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Archives for 2020

An Invitation

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Ash Wednesday
February 26, 2020 at 6:30 a.m. or 6:30 p.m.

As the season of Lent begins, I would like to invite you to an Ash Wednesday service at Westminster. Our Ash Wednesday services are brief — 20-30 minutes — and include music, prayer, liturgy, and the imposition of ashes. As in previous years, we have two choices: 6:30 a.m. or 6:30 p.m. If you’re on your way to work or are a morning person anyway, stop by the sanctuary for a brief service at 6:30 a.m. Then, join other morning worshippers for a cup of coffee or tea and a pastry in the Gathering Place. If this seems a little early, you’re welcome to our evening service at 6:30 p.m. Either way, the time of Ash Wednesday this year should be etched on our minds! Just remember…6:30.
Blessings,
Ken Henry

An Update from Literacy Volunteers of C’ville

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Westminster has been contributing to the Literacy Volunteers Citizenship Program through Literacy Volunteers of Charlottesville/Albemarle. Here are some exciting updates and opportunities for our deeper involvement in their meaningful work.
A New Coordinator 
This month the program welcomed Catherine McCall as Citizenship Coordinator. Catherine previously served as a citizenship class teacher for one of the organization’s intermediate classes. Prior to moving to this area, she was coordinator for Social Studies Education at the University of Maryland. Catherine will teach citizenship classes, lead workshops, support tutors and their students working toward citizenship, and conduct intake interviews with new students.
Student Milestones
In 2019 the program had 25 students pass their citizenship test. Six students passed just last month! Many of those students took their Oath of Allegiance on February 7, at a Citizenship Ceremony at the Charlottesville US Courthouse, at 11 a.m. All are invited!
New Tutor Trainings
Members of Westminster are also invited to participate in upcoming new tutor training sessions. The program is always in need of dedicated volunteers willing to help adult learners improve their lives through literacy and English language education. Here’s a schedule of trainings:
Tuesday, February 11 & Wednesday, February 12
5:30 – 8:30 p.m. / must attend both evenings / dinner provided each night
Saturday, March 7
9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. / lunch provided
Saturday, April 25
9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. / lunch provided
For more information or to register, call 434-977-3838. 

All Things New – 2020 Women’s Retreat

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Mark your calendar for the annual women’s retreat at Graves Mountain Lodge in Syria, Virginia, on April 24-26! For several years, 20-22 women have gathered to enjoy fellowship, study God’s word, relax, and make/strengthen friendships. Please consider joining us this year. The cost will be $200 and includes two nights of lodging, five meals, and two reception hours (plus all materials and many great memories). Registration is on February 16 in the Gathering Place (in between services and after the 11 a.m. service). Your check (made out to Westminster Presbyterian Church) and completion of the registration form, available on Feb. 16, will hold your spot. Questions? See a member of the retreat committee: Lynne Clements, Patty Vandever, Dana Eastman, Heather Warren, or Beth Nissen. Interested in being a part of the planning committee this year? Just let one of us know!

Congregational Meeting This Sunday, Jan. 26

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All Westminster members are invited to the the Annual Meeting of the Congregation this Sunday, January 26. The purpose of the meeting is to nominate and elect trustees, receive annual reports, and review the 2019/2020 budgets. Everyone is welcome to a sumptuous meal in fellowship hall following the meeting. If you would like to read the Annual Report before the meeting, click here.

We Recognize a Crisis

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Christian faith is being used to persecute and marginalize transgender and nonbinary people across this country. We recognize the systemic harm that is being done in the name of Christianity, and we are actively seeking to improve our practice of faith and not contribute to the dysphoria for our transgender siblings.  

As a church community, we welcome all people regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity. We believe that trans women and girls are female and trans men and boys are male, and that God loves them as such. We aspire to create an affirming space where transgender and nonbinary people feel welcome and loved and where intersectional diversity is normalized and embraced.

We recognize that the mental health and well-being of our transgender and nonbinary siblings is negatively affected by the rejection and bias of other Christian faith communities. There is an urgency to take action now to establish physical and emotional safety as well as safety within the Christian faith.  

Our goal is to create a space that will not burden or add to dysphoria but will be accepting and affirming — a space where transgender and nonbinary people can thrive and flourish as an integral part of the beautiful, diverse, whole body of Christ.

Our family is pretty queer! That is to say, we have three young people in our immediate and extended family that identify as LGBTQIA. Talk of global injustices had pretty much always been part of our conversations at home and we tried ‘to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with God,’ at least most of the time. The continued targeting of LGBTQIA persons in our country causes me great concern. Shootings, attacks, and even political wrangling over where a person can go to the restroom fill the daily lives of queer people. Marriage equality is wonderful, but serious issues still remain for further equality. Healthcare for spouses and housing discrimination are just two. Our presence at Cville PRIDE is one of the ways Westminster shows up in solidarity with the LGBTQIA+ community. It celebrates an openness and support for our gay, trans, and nonbinary friends. It shows our community that as a place of faith, we can support marginalized persons. It helps us to get to know our siblings and is just plain fun! This church has provided our family with a church home for more than 15 years. Love and comfort both come from here. And acceptance. My hope is that all people can know this kind of comfort.”

— Laura Young, Westminster Peace, Justice, and Inclusion Division member

“So faith, hope, and love abide, these three;
but the greatest of these is love.”
−1 Corinthians 13:13

Our Mission

Sustained by grace, we are called to serve Christ, share God’s love, and work for justice in a complex world.

Our Values

With faith, hope, and love as bedrock Christian values, we also cherish the following:
  • Thinking and Learning
  • Inclusiveness
  • Fellowship
  • Stewardship
  • Courage

 

Westminster follows the Presbyterian Book of Confession and is a confessional church. You can view/read the Book of Confession at the PC(USA) website by clicking on the following link: https://www.pcusa.org/resource/book-confessions/.

Contact

Westminster Presbyterian Church
400 Rugby Road
Charlottesville, Virginia 22903-2474
(434) 293-3133 | Email

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