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From the Pastor's Desk...
We are Easter People!!!
Spring cleaning can be a bit dangerous. As I opened yet another box I thought I had already gone
through a long time ago, I saw picture of a young man. For a moment I did not realize who it was. He
was a twelve or thirteen year-old in a cream sport coat and a fancy shirt. As I looked harder, this
person I did not initially recognize was, in fact, me.
After the surprise wore off I began to think of how much different I am today, than I was back then.
Not just with physical changes, but in my intellectual and spiritual growth. While in many ways I am
the same, there is no way I could ever go back. I know too much and life’s experiences have taught
me lessons that would help me make different decisions.
We are Easter people, people of the resurrection. When we were baptized we were initiated into the
body of Christ. This means that we have been united with Christ, made one with his fold. Thus, we
are living our lives into the Glory of something more. While we have hope in our lives, we know
because of what we have seen and heard and how we have grown in our faith.
Being people of the resurrection we are called not to be stagnant but to be ardent and active. We are
not called to be separate from the world, waiting and hoping, rather we are ever growing and
changing. As it was written in the Hebrew Testament:
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a
time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn,
and a time to dance; a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to
embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep,
and a time to throw away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to
speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace. What gain have the
workers from their toil? I have seen the business that God has given to everyone to be busy with.”
Life is full of change and growth. Who we are today is not the same as who we were yesterday or the
day before or even tomorrow. While it is sad to let our old selves go, it is a celebration to grow in our
life with Christ and the Holy Spirit.
Yours in Christ,
Rev. Bryan J. Franzen
APRIL WORSHIP SCHEDULE
APRIL 2 - MAUNDAY THURSDAY
John 13:1-17, 31-35
1 Corinthians 11:23-26
Sermon: "The Bread and the Cup"
APRIL 5 - Easter
Acts 10:24-42
Mark 16:1-8
Sermon: "The Easter Story Not Written"
• Christ the Lord is Risen Today, #113
• Be Not Afraid
• Eat This Bread
• Christ is Risen, Shout Hosanna, #104
APRIL 12
1 John 1:1 - 2:2
Psalm 133
Sermon: "Live Forevermore"
• Blest Be the Tie That Binds, #438
• How Very Good and Pleasant
• Now Go in Joy
APRIL 19
Luke 24:36-48
1 John 3:1-7
Sermon: "Children of God"
• Jesus, the Very Thought of Theem #310
• Fairest Lord Jesus, #306
• May the Lord, Mighty God
APRIL 26
John 10:11-18
1 John 3:16-24
Sermon: "Love"
• Brethren, We Have Met to Worship
• Help Us to Accept Each Other, #358
• Go With Us, Lord, #535
PRAYER CHAIN Call Tami Young, 554-9364, or
the church office with your prayer request.
ADULT SUNDAY MORNING CLASS is beginning a
new series, “An Invitation to The New Testament”.
Using Matthew’s Gospel as our starting point, the
Sunday Morning Bible Study class will examine how the
early Christian community wrestled with the implication
of the story of Jesus for their lives. As we watch the
DVD’s, we will discuss what it means to be the
community of Jesus’ followers today. Starts at 9 AM in
the Hiding Place.
DEACONS' FOOD DRIVE
On Sunday April 5, CANNED TUNA
is being collected at the front of the Sanctuary
before the morning worship service for donation
to Second Harvest Food Bank. Collecting in
MAY: MACARONI AND CHEESE MIX
MAY 2015 ISSUE of “LIFE TOGETHER”
will be mailed on May 1, 2015. Deadline
to submit articles/announcements/news for
this edition will be Friday, April 24, 2015, 5 PM.
WOMEN OF WESTMINSTER Come hear another of
our women share her story! Wednesday April 22,
7 PM, in Mission Hall.
WRITING GROUP In this group all women are invited to
share something they have written or to listen to others
share. Saturday April 11, 10 AM.
WORKING WOMEN are meeting for dinner on
Sat, Apr 18th, at 5:30 PM. Please call Nancy at
408-286-2267 for more info, including location.
SPRING CLEANING AT WESTMINSTER
Easter is coming, and it would be great if Westminster’s
facilities just sparkled. Our maintenance crew has a set
series of cleaning tasks, but there are many other
cleaning tasks that need doing on a regular basis. What
if every member or family of Westminster adopted a
small area and tidied it every 3 to 6 months? Look for
signup sheets on the bulletin board in Mission Hall.
Second Saturday Potluck & Bingo Night
Saturday, April 11, 2015
Fireside Room
5:30 PM - Potluck
6:15 PM - Bingo
By popular demand, BINGO returns to Game Night. Grab
your cards and markers and compete for amazing and
interesting prizes! As always, children/friends welcome.
For information, contact Mary Anne James, 650-9692341 or [email protected]
ELECTRONIC WASTE RECYCLING FUNDRAISER will
be held on the front lawn of the church to raise funds to
help support the annual Women’s Retreat. Clean up
your garage or storage room and bring us old TV’s,
monitors, laptops, cell phones, printer cartridges,
computer/audio equipment, printers, copiers, VCR/DVD
players, fax machines, microwave ovens, etc. To
volunteer to help with this event or for any questions,
please e-mail Lorraine Chretien at
[email protected] or call the church office.
MEMBERS & FRIENDS IN NEED OF YOUR PRAYERS
Jacky Andje, Olga Deviar, Steven Frost, Dorothy Hedlund,
Mary Anne James’ father, Mary Anne and family, Sophia
Kaphphe, Karen Lewis, Barbara Lecus, Melinda Schell,
Nancy Schell, Darlene Shinada, Tami Young,
Tami Young’s mother
ORGANIST SEARCH
The search for a new organist has begun. We are
looking for someone to play our lovely Spencer pipe
organ in worship and to accompany the choir, in addition
to other worship-related duties. For more information
and full details, applicants should apply to Pastor Bryan
Franzen at 408-771-9853 or [email protected].
UPCOMING
CONCERTS...
CHRISTIAN
EDUCATION
CORNER...
Saturday April 18, 2015, 3 PM
UPCOMING
EVENTS...
Flauti, Dolci, and
Amici II
More recorder consorts and
mixed ensembles from around
the Bay Area including: the
Peralta Consort, SDQ, Hotte Ayre, Ars Subtilor, the
White House Trio, and Ensemble Sonoma.
Saturday April 25, 2015, 7 PM
Monteverdi Brass Quintet
Renaissance Prayers,
Dances and Songs
Richard Roper & Robert
Wilkins (trumpets), Don
Benham, Brendan LaiTong, Mike Cushing (trombones) play early choral
works arranged for modern brass instruments. In this
program, music by Dufay, Marenzio, and from the
dance music collection of Pierre Attaignant.
http://monteverdibrass.com/
Saturday May 2, 2015, 7 PM
Valley of Heart's Delight
Giuseppe Sammartini,
Shining Star of the
Baroque
Angelique Zuluaga (soprano),
Claudia Gantivar and Melissa
Cocco-Mitten
(recorders),Farley Pearce
(viola da gamba, baroque
cello) and Yuko Tanaka
(harpsichord). This season's
program features one of the greatest composers of
the baroque era, Giuseppe Sammartini, who
influenced many later generations of composers with
his distinct Italianate style and introduction novel
elements of form and style into a wide variety of
genres--especially the symphony.
Easter Egg Hunt, Sunday April 5th
WPC’s Annual Easter Egg Hunt is happening on Sunday, April
5th following our 10:30 AM worship. Our Easter Egg Hunt is an
open event to include our surrounding neighborhood children.
Fourth-ofJuly Parade Float Planning Meeting
Come lend a hand as we design our Fourth of July Float.
We are meeting in Mission Hall on Monday, April 20, 7:00 PM.
Christian Education Parent Huddle Meeting
Our next Meeting will be on Sunday May 3 at 12 Noon in E-114.
Sunday School Teachers Needed
Our Sunday school program is expanding and we are in need of
additional Sunday school teachers. If you feel called to children
& youth ministry I encourage you to contact me to see how you
can get started. No prior teaching experience is necessary, just
a love for children and the desire to teach God’s word.
Friday Family-Friendly Films
Our family-friendly film series presents “G” and “PG” rated films
for the whole family to enjoy as well as take away a good
message. This is a free event open to the public and presented
in our auditorium style sanctuary. Our next movie presentation
is on Friday, May 1, 2015 @ 6:30 p.m. and we will be watching “
The Chronicles of Narnia, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
”. (Rated PG) Free popcorn will be available while supplies last.
VBS Announcement
Our VBS Summer Nights is scheduled for Sunday, July 12Thursday July 16th. The exciting theme is “Hometown Nazareth
Where Jesus Was a Kid.” We are transforming WPC into Jesus’
hometown of Nazareth. Registration forms are now available in
the church office. We are requesting as many volunteers as
possible to lend a hand as we create this incredible experience
for our children. We have flexible volunteer slots for those who
only can commit to one day or even assist for the entire week.
We are also looking for assistance in creating our sets and the
July 4th parade float, which kicks off our theme. Please sign up
at the Christian Education table following worship or contact me
directly.
In Christ,
Chris McKee
Director of Children & Family Ministry
WHIRL
SUNDAY
SCHOOL
CALENDAR
Programming
for
Preschool
to
Grade
Six
DATE
TOPIC
Spring Unit
04/05/15
04/12/15
04/19/15
04/26/15
Save the dates...
05/03/15
Sat, May 23, 2015, 7: PM: The Albany Consort
05/10/15
Sat, June 6, 2015, 3 PM: The Peralta Consort
05/17/15
Jesus Is
Risen
Early
Believers
Share
Jesus
Appears to
Disciples
The Good
Shepherd
Let Us Love
One Another
Abide In Love
Matthias Is
Chosen
SCRIPTURE
SEASON
John 20:1-18
Easter
Acts 4:32-35
Easter 2
Luke 24:36b48
Easter 3
John 10:11-18 Easter 4
1 John 4:7-21 Easter 5
John 15:9-17
Acts 1:1517,21-26
Easter 6
Easter 7
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!
We are
worshippers,
wounded
healers,
and
equippers
in a
community
of
welcoming
and
nurturing
faith.
HOLY WEEK EVENTS AT WESTMINSTER…
PALM
SUNDAY,
MARCH
29th
10:30
A.M.—Traditional
Palm
Sunday
Service,
including
Parade
of
Palms
by
the
children.
MAUNDY
THURSDAY,
APRIL
2nd
6:30
P.M.—Annual
Maundy
Thursday
Soup
Supper,
communion,
and
worship
service
will
be
held
in
the
Mission
Hall.
8:00
P.M.—Sanctuary
Choir
Rehearsal,
Choir
Room.
(Note
later
than
usual
starting
time.)
EASTER
SUNDAY,
APRIL
5th
6:30
A.M.—A
Sunrise
Worship
Service
on
the
church's
front
steps,
including
music
and
message.
9:00
A.M.—An
Easter
Breakfast
will
be
held
in
the
Fireside
Room,
which
will
include
egg
puff
casserole,
sausage,
bacon,
hot
cross
buns...No
charge;
free‐will
donations
of
$2
will
be
accepted.
10:30
A.M.—Traditional
Easter
Worship
Service,
with
special
Easter
music
from
our
Choirs.
11:45
A.M.—
An
Easter
egg
hunt
for
the
kids
will
be
held
on
the
front
lawn
immediately
following
the
morning
worship
service.
On the Web:
www.westpres-sj.org
WPC Office
408.294.7447
[email protected]
CLASS:
SOLVING
THE
MYSTERY
OF
PARENTING
TEENS
Registration: http://solvingmysteryofparentingteens.eventzilla.net
This 7-week parenting class on Tuesdays 7-9 PM is based upon the book,
Positive Discipline for Teenagers, by Jane Nelsen and Lynn Lott, and is
geared towards parents/caregivers/those who interact with pre-teens/teens.
You'll walk away with some powerful parenting tools to help improve your
relationships with pre-teens/teens. Positive Discipline uses experiential
activities to help you to "put yourself in pre-teens'/teens' shoes" and gain
more understanding on the road to more effective parenting/interactions. A
very powerful activity, Parents Helping Parents, is done most weeks so
participants will help each other resolve current life challenges with the preteens/teens in their lives.
Cost of class includes a handout packet and the book Positive Discipline for
Teenagers. Discounts given to parenting partners (Two persons - can be
spouses, friends, neighbors, etc.) who sign up for class together. Cost of
class: $175 individual/$310 parenting partners. Meets at Westminster, E-114.
Class Meeting Dates:
April: 28
May: 5, 12, 19, 26
June: 2, 9
Topics covered include:
The Challenges of Parenting Teens
Parenting Styles
Know Yourself, Know Your Teen
How to Motivate Teens Using Encouraging Communication
Problem Solving With Teens
Letting Go
Scary Behaviors? Take Care of Yourself
For questions or more information:
[email protected]
408-359-7257
All submissions for LIfe Together should be sent via email to the church office at [email protected]. Hardcopy submissions are strongly discouraged. The deadline for newsletter
submissions is on the 21st of the preceding month. Please limit submissions to 250 words. All material may be edited for length. Those submitting photos must obtain permission of those
pictured for use in print and online. Hardcopy submissions and anything received after the deadline will be included only if space and time allow. Any information submitted to Life
Together may be placed on the Westminster website unless the person submitting the information requests otherwise in writing.