Recently, Westminster hosted an Environmental Forum with Teri Kent from the Charlottesville Climate Collaborative (or C3). Teri spoke about C3’s initiatives such as the “Better Business Challenge” and the “Home Energy Challenge,” initiatives designed to empower the community to take more decisive steps to address climate change. Indeed, C3 has been instrumental in getting the Charlottesville City Council and the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors to strengthen their climate action programs/standards. I will be working with Claire to help host house “power parties” in the future with members of the congregation as a way to introduce them to the goals and principles of the “Home Energy Challenge.”

Kendyl Crawford, who had returned to Westminster, discussed Virginia Interfaith Power & Light’s efforts to advocate for environmental justice, such as in the cases of the Atlantic Coast Pipelines Buckingham County Compressor Station and the Chickahominy Power Station. The most impacted by climate disruption, communities of color often live (near) the sites of fossil fuel infrastructure, fracking, oil spills, asthma-inducing pollution, and other environmental hazards. Faith communities are able to hold decision-makers accountable. The group’s advocacy efforts will culminate in Richmond on January 22, 2020, with a legislative lobby day at the beginning of the VA General Assembly Session.

The mission of the Adult Christian Education Committee is to develop and provide educational opportunities for members of the congregation that will help them grow spiritually, that will respond to needs within the congregation and the wider world, and that will foster growth-seeking questions and a better understanding of our faith.

During the 2018-2019 Christian education year, fifteen classes were offered in the fall and eighteen were offered in the spring, some meeting over the entire year and others meeting on a single Sunday morning, a series of Sunday mornings, or a weekday evening. The committee extends its deepest thanks those who lead or organized an adult Christian education class during the year; their efforts contributed significantly to the spiritual development of members of our congregation: Abe Hostetter, Adrienne Kim Bird, Barbara Deaver, Barry Parks, Beth Hochstetler, Betsy Donohoe, Cheryl Oliver, Chip Sanders, David Garth, David Strider, Derry Wade, Dick Riley, Earle Hilgert, Elizabeth Schlipper, Gail Wiley, Gene Locke, Hal Collums, Jack Townsend, Jim Cauthen, Jim Hassmer, Kathy Redding, Ken Henry, Kobby Hoffman, Leanna Whitmore, Lynn Moore, Lynne Clements, Molly Peck, Peter Gates, Rebecca McGregor, Ron Wiley, Sarah Bedford, Winston Barham and Zanne McDonald.
We were saddened to learn of the passing of Chip Sanders, who worked closely with us and contributed greatly to adult Christian education offerings at Westminster through his faithful leadership of the Contemporary Theology class.

The committee is finalizing the fall schedule of classes and welcomes any comments and suggestions about adult Christian education at Westminster.
Submitted by the Adult Christian Education Committee (Betsy Donohoe, Hal Collums. Jack Townsend, Jana Surdi, Jim Cauthen and Laura Young)