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Sermon: Who touched me?
Rev. Lynette Sparks
One service at 11:00 | May 3 | Fourth Sunday of Easter | Candidate for Senior Pastor/Head of Staff | Living the Questions of Jesus: Who touched me? | Scripture: Luke 8:40-56 | Please click "Read Sermon PDF" below for the bulletin.
Words from Westminster
Twice a week, staff and elders from Westminster will post a devotional reading for the congregation. The latest video is below. You can hear our other messages on YouTube (www.youtube.com/user/WestminsterGR) or on the Westminster Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/WestminsterGR/) page.
Sermon: Do you love me?
Rev. Jen Porter
The Third Sunday of Easter | Do you love me? | Rev. Jen Porter | Scripture: John 21:1-19 | Please click "Read Sermon PDF" below for the bulletin.
Sermon: Why are you afraid?
The Second Sunday of Easter | Why are you afraid? | Kyle Kooyers | Scripture: Matthew 8:23-27 | Please click "Read Sermon PDF" below for the bulletin.
COVID-19 Emergency Assistance Fund
April 13, 2020
Dear Friends,
As the global public health emergency continues and its economic impact spreads, we are mindful of our neighbors living on the margins for whom meeting basic needs has become even more difficult. We're grateful to the local agencies that continue to serve the most vulnerable members of our community, but these organizations are now struggling with soaring costs as they face the rapidly growing need for their services.
Many of you have expressed interest in donating stimulus checks or contributing in other ways to coronavirus relief efforts. To make it easier for you to support our local agencies and the people they serve, we have established a COVID-19 Emergency Assistance Fund. Your contributions to this fund will be distributed to organizations in the downtown area that provide assistance to those in need of basic necessities like shelter, food, and healthcare due to the pandemic.
Our Mission Partnership Committee has recently made supplemental gifts to some of the downtown organizations we already support: Guiding Light, Heartside Ministry, and Dégagé. Requests for assistance from additional organizations will be approved jointly by the Mission Partnership Committee and the Social Justice Committee.
Here is a link for donations to the COVID-19 Emergency Assistance Fund: COVID-19.
A link can also be found on Westminster’s website and our Facebook page.
If you prefer to send a check, please make it payable to Westminster Presbyterian Church and clearly mark it for WPC COVID-19 Fund. Mail to:
WPC
Attn: Kathy Cisler
47 Jefferson Ave. SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
Thank you for your commitment to sharing God’s love with our neighbors during this difficult time.
With love and hope,
Jeanne Elders DeWaard, Elder for Social Witness
Joel Schultze, Elder for Mission Partnerships
Sermon: Easter Eyes
Rev. Laurie Hartzell
As you prepare to celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord on Easter Sunday, we encourage you to find a candle to light during the 11 a.m. service, a reminder in all of our homes that the Light of Christ always shines in the darkness. Rev. Laurie Hartzell will be preaching. Music will be provided by Helen Hofmeister on the organ. The choir, as recorded in last year's Easter service, will lead us in singing the Hallelujah Chorus! Please click "Read Sermon PDF" below for the bulletin.
Service: Good Friday
Good Friday, the day when we remember the betrayal and brutal death of Jesus, is here. This is an excruciating day. But to experience Easter, we must walk through Good Friday. We gather and hear this story read to us, from John's Gospel, by Ruth Stubbs and Lambert Zuidervaart. Organ music by Helen Hofmeister and cello music by Leo Copenhaver will be interspersed in the reading. Please join us for this time of remembering, prayer and reflection. Grace and peace as we journey to the Cross.
Sermon: Christ in Silence; Christ in Danger
Rev. Jeremy Bork
Palm Sunday | Christ in silence; Christ in danger | Rev. Jeremy Bork | Scripture: Matthew 21:1-11 & Psalm 31:9-16 | Music: Helen Hofmeister, piano | Please click "Read Sermon PDF" below for the bulletin.
Sermon: I Bind Unto Myself
Rev. Jen Porter
Fifth Sunday in Lent | I Bind Unto Myself | Rev. Jen Porter | Scripture: Ezekial 37:1-14 | Music: Helen Hofmeister, piano | Please click "Read Sermon PDF" below for the bulletin.
Sermon: Christ above me; Christ beneath me
Rev. Laurie Hartzell
Fourth Sunday in Lent Christ above me; Christ beneath me Rev. Laurie Hartzell | Scripture: Exodus 16:1-15 Music: Diane Helle, violin; Josh Leckrone, Baritone; and Cheri Reid, Soprano at 11:00a. Visit https://engage.suran.com/wpcgr/s/give/new-gift to give online. Click "Read Sermon PDF" for the bulletin and hymns.
Sermon: Christ to comfort and restore me
Gene Ryan
ONE LIVE-STREAMED Service at 11:00a | March 15 | Third Sunday in Lent | Christ to comfort and restore me Gene Ryan | Scripture: Jonah 4, Romans 8:35-38 Music: Josh Leckrone, Baritone, Cheri Reid, Soprano at 11:00a. Click the "Read Sermon PDF" button below for the bulletin.
Westminster’s COVID-19 Response
March 12, 2020
Dear Westminster family,
Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The staff has been following the developments regarding the coronavirus (COVID-19) closely. We’ve been receiving updates and guidance from local and state officials as well as our denomination. The information seems to change daily as we continue to learn about this virus.
The safety and health of Westminster members, friends, and our whole community are our highest priority.
Governor Whitmer has suggested that communities of faith with more than 100 people cancel their services. Therefore, we will not be opening the doors for worship this Sunday. We will, however, livestream the 11a worship service with Gene Ryan preaching. The service bulletin will be emailed to the church email list and be available on the church website. We encourage those with livestream capabilities to get together with a few others who don’t have that capability. This, of course, means that other activities planned for Sunday-- church school, worship centers, the nursery, faith formation offerings, Winds practice, the after-worship soup luncheon, youth groups, etc.-- will be canceled for this week.
In addition, all activities and events at the church will be postponed at least through March 20. We are discerning ways to support our neighbors who need food and safe places during the day.
You may think these precautionary measures are extreme. Maybe they are. Medical professionals and governmental leaders are telling us that seeking to prevent the spread of this virus is essential. This virus is particularly dangerous to people over the age of 60, and many people under the age of 40 could be carriers with no presenting symptoms. This makes this virus particularly dangerous for a multi-generational church family likes ours. We have the added blessing and challenge of being a facility that is used by all ages throughout the week. It is our responsibility to make sure we are doing everything we can to care for those in our community who may be most susceptible to this virus.
I want to repeat that the leadership of the congregation is monitoring the situation carefully, and if there are major changes with our community we will respond accordingly. We will do everything we can to communicate our evolving response to you effectively. Please feel free to contact Rev. Laurie Hartzell at laurieh@wpcgr.org, or Kathy Cisler at kathrync@wpcgr.org with any concerns.
This Lent we have been living with the Breastplate prayer of St. Patrick. As we live into this season of uncertainty around this virus, we know that Christ is before us and behind us. Christ is with us and within us. Christ will comfort and restore us. Indeed, Christ surrounds us all – even amid pandemics! And Christ often shows up in the likes of us! So please take the time to check on vulnerable people in safe ways. Aren’t phones a gift?
Grace and peace,
Rev. Laurie Hartzell
Interim Executive Pastor
Sermon: Christ behind us, Christ before us
Rev. Jen Porter
TWO services at 8:30 & 11:00 | March 8 Second Sunday in Lent | Christ behind us, Christ before us. | Rev. Jen Porter | Scripture: John 14:1-7, Exodus 14:10-14, 19-20 Music: Helen Hofmeister, Harpsichord 8:30a & 11:00a. Sanctuary Choir at 11:00a
Sermon: Christ be with me, Christ within me
Rev. Laurie Hartzell
TWO services at 8:30 & 11:00 | March 1 First Sunday in Lent | Celebration of the Lord's Supper Christ be with me; Christ within me Rev. Laurie Hartzell | Scripture: Acts: 17:24-28 Music: Stacey Bosman Tanner, cello at 8:30a. Sanctuary Choir at 11:00a
Walk for Good Food 2020
The Access Walk for Good Food is Sunday, May 3 2020. Save the date!
To register for the 2020 Access Walk for Good Food, visit http://accessofwestmichigan.org/walk/
If you have any questions contact Angie Kelley at angiek@wpcgr.org or (616)717-5581.