1520 Rickwood Rd. Florence, AL 35630 256)766-3841 November 2018 It is really hard to believe it has been twenty years since Janice and I came to Florence, thirty years since I took the vows of ordination and became a minister! It seems like just yesterday when I stood before the installation commission of North Alabama Presbytery and heard Charlotte Canon say, in her charge to the congregation of Westminster,...it is just like John said in his sermon this morning......... What was it you said, John, I can t remember? Well, it has been twenty years and we have been through a lot together. We have shared in joy and in sadness. We have been through great triumphs and great tragedies. We have worked together, played together, worshipped together, shared in marriages and births and baptisms and deaths. People have come and people have gone. Programs have started and programs have ended. The church has ebbed and flowed. And through it all we have been a team, A FAMILY. As Paul tells us in I Corinthians: God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is an [indispensable] part of it. Together we are the body of Christ here in this community. We have suffered with each other in our sufferings. We have rejoiced with each other in our individual honors. We have worried and fretted. We have hoped and dreamed. We have plodded along always seeking to bring glory and honor to God through Christ in all that we are and in all that we have done. Over all, it has been a glorious 20 years, even with the times of fear and times of sadness. God has richly blessed us day in and day out. Last month I was surprised by the reception and honor you gave me in celebration of those twenty years. And I am truly thankful for the cards and gifts and prayers. But, as Paul said, if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. It has been my honor and privilege to serve with such a loving and caring congregation. Any honor I have received is due to you, the members of Westminster. Janice and I both share in saying, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! November Birthdays Paula Offutt 1 Carly James 12 Gert Favenesi 15 Joyce Horton 23 Devonia Mimbs 27 Alonda Crosslin 28
Sterling Mimbs-Ninja The Mimbs: Sam, Sandra & Sterling Tanner Superman Crosslin The Heinitz Family: Robbie, Audra & Ayla
Jessica Bailey Sterling Mimbs at the pumpkin patch Ransom & Soren Blaylock picking their pumpkin! 3
Salvation Army Teen Christmas Project The Christmas season is already in full swing at the Salvation Army. They have already started taking applications for their Christmas assistance program which includes the Angel Tree gifts for infants through 12 years old and generous food bags for families. Since the teens aged 13 through 18 are not covered in their assistance, Westminster has been providing gifts for these teens for the past 25 to 30 years. But we cannot provide this ministry of love and gifts without your assistance. So on Sunday, November 11, we will receive a Special Offering during the worship service to help buy gifts for these teens. Last year we provided gift bags for 215 teens! So any financial assistance you can provide will be welcomed. An envelope will be included in the bulletin November 11 for your donation. If you use a check, make it payable to Westminster Presbyterian Church and mark FOR SALVA- TION ARMY TEENS. If you are not at church on that Sunday and want to contribute to the teen gifts, just drop your donation by the church office or put in the offering plate any Sunday marked for the Salvation Army Teen Gifts. If you would like to help shop, pack bags or distribute the gift bags, just let Sandra Perry or Sally Parker know. The Outreach Committee asks everyone to join us in making this a blessed Christmas for these teens. MERRY CHRISTMAS TEENS from all your friends at Westminster! Westminster Fellowship group ate at UMI s Japanese Steakhouse. We will take a break during the busy holidays and start back in January!
Stewardship Luncheon Remaining packets will be in the Narthex YOUR money at work... 5 On August 19, 2018 we received a special offering for the Presbyterian Children's Home in Talladega. This offering collect $404.00 that has been forwarded to the Children's Home to provide these children with a safe and loving environment to live and attain a quality education. Thank you for your generosity.
So We Can Know & Show Our Care Immediate Needs: Charles & Hilda Anderson, Ben Barnes, Jean Blair, Kim Eckl, Peggy Lewis, Frances Moody, Jean Paxton & an unnamed prayer request. Mitchell Hollingsworth: Sue McClure Rm. 236, Kate Hicks Rm. 425 At Home: Darwin Mitchell Our sympathy is extended to Susan Johnson in the recent loss of her sister-in-law, Dru Johnson. Westminster received a monetary gift from the Doris Iseli Estate. Part of this gift has been donated to the Help Center in memory of Doris and the labor of love she gave to the center. Dear Westminster Family, Thank you so much for the prayers, calls, and cards during my surgery and recovery. This INSIDE meant so STORY much to HEADLINE Sally and me. With love, MQ Parker 6
A BOY AND HIS DOG Have you turned on your heat? Doesn't it feel good on cold days? The homeless population does not have this luxury that we so often take for granted. To help keep them a little warmer Westminster is having a "warm" drive November 4 thru November 18. There will be a collection box in the narthex. The items we collect will be given to The Room in the Inn to distribute to those in need. We are concentrating on collecting heavy socks and gloves of all sizes. If you have gently used items such as jackets, blankets, caps, etc. we will be pleased to take them also. Help us share with those less fortunate. Bob & June Howard s grandson, Cale Eckl, saved a dog that was scheduled to be euthanized. Soon afterwards, he was hit by a car while out on a walk with Cale and had to have his leg amputated. Chester has healed well and is the happiest dog ever! He loves Cale so much, and the feeling is mutual! The two have become inseparable! 7
Gert Favenesi granddaughter, Emma is studying this semester in France. Her mom & brother got to travel over for a visit! Tanner Crosslin is thrilled to announce that he has accepted a job with OxyChem. He will be a Process Engineer at their plant in Geismar, Louisiana, near Baton Rouge. He will graduate AU in May and begin work in June. Congratulations Tanner! 8
Bessie Bessie Salter and her sisters recently celebrated in Lima, Peru with their mother whose 90th birthday party was quite an event. More than 50 family members, including grandkids, great grandkids, and a host of nieces, nephews and friends attended. Nick & Sue Winn recently celebrated their son s 50th birthday in Brentwood, TN! Nick V 9
Don Adams youngest grandson Dean Caring Place Open House Sunday, Nov 18th 2:00-4:00 216 Marengo St., Ste. 1 Florence, AL Come See Our Progress.Help Us On Our Journey Nick & Sue enjoyed a trip to Pigeon Forge. Nick did the 7-line zip course at Legacy Mountain! Highest one was 450 ft., fastest was 50 mph and longest was 2,600 ft! Sue & Bella enjoyed being spectators! 10
This story can fit 175-225 words. If your newsletter is folded and mailed, this story will appear on the back. So, it s a good idea to make it easy to read at a glance. A question and answer session is a good way to quickly capture the attention of readers. You can either compile questions that you ve received since the last edition or you can summarize some generic questions that are frequently asked about your organization. A listing of names and titles of managers in your organization is a good way to give your newsletter a personal touch. If your organization is small, you may want to list the names of all employees. If you have any prices of standard products or services, you can include a listing of those here. You may want to refer your readers to any other forms of communication that you ve created for your organization. You can also use this space to remind readers to mark their calendars for a regular event, such as a breakfast meeting for vendors every third Tuesday of the month, or a biannual charity auction. If space is available, this is a good place to insert a clip art image or some other graphic. Kim Eckl recently took this picture while on a drive in the country. The cloud above the church looked like a dove feather floating! Let Us Help With Thanksgiving Baking! Youth of N. AL Presbytery are taking orders for the following: (Watch for slips in bulletin coming soon) Cornbread Dressing Sweet Potato Casserole 8x8 pan $12 9x13 pan $20 All donations help send our youth to Montreat Camp this coming summer! Send articles/comments to: Alondacr@gmail.com 256) 710-8662