gather with other volunteers at Quantico National Cemetery to help prepare for Memorial Day celebrations by helping to place flags. Sign up at the Welcome Center beginning May 6 to participate in this special project. Check for more details in Sunday bulletins and the Westwood Express in May. WESTWOOD WORLD May The National Association of Letter Carriers will conduct its annual Stamp Out Hunger food drive on Saturday, May 12. If your letter carrier chooses to participate, you will receive a notice requesting donations in a sack of packaged or canned foods to be placed near your mailbox on May 12. If your mail is delivered from the Burke, West Springfield, or Springfield post offices, all the contributions will come to ECHO. When filling your sack this year, Lucinda Marvin, ECHO food co-chairman, suggests the following items are really needed at this time: shampoo, detergent, deodorant, children s toothbrushes, condiments, and spaghetti and other dry pasta. Thank you for supporting ECHO. June Is ECHO Month In June, Westwood will focus on supporting ECHO in meeting the needs of our less fortunate neighbors by conducting two major collections. This year we will focus on personal care items that ECHO distributes with food. These items are important to the families who receive them but are not covered under the Supplementary Nutrition Assistance Program. We will collect this material each Sunday in June, starting on June 3. Detailed lists of what to donate will be provided in the June Westwood World. (Con nued on page 6)

6 Community Involvement (cont d) (Con nued from page 5) FACETS Hypothermia Prevention and Response Program Working together, FACETS, Fairfax County and over 50 faith communities offered a warm welcome, a hot meal, case management and a safe place to sleep for those who were experiencing homelessness this past winter season. 282 guests were given shelter from the cold this season; broken down, 224 males and 58 females were served. Because of case management benefits and housing counseling, 41 of our neighbors were safely and stably housed by the end of the season. FACETS will continue their mission of trying to find a home for all by providing case management at the Lamb Center (the only day shelter in the county) and other shelters and reaching out to those sleeping in the woods during the warm weather months volunteers gave of their hearts and heads and hands, their time and talents for over 33,000 hours this Hypothermia season. Donations valued at approximately $1.2 million were given to support our neighbors experiencing homelessness, poverty and hunger this winter. FACETS asked guests where they expect to spend warm weather months. The responses: other shelters, house surfing, the woods, or moving to other states. Next season, FACETS dates for Hypothermia are Nov. 25, 2018-March 30, FACETS is looking for three to four faith communities willing to open on an emergency basis March 31-April 15, 2019, in case of late season storms or extremely cold weather. Westwood s week to host next season is Feb. 3-9, We now are actively looking for volunteers to join the Leadership Team in roles such as Security Lead, Dinner Lead, Breakfast Lead, and possibly others. Please contact Lucinda Marvin and Sandy Milam for more information. Leena Lavanya and ServeTrust News Westwood was pleased to have Leena Lavanya visit with us and participate in Sunday school and worship on April 29. Westwood was her first stop on a month-long tour of ten churches in Virginia, North Carolina and Texas. She is always eager to visit with and thank her supporters and to meet new people. If you would like to know more about Leena s work in India, ServeTrust has unveiled a new website at There you will find a colorful and upto-date depiction of ServeTrust s and Leena s story. This website focuses in detail on ServeTrust s extensive social ministries for the thousands of marginalized in rural India the poor, destitute and sick. This includes schools, hospices, village ministries of care and support, and ministries empowering women. What you will not see is information about ServeTrust s extensive village church ministry. Leena does not share that information because the current religious and political environment in the rural areas is very cautious. But she wants us to know that today there are churches planted in 86 villages! If you missed seeing and hearing from her at Westwood on April 29, you will have another chance to see and hear Leena in Northern Virginia. On May 13, Leena will speak in worship at McLean Baptist Church. If you are travelling, check ServeTrust s website for other stops on her tour. Please keep Leena in your prayers as she travels this week, and keep those who are leading the ministries in her absence. WESTWOOD WORLD May

7 Women on a Mission Women on a Mission At our May get-together, we are going to continue our mission project work on those fabulous Pot People! All the base coat painting has been completed, and we are moving onto the next step giving them personality! This is so much fun, and you don t want to miss it. (Even if you weren t able to be with us in April for the first step, you have not been left behind. We have more base-painted pots ready than there were ladies available in April to work on them.) We hope you will join us on May 2 at 10 a.m. in Whitten Hall for the completion of this great project. When completed, the Pot People will be given out to residents at Manor Care Nursing Facility for their enjoyment. Summer Sewing: Pillowcases Each summer we plan a mission project for the ladies (and gentlemen) who are available to sew, iron, and pin. This summer we will be making pillowcases for the Pediatric Unit of Inova Fairfax Hospital. These pillowcases are given to children who come into the hospital for treatment and procedures. When the children leave for home they take their pillowcases with them. Beginning June 6, we will meet every Wednesday morning of June, July, and August from 10 a.m. noon. We typically go out for lunch afterward. We know that everyone has a busy schedule over the summer, so come whenever you are able. If you can, please bring your sewing machine. As always, we have plenty of work for those who don t sew. If you have any questions please contact Judi Kern for more information. Judi Kern and Joy Earner Older Adult Fellwoship Canasta 2 nd & 4 th Tuesdays at 1-3 p.m. in Greenspring Village Towne Center Join us May 8 and 22 for fun and fellowship. Canasta is a great game that s fun and easy to learn. The Church Office will be closed on Monday, May 28 in observance of Memorial Day. WESTWOOD WORLD May

8 Church Life End of Year Cookout Have you made your reservation? The last CFN meal of the year will be a cookout in the church parking lot on Wednesday, May 2. Bring a chair! In case of rain the picnic will move indoors to Whitten Hall. Volunteer Appreciation Dinner An appreciation dinner for all church volunteers will be held on Wednesday, May 9 at 6 p.m. in Whitten Hall. The meal will be catered by Brion s Grille, and church staff will serve you. If you are a volunteer and you have not received an e-invitation, contact Rev. Gray. Westwood Night at the Nationals Save the date! We still have tickets to the Nationals vs. San Francisco Giants game on Friday, June 8. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased at the Welcome Center or directly from Rev. Gray. Don Forester Scholarship Don Forester loved and encouraged the youth of Westwood for many years. Several years ago, the Don Forester Scholarship fund was established to assist Westwood youth and their families with college expenses. Applications for this year s Forester Scholarships are now available on the Westwood website and in the church office. High school seniors and current college undergraduates are eligible to apply. Multiple $1,500 scholarships will be awarded this year. Applicants are encouraged to complete and submit their applications no later than May 15. Awards will be made in June. Contact Pam Seay, Chair of the Forester Scholarship Committee, for more information. Thank You Dear Family of Faith, Thank you for the warm welcome you extended to Martha Lee s family and friends. It moved me to see how much she was loved, appreciated, and known among you. It was demonstrated by every word and deed I saw in Westwood Baptist Church. Especially appropriate for me was the very special lunch provided by the angels who prepared the delicious food to feed us all. No better way to honor Martha Lee, whose life sustained us all in many ways and famous for her delicious recipes. Please thank every one of those angels for me. I take comfort in knowing my brother Bob is surrounded by so many open hearts full of love, and I know he is good hands among you. Blessings, (another) Martha Fugate WESTWOOD WORLD May

9 Adult Education Day/Night Bible Study Our final Day/Night Bible Study for the school year will be a DVD study on the healing power of pain and memory. We ll use the book A Crazy, Holy Grace by Frederick Buechner and the DVD Participant Guide as our study resources. The four-session study will begin on May 14. Rev. Gray will lead the Monday morning sessions in Whitten Hall from 10-11:30 a.m. You may sign up for this study at the Welcome Center on Sundays. The resources (book and participant guide) are $10. Sanctuary Team Celebrating the Earth in Worship In celebration of Earth Day in the month of April, a new banner was hung in the sanctuary on April 15. The banner is made with a strip-quilted background of blues and greens, a blue and green planet earth at the lower left side, and radiating stripes of blue and green. A combination of solid and batik fabrics add to the natural effect. The quilt was conceived and created by the Banner Committee, including Carolyn Dickens, Cathy Hilliard, Joy Meyer, Randi Kudner, and Sandy Milam. We will add a Tuesday evening study if there is enough interest. Please indicate your interest on the signup sheet. WESTWOOD WORLD May

10 Preschool & Children s Ministry FUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS WANTED Grades 1 to 4 Teach one lesson Science, Art, or Drama for one month, on just one Sunday. Lessons are provided. Sign up at the Welcome Center. If you have questions, contact Rebecca Larson at: larsonsinnova@gmail.com Pentecost Sunday Children age 3 to 6th grade are invited to wear red on Sunday, May 20 and participate in a Holy Spiritfocused activity! This activity will take place in Whitten Hall during worship service, starting after Children s Time. Parents may pick up their children in Whitten Hall at the conclusion of the service. Vacation Bible School July 9-13 VBS will be here before we know it! We are now recruiting volunteers. If you have volunteered in the past, please expect a call from a VBS Director in the next few weeks! And please continue to pray for the children who will attend VBS this year. HAPPY MOTHER S DAY! WESTWOOD WORLD May

11 Youth Ministry SNL! (Sunday Night Live) Study We are continuing our study series called Finding God in Popular Music. We are exploring how popular, seemingly non-christian music our youth listen to relates to faith. May SNL! Dinners Calling all Chefs: Would you or your group or class be willing to provide Sunday evening dinner for our Youth group sometime soon? Please talk to Susan or Jessie, or sign up at the Welcome Center. Dinner can be something simple like sandwiches or pizza or something complex like lasagna. The choice is up to you we re not picky. We just appreciate your support. We eat at 6 p.m. in Whitten Hall, and we typically have 20 youth and adults in attendance. If you like, please hang around and get to know our youth better! Youth Sunday and Service Auction Our Youth will take the lead in worship on Sunday, May 20th. This is also Pentecost Day and our theme will center around celebrating not only our Youth but also the Holy Spirit. If you are a youth interested in helping out in any way, be it something simple like collecting the offering or something more complex like sharing a brief testimony (faith story), please contact Jessie or Susan. We will have a Youth Service Auction on the same day to benefit Youth Missions. Some ideas for services to auction include baking a cake, babysitting, mowing grass, and raking leaves. There will be a silent auction in the narthex before and after worship where anyone can bid on these services. If you would like to provide a service to benefit Youth Missions, please contact Lera League or Jessie Kearns. ONGOING YOUTH OPPORTUNITIES Update on Small Groups The High School Girls meets on Monday nights The Middle School Girls meet on alternate Mondays The Middle School Boys meet on alternate Tuesdays Get excited... We have a new group starting up The 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 We are seeking ideas and input for our Wednesday evening Youth Meetings. If you have any thoughts or suggestions on this please contact Jessie. Youth Planning Committee Meeting Sunday, May 6 after worship in the Conference Room. All are welcome! We meet monthly after worship on the first Monday. Youth Scripture Readers Our youth have been taking turns reading Scripture during our Sunday morning worship services. This 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 at the invitation of Megan and Becca. If you are interested in reading to the preschoolers in the library on Sunday mornings please contact Jessie. WESTWOOD WORLD May

12 Youth Ministry (cont d) ECHO Food Drive May 5:00pm - 8:30pm ECHO will receive about 20,000 pounds of food on May 12 and they need help sorting everything out. Youth need to be able to lift and carry pounds and you must be at least 13 years old. The work is hard but rewarding, knowing that you are making a difference. For more information, please contact Lucinda Marvin or Jessie Kearns. Painting & Laser Tag Join us on Saturday, May 19 from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. as we repaint the back part of the youth room that we use for SNL! The theme is Reach for the Stars! and the Bible verse is Matthew 19:26, "with God all things are possible." We'll paint a night sky with stars shining brightly over a dark tree line. Then later we'll hang a string around the room with clothespins and clip photos of our youth that can be changed periodically. At the end of the night we'll reward ourselves with even more fun: two games of LASER TAG at ShadowLand! Paint and supplies, along with lunch and dinner will be provided by the church. The cost for Laser Tag is $14.50 per youth. Please make sure you wear old clothes you don't mind getting paint on. For more information, contact Jessie. Letter from Jessie In April we had several events going on in the lives of our Westwood Youth, including Mission Madness and Mam Mia s. A big THANK YOU to everyone who made these events a success! We are so blessed to have a group of young people who really enjoy serving. In May, in addition to the ECHO Food Drive, we are planning our Service Auction and Youth Sunday. The first thing that comes to mind when I think of May is Mother s Day! This might not be an official holiday on the liturgical calendar, nevertheless, it is certainly a day to be celebrated. I m at that age now where random people will assume that I m someone s mom and wish me a Happy Mother s Day. This used to bother me but now I see things differently. While I have not yet been so blessed as to become a parent, I do have a mother. And a good one at that! So I feel that Mother s Day is not just for mothers but for all who celebrate them. After all, she taught me many valuable lessons in the form of short phrases like, Treat people the way you want to be treated and my favorite, Two wrongs don t make a right. If you think about it, that first saying is pretty much the same as the Golden Rule, Matthew 7:12 do to others as you would have them do to you. The second saying is similar to Romans 12:17 do not repay evil for evil. My Mom was raised in the church and even though she didn t go again until I was a teenager, these little bits of faith remained with her and she passed them on. For that I am very grateful! In many ways it is because of those seeds of faith which grew in me, that I am able to serve and minister as I do today. To our youth: This month when you celebrate your mothers, I pray that you will be able to recall the faith sayings that have been passed down to you. Realizing that some of you might not have an ideal relationship with your mom, I pray that you will remember the women who have been there for you and planted seeds of faith in your life. Blessings, Jessie Kearns Minister with Youth WESTWOOD WORLD May

13 Our Selfies Six youth travelled to Richmond on April for Mission Madness: Simon Burts, Juliette Frazier, Allison Gray, Annie Gray, Berkley McKenzie, and Will Purcell. Their chaperones were Tim Church, Doug McKenzie, and Holly Schmitz; and their leader is Rev. Jessie Kearns. Westwood s annual Mama Mia s took place on Saturday, April 21 when the theme was Back to School. Rich Hawk, Mark Schiffner, Ariel Goldchain, Dina Church and John Freeman put together a great evening of entertainment that moved along smoothly. Bravo to the Drama Club, the AV Club, the Cafeteria Ladies, and the Youth wait staff. Items for the June Westwood World are due by Tuesday, May 15 at noon. yours to martha.newman@westwood-baptist.org with Westwood World in the subject line. Westwood Baptist Church 8200 Old Keene Mill Road, Springfield, VA WESTWOOD WORLD May