Current Events, News, and Information

 

 

◊ Outdoor Worship Signup
On October 11th at 5:30 pm, we will gather in the education wing courtyard for an outdoor worship service! Bring your lawn chairs and your mask and join us for a socially distant evening of prayer and instrumental music. Attendance will be limited to 40 people, so you must sign up to reserve your spot: click here to RSVP. If there is more interest than space, we will host the service a second time, perhaps the following week. For more safety information or with questions, contact Pastor Ellen.

 

 

 

◊ Wednesdays with Westminster

Join us as we continue our three-week Wednesday night series, titled “Stories that Inspire and Instruct: Continuing Conversation About Race.”

Week Two—Wed., Sept. 30 at 7 p.m. via Zoom
Dr. Carolyn Helsel Teaches the Language of Diversity. Associate Professor in the Blair Monie Distinguished Chair of Homiletics at Austin Presbytery Theological Seminary, Dr. Helsel will guide us through important features of her latest book (co-authored with Y. Joy Harris-Smith) “The ABC’s of Diversity: Helping Kids (and ourselves!) Embrace Our Differences.”
For more details and information, visit our Adult Christian Formation Opportunities page.

 

 

 

 

◊ Study Hall—Thursdays!

Feeling cooped up at home? Looking for a place to study or work that’s not your bedroom? WPC is here to help! We turn our Fellowship Hall into a study hall each Thursday afternoon from 1-5 p.m. All are welcome to join us, although we ask that children younger than 6th grade come with an adult or older sibling. We will make sure to space tables more than six feet apart and provide supervision from two adults; we ask that participants wear a mask at all times and follow best practices for hygiene. Click here to review our complete safety guidelines, and contact Pastor Ellen with questions.

 

 

 

 

◊ Children and Families—Let’s Get Together

Esau Forgives Jacob (Genesis 32 – 33:15)

Sunday, Sept. 27th – 9:30 am – for 3 yr. olds – 5th graders: Do you have anything that’s broken? Bring it to show us, and tell us about how it got broken. Be sure to bring the Sept. 27th page (labeled GN1 at the top) and crayons.

10:15 a.m.– for 2nd – 5th graders: Have you ever had a friendship end? Bring your stories so we can compare that to Jacob and Esau’s story of reuniting after many years. Be sure to bring scissors, tape, something to write with, and Sept. 27th page (labeled GN2 at the top.)

For more detailed info, visit our Children’s Ministry Events page.

 

 

 

 

◊ Interested in Becoming a Member of WPC?

We would love to welcome you! Our church elders are ready and willing to receive you into membership via Zoom. Call or email the church office to request a membership meeting or to learn more about joining our church.

 

 

 

 

◊ Bake or Buy Bread for World Communion Sunday
On Sunday, Oct. 4th, we celebrate World Communion Sunday, remembering our oneness in Christ with people of every denomination, all over the world. As usual, we will set the communion table with an array of good things, to symbolize the abundance of God’s grace in our lives. This year, we want our table to showcase a variety of breads, baked or purchased by you! Challah, sourdough, crackers, breadsticks – whatever you would like to offer will be added to the table. Drop off donations in Fellowship Hall on Saturday, Oct. 3rd between 1 and 3 pm, or on Sunday, Oct. 4th before 10:30 am.

 

 

 

 

◊ Peace & Global Witness Offering
On Sunday, Oct. 4th, in conjunction with World Communion Sunday, we will collect the Peace & Global Witness Offering, a special offering of the PC(USA) that encourages us to cast off discord and division and live out Christ’s peace in the world. Half of the offering is used by the Presbyterian Mission Agency to promote peace and justice through education and witness; a quarter of it is used by our regional governing bodies for ministries of reconciliation; and the final quarter of it we designate to a local organization. This year, we will donate our quarter to Measure, an Austin non-profit that addresses systemic inequality with data collection and community building. Click here to give online, or write and mail a check to WPC with “Peace & Global Witness” in the memo line.

 

 

 

 

◊ Blood Drive Interest
Did you know that in the first few months of the pandemic, the Red Cross experienced 800,000 cancelled blood donation appointments? Closure of schools, community centers and businesses has affected their ability to hold blood drives. WPC would like to step into the gap and host a donation day in Fellowship Hall in early 2021. In order to be assigned a date, we need to show the Red Cross that we can provide 50 donors, as well as a few volunteers to keep things running smoothly that day. Click here to express your interest in participating. This is not a sign up sheet, just a way for us to gauge numbers. For information about COVID safety precautions, visit the Red Cross’s blood donation site.

 

 

 

 

◊ Donate Things
Have you been cleaning out your house? Would you like to donate your extra odds and ends to charities? Your WPC Mission Committee has some suggestions:
  • Goodwill will use your extra things to train folks for the Austin workforce and help adults get a high school diploma. Read about their programs and REQUEST CURBSIDE PICKUP here. They even accept old phones and power cords for recycling.
  • Office supplies, craft scraps, and much more are on the lists at AustinCreativeReuse.org.
  • Ascension Lutheran Church is accepting medical supply donations BY APPOINTMENT at 6420 Hart Lane. Call Don M-F before noon at 512.345.4030 to donate wheelchairs, blankets, hospital beds, etc.
  • Casa Marianella is accepting limited donations of household goods. Email donations@casamarianella.org for a list of their needs and dropoff details.
 (Do not leave anything in the Fellowship Hall, please!)

 

 

 

◊ DAS Senior Sidekick Program

Though DAS scaled back to essential medical rides only during COVID, they are ramping back up. If you would like to donate food items, you may drop them by the DAS office at Tarrytown Methodist Church, where they will be delivered to the pantries. Also, a new Senior Sidekick program has been created that matches volunteers to clients for help with learning to order curbside or delivery services on-line. Please call 512.472.6339 to volunteer. Thank you!

 

 

 

◊ Central Pres. Needs Our Help!
They accept sandwich donations on Monday and Wednesday only, and they ask that you sign up in advance for a delivery date and a number of lunches. Click here for instructions and to sign up.

 

 

 

 

 

◊ Zoom Coffee Time 
Missing church coffee hour? We are too! Sunday morning five minutes after virtual worship, grab your beverage and snack of choice and join host Elise Ragland for some casual social time with church friends – via Zoom.

 

 

 

 

 

◊ Thursday Prayers
Join O. R. and others virtually at 12:15 p.m. via Zoom. Look for the link in this week’s newsletter to join in for a brief time of sharing and prayer. For those who cannot join the Zoom call, but would like to “pray in place,” you can download the prayers here.