2023 Advent and Christmas Happenings at Westminster
To the travelers, the wanderers and the wonderers —
To those seeking shelter, sanctuary, or peace —
To those who long for a place to rest and feel at home —
To all who are hungry and thirsty —
You are welcome here. Stay awhile.
Worship services will be held at 8:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. The early service, held at Common Grounds, is a casual service that includes prayer, singing, Scripture reading with discussion, and communion. The later service, held in the Sanctuary and livestreamed, is more traditional and includes the lighting of the Advent wreath, a Time with Children and Youth, a sermon, and the choir. Childcare is offered for both services.
Sunday, December 3, 10, and 17
Adult Christian Formation offering: “Stay Awhile: Advent Lessons in Hospitality” In this banquet table of inspiration for Advent, author Kara Eidson invites participants to hear anew the powerful themes of Advent: Invite, Plan, Prepare and Welcome and to explore God’s life-changing hospitality that invites all to feel at home, safe and loved in God’s presence.
Sunday, December 3
First Sunday of Advent, Special Music Sunday, worship services with
Communion at 8:30 and 11 a.m.: Special Music Offering at 11 a.m. of Daniel Pinkham’s Christmas Cantata by the choir with brass instruments.
Sunday, December 10
Second Sunday of Advent, worship services at 8:30 and 11 a.m.
Lessons and Carols at 5 p.m.: Enjoy a traditional service of Lessons and Carols led by the Singers and Adult Choir. Readings and carols retell the story of Christ’s birth, with candlelit singing of Silent Night. After the service, stay for a potluck supper and caroling in the Fellowship Hall.
Sunday, December 17
Third Sunday of Advent, worship services at 8:30 and 11 a.m.
Caroling at 3 p.m.: All are welcome to join in song and share carols with those in our congregation in need of Christmas cheer. Gather in the Fellowship Hall to get directions and song sheets.
Sunday, December 24
Christmas Eve, worship service at 11 a.m.: This casual child-friendly service includes a pickup pageant, a reading of the Christmas story, an intergenerational choir, and songs of the season.
Christmas Eve, worship service at 8 p.m.:
7:30 p.m. Organ prelude
8 p.m. Share the joy of the season in a communion service with carols and candlelight on this holiest of nights.
Sunday, December 31
First Sunday of Christmas, worship service at 11 a.m.
Poinsettia Dedication: We will decorate the sanctuary with poinsettias. If you would like to purchase one, they are $20, in support of the flower fund. The dedication information (by whom and in memory or in honor of whom) should be emailed to Ashley at . Steve Brown will collect the payments via plate offering or mail. Please put “Poinsettia Dedication” in the memo line of the check. Dedications will be listed in the bulletin for the Christmas Eve services. Poinsettias will be available for pickup by their donors on Christmas Eve. The deadline for dedication submission is December 12.
Sailboat Church: Stewardship 2024
During the stewardship season, five Westminster members shared with the congregation their personal stories of transformation. The stories are powerful testimonials. If you missed any, links to the presentations are below:
More information about the campaign can be found here.
Thank you for your continued support of Westminster with your time, talent, and money. We’re grateful for your willingness to volunteer and to give generously to support our programs.
Common Grounds
Home to UKirk at UVA (Westminster’s undergraduate campus ministry), Common Grounds is a space for UVA students to share meals and conversation, study, and enjoy coffee, tea, and snacks. The building is also the gathering spot for 20/30/40 CreW (Westminster’s ministry with graduate students and young adults), youth classes, and other community events.
Upstairs in Common Grounds, there are small offices for nonprofit organizations supporting the Charlottesville community. Current residents include BEATDiabetes, Habitat for Humanity’s Virginia Office, and Theological Horizons.
Over the decades, Common Grounds has been a space to share ideas, question, and connect. Within its walls, people have discussed important issues of each generation, called for social justice, raised prayers, and played music. Thanks to an innovative new community partnership, by fall 2024 the ground floor of Common Grounds will become a second location for Kindness Cafe + Play, a local coffee shop with an amazing mission. The space will continue to be UKirk at UVA’s home while welcoming the broader community to enjoy coffee and kindness for a good cause during designated hours.
Hunger Offerings
We participate in our Presbytery’s Hunger Offering six times a year to support The Presbyterian Hunger Program (PHP), a ministry of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). The PHP works to alleviate hunger and eliminate its causes, responding with compassion and justice to poor and hungry people in local communities in the United States and internationally.
Through giving, Presbyterians provide the PHP with approximately four million dollars a year to support ministries of direct food relief, development assistance, public policy advocacy, education, and lifestyle integrity. The PHP seeks to fulfill its mission through strategic grant-making, print and web educational and worship materials, partnership collaborations, and participatory programs that allow us to recognize and love especially the most vulnerable of our neighbors next door and across the planet.
Peace and Global Witness Offering
The Peace & Global Witness Offering encourages the church to cast off anxiety and fear, discord and division, and embrace our God’s mission of reconciliation to those around the corner and around the world.
Pentecost Offering
The Pentecost Offering unites us in a church-wide effort to support young people and inspire them to share their faith, ideas, and unique gifts with the church and the world.
One Great Hour of Sharing
The One Great Hour of Sharing offering is taken on Easter Sunday and enables the church to share God’s love with our neighbors-in-need around the world by providing relief to those affected by natural disasters, provide food to the hungry, and helping to empower the poor and oppressed.
Christmas Joy Offering
By giving to the Christmas Joy Offering, you honor God’s gift of Jesus Christ by providing assistance to current and retired church workers in their time of need and developing our future leaders at Presbyterian-related schools and colleges equipping communities of color.