May 20, 2015 - Volume 43 - Issue 20
Join Us for Two Special Worship Opportunities This Sunday, May 24 MEMORIAL DAY SERVICE 9:00 A.M. A special half-hour Memorial Day worship service will be held this Sunday, May 24, from 9:00 to 9:30 a.m. in the Sanctuary. During this service, we will honor our veterans and those who gave their lives in service to our country.
“The Real Inspector Hound”
PENTECOST SERVICE 10:00 A.M. We will begin our regular summer Sunday morning schedule (worship at 10:00 a.m.) with a special Pentecost worship service on May 24. On this day we remember the early Christians’ profound experience of rushing wind and tongues of flame, and we give thanks for the gift of the Holy Spirit in the world. This Sunday, everyone is invited to wear red, the color of Pentecost!
Farcical, fantastic, and at times just plain silly, our final offering of the Westminster Fine Arts Season is Tom Stoppard’s hilarious send up of Agatha Christie's who dunnit:“The Real Inspector Hound.” While watching (and commenting rather loudly) a repertory production of a British murder mystery, two critics become involved in the play, the mystery and even the murders themselves. “The Real Inspector Hound” is a free event but space is limited. It will be performed in Westminster Chapel. To reserve a place, call the office at 515-274-1534 or email
[email protected]. Showtimes are: • Friday, May 29 - 7:00 p.m. • Saturday, May 30 - 7:00 p.m. • Sunday, May 31 - 3:00 p.m. • Friday, June 5 - 7:00 p.m. • Saturday, June 6 - 7:00 p.m. • Sunday, June 7 - 3:00 p.m.
Printed newsletter to be sent every other week: On a trial basis, during the summer, we will be mailing the church newsletter every other week instead of weekly. This will start after the June 10 newsletter, following the schedule below. If you are currently receiving the newsletter by email you will also receive an email on alternate weeks with updates known as the "Expres Extra." Any information in the Expres Extra will also be printed in the Westminster Expres. If you would like to be added to the email newsletter list, please contact Laura at
[email protected]. Remember, the e-mailed newsletter is in color as will be the e-mail blast! Printed Summer Newsletter Schedule: June 10 & 24
July 8 & 22
August 5 & 19
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Written by John Cook, Minister of Music & Fine Arts
Horizontal vs.Vertical or 2X+14=2Y I can never claim to be a math whiz. I truly enjoyed the subject growing up and while I bowed out somewhere shy of calculus (not much need in Choral Methods), I remember algebra and the X,Y axis very clearly. To give a quick refresher for those who may have blocked this out without making you plot a parabola, one value controls the vertical placement of a point and another value contains the horizontal placement. Drawing a line through a series of points shows a greater picture and unveils a unity to seemingly disparate things. It is the idea of vertical and horizontal that I want to pause on for a moment. You see, in life we have many things that make up the picture of our identity. To put it another way, it could be said that you are what you do. Family, friends, school, church, career, kids: all of these are plotted on the graph of our lives, all of them taking up a portion of our most precious and limited resource: focus. Now the choice of how we arrange these things is largely ours. We can set them beside each other horizontally and assign each equal importance. Church, School, Work, etc. This is the egalitarian way, everything is equal. Society says that is the way things should be with perfect work-life balance. “You can have it all,” the world says. The problem that I find is that all activities are not created equal and thus I can’t treat them equally. Church life ebbs and flows with responsibilities. Family life requires more attention some times than others. Work can be crazy or it can be dead. The demands of each are different and the consequences for ignoring any one too long vary. However this contant balancing act frays more people than I care to admit. And because I have deemed everything to be equally important, I can’t say no or prioritize except when there is a crisis. When everything is horizontal, everything is important - so nothing is. If you are holding an invitation to a father/son camping trip and another weekend at work in your hands, how would you choose? What about signing your kids up for a traveling soccer league vs. a family game night? What about a church mission project or a neighborhood cookout? All of the things listed above have merit, but because we spend our lives trying to make everything
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ESTMINSTER EXPRES...
(USPS 993-960) WESTMINSTER EXPRES... is published weekly by Westminster Presbyterian Church 4114 Allison Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa 50310-3398 Periodicals postage paid at Des Moines, IA Laura Sherlock, editor Postmaster - Send address changes to: WESTMINSTER EXPRES... 4114 Allison Ave., Des Moines, IA 50310-3398
equal, our focus and energy become diluted. We become exasperated and frazzled at trying to keep so many plates spinning all the time. My suggestion to us all is to stop and assess the "vertical" in our lives. What would our lives look like if they were was arranged like this: Church Family Work Activities My challenge to you (and to me) is to live life on the vertical; to prioritize and learn to say, "no." As part of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus talks about letting our “'Yes' be our 'yes', and our 'no' be our 'no.'” He meant that we should make clear decisions and stick with them. Saying, "no," is not always fun. Moreover, as Christians, we want to say "yes" to EVERYONE. The truth is that our resources are few and the world’s needs are many. I heard recently, you can do anything, but you can’t do everything. Think about the way your life is plotted out. Are you pointing it in the right direction?
WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 4114 Allison Avenue • Des Moines, Iowa 50310-3398 515-274-1534 • fax 515-274-1537 • www.westpres.org
WestPres
WestPresDM
PASTORAL STAFF Rev. Dr. Scott Paczkowski, Senior Pastor/Head of Staff -
[email protected] Rev. Dr. Kenneth E. Arentson, Executive Associate Pastor -
[email protected]
MISSION STATEMENT Westminster is a welcoming Christian family, joined in discipleship to pray, learn and serve.
INCLUSIVITY STATEMENT We welcome all persons as participants in our congregation, regardless of age, race, gender, marital status, physical condition, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnic background, economic status, or any other human condition.
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Westminster Summer Camps Register today for any of our summer camps!
All grades refer to the grade the student will be entering during the 2015-2016 school year. All forms can be found on our website, www.westpres.org.
Camp
Ages
Dates
Time
Fee $80
Art Camp
3 Years Old* - 1st Grade
June 8-11
9:00 a.m. to Noon
Spanish Camp
3 Years Old* - 1st Grade
June 15-18
9:00 a.m. to Noon
$80
VBS Camp: Everest
3 Years Old* - 6th Grade
June 22-26 & 28
9:00 a.m. to Noon
$20/child, $50 Family Max.+
Cooking Camp
3 Years Old* - 1st Grade
June 29- July 2
9:00 a.m. to Noon
$80
Water Camp
3 Years Old* - 1st Grade
July 7, 8 & 9
9:00 a.m. to Noon
$60
CACTUS Fine Arts
3rd - 8th Grade
July 20 - 24 & 26
8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
$60^
Gardening Camp
3 Years Old* - 1st Grade
July 13 - July 16
9:00 a.m. to Noon
$80
Dinosaur Camp
3 Years Old* - 1st Grade
July 27 - July 30
9:00 a.m. to Noon
$80
* All Children must be potty-trained. +VBS Registration is 20/child, $50 family Maximum if Registered by May 31, $25 and $60 after. ^CACTUS Registration is $60 per camper if registered by July 1 and $80 after. Refer a friend to CACTUS and get $10 off! (Maximum of 6 referrals per camper.)
Westminster: Powered by Volunteers
Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon Sunday, June 7, 11:00 A.M. • Westminster Hall If you volunteer at Westminster Church, the Session would like to honor you at a Volunteer Appreciation Dinner planned for Sunday, June 7 at 11:00 a.m. after our 10:00 a.m. service. The event will be held in Westminster Hall, and will include a catered meal and entertainment Whether Wheth you volunteer in the church office, serve as an usher, ushe work with Backpack work, sing in the choir, Buddies, do committee w attend! Spouses and etc.... we want you to att volunteers are also invited. families of our voluntee Please RSVP in the church office by Sunday, June 3. Then come and enjoy din dinner and delightful ente entertainment as we c celebrate our many w wonderful Westminster v volunteers.
PERSONAL NOTES Congratulations to... •
Preschool Director Megan Seifert and family on the birth of Brinkley Kim on May 9. She weighed 7 lbs, 7 oz and was 19.5 " long.
Thank you to... •
The 13 participants in last week's blood drive. The blood donated helped save 34 lives! - Life Serve Blood Center
In Need of Prayer? Westminster Prayer Chain members pray daily for urgent concerns of the church. To request prayer, contact Begie Hefner, 223-4970, or Sherryl McAvoy, 993-3977 or e-mail
[email protected].
Church Office Schedule Reminders Friday, May 22 Summer Office Hours Begin The church building and offices will close at noon on Fridays, starting May 22 through Labor Day weekend. Pastoral Care left on the voicemail system will be checked at the end of the day on Fridays. Monday, May 25 Church Closed The church building and offices will be closed for Memorial Day.
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Westminster Senior High Class of 2015
Ethan Babcock
Skyler Ball
Katie Daft
Ethan Babcock plans to attend University of Northwestern, St. Paul, Minnesota, majoring in mechanical engineering. While attending Johnston High School, Ethan was active in marching band, jazz band and wind symphony band. Ethan had the honor of being selected to participate in the Iowa All-State Band for two years. He participated in soccer and had the lead in the Fall 2014 JHS production of The Crucible.
Skyler Ball is graduating from Roosevelt High School. He is the son of Nita and Steve Ball.
Katie Daft will be graduating from Valley High School in West Des Moines with two awards. The first is the Silver Cord which is awarded to students who complete at least 50 hours of community service each of the four years of high school. The second award is a Scholar of Distinction in Language Arts. She plans on attending Central College in the fall and majoring in English and Psychology.
Elijah Conrey
Delaney Ball
Elijah Conrey is graduating from Urbandale High School. He participated in marching band, jazz band, show choir band, concert band, football, and soccer. He plans to attend Grand View University to study biology. He is the son of Theron and Ninzin Conrey.
Delaney Ball is graduating from Roosevelt High School. She is the daughter of Nita and Steve Ball.
Congratulations Class of 2015!
Jack Dolde Jack Dolde is graduating from Johnston High School. He participated in band, tennis, Math Club,Academic Decathlon, and National Honor Society. He is an AP Scholar and Eagle Scout. He plans to attend University of Iowa as a Presidential Scholar to study physics. He is the son of David & Marty Dolde, and grandson of Ralph & Joanna Schilling.
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Brittany Gronewald
Jacob Hollister
Brittany is graduating from East High School. She is a 4-year varsity letter winner in both cross country and track. She was captain of the cross country team the last two years. She is a 3-year varsity letter winner for bell choir. She participated in the ACE (Architecture, Construction and Engineering) Mentor Program all 4 years. She plans to attend Iowa State University in the fall. Construction engineering is what she intends to major in. She has worked hard to earn numerous scholarships.
Jacob Hollister is graduating from Hoover High School. He will be attending Buena Vista University in Storm Lake majoring in environmental science. Jacob will be participating on the golf team and ROTC. He is a recipient of the National ROTC 4-year scholarship.
Troy Ikeda Troy Ikeda, is graduating from Johnston High School. He will be attending Macalester College in St. Paul, majoring in political science with a concentration in human rights and humanitarianism. He is the son of Marty & Theresa Ikeda.
“A Graduation Blessing” By Barbara D. MacAdam Embarking on a journey which began some time ago, how could you have imagined all the things you had come to know. You learned to use each challenge as an opportunity, to overcome each problem – despite adversity.
Cheyenne Hensley Cheyenne Hensley is graduating from Valley High School in West Des Moines. She will be attending Cottey College in Nevada, Missouri in the fall of 2015
It wasn’t always easy keeping up with your friends at school, but you held on to your beliefs, and followed the “golden rule.” You found your voice and chose a path that honors who you are. And that may be your greatest lesson learned so far. May you never waste a moment wishing life was not unfair. Rather use the gifts God gave you, to change the world out there. Your graduation signals us that you are on your way. So spread your wings and fly my dear, remembering too, no matter how far your journeys take you we’ll be there for you.
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NEXT WEEK AT WESTMINSTER Sunday, May 24 - Pentecost 8:30 am Coffee/Fellowship - The Commons 9:00 am Worship-Honoring Veterans - Sanctuary 9:30 am Coffee/Fellowship - The Commons 10:00 am Worship-Pentecost - Sanctuary 11:00 am Coffee/Fellowship - The Commons Monday, May 25 - Memorial Day Building Closed in Honor of the Holiday
1:00 pm 5:15 pm 5:30 pm 6:00 pm 6:30 pm 7:00 pm
Stitchin' Time - Hope Alcove Tai Chi Class-Beginners - The Commons Nominating Committee - Seminary Center FAS: "The Real Inspector Hound" Rehearsal - Chapel Tai Chi Class-Chi Gong - The Commons Tai Chi Class-Intermediate - The Commons
Friday, May 29 9:00 am SUMMIT 2015 Training - Simmerman Lounge 12:00 pm Building Closes at Noon - Summer Schedule 7:00 pm FAS: "The Real Inspector Hound" - Chapel
Tuesday, May 26 10:00 am Newsletter Volunteers - The Commons 2:00 pm Staff Meeting - Seminary Center Saturday, May 30 5:45 pm Fine Arts Committee - Multipurpose Room 12:30 pm Graduation Gathering/Ball - Westminster Hall 5:45 pm Eve Circle - Simmerman Lounge, 7:00 pm FAS: "The Real Inspector Hound" - Chapel Simmerman Lounge Kitchen 6:00 pm FAS: "The Real Inspector Hound" Rehearsal - Chapel Sunday, May 31 7:00 pm Worship, Music & Arts Unit - Multipurpose Room 8:45 am SUMMIT 2015 Team Meeting - Simmerman Lounge 9:30 am Coffee/Fellowship - The Commons Wednesday, May 27 10:00 am Worship - Sanctuary 6:30 am Westminster Men's Group at the Waveland Cafe 11:00 am Coffee/Fellowship - The Commons 6:00 pm FAS: "The Real Inspector Hound" Rehearsal - Chapel 3:00 pm FAS: "The Real Inspector Hound" - Chapel 6:30 pm Backpack Buddies - Map Room 5:00 pm Family Promise Meal - Simmerman Lounge, Simmerman Lounge Kitchen Thursday, May 28 5:00 pm Family Promise Overnight - Rooms 303-305 8:45 am Golden K Kiwanis -Westminster Hall To schedule a meeting or event, please contact Joan 10:10 am Golden K Kiwanis Board - Multipurpose Room in the church office, 274-1534 or
[email protected]. 1:00 pm Afternoon Bridge Small Group - Simmerman Lounge
NEWS FROM OUR PRESBYTERY: COTTAGE GROVE UPDATES! Summer Spruce-Up Saturday! Saturday, June 13, noon to 4:00 p.m.
The Cottage Grove Presbyterian Mission Center is moving forward! The next step is a "Summer Spruce-Up" on Saturday, June 13, from noon to 4:00 p.m. Volunteers are needed... Come and work for an hour or for the whole afternoon! Projects will be available for individuals or teams. We will be cleaning indoors and doing yard work outside. Please wear old clothes and bring shovels, rakes, city yard bags, trash bags, buckets, mops, rags, work gloves, etc. Treats will be provided. If you can help with the Cottage Grove Spruce-Up Saturday, please contact Jim Hoffman, 515-669-2235 or
[email protected]. Thank you! (The Cottage Grove Presbyterian Mission Center is located at the corner of 24th Street and Cottage Grove Avenue in Des Moines.)
More Needed Items for Cottage Grove Mission Center Progress continues on our presbytery's Cottage Grove Presbyterian Mission Center! Thank you to all who have made donations of furniture, goods, etc. The list of needs continues to grow. If you have any of the following items to donate, please contact Ginny Hancock (ginnyvah@aol. com): • A laptop computer or iPad • A printer • Gently used (or new) children's books, for the Sudanese worshipping communities Thank you for your support of the Cottage Grove Presbyterian Mission Center!
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Got Graduation News? Pass It On!
Artwork by Sudanese artist Kur Chol
See the Exhibit of Sudanese Art Now in Our Gallery Stop by the Gallery, located on the lower level of the church, near the Franklin entrance to see our new exhibit! The featured artist is Kur Chol, who is originally from South Sudan. He was one of the "Lost Boys" who walked 500 miles to find safety in Ethiopia after war ravaged his home country. For ten years he lived in refugee camps. Finally in 2003 Kur was able to come to the United States, where he lived in Arizona and South Dakota before coming to Iowa in 2005. Here he was given a sponsor who discovered he had a natural talent for art. In 2012 South Sudan was finally at peace, so Kur was able to travel back home. When war broke out in 2013, he once again had to flee the country. In order to bring his art with him, he had to remove the canvases from their wooden stretchers. The Gallery Committee has chosen to hang the canvases as they are, unstretched, to emphasize the poignancy of the artist's journey back to Iowa. Kur is married and is the father of three daughters, one infant son, and two step-children. He is employed at Mosaic, a faith-based organization that works with individuals with intellectual disabilities. Kur is now an American citizen.
The Bookman's Tale is the June Book Club Choice On Wednesday, June 3, the Westminster Book Club will discuss The Bookman's Tale by Charlie Lovett. This gripping literary mystery will captivate readers from beginning to end. Join the Book Club on June 3 at 6:30 p.m. in Simmerman Lounge. All readers are welcome! While supplies last, books from the public library's book discussion set are available for check-out in the church office. You may also borrow, download or purchase the book on your own. For more information about the Book Club, please contact Jan Davison at 277-0444 or
[email protected].
The May 27 issue of the Westminster Expres will include information about our college, graduate school, and other higher-education grads. Please submit information about Westminster’s graduates – name, post-graduation plans, activities and honors received – to LSherlock@ westpres.org, or bring information to the church office. Thank you!
One Great Hour of Sharing Results Great job, Westminster! Through fishbanks and offering envelopes, the congregation came out in support of this annual offering. The 2015 total is $3,528.81! One Great Hour of Sharing is an ecumenical Christian effort to empower, provide water, supply food, and give relief from disasters. Our dollars go toward three Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) programs: Self Development of People, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, and the Presbyterian Hunger Program. Find out more at http://specialofferings.pcusa.org/oghs.
Join the Westminster Men's Chorale June 21 Mark your calendars and grab your friends! Sunday, June 21, all men (and boys) are invited to form the Westminster Men’s Chorale. There is no requirement beyond Sunday morning and it should be a great event to relive some choral memories and create new ones. The anthem that day is a stirring arrangement of “Rise Up O Men of God” by Kenneth Jennings and we will sing a version of the Navy Hymn. Guys, grab your buddies; ladies grab your spouses and drop them off.
Summer Choir Join the Westminster Summer Choir begins this Sunday, May 24, at 9:30 a.m. The choir requires no long term commitment and is a great way to try the chancel out for size. All ages and abilities are welcome. For more information, please contact John Cook at
[email protected].
4114 Allison Avenue Des Moines, Iowa 50310-3398 Address Service Requested
Join us Sunday, May 24 for Service Honoring Veterans at 9:00 a.m. and Pentecost Worship at 10:00 a.m.
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El Salvador Trip Information When: July 2 – 9, 2015 Where: Berlin, Usulutan, El Salvador Approximate Cost: $1,500 (depending on airfare) Deposit: $100, non-refundable due May 31, 2015 Limited scholarships are available upon application to the Church & World Committee. If you have any questions please contact: Michelle Parsons, Director of Outreach
[email protected] 515-274-1534 Alisha Lundberg, Westminster El Salvador Liaison
[email protected]
SMALL GROUP NEWS A Place to Belong Men’s Group During the summer the Men's group will meet every Wednesday at 6:30 a.m. for breakfast at the Waveland Cafe. It will also meet monthly for dinner. This month they will be at Hy-Vee in Windsor Heights at 5:30 p.m on May 20. For more information, contact Pastor Ken at
[email protected], or 274-1534. Stitchin’ Time will meet Thursday, May 28, at 1:00 p.m. in the Hope Alcove. Bring your current project and come to chat and stitch, knit, crochet, etc. Questions? Sherryl McAvoy, 993-3977. Afternoon Bridge - This group has moved to their summer schedule. They will meet on Thursday, May 28 at 1:00 p.m. in Simmerman Lounge. Questions? Call Jan Fletcher, 727-5944. The GLSA Group The Gay-Lesbian-Straight Affirmation Group will host a booth at Capital City Pride on Sunday afternoon, June 14, from noon-5:00 p.m. The Festival is free this year! Stop and see us in the East Village. For more information, please call Ted Coppock, 975-4255. Men’s Basketball meets every Monday at 6:30 p.m. in The Commons. For details, call Mark Morris, 707-6789.
